The Best Japanese Food in Nashville
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The best Japanese food in Nashville, according to the experts: Michelin Guide, USA Today, and Esquire have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Locust comes out on top.
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Kisser and Babychan hold the next two places. Nashville Scene shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with The Infatuation next.
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Rank 1. Locust
Japanese
Reservations are scarce at this compact Japanese-influenced restaurant, and the walk-in line forms early. Chef Trevor Moran's menu is built around sharing plates with a precision that feels almost theatrical, from beef tartare hand rolls to rotating kakigori shaved into powdery, sculptural blocks. A Michelin star and a James Beard semifinalist nod signal the ambition; the laidback, buzzy room suggests nobody here is taking themselves too seriously.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
- USA Today USA Today: Restaurants of the Year
- Esquire Esquire: Seaweed Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- USA Today Restaurants of the Year
- Esquire Seaweed Martini · The Best Martinis in America
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Rank 2. Kisser
Japanese
The name nods to a kissaten, the cozy Japanese tea shop, and this no-reservations Japanese comfort food spot fills up fast enough to make that context feel earned. The menu is short and built for sharing, moving through onigiri, grilled yellowtail collar, and a chilled ramen salad with the unhurried confidence of a team that knows exactly what it's doing. A Michelin Bib Gourmand and a James Beard nominee for Best New Restaurant.
The awards
- Food & Wine Food & Wine: Best New Chefs · Leina Horii and Brian Lea
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2024 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand
- Food & Wine Best New Chefs · Leina Horii and Brian Lea
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
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Rank 3. Babychan
Japanese Bakery
Babychan is a Japanese bakery on the ground floor of a Germantown condo building, done up in walnut and Japanese art, which is more design effort than most places put into the thing you eat standing up. The case runs to sesame swiss rolls, salmon onigiri, and milk bread stuffed with cream cheese. It was a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur, and the pastries sell out early, so arrive at opening.
The awards
- Nashville Scene Nashville Scene: 2025 · Best New Cafe and Bakery · Best of Nashville
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 15 Best Bakeries In Nashville
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: #24 · The Best Restaurants In Nashville
- Nashville Scene 2025 · Best New Cafe and Bakery · Best of Nashville
- The Infatuation The 15 Best Bakeries In Nashville
- The Infatuation #24 · The Best Restaurants In Nashville
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Rank 4. Kase x Noko
Modern Sushi
Kase x Noko is an omakase sushi counter where getting a seat means setting an alarm for five to midnight, six weeks ahead, and then refreshing like it's a concert drop. There are three sessions a night at the bar, and they vanish almost instantly. It's a tasting-menu splurge, so dress like you earned it, and expect the chef to run the evening with jokes between courses. Nashville Scene named it Best New Restaurant in 2025.
The awards
- Nashville Scene Nashville Scene: 2025 · Best New Restaurant · Best of Nashville
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: #7 · The Best Restaurants In Nashville
- Nashville Scene 2025 · Best New Restaurant · Best of Nashville
- The Infatuation #7 · The Best Restaurants In Nashville
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Rank 5. Present Tense
Japanese
The 40-seat dining room shares a building with a nightclub, which does set a certain tone. Present Tense is a Japanese restaurant where the chef's Italian background keeps surfacing on the plate, squid ink noodles with nduja and wasabi, koji chicken with shoyu au poivre. The New York Times named it one of Nashville's 25 best restaurants. The chef's counter fills early, and by the time the martinis land, nobody's rushing anywhere.
The awards
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Nashville Right Now
- Nashville Scene 2024 · Best Base for Tuna Tartare: Seaweed Sourdough · Best of Nashville
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Rank 6. Rice Vice by Proper Sake Co.
Sake Bar
Rice Vice is the taproom for Proper Sake, a casual sake bar where the menu describes each pour in flavor notes so specific they border on a confession ("bubblegum funk" is a real category here). Order the citrusy nigori if you're new, or something earthier if you're not. Food means snacks, with the occasional pop-up out front. Esquire put it on its best bars in America list, and sake fans fill the room.
The awards
- Esquire Esquire: The Best Bars in America
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The 21 Best Bars In Nashville
- Nashville Scene Nashville Scene: 2023 · Best Trend For Sake Lovers · Best of Nashville
- Esquire The Best Bars in America
- The Infatuation The 21 Best Bars In Nashville
- Nashville Scene 2023 · Best Trend For Sake Lovers · Best of Nashville