We’ve long known that Japanese food is some of the most masterful in the world so we made it our aim to find the finest Japanese restaurants in Riyadh. Of course, taste is a very subjective concept but if you’re in the mood for some sushi, sashimi or yakisoba you really can’t go far wrong with these top Riyadh eateries. Only France has more Michelin stars than Japan, find out why at the ultimate Japanese restaurants in Riyadh.
Billionaire Riyadh
When a restaurant has billionaire in the title, you know that you’ll probably have to spend top dollar. With a branch in Dubai, the Riyadh restaurant recently opened and has a menu that fuses Italian and Asian food – yes, you heard us. The dishes have been curated by celebrity chef Batuhan Platti Zeyniogiu and include a live-fire grill as well as a dedicated sushi menu with classics, from California maki to tuna sashimi. Feeling decadent? Admire the opulent interiors and order from the caviar menu.
Open Sun-Thu 6pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 1pm-1am, Dabab Street, Sulaimaniya, billionairesociety.com (920 011 916).
Gold Sushi Club
With branches across the kingdom, Gold Sushi Club is popular among locals and has branches across the kingdom. The fancy restaurant glows in gold, of course, and is a sophisticated spot in Riyadh. The menu has an extensive list of sushi, sashimi, rice dishes and maki rolls, which includes ginza roll, Alaskan maki and Hokkaido roll. They are serious about their food – watch as sushi gets blow torched. The desserts are just as exciting, ranging from cute traditional mocha ice cream to a bright green matcha cheesecake.
Open daily 1pm-1am, 4228 Northern Ring Branch Rd, Hitteen, goldsushiclub.com (011 499 3330).
IRORI
Have a barbeque Japanese style at IRORI, as it showcases the tradition of robatayaki and robata grill cooking to your table. The signature dishes range from fresh lobster taco to the moorish wagyu sando, while the poultry and meats menu is where you can get a taste of the hot charcoal cooking. Dig into a whole rack of lamb chops, miso chicken or angus tenderloin have a succulent and smoky taste.
Open Fri-Sat 2pm-1am, Mon-Thu 6pm-1am, Northern Ring Rd, An Nakheel, irori.sa (920 007 543).
Kampaï
Kampaï is chic, sleek and spotlessly clean. If you’re bewildered by the wide choice, try the maki fusion menu: six pieces of sashimi, six of sushi and a dozen maki will set you back SAR455, with a 40-piece option for SAR699. Or our go-tos: the caterpillar (asparagus and breaded prawn wrapped in avocado) and tutti frutti (with crab, prawn, kiwi and mango); or our favourite from the specials menu, beef midori (grilled tenderloin with the chef’s own midori sauce served with potato wedges).
Open Sat-Wed 12.30pm-midnight, Thu-Fri 12.30pm-12.30am. Almaz Plaza, Prince Muhammed, Bin Abdul Aziz Street, Tahlia, Olaya, kampai.co/KSA (011 46 17 601).
Kimono
We love a place that doesn’t take itself too seriously – Cheetos maki, anyone? – but is deadly serious about the quality of its food. The shrimp burst (with its Kimino blast sauce) is guaranteed to get you smiling, while the kani maki (crab, cucumber and potato rolled in nori and sushi rice and drizzled with tobiko and teriyaki sauce) makes you wonder why we haven’t come across these flavour combinations before. Japanese-inspired bao and burgers are also on the menu.
Open Sat-Wed 12.30pm-1am, Thu-Fri 12.30pm-2am. King Abdul Aziz Road, Ar Rabi, One Square Plaza, kimono.sa (092 000 7132).
Koi
Opened in early 2020 at the sprawling Crowne Plaza Riyadh, this remarkable restaurant was an instant innovator. The first venue that we know of to tap into the hugely successful Nikkei cuisine market, Koi combines the best of both Japan and Peru. The robata-grilled Flamed Octopus (with a corn purée, furikake cashews and tapioca crackers) is a dish we can never wait to get our tentacles into, while the 48-hour slow-cooked beef ribs (with kimchi, crispy crab, aji verde and mushroom ketchup) come served with some seriously tender loving care.
Open Tue-Sun 6pm-midnight. Gate 3, Crowne Plaza Riyadh, Imam Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz Road, Wady Al Muaydin Street, Digital City, koi-riyadh.com (011 813 1347).
Kyokusen Sushi Boutique
Given that this spot calls itself a boutique, it comes as no surprise to find that it has a pretty quirky maki menu. Blueberry maki and mango tango maki are just some of the creative concoctions at Kyokusen Sushi Boutique. The restaurant prides itself on creating fine dining with an artistic twist – take the rainbow maki, which comes in pink, orange and green. Thanks to the fresh ingredients, the makis are full of flavours.
Open daily noon-midnight. Muhammad Ibn Muhaizi, Hittin, 13513, instagram.com/kyokusen_sushiboutique (011 400 0023).
Myazu
Myazu has an interior dreamed up by Japanese design legend Noriyoshi Muramatsu, founder of Studio Glitt, and cooking to match. Grab some gyoza – the black cod and tiger prawn variety with its yuzu truffle dressing are the standouts. Another yuzu-infused dish that impressed us was the red snapper granite, a picture-perfect creation that brings out the flavour of that fine fish. Sushi and maki are beautifully presented and equally tasty, while the Chilean sea bass with spiced rice blew our socks off.
Open daily 12.30pm-12.30am. Musad Bin Jalawi, As Sulimaniyah, myazu.com (092 000 9686).
Nobu
This is one of the most exciting new Japanese restaurants in Riyadh. With nearly 50 restaurants around the world and the backing of Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, Nobu could be forgiven for phoning it in: but the Riyadh outpost, opened last year, maintains its international high standards. Enjoy Nobu classics such as black cod miso, yellowtail jalapeno, new style sashimi, and rock shrimp tempura with creamy spicy or butter ponzu, or push the boat out with lobster hobayaki or its range of wagyu beef dishes.
Open Fri-Sat 1pm-midnight. Nobu Hotel Riyadh, King Fahd Road, Al Anoud Tower 2, noburestaurants.com/riyadh (011 297 8300).
Oishii Sushi
Oishii Sushi is a local Saudi success story – blogger, entrepreneur and chef Khulood Olaqi started the restaurant in 2010 and has been serving top-notch Japanese food ever since. When you enter, you’ll see dimly lit lanterns and wall decorated with a giant Japanese-style tree. Come for the extensive maki rolls, which includes rainbow rolls, dragon rolls and crunchy shrimp rolls, and stay for the Japanese Green tea.
Open Sat, Mon-Wed 12.30pm-11.30pm, Thu-Fri 12.30pm-1am, King Fahd Branch Rd, As Sahafah, oishiisushi.sa (0566 229 310).
Okku
Decorated with cherry blossoms and a giant traditional temple bell, Okku pulls out all the stops. Never overwhelming, everything is on point. This sophisticated space has dark interiors, tables and sofas, which are accentuated by red cushions. The noodle menu includes mushroom stir fry, beef noodles and prawn noodles. While the drinks are just as fun – try the brightly coloured Japanese iced teas, which come in lychee, passion fruit and mango flavours.
Open daily 1pm-1am, Tahlia Street, Al Olaya, okkuriyadh.sa (011 442 2929).
ROKA
Specialising in robatayaki (barbecuing over hot charcoal) ROKA began in London in 2004, before its success led to the founders launching more ROKAs worldwide. The Riyadh one only opened this summer, and is already turning heads with its huge ceilings, curved wooden bar and industrial-chic design – let alone the beautifully presented dishes. Try anything from the flaming grill, but other specialities include the sake no taru taru (salmon tartare with den miso and yuzu) and kampachi sashimi no salada (yellowtail sashimi with yuzu-truffle dressing).
Sun-Wed 12:30pm-11.30pm, Thu-Fri 12:30pm-12am, Sat 12:30-11:30pm. Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz Road, rokarestaurant.com (9200 12327).
Shiro
Shiro’s quartet of Riyadh restaurants continues to maintain the standards that made them a hit on arrival in 2017, and at better value for money than some of its more highfalutin rivals. Shiro excels at sushi, all conjured up by the energetic chefs in the open kitchen. And when it comes to the fried rolls, the crazy crunchy fry is always a joy, with its cracking combination of crunchy crab and tempura prawn along with tanuki, avocado and cream cheese.
Open daily noon-1.30am. Various locations including Oruba Square, Al Urubah Road, shiro.com.sa (011 417 9111).
Tokyo
Opened way back in 1985, Tokyo was the first Japanese restaurant in Saudi Arabia. The menu hasn’t changed much, to the delight of its loyal regulars who maintain its sushi is the best in town, but the Orouba branch (the other is in Ghadeer) was recently renovated to add a new tea bar, a semi-circular cocktail bar, and two live teppenyaki cooking stations. If you stray from sushi, try the wagyu beef with honey and peanut sauce, and mushroom rice gohan with creamy truffle butter.
Open daily 12.30pm-midnight. Al Urubah Rd, As Sulimaniyah, tokyoarabia.com (9200 09662).
Yokari
Despite the restaurant website omitting prices, they’re pretty reasonable. The menu melds the modern with timeless classics. We especially like the saku saku offerings – a little bit of crunch goes a long way – of which the yellowtail tacos were a surprising but supremely satisfying discovery. The maki, nigiri and sushi creations are all simply faultless and with mains such as the yummy Yakiniku (beef rib-eye with mashed potato and truffle sauce), Yokari will always leave you with a wonderful warm feeling.
Open daily 1pm-11.30pm. Second Floor, Centria Mall, Olaya Street, Riyadh, yokari.com/en (011 288 6999).
