Restaurant in Macau, China
Michelin-starred omakase. Book early, spend confidently.
Sushi Kinetsu is Macau's clearest answer for special-occasion omakase, holding both a Michelin 1 Star (2024) and a Black Pearl 1 Diamond (2025). The successor to Shinji by Kanesaka, it retains the same kitchen team and sourcing rigour — fish from Japan three times weekly, Yamagata rice in Kagoshima spring water. Book well ahead; this counter does not have walk-in availability.
Yes — and if you are weighing where to spend serious money on a special-occasion dinner in Macau, Sushi Kinetsu is the clearest answer in the city for Japanese omakase. It holds a Michelin 1 Star (2024) and a Black Pearl 1 Diamond (2025), which puts it in a small category of Macau restaurants earning recognition from both major regional dining guides simultaneously. For a celebration dinner, a client meal, or any occasion that justifies a $$$$ price point, this is where the omakase argument is strongest.
Sushi Kinetsu occupies the first-floor lobby of City of Dreams resort in Cotai — a hotel corridor setting that might lower expectations, but does not reflect what is happening at the counter. The restaurant is the direct successor to Shinji by Kanesaka, the well-regarded Tokyo-pedigreed omakase that closed during COVID-19. Rather than a wholesale reinvention, the transition to Sushi Kinetsu was a continuity play: the same kitchen team stayed on, carrying forward the same approach to the rice, the fish, and the overall structure of service. For regulars of Shinji, that continuity was deliberate reassurance. For first-timers, it means you are sitting down to a programme with genuine institutional depth, not a freshly launched concept still finding its footing.
The sourcing model here is worth understanding because it shapes the dining logic. Fish is flown in from Japan three times a week, which is a meaningful operational commitment at this level of a non-Japanese city. The rice is sourced from Yamagata and cooked in spring water from Kagoshima before being seasoned with a light-tasting vinegar. These are not decorative details , they define the texture and temperature profile of every piece served, and they reflect a kitchen that has built its supply chain around consistency rather than improvisation. Two menu options are available, and booking is essential.
Spatially, counter omakase at this level is about proximity and pace. You are watching technique at close range, the sequence is set by the kitchen, and the experience is designed around a fixed rhythm that makes it well-suited to occasions where you want structure , a date where conversation has room to breathe between courses, or a business dinner where the format removes the friction of menu decisions. The counter format also means group size matters: this works leading for two, or for a small group comfortable eating in a shared sequence. It is not the right choice for large parties or anyone who wants to order independently.
The Michelin and Black Pearl credentials give Sushi Kinetsu a dual-validation that comparatively few Macau restaurants carry. Michelin recognition in a resort-casino city like Macau is not automatic , the guide covers the territory selectively, and a 1 Star in this context signals that the kitchen is performing at a level that holds up against the review process. The Black Pearl Diamond adds a China-market perspective that reinforces the same conclusion. Together, they make the quality argument without requiring you to take it on faith.
For a deeper look at how Sushi Kinetsu sits within the broader Macau dining scene, see our full Macau restaurants guide. If you are planning a full trip, our Macau hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the territory.
If Japanese omakase is the format you are after elsewhere in the region, Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong operates at a comparable price tier with three Michelin Stars and is the obvious upgrade if you are crossing the border for a dedicated sushi meal. In Tokyo, Harutaka is the reference point for what the Tokyo-style counter looks like at source. Within Macau, for the omakase format specifically, Sushi Kissho by Miyakawa is the other name worth comparing directly.
If you are building a wider Macau dinner itinerary and want to compare across cuisines, the high end of the local Cantonese scene is covered by Jade Dragon and Chef Tam's Seasons. At the French Contemporary level, Robuchon au Dôme and Alain Ducasse at Morpheus represent the two strongest options. For fine dining outside Macau across mainland China, Xin Rong Ji in Beijing, 102 House in Shanghai, Xin Rong Ji in Chengdu, Ru Yuan in Hangzhou, Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine in Guangzhou, and Dai Yuet Heen in Nanjing are all worth knowing.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Kinetsu | Sushi | $$$$ | Black Pearl 1 Diamond (2025); Formerly Shinji by Kanesaka that shut its doors amid COVID-19, the upmarket omakase Japanese restaurant has been reincarnated as Sushi Kinetsu. Regulars can rest easy that their sushi are made the same way as before by the same kitchen team. Fish is flown in from Japan three times a week. The rice from Yamagata is cooked in spring water from Kagoshima before being dressed in a light-tasting vinegar. Two menus available; booking essential.; Michelin 1 Star (2024) | Hard | — |
| Aji | Nikkei, Innovative | $$$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Five Foot Road | Sichuan | $$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Lai Heen | Cantonese | $$$ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Robuchon au Dôme | French Contemporary | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star | Unknown | — |
| Feng Wei Ju | Hunan-Sichuan, Hunanese | $$ | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Yes, for omakase specifically. Two menus are available, and the kitchen sources fish flown in from Japan three times a week, with rice from Yamagata cooked in Kagoshima spring water. That level of ingredient sourcing at a Michelin 1 Star (2024) and Black Pearl 1 Diamond (2025) venue justifies the $$$$ price point — provided the format suits you. If you prefer à la carte flexibility, this is not your room.
Sushi Kinetsu is an omakase counter format, so the bar is the experience — there is no separate dining room option to consider. Booking is essential regardless of where you sit, so do not arrive expecting a walk-in spot at the counter.
At $$$$ in Macau, Sushi Kinetsu earns its price through verifiable credentials: Michelin 1 Star in 2024, Black Pearl 1 Diamond in 2025, and a kitchen team that carried over from the former Shinji by Kanesaka. Fish arrives from Japan three times a week. For a special-occasion omakase, the case for spending here is stronger than at most Macau alternatives at a similar price tier.
Omakase formats are built around the chef's sequence, which limits flexibility by design. If you have serious dietary restrictions, check the venue's official channels before booking — the venue is located at City of Dreams, Cotai, and advance notice gives the kitchen team the best chance to accommodate. Vegetarians and those avoiding shellfish should clarify requirements at the time of reservation.
Book at least two to three weeks in advance, more for weekends or holiday periods. Omakase counters in Macau at the Michelin and Black Pearl level fill quickly, and Sushi Kinetsu lists booking as essential. Last-minute availability is not reliable, particularly for two-top requests at peak dining hours.
Yes — it is one of the clearest answers for a high-stakes dinner in Macau. The omakase format, Michelin 1 Star status, and continuity from the Shinji by Kanesaka kitchen team make it a low-risk choice for an anniversary, birthday, or client dinner where the meal needs to perform. The City of Dreams hotel setting is functional rather than atmospheric, so set expectations accordingly.
For French fine dining at a higher prestige tier, Robuchon au Dôme is the Macau benchmark. Lai Heen at The Ritz-Carlton is the comparable option for Cantonese special-occasion dining. Feng Wei Ju covers Sichuan and Hunan at a different flavour profile entirely. None of these replicate the Japanese omakase format; for that format in Macau, Sushi Kinetsu has no direct peer at this award level.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
