50 Best Japanese Restaurants near South Orange

“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.“

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

“A favorite for sure. I’ve always experienced great and friendly customer service. My family and I have eaten here more times than I can count. Our go to meal is the chicken teriyaki. The portions are large and I’ve shared a single order between three or four people before. The portions have gotten a bit smaller recently, but it’s still plenty of food and easy to share. The teriyaki is excellent.“

“Great food, great prices, great service!!! I will definitely be returning.“

“Nothing… but good things to say about this place. Seriously. Not only was our food vivacious, extraordinary, and a religious experience for the palate — our server, Sam, was nothing but helpful and attentive throughout our entire meal. He was incredibly inviting and warm (this guy should do stand up) and our experience would not have been the same without him. Now for the food. The flavors… where do I even begin? Rich. Luxurious. Multi-faceted. Whether it’s a poke bowl or a shrimp tempura roll you are guaranteed a transformative experience. When eating here, be ready for excellence. No joke. 11/10 will be coming back. Additionally, the atmosphere in this niche underground Montclair spot was nothing short of perfection. Both the songs and the beautiful views of the raw bar were essential to our wonderful experience. Till next time Sushi Koshi.“

“Excellent Ramen. Great service. Great little spot. The kimchi they bring you is divine, spicey, and delicious. The Spicey Ramen I had was amazing, even down to delicious bean sprouts. The spring rolls were on point. By far the best shrimp tempora I've had. Simple, light, crisp and delicious. Oh and the house sake was fantastic. If you're in the area, check this place out. It will not disappoint!“

“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.“

“just delicious!!“

“Honestly this is one of the best places I have been recently! I looked on a top rated place and found this one. It lived up to it's name! Sushi was fresh and delicious. We also had perfectly salty edamame and yummy mochi. They even gave us an extra one! If was a very calm place only sushi bar seating but YUM!“

“Love Curiosity! Delicious, fresh and well priced food. The garden provides a great atmosphere. The staff is so friendly and the owner treats you like an old friend as soon as you walk in. Highly recommend Curiosity for your dining experience.“

“I’ve been coming to Tiam Tiam since it was Ding Food Market. Their bento boxes slap, you can’t go wrong. Would also suggest any onigiri, especially the spam supreme, and the Brussels with tofu. Such a hidden gem and you can tell they are passionate about the food they serve! Love this place, five stars forever.“

“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“

“Absolutely love this place! I’ve been going for about 4 years now and I love the food! Anytime we have guests visiting I always take them here for a unique experience!“

“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.“

“We love Ninja Sushi! It’s our go-to sushi spot in the area. The food is always so fresh, professionally prepared and the staff is super friendly. Try the OMG roll, because…. OMG, the presentation says it all! It’s where sushi meets comfort food. Delicious.“

“Absolutely in love with this place. The sushi, the atmosphere and the lovely waitstaff. Was visiting a friend in the area and decided to give it a try. Have eaten a lot of good sushi in my lifetime and can honestly say that their May Flower Roll is the absolute best special roll I've ever had. Will be back soon for sure!“

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

“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“

“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!“

“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!!!!!!“

“As a top reviewer who has tried countless ramen spots across NYC and beyond, I can say Hitto Ramen delivers a satisfying experience worth checking out if you’re on Staten Island. The ramen here is the star: the broth is deep and rich with layers of savory flavor that linger, the noodles are fresh with the right chew, and each bowl feels thoughtfully prepared.

The gyoza were crisp with a light, flavorful filling, a solid start to the meal. The pork belly buns were decent , tender pork, soft buns, though not the standout of the night, they still hit the craving. The portions were fair, and prices are reasonable for the quality.

The space is clean and welcoming with a relaxed, neighborhood vibe that makes it easy to settle in and enjoy your meal. Service was quick, friendly, and attentive without hovering, which I appreciate.

It’s clear this is a spot that cares about its food and its customers. Would love to see more variety in appetizers to round out the menu, but overall, Hitto Ramen is a reliable, comforting choice when you want a warm, satisfying meal without the trek into the city. Definitely worth a visit, and I will be back.“

“Just a nice chill place with great 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.“

“Great service , good attention and fresh food“

“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.“

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

“Great little story: more than 20 years ago I found myself inexplicably single (lol) and walked into Mitsuba (Chatham) just as it opened — I might have been their second-ever customer. I scanned the menu and wanted a lot of sushi, but not the Full “Love Boat.” I told them, “I’m not in love, and that’s too much food. Can I get something about half the size and half the price?”
They brought out what you see in the photo. I was satisfied and joked, “When I come back, can we call this the Lonely Boat?” And that’s how it stuck. It isn’t on the menu, but if you walk in and ask for “Mr. Howard’s Lonely Boat,” they’ll know what you mean.
I even suggested making it a Monday special — “Lonely Boat Mondays.” Imagine single folks showing up for a Lonely Boat, striking up conversations, and maybe two lonely diners eventually turning their Lonely Boats into Love Boats. Plus lets face it folks, hands down.....the best Sushi in NJ without any question!“

“Absolutely outstanding! Best crispy chicken poke I ever had and was served by such sweet polite workers. I instantly wanted to return and am heading back the very next day for lunch again. Fresh and delicious with great options. The seating area is also comfortable and welcoming. I did pre order pickup and it was super easy!“

“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“

“Authentic taste. The hot tea is excellent, and, the vegetarian options are plentiful.

Vegetarian options: The menu offers a lot of options for vegetarians in rolls with avocado, cucumber, mango, and others. Also, the noodles soup with veggies is of very generous quantity. The broth in the bowl is very flavorful.
The bottomless hot tea is great!“

“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!“

“This restaurant offers a clean, yet serene dining area. The staff was kind and answered all of my questions about the menu. I appreciated their willingness to provide outstanding service. The food came out fresh and flawless. I would recommend this restaurant and will be returning in the future! Very good food for an even better price.“

“The wait staff was very polite and patient. They gave us ample time to preview the menu. After we placed our orders, the food came to us pretty fast. Food was very good. And the presentation of the dishes were very pretty. I ordered the maki combo it was very good. Sorry, I ate some and I realized I forgot to take a Pic. So part of it was eaten. I would recommend trying out this place. It was a great experience. I want to go back again soon. They also offer take out. But I think sitting at the restaurant, the ambiance is real nice and having the meal there was a great experience.“

“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.“

“Really nice people and excellent sushi! Cute little place for a date and its byob“

“One of the best things about Sakura is that the prices are very reasonable for the quality you get. The portions are generous, and even the more elaborate rolls don’t feel overpriced. One of the things I really appreciate about this place is that it’s perfect for both me and my girlfriend. We have different tastes. I’m a huge fan of raw sushi and she prefers cooked dishes. Thankfully, Sakura offers plenty of great options for her too. Her favorite is the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box. This place strikes the perfect balance of quality, variety and value. Highly recommend!“

“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! ✌️“

“The sushi is fresh and delicious. The staff is friendly and hospitable. Thank you Mike for being a great server today.“

“Food and service it was good 😊“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review for MM by Morimoto

I dined at MM by Morimoto about a month ago, and let me tell you — this place is truly a Montclair gem. The drinks were amazing, the sushi rolls were next level, and every single dish had so much flavor. We ordered the lobster and the black cod, and both were absolutely delicious.

For dessert, we had the tiramisu, which they brought out in the actual baking dish — and it tasted like your Grandma made it with love. Light, creamy, and unforgettable.

Beyond the food, the aesthetics of this place are unmatched. The vibe, the energy, the presentation — everything comes together so beautifully.

If you're in Montclair, this is a must-eat spot. Highly recommend!“

“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 have been coming here almost monthly since March and I would come two or three times per year for the past five years. The quality of the food is fresh, the service is pleasant, and they make your food fast! Highly recommend the sushi. I would come more, but I live out of town!“

“sakae sushi has delicious foods.“

“fresh... fresh... fresh... we love this place!“

“Me and my husband went to eat dinner on Sunday. I ordered the opening special, chicken teriyaki with a California roll. I was impressed by the sizable meat and roll. The food was tasty and fresh. My husband had beef teriyaki, he ate it all. He raved about how fresh it was and tasty. We will be back.“

“We love eating out. Yesterday we arrived in this fine restaurant which we didn’t know before. We spent a delightful evening there with delicious food and a well-trained stuff and a talented chef. We added this venue in our list and we will certainly visit again soon. We highly recommend.“

“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!“

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

“Great for and great service. Must try the creamy dressing! The baked salmon was especially tasty!“