We went to the sushi bar in São Paulo where you eat standing up at the bar

The restaurant was a pioneer in Brazil by embracing tachigui sushi, a traditional Japanese style where customers eat standing at the counter, right in front of the person preparing each piece. The concept harks back to sushi's origins as street food and prioritizes quicker, more informal meals, and above all, conversation with the itamae, the head chef at the counter.

We went to experience it on a special evening, during a collaboration with chef Rhaiza Zanetti of Miyabi, and we sat in what we consider the most interesting spot in the place: the bar. Between dishes created especially for the dinner and the hits from the regular menu, we left with two certainties: the quality-price ratio surprised us, and we would return without hesitation just to spend the evening ordering hand rolls.

Why is it worth eating standing up at the Standing Sushi Bar?

It's at the bar where the concept truly comes to life. During our visit, chef Rodrigo Santos showed us the fish and explained what was arriving as we assembled the meal, piece by piece.

And there's a clear advantage to choosing this place: the hand rolls are exclusive to the bar. The itamae prepares and hands them out directly so the seaweed reaches the customer's hands still crispy, without even passing through the waiter.

The restaurant also has an interesting approach to fish. Instead of relying on the ubiquitous farmed salmon, it prioritizes white and oily fish, including species caught off the Brazilian coast, which undergo a maturation process to develop their flavor and texture.

We went for a collaborative night and immediately felt like ordering some dishes again.

We were lucky enough to choose a night when Rhaiza Zanetti was in charge of part of the menu. The chef brought three creations to the Standing Sushi Bar, and we started with what became our favorite: a hand roll of oxeye, shiso tempura, yuzu, and karasumi. Crispy, fresh, and full of texture, it was one of those dishes that, as soon as it's gone, makes you instantly wonder: should we order another?

But this collaboration also served to confirm that the regular menu is worth a visit on its own. We continued ordering at the bar and opted for the local tuna nigiri with Kewpie mayonnaise, layu, and karasumi—now R$20 per piece—undoubtedly another of our favorites of the night.

Afterwards, we returned to Rhaiza's menu with the hot dish of grilled prawns and asparagus, ikura, and bisque on shari. Between dishes, we also ordered the wagyu, magret, and pork belly gyozas with the house tataki sauce: a juicy filling, a delicate dough, and another one of those dishes that disappeared from the table far too quickly. On the current menu, a serving of three costs R$36.

We also tried bluefin tuna and white fish onigiri before returning to the format that had already won us over at the table: hand rolls. This time, we chose the Spicy Siri, with seared crayfish, Kewpie mayonnaise, sriracha, layu (a type of fish), sesame seeds, fleur de sel, and masago. And that was it: it was decided. On our next visit, we want to sit—or rather, stand—in the same spot and practically do a hand roll tasting. By the way, they're exclusive to the bar and appear on the menu in versions starting at R$32.

The grand finale was another creation by Rhaiza: a coconut and corn ice cream sundae with miso caramel. A dessert that plays on cherished memories and brought a light and airy end to a sequence in which, between special dishes and signature recipes, Standing Sushi Bar managed to leave us with that feeling we love most when visiting a restaurant: already thinking about what we'd order when we returned.

A Japanese restaurant you can return to without having to wait for a special occasion.

That was undoubtedly our biggest surprise. The quality of the ingredients and the close relationship with the itamae might place Standing Sushi Bar in that category of Japanese restaurants reserved for special occasions. But the spirit of tachigui does just the opposite.

The current menu features nigiri starting at R$12, gyoza starting at R$20, and hand rolls starting at R$32. This allows you to either put together a more complete meal or simply stop by and enjoy a few pieces at the bar. Exactly like the Japanese cuisine that inspired this restaurant.

For us, that's the greatest strength of Standing Sushi Bar: making high-quality sushi a casual experience. You can arrive, chat with the person preparing your food, ask which is the best fish of the day, eat a few pieces standing up, and then go about your day.

Or do what we'll probably do on the next visit: stay much longer than planned because we decided to order "just one more" hand roll.

📍Calle Ferreira de Araújo, 690 – Pinheiros