26 Best Japanese Restaurants in Knoxville

“Our waitress Presley is so good! This is the second time she has served me at Nama. She is so personable and kind. I really hope the managers/owners see my review and give her props!! She impressed my hard to impress in-laws while they were visiting at Christmas time. She was wonderful again tonight while GFs and I were out dining at Nama DT! Thank you Presley! Keep shining! ⭐️ Food was top notch, as always!! ❤️ Orange Crush Roll 😋“

“Our waitress Presley is so good! This is the second time she has served me at Nama. She is so personable and kind. I really hope the managers/owners see my review and give her props!! She impressed my hard to impress in-laws while they were visiting at Christmas time. She was wonderful again tonight while GFs and I were out dining at Nama DT! Thank you Presley! Keep shining! ⭐️ Food was top notch, as always!! ❤️ Orange Crush Roll 😋“

“Such an awesome meal. The fellas that brought our food out were so sweet and quick- literally barely had to wait!!!! Our waiter cindy was absolutely fantastic. SHe helped us get into the grove of it all, refilled our drinks without us asking and advised us on all the good stuff!!! 10/10 recommend. Ask for cindy- she won’t disappoint.“

“First time eating there. Read Grubhub article in paper. He was wrong in his rating, it's a 5! For anyone really serious about Korean/Japanese fine cooking KOKO is a must. It has been said that we eat with our eyes too. Dishes were finely presented and they tasted as good as they looked. Dishes are light and complex without being fussy. I believe they have set the bar for Asian cuisine in Knoxville.“

“1st time and definitely won’t be my last. Food was great, service was great and restaurant was clean and nice. Everyone was friendly“

“We have been coming here for years! Always great food, atmosphere, and service! 10/10 fave place in Knoxville!!“

“This was our family's favorite Hibachi/sushi place in Knoxville. Now I live right next door and it's only gotten better over the years.

The servers are always friendly and have an uncanny ability to remember your order from one visit to the next. The food is consistent and delicious. I highly recommend.“

“Absolutely phenomenal dinner!!! It’s hibachi food but quick and without all the fuss. Got the chicken/steak combo and it’s PLENTY of food and so fresh and delicious! We’re in from out of town and staying nearby. It was definitely a hit! We’d come back here a thousand times if we lived close! The salad is also YUM!“

“Food is always good. Fish is fresh and portions are reasonable. Wait staff has always been impeccable in my 3 years of visiting. Seating is limited but for the price and selection, I'll choose Anaba over Nama any day.“

“Great sushi and other food.“

“I was passing through on a road trip and the group mentioned hibachi so we found Ichiban. I was pleased with it. A small restaurant with a friendly server. It took about an hour for the four of us to get back on the road, so it wasn't particularly quick but overall a good experience.
The group was chatting so I forgot to take a ton of pictures but here's the nigiri and the roll.“

“My husband and I have always loved your food! I get the Chicken Hibachi Dinner & my husband gets the Steak & Chicken Hibachi. Great portion sizes & highly satisfying meals! Tonight, my Dad got to try it for the first time from The Winery at Seven Springs Farm in Maynardville where your truck was. He said, "Give them recognition! This is phenomenal! Best quality Chicken in Hibachi I've ever had!" Thank you, Kevin and ladies! -Amber“

“My husband and I have always loved your food! I get the Chicken Hibachi Dinner & my husband gets the Steak & Chicken Hibachi. Great portion sizes & highly satisfying meals! Tonight, my Dad got to try it for the first time from The Winery at Seven Springs Farm in Maynardville where your truck was. He said, "Give them recognition! This is phenomenal! Best quality Chicken in Hibachi I've ever had!" Thank you, Kevin and ladies! -Amber“

“me and my friends absolutely loved this place. to be honest, the bad reviews almost scared us away, but none of them are true!! little tokyo is a hidden gem. the steak was amazing and the prices are unbeatable. So satisfied and all of us are leaving with a full tummy (and everyone had enough for leftovers) 😊🤩☺️“

“makino is awesome for all you can eat sushi and hibachi. I highly recommend it“

“One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. Food was fresh and perfectly prepared. Large portions. And superior service ! We will definitely be back.“

“Some of the best hibachi that I have had in Knoxville!! Bubble tea is also delicious. They give a large portion of food which is also great. The couple that run the restaurant are so sweet. Small family-owned vibes. My partner also got the katsu curry and he loved it. We highly recommend!!“

“The food is delicious! Good sized meal.“

“Love this place! The Eddie Special is one of the best dishes you can eat in Knoxville! It's not meant to be fancy, just very tasty. I don't know what the deal is with the few people saying the food is bland. Their taste buds are off or they don't know what Japanese food tastes like. As for the person complaining about not getting a fortune cookie, this is Japanese, not Chinese.“

“This was the best Japanese restaurant we ever went to.the staff was way above and beyond as soon as they noticed my son never been to this kind of restaurant they gave them the vip! Experience and the chef was amazing as well he put on a great show one in a life time experience he loved.my son said he would give this restaurant a 7 star rating if he could and was the best night of his life lol so again thank you and all the staff that made my son night I’m grateful for the experience you given us!!“

“Stopped by for lunch before a doctor appt. I was greeted at the door by who I assume is the owner, based on our discussion about omakase. I think he was very pleasant, and I got a laugh out of hearing him talking to some jerk on the phone later on during my meal.
The lady who waited on me was very sweet, checking in regularly but never overbearing.
I got two sushi rolls and a bowl of miso soup. It was all very delicious. I really enjoyed the specialty eel roll in particular, and recommend any eel fans try it.
If you need a good lunch spot and you’re in the area, give it a try.“

“Best sushi in knoxville, plus they seem like awesome people. Also highly recommend the authentic menu with things like duck and spicy fish soup!

Vegetarian options: Lots of vegetarian options

Parking: Tons of free parking

Kid-friendliness: Often bring my kids here. They even cooked lo mein without veggies when requested for my (picky) young son

Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible“

“Great atmosphere, and service!“

“This place is great! We love it and come here as a go to. They have everything and all of it is good. Some things are quite unique and different. Anyone who rates it low I would say is just in a bad mood. Again, we come here a lot and never have had a bad item. Fresh and good and a ton of variety. They know what they are doing.“

“I’ve been going to Tokyo & Mandarin since I was about 5 years old . I’m now 16. This is definitely a very calm environment and I love that. The service and food is always amazing! My sister and I go often. They’ve never disappointed. I wish they still had hibachi on Sunday but I understand understaffing. The family that runs it is always so polite and hospitable. The waitress that is there every single day is the sweetest woman and amazing at her job! 100/10 recommend.“

“This is hands down the best chinese food I've had in a LONG time! Everything was made fresh and the taste was beyond expectations in every way.

We ordered the spring rolls and chicken on a stick for appetizers; the chicken was so flavorful and the spring rolls had a nice crisp crunch when biting into it. ♡

The pork mei fun, beef lo mein and general tso's chef special were amazing as well! The serving was plentiful and the taste was sooo good. The mei fun was probably the best I've ever had; the general tso's was top notch, and the lo mein was hands down my favorite. The veggies were crisp, the meat was tender and the noodles were spot on.

The staff was very friendly and brought everything out quickly. I would definitely recommend eating here and I'm DEFINITELY going to be visiting for dinner again very soon!! ??“