From mouth-watering nigiri, rockin’ ramen, superb sashimi and more, Japanese restaurants in Richmond, BC are where you go for that truly Asian experience. There’s a wide range of great spots serving up dishes, platters and bentos of Japanese cuisine, but finding just the right ones with the freshest ingredients, out-of-this world flavour and that authentic cultural zing can be a challenge.
So, off we went on a Japanese culinary quest and right into the heart of Richmond. We scouted every inch of this beautiful coastal city, sampled some delicious fare, which helped us put together a list of Richmond’s 9 Best Japanese restaurants just for you.
9. Yuu Japanese Tapas
The careful preparation of food and its presentation is one of the hallmarks of Japanese cuisine, and for a true celebration of that tradition, Yuu Japanese Tapas is the place to go. The menu is packed with a dazzling assortment of tapas dishes from ramen and udon to curries. This is a great casual spot to bring out-of-town guests, or just for an evening of fun with friends.
When you’re there, start off with the Curry Croquette that’s crispy on the outside, and soft and full of flavor inside. The Grilled Unagi Don is another must-try and comes served piping hot in a stone bowl. For dessert, the Wagashi Boba Anmitsu gets five stars from us!
What to order: Curry Croquette, Grilled Unagi Don, Wagashi Boba Anmitsu
Address: 1118 – 3779 Sexsmith Road Richmond, BC V6X 3Z9
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8. Wasuta Pasta
One of the newer arrivals to Richmond, Wasuta Pasta is quickly making a name for themselves as a Japanese-styled pasta and pizza restaurant. As they make their own pasta daily, the food here has a fresh and zesty flavour. Throw in an abundance of Japanese culinary skills and you have yourself a pizza joint that you know is going to serve exquisite pizza and perfectly balanced pasta. For anyone looking to try out something new, Wasuta is a great option for Asian-Italian fusion.
Their Spaghetti Mentaiko Carbonara is already making a pretty big splash for having the right blend of sauce and mentaiko. The Fettuccine with scallops and uni cream sauce is simply divine. We highly recommend the creamy crab croquette and the Sicilian Style Hamburger steak. Finish off your excellent fusion meal with some matcha tiramisu or yuzu olive oil cake.
What to order: Spaghetti Mentaiko Carbonara, Fettuccine, creamy crab croquette, Sicilian Style Hamburger steak, matcha tiramisu, yuzu olive oil cake
Address: 202 – 7080 River Road, Richmond, BC V6X 1X5
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7. Takeya Sushi
Takeya Sushi proudly serves their neighbourhood with superior sushi. They don’t compromise on quality and with over a hundred items on their menu, their attention to detail and authenticity is superb. Though the place is not large, you’ll always find a line of people waiting to be served, simply because this is one of the best places to go for sushi in Richmond.
If you’re a first-timer here, try out their Bento boxes that will allow you to have a little taste of different items. Their Creamy Salmon and Crispy Tuna Avocado rolls are delish. Also, on the must-try list is their Ebi Fry Curry Rice and the Takeya Don which has BBQ eel , ebi tempura , and chicken karaage served on rice.
For all you sweet tooths out there, Takeya has a treat for you. Their Dessert tempura is a splendid blend of a banana fried perfectly and paired well with ice cream and chocolate sauce.
What to order: Bento boxes, Creamy Salmon and Crispy Tuna Avocado rolls, Ebi Fry Curry Rice, Takeya Don, Dessert tempura
Address: 8671 No 1 Road Suite 17 Richmond, BC V7C 1V1
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6. Sushi Lovers
Sushi Lovers is a small family-run business that serves fresh sushi and other Japanese delicacies at extremely reasonable prices (ahem we love a good deal). Their quality to price ratio has to be one of the best in Richmond. Sushi Lovers does a high pace of business that can be seen by the amount of takeaways that go out. Extremely family-friendly, they even have plates in the shapes of cars and planes for young kids.
Their sushi is first-rate. The salmon Oshi, Mermaid Oshi and Rainbow rolls are amongst their most popular dishes. Not many restaurants make an effort to cater to children, but Sushi Lovers does a great Kid’s Combo and a Kid’s Special Oshizushi too. It really is all about family at Sushi Lovers.
And if you want a more savoury birthday cake, Sushi Lovers offers sushi birthday cakes!
What to order: salmon Oshi, Mermaid Oshi, Rainbow rolls, Kid’s Combo, Kid’s Special Oshizushi
Address: 170-4775 Blundell Road, Richmond BC
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5. Katsu San
If you’re a katsu lover in Richmond, flock over to Katsu San. You probably know that the quality of katsu mainly depends a lot on the breaded coating. At Katsu San, they use their homemade breadcrumbs that are delightfully crispy and light with a subtle flavouring. Their pork cutlets are Koji-cured for 62 hours for maximum taste. They also specialize in a simply magnificent Ramen that you need to try when you visit!
First on your list at Katsu San, should be the Tonkatsu Set, a dazzling array of breaded pork loin, served with shredded cabbage, rice, Tonjiru, Tsukemono and fresh Wasabi.
Ramen lovers should definitely order their Nagasaki Champon, a delightful serving of Tonkatsu soup based ramen with pork belly, fresh seafood, vegetables and tamago. If you’re more of the adventurous kind, then try their Cheese Katsu Set, which has deep-fried thinly-pounded pork meat over a thick block of mozzarella cheese.
What to order: Tonkatsu Set, Nagasaki Champon, Cheese Katsu Set
Address: 110-6011 No.1 Road, Richmond, BC V7C 1T4
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4. Gami Sushi
In the mood for a quick bite of Sushi? Would you like a place that serves fresh fish, is reasonably priced, and has extreme;y generous servings? Look no further, sushi aficionados; Gami Sushi is the place for you to go and eat to your heart’s content. With extremely pleasant and helpful waiting staff, a quiet atmosphere, and artistic decor in brick and stone, Gami’s is one of Richmond’s hidden delights.
What we love about Gami’s is their faithfulness to traditional Japanese cuisine with their own playful variations. Their Alaska Roll which is a big seller here has mashed avocado as filling, with salmon on top. You have to try their Sashimi Salad, which is always fresh and bursting with flavor. We particularly love their Bento Box as it comes with miso soup, two gyozas, four california rolls, three pieces of tempura and a good serving of rice and teriyaki.
Tip: Gami Sushi offers a 10% discount on all orders above $30 with code GAMISUSHI
What to order: Alaska Roll, Sashimi Salad, Bento Box
Address: 10111 Number 3 Rd #126, Richmond, BC V7A 1W6
3. G-men Ramen
For many of us, a bowl of ramen is the perfect way to end the day. Ramen, when done well, appeals to our inner self as comfort food for the soul. G-men Ramen in Richmond understands this well and they strive to make sure your bowl of ramen is made with care and devotion. From their friendly staff to the cozy atmosphere, Gmen have a good thing going and with their steady die-hard customers, you know that G-men is around to stay.
G-men makes an excellent Tonkotsu (authentic pork broth) with thick noodles and a variety of toppings to choose from. Their Ae soba (soupless noodles) is also pretty popular here. They also make amazing bowls and their Chashu Don (Bbq pork on rice) is a best seller. Since their broth to noodle ratio is pretty good and the fact that they serve the noodles separately, G-men is quickly becoming THE place to stop by for authentic ramen.
What to order: Tonkotsu, Ae soba, Chashu Don
Address: 8391 Alexandra Road Suite 1160 Richmond, BC V6X 1C3
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2. Kun’s Omakase Bar
Dining out is always about the food. But, the experience counts for us too. So, for a beautiful insight into traditional Japanese cuisine, Kun’s Omakase Bar is the place to go. “Omakase” translates directly to mean “I’ll leave it up to you”. So at Kun’s you trust their professional chefs to match your personal tastes by taking your requests and then using their skills and experience to find creative ways to create an enjoyable and effortless dinner for you. And, all the while you get to learn a little bit about authentic Japanese food.
Kun’s also has a menu where you can order various delicacies from sushi, sashimi, miso soups, and more from a long list of items. Their more popular dishes are their nigiri sushi, salmon oshi and their special rolls. We recommend the Aburi chirashi tart that’s not only a visual delight but with different textures and flavours to savor. Also on the must order list is their uni sobe, which is creamy and fresh, with an egg yolk and seaweed added to really combine and elevate this dish to the next level.
What to order: Aburi chirashi tart, uni sobe
Address: 150 – 3500 Moncton Street Richmond, BC V7E 3A2
1. Ichiro Japanese Restaurant
One of the better authentic Japanese restaurants in Steveston Fisherman Village, Ichiro specializes in the freshest sashimi available in Richmond. They keep their frozen sashimi in a specialty freezer (stored at -60C) and claim to be the only sushi restaurant in the Vancouver area that does so. No wonder they have true connoisseurs of Japanese cuisine lining up at their door.
What stands out at Ichiro, is their exquisite presentation with a fine eye for minute details, and exceptionally well-trained staff in Japanese hospitality, also referred to as “Omotenashi”. Ichiro’s claim to fame is their hope to bring you the most authentic “Washoku” (Japanese traditional cuisine) experience possible.
Ichiro’s specializes in meal sets, bento boxes, noodle and sashimi combos, nigiri, rolls and sashimi. One of the many hit items is their Katsu box D and their Deluxe Chirashi don (special assorted sashimi on rice). Their Unagi Nigiri Sushi and Spicy Tuna Roll also deserve a special mention. You definitely need to end your meal with their in-house Matcha Cheesecake!
What to order: Katsu box D, Deluxe Chirashi don, Unagi Nigiri Sushi, Spicy Tuna Roll, Matcha Cheesecake
Address: 12011 2nd Avenue Richmond, BC V7E 3L6
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We hope you try out these amazing Japanese restaurants in Richmond we handpicked for you to stop by and enjoy some authentic and traditional feasts. But, if a full and satisfying bowl of Ramen is all your heart desires, then we’ve got you covered there too. Check out our list of Best Ramen spots to hit up in Richmond.