In Beijing – indeed in many cities throughout China – there is an abundance of Japanese restaurants. What many connoisseurs of this far eastern cuisine are really concerned with is whether a restaurant is "Japanese" – as in a restaurant chain with chefs that are not actually from Japan, sushi from local markets as opposed to flown in from Japan – or real bona fide Japanese. Should you be on a quest for that true Nippon dining experience you are in luck, because the following is a short list of some of the Japanese (no parenthesis) restaurants which are most popular with local Japanese and other expats in the know.

Sake Manzo

Sake Manzo
Sake Manzo has two main functions; it serves as a Sake bar with 30 varieties of sake and helpful staff which will advise you upon which is the best to pair with your food and how to drink it (hot or cold). It is also a restaurant serving up some of the most authentic Japanese dishes in town. Most popular are the fresh daily made tofu and the chicken wings, although Sake Manzo’s sushi and sashimi are not to be missed. A little entertainment can add value to your meal if you wish to watch the sushi chef skillfully slicing your seafood. With sleek, stylish, yet not impersonal décor and convenient locations in Liangmaqiao and Panjiayuan, Sake Manzo is not a place to be passed up on.

Panjiayuan South East Third Ring Road (Branch) View In Map
Add: 1/F, Yilongfang, Yilongtai Apartment, 28 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区潘家园南里28号漪龙台公寓伊龙坊1层
Tel: 010 8770 8767
Opening hours: 18:00-00:00

Lufthansa Center (Branch)View In Map
Add: 27 Liangmaqiao Lu, Anjialou, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区安家楼亮马桥路27号
Tel: 010 6436 1608
Opening hours: 18:00-00:00

Yotsuba

Yotsuba 四叶View In Map
Dongzhimen’s Yotsuba is one of the most hyped Japanese restaurants in Beijing, and for good reason. Being of an extremely exclusive nature, the restaurant is very small and cosy with a personal touch; unfortunately this means that guests are only allotted a certain time for their meal. This is not too much of a drag because the staff handles this situation with aplomb. The sushi and sashimi served up by Yotsuba’s expert and authentic Japanese chef – who serves as the focal point of the restaurant as is common in great Japanese restaurants – is well known to be titillating. A favourite of many and with a fast turn over, it is advised that you book your table before turning up at Yotsuba.

Add: Bldg 2, Xinyuan Xili Zhongjie, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区新源西里中街2号楼旁
Tel: 010 6467 1837
Opening hours: 17:00-23:00

 

Geba GebaView In Map
Geba Geba is perhaps one of the most stylish sushi bars in town; the interior has an air of all things high class and design conscious, making for a perfect place to unwind on the weekend or after a hard day’s toil. With Japanese staff and a menu in Japanese (and Chinese) you will definitely feel the authenticity of this restaurant. All of the usual suspects are on the menu, although Geba Geba adds to the excitement of sea ood dining by adding unusual little twists on old favourites such as tuna roll with a hint of mint to freshen the palate, as well more novel dishes like the spinach salad. If that wasn’t enough Geba Geba also boasts a great selection of Japanese drinks and desserts.

Add: 23 Guandongdian Beijie, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区关东店北街23号
Tel: 010 6592 4305
Opening hours: Daily 11.30-14:00, 17:30-23:00

Izaka-ya and Ushi-Ya

Izaka-ya and Ushi-Ya 居酒屋桥场 View In Map
Izaka-ya and Ushi-Ya are purveyors of some of the finest teppanyaki, sushi and sashimi in town. With a restaurant layout featuring two floors with numerous private rooms and traditional Japanese style décor, the restaurant is indeed worth trying once just for the experience of being there and soaking up the atmosphere. Having said this, should you go there once, it is unlikely that it will be the last time that you go there. Popular Japanese staples such as ramen and beef dishes which are particularly noteworthy, are served up by thoughtful and friendly staff. The entrance to the restaurant is very inconspicuous and can be passed over by the inattentive eye; however the humble exterior belies the delights to be found inside.

Add: 4 Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区工体北路4号机电院股份公司院内
Tel: 010 6585 3570
Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 11:30-14:30, 5:30-23:30; Sat-Sun, 11:30-15:30, 17:30-23:30 

Takenosuke 武之助View In Map
Hidden in the bowels of the Lufthansa centre, Takenosuke is one of the hidden gems of Beijing’s Japanese restaurant circuit. With a steady flow of Japanese expat guests to testify its authenticity, should you be in the neighborhood, be feeling a bit peckish and have a yearning for Japanese food as it is served up in the land of the rising sun then this is definitely your first port of call. Okonomiyaki is probably Takenosuke’s most noteworthy dish as it is not commonly found in other restaurants in the capital and is in fact a Hiroshima local delicacy that is very much akin to a Japanese style pizza. The watch words with Takenosuke are unpretentious, wholesome and authentic.

Add: Lufthansa Center 27 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址: 北京市朝阳区亮马桥路27号
Tel: 010 6431 8238
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 17:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-23:00

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