50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Des Moines

“I personally love there original & classic chicken teriyaki. That chicken on the drill is just tasty especially adding that spicy Siracha Sauce 😌 I worked in the Des Moines Theater for a couple years and I always looked forward to eating there on my Fridays 👌 they never let me down.“

“I was two hours late to picking my girlfriend up from the airport. She got in the car opposite of happy. I had no choice but to go to the place where happiness comes true. It was just one bite of orange chicken, and the sweet service of the young man working tonight, and I, once again had a happy wife. I would absolutely recommend,
and will be back. Sincerely, a man who escaped the dog house.“

“Excelente service thank you 🙏“

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

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

“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!“

“This is a fairly small restaurant though has more tables than most strip mall places. Once inside it’s quiet with soft jazz playing. Service was quick and the order also came out quickly and hot. It was flavorful and filling. The green tea was delicious. Good place if in Auburn. It’s right near the McDonald’s, same general parking lot. Updated from previous review on 2026-09-20“

“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.“

“Fresh, beautiful presentation, friendly, clean. Our first visit was amazing. We will definitely return!“

“the menu is unique and set apart from every other burger restaurant. food is incredible, prices are great, staff is great, restaurant is clean and inviting. 5/5 love this place!“

“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.“

“Such a hidden gem in Seattle! This place has the perfect late-night izakaya vibe — cozy, lively, and casual without feeling too loud or overwhelming.

The food is especially good for sharing. Everything comes out hot and flavorful, and there’s a great variety of Japanese-style dishes and late-night comfort food. It’s the kind of place where you order a bunch of different things for the table, grab a drink, and somehow end up staying much longer than you planned.

What I really like is the atmosphere. It feels warm and intimate, almost like a little neighborhood spot you’d stumble into late at night in Japan. The staff are friendly and the whole place feels relaxed and welcoming.

Seattle honestly needs more places like this, especially since so many restaurants close early. Definitely one of my favorite spots for late-night food, drinks, and hanging out with friends.“

“This is by far my favorite teriyaki spot amd my go to! I love their chicken yakisoba, they don't skimp on anything. The food is always fresh and delicious. The helping is definitely worth the money spent. We ordered over the phone and then by the time we get there the food is ready. So service is standard time, which I would expect when the food is that good. I've never had a bad experience here like I've had at many other teriyaki places.“

“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.“

“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 !!!!“

“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.“

“Food was good. Service was good, but their QR code ordering system was really bad. We couldn't order individually in the app, and had to submit one order as a table. We had to seperate all our orders afterwards with the waitress, and ended up just splitting the bill down the middle.“

“Amazing homestyle Korean food with awesome value, I was super happy and the lady at the front was very very nice 🥰
Get the tofu stew and bulgogi combo it’s awesome! I’ve had the jajangmeon and that hit the spot 😎“

“So yummy! I was excited to see this place here in the Seattle area. I had only been to the one in Honolulu before and it was so good! The noodles are thick and the flavors are amazing. The tempura is fresh and delicious. Definitely recommend.“

“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.“

“delicious and big burgers, the fried were bomb“

“Sumo Teriyaki is low-key dining that mainly focuses on take-out.

I've tried the chicken teriyaki, sumo fire teriyaki, and the beef bowl. All are flavorful, without being douced in sauce, and the ingredients taste fresh.“

“This was uber eats order korean spicy tofu! It got here in lightning speed :). It was very good! So impressed as a vegan curious its very hard to fins savory asian food! I hope you add other non meat dishes like cauliflower spicy etc definitley ordering again!!!“

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

“Came in for the first time after the gym next door, and wow! The teriyaki bowl is amazing! It's even got broccoli and cabbage, no one does that with their teriyaki bowls! And it's a great portion! Excellent flavor and char, I'm coming back!“

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

“I can't believe how long it has taken me to write this review. My family and I dine at this establishment weekly, sometimes twice in one week. We moved to the south end from N Seattle six months ago and initially had trouble finding a good sushi restaurant. We had tried several other restaurants in Southcenter/Tukwila area as well as others in Burien but I was very disappointed until we found Tomo Sushi. What has me coming back weekly, is the fresh fish, friendly and kind service and a nice atmosphere.“

“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!“

“I definitely like it 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻“

“the menu is unique and set apart from every other burger restaurant. food is incredible, prices are great, staff is great, restaurant is clean and inviting. 5/5 love this place!“

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

“If I could put one more star on service I would put two because that was the fastest and most enjoyable meal you could have, manager was very nice, gave us on the house appitizer, came to our table and talked to us even. Very enjoyable would go back if I could.“

“Good place to eat, clean, and great looking menu“

“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.“

“My go to place! Parking is never an issue, which makes stopping by super easy, and it's so convenient since it's close to my work. Their food is consistently good and the cashier and the rest of the staff are always so friendly and welcoming. It's always a great experience and I highly recommend checking this place out.“

“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.“

“We had a wonderful experience at California Monster Sushi in Kent! The sushi was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Everything we ordered tasted delicious, and the portions were very satisfying.

The lady who served us was especially friendly, pleasant, and welcoming. She greeted us with a warm smile, patiently helped us with our order, and made sure we had everything we needed. Her kind and cheerful personality made our dining experience even more enjoyable.

Great sushi, excellent service, and a comfortable atmosphere. We will definitely return and highly recommend this restaurant!“

“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.“

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

“Everyone loves their karaage chicken...huge servings! They also have the best Tom Kha...the flavor is spot on! Pad See Ew, drunken noodles, etc are all wonderful. Portions are large & prices are reasonable. But, biggest reason I keep returning is their terrific staff...just the nicest people!“

“Delicious Ramen and dim sum“

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

“First time eating at Nami Sushi, and it did not disappoint! We ordered the small boat, which has 20 different items in the boat and 3 different kinds of rolls. We also ordered the tempura calamari and Agedashi with a side of Japanese beer (large bottle of Asahi). The wait staff are attentive and checked on us multiple times. The restaurant is clean and tables are nicely spaced apart, tables are cleaned immediately. The decor of this restaurant is pretty cool and unusual. We will definitely be back. Thanks Nami Sushi!“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“