50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Brisbane

“Always Been Our Go-To For Any Occassion. Everything Is Great But Their Oyster Shot Is The Best“

“I went to KEN for my birthday and it was absolutely phenomenal. The fish was delicious; so many new flavors and combinations; the chef was superb - talented and entertaining, with great attention to detail. The service was impeccable. I cannot say enough good things!“

“What a treat! Highly recommend“

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“I love Yoma cafe, the food is amazing, great price, the owner is always so welcoming and nice to everyone.“

“Every item we ordered was magical. Absolutely loved all their small tapas style dishes, scallops, yam, pork belly, chicken, beef. Scallop and sweet shrimp (ebi) handrolls were great. Fine dessert choice as well. Get there early as there was quickly a line out the door with 20-30 minute waits throughout the night after we arrived.“

“Best tuna roll ever.. Large side salad enough for 2. Ededname excellent. Large servings of any of the rolls with attractive black slate to k eep the roll cold, smart. Excellent miso soup in good size bowl. Water containers at each table. Take out available and no reservations taken. We went on a weeknight.“

“Best authentic Japanese restaurant in town.“

“awesome a must try, this is a hidden gem“

“The best omakase and multi-course dinner I’ve ever had. We came to celebrate our anniversary here and a great time. The atmosphere was perfect and the food/fish were literally hands down the best I’ve ever had. If you want high quality omakase where every bite is the perfect blend and diversity of textures and flavors you must go here.“

“If you want the freshest fish downtown has to offer.... go to Sanraku“

“Quality is key with any meal. Roger-San is all about quality. Sit at the bar if you can!“

“Eating is a kind of happiness, taste is a kind of interest“

“Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful“

“Delicious omakase! Really deserves to be a Michelin star again!! The ginger shoot was a cool touch and super tender. Great balance of nigiri and complementary appetizers and seared cod. Cute ambiance for our anniversary -- no reservation needed“

“My favorite sushi spot in the city, and the service is fast and friendly!“

“There's no place like Moku. You can come here to celebrate and/or to lighten your mood, the vibe is so versatile. The food always comes out hot; I love that the specials reflect seasonality and freshness. The service is also superb, you'll feel right at home :) Highlyyyy recommend <3“

“Amazing, amazing, amazing!!! Perfection. The attention to detail and the warm service was great from the jump. The entire 17 course meal and sake pairing was one of the best meals that we've ever had. I don't say this lightly, it was flawless.“

“I don’t mean to exaggerate, but when it comes to both the food and the service, exaggeration almost feels necessary. Chris was phenomenal, and the food exceeded anything I could have imagined. This place is truly unexpected in the best way—just trust the experience. There really aren’t enough words to describe how amazing it is.“

“Fantastic neighborhood spot. Food is great. Service is a bit brisk and can be curt but it’s not a bad attitude, just trying to take care of everyone. I went last weekend and it hit the spot so perfectly I went back this weekend with a different friend. Sweet server tonight. High quality food and the space has a very good sf neighborhood spot vibe - takes me back to the 90s. I’ll be back for sure.“

“The sashimi here is so good! Really fresh, thick pieces. I tried the salmon, salmon toro, walu, yellowtail, toro, and ocean trout. My favorite as always is salmon but the ocean trout which was recommended by the server was super good. The walu was amazing too, they served it with some chili oil crisp which paired well! The toro which I got as nigiri was super fatty and melt in your mouth. I also got the hamachi kama appetizer which can be fishy tasting at some restaurants but the one here was not fishy at all and super fresh, very buttery and soft.

Overall definitely recommend this spot for their fish and I would 100% return.“

“Went for our wedding anniversary. The service was great. They took the time to introduce the menu items and explain the chef’s special for today. We got to try fish or parts of fish that we have never heard of before. Overall very good experience.“

“The Sushi was delicious and fresh.
The presentation was beautiful.
The service was excellent.
A little pricey but worth the fish selection.
Sake was paired with each course.
This was a great option“

“Good takeout sushi option with reasonable prices. The restaurant closes pretty early and have a small staff, which can lead to longer waiting times- so have that in mind when ordering. The food was great and the ingredients had great quality.“

“Probably the best meal I’ve ever had, super fun, exciting, every bite was perfect. Intimate and fast process“

“Omg! The Ribs are amazing!“

“awesome service and amazingly fresh sushi! open from 4:30 to 9:30. on Geary near masonic“

“Exceptional service. Delicious, artfully presented omakase at a reasonable price point.“

“Blown away! Sitting at the chef’s bar was an outstanding experience. The chef made recommendations; he is a true artist of his craft - what a delight to watch. The nigiri/sushi is classic with no frills, relying completely on the quality of the fish and the expertise of the chef. What a local gem!“

“friendly service and tasty food“

“We celebrated the Mother's Day here. Limited seating and only seating per night. I and my husband were so surprised by the very tasteful decoration of the restaurant, fantastic service and out of the world food. It is even better than the one in Toyko which we made reservation months ahead. The portion is just perfect for us. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. You have to try it to know what I meant.“

“Really just a phenomenal spot. Took a gamble the first time after a load out on the way to the airport; could really sit here and eat sushi all day. Very nice waiter/host that I remember both times - everyone was so welcoming. Local tofu appetizer was excellent. Every piece of fish I wanted more of especially the sea trout; exceptionally fresh and also well cut / not too large of a piece especially with the sashimi. Can’t wait to be back in the area so i can visit again“

“I have been meaning to write this review for years. Apologies for Jimmy and Ron for not writing it sooner.

First, I have to write about the people because they are the reason I love and will always love Kibatsu. Then, I'll write about my favorite dishes and the food.

The People:
I have been going to Kibatsu since 2014 so 12 years now. Before Kibastu, they were Sugoi Sushi in the Mission. I discovered them because they did catering for University of San Francisco. My college roommate and I befriended the young sushi chefs that came to the university, hung out with them once the sushi bar had officially closed and they encouraged us to come visit their Sugoi Sushi location.

Eventually we did and it became our Friday or Saturday night routine. Sometimes, we would splurge and go during the week (which for us as college students was a lot). But we loved them. Calvin, Ronald, (so sorry, I am totally blanking on the third guy's name but I see his face in my mind!) and Jimmy. The first three were the sushi chefs and Jimmy was the waiter - he always made room for us and always saved us our favorite booth in the front of the restaurant, closest to the windows. He remembered our classes and asked us how school was going. He always treated us to on the house mochi ice cream after each dinner. We would spend hours and hours there, camping out and chatting or doing our homework in the mood-lit, rustic, tastefully interior-decorated intimate setting, amid the hubbub of conversations and people enjoying the sushi. I remember Sugoi and those times really fondly - it was our safe space, our home away from home (dorm). Other times, we'd bring our friends. I can't even count how many people I and my roommate recommended this place to or brought there.

Then after we graduated, in 2018, they moved to the Haight and invited me to their opening night omakase which was a gift to everyone they invited. How sweet, thoughtful and amazing is that? Between Sugoi and Kibatsu, my partner and I met and Jimmy always remembers my partner and his two boys and asks about them when they're not with me. The boys love it here because of the large portions and how nice everyone is.

On my birthday this year, I decided I wanted to spend it at Kibatsu and Jimmy (who is now a sushi chef!!) and company went out and got me a birthday cake and brought it out before the rest of the dessert as a surprise. I almost cried. This is why I love Kibatsu and those who work there.

The Food:
The starter we always go for is the tataki dish which is albacore with delicious fried onion. The gyoza is always also a great way to go. We always get the omakase which is a true omakase with the different small plates, sashimi and nigiri. I love the salmon and umimasu nigiri as well as the negi salmon. Something special that Kibatsu does is they always surprise you with little gifts from the sushi chefs. For this past new year's they surprised us with a whole tray of steak and jumbo shrimp - a gift on the house. Their kindness never ceases to surprise us!

So there are some of our top favorites food wise and why Kibatsu has a special place in my heart. I hope you go and I hope you love it as much as I do. They work really hard, are so extremely kind and deserve the best.“

“Great food and great ambience � � love it so much“

“Really delicious and fresh fish here. Staff is attentive and helpful. We went relatively early and there was no wait. The timing of the food worked well too. If there is any hesitancy it's just that the cost adds up quickly (about $50- per person) with two cocktails and two sparkling waters and no dessert.“

“Came here for a dinner and tuna cutting and it was amazing. I didn't expect the tuna to be so large!

Good:
- Super cool explanation of how everything works and the chef adds some fun humor into it which makes it even more entertaining than the cutting already is.
- The buffet we had was so good, I loved the crepe cake dessert and grapes too, and there was shrimp, tuna, chicken, everything you could imagine
- The tuna was soooo fresh
- The staff were so kind and helpful!
- There was also a sake pairing and wine pairing which elevated the experience

Bad:
- Can be pricey!

Overall this was such a premium experience and so glad we got to experience it!“

“Great place. Friendly staff. Beautiful fish selections and daily specials. Limited open time, but absolutely worth going to.

I had the chirashi, rice beer, and panacotta - good relaxing night.

Reccomended!“

“Went out to celebrate a special day and decided to try ramen for the first time. I absolutely loved the depth of flavor in the broth—it was a great introduction to the dish. The fried chicken we ordered didn’t quite live up to expectations, but the yakitori skewers were outstanding and definitely the highlight of the meal. Overall, it was a memorable experience, and I’m excited to come back and explore more ramen options.“

“Unexpectedly good. Excellent nigiri. Hand rolls just right. Balance of fish and flavor. They have the basics and I’d love to see them venture to other kinds of fish like mackerel and sardine. If I lived locally I’d come here again and again. Nice Japanese music. Easy atmosphere. Enjoyable for a long meal.“

“one of my favorite places in the country to eat. whenever I'm in the Bay area, in here“

“It has a very interesting menu, I really enjoy the food.“

“The server was so nice and the food came out after 10 mins of ordering and the food was good and good portions. Recommended to get a drink of you're ordering food and apps. Cozy place in Geary. Loved the flavor on the K.O. ramen and the Kobe Ramen. The Curry Lamb rice plate was also pretty delicious.“

“We had a wonderful meal at Cafe Okawari before the Giants game. It’s a great location that’s 1.5 blocks from the ballpark, and very close to the Caltrain station. The restaurant was full when we got there, but the food still came out soon after we ordered.

We had chicken katsu curry, korokke curry, and a menchi (fried ground chicken) sando. The chicken katsu was among the best I’ve ever had, super juicy inside and crunchy outside. One of the greatest quick bites I’ve had in recent memory.“

“Tried some of their dishes, desserts and drinks.

For the main course we ordered Taiwanese fried pork chop noodle, clams & salmon in creamy mentaiko sauce, fried calamari and cucumber beef roll. My favorite was the creamy seafood spaghetti. I love white based sauce pasta in general so I knew I’d like this one off the bat. The salmon itself was cooked perfectly and I was surprised at how big of a piece they gave us! They definitely don’t skimp on their seafood!

For drinks we ordered passion fruit green tea, Teawood fruit tea and iced bear milk tea. My favorite is the milk tea! Always love a good Chinese style milk tea, it’s smooth and rich and slightly bitter from the tea. Yum!

For desserts we ordered grass jelly taro ball sundae and traditional tofu flake in bucket. My favorite had to be the tofu pudding dessert! It’s one of my favorite Chinese desserts, love eating it as is without any syrup. The taste is very light and delicate.“

“Best Omakase in town.“

“We went right at open and our group of 6 were almost seated immediately. We got the all you can eat package and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of meat that was offered. While the selection was basically lamb, beef and pork, all the meats were nice and tender.

However the staff seemed to have a problem with our table. They were not as friendly to us as they were to other tables. We don’t know if it was because of all the meat that we were eating but if we got the all you can eat, we will eat all that we can eat.

At the end of the meal we were given the option for ice cream which was a pleasant and tasty surprise.“

“Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful“

“Family operated business establishments are always the best!! Food is superb!! Price is competitive!“

“Excellent food, excellent service. We loved it. We had Shrimp Tempura Roll, Sexy Roll, Edamame, Miso Soup, Kirin Beer. Can’t wait to go back again.“

“Food was good but a bit more pricey than other Japanese sushi restaurants in terms of quantity and price. The service is good. The waitress is very attentive. We were seated at the section separating from the main seating area which is close to the door, so it was a bit cold because of the wind on that day. Overall is good but not great but will come back once in a while! :)“