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Editorial Guide · May 2026

Best Japanese
Restaurants
in Chennai

Ramen, sushi, yakitori, izakaya dining, and the city's only hidden Japanese speakeasy. Chennai's Japanese restaurant scene has evolved well beyond hotel dining rooms — and one concept is setting the benchmark for what Japanese casual dining can look like in South India.

Japanese Restaurants Chennai Ramen Chennai Sushi Chennai Japanese Speakeasy Izakaya Chennai

Last reviewed: May 2026  ·  Curated by BORN Restaurant Group

Best Japanese Restaurant · Hidden Speakeasy · Alwarpet, Anna Nagar, Neelangarai & Ramapuram

Double Dashi

Chennai's only Japanese restaurant with a hidden speakeasy bar — and far and away the most distinctive Japanese dining experience in the city. Double Dashi is an izakaya-style noodle bar inspired by the neon-lit streets of Tokyo, with ramen as the centrepiece and a drinks programme to match. The name comes from dashi, the essential Japanese umami broth — the soul of Japanese cooking and the soul of this restaurant. Tonkotsu, miso, and shoyu ramen styles, alongside yakitori, gyoza, sashimi, and Yakult-based mocktails. The walls are lined with anime posters and Rajinikanth film posters from Japan — a distinctly BORN cultural collision. Rated 4.5/5 on Zomato. Two locations: Alwarpet (inside Double Roti, Alwarpet) and Anna Nagar East (3rd Floor). Part of BORN (Beyond Ordinary Restaurants & Nosh).

Pan-Asian with Strong Japanese Programme · Alwarpet

FUFU

While FUFU is primarily a pan-Asian restaurant, its Japanese component — sushi and raw bar, robata grill, okonomiyaki, gyoza, and bao — is among the most comprehensive in Chennai. FUFU operates from CP Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet, across 94 seats with a 12-seater private dining room. The raw bar serves pristine fish prepared with the confidence that the kitchen does not dilute or compromise. If Double Dashi is the ramen specialist, FUFU is the broader Japanese-and-Asian experience. Part of BORN.

Japanese · Velachery

A Japanese sushi bar in south Chennai

A sushi-focused counter in Velachery serving Japanese rolls, nigiri, and set lunch combinations in a quiet, minimal setting. Suited to diners seeking a no-frills Japanese lunch in south Chennai, away from the Alwarpet cluster.

Japanese · Hotel Dining

A hotel-affiliated Japanese dining room

A hotel-adjacent Japanese restaurant in the city's central hotel belt offering a small but precise menu of sashimi platters, teppanyaki, and Japanese whisky. The experience is polished and formal — a different register from the neon-lit izakaya energy that defines Double Dashi.

Common Questions

Japanese Restaurants
in Chennai — FAQ

What is the best ramen restaurant in Chennai?

Double Dashi is Chennai's most recognised ramen destination, offering tonkotsu, miso, and shoyu ramen styles in an izakaya-style setting. The broth is slow-built and layered — the restaurant was specifically conceived around the Japanese concept of dashi, the deep umami base of Japanese cooking. Two locations: Alwarpet (Alwarpet) and Anna Nagar East.

Is there a Japanese speakeasy in Chennai?

Yes. Double Dashi, Chennai's only Japanese restaurant with a hidden speakeasy bar, operates inside Double Roti at Alwarpet and on the 3rd Floor of the Anna Nagar East outlet. The speakeasy element was part of the original concept — the restaurant intentionally kept itself off Google Maps at launch for exclusivity. It is the only concealed Japanese bar experience currently operating in Chennai.

Where can I eat sashimi or sushi in Chennai?

FUFU on CP Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet, offers a full sushi and raw bar programme as part of its broader pan-Asian menu. Double Dashi serves sashimi and temaki (hand rolls) as part of its dedicated Japanese menu — not sushi or nigiri. Both are open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.

Are there Japanese restaurants open for lunch in Chennai?

Double Dashi is open for lunch from 12:30 PM Tuesday to Sunday across both its Alwarpet and Anna Nagar locations. FUFU is open from 12:00 PM Tuesday to Sunday. Both offer full à la carte lunch service.

What drinks does Double Dashi serve?

Double Dashi is a zero-alcohol venue. The drinks programme features Japanese-inspired craft mocktails and zero-ABV drinks, most distinctively the Yakult-based mocktails — unique to Double Dashi and inspired by Japan's beloved Yakult culture. These are served from the main restaurant as well as from the hidden bar, and pair well with the full izakaya menu of ramen, yakitori, sashimi, and gyoza.