A guide to sushi in the city
Sushi in Ho Chi Minh City
Kim Chu's ten-seat sushi counter, District 1 — trust the chef.
Ho Chi Minh City has sushi on a thousand menus — hotel buffets, conveyor-belt chains, izakaya side dishes. Most of it is fine. Very little of it is a sushiya: a kitchen where sushi is the discipline, not a category on a longer menu.
Kasen is a ten-seat sushiya at 101 Lê Thị Riêng, Phường Bến Thành, District 1, open since 2018. Kim Chu leads the counter, cutting and finishing every piece by hand. Fish comes from Toyosu Market in Tokyo alongside trusted local seafood, aged and cut to order, served through a fifteen-course omakase progression rather than an à la carte list.
| Address | 101 Lê Thị Riêng, Phường Bến Thành, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City |
| Hours | Daily, 10:30–22:00 |
| Format | 15-course omakase, about 1–1.5 hours |
| Menus | Chef-selected omakase, shaped by the season |
| Seating | 10-seat counter; private room for 2–12 guests |
| Phone | +84 899 855 101 |
| Booking | Reserve online or call; every request is confirmed by email or phone |
Trust the chef
The sushi only Kasen makes.
Kim Chu carries forward the sushi philosophy of Master Chef Shinji Murata of Hiko Sushi, Los Angeles — the same standard applied to every piece that reaches the counter in Saigon: rice held at the temperature a hand can still read, a blade angle chosen for how a cut feels rather than how it looks, fish aged by feel over days rather than a fixed recipe. None of that is visible on a finished plate. It's why the piece in front of you tastes the way it does.
The lineage behind the counter · What happens before a course arrives
Sushi restaurant vs. sushiya
Two different ways to eat sushi in this city.
An à la carte sushi restaurant works from a printed menu: you choose the rolls and pieces, the kitchen makes them to order. It's a reasonable way to eat, and most of the city's sushi is served this way.
An omakase sushiya works the other direction. There's no menu to order from — the chef chooses, course by course, built around what's freshest that week rather than what's easiest to print. It takes years of training before a chef is trusted to run that counter: rice held at the temperature a hand can still read, a blade angle chosen for texture rather than appearance, fish aged by feel rather than a recipe. That's the difference between a restaurant that serves sushi and a sushiya.
What to expect at the counter
Four menus, one progression.
Kasen's omakase runs fifteen courses — otsumami, nigiri, sashimi and modern washoku dishes — at the ten-seat counter, in the private room, or for a full counter buyout. Choose Premium for a balanced first visit, or Sashimi, Seasonal and Wagyu for different paths through the same progression. Sake pairing is available with every menu.
Sushi at Kasen is priced per guest, before service charge and VAT; current prices are on the menu page.
See the current sushi omakase menus
Omakase in District 1 · Private dining for 2–12 guests · FAQ
New to omakase? How to choose an omakase in Saigon. Staying near the center? See omakase in District 1.
Frequently asked questions
Planning a sushi dinner in Ho Chi Minh City.
Who is the chef at Kasen?
Kim Chu leads the counter, carrying forward the sushi philosophy of Master Chef Shinji Murata of Hiko Sushi, Los Angeles.
What's the difference between a sushi restaurant and an omakase sushiya?
An à la carte sushi restaurant lets you order individual pieces or rolls from a menu. A sushiya like Kasen serves an omakase progression instead — the chef selects each course, piece by piece, built around what's freshest that week.
Where does the fish come from?
Kasen sources fish from Toyosu Market in Tokyo alongside trusted local seafood, aged and prepared to order at the counter.
Is there omakase near me in Ho Chi Minh City?
Kasen is a ten-seat sushi omakase counter at 101 Lê Thị Riêng, Phường Bến Thành, District 1, in central Saigon, a short taxi or ride-hail trip from most of District 1. Because there are only ten seats, reserve ahead.
Do I need a reservation?
Yes. Kasen has ten counter seats, so every request is confirmed by email or phone before your visit.
How much does sushi cost in Ho Chi Minh City?
At Kasen, sushi omakase is priced per guest, before a 5% service charge and 8% VAT; current prices are on the menu page. See the menu page for all four menus.
Where can I view the Kasen omakase menus?
View the current omakase menus on the Kasen menu page.