Sushi Ichinoji: Japanese-owned restaurant serving premium sushi with unlimited refills

When quality omakase dining typically demands deep pockets and shallow appetites, Sushi Ichinoji makes a curious proposition: What if diners could have their premium sushi, and as much as their hearts desire, too?

It’s a concept that’s been making the rounds on TikTok, where the promise of unlimited premium sushi at a reasonable price has turned the unassuming spot into something of a viral sensation.

Sushi Ichinoji, which opened last July at Goldhill Plaza, evolved from Unagiya Ichinoji, an eel specialist that was established in 2018. The Japanese-owned and operated establishment centres on a head chef who brings decades of traditional training to the table — he’d been shaping rice and slicing fish in Japan since 1985! 

The draw here is straightforward. S$118 gets you five courses, followed by unlimited sushi. You can also add S$30 for additional, non-sushi dishes, such as fresh oysters and unagi, although the standard offering already proves substantial. 

The question, really, is: Can you eat enough premium sushi to justify that price tag, or will you wave the white napkin long before having your money’s worth?

Off the beaten menu

Don’t expect to see run-of-the-mill omakase dishes, just because the menu is reasonably priced. 

Right off the bat, we were greeted with shirako (cod milt), prized for its creamy, oceanic intensity, but not often found in Singapore.

Between the sashimi, tempura, escargot, chawanmushi and requisite miso soup, there’s enough variety to keep things moving before the unlimited-sushi course properly begins. 

It didn’t particularly feel like an omakase, but truth be told, we were looking forward to the free-flow premium sushi anyway.

As part of the omakase set, you’re served three waves of five sushi pieces, bringing the total to 15. The line-up balances more approachable flavours such as shrimp and salmon aburi (lightly torched), with more splurge-worthy ingredients such as otoro (fatty tuna), chutoro (medium-fatty tuna) and uni (sea urchin). 

It’s only after working through this opening that the free-for-all begins. If you haven’t worked up an appetite, you might already be tapping out.

But for those with bottomless appetites, this is where the value starts. Watching fellow diners request additional rounds of uni and otoro — cuts that are routinely S$4 or more per piece elsewhere — Sushi Ichinoji’s value proposition crystallises.

For us, the shrimp, hotate (scallop) and otoro earned repeat orders for its quality and value. The unagi, aburi salmon and ikura nigiri were reliable orders that will ensure satisfaction for everyone. 

If your stomach permits, you’ll find yourself enjoying this meal immensely.

Old-school quiet

The setting itself won’t distract from the food. Tucked along the outer edge of the pink-hued Goldhill Plaza, the restaurant has an old-school Japanese quietness to it. Service was rather leisurely, as the place was run entirely by two Japanese men, but the atmosphere remains welcoming rather than fussy.

What’s great about Sushi Ichinoji is that, despite its virality, the restaurant allows reservations. While the online menu suggests unlimited omakase is reserved for counter seats, table seating appears negotiable — you’re advised to let the staff know that you’re eyeing the unlimited omakase menu via WhatsApp, after making your reservation. 

There are also set lunches and a la carte options for those seeking a less overwhelming encounter, but the unlimited omakase remains its calling card. At around S$100, it aligns with affordable omakase pricing, while offering an extra edge — the permission to keep going. 

Whether that’s a blessing or an endurance test depends entirely on your appetite.

Hungry for more eats? Check out the hawker stall selling omakase taco blindboxes and the new donburi specialist in the CBD.