omakase

1 of 2

adverb or adjective

oma·​ka·​se ˌō-mə-ˈkä-(ˌ)sā 

: according to the chef's choice

While Chef Hori's omakase menu will vary, there will always be a selection of hot and cold dishes.

—Loretta Ruggiero

When money's no object, order omakase and trust Tojo to prepare your meal …

—Mia Stainsby

This is the height of omakase dining, in which chefs prepare a daily tasting menu according to seasonal ingredients from fugu fish to citrus.

—Merrill Lee Girardeau

omakase

2 of 2

noun

plural omakases

: a series of small servings or courses (as of sushi) offered at a fixed price and whose selection is left to the chef's discretion

… for one of the most pristine omakases in town, book a seat at the sushi bar when legendary head sushi chef Yoshio Ono is working.

—Katie Chang

I was halfway through this year's premier food offering at the festival: a 17-course sushi omakase inside an air-conditioned tent complete with sake pairings.

—Jenn Harris

What's a pizza omakase, you ask? … Aside from the unique opportunity to dine on some truly one-of-a-kind dishes, key highlights of the changing menu here include a showcase of unusual, small-batch ingredients and processes.

—Don Mendoza

Examples of omakase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The signature items are the sashimi ($75 or $120) or nigiri ($55 or $80) omakases, which Jin adorns with a rotation of toppings and accouterments. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024

As part of their collaboration, Lively has also curated her own omakase box, Jōji Box by Betty B, which will be available at JojiBox, one of Boulud's sushi to-go restaurants in New York City. —Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 22 May 2024

Ito is a hybrid of traditional and new-school American omakase. —Brett Anderson, New York Times, 21 May 2024

There, Olvera serves up both a taco omakase and a seasonal tasting menu, with Michelin calling out dishes such as scallop ceviche with egg salad and grilled Baja coast rockfish with butternut-squash puree and sherry foam. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 15 May 2024

Guests can enjoy multiple food and beverage venues, including a chic champagne bar in the hotel's courtyard, featuring signature cocktails by the World's Best Bars, Giancarlo Mancino, and an omakase eatery overlooking the Duomo. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2024

In Tokyo, Gen Yamamoto, 45, has been serving an omakase of small-format cocktails for the past 11 years at his namesake bar. —Becky Cooper, New York Times, 7 May 2024

There’s great Vietnamese, omakase, Peruvian and even bagels. —Melissa Clark, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024

Maki classes start at $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity, and include the multi-course omakase experience. —Brittany Anas, The Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adverb or adjective

from attributive use of omakase entry 2

Noun

borrowed from Japanese, literally, "leaving (a decision, choice, etc.) to someone else," from o-, honorific prefix + makase "leaving (something) to another," derivative of makaseru "to entrust, leave to"

First Known Use

Adverb Or Adjective

1969, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1967, in the meaning defined above