Ever since it opened with lots of media attention in 1974, this Japanese restaurant has been attracting a young clientele for sushi, sashimi and tempura (fish, shellfish or vegetables, battered and deep fried). However, the star dish of the menu is Sukiyaki, a type of Japanese meat and vegetable stew that's great shared amongst a group of friends. As for drinks, you can try Japanese specialties like umeshu (plum wine), sake and Asahi beer or stick to local favorites like red wines from Rioja, blush from Navarra and Penedés, and reds and whites from Rueda. The interior is decorated in the style of a house from the land of the rising sun: black floors, wooden walls with landscape paintings and flower motifs etched on the columns and handrails.

An intimate dining room divided into four separate spaces where you can order from a menu that combines Japanese and Chinese specialties at affordable prices. The house specials are sushi (raw fish) and Chinese soups (the portions are huge). It's best to come as a group and choose a few different dishes to share so that you get to try as much variety as possible. The staff are friendly and efficient and put up stoically with some of the rowdy behavior that occurs at weekends. There are Japanese beers or sake (hot or cold) to go with the sushi.

Naomi Japonés claims to have been the very first Japanese restaurant in Madrid, with 33 years—and counting—under its belt. The façade of the restaurant is small and unremarkable, while the inside is so cramped for space that guests are required to make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance. It fills up every single night, with diners from all over enjoying what is truly some of the best Japanese food that Madrid has to offer, including typical Japanese-style noodle dishes, fresh sushi platters, and tasty meat portions like beef teriyaki, for example. For an extra touch of authenticity, there are two kinds of imported Japanese beer and a dining section that requires guests to remove their shoes and sit on the floor while eating. - Michelle Campagna