A friend took me to Zilla Sake because their food menu is 100% gluten-free, and I'm so glad he did. I also let the staff know that I'm dairy-free, and they were very accommodating and made sure everything was handled thoughtfully. We both did the omakase, which is their coursed tasting menu, and it was amazing. Everything tasted incredibly fresh, balanced, and intentional. This was my first time getting sushi since moving to Portland, and it honestly made the experience feel really special. We also tried the house sake flight, which was a lot of fun since I'm not very familiar with sake. After that, we ordered another sake that my friend picked after talking with one of the servers, who seemed very knowledgeable and helpful with recommendations. One of the coolest surprises was finding out they use fresh Oregon Coast wasabi, grated to order. Such a unique and local touch. The ambiance was beautiful, cozy, and intimate. I also thought the music was kind of funny in a good way -- they were playing this soft disco-style selection, which I wasn't expecting for a sushi and sake spot. I thought it might be more traditional Japanese music, but honestly it worked. It wasn't too loud at all, and I could still have a great conversation with my friend. The staff was friendly, the whole experience felt warm and memorable, and I absolutely loved it. I've already been recommending Zilla Sake to people. Definitely a great spot for fresh sushi, sake, gluten-free dining, and a really thoughtful omakase experience in Portland. read more

Zilla Sake - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Good food and atmosphere The service is always good even during the busy summer nights read more

Took my daughter and son in law to their favorite sushi restaurant, to wrap up a week of hard work. We did the Omakase tasting menu and it was excellent! Service was on point. This place is a real treat. I don't usually eat Uni but I loved it here! Amazing! read more

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Wow, really not sure where the 1, 2, and 3 star reviews came from. I almost didn't go because it has an overall rating of 3.5. But I've learned that yelp reviewers are not the best culinary critics. We had a fabulous meal, good service and very knowledgeable staff. I would go back again. read more

Gosh. The sushi is really good. The wasabi is fresh. Drinks are good. I'm just so unimpressed with the service and the price of everything. There was no reason for the price of sushi to be so high. Even the mushroom karaage was spendy. read more

I Had the omakase at the sushi counter with a friend it was very tasty and it was really good.

I should have read the Yelp Reviews... We get there early as the reviews on Instagram says get there early. We did, and it said opens at 4 but that post must have been old. they open at 5. We are there at 4:30 Get told we can't sit and wait there. Then told me and my son were smoking weed pipes. We just got the Chaco Taco from salt and straw while we waited for them to open. This is the man in the last photo and we have the video of it as well. I did make the 6 PM reservation, but everything was weird after that We got there at 5PM after going down the street as my son did not want to have nothing to do with the place. I was thinking this was going to be a first class experience, and it was not quite that. They don't like Cash tips either. The Maitre D does not accept tips if he sits you in a good place. Weird, but I understand why now... I am still wondering why there were so many bad reviews on other sites, and I only found them AFTER looking deeper into it. Most of the reviews as others have stated might be Bots, but I think that what it really happens to be is that its golden days are long past when it was featured in News media and the Discovery channel. You know what's weird? I use to snuff at food carts, but how come the Umami Sushi Food Cart on 15th with the real Japanese dude makes Sushi fun and tasty and inviting every time, and other places just drop the ball? I will be honest and tell you that the Chefe that we had was great and made it a great culinary experience, but it still was not as good as a food cart for Sushi down the street. I left a $40 tip for the chefe that prepared our food, but I am sad the man pictured here gets to share that. Overall it seems that the staff can be good, but there is some real friction within the place it seems Overall the place looks great! Inside is nice, and does not smell bad but others said it smells like fryer oil, but that was not my case. I would not sit outside at all as they think you are Loitering even though you are waiting for the place to open. I did have my assistant make the reservation for 6PM, as this man here said they are really busy, but there was only 2 parties there on a Saturday including us with most seats empty. What I am scratching my head about is that if this place has such high end events like classes on cutting fish, says its so busy that it suggests you show up early, why is it so Empty? I would take offence to being told me and my son had weed pipes and smoking on their patio area, but anyone who confuses a Chaco Taco for a weed pipe sure seems to have other issues. My life is too good to be bothered by people like this. But if you as well are a military contractor or work for the government, the allegation can hold significance on your career. For that alone, I cannot recommend this place if you have any sort of Security clearance or happen to be in IT or data security or elsewhere where an allegation of drug use can ruin your career or Security clearance for your Position. read more

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Terrible service! My brand new fiancé and I thought Zilla would be a perfect choice for our new year's dinner. Unfortunately the experience was absolutely terrible. Our last Omakasa was pretty good 4 out of 5. It took 20 minutes to get a sake and the server forgot about our cocktail. The server never checked in or asked how everything tasted. The server had zero knowledge of sushi at all and actually took my plate while I was still chewing! Like his hands were literally in my face lol. We were also denied wasabi?! And we're told that's not apart of the omakase tonight. The pan seared kapachi was the best dish but the sushi overall was about 3 out of 5 and not creative. The Cod wrapped in thick kelp was the worst texture and flavor profile. At Nimble, the shrimp was still moving when chef plated it. One of us got fatty Bluefin and one of us got lean? The desert was silly and lacked elegance. (Go taste the Afuri's icecream.) The chef didn't even say thank you when we walked out. After spending $500 we felt the experience and food was not elevated at all, we will never be returning to Zilla as this place has gone down hill.. The night saddened us truly but we hope management understands service/hospitality should be 10 out 10 at a New Year's Eve Omakase. Left feeling like we should have just gone to Bamboo Sushi for less than half the price. Thanks...:( read more

For a first date, my date had suggested coming here since he goes to school nearby. So Friday night we made this happen. We both showed up around 8:30 and we sat at the bar. I enjoy the experience of watching the preparation of sushi in front of us. We both started with a drink. I got a glass of red wine, I liked that it was a dry wine. They have various other cocktails spirits, wine, etc. My date got a gin and tonic. My date ordered miso soup. We ordered a variety of things to share to include mushroom Kara age, sake sashimi, nishi roll, and spice yellowtail. Everything was good but a little disappointed in the sake sashimi which is salmon. I like the raw salmon that is rich and buttery tasting, this was not. A few notes, this place is 100% gluten-free. I was particularly happy because this made ordering easy for me since I am both dairy and gluten-free. Also, there is parking on the side street that it's pretty easy. I always enjoy the Alberta art district area so plenty of things to do before and after. read more

Zilla sake was not what I expected for an omakase experience, but overall more than just good, and pretty great. I would go back, but just for the a la carte menu. The experience seemed way overpriced for what we got. $150 each for my wife and I to celebrate our anniversary. I would have wanted more nigiri like shrimp or ikura sushi (salmon roe), or more tuna in addition to the one maguro lean tuna sashimi (which was incredible, with incredible oregon fresh wasabi). The chefs made a few unique dishes as well that I could tell were made with high quality ingredients. But overall it lacked variety and something to make the high price tag for Portland omakase worth. We really were hoping for at least some tamago or chawanmushi or something else. Even their item menu lobster karage would have made the whole experience a bit more balanced. There was no dessert and it ended with a miso soup that supposedly used lobster but had a gritty powdery finish. Some of the best sushi rice I've ever had though. Will go back, but just to order off the menu. Fantastic octopus, gotta say that! I love octopus. Great staff and chefs totally chill. read more

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Overpriced, uncomfortably pretentious and unimpressive food. Service was neither here nor there. 100% gluten free is very much appreciated however. read more

we were walking by zilla sake and saw they have lunch with aji fish butchery, opening at 1100...we shared the sapporo lager, and then ordered food....we then shared the assortment, and a tuna burger with a fried egg on top/fries...all the food is excellent....the flavor was superb..... the chef and staff are very friendly...the environs were relaxing....thx so much.... read more

I booked this through Open Table for New Years Eve, prepaid for $50 per person. Obviously extras, drinks, tip, etc. not included. When our bill came, it was $150 per person - apparently the $50 was a deposit. There was NO WHERE that this was listed on anything but it is what it is. I would never have booked a dinner for $150 per person for sushi. It was a bait and switch situation and the I'm guessing the waitstaff dealt with that a couple of times that evening because the hesitation and watching me when they handed me the bill told me that they probably had a few confrontations. I decided not to say anything and just paid the bill - Happy NYE. :) The food was good. Nothing exceptional but very good sushi. The service was SLOW. The restaurant itself has a cute little vibe but unfortunately we won't be back due to the dishonesty about prices. read more

A local sushi bar. Dinner with an old friend. Special attention from the owner who was working behind the bar. Highly recommend! Queer positive read more

No, just no. Waited almost an hour to get our rolls on a slow night wheras most of the restaurant was empty. Nigiri was very dry, sushi rice was hard, they didn't even leave the soy sauce on the table. Overall, the menu looks way better than what you get and pay for. read more

I think their website kinda catfished us. There were far fewer options here than we expected, and the bowl of white rice was seasoned sushi rice instead of just plain rice, so my friend's kids who wanted just something simple were put off by it. The ambience was a little dark and dreary, but the bathroom was unexpectedly nice. Service could've been better coordinated- we saw what we thought were our cooked dishes sitting on the counter for a while even though it was a kind of quiet night, and the chef could have just brought the dishes over to us as we were less than 10 feet away but he didn't, he just kind of left them there and stared off into space and we watched him stare off into space hungrily hoping those dishes were for us. We didn't go up to the counter in case the dishes might be for someone else, but nope, they were ours. Haha! Oh well! I almost forgot the funniest part- my drink. My Negroni had a huge umeboshi garnish. It did not belong there at all and was super weird to have it there. You simply can't enjoy eating one of those pickled plums without some plain rice, they are extremely salty and potent, that is very basic knowledge. Anyone who has ever tasted one knows this and would be confused by this pairing. read more

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This was my first omakase experience and I feel like it has set a High bar. I have been to many sushi spots. Caught my own seafood and prepared it on the spot. However, Zilla takes it to another level. Dry aging select fish, fermenting their own dishes and delevering a superior product. We were taken on a journey of culinary expertise that lasted well over two hours. The staff was very attentive and it was on par with many Michelin restaurants I have been to. read more

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This place used to be good but not anymore. Over priced, strange atmosphere, and mediocre food. I would not return.

Made reservations here for my mom's birthday. Food was fine but the overall dining experience was a bit of a let down. We came on a Wednesday night and it wasn't very busy. There were plenty of tables available so I bummed that our server decided to stick us in a corner table by the door. We did the Omakase ($75 per person), which came with 7 courses. They do mention on the menu to allow 60-90 minutes for this experience but we ended up dining here for over 2.5 hours and waited 20-30 minutes in between some of the courses. There were people that came after us, got their food promptly, and finished their dinner before we even were half way through ours. Our reservation was at 6:30 but weren't done until a little after 9. Service was lacking. Had to ask several time for water refills and soy sauce. As for the Omakase, I didn't really care for the sunomono or miso soup. Thought it was a waste of the two courses. I feel like it's something that is usually on the house at other Japanese restaurants. The tamago and chicken karaage were okay. Wish that they provided more of the yuzu Mayo to dip the chicken with rather than a smear. I thought the uni pasta was interesting and was excited to try it at first but by that point I kind of just over how long everything took. We also ordered 3 of their rolls: the Hana, spicy tuna, and yuzu scallop. They were mediocre. I thought it was kind of strange that they decided to bring these out in the middle of the meal. Didn't seem well thought out. However, if you decide to come here - I would recommend ordering just their nigiri or sashimi. The quality of the fish is great and you can tell it's fresh. That was the only thing that I thought was actually worth the visit. read more

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This was a very disappointing experience. Ridiculously expensive tiny portions. Pretentious staff, mediocre food.

Hit and miss. First, the Korean (?) Sushi chef with arm tats was very personable, very friendly. Conversely, a Caucasian 20-something employee needs to attend a customer service workshop. When clearing plates he kept demanding, "move your chopsticks", in a command-like tone. Good place for specials and uncommon menu items. Enjoyed the Lobster Karaage, albeit very pricy. Likewise, the Roasted Shishitou Peppers were wonderful. And something as simple as miso soup is a cut above here. Unfortunately, we did not care for the four different sushi dishes ordered. The "brown-white rice was the consensus negative. The California Roll (don't judge, I like it even as a sushi enthusiast) was one of my least favorite of all the elevated sushi houses in Portland. I suppose the Green Godzilla 2.0 rolls were the best of the bunch. Good ambiance. But it's one and one for us. read more

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My fiance and I wanted to have a nice New Year's Eve dinner 2024, so we found Zilla and thought we would give it a try. We had to prepay $50 per person, as it was an Omakase menu that night. We booked it on Open Table and there was never mention of anything other than $50 per person other than additional costs like drinks or enhancements (to be assumed). We had a reservation for 7:30pm. When we arrived, we had to wait 30 minutes to be sat for our reservation and they would not let us order any appetizers. By the time we did get seated, the service was horrible. We had to pry to get any attention, and we had to ask about each course when they should have automatically explained each to us. Each course took 35-40 minutes to come out (5 course meal took nearly 2.5 hours) and each was severely underwhelming. One course was simply a broth style soup similar to miso... We ordered a second drink each which costed $16 each and took 40 minutes to come out, and when we finally got our bill... they charged us $150 each for omakase (which was stated nowhere on Open Table or on the menu) so our bill came out to $420 for the two of us. This absolutely shocked and infuriated us. We feel as though we were scammed and the restaurant could care less. We were not the only disgruntled customers either. One couple walked out mid meal, another family was complaining to the chef, and two others were complaining when we originally came in. I hope that the restaurant does right by those that came in on New Year's Eve, otherwise they will have lost our business and likely a lot of other patrons' as well. read more

I've found a new favorite restaurant and it's Zilla Sake! This is a lovely, quiet, cozy and dedicated gluten free sushi restaurant. They have an extensive sake menu as well as spirits, cocktails and zero proof beverages. The food menu focuses on fresh ingredients offering sashimi, rolls and even a pasta! They have vegan options as well. My spouse and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. The pasta with mushrooms was a favorite. The yellowtail sashimi was melt in your mouth delicious. And our rolls were lovely portions and fresh. Our server perfected the balance of attentiveness while providing us plenty of quiet time to enjoy. We will be back very soon. read more

Sake was on point. I had a lot of fun trying a flight, it had an interesting variety of flavor profiles. Dishes were hit or miss. Highly recommend both karaages. Service is super slow. I would come back just for drinks. read more

We came here tonight to celebrate and took advantage of the special Omakase tasting menu. It was either 6 or 7 courses of some of the absolutely best sushi and Japanese food dishes we've ever had. Well worth the $75pp! I can't recommend it enough. Service was super friendly. Atmosphere was lovely (aside from this one couple who thought it appropriate to have a FaceTime call on speaker but some People.....). read more

The moment you walk in it feels like a sake bar. The vibe, the decor, the smell. We had several nigiri, a few different rolls, Japanese pickles, miso, and a couple different sake. I'd love to come back for the omasake but this wasn't the night for it. The service was very good and attentive though surprisingly slow on one order despite it not being busy. But we weren't in a hurry so we're happy to wait. Altogether I'd recommend it as a great neighborhood sake and sushi bar. read more

Had reservations for 8 pm. Wasn't seated immediately (at the sushi bar), but space was open at the drink bar, which served great drinks while waiting for previous diners to finish. The staff (both the bar and sushi bar) were friendly and welcoming. It was fun to talk with them at various points at the meal. Was served omakase by Jeff, and it was amazing. Had a variety of textures, and well balanced flavors (acidity, fattiness, saltiness, umami, sweetness) I would highly recommend making a reservation at the sushi bar if possbile. read more

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We first found this place through a simple search for gluten-free. Little did we know what we were in for at the time. It's been three weeks now and I look forward to continuing to come on a weekly basis. I suggest starting with omakase, you'll get a little bit of everything and it truly highlights the complexities of Kate's taste and yet the simplicity of the sushi itself. The flavors are incredible; from the nigiri, I suggest the anago with its melt in your mouth texture and incredible flavor, to the lobster karaage with it's yuzu-mayo. The staff is wonderful and knowledgeable, and Kate herself is a delight to watch at work but also ask questions of. She always has an impeccable suggestion for a glass of sake. I'd recommend the "5 If you enjoy Bamboo, if you like Afuri, you will love Zilla Sake. By far the freshest sushi I've had. read more

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My world has just expanded. This was our first Omakase experience and I am filled with the gratitude. I had no idea that I had the capacity to experience flavors like what this experience offered. A true savoring experience.... And the Saki . Also just a tip: sit at the bar a little closer to the door as the fryer used for the tofu is a little spicy on the eyes. read more

Zilla Sake - Sake and sashimi at the bar. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Amazing sushi bar experience. The chef is super knowledgeable and creative. Where else can you get dry aged sushi? Highly recommend!

The ambience was perfect. Not too dark and not too bright. Excellent music vibe. The sushi was impeccable! Highly recommend. Lobster was to die for. Friendly and engaging staff. Don't wait go now! read more

There menu is filled with unique items that I haven't found at other places in Portland. Great selection of Sake. Their descriptions helped me to pick a good Sake since I am new to trying out Sake. My favorite items were the lobster karaage and uni pasta. So unique! If you are wanting to eat indoors you need to show proof of vaccination. I would recommend making reservations since it is a small location. read more

Zilla Sake - Lobster Karage and Sake - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Average sushi, slooooooooooow service, high prices. It took an hour and a half to get our food. Waiter never checked on us. Very disappointing. read more

3 hours for a full omakase service is just too long and you do not get enough food for the price - just not worth it in this economy to have so much of your time occupied to leave a place hungry and unsatisfied. gets 3 stars because the head chef Jeff is nice to talk to and you could tell the ingredients used were of high quality and freshness. the sake selection is impressive as well. read more

I fell in love with this place at first bite. I've heard people complaining about the size of the place but most family sushi bars are small.... thats the point. I usually eat here for my birthday.... and I haven't been disappointed yet. read more

Most of the sushi/sashimi was really good (as usual), however last experience made me drop it a star. We were extremely disappointed when ordering the hamachi sashimi and got what looked more like hamachi carpaccio - but sliced extremely thin. And when I say thin it was where you could almost see through it (see pic). Otherwise everything else was excellent and still recommend Zillow Sake read more

Zilla Sake - Hamachi "sashimi" - Sushi Bars Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The master chef, Jeff, blew our mind. Bringing flavorful fish from all around the world to Portland, Omakase, is a must try. You will never eat sushi the same. read more

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A Fine dining experience with amazing service and food. The light alone made the ambiance.

Been in a couple times now, have enjoyed some things but the price is a bit high. I like the atmosphere tho, the wood decor and low ceilings give a cozy little traditional Japanese sake house vibe, like hanging out in Yoda's bungalow, but more Japanese. Not good for groups tho. - Chicken karaage: little skimpy in my opinion for $14. Tasty but have had better. - Lobster karaage($17): good amount of lobster, pretty tasty but again nothing crazy. For sushi, we had a roll the first time but it wasn't memorable and there wasn't any other rolls that sounded interesting so mostly just tried an assortment of nigiri: - madai ($14): very tender and soft, better than almost any madai I've tried. No skin - Anago($13): since the whole place is gluten free, it doesn't come pre marinated or anything and they cure it in house. I haven't tried anago elsewhere before but it was much better than any unagi I've ever had, so soft and not stringy at all. - Maguro($15): very expensive and not bad but just regular - Salmon($14): very good but still a bit too pricey - Hamachi($12): not very good, kinda old tasting - Ainame($iforget): takes a long time to come out because it needs to cure (like 20ish min), but still just kinda tough and no flavor. They have an extensive sake menu tho and the chefs are very knowledgeable about sake, especially the woman. I'd say this is a cool stop for some sake and a few sushi/sashimi bites, but not a place to get full from lol. I recommend sitting at the bar. read more

AMAZING. We did the Omakase and sat at the bar. Probably one of the best Omakase's we've had in a while. We loved it so much we came back the next day to get some of our faves. Owners were so welcoming, super dope. It's also a very unassuming place but just good enough to really allow patrons to focus on the food. Will continue to recommend this place! read more