9 Best Japanese Restaurants in Charlottesville

“Once I discovered this place I immediately became a regular. The employees are the sweetest souls on the planet. The pho is my go-to, it just warms you right up and ugh food doesn’t make me too happy too often but that pho just fills you with joy it’s so delicious. There are so so so many boba tea options and I love to try a new one each time. It’s so affordable for such amazing food and it’s great to support a hard working family! I would recommend stopping by on a cold and rainy day because it’s PERFECT for that.“

“I have been wanting to try Ummas for a few years now - but am rarely in downtown Charlottesville in the evenings. I finally got to go! I enjoyed the menu selections and Korean and Japanese options. I was with my kid who is a very picky eater and he ate all of his karage Japanese chicken - high praise! The kimchi selections are very fresh and delicious. The Korean Fried Chicken is so crispy and yummy. I really am glad to have finally been able to dine here. Also note that it’s a QR ordering system - with option to order at the front counter if the tech fails for you. Go!“

“This place has amazing service and amazingly authentic food. The only reason I had to take a star off was because this food will definitely leave you running for the restroom. My boyfriend and I visited here for a quiet dinner and we loved it but for hours afterwards we kept having to revisit the bathroom. You should try the food at least once, but just be careful! The pork dumplings are a must for sure though!“

“I stopped by to get lunch and was not disappointed. I ordered a thai iced tea and the tantanmen and it was incredible. The tea was beautiful and more like a dessert drink. I usually don’t like a ton of spice so the tantanmen was perfect for me. Reasonable pricing, great selection.“

“My wife and I went here for the first time recently and absolutely loved it! The sushi rolls and the beef skewers were particularly excellent and the overall environment was really nice. A little pricey for sure but, we had a great time and look forward to returning!“

“The food is good for Chinese American classic take out. Reliable, good portions. They are good at honoring requests for removing things where possible (like no veggies in fried rice). And if your app of choice offers adding extra sauces and such for a small charge, they do pretty good at putting it in the bag. (Aside - I really appreciate when that's an option on an online ordering app menu. I'll pay for extra dumpling sauce or whatever, just give me the option to add it to my order. Which this restaurant does on the app I used and I got plenty of extra sauce. ) Important to note though - if you want something subbed (white meat instead of dark, etc.) you should call your order in.Parking: Parking is limited but cars aren't there for long. Just get it delivered.Kid-friendliness: It's very much a take out only place. You won't be staying there to eat so it's not really an issue.“

“Yummy!!! Our server John (I think that was his name) was great! We ordered the Agedashi tofu to start; it was excellent, very flavorful! Then we ordered two large rolls- the New Orleans and the Salmon Melt Roll. They were delicious. Nice service. It was busy!“

“Lovely little restaurant tucked away under the garage; perfectly prim and calm atmosphere inviting you to enjoy a number of wonderful dishes. Staff are welcoming and friends, and best of all expedient, and the food arrives fresh and hot, delicious in spice and flavor. Highly recommend.“

“First time I came here, didn’t realize it’s in a strip mall. Don’t let the “hole in the wall” feel scare you, it’s one of the BEST sushi I’ve had. There was a place in Kennesaw, GA I frequented called Kuroshio that in my college days that I had not been able to replicate (10 years ago!) and this place is as close as it gets. Sushi is reasonably priced, I’ve done both dine in and take out. The service has always been stellar. If you don’t mind the kind of simple layout, the dining area is pretty unremarkable, however all this is trumped by how good the food is. I did the Alaskan roll, eel roll, spicy tuna, and miso soup. The rolls are not huge however you don’t need huge rolls to enjoy the flavor. The fish is soft and not chew, and best of all you don’t get that strong “fish” flavor some other places have. They also don’t douse the rolls in sauce which I love, so you can get a nice flavor mix. I rarely write long reviews but give this place a shot, carry out has always been consistent and on par with quality.“