Where to Find the Best Japanese Food in Singapore: Our Ultimate Pick

Backlit and bold — just like us. Neon Pigeon’s bar is stocked with rare Japanese spirits, small-batch gins, and whiskies ready to stir up your night. © Image Credit: Neon Pigeon

Japanese food isn’t just a craving in Singapore — it’s practically a lifestyle. From after-work sushi to late-night ramen runs, we’re obsessed with the balance, the freshness, the finesse. But what if you want something more than another safe bowl of soba or a quiet omakase? What if you’re looking for bold flavors, raw energy, and food that’s as punchy as the playlist?

That’s where Neon Pigeon comes in — the gritty, gorgeous restaurant at Boat Quay Singapore that redefines what Japanese food can be. This is our top curated pick for anyone searching for the best Japanese food Singapore has to offer.

Golden, crunchy, and packed with flavour—our karaage chicken is sprinkled with sesame, scallions, and just the right touch of lime.

A Gritty, Modern Izakaya That Hits Hard

Neon Pigeon isn’t your average Japanese joint. It's a rebellious, third-culture izakaya that smashes Tokyo street flavors into the chaos of New York’s Lower East Side — and lands it smack in the middle of Boat Quay. You walk in and immediately feel it: the neon glow, the art-lined walls, the thrum of a soundtrack that means business.

It’s loud in the best way. The open kitchen crackles with fire and smoke. Guests lean into their bites and their banter. And the menu? Built to share, designed to provoke, impossible to get enough of.

This is izakaya Singapore style — with an edge.

Grilled chicken tsukune glazed in tare, finished with a rich egg yolk and a dash of spice—umami in every bite.

Bold Food, Big Flavour, Zero Boring Bites

Every dish here tells a story. Sometimes it’s playful, sometimes it’s nostalgic, but always with a twist. The karaage chicken is marinated in citrus and dusted with sansho, then fried to an audibly crispy finish. The grilled tsukune gets a velvety egg yolk to dip in — soft, savoury, and sexy.

Silky roasted bone marrow glazed with den miso, paired with red chilli umami toast for that perfect balance of richness, heat, and crunch.

If you're here for richness, the miso glazed bone marrow served with red chili umami toast is all-in decadence. The truffle mushroom rice feels like a luxe hug, while the smoked duck yakisoba brings together wok-seared noodles and melt-in-your-mouth.

Raw dishes don’t hold back either. The wasabi scallop sashimi is elegantly spicy with hana wasabi and tapioca crisps. The chu toro tataki is seared just enough, and the futomaki — bursting with tuna, salmon, hamachi, tobiko, and yuzu soy — is big-flavored, colourful chaos.

Lightly seared chu toro dressed in a savoury wafu glaze, layered over wakame and sweet onions—clean, rich, and full of umami.

And for the grill lovers: you're spoilt!

The washu-gyu striploin with wasabi verde is smoke-kissed perfection. The chilean sea bass is rich with black garlic. And if you’re in beast mode, the smoked duroc pork ribs or the bone-in Iberico pork chop will blow your mind.

It’s giving good Japanese restaurant Singapore vibes—and we’ve got the receipts to prove it.

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Drink Like You Mean It

At Neon Pigeon, the drinks are loud too. Whether you’re chasing a heady buzz or keeping it clean, the bar delivers.

Go big with the Enzoni Negroni — full-proof and spirit-forward, laced with cherry wine, shochu, and a whisper of salted grape. Feeling bubbly? The Pornstar Martiki brings clarified passion fruit and sparkling wine for a fizzy tropical fix. Or indulge in the Shiru Kī Old Fashioned, a creamy, smoky, banana-touched bombshell of a cocktail.

Not drinking? You’re still in great hands. The Calamansi Cooler blends Seedlip, Thai basil, calamansi, and cucumber into a citrusy, herbaceous refresher. The A-NO-JO Highball brings bold, spicy energy with crisp ginger ale—and zero booze. These aren’t mocktails. They’re proper drinks, minus the hangover.

Zero proof, all flair—crafted with precision, finished with a flourish. Even without the booze, the experience is intoxicating. © Image Credit: Atlas

Whether you’re all in or zero proof, this is the go-to for Japanese drinks Singapore lovers chasing flavour and fun in every pour.

Where It All Comes Together

Why Boat Quay? Because this is where the city breathes a little louder. The riverside lights, the buzz of people who just got off work and don’t want to go home yet — it's all part of the draw.

Neon buzz, open-air bites, and late-night sips—Boat Quay is where Singapore unwinds after dark. © Image Credit: expedia

Neon Pigeon fits right in. Grit meets groove. Edge meets elegance. It's a space where chefs are plating sashimi under graffiti murals, and bartenders are mixing cocktails while 90s hip-hop hums in the background.

So if you're typing "where to find the best Japanese food Singapore" into your search bar, just stop. Book a table at Neon Pigeon. Bring friends. Or don’t. Either way, come hungry, come curious, and don’t expect ordinary.

FUN FAQ

Where can I find a good Japanese restaurant at Boat Quay Singapore?

Neon Pigeon is the ultimate pick — bold flavors, robata grill, sushi, sashimi, cocktails, and street vibes.

Is Neon Pigeon suitable for non-drinkers?

Absolutely. Our zero-proof cocktails are creative, layered, and made with the same care as their boozy counterparts.

Is it more casual or fine dining?

We are an izakaya with elevated technique. It's not fine dining — it’s modern Japanese cuisine Singapore has made its own.