For sushi in Abu Dhabi, choose SushiArt when you want a straightforward box or casual meal, Otoro for a reasonably priced contemporary restaurant, and 99 Sushi Bar for a special occasion. The useful surprise is that the premium option has a weekday business lunch at AED199 net: choosing the right sitting can matter more than choosing the cheapest-looking restaurant. [1]
These recommendations compare menu style, published prices and location rather than claiming a definitive tasting ranking. A restaurant serving elaborate rolls is solving a different problem from a chef-led counter. Decide whether you want a quick sushi fix, a shared dinner or an extended meal before making a reservation.
SushiArt: the practical choice for a controlled spend
SushiArt has Abu Dhabi branches at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, Al Qana and My City Centre Masdar. That makes it useful when sushi needs to fit around shopping, sightseeing or the journey back to your hotel rather than become the day's main event. [2]
The Galleria delivery listing provides a useful budget reference: a nine-piece Little Salmon box is listed at AED40, while an eighteen-piece Lunch Box 1 is AED71. These are delivery-menu examples, not a promise that every branch's dine-in price, promotion or delivery fee is identical. [3]
A preselected box is helpful because you can see both the quantity and price before adding anything. Compare its actual contents rather than the piece count alone. Nine small rolls and nine substantial nigiri are not interchangeable meals, and a large mixed box can include several pieces you would not otherwise order.
For two people, start with one clearly described combination and add a second only after deciding whether you also want soup, salad or a cooked dish. Ordering several small premium additions can erase the saving from choosing a casual restaurant.
Choose the branch that belongs naturally to your day. Crossing the city to save a modest amount on a box is rarely a persuasive economy once transport and time enter the calculation. The Galleria works particularly well when you already have plans on Al Maryah Island; Al Qana makes more sense alongside an evening there.
Otoro: the middle ground for a shared dinner
Otoro is at Al Qana Marina South, with a contemporary Japanese menu that extends beyond sushi. Michelin's listing describes a relaxed restaurant and identifies it as alcohol-free. That combination makes it a useful option for a mixed group: some diners can concentrate on sushi while others choose cooked dishes. [4]
The restaurant's published menu lists crab, dragon and volcano-salmon rolls at AED48 each, with spicy tuna at AED50. It also shows much more expensive choices, including an A5 wagyu maki at AED147. The name of the restaurant therefore tells you less about the final bill than the particular section of the menu you order from. [5]
For a simple comparison, three AED48 roll orders total AED144 before any other food or drinks. That is arithmetic, not a suggested complete dinner for a particular number of people: the menu's portion descriptions and your appetites still matter. It does show why sharing a few regular rolls can cost considerably less than building the meal around the premium ingredients.
Otoro is the strongest fit here for someone who wants a restaurant evening without committing to a tasting-menu format. Order contrasting preparations rather than several versions of the same rich roll. One simpler fish-led choice, one cooked or crisp component and a separate hot dish can provide more variety than three heavily dressed items.
The alcohol-free setting also changes the comparison with hotel restaurants. Choose it because that suits your group, rather than arriving expecting a sake-led dinner. For a celebration where wine or cocktails are central, the next option is more appropriate.
99 Sushi Bar: premium dining with a useful lunch exception
99 Sushi Bar is at The Galleria on Al Maryah Island. Its published schedule separates lunch from dinner, and its business lunch has a narrower window: Monday to Friday, noon to 2:15pm, excluding public holidays. A weekend booking or a late afternoon arrival does not qualify simply because you intended to eat lunch. [6]
The official business-lunch menu is AED199 net per person, including the stated VAT and service charge. It mixes sushi with other dishes: examples include tuna hosomaki, wagyu gyoza, salmon nigiri and black cod, followed by mochi and coffee. A sparkling-tea selection is listed separately at AED55. [1]
That is an important distinction for sushi purists. This is not simply a discounted sequence of nigiri chosen at the counter. It is a broader contemporary Japanese lunch with several rich, cooked components. Choose it for the full restaurant experience and variety; choose another format when your main aim is tasting a succession of different fish over rice.
For two diners, the listed lunch alone totals AED398. Adding one AED55 tea selection each makes AED508. Those calculated totals are useful because they separate the included meal from an optional addition without inventing a typical dinner bill.
Reserve this sitting when you can give it proper time. Squeezing it between an appointment and a cross-city transfer undermines the reason for choosing a multi-course meal. Equally, do not use the lunch price as an estimate for an unrestricted evening order.
How to choose without overpaying
The clearest comparison is between complete orders, not headline prices. At a casual restaurant, add the box, sides and delivery or transport cost. At Otoro, look at the exact rolls and hot dishes you intend to share. At 99, decide whether the fixed weekday lunch meets your preferences before comparing it with à la carte alternatives.
For a solo traveler, a smaller fixed selection can be better value than a sharing menu that encourages over-ordering. For a couple with different tastes, a broader menu may justify a higher food bill if it avoids an expensive tasting course one person will not enjoy.
Dietary requirements also deserve a specific conversation. "No raw fish" does not necessarily mean "vegetarian," and a roll's name may not identify every sauce or garnish. Give the restaurant the actual ingredient restriction when booking rather than assuming a category label resolves it.
My practical choice would be SushiArt for a convenient, price-visible meal, Otoro for a relaxed shared dinner, and the AED199 weekday lunch at 99 for a planned occasion. The best value is the option whose food, setting and sitting time all match the meal you actually want - not the longest menu or the largest number of pieces.
Source and editor notes
Selected by menu format, published pricing and location, not firsthand tasting. The key comparison is 99's restricted AED199 net lunch versus unrestricted dinner spending. SushiArt figures are explicitly delivery-listing examples; its merchant URL has an inconsistent location slug. Prices checked 27 October 2026.
