Sydney’s thriving food scene brings the flavours of the world to Australia’s eastern shores, and Japanese cuisine is no exception.
Dig into a hearty bowl of ramen after a day out at Bondi Beach or try modern Japanese food on Barangaroo’s waterfront. Surry Hills is home to many of the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney, including a modern omakase experience, a laneway yakitori hotspot, and a unique traditional restaurant serving dishes in specially crafted pottery. In the CBD, you’ll find some of the best sushi in Sydney, while Parramatta is home to a friendly yakiniku restaurant where diners cook various cuts of meat right at the table.
Expect fine Japanese whisky flights and sake cocktails, warm service and a lively atmosphere that keeps diners returning again and again. Book your next night out at one of the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney on OpenTable right now.
The best Japanese restaurants in Sydney – read on for a guide
For one of the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney for omakase – head to Zushi in Surry Hills and Barangaroo
With waterfront dining at the Barangaroo outpost and a central location in Surry Hills, each Zushi restaurant offers a unique, modern atmosphere for your next night out. The restaurant uses seasonal produce to create fresh modern Japanese dishes like Wagyu steak (served with nashi pear and apple soy butter) and oven-roasted duck teriyaki. Head to either restaurant during lunch from Monday to Thursday to try the bowls and bentos menu. Dishes like the miso salmon bento, which offers miso-marinated salmon alongside sashimi, wakame salad and more, are the perfect way to taste the variety on offer at Zushi. At the Surry Hills outpost, consider letting Chef Han – and his over 10 years of experience – guide you through a memorable omakase experience. The seasonal omakase menu includes 20 courses, and with just six seats at the counter, booking ahead is a must.
📍 Surry Hills — Check availability
📍 Barangaroo — Check availability
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For a five-metre-long sushi bar in Sydney – book a table at Masuya Restaurant in the CBD
Wander off O’Connell Street and into Masuya Restaurant’s open, brightly lit interior where you can choose between elegant two or four-people tables, or grab a seat at the five-metre-long sushi bar. Salmon and tuna are always on the menu, as well as a range of local fish bought fresh from Sydney Fish Market. Alongside seafood options, the restaurant also offers Kagoshima Wagyu from Japan and David Blackmore Wagyu from Victoria. Feast on sushi boats and creative shareable platters, or order the individual pieces à la carte – sushi and sashimi are certainly the highlight here, but there are plenty of other options too. The Masuya hot pot brings pork, king prawn, crab sticks and seasonal veggies together in a chilli miso soup. Masuya’s hearty, generous dishes are perfect for sharing with a date or a group.
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For one of the best sushi restaurants in Sydney – visit Kokoroya Japanese Sushi Dining in Maroubra
Offering a traditional Japanese dining experience in the coastal suburb of Maroubra, Kokoroya Japanese Sushi Dining offers top-notch fresh produce, intense flavours and a lively atmosphere. Every night, families and friends cheer around the long dining tables and booths to create a unique warm vibe, matched only by the bustle of the chefs in the kitchen. Peer past the bar and get a glimpse into how the chefs prepare sashimi like thin-sliced kingfish carpaccio and dishes like unagi kabayaki (grilled eel). Kokoroya is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney for families with young children, with an all-day kids’ menu and a playpen where children can play if they get restless before or after the meal. Try the shiratama anmitsu, a traditional dessert of fruits, mochi and red bean paste.
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For some of the best yakitori in Sydney – book a table at Tokyo Bird in Surry Hills
Tucked down a laneway in Surry Hills, Tokyo Bird welcomes diners into a small, intimate space where they can enjoy a variety of small bites over bottles of sake, beer and whisky. Crispy lotus root chips served with chilli Kewpie mayo make a great starter before digging into the restaurant’s speciality: yakitori (Japanese grilled chicken skewers). Choose between six different cuts of chicken, including hatsu (chicken hearts grilled and served with dipping sauce and lemon). Alongside yakitori, there are skewers stacked with scallops, Wagyu beef and quail eggs. Each serving includes two skewers and sauce or toppings. If you want to add some variety, try the pork and cabbage gyoza or the crispy calamari, served with wasabi mayonnaise. Tokyo Bird also takes its drinks menu seriously with a collection of Japanese and Scotch whisky, plus a wide range of sake and beer on tap.
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For tasty Japanese street food – grab a table at Goryon San in Surry Hills
At Goryon San experience the unique yakitori flavours of Hakata – a bustling port town in Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture – right in the heart of Sydney. If you’re dining alone, grab a chair at one of the long tables that look out the windows onto the street outside. Alternatively, gather with a few friends around the chic wooden tables backed by exposed brick walls. The restaurant’s signature dish is yasaimaki: vegetables wrapped in pork belly. Other skewers include Wagyu beef, chicken gizzard (stomach) and shiitake mushrooms. The shio (salt) option is the classic Hakata style and comes highly recommended. If you just can’t decide, there’s always the option of the daily ‘Mystery 5’ skewers. In addition, enjoy freshly shucked oysters with Japanese yuzu citrus ponzu sauce. Or, try roughly chopped Hakata cabbage served with vinegar and dashi dressing.
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For one of the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney’s greater western suburbs – head to Touka Japanese Yakiniku Restaurant and Bar in Parramatta
Touka Japanese Yakiniku Restaurant and Bar is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Sydney for anyone who wants to try yakiniku, where you grill your own dishes just how you like them. Order various cuts of meat, including oyster blade Wagyu beef, pork belly and ox tongue, and pair them with a fluffy bowl of rice or some king oyster mushrooms. Beyond the grill, round out your meal with sashimi, garlic butter cups and fresh bowls of rice or soup. You’ll quickly recognise Touka by the large lanterns hanging outside; once you’re inside, grab a cushioned seat at one of the elevated tables (each with its own small grill) and settle in. Aside from the food, it’s the welcoming service that keeps diners returning to Touka.
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For traditional Japanese flavours with a modern twist – head to Tento in Surry Hills
Tento crafts a traditional Japanese dining experience, right in the heart of Surry Hills. Executive head chef Gabriel D’Agostini trained under iron chef Rokusaburo Michiba, and he crafts an outstanding omakase. Try a hearty bowl of ramen (with the tonkotsu base made in-house), bite into a crispy chicken karaage sandwich or savour hibachi-smoked tuna belly. One of the most unique aspects of Tento is the distinctive clay plates and bowls, each tailored for the dish it serves. Co-founder chef and pottery master Ryota Kumasaka, who grew up working in his family’s cake shop in Fukushima, crafts many of these. Today, he splits his time between Tento’s kitchen and the pottery wheel. The whole team comes together to create unforgettable experiences for every diner.
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For an exceptional izakaya experience – head over to Robata Jones in Artarmon
Nestled in Artarmon, Robata Jones brings the izakaya atmosphere from Tokyo’s laneways to Sydney’s north-west. Start your meal with some burdock root chips before digging into a plate of pork belly skewers. The ox tongue bento box, served alongside lotus root and other vegetables, is perfect for a quick, tasty lunch. Afterwards, a creamy slice of Kyoto Uji hojicha cheesecake is the perfect end to your meal. Wood panels, hanging banners and warm lighting all add to the intimate izakaya-style atmosphere. Bear in mind that it’s also quite small – even with both indoor and outdoor dining options – so booking ahead is a must.
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For one of the best yakiniku Japanese restaurants in Sydney – head to Nikaido in Mascot
This Bayside hotspot offers one of Sydney’s most unique, comfortable dining experiences. Book one of Nikaido Mascot’s plush, private booths and settle into your own space with a grill and a tablet for ordering your food. Feast on the all-you-can-eat buffet (kids under five eat free), which includes up to 100 different kinds of meat, sashimi, side dishes and dessert. Alternatively, order a la carte and select from cuts of Wagyu beef, pork and chicken. Pair the grilled meat with sides of takoyaki (fried octopus), lotus root chips or soft-shell crab tempura. With a tablet, it’s easy to order as you go and discover the menu bit by bit. Of course, if you have questions, the friendly waitstaff is always on hand to help out.
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For some of the best ramen in Sydney – book at Chaco Ramen in Bondi Beach
After gathering a following at its Darlinghurst location, Chaco Ramen headed out to the coast and opened a new restaurant in Bondi Beach. This outpost uses large windows to let in plenty of natural light and fun murals on the wall to add a unique touch. The team at Chaco Ramen Bondi have dreamed up four signature ramen dishes, including yuzu scallop ramen, which sees Hokkaido scallops paired with John Dory, filled wontons and black fungus. After a hot day at the beach, cool down with a bowl of chilled tomato truffle ramen served with mizuna leaves and umeboshi (a flavour-packed pickled fruit). Even diners who aren’t fans of ramen can find something to enjoy here: the menu includes a range of sushi rolls (try the salmon scallop roll served with tempura crumbs and flying fish roe) and gyoza (including a vegetarian option).
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The best Japanese restaurants in Sydney cover many recipes, cooking techniques and flavours from Japan. From ramen to yakitori, sushi to takoyaki, there’s no need to book a flight to taste some traditional Japanese food. From the CBD to Bondi Beach and beyond, it’s easy to find the perfect restaurant for your next night out.
