19 Best Japanese Restaurants in Kansas City

“This place hands down. has the best of the best and the freshest food. #1 in kcmo kata nori for me is a number 1 pick..“

“We visited Akoya Omakase to celebrate my husband’s birthday. The chef’s counter experience was top notch. Chef Peter was engaging and provided thoughtful notes on each item served. We also enjoyed engaging with Josh and admired his careful and skilled approach to ensuring that tables received the same beautiful plating and food. Allowing for Chef Peter to select our menu created a fun and delightful dining experience. This place is a 1/1 on the Kansas City food scene in our opinions, and we are already looking ahead to find a time to come back.“

“It had been a while since we ventured into downtown KCMO, and we genuinely enjoyed the atmosphere. Overall, the food was good, though not quite at the level we expected for the price. One clear takeaway: avoid the fried items. We wish we had read the negative reviews beforehand, because the wings were unfortunately the worst we’ve ever had overly oily and lacking flavor. As a big wings fan, the execution was especially frustrating: the batter wasn’t right, the texture was greasy, and the seasoning simply missed the mark. The shrimp toasts were also disappointing—very soggy bread to the point that I felt it wasn't cooked in the middle.

That said, the “Japanese‑style” dishes featuring raw fish were much better. The sushi taco was a standout, and my friends really enjoyed the bone marrow beef tartare. For the main course, the scallop pasta had great potential, but the salt was heavy—particularly on the scallops and toward the bottom of the bowl, even after mixing.

On a positive note, the drinks, desserts and service were excellent, easily deserving five stars.“

“I’ve driven past this place for years, and decided to get dinner here on a whim. I got the bulgogi bento box which was fantastic. The bulgogi had great flavor, as well as everything that came with it. We decided to get a fried cheesecake…dude, it was so good. Get the fried cheesecake.“

“I’ve been here about a dozen times and I get the same thing every time, the Shanghai udon, and it is my new comfort food. It is so, so good. The sauce on it is absolutely divine. I want to try more menu items but the udon is so good I keep coming back to it“

“Hands down my favorite tonkatsu ramen in KC. The made from scratch broth is absolutely delicious. Never disappoints. My husband and son say it’s as good as the best ramen they’ve eaten in Japan. It’s that kind broth I especially crave when feeling under the weather. The seating is small but always very clean and parking is easy as they have their own lot.“

“Wow!!! I stopped into Teriyaki Madness for the first time tonight and it was incredible! The food was amazing—fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Every bite was packed with bold teriyaki flavor. The service was fast and friendly, and the portions were generous. This place is definitely a new favorite! Can’t wait to come back!“

“I got the spicy crab roll, fried godzilla roll, and crab rangoons. Absolutely amazing flavor! Fresh rangoons and fresh rolls. Only took about 15 minutes for the crab rangoons and 10 minutes for the rolls. They give you about 10 pieces for the godzilla. About 6 pieces for the spicy crab. Great prices too!“

“Thoroughly enjoyed our sushi/hibachi dinner!“

“I love this place. Without a doubt, my favorite sushi place. I've been to Japan twice, LA and Seattle for extended work travel but yet this place is my favorite. I love simple classic sushi/nigiri and this place does a great job of that. This place has good hibachi and specialty rolls as well.“

“We were glad to find Koji and his family again in this wonderful little restaurant! The food was exceptional . Koji and Miguel picked what we were served and we were not disappointed. Was like being at Nara only better . It's a great family owned restaurant. We felt like we were in our own kitchen being served by these wonderful people!“

“Best sushi I have found in all of KC, went to some recommended spots that were expensive, tiny portions, lack flavor and rice that was mush, always end up back at Me. Le's, I would eat here more but they take time off between lunch and dinner and my mid shift job has lunch at 2pm.“

“Great food and service! Delicious every time!“

“Fantastic food. Very fresh. We went for an early dinner and there was no wait. Robot cat is super cute. I cant wait to go back“

“I’ve been coming here for years and it’s constantly been my favorite Asian food based buffet. It’s nothing fancy but always tasty, always clean and I’ve always had great service!“

“First time here, good quality foods and large portions for fairly low dollars. We will return.“

“The sushi and hibachi food is very good and if you sit on the hibachi side it’s entertaining. There’s 3-4 hibachi tables and maybe 8-10 tables for sushi and a small sushi bar you can sit at.

The place isn’t overly noisy, it’s actually pretty quiet most of the time because they never have music playing or anything. It is fairly clean, small bathrooms, and there is always Valentine’s Day heart decorations year round haha.

So the atmosphere isn’t “amazing” or “romantic” however, the food is delicious and their alcoholic beverages are decent.

But I do recommend them simply based on their food. It’s good for eating there and for getting it to-go, it is always fresh.“

“All time favorite habachi grill hands down? I have tried different ones in the surrounding area and nothing compares to this place. Service is awesome every time. Never a let down. Highly recommend it you haven't ate here yet.. PS.. best yum yum sauce as well nothing compares to it🤤🤤“