This guide to the best Japanese restaurants in Singapore was last updated on 21 Feb 2015.
If there’s one thing that Singaporeans love other than buffet, it’s definitely Japanese food. Here’s a list of the best Japanese restaurants in Singapore.
Aburiya is one of the better Japanese BBQ restaurants in Singapore. It is the kind of place to go for a fun night out with a group of friends to pig out.
Its ala carte menu offers plenty of choices for beef, pork, lamb, chicken, vegetables and seafood, but we recommend opting for the sets – the signature beef set (S$80) comes with an assortment of beef such as prime short rib, tenderloin and skirt; the seafood set (S$75) with prawns, scallops and squid; and the premium wagyu set (S$120) which offers beef tongue, cube-cut steak, skirt and prime short rib.
#01-03 The Quayside
60 Robertson Quay
Tel: +65 6735 4862
Mon to Sat: 6pm – 11.30pm
Sun & PH: 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay
AKARI JAPANESE DINING & BAR
#01-02, Marina Bay Link Mall, 8A Marina Boulevard
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Tel: +65 6634 0100
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
Aoki Restaurant at Shaw Centre is definitely not cheap. But I feel that the prices of set lunches are acceptable ($35-50) as it serves top quality Japanese food in a nice environment. Dinner sets are available from $40-80. And if you feel like indulging, omakase during lunch is $100, while dinner is $165.
1 Scotts Road
Shaw Centre #02-17
Tel: +65 6333 8015
Mon to Sat: 12noon – 3pm, 6.30pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
When craving for Japanese food, one of my to-go places is Akashi Japanese Restaurant. It has reliable and pretty good Japanese food. And most importantly, a meal at Akashi is relatively affordable – if you go for their set meals. Most of the sets – served with salad/rice, soup and fruits – are priced below $20 during lunch (additional $3-4 for dinner).
290 Orchard Road
#B1-01 Paragon
Tel: +65 6735 8887
Daily: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
19 Tanglin Road
#01-01A Tanglin Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6732 8662
Daily: 12pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
Akanoya specialises in robatayaki. For the uninitiated, robatayaki is a technique in Japanese cuisine; customers sit around an open counter where fresh ingredients are displayed, and they can just point to order. The chefs will then grill the ingredients like seafood, meat, and vegetables over charcoal, and serve it to the customers using a long wooden paddle.
1 Tanglin Road
#01-01 Orchard Parade Hotel
Tel: +65 6732 1866
B @ Rochester
8 Rochester Park
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 11pm
Tel: +65 6778 1788
Nearest Station: Buona Vista
CHIKUWA TEI
We LOVE Chikuwa Tei at Mohamed Sultan Road for their chirashi-don. So good that we have to use Chikuwa Tei’s chirashi sushi (S$25) as the benchmark for a good sushi rice bowl – freshness is top notch, slices are thick enough to bring out the sweetness of the fish, serving is generous and filling, and the cherry on top? Its super reasonable price tag. We always find ourselves at Chikuwa Tei when the craving for chirashi-don kicks in.
Chikuwa Tei’s chirashi-don is listed in our guide to Singapore’s top 8 chirashi-don.
9 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-01
Tel: +65 6738 9395
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay
En Japanese Dining Bar at River Valley has a 50% promotion off Sushi and Sashimi from 6pm – 8pm daily. For those who cannot make it for the early bird discount from 6pm to 8pm, you can go there for supper as the Mohammed Sultan branch opens till late night 3am on Friday and Saturday.
207 River Valley Road
#01-57 UE Square Singapore
Tel: +65 6735 2212
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay/Somerset
Ginzawa (formerly known as Sushi Kuu) – a hidden gem in the heart of the city – at Palais Renaissance is one so elegant that you definitely need to check it out.
The must-try dish at Ginzawa is the Tokusen Hokkai Chirashi Don (S$48) that is available as part of its lunch sets. Topped with 11 types of premium seafood, it is not only super photogenic and Instagram-worthy, but also one of the best chirashi in town.
For dinner, the Makimono starts from S$15, while you can get an assortment of Nigiri sushi for S$45. Other dishes that are worth trying include Kurobuta Tsuke Soba (S$20) and Tempura Moriawase (S$25).
390 Orchard Road
Palais Renaissance #01-07
Tel: +65 6736 0100
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
HAN Restaurant at Odeon Towers is a kushikatsu speciality restaurant that serves Japanese skewers kaiseki-style. During lunch, they have a lunch set of seven sticks for $75, while omakase at dinner starts from $120.
The food at HAN restaurant are not your typical greasy and sinful food. How should we put it? Every stick that we had was fresh, flavourful, and most importantly, not oily at all. In fact, we still wanted more after we had seven to eight sticks.
A meal at HAN Restaurant is not cheap, but if you like Japanese food (deep-fried stuff in particular) and want something different from the usual kaiseki restaurants, here’s the place to go.
331 North Bridge Road
#01-04 Odeon Towers
Tel: +65 6336 2466
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: City Hall
At Hide Yamamoto, diners can enjoy four different menus – namely: sushi, robatayaki, ramen and teppanyaki. The Japanese Restaurant is located on the second floor of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino, and it is the brainchild of renowned Chef Hide Yamaamoto.
There’s only one word to describe our meal, and overall experience at Hide Yamamoto: exquisite. While prices are steep, we’d recommend Hide Yamamoto restaurant at Marina Bay Sands if you like teppanyaki.
8 Bayfront Avenue
02-05 Casino Side Level 2, Marina Bay Sands
Tel: +65 6688 7098
Daily: 12.00 – 15.00
Mon to Wed: 18.00 – 23.00
Thu to Sun: 18.00 – 03.00
It is a good place to bring your clients for a business luncheon if you are working in the area. At night, it is perfect as a place for a quiet dinner. If you don’t want to splurge, go for the bentos – they are slightly more affordable, prices range from $32 to $38.
22 Cross Street
#01-50/53 China Square Central
South Bridge Court
Tel: +65 6536 7746
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
Ippudo’s ramen empire is showing no signs of slowing down as it opens more and more outlets across the globe, including New York City, Seoul, Shanghai and Sydney. Ippudo’s outpost at Westgate – its third outlet in Singapore – further cements Westgate as the dining destination in the West.
Start your meal with the Miso Dare Gyoza (S$8) and the legendary Steamed Pork Buns. Ippudo serves classic Hakata-style ramen: Choose from the Shiromaru Motoaji (S$15) – the original tonkotsu broth ramen; Karaka-Men (S$17), a strong flavoured bowl of ramen with curly noodles; or Akamaru Shin-Aji (S$15), Ippudo’s signature red bowl of tonkotsu ramen with miso paste and fragrant garlic oil.
Ippudo is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Best Ramen.
Westgate #03-03
3 Gateway Drive
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Jurong East
ITACHO
Salmon skin sushi for S$0.40 – everyone will know Itacho Sushi because of this. And more than that, they are a favourite because of the wide variety of sushi creations at very friendly prices. When dining at Itacho, treat yourself to a selection of makis, rolls and nigiris made with fresh ingredients.
Itacho is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Affordable Sushi Restaurants.
#03-03/31 Changi Airport Terminal 3
65 Airport Boulevard
Tel: +65 6241 8911
Sun to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri & Sat 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Changi
Izakaya Nijumaru is a great hidden gem with good Japanese food at very affordable prices. If you are meeting your friends in town and trying to decide what to eat in Orchard, you may want to drop by Izakaya Nijumaru at Cuppage Plaza for a drink and some Japanese food.
5 Koek Road #02-10
Cuppage Plaza
Tel: +65 6235 6693
Nearest Station: Somerset
GYU-KAKU JAPANESE BBQ RESTAURANT
With so many restaurants lined along the two sides of Lorong Mambong, it’s easy to miss out Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ restaurant if you are new to Holland Village.
We will go straight to the point: A meal at Gyu-Kaku is not cheap. But it serves good quality meat, and we like the fact that you won’t smell like BBQ after a meal.
29 Lorong Mambong
Holland Village
Tel: +65 6466 4001
Nearest Station: Holland Village
Cuppage Plaza is an old and dodgy building in the Somerset area, but it is also home to many fantastic Japanese restaurants and eateries. Kaiho Sushi, a hole-in-the-wall sushi joint, is one of them. It has been around for years and it is where food lovers in-the-know head to for good and quality Japanese food.
During lunch, it serves nine sets (at S$30) that range from Anago Don Set, to Sushi Set and Ebi Tendon Set. But the one that you should go for is the chirashi Set (S$30 during lunch, S$58 during dinner) which comes an assortment of sliced mackerel, salmon, tuna, scallop, squid, prawn, octopus, and crab meat.
5 Koek Road, Cuppage Plaza, #03-01/02
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 11pm
Tel: +65 9734 9822
Nearest Station: Somerset
KAIWARE JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Previously from Wasabi Tei, Mitsuba and Chikuwa Tei, Chef Peter Teo is no stranger in the local food scene. Despite his notorious reputation as a food nazi, he has always been known for serving excellent Japanese food.
Kaiware Japanese Restaurant at TripleOne Somerset is his latest venture. It offers a range of Teishoku (S$24 – S$32), Nabe (S$22 – S$35) and Sashimi (S$30 onwards), but the only reason why we made a trip down was to try his famous Chirashi-don.
The Haru Chirashi Sushi (S$28) was decent, but it did not live up to expectations. We didn’t like the fact that the rice was served separately from the sashimi. That being said, if you have always been a fan of Chef Peter Teo, Kaiware Japanese Restaurant is still worth a shot.
#02-15 TripleOne Somerset
111 Somerset Road
Tel: +65 6735 2345
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset
KEISUKE TONKOTSU KING
The snaking queues during lunch and dinner time probably says it all – Keisuke Tonkotsu King is the epitome of ramen, and probably the closest you’d ever get to an authentic ramen experience.
Keisuke Tonkotsu King is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Best Ramen.
#01-19 Orchid Hotel
1 Tras Street
Tel: +65 6636 0855
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar
Nestled in the quaint HillV2, Kinsa Sushi is made for the heartlanders and all who love a simple Japanese meal. Prices are not at all intimidating to say the least, and the menu is well-covered with the usual Nippon favourites prepared with premium ingredients. Dishes that we love include the premium Wagyu Don at only S$24.80, Grilled Prawn Mentai (S$9.80), Kinsa Roll (S$14.80) and Tempura Bento Set Lunch (S$11.80).
4 Hillview Rise
HillV2 #02-02
Tel: +65 67107278
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri, Sat & Sun: 11.30am – 10pm
KIKU
Japanese restaurant Kiku occupies a two level shop house along Duxton Road. Opened by Hong Kong restaurateur Calvin Yeung, Kiku has boldly defied Japanese dining conventions by incorporating both Kappo and Izakaya styles, presenting to customers an extensive Japanese menu that ranges from premium fresh blue fin sashimi flown in from Japan’s famous Tsukiji market to innovative sushis inspired by Southeast Asia cuisines.
21 Duxton Road
Tel: +65 6225 5567
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar
Koh Grill & Sushi Bar is a small eatery nestled a corner of Wisma’s Food Republic which serves quality Japanese food at affordable prices. And the one dish that makes me go back again and again is their Shiok Maki. It is an maki made up of avocado, unagi and aburi salmon, drenched with the most amazing cheesy sauce that is seemingly a legit mixture of mayo and mentai, and completed with a generous topping of tobiko. The Shiok Maki is hands down one of the best things we’ve ever had in life.
is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Affordable Sushi Restaurants.
435 Orchard Road #04-21
Wisma Atria Singapore
Tel: +65 9180 3805
Daily: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
If you are looking for Robatayaki, Mikuni Japanese Restaurant at Fairmont is another place to check out. Rest assured that you are in the good hands of the chefs there. Just sit back and enjoy a wonderful meal.
80 Bras Basah Road
Level 3 Fairmont Singapore
Tel: +65 6431 6156
Nearest Station: City Hall
Nakajima Suisan Grilled Fish at Takashimaya’s Japanese food court is one of the places that I usually go to when I want a quick-fix in town. The prices of the set meals — choose from Salmon Teriyaki ($12.50), Gindara Teriyaki ($14.50), and Shio Saba ($7.50) — are pocket-friendly. If you are meeting your friends in Orchard Road, head here for a simple and satisfying meal.
391A Orchard Road Basement 2
Takashimaya Food Hall Ngee Ann City
>Here is a worthy contender for the best all-rounded ramen. A robust broth, chewy noodles and one of the most tender chashu we have had (it is the prized pork cheek after all), it is one easy ramen to love.
Ramen Santouka is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Best Ramen.
#02-76, Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street
Tel: +65 6224 0668
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay
Located at the ground floor in the same building as Oasis Hotel, Rakuichi Japanese Restaurant has really good aburi sushi.
The Tokubetsu Set (S$28.60) – includes a salad, an assortment of 6-piece aburi sushi, stir-fried fish head with teriyaki sauce, seafood & vegetable tempura, miso soup, and sesame ice cream – is extremely value-for-money. There are also cheaper lunch sets like saba shioyaki, shake teriyaki and katsu don at S$18.60.
#01-05, Oasia Hotel
8 Sinaran Drive
Tel: +65 6659 6683
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Novena
There are many Japanese restaurants in town, but to find one that has good Japanese food at reasonable prices? That’s no mean feat. So imagine my happiness when I chanced upon Rakuzen Japanese Restaurant at Millenia Walk.
The food at Rakuzen is of a good standard, and coupled with the fact that it is wallet-friendly, I would certainly go back when I want Japanese food.
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-14/19 Millenia Walk
Tel: +65 6333 1171
Nearest Station: City Hall/Promenade
Much has been said about Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru, the sushi restaurant at the basement of Liang Court. I am going straight to the point: Whatever you have heard about Ryoshi – it is true. They serve surprisingly good and fresh sushi at very affordable prices.
Don’t visit Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru and expect to get quality sushi that you will get from top Japanese restaurants. But what you can expect is reasonably good sushi at pocket-friendly prices.
Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Affordable Sushi Restaurants.
177 River Valley Road
Basement 1 Liang Court
Tel: +65 6337 1022
Daily: 11am – 9.30pm
Tonkatsu is ever popular, and Saboten at Changi Airport Terminal 1 does theirs well. Which explains why they are always packed, but we really would not mind the wait just to have a serving of the gorgeously-fried hire Katsu (pork tenderloin cutlet); we never leave Saobten without a serving of that. And the cheese katsu is a fabulous alternative that we always add-on, too! The various sets is another reason why Saboten is an ideal option for families.
80 Airport Boulevard
#031-004 Departure Check-in Hall Level 3
Changi Airport Terminal 1
Tel: +65 6214 9504
Nearest Station: Changi Airport
Standing Sushi Bar has established a good reputation for good quality Japanese cuisine since opening back in 2009. The quirky concept of standing-in-a-sushi-bar has also helped boost their popularity in the local food scene.
8A Marina Boulevard
B2-51 Marina Bay Link Mall
Tel: +65 6634 7068
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 9pm
Sat: 11.30am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
Sugisawa Japanese Restaurant at Robertson Quay has very good value for money bento sets. Like other Japanese restaurants, the bento set is inclusive of rice and miso soup. But what makes Sugisawa different from the rest is that the portions are really generous and they even come with sashimi.
30 Robertson Quay
#01-16 Riverside View
Tel: +65 6235 0212
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay
SYUN BY CHEF HAL YAMASHITA
Joining the line-up of celebrity chef restaurants at Resorts World Sentosa, Syun – which means a season of new beginnings – focuses on modern Japanese contemporary cuisine.
Helmed by famous Japanese Chef Hal Yamashita, Syun imports the freshest produce from Japan for all their dishes, and freshness is guaranteed when you dine here. The environment is that of a casual one, with nuances of ancient Nippon charm, and heavy with wood elements. Private rooms are also available for a more conducive dining environment; otherwise, it makes a great place for a comfort lunch over earnest Japanese cuisine.
Festive Walk, Resorts World Sentosa
8 Sentosa Gateway
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Tel: +65 6577 6688
Nearest Station: Harbourfront
One of our favourite Japanese restaurants in Singapore, Tampopo at Liang Court dishes out good and reliable Japanese food. We will go so far as to say that they have one of the best Tonkatsu in Singapore.
177 River Valley Road
#01-23/24 Liang Court Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6338 3186
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay
TATSUYA JAPANESE RESTAURANT
A stalwart of the local dining scene, Tatsuya is where in-the-know locals go for top quality Japanese food. It comes with a price, of course. Omakase – where the chefs decide the menu for dinners based on the guests’ preferences and the freshest ingredients available – here is S$280++/pax for 8-10 course dinner. We would suggest going for their set lunches. The Sashimi Bento (S$45), Sushi Bento (S$45) and Bara Chirashi (S$35.90) sets offer excellent value.
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Tel: +65 6887 4598
Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6.30pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
Teppei Japanese Restaurant at the ground floor of Orchid Hotel has been gaining a steady following because of its extremely affordable omakase (prices start from S$50/pax). It has earned its regulars’ loyalty with the barachirashi (S$17.60), as well as its reasonably-priced tempura lunch sets.
#01-18, Orchid Hotel, 1 Tras Link
Tel: +65 6222 7363
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar
The Sushi Bar at Far East Plaza serves the standard dishes like sushi, sahimi, Japanese-style pastas and donburis, but if you only have room for one dish, you must try the much-lauded Salmon Aburi Sushi (S$14.50). I am happy to report that it lives up to its hype, and it is very addictive satisfying. As it is, The Sushi Bar is already very popular, so try to go there during off peak hours, or be prepared to wait in line.
The Sushi Bar is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Affordable Sushi Restaurants.
#04-28 Far East Plaza
14 Scotts Road
Mon to Fri: 12.30pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 9pm
Sat: 12.30pm – 9pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
If there is something that we can eat everyday, it would be Japanese food. Although we have our favourite to-go places for Japanese food, we are always game to try something new. One great place that we ate at is Tomi Sushi Bar in Velocity at Novena Square.
Tomi Sushi is not fancy. But what you can expect from it is sushi and sashimi of a better quality than any other Japanese restaurant chains in town – it is a good sushi bar where you can go back time and again.
Tomi Sushi is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Affordable Sushi Restaurants.
#02-76/77 Velocity
238 Thomson Road
Tel: +65 6255 2355
Daily: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Novena
Tonkichi is no stranger to Tonkatsu lovers. It is one of the most popular Tonkatsu Restaurants in Singapore. It has a menu that focuses on sinful but oh-so-good deep-fried food. Most people would probably go for the signature Kurobuta Kata Rosu Set ($32.9), Rosu Katsu Set ($22.9) or Hire Katsu Set ($20.9). For seafood lovers, they have options like the Mixed Seafood Katsu Set ($25.9), and Oyster with Rosu Katsu Set ($26.9).
181 Orchard Road
#07-06 Orchard Central
Tel: +65 6238 7976
After having lunch at Yayoiken Japanese Restaurant, I’ll go so far as to say that my hunt for a place that serves inexpensive and good Japanese food has ended with this casual restaurant located at the basement of Liang Court.
Meidi-ya Supermarket
177 River Valley Road
#B1-50 Liang Court Shopping Centre
my humble contribution which you may want to explore – sakuraya for sashimi, kushingin for yakitori esp during lunch there is special set lunch value for money but quality not compromised. tks for the list. do add on to it… en dining – depend if you want the beef side free flow or not, if so its about S$50 per pax. just craving for hotpot only… wondering where there is good ones.. any recommendation? tks
Ikoi at Hotel Miramar is probably the worst Japanese restaurant in Singapore or probably in the whole region. Food is prepared by and served for Chinese tourists who have no clue. Disgusting!! Really
have u tried KUMO at ICON village, Gopeng street?
@kim I just went there tonight! haha really good value Omakase.
Goes to show just how many Japanese restaurants there are in Singapore – I love Japanese and have only been to one or two you have listed here ! Looking forward to eating my way through your list – thanks !
Hi Brad,
I love Japanese food! I can’t believe that Kazu sumiyaki at Cuppage didn’t make it to this list. It’s really good and be sure to make a reservation or you’ll never get to sink your teeth into those yummy perfectly bbq-ed foie gras.
Thanks for your list! Always wanted to try Chikuwa Tei!
And about the Nogawa @ Concorde Hotel?
https://www.ladyironchef.com/2011/08/chikuwa-tei-japanese-restaurant-mohamed-sultan/
Just to let ya know, the former owner has already sold his shop name wholly to new owner.
It is currently under another boss in terms of management and food. He has retired.
JFYI.