Where is the best Japanese food in Amsterdam?

JAPUB on Jekerstraat 114H (near Maasstraat, Rivierenbuurt) is the small local counter we send people to first. Japanese chef, fish sourced from Japan, izakaya-style with sake. Open Tuesday-Saturday evenings. For ramen, Fou Fow on Elandsgracht is the consistent choice. For a casual izakaya evening with good sake and beer, Kyo in the old centre.

Where is the best sake bar in Amsterdam?

Utage on Lekstraat 11 in the Rivierenbuurt - an izakaya-style sake bar with a carefully chosen range from small Japanese family breweries. Book ahead; it fills quickly on weekends. JAPUB on Jekerstraat also has a serious sake list alongside its food.

Where can I get ramen in Amsterdam?

Fou Fow Ramen on Elandsgracht 2A in the 9 Straatjes. Tonkotsu and tantanmen, walk-in only, open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner. One of Amsterdam's original ramen spots and still the most consistent.

Do I need to book for JAPUB?

Yes - it is a small room. Book via WhatsApp (number on their website) with the date and number of people. Open Tuesday-Saturday evenings from 17:30.

Japanese food in Amsterdam - Guides Amsterdam

Amsterdam has a solid Japanese food scene - not Tokyo, but several places that do the real thing and are worth planning around. Four picks here, one for each situation.

01Omakase / Zuid

JAPUB omakase, book ahead

Jekerstraat 114H, Zuid · €€€ · Tue-Sat from 17:30, book via WhatsApp

A small omakase bar run by a Japanese chef - counter seating, set course, very good fish. Not the cheapest option but the quality justifies it. Book through WhatsApp; they are serious about reservations and do not take walk-ins for the omakase. Go for the full counter experience if you can get the seats. The chef is focused and the fish is fresh - you can tell from the way the evening runs. One of the better Japanese experiences in Amsterdam. Closed Sunday and Monday.

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02Japanese / Centrum

Restaurant Kyo solid city-centre option

Koningsstraat 29, Centrum · €€ · dinner from 18:00

A reliable Japanese restaurant in the old city centre that has built a local following. Not as specialist or intimate as JAPUB but a dependable dinner option when you are in the centre and want Japanese food done properly. The fish quality is good, the kitchen is consistent, and the setting is smart without being stiff. A safe choice for a group or a dinner where you want to talk more than you want to focus on the food.

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03Ramen / Jordaan

Fou Fow Ramen walk-in ramen

Elandsgracht 2A, Jordaan · €€ · walk-in only

A tight ramen bar at the edge of the Jordaan - no reservations, so you join the queue or you go at an off-peak hour. The broth is the real thing: long-cooked, well-seasoned, the kind that sticks with you. The tonkotsu is the standard order. If you arrive at 18:00 on a Friday you will wait; if you arrive at 17:30 or after 20:30 you usually walk straight in. This is where locals go when they want ramen, not the tourist-facing Japanese options in the centre.

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04Sake bar / Zuid

Utage Sake Bar when sake is the point

Lekstraat 11, Zuid · €€ · evenings

A sake bar that takes the selection seriously - an unusual thing to find in Amsterdam. If you want to understand sake properly, or if you already do and want a good glass, this is the place. Food is Japanese small plates that pair well with sake rather than main dishes. A better option than a restaurant if the drink is as important as the food.

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Japanese food in Amsterdam

JAPUB omakase, book ahead

Restaurant Kyo solid city-centre option

Fou Fow Ramen walk-in ramen

Utage Sake Bar when sake is the point

What is the best Japanese restaurant in Amsterdam?

Where can I get ramen in Amsterdam without a reservation?

How do I book JAPUB?

Is there a good sake bar in Amsterdam?