50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Livingston

“The food is top notch. From the soup to the sushi. Even the ice cream is delicious. What really bothers me though is the service. There is a 90 minute time limit which I get but when you are rushed to get out by an hour that’s not right. Also when you’re hounding tables waiting to literally take a plate because you have nothing else to do that’s a problem. Finally when you’re coming up to tables and asking them for platters back because you don’t have enough supposedly that’s not good either. Last night I was hounded constantly. Twice I had people tell me to move my sushi to my paper plate because they needed the platter. May I suggest buying more platters. Love the food and yes I know I’ll be back but the service was ridiculous in your face. Don’t come here for date night because they don’t leave you alone“

“Came here after work for dinner and was not disappointed. Appetizers and sushi came out very quickly, I ended up getting both a hot appetizer as well as one from the sushi bar. Additionally each of the three rolls I ordered were well made, all fish tasted fresh. I would return to sample more of their special rolls.“

“the food was fantastic. the staff was super nice and friendly“

“This was my first time visiting Dozo Sushi and the hostess noticed my order and asked if I was vegetarian. After confirming I was, she let me know she would have the team replace my one roll as the sauce contained oysters. I didn't know about the sauce, and would have never known if she hadn't asked, so I was impressed about the extra level of care. They quickly remade my roll and had me out the door with my tasty, customized, rolls. Excellent customer service and food! Thank you.“

“We tried this place out after seeing it many times over the past couple of years. Since our other place has since closed not far off, we went here and we weren't really disappointed. The egg rolls, we were told are homemade, do seem homemade and are good. The Chinese menu is small but does cover some of the classics enough to find a dish you like. They focus on Sushi there, but not our interest. We've gone a few times now, it's no home run, but no strikes yet. Might be a good to try, if in the area and in an asian fare mood.“

“The sushi was absolutely delicious, and the presentation of the food was beautiful. The rolls were also really good, with so many varieties to choose from. I also really enjoyed the udon and the salmon bento set—they were full of flavor. The atmosphere inside is warm and inviting, and the wall art is fun and memorable. The staff are incredibly kind and welcoming. It’s the kind of place I find myself coming back to often.“

“You’d never think this little spot in a strip mall area is anything, but it’s some of the best sushi I’ve ever had! Also the kimchi they give right when you sit down is amazing. I am a huge sushi fanatic and this is definitely Top 3 I’ve ever had. Service is wonderful.“

“Toro Special Roll - Recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Momichi Roll - Recommend！🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Mini Roll - Recommend！🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Caviar Roll - Recommend！🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Ura Roll - Recommend！🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Santa-Fe Roll - Recommend！🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Keywest Roll - Recommend！🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟“

“Sushi Koshi is my absolute favorite sushi spot! The food is always amazing fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. I find myself coming back all the time. The staff are super friendly, and the owner is wonderful too. We had such an amazing experience.“

“I love this place. Delicious food, fast and efficient service. I highly recommend.“

“just delicious!!“

“You cannot go wrong ordering here, I honestly cannot pick a favorite dish! Staff couldn’t be more warm and welcoming!“

“I had the seafood tempura. So much food that I had to take it home. Have to go back to try more menu items.“

“I love coming to Wasai Bistro whenever I’m visiting the east coast. I’ve followed Chef Nelson since his days at Aozora and Wabi Sabi. His food quality, menu options, and value are unmatched in the area. Once you try his food you will understand why he has so many repeat diners. I highly recommend the Mes Reves Roll, Uni and bone marrow ramen, Miso glazed sea bass entree and salmon lover entree but it’s very hard to go wrong with anything Chef Nelson serves. Parking is street parking only but honestly I’ve always had a very easy time finding a spot. BYOB so you can drink what you love.“

“Very good dinner. Good size portions for the price. Definitely will come back“

“A friend and myself came across this gem by happenstance. The wait staff is incredibly kind and patient. The atmosphere was calming and the food is FANTABULOUS!!! I recommend this place for lunch and dinner. Whether it's just friends or a casual date.“

“I had an incredible dining experience at this sushi place!
The food was fresh and absolutely delicious, with the fish tasting as if it was just caught.
The service was excellent attentive and friendly, making sure everything was perfect throughout the meal.
The highlight of the evening, though, was the mango panna cotta. It was the perfect way to end a delightful dinner—refreshing, smooth, and bursting with flavor. I cannot wait to return! Highly recommended!“

“Great service , good attention and fresh food“

“To start with, the service was fantastic. everyone was attentive to our needs but at no time did we feel like we were being pressured. The food was all delicious and the pricing for main dishes and sushi was very reasonable. The menu is very creative and the dishes are presented beautifully. Definitely worth trying and I would eat there again.“

“This place is fantastic, the taste is good, the service is friendly, the atmosphere is great. I'll come again next time.“

“We used to come here on a weekly basis pre-Covid. Loved the food, but didn't like the service and felt the wait staff was rude.

Recently we had dinner here a few times and something has changed. The decor has been updated as has the menu and the wait staff is much, much better. In fact, they recognize us as former customers and are always happy to see us. We have now returned to coming here more regularly as the food is very good.

Sakura has a parking lot as well as options to park on the street. We never wait when we come here and it's BYOB, so we enjoy bringing our own selection of sake or wines.

Nice varied menu with lots of choices. Our favorites are chirashi sushi, age dashi tofu, all their special rolls are wonderful and my all-time favorite appetizer which is large enough to be an entree - Summer Garden.“

“Love the sushi never a dull moment and the owner is very friendly and Great service“

“This was my first visit to Blue Wazabi I Loved It!! Large menu selection and wonderful food and portion size. Definitely, will visit again.“

“We've been meaning to to try so many of the new restaurants in the area. We finally got here for a late lunch today. Not surprisingly on a Thursday at 2PM and snowing, we had the place to ourselves. It was fortunate because the woman who took care of us explained everything to us in detail. I wasn't familiar with the Kurobuta pork. Apparently it's known as the, "Kobe beef of pork." All their pork come from Berkshire pigs. They come from a farm in Jersey. I'm guessing North Jersey. (Lot's of cool info if you Google them) Cooking is done using White charcoal which is used in traditional Japanese cooking. We started with the crispy cauliflower. It had crispy shallots & tahini vinegarette on them. They were delicious! Then the Shanghai bao. Filling was pork. (naturally) So delicious and juicy! When you slice them in half watch for the juice to squirt! We ordered six skewers. Two with pork jowel (cheek) Two regular pork and two fish. Again, delicious. i also had a bowl of spicy miso ramen. Our server explained how the broth is simmered for eight hours with pig bones and marrow. I could tell as the broth was very rich! That was it for us. We were both very full and i even took half of my ramen. We can't wait to return and bring friends! Highly recommend! ✌️“

“Me and my family have been coming here for years and they never disappoint. The sushi here is so fresh, and they have more fish options than any other place I’ve been to. The owners are wonderful and the service is fast and efficient. What’s not to love?“

“This is by far the best takeout sushi in at least a 20 mile radius, short of expensive sit down omakase. Fish is always fresh, never a “fishy” smell or taste, delivery and pickup orders always correct, very nice people. The fish to rice ratio in the rolls is perfect. Special rolls are a good value and delicious. Hope it stays in business for 50 years“

“The Sarku Japan in the willowbrook mall is the best one in the area. All the others are ok, but this one is always a perfect experience. The same guy makes my Rock & Roll every time and it’s always perfect. The set up on the counter where you can grab napkins, and pour your own soy sauce is always stocked. If you like this place but never experienced the one in the Willowbrook mall, I suggest you come and experience it. If you had sushi from a Sarku Japan and didn’t like it, then I know you were at one not at willowbrook mall.“

“Woman who takes orders is absolutely the worst. It’s my birthday she won’t even give a single smile or have any sense of being personable. You need to replace her or your reputation is gonna go down the drain. Ruined my birthday lunch. I had a feeling she might be awful every day cause this has happened before so we called ahead to warn it was my birthday and they assured we should come. Regret it! Seriously get rid of her!!!!!!“

“Food, like always, was very very good. The serving was plenty and the taste unmatched. The menu offers plenty of choices. It was so delicious and plentiful that my wife and I, even giving it the old college try, were unsuccessful in finishing our meal. Well then a takeout is necessary. Something to munch on later.“

“Food is actually fair as compared to what we have tried for other japanese resto. Crews are pleasant. Ample spacing between tables, comfortable seats. High chair seen. Restroom is clean and smells neutral. Parking is difficult if it gets busy. See images and video for reference.“

“Solid spot for sure. Pricey but you get what you pay and this place doesn't disappoint. I've been to a few Morimoto's so I anxiously awaited the opening of this new location as it more convenient for me than the others. The sushi was top notch and my Australian wagyu was next level amazing! Next time, I think I'll order a tomahawk steak or prime rib as I saw a few other people having them and they looked great too. Regretted not ordering one but I'll be back for sure and not as the DD, saki was on point!“

“sakae sushi has delicious foods.“

“Came here for happy hour / early dinner. Sat at the bar, service was great! Alberto helped us for most of the night and was so friendly and attentive. Can’t wait to come back!“

“Delicious sushi! Good prices. Lots to pick from - we enjoyed a bit of everything from the sushi menu. They have a few tempura rolls, a few naruto rolls (cucumber wrapped, no rice), and a whole 2 pages for regular and special rolls. I enjoyed everything my table tried. Lots of variety to find something for you!

Lost a star for me on service - vibe is nice but we waited a while to order and receive our check even though there were very few guests dining in on a Friday night. Seems like a great takeout choice otherwise!“

“Food was Delish and Service was great!😊👍🏼“

“I get poke here after all my afternoon hikes and it’s definitely one of the best in NJ. Ingredients taste fresh and the portions are fair and filling. Theres so many different combinations. You get up to 2 protein, 5 topping, 3 crunchy toppings, and 2 sauce. Everying else is a bit extra. Really yummy and I’ll continue to eat here“

“My people, this was the best food I have had scene the age of 11. It was splendid. You will enjoy every bite i promise you. I got the eel sushi. It all most made me pass out it taste so good. The texture and presentation was a living experience. Please don't deprived yourself of a wonderful experience 😇“

“Fast and easy meal that is a pleasure to watch being made. The chefs really know their craft. the noodles are the perfect degree of softness and the teriyaki sauce has the perfect hit of sweetness which complements the shrimp and chicken. They're vegetables are perfectly cooked and not too crunchy. I loved coming here when I worked in Newark.“

“Delicious! We always enjoy it there.“

“My daughter and her roommate from rutgers went there got all you could eat sushi weren't happy with it and they were charged for the entire thing even though they told the owner it didn't taste right they've been sick for the last 2 days throwing Up from both ends don't go near this place“

“Definitely one of our go to places to eat in Westfield but then again can’t fault any restaurant. Food is always amazingly fresh, service is friendly and welcoming and the drinks free flowing….“

“They have a nice selection of Japanese dishes, Bento boxes, Assorted Boba teas, sushi and other tasty Japanese cuisine. I ordered the teriyaki shrimp with lomein. It had cabbage and assorted veggies with it. I had eaten the vegetables before my post.?“

“Creative, fresh and delicious.“

“Food is good, I got the classic teriyaki chicken bento box. The Cali roll was good too. Edamame wasn’t very fresh, some of them had a moldy taste, but the salad and ginger dressing was good. This is definitely a pick up spot, it’s pretty dingy inside, not very clean and there’s no decor. The owners are very sweet and always have a smile on their face. I would recommend it if you want a very filling, pretty healthy, quick meal.“

“Always delicious hot
fresh soups, sushi yummy, flavorful fusion dishes & lady server is always good to us, BYOB.services are great.recommend to all visitors.Extremely important Always Now more than ever to Support local ,during this tariff war& devastating trump agenda.highly recommend when traveling to area“

“I had the chicken teriyaki, and it was delicious! The flavors were spot-on, and it was a satisfying meal. While I've occasionally encountered servers who seemed a bit grouchy, my recent visits have been more pleasant, which I appreciate. A friendly attitude really makes a difference—it’s good for business and makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone. Let’s all aim for a little extra kindness; it goes a long way!“

“Wonderful Japanese restaurant in the heart of downtown Cranford! Staff are courteous, attentive, and very accommodating. I especially appreciate the options of separate checks and allowing external cakes to be brought in for special occasions. Other places charge or don’t offer them at all, which is why I will continue to give Mizu my business. The sushi is absolutely amazing. The calamari or tuna avocado rolls are delightful. Dinner entrees never disappoint. Tempura, Teriyaki, and Crispy Red Snapper are incredible, just to name a few. I highly recommend this place and can’t wait to go back. BYOB.“

“We always enjoy Yuki Hana. Since pandemic we've only ordered take-out, but look forward to dining in-person soon. Favorite dish, besides sushi, is katsudon. Delicious!“

“The minute I walked in I knew I was in an awesome place. The staff was wonderful and the food was unbelievable. My girlfriend and I need to go back soon as there is too many things I want to try.“

“The food was quite delightful. When we came in we were seated immediately. Our orders were taken within 2 minutes and the food came out just 5 minutes later. The atmosphere was warm and cozy. The authenticity was also quite marvelous. Definitely coming back!

Dietary restrictions: Not sure I don’t have any.

Kid-friendliness: Pretty kid friendly. I saw that there were high seats for children and small kids enjoying everything.

Wheelchair accessibility: You have to get up stairs to go here so it might not be the best option but if you manage to get up, there is quite a lot of space for a wheelchair“