The best fifteen Japanese restaurants in Houston – for dishes other than sushi
When most people think of Japanese food here, they mostly think of sushi and sashimi or ramen. Those have resonated not only here but around the country and nearly everywhere, but here is much more to Japanese cuisine. Some of it can be experienced in Houston in restaurants ranging from quaint and lavish. Good sushi will be found at most; expensive at the latter ones, to be sure.
Posted on March 13, 2023.
The Best
Aya Sushi – Off the beaten path for most serious sushi fans, this nonetheless joins a few other worthy dining options in the heart of commercial Bellaire featuring a kitchen led by Chef Yoshi Katsuyama, who some might have seen behind the sushi counter at the acclaimed Soto in Montrose. Sushi, sashimi, and maki and omakase often with seafood flown in daily are draws here complemented by other plenty of non-sushi preparations in a more suburban address that, unusually for a sushi restaurant, has a good-sized patio. Bellaire
Izakaya – Riffing on the izakaya theme – small plates meant as an accompaniment to drinking in Japan and increasingly so in this country – this handsome, oft-energetic, hip spot near the bars in Midtown serves excellent, mostly Japanese-inspired cooking. There are also crudos, top-notch ramen, and fine-value bento boxes at lunch, plus some Chinese dumplings. Cuisine-appropriate cocktails, sakes and one of the city’s better lists of Japanese whiskies. It’s another jewel from the Azuma restaurant group the includes Kata Robata. Midtown
Izakaya-wa – Japanese-owned and -operated, this fairly quaint duo has a range of familiar items plus an udon with the Kansai-style light broth, array teishoku-style lunch plates, a convenient set meal in which all of the dishes are served together, often a soup, a main dish, pickles and rice. There are plenty of sushi, sashimi and hand rolls for the sushi fans in your group midday. Skewers, grilled and fried, take prominence during dinnertime, and there are a number of shareable starters to begin a visit on the lengthy menu. River Oaks, Memorial
Kata Robata – With a kitchen led by Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, certainly one of the city’s top chefs in the city in any genre, this restaurant still excites for its sushi, featuring a long list of seasonal specialties, and much more from its range in Japanese cuisine that’s “both traditional and modern.” An omakase from Hori is a real treat, worth the expense and effort to score a reservation at night. Sushi and Japanese food doesn’t get any better in Houston than this. Upper Kirby District
Kuu – This very attractively appointed, modern Japanese restaurant just in front of the Memorial City medical complex has been led since it opened about a decade by Addison Lee, a veteran of the famed Nobu chain who decamped to several well-regarded stints at Houston sushi restaurants and that experience shows. There’s plenty to entice at the sushi counter, and plenty of sushi and makimono option. You can also treat yourself to the Toyosu sashimi box or a piece or several of Seared A5 nigiri. Memorial
Nippon – Around since 1986 and unlike the vast majority of area Japanese restaurants, Nippon is Japanese-owned and -staffed. And, the comfortable dining room is usually peppered with ex-pat Japanese clientele, a sure sign of its authenticity and quality. It‘s also one of the best value Japanese restaurants in the city. Separated from the main dining room, the sushi bar of soothing, light wood and the small tables that flank it, provide an enjoyable place to enjoy some of the better sushi in Houston, for which Nippon has long been known. The sushi is reliably very good and has been expertly prepared by a friendly Japanese sushi chef; the senior one is a certified master. Nippon features a similar array of fish in the sashimi, nigiri sushi (the popular version with fresh fish sitting atop vinegared rice and wasabi) and the related rolls that is found in most area Japanese restaurants. You can order here without hesitation. Montrose
Nobu – The local outpost of the famed global chain, now with almost sixty restaurants, this might interest visitors more than locals and it’s not one of it’s star locations, but some excellent sushi can be had, lightening the wallet a fair ways in the process. There’s nigiri, mako and sashimi and omakase for $185 a pop, plus plenty more here like A5 Wagyu and famous non-sushi preparations like its Black Cod with Miso, Hamachi with Jalapeño, Soft Shell Crab rolls, and the cooked New-Style Sashimi plus the fun Nobu tacos. Very expensive but it’s very nice here. Galleria
Ramen Tasu-Ya – Like Uchi, another very successful transplant from Austin, this modern ramen house has struck a chord with Houston diners. It serves what might be the best ramen dishes in town with seven standard preparations that can be modified in numerous ways with one of the flavor bombs, additional spice or otherwise, and toppings like soy braised pork belly, tofu, roasted seaweed and more. Counter-service but nicely set. Montrose
Roka Akor – Sushi shares billing with the robata-cooked steak and seafood, an expansive of nigiri sushi, maki and sashimi draws fine-dining aficionados to gorgeous local spot set in a skyscraping residential tower from this small upscale chain. A table is likely in order here, as there are only a half-dozen seats at the sushi bar. Greenway Plaza
Shun – From the son of the owners of longtime favorite of Japanese transplants and visitors, Nippon, also in Montrose, Shun is something nicer, hipper and more ambitious than his parents’ comfortable stop. A little less traditionally Japanese, too, with locally attuned flavors and ingredients make their appearance in some of the dishes. With a mix of sushi and sashimi, grilled robatayaki items, and a grab-bag of Japanese small plates, the menu might be tough to navigate for some, but the servers are helpful guides. The pricey, but large pieces of nigiri sushi and sashimi are excellent, as you might expect with the experience at Nippon, with some sourced from more exotic waters. Fun and delectable rolls like the Sun Blast filled with salmon, apple, tobiko, micro cilantro, lime, spicy aioli and topped with a piece of crispy salmon skin might have more wide-ranging appeal. Shun can seemingly appeal to a range of customers with familiar items like tempura, miso soup, pork katsu, and sushi rolls, those interested in a meal of mostly sushi and sashimi, and there’s a separate sushi counter, or those wanting something more unique. Montrose
Soto – A transplant from Austin sporting a gorgeous dark interior, this offers an approachable, well-executed, well-sourced take on the popular Tokyo-style sushi occasionally spiked with some regional favorites like jalapeño, avocado and even tacos of a sort. Truffles and foie gras make appearances, too. Some items arrive from Tokyo’s Toyosu seafood market; the uni here is from Hokkaido rather than Santa Barbara. Japan Express menu changes daily and with often about ten seasonal available as nigiri or sashimi. One of the omakase menus, at $150 and $250 a head, offers an indulgence. In that vein is the A5 Wagyu beef that’s one of the fairly numerous hot dishes on the menu that can be worth visiting even if sushi is not part of the meal. But, it’s one of the top handful of sushi purveyors in town. Montrose
Teppay – The owner has recently turned over the reigns of this longtime sushi specialist just off Westheimer on Voss, but doesn’t seem to have missed a beat. If not as flashy nor as modern as some others, it can satisfy at maybe a little lower key. There’s also staples like ramen, udon, soba, and shabu shabu preparations. Briargrove
Uchi – Serving a creative take on modern Japanese food and known for its sushi and sashimi preparations, this is a version of the most acclaimed restaurant in Austin that won Chef Tyson Cole a James Beard Award several years ago. It quickly became part of the restaurant firmament in Houston after opening in early 2012, and remains a top destination for sushi and seafood, period. Terrific service, too. Happy hour daily from 4:00 to 6:00 is way to experience some of the excellence here for just a little less. Montrose
Uchiko – “Uchiko, child of Uchi,” is likewise a transplant from Austin, if not quite a replication of its namesake there, with its full bar and grander setting. Located along a glittery stretch of Post Oak Boulevard, it is like its parent, a “non‑traditional Japanese concept,” and has an emphasis on sushi, while also “bringing smoke and char” to some of the creations. That sushi is Uchi-level, superb, in a variety of forms. The Toyosu section showcases the ten to twenty items recently flown in from that market in Tokyo, the successor to Tskuiji, and the home of the most prized pieces at sushi counters worldwide. Regardless of the provenance, the preparations here are deeply flavorful, and often creative and fun. Boquerones, rolls with soft shell crab and nuon mam, and post oak-grilled pork belly were just a few of the temptations on a recent visit. The menu is updated daily and posted on its site, highlighting the attention paid to the ingredients here, and taken with the restaurant, overall. To note, you can certainly spend some money for a meal, even without considering the bluefin tuna and caviar selections. The décor is in line with the high bar of the kitchen. It’s clean-lined and beautifully brown that’s accentuated with abstract works from local artists. With the notably adept service, too, this is a terrific addition to the city’s dining scene. Galleria Area
Zen Japanese Izakaya – You’re likely to see some Japanese ex-pats when dining here, always a good sign for a restaurant advertising authentic Japanese cuisine, but the menu will be approachable not terribly familiar with the fare, too. Piquant locally popular ingredients like jalapeños and serranos show up here and there, and there recognizable gyoza and noodle dishes and several easy-to-like fried kaarage and tempura preparations in the wide-ranging menu that skews toward seafood. With a sushi chef from Japan, you might want to visit just for that, which includes a long list of nigiri, sashimi and rolls, and some featuring seafood straight from Japan. River Oaks
Posted on March 13, 2023.
The Best
Aya Sushi – Off the beaten path for most serious sushi fans, this nonetheless joins a few other worthy dining options in the heart of commercial Bellaire featuring a kitchen led by Chef Yoshi Katsuyama, who some might have seen behind the sushi counter at the acclaimed Soto in Montrose. Sushi, sashimi, and maki and omakase often with seafood flown in daily are draws here complemented by other plenty of non-sushi preparations in a more suburban address that, unusually for a sushi restaurant, has a good-sized patio. Bellaire
Izakaya – Riffing on the izakaya theme – small plates meant as an accompaniment to drinking in Japan and increasingly so in this country – this handsome, oft-energetic, hip spot near the bars in Midtown serves excellent, mostly Japanese-inspired cooking. There are also crudos, top-notch ramen, and fine-value bento boxes at lunch, plus some Chinese dumplings. Cuisine-appropriate cocktails, sakes and one of the city’s better lists of Japanese whiskies. It’s another jewel from the Azuma restaurant group the includes Kata Robata. Midtown
Izakaya-wa – Japanese-owned and -operated, this fairly quaint duo has a range of familiar items plus an udon with the Kansai-style light broth, array teishoku-style lunch plates, a convenient set meal in which all of the dishes are served together, often a soup, a main dish, pickles and rice. There are plenty of sushi, sashimi and hand rolls for the sushi fans in your group midday. Skewers, grilled and fried, take prominence during dinnertime, and there are a number of shareable starters to begin a visit on the lengthy menu. River Oaks, Memorial
Kata Robata – With a kitchen led by Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, certainly one of the city’s top chefs in the city in any genre, this restaurant still excites for its sushi, featuring a long list of seasonal specialties, and much more from its range in Japanese cuisine that’s “both traditional and modern.” An omakase from Hori is a real treat, worth the expense and effort to score a reservation at night. Sushi and Japanese food doesn’t get any better in Houston than this. Upper Kirby District
Kuu – This very attractively appointed, modern Japanese restaurant just in front of the Memorial City medical complex has been led since it opened about a decade by Addison Lee, a veteran of the famed Nobu chain who decamped to several well-regarded stints at Houston sushi restaurants and that experience shows. There’s plenty to entice at the sushi counter, and plenty of sushi and makimono option. You can also treat yourself to the Toyosu sashimi box or a piece or several of Seared A5 nigiri. Memorial
Nippon – Around since 1986 and unlike the vast majority of area Japanese restaurants, Nippon is Japanese-owned and -staffed. And, the comfortable dining room is usually peppered with ex-pat Japanese clientele, a sure sign of its authenticity and quality. It‘s also one of the best value Japanese restaurants in the city. Separated from the main dining room, the sushi bar of soothing, light wood and the small tables that flank it, provide an enjoyable place to enjoy some of the better sushi in Houston, for which Nippon has long been known. The sushi is reliably very good and has been expertly prepared by a friendly Japanese sushi chef; the senior one is a certified master. Nippon features a similar array of fish in the sashimi, nigiri sushi (the popular version with fresh fish sitting atop vinegared rice and wasabi) and the related rolls that is found in most area Japanese restaurants. You can order here without hesitation. Montrose
Nobu – The local outpost of the famed global chain, now with almost sixty restaurants, this might interest visitors more than locals and it’s not one of it’s star locations, but some excellent sushi can be had, lightening the wallet a fair ways in the process. There’s nigiri, mako and sashimi and omakase for $185 a pop, plus plenty more here like A5 Wagyu and famous non-sushi preparations like its Black Cod with Miso, Hamachi with Jalapeño, Soft Shell Crab rolls, and the cooked New-Style Sashimi plus the fun Nobu tacos. Very expensive but it’s very nice here. Galleria
Ramen Tasu-Ya – Like Uchi, another very successful transplant from Austin, this modern ramen house has struck a chord with Houston diners. It serves what might be the best ramen dishes in town with seven standard preparations that can be modified in numerous ways with one of the flavor bombs, additional spice or otherwise, and toppings like soy braised pork belly, tofu, roasted seaweed and more. Counter-service but nicely set. Montrose
Roka Akor – Sushi shares billing with the robata-cooked steak and seafood, an expansive of nigiri sushi, maki and sashimi draws fine-dining aficionados to gorgeous local spot set in a skyscraping residential tower from this small upscale chain. A table is likely in order here, as there are only a half-dozen seats at the sushi bar. Greenway Plaza
Shun – From the son of the owners of longtime favorite of Japanese transplants and visitors, Nippon, also in Montrose, Shun is something nicer, hipper and more ambitious than his parents’ comfortable stop. A little less traditionally Japanese, too, with locally attuned flavors and ingredients make their appearance in some of the dishes. With a mix of sushi and sashimi, grilled robatayaki items, and a grab-bag of Japanese small plates, the menu might be tough to navigate for some, but the servers are helpful guides. The pricey, but large pieces of nigiri sushi and sashimi are excellent, as you might expect with the experience at Nippon, with some sourced from more exotic waters. Fun and delectable rolls like the Sun Blast filled with salmon, apple, tobiko, micro cilantro, lime, spicy aioli and topped with a piece of crispy salmon skin might have more wide-ranging appeal. Shun can seemingly appeal to a range of customers with familiar items like tempura, miso soup, pork katsu, and sushi rolls, those interested in a meal of mostly sushi and sashimi, and there’s a separate sushi counter, or those wanting something more unique. Montrose
Soto – A transplant from Austin sporting a gorgeous dark interior, this offers an approachable, well-executed, well-sourced take on the popular Tokyo-style sushi occasionally spiked with some regional favorites like jalapeño, avocado and even tacos of a sort. Truffles and foie gras make appearances, too. Some items arrive from Tokyo’s Toyosu seafood market; the uni here is from Hokkaido rather than Santa Barbara. Japan Express menu changes daily and with often about ten seasonal available as nigiri or sashimi. One of the omakase menus, at $150 and $250 a head, offers an indulgence. In that vein is the A5 Wagyu beef that’s one of the fairly numerous hot dishes on the menu that can be worth visiting even if sushi is not part of the meal. But, it’s one of the top handful of sushi purveyors in town. Montrose
Teppay – The owner has recently turned over the reigns of this longtime sushi specialist just off Westheimer on Voss, but doesn’t seem to have missed a beat. If not as flashy nor as modern as some others, it can satisfy at maybe a little lower key. There’s also staples like ramen, udon, soba, and shabu shabu preparations. Briargrove
Uchi – Serving a creative take on modern Japanese food and known for its sushi and sashimi preparations, this is a version of the most acclaimed restaurant in Austin that won Chef Tyson Cole a James Beard Award several years ago. It quickly became part of the restaurant firmament in Houston after opening in early 2012, and remains a top destination for sushi and seafood, period. Terrific service, too. Happy hour daily from 4:00 to 6:00 is way to experience some of the excellence here for just a little less. Montrose
Uchiko – “Uchiko, child of Uchi,” is likewise a transplant from Austin, if not quite a replication of its namesake there, with its full bar and grander setting. Located along a glittery stretch of Post Oak Boulevard, it is like its parent, a “non‑traditional Japanese concept,” and has an emphasis on sushi, while also “bringing smoke and char” to some of the creations. That sushi is Uchi-level, superb, in a variety of forms. The Toyosu section showcases the ten to twenty items recently flown in from that market in Tokyo, the successor to Tskuiji, and the home of the most prized pieces at sushi counters worldwide. Regardless of the provenance, the preparations here are deeply flavorful, and often creative and fun. Boquerones, rolls with soft shell crab and nuon mam, and post oak-grilled pork belly were just a few of the temptations on a recent visit. The menu is updated daily and posted on its site, highlighting the attention paid to the ingredients here, and taken with the restaurant, overall. To note, you can certainly spend some money for a meal, even without considering the bluefin tuna and caviar selections. The décor is in line with the high bar of the kitchen. It’s clean-lined and beautifully brown that’s accentuated with abstract works from local artists. With the notably adept service, too, this is a terrific addition to the city’s dining scene. Galleria Area
Zen Japanese Izakaya – You’re likely to see some Japanese ex-pats when dining here, always a good sign for a restaurant advertising authentic Japanese cuisine, but the menu will be approachable not terribly familiar with the fare, too. Piquant locally popular ingredients like jalapeños and serranos show up here and there, and there recognizable gyoza and noodle dishes and several easy-to-like fried kaarage and tempura preparations in the wide-ranging menu that skews toward seafood. With a sushi chef from Japan, you might want to visit just for that, which includes a long list of nigiri, sashimi and rolls, and some featuring seafood straight from Japan. River Oaks
