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Chopsticks Poised: The Best Japanese Restaurants in Perth
Whatever you're in the mood for, be it izakaya, ramen, yakitori or sake, Perth has it all.
Perth’s Japanese dining scene runs from the lantern-lit laneway of Ginza Nana Alley in the CBD to the exclusive seasonal omakase at Nedlands’ Marumo and the ten-hour tori paiten broth at Tosaka in Northbridge. Whether you’re after smoky yakiniku at Sumiya Gin, Sanuki-style udon at Hifumiya, or an underrated neighbourhood favourite like Sanco in South Fremantle, this edit rounds up the Japanese restaurants our Perth editor keeps coming back to.
In This Guide
Editor’s Picks
Ginza Nana Alley
Perth’s only dedicated Japanese food precinct, Ginza Nana Alley feels like stepping into a cinematic Japanese yokocho (alleyway) for the night. Between the authentic regional cuisine, glowing paper lanterns and layers of Japanese hiragana signs that line each spot, it’s our top pick for dining that feels authentically Japanese.
There are just 70 seats to slink into across the compact laneway’s five unique eateries. Onomichi Ramen Mitsuya is the only place in Australia serving Onomichi style ramen: a more-balanced fish-based broth that hails from the Hiroshima Prefecture. Yakitori Washokudo brings the smokey, charcoal flavours of a Tokyo izakaya, and with chef Naoyuki Suzuki (ex-James Parker) on the grill, each skewer is cooked to perfection. Twelve-seat kappo-style oden bar, Ginza Midai, feels like a winter revelation, with its hearty produce-packed hot pots introduced to diners with genuine warmth and care. Kubota Tonkatsu hits all the comfort notes with its generous tonkatsu (crumbed and fried Japanese pork cutlets). While Monkey & Bird shape shifts: a kissa-style matcha bar by day and Japanese whiskey bar by night.
Shop 3, Gound Level, 100-104 Murray Street, Perth
Hinata Cafe
Fremantle has a truly wonderful homage to Japanese kissatens in Hinata Cafe. The charming spot serves one of the finest expressions of a traditional Japanese breakfast (grilled fish, pickles, vegetables, soup and rice), with seasonal menus lovingly illustrated by hand. The gorgeous hospitality, cute and cosy aesthetic and ambient Japanese jazz tunes don’t hurt, either. Make sure to try their shaved ice for dessert; we love their uji matcha and strawberry milk flavours.
19 Blinco Street, Fremantle
Best Omakase Restaurants
Marumo
The epitome of exclusive omakase dining in Perth, a table at Marumo is a hot commodity. Bookings open for this restaurant for one day every few months and sell out fast. If you’re lucky enough to score a table, you’re in for an unbelievably delicious, seasonal seven-course Omakase.
Sitchu Tip: Marumo is BYO, so feel free to grab a bottle of something nice from the bottle shop.
22/145 Stirling Highway, Nedlands
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Ichirin
Leeming should count itself very lucky for having an omakase restaurant of Ichirin’s calibre in its neighbourhood. After cooking his way across Japan, Head Chef Shiro spent seven years at Kailis Brothers getting to know West Australian seafood, and you can tell. The six-course seasonal omakase showcases the freshest local fish, from expertly carved salmon sashimi plated artfully with apple and wasabi root to delicate white fish and asparagus.
Shop 2 Cnr Beasley Rd & Dundee Street, Leeming
Egawa An
Just twelve seats wrap the timber bar at East Perth omakase restaurant, Egawa An, placing you front row for the multi-course show. Masterful sushi chefs double as your night’s entertainment, slicing and plating each course beneath the glow of paper lanterns, as practised and precise as well-rehearsed theatrical performers. Rest assured, the food itself is just as worthy of your applause: Kagoshima Wagyu, scampi sashmi, aburi unagi sushi and the venue’s legendary pufferfish all play their part perfectly.
Unit 1B/ 197 Adelaide Terrace, East Perth
Best Japanese Restaurants for Special Occasions
Nobu
It almost goes without saying that Perth’s Nobu is up there on any list of the best Japanese restaurants in Perth. It’s one of Perth’s priciest spots, but dining at Nobu is an experience in itself. The venue feels grand, with a huge sculptural light display that instantly signals this is going to be something special. Add the number of sushi chefs working away in spotless white jackets, and you start to get a sense of the scale and expertise behind Nobu’s fine dining machine. On the menu is some of the freshest sashimi you’ll ever taste, and a must-try black cod with Den miso dish that has become a cult favourite.
Sitchu Tip: For a spectacular group dining moment, book into one of Nobu’s private dining rooms and settle in for their omakase experience.
Crown Metropol Perth, Great Eastern Highway, Burswood
Tsukaya
Love Nobu but not the price tag? Mount Hawthorn’s Tsukaya delivers a similarly impressive Japanese-Peruvian experience, courtesy of former Nobu chef Pepe Tsukayama. The intimate neighbourhood restaurant marries Japanese technique with vibrant Peruvian flavours, serving beautifully executed dishes in a relaxed, unfussy setting. Start with the pristine sashimi platter before moving onto crispy tacos filled with pork belly or miso eggplant, tuna poke with avocado and lotus chips, and the restaurant’s cult-favourite umami fries. The must-order, however, is the miso black cod: a silky, caramelised signature that is oh-so similar to the Nobu favourite. Add the fact that it’s completely BYO, and you’ve got one of the city’s best-value special occasion restaurants.
Sitchu Tip: Book ahead and bring a bottle of something special. With no corkage surprises and a menu designed for sharing, Tsukaya is ideal for date nights and long dinners with friends.
416 Scarborough Beach Road, Mount Hawthorn
James Parker Sushi & Sake
Say kon’nichiwa to James Parker Sushi & Sake, a premium sushi restaurant in Northbridge where traditional knife work meets creative flair. Entering through the large wooden arches instantly sets the tone for the sophisticated culinary experience to come, where towers of well-balanced nigiri, delicate sushi rolls and bountiful bowls of fresh-sliced tuna, salmon and octopus sashimi invite moments of awe in every bite.
Sitchu Tip: Keep an eye out for their Japanese tuna cutting experiences, where you can watch chefs break down a whole premium Australian bluefin tuna and serve it straight up to you, all with authentic Japanese flair.
2/182 James Street, Northbridge
Azabu
Get your A5 Wagyu fix at newly-minted Azabu. That being said, Perth’s newest Japanese restaurant in Northbridge offers a refined dining experience that goes well beyond its exceptional graded beef, flown in directly from Japan. The menu is a celebration of premium Japanese cuisine, featuring a range of exquisite dishes like salmon, kingfish, and tuna sashimi, alongside delicate carpaccio and other delights. Expertly crafted cocktails such as the cherry blossom-infused Innerbloom and the zesty Tokyo Mule perfectly complement the flavours on offer.
153 James Street, Northbridge
Best Ramen & Udon in Perth
Tosaka
If you’ve been wondering where to get your fix of authentic ramen in Perth, fear not. Nestled on Northbridge’s bustling William Street, Tosaka will directly transport to the streets of Kyoto, with their exceptional tori paiten ramen. This deep, rich chicken broth is simmered for ten hours and whipped into a foamy, creamy white cloud. It’s light, but packing some serious punch. Perfectly chewy noodles, greens and silky chicken chashu complete this steaming, beautiful bowl of goodness. Add extra toppings if you like, with slow-roasted black garlic, spicy chilli shrimp sauce, corn, butter and soy-seasoned eggs on offer.
The space itself is casual, brick-lined and permanently buzzy, with cheerful service. If you’re lucky enough you’ll be able to nab one of the cosy wooden booths for your next easy weeknight date night. Peruse over the sake list together, order up a side of chicken gyozas and then its all happy slurping.
305 William Street, Northbridge
Hifumiya
If you’ve only ever had supermarket udon, Hifumiya is about to change your life. This bustling CBD institution specialises in Sanuki-style udon from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture, serving thick, satisfyingly chewy noodles in steaming broths or chilled with dipping sauces. The niku udon topped with simmered beef is a forever favourite, while the curry udon and chilled bukkake udon are also perfect examples of the restaurant’s famed springy Sanuki noodles. Add a side of crisp tempura and you’ll understand why queues regularly spill out the door at lunchtime.
100-104 Murray St (McLean Lane), Perth
Best Izakaya & Yakiniku Restaurants
Izakaya Sumi
Step inside Claremont’s Izakaya Sumi and prepare yourself for a tantalising array of hearty Japanese dishes made from high quality ingredients. From their incredibly fresh sashimi and small share plates, to larger rice and noodle mains, there are plenty of options on offer to satisfy all of your cravings. It’s also perfect for larger groups and family dinners. Their selection of shochu and sake are also suitably adept for kicking the fun up a notch!
Shop 5/53 Bay View Terrace, Claremont
Kanpai Yakiniku
For a cook-it-yourself Japanese barbecue experience, Kanpai Yakiniku is the one. The interiors are kitted out with lanterns and cosy booths, creating a buzzy laneway-like atmosphere for you to grill the night away. While you’re in charge of the barbecue, they take care of preparing the ingredients, serving up premium Australian and Japanese meats (mainly dry-aged wagyu with top-tier marbling grades) along with house-made tare (a traditional Japanese condiment) to ensure each bite is cooked and seasoned just how you like it. Add on sake, Japanese beers and cocktails, and it’s easily one of the best Japanese restaurants for groups in Perth.
280 Albany Hwy, Victoria Park
Izakaya Tori
For the closest thing to a buzzing Tokyo after-work izakaya in Perth, make a beeline for Izakaya Tori. The Victoria Park favourite (now with a Mount Lawley location too) is all about sharing plates, charcoal-grilled skewers and icy beers, with a menu designed for lingering over a few rounds with friends. The signature Tori Fried Chicken (TFC) is legendary for good reason, while the wagyu skewers, sizzling hotplates, spicy salmon fried rice and warming hot pots have all earned a loyal following. If you’re dining with a group, order widely and don’t skip the yakitori.
610 Albany Hwy, Victoria Park
71 Walcott St, Mount Lawley
Sumiya Gin
If you’ve ever wandered the backstreets of Osaka or Tokyo in search of smoky yakiniku, Sumiya Gin comes remarkably close. With two Northbridge locations (one on William Street and another on James Street) the Japanese favourite recreates the nostalgic atmosphere of Japan’s Showa era, with dim lighting, vintage decor and the irresistible aroma of binchotan charcoal filling the room. Each table is fitted with its own charcoal grill, where you’ll cook everything from premium Australian and Japanese wagyu to ox tongue and short rib just as you like it. Round up a group, order a sake (or BYO wine) and settle in for one of Perth’s most authentic Japanese barbecue experiences.
Sitchu Tip: Can’t decide between the two? The original William Street venue is best for an à la carte yakiniku feast, while the James Street outpost offers an all-you-can-eat experience for those looking to sample widely. Before you leave, pop next door to Tokyo Wagyu, the specialist butcher owned by the same family behind Sumiya Gin, to pick up premium cuts for your next barbecue at home.
101 James Street, Northbridge
Shop 3, 447 William Street, Northbridge
Tsunami-Fuku Izakaya & Teppanyaki
Few Japanese restaurants in Perth cover as much ground as Tsunami. Part lively izakaya, part teppanyaki bar, it’s where chef Tetsuya Sakamoto (whose resume includes Nobu Melbourne) showcases pristine Australian produce with expert precision. In the izakaya, it’s all about shared sashimi, sukiyaki and dishes served on scorching volcanic rocks, washed down with one of Perth’s largest sake lists. While the 16-seat teppanyaki bar offers an entertaining night of premium Japanese bites.
18 Glyde Street, Mosman Park
Best Neighbourhood Japanese Restaurants
Kiri
Kiri, once a modest takeaway in Shenton Park, has evolved into a charming dining haven under the guidance of a husband-and-wife team. Embracing their Kyoto heritage, the restaurant features minimalist, seasonally changing decor that reflects its origins. Specialising in authentic Kyoto cuisine, Kiri offers expertly sliced sashimi, delicate beef fillet tataki with apple ponzu sauce, and crispy crumbed katsu in generous amounts. For a truly immersive experience, a traditional kaiseki degustation is available with prior notice.
142 Onslow Road, Shenton Park
Sanco Japanese Cuisine
Sanco Japanese Cuisine in South Fremantle is worth seeking out for its fatty tuna and wild bluefin nigiri, crayfish tempura with matcha salt, and daily sashimi plates. There’s also a chef’s selection omakase for those who want to hand over the decision-making. Everything here is fresh and precisely done, and it remains one of Fremantle’s more overlooked Japanese kitchens.
2/19 Douro Road, South Fremantle
Nico Japanese
Nico means smile, and honestly that’s the only reasonable reaction after stepping into this quaint Japanese restaurant. Located on Royal St in East Perth, Nico Japanese serves home-style teishoku meal sets and meticulous plates of premium dry-aged sashimi in a cosy indoor-outdoor setting. Sit inside and you’ll have front row seats to the Japanese chefs working with precision and care in the tiny open kitchen. While outside offers a romantic streetside ambience perfect for date nights.
Start with something raw — the sashimi is up there with the best in Perth and uses only fresh, local seafood, dry aged in-house — then take your pick of dons or teishoku sets for mains. For an unforgettable melt-in-your mouth experience, we’d also highly recommend finding room for the Futari Wagyu Flank MB 8+ on your table. Lightly seared, the steak remains tender and pink with yuzu chilli paste, fresh wasabi and Smoked Maldon Flake Salt on the side, inviting you to build your own perfectly seasoned mouthful.
25/60 Royal Street, East Perth
Ha-Lu Japanese Tapas
Since sharing is caring at Ha-Lu, begin your culinary journey by awakening your taste buds with lotus root chips, edamame with a hint of yuzu citrus and a specialty Aragoshi Momo Shu sake. Then delve into the tempting tapas with unbridled abandon, such as Ha-Lu’s legendary Wagyu beef tataki, gyozas, sashimi, grilled duck with Madeira sauce and slow-cooked pork belly.
Shop 4, 401 Oxford Street, Mt Hawthorn
Bentori
If you want impeccable Japanese in Perth, head to Victoria Park. This beautiful and worldly ‘burb has a whole host of impressive Nippon eateries, and one that stands tall is Bentori. Be lured in by their traditional teishoku sets, hearty donburis (the unagi one is especially delicious), tenzaru soba and crispy tempura options. The best part? It’s an affordable dining option and BYO too.
257A Albany Highway, Victoria Park
Katzu Katzu
Another Victoria Park favourite is Katzu Katzu, a casual 32-seat diner where the humble tonkatsu has been taken to a new level of greatness thanks to former Nobu chef Sean Hong. The secret lies in the heritage breed pigs and house-made panko, resulting in fried pork cutlets of a higher order. These are easily some of the most comforting Japanese plates in Perth.
Sitchu Tip: Try the mega 5cm thick katsudon for a unique dining experience. The umami fries are also a must for sides.
Best Japanese Fusion in Perth
Kuza Urban Japanese
Kuza Urban Japanese in Victoria Park is a standout for Japanese fusion, with a menu built around shareable, big-flavour plates. The assorted sashimi is a genuine showpiece, and the wagyu beef tataki, oyster shots, truffle chirashi roll, karaage chicken and eggplant misoyaki all hold their own. Pair it with one of the signature craft cocktails or a glass from the extensive sake list, and it’s a strong pick for a date night that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
393 Albany Highway, Victoria Park
Main Street Ryu Japanese Food X Liquor
You could certainly opt for the izakaya at this busy inner-city restaurant, or you could channel your inner warrior with the extra spicy Volcano Ramen with seafood or the sweat-inducing Tempura Black Crab. Less adventurous diners might prefer the subtle salmon belly tartare served in a nori taco, kingfish carpaccio and the decadent miso toothfish. This lively venue beckons a group of pals to indulge in the Feed Me menu over Spiced Ninja cocktails or cooling Asahi beers.
83 Barrack Street, Perth
Best Japanese Restaurants in Perth: FAQs
Marumo in Nedlands is Perth’s most exclusive omakase experience, with bookings opening only a handful of times a year for its seasonal seven-course menu. Ichirin in Leeming offers a six-course seasonal omakase built on Head Chef Shiro’s deep knowledge of West Australian seafood, gained over seven years at Kailis Brothers. Egawa An in East Perth seats just twelve guests around its timber bar, with sushi chefs preparing Kagoshima wagyu, scampi sashimi and the venue’s signature pufferfish course by course.
Tosaka on William Street in Northbridge is one of the city’s most consistent ramen destinations, known for its ten-hour tori paiten broth and perfectly chewy noodles. For those after udon rather than ramen, Hifumiya in the CBD specialises in Sanuki-style noodles from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture, served in steaming broths or chilled with dipping sauce, with the niku udon a longstanding favourite among regulars.
Nobu at Crown Metropol remains one of Perth’s most celebrated fine dining destinations, known for its black cod with den miso and premium sashimi. Azabu in Northbridge is a newer entrant offering A5 wagyu flown in directly from Japan alongside refined small plates. Tsukaya in Mount Hawthorn, led by former Nobu chef Pepe Tsukayama, delivers a similarly polished Japanese-Peruvian experience at a more accessible price point, and is fully BYO.
For izakaya, Izakaya Sumi in Claremont and Izakaya Tori across Victoria Park and Mount Lawley both specialise in share plates, charcoal-grilled skewers and sake built for lingering group dinners. For cook-it-yourself yakiniku, Kanpai Yakiniku in Victoria Park and Sumiya Gin’s two Northbridge locations both serve premium Australian and Japanese wagyu over charcoal grills, with Sumiya Gin recreating the nostalgic atmosphere of Japan’s Showa era.
Nico Japanese in East Perth serves home-style teishoku sets and dry-aged sashimi in a cosy indoor-outdoor setting, and is BYO. Bentori in Victoria Park is an affordable BYO option known for its teishoku sets and unagi donburi. Katzu Katzu, also in Victoria Park, is led by a former Nobu chef and specialises in tonkatsu made with heritage breed pigs and house-made panko.
Still hungry after checking out the best Japanese restaurants in Perth? Check out our edit of the best sandwiches in Perth, then take a peek at our deep dive into Perth’s best seafood restaurants.
