omakase

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

Book the cocktail omakase, which requires reservations. —Mike Jordan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 June 2026

At the sushi bar, chefs from Japan take on the task of bringing omakase to a Moroccan audience with classics like veggie tempura, shrimp nigiri, and salmon sashimi. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026

Their omakase menus are amazing. —Charles Usher, Midwest Living, 1 June 2026

Chef Winston Matsuuchi runs a five-course omakase in a format that moves between traditional omakase and kaiseki-style dining, with paper-pot shabu and wagyu skewers appearing alongside high-end sashimi. —Winston Ross, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for omakase

• aldolase
• alleyways
• amylase
• anaphase
• anhydrase
• anyways
• arginase
• cabarets
• carriageways
• castaways
• catalase
• cellulase