Teriyaki Chicken Near Me: 10 Proven Spots, Style Guide, and a Home Recipe

Teriyaki Chicken Near Me: 10 Proven Spots, Style Guide, and a Home Recipe

Teriyaki chicken is grilled or pan-cooked chicken with a shiny glaze of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. It sounds simple, and it is. That is why the gap between a great plate and a dull one is so wide. A great plate has charred edges, juicy meat, and a sauce that tastes of soy and caramel, not just sugar. If you typed “teriyaki chicken near me” into your phone, this guide gives you named places to try, a way to read the different styles, and a recipe for nights when no shop is close.

A note on method: we did not visit or taste at these restaurants. Each pick below is named in a city guide, a published review, a delivery menu, or the restaurant’s own site that ties it to teriyaki chicken, checked in early October 2026. Menus, hours, and owners change, so check the current menu and call before you go.

What Is Teriyaki Chicken?

The word teriyaki joins two Japanese words. Teri means gloss or shine. Yaki means grilled or broiled. The name describes a method more than a recipe. HistoryLink, the Washington State history site, traces it to Japan’s Edo period, from 1603 to 1868, when soy sauce became widely available. Cooks paired soy with mirin to glaze food as it cooked. At first the method was used mostly for fish.

The classic Japanese glaze has four parts:

• Soy sauce for salt and depth
• Mirin, a sweet rice wine, for gloss and a mild sweetness
• Sake for aroma and to help the sauce reduce
• Sugar for body and caramel color

The cook brushes or simmers the sauce onto the chicken near the end, so it turns sticky and glossy without burning. In Japan, chicken teriyaki is often a pan dish made with skin-on thigh, cooked skin side down until crisp and then glazed in the same pan.

Three American Styles of Teriyaki

In the United States, teriyaki chicken grew into three local traditions. Each one tastes a little different.

Japanese Style

This is the home and restaurant style from Japan. The sauce is thin and savory, and it is reduced on the meat until it clings. Portions are modest. You will find it at Japanese restaurants, often as a set meal with rice, miso soup, and pickles, or as a bento.

Seattle Style

Seattle has its own teriyaki culture. Toshihiro “Toshi” Kasahara opened Toshi’s Teriyaki in Lower Queen Anne in March 1976. HistoryLink says the first shop was in an old white house on Roy Street with 30 seats, and a chicken teriyaki plate with rice and salad cost $1.85. Chowhound calls it generally believed to be the first stand-alone teriyaki shop in the country.

The Seattle plate is chicken marinated overnight, grilled, sauced, and served with white rice and a small salad. Chowhound notes that Kasahara’s sauce was sweeter and thicker than the traditional Japanese glaze. In the 1980s, many shops passed to Korean immigrant owners, and the style spread across the region. HistoryLink counts more than 80 teriyaki restaurants in Seattle in 2010 and about 67 in 2025.

Hawaiian Plate Lunch Style

In Hawaii, Japanese immigrants working on sugar plantations made a sweeter sauce. HistoryLink describes it as soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger, with pineapple in some versions. Locals often call the dish “teri chicken.” It became part of the plate lunch: a main protein with a double scoop of white rice and a scoop of creamy macaroni salad.

Teriyaki Styles at a Glance

Quick Comparison

There is no single answer to the best teriyaki chicken near me, since it depends on where you live. The list leans toward the Seattle area because that is where teriyaki shops are most common and best covered by local food writers.

The order is not a strict taste ranking. It starts with the shop that started the Seattle style and moves outward.

The 10 Picks

These are real places, not paid placements. If your teriyaki chicken near me search started in one of these cities, start with the matching pick.

1. Toshi’s Teriyaki Grill, Mill Creek, WA: The Original Seattle Teriyaki Maker

This is the shop of Toshi Kasahara, the man who started the Seattle teriyaki craze in 1976. A 2019 KOMO News story says Mill Creek is the only Toshi’s location he owns and runs himself. Other shops with the Toshi’s name are not his. The same story says his sauce recipe has not changed since 1976. The Infatuation put it first in its 2026 Seattle teriyaki guide and praised the juicy meat.

• What to order: Chicken thigh teriyaki. The Infatuation says chicken thigh is one of only two teriyaki options here.
• Good to know: It sits in a strip mall on Bothell Everett Highway, about 30 minutes north of Seattle. America’s Test Kitchen described a small room with three tables that does mostly takeout.
• Best for: Tasting Seattle teriyaki at its source.

2. Yasuko’s Teriyaki, Seattle, WA: A Long-Running Interbay Favorite

Yasuko’s is on 15th Avenue West in Interbay. The Infatuation describes chicken thighs with strong savory flavor and caramelized edges, like a rotisserie bird. Tasting Table notes that reviewers have called it a go-to since the 1980s. Seattle Refined also put it on its 2025 list.

• What to order: The chicken plate. Tasting Table says the half chicken also gets praise.
• Good to know: It is also known for pork teriyaki, if someone at the table wants a change.
• Best for: People who like deep char and big portions.

3. Rainier Teriyaki, Seattle, WA: Smoky Chicken and a Memorable Salad

Rainier Teriyaki is on Rainier Avenue South. The Infatuation says the marinade reaches the center of the smoky chicken and calls the salad especially memorable. Tasting Table reports that the owner, Hansoo Kim, was killed in a 2023 attempted robbery, and his son Juyoung Kim reopened the shop.

• What to order: Chicken teriyaki, which Tasting Table calls a fan favorite.
• Good to know: Seattle Refined calls it a good value.
• Best for: A classic south Seattle plate with a family story behind it.

4. Nikko Teriyaki, Seattle, WA: Gingery Sauce in West Seattle

Nikko is on 42nd Avenue Southwest in West Seattle. The Infatuation describes slow-cooked, tender chicken with a good sear and a gingery sauce. Tasting Table praises the marinade and the char.

• What to order: Regular chicken teriyaki, or the spicy chicken, which Tasting Table says is also popular.
• Good to know: If you like ginger, this is the sauce to try first.
• Best for: West Seattle locals who want a reliable weeknight plate.

5. Manna Teriyaki, Seattle, WA: Balanced Sauce in Lake City

Manna is on Lake City Way Northeast. The Infatuation ranked it second in its 2026 guide. It praised light char marks on the chicken, a well-balanced sauce that adds sweetness without drowning the rice, and a salad dressing with a sesame-like flavor.

• What to order: Chicken teriyaki.
• Good to know: Ask for sauce on the side if you like your rice plain.
• Best for: People who think most teriyaki is too sweet.

6. Grillbird, Seattle, WA: Juicy Chicken in West Seattle

Grillbird is on 35th Avenue Southwest. Seattle Refined named it a bonus pick in 2025 and said its chicken was the juiciest and most tender teriyaki the writer tried that month. Tasting Table says the chicken is good even without extra sauce and comes with a cucumber salad.

• What to order: Chicken teriyaki with the cucumber salad.
• Good to know: This is a good test of the meat itself, since the sauce is not doing all the work.
• Best for: Diners who care most about texture.

7. Happy at the Bay Teriyaki, Renton, WA: A South End Favorite

Happy at the Bay is on South 2nd Street in Renton. Tasting Table says the chicken is a customer favorite and can be ordered spicy. Seattle Refined adds that it also serves sushi, ramen, and lunch specials.

• What to order: Chicken teriyaki, regular or spicy.
• Good to know: The wide menu helps when your group wants different things.
• Best for: Renton and south King County readers.

8. Happy Teriyaki, Portland, OR: Seattle-Style Teriyaki on SE 82nd

Teriyaki shops spread south from Seattle into Oregon. Happy Teriyaki is at 7217 SE 82nd Avenue in Portland. Its own site lists daily hours and describes it as a teriyaki spot for dine-in and takeout. A customer review posted on the site mentions a very good teriyaki chicken plate.

• What to order: The teriyaki chicken plate.
• Good to know: The site does not post a full menu, so call to confirm what is on offer.
• Best for: Portland readers who want the Seattle plate without the drive.

9. Diamond Head Market and Grill, Honolulu, HI: Hawaiian Plate Lunch Style

Diamond Head Market and Grill is a Honolulu plate lunch spot. A 2025 Soap Central roundup of Hawaiian plate lunch restaurants singled out its teriyaki chicken plate as worth trying. This is where to taste the Hawaiian version, with rice and mac salad on the side.

• What to order: The teriyaki chicken plate.
• Good to know: Plate lunch portions are large. Many people split one or save half.
• Best for: Visitors to Oahu who want a local-style teri plate.

10. Mo’ Bettahs, Salt Lake City, UT: Hawaiian Plates in the Mountain West

Mo’ Bettahs is a Hawaiian-style restaurant chain, and its Salt Lake City location on West 1830 South lists a Teri and Katsu Plate and a Teri and Veggie Plate on Uber Eats. The same menu describes its Pake Salad as coming with teriyaki chicken. Plates come with rice and salad, in four sizes.

• What to order: The Teri and Katsu Plate, so you can try teriyaki and fried chicken together.
• Good to know: The Uber Eats menu did not describe what goes into each plate, so ask at the counter.
• Best for: Utah readers who want a Hawaiian plate lunch.

Cities We Could Not Confirm

We also looked at New York, Los Angeles, and Honolulu’s older plate lunch spots. Glaze Teriyaki Grill brought Seattle-style teriyaki to Manhattan, and The Infatuation praised its tender chicken in 2022, but we could not confirm its current locations. In Los Angeles, The Infatuation’s 2025 review of Rutt’s Hawaiian Cafe lists chicken teriyaki only as a topping for its fried rice platters. Honolulu’s Kau Kau Grill drew praise for grilled teri chicken thighs in the Star-Advertiser, but the newest piece we found was from 2020. Call any of these before you go.

How to Find Teriyaki Chicken Near Me

Maps apps sort by distance and stars. They do not know which shop grills to order. These steps help.

Use More Than One Search Term

In Hawaii and in Hawaiian restaurants on the mainland, search “teri chicken” too. In Japanese restaurants, the dish may be listed as tori teriyaki, chicken teriyaki don, or a teriyaki bento. A plain teriyaki chicken near me search can return sushi bars that only sell a bottled-sauce version, so open the menu and the photos before you commit.

Know Which Places Tend to Have It

• Teriyaki shops. Common across Washington and parts of Oregon. Many are small, family-run, and cheap.
• Japanese restaurants. Look for the set meal or bento. The glaze will be lighter and less sweet.
• Hawaiian plate lunch spots. Look for teri chicken plates and mixed plates.
• Bento and rice bowl shops. Often near colleges and office parks.
• Food trucks and lunch wagons. Some plate lunch and teriyaki trucks post their menus and locations on social media.

Read Reviews and Photos

Look at recent customer photos, not the restaurant’s own shots. You want to see grill marks or browned edges on the chicken. Sauce should coat the meat, not pool under the rice. Skim recent reviews for words like “charred,” “juicy,” and “grilled to order.” Watch for “dry,” “too sweet,” and “microwaved.”

Call Ahead

A short call saves a wasted trip. Ask three things:

1. Do you grill the chicken to order?
2. Is it thigh or breast meat?
3. Can I get extra sauce or sauce on the side?

How to Judge a Good One

The best teriyaki chicken near me is the one that passes these tests, no matter how many stars it has.

• The chicken is thigh meat. Several of the Seattle shops that local critics praise use thighs. They stay juicy on a hot grill. Breast works but dries out faster.
• There is real char. Look for dark grill marks or browned edges. Pale chicken was likely steamed or held too long.
• The sauce tastes of soy first. Sweet is fine. Syrupy is not. You should taste salt, soy, and a little ginger or garlic.
• The sauce clings. A good glaze coats the meat. A watery sauce soaks the rice.
• The rice is fresh. It should be soft and sticky, not crusty or hard at the edges.
• The salad is cold and crisp. In Seattle, the small dressed salad is part of the plate. It should cut the richness.
• It comes hot. Grilled to order beats a steam table every time.

Teriyaki vs Similar Dishes

Menus use several words for glazed or grilled chicken. Here is how they differ.

What to Order With It

Teriyaki chicken is rich and sweet, so pair it with something fresh or brothy.

• Steamed rice. It is the base of every style.
• A green salad or cucumber salad. The Seattle plate already includes one.
• Macaroni salad. The Hawaiian classic. It is creamy and mild.
• Miso soup. Common with the Japanese set meal.
• Gyoza. Many teriyaki shops sell them as a side.
• Iced tea or a light lager. Both work with the sweet glaze.

If you love glazed and braised chicken from other kitchens, there is a lot to explore. Try our guide to the Best Pollo al Verdeo Near Me for an Argentine chicken in a scallion and white wine sauce. For a one-pot rice dish, see the Best Arroz con Pollo Cubano Near Me. And for a pepper and tomato stew from Spain, read about the Best Pollo al Chilindron Near Me.

Price Expectations

We confirmed only a few prices, and older ones are out of date. The first Seattle chicken teriyaki plate cost $1.85 in 1976, according to HistoryLink. When we checked the Mo’ Bettahs Salt Lake City menu on Uber Eats, the Teri and Katsu Plate was listed at $17.86. Delivery apps often charge more than the counter price, so check the restaurant’s own menu or call. Confirm today’s prices before you go.

How to Make Teriyaki Chicken at Home

You can make Japanese-style teriyaki chicken in about 25 minutes with a skillet. This method uses the classic four-part sauce.

Ingredients

For 2 to 3 servings:

• 4 boneless chicken thighs, skin on or skinless, about 1.5 pounds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 3 tablespoons sake
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Optional: 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 minced garlic clove, sesame seeds, sliced scallions

Steps

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Poke the skin or thick parts with a fork so the sauce can soak in. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
2. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add ginger and garlic if you like.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Lay the thighs in the pan skin side down, or smooth side down if skinless. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden and crisp.
5. Flip the chicken. Cook for 4 to 5 more minutes.
6. Blot off most of the fat in the pan with a folded paper towel held in tongs.
7. Pour in the sauce. Let it bubble for 2 to 4 minutes, turning the chicken and spooning sauce over it, until the sauce turns thick and glossy.
8. Check that the thickest piece reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
9. Rest the chicken for 2 minutes. Slice it and spoon the rest of the glaze on top.
10. Serve over rice with sesame seeds and scallions.

For a Seattle-Style Plate

Marinate the thighs overnight in the same sauce plus extra ginger and garlic. Grill them over high heat until charred. Simmer leftover fresh sauce (not the used marinade) until thick, and pour it over the chopped chicken. Serve with white rice and a small salad dressed with rice vinegar and sesame oil.

For a Hawaiian-Style Plate

Add more sugar, extra garlic and ginger, and a splash of pineapple juice to the marinade. Grill or bake the chicken. Serve with two scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad.

Tips That Help

• Use thighs. They forgive a few extra minutes on the heat.
• Add the sauce at the end. Sugar burns if it goes in too early.
• Do not crowd the pan. The chicken will steam instead of brown.
• If you skip sake, use water or low-sodium chicken broth.
• If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a spoonful of water.

Storage and Reheating

Teriyaki chicken keeps well, which makes it a good meal prep dish.

• Cool it fast. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
• Refrigerate. Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Keep rice in a separate container.
• Freeze. Freeze cooked, sauced chicken in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat in a pan. Warm the chicken in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water. This keeps the glaze glossy.
• Microwave with care. Cover the dish and heat in short bursts. Stop once it is hot all the way through.
• Refresh the rice. Sprinkle cold rice with a little water, cover, and microwave until steamy.

Dietary Notes

• Gluten. Regular soy sauce contains wheat, so most teriyaki is not gluten free. At home, use tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce. At restaurants, ask.
• Sugar. The glaze has added sugar. The Hawaiian and chain styles are often the sweetest. Ask for sauce on the side.
• Sodium. Soy sauce is salty. Light sauce or sauce on the side helps.
• Alcohol. Mirin and sake are cooked, but some alcohol may remain. Skip them at home if you avoid alcohol.
• Allergens. Many shops use sesame in the salad dressing or as a garnish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is teriyaki chicken? It is chicken that is grilled or pan-cooked and glazed with a sauce of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar.

What does teriyaki mean? Teri means gloss or shine, and yaki means grilled. The name describes the shiny glaze.

What is Seattle-style teriyaki? It is grilled chicken, often thigh meat, with a sweeter and thicker sauce, served with white rice and a small salad. Toshi Kasahara started the style in 1976.

How do I find good teriyaki chicken near me? Search “chicken teriyaki” and “teri chicken” in a maps app and a delivery app, check recent customer photos for char, and call to ask if they grill to order.

What is teri chicken in Hawaii? It is the Hawaiian name for teriyaki chicken, usually sweeter, with garlic and ginger, served as a plate lunch with rice and mac salad.

Is thigh or breast better? Thigh. It stays juicy on a hot grill and holds up to the sweet glaze.

Is teriyaki chicken gluten free? Usually not, since regular soy sauce has wheat. Ask for tamari or a gluten-free sauce.

Can I make it without sake or mirin? Yes. Use water or broth for sake, and add a bit more sugar in place of mirin. The flavor will be a little flatter.

How long do leftovers last? About 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Final Thoughts

Teriyaki chicken is a simple dish that depends on good habits: thigh meat, a hot grill, and a sauce that tastes of soy before sugar. The ten places in this guide cover the main American styles. Toshi’s, Yasuko’s, Rainier, Nikko, Manna, Grillbird, and Happy at the Bay show what Seattle does best. Happy Teriyaki brings the style to Portland, and Diamond Head Market and Grill and Mo’ Bettahs serve the Hawaiian plate.

Everywhere else, a teriyaki chicken near me search works best when you use a few names for the dish, read recent photos, and call ahead. Judge each plate by its char, its juiciness, and its sauce. And if no good shop is close, a skillet, four thighs, and four pantry staples will get you there in about 25 minutes.

Key Takeaways

• A teriyaki chicken near me search works best with several terms, such as “chicken teriyaki” and “teri chicken,” plus a look at recent customer photos.
• Teriyaki chicken is grilled or pan-cooked chicken glazed with soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. The name means “glossy grilled.”
• Seattle-style teriyaki began in 1976 with Toshi Kasahara, and a 2019 report named Toshi’s Teriyaki Grill in Mill Creek as the only shop he runs himself.
• Hawaiian teri chicken is sweeter, with garlic and ginger, and comes as a plate lunch with two scoops of rice and mac salad.
• A good plate uses thigh meat, shows real char, and has a sauce that clings without soaking the rice.
• At home, sear thighs skin side down, add the sauce at the end, and cook to 165 degrees F.
• Menus, hours, and prices change, so check the restaurant’s current menu and call before you go.