35 Best Japanese Restaurants near University City

“Almost cried when I took a bite because it instantly reminded me of Korea🥲 Honestly, the cheese katsu is better than the one’s I’ve had there. Having 3 different side dishes per well and the effort of making every single item in the bento box so delicious reflects how much care and detail was put into making this. I normally never leave reviews, but this was so amazing. I will be back over and over again until the day I leave STL. Also, we got a little side dish on the house which was super tasty🥹“

“Ordered the spicy pork katsu ramen today.

It had a great first taste — bold and flavorful. Both the broth and the pork were rich and satisfying at first. But after getting through about half the bowl, I started to find it a bit too salty. The strong flavor, while impressive at the beginning, became a bit overwhelming as I kept eating.

Still, a solid choice if you enjoy intense, savory ramen — just be prepared for the saltiness!“

“The best omakase and the most beautiful restaurant!!“

“Tried the soy braised spicy noodles at the VegFest, Oct 6. It was so good, I had to find their page to see where the restaurant location was! Highly recommend trying them!“

“Food was amazing, and staff were very knowledgeable about selections and cuts available (shoutout to Jim). The Chongqing spicy broth added a great but not overbearing heat, while the sweeter Sukiyaki style broth paired perfectly with the beef we received. The course came with a plentiful amount of vegetables and other sides, with complementary additional spices and flavorings. Perfect place to grab a warm meal in the winter, at a great spot.“

“Lovvvvvve the sushi here!! Dining experience is a total vibe!“

“AMAZING food and incredible service. Jeff, our server, was very friendly and welcoming. He took his time walking us through the menu and answering all of our questions. The sushi here is next level and unlike anything I’ve experienced anywhere else. My wife and I cannot stop talking about our experience here!“

“I’m usually a shogun foodie but this north county Kasabi definitely can stand up against their yum yum sauce and hibachi chicken !!!“

“This neighborhood restaurant is a hidden gem! While the atmosphere is simple, it’s clear their focus is on delivering high-quality, delicious food. Every dish we tried was fresh and flavorful, showcasing their dedication to quality. The menu offers a great variety, so there’s something for everyone, and the prices are very reasonable, making it an excellent value. The staff was friendly and attentive, adding to the overall experience. If you’re looking for a place that prioritizes great food over unnecessary frills, this is it! Highly recommend for a casual and satisfying dining experience.

Kid-friendliness: Should be a great spot for kids.“

“Eating here is a must if you visit St Louis. My boyfriend and I went two days in a row. The service was amazing, the sushi is very high quality, it comes out quickly, and the cheesecake tempura is divine. 10/10“

“The Eggplant Katsu and Strawberry Sandos we had were great, but the Peach Boi was FANTASTIC. Amazingly tender and flavorful peaches with a bold cinnamon note, perfectly soothed by the generous portion of whipped cream. Thank you for the fun food IZUMI!“

“Eating here is a must if you visit St Louis. My boyfriend and I went two days in a row. The service was amazing, the sushi is very high quality, it comes out quickly, and the cheesecake tempura is divine. 10/10“

“Great service and great food“

“Still the same chicken teriyaki experience from years ago from the food court and that's a good thing! Crisp steamed vegetables with fried rice and good chicken made right in front of you. They always ask if you want sauce and ask for a second ladle of it.“

“Delicious and fresh! The staff is nice.“

“Would recommend it’s very good“

“We were in town visiting our son and found Sushi Koi in a Google search and decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed. John, our server, was great! The food was AMAZING! We had several rolls, sashimi soup, and fried tofu. The fish portions were very generous and the appearance of the plates was top notch! We will definitely go back home we are In town!“

“Absolutely love this place!“

“great food and fast and friendly staff“

“Great food and fast service!“

“The best all around staff in Kirkwood. Thank you for helping to make a wonderful birthday dinner for my daughter! Can’t wait to see you all again!“

“The food was delicious and the atmosphere was inviting. Loved it �“

“food, staff, outdoor dining :)“

“Great fresh food! Reasonable“

“Wonderful food. Elegantly presented sashimi, sushi, takoyaki, gyoza, udon, don buri (bowls of food), and other Japanese options. Many many types of sushi rolls. In total, there is not only more than standard Japanese fare, but it is also delicious, high quality, and beautifully presented. Many different sakes, mixed drinks, and Japanese beers along with international Gin, bourbon, tequila, rum options. They even have Japanese soda pop. Friendly and helpful staff. Lovely decor with exquisite hand painted scenes. I had been there once before and couldn’t wait to go back for seconds to show my adult son who also, this day enjoyed his food immensely.“

“Stop what you’re doing right now, and give this place a try. I’m not even joking, this was the best sushi restaurant I have tried in quite some time. Let me give you the run down on our experience:

My Dad and I have been looking for a good sushi spot for quite some time now. Tokyo Sushi is about a 10 minute drive for both of us, so we decided to stop in for dinner last night. This is a lovely restaurant inside, very clean and lots of comfortable seating.

Our server was phenomenal. He was prompt, attentive, and very friendly. We got started with some Gyoza, and also split a Philly Roll. We also decided to add on some Chicken Fried Rice incase those 2 weren’t sufficient in filling us up. Everything was bursting with flavor and tasted extremely fresh.

The Gyoza were soft and flavorful and the Philly Roll was super light and fresh, but the best item by a long shot was the Chicken Fried Rice. It tasted like something a luxury hibachi restaurant would whip up. The chicken was nice and crispy and the rice was browned and salty like it should be.

We will be back SOON to try more delicious menu items. Can’t believe this place has been flying under our radar for so long!“

“Love the food and the management but the servers not all but some are confrontational and rude. Made my daughter cry 😢 all because they gave us the wrong food and confronted us. I respect the management team because they stepped in right away and apologized. I love the food but they definitely need better professional servers.“

“This place is great! I'm from the Pacific Northwest where we have delicious Thai restaurants all over the place, and Thai Nivas is right up there in quality. Don't miss it! My favorite is yellow curry with extra vegetables. We're going to bring the rest of our family here.“

“Try the Ocean Pyramid it’s amazing!“

“The sushi is delicious. I got the sushi and sashimi chef special. Unexpectedly, there is wasabi in the sushi. The rolls were great! Was definitely enough food for two people, and the piece is about $70 after tax. Not too bad. I always wanted to come since I’ve heard good things from family. Now that I have, I will come back, just maybe not anytime soon. But overall the quality of the fish is fresh and good. I would’ve liked a little bit more rice on the sushi but it was good!“

“Service was friendly and fast, atmosphere was comfortable and clean. Food was tasty and seems to be fresh my wife and I enjoyed the pork tonkatsu, my son had the tempura 🍤 shrimp&rice bowl. We also had the strawberry 🍓 tea with mango 🥭 popping Boba. All i can say is that I cannot wait to go back and enjoy more dishes and flavors.“

“Literally the best chicken fried rice I've ever had in my life. I would eat here every day if I could, but we're a drives out. Regardless, its absolutely worth eating here. Its better than going to a hibachi restaurant, and far cheaper, too. The only downside is that I don't have a bigger spoon to scope more rice into my mouth at once.“

“With excellent flavor, great sushi, but with a very slow service!“

“From out of state while my mother was in the hospital, I ordered online and went to pick up my order. I mistakenly placed the order at the wrong location. Rebecca, the manager, was so helpful and understanding. She was very professional, as was Ana, the hostess. I will be back. Thank you.“

“This is one of my favorite restaurants. It has a wonderful Mongolian barbecue along with an incredible assortment of Asian foods. Their hot and sour soup is one of the best I’ve ever had. The sushi is very good and the service is always been polite and very attentive to clear plates. I have never been rushed as I enjoy talking endlessly to friends while eating here. The bathrooms are elegant and very clean however, I think the bathroom doors are very heavy. I believe that is why they are usually blocked open. They also have very quiet hand dryers. The lobby is also elegant , the doors are hard to open because there is a very strong air handling system that keeps fresh air circulated I enjoy bringing friends here For a relaxing meal and conversation. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a good place to eat.“