Sakanaya

Walking into the Japanese fish market feels like stepping into a world of vibrant energy, freshness, and cultural richness. The air is filled with the crisp scent of the sea, and every stall greets you with shimmering displays of fish, shellfish, and delicacies that look as though they were just pulled from the ocean. There’s an undeniable sense of excitement here—the kind that makes you feel you’re part of something timeless and authentic. What immediately stands out is the extraordinary quality of the seafood. The tuna is deep red and glistening, the salmon rich with marbled lines, and the scallops so plump they practically glow. Every vendor takes great pride in presenting their catch, and you can see the care in their craftsmanship, from precise filleting to artful arrangements on ice. Even if you’re not an expert, you sense immediately that this is the pinnacle of freshness. Beyond the seafood itself, the market’s atmosphere is uplifting. The sellers greet you with warm smiles and lively calls, offering samples and sharing knowledge about preparation. It’s not just about buying food—it’s about connecting with tradition, learning from those who have spent a lifetime perfecting their art, and feeling inspired to bring that excellence home to your own kitchen. What makes this market so special is the way it combines history with optimism. You feel the legacy of generations who’ve fished and traded here, yet at the same time, there’s a buzz of innovation in the sushi corners, grilled seafood stalls, and creative side dishes. Visitors leave not only with bags of fish but also with a sense of joy and inspiration. In short, this Japanese fish market is more than a place to shop—it’s a celebration of freshness, community, and the beautiful abundance of the sea.

Sakanaya is a small seafood market located close to Watertown offering Japanese sashimi bowls and sushi. The staff are friendly, though they did seem a bit rushed and were not offering sushi due to too many orders being done, but the staff were very communicative throughout the process. We got two sashimi bowls, which totaled up to a little under $40. The amount of sashimi was good, but the bowls of rice were just a little bland, as it was just sashimi and rice. For the portion it is alright, though it did cost extra for soy sauce/wasabi. The offerings were very good though, with bluefin tuna, salmon, and other fish available.

This is a small restaurant but it is packed with varieties of fresh seafood, ingredients, and frozen product from overseas, including Japan. Their menu is very affodable ($11 for a Chirashi, not bad). I do agree that presentation-wise, it was not that appetizing, but taste-wise, I was very happy with it. You can also pick your own sashimi packs and let them make a sashimi set for you with $1 sushi rice. You can also find various marinated fish and fish parts (heads, bones, etc) as well. If you are around, I would recommend stopping by at least once and pick some good quality butb low priced product home.

Fresh items gets added by owners throughout the day to replenish freezers. Loved all the items we chose but the uni was not as great, a bit disappointing with the freshness. Loved that we could get them as rice bowls for an additional $1 each.

Amazing quality but get there early if you’re hoping to get their bowls. They do sell out by the afternoon. You can still make your own bowl by picking out fish but it is much more expensive.

super cute market that offers sashimi bowls and sushi! there’s little seating so don’t expect it be a restaurant by any means, but there’s plenty of fresh fish and sashimi options. it’s super customizable too since you can pick and choose the actual ingredients you want in your bowl. i’d recommend going with a friend, because many of the cuts are bigger. prices are ~$10-20.

In the store,we can easily choose what we want and the staff here will help to make it into plate.The Salmon is so fresh and the shrimp also perfectly sweet, only uni is not so good as I expected. Overall good!

Great place for fresh, high quality sushi. You can pick out the items you like and have them added to a rice bowl for a tasty meal. You can also eat your meal outside in nicer weather. Overall, a great spot. Bonus: it's located next to a fantastic Japanese bakery.

Sakanaya is one of the best "hidden gems" that I've been to. The food is mouthwatering delicious and the seafood is fresh. If you order a chirashi bowl or a roll, it is made ready to order. There are only two small outdoor tables (each with two seats), but there is a nearby park from which you can eat. Even though Sakanaya is not really in Boston, it's absolutely worth checking out and enjoying. The prices alone are so much better than what you would get in Chinatown or Back Bay. Note: you must pay for small packets of pickled ginger, soy sauce, and wasabi.

Swung by 30 min before their closing time on a weekend and decided to just get a salmon roll. THE BEST SALMON I have had in a while. Definitely want to come back here to try more on their menu! Seems pretty straightforward in that you create a bowl and pick what you want from what's available in the freezers. Heads up - it's definitely not a sit down place! There should be some photos here or on Google to give you a feel of the vibe.

A must try for sushi lovers! Sakanaya is a little Japanese seafood grocery shop in Newton. Theres easy street parking. They have a few Japanese freezer and pantry items but the big draw is super fresh seafood! They sell made to order sushi and sashimi for incredibly affordable prices, and even have "party packs" to order for your next event! The most fun for me is to order their chirashi--you look around at any fish you want, bring all the packs to the front, and they'll cut the fish for you and arrange it into a beautiful chirashi bowl on rice for only $1 more than the cost of the fish! Even better, they have lots of unique fish for adventurous eaters, like sweet shrimp, clam, octopus, Uni, black cod, etc. I absolutely love getting to choose my cuts of fish, and the quality is incredible! Would note there is no seating, so this is definitely a to go spot, but definitely worth a try!

So delish! Had the option of directly buying the fish and asking them to make it into a bowl with $1 extra for rice

My partner and I shared party pack A, mackerel nigiri, chirashi (mixed slice) rice bowl, and wasabi/ginger/soy sauce packets - TASTE: 5/5 - truly fresh fish! Highlights included the salmon roe, sea urchin, and my personal favorite: salty mackerel. Would come back TEXTURE: 4/5 - firm slices of fish PRICE: 4/5 - reasonable, total came to $53 SERVING SIZE: 3/5 - big portions of fish, but wish the chirashi bowl wasn't mostly rice lol SERVICE: 4/5 - walked in at noon on a Sunday and a few others were in line. Placed our order at the register and our food was ready in 10min ATMOSPHERE: 3/5 - small and simple fish market w no seating, so takeout orders only. Walked next door to Forte Park to eat outside PARKING: 4/5 - got a free street spot around the corner on Jasset St

Definitely my favorite go to spot for no frills chirashi bowl or sashimi. It's a family owned business with husband and wife working together. Select your fish in the cases and let them know how if you want rice ($1 extra) with it and if you're splitting the fish with someone let them know that too and they will basically make a chirashi bowl for you. It's much cheaper than going to a restaurant. There is no seating but can go to the park a short walk behind the store with picnic tables in a nice day. There is also a small Japanese bakery next door to pick up something sweet and a matcha for after the meal. I always pick up some frozen marinated fish while waiting that I can broil and have with my rice and veggies and/or pickles that I can make at home so easily. They're only $8/pack. So glad to have something like this in my neighborhood.

Cute lil family owned business, being a good local spot to get sushi-grade fish and comforting cold sashimi don (or rice bowl). The staff were very friendly and the selection of fish you can choose from is usually much more plentiful if you aside earlier in the day. Parking also is plentiful, despite how it's on the street. Anyway, the fish was fresh and sweet (especially the scallop) when I tried this spot for the first time. The sushi rice was pretty refreshing as well, as it definitely stimulated the appetite with each bite. For a friendly spot with good portions for the price in today's economy, I'd totally recommend this spot and I'm planning on going back for more!

What...? How have I not visited this small but mightily-awesome establishment a lot sooner? This tiny Japanese fish market is just a couple minutes away and I've somehow failed to visit them until very recently. I guess it has a lot to do with not craving fish for the last year BUT when the first hint of desire for seafood returned, their name immediately popped up in my mind. I've been back several times since the initial visit. Their variety of sashimi grade fish as well as specials in their frozen section (fish trimmings and fish heads) definitely suit my personal culinary preferences. On top of that, they actually provide a chirashi service (for a dollar) where they slice the fish you purchased and lay it atop sushi rice for you. This allows you to fully customize your chirashi bowls according to what you crave in the very moment. Friendly people, fresh ingredients, decently priced. Definitely recommend and can't wait to be back again soon!

I heard about Sakanaya very recently and was excited to load up on some fresh sashimi. We tried a variety of items and here's what we thought. Delicious, would definitely get again - Argentinian red shrimp are really nice and succulent. - Tako wasa tastes like restaurant quality and is only $3 -- definitely a good deal! - Salmon scraps are good, great for poke bowls. Maybe would get again - Whole salmon was pretty good, not much fishiness. Wouldn't get again - Sweet shrimp were not super sweet/fresh-tasting. Argentinian red shrimp was much better. - Bluefin tuna toro was a miss. It had a lot of chewy pieces of fat. Maybe I picked the wrong piece. I would get the Argentinian red shrimp, tako wasa, and salmon scraps again!

A tiny little Japanese grocery store and fresh seafood market. A must visit place for those who love fresh sashimi. I went there to get their chirashi bowl. You can either make your own bowl with the cuts of different fish of your choice or get their premade menu bowls for $8. My partner and I decided to make our own bowl and it ended up costing around $35 for two with lots of fresh fish. (We were so hungry that we just ended up eating in the car and did not take any photos.) - 8/10

I love this little Japanese owned sushi grade fish market. It is tiny, but they have fish imported from Japan. Prices are fair. I like to choose the fish and they will slice it to make chirashi bowls for you. Or you can select from their menu sushi/chirashi bowls for very reasonable prices. I wouldn't say it's super high quality but it's good for what you're paying.

Very fresh fish, love it. The service is always friendly. I don't know what ambiance means, for a fish market. It's not a lounge.

I saw a lot of social media hype about this place so stopped by today to try it. My mother and I both got upset stomach at night after eating their sashimi. (We are used to eating sashimi). One of the packing has tomorrow as the packed date. Maybe it's a one time bad experience, but definitely won't come back.

Made my own yellowtail and tuna bowl, the yellowtail was bad and smelled like ammonia. Not sure why this place has so many good reviews.

A cool fish market filled with all the fish you can imagine! They've got all types of Japanese frozen seafood, fresh seafood, sashimi, and Japanese goods. You can get raw fish rice bowls (sushi dons) to-go. There's not really a space for eating inside. They also don't sell hot food either. The staff is very friendly. I got the salmon sashimi here. It comes in a large block that you buy by the pound. The staff was willing to cut it for us too. I can't wait to come back and try their other types of fish and items. I'll definitely be returning regularly!

We ordered for pick up. Sushi was delicious. We selected one of the platters. They basically charge for everything like wasabi packets, soy sauce and utensils. Overall, it's already

Without a doubt my new favorite store in Boston. Incredible selection of top quality fish. They seem to mix up what is available which is nice. The toro is amazing. You can get small pieces so you can try a lot. Prices are low for the high quality. If you don't mind cutting your fish yourself, this is the place to go for sashimi. If you do mind cutting your own fish, they have the best rolls I've had in MA, and also do nigiri and rice bowls. You can (and should) call ahead for pickup as everything is made to order. I love this place

Good, fresh fish. Wonderful for sushi and sashimi. They sell a lot of nice side dishes, too! Different types of roe, seaweed salad, squid salad, they have it all. Their onigiri is also only $2! Small store, but they have all the essentials. We like to come here for poke bowl ingredients.

Sakanaya is wonderful. We have been consistently getting our sushi fish from Sakanaya over the past 5 years, and they've never disappointed us. We recently got a party platter that was amazing, and the owner gifted us a lot of extra leftover pieces from the store without extra charge. It was delicious! My favorites are toro and salmon.

Great concept- select your own sashimi and they make a sashimi bowl for you out of the fish you selected. Sashimi that I saw in their cases- fatty tuna, maguro, kampachi, hamachi, shrimp, hotate, uni, salmon, shime saba, octopus, various roe, just to name a few. For our group of 3, we picked up yellow fin tuna, kanpachi, shime saba, salmon and it all came out to around $54- for the quality of the fish, speed of how they prepared it and the amount, I thought it was very fair. As I write this, I'm thinking of how the salmon and tuna especially had that nice marbling and was the perfect level of fresh/fatty- it was a satisfying meal!

Good sushi. It actually tasted like tuna. Which means they let it mature enough to allow the tuna flavor to come out more. The sushi was simple which I appreciate. It doesn't need all that crazy sauce and toppings and what not. Simple is always good in sushi, which they definitely understand. I will come back for more.

Very very very big attitude from owner lady Every time i go there it looks like she is doing me a big favor Food is ok

I'm not so lucky 4.5 stars? Need to try but I didn't had any luck I ordered the pack B, which come with 2 rolls and nigiris, one of the nigiri selections is today special; what a joke!!! "Today's special" that TS is the bloody part of the yellowtail which mostly sushi restaurants will discarded that part because is too fishy, I try a bite and it was too fishy and fish texture was soggy it seems that the fish is not so fresh. Another nigiri selection that come in the pack is Uni, wtf... that sea urchin was extremely bitter and fishy, it looks so dark and the texture is so watery. The salmon roll has some fish scale!!!! I was there around 10:30am thinking that early in the morning I'll get fresh fish, but instead of that I got some fishy and rancid fish that not even my cat want to try. But thank god that my furry baby didn't try it otherwise he might got diarrhea. One good thing; very affordable price. Wow it seems that a lot of people were very lucky to enjoyed fresh fish but not my case.

Very good Japanese market with fresh tasty sushi and fish. Price is so reasonable. Service is really great too. Very nice family owned business with a lot of smiles

A no frills place that serves fresh fish at very reasonable prices. Got the salmon and sea urchin (uni) rice bowl, which had a good combination of both toppings on a bed of sushi rice. The seafood was fresh and tasty, just a classic combination of flavors. On my next visit I will try to make my own rice bowl. You can pick whatever seafood is available and add rice for $1. It'll end up costing more than their standard bowls but you probably get more seafood.

Purchased sushi to go and a package of frozen edamame a few days ago. When I got home and pulled out the sushi I was stunned to discover that the salmon had a weird smell to it and sea urchin was spoiled. Looked like nothing close to what they have in the store on display. I called to complain and they issued a refund for sushi but not for edamame. Today I opened the edamame package and was stunned to see that it contained a completely spoiled and rotten edamame. I am speechless that they sell this kind of product. Whoever is running this place should be ashamed!

Sushi and sashimi were so fresh. And the price was very good as well. Always go there whenever we go to Boston.

Japanese boyfriend approved!! The sushi and sashimi here is well-priced, fresh, and overall very solid. The staff here kept the kitchen open a little past its closing time (5:30p, so make sure to get your fish sliced before then!) to cut our sashimi. If you're craving fresh sushi, it's definitely worth the trek to Newton from Boston.

Good sushi. Fast service. Takeout only. Good price. Ambiance was friendly. Overall, great experience.

Excellent sushi / sashimi seafood market, with no frills takeout! They function mainly as a market, selling fresh, sashimi-grade fish and some other goods. Good prices for high quality stuff. You can also get takeout here. They'll cut up the fish they sell for you. VERY high quality sashimi. The other stuff - rice, nori, ginger, etc. - are also special, and add a lot to the overall taste. The uni in particular was excellent. We got the Party Pack B, enough for 2 people at $30 - a steal.

If there's 0 star, I will give ZERO! The cashier/senior lady's attitude was awful. My husband asked her for a bowel of rice three times, and she pretended that she didn't hear him at all. We knew she heard, and she knew we knew she heard. And the owner of the restaurant felt awkward. What a bad attitude of this lady! If she doesn't want to work there, she can drop the job. Nobody really force her to work there.

If you love raw fish or sushi dishes this is a place to go if you're around the area. It's fresh and affordable. I came in late Saturday afternoon and there was still a line of customers ordering food. So be patient when ordering because there's only one cashier and two people in the back preparing the bowls or sushi. You can order party platters or customize your own rice bowls. You can also buy fish and other seafoods to prepare at home yourself too. There's no seating at this place. It's more like a market. Please be aware that prices seems to have increased. Check out the prices from the menu I've attached.

A lovely little hole in the wall market with excellent basic sushi with no frills. Great prices! Takeout only!

I keep trying to order sushi/dons because the reviews/pictures are good but it seems impossible to order. They are always out of rice. I've tried calling on weekends, weekdays, early in the day, late in the day, middle of the day, basically tried repeatedly and they are out of rice. I've tried asking what time of day or day of week it's best to call and just get a rude weird answer. It makes me feel like I'm going insane... like do they just not like me?! Do they hate me?!

I recently re-discovered Sakanaya while visiting its next door neighbor, Koko bakery. At first i wasn't sure if this was the same Sakanaya as the one in Allston. So the next time i was at Koko bakery, i stopped in. The store had the same feel, sashimi quality, and menu style as the previous one. Then I saw the owner, Yoshi. All was right in the world again. I really did not want to see the Sakanaya in Allston close but was thrilled to see it's revival in Newton. I ordered a spicy tuna roll and a spicy yellow tail roll. I also bought the raw shrimp and sea urchin, all very fresh. Unlike most places that use mashed up pieces of fish to make it's rolls, Sakanaya uses whole pieces of the fish. The two rolls i ordered had an abundant amount of spicy mayo on them so i didn't even have to use the soy sauce for taste. The pricing for their menu can't be beat. I personally love mom and pop shops that put a great deal on quality with a lower than market price. I'll be returning many more times as I had in the old location. Parking is street. If you see a line, it's most likely for Koko bakery that is right next door.

1.50 per nigiri is such a steal! Mackerel nigiri was surprisingly good. Love the sushi rice and thick cuts of sashimi as always. Highly recommend!

Our family favorite sashimi order place in the greater Boston area. Absolutely the best deal for families!

I love this place, it is tucked away in newton but an amazing find! the freshest sashimi and such a clean and welcoming space. they have an assortment of fish and side dishes to accompany it.

It's a small store located in Newton, near Waltham. They carry a variety of fresh and frozen seafood along with a small variety of items that would be needed for a sushi dinner. I order the temaki platter, which is an assortment of sashimi. The size is dependent on how much you'd like to spend. For 3 adults I usually get $50. For 6 sushi lovers, $90. Etc. Order ahead by calling during shop hours and speaking to them directly.

Tried Sakanaya and was not disappointed. Simple, but good sushi at reasonable prices. Perhaps not the most exceptional sushi I've tried locally, but for the price it was a great value. Got the tuna and salmon bowl. I'd like to try a large mixed platter for a family gathering. Staff are friendly. Take out only.

Incredible market that specializes in sushi/sashimi. Sakanaya should be your go-to destination for either takeout or to purchase ingredients to make sushi at home. The market is not very large - half of the space is dedicated to sushi prep behind the counter. You also won't be able to pick up your entire grocery list here. If your goal is sushi, though, everything you need from fish to nori can be found here. The customer space has a large assortment of packaged fish and seafood items. Fish packaged on wood slabs are intended to be cooked, while the rest of the fish can be purchased for your sushi party at home. Sushi can also be prepared to-go. There is a menu of which you can pick an assortment of nigiri and basic maki rolls. You won't find rolls with ten different types of fish, mango, crabmeat, and sauces stacked here. The basics, though, are excellent. As another option, you can "build your own bowl" by picking out pieces of fish from the customer area. This allows you to create interesting combinations that can include bluefin tuna, fatty salmon, and cod. I've ordered a chirashi bowl and several rolls here. The chirashi bowl is smaller than what you get a restaurant, but the slices of fish are thick and the slightly lower pricing is appropriate. The rolls are six pieces, but the fish portions are very generous. For instance, the amount of fish in my yellowtail is among the largest that I've seen. Definitely check this place out if you like sushi - you won't be disappointed!

Sakanaya is a great spot for both safely purchasing sushi-grade fish but also buying affordable, tasty, and filling rice bowls topped with fish. I can attest to the sushi-grade fish filets for reasonable prices because The Boy purchased some great yellowtail and salmon from here for my V-Day dinner this year. Great quality and helpful employees if you aren't sure what you should be looking for (his words - he asked because he doesn't eat seafood at all). I personally can say the rice bowls are really good and they're quite affordable for how much you get. I've also bought some of their small side dishes to like the marinated baby octopus, complements the bowls well. I didn't discover Sakanaya until about 3 weeks before I moved out of Allston but I consumed about 4 bowls in that timeframe. I love the Treasure bowl which is mixed chopped fish seasoned lightly with a sesame oil flavor over a bed of perfectly cooked sushi rice. For ~$7.47 (6.99 + tax), this is a steal. The fish was always good quality and I really like that it's a variety of fish cuts from your basic salmon and tuna to mackerel, squid, etc. Not for those who aren't comfortable eating beyond basic raw fish. I wish I had more time to explore this menu as I would've started getting into the rolls, nigiri, etc. but these pre-made bowls were clutch during the move and I didn't want to spend too much on takeout every day.

Mind blown when I discovered the Allston location moved to Newton! Absolutely love the sushi here, because you can't beat the price!! $1.50 for each piece of nigiri..including UNI and SALMON?! I'm all for it! Grab a box of the Maine uni as well for $12.99. Definitely worth your money.

My brother ordered take out and I've never been or tried the food here. It was pretty darn good. I appreciate that the nigiri was more fish than rice. And though this place is out of my area, it's definitely a place to come and get all your sushi needs and craving fixes.

Their Chirashi Bowls Are Only $7.99!!!! You can create your own Chirashi Bowls mixing your own choice of fish and making your own combination of sushi/sashimi plates! Their fish are freshly shipped from the airports of Japan to Boston and are genuinely fresh! Their Chirashi Bowls have the perfect portion size for price! For the Sashimi Plates, the Chef's Choice is the perfect price for what fishes the Chef picks for you, but if you are going to pick own fishes for your sashimi, then you have pay more to do so but BOTH of these options are just as good as each other! I highly recommend this place if you are looking for authentic sashimi grade fish! They have the best fresh shrimp! They have an actual Japanese menu!

Good for a quick bite of takeout sushi. Nothing more. Better sushi can be found at Hanami in Belmont, not far away. The bakery next door is to die for!

I came here to grab some lunch for the first time as I heard so many good things from friends. I was impressed with the selection and quality of fresh fish. The store is small and it is a popular storefront so keeping physically distanced from other customers was challenging at times. Nonetheless the fresh product and the reasonable prices can't be beat anywhere nearby. The people running the store seemed very nice and took the time to explain to me how to order as I've never been here before. They also were actively disinfecting common spaces and were practicing safe food handling. Though I don't live nearby it was worth the trip and I would return again. I do wish they had a menu posted online, offered online ordering or contactless payment options but understand these may be challenges for a small business. I hope they continue to be successful and expand their business.

This is officially one of my favorite spots, ever. I made my own bowl by picking the fish that they had in the fridges. I chose sweet shrimps, toro, yellow tail, salmon, salmon roe, and tobiko. Everything was SO fresh with no fishy flavor at all. I did spend a lot more than if I got a $7.99 rice bowl, but it was totally worth it. I recommend this place to all my friends and will definitely will be returning!

They have a great selection of sashimi to make your own sushi. They also have ready to eat options available like make your own sashimi bowls and nigiri platters. Everything was fairly priced- a small tray of uni (from Maine) was $13. They also had hard to find things like shiso leaves and seasoned octopus, and everything was fresh and high quality. I also like how the portions are small, so we didn't have to buy too much at once. We will definitely come back for more whenever we make sushi!