Nippon Japanese Restaurant

Awesome Sushi. more

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. more

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!!! more

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. more

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

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. more

Good food, I love thair sushi. Will be back for more. more

Nippon had the worst service ever of any restaurant I have ever been to. I have never been waived off by a waitress and been told I will not come serve you when I have been waiting 15 minutes. It took 30 minutes just to get water. The only thing I had to eat was leftover food from friends who had to wait over an hour just to get their food and some orders were even forgotten. If you like to wait long periods of time and maybe even being ignored by your server, then this is the place for you Cons: Service, Wait time more

One of my favorite sushi places to go to in Houston thus far. Fresh fish, good food, and the prices are pretty reasonable. I'm also a fan of their creative specialty rolls! Pros: Good food, fresh fish, fairly quick service Cons: Small parking lot so be prepared to park in the neighborhood across the street more

The perfect place to enjoy a traditional Japanese meal! This little gem is conveniently located near the Museum District, so it is the perfect spot to grab bite. My boyfriend and I go to Nippon at least twice a month. The menu is comprised of various Japanese staples such as tempura, udon, teriyaki, sashimi rolls, hand rolls and of course, sushi rolls. Beverages include soft drinks, Japanese ramune soda, green tea, as well and Japanese beer and a selection of wines. Nippon's seafood is extremely fresh. I have gone there many times in the last five years and I have never been disappointed. My favorite selections include the special Naoki roll (a Nippon exclusive), the Shaggy Dog roll and the Dragon roll. Nippon also has a Japanese menu with distinct items that are the epitome authentic Japanese cuisine. As far as the service, the waitstaff is extremely courteous and helpful. They do not disturb you while you are eating because it is considered rude in Japanese culture, so you need to call them if you need something. Overall, this restaurant is an excellent place to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine. Pros: Excellent service and cuisine Cons: Limited Parking more

Took the wife here before a saturday night at the symphony. Parking was tough to find as the lot is really small. Restaurant was full and got seated at the sushi bar. Ordered dragon roll (spicy tuna roll with avocado and salmon on outside) thought the presentation and taste were awesome, Also ordered spicy tuna roll and several pieces of salmon and they were all great as well. Tuna and sushi pieces weren't overly spicy like everything at downtown Az*ma. Wife had chicken teriyaki which was a little tough but overall pretty good. Had a wrong charge on the check but it was corrected at the register with no trouble. All in all a very pleasant meal to start the night off. Pros: Food was good service was quick Cons: Parking was pretty bad more

I have been in Houston for a very short period of time and I have been to Nippon three times. I absolutely love the place. It's got great food, good prices for sushi, and great friendly service. I am definitely going to continue my dining experience at Nippon with friends and family when they visit. I hope everybody has the opportunity to visit this wonderful family owned restaurant and experience a little japanese culture in the Houston area. Pros: Everything was great Cons: Parking maybe a little hard to find. more

This is my favorite sushi bar inside the loop. I've been to more expensive and modern looking sushi bars but they cannot compete with Nippon. Nippon is family owned and operated. When I go to Nippon I feel like I am entering their house. The chef's are always friendly and the food is always delicious. Pros: Outdoor seating, wonderful sushi, great service Cons: LIttle parking so get there before 7:00 PM more

I have been here for dinner and the noodles were delicious; no other places serve udon and ramen like Nippon does. Pros: great udon and ramen noodles! Cons: parking more

This restaurant has the freshest fish! I absolutely LOVE this restaurant. The staff is awesome and the service is prompt. VERY elegant atmosphere with pretty good pricing.... Pros: EVERYTHING Cons: nothing more

I'm not sure what the previous reviewer was referring to because we were just at Nippon on October 26, 2008 and they were indeed open - even at 2:30 PM. They have great lunch specials and bento boxes but we ordered a la carte sushi. It was fresh and tasty and the service was extremely quick. It was almost as if they knew what we were going to order and had it waiting for us. Will definitely return. Pros: Great sushi; quick service more

I visited Nippon today, for the first time since Hurricane Ike. Pros: Best in town. Cons: Small parking lot. No Street Parking on Montrose at that location. more

My whole family loves this place. Yes, the service may be a little slow, but it's worth the wait. We travel over from the north - close to Spring - to get his awesome sushi. Our recommendations are: California rolls, Nippon rolls, Crazy rolls (spicy) and the Dragon rolls (spicy). Yummy!!! Pros: Great food, great staff, great time Cons: Parking more

I've been to Nippon on various occasions with various types of people. The atmosphere is unpretentious and laid-back. Sushi is average, never bad. 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. HOWEVER, although the place is staffed with at least 2-3 people at a time, service can be INCREDIBLY slow. When I go with a group of girlfriends, I always get great service. But if I'm there with only one other person, it could take up to 20 min after being seated for someone ask for drink orders / give menus and up to 45 min!!! for the sushi to be brought to us. On one occasion, my male friend actually had to go up to the sushi bar to ask for our food. Albeit, if we express concern the waiters always apologize but I haven't seen a change in service. There are definitely better, cheaper, faster places around Houston. Pros: Simple Ambience, Good Sushi, Location, People Watching Cons: Service is Horrible (esp. empty weekday afternoons), Parking can be Difficult more

I couldn't believe that there is not one single decent Japanese restaurant in Houston until my hairstylist (he is Japanese- KENZO) told me about Nippon. Pros: GREAT sushi Cons: Parking more