10 Great Restaurants in Yokohama

Sushi Otowa is a Michelin-starred restaurant just a 10-minute walk away from Kodomonokuni Station. It's tucked away in a quiet residential area with no signboard. The restaurant only serves the chef’s selection course and you’ll need to book ahead as there are just 7 seats at the bar. 

Omelette is one of the restaurant’s specialities, as it contains shrimp paste which gives it a silky texture. The interior is simple – there’s a counter made with plain wood and black polished stone. You can watch the chef preparing sushi, sashimi and side dishes right in front of you. 

Ribatei, or Liberty, is a long-running restaurant that specialises in yakitori (grilled chicken skewers). It only serves the chef’s selection course, which starts with assorted pickled vegetables on a bed of rice bran. This is followed by a crowd-pleasing selection of yakitori. The restaurant only uses the high-quality meat of Shamo chickens from Kanagawa.

Ribatei's palate-cleansing dishes are original and creative. There’s also a wide range of drinks to enjoy during your meal, including Japanese sake and wine. This hideaway restaurant is located between Hinodecho Station and Kannai Station.

Yakiniku Doraku Tennocho is within a 1-minute walk from Tennocho Station in Yokohama. The owner himself is in charge of buying fresh ingredients, such as whole black Wagyu cows. The restaurant is modern, with private rooms for couples, groups and families. It can accommodate groups of up to 25 people for parties. 

Here, you can enjoy tender, delicious Japanese barbecue (yakiniku) at reasonable prices. There’s also a variety of course meals with all-you-can-eat or all-you-can-drink options. 

Alibaba is a popular restaurant developed by Kiyoken, which is also known for creating the iconic Kiyoken no shiumai (pork dumplings). Opt for the lunch buffet to can enjoy all-you-can-eat Japanese, western, Chinese dishes and desserts, as well as the restaurant’s famous pork dumplings. The all-you-can-drink menu is very generous, with wines available on weekends and holidays. 

There’s also a cooking station where roast beef, fried pork (tonkatsu), ramen and fried noodles (yakisoba) are made to order. The roast chicken and spicy Sichuan tofu are also must-tries at Alibaba. At dinnertime, dishes like sausages, pasta, pizza and rice bowls go well with draft beer.

Sakurai Chuka Soba-ten is a ramen restaurant that's within a 3-minute walk from Hodogaya Station. Since opening in 2017, it has attracted crowds of ramen lovers with its house-made noodles and locally produced ingredients. Each ingredient, from roasted pork (chashu) to pickled bamboo shoots (menma), is very rich in flavour. The soup is made by simmering whole Shamo chicken bones, while the noodles are made with 100% Japanese flour. 

Yokohama Nodaiwa lies on the riverside of Aratama River, about an 8-minute walk from the West Exit of Yokohama Station. You can enjoy rare wild eels from May to December. Kabayaki is grilled eel covered with an exquisite sauce made with sugar and soy sauce. The eel also has a surprisingly delicate taste. You can order it with or without rice. Shirayaki (grilled eel without sauce) is as popular as kabayaki – the meat is so soft, it practically melts in your mouth. 

If you want to try shirayaki and kabayaki, Yokohama Nodaiwa offers course meals that include both dishes. These also come with assorted appetisers, side dishes and dessert. Skewered chicken and skewered eel innards are best enjoyed with Japanese alcohol. There are private rooms and sunken seats if you want to dine like a local. 

Katsuretsuan Bashamichi, established in 1927, has several branches, with its main restaurant located near Kannai Station. It serves Japanese-style pork cutlets (tonkatsu) with a secret sauce made with vegetables and fruits. The accompanying clam soup is also a must-try as it's made with carefully selected soybean paste. The restaurant also makes its own sauces, including mayonnaise and ponzu sauce.

Katsuretsuan Bashamichi offers a wide variety of pork cutlet dishes, in the form of set menus, sandwiches, and lunch boxes. There are also other dishes like fried shrimps and fried skewers on the menu. The 2nd and 3rd floors of the restaurant have Japanese tatami floors and walls decorated with the artwork of Shiko Munakata, a woodblock printmaker.

MANOA Aloha Table is great if you’re looking for a tropical feel in Yokohama. It's located on the 1st floor of Colette Mare, in front of Sakuragicho Station in Minatomirai, Yokohama. There are stunning views of Minatomirai from the terrace seats. The dining area is decorated with a large work of art by Heather Brown, an artist living in Hawaii, making it a great photo spot. 

MANOA Aloha Table serves authentic Hawaiian dishes like pancakes, loco moco, garlic shrimp, fried chicken, poke, pork chop, and acai bowl. The drink menu is also Hawaiian-inspired, including freshly squeezed pineapple juice, Kona coffee, and Maitai. 

Chai Fleurs Yokohama is located in a quiet residential area along a row of cherry trees, a 10-minute walk from Yokohama Station. Its concept is a fusion of Japanese and French cuisine, with dishes that can be enjoyed with chopsticks. There’s Japanese tradition everywhere, including elegant tableware by Okura Art China and Arita. 

Dishes are made with seasonal fresh ingredients delivered directly from farmers. The menu ranges from a reasonable weekday lunch menu to the chef’s special dinner course (which you need to book ahead), and an a la carte menu. The wine list is extensive, too.

Zeal is a lounge bar located within a 5-minute walk from the West Exit of Yokohama Station. Suitable for all occasions, its all-you-can-drink party course lasts for 3 hours, giving you plenty of time to enjoy a wide range of dishes. Along with meat dishes served with house-made sauce, there are salads, pasta and pizzas to choose from. Its all-you-can-drink menu has over 50 types of drinks.

The smooth lighting, stately and classic interior, and fish tank over its bar counter creates a casual but sophisticated atmosphere. Zeal also has a nearby annexe that's a bit like a private house – it can accommodate up to 200 people and has equipment such as karaoke sets and projector screens.