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    Nakato Japanese Restaurant

    3.7 (215 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Nakato Japanese Restaurant Japanese Restaurant Photos

    NAKATO JAPANESE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Nakato Japanese Restaurant

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    The chef, my family and another group.
    Beth C.

    Our experience there was great! Favorite part was definitely the onion volcano! Service was great, waitress checked in on us often. The restaurant decorations were awesome and I saw a sushi bar that looked fun. I figured out that I actually like sushi rolls. I tried the crunchy rolls, and highly recommend them!

    Steam and fried rice

    Our chef and server were incredible. Food was absolutely delicious. We ordered from both the sushi and hibachi menu and were not disappointed. It was relatively quiet even though there was a bit of a wait on a weekday. Looks like there are also options to sit at the bar and the sushi bar. I did ask if I could have seaweed salad instead of my regular salad and he said yes, but still charged me. No big deal, but I probably would have also had my salad if I knew.

    Miso soup
    Richard S.

    A Japanese steak house...or as (we) like to call it- wok-foo at the table! I'll tell you right now, if you're in Springfield and looking for hibachi style lunch or dinner: Go to Hinode. Hinode will knock Nakato in the proverbial dirt. On this night, our group commanded (2) cooking grills. So at that point, I can eliminate the variable of the chef, and the chance encounter of a bum meal. Then furthermore, my kids were seated at one grill; we the parents were seated at another grill. And FYI...my kids know their food and have experienced rather exceptional quality food around the world. Unanimous consensus: Nakatos is not good at all. This place fails to be half of what Hinode is. Go to Hinode.

    Back again
    Cari A.

    This is our second time at Nakato. We are trying the Nakato tempora roll with Spicy crab #2, the Tuna Carpaccio (a MUST, if your a tuna fan) and the assorted sashimi tray. Sunshine picked out several nigiri and a Spider roll. Everything was spot on. Their fish is limited...standard fair. By far, the Tuna carpaccio was my fav. Nothing extraordinary, but what we had was abundant and tasty! Service was perfect. Our server answered questions and let us have time to take in all the options. To be clear, the sushi menu is limited, but really tasty The restaurant has several (8) hibachi grill tables that seat a dozen people or so. We sat at the sushi bar. If the hibachi grills are on, there is lots of noise and such. If they are eating, the atmosphere is quite subdued. Our bill, with a generous tip was $250.00. To be clear, we had a LOT of sushi, but we only get to have it every three months or so. Sadly, dependent upon doctor appointments. LOL!

    a woman preparing a meal
    Tanya I.

    Nakato never disappoints!! Love the fresh sushi... Huge selection. Such a friendly staff Great portion sizes. All of the chefs are fantastic and put on a great show. My favorite is Brad ! We eat here frequently. Highly recommend

    Mike W.

    We ordered take out for chicken and shrimp, ny strip and scallops and it was nothing like what you receive as if you were dinning in. The size and portions for a full price combination was not congruent at all, there were no scallops accompanying the steak; only a couple of small shrimp. When I attempted to call the restaurant, there was no way to get in contact with the front desk. This experience was egregious, I would have expected an accurate pick-up for food and service from this "reputable" establishment.

    Noodles and veggies
    Tanya W.

    Food and service were great. The prices are surprisingly lower than expected. They include noodles and rice with the Hibachi dinners. You will not leave hungry. I had the combo of chicken, shrimp, and filet. Husband had chicken, shrimp, and scallops. Highly recommend.

    Tsai-Anne J.

    I love the ambiance here. Our waiter was amazing and friendly. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and was able to recommend things that I can eat with my dietary restrictions. I really wanted the crème brûlée but they were all out. Other than the lack of crème brûlée this place was great.

    Nino the chef
    Nora T.

    Our family has been here regularly since moving here one year ago. The food is absolutely delicious and all of the chefs are great, but we have to admit, we have a favorite! This is Nino, and let me tell you.....he makes the BEST steak in Springfield! We will literally WAIT for his work days to go! He may be one of the quiet ones and not very "performance-y" but it doesn't even matter! I totally suggest you ask for him next time so you can taste for yourself what I mean! This place has been great to us and we have never left dissatisfied! Their manager is also a great guy and recognizes us when we go

    Onions like what the crap

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    1 year ago

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    1 month ago

    Best Hibachi in town. The fried rice was great and I love the taste of their chicken, it was well made and just right.

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    4 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Clean friendly restaurant. Loved the food the service and the ambiance. Would recommend

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Always consistently good. Spicy seafood sauce only in my opinion but other sauce is good too.

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Good food good ambiance have had better but for Springfield pretty decent food .could use better portions

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    1 year ago

    Don't go if you have a Gluten allergy. We had to ask him to redo most of the food because he kept forgetting to use the gluten free sauces.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is always fantastic !! We love taking new people to try this place. We have never been disappointed

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    3 years ago

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    While in Springfield, MO for work, I was in the mood for ramen and found this gem of a place. There…read moreare high picnic tables in the center of the restaurant and booths along the walls. The lighting is dim and intimate and there was music playing at just the right volume. The restaurant was full however I received kind, prompt, and attentive service. I was dining alone, so I decided to sit at the bar which had plenty of available stools. The bartender was friendly and was able to answer my questions about the menu selections. Now for the food.... It was outstanding! I had the Chashu Bun as an appetizer and the Cheeky Ramen as my main. They were both off the chart tasty. Since I was sitting at the bar which is adjacent to the sushi chef station and right outside the kitchen, I saw many delicious looking plates go out. If I lived in Springfield, MO, I would be a regular. Visit this restaurant. You won't regret it!

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    Omo Japanese Soul Food - Ramen

    Omo Japanese Soul Food

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    This was my first time visiting Springfield, and I didn't expect to find a place like this…read more The restaurant has a really fun Japanese anime vibe, with Totoro decor and even lucky cat (maneki-neko) touches throughout, which I absolutely loved. It honestly felt like the owner might be Japanese or Chinese, because the whole atmosphere was thoughtfully done and very authentic. The service staff were all friendly and welcoming, and overall the dining experience was great. We did have a delay with one of our dishes (waited over 30 minutes), but the manager noticed the issue right away, took responsibility, and handled it really well. They even offered us complimentary spring rolls, which I really appreciated. That kind of attentiveness and care makes a big difference. The food was solid and enjoyable--of course, you can't compare it to bigger cities, but for Springfield, this is definitely a great find. They also have a robot that helps deliver food, which was such a fun and unique touch. I'm here for work, traveling from out of state, and we actually ended up coming back four days in a row--which probably says everything. You can really tell the owner put a lot of heart into this place--from the decor to the overall experience. I appreciate being able to enjoy a different culture like this, especially in a smaller city. Springfield has given me a really great impression and some wonderful memories. Would definitely recommend

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    Nakato Japanese Restaurant - japanese - Updated May 2026

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