50 Best Japanese Restaurants near University Place

“The definition of a mom & pop shop that cares about what they do. Food is consistently great. I always order take out and the dishes are still always well-prepared and presented, quick service, etc. If you’re in the area and haven’t tried it then you’re robbing yourself.“

“Always delicious with nice portions! Recommend!“

“We always have such a great experience here!
The staff is very kind and attentive, and are patient with my kids.
The servings here are very generous! Usually we are taking part of it home for the next day.
My son is a little more particular and they have always made his chicken katsu exactly how he likes it, and every time I've gotten sushi it was a hit!
This is also one of our favorite places for holidays because they are so generous celebrating birthdays!“

“Was expecting to be able to share this meal however there was only enough for one because the cooks put burnt broccoli pieces under both meat options ? rice was mushy and slimy and I didn't get any veggies other than what was in the fried rice I paid $2 extra for. Very disappointed with the quality for the price this was over $20

Parking: Parking is minimal especially on weekends“

“one word...EXCEPTIONAL! An absolute must visit.“

“I have been coming here for years and the food is awesome!“

“Really enjoyed our lunch here. Sushi was very fresh and tasty. The service was excellent and we look forward to returning.

Kid-friendliness: The employees were very kind and welcoming to our 2 year old while we enjoyed a meal.“

“The menu here is large and varied! So many options, including baked rolls. The shrimp tempura in the Lucky Cat roll was delicious - I recommend it. Also get the sushi dip, it comes with fried crispy wonton chips and jalapeno sauce! Everything was nice and fresh. Beautiful presentation. Portions are generous and prices are agreeable. Friendly service in a nice and clean environment. I definitely recommend!“

“First time coming here last Friday. Came here with my cousin, we ordered the karaage chicken, tempura, sashimi rolls & spicy tuna roll. iIt was pretty good, I can tell everything was freshly made. I'd definitely come back“

“Now that there is a great sushi chef there I hope that we will be seeing sushi added to the menu“

“Locals put me onto this stop while I was in town. The lady who runs this place is very nice.

Best Teriyaki I've had. They don't play around with their lunch size. I ordered a Mango Milk Tea with Rainbow Jelly to drink. It's more of a smoothie than a milk tea, but it's delicious.

Not sure what lunch runs around Tacoma, but $20 for this felt like a solid deal.“

“1st let me say..had food twice, once from order service and other in person. Both times the service and food were great! The manager is very nice and respectful along with the staff. The funny differences from other sushi restaurants are the fact you have to order everything by QR code ( so if you want a mobile device free night..not gonna happen) and your order comes via a robot! Now that I found funny because I kept on despite directions from the “robot waitress” trying to take food from the other shelves until I got used to things. Speaking on getting “used to”..try maybe 1 or 2 times order something small to get used to how the quantities are served. My friend meant to only get 2 of something and ended up with 3 and I had to eat the extra 1 for respect of the dining rules “whatever is left when you are done you must pay for”. Now the “all you can eat” bit. Please understand that the food here is really good and that they offer quite a unique variety of items to try and eat. That is the meaning of the “all you can eat” here. This is not a legit “all you can eat” restaurant . For $30 you are getting way good quality..so do you want good quality or high quantity? In this tight market you can’t really get both. So please be mindful & respectful of this. They do sadly have techniques to let you know when you are reaching “their” maximum..and after much thought…I can respect that. Overall the food, service and everything else was excellent. I ate mostly the sashimi which I thought tasted fresh and buttery when needed to be and when ate rolls I had the rolls that were cooked and those were handled expertly. My friends had the coconut shrimp which was the favorite for them and such like items. One said the ribs were tough and the fried rice was too hard. Overall I will return and be more “menu venturing “ knowing that there is actually a limit. Again..out of respect, please respect quality over quantity.“

“This is the best Teriyaki restaurant in the state. I drive from Lacey WA. just to get it. I always get spicy chicken number 4. For the money the portions are amazing compared to what other restaurants will give you. Yes the building is not very nice and its cramped in the restaurant but the food is SO worth it.“

“The food is so amazing, the sweet and salty go together perfectly, and the savory elements bring so much to it. The unagi sauce on the eel is top notch. And the tempura is so fluffy while also having a great crispness. All around the atmosphere, the food ,and the service, is so amazing“

“Beef teriyaki, sushi, and calamari are amazing!“

“Located in a food hall with street parking. No AC so in the summer it can get a little warm inside. The food was fantastic with great portions. One of the best pad Thai I had since moving to Washington. Not too sweet, tangy, spicy. Husband had the fried garlic chicken I believe and he said that was fantastic as well. Owner (I think) was super sweet and asked us how we liked her food afterwards. Highly recommend! If we didn’t live so far we would be here more often.“

“Such good food and tasty. Good portion sizes as well. They are always friendly and make sure you have everything.

Parking: Depends on the time of day you go. There are other businesses in the complex, and if busy, parking is harder to find. It's free parking, though, and there are parking spots right in front of the restaurant.

Wheelchair accessibility: It's 1 story and no stairs, so it is easy to get in and out.“

“Stopped by for a weekend dinner with family. Pleasantly surprised by the variety of menus and friendly staff. All the food was generous portions and also tasty. All meat dishes were cooked right without overcooking and dryness. The sauteed Chinese menu had the unique wok cooked open flame taste. Highly recommend for a quick dine out option.“

“It’s the Best. Hands down. Best food. I drive out from Tacoma all the time just for this tasty food. Can’t go wrong.“

“I always get the vegetarian bento box, which has a nice variety and always fills me up and then some.“

“Like this place now with new management !… want try all the menus later.. like the chicken teriyaki, beef, mongolian beef, general tsos chicken… lakewood people i recommenddddd thiss restauranttt … lunch special its good deal !… God Bless🙏🏻“

“very comfy !! if i was local i would get takeout here regularly! the guy who served me and my family was super sweet and interactive. you could tell it was a family-owned business which warms my heart. get the katsu if you're going !! <3“

“The young man working there was very friendly and helpful. The food came out fast and was delicious. I got the spicy pork and it's perfect. Hot enough to make you sweat, but not regret. The portion could serve two people, so if your partner likes the same food it becomes very cheap. I plan to go again.“

“I have been dining here for over a decade, and every time, the food is just as amazing as the first time I had it. Teriyaki portions are bigger than you think, and if you dine in, they'll start you off with some egg drop soup! Friendly service, and a tv with movies to distract you“

“This Apple teriyaki has been my go-to ever since I moved to the area many years ago. I usually get teriyaki and/or some Chinese food from here. Always good with leftovers for later. I’m sure I’ve ordered from here over 100 times over the years.

Parking: Depending on time and day, it can get a bit cramped, but there had always been a spot available for me to park.“

“Best Teriyaki in town hands down. Best Teriyaki in town hands down. Best Teriyaki in town hands down. Best Teriyaki in town hands down. Best Teriyaki in town hands down. Best Teriyaki in town hands down. Best Teriyaki in town hands down.“

“Ok, since the other owners sold we’ve been a little disappointed with Happy…tonight they hit it out of the park! Idk what was different but OMG, the spicy chicken teriyaki was actually a 5! My husbands nose was running and I couldn’t stop steeling it off his plate! The sweet and sour YUMMMMMM!!!! (I did have to request extra sauce but that’s ok!) Whatever it is keep it up! Will be going back very soon!“

“I had the Mongolian beef/Chicken teriyaki for lunch and both were good! The service was decent, nothing fancy, but solid for a small hole-in-the-wall spot. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here, but if you’re already next door doing laundry, it’s worth grabbing a bite.“

“As someone from Hawaii who’s accustomed to Michelin-rated Japanese cuisine, I have high standards when it comes to sushi—and Sake Sushi & Grill absolutely delivered! I ordered the Chirashi (Sashimi Salad), and my husband had the Sushi Bento. Both dishes were outstanding. The sushi rice was a standout—perfectly cooked and seasoned, which is rare to find even at well-known spots. The selection of sashimi was exceptionally fresh, delicious, and beautifully presented. You could taste the care and quality in every bite. My husband couldn’t stop raving about his Sushi Bento dinner, and we both agreed: Sake Sushi & Grill has officially become our new favorite. If I could give it a Michelin rating, I would—hands down. We can’t wait to return!“

“Cute family place. Very friendly. The food was very typical of a strip mall Chinese place. The teriyaki chicken is cooked sliced and then stored which causes it to dry out. While the food is good, they could spend a little more attention to quality over quantity. Would recommend but don’t expect it to be amazing.“

“Good foods, good price and they are very kind for customers. Recommend 10 of 10“

“I've been to many sushi places in the Tacoma/Seattle area and Fujiya certainly stands out as one the best. I can really only speak to the nigiri, but it is always fresh, melt in your mouth tender and generous slices of fish. So good! I want to go back just talking about it!“

“Hubby was craving sushi, so stopped and ordered a Surprise roll for him, a long with a Tempura California roll. I ordered two Philadelphia rolls for myself and a chicken teriyaki lunch. The sushi was delicious and perfect. The chicken teriyaki lunch was wrong. It had spicy chicken and two servings of rice. I was really looking forward to the salad. Otherwise, definitely going back. Just double checking the order before leaving.“

“Everything was excellent from our host, food, and especially our Server Courtney was amazing.“

“This Nagoya Teriyaki place is loaded with lots of flavor. The General Tso’s chicken spice level is no joke. Next time, I’ll get something less spicy. It’ll be worth it. Getting back to their chicken, it’s very good regardless. Chewy and never dry. It’s always a good bite to eat. The rice is great too. The mixing is a great idea when it comes to rice and chicken. It’s just… beautiful. Go get Nagoya whenever you got cravings for chicken.“

“The food is so delicious!!!“

“I really appreciate the ladies up front. When it’s not busy they have time to visit with you and the cooks you never see but the food that comes out of the kitchen so some of the best ever definitely the best locally I’m a picky person when I order and they are so nice to make me happy. And I always come back“

“The food is good, BUT in that past year they have become SOoooo EXPENSIVE and its NOT worth the money any longer. The portions used to be larger and now they barely fill their boxes. Not going back because of those reasons. They need to drop the prices again and add more food to boxes again.“

“DO NOT RECOMMEND It's what I pushed and then all the sudden it said I recommend it no I don't I went in today to go get my Beef Teriyaki with fried rice I paid extra for the rice. I ended up not getting a sauce for my fried rice so I asked for one. I showed the girl that I didn't get one and she was rude to me in front of all the customers saying that it doesn't come with 1. Trying to charge me $1 so I'm confused that not only did I just pay 12.49 plus 1.99 for some rice and you want to charge me for a sauce. She slammed down 2 sauces and said "next time I'm charging you". I took 1 to my table and said you know what I'll put it back because I ordered a side of fried rice and will give my mom mine. Shes slamming the ice around etc... Also I had bean sprouts in my food a few weeks ago when I asked for none in 3 of my meals. I didn't complain. I did have 2 complaints from the past about sweet and sour chicken being hard it was all like bone cartridges. If you complain one time the rest of the time on they treat you like crap. I'm done with going here I've had enough of thier bs.“

“My wife and I are visiting from out of town. We shared a Bento box as we were not too hungry. The food was INCREDIBLE! The tempura fried veggies were a nice addition and we enjoyed them. The teriyaki chicken was grilled tasting and fresh. We shared the yum yum sushi and it also was on point. Nothing bad to say about this place. We left “happy” I would come here again as often as I could!“

“Amazing experience!!! You will never imagine what it look inside from the outside! We’re so happy to make a stop today :) the foods are fresh & taste great & very good price for the food’s quality we got🤩 the atmosphere was lovely, the decor was very well done, warm welcome and smile from server light up the room :) i will definitely visit again , the outside said, new management&new menu, would say that this new is great and professional :)“

“Wonderful service and the food is very tasty.“

“My wife went in for a 2go of our dinner tonight. It was by the far the BEST sushi and teryiaki ! The noodled from the yakisobi was also by the far the best they tasted the most real then other places. We will be eating here alot.
Thanks so much!!“

“This is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots to grab a bite with friends. We love the service and the food is amazing! The portions are large, and great for the price point. The employee greeted us with a friendly smile and had some great recommendations for us.“

“10/10 recommend! Service was great and the food was even better! I got the chicken katsu with fried rice. Wish I had took pictures of my husbands food (short ribs) that was also delicious, along with the kimchee! So good ! Will be coming back often 😍“

“Fantastic quality of teriyaki, sushi, and soup; quite literally some of the best teriyaki we've had in Tacoma and elsewhere. Staff is extremely polite and provides fast and accurate service. The atmosphere is very calm and pretty, and the bathroom was clean and very nice. Will be visiting here constantly!

Kid-friendliness: Very welcoming and understanding of our little one and his want to bounce on the booth cushions.“

“Stopped in for a quick bite. We had the vegetable tempora as a starter. Husband had the Phoenix and I had a order of California rolls. Excellent food“

“Okay Teryaki, but too much sauce on my teriyaki,sauce is a bit too strong and way too sweet,and salad sauce container on top of the food ,kinda unsanitary :/ , this place use to be better, so I may come back next year to see if any improvement.“

“It's delicious, abundant, and affordable. I come here way too often. The staff knows my order. I drive damn near an hour to get their food. It's easily two meals if you want to split it up, but I down the whole thing. The mall location in Tacoma makes it easy to pick up and go. They are quick as well. You can watch them cook and clean so you know its hygienic. They have plenty of options to choose from as well. If you want delicious, affordable, and plentiful Japanese food, this is the place to get it. Oh you can get deals through the app, I order enough that I'm always getting 5 bucks off every purchase.“

“We've been coming here over 20 years and it is still the best teriyaki around! I think it has changed hands or names a few times but it has always provided the best spicy chicken teriyaki I've ever had.

If you don't like it, you haven't tried it. Everything is awesome but highly recommend the spicy chicken special! Add gyoza or make it combination fried rice to change it up. No matter what, you won't be disappointed!“