Shinbay Is the Best Omakase Room in Phoenix
6.5 Yumpoints | Tied for #26 in Phoenix | Tied for #6 in Scottsdale
Six months ago, Shinbay would’ve inarguably been the best high-end sushi place in town. But then in December, chef/owner Shinji Kurita (the Shin in Shinbay) left the restaurant due to the exhausting demands of endless 80-90-hour workweeks. I can’t blame him. But that leaves Shinbay in a precarious spot. It’s still open, and still probably the nicest omakase room in town, but will it have that magic touch anymore? Put in sports lingo, does the place have championship DNA, or was its success simply due to having a star player? Hard to say. Maybe you should go and see for yourself.
Where: Scottsdale (Old Town)
Website: shin-bay.com
Reservations: OpenTable
Reviews, Articles, and Awards
+2 Yumpoints | Feb 23, 2022
James Beard Foundation : 2022 James Beard Awards
Outstanding Restaurant - Semifinalist
+2 Yumpoints | FEB 26, 2020
James Beard Foundation: 2020 James Beard Awards
Best Chef (Southwest): Shinji Kurita - Semifinalist
+1 Yumpoint | FEB 1, 2024
Phoenix New Times: The Top 100 Restaurants
ShinBay — the third incarnation of the omakase-style sushi place, now set in Old Town Scottsdale — has topped our lists of best restaurants since it opened in 2019, including being named Best Sushi in our 2021 Best of Phoenix list.
+.5 Yumpoints | DEC 22, 2023 / LAUREN TOPOR
The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants In Scottsdale
Instead of maxing out your credit card for a table at an overcrowded nightclub, lock in seats for Shinbay’s omakase room for one of their two, reservation-only seatings a night. The seven courses are a parade of sea urchin, blue shrimp, ocean trout, barracuda, and other fish that you won’t usually see on menus around town.
+.5 Yumpoints | DEC 12, 2023 / CHRIS MALLOY AND LIZBETH SCORDO
Condé Nast Traveller: The Best Restaurants in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona
Veteran sushi chef Shinji Kurita, who learned the craft at his parents’ eatery in Japan, is a true shokunin—an artist who has dutifully practiced over many years and become a master. His omakase counter in Old Town, Scottsdale serves just two small seatings per night, and these meals are a marine adventure.
+.5 Yumpoints | AUG 7, 2023 / ASONTA BENETTI
Thrillist: The Scottsdale Restaurants You Should Be Dining at Right Now
A James Beard semifinalist, Shinbay is one of the city’s ultimate destinations for anyone who appreciates food and is a bit adventurous. Should you be lucky enough to score a reservation at the Old Town omakase room, you can expect an expertly crafted and carefully curated selection of Japanese seafood and exotic ingredients presented to you via a parade of small plates directly from the hands of chef Shinji Kurita.
