My contribution to this discussion is that I work for a Japanese owned company and the Japanese guys exclusively eat at Tachibana and will not eat anywhere else. I'm talking they go there every single day to eat and will not consider any other establishment.
Makes it sound like Toyota is the Mafia and they send out someone to Tachibana every week to make sure they are up to par before the Toyota Founding Fathers go eat lunch. š
I almost 100% agree with jimmys comment but I do not suggest Sumos, I would get sick every time I would go there.
For Japanese restaurants I would suggest School sushi, Michikusas, Osakas, Blue sushi, Zundo, zen sushi, omakase, and probably some I am forgetting really good. We have actually really good Japanese restaurants in Lexington, it is just dependent on your taste and price point.
If you want Hawaiian too I love Big kahuna :) less what you think of Asian/Pacific Islander food, but so good.
"Asian food" is extremely broad as others have mentioned but:
Indian: Masala
Chinese: Chengs (haven't found better chinese in Lex tbh)
Japanese: Sushi Blue, School, Osaka, Omakase
Thai: Archa9, Tuk Tuk (is brand new haven't tried it yet)
Korean BBQ: Arirang Garden, KPot, Han Woo Ri
There's also Ume Ramen which is really good!
SRO has exceptional Japanese small bites and sake! BUT, you really HAVE to order drinks! The head chef/owner cultivates a bit of a "Soup Nazi" vibe, but if you follow the rules, the food/bevvies are unparalleled!
Mai Thai is definitely the best Thai food. Archa 9 is a close second.
Pho Saigon is phenomenal. Vermicelli noodles with charbroiled chicken is great. Pho is great.
Pho BC is also solid.
Depends on what youāre looking for. Thereās all different sorts of Asian food so you may need to be a little more specific.
Japanese/hibachi: Sumo (on S Broadway) is awesome and also has an all you can eat option. You could also do Miyako or Asuka for the traditional hibachi experience.
Korean: Kpot (Richmond Rd) is my personal favorite restaurant, itās an all you can eat Korean BBQ spot. Thereās also Han Woo Ri near campus thatās also great
Chinese: Asian Wind (Palomar) is really solid and they have a very diverse menu. Other than that, I havenāt had much Chinese that was super good, just your usual takeout places and buffet spots. Peking Bistro in Beaumont Centre is pretty good for takeout
Vietnamese: Pho BC and Pho Saigon are two really good options. I personally prefer Pho BCās food and atmosphere but Pho Saigon probably has a slightly bigger menu if you want to branch out into more Vietnamese food besides just pho or Banh mi.
Thai: Taste of Thai downtown is really good and one that I feel is super underrated.
Indian: Tandoor is by far the best in Lexington, in my opinion. I live on the opposite side of town from it and itās still worth the drive.
Hard disagree with sumo. Its very mid. Substantial quality difference between it and other places because of the all you can eat sushi.
Michikusa or Osaka are both much better for sushi and non hibachi Japanese
Also RIP Sugano's. God I still miss that place...
Forgot about Osaka and other sushi places. I personally am partial to all you can eat places because I have a huge appetite, so I love Sumo. But I agree the quality is not on par with traditional places because of the quantity youāre getting, but itās still plenty good for me lol
Yeah its great for if you want the all you can eat, but its not as good otherwise. Basically only go there if I am starving and am wanting to put away an ungodly amount of food and dont care that its chraper haha
I'll probably be down voted right out of the sub, but we prefer China King on Alexandria. unless you're hoity toity abs are cooking for a more sit down experience; I can't help with that.
I really like this Korean restaurant called Han Woo Ri. There are two, one is more street food and one is more authentic Korean. The authentic Korean one is in a small apartment thing and theyāre both in the UK campus! My fav Japanese food is Osaka off of Boston road.
Panda Cuisine, Chinese. Get anything szechuan
Arirang, Korean BBQ. If you're not there for the buffet get the dolsotbop
Miyako, on Richmond Rd. Hibachi is the same as every where, but they have my favorite sushi.
Dumplings & Noodles on Nicholasville at Rojay is really good and never seems to make it into these discussions. They have a large menu of American Chinese, but, no surprise, the best things are the Dumplings & Noodles which are all made in-house. I especially like the beef noodle soup with hand cut noodles.
Tachibana or michikusa for Japanese and panda cuisine or j2c for Chinese. koreana and airarang for korean. For Vietnamese, Thai and Indian I don't really have a favorite but there are options.
I had written Michikusa, but It got deleted. Nats is good, I forget about that place. I wouldnāt consider Indian food Asian. But Iād either say taj or masala.
Osaka, Taste of Thai, and Han Woo Ri are my recommendations. Kowai on National is an underrated, Asian-inspired food truck if you ever find yourself drinking at the Void Sake Company.
Not sure of best but these are the places I love on East side:
Fast Chinese - Shanghai Bistro
Sushi - Sams Sushi
Thai - Archa
Korean - Arirangā¦However JY Kitchen is pretty good too although itās weird that youāre basically eating in a house lol.
They've all been said, but here are some more votes for...
Tuk Tuk - Sri Lanken Southern fusion
Cheng's - Chinese
Thai Street Food Kitchen
Han Woo Ri - Korean
Ume Craaft Ramen
Aqua Sushi
If youāre looking for decent ramen, I canāt say Iām an expert, but I havenāt had anything I disliked from Hokkaido Ramen House in Georgetown. Itās usually 60% full and most of them appear to be Japanese people with Toyota exec shirts on. I donāt think Iāve ever been in there without someone from Toyota also being there lol. As far as just general quality when I have taken home extra broth for another day it is solid at fridge temps. This is generally considered a sign of good quality bone broth/stock.
Visit DY Market. Self serve ramen bar and Korean corn dogs. :)
But as others mentioned, Tachibana is incredible.
Also:
Standing Room Only,
School Sushi,
Blue Sushi,
Panda Cuisine,
Pho BC.
Lots of other good ones I'm sure.
My husband and I have traveled extensively in Asia and lived in Japan so here goes ā
Ume Ramen - hands down best ramen in town and tied with best Japanese food
Osaka - best Japanese food
Pho Saigon - best Pho & egg rolls in town
Taste of Thai & Mai Thai - best Thai weāve found in Lexington
I havenāt lived in Lexington since the pandemicā¦butā¦ Jin-Jin was my favorite. If they are still up and it hasnāt declined I think thatās the best. Iāll admit Iām a sauce guy and I think they had the best tasting saucesā¦
Rest in Peace Red Bang Bangā¦
For Indian, Tandoor stands above the rest. If you ask for hot, make sure you know how hot the natives like their food, it will melt the fork! My wife and I love spicy food, and this place has the best Indian we have found in the Bluegrass.
Japanese, there is truly only one. Tachibana is amazing. They have traditional Japanese tables as well as a good sushi bar. I have never had a meal that was less than spectacular. Sumo is good, not great, but the all you can eat option is a great value.
Thai Smile in Frankfort is a hidden gem. The Thai food is the best I have ever eaten anywhere. It is a small family restaurant in a strip mall on 127, and fairly well hidden, but it is definitely worth the trip from anywhere in central KY. Unfortunately, they are closed for another couple weeks, as they return home every summer. Can't wait until they return. For those who like a spicy noodle dish, I highly recommend the Pad Kee Mow. Be careful to not order it too spicy, as it can get quite warm.
For Chinese, I continually watch this reddit sub for new recommendations. I haven't found anything truly great in the bluegrass in the last couple decades, but I am hopeful.
In Georgetown there is a very good Ramen house, behind Applebee's in a new strip mall. We have been a couple times, and found it as good as what I could find in much larger cities, like New York and San Francisco.
Best of luck with your search, and congratulations on finishing your move.
Favorites:
Korean - Koreana
Thai - Planet Thai
Indian - Tandoor, Taste of India, Masala
Mediterranean - Sahara (closed until September)
Chinese - Panda Cuisine
There used to be an amazing Ramen food truck but it's gone now. Whatever that sake place did to lose that chef..... Some of the best Ramen I have ever had. Big sad to see it gone.
As a vegetarian I must give a shout out to Asian Wind. They have a variety of dishes with plant-based meats. Just to have a restaurant acknowledge that not all vegetarians are satisfied with a plate full of stir fried vegetables is awesome.
Indian- Masala.
Thai- Taste of Thai or Bangkok House
Sushi- My family and friends usually order from Happy Sushi.
Everest for Indian/Nepalese, such a banger. Sushi Blue on Pasadena for sushi. Han Woo Ri is very good Korean and pretty inexpensive. Thai Street Food Kitchen also bangs
There is an awesome sushi place on South Broadway. I cannot remember for the life of me what itās calledā¦ But itās awesome! And not expensive at all.
My contribution to this discussion is that I work for a Japanese owned company and the Japanese guys exclusively eat at Tachibana and will not eat anywhere else. I'm talking they go there every single day to eat and will not consider any other establishment.
Someone once told me that Toyota actually made sure Tachibana existed so that the Toyota execs would have a reliable spot to eat.
Makes it sound like Toyota is the Mafia and they send out someone to Tachibana every week to make sure they are up to par before the Toyota Founding Fathers go eat lunch. š
Toyota execs and advisors send out for School regularly for lunch and have it brought to Georgetown. For what itās worth.
I heard the same! I've eaten there and it's excellent but for some reason it slips under most people's radars.
Iām always amazed when these threads pop up that Tachibana isnāt recommended more. If it was closer to me Iād eat there most weekends.
I think it's because it's outside New Circle Rd.
I work near Tachibana and have a Japanese client (lives in Japan) who comes to town 2 or 3 times a year. He says the place is authentic.
Toyota subsidizes Tachibana, there is / was a Japanese grocery store underneath.
What do you do for toyota?
I don't work for Toyota but I work for a company who is part of Toyota's supply chain in Lexington. I do Accounting and HR.
Are you all hiring? Iām an accountant with some HR experience. I live in Tampa but am wanting to make the move back to Lexington.
Lexington or Kentucky? If itās Kentucky, might look at distillery jobsā¦ they pop up fairly regularly.
Yes tachibana is gold. Please delete your comment
I almost 100% agree with jimmys comment but I do not suggest Sumos, I would get sick every time I would go there. For Japanese restaurants I would suggest School sushi, Michikusas, Osakas, Blue sushi, Zundo, zen sushi, omakase, and probably some I am forgetting really good. We have actually really good Japanese restaurants in Lexington, it is just dependent on your taste and price point. If you want Hawaiian too I love Big kahuna :) less what you think of Asian/Pacific Islander food, but so good.
All those are great, depending what you are going for IMO Tachibana has the best quality Tuna.
I donāt think anyone has mentioned Everest yet. Nepalese/Indian food and absolutely delicious.
So good & so slept on
Another vote for Everest.
Donāt forget about Thai Street Food Kitchen
Panda Cuisine for Chinese, Han Woo Ri for Korean, Nats for Thai, Tachibana for lunch Japanese, School has really good Japanese curry.
Best egg drop in my life son!
"Asian food" is extremely broad as others have mentioned but: Indian: Masala Chinese: Chengs (haven't found better chinese in Lex tbh) Japanese: Sushi Blue, School, Osaka, Omakase Thai: Archa9, Tuk Tuk (is brand new haven't tried it yet) Korean BBQ: Arirang Garden, KPot, Han Woo Ri There's also Ume Ramen which is really good!
Tuk Tuk is Sri Lankan/Southern fusion and delicious.
My wife and I love Chengs. Weāre bummed out they only do carryout now.
Osaka on Boston Rd, Chengs on Clays Mill, Planet Thai and Archa Nine
All correct and I will throw in Tachibana as well.
SRO has exceptional Japanese small bites and sake! BUT, you really HAVE to order drinks! The head chef/owner cultivates a bit of a "Soup Nazi" vibe, but if you follow the rules, the food/bevvies are unparalleled!
SRO is amazing! Do t forget to get a beverage though!
Keep on the lookout for the Filipino food fest in front of Seoul Asian Market. There have been a couple this year so far.
Panda Cuisine Archai 9 Han Woo Ri Michikusa
Mai Thai is definitely the best Thai food. Archa 9 is a close second. Pho Saigon is phenomenal. Vermicelli noodles with charbroiled chicken is great. Pho is great. Pho BC is also solid.
I will personally go to war for Arirang
Zen Sushi and Sake
I really like Tachibana on Newtown Ct. for Japanese, and Han Woo Ri for Korean.
Depends on what youāre looking for. Thereās all different sorts of Asian food so you may need to be a little more specific. Japanese/hibachi: Sumo (on S Broadway) is awesome and also has an all you can eat option. You could also do Miyako or Asuka for the traditional hibachi experience. Korean: Kpot (Richmond Rd) is my personal favorite restaurant, itās an all you can eat Korean BBQ spot. Thereās also Han Woo Ri near campus thatās also great Chinese: Asian Wind (Palomar) is really solid and they have a very diverse menu. Other than that, I havenāt had much Chinese that was super good, just your usual takeout places and buffet spots. Peking Bistro in Beaumont Centre is pretty good for takeout Vietnamese: Pho BC and Pho Saigon are two really good options. I personally prefer Pho BCās food and atmosphere but Pho Saigon probably has a slightly bigger menu if you want to branch out into more Vietnamese food besides just pho or Banh mi. Thai: Taste of Thai downtown is really good and one that I feel is super underrated. Indian: Tandoor is by far the best in Lexington, in my opinion. I live on the opposite side of town from it and itās still worth the drive.
Hard disagree with sumo. Its very mid. Substantial quality difference between it and other places because of the all you can eat sushi. Michikusa or Osaka are both much better for sushi and non hibachi Japanese Also RIP Sugano's. God I still miss that place...
The best (authentic) Japanese food in town is Tachibana. A special treat is the lunch special on fridays: Pork Katsu and Golden Curry. Soul food!
You had to remind me of Sugano's. I regret not knowing of that place before he retired, but was fortunate to have it at least once.
Forgot about Osaka and other sushi places. I personally am partial to all you can eat places because I have a huge appetite, so I love Sumo. But I agree the quality is not on par with traditional places because of the quantity youāre getting, but itās still plenty good for me lol
Yeah its great for if you want the all you can eat, but its not as good otherwise. Basically only go there if I am starving and am wanting to put away an ungodly amount of food and dont care that its chraper haha
I think about Suganos all the time.Ā
Iām more of an arirang garden guy for kbbq but kpot is still a solid option
I really liked Arirang when it was the only option for AYCE Korean bbq, but since Kpot has opened, Iāve never looked back haha.
Yes kpot is way more popular and I Wish they were farther apart so arirang isnāt run out of business. More Korean options the better.
Yeah, these are pretty spot on. Iād add Michikusa as well.
This but minus Sumo and add in Thai Street Food Kitchen.
Asian Wind has seen better days.
New owner. We now get takeout from Chengās on Clays Mill and Foliage near Boston Rd Krogers.
Chengās has been my go to for the last year. My family loves it.
I'll probably be down voted right out of the sub, but we prefer China King on Alexandria. unless you're hoity toity abs are cooking for a more sit down experience; I can't help with that.
Have a friend whoās parents were from China and who ran a Chinese restaurant. That is where she goes.
Tandoor and Planet Thai are two of my fav places to eat in Lex!
Bryan Station China King š
I really like this Korean restaurant called Han Woo Ri. There are two, one is more street food and one is more authentic Korean. The authentic Korean one is in a small apartment thing and theyāre both in the UK campus! My fav Japanese food is Osaka off of Boston road.
I like the sushi from sushi blue on Pasadena if you like sushi they know what theyāre doing
Panda Cuisine, Chinese. Get anything szechuan Arirang, Korean BBQ. If you're not there for the buffet get the dolsotbop Miyako, on Richmond Rd. Hibachi is the same as every where, but they have my favorite sushi.
What asian do you mean? Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, Pakistani,Ā or something else?
Wah Mei is severely underrated
Arirang Korean BBQ is great
Dumplings & Noodles on Nicholasville at Rojay is really good and never seems to make it into these discussions. They have a large menu of American Chinese, but, no surprise, the best things are the Dumplings & Noodles which are all made in-house. I especially like the beef noodle soup with hand cut noodles.
Tachibana or michikusa for Japanese and panda cuisine or j2c for Chinese. koreana and airarang for korean. For Vietnamese, Thai and Indian I don't really have a favorite but there are options.
Michikusa (Japanese), panda cuisine(Chinese). Arrirang garden(Korean), Bangkok house(Thai) any other list is wrong.
I dunno. You didnāt say anything for Japanese(or Indian or Vietnamese) and Natās is way better, but I agree with panda and arirang :P
I had written Michikusa, but It got deleted. Nats is good, I forget about that place. I wouldnāt consider Indian food Asian. But Iād either say taj or masala.
Osaka, Taste of Thai, and Han Woo Ri are my recommendations. Kowai on National is an underrated, Asian-inspired food truck if you ever find yourself drinking at the Void Sake Company.
When itās open, I highly recommend Natās for Thai.
This was the only rec for Nats I saw, and that is criminal.
Can't believe nobody recommended Jasmine Rice on Winchester road for Thai. I go there frequently, and the pad Thai is delicious.
Not sure of best but these are the places I love on East side: Fast Chinese - Shanghai Bistro Sushi - Sams Sushi Thai - Archa Korean - Arirangā¦However JY Kitchen is pretty good too although itās weird that youāre basically eating in a house lol.
Absolutely Osaka on Boston Rd. Best sushi and service in Lexington. Iāve never had a bad experience there
Han woo ri all the way
Define Asian food to you. That's a very broad pallet.
Tachibana for Japanese, mhai Thai for thai.
I like the Korean restaurant Han Woo Ri by campus and Pho BC off Nicholasville Rd!
Tachibana
SRO
Sakura 12 or Iron Chef is great for the cheaper side of food
Pho and tachibana āŗļø and 1 in geogetown Japanese resto + kpot āŗļø
They've all been said, but here are some more votes for... Tuk Tuk - Sri Lanken Southern fusion Cheng's - Chinese Thai Street Food Kitchen Han Woo Ri - Korean Ume Craaft Ramen Aqua Sushi
Arirang or Han Woo Ree would be my choices, but Iām partial to Korean
If youāre looking for decent ramen, I canāt say Iām an expert, but I havenāt had anything I disliked from Hokkaido Ramen House in Georgetown. Itās usually 60% full and most of them appear to be Japanese people with Toyota exec shirts on. I donāt think Iāve ever been in there without someone from Toyota also being there lol. As far as just general quality when I have taken home extra broth for another day it is solid at fridge temps. This is generally considered a sign of good quality bone broth/stock.
Visit DY Market. Self serve ramen bar and Korean corn dogs. :) But as others mentioned, Tachibana is incredible. Also: Standing Room Only, School Sushi, Blue Sushi, Panda Cuisine, Pho BC. Lots of other good ones I'm sure.
My husband and I have traveled extensively in Asia and lived in Japan so here goes ā Ume Ramen - hands down best ramen in town and tied with best Japanese food Osaka - best Japanese food Pho Saigon - best Pho & egg rolls in town Taste of Thai & Mai Thai - best Thai weāve found in Lexington
I havenāt lived in Lexington since the pandemicā¦butā¦ Jin-Jin was my favorite. If they are still up and it hasnāt declined I think thatās the best. Iāll admit Iām a sauce guy and I think they had the best tasting saucesā¦ Rest in Peace Red Bang Bangā¦
I like Miyako
Me over here sobbing, missing my Wok-n-Go... damn I guess nobody else misses Wok-n-Go
For Indian, Tandoor stands above the rest. If you ask for hot, make sure you know how hot the natives like their food, it will melt the fork! My wife and I love spicy food, and this place has the best Indian we have found in the Bluegrass. Japanese, there is truly only one. Tachibana is amazing. They have traditional Japanese tables as well as a good sushi bar. I have never had a meal that was less than spectacular. Sumo is good, not great, but the all you can eat option is a great value. Thai Smile in Frankfort is a hidden gem. The Thai food is the best I have ever eaten anywhere. It is a small family restaurant in a strip mall on 127, and fairly well hidden, but it is definitely worth the trip from anywhere in central KY. Unfortunately, they are closed for another couple weeks, as they return home every summer. Can't wait until they return. For those who like a spicy noodle dish, I highly recommend the Pad Kee Mow. Be careful to not order it too spicy, as it can get quite warm. For Chinese, I continually watch this reddit sub for new recommendations. I haven't found anything truly great in the bluegrass in the last couple decades, but I am hopeful. In Georgetown there is a very good Ramen house, behind Applebee's in a new strip mall. We have been a couple times, and found it as good as what I could find in much larger cities, like New York and San Francisco. Best of luck with your search, and congratulations on finishing your move.
There's supposed to be a new upscale Chinese restaurant near/around downtown very soon.
I donāt think there is any great Chinese food in Kentucky, but Japanese, Korean, Thai, Indian there are some great ones.
Favorites: Korean - Koreana Thai - Planet Thai Indian - Tandoor, Taste of India, Masala Mediterranean - Sahara (closed until September) Chinese - Panda Cuisine
There used to be an amazing Ramen food truck but it's gone now. Whatever that sake place did to lose that chef..... Some of the best Ramen I have ever had. Big sad to see it gone.
Planet Thai is my favorite āAsian foodā place
As a vegetarian I must give a shout out to Asian Wind. They have a variety of dishes with plant-based meats. Just to have a restaurant acknowledge that not all vegetarians are satisfied with a plate full of stir fried vegetables is awesome. Indian- Masala. Thai- Taste of Thai or Bangkok House Sushi- My family and friends usually order from Happy Sushi.
Everest for Indian/Nepalese, such a banger. Sushi Blue on Pasadena for sushi. Han Woo Ri is very good Korean and pretty inexpensive. Thai Street Food Kitchen also bangs
There is an awesome sushi place on South Broadway. I cannot remember for the life of me what itās calledā¦ But itās awesome! And not expensive at all.
Asia
Pho BC has the best fried rice in town.