Do you frequently visit a Japanese restaurant in KL? Aside from the typical hot bowl of ramen and the oversaturation of green tea flavored products, there are more popular Japanese foods you can try if you know the right spots. Here are the 6 best Japanese restaurants in KL.
1. Kanagawa Japanese Restaurant
Kanagawa Japanese Restaurant is one of the best Japanese Restaurants in KL to get high quality Japanese dishes for a cheap price. Although it may seem high class, anyone can dine in without worrying about burning through their wallet.
Aside from sushi, they offer a wide variety of different dishes and set meals. From Kushiyaki to Nabemono, it is impossible to try so many dishes. They even have lunch set meals starting from 11:30am to 2:30pm.
even a month worth of visits. Although the prices are cheaper than the others on this list, it welcomes customers with high quality dishes that they would otherwise pay three times the price for. Kanagawa offers a wide variety of set meals and ala carte dishes that are cheaper and as high quality than any 5 star restaurants.
Dishes
Yasai Itame
Source: Kanagawa Japanese Restaurant
Soft Shell Crab
Source: Kanagawa Japanese Restaurant
Chicken Katsu Ramen
Source: Kanagawa Japanese Restaurant
Reviews
Location
Dansation Studio KEPONG, No 48-2, Jalan 3, 33A, Jln Besar Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur
Social Media
Contact
Website
Phone: 010-238 6841
Operating Hours
Monday – Thursday
11:30am – 10:30pm
Friday – Sunday
11:30am – 11:00pm
2. Menya Musashi
Located inside of 1 Utama’s Isetan, Menya Musashi has a special place in the hearts of ramen lovers. With a large bowl and equally large servings, you are guaranteed to leave the restaurant with a bloated stomach. The restaurant is decorated with artwork of Musashi Miyamoto who was famous for being the creator of the dual sword wielding technique.
You get to choose among 5 different oils that change the flavor of the whole bowl. Because of its large servings, it is best to come multiple times to try out all of the oils. You can also try their famous tsukemen, a dish that serves both noodle and soup separately and involves dipping your noodles into a small bowl of soup or broth.
So, the next time you go to 1 Utama, make sure you drop by and taste one of the best ramen in your life.
Dishes
Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Noodles)
Source: Menya Musashi
Musashi Tsukemen
Source: Menya Musashi
Musashi Ramen
Source: Menya Musashi
Reviews
Location
Bandar Utama F101 Second Floor Isetan One Utama Shopping Centre Jaya, 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Social Media
Contact
Phone: 03-7726 5899
Operating Hours
Monday – Sunday
11am – 10pm
3. Bari-Uma
Another ramen restaurant in this list, Bari-Uma boasts for having “The Strongest Tonkotsu Soup” as their tagline. Specialized in tonkotsu, or pork-bone broth, it brings out delicious flavors that are the closest to the ramen in Japan.
Although it can be argued Bari-Uma and Menya Musashi are similar, Bari-Uma has more outlets available in KL. So instead of searching for the only store in a shopping mall, you can find more outlets of Bari-Uma in multiple places.
They offer a wide variety of appetizers and yakitoris to try out while you’re waiting for your ramen. They have dishes separated from pork and chicken to offer a variety of ramen to match their diners’ preferences. Although their ramen is the staple of their restaurant, their rice bowls are equally attention-worthy. Despite having only four variants of rice, it is a spectacle to behold as your mouth is overcome by the flavors of these bowls.
Make sure to drop by to experience one of the best Japanese Restaurants in KL.
Dishes
Bari-Uma Signature Tonkotsu Ramen
Source: Bari-Uma
Yasai Shoyu-Uma Ramen
Source: Bari-Uma
Japanese Chashu Chahan
Source: Bari-Uma
Reviews
Location
Jaya Shopping Centre
L3-11, Level 3, Jalan Semangat, 46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang
Lot F61, Level 1, Persiaran Komersial, 64000 KLIA, Selangor.
MyTown Shopping Centre (next to IKEA CHERAS)
Lot L1-035, Level 1, Mytown, Jalan Cochrane, Seksyen 90, Kuala Lumpur
Pavillion Shopping Kuala Lumpur
Lot 7.101.01 & S7.101.00, Level 7, 168, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Social Media
Contact
Phone: 03-7865 6196
Operating Hours
Monday – Sunday
12pm – 8pm
4. Yamaguchi Fish Market
If you are craving for some Japanese style seafood, this is the place for you. Yamaguchi Fish Market is a Japanese seafood restaurant and provides a unique experience to their diners. With its Japanese style interior, you can feel the Japanese culture brimming from the restaurant.
Besides the usual variety of sushi, Yamaguchi Fish Market offers plenty of seafood dishes that you can’t get anywhere else. They serve sashimi in a wooden boat filled with ice to ensure the fishes will remain fresh at a high price. They also serve wagyu beef with multiple ways that is cooked in multiple ways.
You can browse through their variety of live seafood in their water tanks. With a wide variety of seafood, you are sure to find one of your favorites in the tanks. But, if you want a specific dish you can always order from their menu to browse through a wide variety of seafood.. They have plenty of exotic seafood dishes ranging from King Crab to sea urchin, which is a delicacy in Japan and rarely served in Malaysia. Their Teppanyaki dishes serve a half or full lobster with the diners’ preferred meat making it an unusual, but luxurious and mouth-watering dish.
If you ever drop by Yamaguchi Fish Market, make sure to try their sea urchin dishes as it is one of the few places to try in KL.
Dishes
Reviews
Location
16, Jalan Kampung Pandan, Kelab Golf di Raja Selangor, 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Social Media
Contact
Phone: 012-268 2816
Operating Hours
Monday – Sunday
11:30 am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 10pm
5. Iketeru
If you’re feeling like having a fancy Japanese dinner with your date, look no further. Iketeru will ensure that you will have one of the most fantastic dinner experiences. It is a Japanese restaurant in KL you can find inside Hilton Hotel along with other high class restaurants.
In addition of staying in one of the fanciest hotel in Malaysia, Iketeru offers an equally high class service to their customers. Inside, you will be amazed by its amazingly sophisticated interior and a special private room for your family and friends. You can order an “Omakaze” which means “up to you” to allow chefs create his recommended dishes for you. Make sure you notify the server know about your allergies and preferences when you’re ordering an Omakaze course. You can also see chefs preparing your dishes live in certain seatings to ensure that their seafoods are fresh. Serving a large variety of sake and shochu, diners will be able to enjoy different sake that has different “dryness” that will appeal towards any drinkers.
If you plan to have a romantic or high-class dinner, make sure to drop by Iketeru to experience a high class Japanese restaurant in KL.
Dishes
Freshly Prepared Sashimi Platter
Source: Iketeru
Kan Buri
Source: Time-Out
Wagyu Hamburger
Source: EatDrink
Reviews
Location
Level 8, 3, Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Social Media
Contact
Phone: 603 2264 2596
Operating Hours
Tuesday – Sunday
12pm – 2:30pm, 6pm – 10pm
6. Hanare Japanese Restaurant

It is hard to miss a Japanese restaurant as grand as this when you’re walking in the Intermark Mall. Hanare is another Japanese restaurant in KL to dine in as an alternative.
In addition to a wide variety of sushi and seafood dishes, they also serve different ways of cooked wagyu beef. They always ensure their customers receive the freshest and best seafood dishes by having their supplies shipped from Japan. If you plan to bring a large group to dine in, Hanare offers a lunch buffet every Sunday from 12pm to 2pm offering their sushi counter and teppanyaki
At their Teppanyaki counter, you get to see your food cooked by professional chefs in front of you. With this many dishes, you will end up spending more time on looking at the menu before you can order anything.
Dishes
Bara Chirashi Don
Souce: Hanare Japanese Restaurant
Hokkaido Oysters
Source: Hanare Japanese Restaurant
Kaisen Chiraishi Don
Source: Hanare Japanese Restaurant
Reviews
Location
Intermark Mall
Vista Tower 182, Jln Tun Razak, Kampung Datuk Keramat, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Social Media
Contact
Phone: 03-2164 2133
Operating Hours
Monday – Sunday
11am – 8pm
And there you have it, 6 Best Japanese Restaurants in KL. It is hard to pick a favorite Japanese restaurant in KL when each restaurant offers different varieties of dishes.
Although MCO is not ever, you still can order these foods and have them delivered to your houses instead. If you wish to visit some of these restaurants, make sure you follow the appropriate SOP procedure. Otherwise, enjoy experiencing some of the best Japanese restaurants in KL that bring the closest food quality to Japan. Because of how exotic the foods are, make sure your wallet is prepared for the worst.
If you like this article, check out our top 5 places to get pizza or top 10 french restaurants if you’re feeling a bit fancy. You can also check out our article where you can find the best cooking classes in KL.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Japanese Food In Malaysia
There’s fish, because Japan, like Malaysia’s islands, is surrounded by water. As a result, when Japanese food is introduced to Malaysia, Malaysians readily embrace it.
Sushi is the most famous. There are multiple kinds of sushi dishes, including chirashi, makizushi, and nigirizushi (hand-formed sushi) (sushi rice topped with raw fish).
Steamed rice, noodles, fish, tofu, natto, seaweed, and fresh, cooked, or pickled fruits and vegetables are abundant, but added sugars and fats are limited. It may also incorporate eggs, dairy, or meat, however they are normally only a minor component of the diet.
Japanese food is well known for its distinctive ingredients, avant-garde flavours, and strong sense of culture and history. The most delicious Japanese cuisine uses inventive ingredient combinations to create meals that are both enticing and educational.
Small portions, an abundance of vegetables, and a naturally low intake of added sugar and fat are all characteristics of the traditional Japanese diet. In addition, eating until only 80% full is encouraged in Japanese society.