50 Best Japanese Restaurants near South Orange

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

“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.“

“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 😇“

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

“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.“

“I love this place. My sister and I try to go at least once or twice a month. The food is great, the quality is awesome, and the service is good. You don't have to wait too long for your food. My little sister usually gets her California and shrimp tempura rolls. I get the rainbow roll and the O.M.G roll but everything we've tried is crazy good. I would 100% recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area.“

“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“

“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.“

“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.“

“A cozy little Taiwanese joint in Harrison, NJ. I ordered the salt & pepper chicken bento — the fried chicken was super crispy and juicy, and the portion was bigger than expected. What really stood out was their homemade chili oil — rich, fragrant, and perfectly spicy. The side dishes were thoughtful and balanced, not just fillers. Great vibes, warm service, and a menu full of familiar flavors. I’ll be back.“

“I must say this was probably the best sushi I've had. Great 'little' place, two, extremely kind, owners work the restaurant. I had the Tsunami Roll, my daughter had Shrimp Tempura and Pink Lady Rolls, and ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!! We had one of each Mochi (4), Strawberry, Coconut, Green Tea and Mango...delicious! I would HIGHLY recommend this restaurant, great food, service and relaxing place, very nice ownership with great pride in their business.“

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

“just delicious!!“

“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.“

“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.“

“Great service , good attention and fresh food“

“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.“

“very entertaining n food was very good“

“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!“

“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.“

“We used to come here very often over a decade ago. Read the reviews online and decided to give it a try since it said it’s under new management and things have improved. It is definitely brighter in here and better decorated than before. Fast service, very fresh fish, nice presentation, tasted good. Our server was very attentive.“

“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.“

“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! ✌️“

“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!“

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

“Just a nice chill place with great food“

“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.“

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

“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“

“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….“

“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.“

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

“Our usual japanese spot. Mostly order from them for deliveries. Great food and very nice people!“

“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!!!!!!“

“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.“

“Impossible better!!! Very complete rotation, with many options. Everything was delicious and impeccably presented. The attendant Mara was the icing on the cake, super charismatic, attentive and helpful; We were very well received, explaining how the rotation worked and helping us make choices so that we had the best experience. I definitely recommend it to everyone.“

“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.“

“sakae sushi has delicious foods.“

“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.“

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

“Food and service it was good 😊“

“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.“

“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.“

“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“

“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!“

“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!“

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

“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“

“Delicious! We always enjoy it there.“

“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.“