Restaurant in Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Sushi Ima
230ptsCredentialed Central sushi. Book lunch first.

About Sushi Ima
An OAD-ranked sushi counter in Central Hong Kong with easy booking — a practical advantage over harder-to-access peers like Sushi Shikon or Sushi Saito. Ranked #427 in OAD's Top Restaurants in Asia 2025, open daily for lunch and dinner. Book for a special occasion or business meal when you need to confirm without a long lead time.
Verdict: A Credentialed Central Sushi Counter Worth Booking for Lunch
Sushi Ima earns a place on your shortlist for sushi in Hong Kong, particularly if you want a Central location and a counter that has built a consistent track record. Ranked #393 in Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in Asia in 2024 and climbing to #427 in 2025 — a tighter field year-on-year — this is a venue with external validation behind it. Booking is currently easy, which puts it in a different category from the harder-to-access counters like Sushi Shikon or Sushi Saito. If your schedule is fixed and you need to confirm a reservation without a weeks-long lead time, Sushi Ima is worth serious consideration.
The Space and Experience
Sushi Ima sits at Shop G2 on Des Voeux Road Central , ground-floor access on one of Hong Kong's main Central arteries, which matters when you're arriving before or after other meetings or events. The address puts you close to the harbour-facing offices and hotels of the CBD, making it a practical choice for business meals where convenience carries weight alongside food quality.
The physical setup follows the format you'd expect from a dedicated sushi counter: the room is arranged to keep attention on the preparation. For a special occasion or a date dinner, the counter format works in your favour , it's an active, engaged experience rather than a passive dining room. If you're planning a celebration or a client dinner where the meal itself is the focal point, the format suits the occasion. For larger groups, this is a constraint worth planning around , sushi counters in Hong Kong at this level typically run 8–14 seats, and private room options are not confirmed in the available data, so contact the venue directly if you're bringing more than four.
The Drinks Program
Specific drinks list details are not confirmed in the available data, so treat what follows as category context rather than Sushi Ima specifics. Edomae-style sushi counters at this level in Hong Kong typically pair their omakase with a curated sake selection, often featuring junmai daiginjo and aged sake options alongside Japanese whisky. Whether Sushi Ima's drinks program operates at that depth, or runs as a more direct list, is worth confirming when you book , especially if sake pairing matters to your group. If a serious drinks pairing is the priority alongside the food, ask directly when you reserve, and compare against what Sushi Wadatsumi and Sushi Gin are offering before you commit.
Timing and Booking
Sushi Ima runs lunch and dinner seven days a week: 12–3 pm and 6–11 pm daily. That consistency is a practical advantage , many comparable counters in Hong Kong close on Sundays or run limited lunch services. The lunch window is worth prioritising if price is a consideration, as sushi counters at this tier in Asia typically offer a meaningfully shorter, lower-cost omakase at lunch compared to the evening set. The OAD recognition puts Sushi Ima in the same conversation as Sushi Fujimoto, and at current booking difficulty (easy), you don't need weeks of lead time , but for weekend dinner around a special occasion, book at least a week out to get your preferred seating.
For regional context, Sushi Ima sits in the same Asia-wide sushi tier as venues like Shoukouwa in Singapore and Sushi Harasho in Osaka, though Tokyo counters like Harutaka, Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongiten, Sushi Kanesaka, and Edomae Sushi Hanabusa represent a harder booking challenge and a different competitive set. Sushi Sho in New York also operates in this international tier. Within Hong Kong, Sushi Ima's OAD ranking and accessible booking make it a strong default before you invest the effort required by the top-tier locked counters.
Practical Details
| Venue | Cuisine | Booking Difficulty | Hours | OAD 2025 Rank (Asia) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Ima | Sushi | Easy | Mon–Sun 12–3 pm, 6–11 pm | #427 |
| Sushi Shikon | Sushi | Hard | Varies | Top-ranked HK sushi |
| Sushi Saito | Sushi | Very Hard | Varies | Top-ranked HK sushi |
| Sushi Wadatsumi | Sushi | Moderate | Varies | Ranked |
| Sushi Fujimoto | Sushi | Moderate | Varies | Ranked |
For a broader view of where Sushi Ima sits in the Central dining scene, see Le Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong nearby, and browse our full Hong Kong restaurants guide, hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide to plan the full trip.
FAQs
Does Sushi Ima handle dietary restrictions?
Contact the venue directly before booking. Sushi counters running omakase menus are structured around a set sequence of fish and rice, which makes significant substitutions difficult , shellfish allergies and severe restrictions often require advance notice or may limit the format. If dietary restrictions are a factor, confirm with Sushi Ima when you reserve rather than on the day.
Is lunch or dinner better at Sushi Ima?
Lunch is the smarter booking for most people. Sushi counters at this tier in Hong Kong consistently offer a shorter omakase at lunch at a lower price point, making it the better entry point if you haven't been before. Dinner suits a longer occasion , a celebration or a client dinner where you want the full set and more time at the counter. Both sessions run daily, which gives you flexibility other counters don't.
Can Sushi Ima accommodate groups?
Small groups of 2–4 are the format this counter is designed for. If you're bringing 6 or more, contact the venue in advance , sushi counters in Central Hong Kong at this level typically seat 8–14 total, so a large group may need to book out a significant portion of the counter or arrange a private session. Don't assume walk-in capacity for groups; confirm directly.
How far ahead should I book Sushi Ima?
Current booking difficulty is easy, so you don't need weeks of lead time for weekday lunch. For weekend dinner , especially around a celebration or a public holiday , book at least a week out to get preferred seating. This is a meaningful advantage over Sushi Shikon or Sushi Saito, where demand makes last-minute access very difficult.
What should I order at Sushi Ima?
Specific menu details are not confirmed in the available data. At OAD-ranked sushi counters of this calibre, the standard approach is to order the omakase and let the counter lead , deviating to à la carte at a dedicated sushi counter rarely produces a better result. If you have a particular style preference (lighter vinegared rice, specific fish types), mention it when you book rather than at the counter.
Compare Sushi Ima
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi Ima | Sushi | Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked #427 (2025); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Ranked #393 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Asia Recommended (2023) | Easy | — | |
| Ta Vie | Japanese - French, Innovative | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Hong Kong) | Italian | $$$$ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Feuille | French Contemporary | $$$ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Chairman | Chinese, Cantonese | $$ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Neighborhood | International, European Contemporary | $$ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Hong Kong for this tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sushi Ima handle dietary restrictions?
check the venue's official channels before booking — omakase-format counters in Hong Kong generally require advance notice for dietary restrictions, and sushi menus built around seasonal fish leave little room for substitutions on the day. Shellfish and roe allergies are the most common friction points at this style of counter. If your restrictions are significant, confirm explicitly when you reserve.
Is lunch or dinner better at Sushi Ima?
Lunch is the stronger booking case. Sushi Ima runs 12–3 pm and 6–11 pm seven days a week, which gives you genuine flexibility, but lunch seatings at OAD-ranked counters in Hong Kong tend to be easier to secure and often deliver the same kitchen at a lower price point. If Central access is part of the appeal — arriving from a meeting on Des Voeux Road — the midday slot is the practical choice. Dinner suits you if a longer, more relaxed pace matters more.
Can Sushi Ima accommodate groups?
Sushi counters in Hong Kong are almost always configured for small parties — typically 2 to 4 seats together comfortably, with larger groups sometimes split across the counter. Sushi Ima's ground-floor shopfront on Des Voeux Road Central suggests a compact layout. Groups of 5 or more should call ahead to confirm seating can be arranged together; if a private dining room is a hard requirement, The Chairman or 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana are better-suited alternatives.
How far ahead should I book Sushi Ima?
Book at least 2 weeks out for a weekend dinner seat; lunch on a weekday is more forgiving. Sushi Ima has been OAD-ranked in Asia consecutively since 2023 — climbing from Recommended to #393 in 2024 and #427 in 2025 — which means demand is established. Don't assume availability because the ranking number moved; the counter is still drawing a consistent crowd. Last-minute walk-ins are a low-probability play for dinner.
What should I order at Sushi Ima?
Specific menu details aren't confirmed in the available data, so treat this as format guidance: OAD-ranked sushi counters in Hong Kong at this tier typically lead with omakase, and that is almost certainly where the kitchen performs at its highest level. Ordering off a fixed menu is the intended experience here — if you want à la carte flexibility, a counter like Neighborhood in Central offers a different format. Trust the set menu and let the kitchen sequence the meal.
Hours
- Monday
- 12–3 pm, 6–11 pm
- Tuesday
- 12–3 pm, 6–11 pm
- Wednesday
- 12–3 pm, 6–11 pm
- Thursday
- 12–3 pm, 6–11 pm
- Friday
- 12–3 pm, 6–11 pm
- Saturday
- 12–3 pm, 6–11 pm
- Sunday
- 12–3 pm, 6–11 pm
Recognized By
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