Maki-San signature dish Maki-San interior Maki-San dish Maki-San menu item Maki-San ambiance
ChainCustomisable

Maki-San

📍 Compass One · Sengkang 🍙 Custom Sushi Rolls · Poke Bowls 💰 $$ · S$8–16/person ⭐ 3.8 Google Rating
🔗 Website 📍 Map

Highlights

Great for
Custom Meals · Health-Conscious · Unique Sushi
Concept
Build-your-own: base + protein + toppings + sauce
Specials
Sushi burritos · signature recipe rolls

About

Maki-San is a Singapore-born brand that reinvented the sushi roll as a customisable fast-casual meal. The concept: choose your base (sushi rice, brown rice, or wrap), pick your protein (salmon, tuna, chicken, tofu), add toppings (avocado, mango, tempura flakes, cucumber, edamame), and finish with a sauce (spicy mayo, teriyaki, sesame). The result is a personalised sushi roll or poke bowl that reflects your exact preferences — no compromise required.

The Compass One outlet serves the Sengkang community with the full Maki-San experience: a transparent preparation counter where you watch your roll being assembled, signature recipe rolls for those who prefer a curated combination, and poke bowls as an alternative format. The brand also offers sushi burritos — oversized maki rolls cut in half and wrapped like a burrito — for those who want a more substantial, handheld meal. Prices start from S$8.90 for a basic build-your-own roll, with signature rolls and poke bowls from S$10–14.

Recommended For

Health-Conscious Diners Custom Meal Lovers Lunch Grab-and-Go

Menu & Pricing

ItemPriceNotes
Build-Your-Own Roll
Choose base + protein + toppings + sauce
from S$8.90Customisable
Signature Rolls
Pre-designed recipe combinations by Maki-San chefs
from S$10.90Recommended
Poke Bowl
Sushi rice bowl with protein, toppings, and dressing
from S$11.90Alternative
Sushi Burrito
Oversized maki roll wrapped like a burrito — handheld
from S$12.90Unique

* Prices subject to GST. Menu may vary.

Practical Info

Location
Compass One, 1 Sengkang Square, , Singapore 545078
Hours
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest MRT
Sengkang MRT (NE16) — direct mall connection
Reservation
Walk-in only
Payment
Cash, cards, PayNow, GrabPay

Dietary Info

Not Halal Vegetarian/vegan options (tofu protein) Customisable for dietary needs

Your Visit

1

How to Build Your Roll

Step 1: Choose base (sushi rice is classic, brown rice for health, wrap for portability). Step 2: Pick protein (salmon is the bestseller, add S$2 for double protein). Step 3: Select 4–5 toppings (avocado + mango + cucumber + tempura flakes is a popular combination). Step 4: Finish with sauce (spicy mayo is the crowd favourite). First-timers: try a Signature Roll to understand the flavour philosophy, then build your own next time.

Photos

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Map

Editor's Note

Our honest take

Maki-San at Compass One brings something genuinely different to Sengkang's Japanese dining scene: the power of choice. While every other sushi outlet serves you a fixed menu, Maki-San lets you be the chef. The build-your-own format means picky eaters, health-conscious diners, and adventurous foodies all get exactly what they want. The sushi burrito is a conversation piece — oversized, colourful, and uniquely Instagram-friendly. At S$8–16, it sits above basic sushi but below premium Japanese, making it ideal for the lunch-seeking professional or the food-curious family.

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The Rise of Customisable Dining in Singapore

Maki-San is part of a broader food trend that has reshaped Singapore's dining landscape: the rise of build-your-own concepts. The appeal is psychological as much as practical: when you choose your own ingredients, you feel ownership of the meal. This creates a more satisfying experience even before the first bite. The model works particularly well for diverse groups and families where individual members have different dietary needs or preferences. One person can build a salmon-avocado roll with spicy mayo (indulgent), while another creates a tofu-edamame-cucumber roll with sesame dressing (healthy), and both walk away equally satisfied. The transparency of the build-your-own counter also addresses trust: you see exactly what goes into your food, eliminating uncertainty about ingredients or preparation. For health-conscious diners, this transparency is invaluable — you control the protein, the carbs, the sauce volume, and the overall calorie profile. Maki-San has refined this model specifically for the sushi format, ensuring that the customisation options are curated to work together rather than producing random combinations.

Poke Bowl vs Sushi Roll: Which to Choose?

At Maki-San, you face a pleasant dilemma: roll or bowl? The sushi roll (from S$8.90) is the portable option — nori-wrapped, handheld, and mess-free. It is ideal for eating on the go, at your desk, or when you want a one-handed meal. The flavours are concentrated because every ingredient is rolled tightly together, creating a unified bite where rice, protein, toppings, and sauce merge. The poke bowl (from S$11.90) is the sit-down option — a deconstructed sushi experience where each ingredient is visible and can be eaten in custom combinations. You control the ratio of rice to protein to toppings in every forkful. Poke bowls tend to feel more substantial because you can see the volume of food, and the open format allows for more generous portions. The sushi burrito (from S$12.90) splits the difference: it is a roll in format but a bowl in quantity. Oversized and unwieldy in the most satisfying way, it is the choice when you are genuinely hungry and want the roll experience with double the filling. A practical guide: lunchtime takeaway → roll. Dine-in with time → poke bowl. Very hungry → sushi burrito.

Building the Perfect Roll: Ingredient Combinations

At Maki-San, the number of possible combinations is enormous — but not all combinations work equally well. Here are field-tested recipes from regular customers and the Maki-San team that consistently deliver great results. The Classic: salmon + avocado + cucumber + tobiko + spicy mayo on sushi rice. Why it works: the richness of salmon is balanced by cooling cucumber, the avocado adds creaminess, tobiko adds pop, and spicy mayo ties everything together. This is the Maki-San equivalent of a margherita pizza — simple, proven, delicious. The Health-Conscious: tofu + edamame + mixed greens + carrot + sesame dressing on brown rice. Why it works: protein from tofu and edamame, fiber from brown rice, crunch from carrot, and the nutty sesame dressing adds warmth. Under 400 calories for a filling meal. The Indulgent: double salmon + mango + tempura flakes + cream cheese + teriyaki on sushi rice. Why it works: this is the maximum flavour option. Sweet mango, crispy tempura flakes, creamy cheese, and rich salmon in teriyaki create a flavour bomb. Not subtle, but incredibly satisfying. The Tropical: tuna + mango + avocado + spring onion + yuzu dressing on sushi rice. Why it works: the citrus yuzu dressing brightens the rich tuna and buttery avocado, while mango adds tropical sweetness. The Crunchy: chicken + tempura flakes + cucumber + corn + spicy mayo on sushi rice wrapped in soy paper. Why it works: textures are the star here — crispy tempura flakes, crunchy cucumber, popping corn, and tender chicken. The soy paper wrap adds another layer of chew.

Why Maki-San is Different from Traditional Sushi

Maki-San occupies an interesting position in Singapore's sushi landscape. It is not traditional Japanese sushi — no sushi chef spent years training at a counter, no fish is flown in daily from Toyosu Market, and the flavour combinations (mango? cream cheese?) would raise eyebrows at a Tokyo sushi-ya. Instead, Maki-San represents the evolution of sushi as a global food form. Just as pizza evolved from its Neapolitan origins into New York slices and Chicago deep-dish, sushi has evolved beyond its Japanese roots into global interpretations. The California Roll — arguably the most popular sushi roll worldwide — was invented in Vancouver, Canada, not Japan. Maki-San takes this evolution further by democratising the creative process: instead of a chef deciding what goes in your roll, you decide. This approach resonates with Singapore's food culture, which values personalisation, variety, and the freedom to mix traditions. Some sushi purists may disagree with this approach, and that is fair — traditional sushi is a different experience with its own merits. But for the Sengkang family looking for a fun, affordable, customisable Japanese-inspired meal where everyone gets exactly what they want, Maki-San fills a role that traditional sushi restaurants simply cannot.

Sushi Innovation: From Japan to the World

The history of sushi is a story of continuous innovation. What we now consider 'traditional' sushi — fresh fish on vinegared rice — is actually a relatively recent invention, dating to the early 1800s in Edo (Tokyo). Before that, sushi was a preservation method: fish was packed in rice and salt and left to ferment for months. The Edo-period innovation of using fresh fish and vinegared rice (rather than fermented) was revolutionary — and controversial among purists of the time. Fast forward to the 1960s and 1970s: the California Roll (invented in Vancouver), the Philadelphia Roll (cream cheese in sushi!), and the spicy tuna roll (American invention) all expanded sushi beyond its Japanese origins. The conveyor belt sushi concept (kaiten-zushi) was invented in 1958 by Yoshiaki Shiraishi, who was inspired by beer bottles moving on a conveyor at a brewery. Genki Sushi's bullet train delivery system is a direct descendant of this innovation. Maki-San represents the latest chapter: the democratisation of sushi creation itself. Just as craft beer let consumers choose their own hops and malts, build-your-own sushi lets diners choose their own fish, rice, and toppings. Whether this counts as 'real sushi' is a debate that has been going on since the 1800s — and the answer, as always, is that sushi evolves. What matters is whether it tastes good and brings people joy. By that measure, Maki-San succeeds.

Complete Sengkang Japanese Dining Directory

For your reference, here is the complete directory of Japanese and Japanese-inspired dining in the Sengkang-Punggol area as of 2026. At Compass One (Sengkang): Milan Shokudo (Japanese-Western fusion, #02-39, S$8–18), Pepper Lunch (sizzling teppan, #B1-01, S$10–22), Yoshinoya (halal gyudon, S$5–12), Genki Sushi (bullet train sushi, S$12–25), Ajisen Ramen (Kumamoto tonkotsu, #02-38, S$10–18), Yakiniku Like (halal solo yakiniku, S$9–20), Shabu Sai (shabu-shabu buffet, #02-31, S$22–32), MOS Burger (Japanese burgers, S$5–12), Tori-Q (yakitori, S$3–10), Ichiban Sushi (budget sushi, #01-13, S$5–15), Maki-San (custom rolls, S$8–16), Chateraise (Japanese desserts, #03-39/40/41, S$1.50–8). At Waterway Point (Punggol): Sushiro (conveyor sushi, #01-31/32, S$10–20), Genki Sushi (bullet train sushi, #02-23, S$12–25), Ichiban Boshi (full-service Japanese, #B1-19, S$15–30), Gyu-Kaku (group yakiniku, #01-33, S$30–50), Konjiki Hototogisu (premium ramen, S$14–22), Kuriya Japanese Market (groceries and takeaway), Sukiya (halal gyudon, #B1-23, S$5–12), Chateraise (desserts), Warabimochi Kamakura (Japanese mochi desserts, #01-72/73). This represents over twenty distinct Japanese dining options within two malls — a concentration unmatched by any other suburban area in Singapore. Whether you want a S$2.50 yakitori skewer or a S$50 yakiniku feast, the Sengkang-Punggol corridor has you covered.