Best Restaurants for Sashimi in Calgary
- February 10, 2017
- By Cody Battershill
Top 5 Japanese Restaurants for Sashimi (Raw Fish) in Calgary
Do you have a knack for some good old sashimi from time to time? If so, you’ll absolutely love the fresh and delicious slices of raw fish found on the menu at these three outstanding Japanese sushi restaurants in Calgary.
Here are Calgaryism's top five contenders for the Japanese cuisine that many of us love. Make your reservation today!
Sushi Bar Zipang
- Address – 1010 1st Avenue NE
- Phone Number – 403-262-1888
Sushi Bar Zipang heads our list because we believe it’s the absolute best sashimi restaurant in Calgary. It’s the only sushi restaurant in the city that is at or near capacity every time you go – which speaks volume as to just how good it is.
Zipang’s dedication to serving only the finest cuts of the freshest fish is what sets it above all other Japanese restaurants in Calgary. Try sitting at a bar seat in front of the open kitchen and watch the chefs prepare your order with your own eyes. It’s amazing at how thorough the sushi chef is in making sure that each and every piece of raw fish to be served is of only the highest quality.
I recommend trying maguro (red tuna), maguro (white tuna), shake (salmon), toro (belly of tuna) and smoked salmon. Sashimi prices range between $2.50 to $4.60 a slice – a very, very good price for the quality of sashimi found at Sushi Bar Zipang.
- See our Sushi Bar Zipang Calgary Restaurant Review today
Sushi Hiro Japanese
- Address – 727 5th Avenue SW
- Phone Number – 403-233-0605
If you’re a sashimi lover and live or work in Calgary’s downtown core, chances are that you’ve already walked through the doors of Sushi Hiro to try its thickly-sliced and fresh-tasting fish.
Inside you’ll find a Japonesque interior – clear and uncluttered – with elements of wood and traditional-style booths that have you sit with your feet below floor level which fosters more of an intimate setting for groups of four or more.
The menu has all the typical sashimi options: ahi (tuna), ebi (shrimp), ikura (salmon), unagi (eel), hamachi (yellow tail) and hotate (scallop) are a few of the different ones we recommend to you.
Sashimi slices here go for between $2.50 and $8.00 per plate with the more expensive ones being a rare “catch of the day” special. Some come as solo pieces while others in twos so make sure to ask your server for some clarification.
Towa Sushi
- Address – 1 2116 4th Street SW
- Phone Number – 403-245-8585
Towa Sushi has been a staple of Calgary’s Japanese restaurant scene for years because of its use of fresh ingredients and large-sized orders, giving spectacular value for the price.
Actually, Towa’s large sushi rolls are what this restaurant is known for, a reputation that extends to its sashimi slices. They are much longer (and a bit thinner) than the thicker cuts you’d get at Sushi Hiro and Sushi Bar Zipang, for example, but do just as good because of their incredible “melt-in-your-mouth” taste that you don’t necessarily always get with most thicker sashimi pieces.
We highly recommend trying the seared salmon, raw salmon, white tuna and red tuna for sashimi; they range between $2.50 and $5.00 a piece. Oh, and don’t forget to check out Towa’s cozy patio during summer time that makes for a stimulating sushi experience every time.
- See our Towa Sushi Calgary Restaurant Review today
Red Ember
- Address – 609 14th Street NW
- Phone Number – 403-453-0577
Red Ember has most definitely made a name for itself on Calgary’s Japanese sushi restaurant scene through its modern atmosphere, unique presentations and quality food.
Inside you’ll find an intimate, modern ambiance with a spacious seating arrangement great for parties of all sizes. Their cuisine is presented in a very unique and modern way, coinciding with the overall feel of the restaurants atmosphere superbly and making you want to take a picture to post on social media later.
Sashimi slices here are of varying size; tuna slices are about the same as they are at Zipang while salmon slices are nearly as long as they are at Towa but a bit thinner than at Hiro.
Some of our favourite sashimi selections at Red Ember include tako (octopus), tobiko (flying fish roe), maguro red (ahi tuna) maguro white (albacore tuna), sake (fresh salmon) and spicy tuna. Prices range between a very reasonable $1.75 and $3.50.
For overall interior and food presentation, Red Ember scores the top of our list of best restaurants for sashimi in Calgary.
- See our Red Ember Japanese Cuisine Calgary Restaurant Review today
Tenshi Sushi
- Address – 304 10th Street NW
- Phone Number – 403-457-0370
This small sushi restaurant in the Kensington District has some of the tastiest sashimi in Calgary. It also has some of the biggest, with slices being just as long as they are at Towa and two thirds as thick as they are at Hiro or Zipang.
Inside you’ll find a small seating area which is good for parties of two to six, but we recommend making a reservation no matter how many are in your group just to make sure you get a spot.
Tenshi has the best seared salmon sashimi in the city. Other than that, we highly recommend trying their raw salmon, scallops, red tuna, white tuna and crab meat; they go for roughly between $2.00 and $4.50 a pop.
Tenshi Sushi scores the top of the list for value because their sashimi pieces are the largest we’ve come across that don’t chinse out on quality as a result.
I Love Sashimi
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