How to Eat Sushi

Co-authored by Daniel Siriban and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: September 8, 2021 References Approved

If you're new to eating sushi, you might feel a little overwhelmed or confused by all the options. Fortunately, once you've learned a few basics, you'll just need to figure out what tastes good to you. A lot of eating sushi is about finding your personal preferences. Do you like to eat with chopsticks or your hands? Do you enjoy adding wasabi for extra heat? You'll soon find sushi that you enjoy and you'll develop your own way of eating it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Ordering at a Sushi Bar or Restaurant

1
Sit at the bar if you want to interact with the sushi chef. If you enjoy watching how sushi is made, you'll have the best view if you're sitting at the bar. You can also ask the chef for recommendations or suggestions.
- For a quieter, more intimate meal, ask to be seated at a table instead of at the bar.
2
Order drinks or appetizers from the server. Someone will come by your table or seat at the bar and ask if you'd like anything to drink. You could order green tea, beer, sake, or water, for instance, but avoid soft drinks since the sweetness will overpower the sushi. If you'd like appetizers before your sushi, order them from the server instead of the sushi chef.
- Try miso soup, edamame, or wakame salad to whet your appetite.
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3
Decide if you'll order the sushi or let the chef choose the selection. Although you'll be given a sushi menu that you can order from, you may decide to let the sushi chef make the decisions and surprise you. If you have any allergies or dislikes, let the chef know.^{[1]
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Did You Know? Letting the chef decide is called 'omakase,' which means "I'll leave it up to you."^{[2]
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Expert Source

Daniel Siriban
Japanese Personal Chef
Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.}
4
Order sushi rolls if you're new to eating sushi. You've probably seen sushi rolls, pieces of fish wrapped in rice and seaweed. These are called maki and they're great for beginners, who might not feel comfortable eating raw fish. A California roll is one of the most popular sushi rolls for beginners since it's made with imitation crab, cucumber, and avocado.^{[3]
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- A Philadelphia roll is another popular roll for beginners.^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Daniel Siriban
  Japanese Personal Chef
  Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.} It's made by wrapping seaweed and rice around cream cheese, salmon, and avocado.
- You might see temaki listed on the menu. This is like a sushi roll, but the rice, fish, and any vegetables are rolled into a dried seaweed cone.
5
Choose nigiri if you enjoy raw fish. If you already know that you like raw fish, order a few individual pieces of sliced fish. The sushi chef will drape a slice of fish over a piece of pressed sushi rice. This is also a great option if you don't like the flavor of a seaweed wrapper.^{[5]
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- Remember that you'll usually only get 1 or 2 pieces of nigiri. If you want more sushi, order several types of nigiri or order a roll to share.
6
Pick sashimi if you don't want any rice or seaweed in your sushi. Sashimi is one of the purest ways to eat raw fish since there are no additional ingredients. The sushi chef will place a few slices of raw fish on the plate for you to enjoy.^{[6]
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- It's a good idea to ask the sushi chef what they recommend. You might tell the chef what you enjoy and let them give you a variety of sashimi to try.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Eating Sushi Properly

1
Clean your hands before eating sushi. You can wash your hands before eating or your server may give you a hot, moist towel to use before your meal is served. Wipe your hands thoroughly on the towel and set it back on its plate so your server can take it away.^{[7]
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- Many sushi restaurants will also provide another hot, moist towel for you to clean your hands at the end of the meal.
2
Identify the wasabi and soy sauce. The server or chef will set down the plate of sushi you ordered, but you'll also notice a small empty dish, which you can pour soy sauce into, and a dab of green paste. The green paste is wasabi, which you can eat with the sushi to give it a little heat.
- Sushi chefs add some wasabi to their rolls, so try the sushi before adding wasabi to your pieces.^{[8]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Daniel Siriban
  Japanese Personal Chef
  Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.}
- You'll also notice pickled ginger off to the side of the sushi. It will be pale or bright pink in color.
Did You Know? Western-style wasabi is made with powdered horseradish, mustard seed, and food coloring. Authentic wasabi is grated wasabi root so it's much paler in color and less spicy.
3
Pick up a piece of sushi with chopsticks or your fingers. Although you often see sushi eaten with chopsticks, it is acceptable to pick up a piece of sushi with your fingers. Good sushi shouldn't fall apart when you grasp it with your fingers or chopsticks.^{[9]
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- Keep in mind that sashimi is usually only eaten with chopsticks. Since there's no rice in sashimi, it's pretty easy to pick up the fish with chopsticks.
4
Dip the sushi in soy sauce if you'd like to enhance the flavor of the fish. Pour a little soy sauce into the empty dish on your sushi plate. Slowly dip the piece of sushi into the soy sauce for about 1 second. If you're eating nigiri, tilt the fish into the soy sauce instead of the rice so it doesn't fall apart.^{[10]
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- Since the chef has already seasoned the sushi, it's considered rude to soak an entire piece of sushi in soy sauce. Soaking the piece in soy sauce also makes it more likely to fall apart.
- Try not to mix wasabi into the soy sauce since this is seen as bad manners.^{[11]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Daniel Siriban
  Japanese Personal Chef
  Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.}
- If the sushi already has sauce on it, eat a piece before dipping it in soy sauce. You might enjoy the flavor that the chef has already prepared.
5
Try to eat the sushi in one bite. Most sushi is small enough to fit into your mouth all at once. Eating all of the sushi in a single bite will allow you to enjoy all of the flavors of the rice, wrapper, and fish. If the sushi is too large to fit into your mouth, you can eat it in 2 bites, but you may want to let the chef know that you prefer smaller pieces.^{[12]
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- Although some people argue that you must put the sushi fish-side down in your mouth, you can decide which way to eat the piece.
- Pay attention to how the flavors change as you eat the sushi. For example, you might notice a tender texture at first, followed by a slightly spicy finish.
6
Eat bites of ginger in between different types of sushi to cleanse your palate.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Daniel Siriban
Japanese Personal Chef
Expert Interview. 1 September 2021.} You probably ordered a few types of sushi, so you'll want to taste the difference between each of them. To refresh your mouth between different types of sushi, use your chopsticks to pick up a slice of ginger. Once you've eaten the ginger, you're ready to taste the next sushi.^{[14]
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- Avoid draping the ginger on the sushi and eating them together.
- Ginger is sometimes pale white or bright pink if food coloring has been added.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Enjoying the Experience

1
Try a variety of sushi to see what you like. If you're new to eating sushi, you might enjoy sushi rolls (maki) that include cooked fish, such as smoked salmon or tempura-fried seafood. To branch out, order a few pieces of nigiri or sashimi, including:^{[15]
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- Sake (pronounced "sha-ke") - fresh salmon
- Maguro - bluefin tuna
- Hamachi - yellowtail tuna
- Ebi - cooked shrimp
- Unagi - freshwater eel
- Tai - red snapper
- Tako - octopus
2
Communicate with the sushi chef. If you're sitting at the bar, let the chef know if you're enjoying the meal. For example, complement their rice since each sushi chef spends years creating their own rice recipe. You can also let the chef know if the pieces of sushi are too large or if you'd like to try a different style of sushi.^{[16]
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- If you're not sitting at the bar but you want to let the chef know that you enjoyed your meal, see if the bar has a tip jar.
3
Share different types of sushi with a friend. You can enjoy a broader range of flavors and textures if you order several rolls or pieces of nigiri and sashimi to share. Keep in mind that when you remove pieces of sushi from a communal plate, use the blunt end of the chopsticks. This way you won't spread germs.^{[17]
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- It's perfectly fine to let your friend know if there are rolls or sashimi that you don't like. Just try to share the sushi that you both enjoy.
4
Have fun and don't worry about making mistakes. You've probably heard some hard and fast rules about eating sushi, so it's understandable if you feel intimidated. Remember that you can eat sushi according to your personal preference. If you struggle to eat sashimi with chopsticks, it's fine to lift it up with a fork, for instance.
- Focus on enjoying your experience instead of following all the rules, especially if you're new to eating sushi.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do beginners eat sushi?

Daniel Siriban
Japanese Personal Chef
Daniel Siriban is a Japanese Personal Chef and the Owner of Roshi Experience. With over 18 years of culinary experience, he specializes in sushi, teppanyaki, and traditional Japanese dining. Daniel holds an AA in Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management from The Art Institute of California, Orange County.

Daniel Siriban

Japanese Personal Chef

Expert Answer

Well, from a customers' point of view, there's really nothing to worry about. Just remember to not mix wasabi and soy sauce and to dip the fish in the soy sauce, not the rice.
Question

In what order should you eat sushi?

Daniel Siriban
Japanese Personal Chef
Daniel Siriban is a Japanese Personal Chef and the Owner of Roshi Experience. With over 18 years of culinary experience, he specializes in sushi, teppanyaki, and traditional Japanese dining. Daniel holds an AA in Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management from The Art Institute of California, Orange County.

Daniel Siriban

Japanese Personal Chef

Expert Answer

It's always tuna first, from the left to right, because tuna is considered to be the king of the ocean. Then you go to some finer salmon, to white fish and to crustaceans on the right.
Question

How do I eat temaki sushi?

Faiza Talukder

Community Answer

There's no specific way of eating temaki sushi. You can use your hand. Since it's big, you don't have to try to finish it off in one bite.

Warnings

Eating raw fish and meat may increase your risk for getting a foodborne illness. If you're pregnant or have a compromised immune system, ask for cooked sushi or stick with vegetarian options.

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