Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand
Serious omakase. Book ahead, dress accordingly.
Sushi Masato is Bangkok's most credentialed omakase counter, recognised by Michelin, La Liste, and Opinionated About Dining across multiple consecutive years. Chef Masato Shimizu flies fish daily from Tokyo's Toyosu Market, with menus that shift meaningfully by season. At the ฿฿฿฿ price point, it competes with counters in Tokyo and Hong Kong — and costs less than either.
If you have been to Sushi Masato once, the question on a return visit is not whether the quality holds — it does — but whether the experience has deepened. Chef Masato Shimizu has built one of the most credentialed sushi counters in Southeast Asia from a low-key address on Soi Sawatdi in Watthana, and the menu's seasonal architecture, anchored by daily fish shipments from Tokyo's Toyosu Market, means the plates genuinely change across visits. Book it for a special occasion at the ฿฿฿฿ price point; at that level it competes with anything you would find at Harutaka in Tokyo or Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong, and it costs less than both.
Suhrawardi's Soi Sawatdi sits firmly inside Sukhumvit's expat-professional corridor, but Sushi Masato operates as though it has nothing to prove to the neighbourhood around it. The room is quiet and focused. What you see first when you sit down is the counter , pale wood, clean lines, a working surface that communicates intent before a single piece of fish appears. There are no distractions. This is the visual logic of serious omakase: everything that matters will happen directly in front of you.
The seasonal framework is the core of the offer. Spring brings shellfish abundance; winter shifts toward richer, fattier fish. Those raw materials arrive from Toyosu daily, which is not a marketing claim so much as an operational commitment that shapes what arrives on the plate. For a food enthusiast tracking Japanese seasonal produce cycles, that calendar rhythm is the main reason to return across different months rather than treating a single visit as definitive. A second visit in a different season is, practically speaking, a different restaurant.
Chef Masato Shimizu's background spans Japan and New York , two reference points that matter for understanding his technical register. New York's high-end omakase circuit during the period when Shimizu trained there was running some of the most exacting Japanese counter work outside Japan. That experience, combined with years in Japan, puts his technique in a credible peer group. You can request to be served directly by Chef Masato when booking, which is worth doing on a first visit or any occasion where the personal experience matters to you.
The credentialing record supports the price. Sushi Masato has held a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025. It has appeared on La Liste's Leading Restaurants list in consecutive years , 87 points in 2025, 85 points in 2026 , and has ranked on Opinionated About Dining's Asia list three years running, reaching as high as #72 in 2024. A Google rating of 4.8 across 683 reviews adds a volume-weighted signal that aligns with the formal recognition. This is not a restaurant that has been awarded once and coasted; the consistency across independent systems over multiple years is the more significant data point.
Within Bangkok's sushi category, Sushi Masato sits at the leading of the credentialed tier. Peer counters worth knowing include Ginza Sushi Ichi, Sushi Ichizu, In the Mood for Love, Nikaku, and Fillets. None of them carry the same combination of La Liste, Michelin, and OAD recognition simultaneously. If sushi is the priority and credentials are part of the decision, Masato is the answer in this city.
The location in Watthana places it within easy reach of the Sukhumvit hotel corridor, which means it works logistically for visitors staying in that part of the city. For a wider picture of where to eat, drink, and stay around it, see our full Bangkok restaurants guide, our full Bangkok bars guide, and our full Bangkok hotels guide. If you are extending your trip beyond the capital, PRU in Phuket, Aquila in Chiang Mai, AKKEE in Pak Kret, Ayutthayarom in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, and Anuwat in Phang Nga are worth adding to the itinerary. You can also browse our full Bangkok experiences guide and our full Bangkok wineries guide for broader planning.
Sushi Masato is open Wednesday through Sunday. Lunch runs 12–2 pm; dinner runs 5–10 pm Wednesday through Saturday and 5–8 pm on Sunday. The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday. Booking difficulty is rated Easy , you do not need to plan weeks in advance, but omakase counters fill on weekend evenings, so a few days' notice is sensible. Request Chef Masato directly at the time of booking if that matters to you. The address is 3/22 Soi Sawatdi, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana.
Quick reference: Wed–Sun lunch 12–2 pm, dinner 5–10 pm (Sun until 8 pm); closed Mon–Tue; ฿฿฿฿; Watthana, Bangkok; booking difficulty: Easy.
See the comparison section below.
Yes, at the ฿฿฿฿ price point it delivers. The combination of daily Toyosu fish, a seasonally structured menu, and Chef Masato's dual Japan-and-New York training produces a technically serious omakase that holds its own against significantly more expensive counters in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Three consecutive years on Opinionated About Dining's Asia list and La Liste recognition in 2025 and 2026 give you independent confirmation that the quality is real. If omakase is the format you want, this is the most credentialed option in Bangkok for it.
No dress code is listed in the venue data, but the ฿฿฿฿ price point and counter format at a Michelin Plate restaurant in Bangkok's Watthana district suggest smart casual is the right call. That means no beachwear or athletic wear; a clean, neat outfit is appropriate. Erring toward dressed-up rather than dressed-down is the safer position for an evening omakase at this level.
Yes, and it is one of the better fits in Bangkok for exactly that. The focused counter format, the direct personal service from Chef Masato (available on request), and the seasonal produce structure all create conditions for a meal that feels considered rather than routine. At the ฿฿฿฿ tier it sits alongside Sorn and Sühring as a special-occasion option , but unlike those two, Sushi Masato keeps the format intimate and counter-focused, which suits couples or small groups better than large celebrations.
Omakase by its nature is a chef-led format with a set progression of dishes, which makes significant dietary restrictions difficult to accommodate. Fish and shellfish are central to every sitting. The venue data does not include specific dietary policy, and no phone or website is listed to verify in advance. If you have a serious allergy or dietary requirement, contact the restaurant directly before booking , the address is 3/22 Soi Sawatdi, Watthana, Bangkok, and they may be reachable through their reservation channel.
For sushi specifically, Ginza Sushi Ichi and Sushi Ichizu are the closest peers in terms of format and seriousness. In the Mood for Love and Nikaku are worth considering if you want a different atmosphere or price position. If the occasion calls for a high-end Bangkok dinner but not necessarily sushi, Sorn (Southern Thai, two Michelin stars) and Sühring (German, two Michelin stars) operate at the same price tier with stronger Michelin credentials. Gaa and Baan Tepa round out the ฿฿฿฿ set if contemporary or Thai cuisine is more relevant to your group.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Masato | The Japanese seas provide a rich bounty of seasonal delights: spring offers an abundance of fresh shellfish, while winter brings the indulgence of rich, fatty fish. At Sushi Masato, guests enjoy this premium seasonal produce flown in daily from Tokyo's renowned Toyosu Market. The experience is elevated by Chef Masato's exceptional techniques, perfected over his years in Japan and New York. You may request to be served by Chef Masato when making a reservation.; La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 85pts; Michelin Plate (2025); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked #98 (2025); La Liste Top Restaurants (2025): 87pts; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked #72 (2024); Michelin Plate (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked #86 (2023) | ฿฿฿฿ | — |
| Sorn | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | ฿฿฿฿ | — |
| Baan Tepa | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | ฿฿฿฿ | — |
| Gaa | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | ฿฿฿฿ | — |
| Côte by Mauro Colagreco | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | ฿฿฿฿ | — |
| Sühring | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | ฿฿฿฿ | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
At ฿฿฿฿ pricing, the case for booking rests on two things: produce flown in daily from Tokyo's Toyosu Market and a chef with training across Japan and New York. Consecutive La Liste placements (87pts in 2025, 85pts in 2026) and an Opinionated About Dining Asia ranking confirm this isn't a Bangkok approximation of omakase — it's the format executed at a high level. If you want a la carte flexibility or lighter spend, look elsewhere; if you're committing to a counter experience, Masato justifies the price.
The venue data doesn't specify a dress code, but the ฿฿฿฿ price point and La Liste / Michelin Plate recognition put this firmly in the category where neat, put-together clothing is the baseline expectation. Think dinner-appropriate rather than strictly formal — collared shirts and clean trousers for men, equivalent for women. Avoid beachwear or very casual streetwear.
Yes, and the format suits it well. An intimate omakase counter with the option to request Chef Masato directly when booking makes it a stronger pick for a meaningful dinner than a large table-service restaurant where you're one of many. Ranked #72 in Opinionated About Dining Asia (2024) and holding a Michelin Plate, it carries enough credential to back up a special-occasion choice.
The venue data doesn't document a specific dietary restriction policy. Omakase as a format is generally chef-driven and sequence-fixed, which makes significant substitutions harder to accommodate than at a la carte restaurants. check the venue's official channels when booking — the reservation process includes a request option for Chef Masato, so restrictions should be raised at that point.
For Thai fine dining rather than Japanese, Sorn (two Michelin stars) and Baan Tepa (one Michelin star) are the strongest Bangkok alternatives at a comparable price tier. Gaa offers a more globally inflected tasting menu. Sühring delivers German-rooted fine dining with serious technique. Côte by Mauro Colagreco is the pick if you want a European signature-chef format. None of these replicate the omakase structure — Sushi Masato remains the most credentialed dedicated sushi counter in the city at this level.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
