The Best Japanese in San Antonio

Kai Sushi

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (283) • $$

"Food was amazing. The price is slightly higher then expected till you see you rolls. The rolls are bigger then other sushi restaurants. The flavor top notch. My son got the Orange chicken and the pieces were huge. It was my wife's birthday and she had a glass of the Sangria it was tasty. Our server took great care of us. The place was cozy. I can't wait to come back and try more sushi and maybe some ramen. This was a great birthday spot I can't wait to try more of the delicious food."

Sushi Zushi

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (474) • $$

"I came back again to try this place out because the happy hour is great and we wanted to give them another shot... I think this will probably be the last time. The rolls were okay. We were maybe 1 of 4 groups in there and our rolls took about 35 minutes to come out. One of the servers knocked into my chair so hard I almost fell over and he did not say anything but awkwardly giggle and continue walking to his table. The sushi was fine. Our waiter was very nice though and that's probably what is saving me from giving less stars because he did try to make us feel catered to. Unfortunately, they did try to overcharge me at normal pricing and I didn't notice until I went home that even after telling him the price was wrong and needed adjusting, I was charged almost $25 additional. Wanted to love this place unfortunately, did not."

Q hibachi express

★★★★★ 4.5 (25)

"The southside finally got a Japanese restaurant. It may not be a fancy sushi place but who needs that? Q's Hibachi serves sushi and if you're not comfortable eating raw fish, you can get their hibachi combos or plates. It's hard to choose what meat to get, beef, chicken or shrimp. It's all good and comes with steamed rice and veggies. The service is friendly and the prices aren't bad at all. Perfect replacement for Beijing Express. I wish there's one closer to me but this will have to do."

Sakana Sushi Hibachi Ramen and Bar

★★★★☆ 4.4 (44)

"I recently dined at Sakana, and the experience was excellent from start to finish. The restaurant was clean, inviting, and had a relaxed, chill atmosphere that made it easy to settle in and enjoy the evening. The staff were incredibly friendly and fast, ensuring that we were well taken care of throughout the meal.The food was just as impressive. Every dish was beautifully presented with attention to detail. We started with the takoyaki, a unique experience for me as it was my first time trying it. The fried octopus paired with eel sauce was absolutely delicious and left a lasting impression.For the main course, we had the karaage ramen. The broth was super yummy--rich and flavorful, complementing the generous portion of perfectly cooked noodles. The noodles themselves were just right--not too stiff or too soft. Every bite was satisfying and comforting. We also ordered the chicken fried rice, which was cooked to perfection with a large portion of tender chicken.One standout detail was the personal touch from the manager, who visited our table to check on our experience and ensure everything was to our liking. It was a thoughtful gesture that showed their commitment to providing great service.Overall, Sakana delivered an exceptional dining experience, and I look forward to returning soon!"

Yoshiya Umami Beef Bowl

★★★★★ 4.8 (93) • $$

"Wow, just wow! I visited Yoshiya's because the menu and pictures reminded me of a chain in SoCal called 'Yoshinoya's'. When I mentioned this to the owner, he said, "You can think of us as Yoshinoya's, only upgraded. And he was right!Yoshiya's is in a strip mall, there's plenty of parking. The place is small, with about 3-4 tables and bench+table seating for a dozen more against a wall. However it's very clean and I like the anime decorations! The J-pop or K-pop's played overhead is a little annoying but it does match the atmosphere.Service was fast and friendly, and DANG the food was good. Get the beef bowl with green onion and pickled ginger, you won't be disappointed. Also, probably the best shrimp tempura I've had in SA, it's got a delish sweet mayo sauce on it.Definitely I'll be coming back!This place scores a 5 out of 5 on the 'CTJ Scale', as noted below.5 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Jesus good. Would be OK passing away after finishing a plate here.4 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Mary good. Would be OK having a nosh here with Mother Mary.3 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Joseph good. Would be OK having a beer here with Jesus' Dad.2 out of 5 stars: Come-to-the-Apostles good. Meh. Wouldn't have my last supper here.1 out of 5 stars: Come-to-Nobody good. I wouldn't have my penultimate supper here, either."

Sushi Express

★★★★☆ 4.3 (412) • $$

"One of my favorite sushi places, been eating here for years and I've always been very pleased! It's worth the wait, the restaurant is clean and the a--_____customer service is great!zhbhvvvvvvvvvV a baby as"

Koi Kawa Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

★★★★☆ 3.8 (385) • $$

"I can't sing enough praises about Koi Kawa! It's exactly what my husband and I had longed for in a while. My husband is originally from Maui and definitely a sushi connoisseur in my opinion! I trust his opinion whole heartedly. We moved here from Florida and sadly, after searching far and wide for months we just did not find the quality of sushi we are used to. I first searched and read articles and blogs on good sushi in the San Antonio area and reading one article that mentioned Koi Kawa getting some of their fish from Japan sold me on it! I knew this place would be special. Yelp also had raving reviews but mostly I just felt this place would be a hit! It's a bit hidden in the plaza it's in and aesthetically the location itself was so Zen and welcoming! There's a small pond outside and large glass windows that allow natural light to pour into the entire restaurant. We ordered edamame and hamachi sashimi as appetizers! The hamachi was phenomenal. The perfect cut , temperature, quality and consistency! We each ordered a roll and they were also above par! The roll I ordered is the "281" and my husband ordered "the Bellagio" roll. Just a warning, the Bellagio is pretty spicy! As if the quality of sushi wasn't enough, the presentation of the dishes is so detailed. I am very appreciative of details like this! Our server Alex is wonderful server! Very prompt and attentive to our needs! I am so grateful to have found this gem of a sushi restaurant and I cannot wait to return and try new rolls and items on their menu ! Arigato Koi Kawa for such a wonderful culinary experience!"

TK Teriyaki Kitchen

★★★★★ 4.6 (116) • $

"Call in your order. They are only doing curbside. Egg roll 5/5 so crispy and good! Great flavor! Order them as a meal and don't share. Chicken teriyaki 5/5. Perfectly cooked, great grilled flavor, great sauce. The full order is heavy and 2-3 meals. Crab wontons 4/5 needs more wonton, less filling. I know that sounds crazy but I like more crispy wonton. The filling is a little too runny. Maybe more cream cheese. Friendly staff, fast service."

Yummi Sushi & Grill

★★★★☆ 4.1 (267) • $$

"Hidden gem!! My mom actually discovered this little restaurant during a visit in the HEB plaza down the street from our home! It's nestled between the UPS Store and an alterations shop and has dark curtains/blacked out windows that don't allow you to see it. So you see why it's literally hidden, haha. At any rate, don't judge a book - or restaurant in this case - by its cover!! The food is DELICIOUS!! We've gotten the veggie, chicken, and combo (beef, chicken and shrimp) fried rice, miso soup, edamame (steamed and garlic), teriyaki beef bento meal, California roll, shrimp tempura roll, and chicken teriyaki meal and they were ALL fresh, flavorful and plentiful! I didn't give it a 5-star rating just because I've had better sushi rolls, but we will absolutely be coming back again and again! Highly recommend for some fresh & tasty Japanese food :) We got take out, but will have to come back for dining in the neighborhood hidden gem ;)"

Suko Japanese Cuisine

★★★★★ 4.6 (54)

"Very clean, nicely decorated, great service. Food amazing. Definitely one of our favorite sushi spots here in SATX. Highly recommend. We had the jalapeño bombs, Ik sansai (squid salad) and the Bulverde roll, mouth watering just remembering the dishes. Will definitely go back and try other items on the menu. Service, as I said before, was great. Server was very attentive."

Colette at The Phipps

★★★★☆ 3.6 (19)

"Great, fun atmosphere, friendly staff. We sat inside since it was raining outside, but I think it worked out really great for us! Ceviche was definitely the highlight of our dinner and had a fresh flavor. All of the food was very unique"

Sumo Sumo Hibachi Bar

★★★★☆ 3.5 (4)

"Great food Great customer service Atmosphere was friendly and inviting Definitely recommend"

Premium Matcha Cafe Maiko

★★★★☆ 4.4 (250) • $

"I wanted to get a sweet treat before I left San Antonio and Matcha Cafe Maiko is the perfect spot for a 9pm dessert. When I think of good matcha I always think about Cafe Maiko and others must feel the same way because the store was completely packed when I came by. There was no seating available and some customers were even sitting on the floor. They were sold out of some things like the cones so I opted for the Ube Matcha Soft Serve Ice Cream which was a little over $7. Pretty good value considering they give you a lot and my ice cream wasn't hollow like some people in the past has complaiend about. Not gonna lie I really enjoyed the Ube more than the Matcha with it being a lot sweeter. Both flavors go great together. It was so smooth and creamy too. Definitely worth it.Also a bit of a downside their kiosk was down at the time too so I had to order at the cashier, but the service was good and my order was made very quickly. In San Antonio, it's hard to find a better dedicated Matcha store than this one that is for sure."

Sukeban Sushi

★★★★☆ 3.8 (261) • $$

"We're fairly new to the area. The girls asked for sushi and this place is literally up the street. We're temporarily housed at the Big Tex Flats, so it's about a 5-7min walk. I phoned in my order and they said it would take about 40min. Everything tasted good and fresh! All of the "hot foods" were still relatively warm by the time I got the food and made the mini trek back to the apartment. I appreciate that they kept the "spicy" sauce separate from the edamame, allowing me to control the spicy level and not get the edamame too soggy. We've had sushi up and down the east coast && I have to admit that we were VERY skeptical of sushi with goat cheese vice cream cheese (e.g., Philly roll). But it was surprisingly good and a much smoother& creamier bite. Both of my girls liked the Philly roll and liked that it had both avocado and cucumber. The same comment goes for their cheese wonton, which also used goat cheese. We really really enjoyed those. I was hoping for a chili vinaigrette based cucumber salad but this wasn't bad. In fact, I ate the entire container (in two sittings tho). Even the 6 y/o thought it was good. The edamame was okay - what you expect from edamame but could use a nice punch of salt. However, for those watching their sodium intake, this is a good way to serve it. So I added my own sea salt flakes. Everyone enjoyed the gyoza. Husband had the king crab roll. He didn't really voice any comments about it, but considering that he ate it all, I'll say it was a win win. I had the shrimp tempura roll. It was a pretty mild and basic roll but good. My eldest also had the volcano roll. I tried a piece and it was yum! Had a LOT going on lol but I guess that's the "volcano erupting." We spent about $100 on this meal. A bit pricier than back home (MD prices) but I'm also not complaining too much about it. It was a pretty solid meal. Sadly, we're moving up/over? to the northwest side. So I doubt that I'd go out of my way to come back here, but who knows? If I find myself back in Southtown and I'm craving sushi, I'd probably swing by here."

Toro'Ko Sushi

★★★★★ 4.7 (48)

"Top tier sushi! Probably the FRESHEST sushi rolls I've had in SA thus far. We found this spot by the "Now Open" sign on the corner of the intersection and decided to have lunch & try it out. The place is clean, nicely decorated without it seeming overwhelming and chill. We had great service and the waiter also gave us recommendations. We tried the Cancun roll, Lemon Special roll and some chicken fried rice. The Cancun roll is one of my FAVORITE roll of anywhere I've been. It's so lightweight without the rice, you feel like you could eat 5 orders back to back. The flavors are very well balanced. Just the right amount of sauce. A must try! I would not steer you wrong. The Lemon Special is quite fun as well. It comes with a thinly sliced lemon on the top including the rind. Eat it, don't take it apart, it's the journey that adds to the tastes. Lemon zest! You'll love this roll too! Fresh! Fresh Fresh! I've gotta know what genius is back there curating these bomb ass rolls. I've been to a lot of sushi spots, and I've never had anything like the Cancun roll or the Lemon Special. Congratulations to the owners and I hope to see this spot around for years to come cause lawd knows I need that Cancun roll. Can't go wrong!"

Nineteen Hyaku

★★★★☆ 3.7 (113) • $$

"What a great little date night spot. I stopped here with the wife on our last date and we were both impressed. It was quaint and dimly lit, but not too dim. Just right. The music was hip and the service was great. We shared a couple of rolls and had the chicken karaage (I think that's how you spell it). It was something new that I've never heard of and it was actually quite delicious paired with my sáke. We have this place on our list of date night spots now. Will be back."

Sushi Haya

★★★★☆ 4 (236) • $$$

"10 out of 10!!!We looked at the all you can eat menu, but decided to order off the regular menu. The sushi was so delicious!I love their no waste policy on the all you can eat menu. I also had the lychee martini, and that too, was delicious!"

Kin Thai & Sushi

★★★★☆ 4.4 (194) • $$

"They did nothing wrong! It was simply a matter of me finding the food rather bland. I was excited to try this place with a friend but it did disappoint overall.Spring rolls - Asked for no crab, add extra shrimp or noodles. They brought rolls with just noodles, carrots, and lettuce.Sushi - It was bland. I picked some of the spicy rolls and it was still somehow lacking in that pizazz that I love about sushi. I also feel like they do too much with each roll and the flavors maybe get lost. Pad Thai - The flavors were there on this one! It just needed a bit more sauce. It was super dry. The photos are stunning! The service was so great! I do think this place is relatively Celiac friendly. They did put something fried with my Pad Thai (it was not listed on the menu) and kindly remade. The overall taste and flavor just wasn't there and I was pretty sad about it."

Jingu House At the Japanese Tea Garden

★★★★☆ 4 (46)

"What a cool and cozy place! My wife and I had plans to visit for a while. The Jingu House was originally the residence of the Jingu family from Japan who created the amazing sunken gardens in Brackenridge Park. Its preservation and conversion to a restaurant had won awards and we were eager to see the results.They don't take reservations, but spur of the moment, we had time for a late lunch today and decided to go. The Japanese Gardens are incredible - but on a cold, drizzly afternoon, we ascended the winding ramp (my wife can't use steps) and went straight to the entry, turning our backs on tantalizing views of the gardens.. Turns out, this was the takeout door. Fortunately, I had seen photos of the dining room so I knew we we'd gone to the wrong entry. We ducked out and found the second door for the dining room. In spite of the confusion, the intimate space is wonderful, with views all around looking across the park. We sat at a comfortable table, well worth the climb up from the parking lot.Our waiter was personable - explaining the order & payment app while also taking our order. I've struggled with similar apps before, but this one was simple to use and made it easy to add to our order and eventually to pay and tip.I was a bit suspicious of the "Asian-Mexican fusion" food concept, but it worked! I really enjoyed my pork bao - with nopales. We had a nice plate of gyoza and my wife warmed up with yummy miso soup. I asked our waiter if the popularity of the gardens brought in big crowds. We were there with only a few others so small dining room never felt crowded. He said that was something they dealt with having outdoor seating in good weather, and there's also takeout. We did spend time admiring the gardens, but it's the food and atmosphere at the Jingu House that will bring us back."

Chin's Garden

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (123) • $$

"Best Chinese food I've ever had. Great Atmosphere. Fantastic staff. Definitely a gem in the San Antonio area. I will be returning."

Sushi Zushi Lincoln Heights

★★★★☆ 3.6 (351) • $$

"The food was excellent and the drinks were good! The service was a little understaffed but good despite that. It's a nice environment."

Teriyaki Madness

★★★★☆ 3.9 (84) • $$

"1st time here came on a Saturday and it was dead. Food came out fast and food was really good. I love trying new teriyaki places and would definitely come back to try a different bowl"

Tatsu Japan

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"Food is delicious and made fresh every time. It's a food trailer there is no outdoor seating or anything like that. It's only pick up. The price is fair. Regular customer."

Hoka Hoka Fuku

★★★★★ 4.6 (272) • $$

"Expect there to be a bit of wait as this restaurant is small (although they do utilize the space well for seating). Menu is pretty simple and straight forward, drinks are bottled or canned grab and go style in a sliding refrigerator at the front. I did have to call attention to a server out of my section because we had waited more than 15 mins at our table with no service. The gyoza was yummy, the black garlic tonkatsu ramen was delicious and the katsu was a fun experience. I have never had the opportunity to grind my own sesame seeds. I did not like the cold edamame that tasted microwaved however. Overall the establishment was clean, had friendly service, and good tasting dishes."

Mr Teriyaki

★★★★☆ 4.3 (139) • $$

"Wow.Simply amazing. This place is a home run.Order the bento box. It's a little bit of everything and will fill up the hardiest eater.I absolutely love this place and enjoyed it all."

Wild Japanese BBQ Sushi & Shabu

★★★★☆ 4.3 (315) • $$$

"Service was great! They keep the restaurant super cool which is so comfortable since the cooktops are warming. I had never been to hot pot before and loved it!! The bulgogi beef was a favorite, but all of the meat was great. I got the rice noodles and they were hard to fish out of the soup (kept falling apart). I would get ramen next time!"

Thai Lao 78

★★★★☆ 4.3 (105)

"First time eating here, didn't realize it was so close to home. Dining is currently closed but man do I have to say for a small hole in the wall restaurant the food is delicious! The chicken was nice and tender with plenty of flavor, the soup was nice and hot. When they tell you it's gonna be about 15 minutes or so it's because they're prepping the food in the kitchen and serving it hot!"

Bonzai Japanese Steak & Sushi

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (251) • $$

"Soft opening today and everyone was very friendly and the food was fabulous! We had an assortment of sushi rolls, bento box and tempura shrimp and vegetables. It was all very well presented and had a great flavor. Super happy that they are finally open and close to our neighborhood! Clean restaurant and an actual sushi bar for those that like to sit by the chef. Definitely worth it!!"

Kobe Japanese Steak House

★★★☆☆ 3 (260) • $$

"To be honest, this was our second choice for a hibachi grill because the first one we wanted to try could not accommodate us for dinner. My grandson wanted to celebrate his birthday with a hibachi dinner so we found our way here. Most hibachi grills I've been to require a reservation, so we called before heading over and they said they could accommodate a party of 10, but no reservations because it's first come first served. Luckily by the time we got there 20mins later they had a table for us. In fact, the restaurant was quite empty, this was about 530p on a Tuesday night. It was almost like we had a private dining. Menu was standard and pricing was reasonable. There's also a sushi menu which is more than enough if you order a hibachi meal. I ordered the ribeye and shrimp combo, grandkids mustve had a kids meal, not sure but theirs consisted of just the rice and steak. On the side was a miso soup for all and a salad for the adult entrees.Chef was professional and talented. Kids really enjoyed the show and fire. Honestly almost don't want to see how.much butter, oil and soy sauce goes into the cooking but the food sure tastes good. I wouldve preferred less soy sauce for sure, just gotta drinks lots of water next day! Steak, scallop and shrimp were cooked perfectly. Sushi roll that we ordered was also fresh and tasty. Grandson enjoyed his birthday and I'm sure we'll be back again."

Wasabi

★★★★☆ 3.9 (471) • $$

"Great happy hour! Weekdays 4-7 pm. Their sushi was good too! We got the Ikura sushi, salmon sushi, Shibuya roll, yellow tail roll. The fish was fresh! Plus edamame (plain and spicy/garlic). I think next time I'll just get the plain edamame and the garlic one, the spicy was a little too spicy. The jalapeño bombs were great also but insanely spicy for me. Good, friendly service. It wasn't busy on a Tuesday at 5:30/6 pm. Not sure what it's like on the weekends. Will be back!"

Teriyaki Madness

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (10)

"It was decent. You have to look at the menu for a while to understand how it works. I didn't like that I was excited for it, but it was kind of a letdown. Customer service was great though."

Hotaru Sushi and Hibachi

★★★★☆ 3.9 (72)

"Great food, great atmosphere and attentive server. We will be back. Had the spicy chicken hibachi."

Izumi Sushi & Hibachi All You Can Eat

★★★★☆ 3.9 (281) • $$

"My PIC and I enjoy the occasional lunch date at Izumi. There are plenty of choices for the AYCE and not bad for about 20 bucks pp. Service is friendly and attentive. If you've never been here before, it can get busy and they don't have much of a waiting area. There have been times when the fam and I have had to wait outside but our wait time has never been very long either. Your host/hostess will take you to your seat and hand you at least three copies of the menu and a marker. This is so you can take your pick of what you want, mark down the quantity, and just hand over the menu to your server once you're done. When you want a refill, take the next menu and do it all over again. That simple. Don't feel like you have to use up all your menus either. Just eat what you can because you can charged for overage."

Izumi Sushi & Hibachi

★★★★★ 4.6 (46)

"Looking for a quick review? - The food was delicious, and fresh. If you wanted something cold, it was made quickly, and plenty of flavor! Or something fried? Also fresh, and hot! You'll need a minute to let it cool! Try it out!! Have time to read? Service: was amazing, she was very attentive, and took time to explain how it all worked. She recommends some things, and at one point, she saw we really liked a certain dish, and offered to bring us another with us asking her to put it in. Very nice! The food: was delish!!! We ordered so many rolls, and they were all so tasty, and fresh. The Spurs roll was my favorite, especially if you enjoy jalapeño. The teriyaki steak was my favorite!!! I do wish they had a little more variety. A lot of the rolls seem repetitive with slight changes. Over all I would go again!"

Sushi Seven

★★★★☆ 3.9 (34)

"Sushi Seven 7-1-24. /We popped in to try a new place and ate so glad we did. Not busy at this time (early afternoon) and friendly host to seat us and take our order. We ordered the Vegetable Rice and a Spicy Salmon Roll (no spice add avocado). Fresh and delicious!Only thing I'd change is the music choice. It's a bit loud and not the peaceful music that compliments sushi meals ;-)We will most definitely come back. ~LindaD"