Japanese tasting menu in Madrid: let Makoto guide you

The journey matters

When choosing gives way to being surprised

A tasting menu becomes truly meaningful when its dishes are not treated as separate decisions but as parts of a carefully considered sequence. The order, intensity, temperatures and changes in texture build an experience that makes more sense when understood as a whole.

Japanese cuisine has a particularly compelling way of expressing that idea: omakase. The concept is rooted in trusting the chef. Instead of arriving with every course already decided, the guest allows the kitchen to select the ingredients and determine the rhythm of the meal.

At Makoto Madrid , this philosophy connects directly with Chef Makoto Okuwa’s background and a culinary identity where Japanese tradition is interpreted through a contemporary perspective. The aim is not to accumulate dishes, but to make sure each one has its own place within the experience.

Trust the chef

From a tasting menu to Japanese omakase

The concept of a tasting menu is familiar in Western fine dining: a sequence of dishes created by the kitchen to express its culinary vision in greater depth. Omakase shares part of that logic but introduces an idea that changes the relationship between chef and guest.

Rather than thinking only in terms of a fixed sequence, omakase gives the chef greater freedom to decide. The selection can respond to the ingredients available, the season and what the kitchen believes is most interesting to serve at that particular moment.

That sense of variation is especially important for anyone looking for a Japanese tasting menu in Madrid with a genuine connection to Japanese dining culture. Part of the appeal lies in not knowing every detail beforehand and allowing part of the journey to reveal itself once you are seated.

At Makoto, the omakase experience in Madrid is built around this relationship of trust, where ingredient selection, Japanese technique and a contemporary perspective come together.

Different moments

Sushi, warm dishes and different moments

Thinking of a Japanese tasting experience exclusively as a succession of nigiri would overlook much of what Japanese cuisine can offer. Sushi plays a fundamental role in Makoto’s identity, but the restaurant’s culinary approach extends to other preparations, temperatures and ingredients.

That range allows the meal to evolve naturally. A journey can begin with delicate flavours, move towards pieces where fish and rice command complete attention, and later introduce warm dishes with greater depth and intensity.

Front row

The sushi counter changes the tasting experience

Where you sit can also change the way you experience a meal. At a traditional table, the dish appears once the kitchen’s work has been completed. At the sushi counter, part of that process happens directly in front of the guest.

The itamae works in full view: cutting, shaping, finishing and serving. Watching that sequence helps explain why certain pieces demand such precision and why sushi is so closely tied to the exact moment in which it is prepared.

For anyone searching for a Japanese tasting menu in Madrid, this proximity adds another dimension. The experience becomes more than a sequence of dishes: it becomes a direct relationship with the technique and with the person preparing them.

On Makoto’s spaces page you can explore the sushi counter, dining room, cocktail bar and terraces before deciding how you want to experience your visit.

Choosing where to sit

The setting is also part of the journey

Not every tasting experience feels the same. The type of table, the level of interaction with the kitchen and the atmosphere surrounding the meal can all change how the same cuisine is perceived. Makoto offers several spaces so that each visit can adapt to the kind of experience you are looking for.