What to Order at a Japanese Restaurant in Pattaya

If the menu has 60 items and you don't know where to start, this is the order to follow. Same flow we'd guide a friend through if they sat down at our counter.

Start with sashimi, not rolls

Many guests start with rolls because they look familiar. We always say: start with sashimi. Plain raw fish is the chef's signature — it shows you instantly how fresh the kitchen is. If the sashimi is good, everything else will be. If it's not, leave.

Order a small sashimi plate (4–5 pieces). At Wano, we recommend the 5-piece Daily Sashimi for first-time guests.

Then move to nigiri

Nigiri is the truest test of a sushi chef — fish, rice, wasabi. Nothing to hide behind. Order 2–3 pieces of what you saw working in the sashimi plate. Salmon nigiri is always a safe bet in Pattaya because fresh Norwegian salmon is consistently available.

Now you can have a roll

By this point you've tasted the fish raw. Now a roll feels like a treat, not the main event. Our most-ordered: Tuna Crown Roll. Avocado, tuna, seared tuna on top.

One cooked dish

Even at a sushi restaurant, order one cooked plate to break up the raw fish. We'd pick:

• Beef Tataki — seared beef, sliced thin
• Miso soup — cleans the palate
• Edamame — easy starter

Skip the fancy maki trap

Many Pattaya menus have "California Roll Supreme" with 5 sauces. These taste fine but they're not what a good sushi chef is for. If you want to know if a kitchen is serious, order the simple things.

Drinks

Cold sake works with sashimi. Beer with rolls. Green tea with everything. Skip wine — it fights the fish.

Dessert

Mochi ice cream is the safe, simple finish. Order it last so the cold doesn't dull your palate for the fish.

Related: Best Sushi in Pattaya — A Wongamat Guide