Counter sushi & intimate hatted spots. Pattern from the Japan trip.
Research Notes
Pattern
Karl's Japan trip pattern: counter sushi, intimate, watching the chef work, doesn't drink. Sydney equivalent = hatted omakase counters that aren't tourist-flashy. Sokyo deliberately omitted (bigger, splashier).
Source
Good Food Guide 2026 hatted Japanese list (via Perplexity), filtered to counter omakase + chef-driven intimate spots. Verified addresses and current rating with gmaps. Hat tiers shown as "1 hat" — exact tier (1/2/3) needs SMH article cross-reference; placeholder is 1 until confirmed.
To Verify
- Exact hat tier per restaurant (1/2/3) from SMH 2026 list
- Actual price per person (dinner sittings move)
- Whether "dry" applies — most omakase pair sake; Karl can opt out
Other 2026 Hatted Japanese — Not Yet Picked
- Haco (CBD) — fine dining, possibly less counter-focused
- Amuro (Darlinghurst) — small, worth investigating
- Wagyuto (Clovelly) — wagyu specialist, not sushi
- Tanuki (Double Bay) — eastern suburbs option
- Sokyo (Pyrmont) — deliberately skipped (too flashy/Crown casino vibe)
- Restaurant Garaku (CBD)
- Oribu (Parramatta)
Non-Japanese Worth Considering
Saint Peter (Paddington) — fish-focused, Josh Niland, hatted. Counter at the bar.
Sixpenny (Stanmore) — small, set menu, modern Australian.
Ester (Chippendale) — wood-fired, hatted, intimate.