Murata Restaurant is the real thing! We shared a delicious meal and it brought back memories from when I was a child and there were Japanese restaurants run by Issei and Nisei. I judge a sushi restaurant by the rice: seasoning, texture/moisture, and how loose/compact they make their rolls or nigiri. Murata was spot on! No fancy schmancy (ick) sauces to mask the quality and flavor of the fish. The tempura wasn't greasy and they served it with a matcha salt which was very refreshing. The softer vegetables like the eggplant and zucchini were perfect -- not overdone to where they are leaching their water making for a soggy bite. I made the mistake of ordering the ribeye medium instead of medium rare. We tried the Japanese seasoning trio and the fresh grated wasabi was my favorite! We were too full to have any dessert but they brought out a slice of melon to top off a great meal. I should have taken pix but everything was so fresh and delicious I was too busy enjoying my meal!

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Portland! The interior makes you feel like you're in Japan. The service is extremely friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The Kani Su crab was amazing. The sashimi was all super fresh and high quality fish. The creamy scallop roll was so delicious with just the right amount of spice. If you're looking wanting dessert, I recommend the green tea ice cream - it was the best green tea ice cream I've ever had!

This is now our favorite Japanese restaurant in the area. It is small, cozy, and beautifully decorated. Staff was all very kind and attentive. Pro: -All the fish was very fresh, juicy, generously sized and from Japan. You can taste the quality and care put into the food. -For what you get, we believe the price is very reasonable and the lunch menu is a great deal! -There are tatami rooms for larger groups & chairs in the main room as well. -Parking is validated!! Con: -You might need to call a few times to get ahold of someone to make reservations during their open hours We are already planning on when to return and enjoy more items on the menu!!

I came here for lunch service with a friend! We made a reservation and were promptly seated. The restaurant filled up quickly so it might be a good idea to make a reservation ahead of time. The restaurant is small but has an airy atmosphere. There's a sushi bar and a few tatami rooms for groups of 2 or more. I really felt Japanese authenticity shine through in the decor, service, and food! I ordered the broiled salmon and tempura teishoku set. It's a $28 lunch deal where you get to pick 2 entrees. I think it worth it as it comes with a lot of variety. The miso soup had a really rich flavor too it that was really refreshing. The salmon was cooked perfectly and had nice seasoning even though it's meant to be simple. Overall a really wholesome and straightforward Japanese meal. I will be back soon!

It's been years since I've been to Murata, and I have to say it's better than what I remember! We left feeling happy and full, and we ordered: - Sushi lunch A - Katsu teishoku bento - Combo: sashimi and katsu The meals come with sunomono (cucumber salad), miso soup, and a bowl of rice. I highly recommend calling to make a reservation for busier lunch and dinner times, because they have a smaller operation. They only can take reservations over the phone. If you have a small group, it's worth seeing if they have a tatami room where you sit inside a semi-private room near the sushi bar - under the table, there is space for your legs and feet to dangle so you don't have to sit cross legged.

As someone who grew up in Japan, Murata is one of the most authentic restaurants I've experienced in the states. Staff are all incredibly attentive and most speak Japanese. Food is on the pricey side but the combo choices are always a great option. Sushi is a must and some very traditional dishes on the menu. If you have a group the private shoeless booths are a treat.

This is an authentic Japanese restaurant in Portland. I recommend making a reservation since I came on Sat night and they were not accepting any walk ins. The interior looks very modern Japanese with private rooms where you sit on the floor. The staff are all very attentive and took away our finished plates right away. I liked their diverse menu - a lot of the dishes I haven't seen in any other Japanese restaurants. The fish tasted fresh, but not the the best quality sushi I've had. I liked that they gave a mini appetizer set of salmon, edamame, and kaboch. It was a cute little tasting set to start the dinner

Finally decided to try Murata and it did not disappoint. I recommend getting a reservation because I've actually tried to walk in a couple times and the wait was always 1hr+ and I didn't want to wait that long. I went with sushi dinner A set and it also came with appetizers. We upgraded our sushi roll that comes with sushi A to negitoro for an extra $10. This was my favorite sushi there. The fish just melts in your mouth and while also flavorful from the green scallions. The nigiri fishes were all high quality, my favorite was the hamachi. They have a wide selection of Japanese dishes. I recommend looking at their daily and weekly specials, there were a few that I was interested in like the salmon or yellow collar and uni/fatty tuna bowl. The place itself is small and cozy. The staffs were very friendly and service was good. I'll definitely come back here to try other dishes.

Was in town for work and wanted to have a nice meal to end the week. We fortunately made a reservation for dinner - and so we were allowed to go in for dinner. They gave us a Tatami room bc we had a larger party. Most of us order the the Chirasi Zushi set. One of us ordered the 3 Fish set and a salmon Chirasi. We were given an appetizer as well as Miso soup (red miso-the better type of miso) The ingredients are definitely higher end and very "curated". The service is comfortable but very very good. Just the right level of comfort and attention to detail. The servers definitely make it a great dining experience. 5-stars (a rare one from me)