Tachibana Japanese Restaurant

An extremely transactional experience with okay food. I came here on a Tuesday night - there were open seats all over the place. Their sign asks that you don't seat yourself (even at bars) - so I patiently waited for someone to seat me. Multiple servers and folks saw me and just continued on with no comment. Finally I was seated at the end of the sushi bar by their server entrance even though there were so many open spots. I ordered and food came out quick. But my server literally just popped down my food and walked away. I ordered a chef's special and so I was expecting some sort of explanation of what was put together. The food was okay. Not amazing, not bad. Truly unremarkable. Not sure why you would come here when there are other sushi spots at a similar price point with a staff that actually interacts with you.

Truly the best Japanese food in Lexington! The staff are always polite and very nice. The food is excellent and is always very high quality. Their sushi is very good at fair prices. And hot green tea is free! One of my favorite spots in Lexington!

Amazing flavor w/ every dish that touched the table. This was my first layover here in Lexington, KY. I was so excited when my entire working flt crew was game to get together for a nice dinner. It's a true rarity especially for me to be able to enjoy a sit down meal to end a day of flying during a scheduled layover. I'm definitely looking forward to future visits to try more delicious sushi and appetizers.

As a half-Japanese person, this was the best Japanese restaurant in have ever been to in the U.S.!! And the prices are great for the quality. I highly recommend it!!

By far my favorite Japanese restaurant in Lexington! We have visited many of the sushi restaurants that others tell us are “so good,” but compared to Tachibana they are “so so.” Their sushi is fresh and done to perfection every time. The staff here is so friendly and helpful. We have been with others who tried foods other than sushi, and they equally loved it! At dinner, it is always pretty full, but you we have never waited for a table.

Excellent food. Got there at opening and was told no tables with out reservation but was still served at the bar. Great restaurant

Friday is my favorite day to eat here. The lunch special Katsu curry well worth the rush. Open at 1130 but I would recommend to arrive early for parking but to make sure you can get the special. Eaten almost everything on the menu and it taste just as good as being Japan again. Love the place

Food was delicious as always! The Tempura is top notch! Sad that the last couple times we've gone they havent had eel so we miss out on the deliscious Dragon Roll. Kids plate is perfect for the children. It has fried shrimp, chicken teriyaki, rice, fries, and a small little cake for just 7.50! There was a large party in the back that seemed to occupy all of the servers for the night. Service was below par for the night. Have never had an issue with service before tonight. Will still be back. It is one of the greatest Japanese restaurants you will ever eat at! Update 7/14/25: Finally made it back to our favorite place after moving out of state 5 years ago. Every time we've tried it's been closed for different reasons. So happy they are back open! Absolutely love this place. Menu change is very refreshing! Love seeing some of the more traditional options like Hot Pot, Kaarage, Tonkatsu, Udon, and Katsu! The servers were super attentive and focused! The sushi was so good! Their Miso soup is on another flavor level! Only small complaint was the temperature was a little toasty.

Hubby and I dropped in for lunch on a Tuesday. Several cars were already in the parking lot at 11:15 waiting for them to open at 11:30. Service was a bit slow for a weekday. Miso soup, salad and spider roll were excellent. Hubby and I both got the yakiniku lunch. We both agreed the beef was a bit tough. Check for 2 with water to drink was $50

It is located approximately 10 minutes north of the University of Kentucky and Downtown Lexington--a hole-in-the-wall serving authentic Japanese cuisine where the building reminds you of a shrine in Kyoto. The price range is definitely between $15-$40 per person. The paper menu includes sushi, sashimi, and rolls, while the main menu offers everything from grilled fresh fish and cold buckwheat noodles to sukiyaki and stir-fry items. -top-notch service and waitstaff

Friday 11:45am. Parking lot was already full regardless of pouring rain. Had to park between the restaurant and Marriott next to the restaurant. Seemed like many were doing the same. Friday's special was Katsu Curry. I got Unajyu as I was craving for unagi. My company got Katsu Curry. Thought Katsu Curry would be served quicker, Unajyu came out first! Did not expect that. Unajyu was fair to good. We are in the US, not in Japan. So I can't expect too much here. There was more rice than unagi in ratio, of course, so I had to consume a lot more rice per unagi piece to evenly spread out the portion. But no regrets! No complaints on miso soup, salad or the pickled raddish. Katsu Curry had a very big portion and according to my company, it was really good. I will get Katsu Curry next time for sure. Service was quick and accurate. Not much to make errors there anyway. Getting check and making payments were all done at the walk up cashier. Overall, good Japanese place for quality/authentic Japanese food either for lunch and/or dinner.

Hidden gem off new circle rd. They have the best ramen in town, insiders tip you can get any ramen spicy if you ask. They have great lunch specials and a great dinner menu. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

My wife and I had dinner here on a Friday night. Great food and service. My wife had chicken fried rice. Very flavorful - rich taste to the rice, plentiful chicken. Not the bland dish you often find in restaurant. I had miso soup. Again, very rich; clearly had the time to cook and develop flavor. My main dish (sorry, I don't remember the name) was egg, assorted types of sashimi, and vegetables over a slightly sticky, but not overly sweet, sushi rice. Varied fish, including roe. Delicious. This is probably the best Japanese restaurant I've eaten in. The service was quick, but not rushed, and no one pushed us, even though we were only a two top and it was a busy Friday. Everyone who waited the table (team service) could not have been friendlier. I'd suggest a reservation. We were staying at the hotel next door, and that may have helped us get a table on a busy night.

My partner absolutely loves the Thursday lunch chiriashi bowl special - $12.50 for the bowl + salad and soup. Hot tea is always free! The bowl isn't my cup of tea, but I love the Florida roll off the sushi menu! Just the right amount of spice in this shrimp roll.

Be careful here! The food is delicious! And the wait staff is extremely kind and helpful! I may have fallen in love with Amelie, my waitress! The ambiance is great and the restaurant is tucked away off the main road! Easy to get to and from!

Best Japanese restaurant in Lexington, everything is delicious, but I especially recommend their udon and soba. Large portions at a fair price, especially their lunch menu. Service is always good but I recommend having dinner reservations just in case, it can get busy around that time and it's a smaller restaurant. Highly recommend visiting whether it's for a casual meal or a special occasion!

This is probably one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Lexington. They have the cutest restaurant and they also have good parking and good service whenever I go there. The food is amazing and fresh and they have a variety of rolls and items. I love there daily lunch specials. My favorite is probably there poke bowl.

Tachibana remains 9ne of my favorite Japanese restaurants. I was craving sushi and drove there to have lunch. I like to sit on the sushi bar area. I ordered the Chirashi Bowl, rice topped with a selection of sushi. It comes with Miso Soup and Salad. I recomend you arrive early, fir the lunch specials and to avoid the line which sometimes forms at the door just before opening. 85

Very good quality. Ordered the sashimi and would recommend it. No complaints. It's a shame it closed early after lunch.

The BEST restaurant in Lexington, hands down. My boyfriend and I go to Tachibana probably 5-6 times a month and have been doing so for a year and a half, we absolutely love it every time we go. The staff is wonderful and the food is always delicious! I recommend Tachibana to literally any and everyone, it's great! Everything I've had on their menu has been amazing and the service is always very quick, I truly do not think we've ever waited more than 10-15 minutes for our food! The only recommendation I'd say I have is that the ambience could be a bit better, maybe if the lights were dimmed just a bit at dinner time, but the space and building themselves are beautiful! The building is very unique and cool to look at, the outside area and bridge are also gorgeous!

Have been to this restaurant as a regular for over 30 yrs. This new management is very difficult to work with. We have not complained before and just took in stride that they don't answer the phone during evening hours or take reservations anymore. (Unless one is Japanese it seems). They don't have greeters anymore and you have to wait for a server to seat you. But to walk in the door with a takeaway order for 12 people including sushi and be told they would NOT make the sushi, that it would take too long and that there was only 40 mins before closing was the last straw. Why have closing hours if you don't offer the whole menu up until closing.

While staying at the hotel next door, I stumbled upon this gem. It's been awhile since I've seen an authentic Japanese restaurant like this. First things first, it seems like this place is super busy so be prepared for a little bit of a wait. I opted for takeout instead of dining in but the servers seemed very friendly. I ordered the lunch box that came with sliced beef, tempura, sashimi, grilled salmon, tomago, soup, salad, and rice. It was $23 but definitely worth it for all the food. I also ordered the Friday special which was the curry katsu. It was absolutely delicious. And also very affordable for a lunch crowd. I can't wait to come back. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the confusing takeout/table waiting area. I waited in line for like 10 mins until I was told that take out is a different area. And the server forgot to give me my order after it was ready so I waited an extra 10 mins probably longer than I should have. Regardless, I'll definitely be back.

Came on a Monday night around 8 and got seated after about 10 minutes. Our server Lauren was excellent, really really nice and courteous. They didn't have the roll I wanted, but the fatty tuna and rainbow roll I had tasted fresh. I ordered the Yaki-Udon (added shrimp) and it was SO GOOD. I was pretty surprised honestly, but will def be back to try other items.

If you are near this spot and hungry, you have to stop. Menu is extensive and the portions are huge. We did sushi, Ramen, Fried Rice, and a Tempura Medley. For what we got the price was very reasonable. The taste was excellent! The service was the best. They have a full bar and fun drinks. It is tucked away and off the path but don't be fooled. You won't be disappointed!! I'll be back.

The food was amazing! I got the mackerel bento box and there was so much food! The sashimi pieces were huge and fresh! The wait staff was amazing. They were so nice! It was our first time there and the building is cute! We can't wait to go back and get lunch, lol so much on the menu we wanted to try! It's 2 hours later and I am still full.

I am staying the night in Lexington and hungry for sushi. I was a little reluntant and not expecting to find good sushi. I was pleasanyly surprised. Tachibana is tucked away on the north side near the hotels. The restaurant was well staffed and friendly. The is both a sushi and regular bar. The restaurant had plenty of seating. I was immediately seated at the sushi bar. I ordered a Sapporo draft, edemame and tuna, yellowtail and salmon nigiri along with a spicey tuna roll. Very nice presentation and the fish was fresh, well portioned and tasty. Highly recommend if you are looking for sushi in Lexington.

Food is very authentic and delicious. The service is excellent. Already have visited many times whenever I have business trip to Lexington.

One of my all-time favorites when on the north side of Lexington, Tachibana is a classic Japanese fare. Simple, delicious, and always a packed house! Great atmosphere for casual dining and the service staff is top-notch! The sushi is fresh and delicious. It was so good I forgot to photograph the main course!! Just gives me a reason to return again soon!

I love this place. Their menu is robust and tasted very Authentic. I have traveled in Japan and this is the closest good tasting homey taste that I have been craving for. Pro tip, if you get the katsuson, ask for the dumpling sauce to dip your pork. The portion are huge as well as the hospitality and good service.

I am so sad that this place is so far from me, but whenever I can commute up, it's worth it! Biggest takeaways - the daily specials are absolutely delightful, lunch portions can be almost the two meals (katsudon is my favorite option), and the sushi is always DELICIOUS. Seriously, if you have a chance, get a couple of items and you won't be disappointed. I do love telling people about their lunch boxes, dinner options with different noodles, and the fresh fish, so seriously, if you can - go check it out! There's a reason it's so popular with the Japanese guys from Toyota, and visitors!

It is one of my favorite restaurants in Lex. Definitely a great value and good food - especially the daily lunch special. Knocked off 1 star because it's always busy (you literally have to be there when they open to avoid crowds) and it's difficult to converse with friends because of the open seating area. You're not seated right next to another group but the tables are definitely not separated 6 ft apart. Service is decent for how busy it is and usually you don't wait a long time for your food once you've ordered. Location wise - Plenty of parking spaces but it is a little out of the way and there's not much to do in that area

Authentic Japanese cuisine everything was so DELICIOUS specially the giant bowl of Niku Udon! great ambience and the staff was friendly. highly recommended this place!

Amazing food with great service! They have so many options for your meal that anyone in the family will be happy. The sushi dinner is amazing and can't go wrong! There was a line out the door right when they opened Saturday evening so either call ahead for a reservation or arrive early if you're going right as they open!

This place was within walking distance of our hotel, so it was convenient to stop in on our way back to Louisville. I love the design of the building and the interior. It had a "homelike" atmosphere and very clean (even the restrooms--we checked lol). We were seated and the staff was helpful in telling us about the specials for the day. We (my husband and I) were impressed with everything so far, but we wanted to taste the food as well before we made any judgments. The niku udon and karaage were the first items to arrive. The udon broth was an aromatic beef broth with delicious and chewy udon. We both enjoyed this bowl. The karaage however, had potential, but coming from NYC just a few weeks ago, it did not compare to what we had at Ippudo. Plus, some parts looked a tad undercooked. I ordered the grilled saba (mackerel) and it was delicious, but I had to take it to-go because I was getting full. The sashimi was as good as we had in NYC so that was a plus. Overall, we would love to go back because we felt it would be a better experience for dinner versus lunch. Perhaps on a cold, winter night we can opt for a heated sake and explore their dinner menu.

I ate at Tachibana several weeks ago and I'm STILL thinking about it! I came here by recommendation of my little sister and her boyfriend and let me tell you- it definitely lived up to the hype! I lived in Japan for several years and have been desperately searching for some good, authentic Japanese food for quite some time. Unfortunately, there isn't too much to be found in Louisville where I live. But to me, an hour drive to have some great food is well worth it- and that's just what we did! I heard the words 'katsu curry' and 'Fridays' and I was there! The outside of Tachibana is gorgeous. I'm not sure who does their landscaping, but A++! It reminded me of a Japanese garden. The inside is just as nice. The food and the service were both excellent. All three of us ordered Katsu curry. I also ordered gyoza, edamame, and a California roll with eel sauce. They even humored me on my request for extra pickles with my curry-yum! I think all of us ate every single bit of our curry as well as everything else. No food wasted here! I would definitely make the drive again to eat at Tachibana, and this time I'll be bringing more friends with me!

I believe this is the best Japanese restaurant in Lexington by far. It's always at capacity so I recommend a reservation it is relatively inexpensive for the high quality. The dining area was not filled with too many tables as to be overcrowded. It has regular dining area a sushi bar area, and a regular beverage bar area where you can also dine. I noticed about a third of the restaurant's customers were Japanese always a good sign the food will be amazing. We started with the smoked salmon nigiri the portion was extremely generous and it was delicious, succulent, and emotional eater could've stopped right there but I didn't. We also had the special appetizer octopus dumplings it was a truly delightful dish. The Lexingtonian sushi roll was an interesting and perfectly balanced its a must try I will be ordering this is an appetizer from now on. The teriyaki chicken had a homemade teriyaki sauce. It was perfect not overly sweet, nor salty the dish was just succulent. We also ordered the Yakiniku it had the most amazing flavors and the meat was tender as butter. I also had a rice cake truly awesome. Everything mentioned above and another sushi roll was under $70. It is embarrassing to admit but we had just left the "Blue Sushi Sake Bar" down at Fritz Farm where we were served probably less than 3 ounces total of food and paid $50 for it. Needless to say that will be the last time we go to there. The Tachibana restaurant it's my new favorite restaurant in all of Lexington. I just realized after proof reading this that you might think I'm a sumo wrestler, I'm not. I'm not even Japanese. I was just hungry and this is truly an amazing place to eat.

I visited my cousin, who frequents Tachibana one to two times per week. She loves it! The staff all knew her and were welcoming and nice. We order shumai for an appetizer. Some things ordered were the chicken tatsu, chicken teriyaki, and spicy miso ramen soup. Everybody liked their food. For dessert- green tea ice cream. Yum!

In Lexington for a horse show and had a sushi craving. The atmosphere was awesome, our waitress was great and the food was amazing! I wish we had this place in FL!

Loved the food... did not love the service. I stopped in for lunch, and was one of only a handful of tables there, but by the tiime I was finished, nearly the whole place was filled! They offer a small hibachi table in the back, as well as regular restaurant seating, and a sushi bar and normal bar area. I chose to sit in the dining room area. I was there almost 10 minutes before someone took my order. I ordered the Ahi Roll (a spicy tuna roll with white eel and fish eggs on top), which arrived very quickly once I ordered. However, it was quite spicy, and the server neglected to come over to check on me or refill my water that was empty halfway through my meal. I proceeded to sit there and wait another 15 minutes to see if anyone would fill up my water (as my mouth was on fire), and no one ever came back over. It's also good to note that you shouldn't wait for the server to come over and bring you a check, as you actually just go up to the cashier and pay at the end of your meal. I hate giving just 3 stars, as the sushi roll was AMAZING, but the service was so poor that it ruined my experience here.

First the service is amazing... the food is authentic and delicious. I will be coming back to Tachibana in the near future.

This is my second Japanese restaurant that I am trying in Lexington. The place gets so busy during lunch and it is really hard to find a parking spot.So be prepared for that. I ordered the lunch special - which was Sushi on Thursdays and it was only $8.50. I was surprised that you get Sushi for under 10$. The waitress was friendly. Even though there were lots of people, she was able to get a table for us pretty quick. The food came in like less than 5 minutes. They give you a Tofu soup as well, which is just ordinary. Overall, it is a very good place to come for lunch if you are nearby.

Great authentic feel! I highly recommend the beef katsu! Make sure to make a reservation ahead of you plan on going on the weekend.

A very good restaurant with a large selection of different types of Japanese foods. We had the Kamo Soba dinner (a duck soup with fish cakes and soba noodles). The soup was delicious. We also had the Eel California and the Ebi Shumai sushi rolls. Both were fresh and good. The restaurant is clean, comfortable with friendly employees. I will definitely return on a later trip to Lexington.

The authentic Japanese restaurant in Lexington! The price is good and the dishes are all good! There are a lot of new Japanese restaurants but only this one is the most authentic style! And the price is the most reasonable one!

This was so wonderful! The menu had pictures for EVERY item they served. And it is an extensive menu! Everyone, there was 10 of us, received the proper order at the proper temperature. My Udon bowl was so hot that I burned my tongue. (My fault). We ALL said we wanted to return!

The best tempura in town: perfectly drained (only the onion is at all oily), fresh, and hot but never too hot to eat. The tem-don is close to a perfect meal, the fry set also very good for a lighter fried entree. Great place for seafood lovers (and pescatarians who eat low on the food chain). Atmosphere is pleasant, forks and spoons available if requested (my father has a tremor so chopsticks aren't an option for him). A bit of a splurge if you're going as/with a group, but the portions and quality are worth it. Definitely going to return.

Only been here once, so treat the rating as provisional. The scope of Japanese dishes is quite impressive for central KY and they have Asahi Super Dry beer so that's a bonus in my book The karaage chicken seemed a little under-seasoned, but had exactly the right texture. The yakisoba (fried noodles) was the most deluxe version I ever had, including scrambled egg and plump little shrimp as well as a rather generous amount of pork and cabbage (in Japan, you are often lucky to find even trace amounts of pork). It was also a huge serving and came out piping hot; almost more like a deconstructed okonomiyaki than humble plate of yakisoba. The decor is spartan and the exterior could use some love, but the food was promising and I will be back to explore more of the menu.

Freshest fish in town! Haven't had a dish I don't like. The service is great and theirs almost always a table available (although I prefer the sushi bar) They have fantastic weekly specials with some delicious hard to find sushi available. Love! love! love! Great place to take large groups or just get a table for two.

Extremely disappointed in the Tachibana restaurants. Fellow Yelpers let me down on this one. Cons: *We waited over 10 minutes to get a menu or to be acknowledged by a server. * Took another 10 minutes to receive a glass of water. I asked for lemon but never received it. *My meal came out and my husband waited approximately 5 more minutes to get his. During this time, a server stopped by and asked, "How's your meal?" *Husband ordered the Assorted Sushi. The meal is to come with miso soup but he never received his soup. *We ordered sake which never came to our table but we were charged. *Throughout our experience, we had a total of 4 different servers. *The dinning area is extremely loud. We could not have a conversation across the table w/o yelling. Pros: * Food was good and fresh My reasoning for giving 2 stars vs. 1. Overall, I would go somewhere else for better service and atmosphere. If service doesn't mean much to you or being charged for items you never received, Tachibana is your place.

Solid sushi. Great attention to detail for my wife's birthday. My daughter went nuts for the miso ramen. Very clean. Good experience.

Simply the best. We dine here weekly, sometimes twice a week, and it never disappoints. The chefs are knowledgeable and friendly. The staff is always eager to please.

Tachibana was always a treat for me and my boyfriend when we went on dates! He had been to Japan and said it was one of the closest restaurants to back in Japan! We will miss them after our move!

It took me so long to order because everything looked delicious. Great service. The first couple minutes nobody spoke because the food was that amazing. I had the miso ramen and it was incredible (I only wish the egg in my dish was soft boiled). Looking forward to returning!

Tachibana is one of the better Japanese restaurants in town, as confirmed by my friend from Japan. I don't come here too often, since it's a bit out of the way. However, every time I am here, I never leave disappointed. Food is decent across the board. Sushi and sashimi are fresh. Everything is reasonably priced. I usually order a main dish and a side of a few pieces of sushi or sashimi. Although I love noodle soup, the udon here is just all right. My friends seem to like the soba. If you like rice dishes, I would recommend Tonkatsu or Katsujyu. The meat is tender and flavorful even without the sauce. Katsujyu is topped with cooked onions, scallions, and thinly cut nori -- this combination is not only aesthetically pleasing but also a treat for my palate. In addition to the great food, service is phenomenal. Once we came here for a friend's birthday. The entire staff was extremely accommodating in helping us to bring out the cake and miscellaneous items for a birthday surprise. This is a regular gathering spot among my friends. There is more than one reason why we dine here again and again.

I met a friend there for lunch on a Tuesday and ordered the special, Katsu Don and Udon Kitsune. It was delicious!

So the FOOD was A~MAZ~ING!!! Japanese curry is my favorite food, and this by far was the best I've had! The katsu curry is a Friday special; decent price ($12) and a huge serving! I was very satisfied with the food. The service however... the staff was nice... but we were basically abandoned once our food was given to us (served very quickly btw, another pro!). Our waters were never refilled. We were never asked if things were fine. We waited almost an hour before my friend went up to ask for boxes, kind of as a reminder that we existed and we were ready for the check.... they handed my friend the box and still never came by. Eventually we pulled a waiter aside and said we want our check now. I will definately come back here when im in the area, but goodness i hope the service improves (I will update the review based on that)

Coming back after 30 years - the last few living in SF Bay area. I have to tell you, I've been to a couple of restaurants here in Lexington that were filthy. And the food was disappointing to say the least. Tachibana is not one of them. It's immaculate and the service is exceptional! The food is fresh and delicious. I had the Spicy Salmon and Crunchy Shrimp Rolls, they were yummy. The gyoza was the best I've had! We shared the tempura vegetables and they were crunchy on the outside, and fresh inside, ( not soggy). I will keep coming back.