Genji Japanese Restaurant

Update: Still the hub for many that want to spend time with friends to make memories. Staff is always welcoming and its very apparent that Mr. Genji is beloved by all that frequent this space. Original: Genji is a staple. Have been coming here for over 10 years. Vast and reasonably priced menu. The food is delicious and the open karaoke definitely adds to the ambience. It can get busy, but I've never had issues getting sat within a few minutes. Private rooms are available and the space is large enough to accommodate parties. If you're a night owl, this place is perfect for you.

We come here for the sashimi appetizer which is simple but tasty, tuna salmon squid, and the Yakiniku. We have tried the grilled squid, beef tongue, octopus balls-tako yaki , gyudon, yakitori, number one roll and others over various visits. I think the yakiniku is my favorite. The karaoke is fun too. Price is good in my opinion.

I have been going to Genji for over 23 years since his location on Fondren near Richmond. The atmosphere is not kid friendly, it is more geared towards karaoke and drink after work type of environment. One thing that is constant is Mr. Genji himself, he is almost always there everyday. And we have been ordering the one thing only. His beef Yakiniku. This is the best I have ever had, and I have tasted every single yakiniku from USA, Japan and Korea, even Taiwan. His is simply the best. Paired with his delicious sticky Japanese rice, it is the ultimate food for my whole family. My sons are now 20s now and they grew up eating yakiniku from Genji. Picture does not do justice. We have followed him to every single location he moves to and will continue to do so. Shoutout to the Japanese lady with super long hair who has since passed. We miss you 😢

Fun place and the food has been consistently excellent; if you want authentic, traditional Japanese dishes, then you should come here. I'm not sure of the schedule, but they also offer karaoke and have a full stage. I eat here at least once each time I visit Houston. Please note: you must ask for your check when you're ready to go. They will not assume you're done and automatically bring it. :)

I decided to try this place on a whim and was surprised to hear the staff speaking Japanese. The vibe is an old school Japanese Izakaya with a lot of menu items you would see at a place in Japan. I enjoyed the aji fry the most. I will return next time I'm in town perhaps with my Japanese coworkers whom I am sure will appreciate some home cooking.