30 Best Japanese Restaurants in Raleigh

“Made us something not on the menu and it was on the house! Waitstaff was very friendly :)“

“Very good food and friendly relaxing awesome etc“

“Casual spot located inside Transfer Food Hall. While it's a low key and Casual spot, their food is excellent. While drinks aren't shown in my photos, they also have fun and delicious cocktails. You can counter order or get service depending the time.“

“Was solid and Abby was a beautiful and attentive waitress.“

“Ventured out from our normal sushi mainstay to try something new, based on something we saw on Instagram. It turned out to be a fantastic choice. Upon arrival, there was a buzz and you got the sense this was anymore traditional restaurant versus those that position themselves as trendy. There was an electricity in the air and the sound of a bell being rung whenever someone leaves a tip at the bar. We ordered the omakase. The chef personally came out to speak with us, explaining the courses, and asking about allergies. Then our journey began. We had six courses of 16 nigiri and 5 rolls the chef created for the evening. Every piece was a feast for the eyes and a treat for the taste buds. You knew it was fresh just by sight, but it all came together when you slid them in your pinhole. All in all, this was an excellent first impression. I will return and explore the menu. My only negative is very personal, because I'm a lazy driver and would prefer a closer location. Cheers!“

“** updated review **
I went back this weekend with my boyfriend, and I am so glad I did. This time I had absolutely no issues whatsoever the food was wonderful the sushi was wonderful and the wonderfully stupid little light in the volcano roll was just wonderful.
This time I got the general tso's and the volcano roll, and my boyfriend, who is somewhat of a sushi snob got the three roll special. The food quality was excellent in the portion sizes were large enough that both of us had plenty to take home.

**Previous review**
I'm leaving a four-star review with some regret that I couldn't make it a five. The ambiance was great when I walked in, I was promptly seated. My server came out and took my order, and left me with a carafe of water on the table. I ordered the chicken teriyaki lunch, and a volcano roll. The salad that comes with your lunch came out promptly it was tasty, not long after that the teriyaki came out. I cannot tell you exactly how good this teriyaki was, because it was phenomenal. Hower, I never got my volcano roll, and at the end of the meal when I got my check I was charged for the teriyaki dinner. I will be coming back at some point to try this again. I would definitely recommend trying it for anyone looking for good moderately priced Japanese food. However this time around service left something to be desired. My waiter was perfectly friendly, and nothing took forever. But it just seems like he wasn't listening when I ordered. I do give him props for boxing up my leftovers very well though I'm excited to have them later.“

“First visit with the kids and it was amazing. The staff were all great and the food was beyond amazing 🤩. I will definitely be back and will bring more people with me.“

“Went with my mom for the first time all the good was good and the menu tells u clearly if something's raw or spicy but not what's all In the roll. They had K-pop playing as well it was nice and clean. At the end it was $60 for the both of us for almost 2 hours.“

“A really good ramen bowl at an excellent price. I got the tonkotsu bowl and added pork belly and bok choy, but the base portion was generous enough that I could easily have ordered with no add ons and been fine. I also had the chicken karaage which was crispy and delicious and like the ramen, was a generous portion at a very reasonable price. I would definitely come back. The menu isn't huge, but there were other things I'd like to try, and that menu focus probably helps them keep such good prices so I'm fine with it. I'd definitely recommend for a quick bowl.“

“Hibachi Bowl is always tasty. I always get the Hibachi Chicken with the complimentary sweet tea. The accompanying fried rice is always great too. The service was quick as usual, and the seating area was clean and tidy.
I always enjoy a lunch at Hibachi Bowl!

Parking: Located in a shopping plaza, there's plenty of free parking in the lot.“

“Best hidden gem. Amazing food and super friendly staff. We’ll be back soon!“

“good food. sat outside, nice atmosphere“

“My husband almost moved to Raleigh when we were engaged because of Sake House. Both our families & his job being in Virginia tipped the scale in that direction, but not by much. The sushi is excellent“

“This is my go-to comfort food after a hard day at work. Chicken hibachi noodles with extra broccoli for just $14.13 after tax, which I usually get 2 meals out of (1 meal if I'm HONGRY). The staff are always friendly, sweet, quick, and helpful. They've never asked for tips, and there's not a tip field on the receipt, which makes me want to tip them more in the jar, lol. Their food is SO GOOD, I have to close my eyes when I take a bite to savor it. Wonderful place and staff. Thank you for being my comfort place after my tiring days.“

“Fast service. Lovely surroundings, beautiful carved tables and great good.“

“Yummy!!! That’s where I’ll start! I’m original from SC and I’ve been trying to find a restaurant here in NC that’s similar to my favorite hibachi place in my hometown. I had the teriyaki chicken and it was everything I expected! Although it’s not exactly the same, it’s close enough and made my tummy smile. I’ll be a returning customer for sure!

(I’m a white sauce lover and felt I didn’t need it for this meal so that’s a plus plus!)“

“The sushi was excellent and really good value. However, it seems to be more of a take-away restaurant. It is possible to eat there but only in the take away boxes. However, this has no influence on the very good taste.

Parking: The parking lot is not in the immediate vicinity.“

“Great food and excellent service and all you can eat for under $20“

“Love it the people was nice food was great“

“First off, Courtney who took care of us was wonderful the whole time

We had the Gyoza Dumplings which were great.

We also shared the hamachi tale sushi and double fried wings which were some of the best wings we’ve ever had (recommend the Spicy gogo flavor) and finished it all off with Ube Cheesecake which was absolutely delicious.

Can’t recommend this place enough ☺️“

“Great Lunch option! I get the lunch boxes for my employees and they all like how meaty and filling it is.“

“affordable, nice flavors although the rice + noodles can be a bit bland

really nice service but they have a tendency of getting your order wrong---overcooked meat from what id request, added vegs when not desired, etc.

modern, spacious with ordering kiosks and loyalty cards“

“Since moving from NY to NC, I've been looking for a really good Japanese Steak place like a Benihana or, where I came from on Long Island, we had a place called Shiro's. I found the food at Umanmi to be excellent...and, plan to go back soon.“

“Nice place. Fried dumplings were so good.“

“The tonkotsu ramen is delicious! I’ve had it a few times now and it’s always been great! My only slightly negative comment is about the bowls, they are a little flimsy. We took our ramen to go and it had leaked through the bottom only a couple of minutes into the drive home. Thankfully it wasn’t a bad leak, but we had a very short drive and had to immediately put it in a different container when we got home.“

“Love it the people was nice food was great“

“Wonderful place for Dinner“

“We got hibachi chicken and shrimp. The chicken and shrimp didnt have much flavor at all. And the rice didnt have any good taste either. The veggies were pretty good. Daughter got the shrimp and scallop hibachi and it was too salty. 4 stars bc service was pretty good. But was disappointed in the food.“

“Had an amazing real good food just like at my friends house :) brings me back. Market I loved got more than I wanted :)“

“I order from here all the time. The staff is nice and my food is always great. I get the Tenko Chicken. Quick, convenient, predictable comfort food. And it's kind of silly, but I don't have to ask anyone for chopsticks, you can just grab them as you need them.“