A homey izakaya in Hillsboro, Syun also offers quality sushi as well. Artfully laid-out plates of sashimi, cut generously, are a real draw at Syun, as well as its flashy maki stuffed with crab or blanketed with seared scallop. While there are plenty of sushi options to indulge in at Syun, the assorted plates and donburi — many featuring raw seafood — really shine here. For example, the Hokkaido chirashi offers a particularly artful spread of salmon, crab, scallops, sea urchin, and salmon roe.

Tucked away near the main strip of downtown Beaverton, Yuubi is one of the west side’s best spots for sushi. Chef Ricky Tam orders bluefin tuna and amberjack directly from Japan and dry ages fish to achieve a rich umami taste. Yuubi has a spacious patio, but diners who opt for indoor seating will get a view of the week’s shipment hanging inside the dry ager. For those looking for something special, the restaurant offers a taste of luxury, topping sushi rolls with ingredients like black truffle and premium uni.

This sushi spot in downtown Beaverton serves a sizable menu full of fun appetizers, Japanese classics, and sushi. Although Koya has a tremendous amount of rolls on the menu, the tempura rolls are the clear draw, ranging from a surf-and-turf roll with seared Kobe beef and shrimp to a lobster roll with avocado. This is also a spot that offers baked sushi, filled with everything from crab to scallops.

Chef Kazumi Boyd spent time at restaurants like Masu and Bamboo Sushi before opening her St. Johns sushi cart in 2016. Here, she shows incredible versatility as a sushi chef, filling maki with fried oysters or kabocha squash, meticulously slicing Hokkaido scallops for nigiri, and pairing umeboshi with shiso and a pop of bright cucumber. It’s best to call in your order ahead of time to avoid a wait.

Working in a small Multnomah Village cart doesn’t stop Yoshi Ikeda, a former Bamboo Sushi chef, from serving up high-caliber sushi. Yoshi’s serves a small menu of innovative rolls and rotating nigiri, as well as sporadic omakase dinners and and the occasional handroll. Though some of the specials and desserts aren’t currently offered, Yoshi’s meticulously seared scallop nigiri with yuzu pepper marmalade continues to be the star of the show. Yoshi’s is currently slinging takeout via phone orders only, but there’s onsite dining at the Multnomah Village French Quarter pod.

When it comes to flexing, this Pearl District sushi bar knows what it’s doing. Yes, it has seared A5 wagyu nigiri. Yes, it has both Japanese and California sea urchin. Yes, it has surf clams, spot prawns, and a full gradient of cuts, tuna-wise. The menu even offers a specific list of items from Japan’s famous Toyosu fish market. It’s worth it to splurge on the full omakase, which is a parade of raw and slightly seared delights.

This little traditional Japanese gem can be found right across from the Keller Auditorium, serving everything from Japanese hotpot dishes to house-cured mackerel. Murata’s greatest strengths lie in the sushi sets and fish selection, allowing diners to either hand over control to the chef or pick their favorites a la carte. Murata is offering takeout, as well as dine-in.

Conveyor belt sushi has its devotees, and the Old Town staple Sushi Ichiban has been one of the city’s favorites for decades. The fish is fresh, well-priced, and generous in its portions, trailing behind a toy train engine on a continuously spinning track. This isn’t the spot for omakase, but when looking for a slab of salmon nigiri, spicy tuna hand rolls, or creamy scallops, Sushi Ichiban delivers — via a tiny train car.

A legendary Portland sushi restaurant, Mirakutei was once home to chefs like Hiro Ikegaya, before it was purchased by longtime employees and brothers Nicolas and Job Martinez. Here, people can find delights like Dungeness crab nigiri and hamachi belly sashimi, alongside classics like sweet shrimp and bigeye tuna. Beyond the wide assortment of sushi, sashimi, and nigiri, Mirakutei’s appetizer menu includes a number of preparations of raw seafood, from salmon belly with grapefruit to scallops with uni, yuzu, and white truffle.

The stylish Afuri is really known as a ramen bar, more than anything; people don’t often think of it as an obvious choice for sushi night. This is a mistake. The menu’s tight selection of nigiri, sashimi, and rolls is curated more than anything, only highlighting impeccably cut, flavorful fish. The house-cured ikura is particularly special, as is the flight of Bluefin tuna, when available; those who prefer maki should opt for the Afuri roll, a beautiful combination of tuna, salmon, ikura, and tobiko.

This new spot in Sellwood comes from two veteran sushi chefs, who have cut and rolled sushi all over the world before landing in Portland. Fish here is flown in fresh from Japanese sushi markets, whether it’s a spear squid topped with uni or Bluefin marinated in jalapeno soy sauce. It’s best to order off of the specials card that arrives with the main menu, though the restaurant also offers omakase-style options and sushi combinations.

Known for their meticulous sourcing and high-quality sushi options, the effortlessly cool and casual Zilla has become a destination for rare sake and fresh sushi. Chef Kate Koo serves specialties such as lobster karaage and house-braised Portuguese octopus alongside classic sushi options like salmon and tuna. Highlights include Oregon-caught wild King salmon and Hokkaido scallops, served alongside Oregon-grown wasabi. Shocking no one, this is also a nice spot to pair sushi with distinctive sakes.

Portland’s very own Edomae-style sushi restaurant, Nimblefish serves stunning cured and fresh fish in its most traditional form of nigiri or sashimi in a tight-quarters cafe. Fish rotates seasonally and shows off a variety of curing techniques, as well as simple, fresh slices of fish. When stopping in for omakase, it’s worth it to add on specialty options like Bafun uni or A5 wagyu that’s seared with a hand-torch just until the fat begins to render.

This Division-area sushi spot is the return of the now-closed, beloved Sushi Takahashi 2, a conveyor belt sushi spot in Southwest Portland. At Kashiwagi, Takeo Kashiwagi tops soft pillows of rice with coho, pickled mackerel, and crab, rolling chopped scallops with spicy mayo for maki and frying calamari for tempura sushi. Kashiwagi is also a spot that sells inexpensive hand rolls, for those who want a more tactile sushi experience.

Gladstone institution Yoko’s has held a cult following for decades, delightfully old-school with a range of reasonably priced nigiri and elaborate maki. Yoko’s offers a wide selection of salmon, from ikura to skin to smoked, as well as fan favorites like the poki roll, ahi and albacore — seared and raw — over a cucumber-avocado roll. For a heartier option, opt for the restaurant’s generous chirashi.