Liverpool’s Japanese food scene runs from an award-winning Beetham Plaza restaurant that’s been quietly excellent since 2007 to a Duke Street teppanyaki counter marking two decades of tableside flame tricks, and takes in everything from conveyor-belt sushi in Liverpool ONE to a two-floor Bold Street street-food spot serving Japanese dishes upstairs and Thai downstairs. Here are the eight best Japanese restaurants in Liverpool worth seeking out in 2026.

Etsu opened in Beetham Plaza in November 2007 and has spent the years since quietly becoming one of the most decorated Japanese restaurants outside London, winning Liverpool’s Restaurant of the Year in 2009 before Eat Japan crowned it the UK’s Greatest Japanese Restaurant in 2010. Three Japanese national chefs, with a combined 60-plus years of experience, run the kitchen.

The menu covers the full range of traditional Japanese cooking, from sushi and sashimi to specialist grilled meat and fish dishes like the chef’s gindara saikyo miso (black cod marinated in sweet miso) and crispy soft-shell crab spider rolls, served in a cosy, relaxed dining room that feels a world away from the office block it sits beneath.

Etsu — 25 The Strand, Beetham Plaza, Liverpool L2 0XJ | etsu-restaurant.co.uk

Sapporo Teppanyaki opened on Duke Street in 2003 as Liverpool’s first teppanyaki restaurant, introducing the city to tableside hotplate cooking, flaming onion volcanoes and the now-famous potato-flipping challenge. It celebrated its 20th anniversary in the city in 2023 and remains independently owned.

The format is built around theatre as much as food — skilled chefs cook sushi-grade meat, fish and vegetables on a flat-iron grill built into the table in front of diners, alongside a full sushi and sashimi menu for anyone after a quieter option. It’s consistently one of the highest-reviewed Japanese restaurants in the city, with close to 2,000 Google reviews.

Sapporo Teppanyaki — 134 Duke Street, Liverpool L1 5AG | sapporo.co.uk

AKA Sushi brings a bright, no-frills take on Tokyo sushi-bar dining to Bold Street, with an open kitchen that puts the chefs’ knife work on full display rather than hiding it behind decor. The focus stays firmly on ingredient quality over flashy presentation.

The menu runs through specialty maki rolls — the Salmon Dragon Roll and Tuna Volcano Roll are regularly singled out by regulars — alongside nigiri, sashimi and a solid cocktail list for anyone settling in rather than grabbing sushi to go. It’s built a loyal following on Bold Street’s busy restaurant strip.

AKA Sushi — 5 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4DJ | akasushi.co.uk

Hibiki Sushi & Ramen has quickly become one of Renshaw Street’s most talked-about openings, built around a straightforward premise: handmade ramen noodles and expertly prepared sushi, with no pan-Asian menu padding either side of it. It’s one of the highest-rated Japanese restaurants in the city, with a 4.9-star average across more than 250 OpenTable reviews.

The ramen is the headline act — rich, slow-built broths with springy house-made noodles — but the sushi counter holds its own too, blending modern rolls with more traditional nigiri and sashimi. The compact Renshaw Street room fills up fast on weekend evenings.

Hibiki Sushi & Ramen — 66 Renshaw Street, Liverpool L1 4EN | hibikiuk.com

YO!’s Liverpool ONE branch sits on The Terrace on Paradise Street, in the heart of the city’s main shopping and entertainment complex a short walk from the Royal Albert Dock. It’s the most accessible way into Japanese food in the city centre — no booking required, no unfamiliar menu to navigate, just a seat at the belt.

Dozens of sushi and street food dishes circle the kaiten conveyor belt on colour-coded plates, with katsu curry, teriyaki chicken and spicy seafood ramen among the most popular orders alongside gyoza, yakisoba and gluten-free options. Fine for a quick solo lunch or a group who can’t agree on one thing.

YO! — Liverpool ONE, 14 Paradise Street, Liverpool L1 8JF | yosushi.com

Kokoro sits opposite Lloyds Bank on Church Street, one of the busiest stretches of Liverpool’s main shopping district, and has built a reputation for fast, affordable sushi that doesn’t cut corners on freshness. There’s no table booking system — it runs on a first-come, first-served basis, with seating available upstairs for anyone eating in.

The menu covers handmade nigiri, maki and California rolls alongside bento boxes and a broader spread of Japanese and Korean dishes, all prepared using halal meat. It’s a reliable option for a quick, good-value sushi fix in the middle of a shopping trip rather than a destination sit-down meal.

Kokoro — 77 Church Street, Liverpool L1 1DG | kokorouk.com

Zumuku Sushi opened on Lark Lane in October 2024, bringing a cosy, family-owned sushi and ramen spot to one of Liverpool’s most independent-minded suburban strips. It was the brand’s first move away from the city centre and into the neighbourhoods.

The kitchen turns out fresh sushi and ramen alongside a broader spread of Asian small plates, and has picked up a strong 4.7-star average from early reviewers who single out the quality and consistency of the food. It slots neatly into Lark Lane’s existing run of independent cafes, bars and restaurants.

Zumuku Sushi — 75 Lark Lane, Liverpool L17 8UP | zumuku.co.uk

Mee occupies a two-level unit on Bold Street with a genuinely split personality: the ground floor is dedicated to authentic Thai street food, while the first floor is built entirely around Japanese street eats, letting diners pick a country rather than a fusion menu trying to do both at once.

The Japanese floor’s small-plates format suits sharing across a table, and the restaurant has built a strong following quickly, with a 4.6-star average across more than 400 reviews. It’s a good pick for a livelier, more casual night out than Bold Street’s sit-down restaurants further along the street.

Mee Japanese & Thai Street Food — 130 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4JA | meethai.co.uk