From the uncountable Japanese restaurant options we have in Singapore, one thing is for sure—Singaporeans can never get enough of Japanese cuisine. From sashimi to sushi and donburi, there is surely no lack of decent ones to be found in Singapore and the only concern is the price tag that comes along with it.
While many people would assume that Japanese cuisine in Singapore is generally heavy on the wallet, there are actually some dining establishments that aim to offer reasonably-priced Japanese dishes for the mass market.
Although the furnishings are simpler and there is no top-notch service to speak of at these places, you can expect value-for-money when it comes to these 17 no-frills Japanese eateries in Singapore.
Photo Credit: Char Sticks & Grill
CHAR STICKS & GRILL
As a kushiyaki bar concept, Char Sticks & Grill is a hangout spot for the young who are able to indulge in Japanese skewered meats that are grilled over an open charcoal fire.
Their impressive menu comprises no less than 50 items to choose from—poultry, seafood and vegetables included—you name it, they have it! For the hardcore carnivores, the Japanese eatery also offers a range of ribs so you leave with a satisfied tummy.
2 Jalan Lokam #01-54
Kensington square,
Singapore 537846
Tel: +65 8188 2902
(Closed on Mondays)
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 3.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Bartley
District Sushi is a Japanese joint that serves up delicious Japanese fare at wallet-friendly prices. Their stellar Bara Chirashi Don, which is priced affordably sans GST and service charge, is stacked high with generous cubes of fresh marinated fish and is one of their most frequently ordered items.
Besides that, the casual eatery also has a range of sashimi, nigiri sushi and a la carte sides that are mostly below S$15.
91 Bencoolen Street
#01-15, Sunshine Plaza
Singapore 189652
(Closed on Sundays)
Daily: 11.30pm – 2pm, 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Nearest Station: Bencoolen
DONYA JAPANESE CUISINE
Donya is known for their super affordable Salmon Mentai Don (S$8.80) that comes with generous portions of mentaiko sauce. Located within a HDB coffeeshop in Toa Payoh, this stall also offers other pocket-friendly donburi and sushi rolls available there.
126 Lor 1 Toa Payoh
Singapore 310126
Daily: 11am – 2:30pm, 5pm – 8:30pm
Nearest Station: Braddell
Named after the Japanese character for gratitude, En Sushi pays homage to the treasures of the ocean in the form of sashimi and sushi. They craft each and every dish with Japanese perfectionism in their work and authentic ‘omotenashi’ hospitality to each customer they serve.
With their new relocation to Middle Road, co-founders Mr Kenneth Koh and ex-Nogawa chef, Mr Kenneth Tan hope to bring an elevated Japanese cuisine and experience at reasonable prices to every diner.
112 Middle Road, #01-00B
Midland House,
Singapore 188970
Tel: +65 6259 8548
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Fri to Sun: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Dhoby Ghaut
This low-key Japanese eatery is where one can find affordable Japanese food in town. If you are on a budget, Ichi Tei serves simple and flavourful meals below S$14. We thoroughly enjoyed the Chicken Teriyaki Rice Set which comes with a small portion of potato salad and miso soup.
Otherwise, Ichi Tei also has other options such as Curry Rice, Udon, Udon Curry and some of the basic side dishes.
91 Bencoolen Street
#01-52 Sunshine Plaza
Singapore 189652
Tel: +65 9139 1746
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 8pm
Nearest Station: Bras Basah
IDATEN UDON
Idaten Udon is a budget-friendly option for some slurp-worthy, customisable udon! From just S$5.80, you can enjoy their Zaru Udon or Kake Udon with various sides available at the counter. For S$1 more, you can upgrade your udon to their special flavours such as Matcha, Yuzu, Tomato and Carrot for a colourful bowl of noodles.
Aside from soup and dry udon, you can also opt for their Curry Udon (S$6.90) that comes with chunks of carrots and potatoes. Idaten Udon also serves rice bowls, such as the Beef Curry Rice (S$9) and Beef Sukiyaki Rice (S$9), for those who are not feeling udon.
1 Raffles Link
#B1-21 CityLink Mall
Singapore 039393
Tel: +65 6238 7490
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall/Esplanade
Izakaya Nijumaru is one hidden gem in Cuppage Plaza.
It is tucked at a corner on the second level of Cuppage Plaza and the nondescript outlet features a comprehensive menu that comes at reasonable prices. Its traditional setting—complete with dim lights, counter seats, seasonal menu handwritten in Japanese will have you reminiscing your times in Japan.
5 Koek Road
#02-10/12 Cuppage Plaza
Singapore 228796
Tel: +65 6235 6693
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Sun: 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset
Situated within Fortune Centre, Japanese Curry Express is one of our favourite places to get affordable Japanese fare. They do mentai dishes well, with a balance of savouriness and creaminess; Their signature Salmon Mentai Don (S$11 Small, S$14 Large) is a hit amongst the crowd!
We recommend you guys to get their sushi rolls as well, especially the Ebi Mango Maki and Spider Maki, that costs below S$10 each. This eatery gets extremely packed during lunch time, so be sure to drop by early.
190 Middle Rd
#03-04 Fortune Centre
Singapore 188979
Tel: +65 9689 6314
Mon to Sat: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 8:30pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Bugis/Rochor
Kazoku Japanese Cuisine is a humble family Japanese eatery that serves up quality Japanese fare at affordable prices.
Kazoku Japanese Cusine’s Salmon Don met all expectations. A whopping 10 pieces of fresh, thinly-sliced salmon sashimi sits atop a bed of rice and is topped off with a spoonful of wasabi and fish roe.
1 Goldhill Plaza #01-05
Singapore 308899
Tel: +65 9687 3782
Mon, Wed to Sat: 12pm – 10pm
Tue: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 12pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Novena
Now re-branded as Omoté, this humble donburi-speciality restaurant serves up awesome value-for-money Bara Chirashi Don. But do not be fooled by its unbelievably affordable price tag because what you get are insanely thick cubes of fish and a generous amount of Japanese rice.
No doubt the queues might be off-putting, but we assure you that it is definitely worth the wait!
#03-24A, , 301 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574408
Tel: +65 9450 1020
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Mon to Sun: 11.45am – 2.15pm, 5.45pm – 9.15pm
Nearest Station: Marymount
Conveniently located in 313@Somerset, you can find affordable donburis at Sora Boru. From meat to seafood options, there’s a plethora of dishes to choose from. Their signature Flaming Beef Don (S$11.90) is stacked with slices of mountainous-looking flame-grilled beef then drizzled with their made-in-house spicy gochujang sauce.
They offer customisable chirashi dons ranging from S$6.50 to S$16.90, depending on the size chosen. For Japanese curry lovers, you can indulge in a rich and robust bowl of curry don at Sora Boru as well.
313 Orchard Road
#B3-19/20 313@Somerset
Singapore 238895
Sun to Thu: 11am – 9:30pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset
Ramen is our guilty-pleasure, even more so on rainy days. Suparakki’s Dry Truffle Ramen (S$6.90) is deeply-infused with truffle oil and topped with a concoction of pulled pork, hanjuku egg and other condiments. An absolute treat for the fungi-loving people. The Spicy Original Tonkotsu Ramen (S$7.90) was soaked in a rich pork broth with springy noodles, and was well-complemented with the melt-in-your-mouth chashu.
1 NorthPoint Dr
#B2-154 Northpoint City
Singapore 768098
Daily: 10:30am – 9:30pm
Nearest Station: Yishun
Tachinomiya is a quaint Japanese bar that serves up Japanese street food and a variety of Japanese sakes and beers. From yakitori to sashimi, you will be surprised at how much this little hole in the wall can conjure up.
Tachinomiya opens until late on most days which is always great for an evening tipple.
211 Hougang Street 21
#01-285
Tel: +65 6286 0738
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 12am
Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 1am
Sat: 11.30am – 2am
Sun: 11.30am – 12am
Nearest Station: Kovan
Who would think that it is possible to get a lip smacking bowl of authentic Japanese ramen at for less than S$10? From their first outlet in 2015 at Ang Mo Kio, they have now expanded with three other outlets in Pasir Ris, Jurong West and NUS.
You can savour quality ramen such as their popular Karata-men (S$7.50) that is, a spicy tonkotsu soup topped with tender sliced chashu and handmade thin ramen. There are donburis and dry ramen options available too!
51 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3
#01-01C 51@AMK
Singapore 569922
Tel: +65 9138 8017
Daily: 11am – 12am
Nearest Station: Ang Mo Kio
Originally a small sushi place at Far East Plaza, The Sushi Bar has seen tremendous success amongst Singaporeans and currently has two outlets, with the other one located at Ngee Ann City.
They serve the standard dishes like sushi, sashimi, and donburi bowls, but if you only have room for one dish, you must try the famous Salmon Aburi Sushi.
14 Scotts Road
#04-28 Far East Plaza
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 9653 6464 (SMS reservation only)
Daily: 11.30am – 9.45pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
WASABI TEI
Nestled within Far East Plaza, Wasabi Tei is a humble Japanese eatery that offers affordable Japanese cuisine. There is nothing fancy about its interior and diners huddle around a counter that comes with limited seats. The standards have dropped over the years and we will not go to Far East Plaza just to have a meal. But if you happen to be in the area, go for their lunch sets (S$12 onwards) which include as Teriyaki Chicken Set, Unagi Kabayaki Set and Salmon Chirashi Set.
14 Scotts Road
#05-68/70, Far East Plaza
Singapore 228213
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Fri: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Sat: 12pm – 4pm, 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
YAKINIKU LIKE
This Yakiniku chain in PLQ Mall attracted queues that never seem to end ever since their opening in Feb 2020. Aside from being an affordable choice, this is also a place perfect for solo diners who are seeking to enjoy yakiniku without feeling awkward.
You can get a Karubi Set for just S$8.80! This is probably one of the cheapest yakiniku set you can ever find in a restaurant setting, or in Singapore even. If you’re feeling more premium, opt for the Wagyu Steak Set at just S$19.80 for 120g. All sets come with rice, soup and kimchi or salad, it’s definitely gonna fill you up.
10 Paya Lebar Road
#B1-28 Paya Lebar Quarter
Singapore 409057
Daily: 11am – 10m
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar
The chef for omote has already change. The chef for omote is the chef for district sushi now. Thus the picture for omote is not updated.