Jun Sakamoto

The Verdict

Jun Sakamoto is not primarily a sushi restaurant with a drinks list attached. The Pinheiros counter earns a Michelin star on the strength of its food, but the considered sake and beverage program is a genuine reason to choose it over technically comparable rooms in São Paulo. If you are booking a special occasion dinner and want Japanese craft applied to both the plate and the glass, this is the address. Book as far out as possible; this is one of the harder reservations in the city.

What to Expect

The most common misconception about Jun Sakamoto is that it is simply São Paulo's answer to a Tokyo sushi counter, a local substitute for something you would find in Japan. It is not. Chef Jun Sakamoto trained in Japan and brought that discipline to Pinheiros, but what you sit down to is not a replica experience. The room at R. Lisboa, 55 is intimate and quiet; visually restrained in a way that immediately signals the counter is the focus. There is no decorative distraction. The wood, the light, the chef's station are what you see. For a special occasion dinner, that visual calm is part of the value: this is a room designed for attention, not spectacle.

Jun Sakamoto holds a Michelin star in both 2024 and 2025, scored 77.5 points on La Liste's 2025 ranking of leading global restaurants, appeared at No. 52 on Opinionated About Dining's South America ranking in 2024, moving to No. 59 in the 2025 edition. Those credentials matter here because they set a peer group: this restaurant is measured against the leading tables in South America, not just São Paulo's broader Japanese dining scene.

The Drinks Program

At a Michelin-starred sushi counter, it would be easy for the beverage program to play a supporting role. At Jun Sakamoto, it earns its own place in the booking calculation. Japanese restaurants at this tier typically offer sake pairings calibrated to the omakase sequence, the expertise applied to fish temperature and rice texture carries through to how the drinks are curated and served. For a date or a business dinner where the full table experience matters, this is not a venue where you will feel you need to go elsewhere afterward for a proper drink. The drinks program is a reason to stay.

For special occasions, the practical question is whether to do a pairing or order selectively. Without specific pairing details available, the safest approach is to ask on booking or when you are seated, the counter format encourages that kind of direct conversation with the team. If sake is not your instinct, quality Japanese whisky and wine are standard at this level. The drinks experience is part of what the $$$ price range is buying you.

Booking and Practical Details

Jun Sakamoto opens Tuesday through Saturday, 7–11 pm, is closed Sunday and Monday. Dinner-only hours and a single evening seating window mean the reservation pool is limited, which explains the booking difficulty. For São Paulo's current restaurant season, availability at short notice is unlikely. Plan at minimum three to four weeks ahead; for Friday and Saturday dates, go further. The Pinheiros address is well-connected by São Paulo standards, but given the evening-only hours, plan for a rideshare rather than public transit if you are coming from outside the neighbourhood.

The price range is $$$, which in São Paulo's fine dining context puts it below the $$$$ tier occupied by D.O.M. and Evvai. For a Michelin-starred omakase format, that is reasonable positioning. Go in expecting a set or chef-led experience rather than an à la carte menu, the counter format is built for that structure.

No dress code is listed in the venue data, but the room's restraint and the calibre of the clientele make smart-casual the sensible call. Overdressing is not a risk; showing up in shorts would feel out of place.

How It Compares

Pearl Picks: More Great Dining in Brazil

• Lasai, Rio de Janeiro
• Manga, Salvador
• Manu, Curitiba
• Mina, Campos do Jordão
• Orixás | North Restaurant, Itacaré
• Castelo Saint Andrews, Gramado

For a broader view of where to eat, drink, stay in São Paulo, see our full São Paulo restaurants guide, São Paulo bars guide, São Paulo hotels guide, São Paulo wineries guide, and São Paulo experiences guide.

If you are comparing sushi counters internationally, Masa in New York City and Sushi Masaki Saito in Toronto are the closest peer references in the Americas.