Zilla Sake

1806 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211, United States

Zilla Sake
About This Sushi Bar

Zilla Sake is a small, upscale restaurant located in Portland's Alberta Arts District which serves traditionally-focused sushi and Japanese small plates accompanied by an extensive list of sake.

Sushi Reviews
Sushi Experience №1

I don't know if the staff was having an off day but this was not a good dinner. The sushi was okay but nothing special, overpriced for the quality. The rice wasn't prepared properly and fell apart. The spicy salmon roll was pretty good. Our waiter was slow an uncommunicative. He didn't check in with us once and the food took forever to arrive. It took an hour and a half to get our meal. No apologies, no free appetizers or drinks. No communication while we were waiting. We were really looking forward to the meal because the restaurant is 100 percent gluten free but we aren't coming back. The interior of the restaurant is very warm with all the wood. And there were a lot of sake options.

Visited a month ago

Sushi Experience №2

Amazing fresh sushi, great music, beautiful serving plates, ambience and decor, and good service. Highly recommend!

Visited a month ago

Sushi Experience №3

Being from Hawai'i, I am naturally difficult to please with sushi. Zilla Sake is exceptional and most certainly the best sushi in PDX. Everything is gluten free!

Visited a month ago

Sushi Experience №4

Visited 2 months ago

Sushi Experience №5

Excellent rolls, soup & Oregon grown wasabi. Great service too, as for Michael!

Visited 2 months ago

Sushi Experience №6

Dined here on 11/23, and was really happy with my experience. The front of house/waiter was really nice and knowledgeable, and the two chefs were heads-down and preparing amazing food at a good clip.

We went with the following:
starters: miso soup, cucumber salad, edamame, fresh wasabi (for the nigiri)
mains: hamachi nigiri, eel nigiri, nishi futomaki (maybe the best roll I have ever had) and a seasonal dish that was crispy-skinned trout, fingerling (I think) potatoes, chanterelles and a chestnut sauce (amazing small dish)
drinks: hiyaroishi (fall) sake sampler, asahi draft, ume highball, one cup cloudy sake

total was $170 including tip.

Service was timely, with each dish coming out when we were done with the previous one, and as mentioned, the wait staff was really great. this is more of a fine-dining kind of spot, so expect to have somewhat small portions that are not cheap, but also expect high quality ingredients. the seasonal dish of crispy trout, nishi futomaki, fresh wasabi and the sake sampler were standouts.

the only thing that kind of bummed me out was that I was hoping the nigir was a bit larger of a portion. for the price, i would have rather ordered the crispy trout two more times rather than grab the nigiri. not that it wasn't delicious, but again, the size of the actual cuts of fish (mainly the hamachi) were a bit on the small side from what I have experienced in the past (granted, i am comparing this to places in japan).

I think I will come back next year for my birthday and take the plunge on the omakase. on that note, I see people in the reviews complaining about how long the service takes for that, but it literally says on the menu to expect a ~2 hour 7 course meal. it is meant to be enjoyed slowly, so if you are tight on time, this might not be for you.

so glad to have finally eaten here, I can't recommend it enough for an elevated japanese dining experience.

Visited 3 months ago

Sushi Experience №7

Visited 3 months ago

Sushi Experience №8

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №9

This place is special. I recommend sitting at the bar so you can see the sushi being rolled. The specialty items are delicious. The guy who runs Zilla also makes specialty items like jars of paté. Do yourself a favor and celebrate something special here!

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №10

Such a beautiful restaurant with even better sushi. All plates were amazing, and the gluten free menu made it so easy to enjoy what I wanted to. Will definitely be coming back!

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №11

This place is among the my top places! Everything was so fresh and high quality and the chefs knew what they were doing. The flavors were well balanced and flavorful. The staff were so kind and very professional as well! If your in Portland and want food sushi this is the place!

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №12

While kind, the staff was inexperienced. We were expecting a female chef, as advertised, and not the case that evening. Everybody was nice but the food quality/too slow service didn't match the high price. Another odd moment, the side order of sushi rice is cold -rice vinegar- rice. We thought would be just a side of plain (sushi grade) rice. No, it's literally a cold bowl of vinegar+ flavored rice. And there was a cocktail that had a large salted Ume; the sheer amount of salt was impossible to eat without plain rice.

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №13

Visited 5 months ago

Sushi Experience №14

It was a great experience. We sat at the bar and got to talk to the chef who was making our food and sushi. The food was excellent, and the service was attentive. The only part I did not like was that the sake was super expensive compared to other times we'd been there. We will definitely go back as it is one of our favorite sushi places in Portland.

Visited 5 months ago

Sushi Experience №15

--- sake ---
Koto junmai ⭐⭐✨
- good but didn't blow my mind
- dry and earthy
- pairs well with lots of things

Yuki no bosha junmai Ginni ⭐⭐⭐✨
- chefs favorite sake
- slightly more delicate

Yuki Tora nigori ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- thicker, sort of unfiltered tasting
- slightly sweeter than usual
- more of a dessert sake
- not overly sweet

--- food ---
Shungiku and hakusai salad ⭐⭐⭐
- the crab didn't do much for me

Salmon oshizuishi ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- loved the delicate taste
- wish the salmon was thicker but I think it contributed to the delicate feeling
- love the pickled fennel

❤️Pan roasted gindara ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
- loved the crispy potato
- the fish was so soft
- absolutely loved the tomato

Yuzu kosho pasta ⭐⭐⭐✨
- too subtle a hint of yuzu
- loved the mushrooms
- not enough flavor
- appreciated how the cream wasn't heavy enough

Panna Cotta ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- not super bitter
- the salt was good
- coconut milk and french salt

Visited 5 months ago

Sushi Experience №16

Visited 5 months ago

Sushi Experience №17

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №18

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №19

Chose this restaurant as a member of our party required Gluten Free food-handling and discovered the most flavorful sushi I’ve had in a very long time. Highly recommend the Mushroom Kara-age and Miso Soup for starters and the Tsunami was our favorite roll. We will be back!

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №20

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №21

Authentic high quality sushi
Celiac disease safe as literally everything on the menu is gluten free

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №22

Server went above and beyond to ensure my safety when I let them know about my food intolerances and the food was absolutely delicious!

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №23

This was expensive but also the most delicious prix fixe menu menu I have had. Great sake selection.

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №24

I did the omakase and it was maybe the best sushi of my LIFE. Huge variety, lots of care taken, extremely good food and sake! It's an experience, to be sure.

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №25

Super fresh and clean rolls. My husband and I don't like saucey or fried rolls and Zilla Sake proves just what we love, simple and focused on the freshest fish. Also the sake menu is extensive and the servers made great recommendations.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №26

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №27

My partner and I came here for a celebratory dinner and it was sooooo good. Everything was delicious and the service was perfect. Would recommend to anybody who is looking for an elevated sushi experience that won’t break the bank! The menu was super interesting and they highlighted local ingredients. Maybe the first time I’ve ever had real wasabi??? I never post reviews, really, but this place deserved it! Five stars, hope to eat here again. Oh and our waiter was really knowledgeable about sake and helped us find the perfect thing to order!

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №28

One of the best sushi experiences. We loved everything. No cream cheese or sauces here. The owner is darling and I wish we lived closer. They would be added to our retirement plan for sure.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №29

Just “meh”
Atmosphere: pretty typical of the last half dozen sushi shacks we’ve eaten.
Service: OK. I mean, how hard is it to take a sushi order, walk 10 steps, & punch it in. The Waitron made no attempt at recommendations, & there were a number of Specials on the board.
Food: The Sea Bream was w/out a doubt, Heavenly. Lobster Karaage was a disappointment (served w/ what’s essentially mayo) but has potential.
Overall quality very good, but portions small.
Value: This is where they Lose. THIS PLACE IS WAY OVERPRICED!! THERE’s EQUAL QUALITY SUSHI 2B HAD IN PDX FOR 2/3rds Zilla’s tab. At >$120 PER PERSON WITHOUT ANY ALCOHOL I FEEL VIOLATED.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №30

Cute place. Amazing food. We chose to sit on balcony. Unfortunately, we were approached twice (the first time, in a rather aggressive way) by a guy wanting money. It was a little intimidating,. Not a plus for going out to a nice dinner
The food was fantastic

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №31

I have celiac and I can pretty much order anything off the menu here (I think beer is the only exception). This is my favorite restaurant. I love everything I’ve ever had here. Their sake knowledge and collection is phenomenal. The ambience is quiet and cozy and I love their Omakase and special Omakase events. If you sit at the sushi bar you can talk to the chefs a bit and watch them work. It’s a wonderful experience.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №32

My gf and I dined in for our anniversary, and had the omikase for two. It was a really nice and fun experience over all. The staff was very nice and attentive. And the food was amazing. It’s an 8 course experience. Which featured a lot of food and many different things to try. We also had a sake flight and tea. Some of my standouts were the bluefin tuna, the crab and tofu dish, crispy skin trout, and the 3 week dry aged king salmon. I would definitely recommend you try it out.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №33

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №34

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №35

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №36

positives: highly knowledgeable and personable staff. great sake and drink selection. high quality ingredients and best fish I’ve tasted. delicious lobster karaage

Now for the rest: overpriced for what you get. If this place was labeled a sake tasting bar, I’d understand the tiny morsels they serve up and the slow roll outs for items. The lobster karaage is one of the few menu items with a healthy portion size. I genuinely felt bad that my date paid $200+ just for us to have a handful a bites and leave hungry. What is the point of a restaurant that lets people leave hungry??

The atmosphere is very cozy but sorta confusing what it’s going for. It’s not traditional nor is it modern. The omakase experience wasn’t quite traditional Japanese either. Odd operation hours (a restaurant only open for 4 hours on Fridays and Saturdays??)

I wound up leaving this place sad, underwhelmed, and full of questions despite it being so hyped. Not worth the $$ in today’s economy I’m afraid.

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №37

We just had a celebratory dinner here last night and it was so lovely. Highly recommend the chefs tasting menu.

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №38

Best meal I've had in a long time!
I appreciate the time, effort, and attention to detail that goes into each course, you can taste it in every bite.
Taste, texture, balance, quality of ingredients top notch. Hats off to the chefs, truly thank you for the hard work and a memorable meal 🙏
We'll be back again and again

Visited 9 months ago

Sushi Experience №39

We went for the omakase. It took three hours and most of the time was spent waiting between courses. I thought the food was alright and the ingredient quality was good, however the server who brought out most of our dishes couldn’t remember what they were called and therefore couldn’t explain well to us what was being served. He also pointed at items with hands right over the dish, which I found off-putting. And at one point his thumb was touching the nigiri when it was served. It was quite uncomfortable to sit for three hours as the chairs are wood and not cushioned. It was $360 (they include the 20% gratuity) for two people, so not something I’d do again. It doesn’t seem like the servers are familiar with fine dining etiquette, so the price seems inflated for the experience.

Visited 9 months ago

Sushi Experience №40

Absolutely wonderful

Visited 9 months ago

Sushi Experience №41

Visited 9 months ago

Sushi Experience №42

Visited 9 months ago

Sushi Experience №43

Place that gets all the details just right. Perfectly cooked and seasoned sushi rice. The rolls are elaborate but the ingredient quality is sky high - the radishes taste fresh, the Wasabi is fresh ground, the soy sauce is clearly sourced with thought. You can taste the attention to detail.

If you like something that doesn't try to hide behind gobs of sauce or layers of deep fried tempura - you'll love this spot.

Visited 9 months ago

Sushi Experience №44

New favorite sushi in town. Their dry aged salmon sashimi was the highlight of our recent visit.

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №45

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №46

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №47

Nice atmosphere, has a nice long bar. Not quite traditional or super modern.
Only been once. The sushi is good. The value is still an open question for me, id have to go back again, it feels a bit pricey for what it is.

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №48

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №49

Partner brought me here for my birthday dinner. It was an incredible experience purely based on the fact that I have never had that quality of sushi before. We definitely paid top price for it, but if you're willing, it's worth it.

Later on in the meal a group came in that was way too loud, which was unfortunate cause the restaurant had a quiet, zen like atmosphere to it prior. Even so, great spot.

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №50

Highly recommend! Sushi was fantastic, fresh and tasty. So were the appetizers. Loved the gluten free options. Very Celiac safe for me. Place was small, cute and cozy. Service was very kind.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №51

while the fish was good quality and tasted great, basically just disappeared in your mouth because portions were quite small. even spending almost 200 (including tip) we were still hungry..thicker cut of fish and rice would make a difference.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №52

While the sushi restaurant had friendly staff, the overall experience was disappointing due to the tasteless food. Despite the nice ambiance and attentive service, the lack of flavor in the sushi left much to be desired. Additionally, the staff seemed distracted, which affected the overall dining experience.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №53

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №54

We came for the Valentine's Omakase and it was delicious. We drove over an hour to come here!

Everything on the menu was so, SO good! We've been before and we wanted to come back because of how unique and delicious their Omakase is.

The last time we were here, we spent 2 hours at the bar for Omakase and we thought THAT was long. When booking for the Valentine's omakase, we were fully prepared to lose 2 hours as the food is delicious, but it ended up being over 3.5 hours!! I saw another reviewer comment about the same time duration for the Valentine's omakase and was surprised it was not just us that had that experience.

Unfortunately, we will not be returning as we simply do not have over 2 hours to spare for a dinner. Everything came out in small pieces VERY spaced in-between. It really felt like we were being teased the entire time.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №55

My partner and I dined at Zilla Sake on Valentine’s Day for their omakase tasting. We had reserved seats at the sushi bar, but when we arrived were told that the previous party was still eating and wouldn’t be finished for some time (this should have been a sign). Luckily they had an open table, so we decided to take that instead of waiting for the bar to open.

After waiting for 15-20 min, a server came to take our drink order. Then after another 15 min, our first course came. A cabbage salad with crab, that was great. Then another 45 min passed before our next course. This trend continued until, 3.5 hours later, our final course (a matcha whipped crème) arrived. All in all, the food was exceptional, and portion sizes were reasonable. However, the wait times were absurd. Unless you have 4 hours to spare, I’d look elsewhere for quality sushi.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №56

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №57

Always delicious. Value per $ is questionable as the dishes are quite small. Awesome sake selection.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №58

Wow, I don't know why I waited so long to come here. I've been to Nodoguro, Nimblefish, and a dozen others. But Zilla Sake is truly incredible. The omakase was extensive, creative, and truly unbeatable. I think it's the best I've had in town.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №59

First timer but will be going back, I just love how the chefs take so much pride in the presentation of sushi just to have us eat it in one bite, I noticed and I thank you

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №60

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №61

Omakase style was very slow and underwhelming. Only 6 small courses, left hungry and it was extremely overpriced. Notified it was for a birthday and just left disappointed, hungry, and broke. Food tasted pretty good but didn’t feel special considering the price point.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №62

Delicious, great service dedicated gluten free! 10 out of 10 will be back!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №63

Did the Omakase at Zilla last month. Menu says allow for two hours, it took almost four. Service was terrible, each course (six total) was tiny and spaced out every 30 minutes. We left hungry. Nigiri was high-quality but lacked originality and overall the tasting was light on raw fish and went heavier on the cooked food. In dining room, there was a small fryer without proper venting, the entire place smelled like day old oil (including our clothing) which took multiple washes to return back to normal. Overall, one of the most underwhelming sushi experiences I've had in Portland with mediocre service and food.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №64

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №65

Everything we tried was delicious. The rolls took a while to come out but the service was attentive and friendly.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №66

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №67

Amazing food, amazing host.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №68

The fish was very fresh! Delicious!! Will definitely come back for more!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №69

Best sushi in sw Washington / Oregon. everything is not just good, it's great. Kate has done so well here. Years of memories, even proposed to my wife here.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №70

Every dining experience here has been amazing. Food is great, staff is friendly and answer every question. Cannot recommend Zilla Sake enough!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №71

The salmon was top tier. High recommend!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №72

Delicious drinks and food. Our server was incredible. Sake Flight was great, with a short lesson in what we were drinking. The best miso soup we've had in Portland. Get the garlic edamame! 🫛

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №73

Delicious

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №74

Next level sushi. Everything was great. Shortlisted

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №75

Amazing sushi, great service. Will go again.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №76

I can't have gluten and prefer veggie sushi- this place had the best of both! It was great to come in and not have to worry at all about being 'glutened'. Great date spot!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №77

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №78

Would recommend 10/10.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №79

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №80

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №81

Hostess didn’t try to accommodate us, not offered seating at bar but just stated that next available seat is in 2 hours. Badly trained employees with little sense of hospitality.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №82

Ate here last night during Last Thursday. Service was good. Food was incredibly overpriced. “Pre-made” should have been our first warning. The $16 charge per “bowl” felt egregious. Serving size was incredibly small. My bowl only had 5 tiny dime-sized pieces of fish and was basically all cucumbers and rice. I never post reviews but felt it necessary this time. Super disappointed and felt taken advantage of.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №83

What a lovely experience! The sushi was of the highest quality and the fish was incredibly fresh. Sitting at the bar made our dinner even better, watching the chef’s work their craft with care and intention made us appreciate the food and what it takes to make it to the plate. I 10/10 recommend Zilla Sake, and it took everything in me not to go back each night we stayed in Portland! Only wish I would have taken some pictures to share the delight but the food hit the table and there was no waiting!!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №84

This restaurant's specialty roll is probably the eyeroll. The raw fish and rice log lumberjacks take their time crafting the most mediocre rolls in the Portland metro area.

In order to avoid the Tuesday night crowd, we made a reservation for the opening time. We ordered from the menu (not omakase) all at once for efficiency. One of the rolls was already unavailable, but it might have been one of the popular ones among the poor preparation crowd, who may have been there before opening time, so that was understandable.

Our first roll arrived with ample pickled ginger and wasabi. Tamari was offered and even poured for us. Then the bottle was taken away. As a proponent of sodium, I was a bit worried that my ankles wouldn't swell properly at night; however, my experience with good service at a sushi place in San Francisco reminded me that I needn't worry. Except I did, as that was the only time my tamari level was addressed.

The second roll came and the server asked if we needed a refill on ginger and wasabi. I wasn't sure if I was expecting it to naturally be refilled because I was a peasant who didn't understand the art and science of consuming sushi rolls without condiments and accompaniments. Was this second roll so full of taste or was this place so full of themselves? It was the latter. The second dish of ginger and wasabi came with a pinky nail sized dollop of wasabi. We overheard the chef say this would be it for now because they ran out. Perhaps grinding this sacred root according to your reservations for the night prior to opening would be helpful.

It's important to note that people were being turned away left and right if they had not made a reservation, so it's not like the Portland Wasabi Committee came to Zilla Sake and demanded the entire stock.

Anyway, we must have been disturbing this socialistic wasabi/ginger ration because we had to, once again, ask for a second refill. Since it want omakase, it wasn't really up to the chef how much he wanted to grind his roots for us. By the end of the meal, I had made a mental list of sushi places that I have betrayed that were simply better in every way.

So if you enjoy things like donating your money, doing nothing with your time, having nothing to look forward to, and begging for more pickled ginger, wasabi, and tamari, then please make a reservation two hours before you plan to be hungry.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №85

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №86

Very cool experience, all of the food was beautifully presented and yummy

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №87

When the first thing you see is a half full sake bottle being filled and brought to your table, it definitely doesn’t make a good impression. Imagine buying a bottle of wine anywhere and seeing the waiter fill a half drank bottle, bring it to your table and tell you that’s yours.

Whatever, looked past it. Ordered food, and the waiter was super attentive. Until suddenly he wasn’t. A person at our table needed to physically get up and order another glass of wine. Food took over 2 hours to fully come to the table. If you can’t handle the amount of tables in your restaurant, hire another chef or reduce the number of tables.

The food, just okay. Seriously. Rice falling apart, fish and rolls nothing to write home about. I had high expectations of this place and it definitely fell flat. The price is actually double what it’s worth. Spent $400, left disappointed. I would avoid.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №88

Not sure if we just had a bad night but we ended up waiting so long for our food we forgot what we ordered at the table. I don’t mind waiting but we arrived at 7:30 still haven’t received our entire order by 9:30. Dropped about $400 so it wasn’t like we didn’t order a decent amount. Food was ok but not out of this world (considering wait time and price). Didn’t meet expectations.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №89

Great service, great food. What else is there to say? Fantastic place, and bonus points for being a block from salt& straw

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №90

We had Omakase. We were there for 2.5hrs. Too long of a wait between courses and not enough food.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №91

Had the omakase and it was simply delicious.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №92

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №93

Outstanding, elevated dining experience. We sat at the bar and enjoyed friendly, engaging conversation with our chef. The atmosphere is uncomplicated, comfortable, and efficient.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №94

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №95

Best meal of my life!
Don't hesitate, make a reservation.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №96

Cons: got in at 1630, got out at 1900. The tea uses tap water smelling chlorine.
Pros: food was excellent. I missed a couple of dish in pictures, but they were plenty. Try omakase for your first visit and order what you liked in the next visit as a la carte. Will definitely re-visit.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №97

I don’t know if they were just having a particularly bad day or what but everything was just average. The portions were small, the food was meh, and the service was some of the worst I’ve experienced. It took hours to get a few sushi rolls. While I did appreciate that everything was gluten free and the people were nice, I can’t see myself ever coming back.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №98

Artful!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №99

I ordered omakase option and was not disappointed. Excellent service & staffs.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №100

Excellent. I found online. Low lights and music setting a calm, relaxing atmosphere. Nice to relax and unwind. I had the Karaage mushrooms and Tsunami Roll. Excellent. Staff polite, excellent service without being in your space. Restrooms clean. Definitely will be coming back.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №101

The best

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №102

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №103

One of the best places to get omakase!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №104

Very low light, soft music, a place to relax and unwind. I got the Tsunami Roll and the Mushroon Karaage. Staff super nice and noninvasive. Answered questions about the menu. Didn't rush me.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №105

Easily some of the best sushi and service I’ve ever had anywhere. Highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar and soaking in the atmosphere. Can’t wait to go back.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №106

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №107

Fabulous sushi! Fresh authentic wasabi! Great place for a date! Server was lovely too!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №108

I’ve had their omakase of nigiri and kitchen items. Very good and well paced between courses but a LOT of food. On a recent visit I chose my own adventure. 6 pieces of nigiri (2 ea of the Japanese sea bream, Oregon dayboat albacore, local Dungeness), a puckery and light Green Godzilla 2.0 roll, finished with a miso soup. I had a generous 4 oz pour of a cedar sake I can’t remember the name of. Sublime

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №109

Great sushi and atmosphere

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №110

Gotta try the Omakase here!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №111

This place is amazing. Food is off the chart, Michelin star to say the least.
Thanks for a great evening!!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №112

My fav sushi place in Portland, worked at bamboo when I was younger but this is better and more refined/interesting. More personal. I visit every time I’m in town. The people are really great here too. Sake recommendation was perfect. A great evening. Get the Omakase!! I added a little extra nigiri and it was perfect. Yum yum yum yum.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №113

Simply fantastic spot. The food was out of this world and the service was great!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №114

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №115

The most incredible Japanese cuisine I’ve ever had. Absolutely recommend! Staff is polite and friendly, cuisine is out of this world. You won’t find anything more authentic outside of Japan. Will literally travel back to Portland just for this restaurant

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №116

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №117

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №118

Limited but concise menu. Sushi exhibits precise technique and favors simplicity and authenticity over new age ornamentation.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №119

Zilla sushi marks their restaurant on google as having wheelchair accessible seating, but there is a step leading into the restaurant and onto the street-side patio? And i was not offered a ramp for either. Not sure how that is "accessible" to someone in a wheelchair at all and i really think they need to update this on their page ASAP.
The food was good, not sure if it was worth the price or the hassle with the inaccessibility issues.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №120

Best sushi I’ve ever had. (New York, Philly, San Diego, even beats my favorite spot of “flown in fresh daily” in Denver) Small spot with great service. Get seat at the bar and let the chefs feed you.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №121

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №122

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №123

Quite possibly the best sushi I have had to date. Zilla is a real treat and has an awesome staff and wonderful interior. You absolutely get what you pay for here, really cant recommend this place enough!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №124

Absolutely delightful spot - sushi chefs steered me to solid sake, and the sushi was some of the best I've had. Not kind to my wallet, but you get what you pay for.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №125

Second time I've been. First time was years ago, sat at the sushi bar and did the omakase and tried everything. Amazing experience. This time I ordered takeout. A couple rolls and the Zilla moriawase. Great quality fish beautifully prepared. The rice was lightly seasoned, perfectly cooked. I wonder what rice they use. I stand by my opinion that this is the best sushi restaurant in town. Thank you!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №126

Fish was under seasoned for omakase. Service was slow - it took 2.5 hours to complete 6 courses.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №127

Literally the best sushi in Portland. Absolute artistry. The wait took a bit (well worth it!), so plan to have a book or a friend, enjoy a drink, and relax-which was easy to do with this ambience.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №128

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №129

We had a wonderful experience here. Reserved online for indoor. The staff was kind and helpful. Portions were good size and the options were plenty. They do require masks and proof of vaccinations but we’re forward and kind throughout the process.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №130

Perfectly cozy but decent sized space with traditional decor, and rotating specialty sushi menu with a comfy ikazaya feel. If you are into sake, this is a perfect way to find what you like paired with great food. They can be a bit busy on weekends as any good place gets, so take that into account.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №131

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №132

Have been here multiple times. It's always a lovely experience with incredible flavors and a cozy atmosphere. Chefs and staff are amazingly friendly and welcoming. Omakase at the the sushi bar is super fun! Probably our favorite spot in Portland and definitely the best sushi I've ever had.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №133

I’m disappointed with the experience we had tonight, in that we had six diners come in for omakase, and it absolutely felt as though we were an afterthought. The timing especially between meal 2 and 3 was exceptionally delayed and when inquired the server stated that the chefs were servicing people sitting at the bar….The experience that we were all excited about overall was lost — not worth the cost. Also, more importantly we let the staff know the allergies of our parties — one person having a high allergy to crab (specifically)…yet the first dish was crab. We had to remind the server one diner could not have crab —the remedy = same exact dish minus crab…

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №134

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №135

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №136

Almost entirely gluten-free and absolutely amazing. Love their lobster karaage, o-toro, and hand rolls. Coming back soon for the omakase.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №137

The food was amazing. Everything on the menu is mostly gluten free which blew my mind! The karagee lobster and the scallop roll were by far phenomenal! I highly recommend dining here! The staff to the chef were nothing but great and fantastic under high volumes!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №138

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №139

I have been here several times and recommend it to people frequently. Absolutely the best sushi I have ever had! The employees and owner are amazing and incredibly hospitable! I am moving and cannot wait to come back again in the future. I will miss this little slice of Heaven in Portland!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №140

My wife took me here for a date night. Great spot for sushi and omakase. Skip the cloudy unfiltered sake though unless you know you like it! :) they can easily accommodate gluten free needs as well.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №141

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №142

Great sushi experience at the bar. Did not go with omakase but definetly tried most of the items on the menu. Impressed by the fresh water eel. Not our usual sea eel that we love, but love to spice it up from time to time.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №143

I went there for omakase and it was quite an experience! Very delicious dishes and some of them were completely new to me (like the tofu custard and the noodles). Portions were good and there were many dishes. So I felt like it was totally worth it :)

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №144

My husband and I dined here recently and ordered omakase- what a delightful experience! Each course was beautiful and the flavors were unlike anything we’ve had before. As a person with Celiac Disease, it’s also a treat to be able to enjoy a more decadent dining experience without hesitation or worry. The staff who waited on us were incredibly kind and thoughtful as well. We’ll be back for more, hopefully sooner rather than later!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №145

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №146

Terrible Clark guy! Don't go there, There are many other nice sushi place in town.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №147

The sushi was fine. Nothing special. Not great, not bad.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №148

Amazing! I have been twice and experienced the Omikase each time. My companions and I were not disappointed with anything. The food was amazing and the service was top notch.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №149

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №150

The sushi was amazing! It always puts me at ease when everything is gluten-free. The staff went above and beyond to make our meal special. Zilla is going to be one of our go-to date night spots!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №151

Strange to me that everyone is raving to me about the flavor and service. I went last Saturday. Took literally over an hour after being seated to get our food. But wait, we got the first bit of food an hour after ordering! From there, the food would come out every 15 minutes in spurts for the next hour. They combined sushi plates so that people at opposite ends of the table would have sushi on one plate - super inconvenient. Honestly it wasn't even good. I hope it was just that night, if not, Google has serious bot problems.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №152

Middle of the road food, extremely long wait after ordering for food to arrive while not being very busy.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №153

AMAZING! Best sushi I’ve ever had. The omasake experience was lovely. Thank you for making our anniversary perfect!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №154

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №155

Amazing sushi, great service, clean and modern decor! Their sake knowledge is excellent and they talk you through all the flavor profiles. If you’re by yourself I highly recommend sitting at the bar and chatting up the friendly staff about sake.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №156

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №157

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №158

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №159

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №160

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №161

Reccomend the 55 saké, the eel, salmon and the (dont quite remember the name) spotted jack tasted great.
The $45 chefs choice meal is what I had. Tasted great. Fully recomend if you dont know what kind of sushi you like. Although I am not a fan of tofu i still ate it
Also this place was wife approved, will be coming again soon
Edit: years later this is still me and my wife's favorite restraunt. Great workers great food and drinks. Get the 55 sake or the yuki no busho sake. Get the chicken karage, edamame and spicy tuna (my default order.) Still reccomending this to anyone who listens.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №162

First time I was here the food and service was great. 2nd time not so much. I understand "family style" but we were waiting 15-20 minutes between each plate and to go orders were taking priority over inside customers. We canceled our last 3 rolls after being told by wait staff our food would be out in 5 minutes. We waited for 20 minutes with no food before asking for our check and canceling said rolls.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №163

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №164

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №165

The best sushi I've ever had. Such a fun experience. Definitely recommend.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №166

The Japanese fried chicken and white sauce was very good. The sushi was excellent.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №167

Too pricey for just ok.

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №168

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №169

You can never go wrong here. Always the best. Always delicious. Don't be foolish and go anywhere else to have a lesser experience this is where you need to be. If you've never experienced sushi before start here and then you can go lower and you'll always understand what good sushi is.

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №170

Easily the best sushi I've ever had.

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №171

High quality sushi and very tasty sides. Service was super friendly and the sake selection is superb.

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №172

Amazing customer service, sushi, and sake.

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №173

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №174

Love the freshness of this spot. Mark is the man

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №175

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №176

Amazing restaurant and Sushi to die for! The rice is so amazing and needs nothing added. This is the best sushi I have ever had hands down and I am so excited that I live so close by. You do have to call and order ahead of time but that not a big deal just call about an hour before they open and you will be able ot set your own time. They have a system where one order goes out every half hour so if you call after they open and expect to get your order in 20 min you will be dissapointed. So just call early and order early. This is sidewalk pick up due to Covid and there is no dine in at the moment. However seriously the best sushi I have ever put in my mouth. I am so happy I found this place .

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №177

Zilla Sake & Kate are amazing. Knowledgeable and friendly!

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №178

The umi roll was very light with its lemon and very fresh scallops. So good. The special, rice noodles with Uni butter, was a new dish to me. I loved the thickness and texture of the noodles and how creamy it was with the Uni butter. It felt like a high end comfort food. Service was great. Covid times means Outside dining only. Would love to try more from them

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №179

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №180

Speech les the quality of the sushi was mind blowing 🤯 I was to busy eating to be be taking pictures... I guess this is the oy one I can share
..

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №181

It's expensive for the small portions. But the service was good

Visited 4 years ago

Sushi Experience №182

Amazing takeout our first time here. Everything very fresh and clean.

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №183

Such amazing sushi and so incredibly gluten free!

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №184

Love this place!! Food is amazing, staff is so friendly, and sake selection is always awesome!! Can't recommend enough!

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №185

I had a really good experience here tonight. Called to place order, picked up at the door. Very safe curbside experience. Food was fresh and lovely—used seasonal vegetables in the pickles and the miso soup. Can’t wait to have again, I’ve really missed fresh sushi in quarantine!

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №186

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №187

Omakase was amazing. Still dream about it since I had it last October.

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №188

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №189

Affordable, amazing, and super comfortable inside. Not a wait or bland fish like Bamboo and the chefs and owners know their stuff and source direct from Japan. Traditional and inventive at the same time.Their sake selection and omakase are amazing!!!

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №190

The Taisho who handling
Omakase dinner on October 26, 2019, single-handedly ruined my 62th birthday.
Drove 2 hours one way for dinner reservation as a surprise gift from my daughter and son in law. Mazukatta.

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №191

This place was amazing! My partner has Celiac and it was wonderful eating somewhere where everything (except beer) was gluten free and safe to eat. It is really rare to find a place where we can eat without stress. Not only that, but the food and service were excellent. We got miso soup, edamame,the tsunami roll, and the anakani roll and all were superb. We highly recommend this place especially for people with Celiac.

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №192

I love Nigiri and Omakase and this was one of the worst experiences I have had in the entire united states. We paid over $250 to have chefs ignore us and give us stale nigiri and sashimi.

We had to pry for any explanation of fish from the chefs (most of the time there was none). Nigiri was sitting idle (due to the serious lack of chefs) for 10s of minutes before being served all at once.

We only had our first course the cucumber salad after 40 minutes. I have had quite a few Omakase hovering around $100 or lower and even without the long waiting and little communication, the quality and amount of fish was just disappointing.

I would recommend almost anywhere before attending Zilla for either a roll or an Omakase. Including, Hana, Yakuza Izakaya, bamboo, which i have had an omakase that has exceeded expectations.

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №193

Great food, great drinks, and great service

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №194

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №195

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №196

Probably the best Sushi and Omakase experience I’ve ever had. The 100 Dollar+ Omakase is so worth the time, experience, and flavor! All of the sushi chefs there give you different experiences and flavors and my girlfriend and I love spending a couple hours just enjoying it! So if you have the time and want to enjoy some really high quality fish and conversation, then go for it!

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №197

Very high quality

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №198

Pretentious and ok.

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №199

Had the larger of the two omakase options, lost track of the number of courses but i would have to say i was full but not overly stuffed at the end. I would say a handroll at the end of the course would be the perfect amount.

Per the chef the selection changes more frequently in the summer months. The highlight of the meal was the monkfish liver, which tasted like fois gras. I would guess that going Friday or Saturday may yield a different selection as they were sold out of uni by Sunday.

Still my new favorite omakase spot in pdx outside of nodoguro which is a very different dining experience.

Expansive sake menu. Went with the flight which had some nicely contrasting selections. Attached sake bar sells bottles as well.

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Experience №200

Visited 5 years ago

Sushi Details
  • 11 sushi photos
  • 200 sushi reviews
  • 4.5 Sushi Rating
  • Reservations: +1 503-288-8372
  • Menu Website: http://www.zillasake.com/
  • Sushi Address: 1806 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211, United States
  • Sushi Map: 45.5589271, -122.64661799999999
Specialties
  • Sushi restaurant
  • Bar
  • Japanese restaurant
Sushi Hours
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 5–9 PM
  • Wednesday: 5–9 PM
  • Thursday: 5–9 PM
  • Friday: 5–9 PM
  • Saturday: 5–9 PM
  • Sunday: Closed
From the business
  • Identifies as women-owned: Available
Service options
  • Outdoor seating: Available
  • Takeaway: Available
  • Dine-in: Available
  • Delivery: Available
Highlights
  • Great tea selection: Available
Popular for
  • Dinner: Available
  • Solo dining: Available
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible seating: Available
  • Wheelchair-accessible toilet: Available
Offerings
  • Alcohol: Available
  • Beer: Available
  • Cocktails: Available
  • Healthy options: Available
  • Organic dishes: Available
  • Small plates: Available
  • Spirits: Available
  • Vegan options: Available
  • Vegetarian options: Available
  • Wine: Available
Dining options
  • Dinner: Available
  • Catering: Available
  • Seating: Available
Amenities
  • Bar on site: Available
  • Gender-neutral toilets: Available
  • Toilets: Available
Atmosphere
  • Cosy: Available
  • Romantic: Available
  • Trendy: Available
  • Upmarket: Available
Crowd
  • Family friendly: Available
  • LGBTQ+ friendly: Available
  • Transgender safe space: Available
Planning
  • Dinner reservations recommended: Available
  • Accepts reservations: Available
Payments
  • Credit cards: Available
  • Debit cards: Available
  • NFC mobile payments: Available
  • Credit cards: Available
Children
  • Good for kids: Available