Sushi Dokoro Shirahama

One of the best dining experiences I’ve had! The restaurant is small and intimate. Every guest sits at the sushi bar, which I loved. It was a very interactive experience where you got to know both the chefs and the other diners. Chef TJ was hilarious and clearly takes pride in his craft. All of the courses were fresh, thoughtfully presented, and absolutely delicious. I was very full from the omakase course alone (and I can eat 😄). The dinner took almost three hours and was WELL worth the cost. Most certainly will be back and bringing friends!

Such a wonderful meal and experience - the food was exceptional. Only bar seating - 3 parties with 11 people total. All the sashimi and nigiri were prepared by TJ right in front of us. He never left the area the whole time! TJ’s insight and honesty about his experiences were very educational (and hilarious) and one of the highlights of the night. I’ve had omakases where the chef didnt speak more than a few words to describe the food. Be prepared though we sat for the 7:30 seating, didn’t start eating until about 8 and then finished around 10:30. Definitely get the hand roll add on if you have room! We were all full just with the base omakase but squeezed in a handroll!

Chef TJ is the only one in town who will bring you the freshest fish and the most authentic experience. I’ve stopped going to other omakase places in town because of Matoi… oops. I’m a regular here, and I have high stands. That itself should leave a strong message, right? Give it a try; give yourself a relaxed window to enjoy an amazing experience. I hope to catch you here someday.

*puts on educational hat* The word "matoi" represents a flag that firefighters carried during the Edo period to draw other firefighters to the scene. Are we the firefighters rushing to the scene of some fire sushi? Is it a tribute to the "Edomae" style of omakase that Chef TJ preps from the Edo era? Does the blood on the blade hanging behind the counter contain actual blood of customers who dissed his sushi? Perhaps... Something that most people may not know about is that the Edomae style of sushi involves AGING the fish and harkens back to the days where they had to preserve the fish longer and involves techniques such as marinating in vinegar or soy sauce, salting, simmering, and boiling the fish. *takes off educational hat* *puts on reviewer hat* Chef TJ and staff bring together a curated omakase experience unique in the SD area and is a must eat for anyone who takes their sushi seriously. As he preps the food, the experience that you want to achieve depends on the level in which you engage. I happened to be dining with a collection of quieter folks and in the beginning it was a rather soothing experience to hear the knife hit the cutting board while 90's rap played over the stereo. After some questions prodding about the origins of the food and his own personal preferences for sushi the place livened up as Chef TJ let loose a bit more so don't be afraid to talk it up! Nearly everything is made solely by him and the preparation time between dishes encourages one to slowly enjoy the meal thoughtfully and intentionally. Some dishes are meant to be eaten a certain way and I found that the respect to traditional methods added to the authentic experience. I'll be back in the fall to try his personal favorite fish (I forget the name but it's seasonal to the fall) and to try the ice cold beer sapporo chugging challenge. Pro tip: get the ice cold sapporo

My friend and I tried getting a reservation for a little while, but please believe me when I say it's worth the wait. Chef TJ is a MASTER at his craft. I haven't seen such respect showed for seafood since my time in Japan. Kudos to him for doing it the right way and making it a very enjoyable experience. We will be back. Thank you again Chef!

Waited to write this review after I was able to compare Matoi to Soichi. I finally was able to recently make a reservation to Soichi. It was kind of a mistake eating at Matoi before going to Soichi, because it felt underwhelming after getting to experience Matoi. Truly tells me that a Michelin star does not mean everything. That said, I am convinced that Matoi will earn a star next. If Matoi does not, there goes Michelin's credibility. I was fortunate to be able to come here on my birthday and I truly enjoyed everything from the first bite to the last. Omakase may not be for everyone because you don't really get to pick what you eat, but I completely trust Chef TJ to serve the best and only the best. I got the complete course option, the Oyabun, and I highly recommend this to anyone else who may go here next. No one is wearing overbearing perfume/cologne to ruin your palate and prevent you from enjoying the delicate flavors the beautiful fish can offer. Plating is beautiful and I left full, which, unfortunately, did not happen at Soichi. Chef TJ is also very funny and entertaining to watch him work his craft and serve you the best bite you'll ever have and he can even read the room and entertains accordingly. Professional, funny, and immaculate attention to detail to perfect his work. From the unique appetizers to the miso bass to all the nigiris and add ons, nothing was bad. Something as little as the green tea salt we were served with our Fried Lotus Pancakes was incredible and out of this world. Even the ice cream here was better and I really miss everything I was able to eat at Matoi. I can't wait to go back and am hoping to be able to go soon. A part of me wishes I could keep this place to myself so the reservations won't be hard to get, but the unselfish part of me really thinks Matoi deserves all the attention and recognition it can get.

New omakase sushi place. Just opened in June! Chef TJ was awesome. He told us his story about learning from chefs in Japan and learning about Japanese culture in order to truly understand Japanese cuisine. It really shows! Service was great and each portion of our meal was amazing. There are 3 omakase tiers to choose from, honestly the highest tier is the best and probably the most value! Especially with only a $30 differe ce between the middle and top tier! Highlights surprisingly was the lamb dish! Literally just melted in my mouth. I didnt even need to chew! Also the toro is always good. And then there was a wagyu piece!!! My friend also loved the uni! Every dish and piece of sushi was a standout. Make sure to make a reservation! It was fully booked right at open!