A guide to sushi in the city
Sushi in Ho Chi Minh City
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. 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 |
| Prices | 2,800,000₫–4,200,000₫ per guest, before service charge and VAT |
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.
Frequently asked questions
Planning a sushi dinner in Ho Chi Minh City.
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.
How much does sushi omakase cost in Ho Chi Minh City?
At Kasen, menus run 2,800,000₫ to 4,200,000₫ per guest, before a 5% service charge and 8% VAT.
Do I need a reservation?
Yes. Kasen has ten counter seats, so every request is confirmed by email or phone before your visit.