158 Best Restaurants in USA

Sushi aficionados swear that this tiny, stylish restaurant is the Bay Area's finest option for raw fish, but don't overlook the excellent cooked dishes that are an impeccable mix of California seasons, Japanese ingredients and French techniques. Book in advance or expect a wait, which you can soften by sipping one of the bar's many by-the-glass sakes from the encyclopedic list. Yoshi Tome's restaurant is a Bay Area institution and it's easy to see why.

In a market crowded with sushi joints, this one is an original, and remains a standout with its unique selection of specialty rolls and unpretentious service. The ambience is loungy, trendy, and very grown-up, but if you happen to arrive with a little one in tow, he or she will be treated like a celebrity. Every Japanese restaurant offers salad with ginger dressing, and Aji's is exceptional. If you like sweet and savory together, try the Paradise Roll with spicy lobster and fried banana. The surf and turf includes a 4oz filet mignon and lobster tail in truffle mushroom sauce, and the price is quite reasonable. Save room for fried ice cream.

Named for the Japanese women free divers who collected seafood for their villages, AMA (tucked in a courtyard at the Rosewood Miramar Resort) offers two fine-dining experiences—omakase at the 13-seat sushi bar (a two-hour feast—you must arrive promptly or risk missing a course or two) or prix-fixe (three or four courses total). You can combine meals with sake pairings for an additional fee; alternatively, the Japanese-inspired cocktails are especially popular.

Enormous bowls of handmade udon noodles in light, complex broths are the star of the show at this tiny shop just north of the Arboretum. Lunch specials and combination meals make it easy to sample multiple dishes, but if you only try one thing, make it the "signature beef" soup, with burdock root, pickled mustard, and those luxurious noodles. Along with noodle dishes, there's a surprisingly large menu of other Japanese specialties, including sushi rolls, salads, tofu, and rice bowls.

Japanese gastropubs known as izakaya inspired the menu and ambience of this sedate wood-paneled restaurant serving pickle, sashimi, gyoza, miso soup, and karaage (fried chicken) appetizers and slightly larger skewered items that might include mushrooms, pork belly, various chicken parts, and Wagyu beef. The husband and wife owners contributed to top Northern California restaurants before embarking on this well-received venture.

Tiny and locally owned, this sushi shack in the heart of town has gained an incredible following and specializes in "reverse" (rice on the outside, nori on the inside) rolls, filled with three or four ingredients of your choice. It's super popular and gets crazy crowded, so expect a long wait—but it's worth it. (Wait times can exceed an hour or more, but they let you know how long before you order.)  The restaurant also makes fantastic party platters that you can order in advance.

Yuji Watanabe, chef--owner of the Cape's best Japanese restaurant, makes early-morning journeys to Boston's fish markets to shop for the freshest local catch, and the resulting selection of sushi and sashimi is vast and artful. The serene and simple Japanese garden out back has a traditional koi pond.

Traditional methods for sushi, tempura, bento, and bowls meet fresh local ingredients to create delicious food in this modern outdoor café at the center of old Hanapepe. One of the few sit-down dining options in the area, Grandma's also brings in chefs for tasting menus. Enjoy sake or cold beer or slurp ramen in the riverbank garden, then browse the attached boutique, Blu Umi.

High atop South Beach's design-driven 1111 Lincoln Road parking garage, rooftop Juvia commingles urban sophistication with South Beach seduction. Three renowned chefs unite to deliver an amazing eating experience that screams Japanese, Peruvian, and French all in the same breath, focusing largely on raw fish and seafood dishes.

From the limestone floor to the cedar walls and cypress tabletops, most of the materials used to build this downtown Napa restaurant specializing in seasonally changing, multicourse kaiseki meals were imported from Japan, as was the ceramic dinnerware. Delicate preparations with sea urchin, Hokkaido scallops, bluefin tuna, and slow-roasted Wagyu tenderloin are typical of the offerings on the prix-fixe menu, which also includes impeccably fresh, artistically presented sashimi and sushi courses.

Stephen Starr's Japanese headliner, executed by celebrity-chef and master of Edomae-style sushi Makoto Okuwa, now sits in a new, much larger space and offers two menus: one devoted solely to sushi, sashimi, and maki, the other to Japanese cold and hot dishes. Look forward to hyperfresh raw dishes, tempuras, meats, and vegetables grilled over Japanese charcoal (robata), rice and noodle dishes, and a variety of steaks and fish inspired by the Land of the Rising Sun.

Chef’s Table star Niki Nakayama helms this Michelin-starred kaiseki fine-dining establishment. Small and intimate, any given night might feature sashimi with kanpachi, sea bass with uni butter, or Myazaki Wagyu beef. Wine and sake pairings are tailored to your palate and never miss the spot. The meal is three hours, and not cheap, but worth every minute.

A cloistered, quiet space inside a former church building that now houses the hip Hotel Thaxter, this upscale Japanese purveyor of creative small plates and sushi stands out for its artful tableware, knowledgeable service, and impressive cocktail and mocktail program that showcases a great selection of sakes and whiskeys. Try the signature sushi roll with Maine crab and king salmon, before ordering a few of the shareable dishes, such as crispy chicken karaage with spicy yuzu mayo and wagyu gyozas with shiitakes and sweet kayayaki sauce. The desserts are also out of this world.

Chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa offers his signature new-style Japanese cuisine in this open-air, relaxed luxury venue that features a lounge, outdoor tables, and a sushi bar overlooking Holopoe Bay. This is fine dining without the stress, as black-clad waiters present dish after dish of beautifully seasoned, raw and lightly cooked seafood that's from local waters or has been flown in directly from Alaska and Japan.

At famous chef-restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa's coastal outpost, super-chic clientele sails in for morsels of the world's finest fish. It’s hard not to be seduced by the oceanfront property; stellar sushi and ingenious specialties match the upscale setting. Exotic species of fish are artfully accented with equally exotic South American peppers, seared toro (tuna belly) with truffle teriyaki, and a broth made with matsutake mushrooms. The chef's tasting menus are also a solid bet. Order the bento box Valrhona chocolate soufflé and enjoy the ocean from every seat in the house. If you want to eat here, you'll need to make reservations exactly one month in advance.

Despite o ya’s tucked-away location and hidden door, the place isn't exactly a secret: critics from the New York Times, Bon Appétit, and Food & Wine have all named this improvisational sushi spot among the best in the country. The chef--owner plates a 20-course nightly omakase dinner with sushi and cooked preparations. The extensive sake list includes sparkling and aged varieties.  Make a reservation well in advance.

This cozy, bright Japanese and American eatery offers sushi rolls, fried rice dishes, tempura, udon, bento boxes, burgers, sandwiches, and more, as well as fillings breakfasts. It opens early and closes late.

There's terrific sushi being rolled at this casual brick-walled Japanese gastropub, but it’s the cooked stuff that brings in the crowds. Some of the richest, most flavorful ramen this side of Tokyo is served, like big bowls of steaming pork and chicken broth laden with roasted pork belly, soy marinated egg, scallion, and ginger, or the lobster miso ramen with bok choy, corn, and sesame. Wash it all down with one of the bar’s local beers and you’re well on your way to a Matsuyama-meets-Maine feast.

The line out the door is the first sign you’re at San Diego’s best ramen spot, and the sight of thick organic mochi noodles soaking in deep pots of tonkotsu broth and garlic oil is sure to seal the deal. Original, red, or black edition ramen are local choices, each topped with bean sprouts, pickled egg, wakame seaweed, garlic chips, and crushed sesame. If there's one "must-try," make it the black edition ramen fermented with garlic oil and roasted with bincho charcoal for 18 hours. The menu covers spicy curry, donburi rice bowls, and sushi rolls. Start with crispy gyoza served with house ponzu dipping sauce. For a front row to the action, grab a seat at the counter and watch chefs char sushi aburi style. Just about everything pairs well with sake or a cold beer.

This softly lighted strip mall robata is known as a favorite of local chefs. At 5 pm sharp every day but Sunday, doors open for small-plate offerings of creamy house-made tofu, fresh sashimi (no sushi), and savory grilled meats, fish, and veggies—some flambeed tableside on hot stone, or cooked over charcoal imported from Japan—that reflect the culinary mastery of its Tokyo-born owner-chef. An efficient waitstaff will visit your table to describe the spendy chalkboard specials and also to suggest seasonings—which include five soy sauces, three salts, and four sugars—that will best accent a particular dish. An ample list of sake (including a monthly sampler of three) and à-la-carte menu items, such as the sashimi salad, Kobe beef liver sashimi, and steamed foie gras egg custard, is also provided. Raku also offers omakase, which showcases the chef's choice of the best dishes each day. What used to be the sweets shop in the same shopping plaza is now Casa de Raku, the owners' take on the tapas format.

Austin’s ramen craze went into full swing a few years ago, and this happening spot was one of the city’s first (and favorite) establishments. And it still ranks at the top of every "best ramen in Austin" poll. Try the “Ol’ Skool,” a chicken-based shoyu ramen with a traditional array of toppings, like aijitama (marinated soft-boiled egg), and optional “flavor bombs” from creamed corn and butter to Thai chili and habanero pepper paste. All ramen varieties are massive, but a small-plate menu offers modest portions of Japanese comfort food, like the Katsu slider (a juicy deep-fried burger on a fluffy Hawaiian roll) and sweet-and-sour “yodas” (fried brussels sprouts with apricot vinegar and curry spice).

If you want to eat at a lively restaurant that's a favorite with locals, visit Kintaro, but be prepared to wait—or better yet, make reservations—because the dining room and sushi bar are always busy. Try the softshell crab roll or the unbeatable Bali Hai Bomb, a roll of crab and smoked salmon, baked and topped with wasabi mayonnaise. For a traditional Japanese meal, ask for the tempura combination, complete with fish, shrimp, and vegetables; or order the house-made udon noodles in a satisfying broth. Teppanyaki dinners are meat, seafood, and vegetables flash-cooked on tabletop grills in an entertaining display. Tatami-mat seating is available for groups behind shoji screens. Cocktails and a nice selection of warm and chilled sake round out the menu.

Founder Shiro Kashiba is no longer here (he's now at his namesake restaurant Sushi Kashiba in Pike Place), but this sushi spot is still the best in Belltown. Settle into the minimalist space for ultra-fresh fish and omakase service that's a bit more affordable than at other spots. The happy hour (4:30-6:00 pm Monday through Thursday) is a particularly good deal. 

With a sister restaurant in Japan (and another, Izakaya Den, next door) and owners who import sushi-grade seafood to the United States, it's easy to see why this chic sushi bar is the one Denverites count on to provide the best quality available. The sushi chefs here can meet your every request, and the cooked dishes are just as well prepared—don't miss the steamed fish baskets. Check out the tony crowd and feast your eyes on the luxurious fabrics and well-designed furniture. There's almost always a wait to get in, and parking can be a hassle, but for serious sushi-heads this is the place to be. Plan far in advance to sit at the Chef's Table for an even more elevated experience and special fresh-fish selections that are unavailable on the regular menu.

This unassuming spot at the corner of 3rd Avenue and 78th Street is a high-end sushi restaurant offering one of the city's best sushi experiences in a Sukiya-style interior of bamboo and cedar woods. With a seasonal omakase menu curated nightly by chef Nozomu Abe (known as "Noz"), including masterfully prepared Edomae sushi with fresh fish flown in from Japan, the two intimate nightly seatings at two counters (an eight-seat, 200-year-old, hinoki wood counter and a six-seat, rare tamo ash counter) are detail-perfect, memorable affairs with exceptional hospitality. Chef Noz presents at the hinoki counter weekdays. But the price, $495, is exorbitant. For a more reasonable yet still luxurious dining experience, diners can have a 16-course omakase meal next door at Cafe Noz for $155. 

A hostess dressed in a kimono is likely to greet you at this bright and airy restaurant with pale wood furnishings. A sushi bar serves a large selection of sushi and sashimi combinations; entrées include teriyaki, tempura, and kutsu dishes as well as Thai curries and noodles. Try the ika yaki (grilled squid in teriyaki sauce) or the fried soft-shell crab for a truly delicious indulgence.

This retro-themed, Japanese bar–suburban rec room serves memorable charcoal-grilled skewers, ramen, chicken karaage (deep-fried in oil), tempura, and tofu bowls. Bar bites, craft beer, and cocktails add flair to the very casual atmosphere.

Opened in 2001, this Japanese restaurant helped pioneer San Diego’s ramen movement as the first noodle house on Convoy to set down roots without compromising the purity of Japanese cuisine. All ramens are made from scratch, and you can taste it with every slurp of the flavorful broth. Whet your appetite with the pan-fried gyozas, the teriyaki chicken wings, or the signature Tajima fries topped with minced pork, onions, and mozzarella. Move on to the spicy sesame ramen with just enough kick, or opt for the original with tonkotsu pork broth, egg noodles, pork or chicken chashu, and all the traditional fixings. Their poke bowls and fried rice dishes soak up those rare imported Japanese craft beers or premium sake. If you’re lucky, grab a seat at the bar or communal table centering the lively restaurant.

You'll often see chef-owner Takashi Gibo behind the sushi bar at this hip and lively Japanese restaurant across from the Gallivan Center. Takashi is known for sublime, melt-in-your mouth sushi as well as a slew of izakaya-style treats, like miso-grilled eggplant, baked marinated sablefish, and shiitake lamb shank in Japanese yellow curry. The list of specialty sushi rolls is long and never lacks for inspiration—try the one topped with escolar, sliced strawberry, spicy sauce, and fresh chilies, with toasted almonds and eel sauce on the outside. The full-service bar serves crisp sake and fine martinis.

Hidden in the back of the Japan Pavilion, the impressive and intimate Takumi-Tei is split into five theme rooms inspired by water, wood, earth, stone, and washi paper. Though hours are limited, the dining experiences are of the highest caliber, with two omakase, multicourse options—an omnivorous meal ($250 per person) or a plant-based meal ($150 per person). Seasonal items include Japanese A5 Wagyu steak, lobster tempura, sashimi, vegetable tempura, and soba noodles. Children must be over the age of eight to participate, and there is no kids' menu.