Recently, I visited Genji for the first time in years, and it completely lived up to my old memories. This place has been a Houston staple for decades, holding onto that old-school, traditional izakaya vibe that makes it so incredibly special. The karaoke is absolutely hilarious and so much fun, especially when the main room gets loud and lively later in the evening. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, always making sure everyone is having a total blast with their song requests. On top of the great entertainment, the food is seriously fantastic, with the stuffed chicken wings and beef skewers being absolute must-haves. If you want a ridiculously fun night out with amazing Japanese pub grub, this is definitely the spot to go. read more

My coworkers and I came here for an after dinner and private karaoke room after a long day at work. It was my first time having karaoke. It was quite interesting. We had to download an app and it will send whatever music you wanted to sing to the TV. They also had a covering on the mics. Sadly one of our mics wasn't working. There's also a camera in the room in case something happens. I liked how we can turn on a light to signal a staff member that we need some assistance. We ordered a variety of snacks . All the fries stuff was evenly coated, and well done. The noodles were more like food fillers. I would skip the takoyaki next time. The room definitely gives an 80s vibe and a bit dingy. You can tell that this place has been here for a long time. If you're not into karaoke, they do have a main dining area. There's free parking out front . read more

See all

I went to this place for dinner three nights in a row that's how good it is! The ramen is super delicious and very affordable. This place is definitely a hidden gem. Our waitress was incredibly nice and explained the menu really well. I also think they do karaoke after a certain time, which is a fun bonus. This is officially my new go-to ramen spot. read more

I think im about to crush some people's restaurant they grew up with. I went with a bunch of people that grew up with this restaurant and I did not enjoy myself as much as they did. Genji is a Japanese/open karaoke. They have some karaoke rooms as well. The food was ok. It's like cheap priced food. Which actually came out ok. But nothing popped for me. The sushi was eh. The curry was ok. The beef dishes were ok. The gyoza was eh. The cheesecake was not good. The place was a bit dingy, but the drunk singers were definitely entertaining. If you wanted to get tipsy and eat cheap food. 100% this is for you. read more

See all

Genji's is the go to spot for Japanese bar food and karaoke! I've been coming here for years ever since my early college days, but for some reason I'm just now remembering to write a review. Nonetheless, you're guaranteed to have a great time here with friends. Walking in, I'm not gonna lie, this isn't the nicest looking place. There's a certain old school feel with mismatched chairs, a variety of tables, and some booths that can use a little TLC. The dated, mismatched aesthetic is part of the vibe though honestly so don't let that stop you from having a good time. There's a big open area for karaoke with those sitting around you, and then smaller private rooms if you want it just for your own group. Service wise, Genji's is honestly solid. They have bottle service available where you'll get your liquor of choice, shot cups, chasers/mixers, ice, and plenty of cups. Don't skip out on the food here either. The beef tongue, French fries, chicken karaage, omurice, and cheesecake are must try items! Overall, come to Genji's for a great time, they've been here for years for a reason! read more

Genji - Cheesecake and sake - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

The workers here are amazing--very kind, welcoming, and attentive, which always makes the experience pleasant. The food was good overall, but I do feel it's a bit overpriced for what you receive. This was my third time visiting, and I usually order the same appetizer, but unfortunately this time it tasted spoiled or expired. It was unpleasant enough that neither my partner nor I could eat it. I also noticed the environment had an odor that reminded me of a care facility. I've had better experiences here in the past, so I hope this was just an off day. read more

Got the curry omu rice and yakiniku - food wise taste pretty average I would not return. The Yakiniku is a little too salty and the rice taste all right nothing stood out or special there. It's like a casual karaoke public bar area that opens late night. Service - super friendly staff read more

See all

Genjis has been a Houston staple for many years. Me genji and his staff are super nice. People flock here for a good time with the live public karaoke. They also have private rooms. If you buy enough food then the private rooms will be comped so it's also a good idea to go with a group of friends. Parking is in its own plaza and there's plenty at night. Food can sometimes be a hit or miss though. Some standouts are the katsu curry, macaroni gratin, salmon don and the bar food (like skewers)! read more

Genji - Skewers - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

I love coming here for dinner when it's getting late. The prices are great, and the food is always fresh. They're friendly and get you in quickly. It's a cozy spot to hang out with friends and family and enjoy some delicious Japanese food. read more

Genji is such a darling little spot!! Our friend brought us here last night to try some food and it was delicious, no complaints, genuinely such wonderful dishes. The service was fast and they're polite. There's also a karaoke, super fun and amazing atmosphere. One thing I absolutely loved was their lychee sake, we ordered their small bottle. It was very sweet and refreshing! We plan to visit again :) read more

Genji - Lychee Sake (Small Bottle) - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you like home cooked Japanese food this is the place to go to. Love basically everything that we order there. My little cousins always want to come here when they come into the town to karaoke, drink and have some food. Service is great too! read more

This is like my home away from home. Lots of good times and memories here. Birthday parties etc. Mr. Genji's a legend here. I'd say this is a Houston landmark people should check out. Karaoke pretty much free if you buy stuff. We love this place since college days because the food is good and cheap and the drinks and bottle cheaper than most places in Houston. If you dont' finish the bottle. You write your name on it and Mr. Genji will save it for you. My favorite dishes are beef yakiniku, mac N cheese, grill squid ( ask for extra crispy). The sashimi is decent quailty and like the chicken teriyaki too. even if you don't sing or drink, people just come to to-go food. read more

Genji - Chicken Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food was super good and super cheap! One roll was about 6 dollars (it was kind of small) and the fries were sooo crispy and flavorful. The calamari wasn't as good as the french fries but still pretty good. The cheesecake was light and fluffy (not the super dense type). Would definitely recommend with friends because the workers were nice and the food was good! read more

See all

Not to be confused with Benji Japanese Restaurant which is owned by Benji Madden of Good Charlotte, unfortunately. Which is more like Bad Charlotte anyway if you think about it, and with hindsight. For the food, maybe 3 stars, a few items are good, most are okay or not great. Prices are about what you'd expect from Japanese bar food. However, this place is one of the better places in town to go for Karaoke. Not cheap (otherwise I'd give 5 stars) but a hell of a lot of fun and still one of the best in Westchase for Karaoke, as good as some of the better Chinatown Karaoke spots. Lifestyles of the rich and the famous They're always complaining (about the lack of Japanese Karaoke bars) If that is such a problem Well, they've got mansions I think we should rob them And then go to Genji to celebrate read more

Genji - What are you on? Too much of the genji? - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Genji's is always fun to go to with a group of friends for late night bites and karaoke. The agedashi tofu was delicious, though a little soggy. The karaage was literally just regular chicken nuggets and I wish they served it with a different sauce instead of ketchup. The lemon chuhai did not meet expectations unfortunately... if you want something strong then you'll like it but it tasted too strongly of liquor for me. I did not taste much lemon flavor. The curry katsu omurice surprised me... I loved it! The curry sauce was good, the tomato rice in the omelette was amazing, and the katsu was crispy! I only wish it was served piping hot! The yakitori was solid too. For how cheap everything was, I would say it's worth getting the food here, even though you're more likely to come here for the live karaoke experience! read more

See all

Another one of those places that I've driven by hundreds of times but do not know existed but apparently reading other review, this place has been here for ages. Welcome to night night eats Edition 001. Daughter and I are out looking for something to eat frantically while every place in the Houston world shut down about 9pm. We stumbled upon this because I got to the area and did a "restaurant open " search and here we are, I was stoked to find about 15 other cars here, so you know it's either good or everyone else is looking for the same thing as well. I eventually get tired of going to Bellaire for late nights and Asian traffic dodging you know. As you step inside your notice be cheap playing card type tables but you're really not here for the ambiance, there is food here! And no "We so sollie but we are shutting the kitchen down in a few minutes" calls. A little rundown on the draws here are it is open late night, the prices on the menu are very reasonable! The menu offers lots of choices and there is SECURITY GUARD here! That is a big plus because of things that have been happening more and more lately I cannot all of my life depending remember what my daughter ordered but it was $13 and it was the one of the softest beef dishes that I've had in awhile. I had the beef udon which had a good flavor, the french fries with a seasoning on it that was not overpowering, fresh and crispy, the spicy edamame. (meh, it was okay) and the baked mac and cheese with whatever whatever was mixed in there and a Doss XX, all for $40, that would probably run about $50 at other places. Service is pretty much okay here, Non hovering but not lacking, I mean they're always within speaking of range, so if you need something you can reach them about eight feet away. There is karaoke here and thankfully nobody really singing anything tonight but if that is your fancy well here is your huckleberry. Nothing special just a little stage or area on the further side of the restaurant. If you happen to run across this review and you are the owner, please know that they main thing why I will always come back here it's because you are not too cheap to hire a security guard inside. Thank you for offering that to cover the patrons. Now that means I do not have to carry mine with me. read more

See all

They still haven't reopened the bar here, it's tables or karaoke booths only. It closed during COVID and never reopened. Bummer because the bar is mostly where great memories were born and there are so many times I'll return to check on this before I just stop coming. Other than that, nothing has changed with this place in the 7-10 years I've been coming here. They keep it old school. Same great food and great prices. It is a very popular place. Some nights it's packed and some nights it's dead. It's a Houston classic and worth visiting once. As of Feb 2023 the bar is still closed though. read more

My family and my go to Japanese restaurant. Food and service is great. People that are trying to compare this restaurant to much more expensive restaurants should be ashamed of themselves. This is a cozy, inexpensive, fun Japanese restaurant. If you have watched Midnight Diner, it has that feel. If you're looking for a high end Japanese restaurant head over to Nobu. read more

The food was amazing and delicious. The ambiance was a bit bothersome because it was karaoke night but oh well. I liked that the servers took the time to let you explore the menu before poking at you to order and also, they kept a watchful eye on my drinks so I never ran out. I'm going back. I love the beef tongue read more

A staple in Houston that has been around for ages. Decor and rules have changed with the passage of time and covid but I feel like their service has been great as always. We came here on a surprisingly not so busy Friday night as a group of 8 and got a karaoke room. The karaoke service has change to an app controlled straight to TV service which we ABSOLUTELY LOVED. You can control everything, volume, sing along or not and even send texts and pictures to the TV, from your phone! It even has YouTube in the app so you can just play YouTube videos which made everything so easy. Love love love Thai karaoke feature. The food for me is a solid 4/5. Not the best Japanese house food I've had but it satisfies and the speed and service with which it arrived was great! We favored the small plates over the big ones for sure. Some of the favorites were the karaage, spicy tuna roll, croquettes, and beef tongue! The owner was nice and explained everything very thoroughly including how to get/set up the app and pricing. Love this place, everyone should come here at least once if you live in Houston. read more

See all

I always have such a good time at genjis!!!!! They get pretty packed on the weekends but after a few sake bombs u don't even notice the wait time!! the karaoke rooms are very fairly priced and they have delicious food. I've been here soooo many times and I've never had any bad experiences. We love u mr genji!!!! read more

Genji - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

**Cheesecake $4.50 (w/ green tea, coffee or vanilla ice cream scoop) - everyone ordered this (and seconds). So good! Not too rich or sweet. I prefer vanilla ice cream. The matcha didn't seem too green tea like even though I'm not a big green tea fan. Gyoza $5/5 pieces - pan fried pork dumplings. They were ok, not that flavorful to me *French fries (w/ parmesan & nori) $3.95 - good **Salmon tartare $6.95 - I enjoyed this Takoyaki $3.95/4pcs - wheat ball w/ octopus. Bland and mushy. Didn't think they were worth the calories. Had leftovers so guess my friends weren't too crazy about it either. **yakiniku $12.95 - sliced beef with spicy garlic sauce - came with lots of meat. Very good, not too fatty **Kushiyaki $12.95- grilled beef teriyaki shish kabobs. 3 skewers of beef, green bell peppers, onions, & rice. A lot of food for the price. Pretty tender, tasty beef. *Katsu curry $9.50 - pork cutlet w/ curry sauce & rice. Got sauce on the side so wouldn't be soggy. Sauce had a couple pieces of carrot and beef. Cutlet was good and crispy but small. Curry was tasty. Omurice $7.95 - ketchup fried rice covered with egg. Didn't try it but friends seemed to like it Smoked salmon roll $5.50- smoked salmon & cucumber. it was OK. Could taste the smokiness, but it seemed a little salty. Beef tongue $6 (gyutan) - I think I tried this. surprisingly good sauce and tender. Edamame $3 - didn't try read more

Genji - Cheesecake with vanilla ice cream $4.50 - soooo good - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Still a staple in Houston to go enjoy karaoke, drinks, and food with friends and family. After 1.5 decades still love going here. Plus the staff are always so kind and great. read more

Food and service at Genji is really good! The servers are very knowledgeable about what is on the menu and what pairs well with what. So far I've tried their Yakiniku, Katsu Curry, Katsu Curry Omurice, Zaru Soba, Isobeage, and Macaroni Gratin. Everything has been really delicious and flavorful. Pricing is really reasonable too! The vibe at the Genji is family friendly and makes you feel welcomed and at home. read more

I went here for my sister's birthday with her friend. I was pleased surprised to see a variety of delicious Japanese food on the menu. From ramen to udon to rice dishes. They also have a fully stocked bar and they have karaoke too! They do open from 7pm to 2am so it's more for dinner and drinks if you're in the mood. Service was great and the food was delicious and affordable! I ordered the katsudon. It's a fried pork cutlet with egg with rice. It was so good, just the stuff if you've been out drinking. I will totally come back for more. read more

Genji - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

One of my favorite karaoke spots in the Houston area. The drinks are solid - including a good chūhai! - and the karaoke rooms are comfy. I like the app-based song requests, which include YouTube integration; you can almost always find your song. The Japanese izakaya-style food offerings are great as well. read more

Quick recap for DELIVERY ONLY: - Food: Good - Portion size: Average - Service: Average delivery - Environment: N/A - $: Average - Perks: N/A More details: Ordered from this place twice. Had the miso soup ($2) that was very good and tasty, the Vegetable soup ($2) that was very lean. I particularly love this as in most American restaurant, they add a lot of oil and other sauces in the soups, but this one was really good and lean! Edamames ($3) were good too. I was not a fan of the Yakitori chicken ($4) on the other hand, I found they fat... Will try it again for their sushi/rolls though. Overall? Average delivery. Open late. Good food. Average portions. Average prices read more

Genji - Vegetable Soup ($2) - Average - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Went to this place for a friend's birthday and it was a night well spent. At first I was a bit skeptical about the food but everything turned out to be authentic Japanese food! My favorite was the curry cutlet as it was probably one of the best ones I've ever had. The chicken karaage was lackluster. There was also this distinct smell whenever you walked in but as time went on I got used to it. The menu had a lot of variety and I could see the owner and staff running around trying to tend to everyone. The vibes were there and anyone could do karaoke, it was such a good time watching and singing with everyone. The music sheet was also updated quite recently so there are a lotttt of song choices. Definitely will be coming back with a large group of friends. read more

See all

This place never fails me. Food come out quick and I always get the yakiniku plate. It's so good!! read more

See all

Love this place for the cheap eats and drinks and entertainment! They are currently not doing karaoke right now due to Covid but we still come here just to eat. Our regular order consists of fried gizzards with sweet and sour sauce (sunagimo nanban), chicken karaage, beef udon, spider roll, yakiniku, macaroni gratin, tuna or salmon tartar. Food comes out quickly and service is great! I've heard great things about their omurice and beef tongue and cheesecake but never tried it personally since these aren't really my cup of tea. The one thing on their menu I absolutely do not recommend is the ramen. It's really salty but has a bit of a tangy flavor which offends my tastebuds so I will never try that again but everything else I've tried has been good. read more

See all

One of Houston's hidden gems. Genji's has been around for forty years and still continue to thrive. Cheap and delicious Japanese sushi and rice plates that would satisfy any customer. Everything is goood, it's great if you're adventurous and willing to try something you never have. I frequent here often and I try to order something different each time. You can't go wrong! Whether you enjoy the public singing of others, or a small party with your friends in karaoke room, you would always leave end up singing your heart out! Tips of the private rooms, it's about 50 an hour, however if you order 50 dollars worth of food, the room would be comped and so on ( order 100 bucks of food gets 2 hours) read more

Genji - Karaoke rooms fit from 4 people - 20 - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

COMMUNITY KARAOKE DOESN'T START UNTIL 9:30 PM. Such a good place for groups and a fun time. LOVE the food here! I would come here just to eat. To participate in community karaoke you got up to the tablets attached to the wall and search your go-to songs. You write the song numbers and hand it to Mr. Genji. I believe he will play 4 of your requests before he will move on to the next group. I'm a huge mic hog so I prefer private rooms. There are 3 sized rooms (S, M, L). I'm not sure what is minimal for the small room but the medium will fit about 10 people and the large is 15+. An HOUR is $50 however your tab of food and alcohol will roll into covering the room. For example, if you purchased $100 worth of stuff you can stay in the room for 2 hours. The song selections are pretty good but I've noticed they removed some really good songs. MUST HAVES (5/5): Pretty much every time I'm at Genji's these are on the table - CHICKEN KARAGE ($6.60): The batter they use on the chicken is crispy and light. It doesn't feel oily or heavy. - FRENCH FRIES ($3.50): People will swear Genji's has the best fries. They have parmesan cheese and furikake which is a Japanese seasoning that has nori seaweed. - GYUTAN/BEEF TONGUE ($5): Beef tongue has a chewier consistency but it is so good! With a squeeze of lemon and chili powder on the table, it is a perfect bite. - BEEF SALAD ($5.50): This is a new favorite. The beef on the salad is amazing! It's tender, flavorful, and the salad is refreshing. - YAKINIKU ($11.95): The cut of beef is similar to the beef salad. There's a garlic sauce that takes it to the next level. It does come with a side of rice - CHEESECAKE ($4): Gotta finish the meal with dessert. I believe the cheesecake is made in house? It also comes with a scoop of ice cream: VANILLA, COFFEE, or GREEN TEA STILL REALLY GOOD (4/5): - TEBA GYOZA ($5): Chicken wing stuffed with veggies. It's so random but really delicious. I think it's 2 or 3 wings cut up - OMU CURRY ($8.95): Rice wrapped in an egg omelet covered in a curry sauce. The portion is huge! - KATSUDON ($7.95): Fried pork cutlet cooked in eggs and onions over rice. Can be a heavy dish but very homey MEH (3/5): They are ok but I would not get again because there are so many other good food - TAKOYAKI ($3.95): Comes with 4 pieces. It's a doughy ball with octopus pieces. It was a little too mushy for me. - YAKISOBA ($6.50): Nothing special at all Alcohol at Genji is fairly priced. You can do cocktails, SAKE BOMBS, and BOTTLE SERVICE. read more

See all

Came back again and enjoyed my meal! This time, I ordered the katsudon along with the spider roll. My husband ordered the beef tongue again and got the regular omurice. The katsudon was great! $7.50 for a solid comfort meal. I felt like I was having a simple meal at home. My husband had the same thoughts about the omurice. We were looking for something simple to eat and we were not disappointed. The spider roll was okay at best. I felt like it was missing something, but for the price and the speed at which it came out, no complaints here! I left feeling satisfied for a light night munchie meal that didn't break the bank. read more

See all

Genjis may not be the fanciest karaoke lounge in Houston but I'm sure people agree with me when I say that there's none like it. While the place itself is dark and the majority of the restaurant is community karaoke, you can't beat the price of drinks and amazing food! We come here often to hang out and eat the authentic and affordable Japanese food. My favorite items include: yakiniku, seaweed Parmesan French fries, whole grilled squid, chicken katsu, grilled beef tongue, tuna tartare, and the amazing cheesecake! But honestly, I've never had anything I didn't like here. The sushi is also extremely fresh. If you're a Houstonian and haven't been here before you're definitely missing out! read more

If you want good priced Asian food and good strong drinks this is the place to be. They even had karaoke!! Went with friends will be back!! read more

Genji - Women's drink - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was invited here for a birthday dinner/celebration by one of my good friends. It was a large party and the service was just OK. We had to flag down our waitress to get orders. We ordered the California rolls as an appetizer and they were pretty good. I then ordered the beef ramen and it was also pretty good and I had 2 glasses of the house red wine. They also offer specialty drinks too. They are known for their karaoke there and man what a night! My party as well as the others in the restaurant had a ball. Some of it was really hilarious. If the service was better I would have probably given them 1 more star. read more

I love this place! Been coming since the late 90s when he was on Fondren. Omurice is my favorite and is probably the only place in town that makes it. His spider rolls are also really good and crispy. I've never done the karaoke part as I'm a complete coward with public performances, but there are private rooms as well as the main area. read more

I hosted a Bachelorette party for my friend here and we had a great experience! The food/drinks were great, the prices were good, the music selection was vast, the owner was sweet and friendly, and the staff was really helpful and extremely nice! After reading the reviews about having to show up early for the private rooms since they don't do reservations, I showed up around 6:45 to guarantee a room. We had 7 people in total and the room fit all of us plus the big table in the middle. The private room is $50/hour unless you spend $50 on food and drinks for that hour. If you spend $100 on food/drinks, you get 2 hours for free. $150/3hours, $200/4 hours, etc. We spent $240 on food and drinks so we got the room for 4 hours. The food options were plentiful and the prices were really good. Our favorites were the fries, gyozas, calamari, fried rice, spaghetti, spider rolls, and chicken wings! We ordered a few other dishes but I forgot the names. The drinks were good as well. I had the Genji Special for Women, my friends got Mai Tais and Pina Coladas. We also did tequila shots as well. The room is very sound-proof from the outside, but you can hear the other room next door if you're not singing. It wasn't a big deal for us because we were singing and dancing the whole time. The karaoke system was easy to use and they had a lot of songs to choose from as well. Overall, we had a wonderful time there and we all can't wait to be back! The quality customer service, the good music, the delicious food, the drinks, and private room exceeded our expectations. We'll be back again and we'll make sure to stay longer next time! read more

Great as always, come here every chance I get. Cheap, tasty, and fast. What more is there to say? read more

Genji - Pork Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Was one of our favorite restaurants but now is known as the grimiest place to 14 different customers. The night started off great but ended off with a big scam that resulted in over $140 of a tab that we had to pay including tip but we'll get there. As the night approached we all went up to close our tabs. We were told there was over $140+ of items that were never paid for. We stood at the machine to pay in front (which in of itself is already embarrassing but then you add in the fact that it looks like we aren't paying for our food) and he kept telling us we needed to pay because someone ordered the food at the table. Knowing that we all paid our bills we simply asked him to bring up the itemized bill (mind you we probably had 5 seasoned servers and 1 engineer that works directly with restaurant's computers that handles the money). He first told us "ok I can look it up" after my friend said there's a code we can just use to look up our tabs. He then came back 2 seconds later despite no line to pay saying "there's too much stuff in the pile you need to pay". No proof of the bill was given to us. He also demanded we tipped him multiple times since we made multiple different payments after our initial payments to compensate for some of the larger leftover bills. After trying to politely ask for the proof of what we are or for the waitress to recall who ordered what (also we all saw she noted in her book who ordered what), nothing was ever proven to us. They wanted to scam us because we were a big group. When we all felt duped we paid anyways and wanted to leave. He again demanded my friend to tip. Feeling frustrated and conned we obviously didn't want to (keep in mind before this mess we ALL tipped) too but we decided to just leave $2 so he could leave us alone. He literally told my friend "no, you need to tip". This tipping BS after being scammed happened to 3 of our friends. He demanded to be tipped. He literally wouldn't let my friend leave. TLDR: we got scanned for $140+ and after we asked for proof of the bill or for the server to tell us who ordered what based on her seating chart, he just kept telling us that we needed to pay and there was too many bills to look through in order to show us proof of the itemized bills. After feeling scammed we wanted to leave but then he wouldn't let us leave without another hefty tip after his initial 8 different tips. read more