Roppongi Sushi Chikanari

With a strong foundation underpinning its omakase menu, Sushi Chikanari feels like Roppongi’s rite of passage into the world of discreet, inner-city dining. Tucked inside a multitenant building and open until 3 am, the restaurant welcomes late-night gourmets into a sleek hideaway that contrasts its unassuming facade with a dramatic, noir-toned dining room. Seductive black backsplashes and a black-and-white marble counter set the stage for what’s to come. The modern setting offers a refreshing change from the pale cypress counters most sushi chefs favor, Sushi Chikanari is bold, distinctive, and anything but ordinary. At the helm is a team of sushi masters with a knack for preserving the freshness of ultra-seasonal seafood, even well past midnight. Part of that might be due to the restaurant’s rising popularity. The omakase experience here blends time-honored technique with modern flair, unfolding like intimate theatre. Chefs lead every twist and turn during the evening, from classics like glossy, fatty tuna from Yamayuki — Japan’s premier tuna wholesaler — delicate rockfish and beautifully scored squid to tender, simmered anago (conger eel). The creativity often shines in the opening courses, where luxurious bites like sea urchin crowned with caviar in a cocktail glass or chawanmushi with tart pickled plum deliver unexpected textures and bold flavor play. With just seven counter seats plus an elusive VIP room outfitted with a custom karaoke system, it’s no surprise that reservations are tight. But with nearly round-the-clock hours, suddenly, the idea of sushi at 1 am, doesn’t just make sense — it sounds like a must.