I went here in a late Wednesday night or so. The restaurant had two sides. One side didn't look like it was being used at all but they still had some sort of waitlist. Luckily we had a reservation and was sat pretty quickly. The service was slow, it took a bit for our food to come, and the quality wasn't the greatest but it was ok. The price to food ratio was expected. Expect a pricey bill for not much food. Cool little hole in the wall if you want to check out other types of sushi restaurants in the area though. read more

Hands down the best sushi joint in Portland. There is no BS here. No weird rolls, just straight fresh fish prepared the way it should be. Kate is our certified sake expert and provides us history of each of the sakes. You definitely need to sit at the sushi bar to get the full experience. read more

Zilla Sake - Amaebi Miso Soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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So, so happy that Zilla Sake has stayed open during COVID-19. I don think they're on any delivery mediums, so please consider giving them a look of yourself thinking sushi, sashimi, nigiri, or just want great sake to go. You can order for pickup directly from their website. It's been about a year since I last ordered their food in any capacity, but my god... they haven't missed a beat. The yuzu scallop sushi roll is absolutely immaculate. Best single roll I've had in Portland, hands down (and I've eaten a TON of sushi in PDX.) The cured pork belly appetizer was great again too, acting as a medium between a fatty marinated pork belly and a crispy pancetta. If you're a purist, their sashimi is lasso some of the best I've ever had. Chef puts so much care and quality into her craft and her fish cuts. Please, do Zilla, and yourself, a favor. Support your local joint and look into treating yourself to some of the best authentic Japanese cuisine in the city. read more

It's the weirdest sushi place ever ! We walked in and there were multiple employees standing around talking. They weren't even busy at all and telling us to wait for 20- 30min. read more

Went here for lunch one day, only my second time but hadn't been here in 3 years. The waitress was so nice, but i waited 40 minutes for one roll and 3 peices of nigiri, and Tyger were only 2 other tables being waited on the entire time i was there. The sushi was just okay. read more

TLDR: Food was good, but the overall dining experience from beginning to end by staff and chef was disappointing. On a weekend visit to Portland I wanted to find an omakase sushi meal. After doing some research, I found Zilla Sake and texted the number provided on the website. Luckily I was able to get sushi counter seats for 2 for Sat 8/21 at 730pm. When making the reservation, I was told they offer omakase at tables, but the best experience is at the sushi counter. This made me feel not only lucky to get reservations but excited for an amazing omakase experience at the sushi counter with the chef. Unfortunately the experience did not live up to the hype. The sushi was fine, but the overall lasting impression was the extremely disappointing service by the chef and the staff especially for sushi counter omakase. The frantic energy of the chef and staff did not provide the type of dining atmosphere or experience we hoped for. We stayed patient and tried to enjoy our time, but it was uncomfortable asking for anything because it felt like we were just adding to their stress. Even as I write this review I feel sympathetic toward the chef and her team as they were clearly in the weeds all night trying to keep up with indoor/outdoor tables and to-go orders. This left little time and attention for the sushi counter guests - including 2 other parties. But with a front row seat at the sushi counter it became obvious very quickly that we were not going to get the omakase experience we hoped for. We dined for over 2.5 hours and received 7 fish courses (11 overall) but had to wait upwards of 20-30min between some of the courses. At one point we had to ask if there were any more food because the wait was so long between courses that we weren't sure if the meal was over if there was more coming. We had minimal interaction with the chef with no verbal acknowledgement or apology from the chef or staff of the long wait between courses. Overall, I would say we just caught the chef and staff on a bad night, but unfortunately I don't think I will be dining here again or recommend it to friends. read more

Omakase is perfection. There are 2 kinds, a $55 and $75. The $75 had more courses and can include whatever specials the place has going on that day. The scallop was so buttery that we couldn't even express our words as we were chewing. Omakase can only be served at the sushi bar so make sure you specify this when you book your reservation. We also did the flight of 5 premium sakes, but to be honest, between the 3 of us, we couldn't really tell much difference between them. read more

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Zilla Sake is awesome! I took my kids there for Omakase last night. Amazing food and great service from Kate Koo, the owner herself. It was COViD friendly, clean and a lovey atmosphere. I plan to come back again when I return to Portland for sure! read more

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This past holiday, I was looking to gift my family with a memorable culinary experience and the meal prepared by Zilla Sake truly exceeded our expectations. Kate was able to craft a unique meal that was a balance between traditional sushi omakase and the new cooked offerings that were currently on the menu . The sake selection provided was incredibly thoughtful - Kate's knowledge of sake is clearly unparalleled as she described the sake making process as well as what characteristics are considered when creating the different grades of sake. While each dish was memorable in its own right, our favorite dishes, besides the 10 piece sushi course, were the dungeness crab sunomono and uni pasta (I should have gotten more than one serving!) Lastly, I appreciate the detail that the team gave in packaging the items - as one of us had a shellfish allergy, the team made sure that that person's food items were separately packaged and clearly notated on the bag to avoid any additional cross contamination. To accommodate our 20 minute drive home, they also gave us the sauces on the side and clearly explained which sauces went with which items so that we could finish the preparation once ready to eat. I can't say enough good things about the quality of both the food and service, and will definitely make it a point to come back and visit once things are back to normal and indoor dining is allowed once more! read more

Single indoor table and 2 outdoor tables! The omakase definitely feels like having a personal chef making you a personalized, paced, multi course staged meal. In spite of all the covid stuff, this experience is kinda magical! The seared tuna, nigiri, pickles, and miso soup (yes even the miso soup), were crafted to perfection! read more

This was one if the best dining experiences I've had since I've lived in Portland. I was having a bad day and wanted to treat myself. Zilla turned out to be the perfect destination. It was truly a delight. I sat at the bar and ordered omakase and a sake flight. Each course was better than the last. The seafood was fresh and clean tasting. Each course was served with details of its origins and most of it was locally sourced. The presentation was beautiful. The wasabi root they serve is grown in Oregon and freshly grated to order. It was unlike any wasabi I've ever had and truly wonderful. Chef Dustin was skilled, attentive, and service was well paced. This was some of the best sushi I've ever had. Zilla exceeded expectations and I will definitely be back for more. A great spot for solo dining or if you just want to treat yourself. read more

Zilla Sake - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I eat here regularly. The food and service is top notch. They handled the Covid restrictions very well. I try to eat here on my birthday

Wow, tried this place for the first time with sushi takeout and 3 things came to mind: - Meticulously prepared - High-quality ingredients - Amazing flavors Dare I say it, best sushi place in Portland! If you haven't tried it yet, just go, you won't regret it. Nice job Kate! read more

Highly recommend this authentic sushi restaurant. The quality of the fish was the best I've had in Portland. The servers were friendly and knowledgeable. The place had a family owned and operated experience which I appreciate. Do not expect a fast at all once delivery of your order. The rolls were staggered out slowly which added to the experience of enjoying the different flavors. read more

Served Omekase by Kate and her team. All the quality you would expect along with some talk on ingredients and sourcing. Best Old Fashioned cocktail you can find anywhere. Friendly, helpful service. read more

I was excited to try omakase at Zilla and while the atmosphere was cozy and laid back, I can't help but feel ripped off by the omakase service. Unfortunately, Zilla doesn't provide menus on their website, so we arrived expecting omakase to be $75/person (older Yelp reviews mention this price point). We were shocked to see the price had doubled and was $140/person. We swallowed the shock and tried out the experience anyway with high hopes for an outstanding menu at that price point. We were underwhelmed. There were a maximum of 10 dishes served, and while a couple were fantastic (Isake nigiri and the chanterelle mushrooms), some dishes were as simple as miso soup and agedashi tofu. At this price point, I don't see how you can get away with serving so little fish and so many inexpensive dishes. I've had omakase many times. Most recently, in Manhattan at Sushi by M for $100/person and enjoyed 18 dishes, all of them containing high quality sushi fish. Overall, we're really bummed out by this experience and left feeling hungry. read more

Amazing experience!! As a lover of good food I've had my fair share of excellent meals. Recently I visited Portland and went to Zilla Sake. I ordered their Omakase option so I could sample a wide variety of the offerings. This meal ranked as one of the best I've ever had. It included approximately 7 dishes and each one was delicious. Although, I liked everything, I wanted to mention, in my opinion, the top three. If I had to rank the them number 3 would be the Salt Water Eel. Number 2 would be the 7 day dry aged pan seared Kurodai with mushrooms, potatoes and a persimmon purée. These ingredients worked so well together and the Kurodai skin was incredibly crispy. As I come to the number 1 spot I need to preface it with this, occasionally in life you come across a bite of food that makes you stop and say "What the hell!" You slowdown and attempt to savor the morsel you know will sadly soon be gone. The piece of 21 day dry aged New Zealand salmon nigiri was one of those bites. The fish was buttery with an amazing texture. The perfectly seasoned rice and the salt sprinkled on top elevated the this dish to perfection. Lastly the service was top notch. Servers and chefs were attentive, polite and impressively knowledgeable/informative about the food they served. Additionally, Kate, the owner personally provided my wife and I with specific knowledge on the making of Sake, making our future choices when ordering it, not so daunting. Looking forward to my next visit when I return to Portland. read more

Got the omakase for $90 a person. Over an hour into the meal and we had been brought three different courses the size of an amuse bouche. Then 7 pieces of nigiri, a small pasta dish without protein, and miso soup at the end. Left hungry. Not worth it. read more

Zilla Sake - Nigiri course - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We sat at the bar for more than 15 minutes, and we're never acknowledged by the bartender. There were only 2 other customers who had already been served at the bar. Meanwhile, he was casually chatting with another customer, bragging about how they have "the best sake selection in the Pacific NW." He never never said "hi" to us or took our order, so we eventually just left. Really bizarre and disappointing. Update: We've tried 2 more times since. We really want this place to be good. Sorry report the situation as not improved, and now smells like rotten fish too. I have no idea how this place has averaged 4 stars on yelp. If you're in it for good sushi that doesn't cost as much, Hana on Alberta & 22nd is better. For a great sake section and amazing sushi, hit Bamboo sushi on Alberta & 14th. read more

Really wanted this place to be as awesome. I ignored all other reviews before I went in biased. so I found this place because of the video they had put on EATER had on YouTube. First first first off. The sushi was great nothing bad to say but nothing to go home and rave about. My biggest gripe was the omakase and the service. The chef serving us not informative and not very engaging as to what was going on our plate. Drove all this was from Seattle when I could've just eaten something better and way more engaging. read more

Zilla Sake - Didn't even bother telling us what it was. I know it's cucumber and crab but tell me - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Need a chill place to relax and drink some sake? Zilla Sake is the place to be. This place is pretty chill and the wait staff is super friendly. The place has a cozy feel and is very inviting. My favorite sake would have to be Yuki No Bosha (aka..Cabin in the Snow). The only downfall...no chicken karaage..but it's ok...I still like this place. read more

Zilla Sake - Choose your own sake cup - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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One of the better sushi spots in Portland, and a lot more ambiance than some sushi spots that might be a bit too modern and zen. Here there's a real Japanese tavern vibe. Had reservations at the sushi counter and we went with the omakase. It was a nice variety of food, as opposed to just omakase of sushi/nigiri, this omakase included nigiri but started with crab/sunomono salad, fresh tofu in dashi, miso soup and a butter pasta with Japanese influences. They also have a karaage course, but because I don't like to eat deep-fried food, they were nice to sub out with a pickled vegetable plate, which I really enjoyed because I love pickled. It was a mix of pickled vegetables. The service was great, although a bit reserved. If you expect to come and make friends with the sushi chef, this is not the place. They're all professional and focused on making the food (not chatting up the guests), and you don't necessarily have one assigned chef. They all have a particular dish that's made so you interact with almost everyone behind the counter at least once. The sushi/nigiri were all fresh. It would have been nice to have some kind of dessert to cap off the meal (it ends with just the miso soup) but otherwise it was a welcoming spot with fresh sushi and a nice mix of food. They also have an extensive sake menu, which can feel overwhelming. I tried two types of sake, one that I picked and another the server recommended, and both were great and different. I don't think you can go wrong with any sake you order here. read more

We live in the neighborhood and have enjoyed Zilla Sake in the past when the two cool sisters owned it, but who knows what has happened to this place. It's sad really. I was craving sushi tonight and so I dragged my fam to Zilla. No one greeted us when we stepped in. It took MINUTES for anyone to even say hi or let us know that they'd be with us soon. Finally, some white dude that looked like he didn't want to be there seated us. Mind you, the restaurant was not busy (Monday night) and although he brought us water and menus promptly, he never asked us for our drink order. We noticed another couple of ladies come in after and sit at the bar, and when I saw that same server take their order when we had been waiting for about 10 minutes, that was it. We got up and left. Someone needs to hire better people who are actually good at serving and aren't working while high. Oh yea, we ended up going to Yakuza which is very close by and had an amazing dinner + service. read more

Such a wonderful local restaurant. Cute and happy on the inside. I highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar and getting the omakase. The chef/owner is amazing. But on the other hand the noodle dish and lobster karage are perfection. Just go!!! It's sooooo good read more

Don't eat here. We came here for my husbands birthday and did the omakase menu. It was only 6 courses and it was about 20-30 minutes between courses. One of the courses was a pasta dish that was just not good. One was fresh tofu that was not good. And the other was miso soup. We had a bit of fish which was fine but nothing special. For $95 per person we would have liked to have left at a reasonable time, had good food, not left hungry and had good service. We had none. People who got there after us and sat at the sushi bar ordered off the menu, got a lot more food, and very quickly while we waited in the corner. Go somewhere else for half the price and twice the amount of food. read more

Fantastic sushi, great atmosphere--and (COVID-era bonus) the owner told us they invested into highest-degree filtering and air exchange in the restaurant as well. Admission with vaccine cards only. read more

Update: I have been here every week for the past 3 weeks 3xnow. I cannot say enough GREAT things. First of all, dedicated gluten free kitchen. This is an extremely rare find! 2nd, the freshest fish in Portland hands down for sushi/sashimi. The selection is not huge because it is the best selection. The chef is extremely well trained in traditional highest grade sushi chef preparation, presentation and takes care to explain how each dish should be eaten. Example, the nigiri come dressed, she tells you that so you don't have to drown it in soy sauce..which will take away all the nuisance of the dish. The order the food comes in also matter, the team behind the kitchen executes the order perfectly. And I might add, what a crazy great selection of sake. I asked the chef to pair sake with our omakase(chef's choice) meal and it was an absolutely delight. My favorite way to eat and be taken care of. I love the fact that it is a local woman owned business by an incredibly trained sushi chef. And I can't eat gluten and the fact that I can eat everything there including items like tempura, the anago eel, and the crab is FRESH handpicked dungeness crab. You literally can't go wrong here. I really respect and love this restaurant. Big love, full tummies, happy patron here! read more

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3 friends and i went to zilla sake because a we'd heard rave reviews from our other friends! the omakase is definitely the way to go. one of the best culinary experiences i've ever had! the fish was so fresh, with care and attention to detail in ever dish. the delicate and intricate flavors left us all in bliss. would definitely recommend! read more

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Fresh fish, great service. I've had sushi at many well rated spots in the western US. The quality of fish (and rice) here holds up. Can't recommend it enough. Don't let the "Sake" name fool you. This place seems to be about the fish. read more

There is a wide gap between good sushi and great sushi. There are a surprising number of decent sushi places in Portland. And I often take my family to one of those. But when the family is out of town, and I want the real deal, something that is reminiscent of the care, quality and knowledge of my best experiences in Tokyo and elsewhere, I go to Zilla Sake House. Sam, Michael, Mark and everyone else there really love their craft, and that comes across in the care they take - starting with selection of the best sushi ingredients available. The quality here is fantastic - I have never had anything that was stringy, tasted 'fishy', or was simply not absolutely gorgeous. This is the kind of place I would not be at all hesitant to bring out of town visitors from Japan. You will not get a hundred different rolls here, it is pretty traditional fare, but I would highly recommend the Zilla Roll if your pallet appreciates a tiny bit of spice, and you like rolls. If you love Sake, they have a great variety, close to 100 different bottles available, and they are quite knowledgeable and more than willing to advise, answer questions, etc. Tips: For a fun experience, sit at the sushi bar. Note that they have a retail license as well. If you find that perfect bottle, take one home! If you like unfiltered sake, ask for the Pure Snow (Shimizu-no-Mai?) Ask what's new, or best for the day. This is a great place to try something you have likely never had before. read more

I would describe Zilla as a sake bar which also has excellent sushi. The rolls are pretty simple, though they have a few fancier ones. You should come here if you like nigiri. It's not cheap, but they definitely serve some very good quality fish. We had the house cured ikura, sea bream, and two orders of sardines which were a special of the day. It's not often that you see fresh sardines since they go bad easily, but ours were very fresh and delicious! The rice was seasoned well - not too sweet. We also had a hijiki salad which was just okay. The cocktail I tried was excellent though. I forget the name, but it was a mix of gin, sake, duck egg white foam, and tobiko, which gave it a fun texture and savory flavor to the drink. They also have a few different sake flights if you don't want to choose from a very extensive menu. Service could be better, but overall, I am fan of the food and drinks here. read more

Zilla is like home away from home , although i have never been to japan and i am not from there the vibe and esthetic of this restaurant makes me feel like i should have been . Traditional sushi , rolls and some of the best selections of sake in the states i would say this is one of the best spots in Oregon hands down . Staff is top tier and the food is good , 10/10 recommend read more

Came here for dinner on a Wednesday night. It's a cute little restaurant that was the perfect place for me to catch up with an old friend that I hadn't seen in a very long time. My friend told me that this place sells craft sake from Oregon. Wha?? I never knew that existed. So of course we had to try some. I'm not a huge fan of sake, but I sipped one small cup to see what it tasted like. The initial sip was kind of strong, but then it mellowed out and got pretty good. We shared a bunch of different rolls for dinner. I wouldn't say it's like the traditional sushi I usually get in California... seemed like the rice was missing a bit of the seasoned vinegar taste that I'm used to. I had noticed the same thing when I had sushi in Chicago a couple years ago... maybe seasoned rice vinegar is only a California thing? Otherwise, the sushi was fine. The rolls were very light on the rice, so they weren't very filling. We had to order a couple of them to make a meal, and I wouldn't say that I felt very full. They have some exotic funky rolls that I've never heard of before, so that was also fun to try something new. I did have an excellent salmon nigiri that had a generous portion of fish. All in all, it was a nice dinner, but prices are a bit on the steeper side (well, it IS sushi), so don't come here starving unless you are prepared to open up your pocket book. ;) read more

This was honestly the worst restaurant I have ever been to. The service was not great and the food was terrible.

Decent Omakase experience. They charge $100 for omakase now btw. At least, that's what I got charged. You get 3 tuna sashimis in 1 plate, but no tuna nigiris. They have no uni, no ama ebi, no toro ... basically no premium sushi. Look, they still get 3 stars, but I expected a better experience. For a $100 omakase, it's pretty mediocre. I just had high expectations. I remember reading an article about Kate Koo and Zilla back in the day and I guess I got my hopes up too high. At the least the chefs describe what the fish is as they present it, but dang, could they be more in a rush? I get that the Portland restaurant scene is tough business right now, but this is still a $300+ meal. Zilla is just another sushi bar in PDX. But they parade as a high end spot. Long story short... if you walk in expecting a Nodoguru or nimblefish-esque experience, prepare to be disappointed. read more

This place is still a decent sushi place and I love the location. It has been a staple on Alberta st. for a long time. Classy yet casual, Zilla Sake satisfies. The menu is extensive. Standard rolls and nagiri. A fancy cocktail list if you like that sort of thing. The highlight of this place is when you come during the seasonal Tuna in Oregon. I ordered a lot of this and usually come here. July- September for the good stuff. The staff has always been a bit pretentious but don't bother me really. The sushi is good and it keeps me coming back. read more

Pleasant experience! Loved every dish we ordered! Especially the lobster karagge. So good! Sashimi are so fresh and high quality. The chefs are very friendly and welcoming. Will be back:) read more

Zilla Sake - Sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I was craving sushi and looking for a new place to try. Zella is relatively close to my house so I thought I would check it out. Everything was kind of just okay. The prices seem high for the quality and experience. The restaurant itself needs to replace damaged furniture and spruce it up a bit. read more

I want preface my review by saying I'm very picky about sushi. Due to the limited menu, during covid, I ordered a significant amount of their menu. Pickled items are very good. Definitely worth ordering. Fish was all very fresh. While I don't prefer the type of salmon they used it was fresh. All the other fish were fantastic. Brown rice, first time I actually liked it. I prefer it in the rolls and not as much on the nigiri. The rolls were exceptional. Sake selection was good and the bottle we ordered was good for the price. Would order again. I look forward to when covid is over to see an increased selection of fish. The only 5 star sushi I have given is either in asia or kaygetsu in the bay area. This rates a solid 4.2. read more

Unfortunately food is overpriced and portions are small. They were short staffed with sushi chefs, however we waited over an hour and a half for our rolls and that is very disappointing. Our waiter also didn't offer anything extra given the extreme wait. Wouldn't recommend this place given the other good options for sushi restaurants in the city. read more