Nimblefish

Classic omakase with 13 pieces of nigiri and more. Definitely worth a shot!
Jun 11th, 2023

Absolutely delicious omakase - a must try! Weve had our fair share of omakase living in SF and traveling to Japan and this one ranks high on the list. It is pricey, but we appreciated the cozy setting and conversing with the chef, who was very knowledgeable and passionate. The fish selection from all over the world was exquisite, the service was fantastic, and we will definitely be back here soon!
Jun 9th, 2023

Jun 6th, 2023

Jun 4th, 2023

TLDR for those who don't want to read the full review: - incredibly mid service - teeny tiny portions and it did NOT feel like I ate anything at the end of the meal - expensive for the cuts of fish we received (basically mackerel hell) - I walked out with a nosebleed because of how salty everything was We decided to finally come to Nimblefish after hearing so many good things, but we should've known better when we walked in. I was so irked spending $200 for an incredibly mediocre meal, it brought me out of Yelp retirement to detail the tragedy my dinner was. Walking in I already cringed at the extreme hipster atmosphere, which to be fair, is quite prevalent in Portland, but was still hopeful the meal would be good. The decor was nice and modern, but I wish they prioritized comfort over aesthetics in some aspects. My partner and I are skinnier people and the chairs were hellish for us, low wooden chairs with a backing that pressed uncomfortably into our spines the whole time. The wait staff was attentive enough, but the chef was aloof, only stopping to whisper the Japanese name of the fish to us whenever they introduced a new piece of nigiri to us, with basically 0 explanation. They also came off as extremely pretentious, commenting on how they (the chef) really knew sushi and how he *only* eats all sushi with his hands. Not sure if that's really the case when all the slices of fish were so thin and all irregular/unevenly cut. The nigiri was extremely disappointing. Like I mentioned before, we had the tiniest pieces of sushi and fish. Not to mention, it felt like we were getting a never ending stream of mackerel. When I'm paying $200 for two, it definitely raises an eyebrow getting this much mackerel vs any of the other choice cuts. Every single piece of nigiri was also brushed on with way too much soy sauce. I'm not sure what made them decide on this format, but each piece was way too salty. I found myself downing cups of water after each piece (which was tiny to boot!). One of the most disappointing pieces has to be the toro, which they finely minced with pickled korean yellow daikon--another strange choice which completely ruined the texture + taste. After choking down each piece of nigiri (which also took forever because they definitely favor people who order extra and will make you wait for your piece if you stay on the main course), we were given miso soup which was also horrible. They left the miso boiling for way too long, overcooking the miso and ruining the flavors, creating a sour abomination with measly pieces of tofu, served in a bowl that smelled of cleaning chemicals. It was so awful I couldn't bear finishing, so we moved onto the dessert course which was just a sorbet. All in all, I tried my best to be open minded with this place, but $95/pp is just not worth it here. I walked out feeling like I didn't eat anything, (and a parched throat) and felt that the nigiri from momiji was better than what I ate. Soon during the drive home, I had a nosebleed from the excess sodium. Save your money, at this price point you can definitely find much better in this city.
May 25th, 2023