Sushi Jin Opens In Downtown Westport: Outstanding Sushi & More

Downtown Westport’s newest restaurant, Sushi Jin, has quickly become a hotspot. Located by the parking lot on Elm Street (across from Serena & Lily), Sushi Jin offers an expansive menu with authentic Japanese fare. The food is delicious and the decor is upscale, but the overall atmosphere is inviting. The space is long and narrow with options to sit at a standard table, an intimate booth, the bar, or sushi counter. Regardless of where you dine, you’ll immediately notice all of the decor details; the walls are lined with intricate wooden patterns, a Japanese technique called Kumiko, and the wood details are carried all the way to the ceilings. 

The restaurant is run by a husband and wife duo, whom you’ll most likely spot while dining there —though they’re both very shy, so there’s a good chance they won’t introduce themselves as the owners. Their love story started around 20 years ago while they were both working at a restaurant in Flushing; he was in the kitchen and she was a server. As they were building out Sushi Jin, owner He Chen, kept a big surprise from his wife for several months: he named the restaurant “Jin” after her. Currently, the pair lives in Queens with plans to relocate closer soon. 

The idea for Sushi Jin came about because they noticed a need for a high-end, but approachable sushi spot in the area. The team wanted to create a place where anyone can come in and find something to enjoy. “It’s a diverse menu with extensive offerings, so there’s something for anyone that comes in,” says Sushi Jin’s General Manager, Karma Wangchuk. “It’s like a diner, but you get sushi.” 

The menu’s size really is quite impressive; it’s broken up into over 10 sections and Wangchuk tipped us in that you can call ahead for a custom omakase or izakaya reservation at the sushi counter. While we couldn’t possibly try everything on the menu, we did sample a lot.

Among the starters, the rainbow soup dumplings were stand-out. Most of the items in the dumpling section come in three or four pieces, making them perfect for sharing. Another one of our favorite bites was the black cod in the ‘hot dishes’ section. It was coated in a miso glaze that had hints of citrus and came in a butter lettuce wrap. The yellowtail jalapeno, which was so fresh and flavorful, is also worth ordering. 

Now, the reason we’re all here: the raw fish. The chefs at Sushi Jin know when to amp it up and when to let the ingredients shine. And, there’s lots of different options to choose from. You can order nigiri and sashimi a la carte, maki or hand rolls, special rolls, or sushi bar entrees. In addition to the omakase, we ordered the Bluefin Truffle Roll made with tuna, salmon, avocado and topped with chopped toto, oshinko, scallion, and truffle, which was absolutely delicious. We were also eyeing the Mango Roll made with shrimp tempura, avocado, and mango. 

For those who don’t eat seafood or follow a vegetarian diet, there’s still plenty to choose from; there’s a number of starters, ramen and udon, hibachi dishes, fried rice, and vegetable rolls. Overall, Sushi Jin’s menu is really well-rounded, making it a great option for larger groups or families. 

Last but not least, they have an exceptional beverage program with a large focus on sake. In addition to hot sake, they offer five different types of cold sake, each with their own unique flavor profile. Generally, Junmai is fuller-bodied with an umami flavor while Ginjo is more fruity and floral and Nigori tends to be creamier and slightly sweeter.

If you can, we highly recommend flagging down Wangchuk who was incredibly knowledgeable about all of the different varieties. If imbibing, we’d say the sake is a must-order for its taste and the experience. When you order, they pour the sake into a fun-looking sake dispenser and bring out a tray of colorful glasses to choose from. We tried the X sake and could have easily sipped our way through the bottle had it not been the middle of the day on a Wednesday.

Sushi Jin is located at 44 Main Street in Westport and is open for lunch and dinner every day.