10 Best Japanese Restaurants in Singapore: From $16 Unagi Bowls to Wagyu Rooms, Every Price Checked (2026)

Singapore has hundreds of Japanese restaurants. The useful question is which one fits the meal you actually want, and what it will really cost.

We picked 10 across the whole range: a $16 unagi bowl and value chirashi, charcoal yakitori, an izakaya for a group, hotel teppanyaki and an Orchard wagyu room.

This is the broad guide: izakaya, donburi, teppanyaki, kaiseki and casual chains. If you're set on sushi or ramen, we have a dedicated sushi guide and ramen guide for those.

How we chose: we ranked on the things a diner can check before heading out, all verified against each restaurant's own listing in August 2026:

• the style of food
• the real price
• the area and nearest MRT
• the opening hours

Then we picked the one thing each place does best, so you know exactly what to order. Every price here was live at the time of writing. Menus move, so treat it as current-and-checked, not frozen.

At a glance: all 10

Every pick side by side. "From" is the cheapest set or signature bowl we could confirm.

Spot	From	Area (MRT)	Style
1. Nanbantei	~$16 lunch	Orchard	Charcoal yakitori
2. Una Una	~$16.80	Bugis +2	Value unagi
3. Unagiya Ichinoji	~$19.80	Fort Canning	Unagi specialist
4. Omoté	~$19.80	Upper Thomson	Chirashi / donburi
5. The Public Izakaya	à la carte	Tanjong Pagar	Casual izakaya
6. Neon Pigeon	à la carte	Clarke Quay	Modern izakaya
7. Ichiban Boshi	~$15	Islandwide (15)	Family chain
8. Tatsu Teppanyaki	~$30 lunch	City Hall	Teppanyaki counter
9. Mikuni	~$58++ lunch	City Hall	Kaiseki / teppanyaki
10. Fat Cow	~$45++ lunch	Orchard	Wagyu steakhouse

In a hurry? The headline picks:

• Best value: Una Una or Omoté, a proper unagi or chirashi bowl from around $16.
• Best all-rounder: Nanbantei, charcoal yakitori since 1983, gentle at lunch, a treat at dinner.
• Best for a group: The Public Izakaya (casual) or Neon Pigeon (a nicer night out).
• Best splurge: Fat Cow for wagyu, or Mikuni and Tatsu for teppanyaki.
• Nearest you: jump to Japanese by area.

1. Nanbantei — Orchard

Photo: Google Maps

One of Singapore's original yakitori rooms, grilling at Far East Plaza since 1983. Nanbantei keeps it simple: skewers cooked over charcoal to order, no fusion, no fuss. The wagyu steak skewer and the golden enoki wrapped in bacon are the ones regulars reorder. The room is small and books out, so reserve, especially for dinner.

• Go for: a lunch bento (from around $16) to try it cheaply, then come back for a proper skewer spread at dinner. Order the wagyu and enoki-bacon skewers first.
• Worth it: the best-value way to eat genuine charcoal yakitori in the Orchard belt. The lunch sets turn a 40-year-old institution into an easy weekday pick, no special occasion required.
• Where: #05-132 Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Rd.

2. Una Una — Bugis, Suntec & VivoCity

Photo: Una Una

The easy answer for cheap, good unagi. Una Una grills its eel to order over charcoal and serves it hitsumabushi style, so you eat it three ways: plain, with condiments, then with dashi poured over as ochazuke. The signature bowl starts around $16.80, which is a lot of eel for the money. Three mall outlets, so there's usually one near you.

• Go for: the hitsumabushi and take your time with the three-ways ritual, it stretches one bowl into a proper meal. Bump up the eel portion if you're hungry.
• Worth it: the smart pick when you want unagi without the specialist price. For a family or a quick weekday lunch, this is the most food per dollar on the list.
• Where: Bugis+ #05-02, Suntec City (Eat At Seven, North Wing) and VivoCity #02-94.

3. Unagiya Ichinoji — Robertson Quay

Photo: Google Maps

The step up for unagi. This 34-seater at Robertson Quay is the first overseas outpost of Miyagawa Honten, a 125-year-old eel house from Japan. They steam the eel before grilling, the traditional way, so it comes out soft and clean rather than chewy. The classic hitsumabushi is around $19.80, with larger sets from about $35++.

• Go for: the hitsumabushi if it's your first visit; size up to the medium or large set when you want the full spread. Lunch is the calmer, better-value sitting.
• Worth it: the one to book when you care about how the eel is cooked, beyond the price. The heritage and the steaming method justify the small premium over the casual chains.
• Where: 30 Robertson Quay, #01-05, Riverside View.

4. Omoté — Upper Thomson

Photo: Google Maps

A Thomson Plaza favourite that grew from a small kiosk into a chirashi name. The order to get is the Tamago Mentai Chirashi, diced fresh sashimi over pearl rice with tangy soy and creamy mentaiko. Bowls start around $19.80, generous for the quality, which is why the queue forms early. Closed Tuesdays, so plan around it.

• Go for: the signature mentai chirashi. If you want more sashimi for the money, the Super Mount version piles it higher for a step up in price.
• Worth it: some of the best-value chirashi in the north, and a solid weekday lunch if you're around Thomson or Bishan. Go early or after the lunch rush to skip the wait.
• Where: Thomson Plaza, 301 Upper Thomson Rd, #03-24A.

5. The Public Izakaya by Hachi — Tanjong Pagar

Photo: Google Maps

The everyday-salaryman izakaya, and a reliable spot to take a group. It runs the full izakaya spread: yakitori skewers, karaage, gyoza, slow-cooked buta kakuni and a long drinks list, in a loud, easy room at 100AM. Most plates sit in the $10 to $25 band, so a shared table lands around $40 to $60 a head depending on how much you drink.

• Go for: a spread to share, the karaage, yakitori and buta kakuni, plus a round of beers or highballs. Come after work when the room is buzzing.
• Worth it: the pick when the group can't decide, everyone finds something and the bill stays sensible if you go easy on the drinks. A dependable Tanjong Pagar default rather than an occasion splurge.
• Where: 100AM, 100 Tras St, #01-08/09.

6. Neon Pigeon — Clarke Quay

Photo: Google Maps

The design-led izakaya for a nicer night out. Now on Carpenter Street, Neon Pigeon does modern Japanese small plates, charcoal kushiyaki and sashimi with a cocktail programme that made a 50 Best Discovery list. Order à la carte to share, or take the set tasting menu at $108++ per person if you'd rather hand over the wheel. Evenings only.

• Go for: à la carte and a couple of cocktails when you want to keep it flexible; the tasting menu when it's a date or a celebration and you want a full run.
• Worth it: the izakaya to book when the occasion is a bit special and drinks matter as much as the food. For a plain feed-the-group dinner, The Public (above) is the lighter spend.
• Where: 36 Carpenter St, #01-01.

7. Ichiban Boshi — islandwide

Photo: Google Maps

The dependable family chain when you just want a proper sit-down without a plan. Part of the RE&S group, Ichiban Boshi runs a wide menu of sushi, sashimi, donburi and teishoku sets across 15 mall outlets, so there's almost always one near you. Nothing flashy, but the sets are fair value and the kids will find something they'll eat.

• Go for: a teishoku set (a main with rice, soup and sides) for the most balanced value, or a donburi if you want it quick. Check for lunch sets, which are the cheaper way in.
• Worth it: the low-risk choice for a mixed family group in a mall, consistent across outlets and easy on the wallet. Not a destination meal, but exactly what you want when convenience wins.
• Where: 15 outlets including Jurong Point, Junction 8, Bugis Junction and Great World; see their site for the full list.

8. Tatsu Teppanyaki — City Hall

Photo: Google Maps

Teppanyaki cooked in front of you at Chijmes, without hotel-floor prices. The chef grills wagyu, seafood and vegetables at the counter, so it's as much a show as a meal. Dinner runs two fixed counter seatings, at 6pm and 8.30pm, so book your slot. Lunch is the gentler way in, from around $30, with à la carte cuts like ox-tongue wagyu and slipper lobster if you want to go bigger.

• Go for: a lunch set to enjoy the counter theatre at the lower price; save the à la carte wagyu and lobster for a dinner splurge.
• Worth it: the teppanyaki experience for less than the hotel names, and a fun seat for a small celebration. Grab the counter, not a table, so you actually watch the grill.
• Where: Chijmes, 30 Victoria St, #01-08.

9. Mikuni — City Hall

Photo: Google Maps

The fine-dining Japanese floor at Fairmont, with live teppanyaki, a sushi counter and a modern kaiseki bent. The grilled unagi, assorted sashimi and tokujo sushi are what people come back for. It's an occasion room: the Business Bento is around $58++, with kaiseki and premium sets climbing well past that (remember, ++ means 10% service plus 9% GST on top).

• Go for: a weekday set lunch, the cheapest way into a hotel kitchen at this level. The teppanyaki counter is worth pre-booking for the full experience.
• Worth it: the polished choice for an anniversary or a client lunch where the room and service matter. Lunch keeps a fine-dining meal within reach; dinner is a genuine splurge.
• Where: Fairmont Singapore, Level 3, 80 Bras Basah Rd.

10. Fat Cow — Orchard

Photo: Google Maps

The Orchard beef room people book for anniversaries and big dinners. The wagyu is hand-picked and served in ways you won't see everywhere: sukiyaki, shabu-shabu and sumibiyaki over charcoal. Set lunches start from about $45++, which is the sane way to try it; à la carte and dessert is where the bill climbs. Not a quick or cheap meal, but the beef earns it.

• Go for: the set lunch (from ~$45++) as a first visit, then the charcoal sumibiyaki or a sukiyaki course when you're marking an occasion.
• Worth it: the splurge that delivers, top-grade wagyu in a calm room, and the lunch set makes it far more accessible than the dinner reputation suggests. Book ahead, it fills up.
• Where: Camden Medical Centre, 1 Orchard Boulevard, #01-01/02.

Other names people search

Names that come up a lot and sit just outside our 10.

• Man Man Unagi (Keong Saik / Raffles City). The famous live-eel counter, grilled to order, with a long-standing queue. Superb, but expect a wait and a higher spend than Una Una; go if the experience is the point. Photo: Google Maps.
• Tampopo (Takashimaya, River Valley, Punggol). A long-running family-owned chain doing a broad menu of ramen, tonkatsu and donburi. A fair, no-drama sit-down when you're near one. Photo: Google Maps.
• Sushi Tei & Sushi Express. The everyday conveyor-belt chains. Not on our list because they're sushi-first, covered in our sushi guide.

What locals actually recommend (the Reddit take)

Ask around on Reddit or at the office and the pattern is clear. For everyday Japanese, Singaporeans point you to value unagi and chirashi (Una Una, Omoté, Man Man) and to a good izakaya for groups. They save the hotel teppanyaki and wagyu rooms for occasions.

The other steady piece of advice: go at lunch. Almost every pricey name here, Fat Cow, Mikuni, Tatsu, Nanbantei, runs a set lunch that costs a fraction of dinner for the same kitchen. It matches our list, and it's the single biggest lever on what you pay.

Japanese restaurants and Michelin

Looking for the "Michelin Japanese" in Singapore? Almost all of it is sushi and omakase, not the everyday izakaya or teppanyaki on this list.

• Two stars: Sushi Sakuta (Capitol Kempinski).
• One star: Omakase @ Stevens (Novotel on Stevens), Sushi Ichi, and the modern-Japanese Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands.

None of our 10 holds a star, and that's fine. They're chosen for value and the meal they do best, not for a plaque. If a starred omakase is what you're after, that's a different night out: see our best sushi restaurants guide.

Japanese restaurants near you (by area)

Our picks lean central. Here's how to find one closer to home.

• Central / Orchard: Nanbantei (yakitori), Fat Cow (wagyu), Tatsu and Mikuni (teppanyaki), plus Una Una at Bugis and Suntec.
• North (Thomson / Bishan): Omoté at Thomson Plaza for value chirashi.
• South (HarbourFront): Una Una in VivoCity.
• West & the heartlands: Ichiban Boshi has 15 outlets islandwide, including Jurong Point out west, so a proper sit-down is rarely far.

How to eat well for less (the "++" math)

Two things decide what a Japanese meal really costs here.

• Know what "++" means. Many restaurant prices carry "++", that's 10% service charge plus 9% GST added at the till. An $80++ set is really about $96 all in. A "nett" price already includes both, so there's nothing extra.
• Eat the pricey names at lunch. Fat Cow, Mikuni, Tatsu and Nanbantei all run set lunches from the same kitchen as dinner, often at half the spend. A $150 dinner room becomes a $45 to $60 lunch. It's the cleanest way to try the top end without the top bill.

So which one should you go to?

• Cheapest good meal: Una Una or Omoté, a full bowl from around $16.
• With the family: Ichiban Boshi, with a mall outlet near you.
• Group night out: The Public Izakaya for casual, Neon Pigeon for a nicer evening.
• Unagi craving: Una Una for value, Unagiya Ichinoji for the specialist version.
• Special occasion: Fat Cow for wagyu, Mikuni or Tatsu for teppanyaki, all cheaper at lunch.
• Sushi or ramen instead: see our sushi and ramen guides.

How we chose

Not one critic's opinion, and not who markets hardest. We ranked on the things a diner can check, then did the legwork most lists skip:

• The meal first. What each place actually does best, so you order the right thing.
• Price, place and timing. Every price, area, nearest MRT and opening hour is checked against the restaurant's own listing, live in August 2026.
• A real spread. Value bowls to fine-dining, so there's a pick whatever the budget and occasion.
• We stay in our lane. Sushi and ramen have their own guides; this one covers everything else.

Every pick here earns its place on the food, the price and the practical details, the part a scraper can't verify and marketing can't buy.

More Singapore food guides

Same honest, homework-done approach for other Japanese cravings: our best sushi restaurants, best ramen and best buffets in Singapore.

Japanese restaurants in Singapore: quick questions

What is the best Japanese restaurant in Singapore?

It depends on the meal. For value, Una Una (unagi) and Omoté (chirashi) start around $16. For a group, The Public Izakaya or Neon Pigeon. For a splurge, Fat Cow (wagyu) or Mikuni and Tatsu (teppanyaki). Nanbantei's charcoal yakitori is our best all-rounder, gentle at lunch and a treat at dinner.

How much does a Japanese meal cost in Singapore?

A wide range. Value unagi and chirashi bowls start around $16, casual izakaya runs about $40 to $60 a head with drinks, and hotel teppanyaki or wagyu dinners climb from there. Set lunches are the cheapest way into the pricier names like Fat Cow and Mikuni.

What does "++" mean on a Japanese menu?

It's the 10% service charge plus 9% GST added on top of the listed price. An $80++ set works out to roughly $96 once both are applied. A price marked "nett" already includes them, so there's nothing extra at the till.

Where can I get cheap Japanese food in Singapore?

Una Una does hitsumabushi from about $16.80, Omoté chirashi from around $19.80, and Ichiban Boshi has value sets from about $15 across 15 mall outlets. At the pricier restaurants, order the set lunch, which can be half the dinner spend from the same kitchen.

Which Japanese restaurant is best for a special occasion?

Fat Cow for wagyu, Mikuni for hotel kaiseki and teppanyaki, and Tatsu for a teppanyaki counter with a bit of theatre. All three are far cheaper at lunch, and all book out, so reserve ahead rather than walking in.

Do Japanese restaurants in Singapore have halal options?

Most of the restaurants here are not halal-certified, as Japanese menus often use pork, mirin or sake. If you need certified halal, check each restaurant's current status directly before booking, and see our wider halal food guide for certified options.

Which Japanese restaurants in Singapore have a Michelin star?

The starred Japanese restaurants are almost all sushi and omakase: Sushi Sakuta holds two stars, and Omakase @ Stevens, Sushi Ichi and Waku Ghin hold one each. None of the everyday izakaya, teppanyaki or unagi spots on this list carries a star. For starred omakase, see our sushi guide.

Do I need to book a Japanese restaurant in Singapore?

For the small or popular rooms, yes. Nanbantei, Unagiya Ichinoji, Fat Cow, Mikuni and Tatsu all fill up, and Tatsu runs fixed teppanyaki seatings at 6pm and 8.30pm. Omoté doesn't take the queue away, so go early. The value chains (Una Una, Ichiban Boshi) are usually walk-in.