Guide
What is omakase? A guide to omakase in Saigon
Omakase (お任せ) is Japanese for "I leave it to you". You sit at the counter and the chef decides the whole meal, course by course, from the best ingredients of the day.
The basics
How is omakase different from ordering à la carte?
There is no menu to order from. The chef chooses the dishes and their order from what is best that day, and you receive each course as it is finished, usually while watching it prepared at the counter.
At the counter
How does an omakase meal work?
A meal is a sequence of small courses, usually sashimi and nigiri alongside a few cooked dishes, served one at a time. At Kasen it is fifteen courses built around Toyosu fish and warm shari, in a modern washoku style, and it takes about one to one and a half hours. There are no fixed seatings: you can reserve any time from 10:30, with last arrival at 21:30.
Cost
What does omakase cost in Saigon?
Prices vary by restaurant. They mostly follow the ingredients (especially imported fish), the number of courses, and how few seats the chef serves. Ask whether the price is per guest and whether service charge and VAT are included. Kasen lists all four of its menus, with current prices, on the menu and prices page.
First time
Etiquette for your first omakase
Choosing
How to choose an omakase restaurant in Saigon
Check the number of seats, where the fish comes from, whether the price and menu are shown before you book, the rice, and how reservations are confirmed. Our guide to seven things to check before you reserve explains each one.
Book
Book omakase at Kasen, District 1
Kasen is at 101 Lê Thị Riêng, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City: ten seats, open daily from 10:30 to 22:00, last arrival 21:30. See omakase in District 1, the menus and prices, or private dining for groups of two to twelve.
Questions
Omakase, answered.
- What is omakase?
- Omakase means "I'll leave it to you". The chef selects and serves each course, in sequence, built around the best ingredients available that day.
- How much does omakase cost in Saigon?
- It depends on the restaurant, the ingredients and the number of courses. Kasen lists its four menus, with prices, on one page: see the menu and prices.
- Why is omakase expensive?
- The price usually reflects the ingredients bought for the meal, often fish brought in from Japan, a fixed number of courses, and a small counter where the chef serves each guest personally. Kasen builds its menu around Toyosu fish and the season's seafood.
- What should I know before my first omakase?
- Reserve ahead, mention allergies when you book, arrive on time and eat each course soon after it is served. You do not need to choose dishes; the chef decides.
- How do I choose an omakase in Saigon?
- Look at the number of seats, where the fish comes from, whether the price and menu are shown before you book, and how reservations are confirmed. Kasen, open since 2018 as Saigon's first omakase counter, lists its menus and prices openly. See the full checklist.
- How do I book omakase at Kasen?
- Reserve online or call 0899 855 101. Every request is confirmed by email or phone. Kasen is open daily 10:30 to 22:00, with last arrival at 21:30 and no fixed seatings.