25 Best Japanese Restaurants In Singapore For XL Don, Famous Beef Cutlet And More

Singaporeans love Japanese cuisine, and that has led to Japanese restaurants of every shape and form sprouting up across the country. We have all-you-can-eat buffets, kaiten sushi chains, affordable ramen joints, chirashi specialists, and high-end Michelin-starred restaurants—the list goes on.

While we wish we could dine at Michelin-minted establishments every time the Japanese food craving strikes, we also know that quality doesn’t have to come at a high price. Here are the best Japanese restaurants in Singapore to dine at any time your palate feels like taking a trip to Tokyo. As a bonus, most of these places are affordable and won’t burn a hole in your wallet.

P.S.: We have a guide for halal Japanese dining destinations, too!

• 1. Ginkyo by Kinki

Ginkyo, sister restaurant to the colourful gastro-bar Kinki at Customs House, is all about combining the traditional with the modern. Their take on Japanese cuisine borrows from the nation’s proud culinary heritage and its formulas, reinventing the wheel with global flavours. While their menu is home to more conventional Japanese sashimi and sushi plates, a bulk of the dishes served at Ginkyo shift gears into fusion territory.

For starters, izakaya staples like Tori Tsukune ($7++) skewers share space with Ahi Tuna Tacos ($18++), made with Japanese big eye tuna and topped with buffalo mozzarella. When it comes to mains, choose between grilled meats or claypot and rice bowls, the latter being Ginkyo’s riff on the donburi.

Japanese seafood lovers ought to zoom in on the Best of Toyosu Market ($58++) bowl, where the freshest catches of the day are air-flown from the celebrated Tokyo market to the restaurant. Go big with the High Roller Bowl ($78++), headlined by Sanchoku Wagyu, Hokkaido uni, black truffle shavings and caviar, crowned atop beef fat fried rice.

More wallet-friendly options, such as the Unagi Claypot ($28++) and Ochazuke ($12++), are available too. For a limited time only, Grab Dine Out is offering 20% off your total bill when dining at Ginkyo!

When it’s time to foot the bill, open your Grab app, select Dine Out, search for Ginkyo, then tap on “Pay Bill”. Enter the amount of your total bill, and the 20% offer will be applied automatically.

P.S.: New Dine Out users get an extra $5 off their total when using the code ‘DINEOUTNEW’, with a minimum spend of $10. Address: 7 Holland Village Way, #03-01/04, One Holland Village, Singapore 275748

Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5pm to 10pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5pm to 10:30pm Tel: 9337 7451

Website

Ginkyo is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 2. Ramen-ya

Ramen-ya is for the Easties who are looking for a Japanese eatery with wallet-friendly options. One of the most popular items is The Special Shio Ramen ($13.80), known for its thick broth and firm yet chewy Sapporo-style ramen noodles.

It also comes with torched chashu slices and a hanjuku egg with a jammy yolk within. If you prefer something punchier, we recommend the Special Tonkotsu Red ($14.80) instead. Do note that the noodles are different from the ones in The Special Shio Ramen, as it’s a Hakata-style noodles that are a little thinner.

Read our Ramen-ya review. Address: 430 Upper Changi Road, #01-03, East Village, Singapore 487048 Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:30am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm

Ramen-ya is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 3. Yakiniku Gyubei

Yakiniku Gyubei was the first Japanese restaurant to apply the nose-to-tail concept to yakiniku in 1999, a practice where the whole animal is used to minimise wastage. Prices are not exactly the most affordable, with the Omakase Yakiniku Course priced at $125++ per person, but you get the best cuts of meat here, sourced from cattle raised in Kyushu Prefecture.

It’s the ideal restaurant if you wish to impress your date with an excellent yakiniku experience. Read our Yakiniku Gyubei review.

Address: 100 Tras Street, #03-11, 100AM, Singapore 079027 Opening hours: Daily 11am to 3pm, 5:30pm to 10pm Tel: 6970 0276

Website

Yakiniku Gyubei is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 4. LILYAN

In 2024, Tokyo-famous soba restaurant LILYAN opened an outlet in Singapore. They are known for their freshly made, 100% buckwheat soba noodles, available in popular mains such as the Kamonan ($25+).

This hot dish features a rich broth based on dashi and duck. During our visit, we liked the tender, succulent duck slices, but thought the broth was slightly too robust for our liking, so we only recommend this if you appreciate rich and intense flavour profiles.

Otherwise, go for the Toriten ($22+), where cold buckwheat noodles are served with a side of grated daikon, tsuyu (a soy-based dipping sauce), and chicken tempura. Read our LILYAN review.

Address: 38 Circular Road, Singapore 049394 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 11pm, Sat 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 10pm

Tel: 9088 3117

Website

LILYAN is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 5. Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa

Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa is a Michelin-approved Japanese chain with a long history dating back to 1932. Here’s what makes their unagi so delicious: each eel is filleted and grilled over binchotan, a type of Japanese charcoal known for imparting a clean and woody smokiness to its protein.

We tried the signature Kabayaki Ippon Unagi Set ($48++), which features a whole grilled eel atop a bed of Japanese rice. It also comes with a side of sliced nori, cabbage, ginger, and kimo-sui, AKA a traditional eel liver soup.

This isn’t the cheapest meal to get on a whim, but bear in mind that the eel is about twofold the length of what you’d typically get in any other unagi restaurant in Singapore. Read our Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa review.

Address: 1 Scotts Road, #01-12, Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208 Opening hours: Daily 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm

Website

Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 6. Brothers Ramen

CBD-goers will want in on this: Brothers Ramen is a long-queue eatery at International Plaza known for their affordable ramen. Most diners go for their signature Brothers Ramen ($14.90++), which gives you most of the must-haves in any good bowl of ramen: springy noodles, tender chashu pork, and soft bamboo shoots.

There are also dry versions here, with the Megamen Dry ($14.90++) being a crowd favourite. The key ingredients in this bowl of ramen are ajitsuke tamago and shredded seaweed. FYI, there’s usually a queue that starts to form before their opening hours, so we recommend heading down as early as possible.

Read our Brothers Ramen review. Address: 10 Anson Road, #01-20, International Plaza, Singapore 079903 Opening hours: Mon-Tue, Thurs-Fri 11:30am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 7:45pm

Website

Brothers Ramen is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 7. Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu

Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu, Japan’s largest gyukatsu specialty restaurant with more than 70 outlets worldwide, has an excellent outpost at Raffles City Shopping Centre and One Holland Village. The most premium beef cutlet you can get here is the A5 Miyazaki Sirloin Gyukatsu Zen ($55++), which features incredibly tender and buttery Wagyu, with crispy breading perfectly complementing the overall texture.

If you’d like to try more than one cut of beef, consider a “Half & Half” option such as the Beef Tongue and Sirloin Gyukatsu Zen ($32++), both of which are also incredibly succulent cutlets. Read our Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu review.

Raffles City outlet

Address: 252 North Bridge Road, #B1-63/64, Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103 Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm

Holland Village outlet

Address: 7 Holland Village Way, #02-46, One Holland Village, Singapore 275748 Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm

Website

Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 8. Unatoto

Singapore has plenty of unagi don eateries, and Unatoto is one of the popular ones. The brand hails from Japan and is known for being a chain that serves affordable unagi dishes. Here, you can find Japanese grilled eel all over the menu, from appetisers such as Umaki ($8+), where tamago is studded with a morsel of eel, to mains such as their Unadon, priced at $9.50+ for a single portion.

If you’re looking for a more substantial meal, add on $5+ for a Value Set A, which comes with a soup of the day and an appetiser of your choice from their menu. Read our Unatoto review.

Tanjong Pagar outlet

Address: 7 Wallich Street, Guoco Tower, #B1-03, Singapore 078884 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 10pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 9pm

Novena outlet

Address: 238 Thomson Road, #01-84, Velocity@Novena Square, Singapore 307683

Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm

Website

Unatoto is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 9. Haku Sushi

Omakase places are such a treat, but they don’t always have to break the bank—Haku Sushi is one such example. While prices can vary depending on the season, you’ll find that the restaurant has various affordable lunch menus from $28++, many of which feature superb sushi made with high-quality seafood.

Do note that Haku Sushi is one-half of a dual-concept restaurant; the other half is Kou Teppan, with a first-of-its-kind personal teppan, plus wallet-friendly teppanyaki omakase sets that are reasonably priced. Address: 1 Kim Seng Promenade, #B1-135, Great World, Singapore 237994

Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm Tel: 6235 1645

Haku Sushi is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 10. Sen-ryo

Sen-ryo is famous for its wallet-friendly, but gourmet Japanese fare. Their flagship restaurant at ION Orchard always requires reservations, any day of the week.

Order the Sen-ryo Premium Bento ($26.80++), which comes with various top-tier bites, including unagi, fatty otoro, and salmon belly. Another hot favourite here is the Beef Tenderloin Set ($31.80++), which comes with rice, chawanmushi, miso soup, salad, and pickles. Read our Sen-ryo review.

ION Orchard outlet

Address: 2 Orchard Turn, #03-17, ION Orchard, Singapore 238801 Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm

Suntec City outlet

Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, #01-434, Suntec City Tower 5, Singapore 038983 Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm

Website

Sen-ryo is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 11. Waa Cow!

Wagyu donburi bowls under $30 are what you get when you dine at Waa Cow! They have multiple locations islandwide, giving diners easy access to their delicious, smoky Wagyu-topped donburi bowls, each served with an onsen egg and pickled radish.

The Original is priced at $22.90++, but you can get bowls zhnged-up with additional sauces, like Mentaiko ($24.90++) and Truffle ($26.90++). While beef is the signature here, diners who prefer seafood can opt for their Chirashi (from $19.90++) or Teriyaki Chicken Don (from $16.90++). Read our Waa Cow! review.

Website | Full list of outlets

Waa Cow is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 12. Una Una

Unagi don is delicious, but it doesn’t come cheap—that is, unless you’re at Una Una. As one of the best places to get unagi don in Singapore, Una Una has quality and flavours that rival those of Michelin Bib Gourmand unagi eatery Man Man, with prices being a tad bit cheaper here. The eels here are also air-flown from Japan.

For those who aren’t familiar, Hitsumabushi is a dish that hails from Nagoya, and sees grilled, smoky eel served atop pearl grain rice, with a medley of condiments on the side. A dashi broth accompanies the portion, and you’re meant to eat the don four ways: on its own, with the condiments, with the dashi, and however you like.

Here, a small Unajyu is only priced at $9.80++! Read our Una Una review.

Address: 201 Victoria Street, #05-02, Bugis+, Singapore 188067 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 10pm

Website

Una Una is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 13. Sabar

Located in Tanjong Pagar, Sabar is Singapore’s only mackerel specialty restaurant, highlighting this popular Japanese seafood dish. They serve fatty toro saba, priced from just $13.80++.

You can expect a wide range of saba dishes here, starting with sushi, to the standard combination of grilled mackerel, rice, and miso soup. Apart from the classics, you also get interesting spins on saba at this restaurant, including the Katsu Don ($15.80++).

Address: 100 Tras Street, #03-14, 100AM, Singapore 079027 Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 3:30pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm Tel: 6443 8827

Website

Sabar is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 14. Ganko Sushi

Ganko Sushi hails from Osaka, where it was first established as a family-run restaurant in 1960. They have since expanded to Singapore with an outlet at Dhoby Ghaut, which doubles up as their first-ever Southeast Asian outlet. The produce here is air-flown from Japan three times a week, so you’re really getting the freshest sashimi on your table.

Experience this with their Sushi Platter Set (from $59++), which comes with 10 types of sushi. They also have a wide variety of aburi items and a la carte dishes to go with their sushi. Read our Ganko Sushi review.

Address: 9 Penang Road, #01-01, Singapore 238459 Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 9:30pm Tel: 8828 2280

Website

Ganko Sushi is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 15. Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant

For DIY okonomiyaki, head down to Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant. This Beauty World restaurant is small and cosy with limited dine-in seats, so be sure to head down early to nab a seat. You can choose the type of ingredients you want to go into your pancake, or choose from fixed combos.

No visit is complete without an order of their Soft Shell Crab ($15.50++), served with a citrusy dipping sauce. Read our Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant review.

Address: 104 Jalan Jurong Kechil, Singapore 598603 Opening hours: Tue-Fri 12pm to 3pm, 5:30pm to 10pm, Sat-Sun 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm

Tel: 6463 3461

Website

Ajiya is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 16. Omote

Popular chirashi chain Omote is well-known for their affordable Japanese food overall. Most of the menu costs under $30, spanning appetisers to generously portioned mains.

We are big fans of their famed Tamago Mentai Chirashi ($21.80++), served with chunks of raw and lightly torched fish, as well as tamago dressed with seared licks of mentai mayonnaise. Alternatively, get the Truffle Roasted Garlic Chirashi ($23.80++) for a winning combination of meat and seafood. Read our Omote review.

Upper Thomson outlet

Address: 301 Upper Thomson Road, #03-24A, Thomson Plaza, Singapore 574408 Opening hours: Mon 11:30am to 2pm, Wed-Sun 11:30am to 2pm, 5:30pm to 9pm

Novena outlet

Address: 238 Thomson Road, #03-09/10, Velocity @ Novena Square, Singapore 307683 Opening hours: Daily 11:30am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm

Website

Omote is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 17. Ichi Tei

For many students, Sunshine Plaza brings about memories of printing stores and school assignments. It also happens to be home to Ichi Tei, a hidden gem Japanese restaurant that has been around for over a decade now.

The casual Japanese eatery offers most of its dishes under $25, but quality is never sacrificed. Their Emperor Unagi Tamogoyaki Kani Don ($22), for example, sees a comforting bowl of rice served along with a full fillet of unagi, grilled in a sticky-sweet tare.

For something more premium, get their Emperor Chirashi Don ($25), a loaded donburi bowl full of fresh sashimi. Read our Ichi Tei review.

Address: 91 Bencoolen Street, #01-51, Sunshine Plaza, Singapore 189652 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:15am to 7:45pm, Sat 11:15am to 2:30pm

Website

Ichi Tei is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 18. Sakedokoro Eizaburo

Sakedokoro Eizaburo is one of the latest additions to Fortune Centre, having opened in early 2025. This Japanese restaurant serves XL Japanese don at wallet-friendly prices, from just $8.90++.

For something simple, opt for the Mega Chicken Karaage Don ($13.90++), starring a pile of deep-fried chicken chunks atop a warm bed of rice. You also get mayo on the side to dip your chicken in! Another popular XL option is the Mega Unagi Don ($28.90++), which comes with two huge pieces of sweet-savoury unagi.

Firm on the outside and tender within, this dish is value for money if unagi don is your go-to order at Japanese restaurants. Read our Sakedokoro Eizaburo review.

Address: 190 Middle Road, #03-16, Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm to 2pm, 6pm to 11pm, Sat 6pm to 11pm

Website

Sakedokoro Eizaburo is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 19. The Sushi Bar

The Sushi Bar began as a hole-in-the-wall restaurant at Far East Plaza but has since expanded to Ngee Ann City, Plaza Singapura, and Stanley Street. The franchise specialises in a wide array of Japanese dishes made with fresh, quality ingredients, available at price points that don’t break the bank.

They have a wide variety of menu items, from appetisers to grilled yakimono dishes, but a meal here isn’t complete without some sashimi or chirashi. Try the 3 Kind Sashimi ($28.90++), which gives you three pieces of salmon, tuna, and yellowtail each.

For chirashi, you can enjoy different combinations of fish with your rice, but the classic go-to is the Kaisen Chirashi Don (from $27.90++), which comes with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, aburi salmon belly, tamago, scallop, and ikura.

Website | Full list of outlets

The Sushi Bar is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 20. Nanbantei Japanese Restaurant

A dining experience one can’t miss in Japan is spending an afternoon at a yakitori joint, having a variety of skewered chicken parts grilled to order before your eyes. Nanbantei Japanese Restaurant gets you as close without having to board a plane. Start your meal with their yakitori skewers, priced from $4.90++.

There’s also a variety of hearty meals here, ranging from Hamachi Sashimi ($25++) to the premium Wagyu Roast Beef Don ($30++).

Chinatown Point outlet

Address: 133 New Bridge Road, #02-40, Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413 Opening hours: Sun-Wed 11:45am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm, Thurs-Sun 11:45am to 2:30pm, 5:45pm to 10pm

Far East Plaza outlet

Address: 14 Scotts Road, #05-132, Far East Plaza, Singapore 228213

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11:45am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10pm, Fri-Sat 11:45am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10:30pm, Sun 11:45am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 10pm

Website

Nanbantei is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 21. Kazu Sumiyaki

Cuppage Plaza is a haven for Japanese restaurants, and a popular one for kushiyaki, AKA skewers, is Kazu Sumiyaki. You’ll find quite a crowd of Japanese expats here, especially when seasonal produce arrives from Japan and appears on the menu.

The restaurant has also been operating since 1993. You can get skewers from $4.50++!

Address: 5 Koek Road, #04-05, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796 Opening hours: Tue-Sat 6pm to 10pm

Tel: 6734 2492

Website

Kazu Sumiyaki is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 22. Tomi Sushi

If you’re in a mall and craving quality Japanese food but don’t want to settle for the usual handful of chain restaurants, then pay a visit to Tomi Sushi. They have several outlets islandwide and in Japan, operating since 1954.

While they are nigiri sushi specialists, we also recommend visiting during lunch so you can enjoy their affordable bento sets, priced around $20++ to $30++. Each contains the A-Zs of a meal, with appetisers, small bites, a main, and fresh fruit.

The Tempura Lunch ($24++) and Salmon Don ($20++) are some of the most popular options here!

Website | Full list of outlets

Tomi Sushi is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 23. En Sushi

En Sushi is a multi-award-winning contemporary Japanese restaurant in Bras Basah that has a menu chock-full of dishes. There is every category here, from handrolls to don bowls, and price points are friendly. If you’re overwhelmed by choices, their Ebi Salmon Aburi Maki ($19.90++) is a good place to start.

Address: 12 Middle Road, #01-00B, Midland House, Singapore 188970 Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11:30am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 3pm, 5:30pm to 10:30pm, Sun 11:30am to 3pm, 5:30pm to 10pm

Tel: 6259 8548

Website

En Sushi is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 24. The Public Izakaya

Izakayas are where people congregate after hours to unwind over simple, tasty fare, usually skewers and small bites, along with a beer, sake, and highball. Head down to The Public Izakaya to experience that on home soil. We highly recommend getting the Karami Goma Mazesoba ($18.80++), a dry ramen tossed in a flavourful sesame sauce with chilli oil served on the side.

It’s also topped with fresh cucumber slices and minced chicken. If you prefer rice to noodles, opt for the Char Shu Don ($19.80++) instead, starring charcoal-grilled iberico pork jowl on Akita rice, finished with an onsen egg.

100 AM outlet

Address: 100 Tras Street, #01-08, 100 AM, Singapore 079027

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 11:30am to 2pm, 5:30pm to 12am, Fri 11:30am to 2pm, 5:30pm to 1am, Sat 5pm to 12am

Icon Village outlet

Address: 16 Enggor Street, #01-14/15/16, Icon Village, Singapore 079717

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am to 2pm, 5:30pm to 12am, Sat 5pm to 1am

Website

Public Izakaya is not a halal-certified eatery.

• 25. Tonkatsu by Ma Maison

Another big component of Japanese dining is youshoku fare, or Western-Japanese cuisine. Tonkatsu by Ma Maison is one of the best Japanese restaurants for Western-style dining.

The eatery has been open for over 30 years now, serving up over 20 different types of katsu dishes. Prices differ depending on the outlet you visit, but you can expect most of their offerings to be priced under $30++.

Look forward to their Rosu Katsu Curry Set (from $21.80++), which is essentially curry rice topped with deep-fried pork loin. Address: 333A Orchard Road, #02-35 & #02-36, Mandarin Gallery, Singapore 238897 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 10pm

Website

Tonkatsu by Ma Maison is not a halal-certified eatery.

Best Japanese restaurants in Singapore to dine at

Here is a comprehensive list of the best Japanese restaurants in Singapore to dine at the next time you want to head out for a good meal.

If you’ve still got an appetite for other types of Japanese dishes, then check out our soba restaurants guide, our list of the best ramen in Singapore, the best teppanyaki restaurants, and our yakiniku restaurants guide. This post is brought to you by Grab.

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