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The 18 Essential Maine Restaurants

King of the Roll, Portland.
King of the Roll, Portland.
Adam H. Callaghan/Eater

The Essential Sushi Restaurants in Maine

From Portland to Brewer, these places slice like a ninja, cut like a razor blade.

by Adam H. Callaghan
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King of the Roll, Portland.
| Adam H. Callaghan/Eater
by Adam H. Callaghan

Sometimes you don't want your seafood fried or steamed, simply sliced, perhaps rolled, and certainly served raw. With that said, outstanding lobster shacks abound, but Maine's top sushi spots are trickier to track. Here are eleven that know their way around fresh fish. Are there others you think are to die for? Share in the comments. Note: map points are ordered roughly south to north.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. Yosaku

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1 Danforth St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 780-0880
(207) 780-0880
Visit Website
The sushi here is solid, and what better place to enjoy it than that beautiful patio?

[Photo: Courtesy of Yosaku]

2. Miyake

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468 Fore St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 871-9170
(207) 871-9170
Visit Website
A truly world-class experience in Portland, chef Masa Miyake's eponymous sushi temple is for fish fanatics, not bargain hunters.

[Photo: Courtesy of Miyake]

3. Pai Men Miyake

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188 State St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 541-9204
(207) 541-9204
Visit Website
The casual offshoot of Miyake, Pai Men focuses on ramen but offers a handful of excellent sushi rolls, including the Maine Crab with broiled mayo glaze. There's a better beer selection to wash it down with here, too.

[Photo: Courtesy of Pai Men Miyake]

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4. Benkay Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

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2 India St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 773-5555
(207) 773-5555
Visit Website
Willing to set aside freedom of choice and pay a little extra? Then pony up to the bar and order the omakase, or chef's tasting menu. Available at many sushi bars and done exceptionally well here, this style of prix fixe affords unique items and the best the chef has to offer.

[Photo: Courtesy of Seiji A./Yelp]

5. Kushiya Benkay

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653 Congress St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 619-7505
(207) 619-7505
Visit Website
Seemingly less popular than its sister restaurant Benkay, this well-positioned locale offers simple, tasty rolls for $3 (and yakitori skewers for $2) from 5 p.m. to close. Be ready for a sugar rush if you take advantage of the $10 deal on 40 ounce Mai Tais, though.

[Photo: Courtesy of Seiji A./Yelp]

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6. King of the Roll

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675 Congress St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 828-8880
(207) 828-8880
Visit Website
It helps to know the highlights of the low-priced menu here, including nigiri selections like ankimo (monkfish liver, often called the foie gras of the sea for its richness) and the ice cream cone-shaped Baha Scallop Hand Roll, which is both delicious and fun to eat.

[Photo: Adam H. Callaghan/Eater]

7. Suzuki's Sushi Bar

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419 Main St
Rockland, ME 04841
(207) 596-7447
(207) 596-7447
Visit Website
Owner Keiko Suzuki and her team of female chefs run the midcoast's ultimate sushi destination. The quality here can't be beat, and the prices aren't bad either considering the amount of local ingredients used in the kitchen.

[Photo: Courtesy of Suzuki's]

8. Mr. Wat

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106 Commercial Street
Rockport, ME 04856
(207) 230-7315
(207) 230-7315
Visit Website
The sushi plays second fiddle to the Thai dishes at Mr. Wat, but the rolls at this small spot are generally satisfying and priced cheaply.

[Photo: Courtesy of Mr. Wat]

9. Yoshi Japanese Restaurant

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373 Wilson St #2
Brewer, ME 04412
(207) 989-9688
(207) 989-9688
Visit Website
Sure enough, Brewer has a lovely sushi spot in Yoshi. Enjoy a wide variety of special rolls, sashimi, or nigiri at a western-style table or on a pillow on the floor in the traditional Japanese way.

[Photo: Courtesy of Yoshi]

10. Ichiban Sushi Bar

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226 Union St
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 262-9308
(207) 262-9308
Visit Website
With around 70 maki rolls ranging from classic to quirky, Ichiban has something for everyone. Try the Halloween Roll, an unusual selection with pumpkin tempura, avocado, and cream cheese.

[Photo: Courtesy of Ichiban]

[Photo: Courtesy of SOURCE]

11. Kobe Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar

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829 Hogan Rd
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 992-9983
(207) 992-9983
Visit Website
This hibachi and sushi "ninja house" slashes prices during its long Happy Hour, Tuesday and Thursday 4 to 8 p.m. It also claims its Tokyo Monster — a pink soybean sheet stuffed with shrimp tempura and topped with a baked sea scallop, parmesan, crab meat, sauteed onions, and "exotic caviar" — is the "Biggest Roll in Maine!"

[Photo: Courtesy of Kobe]

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1. Yosaku

1 Danforth St, Portland, ME 04101
The sushi here is solid, and what better place to enjoy it than that beautiful patio?

[Photo: Courtesy of Yosaku]

1 Danforth St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 780-0880
Visit Website

2. Miyake

468 Fore St, Portland, ME 04101
A truly world-class experience in Portland, chef Masa Miyake's eponymous sushi temple is for fish fanatics, not bargain hunters.

[Photo: Courtesy of Miyake]

468 Fore St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 871-9170
Visit Website

3. Pai Men Miyake

188 State St, Portland, ME 04101
The casual offshoot of Miyake, Pai Men focuses on ramen but offers a handful of excellent sushi rolls, including the Maine Crab with broiled mayo glaze. There's a better beer selection to wash it down with here, too.

[Photo: Courtesy of Pai Men Miyake]

188 State St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 541-9204
Visit Website

4. Benkay Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

2 India St, Portland, ME 04101
Willing to set aside freedom of choice and pay a little extra? Then pony up to the bar and order the omakase, or chef's tasting menu. Available at many sushi bars and done exceptionally well here, this style of prix fixe affords unique items and the best the chef has to offer.

[Photo: Courtesy of Seiji A./Yelp]

2 India St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 773-5555
Visit Website

5. Kushiya Benkay

653 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
Seemingly less popular than its sister restaurant Benkay, this well-positioned locale offers simple, tasty rolls for $3 (and yakitori skewers for $2) from 5 p.m. to close. Be ready for a sugar rush if you take advantage of the $10 deal on 40 ounce Mai Tais, though.

[Photo: Courtesy of Seiji A./Yelp]

653 Congress St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 619-7505
Visit Website

6. King of the Roll

675 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
It helps to know the highlights of the low-priced menu here, including nigiri selections like ankimo (monkfish liver, often called the foie gras of the sea for its richness) and the ice cream cone-shaped Baha Scallop Hand Roll, which is both delicious and fun to eat.

[Photo: Adam H. Callaghan/Eater]

675 Congress St
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 828-8880
Visit Website

7. Suzuki's Sushi Bar

419 Main St, Rockland, ME 04841
Owner Keiko Suzuki and her team of female chefs run the midcoast's ultimate sushi destination. The quality here can't be beat, and the prices aren't bad either considering the amount of local ingredients used in the kitchen.

[Photo: Courtesy of Suzuki's]

419 Main St
Rockland, ME 04841
(207) 596-7447
Visit Website

8. Mr. Wat

106 Commercial Street, Rockport, ME 04856
The sushi plays second fiddle to the Thai dishes at Mr. Wat, but the rolls at this small spot are generally satisfying and priced cheaply.

[Photo: Courtesy of Mr. Wat]

106 Commercial Street
Rockport, ME 04856
(207) 230-7315
Visit Website

9. Yoshi Japanese Restaurant

373 Wilson St #2, Brewer, ME 04412
Sure enough, Brewer has a lovely sushi spot in Yoshi. Enjoy a wide variety of special rolls, sashimi, or nigiri at a western-style table or on a pillow on the floor in the traditional Japanese way.

[Photo: Courtesy of Yoshi]

373 Wilson St #2
Brewer, ME 04412
(207) 989-9688
Visit Website

10. Ichiban Sushi Bar

226 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401
With around 70 maki rolls ranging from classic to quirky, Ichiban has something for everyone. Try the Halloween Roll, an unusual selection with pumpkin tempura, avocado, and cream cheese.

[Photo: Courtesy of Ichiban]

[Photo: Courtesy of SOURCE]

226 Union St
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 262-9308
Visit Website

11. Kobe Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar

829 Hogan Rd, Bangor, ME 04401
This hibachi and sushi "ninja house" slashes prices during its long Happy Hour, Tuesday and Thursday 4 to 8 p.m. It also claims its Tokyo Monster — a pink soybean sheet stuffed with shrimp tempura and topped with a baked sea scallop, parmesan, crab meat, sauteed onions, and "exotic caviar" — is the "Biggest Roll in Maine!"

[Photo: Courtesy of Kobe]

829 Hogan Rd
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 992-9983
Visit Website

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