Welcome to Nakahara Japanese Restaurant
At Nakahara Japanese Restaurant, we invite you to experience authentic Japanese cuisine steeped in tradition. Located in Leonia, NJ, our cozy eatery focuses on high-quality, fresh ingredients that delight the senses. Specializing in sushi and noodles, our menu features a remarkable omakase experience, showcasing delicacies like melt-in-your-mouth toro and savory tempura udon. Guests savor the intimate atmosphere while enjoying warm, attentive service. With reasonable prices and BYOB options, Nakahara caters to families and groups alike. Whether you're indulging in our classic nigiri sushi or an innovative appetizer, each dish reflects our commitment to culinary excellence and genuine hospitality.
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299 Broad Ave Leonia, NJ 07605 United States Hotline: (201) 482-4358
Welcome to the savory world of Nakahara Japanese Restaurant, a hidden gem tucked away in Leonia, New Jersey, where authentic Japanese flavors invite you to indulge in a culinary journey like no other. Nestled at 299 Broad Ave, Nakahara masterfully specializes in a variety of traditional noodle dishes and sushi, bringing the essence of Japan right to your table.
Whether you’re in the mood for a cozy sit-down dinner or a quick takeout meal, this restaurant caters to every dining preference. With a casual atmosphere that welcomes everyone—from families to foodie enthusiasts—Nakahara is designed to be a comforting escape. The ambiance is modest, yet the quality of the food speaks volumes. Reservations are recommended, particularly during peak hours, as the intimate setting can fill up quickly.
Customers rave about Nakahara’s legion of offerings, highlighting the exceptional quality of their sushi and omakase selections. Nancy S. lovingly describes the restaurant’s nigiri sushi as “the best in the area.” The balance of high-quality fish and expertly prepared sushi rice leaves guests craving more. Meanwhile, Michael B. declares it “the BEST sushi ever!”—a testament to the restaurant's attention to detail and freshness. The chef’s torched salmon is notably praised, showcasing a perfect marriage of flavor and technique.
- Delicious Omakase: Guests have lauded the omakase experience, where intricate flavors come alive through a series of meticulously prepared dishes. Jeongmin H. affirms the freshness and variety, noting the delightful shrimp, monkfish appetizer, and matcha tiramisu.
- Appetizers that Impress: The ankou karaage (deep-fried monkfish) and tempura appetizers are crowd favorites, adding to the richness of choice on the menu, as shared by Hiromi T.
- Convenience: Offering delivery, takeout, and the ability to cater gatherings, Nakahara aims to serve your needs whether you’re dining in with friends or celebrating at an event. Plus, it's BYOB, allowing guests to pair their meals with their favorite beverages.
Dietary preferences are well considered, though it’s important to note that vegetarian options are limited. The attentive staff ensures a memorable dining experience, with a focus on customer satisfaction highlighted throughout several reviews. With amenities including Wi-Fi, wheelchair access, and happy hour specials, Nakahara makes it easy to enjoy a delightful meal in a casual setting.
Whether you’re a sushi novice or a seasoned aficionado, Nakahara Japanese Restaurant promises to deliver an enriching taste of Japan that will keep you coming back for more. Book your spot or order out for a satisfying treat that encapsulates what authentic Japanese cuisine should be.
I've eaten there but get mostly takeout. Nakahara has excellent, legit, classic nigiri sushi. The sushi rice and fish are both high quality and delicious and really hands down the best in the area. Prices are reasonable too and won't break the bank. Service is lovely and the place is tiny but cosy.
Good small Japanese restaurant for the price, Good service, the fish is good quality although portions are getting smaller, I will return.
I've visited Japan numerous times. Ambiance is OK, service is reasonable. Food for NJ is one of the best but compared to Japan it's a 7 at best. Omakase was reasonable with 24-36 hour fish. Apps were reasonable as well. Fish Variety for NJ is good. BYOB is great. Small space so make reservations.
It is the BEST sushi ever! You will not be disappointed. Friendly and easy, byob. This family owned business always gets it right. The freshest fish with a perfect balance of the most awesome rice. If you think you've had tuna....try theirs, the best anywhere. If you want something special try the torched salmon, it is simply delicious. If you want an excellent appetizer the tofu is always satisfying.
Good quality fish. We had sushi omakase and sashimi omakase it was good compare other local restaurants
I would recommend making a reservation if you're trying to go during peak hours... we almost didn't get a table but fortunately they were able to fit us in. The place is quite small so it would be better for smaller groups or dates. They keep it dark in there for some reason, I guess that adds to the vibes. The service was pretty quick. The sashimi was really good and fresh, which is extremely important when consuming raw fish. I also recommend the tonkatsu and tempura udon.
Tried their omakase course B and their fish definitely tastes fresh and high quality. The course consisted of a soup, 3 appetizers (although we got 4?), small steak, a variety of sushi & sashimi, and dessert of our choice. My personal faves were the monkfish appetizer, red snapper, shrimp (both the sushi and deep fried head!), and matcha tiramisu; everything was delicious though. I just wish they could've explained what each of the sushi and sashimi pieces were. Other than that, service was excellent - they were very friendly and attentive throughout our meal. The restaurant itself is quite small so I'd recommend making a reservation, especially for around dinner time!
My husband and I have been meaning to check this place out for some time now and finally decided to dine here for dinner. When you enter, it seems like any other ordinary Japanese restaurant and gives a comforting atmosphere. Once we were seated, our server was very attentive throughout the night and made our dining experience pleasing. For appetizer, we tried their ankou karaage (deep fried monk fish) and tempura appetizers. The monk fish tempura was great, but definitely very filling. Then we ordered our sushi set - my husband tried their sushi omakase and I decided to stick with the chef special sushi. We were blown away by how fresh it was and each piece tasted so good to the point they melt in your mouth! We've been searching for an authentic japanese sushi restaurant near our place and this is definitely A+ in our mind. Sushi Chef/owner is also Japanese so you can definitely trust his technique :) Overall, really good sushi place in our local NJ area and HIGHLY recommend if you're looking for a good sushi restaurant nearby.
My boyfriend and I made reservations for a Saturday evening. We both ordered the Omakase Course B: soup, three small appetizers (but we got four), sushi and sashimi, small steak, choice of our dessert menu. And what a great deal it was! It's not like a traditional Omakase where you sit at the sushi bar and you get one piece at a time. We were seated at a normal table and each course was brought out to us. There was a lot of food and we both left really full. My favorite was the uni, ikura, and toro sushi pieces. Literally just melted. I also appreciated the fried shrimp head that accompanied the amaebi (sweet shrimp) sushi. Fried shrimp heads are my favorite! There is street parking outside and we didn't have any issues at 7pm on a Saturday. This place is BYOB but no hard liquor including soju and sake.