Really wanted to like Shinbay more, but I can't help feeling like this was a 2/5 experience overall. Let me start this by saying that Nicola was an absolute gem--her service, knowledge, and attention to detail were great. Here are my thoughts of the experience: 1. The overall serving style was disappointing and extremely inconsistent. For half of the courses, one of the sushi chefs was directly handing me the plates, bowls, and dishes for the courses from behind the counter, and it was very clunky and definitely wasn't the service level of a $250 omakase. 2. All of the courses were lacking flavor and creativity. Some of the fish tasted not as fresh as it should be. None of the dishes stood out to me. 3. When the A5 Wagyu course is the best course of an omakase serving, you know something is wrong. 4. One of the courses was tempura fried fish skin on the fish meat itself, and the dish was way too hot to eat. I let it cool and blew on it for a little, and still burned my mouth when I ate it. This type of course should have proper resting time to ensure it's the right temperature when served to the guest. 5. They only offer 1 wine by the glass, and it's a red. I was disappointed to see no wine pairing, and also no white wine by the glass options. Being a party of 1, getting a whole bottle to myself isn't feasible. But I kind of understand why this is the way it is now--hard to serve glasses of wine without the wine going bad in a non-sushi heavy area like Scottsdale. I eat omakase very often and usually enjoy the experiences for their great service, hospitality, and of course, creative, fresh, and good food creations. Maybe this is high quality for the Phoenix area? I feel like the $250 price point is taking advantage of customers who don't know what a truly good omakase experience should be like. Charging NYC prices and not having even come close to NYC quality is NOT okay. read more

See all

My youngest daughter surprised me with dinner here last night for my birthday. She had this planned for months, since she knows that Japanese (especially sushi) is my favorite cuisine. The meal was omakase style (chef's choice, fixed menu), with 6 courses: appetizer, sashimi, grilled, nigiri, soup and dessert. Watching chef Tanaka work was half the fun. As all the chefs prepared the dishes, such as lifting a lid on the smoking cherry wood or fanning the grill, the smells and sights were very much a part of the dining experience. The restaurant GM was extremely professional and gracious, we were fully taken care of. I appreciated how thoroughly they explained each ingredient, and the respect shown to the proteins. Needless to say the food was epic. I'm not going to say every single bite was the best thing I've ever eaten, but the meal made great sense: textures and flavors were diverse but complimentary. I've never had such creative fish selections. The smoked Spanish mackerel was mind blowing. The cuts of tuna were as you would expect, high quality and expertly handled. The A5 Wagyu was the most fascinating preparation I've ever had of the prized beef. Amazing meal, delicious food, just a ton of fun. read more

See all

The only strictly Omakase Restaurant in all of Arizona. It's a top five restaurant in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Shinbay is open Wednesday thru Sunday for two dinner seatings only, 5:45pm and 8pm with dinners lasting around 2 hours. Located in a modern building with a high-end Korean BBQ restaurant next door, Shinbay is the pride of Chef Tanaka, Assistant Chef Taka, and Host / Curator / Server Derrick. The modern 10 seat restaurant is set in desert tones of tan, brown, and gray with counter style seating only. August is typically slow season for tourism, fine dining, outdoor sports, due to the 110 degree plus temperatures. The window for outdoor activity is very early in the morning or late afternoons unless you just want to lounge around at a pool or walk a shopping center. My son turned 31 and we decided to visit him and splurge on an Omakase dinner experience, he made a Wednesday reservation for 5:45pm and we found out we were the only diners for the two seatings. Our own private Omakase dining experience during the slow season. We found out that February is already booked up and typically reservations pick up when it gets cooler, Barrett Jackson Auto is in town, Spring Training with many players, coaches and fans, are in town, etc... since August has neither, we were the lucky three who could converse with the three front end restaurant people. Shinbay has dry and sweet sakes, wine, beer, from affordable to I must be crazy rich. We went affordable with a beer and a 750ml bottle of Hakkaisan Snow Aged Sake (semi sweet). There were six courses: Starter, Sashimi, Warm Dish, Tsumami, Warm Dish, and Dessert with the Tsumami course consisting of 12 individually prepared and presented one at a time imported fish nigiri style. The chef picked up many of the fish in the morning at Phoenix Sky Harbor. The fish were nicely cut, seared on a few, put on a platter, or handed to you depending on how Chef Tanaka wanted you to experience the fish. So many species that you'll need to reference back to the IPAD menu at the counter. Most Memorable - the warm dish of A5 Wagyu prepared ShabuShabu style with an egg sauce and the Sashimi course. Least Memorable - the dessert of mochi and chocolates. Overall, a fine dining experience with excellent discussion with the three upfront staff, Chef Tanaka, Assistant Chef Taka and the polished & extremely knowledgeable Host / Server Derrick. read more

See all

I've dined at many omakase restaurants around the world, including in Japan, so I didn't expect much from a sushi spot in Old Town Scottsdale--but ShinBay was a pleasant surprise. Every dish was full of flavor, and it made for a great birthday celebration. ShinBay offers a unique experience. The omakase, with its beautiful ambiance and Chef Tanaka Ken's creations, was impressive. It's a bit pricey (around $250+ per person, plus tax and gratuity), but it's a memorable meal. Reservations are recommended, as it's popular, and you can easily book on OpenTable. The service was excellent, and while the intimate setting might feel a bit cramped for some, we had a wonderful time. I'd definitely return for special occasions. They only offered two evening slots for dining. read more

This is the second time we've had the pleasure to dine here, and we've had an amazing experience each time. It's obvious that the staff + chefs truly put their heart and soul into this experience and these dishes, not just in taste, but in presentation, resourcefulness of fresh ingredients, and friendliness they have with their guests. It is an experience in itself to get to watch these masters prepare and execute these meticulously crafted dishes. We were very honored to have a special anniversary dish come out for us (which was all excellent). We are grateful and will always highly regard this restaurant. read more

See all

This was an absolute incredible dining experience. They only have a few seatings each night. We experienced the chefs menu and it was absolutely over the moon fantastic. I would highly recommend ! read more

My husband and I ate at Shinbay over a month ago and I've delayed writing a review because I have struggled to find the words to accurately describe this divine experience. The chef has won three James Beard awards, rightfully so, and it doesn't even seem like it has phased him. We acknowledged it at the end of the meal and he simply shrugged his shoulders and looked down. He is just focused on his work and on creating the best pieces of sushi you've ever eaten. If you have $500-$1000 to spend, do yourself a favor and have dinner here. It's $500 for two, and about $100-$200 for sake, which you can open there and then take the bottle home with you. It's a great keepsake! Some things that were standouts for us: the tofu, the toro, the real wasabi, the toothfish, the Japanese mushrooms, and the snapper. Major shout-out to the GM, who welcomes each couple, seats you, and explains everything you're about to eat. We appreciated the context and knowledge that he shared, and how much he added to the experience! It was an honor to have dinner here. I've never had sushi of this caliber. It was an exquisite dining experience that I hope everyone gets to experience! read more

See all

Came here for my anniversary dinner. Never been to a spot that only seated 6 ppl twice a night. It was definitely a cool unique experience. Had omakase 15 course meal (1 course was 4 sashimis, and I counted 7 pieces of nigiri individually). Everything was actually so delicious. And it was really cool getting to try both Santa Barbara uni and Hokkaido uni. I definitely prefer Santa Barbara as it was a little firmer and a lot less fishy (more sweet). Also cool to see them make/grate fresh wasabi - strong sharp flavor with a bit more earthy grassiness. It was a very lean team of three. The server was super knowledgeable on all the dishes and where it was sourced. He also made sure our glass was never empty and cleared out our plates as soon as we were finished. Felt very well serviced. Most things were shipped fresh from Japan or Spain. But they do change the menu daily so you'll get whatever is fresh for the day. The plating was also so beautiful and fun. An expensive but splendid celebratory experience for those special occasions. Worth the money for the experience and delicious bites. read more

See all

This place was awesome! We were here for a bachelor party celebration and we're able to book out the entire space which was so awesome! Derek was my point of contact for coordinating this experience, couldn't have been a more professional guy to work with. So if you need to get a private event going Derek is your guy! As for the rest of the team is great. Chef Shin's right hand man, I'm so sorry I forgot his name, but a super friendly guy and informative on explaining each course and individual pieces to us. Ms Jenny was very sweet in serving, and of course Chef Shin is the maestro behind the counter. The entire team is great! Place is sleek and minimal like many omakase spots in todays market, but it's always aesthetically pleasing in my opinion. I tried to get all the names of the courses and pieces down from the menu. But honestly, if you're an omakase fan, Sushi Shin is definitely worth a visit. Sleeper sake is the Japanese limoncello that they had! But save it for your "dessert wine", phenomenal. read more

See all

Very intimate and upscale dining experience - First time trying Omakase and I was not disappointed! All the fish is delivered fresh every morning, their menu changes very often, as it depends on what the chef's plan on serving that day. It was a set course menu - wonderful place to celebrate birthdays. At the end of the dining experience, I was served dessert with a candle & happy birthday on it. The entire staff was amazing and was very knowledgeable explaining the different dishes and history prior to us eating each course. read more

Shinbay - Japanese Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

This evening me and B we blessed enough to experience the dining experience of the year. (Possibly decade for me) We were lucky enough to catch a 5:45 seating at Shinbay: Chef Ken Tanaka's latest triumpth. The nature of the experience is honestly kinda failed by the typical Yelp format; and it's a real "ya just had to be there" kinda moments. But take it from the both of us, you won't see a single cell phone screen from anyone, the room is consciousness is dramatically present, this is a daringly sharp taste journey that stays with your thoughts and conversations for hours and hours after you leave. This is place is not for the amateur food scene enthusiast... it's strictly for the elite and uncompromising. My recommendation go, at all costs if you're as passionate about this art as me... and only take someone who has the ability to appreciate it as much as you. You will never regret it read more

See all

If you love unique food and a special experience, this is for you. It's a small restaurant that seats ten. There's basically four people working - two chefs, one front of house and one back of house. The food is prepared in front of you. It's amazing. The menu is determined based on the food that comes in from Japan. We love nice restaurants and this one of the experiences that will stand out to us. read more

See all

Everything is just A+ from start to finish. It was a very intimate dining experience, and we definitely felt catered to the whole entire time. The wasabi was freshly grated, and the dishes were perfectly executed by the talented chefs standing behind the counter. If you love sushi and want an omakase experience, then I highly recommend that you make a reservation for this place. read more

Came here during my recent visit to Scottsdale to catch some spring training baseball. This omakase sushi experience provides the extreme end to a day of baseball games. Reservations are a must because there's only two seatings a night and limited seats. The restaurant has been around for awhile but the last six months under Chef Tanaka Ken, who creates exquisite and well-composed dishes. All the nigiri pieces are hand formed to perfection, with fresh fish flown in from around the globe. This is definitely a sophisticated and luxurious dining experience. read more

See all

A gem in Scottsdale, as good as any place you'll find in NYC or SFO. Service team and chefs were friendly and professional. The food was excellent. I will be back every time I'm in Phoenix area. read more

Wow, one of the best fine dining experiences I have ever experienced in my life, and I've had my fair share of Michelin dining experiences (Disfrutar, Spectrum, Alinea). Here's the catch, you better really love fish cause you are going to eat a lot, like A LOT. (My husband tapped out on the 6th of 10 rounds of nigiri right before "the most expensive fish in the house"). Pro Tip: It's okay to set boundaries to make your meal enjoyable. I playfully commented on the amount of wasabi after getting a hefty dose and chef was very receptive to adjust down. He is also very receptive to adjusting cut to thinner/smaller if you're getting full. The menu is creative and takes you on a sensory journey. While you begin with a playful salad, this quickly shifts to a host of shellfish and other sea dwellers such as beautifully braised octopus and an interesting take on crab (if I was going to skip anything it would be the crab, but you be the judge). On that note, there WILL be bites you do not like. That's the experience right? Step out of your comfort zone and master just trying something new. The space itself is very simple and inviting. I was not a fan of the large iPads, contrasting in a disrupting way the aged tradition of the meal preparation (I'm being picky here). The courses were beautiful, every detail painfully planned out and executed. Even the music seemed to travel with the culinary journey and at times added an air of oracular intensity. Our host, Derek, was just an amazing bonus element. His service was fenominal. His knowledge is saki and the menu courses made you truly appreciate the intention of the meal. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. read more

What an experience! This is a very intimate dining experience. They only seat 6 and only do two seatings a night. The sushi is amazing!! As well as the accompaniments. Everything is fresh. The fish melts in your mouth. The wasabi is actual real wasabi. We learned a lot while we dined. It is a two hour experience and perfectly paced. They no longer include gratuity- I saw some complaints about that on here. No longer a thing there. My only issue was their limited wine list. By the glass, they only offer Chardonnay (not a fan) or Pinot noir (I'm allergic). Only other options were sake, beer or bottles of wine. A nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio would have been so nice and refreshing with this amazing meal! Highly recommend Shinbay. An amazing experience read more

See all

Shinbay is our favorite restaurant to go to to celebrate special occasions. It is an omakase meal in a small, intimate restaurant. It is actually the only restaurant we have felt comfortable going to during the Covid pandemic since we can fill up the restaurant by inviting a few friends to join us. Dinner at Shinbay isn't cheap and isn't for everyone, but for someone who really enjoys sushi, it is well worth it. Every plate is artistically done and explained to the diners. You can trust that the chef chooses fish from a certain region of the world because it is the best (i.e. uni from Santa Barbara). For a sushi lover, going to Shinbay is akin to appreciating fine art. read more

Shinbay - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

See all

Wow! Amazing food and atmosphere. If you like sushi, Shinbay is a must . We came here for our son's 24th birthday and we'll definitely come back. The portion are small but surprisingly, I was stuffed by the end of the meal. read more

Shinbay - A perfect ending to the meal. - Japanese Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

See all

Absolutely amazing! By far our favorite omakase restaurant. Great service and ambiance. We recently went to Tokyo in February and tried several omakase restaurants but nothing as special as Chef Tanaka Ken. His dishes were so unique and tasty. Every bite was heavenly. We will definitely come back. read more

See all

I'm giving this place a 5 star but it really needs to be 1 or 2. (I hate yelp) Everything was great up until about the nigiri items, but I will touch upon that in a bit. The atmosphere was pretty good upon entering the place. Decor and ambience was perfect. The sake menu was pretty weak. Being that it's a omakase place, I'd expect more selections and hopefully a "by the glass option." It very hard to throw down another $100 for a full bottle of something when the price of admission is already this pricy. The first few dishes were amazing and was on par with some of the highly rated omakase places in other cities. And then it came to an abrupt end when the nigiri items showed up. Rice was undercooked. Al dente doesn't really work for rice - either it's well-cooked or don't serve it at all. It was also excruciatingly dry and flavorless. Imagine day-old rice and this is probably even worse. The fish selection and preparation for the nigiri pieces was frankly an insult. Look at the included pictures. Paper-thin fish on dry flavorless al dente rice. At this point, I started conversing with my neighbors just to make the rest of the visit enjoyable. I'm hyper critical because you are charging $225 per. This would be an amazing experience at maybe $80. I get that food prices are going off the charts, but I've been to other omakase where at $150, it was impeccable. Frankly, at $225, you need to be amazing at all fronts. read more

Shinbay - Japanese Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

See all

Awesome! Great food that is super fresh. Outstanding customer service! Ambiance is comfortable and clean. THANK YOU! read more

Classy omakase restaurant here in Arizona. When it comes to authenticity, Shinbay is probably one of the few in the valley that does it like they do in Japan. Everyone was incredibly friendly and we loved the Adult Swim-esque jams they played throughout. The food was top notch. The head chef, Shinji Kurita, works methodically and efficiently and his assistant, Suzuki, did a great job at conveying the dishes to us. It is on the pricy side but I don't think you can find anywhere else like Shinbay here in AZ. Great for date night, birthdays, or special occasions. Make sure to reserve in advance. read more

See all

I'm not sure why this place doesn't have 5 stars. From the beginning, everyone is extremely welcoming and accommodating. Kevin will welcome you as soon as you come in. The food was amazing. The experience was 1000/10 . Chef Ken was friendly and offered an omakase experience like no other. I loved that everyone serving and all of the other chefs were knowledgeable. We will definitely be returning again. read more

See all

Extraordinary. I've wanted to come to Shinbay for quite a while but knew I needed a special occasion for it. I finally found one. It is not easy to snag a reservation here, all the more so as the restaurant was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Awards this year. I actually made my reservation for June back in February (yeah, a bit of a planner!). The venerated Japanese dining tradition omakase translates loosely to, "I leave it up to you," reflecting a patron's willingness for an expert chef to whisk them through a meal at their own culinary whims. When you walk in, you are instantly transported to cosmopolitan Tokyo. I loved the decor, elegance, and sleek interior. I thought, "I'm so bummed that I only get to stay here two hours!" There are only 12 seats and they max out at six reservations per meal (unless you book the entire restaurant). The great thing about such a small space is everyone gets an up-close and personal view of the dishes being prepared. Have you seen Jiro Dreams of Sushi? I swear the chef here will remind you of him. He doesn't speak (much) but you see his focus and attention to detail in everything being prepared. We were told that they arrive at 8:00 am every day to start prepping for the first dinner service at 5:45. Creating an experience like this is not something that you pull out of a hat. To be clear, Shinbay should only be for diners deeply interested in Japanese cuisine and seafood. You will try seafood from around the word here (the Toro bluefin tuna from Spain is epic!!!). Some of the dishes prepared are a bit there so if you can't enjoy them all, come with another diner you can share with. One thing that I keep thinking about is the tofu. We only got a single piece but damn it was good. The best tofu of my life. Another fun fact: real wasabi is SUPER expensive so the majority of wasabi served in Japanese restaurants is a knockoff. Shinbay buys real wasabi and it doesn't leave your mouth with that fiery feeling. So cool to try authentic Japanese cuisine in Old Town Scottsdale of all places. I loved the iPad menus that listed everything we were trying. The sake and Japanese beer offerings were also impressive. I must say that we would not have enjoyed our meal as much without Michael, the manager here. Even though he's only worked here a year, his knowledge of the menu and the sakes (yup, he's taste-tested them all!) was outstanding. If you come when Michael is around, grab him. He's a wealth of knowledge and we even discussed other things happening on the ever-evolving Arizona dining scene. The assistant chef Suzuki was also a delight. His simple explanations of what we were to enjoy were useful. Many reviews of Shinbay lament how expensive the restaurant is. Yes, it is. And prices had even gone up since I had originally booked in February. A couple isn't going to make it out of here for less than $500. Having said that, this isn't a typical weeknight dinner, either. This is an experience that is meant to be cherished. Find a solid reason to go. And only go with someone who would be equally dazzled. I have not had too many omakase meals so I don't know how Shinbay ranks. I can imagine that other cities with closer links to Japan may have a slight upper hand, but you won't leave Shinbay feeling ripped off. Although the portions were small, I was also stunned at how full I felt. It's all about the flavor and presentation here and they do it exceptionally. read more

See all

Man, I have mixed feelings about Shinbay. It's tough to start this review as I had some high expectations given the price point. I do an extensive and quite frankly, crazy amount of research when I hit any city and look for an omakase to hit up. NYC, Vegas, Scottsdale, Minneapolis, Tokyo, Boston. You name it, I've had an omakase there. Shinbay just felt too stuffy to me and very formal. The fish was beyond fresh, this spots sashimi really shined. Their chawanmushi was impressive too. Outside of that, the nigiri was fine but nothing special. At this price point, I expected more and have received more in even NYC for less. Made it tough to even want to order a drink cause of the sky high prices. Service was very professional but again, too rigid. Would I come back? No. I'm cool with paying $400 per person when truffle and caviar are involved. Otherwise, nah bruh. read more

Shinbay - Japanese Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

See all

An amazing life-changing experience with an extremely intimate (10 people total seated next to the chef) surrounding! If you love all derivatives of sushi, this is your place. Expensive but WORTH IT! This is a place you go for that special occasion. You will get to try fish you've never heard of in ways you can't imagine and with detail and care by the chef like none other out there.! I cannot recommend this place enough and will be back the next time we are in the area for sure!! This is Michelin star level! read more

Amazing food and experience. If you want an adventure and experience a meal as if in Japan. This is it. read more

See all

This was a really cool experience. You are immediately welcomed into an intimate dining room that is a room straight from Japan. You can see the chefs already working tirelessly to prepare a perfect experience for the next customers. The only drawback of this is pedestrians can see you dining through the large glass windows. Perhaps adding a partial occlusion to the windows would make it more intimate? The service was attentive. The iPads were very helpful for ordering. We started the meal with a warmed towel. It had a hint of lemon with notes of steam. It didn't taste very good and was hard to chew. We decided to split a citrus sake. This was the best Saki, and possibly the best alcoholic drink I've ever had. It was like a mimosa with fresh squeezed orange and lemon juice with a trace taste of grapefruit. I'd buy this again and again. Classy music and conversation fed the feelings of anticipation as the chef explained the first dish, a trio of salads. They were a modest start to the meal. The tofu stuck out as the winner of that round. The next round of salad was decent. Then came the seafood plate. This was an intriguing way to taste some of the best seafood. The crab, shrimpies, tuna and octopus were the stars. They kept me wanting more. The chef expertly explained each selection, my goldfish like memory forgot everything he said. Perhaps they could include a separate tab in the menu that shows which fish is which? The tab could be hidden so you don't rely on it, and only need it if you forget. An hour of seafood, drinking and Waldorf Asoria hotel lobby music had passed. This could only mean it's time for sashimi. On god, the sea urchin was so good. This was my first time eating it and I could have had a crock pot full of it, deadass. The rest didn't stand out to me. We made it to the main course. The final show. This was the nigiri sushi line. This was a seemingly never ending serving of one sushi at a time with a different fish. Each was very good. At this point the whole meal had been seafood, and we had a few drinks so it honestly started tasting the same. The stellar fishie of this round was the bluefin tuna. The meal was topped with a parfait. The experience was unique. I had tried many things that I never had before and discovered some truly outstanding pieces of consumables. I think the meal could be enhanced by including other Japanese food items like steak or chicken fillet. After a while, it was just too much seafood for my liking. If you are a sushi or seafood enthusiast you will rejoice, but if you are a casual enjoyer of fish you may find more value elsewhere. Overall I'm satisfied with my visit. read more

See all

WOW OH WOW ! The experience of dining there was so worth it. The host / GM Erick was awesome ! Very friendly, engaging and his presntation of each plate was so educational. My hats off to chef Ken and assistant for a wonderful palette ride! read more

Shinbay is AMAZING!!! If you are adventurous with food, and you love sushi and seafood, this is definitely the place for you. It has quickly become our special occasion spot, and we love the smaller more intimate vibes of the restaurant and the people there. Chef Shinji is an artist and so skilled in his craft. Another reviewer said it best, "going to Shinbay is like appreciating fine art!" The omakase tasting menu is so much fun and allows you to try so many new things. I love how they descriptively explain each course to you as well. My favorite part is when you hit the nigiri course and just get fish after fish! So fun to compare them! Overall, food is 10/10 and I will just let the photos speak for themselves :) read more

See all

Once in a lifetime experience! My favorite was the seafood bites, I normally don't like raw oysters but this will blow you out of your mind, tasted like butter! Definitely wanted more of the appetizer and the sashimi salad. For me I started to get full during the nigiri selections and some tasted phenomenal and some just didn't agree with my palette. Alcohol prices are crazy expensive but worth the experience of it all. read more

See all

For $250 per person, the omakase menu is an absolute treat! Delicately decorated interior, clean atmosphere, excellent service. They seat 6 people per seating for 2 seatings per night, although there is an option to buy out the restaurant for private events. So make sure to get your reservation ahead of time! Our menu was 7 overall courses, with multiple dishes/nigiri per course, lasting about 2.5 hours. There are, however, one thing I would have liked differently about the experience, which I'll start with here. We had almost zero interaction with the Executive Chef Shinji Kurita, who stood behind a plexiglass while curating the dishes and nigiri courses and spoke nothing to the guests. He also made no eye contact with us, which I perceived to be a little cold, but perhaps that is his style, to keep to himself. One of the main reasons I like to sit at the chef's counter, especially with sushi, is to engage with the chef - I love learning about his/her passions, how they got into sushi, why they like what they do and all of that. Unfortunately, Chef Shinji did not seem interested in talking at all. He did, however, acknowledge us when we offered him a glass of sake! I would also say that, while the nigiri courses were quite delicious, nothing blew me out of the park. I do quite vividly remember the nodoguro, which was torched and super delicious with the smokiness complimenting the oilyness of the fish. Loved it. Now onto the more positive aspects: Service was superb, on point, so professional, friendly. We had one server who also was the GM of the restaurant. I did not catch his name, but he was very pleasant, easy-going while upholding professionalism. He has been in the hospitality/service industry for a while and has been with Shinbay for years, accompanying it as it moved around Arizona. He was happy to talk about his experiences with the restaurant and describe sakes and fish with us. We greatly appreciated the conversation! He told us that the restaurant receives shipments of fish every day and ages them for 3 days in kelp before serving. He was very prompt in bringing out our drinks, especially considering we each had 3 drinks in front of us. I got hot tea, sparkling water, and a glass for the Heavensake sake bottle that my friend and I got. He even opened up a fresh bottle of sparkling water just because he noticed that a small piece of paper from the bottlecap had fallen into my glass. Excellent attention! Chef Shinji had 2 sous chefs - one assistant (Chef Suzuki) and the other (Chef Stephen) in training. Chef Suzuki has been in sushi for about 24 years, and he was quite friendly, describing the sushi to us as he set them in front of us. The dinner went very smoothly with the three chefs working together! We never felt that we sat too long without a plate before us, and our server was efficient about taking away plates we were finished with. As for the food, I was wowed by our appetizer courses. We started with a trio of small plates - tofu, kinpira gobou, mozuku. Then, the sashimi salad, which was kanpachi with cherry tomato, radish, cucumber, and microgreens, drizzled with ponzu and cold-pressed grapeseed oil. Great start - super fresh and clean taste. The next appetizer course was an assortment of small pieces, all arranged very delicately atop a larger plate. We had Kumamoto oyster, Japanese jellyfish, Tasmanian ocean trout sashimi, snow crab with egg yolk curd & caviar, kombujime scallop, veggies with umeboshi as palate cleanser, hotaru ika (a seasonal delicacy!), Spanish octopus, and blue shrimp. I loved the variety of seafoods presented here in the perfect bite-sized pieces! We then had a warm dish - Chilean seabass with mushroom - a wonderful combo of texture and flavor! Then, a sashimi course that included geoduck and uni, which I love. Now, onto nigiri courses. Again, not super impressed given how many omakase menus I've had, but... Loved the nodoguro and toro. Kinmedai is usually one of my favorite fish, but in this instance, I wasn't wowed by it. Maybe it was just the piece of fish I got, but it didn't have the rainbow-sheen that I usually see on the pink skin. But the nodoguro and toro as the final pieces was quite a power move! The dessert course, a homemade parfait with matcha powder, came with hot tea, which was a nice finisher. Again, I wish we had had a chance to speak with the chef a little bit. I understand he's busy, but I do enjoy that aspect of eating in front of the chef himself as he curates each dish. I did notice he was coughing (while wearing a mask, of course), so maybe he just wasn't feeling well and wasn't in the mood to talk that night, which I completely respect. Regardless, had a wonderful night here and would recommend for sushi lovers traveling through Scottsdale/Phoenix! read more

See all

Unfortunately this place was disappointing in terms of food and experience. Some of the courses were great but most we did not enjoy. Some of the dishes were chewy and frankly smelled and tasted too fishy. We were super exciting for this experience since we tried Mr. Omakaze in Miami and we fell in love with Omakaze experience. Our Miami experience blew us away but Shinbay is just not at that level. In addition they have a host who is also your waiter. He was interfering with our conversations constantly, we felt like we are being listened even when we whispered to each other - very uncomfortable. We ended up with $800 check for 3 (no drinks) - which was quite a surprise. They do add $100 service fee but also ask for additional tip. The pictures look great but the taste of 80% of dishes was not enjoyable. read more

See all

Beautifully executed Omakase dining experience that is hard to match by another restaurant in AZ. Each dish was meticulously crafted with the freshest ingredients by chef Tanaka. The entire staff was very attentive, never let a water glass get below half full and each dish was explained in detail of how it should be consumed. Only complaint was the markup on the Sake. Most bottles were significantly above where you'd be able to get them at an H Mart or similar grocer. read more

Shinbay - Japanese Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

See all

Most expensive meal and the best meal I have ever had. Worth EVERY CENT. Not only was it a food journey it was a knowledge journey. I learned so much About sushi, fish and culture. It truly feels like you were invited to the Masters home for an intimate dinner. The food was truly loving art. It was such a unique and amazing experience that can't be topped. read more

See all

SO yummy. The general manager was very attentive, my water was never empty, I never had an an empty dish in front of me. The main cook Suzuki was so knowledgeable and friendly, and everything he served up was delicious. He answered all questions and explained every dish well. Suzuki was also funny, which I appreciated. Very intimate setting, it was our group of two and one other couple so it was cozy. This is a one of a kind experience, perfect for special occasions. read more

See all

Very cool little place. Keep in mind that you have to reso way far in advance. My friend reserved this 2 months prior. They only do 6 people at a time. It is small inside and very intimate. This is fine dining for sure. 10 course meal will set you back at $250 per person. it is a 2.5 hour experience. During the nigiri session they brought out each individual nigiri's (I believe there were 7). Fish tasted fresh. Everyone eats at the same time. The service here is phenomenal, the server brings you eucalyptus scented towels throughout the eating. I knocked out a star because not every single nigiri was phenomenal. I only went "oooh" for 3 of the nigiri pieces. It is fun to anticipate for the next sushi piece or plate though. You'll feel like you're in the first class cabin with the other guests. It is swanky for sure. read more

See all

Came here for a birthday, small group, only 3 people. You have to make reservations and can pick between 2 times. When we got there, there was only another party so plenty of room in between us. The place is small but the seats confortable. The chef introduces himself at the beginning and talks about every dish you will get. Overall, presentation was great, pace was good and the dishes I enjoyed the most were the seafood bites and the sashimi plate with the uni. The big problem I had was with the sushi selection. Most of the fish were imported from Japan. They looked beautiful but really tasted the same. And nothing exceptional either. Some of them had too much yuzu kosho. That made it taste like soap, I had to scrape it off. Dessert was tasty and one of the more memorable part of that night. Overall okay but definitely had way better omakase. read more

See all

What a stupendous experience and worth every penny! Master Chef Shinji, a James Beard Foundation semifinalist, has curated such a beautiful menu. Sous Chef Suzuki was so funny and made the experience that much more special! It was a light hearted and enjoyable time. Immaculate cleanliness and outstanding service! I would recommend this to anyone. Arigatou gozaimasu!! read more

See all