50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Bala Cynwyd

“My family had a wonderful time here for my son's 11th birthday! He wanted to try out the hibachi experience, so we reserved a hibachi table. There was another family at the table across from us enjoying a meal as well. The food was incredible (though not one of us managed to catch a piece of it in our mouths), my husband said it was the best meal he's had all year. The hibachi room is decorated with murals of video game & cartoon characters like Mario & SpongeBob, which was great because my son is a gamer. We brought a birthday cake in with us, and the other family joined in to sing "Happy Birthday" & shared his cake with us. The service was great. It was an all around wonderful time, & we will definitely be returning!“

“Awesome menu, great vibes and really tasty food. Must try this place.“

“Delicious food, attractive atmosphere.“

“What is the specialty of this sushi restaurant?“

“If you’re debating on what omakase in the city to try look no further. This experience was everything and more. The food, the ambiance and the service between our Chef Jeff and server Tina was incredible. The Chef was so personable with our questions, meticulous in his technique, Tina always made sure we had clean plates and filled drinks and was truly a delight. The 18 courses of food was so delicious, afterward it was hard to pick a favorite because everything was so tasty and decadent. Will recommend and will definitely be back!:)“

“Everything was so good. No fishy or stale flavors. Staff were very friendly and very informative on all the different types of sushi. Will be coming back. The A5 Wagu Uni hand roll was amazing!“

“We happened upon this gem purely by chance. We had an amazing meal from A-Z (!!!) The sushi is phenomenal; sit at the newly designed sushi bar in the back and enjoy unique daily catches that come in through the connections the owner has with local fishermen. The restaurant is also known for their aged steaks, and Kobe prime rib, which we will try next time. I had the miso black bass and it was one of the best flavors with fish I have ever had. The broth had such a delicate shiitake mushroom flavor, which I loved. I literally couldn’t have had enough of this delicate, delicious dish. I could have had two orders and eaten it all! I think this dish epitomizes what the word UMAMI means. I also had the sautéed mushroom extravaganza, a treat for every taste bud of incredible flavors melted with a delicate sauce. My husband had their unique collection of sushi and sashimi choices that were all enjoyed at their stunningly beautiful sushi bar, complete with two young, passionate chefs who love what they do, and treasure their personal designs of the fish and rolls. All the rolls are presented in this great wooden cradle design, which I thought was so unique and functional. The owner was all smiles and genuinely happy to have had us try his new restaurant. I recommend it highly for either an exceptional steak meal (all are btw, so reasonably priced so order them for sure), or the traditional sushi. You won’t be disappointed. This will be our weekly go-to restaurant and we are counting the days until we will return, which actually will be next Tuesday the 9th! Bravo to the whole team at Umami and thank you for your passion for Japanese food, and for doing it right from A-Z. We will see you soon! Debbie and Gene“

“Awesome experience!!!! The freshest fish I’ve ever had. Shipped from Japan daily. Great place!!!“

“This higher end Japanese restaurant is a great find! Absolutely top notch sushi, with ingredients that are clearly fresh and portions that are abundant.

I also had the ribeye/beef broth ramen and it was outstanding, among the best ramen I’ve ever had in the city.“

“Loved this place. This place was packed and I was so lucky to have a reservation for my date. We loved the food, not even lying when I tell you it was the freshest sushi I’ve had in a while. We went on the 17th and it was super busy, the staff worked so hard and still made us feel so welcomed.“

“Amazing food and service!

I ordered the mushroom gyoza (steamed), crispy rice, single sashimi, treasure roll, and crispy chocolate wonton.

I would definitely come back and get the mushroom gyoza again. If you love mushroom, definitely order this! The crispy rice was also amazing.
All the fish melted in your mouth. The chocolate wonton wasn’t my favorite but it was an innovative concept and nice to try something new.“

“Always love this place. I try to visit every time I’m in Philly.“

“Its such a cute little place and our sushi was delicious!!! Sitting in was comfortable and the staff are nice! I will be making more visits in my future.

What we ordered: Mango Tango Roll, South Philly Roll, and Alaskan Roll“

“My boyfriend took me to omakase and I cannot hype this spot up enough. Don’t let the eagles and Phillies flags outside deceive you.. this is a 10/10 spot. A hidden gem! Forget the other sushi spots in the neighborhood, this is the place.“

“"Kumanon 3 is awesome! food was very good & great service! Can't wait to be back"! Bubble Tea Mango Delicious“

“Very good“

“Fiancé and I stopped by because our other meal plans fell through. He’s had ramen before I have not. For my first experience it was absolutely fantastic! Tiny out of the way place which was cozy, sushi and sashimi were excellent and fresh, spicy miso ramen was unbelievable!! Portions were large as well so come hungry!! The young man that served us was very courteous and friendly! We will definitely be back!!!“

“Cat was actually the most amazing wonderful human ever!! Staff was so helpful and wonderful that went above and beyond to help. Cat cares so much about every customer and strives to provide meaningful and empathetic service. I really hope she gets all the appreciation she deserves.“

“Toyosu offers attractive, delicious sushi, sashimi, and poke, with a focus on take-out customers—if you opt to eat at one of the few tables available, you will still receive and consume your food in plastic containers. However, you probably won’t mind because you’ll be too busy devouring crisply presented morsels of fish, prepared by aces with big-league experience.“

“Look for the Penn Center Beauty Supply, which is - left - just down the hall from the Visitor Center, which is - right - at the bottom of the escalator of the 15th St/City Hall subway station. Ninja Bao is just down the hall on the right from the beauty supply.

The tonkatsu ramen was tasty all around and the green bao had great flavors and was piping hot.“

“My family and I went to Uchi over Labor Day Weekend and even though it was a busy Saturday night, the service was amazing and everything we tried was great!! The dishes were unique and high-quality. Both the happy hour menu and the regular menu were great. Hope to be back soon.“

“My wife and I ate omakase here many times, it’s our favorite! Best omakase in Philly. The chefs are very skilled and the atmosphere is perfect - not super loud, not too quiet - - always looks like everyone is having a great time here as well.“

“Tuna Bar is one of my favorite restaurants! Especially love that cocktail with the gin wasabi & cucumber 🍸😍🍣“

“If you’re looking for delicious Japanese comfort food, this place is definitely worth a visit. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and the spicy crab inari, and both were absolutely amazing. The tonkatsu ramen had a rich, flavorful broth with perfectly cooked noodles and tender toppings that made every bite satisfying. The real surprise, though, was the spicy crab inari—it was the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy, and quickly became my favorite dish of the meal. The quality of the food, attention to detail, and great flavors made for an excellent dining experience. I can’t wait to come back and try more from the menu. Highly recommend!“

“My husband and I come from Atco nj and will not go anywhere else! We get the California rolls they are amazing!and the fried rice out of this world. and the bartender is right there getting you anything you need at an instant! Our very happy date night♥️“

“The food was alright. It was tasty however I couldn’t get what the restaurant was going for. They had a lot of appetizers and the menu was not sectionalized. The sashimi and gyoza were delicious. Salted Cucumber Gimlet is a must try cocktail“

“clean, friendly staff, good food, good selections, and fast service“

“I've been coming to Tampopo for nearly 20 years, and it still holds a special place in my heart. The spicy tofu bowl is my go-to, and the veggie gyoza never disappoints. So many great meals here over the years. Miss when it has multiple locations. If you're ever in UCity and haven't been yet, it's definitely worth a visit!“

“Went to Uni Sushi Last Week, food comes out fast and the taste is perfectly good. My child also like to eat there.“

“Great selections, best sushi I've ever had! Highly recommend.“

“Great food , must have the tea cold tea .“

“This place is incredible!! From the fantastic service from Chole, to the amazing food, & the price point is just right! I loved that I was able to customize my ramen & I tried boba for the first time & it was great. The atmosphere was a vibe. I cant wait to go & dine there again :)“

“thanks so much for taking great care of us we very much enjoyed everything! everything was very fresh !! loved it and will definitely be back“

“The ambience was very lovely and the food was very delicious.“

“My partner and I’s favorite sushi spot, and seems like it’s not as well known yet so makes for an easy to talk date night. (It definitely deserves recognition!) We go for the food which is always great, with many sushi options! The sashimi is always a good cut and the Godzilla roll is probably our favorite special roll. There is a variety of apps, teriyaki and vegetarian options too. Jay, who greets you and is your waiter is AMAZING. He’s very sweet and seems happy to see us, it is worth it to come just to meet him. They are BYOB but also have a nice sake selection.“

“This place is a hidden gem. I’ve been here a bunch of times and it has been great every single time. The fish is always super fresh and the portion is generous. Favorites for me are the striped bass carpaccio, tuna tataki, and the deluxe sushi/sashimi platter (if you are hungry). Guarantee you leave full! Sometimes they’ll even give you house made sake free or charge!“

“Had lunch there yesterday. The pork gyoza were delicious and so were the three rolls we ordered. The AAA roll is one of my Ooka favorites. Food arrives quickly and the wait staff are so friendly and polite.“

“Although it’s named “to-go” there are actually 2 tables inside for dine in with 4 chairs each. I got the lunch special and they brought my food out and gave me iced water with it! The sushi was fresh and delicious. The man who brought my food out even turned the fan on and put it in my direction. They are all super friendly! Would definitely recommend for the food and service.“

“Just in case any vegans or vegetarians were avoiding this place like i was, the vegan menu is HUGE now and absolutely kicks the ass of any nearby place. I came the day it opened and was not impressed by the selection of vegetarian options so had not returned. I just went today and was blown away by the Ube special roll and many others they have now. Also the service was great! Gave me a free vegan roll he was working on. Just delightful.“

“Friendly, attentive, knowledgeable staff. Great fresh vegetarian options with delicious tomato broth. Good vibes and music. Clean bathrooms.“

“Really enjoyed everything we ordered! We tried the regular tonkatsu, cheese tonkatsu, and soba, and they were all so good. The cheese tonkatsu was probably my favorite, the cheese was super flavorful and went really well with the crispy pork. I also really liked the soba. It was light and refreshing, which was perfect to have with the tonkatsu since it balanced out the fried food really nicely. We tried the different sauces too, and I personally liked the Japanese sauce the best! Everything tasted fresh, the portions were good, and overall it was a really satisfying meal. Would definitely come back and try more things next time!“

“Stopped for sushi before a show at the Mann. Very nice people working there. The sashimi was excellent, especially clean flavored and with good texture. The ramen included tasty pork and a nice marinated egg. Would definitely visit again!“

“อร่อยทุกอย่างเลยค่ะ ชอบสลัดอร่อย บริการเร็ว พนักงานบริการดี อาหารอร่อย 🫶🏻🥓🥢🥙“

“Ramen was excellent. Fish was not top quality but priced appropriately for what it was. I did find either a blood vessel or worm in a cut of tuna so I didn't eat that piece. I think the chef is supposed to cut that stuff out but must have missed it. It is sushi, after all, so always a risk. Not the end of the world and I'm always careful to check my fish before eating it like anyone should.

What was more upsetting than that though, was the way the ginger is kept on the table like a condiment. I dont think it's appealing, safe, or aesthetically pleasing so I'm not sure why they do it. Just provide an option on the order menu for your food to come with ginger or not. Ginger is one of my favorite parts of a sushi meal but I wasn't going to eat communal ginger that had been on the table for anyone to touch, cough on, etc. Gross to be honest.“

“Great service and excellent food!“

“Excellent food at reasonable price, good service, cozy and so close to home!“

“honestly this place is great. i’ve been here twice, once for dinner and once for lunch. the prices were really reasonable for the such fresh food. i loved the staff, really sweet and considerate.“

“Wow. Some of the freshest sushi I have had in a while. I had fun trying different things with the all you can eat offering. I definitely made sure to get my moneys worth without wasting a drop. I did have to wait a bit to get seated, even though I was the only one eating in, so I took off one Star.“

“Got the shrimp teriyaki bento box. Portion was massive. Came with some tempura pieces including a big shrimp tempura. The shrimp was cooked good on both. Rice was cooked good. Not dry or too wet. Came with some dumplings too. Would order again! Maybe would get beef next time. There’s a bunch of different options.“

“a little on the pricier side for hand rolls but super delicious and good quality, makes a good meal for a celebratory dinner or special occasion. must must must eat the miso butter cod, literally ordered like 3 just for me because it's that delicious!! pricey, but good service and great food, must try at least once“