The Best Kaiseki in the United States
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The best kaiseki in the United States, according to the experts: the James Beard Awards, the Michelin Guide, and Eater have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. n/naka comes out on top, and the good stuff runs deepest in Denver and Los Angeles.
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Odell's Bagel and Kappo Sono hold the next two places. Eater shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with 5280 next.
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Rank 1. n/naka
Modern Kaiseki
A single pasta course, spaghetti with abalone and black truffle, never rotates off Niki Nakayama's menu at this intimate kaiseki tasting room in Culver City. Everything else shifts with the seasons, moving through delicate broths and grilled Miyazaki wagyu in a long, unhurried procession. Getting a table is a project in itself, but Nakayama comes out at the end to say hello, which feels less like a formality and more like the point. It holds a Michelin star.
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Chef · Niki Nakayama
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2023 · Nominee · Outstanding Chef · Niki Nakayama
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Chef · Niki Nakayama
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Nominee · Outstanding Chef · Niki Nakayama
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
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Rank 2. Odell's Bagel
Kaiseki Japanese
By day, a bagel shop where the hand-rolled, kettle-boiled rings get topped with things like hamachi, fresh wasabi, and shiso. By night, the Counter flips to a hyperseasonal kaiseki tasting menu, the kind of multicourse journey that shifts entirely with what's good that week. The chef trained in Japan under serious mentors, and it shows. A James Beard semifinalist in 2026, it's also landed on Eater's best Denver restaurants list.
The awards
- Eater Eater: The 38 Best Restaurants in Denver
- Westword Westword: @ the Counter · The Top 50 Restaurants in Denver Right Now
- 5280 5280: The 43 Best Places to Brunch in Denver
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in Denver
- Westword @ the Counter · The Top 50 Restaurants in Denver Right Now
- 5280 The 43 Best Places to Brunch in Denver
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Rank 3. Kappo Sono
Kaiseki Japanese
Taking the elevator to the sixth floor of a commercial building off Union Square is a strange way to find a kaiseki omakase, which is probably the point. The chef spent years at the cult Japanese spot Kyo Ya before opening this one, and the room lands somewhere between chic Tokyo penthouse and relaxed dinner party, with the city glittering through the windows. The courses are elaborate and precise; the mood, somehow, is not.
The awards
- The New York Times The New York Times: #24 · The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City
- The New York Times The New York Times: 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in New York in 2025
- The New York Times #24 · The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City
- The New York Times 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in New York in 2025
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Rank 4. Hashiri Bettei Kaiseki Aoki
Kaiseki Japanese
Nine seats at a counter in Saratoga, quiet enough that you'll learn exactly how someone accidentally ended up with too many cars. This is a kaiseki tasting menu, eleven courses, served to everyone simultaneously like a dinner party. The chef mists soup bowls to simulate dew and trims grapes so they stand upright instead of rolling. Between courses he silently practices piano on the countertop. Small details, unhurried pace, kimono-clad service guiding you through all of it.
The awards
- San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle: Best fine dining restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best fine dining restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area
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Rank 5. Kinme Omakase
Edomae Kaiseki
The awards
- Eater The Best Sushi Restaurants in San Diego