Ramen Cravings: Top Japanese Restaurants on Orchard Road
Orchard Road is mostly known for being a shopper’s paradise, but did you know it’s a haven for foodies as well? This stretch of road is lined with countless dining spots, and many of them are Japanese restaurants.
The Japanese restaurants in this neighborhood are pretty varied too. Some specialize in sushi, while others serve premium Wagyu steaks.
There are even restaurants that serve Japanese dishes at affordable rates!
Don’t know which ones to check out? Here are some of the best Japanese restaurants on Orchard Road.
SUN with MOON Japanese Dining and Cafe
Address: 501 Orchard Rd, #03 -15 Wheelock Place, Singapore 238880
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday—11:30 am to 2:45 pm, 3 to 5:15 pm, 5:30 to 9:30 pm
- Friday and Saturday—11:30 am to 2:45 pm, 3 to 5:15 pm, 5:30 to 10 pm
Contact Number: +6567336636
The first thing you’ll notice about SUN with MOON is that it sticks to traditional Japanese aesthetics, making you feel you’re in Tokyo! But more than that, the restaurant adds its own fashionable and contemporary flair to stand out.
The food selection here is also pretty extensive. Lunch and dinner have their own menu.
You might want to try the restaurant’s kamameshi, which lets you steam and mix rice with the proteins and vegetables of your choice.
Of course, there’s a variety of sushi here as well. You can’t go wrong with the crispy prawn avocado roll or the salmon pink dragon roll.
If you’d like to splurge, try the Miyazaki Wagyu steak and pair it
Pro Tip:
- Sometimes, the restaurant holds promos—either discounts or special dishes that are only available for a limited time. Check the website often to see if there’s a promotion going on. with red wine or black pepper sauce.
Tanuki Raw at Orchard Central
Address: 181 Orchard Road, Central, #04-01 Orchard, Singapore 238896
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11:30 am to 10 pm
Contact Number: +6566365949
Tanuki Raw is all about taking modern Japanese cuisine and combining it with the playfulness of Western (especially American) cuisine. This restaurant has become a staple in Singapore with several locations throughout the country.
If you want something filling, try the truffle yakiniku, which features a pan-seared US black Angus short rib sitting on a bed of mixed rice with truffle soy sauce. For something fancier, you might like the foie gras truffle yakiniku instead.
To wash everything down, be sure to order a glass of cocktail (the passionfruit daiquiri is so sweet and delicious). Japanese whiskey is also available if you want something more intense.
Pro Tip:
- If you’re just in the mood to relax with a good drink, you should stop by between 5 and 8 pm for Happy Hour.
Every month tends to have a cocktail special. If the special drink of the month sounds like something you’d like, give it a try. You don’t know when you can drink it again.
Ichikokudo Hokkaido Ramen
Address: 313 Orchard Rd, #B3-35/36, Singapore 238895
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11 am to 10 pm
If it’s raining cats and dogs outside, warm your soul by getting a bowl of Hokkaido ramen at Ichikokudo. This ramen spot is Muslim-friendly because all dishes are made with halal ingredients.
The restaurant’s signature soup is made with fresh chicken, vegetables, and some ingredients all the way from Hokkaido (bonito, mackerel, and kelp). Because of this, the ramen here boasts a rich, dense broth with strong hints of umami flavors.
One dish you should try here is Hokkai Ramen Gifts from the Sea, which features a variety of seafood like crab meat, scallops, and shrimp. There are also meat-free options if you’re vegetarian.
Pro Tips:
- If you’re dining with your family or a group, you can order the family sets, which already come with two or three main dishes, one or two side dishes, edamame, ice cream, and drinks.
- If you’re Muslim, you should come here anytime during Ramadan because the restaurant holds a special promotion for the entirety of this month.
Sushi Kimura
Address: 390 Orchard Rd, #01-07, Singapore 238871
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday—12:30 to 3 pm, 7 to 10 pm
- Closed on Sunday and Monday
Contact Number: +6567343520
Sushi Kimura only has 22 seats inside, but it still attracts hordes of interested customers because this sushi restaurant has received a Michelin star!
Spearheaded by the titular Chef Kimura, Sushi Kimura is all about the fine dining experience. The menu only has a few prix fixe options, and each comes with several courses, including appetizers (like fish bone soup), grilled meat, and rice meal.
The most expensive of the prix fixe meals is Rikyu, and on top of all the other courses, this option lets you enjoy seasonal sashimi and vegetables. Meanwhile, the cheapest option is Hagi, and it still comes pretty loaded with assorted sashimi and sushi.
Pro Tips:
- Sake doesn’t come with any of the meal options, but you can order it.
- Since Sushi Kimura has a high demand, you might want to book a reservation beforehand.
Sushi Ayumu by Masa Ishibashi
Address: 333A Orchard Rd, #04-16 Mandarin Gallery, Singapore 238897
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday—12 to 3 pm, 6:30 to 10:30 pm
- Closed on Monday
Contact Number: +6591590102
Another Japanese restaurant that promises a fine dining experience is Sushi Ayumu by Masa Ishibashi. Here, you can have the omotenashi experience, which pampers the customers with several servings of small dishes and sushi in an intimate setting.
Just like Sushi Kimura, Sushi Ayumu serves a multi-course meal.
You’ll start with an appetizer, followed by sashimi and nigiri sushi. Depending on which meal option you choose, you can enjoy a chef’s special dish, a signature roll, and other seasonal items.
This restaurant has limited seating, so if you really want to dine here, you should reserve your spot ahead of time. To do so, you can send an email to [email protected].
Pro Tips:
- Do you want to enjoy an intimate dining experience with a group? You can book a private room here. Check this page for more information.
- If you can’t physically go to the restaurant (or your craving hits you while at home), you can order online. The takeaway menu features items you can’t find when physically dining in the restaurant, so you can taste new things
In particular, you might like the premium nigiri course, which has twelve pieces.
Ishinomaki Grill and Sake
Address: 390 Orchard Rd, #B1-02/02A/03, Singapore 238871
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11:30 am to 3 pm, 6 to 10 pm
Contact Number: +6567371065
At Ishinomaki, you’ll be able to experience robatayaki (Japanese-style barbeque over charcoal), teppanyaki (cooking food on an iron griddle), and sashimi (fresh raw fish or meat sliced thinly) under one roof.
The best part about this restaurant is that the menu features a wide variety of premium ingredients. You can enjoy grilling salmon, black Angus ribeye, Australian Wagyu tenderloin and seafood, Japanese A5 Wagyu, live lobsters, and more.
To make your dining experience even better, pair your meal with any of the available beverages, including craft sake, shochu (Japanese traditional hard liquor made from grains and vegetables), whiskey, and wines.
Pro Tip:
- Sometimes, the restaurant hosts various interesting events, such as sake tasting with certified sake sommeliers. Check this page to see what events are currently available.
Suju Masayuki Takashimaya
Address: 391 Orchard Rd, #02-13, Singapore 238873
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11:30 am to 3:30 pm, 5 to 10 pm
Contact Number: +6587964650
Suju Masayuki started in Karuizawa, Japan as a small shop serving traditional Japanese food. Over time, the restaurant gained enough attention that several locations were launched all over the world, including one in Singapore.
One dish you should try in Suju Masayuki is the rice and miso soup. The brown rice is imported from the local market of Nagano, and it’s served fluffy and topped with fresh fish from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market.
If you can afford to splurge, you might also try the Suju Premium Dinner Course, which comes with all the courses (from cold appetizers to dessert). For your main course, try the Sendai A5 Wagyu Sirloin Steak; it’s so tender that it melts in your mouth!
Pro Tip:
- You might want to book your reservation ahead of time to ensure your spot.
Akanoya Robatayaki
Address: 01-01 Orchard Rendezvous Hotel, 1 Tanglin Rd, Singapore 247905
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—12 to 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm to 1:30 am
Contact Number: +6567321866
Take delight in freshly grilled meat at Akanoya Robatayaki! To make things better, this Japanese barbeque restaurant offers a good variety of meat and vegetables to grill.
Lunch and dinner have their own prix fixe meal set, which already comes with premium meat (such as Wagyu and Japanese short rib) and other side dishes. If you visit during dinner, you can enjoy dessert items like seasonal fruits and warabi mochi.
The restaurant also has an a la carte menu, but its items change depending on the season. Usually, you’ll get more seafood options, such as tiger prawns and caviar.
Pro Tip:
- Do you have an event? Akanoya offers catering services like buffet, bento boxes, and live station.
If you’re interested, you should send an email to [email protected].
Shimbashi Soba
Address: 290 Orchard Rd, #B1-41, Singapore 238859
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Friday—11:30 am to 10 pm
- Saturday—10:30 am to 10 pm
Contact Number: +6567359882
Shimbashi Soba specializes in dishes with soba, thin Japanese noodles made from buckwheat. Soba is believed to be a wonder food because it’s low in calories and helps lower blood pressure, so this restaurant is perfect if you’re looking for healthier meals.
The great thing about this restaurant is that they make their soba noodles fresh every day, and you can tell from the noodles’ fragrance and consistent texture.
One of the bestsellers here is the matcha soba, and as you can expect from the name, the noodles taste like green tea! You can have this dish warm or chilled, and if you want, you can choose the meal option with sukiyaki beef onsen egg, or tiger prawn tempura.
Pro Tip:
- If you’re overwhelmed with your options, you can go for any of the lunch meal sets. These meal sets come with soba noodles (or udon if you prefer), salad, Japanese pickles, and other food items.
Kyojodining
Address: 442 Orchard Rd, #01-08 Claymore Connect, Singapore 238879
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 5:30 to 10:30 pm
Contact Number: +6581578812
Experience the very best of Japanese cuisine at Kyojodining. This restaurant offers an extensive menu of dishes that are made with the freshest seasonal meat, seafood, and ingredients imported all the way from Japan.
If you’re dining here, you should try the sukiyaki shabu shabu.
This set already includes kani tofu, assorted vegetables, house appetizers, noodles, and Japanese ice cream. Of course, the star of the show is the meat, which is the sought-after Wagyu beef.
There are also seafood options, such as live lobsters, live abalones, and even giant king crabs, if that’s what you prefer.
Pro Tip:
- To wash everything down, order an alcoholic drink here.
The restaurant has an impressive array of premium beverages from House of Suntory. This selection includes beer, gin, vodka, sake, shochu, and wine.
Tonkichi
Address: 391 Orchard Rd, #04 – 24, Singapore 238873
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday—11 am to 3 pm, 5 to 9:30 pm
- Friday and Saturday—11 am to 10 pm
- Sunday—11 am to 9:30 pm
Contact Number: +6567357522
Looking for an authentic tonkatsu experience? Then, you should dine at Tonkichi!
Operating since 1993, Tonkichi serves tonkatsu made from carefully selected pork fillet and loin to ensure the optimal balance of fat content and texture. The meat is then dunked into their special batter and deep-fried to get that perfect crispy exterior.
The restaurant’s signature meal is the rosu katsu set, which is served with rice and miso soup. If you don’t like pork, you can go for the chicken katsu set or any of the seafood sets instead.
Pro Tips:
- If you’re dining with a group, you can order the tonkatsu platter, which can feed up to three people.
- If you’re with children, they might like the kid’s set, which comes with a variety of deep-fried meats (prawn and chicken), edamame, and French fries. Yakult is also included in the order.
Mizuki
Address: 391 Orchard Rd, #05 – 32, Singapore 238872
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday—11:30 am to 3 pm, 6 to 10:30 pm
- Closed on Monday
Contact Number: +6567346308
Have you ever tried a gourmet version of tempura? Well, now you can because that’s exactly what you’ll get in Mizuki.
You’ll be able to enjoy a wide array of tempura options, and each is always plated so artfully that you’ll feel bad having to eat. But once you take a bite, you’ll find that the batter is the right thickness because the exterior is crispy while the interior remains soft.
Aside from tempura, you can also indulge in premium Wagyu dishes. The slow-simmered Wagyu consommé, in particular, is a winner because of how tender it is.
The grilled tenderloin is another great dish to try.
Pro Tip:
- If at all possible, try to take a seat at the counter. That way, you can see your meals as they’re being prepared. The process is so cool to watch!
Ginza Sushi Ichi Singapore
Address: 320 Orchard Rd, #01-04 Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, Singapore 238865
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday—12 to 2:30 pm, 6 to 11 pm
- Sunday—12 to 2:30 pm, 6 to 10 pm
- Closed on Monday
Contact Number: +6562355514
Located inside the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, Ginza Sushi Ichi Singapore is the epitome of fine dining, and the fact that it has been featured in the Michelin Guide for several years is proof enough.
Here, you only have a few meal options, but each is quite the experience. The omakase is the most popular option for both lunch and dinner, and it serves you dishes selected by the chef himself.
If you can’t afford to splurge on omakase, you might want to try the cheapest option (tsubaki for lunch and omakase nigiri for dinner) instead. Both tsubaki and omakase nigiri come with appetizers, nigiri sushi, roll sushi, miso soup, and dessert.
Pro Tip:
- Planning to dine with a large group? You can book the restaurant’s private dining room.
If you opt for this, keep in mind that your group will be subject to a few requirements, such as minimum spending and pre-ordering.
Niku Kappo
Address: Orchard Turn, B3-23 ION Orchard, 2, Singapore 238801
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11:30 am to 3 pm, 5:30 to 9:30 pm
Contact Number: +6565099366
If you’re a big fan of beef dishes, then you’ll love Niku Kappo! At this fancy steakhouse, you can try the signature dish Satsuma Gyu, which is a Japanese Wagyu beef from Kagoshima.
The Satsuma Gyu is served with grated radish and a sauce of your choice. The homemade steak sauce is the most popular, but the ponzu sauce and Edo sweet miso sauce are also popular.
Additionally, you might be interested in trying any of the Niku sushi offerings. One recommendation is the Wagyu rump sushi, which is slow-cooked, allowing the meat to retain its tenderness and juiciness.
Pro Tips:
- If you want the beef on your sushi to be served grilled, please let your server know beforehand.
- If you’re interested, you can become a VIP member, which allows you to enjoy perks, such as discounts on your birth month and complimentary e-vouchers.
Akashi
Address: 290 Orchard Rd, #B1-01/02 Paragon Shopping Centre, Singapore 238859
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11:30 am to 10 pm
Contact Number: +6567358887
Akashi is noted for its cozy atmosphere, making it a great destination for people who want a relaxing dining experience. The food here is also great and relatively affordable compared to the other Japanese restaurants in the area.
There’s a variety of meal sets here, and they all come with rice and soup. Some of the must-try dishes are the gyu teriyaki set, tonkatsu set, and the nigiri chasoba set (this one consists of nigiri sushi, chilled soba, and salad).
You can also find many options for sashimi and sushi. The uni sushi, in particular, is so tasty; you have to try it!
Pro Tip:
- If you can’t determine which flavors to try, just order any of the sashimi or sushi platters.
Fat Cow
Address: 1 Orchard Blvd, #01-01/02 Camden Medical Centre, Singapore 248649
Operating Hours:
- Sunday to Thursday—12 to 3 pm, 6 to 10:30 pm
- Friday and Saturday—12 to 3 pm, 6 to 11 pm
Contact Number: +6567350308
Fat Cow is the perfect place to go if you’re craving Japanese-style barbeque. This restaurant uses premium Wagyu beef, so you can expect tender and juicy dishes here.
You should try the Wagyu omakase here. It’s available every evening, and it comes with several courses.
You can enjoy appetizers like kelp-cured flounder with tosazu (seasoned vinegar) jelly and seaweed tempura. For the main meal, you can choose the Wagyu carpaccio.
If the omakase pricing is too expensive for you, order any of the lunch sets instead.
One recommendation is the Wagyu suji curry. The Wagyu tendon pairs really well with the Japanese-style curry stew.
Pro Tip:
- Planning a fancy event with your loved ones? You can book the theatre or the private dining room here.
Both venues feature the traditional Japanese-style interior design, and they can accommodate up to 22 people. For more information, check this page.
Aburi-EN (Orchard Central)
Address: 181 Orchard Central, Central, #01-16 Orchard, Singapore 238896
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11 am to 10 pm
Contact Number: +6566341018
If you want a high-quality donburi (rice bowl) at an affordable price, you should stop by Aburi-En. This restaurant is noted for its homemade meat sauce, which is packed with umami flavors.
Pair that with Miyazaki Wagyu, and you’ll have a delicious dish.
Aside from Miyazaki Wagyu, you can also try the Iberico hoho don, which is made with grilled Iberico jowl and topped with shimeji mushrooms. If you’re vegetarian, you can’t go wrong with the plant-based karubi don (which is made from soybean proteins).
Are you a big fan of fresh salmon? Order the salmon ikura don. The salmon pieces melt like butter on your tongue!
Pro Tip:
- Sometimes, Aburi-EN holds promotions like 50% discounts for the whole month. To see if there are any active promotions, check this page.
Sushi Tei
Address: 290 Orchard Rd, #05 – 04 / 05, Orchard Paragon, Singapore 238859
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday—11:30 am to 10 pm
Contact Number: +6562351771
Sushi Tei is absolute heaven for sushi lovers. The menu is chock-full of classic sushi and innovative ones.
Some are made with seasonal ingredients, so their availability comes and goes.
You should try the Aburi Chutoro Roll, which is a crab meat and omelet sushi that’s topped with a half-broiled semi-fatty tuna belly. The Maguro Zukushi, which comes with tuna belly, semi-fatty tuna belly, and tuna sashimi, is also a must-try.
If you’re looking for more budget-friendly dishes, check out the bento boxes. The teriyaki chicken and the buta belly boxes are the most popular options.
Pro Tip:
- Look out for promotions like discounts or special dishes being available for a limited time. Check this page to see if there are any active promotions on the day you’re planning to visit the restaurant.
Hanashizuku Japanese Cuisine
Address: 5 Koek Rd, #02-01 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday—12 to 2:30 pm, 5:30 to 11 pm
- Friday—12 to 2:30 pm, 5:30 to 11:30 pm
- Saturday—5:30 to 11:30 pm
- Sunday—5:30 to 11 pm
Contact Number: +6567337498
Hanashizuku Japanese Cuisine is reminiscent of an izakaya, which is a type of bar in Japan where workers go to drink and unwind after working hours. For this reason, the menu here is filled with dishes that are comforting and filling.
You can indulge in nigiri sushi (which comes with an omelet and miso soup) or salmon avocado carpaccio.
If you prefer something grilled, try the lamb shio joki zuke. It’s a grilled lamb rack that’s marinated with rice malt.
Of course, since this is an izakaya, you have plenty of beverage options. You might like the peach sparkling sake if you like a bit of sweetness in your sake.
If you don’t drink alcohol, you can opt for green tea instead.
Pro Tip:
- This restaurant is pretty popular, so if you want to secure your spot, make a reservation beforehand.