Japaneiro’s Sushi Bistro & Latin Grill

The sushi and latin food combo attracted us to this spot but the Unilocal reviews sealed the deal. I love Latin food and sushi is Jean’s favorite so we immediately agreed this was a great spot to meet and catch up.
Upon arrival we were told a 30 minute wait, for a Wednesday night at 730. That just seemed ridiculous so we were tempted to try something else, especially since there is so much available at City Walk. The hostess then tells us it will only be 10 minutes, we stay.
The place is packed and it was very noisy. My friend and I sat next to each other instead of across from one another and still had a hard time hearing each other. The restaurant was packed but we still had good service.
We shared an appetizer of lettuce wraps. They call it «woked» chicken but it seemed like ground chicken to us. They add pico de gallo to try to give it a latin touch. It was ok but didn’t seem Japanese or Latin.
We both picked Latin fare for our entres. The yucca fries were awesome everything else was average. My steak was a little tough but the flavor was good. The black beans were pretty bland. My friend got the skewers. The salmon was excellent but the chicken and steak were bland. I was expecting a lot more flavor, especially since everything is listed as latin style.
Our server was nice and attentative. We could only hear half of what he said to us but we got the gist. As soon as we walked out it was nice not to have to holler.
We were slightly disappointed because we expected more flavor and better food. I would try this place again but neither of us thought it was great.

One of my favorite places to eat in Sugar Land. Where else can you go to get sushi to eat and Tres Leches Cake for dessert! The Avocado Cream soup is always my go to. Love the Hawaiian Roll. Sushi fish is very fresh and never have any issues. Try to grab a table outside if you can. Service can be sketchy sometimes — some days absolutely great… other times be prepared to wait between drinks and food courses.

Love this place. Everything tastes so freakn good! I give it 4 stars because its loud as heck in there. You are going to wait for table since its so small and everyone else loves this place but that doesn’t bother any of us. We go early and have a few drinks. Sushi can take some time coming out so order empanadas or something else from the kitchen. If you don’t eat sushi, the sea bass and both steaks are amazing too. Don’t let the word sushi scare you away!

By far one if the best places I have ever eating sushi at. I have been to all the hotspots in Houston and if you’re looking for an affordable, great, sushi experience you can’t beat Japaneiro’s.
My favorites hands down is the Sasu and shaggy dog. But you can’t go wrong with the Cabo roll. Everything in this place is good. Its always fresh and you can tell that it is very high quality food. This place is always busy but I’ve never failed to get a table pretty quick. If not I just sit at the bar with my friends. The Latin cuisine is also out of this world. If you want a churrasco but don’t want to pay the price just order the encebollado same thing just cheaper and with onions.
You got to try this place.

Overall, the food was very good but the rating is downgraded a star because of the waiting time and service. We showed up around 6:30pm on the Monday after Christmas and it was jam packed in the waiting area. They told us 30 – 40 minutes so we decided to wait. Had they told me we would be seated in an hour, we would’ve gone somewhere else but after waiting the 40 minutes, we thought «the next table must be ours». Wait time can be deceiving with lots of folks waiting at the bar for tables so we finally got seated after a 70+ minute wait. Then came the wait for the server to come and get our drink order. He disappeared for a while and came back to apologize the bar was really busy to make our drinks so he took our food order. Then came another long waiting period and more apologies. Our server was very nice, provided good roll recommendations and very apologetic for the wait, but we just didn’t see him very often because he was busy with other tables.
Finally, we got a our food — shaggy dog roll, super Dave roll, a special eel roll, a spicy tuna roll and the seafood rice. Everything was unique and tasty, not the traditional sushi rolls but very yummy. The seafood rice had nice flavor and I liked the plantains on top. Super Dave was our favorite roll! We ordered the shaggy roll because of Unilocalers raving about it but I think I would like the other tempera rolls better for next time. I would definitely come back to this restaurant but probably for lunch or a weekday and non-​holiday time when its not so crazy. We didn’t get out of the restaurant until 9:30 after a long wait for the check. Maybe taking a seat at the bar is the way to go…

I’m a bit torn about my experience at Japaneiro’s, so am opting for a 3 star. Here are the highlights of my experience.
–We arrived for dinner at 6:30pm on a Monday and the place was packed, I mean really busy. We were told a 30 minute wait for a table.
–While waiting, there is no where to sit and not a lot of room to wait in when it is too cold to be outside. I tried sitting on a chair in the bar area that was not attached to any table, but was actually kicked off it by a staff person who told me they needed it to seat people (apparently the tables in the bar were not for open seating). She then proceeded to take it away and place it a table with 4 chairs… and then seated only 2 people at the table. Still not sure why I couldn’t have the chair.
–When we were seated, it was very cramped and tight for our party of 5. Also, it is very loud and hard to hear your companions talking.
–Our waiter was friendly and greeted us promptly… but then was absent for LONG periods of time.
–Once we ordered, it was a seriously long wait for the food. at least 30 minutes with no one checking on us while we waited.
–The food was great! I ordered sashimi and it was fresh and fabulous. Others ordered a combination of food and everyone was happy. Although, more than one person noted that there were more sushi options and less Latin food options than they expected/​wanted.
–About 2 ½ hours after arriving we were done with our meal and leaving. While everyone agreed their food was good, everyone also agreed that we would likely not return due to the other issues.

The food here never fails to satisfy my appetite, even the crumbs left over on the seats. As much as I love to take food home with me, I prefer it in a Togo box and not my pants. But hey to each his or her own.
The experience today was a good one for the most part. I did ask for sea weed salad, never got it, so I asked the waiter to take it off my tab. He said «okay and I’m sorry about that I completely forgot» and I said it’s alright. To my surprise, he came back around with a sea weed salad, that I ended up taking Togo, along with the check that had the sea weed salad charge on there. No problem.
My boyfriend had ordered an iced tea that he usually likes to have in a Togo cup, for convenience purposes, but I guess the waitress didn’t hear him when he asked for it in a Togo cup. That’s alright. When he finally did get his Togo cup, that’s all he got, well and the ice that was left over in his cup from his iced tea. So I asked the waitress to ‘top off’ the drink for me and she said not a problem.
Overall, food was good and service was alright. But it’s the holiday season and things get hectic. I understand. But then again, I don’t. Cause I’ve waited before at a restaurant and that’s all I have to text. :)
Cheers.

My better half and I enjoyed eating at Japaneiro’s this past weekend. I ordered the shrimp dumplings and Shrimp Tempura roll. She ordered the fried yucca and Volcano (plantains and tuna sushi with avocado). The dumplings and the sauce were very tasty, but a bit on the small side. The roll was half of the size that I come to expect. The Volcano was a very reasonable serving size, but the fried yucca was very small.
I have dined at Japaneiro’s on several occasions and the food quality has always been good. The service on this past visit was lacking, though we were sitting outdoors, which may have caused a little bit of a service delay.
My chief complaint and reason that I do not dine often at Japaneiro’s is that the food portion size is so small for the price. But if price is no object, enjoy what is clearly a one-​of-​a-​kind restaurant.

Love the dumplings and pretty good sushi. Everything was such a disappointment. I use to dine here every week 5 years ago. I’ve moved away and recently decided to revisit my usual joint while I was in town visiting. My friend and I dined here Thanksgiving eve and the only seating available was outside. We started off with the salmon tostada, it was soggy, over loaded with disgusting pico, and a huge disappointment. For our lunch special, we ordered the ponzu chuka and chuka for our salads. The ponzu chuka was disgusting, maybe it was the overload of pico and the chuka was typical seed weed salad you get everywhere else. Our nibbers were the calamari and dumplings. The dumplings use to be bigger and the quantity was 6 besides 4. The dipping sauce however, is still bomb. The dumplings and calamari were mediocre, but I didn’t like the pico that was on top of the calamari, that just made the calamari soggy. Our entrees were the T-​Rex and supreme. Not too bad, I wish the eel sauce was excluded off the roll, but it was good. 2.5÷5 only because of the two rolls and the yummy dumpling sauce. I am officially sick of pico and every component of it, tomatoes, onions, and parsley. Thanks.

Every time I come here, I’m glad I did. I try something new every time, because their menu is very complex and varying in flavors. It is always busy here it seems, and while it is great for the business, it is hard to get an attentive server. Trust me, they are not slacking off, they are running their legs off. Everything I have had is good here, my only complaint is sometimes the food is not hot when it comes out of the kitchen. I don’t know if it is premade, or if the waitstaff lets it sit there.

Japaneiro’s falls somewhere between a 3 – 4 star for me. You mean you can order dim sum AND empanadas AND sushi AND plaintain chips all in the same place?! The menu definitely excites me.
The actual restaurant experience, though, was nothing awesome. I had dinner with a party of two on a fairly busy weeknight (maybe Thursday?), but ordering was slow, getting drinks out was slow, getting a to-​go box, everything was just… slow. I don’t know if they were understaffed or we just had a bad server.
Aside from that, I thought the food was solid, although it’s hard to compare it to some of the excellent South American restaurants in Houston or the wealth of sushi places to pick from. I had the New Zealand roll, a tempura roll that was deliciously creamy and covered in kani (crab), while my date had the encebollado, one of their South American meat dishes served with black beans and yucca fries.
The atmosphere is one of the trendier ones in Sugar Land, and it’s especially nice for a night where you want to spend some time in Town Center before or after. Overall, though, it’s not really fancy — you have everything from birthday dinners to groups of high schoolers with tank tops slashed in the sides down to their hips… so, I don’t know. Keep that in mind. It’s also very, very loud thanks to all the hard surfaces.
Overall I’d say it’s a good spot for a group of friends because the menu has something for everyone and the atmosphere is so lively, but I don’t think we’ll be going back for any kind of date night.

Was seated immediately outdoors on a perfect Saturday afternoon for lunch. The blood orange and pomegranate margaritas were fabulous, we had garlic at imamate which was absolutely delicious. For our main course we ordered the Spicy tuna roll, the Austin hippy, and the Tropic thunder. Everything was fresh, beautifully presented and was right on point. The Plaintain chips on the appetizer menu was great especially with the roasted pepper sauce which was wonderful.
Will definitely come back and dine here again!

Excellent sushi! Sushi is my favorite food so I always have it on my birthday. This year I was in town visiting my sister so she took me here and I am glad she did! We went during happy hour (3 – 6 daily). They have a few discounted rolls and beverages as well as appetizers. I don’t remember the names of all of the rolls we ordered but one definitely stands out– the Gekko Roll! It was amazing. It’s a cooked roll so definitely order it if you like the hot rolls! The Shaggy Dog was also very good. I had a pomegranate margarita which was a bit strong for me but they gladly remade it for me a little sweeter (I’m a bit of a baby when it comes to strong drinks). Our waitress was very nice and answered all questions we had about the menu.
I also can’t forget to mention the salmon tostadas appetizer– they taste like little salmon tacos!
Bottom line is this is some of the best sushi I have ever had and I love the fun twist they put on otherwise traditional rolls!

Best word to describe the food? Fresh. I’ve tried the sushi and it’s just different. Doesn’t taste fake. I suggest trying the ika crunch ($ 12 for the roll) and the dumplings. The sauce for the dumplings is Addictive. I asked more for my sushi. Seems I’m not the only one, waitress said everyone loves this sauce. I’ve also tried their tres leches cake. It’s super moist. Very delicious.
This place is rather on the small side, they should really expand. Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest. Tip: go during lunch. You get the most bang for your buck. The only con with this place is the price. Granted the sushi is good but if you’re going to make it that expensive at least give me the atmosphere as well. The atmosphere is super casual. So when you see the prices it’s a little surprising.

So I love that they have nirvana and sampler platters! It was a great way to quickly find out what kind of restaurant it was!
The food was not outstanding. And it is on the pricier side. If I’m going to pay for sushi, I want it to be the best quality. Japaneiro’s didn’t live up to that.
It is a nice restaurant and very large. Good for groups. The list of cocktails and drinks was impressive.
Simple is best when it comes to sushi. And Japaneiro’s isn’t simple — it ends up seeming a little confused.

I have to say this was probably my new favorite place for lunch this summer! I’ve been to Japaneiro’s before, several times over the last few years, usually for dinner. I mainly got the sushi and although it was good, the pricier menu kind of kept me away.
However, one time, I decided to go for lunch and I came across probably one of the best lunch specials ever. It’s only $ 12 for a salad, nibbler, and sushi combination or entrée. It’s seriously worth the price because if you add up the prices for the same items during dinner time, it’d definitely be double the price of lunch. In my opinion, their sushi is decently good. It’s not the amazing kind that rocks your socks off, but it will give you a good sushi fix.
Service-​wise, everything is fine here! I’d suggest not sitting at the bar though because it seems service there is quite slow. And note that you’ll usually have to wait, especially at lunch hour.

This place has great reviews because it DESERVES to have great reviews! Granted, I only hit up the happy hour so I’n biased since A) everything was cheap and B) I was drinking sake… but I loved it and will definitely go back!
The Japanese/​Mexican fusion is unlike anything I’ve ever seen or experienced. The Austin Hippie roll was (for lack of better wording) soooo fab. Loved the fried plantains. I probably wouldn’t get the salmon tostadas again (a little too salty) but hey we still ate every last bite! The service from the batender Matt was exceptional. And the overall vibe was really upbeat. I’m a stickler for clean bathrooms — and I couldn’t have been more impressed. If I’m in the area again soon I’ll definitely go back so I can give a full fledged lunch/​dinner review: D

So, we came back!
Salmon tostadas: so good! I would get it again.
Supreme roll: best roll i have tried at this place. Be aware that it is spicy!
Carpacio: not that great, i still prefer sushi with fish than beef.
Beef lettuce wrap: nope! Can’t compare to P.F. Chang.

Japaneiro’s sits nicely in the Town Square Plaza in Sugar Land. It was one of the first restaurants in the plaza and from the beginning it has been putting smiles on every mouth comes through the door!
When we reach out to you (our subscribers), we get a lot of great feedback on who you believe should be awarded the Good Eats Houston certification. Of course, we do our own due diligence and qualify all restaurants by visiting them for a review before officially certifying them on our Good Eats Houston restaurant directory. To-​date, japaneiro’s has received more recommendations from our subscribers than any other restaurant in Houston. Now, that tells you something! Let’s just say we were pretty excited to finally get a taste of some of that Japanese-​Latin fusion we have been hearing such great things about.
Right off the bat, you know that you will be served the unique and vibrant flavors only Japanese-​Latin fusion can deliver. It’s almost like being in two different restaurants with certain menu items sharing the bill.
As you walk up to the entrance, you’ll see a shady spot with several outside tables; the perfect place for a happy hour or casual lunch with friends. This bustling area of the plaza is also a great place to sit and people watch.
As you enter japaneiro’s, you get a full view of the whole layout. They have done a great job, providing different dining areas and a décor that is as bright and colorful as the cuisine. Apart from the outside patio mentioned above, the restaurant has a bar with high tops all around. This section is divided into various booths and sit-​down tables, big and small. Finally, you have your traditional sushi bar towards the back.
So, we started off with a couple of Japanese craft beers as we looked over the extensive menu of goodies. We ordered a Wabi-​Sabi IPA or a JPA (Japanese Pale Ale); a very tasty brew containing green tea and wasabi. I highly recommend you give it a try.
For starters, we ordered two different soups. First, we sampled the Seafood Chupe: a delicate, Andean-​style soup with crab meat, shrimp, salmon and a selection of fine herbs and peppers. The Avocado Cream Soup, served warm and equally delicious, consisted of silky avocado-​cilantro cream topped with kani and freshly sliced avocado — a perfect choice for vegetarians.
Along with our soups, we ordered the Tajadas: soft and sweet fried fresh plantain slices served with a side of nata cream. I love plantains and the nata cream combined with the sweetness of the plantain made this a great choice to start the meal. We were already starting off with flavors you just can’t get every day.
To begin our journey into the two different cultures, we decided to try a couple specialty cocktails: the Mojito and the Pear Martini. I would have loved to sample every one off the list, these two were so flavorful. I always enjoy a great fresh Mojito. The Pear Martini isn’t something I’d usually order, but it went perfectly with the fried plantains. Instant hit!
I let my co-​pilot order for us when it came to the Japanese-​influenced portion as he’s the expert in this type of cuisine. We started off with the Caribbean Volcano: a warm bed of sweet plantains covered with the freshest spiced tuna, topped with avocado, a miso reduction, coconut milk and sesame seeds. This dish was incredible and a must try! It was beautifully presented, as you can see in the photography, and the flavor combination was amazing. I will definitely be back and when I do, this beautiful volcano will be here just waiting to erupt.
Next, we ordered a small sampler and a medium nirvana. The small sampler is a great way to enjoy a variety of different menu items and I enjoyed every bite. From left to right in the photography, you can see: the Toro (fatty tuna), Uni (sea urchin), escolar (super white tuna), Tamago (a sweet omelet) and Ikura (salmon roe). All the fish was very fresh and absolutely delicious! I decided to lay off dipping them in soy or wasabi to receive the true flavor profiles of each one.
The nirvana is a beautiful presentation that sits in the middle of table for everyone to admire and enjoy! It comes in three sizes — medium, large and huge. You can order it however you like or let the chef decide, which is what I recommend because that way you might try something new and enjoyable that you might not have thought to order otherwise.
My personal favorite was the Green Albacore, a delightful combination of shrimp tempura, avocado, jalapeño & spicy mayo topped with kani, baked albacore, fresh salmon, ponzu sauce, sriracha, cilantro and unagi sauce. What a fantastic roll!
We also enjoyed the Super Dave, a spicy roll a number of our subscribers had suggested. It consisted of spicy yellow tail, cilantro and avocado wrapped in soy paper and topped with fresh tuna, sliced fresh jalapeño and yuzu sauce. The freshest yellowtail available and just the right amount of spice makes this dish a fan favorite as well as one of mine!

Yay! I am indeed a fan! Their lunch special is awesome and crazy fulfilling. $ 12 for a 3 course meal, mmmm I’ll take it.
Dumplings (³⁄₅) — Not steamed, not pan fried, just kind of soft and doughy, stuffed with I-​have-​no-​idea. I would not have liked these if it weren’t for the sauce. What is this sauce anyway?
Plaintain Chips (⁴⁄₅) — Tiny, and a good option if you’re trying to keep your stomach open for more food.
Chuka Salad (⁵⁄₅) — Pretty decent sized seaweed salad and so delicious. I loved that it wasn’t very salty.
New Zealand Roll (⁵⁄₅) — My favorite! I actually don’t remember what it all consists of, but it had tempura with green/​red tempura flakes. It looks like Christmas :)
I’d definitely recommend Japaneiro’s to anyone looking for a great sushi place for lunch during the weekday. Although it’s far from me in Sugarland, it’s always worth my trip.

Superbe carte, riz cuit comme il faut, poissons extra frais. Original et savoureux !
Ce restaurant est un incontournable si vous passez par Houston !

La comida de los niños fueron porciones pequeñas pero mis hijos comen poco así que eso no me afecto. Los rollos de sushi que pedimos estuvieron muy ricos. El ambiente es mas que todo para agente adulta. Le doy 4 estrellas porque la ensalada que pedí me la sirvieron media congelada. En general me gusto el local y definitivamente regresaría.