Sushi Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts from Sushi

Sushi etiquette is a hot topic these days as more and more people are jumping on the bandwagon and discovering delicious foods from all over the world. That’s why we’ve put together a few do’s and don’ts from the sushi masters to help guide your way through proper sushi etiquette when you go out.

Do You Eat Sushi With Your Hands or Chopsticks?

Technically, both are acceptable. The real trick is how to be respectful with your chopsticks. First, learning to use your chopsticks properly is a big deal. You should never point your chopsticks at other people, nor should you use them as drumsticks or rub them together to remove any signs of splinters. All of these things are considered disrespectful in a sushi restaurant. If a piece is too large for you to handle with your chopsticks, feel free to use your hands instead.

What To Do When Eating Off of a Shared Plate?

Perhaps you ordered a shared plate for the table, and everyone is sampling the many varieties of sushi at once. You must be respectful when choosing your pieces. Use the back end of your chopsticks to relocate food from the shared place to your personal plate. Then you may pick them up and put them in your mouth. This ensures that the part of your chopsticks that touched your mouth is not the part you are putting in the shared plate.

How to Appreciate the Food

Sushi is a unique type of dining experience because the chef is nearby and wants to know that you are enjoying their creations. Being respectful of the work they have created is important. Thus, you should limit your use of soy sauce, wasabi and any other sauces available. If you use too much, you could be overpowering the carefully balanced flavors that they worked so hard on. Also, remember that the sauce is for the fish, not the rice. The rice is already seasoned. So if you are going to dip your sushi, make sure you dip only the fish side and don’t drop the whole rice ball in.

Sushi Bar Tipping Etiquette

As always, a tip is greatly appreciated by your chef. Since sushi restaurants in Denver do not automatically add a tip to the bill, you should expect to leave behind a 20% gratuity, especially if you ordered something off the menu. Furthermore, you can always show your chef some appreciation by buying them a beer or sake.

Matsuhisa Denver is at the heart of Colorado’s sushi scene. Stop by any day of the week to explore world-class sushi dishes that are sure to excite your palate.