50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Forest Hills

“Another amazing dinner from Katsuno. Our favorite authentic Japanese restaurant in NYC came through for us once again, this time with take-out. Tonight we had the Tuna Avocado Salad, Nigiri Sushi, Pork Hirekatsu, and Tempura Udon. All served with a refreshing can of Funaguchi Kikusui Sake. Everything was fresh and delicious as always and served curbside in a safe no contact manner. Thank you Katsuno!“

“Lovely atmosphere, delicious and generous portions, and quality service“

“Fresh sushi, little place, quick service“

“Enjoyed the hospitality and the food was very fresh. Thank u , mark and saeed“

“I’ve loved this place for years, but I just catered from them for the first time, and everything was perfect. The sushi was delicious, they kept the sushi with gluten in a separate container, they have party platters and party trays, and they sold me the perfect amount of food without being pressured to buy too much. The price was reasonable- actually incredible considering how delicious everything was, and everything came on time. I will definitely cater from them again.“

“Sushi Time! is always my hubby's and my go-to-sushi-craving-appeasing -eatery when we travel to NY.

Since they initially opened almost two decades ago, we've habitually eaten at the restaurant -- countless times when we lived in NY and even after we moved to NW CT in 2010. Now living in VA these past three years, our trips to NY are not as frequent, BUUUUT we make certain to eat at Sushi Time! when we are there -- whether just landed at one of NYC airports, passing through or visiting for several days. Yes, thats how much we enjoy eating at Sushi Time!

Jenna and her staff are always welcoming and amazingly friendly and attentive from the moment you walk into the restaurant, regardless if they just opened the doors to the very last minute they close at night.

Their sushi quality and specialty rolls combinations and flavours are impeccable. Never disappointing.

I highly recommend Sushi Time! Go and be delighted, your taste buds will thank you.“

“I hosted a private event at Moca and definitely will return for both small dinners and to host future events. The private room was perfect for the party. The food and service were impeccable. Linda could not have been more kind and accommodating. Overall, it was a perfect experience.“

“This restaurant is fantastic! It's incredibly fresh and truly a hidden gem. I notice deliveries happening every week, which prompted me to give it a try. I'm a big fan of traditional Japanese cuisine. Their sushi is exceptionally fresh, and the salad is wonderfully light. The KANI salad has a delightful mild spiciness to it.
The owner is charming, and the waitress is very accommodating. They offer Japanese soda that you have to pop, as is traditional. It's so cute, and I highly recommend it. Although it's a simple establishment, the food definitely speaks for itself“

“Delicious fresh food and amazing drinks! Celebrated my friend’s bday there and we had a 12 course menu! Great atmosphere and the DJ was a great touch! Had a great time at Kaizen.“

“Ended up here accidentally on a layover: Hands down, the best ramen I’ve ever had (springy, slurpy perfection), amazing cocktails (if you like gin the Japanese 75 is a must try!), and whatever the whipped cream, creme brûlée’d banana dessert was tasted like heaven. I even ordered another tonkotsu ramen to go (all the way to Florida) to bring back to my fiancé. They separated all of it, packaged it so it wouldn’t leak, and wrote directions on specific timing for heating up each item! Very impressive service. I’ll be back again!“

“Excellent!!! Food, service, atmosphere 👍👍“

“Good food and good service 👍“

“Wonderful and friendly staff. Delish food.“

“Ramen is good ! Soup is good not so oily Yakitori good with Asahi Beeru !“

“I highly recommend anyone reading this to come try! I wish I could give 10 stars. Make a resy. This was honestly one of the best dining omakase experiences!! But not only was the experience great, so was the food and drinks. Karina was very kind on explaining us the drink options, and finding us the perfect drink we would love. Her and the chef were also super kind on telling us every piece we were eating and where it was from. Alex was also such a great host. Always asking how everything was and also make great small talk, getting to know us. The food was such great quality also so it was well worth the omakase price. I also ordered their special which had Uni-Toro-Wagyu-HotateCaviar. It was DIVINE!!“

“This Thi restaurant in Brooklyn was so delicious if you like Thi give this a go. Wednesday 40% off wine. It'scalled Lingo. The food was so exciting and balanced flavors! Their bold original menu reflects a deep love of flavors as well as an educated chef who pulls off their amazing flavors. Can't recommend enough!“

“อาหารอร่อย สะอาด การบริการดี รวดเร็ว“

“#組長極力推薦 #響紐約可以食到呢個level嘅質素就已經算係禾地嘅福份 😆 😆#紐約食食 #omakasetempura #係我響紐約食過最好食嘅天婦羅“

“Amazing Omakase experience! Every dish was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. The chef’s attention to detail and passion really stood out. Great atmosphere and top-notch service. One of the best meals I’ve had—highly recommend!“

“I'll try to keep this to the point —

I gave Food/Service/Atmosphere 5 🌟 because they were on par for me. For a local spot, this really took me by surprise.

What I ordered:

Miso Soup:
Standard Miso Soup, nothing groundbreaking, but very tasty. Would have loved a tad more tofu & scallion, but that's just me.

Salmon Avocado Hand roll:
Not the hand roll I expected meaning it wasn't in the cone shape I'm familiar with, but it came presented like a taco with the seaweed as the shell. Salmon cuts were huge, and with great colour, avocado was bright & ripe, coupled with the perfect amount of rice. Everything tasted clean, and fresh.

Yellowtail Jalapeno Nigiri:
I messed up with this, originally I wanted a sushi roll, but my brain flubbed. Great mistake though, because the yellowtail was delicious, practically melted in my mouth, topped with a delicate cut of jalapeno on top.

Love Milk Tea:
Honestly, just a really delicious milk tea topped with osmanthus flower. It was light, refreshing, and not too sweet thankfully.

Wagyu Tataki:
Tataki is meant to be briefly seared on the outside, but the center remains raw. Was this seared to the degree I wanted? No. But, was it delicious? Yes. And the meat was incredibly tender, flavour of the sauces really complimented everything on the plate.

I finished off with a matcha cheesecake to go, I'm sure it'll be good.

With tip, I spent $67

Again, for a local spot in Richmond Hill/Kew Gardens, I was thoroughly impressed and satisfied. Personally, with slight adjustments, these folks would do great in midtown. I spent a little under what I would spend at a restaurant in the city, and got an incredibly satisfying meal, and left full.“

“Lovely! This was a perfect birthday dinner celebration. The staff is gracious an inviting from the second you ring the doorbell. The space is beautiful although the enclosed garden was a little bit hot. I'm glad it wasn't hot or out and I'm sure it would be perfectly cozy in the winter.

The food was beautifully presented, deeply delicious and thoroughly explained. Even the chawanmushi, which looks deceptively plain, was a delicate swirl of flavor layers.

We had 12 courses and never felt rushed.

Would highly recommend for a special occasion meal.

Plus, it's a nonprofit, so they're doing good work in the food world!“

“This is by far the best sushi restaurant we have been to, and I would dare say it’s better than some Michelin star places. Not only is each course extremely unique and full of flavor, from sea urchin, to Wagyu, the service is extremely attentive. The chef that was serving us has been preparing sushi for 30 years and it shows. We were so delighted by our experience - it was truly a huge highlight for us. Skip the hype restaurants and try Ishi instead. We will be back.“

“This is the best sushi in NY in my opinion. Amazing chef and Shari is just perfect. All Nigiri are great. There are so many mediocre, non-taditional sushi in NY. This place is amazing pure edomae. Highly recommended! I come here many times if I can get a reservation“

“Lovely place we enjoyed it it was very cool“

“Randomly decided to dine here before a show at Webster Hall. Every single thing we ordered was absolutely delicious. Teppen gyoza, kimchi beef fried rice, dynamite roll, and mango martini. Definitely plan on returning.“

“My partner found a hidden gem in Williamsburg. We tried the seasonal omakase set. The fish was fresh, each piece was delicious. Also, enjoyed that when each piece came out, the hostess would show us a photo of the fish we’re eating. Chef Leo is really knowledgeable with the food, so don’t be afraid to ask for information. Will definitely come back!“

“Party of eight and we all enjoyed everything we ate and drank. 👍 for the kitchen staff on doing everything perfect and quick. The staff was amazing and service was great. I highly recommend the burger 🍔. Will definitely go back.“

“Excellent Sushi ! Would highly recommend. Only wished they had Saki.“

“came in for a late night bite and some drinks. ordered appetizers, food came quickly and was beyond superb. very minor communication issue among the server that was working and our table, which meant we didn’t get informed that the kitchen was closing (closed by the time we spoke to our server). we hadn’t ordered main food yet, so were frustrated and brought it to the manager’s attention. he immediately corrected the issue and went above and beyond to ensure our visit was great. would highly recommend this establishment to anyone looking for very reasonably priced, excellent food.“

“Fantastic speakeasy sushi joint. Very small, no more than an handful of people may join the omasake style bar where 3 talented (and cool) chefs serve you the best crafted sushi you can get. Definitely going back soon.“

“How spoiled am I to have this little shop of delights a few blocks from my front door? Onigiri, Masubi, and Katsu o my. I’d advise coming hungry or bringing a friend the portions are generous and amazingly paired with a genuinely warm and welcoming staff. Also amazing merch, really can’t say enough positive things about my local mini mart :)“

“Perfect Food, Great Service, Nice Atmosphere“

“Excellent AYCE (at least for 90 minutes) restaurant. The Diamond set left nothing to be desired for us. We ate tons of high quality Wagyu and seafood. It was fantastic. Our server Tom took great care of us and was always attentive and friendly.“

“DASHI OKUME is a hidden gem in Brooklyn! The moment you walk in, you’re greeted with the calming aroma of quality Japanese ingredients and a beautifully curated space that feels like a slice of Tokyo. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about dashi, and they take the time to walk you through the different varieties and combinations based on your taste preferences.

The custom dashi blends are a game-changer—deep, umami-rich, and incredibly fresh. You can really taste the difference compared to store-bought broth. Whether you’re making miso soup, noodle dishes, or even just sipping it on its own, the flavor is next-level.

They also carry a great selection of premium Japanese pantry staples, and everything is presented with care and attention to detail. DASHI OKUME isn’t just a shop—it’s an experience. Highly recommend to anyone who loves Japanese cuisine or wants to elevate their home cooking!“

“Had a lovely omakase dinner. BYOB is the cherry on top. Chefs were knowledgeable and it’s definitely a fun date night spot. Favorite bites of the night were the hamachi appetizer with grape tomato and the unagi with foie gras. Already have recommended this to my friends!“

“You cannot beat their happy hour! Each piece of sushi is around double the size of your typical NYC piece. I also got the sushi tacos and those were fun and different from what I typically get. I also got a bottle of the cold sake. I will definitely be coming back here soon!“

“Loved everything we had - karaage, tempura, chashudon and gyudon. Everything tasted fresh and was cooked well. The chashu had amazing flavor, and the rice was so good. I haven’t had well-cooked rice in a very, very long time. It was quite special!“

“My boyfriend secretly booked Ume for my birthday/our anniversary celebration, without even knowing I’d been dying to go.

The garden seating is beautiful despite being a bit too shiny. The whole ambiance is so zen and relaxing which makes it perfect for a special occasion.

Huge shoutout to the impeccable service: we were 30 minutes late stuck at traffic, but they still graciously held our table. They even surprised us with vanilla gelato with honey and kinako on the house, easily one of the most delicious scoops I’ve ever had.

＊Sushi Set $78 pp
It was such a fun and interactive experience making our own hand rolls from a sashimi platter. We loved being able to enjoy everything at our own pace, customizing each piece with a variety of dipping sauces and special salts. It really encouraged me to slow down, savor every bite, and fully appreciate each piece.

＊Literally Everything Don $60
We were greedy to try more so we got one more kaishindon. Expensive but you get what you pay for: uni, ikura, scallop, toro, a5 miyazaki wagyu, caviar, and more. Every bite was pure luxury and satisfying. I only hoped I could only get this don as I was too full after finishing the sushi set, but they require at least one sushi set per person.

＊King Salmon Nigiri
To be completely transparent, my bf found a small bone in his sashimi. He was given a completely new set, and they even treated us to king salmon nigiri. We really appreciated how proactive and thoughtful they were so it didn’t affect our overall experience at all.“

“New places can be hit or misses these days. This one was a big hit. In order to succeed in that location you pretty much have to become a destination spot, and that requires another level skills. These guys got the experience and created something fun and different (for most NYC). Get the fried chicken, cabbage, steak, and spicy tuna on crispy rice. Full report on EatingwithZiggy[.com]“

“Sushi onakase Shinzo best“

“Simplemente impresionante. No pensamos que algo así pudiera existir en NY. Los sabores propuestos son increíbles. El valor no está en las paredes o mobiliario, sino en lo que llevas a tu paladar y la atención personalísima, atenta y divertida. Gracias, gracias, gracias...“

“It doesn’t get better than this! Been to countless restaurants and Uzuki stood out for its next-to-none craftsmanship, amazing food, and lovely atmosphere. Check out Bon Appetit’s video on Uzuki (“A Day Making Some of the World’s Best Soba Noodles”) to see how much skill and artistry goes into these noodles. We got the tofu, salmon ikura cold soba, duck soba, and soba ice cream and every bite of each dish was incredible. Was truly worth every cent! The ceramics they use are also full of character and actually made by the chef himself!“

“This is my new favorite takeout place! The sushi is some of the best I’ve had in Brooklyn, and the prices (especially for the dinner boxes + lunch specials) are more than reasonable.

The most recent times I’ve ordered, I’ve needed to swap out the roll in the Sushi Dinner due to a dietary restrictions. I called the restaurant and they were super friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend ordering from here!“

“The food was generally salty. The first time I went, I ordered the eel rice bowl, but it was so salty that I thought I'd ruined my appetite after enjoying the other appetizers. The staff checked with me and said it was just salty that day. I got free ice cream instead. So today, I went for the hand rolls for the second time, and even the appetizers were a little salty. The hand rolls were delicious. The other dishes were fine, but they were a little salty. It wasn't just me; everyone I went with said the same thing.“

“It’s really great food especially for the price. I got the chicken teriyaki special for 9.99 and it comes with veggies and fried or white rice. I got no veggies and did half and half rice which they were very accommodating with. I definitely recommend !!“

“A very interesting menu. Great food and service. A must for every local and tourist.“

“Some of the best ramen we've ever had. Wish we could have tried them all!! Fantastic.“

“Great Omakase It will make you fell, that you are in Tokyo“

“Best hidden gem in the city!
I had bookmarked this place over a year ago, and I finally decided to try it out for my 30th birthday. I’m so glad I did, I wouldn’t have wanted to celebrate anywhere else. After nearly three years of living in NYC, I can confidently say this was the best dining experience I’ve had (disclaimer: I’m a foodie lol).

The owners, Ari and her husband, Chef Atsushi Yokota, and the restaurant manager Daimu, go above and beyond to create an exceptional dining experience for every customers and you can truly feel their passion. The food was absolutely top notch. Chef Yokota holds incredibly high standards for every ingredient, sourcing them with care to ensure everything tastes like it’s straight from a top-tier restaurant in Japan.

The tempura was phenomenal, we savored every single piece.
Thank you again for the unforgettable experience. We’re def coming back soon!“

“This was our second visit to Noz Market. They never fail to impress and satisfy. The cuts of fish are large and wrap all the way around the rice. The nigiri are seasoned perfectly, skillfully and with precision. The chefs here truly practice the art of sushi. The two omakase options are reasonably priced, and you can add extra pieces at the end of the experience. My Japanese fiancée emphatically approves, which should tell you what you need to know about this restaurant. Not too difficult to make a reservation a few weeks ahead of time, but definitely make one in advance. We will most certainly return.“