50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Des Moines

“Pleasantly surprised by the teriyaki chicken. The food was delicious in a generous amount.

Ate in the restaurant and the food was brought out to me. Aside from a dark interior (it was already a gloomy day), the food was enjoyable.“

“Teriyaki bowl combo is a little pricey at $15. But it us good, although a little skimpy, flavors are good. This place is take out only, there's no seating inside. Unfortunately there's definitely a language barrier with the lady taking your order as she doesn't understand when you ask or inquire about anything on their menu.“

“Excelente service thank you 🙏“

“Fantastic sushi and people. Casual, kind and some of the best service and fish around.“

“My favorite sushi restaurant hands down. Been coming here for years and it never disappoints. Well worth the drive to get there.“

“We have been there a couple of times. Everything has been excellent. Prices are comparable to other sushi restaurants in the area. Our only complaint is the tea is a bit week. Still deserves 5 stars.“

“Finally visited the new location! Their udon is so good! The owner remembers me from the original Kirkland location 5 years ago!“

“We went to visit Sumo Japanese restaurant for the first time after church service. The food and the service were great. I highly recommend this restaurant and the robots service was a great touch.“

“This is a truly amazing ramen restaurant. The broth is rich and flavorful without being too salty. They also have a great variety of other dishes to choose from. I highly recommend the curry rice and the fried chicken rice they’re both delicious. The service was excellent, and parking was easy and convenient. Definitely worth a visit!“

“Friendly service, food is great, plenty of selections; Korean, Chinese, and Japanese foods in one place. I had the spider roll and the Mongolian Beef. I didn’t order the combos on purpose but who knew the Japanese food and Chinese food complimented each other very well. Talking about a great service, my wife order the sesame balls for a dessert. 2 of 5 were a bit under cooked somehow. We broke them a part but didn’t eat them. One other staffs walked by and asked if we didn’t like. My wife told her those 2 seemed like they are not full cooked so we didn’t want to eat them but we are okayed. She then insisted that she asked the chef to make a fresh batch of 5 for us. This time they were perfectly cooked. I was impressed with her and felt very appreciative. I recommend this place if you like delicious food and something quick.“

“Okay, hear me out. I’m very generous on my stars. For teriyaki, I will vote Buxx as the best teriyaki in Seattle, greater Seattle. Many reasons it deserves the 5. It’s like they already know what you’re going to order, because the food comes out so fast no matter how long the wait is. They run a tight crew, I assume. Because it’s been the same people running the place for the 20 years I’ve come here. The prices are great, there are many specials you can choose from if you’re craving for salty & sweet, they have a katsu/teriyaki special. For me, I always get the chicken super combo, for $21, you get the chicken teriyaki, salad & rice, potstickers and an egg roll. The people who run the business are the sweetest people , I think the husband and wife switch off on shifts because they’re always open.“

“We catered food from Yamada Teriyaki and were blown away. The samosas were perfectly crispy and flavorful, and the House Special Fried Rice was a total hit, generously loaded with tender meat, shrimp, and vegetables, all seasoned to perfection.

Everything arrived fresh, hot, and beautifully packed. The portions were generous, and the quality was outstanding. The service was smooth, friendly, and reliable. For the price and portion sizes, the catering option is absolutely worth it.

One thing I also really like is that Mandalay Deli Mart is right next door, so it is super convenient to grab drinks, snacks, Burmese goodies, or quick deli items all in one stop.

Highly recommend Yamada Teriyaki for catering, authentic flavors, great presentation, and excellent value. We will definitely be back for more.“

“I have been eating here regularly for over 3 years, this is my favorite place to get lunch in Kent! The food is always fresh and healthy, the menu has lots of great options, and the portions are more generous than in other similar restaurants. The staff is always friendly and polite, and the service is very quick.“

“Excellent meal - the A5 Miyazaki wagyu skewer was a standout, especially with the thoughtful accompaniments and pickles that balanced the richness. The soba and udon were both satisfying and well executed. We appreciated the attention to ingredients and presentation. Beautifully decorated restaurant, great ambiance. Would happily return.“

“I think the ownership has changed recently and honestly, the food tastes even better now! The chicken is perfectly grilled, the teriyaki sauce is richer and more flavorful, and the portions are still huge. Everything feels fresher and more balanced than before. The new team seems to be doing an amazing job. Definitely my favorite teriyaki spot around! 🍱🔥“

“This place is truly a hole in the wall, but don’t let that fool you—the food was absolutely delicious and tasted incredibly fresh. We’re so glad we decided to give it a try because it ended up being a great find. You honestly can’t beat the prices for the quality and portion sizes. Definitely worth stopping by if you’re looking for great food without the hype.“

“I wish the teriyaki sauce was thicker and there was more of a char on the chicken but I can't really fault them for that being their style and because the chicken was very moist and tasty. Very reasonably priced, especially the specials. The staff was friendly. The place was clean and had a good, peaceful atmosphere.“

“The best teriyaki in town and the customer service is amazing“

“Interior of Aji Koharu is calming and shelters customers from the rush of traffic on Hwy 99. The food was excellent: well prepared, presentation of various items enhanced the meal, the flavor and texture of the variety of sashimi was each distinct and appreciated. The portions are generous and thank goodness fulfilling of the appetite of our adolescent boys. The adults were also pleased by the generous portions which some of them shared with the young men. Happy diners all around. Some suggestions: music can be less intrusive and unavailable menu items need to be communicated to customers before they look at the menu to make their selection. This can spare disappointment of customer and avoid lost/waste of time for wait staff and customer. We'll share our delight with Aji Koharu with our friend groups and we have made plans to return for more if the excellent dishes at Aji Koharu.“

“I’ve been coming here for a while now and it never misses. The food is consistently fresh, portions are generous, and the flavor is exactly what you want when you’re craving solid teriyaki. The chicken is always tender, the sauce is on point—not too sweet, not overpowering—and everything tastes like it was made with care. You can tell they don’t rush the food.

What really keeps me coming back is the consistency. No matter when I order, it’s always good, hot, and filling. It’s one of those spots you can rely on when you want something satisfying without overthinking it. Easily one of my go-to teriyaki places.“

“Truly excellent teriyaki.

Had friends in town who can’t eat gluten, and they wanted whatever I considered Seattles signature dish so I had to find them teriyaki. Called Himitsu and they kindly explained my options (all the teriyaki is gluten free, the fried rice CAN be if you specifically order it gluten free). When I picked up the food they were kind and friendly with a big smile.

The food itself was fantastic. Fried rice was excellent, and the teriyaki is of the less saucy variety. While the chicken didn’t have a lot of sauce it was well marinated and seasoned so it was very juicy and flavorful. Our favorite was the beef. It was thin, tender, and no unpleasant gristle to be found.

Our friends loved it and we now have an option we’d happily recommend to anyone, whether they can have gluten or not!“

“Amazing food!! Next time I am in Seattle, I will be eating here ❤❤“

“my son told me to try the tonkatsu ... and he was absolutely tastier and juicier right👍👍“

“Everything I had was delicious, generous portions, friendly staff I will definitely be back again“

“I have been a customer for over 35 years. Never ever have I experienced a better Sushi restaurant. I adore the owners. Fresh amazing food.“

“Excellent in all areas. As long time Seattle-Sunny fan, I'm glad this one is here and open on Sunday. Tasty, just right spicy chicken teriyaki. Quality salad in separate container for takeout. Friendly staff. Fast. Clean dining room. Good food safety rating. Clean and stocked bathrooms.“

“We were craving teriyaki and have been slowly trying out all the ones in the area. We're very happy having had Buck's, the plan was clean , service is friendly and quick with no overly loud music(TV on but a nice low volume). The portions are great and the food itself beautifully seasoned, tender and moist with nice cuts(no cheap grisly bits in our meal). We got the spicy chicken and pork they were so good and the salad simple but so nicely chopped(love me some consistent texture) and went nicely with the meal. We're done trying out other spots this is the one. Now only if they offered catering cause I would absolutely getting catering for parties.“

“10/10 great experience + food. The service was the best, especially being helped by Tristan, the manager who helped with this location. He engaged us in a fun n friendly game of number guessing, we talked about football teams and came to a consensus agreement about Raiders being our least favorite haha, the SB halftime show, and overall he delivered such excellent customer service. It was refreshing to receive great service + energy like this, with seldom customer service like this nowadays it seems. Going back to this place a second consecutive night!!“

“Sushi Kaunta delivers a truly authentic experience and on par/exceeds many of the highly rated omakases in Seattle. The chef is both highly skilled and genuinely kind. The fish was incredibly fresh, and each piece is balanced and thoughtfully prepared. Service is warm, attentive, and perfectly paced, making the entire meal feel seamless. Overall, it’s an outstanding dining experience I’d highly recommend this place!! Definitely will be back!“

“If you live in Renton or in northern Kent, this Teriyaki shop is amazing. The food is worth every penny, which isn't pricey at all. By the way, one of the only teriyaki shops that gives you a different kind of Salad dressing, and not the same thousand island type of dressing.“

“Stopped by with my family on the way home from a trip. There are almost no options for decent teriyaki where I live, and I am so thankful I decided to gamble on this place because they did not disappoint. The food was wonderful, and so was the woman that took our orders and served us. This place proves once again that Western WA has the best teriyaki in the US.“

“Loved their Spicy Teriyaki Chicken. It was actually spicy...“

“Delicious Ramen and dim sum“

“My boyfriend was craving teriyaki on a Sunday which as many of you know that teriyaki places are usually closed on Sundays. However, we saw that this place opens on Sundays (they had several banners saying that they were open on Sundays too) after the original place we wanted to check out had a sudden kitchen maintenance. This restaurant is a lot bigger than other teriyaki restaurants with booth and chair seats, plenty of big or small tables, two TVs playing different sports, and it was the temperature was perfect. They have a big menu so it's easy to see the prices and their offerings, which consists of teriyaki, soups, Chinese food, sushi and bubble tea. Their prices are very reasonable and the upcharge on fried rice is the lowest I've seen but I think there's a reason for that (it's pretty bland). The cashier lady was efficient at her job but definitely could be friendlier and I wish she wasn't super snappy, there was no real rush and we were maybe their fourth order during that time.

We opted to dine in and took our seat waiting for food. They have offer fountain drinks and bottled drinks, as well as water cups. We got our utensils and sauce cups first then our food arrived not too long afterwards. My boyfriend got their chicken teriyaki and chicken katsu combo with fried rice while I got their chicken teriyaki and California roll combo. I love that they have steamed veggies as I like to enjoy any remaining teriyaki sauce with them. The California rolls were decent, not the best but not the worst either. The teriyaki sauce is pretty good, it is a great mix of sweet and savory. They are also very generous with rice as there was a bed of under my teriyaki and two scoops. My boyfriend enjoyed the katsu and the sauce that came with it was very delicious! The only issue we had was that the fried rice had no seasoning or color, I almost thought it was white rice with some veggies at first. Other than that, a solid teriyaki joint that seemed to have a good amount of people coming in to pick up orders for the most part.“

“Variety of rolls to choose from. We ordered Godzilla roll & Super Dragon roll. Both tasted great and affordably priced too. Very friendly staffs with cozy atmosphere. Highly recommended.“

“This place is absolutely wonderful. I’ve been to a handful of teriyaki spots over the years, and Toshi’s is easily one of the best. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The chicken is tender, the sauce is amazing, and the portions are VERY generous. Honestly, the portion sizes are huge, easily double the meat compared to many other teriyaki places I’ve been to. You definitely get your money’s worth here. On top of that, the staff is always friendly and welcoming. Thanks again for the great food and service.“

“Cool concept, great execution and flavors.“

“Good food and good staff. Thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Will be back!“

“I first visited Ono Teriyaki in 1996 while working nearby for a while I got lunch there at least 3 days a week. It's always been good food and good customer service at a good price. It's no wonder that after 3 decades they are still there.“

“The food here is very standard teriyaki chicken, the chicken was a little dry and tasted like it had been sitting out for a bit which I assume it had since it came out immediately. The rice was a bit clumpy and the salad was very standard. Overall for the price it was a very standard Seattle teriyaki with a good price of $13. I like that they had sauce bottles available for dine it.“

“Anyone rating this place less than 5 stars has some serious mental condition. I’ve eaten here hundreds of times. I used to work next door and I’d eat here almost every day. THE BEST teriyaki you will ever find. I moved out of state and this place is one of the things I miss most about Washington.“

“Shari is the best !!!! I love her service she made me feel welcomed and had a big smile . I was comfortable and. Tipped her very well. If anyone need a raise is for her compassion at work !!! Let’s Go SHARI !!!!“

“We ordered the Salmon Lovers and Singapore Mafia. I thought the rolls were really fresh and delicious, although I liked the Singapore Mafia more. We also ordered Calamari and had miso soup.

Unfortunately the miso soup and calamari were extremely salty. We couldn’t finish the miso soup.“

“I tried Musashi for the first time and it was alright! I got a chirashi bowl which ran to $20 after taxes. It was a pretty small bowl but it was decent. It wasn’t the best chirashi bowl I’ve ever had nor would I come back here for it. It was nice to try a new restaurant but it wasn’t anything too crazy or extraordinary. There are about only 4 tables inside so it’s definitely not like a “dine-in” restaurant. The majority of their orders are to-go’s. It was a bit difficult to locate the restaurant as it’s clumped with the apartments.“

“First time being here. The first thing I noticed, it was very clean. The portions were very large, vegetables very fresh and everything was delicious. Very friendly service. I always forget about this little section of Auburn but will definately go back!“

“delicious and big burgers, the fried were bomb“

“I ordered Chicken Katsu Spicy.
The quality of the food ⭐x5
The quantity of the food ⭐x5
Customer Service and friendly welcome ⭐x5

Place is a bit small but cozy and clean.“

“Pho was decent. The woman at the counter initially hung up on me because she couldn’t understand me. Why? No clue. I had to call back where she had a customer speak to me on the phone, answer my question, and place my order. Got there and everything was fine. I might try it again but haven’t fully decided yet.“

“I'm not a great photographer and I won't be doing their delicious sushi justice.
However, pictured is the Lion King roll, Cali roll and takoyaki. I also enjoy the hot dream and tiger eye roll. Their ingredients are always fresh and the sushi is consistently good. For years I frequented Newcastle. Good to have the same rolls closer to Seattle.
The employees are also attentive and kind. The ambiance is nice and the environment is clean.“

“Really great burger! Not like regular burgers. Fresh ingredients and bread. Unique sauce. Killer fries. highly recommended!“