Omakase & Kaiseki Tasting Counter
Omakase in the Maldives means chef's-choice dining at a small Japanese counter — no menu to read, a handful of courses decided course by course by whoever is standing behind the bar. Kaiseki, the more formal, multi-course tradition behind it, is rarer as a standalone booking here; most resorts that work this territory run it as an omakase counter rather than a full kaiseki dining room.
The counters themselves vary in scale. Six Senses Laamu's Zen keeps a dedicated omakase counter inside its dining room, working through a daily-changing menu built on local tuna and reef fish alongside its regular à la carte. Soneva Fushi goes smaller still — So Hands On by Chef Akira seats just six and works entirely in the traditional Edomae style. At One&Only Reethi Rah, the omakase tasting menu at Hoshi starts with a boat journey to reach it.
A few resorts fold it into a wider Japanese dining room instead of a single counter. Soneva Jani's overwater Director's Cut houses a teppanyaki grill and an Irori charcoal-grill station side by side, with the Irori built around a charcoal-hearth omakase-style journey. At Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Zuma serves sushi and robata from a floating pavilion above the water. Seats at any of these counters are limited, so it's worth flagging the interest before you travel.
Where it’s distinctive
One&Only Reethi Rah
North Malé Atoll · luxury boat or seaplane, 45–55 min boat / 15 min seaplane
Hoshi is embarked upon by boat and serves world-class omakase menus alongside classic Japanese favourites
Soneva Fushi
Baa Atoll · seaplane, 30 minutes
So Hands On by Chef Akira is a six-seat counter serving omakase via traditional Edomae technique.
Soneva Jani
Noonu Atoll · seaplane, 40 minutes
Irori Grill at Director's Cut offers a charcoal-hearth omakase journey.
Also offered at
Before you book
What is omakase, and how is it different from kaiseki?
Omakase means leaving the menu to the chef — a handful of courses decided seat by seat at a counter, usually built around what's freshest that day. Kaiseki is the more formal tradition behind it: a fixed, multi-course meal with its own sequence and structure. In the Maldives, what's on offer mostly takes the omakase form — a counter and a chef's judgment — rather than a standalone kaiseki dining room.
Which Maldives resorts have a dedicated omakase counter?
Six Senses Laamu (Zen), Soneva Fushi (So Hands On by Chef Akira), One&Only Reethi Rah (Hoshi), Soneva Jani (the Irori grill at Director's Cut) and Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi (Zuma) are among the resorts we know run this format, each with its own setting and scale. See the roster below for what's confirmed at each property.
Do I need to book an omakase dinner in advance?
Yes, generally — these are small settings by design. Soneva Fushi's counter seats just six, and the format at most resorts runs as its own reservation rather than a walk-in table. Flag the interest during your consultation and we'll have it arranged before you arrive.
Is an omakase counter the same as a resort's main Japanese restaurant?
Not always. Several of these resorts run a full Japanese dining room, and the omakase or Irori-style counter sits within or alongside it — Director's Cut at Soneva Jani, for instance, houses a teppanyaki grill and an Irori charcoal-grill omakase journey side by side under one roof. Ask your consultant which format a given resort's counter actually runs, since it varies property to property.
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