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“

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

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“So it was my birthday, and I really wanted sushi. There is no dearth of quality sushi restaurants in San Francisco, however almost all of them are omakase – and to be honest, I am not a huge omakase fan (and I speak Japanese, have lived in Japan, and have consumed sushi all over the world – omakase does not necessarily mean better). Kuma’s execution and fish quality is some of the best I have had in the US in a long time. I dined with my mother, who is a Hamachi kama fan, and she said it was one of the best she has ever had. The atmosphere is no frills, and there were only two staff working the floor, one was I believe the manager – but service was attentive. Overall, this is probably my favorite new place to have non-omakase sushi in the city. Definitely recommend, and you definitely need a reservation.“

“Best authentic Japanese restaurant in town.“

“Taniku Izakaya is a great spot for skewers and a solid casual night out. I really liked the spicy scallop hand rolls and the takoyaki, and the food overall was worth the wait. It does get busy, and there was a line since reservations are only for a couple tables, but we only waited about 20–30 minutes. The vibe was lively, and everything felt well worth it.“

“5-Star Review

Tiny Sushi - Oh Baby is such a fantastic spot! The sushi was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared, and the whole experience was wonderful. The atmosphere was welcoming, and the service was friendly and attentive. Everything came together perfectly for a great meal. Definitely a 5-star experience—I’d happily come back again!“

“Best Omakase in town.“

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

“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!“

“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.“

“Service feels a bit chaotic and the tables are a little too close together but the food is good! Prices are a bit higher than some menu photos here - $40 per nabe now. Good portion size though, would come back. Make a reservation if coming on a weekend night“

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

“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.“

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

“friendly service and tasty food“

“A great, local izakaya that really shines with kushi (skewer) cuisine. In addition to kushi, they also have several other dishes that are delicious, but especially the chicken-skin gyoza and their karaage. They also have a solid sake selection. I’ve been here several times and am always eager to come back. Heads up that if you come hungry then leaving full will probably run you at least $50 per person without drinks.“

“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“

“It’s easy to find sushi restaurants with high-quality fish these days, but good shari (the rice) is still hard to come by in San Francisco. The moment the chef told everyone to eat the sushi right away, I knew he really knew what he was doing. Sure enough, when he placed it on the plate, the shari gently sank - perfect texture. Saw someone complaining that the rice fell apart… you belong at a place that serves edamame and California rolls 👋 lol“

“The appetizer course alone was worth the visit — miso-marinated grilled fish, crispy fried river shrimp, and inari sushi filled with hijiki rice. We also added sashimi and it was excellent too. Delicate, but with real depth of flavor. After that you choose from three mains; I went with the duck served over a soba-based salad, which was perfectly summery — cool, light, and refreshing. I am originally from Japan, and this genuinely felt like sitting in a ryotei back home. This was lunch, so I’m curious to come back for dinner next time!“

“A small, family-run spot tucked between Broadway and the Transamerica Pyramid delivers the kind of honest, soul-warming lunch that’s increasingly rare in the city. Run by a lovely older couple who treat every customer like a regular, this no-frills counter serves up comfort food at prices that feel like a time capsule.

Cash/venmo only so you know it's fire“

“First time.
Friendly staff in a casual spot. Table and booth seating.
Lots of options and we chose 2 rolls (Toro & Scallop) and a bento 3 item option (Salmon, Shaba, and Kaki).
For the rolls, the tuna and scallop was fresh and melts in your mouth. The bento fishes were moist and good portioned. The kaki (oyster) was plump and nicely fried.
Overall, a wonderful meal and a place that we will visit again. A solid option for all.“

“Food was amazing and happy hour were very decent prices. I'm definitely coming back to try more, especially the beer! Service was super fast.
I had oysters and takoyaki both were so good, perfectly cooked takoyaki ❤“

“Great place food is super salty tho.“

“Its Order to Go. No seating inside but a nice bench sitting area outside for anyone worked well for us. Checked the menu..its ONLY what is available nothing more..nothing less. Fresh sushi done well. Would love more options but what we had was good. Would not hesitate to eat here again when I am in the area and like a quick bite. Liked all my orders of Hamachi Donburi and mixed sushi..salmon aka saki which I hardly eat these days was fresh and on point. I really enjoyed the scallops hand rolls.“

“Watermelon 🍉 Roll; no rice, refreshingly good Fried seafood chips appetizer; I wanted it as a meal it’s a different yum 😋 Ice cream sandwich wow!“

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

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

“1000/10. This place is hard to get a table at because it only seats 20 people. They only do one serving, but this was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in all of San Francisco. The menu constantly changes so you get a new experience every time you would come. We’ll be going back.“

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

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

“Beautiful food and excellent service – went for my husband's birthday and it was a special meal. Servers were super attentive and explained the various cuts of meat and preparation, and everything is cooked right in front of you, which makes for a cool experience. Every bite was delicious!“

“The food smacks and the music they play always slaps.“

“The ingredients, the flavors, they're all top-notch.“

“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!“

“Emma ,Julio and staff great!“

“What we had:
3 hand rolls lunch (salmon, spicy tuna and unagi) with miso soup and edamame
4 premium handrolls options (A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, Japan Hokkaido Uni, A5 Wagyu Uni & Caviar, Uni Toro & Caviar)
Small plates: Maguro Ponzu and Tuna Tartare

This is an open kitchen setting, you can see the chef make every hand roll and serve the roll right to the dishes in front of you! The quality of the fish was excellent, everything tasted fresh, and you could really appreciate the simplicity of each hand roll. The rice was well-seasoned, and every bite highlighted the freshness of the ingredients. The premium hand rolls were definitely the stars, fatty, flavorful, if you’re a fan of uni and wagyu you have to try it.

The Maguro Ponzu and Tuna Tartare was refreshing and light, it's a great appetizer to share between hand rolls.

That said, I have to be honest, it is kinda pricey. The premium hand rolls add up quickly, so it’s definitely more of a treat-yourself kind of meal rather than an everyday sushi spot. Still, if you’re willing to spend on fresh hand rolls, it’s worth checking them out.“

“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.“

“Good fresh comfort food, warm friendly family business“

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

“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!“

“Fantastic atmosphere & fantastic food. We had the bento for dinner (not an option on the dinner menu, you have to ask for it). The sashimi is especially stellar and is honestly better than a number of omakase sushi I have had at much more expensive places. Portion was great - We came in very hungry and left very satisfied!“

“I had a great time over there. Delicious food 🥘“

“Abby was super kind and gave great service!! Unagi skewer was insanely good, but a lil on the sweet side but that’s just my prefance. The Yuzu lager was refreshing, could definitely taste the yuzu, its on the rotating draft menu though.“

“Great food & ambiance! Ron & Jennifer have done it again! ❤️“

“I cannot say I had a bad experience. Everything was my favorite“

“Another night, another sushi craving so we stopped by this place just down the road from our place. We each ordered the nigiri dish with 10 different pieces to sample , a hand roll(not pictured), and an extra order of the scallops because they were so tasty.
This place is a little pricey but well worth a visit for a date night special treat“