Nippon Japanese Restaurant

(713) 523-3939

4464 Montrose Blvd Ste W
Houston, TX 77006 29.7329 -95.3913

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Neighborhoods: Neartown/ Montrose, Central

Price:

$

Last updated 12.21.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash, Diners Club, Discover, Visa, MasterCard

Ethnic Market Products:

Japanese Food Products

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Lunch Spot

Cuisine:

Japanese, Sushi

Smoking Permitted:

Yes

What People Are Saying About Nippon Japanese Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – Excellent sushi draws big weekend crowds to this full-service Japanese bistro. The plush dining room is the setting for bento box lunches, satisfying noodle dishes, teriyaki beef and tempura. –

ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. Great sushi, great lunch bentos, sushi bar is fun and has wonderful sushi/sashimi!
  2. VERY elegant atmosphere with pretty good pricing.
  3. Besides the quiet, comfortable, casual atmosphere, the staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, the sushi is good, and the value is excellent.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. green tea ice cream is wonderful.
  2. have the green tea ice cream after an enjoyable meal.
drinks
85.71000099182129% positive
  1. This is my favorite sushi bar inside the loop.
  2. have the green tea ice cream after an enjoyable meal.
  3. Beer is cold and sake and green tea are hot.
  4. We have been for dinner and for lunch (with lunch being our favorite as they have wonderful bentos), we have been seated inside and outside (with our favorite being at the bar) and 100% recommend everything we have tasted.
  5. The cooler is set at the just the right temperature, your beer is always perfect.
  6. green tea ice cream is wonderful.
  7. Great sushi, great lunch bentos, sushi bar is fun and has wonderful sushi/sashimi!
food quality
93.83000373840332% positive
  1. Besides the quiet, comfortable, casual atmosphere, the staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, the sushi is good, and the value is excellent.
  2. If you like traditional japanese food, you will like it
  3. The non-sushi dishes are very good, and the portions are perfect.
  4. Great service, great food, great value, one of best in houston
  5. We recommend the toro, maguro, sake (fresh and smoked), tai, unagi, tako and spicy tuna.
  6. I've been to more expensive and modern looking sushi bars but they cannot compete with Nippon.
  7. Nippon truely goes above and beyond in making sure you get the best food possible for prices that more than favorably compare to the "new hot spot" sushi places.
  8. This is my favorite sushi bar inside the loop.
  9. These days sushi seems to be all about trendy after work hangouts for yuppies, but less than ten years ago it was much more about the kind of close, quiet, pleasant restaurant.
  10. They have great lunch specials and bento boxes but we ordered a la carte sushi.
  11. They have the best sushi in Houston.
  12. It's got great food, good prices for sushi, and great friendly service.
  13. think that it would be a service to oneself to come try the food here and ask the sushi chef's for suggestions if you are lost, they know the menu and if you tell them what you like they can help you order an entire meal.
  14. Very fresh fish, good quality!
  15. All in all a very pleasant meal to start the night off.
  16. The sushi is not the best in the world, but their tempura is amazing.
  17. Great sushi @ great prices & good service.
  18. rather go to a small/ not-so-trendy restaurant than a fancy one if the food taste great.
  19. Even though their food is not the best, it is fair for the price you pay.
  20. The perfect place to enjoy a traditional Japanese meal!
  21. Nippon also has a Japanese menu with distinct items that are the epitome authentic Japanese cuisine.
  22. Although the sushi is good, the "off the menu" fare is a great experience for those wanting to try "real" Japanese cuisine!
  23. If you want some fresh sushi, this is THE place!
  24. Lived in Japan for a while so believe me their food is just great.
  25. Most authentic Japanese food in Houston.
  26. You can actually get a good meal and pay much less than you would expect to at a sushi restaurant.
  27. Authentic Japanese food, only one in town
  28. Quaint, unassuming, delicious, and worth it!
  29. Something not on the menu that everyone should order in the summer is the hiashi chuka - a cold noodle dish with shitake mushrooms, chicken, egg amd more.
  30. Amazing sushi
  31. but don't forget to sample the reasonably-priced bento box lunch specials and the deeply-satisfying noddle dishes (I recommend the tempura udon).
  32. Overall, this restaurant is an excellent place to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine.
  33. In Japan, sushi is a food of celebration, so go celebrate your love of fresh, delicately-flavored sushi and sashimi at Nippon.
  34. We travel over from the north - close to Spring - to get his awesome sushi.
  35. some of the best sushi in town!
  36. The food is delicious, and very authentic.
  37. The sushi has never been anything but extraordinary (Naoki is amazing) and the tempuras light and delicious.
  38. The chef's are always friendly and the food is always delicious.
  39. One of my favorite sushi places to go to in Houston thus far.
  40. Bottom line if you love sushi, Japanese retaurants, and food in general, you can't afford to miss Nippon!
  41. The best authentic sushi in town!
  42. Best sushi, awesome staff
  43. Nippon's seafood is extremely fresh.
  44. The sushi was mediocre and WAY overpriced for 4 tiny pieces.
  45. My husband and I went there on Friday night, the food/sushi is GREAT and fresh!
  46. only place I have found in town for Authentic Japanese food.
  47. great food, but was closed
  48. have the green tea ice cream after an enjoyable meal.
  49. Great sushi, great lunch bentos, sushi bar is fun and has wonderful sushi/sashimi!
  50. Fresh fish, good food, and the prices are pretty reasonable.
  51. Best thing about this restaurant is that the food quality and preparation is always great.
  52. good sushi-good sake
  53. This is a nice, unpretentious japanese restorant that relies on pretty decent sushi and not the pictures on the wall.
  54. have been here for dinner and the noodles were delicious; no other places serve udon and ramen like Nippon does.
menu variety
80.0% positive
  1. Nippon also has a Japanese menu with distinct items that are the epitome authentic Japanese cuisine.
  2. Although the sushi is good, the "off the menu" fare is a great experience for those wanting to try "real" Japanese cuisine!
  3. think that it would be a service to oneself to come try the food here and ask the sushi chef's for suggestions if you are lost, they know the menu and if you tell them what you like they can help you order an entire meal.
  4. Something not on the menu that everyone should order in the summer is the hiashi chuka - a cold noodle dish with shitake mushrooms, chicken, egg amd more.
  5. My favorite selections include the special Naoki roll (a Nippon exclusive), the Shaggy Dog roll and the Dragon roll.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. Simply the best Japanese restaurant I have ever visited in Houston.
service
77.77999877929688% positive
  1. think that it would be a service to oneself to come try the food here and ask the sushi chef's for suggestions if you are lost, they know the menu and if you tell them what you like they can help you order an entire meal.
  2. The chef's are always friendly and the food is always delicious.
  3. Nippon had the worst service ever of any restaurant I have ever been to.
  4. The restorant is clean and most of the staff is japanese.
  5. Best sushi, awesome staff
  6. Staff is very friendly and Japanese.
  7. We sat inside so didn't experience any bad service.
  8. Besides the quiet, comfortable, casual atmosphere, the staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, the sushi is good, and the value is excellent.
  9. It's got great food, good prices for sushi, and great friendly service.
  10. Foot traffic is moderate (surrounded by restaurants and the Museum District) and customers range from older gray-haired couples to Montrose crowds, so people watching is great.
  11. Sometime the service is very slow.
  12. The staff is awesome and the service is prompt.
  13. About the service-- we thought the service was great.
  14. HOWEVER, although the place is staffed with at least 2-3 people at a time, service can be INCREDIBLY slow.
  15. Great sushi @ great prices & good service.
  16. When I go with a group of girlfriends, I always get great service.
  17. Great service, great food, great value, one of best in houston
  18. Yes, the service may be a little slow, but it's worth the wait.
value
80.0% positive
  1. Nippon truely goes above and beyond in making sure you get the best food possible for prices that more than favorably compare to the "new hot spot" sushi places.
  2. Great service, great food, great value, one of best in houston
  3. Even though their food is not the best, it is fair for the price you pay.
  4. Yes, the service may be a little slow, but it's worth the wait.
  5. I've been to more expensive and modern looking sushi bars but they cannot compete with Nippon.
  6. Fresh fish, good food, and the prices are pretty reasonable.
  7. It's got great food, good prices for sushi, and great friendly service.
  8. The non-sushi dishes are very good, and the portions are perfect.
  9. Besides the quiet, comfortable, casual atmosphere, the staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, the sushi is good, and the value is excellent.
  10. Great Sushi @ a reasonable price
  11. The sushi was mediocre and WAY overpriced for 4 tiny pieces.
  12. Lunch box is very affordable, (<10 dollars) and of the same great quality.
  13. Great sushi @ great prices & good service.
  14. VERY elegant atmosphere with pretty good pricing.
  15. Quaint, unassuming, delicious, and worth it!
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. Sometime the service is very slow.
  2. HOWEVER, although the place is staffed with at least 2-3 people at a time, service can be INCREDIBLY slow.
  3. Yes, the service may be a little slow, but it's worth the wait.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

12/02/11

BEST SUSHI IN TOWN!

by StyxTx20

I agree. If it smells like fish, don't eat it. I have been here a million times and it has NEVER SMELLED LIKE FISH.

My sister-in-law who is from Japan recommended this place. My husband and I are often the only non-Japanese people in the whole place when we go.

If you are looking for a trendy place like RA... don't come here. The place is very low key and NOT a see-and-be-scene place. My husband and I tried Oishii after reading rave reviews and it was NASTY. Terrible. We tried Sushi King and it was decent. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING compares to Nippon. Get the Crazy, Naoki and Cajun rolls. SOOOOOOO good. Everyone we have taken there says it's the best sushi they've ever had hands down.

My sister-in-law eats from the traditional Japanese dinner menu and loves it, but I've never had it. The only cons I can think of is parking (you've got to be good in tight places or park across the street) and lack of a wine list. As in, if you want a red wine- your only choice is Kendall Jackson Merlot.

1 Star Rating: Poor

11/06/11

IF IT SMELLS FISHY DON'T EAT IT!

by intlstar1

Walked into Nippon's last Monday evening (10/31/2011) with a client heading towards the sushi bar and the old adage saying sprang to mind, "IF IT SMELLS FISHY DON'T EAT IT!!!", plus the fact that not one wait person or sushi chef approached us until we were on our way out the door. My client told me later that he put his hand on the glass ice box where the raw fish is displayed and it was NOT even cold! I also noticed that some of the fish in there looked very questionable, almost slimy, YUK!!!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/27/11

Great prices Great Sushi Great Service

by jzampetti74

We love this tiny little sushi restaurant on Montrose. If you go at a time when there is not wait you'll be in sushi heaven. The staff is very friendly and the prices are great. I have tried several menu items and everything has been tasty and fresh.

3 Star Rating: Average

04/23/11

Great place to go after an art show at 4411

by HoustonTexReview , Citysearch Contributor

Full of Euros, cultured clientele, good service, low lighting, and quaint.

I've been here at night and during the day. The sushi is always a B+. The environment is the plus with the low indoor lighting, natural sunlight, and shade on the patio. The lanterns at night are also festive.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/09/11

Authentic and delicious

by Linda7207

I've eaten at least 300 times at Nippon, and love their bento boxes and their crab puffs. The sushi is good and so is the hot sake. For the kids, there is a child plate that pairs 2 large shrimp with teriayaki chicken. Also popular with the kids is green tea or red bean ice cream or mochi (little balls of ice cream covered in a sweet rice covering). The staff and owner are kind to children.

The Details on Nippon Japanese Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • great traditional japanese food
  • best delicatelyflavored sushi
  • great friendly service
  • awesome staff
  • pretty reasonable prices
  • enjoy traditional japanese meal
  • decent japanese restaurant
  • loves place
  • fresh fish
  • always great food quality
  • nice unpretentious japanese restorant
  • favorite sushi bar
  • authentic japanese cuisine
  • worst service
  • creative specialty rolls
  • comfortable casual atmosphere
  • favor authenticity
  • delicious quaint
  • fresh sashimi
  • great lunch bentos
  • great foodsushi
  • recommend sushigood sake
  • great value
  • mediocre sushi
  • recommend tempura udon
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