Looking for a mouthwatering Japanese meal near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end Japanese restaurants around Boston, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to satisfy your cravings.
1. O Ya
Topping the list is O Ya. Called one of Boston's best restaurants by Conde Nast Traveler, it's a high-end spot for sushi, sashimi and other Japanese dishes. Order a la carte, or go with an omakase experience that might include items like the house-smoked wagyu beef with yuzu soy sauce, and the bluefish sashimi with rainbow trout roe, wasabi vinaigrette and micro celery. Consider also diving into the sophisticated sake menu. Located at 9 E. St. Place in the Leather District, it is the highest-rated upscale Japanese restaurant in Boston, boasting 4.5 stars out of 650 reviews on Yelp.
2. Douzo
Next up is Back Bay's Douzo, situated at 131 Dartmouth St. Another "best of" award winner, this time by Haute Living, Douzo delivers a New England-inflected take on sushi by using local lobster and other local seafood in its nigiri, sashimi and maki rolls. Other high-end options include grilled wagyu beef with miso pine nut sauce, and rack of lamb with pesto and broccolini. A lively bar area delivers cocktails, sake, wine and beer. With four stars out of 963 reviews on Yelp, it has proven to be a local favorite for those looking to indulge.
3. Oishii Boston
South End's Oishii Boston, located at 1166 Washington St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving it four stars out of 662 reviews. It's an upscale sibling to the sushi bar by the same name in Chestnut Hill and produces entrees like Chilean sea bass with crispy garlic and ginger citrus soy sauce, or A5 (highest quality) Japanese steak with shaved truffles. Try squid ink noodles with sautéed calamari or pork belly and spicy seafood soups. Specialty cocktails are showy combinations of fruit juices and Japanese spirits, and the wine list is extensive.
4. RUKA Restobar
RUKA Restobar is another pricey go-to, with four stars out of 311 Yelp reviews. Its dishes fuse Japanese techniques with ingredients from Peru’s coastal and mountainous terrain. Witness entrees like fried calamari with leche de tigre-garlic butter, red onion, chilies and bonito, or dan dan noodles with aji panca chili oil. Sushi, too, gets the Peruvian treatment; for example, the yellowfin comes with cucumber, avocado, puffed quinoa, togarashi and spicy amarillo mayonnaise. Head over to 505 Washington St. to try it for yourself.
5. PABU Boston
Finally, check out PABU Boston, which has earned four stars out of 276 reviews on Yelp. It's part of the Mina Group of restaurants that includes steak houses and gastropubs across the country. PABU Boston offers its izakaya-style small plates in an elegant but unpretentious space. Menu examples include baby corn tempura with aioli and togarashi, and miso-cured sea bass served with heirloom tomatoes, summer beans and charred eggplant. There are also skewers of lobster, meatballs and steak cooked over hot coals. Treat yourself by heading downtown to 3 Franklin St. (between Hawley and Washington streets).
