Japanese restaurants in Bangkok have come a long way from franchise companies selling standard flavored ramen and regular rotations of sushi rolls. Meet the 2024 list of venues brimming with creativity. From fusion cuisines, upgraded classics, to niche omakase, BK has compiled a roadmap to eat your way through the best of the best spots in the city.

This top 10 includes picks from BK's Top Tables at Anantara Siam Bangkok, sponsored by UOB, supported by alcohol partners Gulp, Campari, and TAP. View the full Top Tables 2023 list here. 

Sushi Masato

Back in 2015, chef Masato Shimizu introduced Bangkok to the concept of omakase counter dining. Having cut his teeth in Tokyo and then New York, chef Shimizu’s extraordinary knife work is put on display behind the L-shaped Hinoki-wood counter. With twenty courses, customers can certainly get their fill from seasonal and Japanese imported seafoods. 

3/22, Sawasdee Soi 1, Sukhumvit Soi 31, 02-040-0015. Open Tue-Sun 12pm-2pm, 5pm-10pm. 

The Riddler Japanese Gastronomic Dining & Wine Bar

Chef Isao Shimmura has brought over 30 years of experience to The Riddler. Here, the chef infuses each dish with his personal narrative, adding innovation to classic dishes. This is especially true of the new menu, which features delightfully enigmatic dishes like a clam soup that transforms into chowder the more you dig in; gambas al ajillo that’s elevated by the introduction of the sweeter aka ebi; and dry-aged, medium-rare tomahawk steak sliced and served at the table by the chef himself.

15/2 Woodberry Common Building B, 1/F, Ruamrudee Rd. 08-2547-7005. Open daily, 11am-10pm.

Sushi KiShin

Previously set up at Hotel Nikko before taking a hit from Covid, Sushi KiShin reopened with Sushi Zo’s alum chef Satoshi Tsuru. This omakase joint stands out with the chef’s background in DJ and dancing, pouring high quality sakes, cocktails, wine, and bubbles provided by its next door neighbor Bar Glide. With perfectly sliced and buttery edo-style sushi, this is an understated but must-try spot.

12/F, St. Regis Bangkok, 159, Ratchadamri Rd., 063-070- 0069. Open Tue-Thu seatings at 5:30pm and 8pm, Fri-Sun seatings at noon, 5:30pm and 8pm.

Jua

From evening to night, Jua is the spot to be for lots of comfort bites. There’s a generous selection of sake, soju, umeshu, and signature cocktails which Chef Chet Adkins pairs with some Japanese-style grilled skewers. Also look out for the refreshing raw dishes to offset the hearty grilled meats.

672/49 Charoenkrung Soi 28, 02-103-6598. Open daily 6pm-midnight.

Kinu by Takagi

Situated in the Mandarin Oriental, this seafood joint specializes in the Kaiseki or Kyo-ryori. The culinary style presents its menu in multiple courses inspired by seasonal and high end produce that are neatly composed together to highlight each ingredient’s strengths. Ask for a sake or wine pairing, for a cherry on top moment.

Mandarin Oriental, 48, Oriental Ave., 02-659-9000. Open Wed-Sun 6-10pm. 

Kuro House

Bangkok’s omakase scene is rich with their niches. When Kuro House blew into town, the city found itself a unique chef’s table wagyu omakase experience. Serving various bite-sized marbled cut rib-eye, tenderloin, striploin, neck, and tongue, the restaurant urges its guests to step out of their comfort zone while nailing the familiar yakiniku and shabu sets.

217/8, Sukhumvit Soi 63, 094-446-6269. Open Tue-Sun 11:30 am-midnight.

Menya Itto

You can’t go wrong with a bowl of ramen but have you tried one this good? All the way from Tokyo, the experts at Menya Itto take the extremely popular Japanese dish and bump it up a couple of notches. Paying close attention to the details, their umami seafood and chicken broth is oil free, and topped with three types of chashu. The star of the show is their signature tsukemen, noodles that are plopped in a separate bowl of dipping sauce before eating. The bouncy whole wheat noodles pick up just the right amount of the complex sweet sauce and marries well with the pork shoulder chashu. Although it’s a Japanese establishment, their creme brulee is worth checking out.

3/F, Gaysorn Village, 999 Ratchadamri Rd., 063-045-0236. Open daily 11am-9pm.

No Name Noodle

The incredibly difficult to get-in ramen shop, No Name Noodle belongs to chef Shinji Inoue whose mother ran a ramen cart in Fukuoka. It’s famous for using more than 30 ingredients to craft the finished product, with a focus on shio (salt based broth) and shoyu tsuke (soy sauce baked broth) – noodles served separately. Last year, the venue would make only 35 bowls per day but in 2024, eager diners are in luck. The team promised to add more servings and extend the dining time up to an hour per round. Keep your eyes peeled for its prestigious crossovers in the culinary scene. It’s going to be a big year at this establishment.

1/F, Room P2, 2, Attakawi Soi 1, Sukhumvit Soi 26, 082- 059-5417. Open Tue-Sun 11am-3pm.

Den Kushi Flori

A crossover between two Michelin star chefs Zaiyu Hasegawa of Den and chef Hiroyasu Kawate of Florilège, Den Kushi Flori unites the chefs’ individual expertise in French and Japanese cuisine and serves it up in a skewered style omakase. At the Bangkok branch, the restaurant makes an effort to include local flavors and ingredients in every seasonal menu. This is where you’ll find scallop truffles wrapped in banana leaf or some foie gras topped with Kao Kua (roasted ground rice). 

LG/F, Erawan Bangkok Building, 02-022-0200. Open Mon 12-2:30pm, 6-10pm; Wed-Sun 12-2:30pm, 6-10pm.

Mensho Tokyo

After becoming a hit in Tokyo and San Francisco, this world famous ramen shop traveled to Bangkok in search of new die-hard fans. If the meaty tori paitan and its milk chicken broth or the chashu pork with the juicy sous-vide duck doesn’t get you, the burst of flavors in their vegan tantanmen will definitely have you coming back for more.

 G/F, RSU Tower, Sukhumvit Soi 31, 091-887-9492. Open Tue-Sun 11am-3pm, 5-10pm.