Benkay Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Favorite sushi restaurant in portland.
Not a super-​fancy place, but the qulity of the sushi is consitantly the best to be hand in downtown Portland.

OMG! They served me raw fish. That is what is I came here for. I look for sushi and sashimi places where ever I travel. This little place on the water front is a wonderful hidden jem in Portland. The prices are excellent for a Japanese sushi restaurant and the service is beyond excellent. Hit this place up whenever you are in Portland if you like sushi, it will be worth it.

Very nice! A little expensive but the sushi is perfect every time.

I’ve been eating here for years. The food and staff are top notch. It is not for the faint of wallet.
But then again, there’s not a whole lot of inexpensive sushi out there that makes the cut. I always get the small Futo Maki (Giant Vegetable Roll) along with one of the specials. My favorite is the Volcano Roll. And then there’s the Maine Roll with the lobster in it. so many rolls, so little time. And they have Groupons.

I am a huge fan and I’m never disappointed. I’d love to branch out try more of the tradition Japanese food offered get more adventurous and I am 100% sure this is the place to do that

I’m not sure if it is because of the cooler temperature, or thinner air, but sushi in the north somehow tastes better. There is something about it that makes it lighter and tasting more like it came straight out of the cold waters. Benkay was no exception to northern sushi. Such a perfect little spot just enough of the main hustle to not get a huge crowd. I started off with the appetizer of the day, which was 3 different styles of fish prepared. Such a unique item to standard sushi restaurants. I then tried a couple rolls, which I also found good. However, the appetizer special was the stand out. That is definitely a dish I will remember for a long time.

Love their Bento box at lunch and best sushi in town. Maine lobster and spicy tuna rolls are my favorite.

This place had a lot of hype coming into to, but I just didn’t feel it. The service was lackluster in my opinion. Not bad but nothing to compliment either. And the prices weren’t friendly. I know that sushi isn’t cheap, but you should avoid this place if you’re in a budget.
But the food saves this place some stars. I got the Benkay Roll and that was easily a ⁵⁄₅. Super amazing. It’s so hard to describe because it was just so good. And the atmosphere fits the bill for a sushi place. Parking is on the street.
Long story short, the sushi is great (best in Portland since 1998 apparently), but be prepared to pay.

Where do I begin… Upon first arrival my impression was «run of the mill» sushi place with tacky décor and a lousy name. When you enter the staff is very friendly and attentive. We sat down and looked around at the dank, depressing, out-​dated décor. They even have a sign on the wall that says «We Now Serve Brown Rice», not sure why that deserves a big wooden sign. It should be included in the menu. The real issue I have is the food clashes with the vibe and restaurant, it sends very mixed messages. When you are paying TOP dollar for sushi and Omakase all components of the dining experience should be in sync and make sense. I have had Omakase in a couple of fine dining establishments that get what I just mentioned above.
The fish is very fresh and top quality but another guest in my party got a roll that had foul tasting roe on top, it definitely wasn’t fresh. My appetizer was excellent, the trio of salmon sushi, three different types and all were unique in flavor.
Our waitress was Koko, she didn’t speak the language that well and seemed to be a new hire. She didn’t know all of the selections in the Omakase and forgot to mention what not to add soy sauce to. It was ok because I eat every piece the way it comes out and don’t add anything. I want to experience the fish the way the chef envisions we should.
I will be back for sushi but hope the restaurant heeds these reviews and makes necessary changes in order to complete the experience.

I have been a regular patron of Benkay for over 15 years and I have trouble eating sushi at any other restaurant. The staff has seen some changes over the years, however they remember me and my family and friends every time we drop in and they are extremely thoughtful and nice. They have tolerated my screaming child without even batting an eye. The food Chef Ando serves is outstanding and creative and I’ve never had a bad meal there.
I would urge all to visit Benkay and try their amazing selection, they have won awards for many, many years in a row.

Friend and I came here for our last lunch in Portland. We both had the $ 12 — 3 roll special. The lunch special came with miso soup and rolls that were 6 pieces each. The rolls were pretty small — I was hungry again not too long after the meal. I’ve had better at places in SF or Boston for the price.

To be honest, I would give this a 3.5. I thought the food and quality were great, but the ambiance just wasn’t my style.
Our waitress was extra attentive. I’m glad I was there with my mother, but had it been my boyfriend, it would have been a bit much. I would have needed more privacy.
My mother complained about two things 1. price (she said it costs more than in her hometown in Japan) 2. The salt content in her udon noodles. *She complains regularly, so I’m not certain these were legitimate problems.
The tempura was good, as was the sushi/​sashimi combo. I was a fan of the large sweet shrimp (raw), the tuna, and the salmon. The shitake miso was great also.
As someone who eats Japanese food regularly, I thought the food was up to par. Just didn’t have that cozy, comfortable feel as some other local eateries.

Their sushi is delicious with lots of choices for vegans. Great miso soup!
The atmosphere– very nice with clean simple décor.
The service is good; once we waited a while for our drinks and food. It was super busy and they were probably short staffed. Growing up in the restaurant business, I know these things happen sometimes.
Parking is a challenge, but the food makes the inconvenience worth it.
Great sushi!

We went here for my daughters birthday. Excellent service. The miso soup was very flavorful and the maki rolls on the «Bamboo Platter» were all delicious. A little pricey but worth it.

My mom and I popped in for a quick lunch and it ended up being wonderful! I went with two maki rolls and started with miso soup, while my mom opted in for their lunch box special. I like this sushi restaurant because the rolls aren’t too big, you can fit it in your mouth without feeling overwhelmed/​like your going to being chewing for years. The food is fresh, it comes out quick, and the restaurant usually has deals on groupon!
Complaints: they have a two maki roll combo lunch special with a list of pre-​approved rolls you can choose from. None of the rolls I want are ever on that list! I don’t order anything too crazy, maybe an Alaska or an una avo. It’d be nice if they expanded the selection a little. The other thing I noticed was that the restaurant could have been a little cleaner. We were sat in a window and there was dust collecting on the window sill and light fixtures.

The PERFECT sushi house! With nice. Food and neat staff. This is a place to go to!
Before you enter the area. You see the nicely decorated parking lot! With a pagoda and everything!
And when you enter the area. You see the nice decorations in the area! Like Chinese posters. Nice tables. And even a tv!
Then the food. Oh boy! Just perfect! The flavor is just great! And the staff is very polite! With a great that is just glues to their faces!
Overall. This is the perfect place to go for sushi! If you want a splendid place for sushi. Go here!

My first review here… I’ve eaten here with my boys and girlfriend at least fifty times… it is clean, authentic, and nicely crafted Japanese cuisine. The service is great… my go to is right at the sushi bar… for interactive dining… which I always enjoy.
Chef Ando is very creative and offers nightly specials that are very authentic… try them…
Tonight’s menu with my girlfriend which we share all of…
I get a blue ray shu saki… excellent dry saki…$ 12…last you the whole meal… they have over twenty 150 mls to chose from… this is very good value
Both of us had seaweed salads… lightly oiled with lemon accents and sesame… I get one every time
The shumai is excellent… shrimp inside… piping hot… great appetizer for two…
The salmon ceviche is great… tons of oily spices… tobbico on top… split it as a second app… yum
The damarascotta oysters are eventide quality… diced scallions and ponzu sauce…$ 12 for four… they are great
The salmon sushimi here is excellent… most nights they have four or five salmon types… each with rich buttery distinctive flavor…
The Baha Roll… great presentation… pricy hot with jalapeño slices and saracha added… delicious
That was tonight… it’s 4 to 5 stars every occasion

Nom nom nom.
Yakitori grilled beef and oyster mushrooms over rice… need I say more?

Sushi was incredible! Kamikaze’s were equally spot on!
Two sushi rolls, a bowl of soup and two alcoholic drinks cost $ 50 (with tip). Though I very, very much enjoyed the food (first time I had eel… and it was awesome!) I was hungry and poor when I left.
Still, I will definitely be back. The sushi was too good to miss out on in the future.

It’s been 8 years since I last visited Benkay, and I’m happy to report that the quality has remained the same. My friends and I used to come for the ‘rock n roll’ sushi on the weekends (sushi + disco ball + flashing lights + loud music + sumo wrestling on TV = perfect Saturday evening). I’ve been meaning to get the $ 25 for $ 50 Groupon, but I was walking by the restaurant after moving my car for street cleaning and I thought why not?
Day/​Time: Monday, Dinner
I usually sit at the bar if I’m by myself. There was plenty of seating availability both at the bar and throughout the restaurant; probably half full, which isn’t bad for a Monday at 630pm.
Atmosphere: Quiet, not too lively. Your typical sushi restaurant décor.
Service: Very friendly greeter! They’ve clearly hired the right person. Wait staff was a bit slow to take my order, but the food came out quickly. Watching the chef make your meal is always a bonus. The chefs also checked on with me to inquire about my meal — also a nice touch.
Food: I ordered the ‘sushi regular’ dinner — a combination of various sushi and sashimi, started off with miso soup. I’m usually great with food decisions but sushi restaurants are one of the few times I experience FOMO; I’d rather have someone else decide what I eat on their recommendation and wash my hands of the responsibility. In that regard, sushi/​sashimi combos chosen by restaurants are perfect. The food was very fresh and very good — just as I was hoping/​expecting.
Price: I feel like it was a liiiiiiitle expensive for what I got. I’ve had better sushi for less in Boston. If you hold out for the Groupon it’s definitely a value.
Overall: Portland really has a wealth of great Japanese restaurants and this is no exception. Get the Groupon and treat yourself to a dinner combo!