7 DFW Japanese Restaurants That are Worth the Hype

Seafood is as the heart of the Japanese culinary experience, where no city, town, or village is further than 72 miles from the sea. Dallas-Fort Worth, the nation’s largest landlocked metropolis, lies far more than 72 miles from the nearest sea access at Galveston. Thanks to air travel, refrigeration, and the expertise of Japanese culinary professionals, there are several Japanese restaurants in and around Dallas where you can enjoy fresh seafood dishes and other mouthwatering Japanese specialties.

Niwa Japanese BBQ

This Deep Ellum spot specializes in yakiniku, or traditional Japanese barbecue. Make a reservation to grill your own carefully seasoned chicken, beef, lobster, and other seafood on a tabletop grill. Niwa Japanese Barbecue is a 10-minute drive from AMLI Quadrangle.

2939 Main Street, 214-741-6492

Nobu

Celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japanese-Peruvian restaurant is worthy of its Hotel Crescent Court setting. You can get your fill of excellent seafood here, but the exquisite Kobe Wagyu is a must for beef eaters. Nobu is a 10-minute walk from AMLI Quadrangle.

400 Crescent Court, 214-252-7000

Sushi Sake

This simply named Japanese restaurant in Richardson is bursting with good flavor and stylish décor. Daily specials complement an extensive all-the-time menu to give patrons an excess of choice. You can choose from a host of traditional dishes and sushi rolls, as well as less common, more inventive fare.

2150 North Collins Boulevard, 972-470-0722 

Tei-An

This Dallas Arts District hot spot is the place to go for good for world-class soba in Dallas. Chef Teiichi Sakurai’s sashimi and other non-noodle dishes also have a good name. If you call in advance, you can eat omakase (chef’s choice)-style. Tei-An is a 15-minute walk from AMLI Quadrangle.

1722 Routh Street, 214-220-2828

Tei Tei Robata Bar

For nearly 20 years, Katsutoshi Sakamoto’s Henderson Avenue restaurant has been charming Dallasites with Hokkaido-style grilled seafood. The restaurant’s name comes from the Robatayaki style of grilling fish, meat, and veggies over hot-burning Japanese oak charcoal. Take note that reservations are available only for parties of four or more, and only before 6:30pm. Tei Tei Robata is a 10-minute drive from AMLI’s Uptown Dallas apartments.

2906 North Henderson Avenue, 214-828-2400

Uchi

If you’re familiar with Uchi in Austin, you can expect a similar experience from Tyson Cole’s DFW spinoff. Just two months after opening in June 2015, Uchi garnered a rare five-star review from GuideLive. You’re not going to get out of Uchi without spending a thick wad of cash, but better Japanese fare is hard to come by in Dallas. Uchi’s sushi, sashimi, gyutoro, and sophisticated sake cocktails are a three-minute drive or eight-minute walk from AMLI Quadrangle.

2817 Maple Avenue, 214-8555-5454 

Just two blocks from AMLI’s Uptown Dallas apartments, this Japanese restaurant serves some of the most reliably outstanding sushi in DFW. Tokyo-born chef and owner Yutaka Yamoto learned how to cook watching his mother as a young boy. He knows what he’s doing. The rice used in his rolls is carefully seasoned, like the fish and veggies. And the sushi arrives at diners’ place settings appropriately sauced, which means there’s no dipping at this delightful Dallas restaurant.

2633 McKinney Avenue, 214-969-5533 

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