Kaizen Sushi PDX

Shout out to Chef Carlos and Chef Alex for the great meal and killer sushi! I had the sushi counter all to myself and enjoyed watching the chefs utilize their skills and put out awesome food. They had nigiri specials with fish flown in that day from Japan. I found it impressive that they were already featured in Eater as a must try in Old Town with the relative short time they’ve been open. With this success I don’t doubt they’ll be around for a while.

Seafood was really fresh and very great flavors. We order oysters as an appetizer, absolutely amazing. Highly recommend. We ordered Albacore, Keep Portland Weird, and Sunshine rolls. All very good.

The best veggie sushi I have ever had! It had so much flavor. The garden is a must try. The presentation was phenomenal as well. Our server, Jordan, was also very knowledgeable and sweet. I’m glad we were able to visit this place!

Delicious sushi and not too crowded or crazy expensive! We loved our meal. The rolls were delicious and the salmon belly was divine. Super cute spot with an upscale vibe and good drinks/wine. Staff was super nice and we just loved the experience! Very quiet and easy to get a reservation.

Best Sushi in Portland! The service and staff are simply fantastic. Ever since we discovered Kai Zen a few years ago, we won’t go anywhere else for sushi. You won’t be disappointed!

Above average sushi, service was below average. Good selection of sashimi. Hand rolls were a bit bland. Tamago was excellent. Fresh wasabi lacked punch.

Food was amazing. We ordered 4 different rolls. Rainbow Firecracker Hello Kitty Pacific NW All of it was amazing but the freshness of the Rainbow roll and warmness of the firecracker was a perfect combo. I eat a lot of protein and the hello kitty roll didn't disappoint on that front. Patrick was our waiter and he was great. Checked on us at a normal amount, had a little banter, and even just whipped something up drink wise because they were missing a few other ingredients. He called it "Portland Sunrise". Would get again if he remembers how he made it 😂. Recently moved here and have been trying to find the new go to spot for sushi...and this is it!

Fantastic sushi with real wasabi, this is my favorite sushi in Portland. Drinks are fantastic, really can't think of anything to improve upon. Highly recommended.

We had the pleasure of dining at this charming yet rustic sushi spot in downtown Portland, and it exceeded all our expectations! The selection of sushi and sake is top-notch, with a fantastic range of options to choose from. We were especially excited to find that they offer local sake, which added a unique touch to our experience. The highlight of our meal was undoubtedly the chef's special fatty tuna, or toro--it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious! The quality and freshness of the sushi here are unmatched. Service was impeccable. Our server was not only attentive but also went above and beyond by offering us great local recommendations, which was much appreciated since we were visiting from out of town. Overall, this place is a must-visit for sushi lovers. We'll definitely be back on our next trip to Portland.

4.5 stars. Great fish, solid execution, wonderful service, pricey, beautiful plate decor (dry ice added some drama) and elegant dishware, but an uninspired interior. Well the kraken-like wall art almost has some Japanese whimsy but lacks the necessary humor. This is my second time here, first was some time back. I want to love them and give them that extra star, but for some hard to define reason, something is missing. Like the miso, quite solid but lacking the umami intensity of the miso at say, Nimblefish. It's fine, not excellent. Being able to order unusual nigiri flown in from Japanese waters is a benefit. The rolls had a minimum of rice. Respectable sake list. Although there's a final stretch they need to reach the top echelon, Kaizen is still one of Portland's top-tier sushi joints in a slightly sketch neighborhood that may keep some people away. But it shouldn't. This place deserves to thrive.

Affordable sushi/izakaya spot with very fresh seafood and good portion. The ambience is cozy and romantic, perfect for a date night. We shared a bunch of rolls and some nigiris. Availability for the different seafood may varies from day to day. We loved the Albacore Roll which was sooo tender and delicious. The Spicy Scallops and Unagi, Avocado, Cucumber Roll were also 10/10. The B-Side didn't quite wow us, too strong of yuzu flavor and the tuna and scallop didn't go too well together. For nigiris, we got the Tamago (not housemade tamago so I'd skip this) and Amaebi which was decent. Service was great. We're sat on the mezzanine and it felt like private dining!

We ate outside with our new puppy and the waitstaff was very nice to the dog and to us. We had a roll with a cucumber outside and it was really delicious.

My husband and I were in a bit of a hurry and found this upscale Japanese restaurant. I ordered the 55 which was so smooth! Great recommendation by the server. Everything was delicious and would come back here again!

I recently enjoyed an Omakase dinner here. This was my first time trying Omakase and the experience was amazing. When I called to make a reservation, the waiter was very accommodating. We had nice conversation with our sushi chef, and got to sit at a special part of the bar. It was very good sushi. The only think I would change is more food. While it was delicious, I could've eaten quite a bit more. The price was $125 per person

We had sushi for lunch on a Saturday and were pleasantly surprised to find no wait. The ambiance was great! With the open kitchen feel. The service was impeccable, and the staff were both attentive and friendly. The fish was incredibly fresh, and our server recommendations for drinks were spot on--each one perfectly complementing our meal. We savored a variety of roll dishes and the edamame, which has become a staple in my sushi orders. The overall experience was delightful, and this place has now secured a spot in my top three sushi spots!

This place was so good! We ordered the kaizen roll, dragon roll, and a few nigiris as well. The place is smaller & more intimate & located right by VooDoo donuts. Parking is street parking only since it is located in downtown. Our server was friendly & helpful when we asked for her recommendations. My favorite was the kaizen roll. But everything was delicious. Their dragon roll has a bit of a twist with having shrimp tempura & salmon inside. The creamy spicy scallop was great since the scallops were cut in bigger pieces compared to most places that almost mince it. I believe I also saw real wasabi on the menu as well that can be ordered separately. Overall, a great sushi place. Not the best I've ever had but a great spot nonetheless, great for an intimate date night or to catch up with 2-3 friends. Is on the pricier side but they had cuts of fish that I don't see at more affordable places & the quality of fish is better than your average sushi joint. Would love to return & try more of their speciality rolls!

They served the food on a boat with dry ice that was really cool. The sushi was really tasty. The service is really fast and the people are vary nice and polite. The ambiance is perfect.

[FOOD]: 5/5 * We did the omakase and it was everything and more than what I was expecting. Each course was unique and masterfully put together by the chef and his former mentor. Everything was soooo yummy in their own ways and was complimented very well with a bottle of their more floral sake. I was really impressed that much of the fish was from Nagasaki and from different parts of Japan! The star of the show for me personally, was the scallop and uni, it was unlike anything I've tasted before.Not to mention the beautiful presentation! [SERVICE]: 5/5 * When we came in, we were very pleasantly greeted by the staff and our chef. Our omakase chef Jason did a spectacular job at explaining each and every course, where the fish is from, why he had prepared it the way he did, the whole nine yards. Overall, it was just a pleasure to have him as our chef. The other staff were really sweet and attentive as well, checking in with us often. [AMBIANCE]: 5/5 * Such a cool decor, just a beautiful vibe of minimalistic Japanese style with cool lighting and wall art!

The quality and presentation of the sushi is unmatched! Came here to celebrate my birthday with some friends, all of the sushi was amazing, and it was so nice that they put it on a boat for us. The presentation was great and it even tasted better. An abundance of selections for sake, and I enjoyed my cocktail (I forgot what it was called). Minus one star because we asked our server to put my bday cake in the fridge for us, and they kindly cut and served us the plate which we thanked them by giving the staff the rest of our cake. But they failed to mention the $20 cake fee? Not a huge deal, but I feel like they should've said something beforehand. I would still come back regardless because the sushi was great quality, and their service was still good!

Service was great, we got lucky and it wasn't busy, food quality is great, more spendy than we would like but it's a decent place. I can see myself coming back. We wanted to do a omakase experience but they weren't doing it tonight so we ordered a lot from the menu. It was a good time, good vibe. Shipment gets flown from Japan weekly. Scallops and Japanese uni was a must! We had to get more!

Amazing service, food, & atmosphere. Went in for a quick lunch after the Saturday Market with my pregnant fiancé and had an amazing experience. We wanted to make sure we avoided any raw fish so the chef (assuming he was also the owner/manager) suggested the garden roll. It was nice of him to help navigate the menu. And it was by far the best sushi roll we have had in a long time. We also ordered the Tamago, which was made fresh that morning. You could tell everything was made with fresh ingredients. The chef even gave me a little lesson on what ingredients I could use to make it at home myself which i greatly appreciated. The couple next to us ordered a sushi boat that had some smoking effect coming off it and you could see how excited everyone was when it reached the table. In the end our bill was only $44 which is extremely reasonable for a sushi lunch for two. Definitely will be returning!

I was pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. Prices were cheaper than CA, presentation was top notch, and most importantly, food was delicious! We got a bunch of nigiri and couple of rolls and everything was tasty and fresh. Definitely will go back. A bit hard to find: the entrance is by voodoo doughnuts side, so if you see afuri ramen, go to the left and you'll see a small entrance.

Kaizen is a small restaurant, very cozy and good looking. We went to celebrate our anniversary on a Thursday night, there were a few tables with costumers, and only one server and someone cooking, both were nice to us. We had to wait a little bit for the food, but it was really good, you can really taste how fresh the fish is.. the rolls had very interesting combination of flavors. Would definitely come back

Located near the Chinatown and next to Voodoo doughnuts, my boyfriend and I wanted to try this restaurant out after trying out in a club (yes, there was sushi at a club!). Walking into the sushi joint, the inside is very clean, nicely decorated, with a calm atmosphere. Service was so kind the entire time Their menu was fairly large, however, when we tried to get their Japanese uni or toro, they had unfortunately run out. Nonetheless, we ordered a number of their other nigiris and a couple appetizers. Everything was delicious. I had tried their grapefruit salmon which was a really unique dish, and although I didn't really like it, I can see how others would! Their scallop was also so fresh and I highly recommend. Overall, it was good sushi spot and although not my favorite, I wouldn't mind coming back and trying a couple of their other specialty dishes!

I have been wanting to try this spot for a while but the area of town is not one that I like to frequent. But it was truly worth it. The service was great but we were the only ones there since we arrived right when they opened for lunch. the fish was fresh and every bite was savored with eyes closed. I enjoyed myself immensely

Best spot to get sushi or fresh fish in Portland. The drinks surpassed my expectations. I crave their signature cocktails. Each one we tried was light and kept us wanting more. It The server was very helpful with suggesting pairing options. The ambiance was intimate but bright. It felt like a private tasting.

This place has a cute little ambiance and vibe with an extensive sushi menu filled with specialty rolls, sashimi, nigiri and specialty plates. They also do a great job curating the menu by providing a variety of flights, such as salmon, chefs choose sashimi, chefs choice nigiri along with specials! Any restaurant that offers the option to taste as many things as possible always goes to the top of my list. The server was extremely knowledgeable on all the menu items and was extremely helpful. This place is perfect for a quick sushi outing or an easy date night.

Went on a Saturday (after the pioneer square tree lighting) and were able to get seated quickly as it was a pretty quiet night. We sat at the bar getting some recommendations from the sushi chef ordering 3 rolls and a cocktail. Would recommend everything we had. They all have distinct flavor profiles and the sauces and/or jalapeños when added don't over power the rolls. They offer real Wasabi for 5 bucks in which we saw after finishing but that seems like a deal (don't know size) for next time.

Finally checked out Kaizen and it didn't disappoint. We came here after the tree lightening ceremony and this place was not busy when we got there. We got seated at the sushi bar right away which I always prefer because you can chat with the sushi chefs directly. We ordered 3 rolls the chef recommended: PNW, kaizen, and salmon aburi. The fish and veggies were incredibly fresh and the sauces perfectly complemented the ingredients and were not overpowering at all -truly amazed! We shared the guava cocktail and it was tasty as well. The place did fill up by the time we left. I highly recommend this sushi place if you are downtown.

Fantastic spot in Portland!!! This was by far one of my favorite meals while in town. I ordered the Pacific NW Roll and omg!!! It was one of the best rolls I've had in years. We also had a bowl of their miso soup and it was incredible, so flavorful and delicious!!! The service was excellent and the space itself was immaculately cleaned! I wish I could've had more from the menu or gone back. If you're in Portland this place is a must for some amazing sushi!!!

Chill ambiance, good food and great service! The menu had a variety items, including mocktails! Didn't have to wait too long for my meal. It had a cute outdoor seating area as well.

Short and sweet for this place. Cane here before a concert at the moda center and I'm glad we did. The chef was friendly and fun to talk to. Atmosphere was perfect. Casual but classy. There food was really good. Would love to come for the omakase. Chefs choice. I know I'll be back. Go check them out.

I went to a $200 restaurant a few days before and wish I had gone here instead. Let's see: AMAZING service (filled my glass with water instantly), super attentive staff, great decor, fast food and drink prep, amazing food, good STRONG drinks, wonderful presentation, FRESH FRESH FRESH food loaded with flavor, honest, open, communicative, polite. This restaurant looks and feels very upscale yet very welcoming. The food and drinks aren't cheap, but the quality and service more than makes up for it. This is an excellent place for a special dinner.

Dropped in after a show for dinner, early on a Saturday night. We didn't have to wait and our server was efficient and super attentive. The fish was fresh and delicious, with beautifully presented food on nice dishes. I really wanted to love this place and have it become my next downtown sushi spot, but the rice wasn't quite right. It was on the hard side and didn't have enough vinegar/seasoning, what makes "sushi". This is a problem with a lot of Portland places these days but given the more upscale experience and prices they are slinging here, I expected better sushi rice. All in all, we got a glass of sake each, a few nigiri and shared a roll. It was pretty expensive, but good quality fish and we did enjoy the uni scallop appetizer a lot. The nigiri were fresh and nicely bite sized. The ikura was really good, but then the tamago seemed like the frozen, ready made kind - which is fine for a conveyor but not for finer dining. Cocktails are also $18+ here which seems a lot, given the neighborhood - sure, it's downtown, but it's not in a hotel and it's right off Burnside, not a great area. We were definitely eager to get out of here as it got darker... I think Kaizen will do just fine, given the number of people just looking for a pretty picture and the tourists coming in after their insane waits at Voodoo next door, but this definitely seems more like an out of towner spot.

Arrived to the restaurant around 3:50PM, there was a sign on the door stating they're on lunch from 3-4PM. They weren't ready to let customers in until 4:20PM. Other customers were also confused about the schedule on the door/ online, which wasn't consistent. (Docking off 1 star for that reason) Once we were seated, our waiter gave us menus and water. We ordered the following: Salmon Flight: 9/10 ; I'm such a salmon fan but the wild sockeye was not it:/ Oregon Roll: 15/10 ; it may look plain but it was so flavorful Mirakukei Roll: 9/10 Hamachi Nigiri: 10/10 Shima Aji Nigiri: 15/10 ; so fresh and melt in your mouth Salmon Belly Aburi Nigiri: 10/10 Overall my experience was great! The waiter was very personal and attentive. The ambiance was nice, looked clean and well put. Food was amazing!! I highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for high end sushi.

Food/Drinks: 4/5 Great good. The oysters were great, very good sauces and flavoring. Good variety of nigiri and rolls. Nothing was spectacular, but nothing was subpar. Great spot for a quick meal. We did not have their Omakase offering as it required advanced notice and we were just a walk-in. Service/Atmosphere/Prices: 4/5 Good service, we were seated inside the restaurant away from the door. It was a little bit warm in the restaurant, but they had also just opened so its possible that it was just getting set up. The restaurant has a nice design, street parking, and plenty of seating for parties of all sizes. I would say that this place is more set up for smaller groups 2-6 though. Prices were slightly on the higher side for the quality and quantity that was offered. Fair value. Overall Comments: 4/5 Marginally exceeded expectations. Will refer to friends and definitely return. We do hope to try their Omakase in the future to see how it compares to others in the area. Definitely a good place for a quick meal before moving on.

Super yummy sashimi, the waitress was very attentive and the environment is low key and quiet.

Walking in, zen-style wood decor, high ceilings, nice vibe. Zero Star Service ~ our server is not meant for this line of work. The most unhappy and expressionless personality. Sushi ~ should not take 35 minutes for one roll and 5 nigiri with only one other twosome table dining for lunch. Very strange to see the staff active behind the counter but could not prepare the sushi in a reasonable amount of time. Entrees lost its appeal after waiting so long. Laughingly, it took another 15 to get more ginger and by then we were finished. Much as we love...loved the old downtown, parking is uneasy apprehension already and this visit made it not worth it.

I knew I loved this spot for their sushi quality, but our second time visiting blew us away. The care for presentation was very impressive and our waiter was so knowledgeable about all the options and cuts of fish. The sake was super tasty as well. Definitely one of my favorite sushi places in Portland.

I was in town visiting a friend and decided to come here on a whim. With no reservations we came in and sat at the bar. I had a great experience! was it perfect? No, but it was delicious! I ordered the dynamite roll as well as three orders of nigiri. I loved that dynamite salmon roll! It was beautifully balanced and the lemon gave it a citrus zing. It was so refreshing and tasty. The nigiri all was super delicious as well. My order was put in incorrectly so I ended up with seared salmon instead of raw salmon but regardless it was delicious. My friends ordered more than me enjoying the scallops and uni specialty plate especially. Our waitress was a very quiet woman who was hard to hear most of the time. I'm not sure but she barely spoke above a whisper. We came when there were only two other tables occupied so it was almost impressive how quiet she was being. At one point the owner came out and talked with us for a bit. It was cool to hear how he and his brother own two sushi restaurants and divide their time among them. I was very impressed!

AMAZING!!! I went here later at night with my family after a Winterhawks game and absolutely everything was top-notch. Presentation, service, drinks, food, ambiance, all of it. Even with a nightclub right next door, the environment was still classy and calming. The salmon especially was some of the best I've ever had. This is a MUST-GO if you're in Portland!

Like most new to me eateries, I found Kaizen through Instagram advertised as an excellent date night spot in Portland. I tried this out on a friend date & we had a lovely time. For the quality and quantity of fresh fish we ordered, the cost was quite reasonable. It is tucked into downtown Portland & a great reason to visit the west side of the river. Easy to access via public transit and parking on a Sunday evening was a breeze.

Found this amazing spot while passing through Portland for work. Will stop back every time through from now on. The ambience was chill and inviting. But the food..... I had the Chef's special (usually need to mention this when making reservations) and I could not remember any of the fish. But what I can say is it was simply AMAZING. Watching them work creating each new taste was mesmerizing. The care, art and freshness of each piece I was able to enjoy has not been experienced before. I took some pics but certainly not all as I ate probably too quickly.

Intimate busy sushi spot in the middle of Old Town Portland. Wonderful restaurants surround this hot spot including Voodoo Doughnuts which still had a huge line out their door. But back to Kaizen... Great vibe,, Super clean, Extensive sushi, nigiri selections Busy-reservations a must! We enjoyed the richest miso soup we have ever had-D-licious. Fresh oysters, salmon and blue fin tuna nigiri. Imagine it Al just melting in you mouth. The Blue Fin tuna had just be deconstructed that day fresh from Japan that morning. Three roll were ordered. Kaizen, fire stick and scallops rolls. The fish was all so delicate. Just excellent. Our favorite was the fire stick roll. Topping it off was our very experienced waiter who was very attentive and knowledgeable. Highly recommend. Street parking available. In a hip part of Old Town. Don't let that detain you. It's worth the journey.

The sushi was fresh and sake was plentiful the rolls were more than generous and the staff was very nice. Highly recommend if you're in Portland

Kaizen Sushi opened mid-January 2022! While it's in a part of town I don't go to often (and don't really like to), I went down on this fine windy evening to give this Hot & New biz a try. Located between Afuri and Voodoo Donuts, the layout of this place is tall and narrow. They've got cool fish/octopus murals decorating the walls and table seating along the wall and in a lofted space upstairs. They're so new they don't have their liquor license yet, but hopefully that's soon to come. The menu features everything you'd want from a sushi place - appetizers, plates, rolls, sashimi, nigiri, etc. We ordered the edamame, miso soup, rice, tamago, inari, Crunch roll, and Kaizen roll. Gotta try the namesake menu item, right?! The food was plated beautifully! The rice came in teardrop shaped bowls. The sushi came on one long plate, with a radish shaped into a rose and rolls lined on a tatami mat. Thought has clearly been put into the presentation here. Taste-wise, everything was delicious! Quality miso flavor, well-cooked rice, salty edamame, fresh tamago. Both rolls were delicious, the Kaizen very fresh with a small kick of heat, and the Crunch fitting its name inside out. After tip it came out to around $60, and it was plenty of food for two. Service was friendly and prompt. I hope this place does well!

Very friendly even tho we showed up 30 minutes before closing must get the Chinnook salmon and the green tea cheese cake

I wanted to sit outside and eat but it stunk so bad so we ate inside. Super trendy decor inside and a very nice ambiance. The sushi was delicious but the service was a bit slow for what appeared to be no reason (didn't come at a busy time. Only two tables were seated). They also didn't have a bartender available so they weren't able to make the drink that I wanted. I would of liked that information to be presented to me before I wasted my time looking at the drink menu.

Sensational!!! Fresh delicious sushi Washington Oysters, Okido scallops, salmon flight and a creative roll with tuna and hamachi. The environment is relaxing and near a few of our favorite places, like Powell's books. The incredible service by Nate really made it a special experience. His passion and knowledge about sushi and sake were inspiring.

Went on a Friday night without a reservation and got a table immediately. Kaizen is a small, cozy, and more upscale sushi restaurant. One of the freshest sushi spots I have tried in Portland. Food and service were excellent! Food came out pretty fast and the server was very helpful with recommendations of things for us to try as it was our first time here.

Had a weekly night dinner date with my friends trying out new places and one of our friends mentioned Kaizen, the food and service did not disappoint. Every dish and interaction with our server was great!!! Unfortunately we have to ding the cocktails and bartenders with their cocktail knowledge. As bartenders ourselves, we ordered a paper plane which I'm pretty sure was a last word cocktail and second drink ordered was an aviation (which we paid very much attention to the second time) the bartender did not reach for what was required for the second cocktail from the wall and pretty sure had to look up recipes on their phone. Highly recommend coming for authentic fresh food but avoid throwing $$$ away for cocktails you won't get.

First look walking in was very open aided, quiet, and looked beautiful. The place was empty except for 1 other person on a Sunday evening which was weird. When we were seated their was at least 2 fruit flys buzzing around and we should have asked to sit somewhere else but decided to let it play out not thinking there would be flies everywhere. Once we were seated and ordered some sushi and appetizers more and more fruit flies kept popping up all around the table. Huge turn off to any establishment. The food was beautifully displayed (even the drinks) and the quality of food tasted good but the fruit flies spoiled the entire experience for us. The sushi was good but a little on the expensive side for what you get. I've never seen a dragon roll that didn't have eel on top but maybe that was their own spin on it? My partner really enjoyed the chefs choice sashimi and HIYAYAKKO. We even tried 2 wines which were also great and the baked muscles which usually I wouldn't eat but ended up trying (8/10). Plan to spend some money to eat/drink if you do end up coming, especially a date for 2 can be well over $100 and closer to 200 if you keep ordering.

Fantastic sushi place! I'm really glad we chose this place over the other options in the area. The service was fantastic, Nate is quite awesome. Highly recommend any of the specialty rolls, but the tower is really good as a starter. Top that off with some sake and you're going to have a blast.

Enjoyed a well prepared and served sushi meal with excellent sake at Kaizen. Service was very good and the manager gave us other recommendations for food in Portland.

Great food and excellent service. My bf and I had a difficult time selecting the bottle of sake we wanted to enjoy with our meal. The server was kind enough to give us samples and walked us through the different sakes to select the one we liked. For food, we had the salmon belly with grapefruit, chefs choice nigiri, kaizen roll, and dynamite roll. Everything was super good but I would probably pass on the salmon belly with grapefruit next time. It was interesting but personally it didn't work for me.

Oh man, we decided to pop in for the Ticket to Dine experience and try a new sushi place. It's not in the best area of town and we circled around quite a bit for parking, but we were determined to make it here. It's in between Voodoo Donuts and Afuri. There was a little bit of a wait, but understandable because there was only one server. We were seated within 20-30 mins with no resos. The ambiance was cozy and quaint, it's a smaller restaurant. The menu had an amazing variety to choose from. We started with the miso soup and house salad. Now you might think a house salad was boring, but this was nothing but! It had a light coating of the miso ginger dressing which was excellent. The miso soup was piping hot and flavorful. We also ordered the dragon roll, firecracker roll, and tuna roll. This was the freshest sushi we've had in Portland. You can tell this was quality fish. We also ordered the burnside cocktail and house warm sake. The cocktails were delish. Our server, Nate, who is also the GM was killin' it by himself. He was really attentive even though he was the only waitstaff. This place might be my new go to sushi place.

Service is slow and rather inattentive. Food was decent, tried the toro flight, a few rolls, and sashimi.