I’ll be honest with you. When I opened Sushi KONG on Coral Way back in 2016, awards were the last thing on my mind. I just wanted to make sushi the way I like to eat it: fresh fish, real technique, and a little of the Latin flavor that’s in everything we do here in Miami.
This year something happened that I still can’t quite believe. Sushi KONG was named Best Sushi in Miami 2026, not once but twice.
Two awards, one year
Miami New Times Readers’ Choice. Every year Miami New Times asks its readers to vote for the best of the city. This year you voted for us as Best Sushi. No jury, no paid placement, just our guests. That one hits different.
The64 Champion. The64 runs a bracket-style tournament where local spots go head to head, round after round. 64 of the city’s sushi spots entered, and after six rounds of public voting we came out on top as the Best Sushi in Miami.
And then, America. A few months later we competed in The64’s national bracket, America’s Best Sushi, competing against 63 of the most loved sushi restaurants in the country. We won our division and made it all the way to the Final Four. A neighborhood spot on Coral Way, among the top 4 sushi restaurants in America. I still smile when I say it.
What went through my head
First, pure surprise. Then we celebrated with the team, because this belongs to them as much as to me. And after that, a quieter feeling: all those years of work to build a reputation in this beautiful city were worth it. I hope this isn’t the last one. We’re going to keep working to earn the love and recognition of Miami, one table at a time.
The week we almost closed
People see the awards now, but the first year was really hard. My wife and I were the entire workforce. We cooked, served, cleaned and did the books, just to keep the doors open. We came close to closing more times than I can count.
I remember one moment very clearly. We were about a week away from deciding to shut it down. We were exhausted and out of resources. And somehow, that’s the week things started to turn.
Sushi KONG isn’t in a trendy part of town. We are 100% a destination: people drive here on purpose. Building that in Miami is something I’m proud of, and honestly it still surprises me. I think about how many talented people never got the chance because they didn’t have enough resources to hold on, or to put a place on the map outside the trendy zones.
So what do people actually order?
Our most ordered roll is the Blue Bird. Right behind it, these sell like crazy:
- Florida Crunch
- Romeo & Juliet
- Suntory
- Havana 305
And if you ask me for the hidden gems of the menu, I’d point you to the Miami Lover and probably the Kampai. Try one of those next time and tell me what you think.
Beyond the rolls, there are things you won’t find anywhere else: our sushi pizza, the Ni-tan sushi tacos, and desserts like the KONG CheeseCRACK (yes, a fried cheesecake) and KONG’s Choco Dubai. I’m still the executive chef, and a few of our house recipes are secrets I’m not giving up.
Come see why Miami voted for us
We’re at 3000 Coral Way, Coral Gables, FL 33145. Open Sunday to Thursday 12:30 pm to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday until 11 pm, with weekend brunch Saturday and Sunday from 12:30 to 4:30 pm.
You can reserve a table or order online for pickup or delivery straight from our website.
Thank you, Miami. We’ll keep working every day to deserve it.
Javier Zamora, owner and executive chef of Sushi KONG
