Highest-rated sushi restaurants in the Knoxville area by diners
Highest-rated sushi restaurants in the Knoxville area by diners
Sushi first started gaining popularity in the United States in the 1960s, when a restaurant called Kawafuku opened in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo neighborhood. The restaurant's sushi bar was frequented by Japanese businessmen, who'd bring their American coworkers for a meal. Eventually, sushi restaurants started cropping up in other Californian cities, like Osho, which opened in 1970, next to the 20th Century Fox studio in Hollywood, attracting big-name producers, directors, and actors. Soon, the cuisine came to New York and Chicago; by the late 1980s, it was a full-on dining craze. According to industry marketing research company IBISWorld, as of 2024, there were nearly 17,000 sushi restaurants in the country.
Whether you're looking for an affordable bento box for lunch or a fine-dining experience for date night, Stacker has you covered—this list of the highest-rated sushi restaurants in the Knoxville area on Yelp will help guide you to the right roll. Data is as of July 7, 2025. Businesses under the category "sushi" were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews, and within a 10-kilometer radius of Knoxville, were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with at least 10 locations nationally (based on our analysis of Yelp data) were not included.
#20. Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse
- Rating: 2.8/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 118 Major Reynolds Place Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Nama Sushi Bar - Cedar Bluff
- Rating: 3.2/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 260 North Peters Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Osaka Grill and Sushi Buffet
- Rating: 3.3/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4009 Chapman Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Chinese, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Stir Fry Cafe
- Rating: 3.4/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7240 Kingston Pike Ste 128 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Thai, Asian Fusion, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Kabuki Restaurant Downtown
- Rating: 3.4/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 19 Market Square Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Kichi Asian Cuisine & Sushi
- Rating: 3.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7600 Kingston Pike Ste 1328 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Tokyo Hibachi & Sushi
- Rating: 3.4/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9420 South Northshore Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#13. WokChow Fire Seared Asian
- Rating: 3.5/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4612 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Asian Fusion, fast food, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Nama Sushi Bar - Bearden
- Rating: 3.5/5 (175 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5130 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Koko Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar
- Rating: 3.5/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8883 Town Country Cir Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Asia Cafe - Callahan Drive
- Rating: 3.7/5 (212 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1708 Callahan Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Thai, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Nama Sushi Bar - Downtown
- Rating: 3.7/5 (400 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 506 South Gay St. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Drakes
- Rating: 3.7/5 (216 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 242 Morrell Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: American, Bars, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Fulin's Asian Cuisine
- Rating: 3.7/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2060 Town Center Blvd. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Chinese, Sushi Bars, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Dragon Den
- Rating: 3.8/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 10205 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Chinese, Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Chaiyo Thai & Sushi Bar
- Rating: 3.9/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 James Agee St. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Thai, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Anaba Japanese Cuisine Northshore
- Rating: 3.9/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9405 South Northshore Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Ramen
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Fin-Two Japanese Ale House
- Rating: 4.1/5 (184 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 122 South Central Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6737 Clinton Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Ichiban Asian Cuisine
- Rating: 4.3/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7507 South Northshore Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Chinese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 287 metros.
