10 Recommended Restaurants in Japan's Nara: From Luxury Restaurants to Local Eateries! Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Feb 29 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

10 Recommended Restaurants in Japan's Nara: From Luxury Restaurants to Local Eateries!

When it comes to sightseeing, narrowing a city full of choices down to a single restaurant can be a difficult task, especially in unfamiliar territory. All of the storefront signs and smells can appear enticing before you get to actually try their food for youself, creating quite the dilemma. You also can't forget that Nara also happens to be a standout location in Japan for sightseeing! Between UNESCO World Heritage sites, Horyuji Temple, and the Giant Buddha Statue, the prefecture is rife in attractive places to visit. You’ll find a handpicked selection of the best places to eat in Nara in this article, so you'll hopefully be able to make use of the information as a reference to get the most out of Nara's cuisine!

See full listings of Kaiseki restaurants found in and around Nara.

1. [Kaiseki Cuisine] Yamato Shunsai Mikasa (Kintetsu Nara)

From Luxury Restaurants to Local Eateries! A Selection of 10 Exemplary Restaurants in Nara

This kaiseki (traditional Japanese course cuisine) restaurant is situated just a 2-minute walk from Kintetsu-Nara Station. Mikasa specializes in making original dishes with locally sourced ingredients. The relaxed interior is furnished by a harmonious blend of wood and stone in a series of seating arrangements that include counter seats, tables, and cozy private rooms. The [Yamato Beef] and [Yamato Pork] are only served during dinner hours, but both options are unequivocally exquisite. The restaurant prides itself on its sumptuous [Homemade Yamato Pork Kakuni] (720 JPY) with cuts so tender they seem to melt away as you chew on them.

Yamato Shunsai Mikasa

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm) / Dinner 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: Sunday, National Holidays
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,500 JPY
Access: 2 minutes walk from exit No.1 of [Kintestsu Nara Station]. Go east along National Route 369, then on the basement first floor of Nara Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bldg. on the left side
Address: B1F, Nara Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bldg., 36-2 Noborioji-cho, Nara city, Nara Map
More Details Reservation

2. [Chinese Herbal Cuisine] Gallery Cafe Ikarugagakusya (Horyuji)

This is a restaurant that endeavors to have their guests get a taste of the local produce in its best and freshest state right where it's grown! Their Chinese herbal cuisine is created through a myriad of seasonal ingredients. The interior design of the restaurant is handled by a construction company that specializes in building shrines and temples, so the cafe is a tad unique with their miniature models of temples and shrines on display throughout the cafe. The restaurant's specialties include a repertoire of dishes prepared by a chef certified in yakuzen (traditional medicinal cooking). Many of the dishes are prepared with select seasonal vegetables, and if you're stuck trying to decide on what to order, a couple of recommendations include the [Yakuzen Lunch] (1,100 JPY) and the [Rakuzen] (1,540 JPY)! The contents of each set change every 1 to 2 weeks.

Gallery Cafe Ikarugagakusya

Open: [Wednesday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (Opening hours: 9:00-until dusk)
Closed: Monday, Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 1,600 JPY / [Lunch] 1,600 JPY
Access: Get off the train at the [Horyuji station], the JR Kansai main line. 10 minutes walk toward West from the Horyuji temple: approx. 200 m north from the Ikaruga Town Hall.
Address: 1-3-3 Horyuji-nishi, Ikaruga-cho, Ikoma-gun, Nara Map
More Details Reservation

3. [Sukiyaki /Shabu-Shabu] Ushigen Main Branch (Haibara)

Ushigen is a longstanding establishment with a history spanning 130 years since its founding. A building that served as the residence for the 3rd generation owner was remodeled for the purposes of the restaurant, so the interior furnishings project a quaint, traditional Japanese atmosphere. Inside, you’ll find spacious zashiki (tatami floor) seating, private rooms for smaller groups, and standard table seats. The restaurant also raises their own cattle, and their independent Yamato Haibara brand beef has an exceptionally rich umami (Japanese savory taste) flavor and fat that has a slightly sweet flavor to it. The [Sukiyaki (hot pot stew) Course] exemplifies the natural umami of the Yamato Haibara beef, between a loin option for 8,000 JPY (excl. tax) and a premium sirloin option for 10,000 JPY (excl. tax).

Ushigen Main Branch

Open: [Monday, Wednesday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm) / Course Menu 11:30 am - 10:00 pm *Reservations required from 7:00 pm onwards.
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,500 JPY
Access: Exit at the [Hagihara Station] South Exit and head southeast along the Ise Main Road (Ise Hon-Kaido), then turn left at the Hagihara roundabout. Restaurant is located around 50 meters further on the right.
Address: 2482, Hagihara, Haibara, Uda city, Nara Map
More Details Reservation

4. [Teppanyaki] Teppanyaki Sanga (Nara)

Just a minute walk from Nara Station, you’ll find Sanga, a teppanyaki (a style of Japanese cuisine where ingredients are grilled on an iron griddle) restaurant that exudes an air of opulence. The location puts the restaurant near sightseeing spots like Nara Park, and the luxurious interior offers a high-end but relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant's novelty dishes are made possible through the owner's exclusive access to a supply of fresh Yamagata beef that's all A4 grade or higher. This top-grade, marbled meat is prepared by an artisan chef, and has a melt-in-your mouth texture that’s followed by an umami flavor that disperses throughout your mouth upon sinking your teeth into it. The Yamagata Kuroge Wagyu beef course is available for 8,000 JPY (excl. tax).

Teppanyaki Sanga

Open: [Tuesday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY
Access: On the B1F of Piazza Hotel, immediately from the front exit of JR [Nara Station]
Address: B1F, Piazza Hotel, 11-20 Sanjo Honmachi, Nara city, Nara Map
More Details Reservation

5. [Yakiniku] Sumibi Yakiniku and Steak Banka (Shin-Omiya)

Banka is restaurant where you’ll have a chance to try premium meats that are picked out and prepared by the discerning eye of an owner chef with 40 years of experience as a butcher. The counter seats offer a front-row view of a veteran's precision when it comes to cutting meat, and the tasteful atmosphere offers tables and private rooms where you can dine in leisure while listening to some jazz. The restaurant ships in whole cuts of A5 grade Kuroge Wagyu sows to be freshly partitioned into the various cuts of meat only upon receiving an order. The succulent and tender meat of the rare parts of the cow are served in the [Tan Moto (a cut from the base of the tongue)] (2,000 JPY) and the heavily marbled [Premium Sirloin] (2,300 JPY), both of which are decadent delicacies you’ll be sure to want to try.

Sumibi Yakiniku And Steak Banka

Open: [Weekdays/Saturday/holidays/day before holidays] Lunch 11:00 - 14:00 (last order 13:30) / Dinner 17:00 - 23:00 (last order 22:30)
Closed: Sunday
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 900 JPY
Access: 2-minute walk from Shin-Omiya Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line. Follow along the railway to the east, and you will see a sign for the restaurant.
Address: 2-11-16 Shibatsuji-cho, Nara, Nara Map
More Details Reservation

6. [Seafood] Shunkai Jaya Fukuda (Gojo)

Fukuda gets their supply of live seasonal fish from all over the country to deliver the freshest possible seafood experience to their guests. The interior has a traditional Japanese ambiance, and seating includes counter seats for those dining alone, semi-private booths, or in a separate annex building. Live fish are brought in fresh every day to be prepared in an assortment different ways including the diverse selection featured in the [Sashimi Assortment], standards like tuna and flounder in the [Shunkai Nigirizushi Jo Nigiri] (2,500 JPY), and filling yet cost-effective [Live Fugu Nabe (puffer fish stew) Course ] (from 5,500 JPY)!

Shunkai Jaya Fukuda

Open: [Tuesday-Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 9:30 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 3,500 JPY
Access: 3 minutes drive from the Gojo Interchange on the Keinawa Expressway. Head south past the A Co-op (supermarket) at the Denen 2-chome intersection, and the restaurant is immediately on the right side.
Address: 3-9-7, Denen, Gojo, Nara Map
More Details Reservation

7. [Izakaya] Izakaya Tsunofuri (Kintetsu Nara Branch)

Izakaya Tsunofuri is situated in an especially convenient place to visit, being located just a 1-minute walk from Nara Station. Nara is sometimes called the old capital, and the interior lives up to the city's reputation with a historically poignant interior that even includes a flowing river and glass-floored private room built over a Japanese garden. From Yamato chicken to Yamato steak made with A5 grade beef - the highest attainable quality of meat - you’ll get to enjoy dishes prepared with ingredients produced locally in Nara. The restaurant also has a plentiful selection of a la carte dishes; the [Six-Assorted Seasonal Appetizers] (300 JPY) is a colorful assortment of seasonal vegetables, and the [Bagna Cauda with Fresh Vegetables Just-Harvested from the Farm] (760 JPY) is a highly nutritious option!

Izakaya Tsunofuri

Open: With reservations: 10:00 am - 3:00 am (L.O. 2:30 am)

[Weekdays] 5:00 pm - 1:00 am (Drink L.O. 0:30 am)

[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] 4:00 pm - 1:00 am (L.O. 0:30 am)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 2,850 JPY
Access: 1 minute walk to the south (to the direction of Nara Park) from Exit B of [Kintetsu Nara Station] on Kintetsu Line / 10 minutes walk to the east along Sanjo-dori Street from [Nara Station] on JR Lines
Address: B1F, Nara Kanko Kaikan, 21 Higashimuki-minamimachi, Nara city, Nara Map
More Details Reservation

8. [Okonomiyaki] Yakitei JUJU Sanjo Branch (Nara)

Yakitei Juju is a teppanyaki restaurant where they use fresh, in-season ingredients to prepare their dishes. The aesthetic interior is consolidated in a single-color scheme, and seating consists of both counter seats and table seats equipped with their own teppanyaki grill in an opulent atmosphere. Starting with Nara-produced brands of Yamato beef and Yamato pork, the teppanyaki cuisine is only made with the freshest ingredients. The [Yamato Steak 50g] (1,500 JPY (excl. tax)) is a surefire pick, while another highly recommended choice is the [Kansai-Style Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake)] (500 JPY (excl. tax))—where you get to control all of the ingredients you want in it!

Yakitei JUJU Sanjo branch

Open: [Weekdays] 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:45 pm)

[Saturday, Sunday, National Holidays] 12:00 pm - 0:00 am (L.O. 11:45 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 2,500 JPY / [Lunch] 2,500 JPY
Access: 5 minutes walk from [Nara Station] on Kansai Main Line. Along the Sanjo-dori Street, 150 meters to the south of the signal
Address: 2F, 14 Shimo Sanjo-cho, Nara city, Nara Map
More Details Reservation

9. [Ramen] Saika Ramen Main Branch (Senzai)

Saika Ramen is a restaurant that has earned a special place in the hearts and stomachs of their guests since its humble beginnings as a street vendor in 1968. When founded, the restaurant set itself apart with a unique improvisation of putting hakusai (Chinese cabbage) on ramen, called [Tenri Ramen]—a specialty that has become a favorite among guests. The secret behind the popularity of original ramen dish is a homemade soy-based sauce and piquant touch of garlic accent in the ramen soup, alongside chili oil for a spicy kick. One bowl of ramen starts at just 565 yen. The recommended choice here is the [Saika Ramen Special]. The ramen also goes extremely well with their fried rice!

Saika Ramen Main Store

Open: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed: none
Average price: [Dinner] 800 JPY
Access: A 14-miute walk from Senzai Station
Address: 91, Iwamurocho, Tenri-shi, Nara Map
More Details

10. [Warabi Mochi] One's Heart Cafe Naramachi (Kintetsu Nara)

One's Heart Cafe uses local Nara produce to prepare authentic Japanese cuisine and confectionery. The restaurant was built by renovating a corner of a row of old tenement houses, and by setting tables and chairs atop the tatami floors, the restaurant interior retains its vestige of classic nostalgia while providing an easygoing atmosphere. Their slew of confectionery spans from the Nara specialty kuzumochi (mochi made with a starch powder called kudzu powder) to other traditional delicacies made with warabiko (bracken-root starch). The [Soft-and-Chewy Warabi Mochi (a jelly confection covered in kinako (sweet toasted soybean) ] has a texture and transparency that you’ll be sure to want to try!

Ones Heart Cafe Naramachi

Open: [Monday, Tuesday, Thursday-Sunday, National Holidays, Days befor a National Holiday] 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (L.O. 4:00 pm) *open until 8:00 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 1,500 JPY / [Lunch] 1,300 JPY
Access: After getting off at Kintetsu Nara Station, make a right at the Kencho Higashi intersection, then a left at the National Expressway 169 Fukuchiin Intersection, and you'll find the location at the end of the narrow street to your left.
Address: 1028-7, Takabatakecho, Nara-shi, Nara Map
More Details

Having read this far, you're now acquainted with 10 restaurants that you can put in the back of your head for when you visit Nara, and whether you’re feeling like high-end brand beef or restaurants that'll give you a taste of homegrown ingredients, you have plenty of variety to choose from as well! How about stopping by when you need to sate your stomach while exploring the historically rich UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Old Capital?

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.