With four DFW locations, izakaya-style dining is never far thanks to Yama. Dig into snacks like takoyaki and yakitori, then wash it all down with sake cocktails.

A chewy noodle that’s just as important as ramen, udon is the star of the show at this Plano restaurant. Eat udon in soup (beef or teriyaki chicken are good options), or consider twirling a bowl of noodles served with Japanese curry sauce or a mix of dashi and shoyu.

This massive Japanese grocery chain’s Plano outpost offers a bounty of dining options. Hit the food court for a bowl of ramen, tempura veggies, and sushi, then finish with a sweet matcha-flavored treat.

Serious home cooks flock to this Japanese grocery for sushi supplies and the freshest fish, but the sushi bar is also a solid lunch destination. The menu is pretty simple, including rolls, chirashi bowls, and tempura udon, and the price is right — it’s easy to dine here for less than $15.

One of the city’s longest-standing izakayas, Mr. Max serves reasonably-priced eats that are consistently solid. Steamed monkfish liver, grilled beef tongue, and bluefin tuna sashimi are always a good choice, as is the restaurant’s perfectly crispy chicken karaage.

One of the city’s few options for dining in a tatami room that must be reserved in advance, Teppo is also a yakitori heaven. Pay close attention to the specials board, where the day’s freshest fish and oysters will be priced.

One of the most influential Japanese restaurants in the United States and beyond, Dallas’ outpost of Nobu is still one of the city’s finest spots to splurge on sushi. The uni shooters and seared salmon sashimi are Nobu legends, and diners can indulge in chef-guided omakase dinners priced from $110 to $170.

Consistently lauded as the best Japanese eatery in Dallas, Chef Teiichi Sakurai’s chic Arts District restaurant is an icon. The sushi is stellar, but Sakurai’s real specialty is perfect soba noodles crafted from buckwheat at the restaurant daily. Need a cheap lunch that’s still totally sophisticated? Hit the restaurant for ramen during lunch.

Classic tonkatsu, vegetarian, and “demon-spiced” bowls of ramen await at this Deep Ellum noodle shop.

Not dressed fancy enough to fit in at Tei-An? Head to Sylvan Thirty for a more casual bowl of noodles that still features the same obsessive attention to detail that makes chef Teiichi Sakurai’s restaurants great.