Plan a Japanese dinner in Malaga for a Sunday or a Monday and the centre’s small kitchens are shut: Sake Izakaya, Kosei Ramen and Ta-Kumi all close both days. What stays open is Ramen Shifu, by María Zambrano station, at 12.50 euros a bowl, and Misuto on the Pedregalejo seafront, with salmon nigiri at 2.40 a piece.
Where can I eat Japanese food in Malaga, and what does it cost? Ramen at Ramen Shifu, 12.50 euros a bowl, open every day. Sushi by the piece at Misuto, from 2.40 euros, or Óleo, from 2.60. An all-you-can-eat buffet at Sushi Haya, 16.95 to 21.95 euros. The Matsuri tasting menu at Ta-Kumi, 105 euros, from Tuesday to Saturday.
Japanese food in Malaga comes in five formats with their own rules: ramen bars, sushi counters that price by the piece, an izakaya of sharing plates, a tasting menu and an order-at-the-table buffet. The chef-led places sit in the old town around Plaza de la Merced and below the Alcazaba, with Óleo in the Soho.
Open every day, open on Sunday, or closed
Ramen Shifu, Calle Héroe de Sostoa 21, opens daily from 1pm to 4.15pm and 7pm to 11pm, and Misuto, Calle Varadero 11, from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and 8.30pm to midnight. Sushi Haya opens on Sunday and closes on Wednesday. Sake Izakaya, Kosei Ramen and Ta-Kumi open Tuesday to Saturday only. Sibuya Urban Sushi Bar, Calle Granada 36, opens daily according to directories, and Haruki, Avenida de Príes 4 in La Caleta, closes on Tuesday.
| Restaurant | Format | Days open | Price to plan with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramen Shifu | ramen bar | every day | 12.50 euros a bowl |
| Misuto | sushi by the piece | every day | 2.40 euros a salmon nigiri |
| Sushi Haya | all-you-can-eat buffet | closed Wednesday | 16.95 to 21.95 euros a head |
| Sake Izakaya | izakaya | Tuesday to Saturday | 6.50 to 28 euros a dish |
| Ta-Kumi | tasting menu | Tuesday to Saturday | 105 euros a head |
How the all-you-can-eat buffet works
The Spanish sushi buffet is not a self-service counter: you order plates at the table, as often as you like, for a set price per head. At Sushi Haya, Avenida de Carlos Haya 65, that is 16.95 euros at weekday lunch, 19.95 at dinner and 21.95 at weekends and on public holidays.
Three written rules change the bill:
- 1 drink per person is compulsory.
- Every plate left with food costs 3 euros extra.
- Buffet and set menu cannot be mixed at one table.
Children up to 1 metre eat free; from 1 to 1.40 metres they pay 11.95 at weekday lunch and 13.95 otherwise. More family plans are in Malaga with kids.
Sushi by the piece, and what a bowl of ramen costs
Óleo, Calle Casas de Campos 4 in the Soho, prices nigiri by the piece: salmon 2.60 euros, tuna 3, and a 16-piece combo at 29.50. Misuto charges 2.40 for salmon and 26 for its 16-piece platter. At Ramen Shifu, tonkotsu, shoyu and miso cost 12.50 euros a bowl and gyoza 5.50.
Kosei Ramen, Calle Carretería 56, is a small ramen room run by a Japanese chef; it books by phone on +34 952 756 361, and its dining-room prices are shown at the venue rather than online.
Booking the small places, and the tasting menu
Sake Izakaya, Calle San Juan de Letrán 4, has 24 seats a sitting, 4 at the counter, so book ahead. Óleo asks for bookings at least 24 hours in advance. Ta-Kumi, Calle Mundo Nuevo 4, serves its Matsuri menu at 105 euros, or 135 with wagyu, plus a 2.80 cover, according to its January 2025 menu; the whole table must take it, and it is served until 3pm at lunch and 10pm at dinner. Spanish meal times are explained in Malaga meal times.
From the airport, the C1 train takes 12 minutes to Málaga Centro-Alameda and costs 1.80 euros; Ramen Shifu is by María Zambrano, the stop before. On Google, Kosei Ramen scores 4.7 from about 1,309 reviews and Óleo 4.5 from about 2,293. For Michelin-starred cooking, including Kaleja, see Malaga’s Michelin stars, and for other cuisines, where to eat in Malaga.
Japanese food questions from visitors
Which Japanese restaurants are open on Sunday in Malaga?
Ramen Shifu, by María Zambrano station, and Misuto, in Pedregalejo, open every day. Sushi Haya opens on Sunday and closes on Wednesday. Sake Izakaya, Kosei Ramen and Ta-Kumi close on Sunday and Monday.
How does an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet work in Spain?
At Sushi Haya in Malaga you pay per head, 16.95 euros at weekday lunch, 19.95 at dinner and 21.95 at weekends, order one compulsory drink each and then order plates at the table. Each plate left with food costs 3 euros extra, and children up to 1 metre eat free.
How much is sushi in Malaga?
Salmon nigiri costs 2.40 euros a piece at Misuto and 2.60 at Óleo, and tuna nigiri 3 euros at both. A 16-piece mixed platter costs 26 euros at Misuto and 29.50 at Óleo.
Do I need to book Japanese restaurants in Malaga?
For the small ones, yes. Sake Izakaya has 24 seats a sitting, 4 of them at the counter, and Óleo asks for bookings at least 24 hours ahead. Ta-Kumi’s Matsuri tasting menu must be ordered by the whole table.
Check the day before the restaurant: in Malaga, Sunday and Monday decide which Japanese kitchen you get.