Boston has no shortage of amazing Japanese restaurants. After a recent Japan trip, I developed a new appreciation for the cuisine and was inspired to create this list. This local’s guide covers the best Japanese restaurants in Boston and includes sushi, yakiniku, udon, shabu-shabu, ramen, and more.
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Last Updated: December 4th, 2023
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1) Futago Udon
One of my all-time favorite Japanese foods is udon noodles. Futago in Fenway has a variety of inventive udon flavors such as miso carbonara and uni creme. My go-to here is the curry udon. The curry broth is thick and well absorbed by the handmade noodles. It’s served with a generous portion of tender and crispy fried chicken.
508-512 Park Dr, Boston, MA 02115
2) Cafe Mami
Another one of my favorite comfort foods is Japanese curry. Cafe Mami in Porter Square’s Lesley Food Court is the best spot for it. I recommend adding chicken katsu, chicken tatsuta, and/or a fried egg. The curry here is not spicy at all– the flavor is sweet and mild.
The Japanese hamburg is good here too. It’s a 7oz marinated ground beef patty topped with homemade sauce. Each curry dish is served with miso soup and salad, while the hamburg steak is served with soup and rice.
The next 3 restaurants on this best Japanese restaurants Boston guide will also be located in the Porter Square food court.
1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 / Menu
3) Tampopo
Just down the hall from Cafe Mami is another comfort food stall. Tampopo has been around for decades and I have fond memories eating of here when I was younger. They sell traditional Japanese dishes like donburi (meat over rice), katsu don, udon, tempura, and curry. All their dishes are very affordable at only $11-13 for each. They also sell snacks like onigiri.
1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 / Website
4) Izakaya Ittoku
This is the perfect restaurant for Japanese small plates and drinks. They serve a variety of yakitori, Japanese street food, okonomiyaki, sushi, and omusoba. I recommend ordering a variety of dishes and splitting them amongst friends or your date.
My go-to order at Izakaya Ittoku includes an Asahi beer, chicken thigh yakitori, grilled skirt steak, katsu curry, and chicken karaage. This is my favorite weekend spot with friends on this best Japanese restaurants Boston guide!
1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 / Website
5) Yume Ga Arukara
This is the #1 udon restaurant in the Boston area. Their udon rivals the ones I’ve eaten in Japan! The handmade noodles are fresh and perfectly al dente.
I highly recommend ordering the Spicy Cold Niku Udon. The noodles are served in a cold, slightly spicy broth and topped with beef, scallions, chili paste, and tempura flakes for a satisfying crunch. It’s seriously the best udon I’ve ever had (you know a restaurant is good when they specialize in one thing only).
Although this is a best Japanese restaurants Boston list, they only have a location in Porter Square, Cambridge, at the moment. (However, they are opening a location in Seaport in December 2023!) The Cambridge location is a small stall and very popular, so be prepared to wait in line.
1815 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 / Website
6) Yume Wo Katare
Prefer ramen over udon? Yume Wo Katare is located just down the street from Yume Ga Arukara. The restaurant feels intimate with only a small number of people served at a time and phone usage is discouraged. Another unique feature of the restaurant is it is a “Dream Workshop”, where you announce your dreams and aspirations in front of the other patrons!
Onto the food: The shoyu-based broth is rich and flavorful. The ramen noodles are much denser compared to the ramen from surrounding restaurants. It’s topped with a mountain of bean sprouts, 3 tender roast pork slices, and plenty of fried garlic.
There is also an option for 5 pork slices, but it is very filling (they don’t allow takeout for leftovers).
Read my Boston’s Best Ramen Guide for more must-try ramen restaurants!
1923 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
7) Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
Even though it’s a chain, Gyu-Kaku is the best (and only) Japanese yakiniku in the city. Here, you grill your own meat and can dip it in ponzu, sweet soy, or miso for added flavor. Meat can be ordered a la carte or through their AYCE buffet. Their AYCE has 3 tier options that are priced at ~$48, ~$58, and ~$68 per person. However, I prefer ordering each dish separately. I always order bistro hanger steak, premium sirloin, and filet mignon.
Check out my TikTok for more details.
23 District Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125 / Website
8) Tora Restaurant
If you’re looking for quality poke bowls, I recommend Tora in Chinatown. They specialize in sushi and beautifully plated kaisen-don. A popular dish here is the Sake Aisuru Don, where the salmon is presented in the shape of a rose.
Tora also has a sister restaurant called Tora Ramen. I recommend the spicy miso ramen and black garlic tonkotsu ramen here. The garlic ramen broth is light and comes with fatty and flavorful torched pork belly.
I also highly recommend the kuro karaage, which is boneless fried chicken in a black garlic batter. The outer layer is crispy and the inside is a juicy dark meat chicken.
Note: Tora accepts card, but Tora Ramen is cash only.
20B Tyler St, Boston, MA 02111 / Website
9) Avana Sushi
Just down the street from Tora, you can find affordable sushi at Avana Sushi. The stall is easy to miss – it’s located inside the 42 Beach Street food court. I recommend trying their lunch specials. You receive a maki roll, miso soup, and two sides for only ~$10! I list some of my other favorite restaurants in my Chinatown Boston article.
10) North End Fish
Another great affordable sushi restaurant in Boston is the North End Fish Market. This takeout-only spot sells fresh-caught seafood sushi and lobster rolls. They have a lunch special where you can get sushi rolls, 3 pieces of shumai, miso soup, and a salad for around $10.
I opted for the spicy tuna roll (pictured), which was made in minutes and tasted fresh. It was only $6.90 for 8 pieces, including tax! I’m including it on the best Japanese restaurants Boston list for the quality and the price.
99 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113 / Website
Further Reading: 17+ Best Boston Cheap Eats
10) Douzo
This restaurant in Copley is known for high-quality sushi. Their ~$98 Douzo “Tasting Boat” for 2 is popular. It includes a total of 29 sushi pieces presented in a wooden boat.
I always order the chicken katsu lunch bento, which comes with your choice of a maki on the side. I think this restaurant would be the perfect date spot or celebration dinner.
131 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116 / Website
11) Uni
On the topic of elevated Japanese cuisine, Uni is a contemporary izakaya in the Eliot Hotel in Back Bay. It’s $20-30 per small plate and you can add caviar for an extra $125. They also sell a variety of unique sashimi like their Spicy Tuna & Foie Gras Tataki.
370A Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 / Website
12) Oppa Sushi
This is a popular sushi restaurant. The presentation here is remarkable – some of the makis are served with a fire show.
185 Harvard Ave, Allston, MA 02134 / Menu
13) Shabu Zen
Shabu Zen is one of the best restaurants for authentic Japanese hot pot. I typically get the sirloin or ribeye beef. The meat is great quality and every entree comes with an assortment of veggies and your choice of carbs. If you really feel like splurging, they serve A5 wagyu imported from Japan.
16 Tyler St, Boston, MA 02111 / Website
14) Spring Shabu Shabu
Spring Shabu Shabu is a very popular shabu restaurant in Allston. It’s perfect for vegetarians because it has AYCE vegetables, noodles, and fish cakes. You get your own personal hot pot with 7 broth flavors to choose from. There is also a DIY sauce station with over 20 options.
The prices are reasonable at only $21 per person. Meat costs extra, but I think that one portion of meat is enough to be split amongst two people.
The only downside is the wait times are always very long, so I recommend going right when they open or off-peak times. Otherwise, you might have to wait over an hour!
304 Western Ave, Boston, MA 02135 / Website
Further Reading: 25 Best Indoor Activities in Boston
15) Purple Shell
Whether you’re looking to impress your date, or just treat yourself to a nice meal, Purple Shell in South Boston is the spot for fun and innovative Japanese fusion dishes & cocktails. Top menu items include spicy prawns, fire salmon (which literally lights on fire), octopus on fire, and the clay pot bowl.
As for sushi, I love their torched tuna roll and the “Perfect Dose” (pictured below), which comes with pipettes of ponzu and soy sauce. The seafood here is of high quality, and I appreciate the thought they put into their presentations!
11 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127 / Website
16) Maruichi
Last on the best Japanese restaurants Boston list is the best Boston-area Japanese market. Located in Brookline, Maruichi is split into two stores across the street from one another. One side sells Japanese pre-packaged meals, traditional Japanese cookware, and food at the counter.
The other store sells plenty of Japanese groceries including pantry essentials, fresh vegetables, and frozen foods. They also sell imported Japanese household items, beauty and skincare, and anime merchandise. They have a wide selection of Japanese ice creams and desserts. I recommend the frozen waffle ice cream sandwich.
Note: A lot of the pre-packaged foods are discounted around an hour before closing time!
306 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446
Honorable Mentions: Best Japanese Restaurants Boston
- Tsurumen in Davis Square for ramen
- Genki Ya for sushi
- Fugakyu in Brookline for typical Japanese fare (sushi, katsu, etc)
- RedWhite for vegetarian/vegan ramen. It’s one of the only Japanese restaurants in Boston MA that’s fully vegan! I recommend the “Masterpiece”. The vegan ramen has a sesame taste and a subtle spice. I also have a full guide on the best vegan restaurants in Boston.
- Santouka Ramen for ramen. This Boston ramen restaurant sells all your typical broths including shio ramen, shoyu ramen, miso ramen, etc. There’s a location in Boston’s Back Bay, Boston’s Allston, and Harvard Square in Cambridge.
- Migaku in Brookline for ramen. They specialize in seafood ramen, also known as champon. The ramen has pork, seafood, & vegetables with pork and chicken broth.
Menu Translations for Japanese Restaurants Boston
Here is a list of Japanese menu translations to avoid any confusion when ordering:
- Tempura –> Deep-fried seafood or vegetables in a light, crispy batter.
- Udon –> thick wheat flour noodles served in a variety of broths. It’s available hot or cold and tempura is a popular topping.
- Ramen –> Japanese noodle soup dish with plenty of variations. Popular soup bases include miso (soybean paste), shoyu (soy sauce broth), and tonkotsu (fatty pork). Learn more in Masterclass’s ramen guide.
- Sushi & Sashimi –> Prepared rice, some type of seafood that can be cooked or raw, and seaweed.
- Shabu-Shabu –> Japanese-style hotpot. Thinly sliced pork or beef is cooked in boiling broth and dipped in sauce.
- Chicken Katsu –> Panko-fried chicken cutlet. You can dip it in a variety of sauces, or eat it in a curry. In Japan, the pork version of Tonkatsu is much more popular.
- Kaisen-Don –> Rice Bowl with a variety of fresh seafood.
- Yakiniku/Japanese BBQ –> Japanese grilled meats and vegetables.
- Okonomiyaki –> Japanese savory pancake made with wheat flour, eggs, shredded cabbage, and your choice of toppings.
- Omusoba –> Japanese omelet with yakisoba, or noodles, inside.
Conclusion: Best Japanese Restaurants Boston
That wraps up my local’s guide to the best Japanese restaurants in Boston! What I admire about many of these restaurants is the thoughtful presentation, quality of service, and, of course, the mastery of the food.
Discover more of Boston’s best food:
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