Top 10+ Most Famous Japanese Restaurants In The US

The Most Famous Japanese Restaurants In The US

We can assist you if you enjoy Japanese cuisine but are having difficulty finding the right restaurant. There are excellent Japanese restaurants in the United States, but finding the right one can be difficult.

This list only includes the best of the best to ensure that your taste buds are satisfied. Some of these world-class restaurants even have award-winning chefs who have received rave reviews for the high quality of their food.

Personal favorites like udon noodles, karaka chicken, hot pot, bento boxes, and even something you've never tried before are on the menu.

Overview of Japanese cuisine

Japan is a top travel destination for many reasons… including the food. So, what’s so special about Japanese cuisine?

1. Fish is used in most Japanese dishes

This may be one of the more obvious Japanese food facts here.

2. Japanese food is not spicy

Traditional Japanese food is usually not spicy.

The flavors of Japanese food are mild and straightforward. Japanese cuisine values the taste of authentic ingredients instead of flavoring them with strong spices. This is why many people in Japan cannot handle very spicy food.

3. Soybeans are everywhere

Soybeans are used as a base in many Japanese dishes.

Soybeans are used to make soysauce, miso paste (fermented soybean paste), natto (fermented soybeans), and tofu. These condiments and ingredients are vegan-friendly and high in nutritional value.

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Top 10+ Most Famous Japanese Restaurants In The US

1. Sushi Nakazawa

https://www.sushinakazawa.com/

Location: 23 Commerce St, New York

You can't call yourself a true sushi fan unless you've seen the visually stunning and drool-inducing documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi." In the film, Jiro Ono, a master sushi chef, explains his often arduous but impeccable efforts to serve the best sushi in the world at his small 10-seat restaurant in Japan.

In the film, one of Jiro's apprentices is a chef named Daisuke Nakazawa. After years of hard work under Jiro's sometimes-totalitarian rule, Nakazawa opened his own Japanese restaurants in New York City and Washington, D.C. He brought all of the skills he learned in Japan with him and demonstrated them to customers at his brainchild Sushi Nakazawa.

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2. Uchi

https://www.uchirestaurants.com/

Location: 801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

Very often when you encounter a sushi master, they are of Japanese descent. That, however, is not the case at all at Uchi, a nifty Japanese spot located inside a refurbished bungalow in Austin, Texas. The chef, a James Beard-winning American sushi master named Tyson Cole who trained for 10 years under two different sushi masters, opened Uchi in 2003. "The cuisine I create is playfully multi-cultural, mixing the Japanese tradition with tastes that inspire me," chef Cole says. One look at the menu lets you know this guy means business when it comes to creating stellar Japanese dishes.

3. Raku

https://www.rakudining.com.au/

Location: 5030 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89146

Mitsuo Endo, the owner-chef of Raku, relocated to the United States and embarked on a seven-year journey that culminated in the opening of his own restaurant, Aburiya Raku.

This restaurant would go on to win a James Beard Award and become a local favorite.

Homemade tofu, Kobe beef liver sashimi, udon noodle soup, and other Japanese favorites can be found at Raku.

4. Tetsu

https://www.instagram.com/tetsunyc/

Location: Las Vegas

Masa Takayama, whose omakase dinners in New York cost $600 per person, tries his hand at a different style of Japanese cooking at Tetsu, inside barMASA in the Aria Resort & Casino. Rather than raw fish, this restaurant focuses on cooked food prepared teppanyaki-style on a searing hot iron griddle—think high-end Benihana. The modern space invites diners to gather around the grill tables for appetizers like uni custard and garlicky octopus, followed by high-end proteins like filet mignon, lobster with sriracha mayo, or duck, not to mention an array of veggie sides and fried rice and yakisoba noodles to fill the gaps. There are high-end cocktails available, as well as sushi if desired.

5. Sakedokoro Makoto

https://www.opentable.com/r/makoto-washington

Location: Washington DC

Remove your shoes and slip into a pair of slippers before entering Sakedokoro Makoto, a tiny wood-paneled restaurant popular with Japanese embassy staff. The emphasis here is on exquisite seafood, whether served as sushi (only available at lunch), sashimi, or creatively composed dishes. Lunch is a great deal at $17-$18 for a bento box or sushi platter, while the omakase dinner is more than $100 per person before drinks. And, since "Sakedokoro" translates to "place of sake," you'll want to order some to go with your meal. Reservations are necessary.

6. TOMO

https://tomorestaurant.com/

Location: 3630 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326

Chef born in Osaka Tomohiro Naito began his career as a seafood buyer for a Japanese firm, where he honed his eye for the best fish in the world. As a sushi chef, he eventually rose to the position of omakase chef at Nobu in Las Vegas, where his inventive tasting menus wowed diners. He eventually relocated to Atlanta and opened Tomo in an elegant setting, with the goal of serving the best ingredients possible. On the nigiri and sashimi menu, you'll find a few unusual items, such as kohada, also known as Japanese gizzard shad (a type of fish). The rest of the menu includes delicacies like yellowtail collar, a highly sought-after cut, and monkfish liver, dubbed "the foie gras of the sea."

7. Arami

https://www.armani.com/en-us/experience/armani-restaurant

Location: 1829 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

When you walk into Arami, you wouldn't expect the chefs to provide such a high-quality and traditional Japanese dining experience.

The interior is warm and inviting, with a skylight that lets you enjoy the view day or night.

Arami has been named one of Chicago's best restaurants and one of the best sushi restaurants in America.

Only the freshest seafood, from uni to unagi, can be found at the sushi bar.

8. Kusakabe

https://kusakabe-sf.com/

Location: 584 Washington St, San Francisco

Sushi is not difficult to find in San Francisco. However, finding a restaurant that only serves omakase is difficult. That's where Kusakabe, San Francisco's first all-omakase restaurant, comes in. Mitsunori Kusakabe, the show's chef, not only has a Michelin star for his work, but he has also won the World Sushi Cup and the US Sushi Technical Competition. This guy knows his way around a nigiri plate.

9. Omakase

https://omakaserestaurantgroup.com/about-org

Location: San Francisco

SoMA's three-year-old Omakase is one of San Francisco's most expensive restaurants, but it's also one of its smallest, making securing one of its in-demand 14 seats difficult. But if you can get a desired reservation and can afford to pay the high price, you're in for an unforgettable experience. The only dining option at this small restaurant is omakase, a daily-changing menu that translates as "chef's choice." Choose from $100, $150, or $200, then settle in for a parade of precise cuts of pristine, Japanese-sourced fish, as well as warm selections like a dark, mysterious squid-ink cake and fat lobes of Mendocino-fished uni. Don't forget to try one of the restaurant's carefully selected sakes.

10. Nobu

https://noburestaurants.com/

Location: 903 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Who hasn't heard of Nobu by this point? It is one of the most popular restaurants in the world, named after celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa.

There are more than 50 Nobu restaurants around the world, with 19 in the United States alone.

With Nobu, you can eat grilled salmon on Chicago's rooftops or a dessert bento box in a luxurious hotel. However, the original location is in Los Angeles.

This restaurant combines authentic Japanese flavor with luxury. If you enjoy a spicy appetizer, try the spicy edamame.

11. Imanas Tei

https://imanastei.com/

Location: 2626 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96826

Imanas Tei offers yet another authentic Japanese experience.

This restaurant in Honolulu, near the University of Hawaii, serves a variety of Japanese dishes to satisfy your craving.

The interior has a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. Fresh seafood from the ocean offers a flavorful and refreshing culinary experience that is difficult to forget.

There is a fantastic selection of food to try. This includes a flavorful unagi bowl, a dense barachirashi, marbled beef, a Japanese hot pot, and many other dishes.

12. Masu Sushi And Robata

https://www.masusushiandrobata.com/

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Masu Sushi is a chic restaurant that serves both grilled fare and traditional sushi, depending on your appetite. They have been recognized as one of the best places to eat in Minnesota, as well as one of the best places to eat Japanese food in the country.

They're famous for their fresh-made Japanese pickles, tuna tataki, pork shoulder, soba, ramen, and other dishes. Furthermore, they make every effort to serve fish that has been farmed in a way that has the least amount of environmental impact in order to apply sustainability to their restaurant and our oceans.

Conclusion

From strip mall restaurants offering bento lunchtime fixes to trendy ramen joints vying for the title of slurp kings in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Austin, Japanese food is deliciously ubiquitous.

If you are wondering around and want to try Japanese food in the US, don’t miss KnowInsiders.com list of Top 10+ Most Famous Japanese Restaurants In The US.

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