Shanghai’s best Japanese restaurants: Vol. 2

Last month we brought you our top four omakase sushi restaurants; but the city’s best Japanese restaurants aren’t limited to sushi! In this article, we share our five favorite yakiniku, teppanyaki, soba and yakitori restaurants, many of which are hidden in plain sight throughout town.

Unassuming from the outside, some of these spots only feature Chinese or Japanese characters for their names and menus, making it a little intimidating for the uninitiated. However, for those willing to take the plunge and try something new, you’ll be rewarded with authentic Japanese food that will make you feel as if you’ve taken a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun itself. 

1. Ajiya (味屋)

Cuisine: Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ)
Sure you’ve had Korean BBQ, but you haven’t lived until you’ve tried Japanese-style yakiniku. Wallet-friendly Ajiya on Huaihai Lu is one of our favorites, thanks to its plentiful selection of marbled beef, chicken and pork – even surprisingly delicious marinated intestines (only the adventurous need try those). 

Make sure to drink the frozen Kirin beer to stay refreshed and bring friends to share – so you can order more! Every time we've gone to Ajiya, it's been literally impossible to spend more then 200-300RMB per person. So bring a big appetite too. 

Order this: 
-    Onion rice with egg yolk (rìshìcōngxiānjīdànfàn, 日式葱鲜鸡蛋饭)

-    Beef rib eye (shàngděngyǎnròu，上等眼肉)

-    Beef ribs (niúlèiròu, 牛肋肉)

Price: RMB150+ per person
Who’s going: Young locals and Japanese expats
Good for: Groups, meat, beer, cheap eats

See Listing Here

2. Sutekiya (素敌館)

Cuisine: high-end teppanyaki
Run by affable English-speaking Japanese chef Kenji Fuji, Sutekiya is unlike any other teppanyaki in Shanghai. It is a perfect balance of ultra-refined Japanese-French cooking, executed perfectly. 

Service exceeds Shanghai standards, and you can enjoy watching your food be prepared by the dexterous master chefs right in front of you. Just about every dish is superb, with fresh ingredients flown over from Japan three times a week, making Sutekiya one of our all-time favorite restaurants in Shanghai. 

Order this: 
-    Spaghettini with truffle and caviar

-    Wagyu beef sashimi

-    Grilled Wagyu beef

- Raw sweet shrimp

- Wagyu beef fried rice 

- Apple pocket with a la minuit butterscotch caramel sauce

Price: RMB700+ per person
Who’s going: Japanese expats, local gourmands
Good for: Impressing guests, dates, small groups

See Listing Here

3. Torikin (鸡锦日式炭烧料理店) 

Cuisine: Yakitori (chicken and meat BBQ skewers)
Cheap and cheerful Torikin is a no-frills, all-flavor experience. Sit at the bar and drink gallons of beer while the yakitori chef grills sizzling skewers of meat, veggies and seafood on the open fire. Eat to your heart’s content without blowing the budget; this place is arguably the most authentic rustic yakitori experience in town. 

Order this:
-    Roasted salmon cheek (sānwènyúxiàbā, 三文鱼下巴)

-    Grilled rice balls (fàntuán, 饭团)

-    Roast pork (kǎowǔhuāròu 烤五花肉)

-    Mentaiko stuffed chicken wings (míngtàizǐjīchì, 明太子鸡翅)

Price: RMB150+ per person

Who’s going: Japanese salarymen
Good for: Cheap eats, BBQ, small groups

See Listing Here

4. Soba Monbei (纹兵卫)

Cuisine: Soba noodles (chilled buckwheat noodles with dipping sauce)
Another fantastic restaurant in an unassuming, almost creepy Japanese tower block, Soba Monmei is populated with Japanese salarymen unwinding after the day’s work with copious amounts of whisky and sake. The soba noodles, eaten cold and dipped in seasoned soy sauce are a perfect choice for casual summer evenings.

Order this:
-    Soba noodles 

-    Miso roasted fish

-    Omelet with mentaiko

- Minced Chicken and leek skewers with egg yolk 

Price: RMB120+ per person
Who’s going: Japanese expats
Good for: casual eats, noodles

See Listing Here

5. Tetsuya (铁屋)

Cuisine: Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ)
Hidden in an extremely unassuming building in Hongqiao, stepping inside Tetsuya is like being transported to another world, with its wood paneled interiors and kimono-clad servers, there’s even a Zen garden outside. 

Come here if you like beef - it is an excellent value for the quality and, best of all you, can cook it to your own liking. Perfect for groups of four to six people. Make sure to bring a Chinese speaker with you – menus are in Chinese and Japanese only. 

Order this: 
-    Special beef tenderloin (tèshàngniúlǐjí，特上牛里脊)

-    Pork belly (wu huā ròu, 五花肉)

- Beef ribs with minced garlic and chives

-    Beef tongue slices (niúshé, 牛舌)

- Beef tartare

Price: RMB100-200 per person, depending on consumption
Who’s going: Japanese expats and locals
Good for: Small groups, beef, BBQ

See Listing Here

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