AFFORDABLE: Best Sushi In Denver That Won’t Break The Bank

Cheap Is Better In Denver

If you’re like me, hearing the words “cheap sushi” brings horrific flashbacks from long suppressed memories of desperation and poor judgment.

But skyrocketing food prices forced me to hunt down not only the best sushi in Denver but also the most affordable. 

For this article, I am focusing on cheap and affordable sushi in Denver. If you are looking for something high end, feel free to check out some of my favorites like Sushi Sasa, Sushi Den and Matsuhisa, which all offer excellent omakase and other creative offerings. 

If you are still reading, then you are like me: looking for a delicious sushi deal that won’t break the bank. Well, I have you covered. At every restaurant, my wife and I sampled all types of nigiri, sushi rolls, and any other forms of raw fish.

I’m reviewing my absolute favorite sushi restaurants in Denver proper. So nothing in the general suburbs. That will be an adventure for another time. 

Nozomi – My Favorite Sushi In Denver

If you want a perfect date night at a premier sushi restaurant with ambiance and a little class, but delivers on all flavor fronts, Nozomi serves it all up in an affordable way. 

Sitting just a little north of LoHi, Nozomi’s prices fall on the expensive side, but still teeters on the edge of affordable but trust me, this will be money well spent. 

We started with nigiri: the Wagyu topped snow crab, seared scallops, salmon belly, and seared albacore. 

Every piece of sushi tasted special from the addition of a sauce or sprinkle of seasoning. But when scallop hit my tongue, I closed my eyes to fully savor the moment.

The exceptionally soft texture gave way and practically melted when I started to chew and the taste was remarkable. 

My wife can attest that I talked about this piece for hours afterward, only wishing I left enough room in my belly for one more piece. 

I’ve eaten some amazing rolls, but Nozomi’s creativity made me question what I know about eating the best sushi in Denver. 

I couldn’t pass up the Godzilla roll which came with eel and avocado topped with lobster and tobiko. Creamy, sweet, and absolutely addictive, I felt like Godzilla took my taste buds on an earth shattering journey. Seriously, I loved every bite. 

I felt a pleasant crunch from biting into the Pacific Roll, which came from a tempura fried piece of asparagus layered in the middle. Why don’t more sushi rolls add this more often?! Plus, I really tasted the yellowtail and could enjoy its distinct flavor without getting lost in all the sauces. 

We finished with the Tejon roll that i can only describe as silky and crunchy. Yes, I’m a texture person, so this combination felt wonderful mixing into the flavors of salmon, and a miso yuzu. 

If you have just a little bit more money to spend, Nozomi delivers on perfection and everything I want from the best sushi restaurant in Denver. 

Address: 4100 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211
Website: nozomisushidenver.com

Rocky Yama Sushi – Best Price and Quality Sushi

Maybe it was the overly friendly staff, the exceptional sushi and sashimi or the inspirational location, but this might just be the best place in Denver for the full sushi experience at a decent price. 

Without a doubt, one of my absolute all time favorite sushi places, EVER, like anywhere else I’ve eaten, is Rocky Yama Sushi located in the Santa Fe Art District, just a short drive from downtown. 

The Triple Aburi Sushi Sampler set a great first impression. Fresh and super delicious Salmon Belly, Fatty Tuna Belly and a thick Scallop were seared over a live fire giving every bite a perfect element of smoke. 

They skipped the blow torch which notoriously leaves a waxy bitter flavor, and they opted for real fire on a metal grill just like they do at high end sushi spots in Japan. 

I went for their sushi lunch of five pieces of Nigiri and a tuna roll which all tasted fantastic, but it’s the sushi rolls that really made a lasting impression. 

The Samurai Roll made with yellowtail, cucumber and shiso leaf and covered with more yellowtail, cilantro, jalapeños and yuzu sauce.

Fresh, spicy, refreshing, this is a sushi roll unlike I’ve tried elsewhere in the city. It’s beyond amazing because every single component compliments the others in a dramatic way that fulfilled my palate instead of fatiguing it.

The Lava Roll worked as the nemesis to the Samurai and contradicted its predecessor in the best possible ways. Shrimp tempura, avocado and cream cheese are deep fried to golden brown perfection and drizzled with sriracha, eel sauce and spicy mayo. 

Despite the heavy ingredients, the Lava Roll still tasted wonderful and harmonious. The sweet and spicy sauces worked well with the cream cheese and avocado. I could have easily eaten another…and another.

Address: 801 Santa Fe Dr, Denver, CO 80204
Website: rockyyamasushi.com

Tokio – Late Night Sushi In Denver

Tokio is the only sushi spot in denver that stays open until 12 am, and I am here for it. Sometimes after a night around denver, my wife and I would conclude our downtown adventures by sitting at the sushi bar and scarfing down delicious sushi. 

On this particular visit, we walked in at 9pm and sat at the sushi counter. I watched the chefs make our order and they made constant adjustments to how the plate looked so the final presentation was Instagram ready.  

The King Salmon, Seared Tuna, Sea Bream and Raw Shrimp Nigiri came with generous slices of fish and wonderfully seasoned rice. The toppings on the Seared Tuna added a burst of much appreciated acidity. If you are feeling adventurous I highly recommend the Raw Sweet Shrimp that had a wonderful texture, and for me, it was all about the crispy shrimp head. YES! The shrimp head is the best part. 

I couldn’t believe the size of Avocado Salmon Roll at an excellent price of $10, and the RocknRolla tasted particularly luxurious from the deep fried eel and crab roll and lots of cream cheese and avocado.  

The volcano actually became my favorite roll of the night. The baked roll with spicy salmon, red snapper, avocado and topped with a house special mayo. Addictive is the only correct way to describe it. Try it and you will thank me later. 

Address: 2907 Huron St #103, Denver, CO 80202
Website: mytokio.com

Sushi Bay 17 – Addictive Rolls

Were there 16 other Sushi Bay restaurants in Denver that I never knew about? Maybe, but I’m concerned if this Sushi Bay off 17th street can outshine is elusive predecessors. 

I liked the clean modest interior. Usually a humble dining area is the biggest sign of great sushi to come. 

The Spicy Crispy Rice started off the meal, a dish that barely needs explaining. A deep fried rice ball topped with spicy tuna and avocado. Every bite tasted wonderfully creamy, slightly spicy and a slight crunch from the fried bits of rice on the outside of the ball. I’d gladly have eaten another if I didn’t have more sushi coming. 

For nigiri, we tried the Salmon Belly and Albacore, both superbly prepared and the rice tasted well seasoned. 

Then came the Las Vegas, Dinosaur and Firecracker rolls, a trio of sushi roll perfection that I’d happily recommend to you. My favorite was the Dinosaur Roll, and not because it has a wicked awesome name, but because of the spicy tuna crunch and blue crab filling. 

I love blue crab, so this just felt right and every bite felt creamy on the tongue accompanied by the slight burn from the tuna and a mild crunch. I’d like 10 more to go please! 

Address: 1728 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
Website: sushibay17denverco.com

Okinawa Japanese Cuisine – Amazing Neighborhood Sushi Spot

If there was ever a definition for a beloved neighborhood sushi spot in Denver, Okinawa fits perfectly in the dictionary of amazing restaurants. For the past 15 years, this family run Japanese restaurant remains the go to spot in Uptown, and after my visit, I totally understand why. 

We shared the $30 Sushi Deluxe, 10 pieces of nigiri sushi and tuna roll that completely beats some of the sushi I’ve tasted at some of the best and luxurious sushi spots in Denver.

I LOVED every piece of nigiri. The slices were generous and each piece of fish tasted clean and unique. For the quality and price, this could be at the top of the list for sushi in Denver, but wait, there’s more!

The Twin Tornado Roll remains to this day, the most unique sushi roll I’ve tasted with minced fatty and big eye tuna topped with thick slices of eel, avocado and crispy fried crab sticks. Yes, you read that correctly. Not only delicious, the Twin Tornado hit all the major components of a sushi roll with flavor, texture, and creativity. 

But to my surprise, it was the Sandwich that won me over. This sushi “roll” looks like a quarter sandwich on white bread, but made from sesame soy paper, spicy salmon, tuna, avocado, and a generous “smear” of spicy and avocado mayo. 

The presentation obviously wins points for awesomeness, but it actually tasted amazing. Every creamy bite tasted better than the last and I definitely enjoyed the spice level that took my taste buds to the edge. 

Address: 2301 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206
Website: okinawasushitogo.com

Jett Sushi –  Cheapest Lunch Sushi Meal

I am all about finding restaurants that gives me the most bang for the buck and in Denver, and Jett Sushi off Colfax definitely weighs in as a top contender.

Out of all the places on this list, Jett Sushi delivered on both fronts of Nigiri and rolls. The lunch special is unbeatable at $15 getting 5 pieces of sushi, soup or salad, and a California roll. 

All of the nigiri tasted fresh and were a respectable size with thick slices of fish sitting over wonderfully seasoned rice.

Then moving onto the rolls, I really enjoyed the 007, a roll made from tuna, jalapeño, cilantro, cucumber topped with salmon, avocado and a sweet chili sauce.

Talk about contrast! Sweet and spicy mingled deliciously together and what surprised me the most was the fat piece of tuna that adorned the middle of the roll. I actually tasted each component of the roll, and admired the quality of the fish. 

We continued to the Fujiyama which came with seared fish on the outside adding a nice touch of smoke. The Firecracker lived up to the name and gave the right amount of heat while interchanging between bites of the Black Dragon and the California roll. 

Jett served up quite a feast, but it was the quality and quantity of fish that will have me coming back.

Address: 5007 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80220
Website: jettsushi.net

Yuki Ramen + – Great Ramen and Sushi 

I’m a huge fan of Aburi sushi, fish that is finished flame broiled adding a new texture, aroma and flavor, and few places offer this at such a high quality like Yuki. 

Now, like the other affordable sushi spots in Denver, Yuki offers a wide variety of traditional Japanese food, but I need to give a shout out to their Shirayuki ramen that tasted like it was flown straight from Japan. But this is a sushi post, so I’ll move on. 

They offer crispy rice sushi, and we did order a few pieces, but honestly, I wasn’t a fan. I LOVE crispy rice, but the rice retains the flavors of the oil too much, so I think its a pass. 

But all of their other sushi offerings more than made up for this slight setback. 

We ordered aburi nigiri sampling the scallop, salmon and yellowtail belly. If I could only eat one piece of sushi again from Yuki it would be the yellowtail, sliced from the belly and given the right amount of torch. So perfect. 

The Kani was a superb salmon roll, but the Aburi Hakoroll tasted special. This is a pressed sushi roll, coming in a rectangular shape giving each slice a slightly firmer texture. The aburi salmon and yellowtail belly practically melted in my mouth and the rice helped soak up the fat and balance each bite.

Yuki not only felt special, it tasted special and if you want a different sushi experience, look no further. 

Address: 3434 W 32nd Ave C, Denver, CO 80211
Website: yukicolorado.com

Cheap Sushi In Denver Is Better Than You Could Imagine. 

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to eat sushi all over Japan, and I can say with pride that Denver is rising up as a top sushi destination. We have plenty of high end options, but its the affordable sushi in Denver that really piqued my interest.

By exploring the cheaper side of sushi, I came to appreciate the creativity, and over all value that these restaurants offered. Because the food is more than just flavor, its about how satisfied I am by what I ate and what I paid. 

For any of these places, I’d gladly recommend to first time visitors and bonified locals alike.