Tawara Japanese Restaurant

Tawara is the hidden gem of NJ! I stumbled upon this restaurant during a road trip last year, and have made it a point to return to the area specifically so I can dine at Tawara again. This place makes the list as one of my favorite restaurants of all time. The pork buns are some of the most delicious things you will ever taste. The sunset roll, spicy beef and sashimi have all been fresh and incredible. Everything I’ve tried on their menu is top quality and taste. Raika is also an excellent hostess, bringing a warm and friendly vibe that makes you feel at home. Overall amazing and highly recommended!

This place really is as good as it gets as far as traditional Japanese cuisine in America! I love the atmosphere, the staff, and of course the amazing food.

I worked here for ~2 years while in college and it is easily the best restaurant environment that I’ve had the pleasure of working in. They were ALWAYS meticulous in cleanliness and not cutting any corners whatsoever behind the scenes. Everything about this place is absolutely perfect and you are supporting an amazing establishment top to bottom by eating here! I am continually proud to take my family and friends here every time that I visit the area and tell them about how great it was to be a part of the Tawara family!!! :)

Last night was my first time at Tawara. My nephew and his girlfriend frequent this restaurant and have never been let down by the quality of the food and the service there.

Very often, when others rave about a restaurant, you may be left a bit disappointed because your expectations might be set too high. This was not the case at Tawara. I truly enjoyed everything I ordered. There were several others in our group that were also there for the first time and also remarked how much they enjoyed the food. Everything was fresh and deliciously tasty with good-sized portions. The service was excellent, striking the perfect balance of being attentive but not intrusive. This was my first time at Tawara, but it will definitely not be my last.

Attentive service and great food. Omakase was excellent. Surpassed my expectations. Tokyo style ramen was a hit. Sushi Deluxe was a collection of all my husband's favorite. Definitely will come back again. Omakase needs to be pre-ordered for a busy night or weekend but was worth it. Menu is pretty extensive. Main rolls were my daughter's favorite, which had lobster in it.

Our go to sushi place. Love the quality of fish. Lots of authentic dishes as well as traditional Japanese vibe. Great prices. Be sure to make a reservation. Expect a little wait during busy times. All worth the wait!!!

Been going here since 1981. Food is so fresh and made well. Nice menu to eat in or take out. The Sunset roll is so good you may want to order 2!!

Excellent food. Friendly and helpful staff. Environment is pleasant but a bit cramped. I got a Shogun Box B, which had a variety of items all of which were good. It seems the restaurant can end up fully reserved on a Saturday night, so I'd recommend calling ahead.

First time here. Love this place. Great atmosphere, amazing food and the service amazing!!!!!! Reika our server was soooooo nice. Explained the menu very kindly and her recommendations were amazing!!! Th al you so much! Next time I’m in town will def stop here again. My sister and her family will be coming here again too! My 13yr old niece love the tuna sushi and mochi!

This place is amazing, and I've been going here for years. The service is wonderful, and the food is also very good. The sushi, especially, is quite fresh, but I recommend also trying out the other dishes in the menu, as well as the non-sushi specials, because everything here is amazing (the udon bowls changed my world). The way the booths are set up (small and cozy), along with the private back rooms, creates a cool environment. If you've never been here before, you should try it.

Perfect place for an authentic Japanese lunch/dinner. The food was amazing but what impressed me more was the ambience. They have traditional Japanese setup for dining in. As you can see in the picture, it's a small cubicle that can accommodate 6 people comfortably. You sit on a bench like structure around the table. It is more like sitting on the floor on cushions, but very comfortable as your legs go under the table. You need to go as a group and ask specifically for this option, else you will be seated in the regular dining area. The exterior of this place doesn't look that great and leaves no clue it has such a wonderful setup inside. Staff was very accommodating. Definitely coming back here.

First time at this place and I was very impressed. The ambience is very authentic Japanese including private dining rooms with showing ( sliding outer partitions with lattice work) and tatami mats, if you so desire. The booths are very cozy and private too. The staff is extremely welcoming and attentive. You can see what the chefs are doing because they are not closed off in a kitchen, but are part of the experience.
And they have a wide, wide range of food and appetizers. Many many varieties of sushi( which was fantastic) Ramen, Udon, salads, Danburi, Teriyaki, Sukiyaki, and a magnificent Omikasa.
The prices are very reasonable for the amount and quality of food you get. You can bring your own wine or whatever.
I highly, highly recommend this place.

So good!!! There really aren’t many Japanese places around that have actual Japanese food. This place does! It’s so good, the staff is amazing, and the prices are so worth it! Plus, if you have six people and make a reservation, you can sit in this little Japanese style room, the tatami room (though it doesn’t have any tatami) and you sit on the floor and the door closes so you have total privacy! It’s so cute! Definitely recommend.

I've been coming here since I was 5 years old! It's one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in the area and has a very nice atmosphere. Family owned and worth going to. I highly recommend it!

Wonderful dinner. I had the wasabi soy buckwheat noodles, with the shrimp and vegetable tempura addition. Definitely worth a try if your will to venture away from their fantastic sushi and ramen.

Wonderful food, great staff, very fresh ingredients and a great diverse menu. I've been here three times and every time am more

Best Fresh fish sushi 🍣 in the area very good , I recommend visiting and making prior reservations, many menu options beside sushi good personal ambiance .

Cozy, authentic Japanese. More similar to Japan than the typical American-Japanese style restaurants in the area. My absolute favorite is the Unajyu (Eel over rice dinner box). Great sushi and sashimi as well. Expect to eat and tip well for your delectable food!

really lovely restaraunt!! I went here with my sister, and we loved the food and the atmosphere! the staff were also all very friendly, so overall it was an excellent meal!

We came across this gem when we were looking for a place that has great sushi but would have food for our kids too. We’ve tried a bunch of places. Since the kids like udon and ramen noodles and not sushi, this place is perfect for us. The servers are very friendly, the food is delicious, and never have an issue. We love this place and we will be back again and again.

This shop and restaurant is super cute and definitely something to try if you’re not a local. Their food is always fresh and they have new things every week. Their shop has cute little nicknacks. What made me leave this review is when I tried their spicy veggie dumplings they are the best hot or cold and even if they don’t have them if you go often if you ask the counter person they can ask the kitchen to make them the next day. They are so respectful and really try to make their customers happy. I promise you’ll never be disappointed when you go. If you been to mitsuwa this is the next closest best thing to them.