Known for its mouthwatering cuisine, you can find pretty much any type of food you can imagine in NYC. So it should come as no surprise that the city is home to some of the best Japanese restaurants, including everything from five-star delicacies to delicious sushi.
Whether you’re in the mood for a hot bowl of ramen or fresh sashimi, you’ll find that and more at these must-visit Japanese restaurants in NYC.
1. Hi-Collar, East Village
Hi-Collar is a western-inspired Japanese café by day, offering delicious coffee and sandwiches. But once the sun sets the entire vibe changes as the high-tech coffee bar transforms into a sleek lounge, serving a must-order selection of sake and beer.
📍 231 E 9th St
2. Cocoron, LES
This cash-only Japanese noodle shop specializes in hot and cold Soba dishes that will have you coming back for seconds. The small restaurant has a cozy, intimate feel, great for enjoying a piping hot bowl of ramen on a hot day, and they even make their own tofu in-house. In addition to ramen, they also offer popular lunch items like a Millefeuille Katso sandwich and Karaang, a Japanese fried chicken.
📍 16 Delancey St
3. ICHIRAN, Multiple Locations
ICHIRAN is known for its solo-dining experience and delicious tonkotsu ramen, and with multiple locations around NYC it makes it easy to grab a bite here and, naturally, have your life changed. We’re not kidding, ICHIRAN is roted the number one ramen brand in Japan and is an absolute must-try. Plus, their Brooklyn location offers a sake flight!
📍 Multiple Locations
4. BondST, NoHo
BondST is an upscale Japanese restaurant that offers sushi and traditional Japanese dishes. Housed in a quaint brownstone, the restaurant has three floors–the ground floor houses an intimate and cozy lounge with its own sushi bar, the main floor houses a lively sushi bar, and the second floor is home to the dining room.
📍 6 Bond St.
5. Trust Bae, NoMad
A bit different than the other restaurants on the list, Trust Bae blends Filipino flair with a Japanese-style tasting menu. This women-led restaurant concept is hosted as an intimate, counter-style dinner by celebrity Chef Frances Tariga, with a 16-course tasting menu showcasing everything from Kinalaw Pod (served and consumed like an oyster) to Botan Ebi Tartare with housemade sago chicharron, calamansi yuzu gel, and kaluga caviar. Learn more about Trust Bae here.
📍 1204 Broadway
6. Totto Ramen, Multiple Locations
Totto Ramen is a famous noodle shop offering thinly cut noodles in a rich, chicken-based broth. Their standard ramen is available in three varieties–classic, spicy, and miso-spiked–and made with raw scallion, nori, and a choice between chicken or pork chashu. They also offer vegetable ramen and the choice to add a variety of toppings, including a poached egg or spicy bamboo shoot.
📍 Multiple Locations
7. Masa, Upper West Side
Masa is a high-end Japanese restaurant located on the top floor of the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle. The restaurant offers a fixed-price sushi menu and an intimate dining experience with modern décor. It’s certainly not among the cheapest Japanese restaurants in NYC, but with rave reviews from leading publications like the Michelin Guide and the New York Times, it’s well worth the price if you’re looking to splurge one night. They also operate a sister restaurant called Bar Masa right next door, which offers a la carte options and is a bit more affordable.
📍 10 Columbus Circle
8. Bohemian, LES
Bohemian is an exclusive Japanese hot spot located behind a butcher shop. The unmarked restaurant is referral-only, offering a chic, private dining experience for patrons lucky enough to get the invite. And with modern décor featuring a posh, backlit bar and small zen gardens, the ultra-hip dining establishment offers sophistication and delicious cuisine with a menu of items including Wagyu tartare and short rib sashimi, blending traditional Japanese cooking with fine cuisine.
📍 57 Great Jones St.
9. Nakamura, LES
As Chef Shigetoshi Nakamura’s first restaurant in the U.S., Nakamura serves up some of the tastiest ramen you can find in NYC. Formerly the mastermind behind the critically acclaimed Sun Noodle’s “Ramen Lab,” Nakamura’s flavors are out of this world and include flavor combinations you can’t find anywhere else.
📍 172 Delancey St
10. NONONO, Midtown East
Keeping to traditional basics through cooking preparations and fresh ingredients, NONONO adds their own signature twist to the common Japanese grill cuisine. Their expansive yakitori-centric menu, cool vibes, delicious programs make for a must-visit when it comes to Japanese dining in NYC.
📍 118 Madison Ave
11. Okonomi / Yuji Ramen, Williamsburg
Okonomi is a small Japanese eatery in Brooklyn specializing in ramen, bento, and donburi. The restaurant only features seating for 12 people and serves a traditional Japanese meal called “Ichiju Sansai.” Okonomi is only open for lunch and at night switches over to Yuji Ramen, one of the best noodle restaurants in Brooklyn. Okonomi is one of the best Japanese restaurants in NYC for those who want a traditional meal in an intimate setting.
📍 150 Ainslie St, Brooklyn
12. Shalom Japan, Williamsburg
From married chefs and owners Aaron Israel and Sawako Okochi comes Shalom Japan, serving a menu of Japanese and Jewish fusion fare. The menu is a collaboration with a unique culinary perspective that celebrates their individual cultures, diverse cooking backgrounds, and passions for food, and includes dishes such as Sake Kasu Challah, Matzoh Ball Ramen, and a Low Bowl.
📍 310 S 4th St, Brooklyn
13. Omakaseed, NoMad
You’ve probably had Japanese omakase, but have you ever had an entirely plant-based omakase? Take one of the eight seats at Omakaseed’s sushi bar and then you can! From Executive Chef Roberto Romero, an experienced Michelin star chef with a passion for plant-based culinary innovation, the fifteen-course meal highlights seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients wish dishes will have you wishing it never ends. Learn more about Omakaseed here.
📍 1204 Broadway
14. Tempura Matsui, Murray Hill
The history of Tempura dates back to the mid-16th Century, but not many restaurants give it the recognition it deserves. In walks Tempura Matsui, which serves up deliciously fried fresh fish and vegetables. Dinner at Tempura Matsui is a multi-course menu which includes sashimi, though they unfortunately can’t currently offer a vegan version.
📍 222 E 39th St
15. Sake Kawa, Astoria
For fresh and delicious sushi–literally all the sushi you could eat and imagine–sashimi, classic and hand rolls, bento dinners–you name it–you’ll definitely want to check out Astoria’s Sake Kawa. The food is absolutely delicious, and we suggest paring your meal with sake or plum wine.
📍 32-05 36th Ave.
Bonus: 50 Norman, Greenpoint
Not exactly a restaurant, 50 Norman is Greenpoint’s very own mini market combining Japanese retail and dining. The 3,500-square-foot space is home to three retail and dining spaces–House Brooklyn, Okume, and Cibone. The team behind the marketplace hopes that guests will feel as close to Japan as they feel to Brooklyn from Tokyo. Read more about 50 Norman here.
📍 50 Norman, Brooklyn