50 Best Japanese Restaurants in Philadelphia

“Delicious food, attractive atmosphere.“

“Wonderful time at Sakana this weekend! Their sushi is unparalleled in Philly and the service is impeccable.“

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

“An easy 5 stars! Every bite of our omakase dinner was delicious. Very fresh fish! Service was attentive and it was spectacular getting to watch the chef work his magic up close. The ambiance was pleasant. I also appreciated that they accommodated my husband and I as pescatarians.

Dietary restrictions: Accommodated pescatarian“

“Great service and very delicious sushi.“

“Perfect for a rainy night. We had delicious Udon bowls and pumpkin sake; comfort food.“

“I’ve had the absolute pleasure of eating here a few times and it is one of the best omakase spots in the city! The fish is so fresh and the service is impeccable. The chefs and staff really try to make it a personal experience each time. I can’t wait to go back!“

“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“

“The staff was absolutely lovely from the hostess to the server. The atmosphere was intimate, the decor throughout was very cool. The menu is very fairly priced and the food was incredible. I brought a friend here last night that was visiting from out of town, she can be a hard critic but she left happy. Thank you for such a wonderful experience! I will be back!“

“Wow really loved this place. Our go to is usually royal izakaya and I felt like this was on par food wise. Someone else described in their review the sushi as elevated and that’s the perfect way to describe it. Not just like a junky sushi place. Got the Aladdin role & legally blonde 2 rolls- phenomenal. Highly highly recommend!“

“Excellent food and service“

“First, here’s how you get to Ninja Bao. Take the Septa escalator located on the corner of 15th and Market. It’s on 15th about 100ft north of Market. Follow the sign towards the Septa sales office and go past the post office and Ninja Bao is on the right. It’s outside the turnstiles so you don’t have to pay or anything coming in off the street. Second, order some Bao buns and the scallion pancake beef wrap. They are amazing. I always thought someone should make an Asian style burrito and Ninja did it and better yet used a scallion pancake instead of a flavorless flour tortilla. The people were extremely friendly and the place was very clean. Don’t be bothered by having lunch underground, it’s a must stop!“

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

“Loved the special dish that I got. It was so flavorful. If you want your food spicy, you should go a bit higher as they are lighter on it -- which I understand. Next time I'll get thai spicy. The Thai tea is a must! Oh so good. Great staff and lovely atmosphere will go again!

Vegetarian options: Tofu“

“The ingredients are fresh, the plating is exquisite, and the buffet was recently opened especially the wagyu beef that melted in my mouth was amazing!“

“Always a chill place to visit for something delectable to eat. I absolutely scarf down a good spicy crabmeat crepe or banana Nutella crepe. They have both sweet AND savory options for crepes. I also recommend the shrimp avocado one as well. Each part of these Crepes compliment the overall taste very well and it leaves me satisfied everytime. The decor and dark wood design are nice and rustic. My only complaint is they should have crepe stands so you don't have to hold it at all times. All in all, it is a worthy stop in China town.“

“All the food looked and tasted delicious. I know that personally I really love Asian food and sushi so if you like that too then I highly recommend Koto Sushi because it is so delicious. The staff were very patient when we were deciding from all of the delicious choices of food and they treated us kindly. The food filled me very well but it was so good that I found myself tempted to get more. High quality ingredients are used for the food! The salad was fresh and good, the miso soup was delicious and the Udon noodles were perfectly cooked and served! I recommend this for a tone who like sushi or noodles or anyone who thinks they would like that!“

“Great tasty eclectic Japanese food“

“fresh and delicious. good portions.“

“A great place to take friends. Never disappointed!“

“Not only is the food absolutely delicious and the service is amazing, but the owner and workers are incredibly nice and community oriented. The food is always fresh and the restaurant is very clean. I have been a customs since they opened and it is a must try. Highly recommend!!!“

“I've only ever gotten take out here, but the ramen is always so good. I think the best I have had in the city so far. They package to go orders very well, which is great. The sushi boats are also very very good. I highly recommend if you're looking for a good ramen spot in the city.“

“I like their poke, it's my usual, and I would like to try their other items eventually. Their bulgogi is not my favorite as I find it blander and drier than what I like. I find that their website is not easy to use and their customer service is not great. They seem to argue or get easily frustrated. I like to get their lunch deal but it hasn't worked multiple times and they don't seem to like to honor the deal when I can't get it to work - they begrudgingly do. I'm not sure if the issue is because I have an iphone and use safari.

While waiting for my food today- I saw 3 other set of customers come in. The first came to pick up food and it sounded like one of the shop owners(?) (the woman) was rude to someone picking up telling them that they should come on time - they they've been waiting 15 minutes. The next person asked if they could drink their boba inside (they had other food with them) and they said no because there is no outside food. I understand the rule, but it seems odd to me when I've never seen the place anywhere near full. This is just my opinion, but I think having people visible in the place would be good for business. I don't think I've ever seen more than 4 people inside. I'd like them to stay in business and remain in the neighborhood but I'm uneasy about how it's not really a pleasant place to wait for my food in. I wish they would be more open and prioritize more positive experiences.“

“Such an amazing experience. Definitely my new favorite sushi place in Philly and my husband and I eat a lot of sushi!! The prices are amazing for the quality and amount that you receive. We sat at the sushi bar and it felt
like our own personal dining space. The chef was top notch!“

“Kei is all about the food. They have a very healthy take-out business, but are trying hard to create a legit dine-in business. The South Street restaurant is pretty small with about a dozen tables, but they've clearly made some effort on the decor to take it one step above your basic hole-in-the -wall take-out sushi joint.

Having said all that, the food is probably the best Sushi I've had in a really long time, and having the food served to you right out of the kitchen means it's that much more fresh and delicious. My dining companions and I ordered about 8 different rolls and assorted dumplings, and everying was super.

And, as an added surprise, the food was served in large exquisite serving boats (see photos).

The restuarant is also BYOB, so that makes it a great value“

“Got takeout from here and it’s the best sushi I’ve found in the NW Philly area so far! The rolls were all super fresh. Dumplings and edamame were great too. The host on the phone was so nice when I was placing my order. Will definitely be back! Maybe for a dine-in moment too - it looked really nice inside.“

“I brought my brother-in-law in to eat on Thanksgiving afternoon (we had to delay Thanksgiving dinner at our houshold and, since he lives in a care facility, that unfortunately left him without getting with famly on a very important day. So, I went out to eat with him.) He really enjoyed it, but then he began having some minor but very disturbing health issues as he was eating. It really disrupted our meal and we had to scurry out quickly. The staff and the servers at this restaurant were so very kind and extremely patient and helpful (our server, Sonny, was especially good to us, particularly to my brother-in-law.) Thank you ever so much! I do hope I left enough of a tip to express my appreciation (I was running out the door in order to attend to my brother-in-law's needs). The food was wonderful, by the way.“

“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.“

“Had what may have been the best Japanese dining experience I’ve ever had! Also my first Omakase experience - just to put it in perspective. Beautiful setting, though the tables are definitely cozy, and lighting is dim (if you’re middle age, bring those readers - I forgot mine!). Anyhow, I didn’t need the readers because someone at my table suggested we do the omakase and it was wonderful! I can’t tell you what I liked best - most dishes melted in my mouth, it was absolutely delicious! Thank you for a great dinner.“

“Super fresh and really tasty sushi. I had the lunch special. For 11 dollars you get soup or salad (got the miso soup it was delicious) and 2 rolls. I got the sweet potato & shrimp roll. They were both amazing. The service is also excellent. If you are in the north east and like sushi you should give them a try. You won't be disappointed

Parking: Large free lot“

“So happy I made this discovery! Black garlic ramen was delicious! They have probably the best bubble milk tea I’ve ever had. Wish they had another location in West Chester!“

“The definition of a hidden gem! Everything we’ve had from them has been delicious. The effort they put into decorating their space (which is unassuming from the outside) is only topped by the effort that goes into the food. SO much flavor. Very happy to have them here in Fishtown.“

“I came here around 530pm and ordered the fried gyoza, sashimi deluxe, and the spicy tuna roll. The sashimi was good and the portions were good. The gyoza was crispy and delicious. There is jazz music playing in the background and the lighting is slightly dim. I enjoyed my dinner and the atmosphere of the restaurant.“

“This is the best place in the neighborhood! Delicious sushi, great lunch deals and options.
Have ordered from them several times and definitely going again.
I would suggest trying their spicy tuna roll, California roll and their sushi sets.

Vegetarian options: Options to order from.“

“I recently ate here on Saturday. This restaurant was my second option because I was running too late to my first. When I tell yall I'm so happy it turned out this way!! I took my nephew who loves ramen.Food: I eat at a lot of asian restaurants (Japanese, Chinese, Korean). THIS EASILY IS ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY. Asian food or not. Very fresh, very clean. And surprisingly extremely affordable. We ordered 1 hibachi meal, 2 ramen (one with (2) extra toppings), 6 soft drinks, 3 appetizers PLUS 20% tip all came to $100!!! My nephew completely ate every bite of his ramen plus broth, which was why we came to this restaurant. There were NO leftovers as it was absolutely delicious and I WILL return.Service: Only one woman who I didnt catch name but the receipt said "BOSS" and even though I was skeptical at first she is very prompt and was pleasant to be around. I was very happy to leave a large tip and I highly encourage it for others to do so as well. She is obviously very hard-working.Atmosphere: Its small but you can tell a lot of the decorations were made by (i believe) the daughters of the owners. It was very homely, cozy, and very cute decorations.Overall 5/5 I highly recommend every single thing.“

“You’ ever show up to a restaurant 10 minutes before they close? You feel bad, But after a fundraising event where maybe the food wasn’t quite as good as it could’ve been, we were starving! We stopped by on our way back to our hotel, Moments before their closing time at 11 o’clock, we walk through the door and we’re welcome. Kindly ordered some delicious sushi., Exceeded our expectations. Very nice very good sushi!“

“Kids kidnapped us and we are excited to be here. Service excellent.“

“I took my boyfriend here for his birthday, and we both really enjoyed it! We had the 12-course omakase for $68, which is a great deal compared to other spots in Philly. Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious. The chef was friendly, though he spoke very little English, which made communication a bit challenging. The whole experience lasted about an hour.

It’s no longer BYOB, but they do offer a variety of drinks. We tried the fruity sake flight, and it was a great choice—different flavors to sample, and it paired perfectly with the sushi. The interior is small and cozy, with charming Japanese décor. The only downside is the parking; it’s pretty tough. Fortunately, we managed to find a spot in a small alley about a block away.“

“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!!!“

“The food was good but I felt the portions were kind of small. I get that it's mainly for their work in the food but I could tell that some of the rolls were a bit old. Freshly made from yesterday's ingredients. I really couldn't complain though because what I had was good, it was just a kind of small plate for such an amount of money.“

“Great service and excellent food!“

“Four words: I love this place! I eat lunch here all the time. The food is delicious at a great value. The staff are always pleasant and friendly. Highly recommend the chicken teriyaki! ???

Vegetarian options: Veggie sushi rolls and other vegetable options.

Dietary restrictions: Vegetarian options as well.

Kid-friendliness: Seating in a food court.

Wheelchair accessibility: It’s under the Comcast building, attached to Suburban Station.“

“Really nice neighborhood spot with a menu where I want to try everything. Portions are generous at decent prices, especially any of the bento options or the bowls. Some flavors do feel tuned down out of care for first timers — omitting punchy flavors for a more homecooked taste instead, which tbh I think is the better choice with Korean cooking.“

“It's like walking into a home. You know exactly what you're going to get. It feels home-y. Nothing fancy. Nothing mind blowing. Just great classic udon and katsu. You know exactly what it taste and what your getting. Fair price. Great portions. Cute little shop.“

“Absolutely amazing

Parking: I love it there the food is amazing and so is the service. The dumplings OK and shrimp tempura is amazing

Kid-friendliness: The aesthetics is beautiful. And my daughter love it there“

“Awesome sushi experience at this restaurant. One member of my party was gluten free, and the server went through the menu in detail to find out exactly what they could and could not eat. Where possible, they were flexible and offered excellent substitutions. Such excellent service. Highly recommend this restaurant!“

“Very clean and nice atmosphere. We came at lunch time and it was not too crowded so we got our food fast. Got the Chicken katsu and the Godzilla roll while my friend tried out the ramen. Top notch on the presentation of the food. I can't comment on the ramen but it looked good. My chicken katsu was okay. Nothing to rave about. They served me the miso soup first which makes sense but traditionally the miso should have come with the meal as it goes well when eating the katsu and rice. It was also missing some shredded cabbage which should automatically come with the meal. Just my little recommendation. Beside that the sushi roll that I got was good. I wasn't expecting to look like what I got but it was good. I would recommend the roll.Overall this is a good place to get some sushi and Japanese food. I would come back again to try out other rolls.

Parking: Free parking lot but it is shared so it can be limited. More parking around the corner though.“

“I have been a fan of their ramen for a while. I don't know if they had a change in management or just added more items. The new things, like the Takoyaki are really good and their other items have improved flavors. I highly recommend them.“

“It was clean the waitress was nice and the food was soooo good“

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