13 Best Japanese Restaurants in Lexington

“The best Japanese restaurant I’ve eaten at. The food was outstanding!! Adam was awesome - he was friendly, attentive, and gave us the best suggestions!! Our favorite of the evening was the xoomer sushi with wagyu beef, crab, shrimp, avocado and cream cheese! I wish this restaurant was near us but unfortunately we live in Raleigh, NC!“

“Nice chat with the main chef when I visit this restaurant. She is very knowledgeable about the nigiri ? and different salts that I have never heard about it. I like the atmosphere in there and definitely will come again if I visit Lex again. Plus I also like the Zensai-crispy rice the boy chef made it, the sauce is my favorite. ? yummy“

“I love Osaka! I've been eating here for years, and I've never left disappointed. The food is always tasty, no matter what you get, and the staff is super pleasant. My co-workers and I used to roll in here with a crew of 6-8 people on a regular basis, and the staff always recognized us. Even when placing large orders, our meals would arrive quickly.Parking: Sometimes the parking is not great. The restaurant is located in a little shopping center with some other restaurants and businesses, and the parking lot is often packed as a result.“

“Michikusa Japanese Restaurant. This is my second time having lunch here and I’ve made up my mind: this is one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in Lexington, KY.The owner himself Hiroshi Aoyagi, who is also the chef, will fix your sushi and your perspective on sushi in general. I’ve been to Japanese restaurants that, within the first and second visit, the salmon sashimi cut got significantly smaller just like my paycheck after tax.But not Michikusa, no sir. In my second visit, the salmon is just as plump fresh and juicy as the first one. As a Christian, my meal here even made me pray twice: one standard prayer for before meal, and one after meal to thank the Good Lord for salmons. I don’t know about you but I think that salmons are also wonderfully made.I started with Agedashi Tofu and went with one of their lunch special options: Mini Salmon-don with half Udon/Soba. Udon and Soba are both noodles and due to my high blood pressure, I googled real quick which one is healthier then elegantly asked for Soba, please. I looked like I know what I’m doing, I wish my mom were here to see it It’s worth noting that 18% gratuity (tip) is automatically added to your bill so when the bill arrives, what you pay is what you see. I like that. I always have a hard time counting tip and math. They are just not my love language.I know I’ll be back and you should try it out, too! Aoyagi Hiroshi-san, arigatōgozaimashita!“

“Incredible dinner in a fabulous atmosphere. When we inquired about the building’s history we were given a personal tour. Joslin was so enthusiastic & knowledgeable it’s now going to be a “must-stop” when we’re back in Lexington.“

“From the outside, it really doesn't look like much. They have their menu and pictures of their dishes plastered everywhere. Upon walking inside, there's a fish tank with large goldfish and koi fish before you get inside the restaurant. The entranceway is colder than the restaurant and the fish tank looks dirty and cramped, and I am a little concerned about the fish. Given, that's not food related. Going inside, the staff didn't have a host, they just asked you how many was in your party from afar and were pointed towards a table. The wait staff is so sweet and kind. The wait time for food isn't bad. We ordered, and within a couple minutes, our food came out quick. We got our gyoza after we finished our sushi. Food quality - my God. Given the price and the look of the place, I'd be a little worried about the quality. However, the tuna looked and tasted superb. Very fresh. In other places, I've had troubles with ebi looking gray around the edges, but here, not at all. It looked perfect. My only gripe is that it tasted of ginger from the sushi chef accidentally touching the ginger before handling the ebi. Aside from that, the spicy crab roll, while it was imitation crab, it still had this smoky quality to it that other rolls of its kind don't have. Their spicy mayo or sauce was so delectable. When we did get our gyoza, we also got an order of spring rolls on the house. We loved them! We're not into vegetable heavy items, but that was flavorful! The crunchiness of the outside negated the vegetable texture. The gyoza...I love Japanese food. I have been to multiple places and tried multiple dumplings. The general consensus is that a lot of places get store bought dumplings and fry them. The few places that don't don't have nearly as much flavor as Happy Sushi. The gyoza was not overly oily or crunchy. It had a yummy browning and while it did have a light crunch, it wasn't teeth hurtingly crunchy you get at some places. The filling is pork, they do not skimp on the seasoning or flavor. It was amazing. We went yesterday and I swear I saw thise gyoza in my dreams. So good that after being full, we wanted a second order. The ponzu sauce was great. Overall, quality was great. The two brown sugar boba teas are huge for 6 dollars. Usually, anywhere we've went to, it's expensive, but here, it seems that even though it's a similar price point, the quantity is more. Shake your boba when you get it to separate the syrup from the tea! The taste was up to bar. It's even more flavorful than Bumble Bites in Richmond. Staff consistently checked on us.“

“Yall! This is the place! Fellow vegetarians/vegans, this is an incredible spot to check out. Blue has an extensive vegan sushi menu & it is DIVINE.I have never had any sushi I’ve enjoyed, so I was uncertain at first. I met my parents here for dinner since they are huge sushi lovers & I wasn’t sure what to expect. This was absolutely some of the best food I’ve had in a minute at a restaurant as a vegetarian. Started off with the charred edamame, bc who doesn’t love a great bowl of edamame before dinner? I use to not love sushi bc of the seaweed wrap, so I was happy to know they had alternatives, soy rice paper & cucumber. I enjoyed their Thai & Crunchy Cabbagge rolls. I was shocked at how much I loved sushi, even went back a day later lol. Everything was super tasty. The flavors & textures were everything!!! Not only was the food great, but I highly recommend sitting at the bar. Our bartender Gabrielle provided excellent service. My family & I appreciated your kindness! Gabrielle was extremely knowledgeable about the menu. My mom is gluten free & we are always grateful when our server is eager to help & knows how to accommodate.Thank you for your service, can’t wait to come back!Vegetarian options: HUGEEEE VEGAN MENU!Dietary restrictions: Easy to eat GF, Vegan, & Vegetarian!Parking: Not bad parking, on busy nights be prepared to maybe have a 5 minute walk to Blue!“

“This is my go-to, definitely one of the quickest and most convenient places to get great hibachi at a price that’s friendly for on the go. I don’t ever feel guilty eating their great plates! Sometimes hit or miss on meat just right but I could care less as the overall protein and flavor are “

“I absolutely love sushi blue! this is probably one of my most favorite restaurants in Lexington! I absolutely love the sushi on fire and the spicy bulgogi ramen! I also love the sake bloody mary! I’ve been coming here for 8+ years and it’s definitely a great place to go for late night food.“

“Kyoto is absolutely amazing, the food and service is always wonderful. This restaurant is always a huge hit with my family! One of the best places for combination fried rice and their bowls! I would have included a food image but I ate it before I remembered haha. Definitely recommend trying them out!“

“Drove almost 2 hours here for the AYCE sushi and we were not disappointed. We had tried Sumo2 3 months ago, but learned they have since closed so we came here. While I would not say this is authentic Japanese, the fish is still of really good quality and the rolls are creative! Our waiter was also kind, patient and attentive. We will definitely return again ☺️“

“School Sushi Lex is one of the best places for ramen + sushi in Lex! This is a great spot for a date night or just hanging out with friends. The atmosphere is wonderful, and the staff is super friendly! Definitely a great place to try something new on the menu!“

“Great spot! I had only ever come here for hibachi dinner, and it has been several years since I've done that, but I decided to have lunch here the other day. Definitely one of the best bento boxes I've had in Lexington. I ordered the steak teriyaki with ginger salad, edamame, and a tuna roll. Pretty standard stuff, but noticeably higher quality than some of their competitors, and for a good price too! Service was friendly and pretty quick, the ambiance in the sushi/bar area is nice and relaxing (at least during the day). I was very impressed with the tuna roll despite it being a very basic choice, I will definitely be back to try more of their sushi rolls!“