If there was only one kind of cuisine that we could live on, it would be Japanese food. There is no one reason why; if we really have to, the list will never end.

You see, there will always be something to love. Sashimi, sushi, ramen, tonkatsu… whatever you have a taste for, Japanese cuisine will answer that. And a Japanese meal need not necessarily burn a hole in your pocket. While it is true that the premium quality ingredients come with a hefty price tags, sometimes, all we really want is a quick and fast Japanese meal in between meetings, or to simply lift our moods, yes?

Yes, we hear you and we feel you. Here, we share with you our favourite haunts when we need an affordable fix. Enjoy our list of 15 Value-For-Money Japanese Restaurants in Singapore and eat to your heart’s content! Itadakimasu.

#1 AKASHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Among the many mid-tier Japanese outlets in Singapore, we love Akashi for its consistency. The menu is neatly categorised, and whether you are looking for sushi, sashimi or teishoku, there will be something to please. Or you can sit by the sushi counter and do an omakase meal while interacting with the chefs to understand more about what goes on your plate.

290 Orchard Road
#B1-01 Paragon
Tel: +65 6735 8887
Daily: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#2 BAR BAR BLACK SHEEP HOLLAND VILLAGE

The usual Bar Bar Black Sheep has Northern Indian, Thai and Western kitchens. But at the all-new Holland Village outlet, expect a large Japanese menu of comfort snacks and main courses.

Staying true to Bar Bar Black Sheep’s philosophy of serving affordable comfort food in a casual and chill-out setting, every dish on the Japanese izakaya menu is well priced under S$15. It is fuss-free, and the prices are unbelievably affordable, you’d do a double take and wonder if you were really at a bistro or a coffee shop!

17D Lorong Liput
Holland Village
Tel: +65 6463 2161
Nearest Station: Holland Village

#3 CHIKUWA TEI

This is our all-time favourite. We LOVE Chikuwa Tei at Mohamed Sultan Road for their chirashi-don. So good that we have to use Chikuwa Tei’s Chirashi Sushi Set (S$25) as the benchmark for a good sushi rice bowl. Parking around that area may be a challenge, but we always find ourselves returning to Chikuwa Tei. Apart from chirashi-don, they have many other value-for-money sets like the Saba Teishoku (S$14), Sukiyaki Teishoku (S$24) and Tencha Soba (S$14).

Chikuwa Tei’s chirashi sushi is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Best Chirashi-don.

9 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-01
Tel: +65 6738 9395
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

#4 GINZA BAIRIN

Tonkatsu – or deep fried breaded pork – is not a cheap dish to begin with. And of course, the bigger the price tag, the more premium quality you get. If you are not too fussy and you just want a simple and comforting tonkatsu option, stop by Ginza Bairin at Ion Orchard. Sitting within the food hall at Basement Four, this casual outlet has pretty decent tonkatsu with most options not costing more than S$20.

2 Orchard Turn
#B4-39/40/41/42 ION Orchard
Tel: +65 6509 8101
Daily: 11am – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#5 ITACHO SUSHI

Salmon skin sushi for S$0.40 – everyone will know Itacho Sushi because of this. And more than that, they are a favourite because of the wide variety of sushi creations at very friendly prices. When dining at Itacho, treat yourself to a selection of makis, rolls and nigiris made with fresh ingredients. They have very value-for-money lunch sets, too.

Itacho Sushi is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Affordable Sushi Restaurants.

#03-03/31 Changi Airport Terminal 3
65 Airport Boulevard
Tel: +65 6241 8911
Sun to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri & Sat 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Changi

#6 KINSA SUSHI

Nestled in the quaint HillV2, Kinsa Sushi is made for the heartlanders and all who love a simple Japanese meal. Prices are not at all intimidating to say the least, and the menu is well-covered with the usual Nippon favourites prepared with premium ingredients. Dishes that we love include the premium Wagyu Don at only S$24.80, Grilled Prawn Mentai (S$9.80), Kinsa Roll (S$14.80) and Tempura Bento Set Lunch (S$11.80).

It is not every day that we need to sit down for a lavish and aristocratic Japanese meal, because more often than not, what we seek is comfort food that will not have our wallets take a beating. A recent lunch at Kinsa Sushi fits this bill exactly, and we are so adding this to our list of all-time favourite inexpensive Japanese eats.

4 Hillview Rise
HillV2 #02-02
Tel: +65 67107278
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri, Sat & Sun: 11.30am – 10pm

#7 KOH SUSHI GRILL & BAR

This place needs no further introduction, right? Koh Grill & Sushi Bar is a small eatery that sits within Wisma’s Food Republic, and they serve honest Japanese food at affordable prices. And the one dish that makes everyone go back again and again is the Shiok Maki. This is surely one place to head to for a quick fix of Japanese food in between shopping at Orchard Road. Be prepared to queue though; an hour’s wait is the norm.

Koh Sushi Grill & Bar is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Affordable Sushi Restaurants.

435 Orchard Road
#04-21 Wisma Atria Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 9180 3805
Daily: 11.30am – 10.30pm

#8 MARUTAMA RAMEN

We do not usually fancy chicken broth for our ramen, but Marutama is an exception. Deserving exception, surely. For so many years, they have been serving diners nothing but the tastiest chicken broth ramen. At S$12 per bowl for the default ramen, you get a hearty serving of springy noodles with a few slices of chashu. There is also a spicy option at S$12 too.

Marutama Ramen is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s best ramen.

#03-90 The Central
8 Eu Tong Sen Street
Tel: +65 6534 8090
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

#9 MIHARU SAPPORO RAMEN

The first few brands that we fell in love with when the ramen trend hit Singapore was Miharu Sapporo Ramen. The new outlet at Millenia Walk is slightly bigger and very comfortable, while your favourite ramen with the famous Nishiyama noodles specially imported from Japan, and rich miso broth is still flavourful as always. Our favourite ramen is most definitely the Tokusen Miso Ramen with a special miso blend (S$14.80++).

Miharu Sapporo Ramen is also listed in our guide to 7 affordable Japanese restaurants at Millenia Walk.

Millenia Walk #01-06
9 Raffles Boulevard
Tel: +65 6733 8464
Daily: 12.00pm to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall/Promenade

#10 RAMEN KEISUKE TONKOTSU KING

A good bowl of tonkotsu ramen is all we need sometimes. Keisuke is a fuss-free outlet that we turn to when the craving kicks in. There are various combinations for you to pick from – black, spicy and original – and they are all built on their famed tonkotsu broth. Rich, creamy and very porky; just the way we like our ramen broth to be. The ramen ranges from S$10.80 to S$15.80 per bowl.

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s best ramen.

#01-19 Orchid Hotel
1 Tras Street
Tel: +65 6636 0855
Daily: 11.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

#11 RAKUICHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Rakuichi Japanese Restaurant has been around for a few years, and its much-lauded aburi sushi deserves a special mention. The Tokubetsu Set (S$28.60) – includes a salad, an assortment of 6-piece aburi sushi, stir-fried fish head with teriyaki sauce, seafood & vegetable tempura, miso soup, and sesame ice cream – is extremely value-for-money. There are also cheaper lunch sets like saba shioyaki, shake teriyaki and katsu don at S$18.60.

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10 Dempsey Rd
Singapore 247700
Daily: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#12 SYUN

An upmarket fine dining establishment by a celebrity chef usually comes along with hefty price tags, but we were pleasantly surprised by how affordable Syun’s set lunches actually are.

While prices are considerably higher than the other restaurants (mentioned in this guide), it is actually reasonable for the quality that you’ll get. The Sashimi Set Lunch (S$28) comes with three kinds of sashimi, as well as rice, miso soup, chawanmushi and a salad. Our favourite is the Bara Chirashi Sushi Jyu (S$32) - generous chunks of sweet sashimi and ikura atop plump Japanese rice drizzled with a ginger-like sauce.

Festive Walk, Resorts World Sentosa
8 Sentosa Gateway
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Tel: +65 6577 6688
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

#13 TEPPEI SYOKUDO

Teppei first rose to fame with its super value-for-money chirashi-don at its nondescript outlet in Tanjong Pagar. Over at Millenia Walk, Teppei Syokudo is a hassle-free outlet where you can choose to eat in the outlet or takeaway your favourite sashimi rice bowl, and it is simply perfect for days when you need to pack lunch back to the office. Everyone’s favourite Kaisen-don is at S$16 for a serving, and if you do not want raw fish, sure, there is the Katsu-don (S$15.80) and Saba Miso Bento (S$12.80).

Teppei Syokudo is also listed in our guide to 7 affordable Japanese restaurants at Millenia Walk.

Millenia Walk #01-105
9 Raffles Boulevard
Tel: +65 6238 1945
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Nearest Station: City Hall/Promenade

#14 THE SUSHI BAR

The Sushi Bar at level four of Far East Plaza serves the standard dishes like sushi, sahimi, Japanese-style pastas and donburis, but if you only have room for one dish, you must try the much-lauded Salmon Aburi Sushi (S$14.50). It is one of the best rolls we’ve ever tasted, and you will see that every diner orders this when at The Sushi Bar.

The Sushi Bar’s chirashi don is also listed in our guide to Singapore’s Best Chirashi-don.

#04-28 Far East Plaza
14 Scotts Road
Mon to Fri: 12.30pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 9pm
Sat: 12.30pm – 9pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#15 YAYOIKEN JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Of course, Yayoiken does not have the most incredible tastes, but its casualness and fuss-free setting is satisfying enough when we need a simple Japanese food fix, and the prices won’t have your wallet take a beating. Set lunches are mostly around S$10, just so you know. The next time you need an inexpensive lunch when you are at Orchard Road, this will be your answer.

313 Orchard Road
313@somerset #B3-33/34
Tel: +65 6884 7550
Sun to Thu: 11am – 9.30pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

For more recommendations, read our guide to Singapore’s best Japanese restaurants.

Like many others, I love to find nice restaurants that serve good food at affordable prices. Paradise Inn is a casual dining concept by the Paradise Group, with 11 branches in Singapore.

The food is generally good, and most of the items are priced below $15 (for small portion).

Stand-out dishes include the Braised Vermicelli with Pork Trotters ($12 for small) and the Stewed Pork Belly with Lotus Bun ($2.2 per piece), otherwise known as Kong Ba Bao. We also tried Paradise Inn’s Sweet & Sour Pork with lychee ($10 for small) – decent but not life-changing; and Hot Plate Tofu ($10 for small) which came with preserved caixin and minced pork.

Paradise Inn is a nice and affordable Chinese restaurant to have a simple family dinner. Given that Paradise Inn is a restaurant chain in shopping malls, prices are naturally higher than zi char places. That said, I can see myself going back with my family when we are dining out, especially if we are in a shopping mall.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Paradise Inn Restaurant
(11 Branches in Singapore)
23 Serangoon Central
#03-15 NEX Mall
Tel: +65 6634 4228

313 Orchard Road
#B3-39/40 313 @ Somerset
Tel: +65 6733 0348

For more recommendations, read Paradise Dynasty | Seafood Paradise | Taste Paradise

To celebrate its 30th Anniversary in April this year, Pizza Hut Singapore has come up with a brand new menu with 25 additions. A whopping selection of brilliant dishes created from the finest ingredients and a passion for food excellence, Pizza Hut is sure to wow you with all the exciting goodies in store for you.

Here is a countdown of 10 reasons why you should go to Pizza Hut:

#10. 25 new additions to the menu – 6 appetisers, 3 pastas, 2 pizzas, 6 Western favourites, 1 baked rice, 2 desserts and 5 beverages.

Scroll down, read on.

#9. I wanted Pizza, and they surprised me with Crispy Chicken Chop.

OKAY DON’T PANIC. Pizza Hut still has their awesome Pizzas on the menu, but they are going to spoil you with more choices.

There are six options under the ‘Western Favourites’ menu: Hut’s Chicken Steak (S$14.5), Crispy Chicken Chop (S$13.9), New Orleans Chicken Wrap Wraps (S$10.9), Cheez Shroomies Wrap (S$10.9), Beefy Delight Wrap (S$10.9), and Fish ‘N’ Chips (S$13.9)

Amongst them, I like the Crispy Chicken Chop. Fried to a gorgeous shade of golden brown, it was surprisingly tasty. If you are a fan of cheese, be sure to try the Cheez Shroomies Wrap.

As the brand strives to be the favourite casual-dining restaurant in Singapore, Pizza Hut has embarked on expanding beyond its current menu to give customers more reasons to celebrate and gather at its restaurants, and of course, to spoil them with the wide array of food choices. Ladies and Gentlemen, a warm welcome to the new Pizza Hut!

#8. Cheese + Mussels = Cheesy Mussels.

Pizza Hut has 24 full-fledged restaurants, and they deliver to almost every Singapore household from 30 delivery stores. I am sure you already know this, so let me tell you something you don’t know.

Cheese + Mussels = Cheesy Mussels. That’s right, Cheesy Mussels (S$7.9).

It seems to be a trend to have a middle name nowadays, so let me think of one for Pizza Hut’s Cheesy Mussels. How about Cheesy-Wonderful-Mussels? I think it sounds more than wonderful, in a tantalising way. And oh yes, the cheesy mussels were really cheesy, in a good way of course. No pun intended.

PS. I can almost smell the cheese once again as I type this blog post.

#7. Fries are always good for you, and it tastes even better when you eat it with pizzas.

Pizza Hut served so many dishes that day, and amongst all, we could not stop eating the Thick Fries On Dip (S$6.50) which came with the Salsa and Grilled Cheese sauce.

#6. Sweet ‘N’ Spicy Drumlets, Sweet ‘N’ Spicy Drumlets, Sweet ‘N’ Spicy Drumlets.

Everyone loves Sweet ‘N’ Spicy Drumlets. Pizza Hut has make-it-best with the Hut’s Platter (S$13.9) – Tempura Prawns, Calamari Rings, Criss Cross Fries, and of course, Sweet ‘N’ Spicy Drumlets.

#5. After Stuffed Crust, Crunchy Cheesy Bites, Starzbites and Cheesy 7, Pizza Hut is going to rock your world with Captain’s Catch.

I don’t know about you, but I have never imagined using fillet as the key ingredient for Pizza. You know what is the best part? There were sour cream and onion potato chips on the pizza too. HOW EVIL!

Try to picture crispy Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips, Fillet and melty cheese on a pizza – you get the idea of Captain’s Catch.

#4. You like wraps? There are three wraps on Pizza Hut’s new menu.

Amongst the three wraps under Pizza Hut’s ‘Western Favourites’, we tried the Cheez Shroomies wrap (S$10.9). Let me try it again: Cheeeeezeee Shroomies Wrap! How cute. Pizza Hut obviously knows their customers very well because the tortilla wrap is filled with grilled cheese sauce. There are also Button Mushroom, Onion, Garlic, and it comes with Criss Cross Fries and Salad on the side.

#3. Pizza Hut has Spanish Paella. Oops! I meant the ‘Seafood Fiesta’ on the new menu.

As we were trying the Seafood Fiesta (S$13.5), we couldn’t help but notice the resemblance to the typical Spanish Paella. And true enough; the dish is really inspired by the classic Spanish symbol. This is definitely one of my favourite dishes on the new menu.

#2. Honey, I love you Pizzas. I really do.

Will you, Brad Lau, take Captain’s Catch as your ___? For better, for worse, for richer for poorer; in sickness and in health; to have and to cherish… Yes I do.

BUT I want the Turkey Bacon ‘N’ Shrooms Pizza too. Oh, Oh, Oh, Pizza Hut also has a new pizza for dessert (SEE PICTURE #1). Can you believe it? A savoury-sweet pizza dessert!

Drizzled with chocolate sauce, the Choco-Berry Banana (S$6.5) has fresh bananas and strawberries on a crispy thin pizza base. Honey, let me finish the Pizzas first.

#1. See Number 10 to 2.

Woah, we are at the end of the post already? I wanted to tell you more about Pizza Hut’s new menu, but there’s only so much I can say here.

See you at Pizza Hut, and Happy 30th Anniversary to Pizza Hut!