50 Best Japanese Restaurants in Philadelphia

“Delicious food, attractive atmosphere.“

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

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

“I had the best sushi omakase experience here. It’s quality sushi put together right in front of you. You are served 15 pieces of gourmet sushi, one piece at a time. I especially enjoyed the smoked salmon, wagyu sushi, raw shrimp, and the oyster. They were outstanding. The edible gold sprayed onto the sushi was special. It’s BYOB so bring your favorite beverage with you. Enjoyed and savored every piece of sushi.“

“Great service and very delicious sushi.“

“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“

“I had the pleasure of enjoying this incredible omakase recently, and it completely blew me away! I loved watching the chefs prepare most of the delectable 29 bites (the hot dishes were prepared in the kitchen), and the customer service by all team members was fantastic. I've had wonderful omakase experiences all over the world, and this was one of the best that I've ever had. I cannot wait to go back.“

“RUN to Ninja Bao, holy moly the food was delicious!! I am obsessed with the beef scallion pancake (that is rolled up like a burrito and reminded me of pho spices a bit) and the vegetable gyoza!! Probably the best veg dumpling I've ever had. The philly cheesesteak bun and cheesesteak gyoza were also amazing and full of flavor. Soup dumpling was okay, but the wrapper was nice. I enjoyed the texture of the bao a lot, and honestly the cheesesteak bao tasted better than your traditional cheesteak imo. Chicken gyoza was my least favorite and not a standout. Overall, I would totally come back here to this underground hidden gem!!“

“Koto Sushi in Philadelphia is a delightful spot for sushi aficionados. Located in the heart of Jeweler’s Row, it’s known for serving some of the best sushi in town. The fish is always fresh and flavorful, and the staff is friendly and accommodating. With a variety of options including lunch specials, hand rolls, and poke bowls, there’s something for everyone. The miso soup, in particular, is a hit among guests for its flavorful taste with plenty of seaweed. Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or a casual dinner, Koto Sushi’s reasonable prices and tasty food make it a great choice.“

“Everything was excellent and my server was so helpful. Hands down best sushi Ive ever had with rolls that are familiar to the typical American sushi, yet so highly elevated. Its also byob. Atmosphere is very nice and comforting. Intimate but not too in your business. The fellow guests there were all nice as well. I wouldnt give out 5/5 for anything either, it really was a spectacular time and delicious.Will definitely be going again with friends“

“For $9-10, the crepes were very filling. My boyfriend and I got the Shrimp Avocado and my friend got the Strawberry Banana. We all enjoyed them very much and plan to come during our next Philly trip.Only thing I'd suggest is to take names or call numbers out for every order since there was a group of 3+ customers confused about who's order was who's because only the name of the crepes were called out. Still great service and great food.“

“The best n freshest sushi I ever ate. Service was impeccable and the drinks are delicious.“

“fresh and delicious. good portions.“

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

“Exceptional cuisine! Awesome environment (built by my friend Ben Workerman!) and friendly/ informative service. We love the circle front door and warm interior. We went with the sake pairing which we enjoyed and went will with our omakase. Loved crunching down on the soft shell crab little bite. A bit pricey, but worth it! Will definitely return. I rank it a 3 out of 3 drink review (coke, beer, sake).“

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

“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!“

“Outstanding service from the host as soon as we walked in. All around prompt, courteous and friendly from service from whole staff. The food was really good and great variety on the menu with quite a few unique things I have not tried before. I am always searching for restaurants that put new things on the menu that aren't typical Americanized food and this place does a great job with that.“

“Great tasty eclectic Japanese food“

“A fantastic hidden neighborhood gem. Service was excellent - welcoming, knowledgeable, and great conversation at the sushi bar made our experience a memorable one - great insights and recommendations. Food is expertly prepared with fresh ingredients. The robatayaki was SO good. We will be back!!“

“Kiku is our neighborhood spot for takeout sushi. All of their classic rolls are good, but our favorites are the spicy rolls - they actually have a kick to them! They also do a solid job on the basic rolls, like tuna avocado and the Philadelphia roll (their smoked salmon sets this roll apart). We ordered the Valentine (my personal favorite) and the Temple signature rolls this time but our other go-to special rolls are the Tasker the Kiku rolls. Overall, the quality of the fish is consistent, the price is reasonable, the food is always ready super fast (we don’t need delivery since we live around the corner), and the people who work there are always very nice!“

“We love SavoriBowl as our go to spot when we're a bit too lazy or busy to cook, great poke bowls, good flavor, and the owners are super sweet. The last time my husband went in to pick up, they recognized him and recommended their favorite sauce combinations which we will surely try next time. Their poke bowls are solid, ingredients have been fresh and solid, and I like how easy it is to modify and create your own bowl here, and you get a loyalty discount if you use their system. My only comment is probably not a popular one - it's almost too saucey sometimes - but my husband for example, loves the over sauce and he loves their sauce. For me - I generally love ingredients as is, so sometimes the sauce feels like it overpowers the natural flavor of the vegetables or ingredients - but I do agree that the sauce is delicious! My guess it he majority of people like a very saucey bowl, and I'm the exception. We have also tried their chicken katsu - which was very well made, well fried, to perfection. I hope for the best success of SavoriBowl and will continue supporting them“

“Just visited with my wife, this is an absolutely amazing place and I HIGHLY recommend you take the walk or drive to come here. Service is FLAWLESS the people are warm and friendly, the food is to die for.The fact they do not charge you a ton of money is insane. The homely quality of this place alone could be enough to charge more, but they are incredibly fair and kind. The way all businesses should be“

“Took the train up to the end of the Chestnut Hill East line to wander down the main street shops on Germantown Ave and this was the first restaurant we ran into.The girlfriend and I ordered a bento lunch each and an eel-avocado roll on the side. Everything about the meal was delicious. Neither of us could finish the entire meal as the value for $15 was strong.I certainly wasn't expecting to get a full meal for two in Chestnut Hill and walk out less than $50 poorer, especially at a nice little place with attentive service and sushi involved. Will visit again for sure.“

“Everything is absolutely delicious. The teriyaki is sooooo good. The best I ever had. Sushi is so fresh and amazing. The staff are warm, friendly, and attentive. I wish I could give more than 5 stars. We celebrated my daughter’s bday tonight and they made it extra special with bday music and mochi ice cream. So sweet.“

“Not the greatest place to sit down and have dinner at, it’s a bit loud and small; better suited for quick to-gos or a lunch spot to grab food quickly. But the food is excellent and affordable, and there is seating if it’s not too busy!!!“

“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.“

“Wonderful food! Exceptional Staff! Had a great experience and can’t wait to go back!“

“Their Karoke Room was Amazing! Definitely booking for our next Private Event. My family are huge fans of Sushi and the selection at Samurai certainly didn't disappoint. I'm a fan of the Tuna Lover. I can't wait to return!“

“Always serve fresh and delicious meal,❤️❤️❤️“

“It was my birthday and I was craving sushi. I looked around at a few places and I decided to try this place. I looked at the menu before going and they had a lot of great choices. The staff was amazing. They were very nice and helpful. We had no wait for a table either. The food was very delicious, definitely worth coming here to try. I was very amazed that it came out on a boat like that too. I loved it. These were the rolls we ordered. Eagle Roll, Lobster Roll, Tiger Roll, Dancing Shrimp Roll, and King Dragon Roll.“

“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.“

“This is a good place to eat sushi and ramen. Personally, I ordered the miso soup ramen and I loved it: both the decoration of the dish, as well as the quantity and flavor, were in harmony; For starters we ordered gyozas, which were delicious. My companion ordered a shrimp tempura roll which, on the other hand, although it had a delicious flavor, the quantity was small in relation to the price. The atmosphere is cozy. The staff treated us very kindly, which made us enjoy the experience even more.“

“My friend introduced me to Tampopo, and I thought it was great. The food is reasonably priced and it tastes good -- there is a solid variety of options on the menu ranging from Yakisoba to Bibimbap and more. The staff is also extremely friendly, and the service is fast. After you finish your food, you bus your own dishes and bring them to a bin. Definitely a spot worth checking out in the area.“

“Best sushi in all of Philly! I eat here every time I come to visit my sister!“

“Ordered takeout for dinner on a weeknight. Everything we had was delicious and tasted fresh. The sushi fish was so good, it melted in your mouth! We paid under $60 for all items pictured, which was more than enough for 2 people. Will definitely be back.“

“Poke Buri is my go to for order out poke bowls. You can order on line at yelp which I do then pick up. They have a lot of options the price is great. The Poke Burri gives you lots of protein too which each bowl. I have never eaten in house but I have had excellent service with my take out orders. When I get home and sit down to enjoy my poke bowl everything is like I ordered it“

“I came in as they were starting to close up but I had a roll and sushi entree that were amazing. The shashimi was falling apart in my mouth and the roll was an awesome take on different salmon prep. Everything was amazing. Excited to go back.“

“Great service and excellent food!“

“we really enjoyed it. we are from DC, visiting the city. Zama is unlike the sushi spots in our area. Zama had more creative flavors and presentation. Also the buns were delicious. Staff was knowledgeable and helpful. And the space wasn't so large that the staff would forget about you.“

“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.“

“It is like finding a rough diamond in the city. Recently opened, menu selection is awesome and will have you exploring unique tastings. Incredible chef, who beams with pride (rightfully so) and shows. Lot of care in his crafty creations. I called it a rough diamond, since they are still polishing their menu and offerings, but this will be a superb choice and experience that is guaranteed to have you coming back time and time again.“

“Fuki quickly became a favorite place for me and my loved ones to go. The staff are all so attentive and friendly, the food comes out so fast, and the atmosphere is extremely calm and relaxing. On top of all that, the sushi is always fresh and tender and I love the ramen on cold days. I have nothing bad to say about Fuki!“

“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.“

“Unfreaking-real!!! Elisa M Hoffman and I could not be happier with this AMAZING birthday experience. Of course being huge foodies we were not going to pass up the opportunity to visit one of the most famous and admired chefs restaurants. What we didnt expect was a world class experience and the nicest, most attentive staff i've EVER seen. Not only was the Omakase (chefs selected dining experience) out of this world our server Richard was top notch and we had the pleasure of speaking extensivly with one of the managers Coco who astounded us by going above and WAY beyond to make us feel special and make this birthday dinner one i'll NEVER forget. So amazing grateful. 敬慕する“

“Took my kids ages 8, 9, 10 to the Glassboro location and they are IN LOVE! They have renamed the restaurant THE MAGICAL PLACE and are asking when they can come back. Food 5/5, Service 5/5, Atmosphere 5/5 See you again soon!“

“I went here with a crew of 6 to celebrate a special day, and it was a really good experience! By no means am I a sushi expert, but I am not a newcomer either and to me it was pretty great experience, especially the tempura shrimp on the mango shrimp roll.. We ordered the Party Platter D which came with 64 pieces total comprised of Alaska roll, tuna avocado roll, california roll, spicy tuna roll, sweet potato roll, tiger roll, mango shrimp roll, and creamy crab roll. The mango in the mango shrimp roll was also a welcomed change of flavors. Lots of options. We ended up getting one of the family meals that really satisfied our group's stomachs and wallets. Generally it is a little expensive, but it's a local establishment that also doesn't have a liquor license to bring in easy revenue. On that note, this is a BYOB restaurant, which is pretty neat, allowing you to save even more on your overall price if you plan on drinking. I wonder if they would be willing to warm your sake for you? My only food recommendation (which I communicated to the open and friendly guy at the counter, is that the spicy tuna wasn't very spicy. Maybe now it will be spicier if they've had similar complaints since the time I went--probably 5 months ago at this point. Otherwise, my only other complaint is just that it's a small place--about 8 spots at the stylish wood sushi bar, and two picnic style tables that can seat 5 if you pull up a chair, so it might be a little tough to find a spot if you're going out with a crew.“

“This is my go-to place for special occasions, like getting an A (or even a B+) in my Penn Law courses. CONGRATULATIONS to the owner for an incredible four years! I've been enjoying Kaseiki's sashimi bowls since the start of the pandemic and have always had wonderful experiences with them. The ingredients are always fresh and even the basic bowls, like their signature Anniversary Bowl, are very artistically done and taste great. I highly recommend the Second Anniversary Bowl, an upgrade that includes delicately prepared scallop, the sweetest shitake mushrooms you've ever had, and mouth-watering, delicious O-toro! The prices are high, but the quality is also high, so it's definitely worth it! Looking forward to enjoying a Chirashi bowl in person someday.“

“Hello, I wasn’t sure because of the name but I’m glad I stopped. I had the Hibachi mix vegetable w chucks of chicken and nice size shrimp and fried rice, everything was deliciously fresh my rice was not sticky, and it came with a side salad, Thumps Up to #DrunkeCrab!! top off w a breath mint.“

“Worthy of the hype! We came without a reservation for happy hour, and they were able to squeeze us in, but looks like a reservation is a good idea. The happy hour sake was good, and the U-Maki were fun and delicious. Looking forward to coming back with a reservation for the omakase!“