The first time I ate sushi in Takashimaya, I was eighteen and completely broke. My aunt slid a plate of salmon across the counter and told me to eat slowly, because good fish deserves patience. I’ve never forgotten that.
Over the past six years, I’ve eaten my way through nearly every Japanese restaurant and sushi restaurant in and around Ngee Ann City. Some visits were quick lunches between errands. Others were long, quiet dinners where I sat alone and let the meal take its time. I’ve counted over a dozen places across Orchard, some now closed, some still standing strong.
Whether you’re craving cheap sushi on a budget or ready to splurge on a unique dining experience at an omakase restaurant, this stretch of Orchard has something to satisfy every palate. Here are the five I keep returning to, and why each one is worth your time and money.
1. Sushi Tei: A Reliable Aburi Sushi Japanese Restaurant for Every Mood
Location: Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Ngee Ann City
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (about 3 to 5 minutes through the underground link)
Best For: Family dinners, casual meals after shopping
Price Range: $
Time Needed: 1 to 1.5 hours
Must-Try: Aburi Salmon ($6.80 per plate)
I know Sushi Tei isn’t a name that makes food people lean in. It’s everywhere. But this Japanese restaurant earns its place because it delivers quality sushi consistently, without worrying you about the bill.
This sushi restaurant introduced a whole generation of Singapore diners to aburi sushi, salmon sashimi, and affordable Japanese dining done well. The menu offers everything from nigiri and handroll options to tempura, noodles, and rice bowls, so the whole family is satisfied without anyone having to skip what they’re craving.
The aburi salmon is where I always start. Torched at the edge, soft and fatty underneath, delivered warm to the table with a clean punch of vinegared rice. It’s simple. It’s consistent. That’s the point.
Avoid if: You’re after an Edomae sushi counter or omakase restaurant experience. Sushi Tei isn’t that, and it doesn’t pretend to be.
Insider tip: Visit on a weekday during lunch. The restaurant is calmer, the freshness of each plate is easier to appreciate, and the kitchen moves faster. Check the website for seasonal specials before you head in.
2. Ginza Sushi Ichi: The Omakase Restaurant Worth Every Dollar
Location: Ngee Ann City area
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (about 5 minutes on foot)
Best For: Celebrations, date nights, serious sushi lovers
Price Range: $$$
Time Needed: 2 to 3 hours
Must-Try: Omakase menu (from around $150 per person)
If you’re ready to indulge and truly splurge on good sushi, this is the omakase restaurant I’d send you to first.
There’s a stillness to Ginza Sushi Ichi that I didn’t expect on my first visit. No music fighting for attention. No rush. Just a chef working quietly, premium ingredients prepared with intention, and nigiri placed in front of you one piece at a time. The uni is clean and sweet. The fatty tuna melts before you think to chew. Sea urchin and sashimi-grade seafood round out a progression that feels shaped around your palate, not a printed menu.
I still think about a piece of aged tuna I had here one winter evening. The chef had rested it just long enough to develop a deeper, almost nutty richness. That’s the kind of quality sushi this restaurant delivers, the kind that stays with you well past Saturday.
Booking in advance is non-negotiable. Counter seats fill quickly, and the omakase format means walk-ins rarely find a table.
Avoid if: You want affordable or quick sushi. This is a place to linger, not to rush.
Insider tip: Sit at the counter and choose the full omakase. Watching each piece come together is half the unique dining experience. Ordering à la carte here misses the whole point of what this Japanese restaurant does best.
3. Koh Grill & Sushi Bar: Good Sushi Without the Ceremony
Location: Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Ngee Ann City
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (about 3 to 5 minutes through the underground link
Best For: Casual catch-ups, groups with mixed food preferences
Price Range: $
Time Needed: 1 hour
Must-Try: Volcano Roll (around $18)
Koh Grill is where I end up when my feet hurt from walking Orchard and I need a comforting, satisfying bowl or plate without the ceremony.
This sushi restaurant leans into fun. The menu boasts rolls that are generous and grilled eel dishes that pair well with rice and cold drinks. It’s not the place you come to for traditional Japan-style omakase dining, but it’s a genuinely good sushi option that doesn’t punch above its price point. It just delivers, honestly and consistently.
The Volcano Roll is the signature. Warm, slightly fried on top, with a creamy sauce that spills over the plate. Is it traditional? Not remotely. Do I finish every bite? Every single time.
I’ve brought friends here who don’t usually eat seafood or raw fish, and they’ve always left with a full stomach and no regrets.
Avoid if: You’re seeking a refined sushi jiro-style counter or premium omakase restaurant experience. This is comfort Japanese food, and it knows it.
Insider tip: Go early for dinner, before 6:30pm, to skip the post-work crowd. The kitchen is faster and the food comes out hotter.
4. Sakae Sushi: Cheap Sushi That Still Hits the Spot
Location: Takashimaya / Ngee Ann City area
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT
Best For: Budget-conscious diners, families, quick Orchard lunches
Price Range: $
Time Needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Must-Try: Salmon Mentaiko Roll (around $5 to $6 per plate)
Sakae Sushi is the easy answer when the stomach is hungry and the budget is real.
This sushi restaurant has been a fixture across Singapore for years, and the Ngee Ann City outpost is no different. It’s not sakae sushi that’s going to spoil you with premium ingredients or make you post about it on a Sunday. But it will satisfy a craving for Japanese food, deliver familiar dishes at prices that don’t sting, and get you in and out without worrying about the bill.
The conveyor belt moves at a steady pace. Salmon, avocado rolls, cuttlefish, shrimp, and a rotating cast of affordable plates keep the table round and the mood light. The menu offers dessert options too, so worth saving a little stomach space for.
Cheap sushi gets a bad reputation it doesn’t always deserve. At Sakae, what you’re paying for is accessibility, speed, and the simple satisfaction of a good plate of Japanese rice and fish at a table near Orchard Road.
Avoid if: Quality and premium ingredients matter more to you than price. Sakae is about value, not craft.
Insider tip: Weekday lunch is your best window. Quieter, faster, and the freshness of each plate is noticeably better when the kitchen isn’t buried under a dinner crowd.
5. Sushi Express and Genki Sushi: Sushi Jiro-Style Conveyor Dining at Affordable Prices
Location: Various outlets in and around Ngee Ann City / Orchard
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT
Best For: Solo diners, quick meals, budget-first visits
Price Range: $
Time Needed: 30 to 45 minutes
Must-Try: Salmon Nigiri, Tamago, Handroll sets
Sometimes you don’t want a full sit-down dinner at a Japanese restaurant. Sometimes you just want a plate of good sushi, a seat at a bar, and no one asking if you need anything.
That’s where Sushi Express and Genki Sushi come in.
Both of these sushi restaurant concepts deliver affordable, priced-by-plate Japanese dining featuring conveyor belt service inspired by the sushi jiro-style express format popular across Japan. The food is unpretentious, the system is fast, and the plates keep rotating whether it’s a busy Saturday or a quiet Sunday afternoon in Orchard.
Genki Sushi in particular boasts a fun delivery system where plates come directly to your table on a mini rail, a format that’s entertained many a family and kept more than one indecisive diner busy. The menu offers salmon, shrimp, avocado rolls, fried options, and even noodles and dessert to round out the meal.
For cheap sushi that’s still clean and satisfying, these two are the most reliable in the Orchard dining cluster. No reservations needed. No website to check in advance. Just head in, take a seat, and eat.
Avoid if: You’re chasing quality sushi with premium ingredients or the experience of a true Japanese restaurant counter. These are built for speed and budget, not craft.
Insider tip: Skip the peak lunch hour between noon and 1pm. Come just before or just after, and you’ll find a seat immediately and plates cycling at their freshest.
A Few Last Thoughts
What strikes me, after all these meals, is how much variety sits within a single stretch of Orchard. The same handful of ingredients, rice, fish, seafood, a whisper of wasabi and soy, can be a $6 conveyor belt plate or a $200 omakase progression. Both are valid. Both are worth knowing about. And if raw fish over rice is your thing beyond sushi, the guide to best chirashi don orchard cuppage somerset is worth a read before your next Orchard outing.
If you’re starting somewhere, let it be a slow one. Sit at a counter, watch the food being prepared, and eat a little more patiently than usual. Good sushi, whether cheap or premium, rewards the diner who pays attention.
My aunt was right about that.