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

Diners sit at his counter and eat $190 omakase just a few tables down from families with ramen-slurping kids. —Caroline Hatchett, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2023

The restaurant, open Wednesday through Sunday with plans to expand hours, also offers a one-hour, 12-course, $125 omakase from 4–5 p.m., as well as an optional wine pairing ($100-$150). —Elycia Rubin, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2023

Love, Makoto writes a food-hall-size mash note to the tastes of Japan The omakase, or chef’s choice, starts with some snacks and hand rolls, one black with nori and filled with tuna, sweet Tokyo green onions and wasabi, the second white with soy paper and stuffed with warm crab. —Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2023

Elite establishments require bookings months in advance; a secret omakase speakeasy in Las Vegas has a waiting list of thousands. —Claire Wang, NBC News, 30 Sep. 2023

Betty Hallock and Julie Wolfson share details on a hidden coffee omakase pop-up with a 40-day run, beginning Sept. 27, overseen by Blue Bottle founder James Freeman. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2023

The 18-course omakase dinner service kicks off Oct. 7-8 at the 10-seat sushi bar in Hitokuchi. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Aug. 2023

One is a standout new omakase tasting, the other an immersive dinner that will take you around the world (visually too), another is the quintessential elevated bar experience with great dining options, and the last one will transport you to a rare culinary destination. —Rana Good, Forbes, 20 Apr. 2023

Staff preps for the dinner rush at Gansevoort's rooftop omakase restaurant, Saishin. —Kate King, WSJ, 10 Oct. 2023

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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