Miami offers an array of stellar Japanese restaurants that’ll bring Tokyo to you
When it comes to Japanese restaurants and food, the first thing that pops into most people’s heads is sushi. However, there’s plenty of frying, grilling, steaming, and simmering going on in Japanese kitchens as well! Think soy-marinated fish fillets, udon, ramen, yakitori, and sukiyaki, teriyaki— the list of distinctive, mouthwatering dishes from the “Land of the Rising Sun” can go on and on! Now, if you love Japanese cuisine, you don’t have to dream about a trip to Tokyo. The following are some of our favorite ones—enjoy!
Zuma
Offering breathtaking views of the Miami River, this place will forever remain one of the city’s most iconic eateries—let alone one of the best Japanese restaurants. However, Zuma offers so much more than a unique ambiance. As you’re sitting at your table, lost in the beauty of the Miami River, you’ll be presented with an expansive menu that features everything from sashimi and sushi to spicy beef tenderloin that’s glazed with an exquisite combination of sweet soy, red chili, and sesame. One menu item that’s our particular favorite is the miso-marinated black cod.
Azabu Miami Beach
Located in Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, this Michelin-starred eatery from New York City is split between a chic cocktail bar, a stunningly decorated dining room, and a secluded, Tokyo izakaya-inspired Sushi den. Whichever setting you choose, you’ll be served some amazing fish that’ll make you feel like you’re on the streets of Tokyo. One of our particular favorites at Azabu is the salmon tataki with the kelp dashi dressing.
Sushi Garage
In terms of setting and ambiance, this is perhaps the edgiest restaurant on this list. Located in Miami Beach, Sushi Garage oozes with cool and mysterious vibes. That’s perhaps because the space was formerly an auto workshop. However, while the decorations are unusual, we have to admit that it works. The environment you get is unlike anything else in Miami—and we mean that in a good way.
This brings us to the food. While Sushi Garage offers an extensive menu of amazing Japanese dishes, whatever you do, don’t miss out on chirashi—a beautiful rainbow bowl of the freshest fish the Garage has. Some of our other favorites off the menu include the toro sesame leaf taco, the tuna chicharron roll, and the fried rice stone pot.
Naoe
If you want a high-end dining experience that’s fit for A-list celebrities, all you have to do is step through the doors of Naoe. One of Miami’s best-kept secrets, Naoe is the tiniest of the Japanese restaurants that can only hold eight people at a time—no wonder getting a reservation is so tough here! However, once you finally manage to get a table, you’re in for a culinary experience that’ll stay with you for a lifetime. Whatever you order off the menu, you’ll first be served with a bento box that is more decadent than perhaps anywhere on earth. The Bento Box will be followed by a long procession of the traditional nigiri.
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