Photograph by David Hoang
When living in New York City, I was spoiled with affordable, no-fuss sushi places that allowed me, a low-paid magazine editor, to eat my favorite rolls several times a week. After moving home to Atlanta, I struggled to find such places. While I love the pomp and circumstance and high art that is sushi at Mujo, Nobu, and Umi, I longed for the days of simple rolls I could devour on a random Wednesday night.
My husband grew up eating hibachi and sushi in Marietta prepared by Don Tsunafuji. A few years ago, we were delighted to find that his Sushi Nobo in Vinings wasn’t too far from us. The place wasn’t fancy, but the sushi was excellent, and Don was an animated guy who lit up the place. He passed away last year and the restaurant closed, leaving a Don-sized hole in our hearts. Once again, we were on the hunt for a weekday sushi place, only this time with a toddler in tow. We finally found our spot in Wagaya, but it took a ton of asking around and trial and error to find what we were looking for.
In that spirit, if you’re looking for a solid no-frills sushi place, Atlantans spill their favorite neighborhood spots.
Sandy Springs
Bishoku is one of my favorite restaurants. I hesitate to call it a hole in the wall, but it’s a hidden gem. The staff is so friendly and helpful and the service is quick and reliable. The menu has a wide range of sushi and sashimi offerings and everything is super fresh and flavorful. I’ve been going for about five years after several friends recommended this place. It’s usually busy, but you never have to wait long for a table. —Stephanie Beckham, senior finance manager
Courtesy of Daemon Baizan
Chamblee
We have the classic conundrum of wanting to dine out with our one-year-old while also feeling like we’re having an adult meal, so we constantly struggle with finding a restaurant that is both family-friendly and nice enough to feel like a treat. Fudo is an easy choice because it’s both welcoming and fun for our little one, and elevated enough for adults. I am particular about the quality of fish in my sushi, and Fudo provides great value without sacrificing quality. The hand rolls are the best bang for the buck, and our go-to rolls are A Star Is Born (spicy tuna, crab salad, and crunch topped with seared tuna, yellowtail, salmon, spicy aioli, spicy ponzu, scallions, assorted tobiko) and Black Pink (shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, crab salad, avocado, wrapped with pink soy paper, topped with spicy kabayaki sauce). Fudo gets extra brownie points from my movie-buff husband for the cinematic names! —Lauren Hauther, freelance publicist
Photograph by Martha Williams
Smyrna
I first started going to Minato about nine years ago when I moved to Smryna. I was instantly in love with its kitschy atmosphere, like rocks on the walls and cute dolphin decor. They have great standard sushi rolls like avocado and salmon. Later, I learned about its off-menu items like the Cowboy Hat, a shrimp cracker topped with a mound of creamy crab salad made crunchy with tempura flakes, then crowned with a fried scallop and drizzled with eel sauce. I only recently learned about another off-menu item, the Kevin #2, which has crab salad and shrimp. I love to go because it’s generally affordable. I feel like it’s the Cheers of Japanese restaurants. You go there once and you’re a regular. —Lia Picard, freelance writer
Marietta
Thaicoon is one of those places that makes you feel like you’re “going out to dinner” while remaining unpretentious. The staff is welcoming and knowledgeable, and seeing the sushi rolled fresh by the chefs enhances the experience. There’s a wide variety of creative specialty rolls at a reasonable price point. We’ve been going since we moved to Marietta in 2015, but I feel like it’s one of those places you learn about by osmosis if you spend any time on Marietta Square. —Ashley Wilson Clark, lawyer
Dunwoody
I ended up at Wasabi House because it was the only place I could find open early on a Sunday and I was craving sushi. I keep going back because the price can’t be beat. For a date night, we can get four rolls, an appetizer, and hot sake to split for around $100 with a tip. We go there probably two to three times a month, getting there right when they open. The rice is perfectly cooked, and when we get nigiri, it’s lovely and warm with just the right amount of wasabi. The rolls are traditional-ish and the fish is fresh. —Jocelyn Dubuke, owner of Jardi Chocolates
Photograph courtesy of Starfish
Buckhead
We’ve been going to Starfish on Peachtree Road as long as we’ve lived in the neighborhood, probably over 12 years. It’s within walking distance, inexpensive, and not pretentious. They know us now and still hook us up even though we’re not there as often as we used to be. We like to try different rolls and sometimes get the chef-selection combo. I’m a fan of the cheap, good sake, too. —Keaton McKeown, insurance professional
Decatur
We started going to Sushi Avenue when they opened in 1997. My mom lived in Japan as an English teacher for a while, and we were pretty excited to have a sushi restaurant nearby. I visited it with the Decatur High School band while I was in school and loved the atmosphere. As life has gone on, I’ve also grown to love how family-friendly it is. I also appreciate that they held off on raising their prices as long as they could; even with the prices going up, I still feel like it’s a deal for the quality. It’s where I’ve gone every year for my birthday, and I love taking my friends there for lunch, as well as my babies. —Meg Sizemore Clark, specialist
Roswell
Of all the sushi places we’ve been to, none spend the money or have access to the quality of fish that Tanaka does. Mr. Tanaka, who has been running it for over 20 years, has an amazing supplier he’s used for years, and you notice it immediately. It’s authentic and fresh. The sashimi octopus is my favorite thing on the menu—you can taste the saltwater in it. We love that it’s a small and intimate place and the service has always been amazing. We’ve been going for about 15 years after a friend of our daughter’s found it. —Gary Bixler, owner of The Farm Sauce
Johns Creek
When I moved from intown to the northern suburbs, I was thrilled to find an authentic Japanese sushi spot nearby. The vibes at Daisuki Sushi Izakaya are laid-back, as a good izakaya should be, and the fish is as fresh as any I’ve had at Atlanta’s high-end sushi restaurants. This place offers a wide variety of rolls, sashimi, and nigiri—the Hama Q roll is simple and refreshing—along with an ever-changing specials menu, an excellent unagi bowl, and takoyaki so good I wrote an entire love letter to it last year. Don’t miss the hot, freshly-fried red bean taiyaki for dessert. The owners are friendly, and the beer is ice-cold. For Japanese-food lovers, Daisuki is worth the drive. —Myrydd Wells Walljasper, editorial digital director at Atlanta magazine
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