50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Albany

“This place is always so good, creative sushi options with high quality fish. While it has minimal atmosphere, everyone is super friendly visit after visit there is something yummy and unique to try. Like the deep fried shisho leaf with salmon and hamachi toro appetizer pictured.“

“Great food and quick service! A must try place if you’re in the area!“

“Great lady who gave me her charger since I was stuck there in Albany area with a dead phone and in need of getting an UBER. So I went in, asked for charger and ordered their chicken+Beef Teriyaki lunch box. And it was delicious. Got my phone charged too. Happy customer here. Will eat there again if in the area.“

“I went to KEN for my birthday and it was absolutely phenomenal. The fish was delicious; so many new flavors and combinations; the chef was superb - talented and entertaining, with great attention to detail. The service was impeccable. I cannot say enough good things!“

“What a treat! Highly recommend“

“We've been here twice and enjoyed it both times. The sushi was fresh and well made, and the Hey Girl roll was our favorite. We'd order it again in a heartbeat. The flavors were balanced, the presentation was beautiful, and the portions felt just right.

The staff were friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was welcoming, which made it a great spot for a relaxed dinner. One thing we really loved: they offer free ice cream if you're celebrating your birthday. It's a thoughtful touch that makes the visit feel special.

Highly recommended, and we'll definitely be back!“

“Fresh ingredients, friendly staff, and delicious food and veggie options!“

“Best authentic Japanese restaurant in town.“

“The best omakase and multi-course dinner I’ve ever had. We came to celebrate our anniversary here and a great time. The atmosphere was perfect and the food/fish were literally hands down the best I’ve ever had. If you want high quality omakase where every bite is the perfect blend and diversity of textures and flavors you must go here.“

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“I cannot say I had a bad experience. Everything was my favorite“

“Taniku Izakaya is a great spot for skewers and a solid casual night out. I really liked the spicy scallop hand rolls and the takoyaki, and the food overall was worth the wait. It does get busy, and there was a line since reservations are only for a couple tables, but we only waited about 20–30 minutes. The vibe was lively, and everything felt well worth it.“

“awesome a must try, this is a hidden gem“

“We had Omakase last night. 2 of us. The food was sooo good, and lots of it. Several times during the omakase, we had multiple portions per round, with one even having 6 pieces. The scallop was my absolute favorite. Lots of great flavors to think through.

Unfortunately I don't think the service and delivery matched the omakase experience or price point ($500 for 2). The 2 staff that served the dishes were very busy elsewhere which meant that every dish was delivered with a 5 second turnaround. They were already running to the next table by the time our plates were down and barely gave us any description or overview of what we were actually eating. Most of the time their back was turned to me when telling what we were served as they were already on their way somewhere else. That's totally fine for an a la carte experience but for an omakaze, the entire point is that the chef chooses your adventure and the chef/server explains to you what you're eating. So while the food was great, the delivery of an omakaze experience is definitely not worth the price point. I'd advise to sit at the bar and if full like last night, just do a la carte.“

“Eating is a kind of happiness, taste is a kind of interest“

“Best non-traditional sushi that I've ever eaten“

“The ingredients, the flavors, they're all top-notch.“

“If you want the freshest fish downtown has to offer.... go to Sanraku“

“Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful“

“friendly service and tasty food“

“Quality is key with any meal. Roger-San is all about quality. Sit at the bar if you can!“

“This is definitely an insiders’ spot in San Francisco. It’s usually pretty busy from the street view so I decided to try it on a Friday and it was still busy. I don’t want to talk the place up. There’s no need for that at a five star restaurant. The proprietors of the establishment have their photo up with the Mayor. Word on the street is that this place is like a religion. The food was good. Changed my mind about a few things. Made me ask, what is food in San Francisco today? Would I go there again? Yeah maybe if I had 30 minutes on a Friday, but no and not because the experience was terrible, but because they had already mastered the art of business in San Francisco if not the world.“

“Probably the best meal I’ve ever had, super fun, exciting, every bite was perfect. Intimate and fast process“

“Simply the best. The staff were incredibly friendly and made the whole experience feel so special. My friend and I had such a great night here. You can really tell they care about the quality of the meat, and they shared so much knowledge about how everything is grilled and prepared. Amazing food, amazing service, and such a memorable experience.“

“The ramen tastes very good, the soup base is rich and the noodles taste great“

“one of my favorite places in the country to eat. whenever I'm in the Bay area, in here“

“Good fresh comfort food, warm friendly family business“

“We celebrated my brother’s birthday here, and it was our first time dining at Akikos. We had one of the best omakase experiences and would highly recommend it!

The atmosphere feels luxurious and perfect for a special occasion or fine dining experience. I loved seeing how the entire staff worked together as a team, and the chefs were very detailed in explaining each dish and how it was prepared. The nigiri was exceptional, with noticeably high-quality fish and ingredients.

We also met one of their hostesses, Shaina, who was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and made our experience even better.

Overall, it was definitely worth the price. We had such a great experience celebrating my brother’s birthday here, and we would absolutely come back!“

“Hidden gem in SF. I had the sashimi omakasei, it’s technically 14 pcs, 7 set and 2 for each person, but I think chief give us 1 more for each. It’s amazing and super fresh, the otoro and the wagyu are unbeatable. The house selection sake is tasty and very good value too, highly recommend it!“

“Service feels a bit chaotic and the tables are a little too close together but the food is good! Prices are a bit higher than some menu photos here - $40 per nabe now. Good portion size though, would come back. Make a reservation if coming on a weekend night“

“We had a great experience here! The tuna was fresh and buttery and everything we ordered was delicious. Prices were very good for the quality.

We also tried the chef’s Japanese sushi set. Not every type of fish was our favorite but it was a great way to try a variety of unique fish we hadn’t had before!

The eel hand rolls were another highlight absolutely delicious!

We came during Happy Hour so it was an even better value. The food came out quickly!
We made a reservation in advance. When we arrived there was a tablet to check in but we were seated before we even had a chance to use it haha. Fantastic experience and we’d definitely come back!“

“This place is amazing!!! What a gem! I have never been to a bath house before and after this I’m addicted. The food was incredible and I loved the cocktails. Service was wonderful as well! Definitely going back a bunch.“

“The food smacks and the music they play always slaps.“

“That AAA uni though! 🤤

Great meal out. Food was fantastic and the staff was so gregarious. Nice to eat out and enjoy a social atmosphere with the customers and staff as if we were at a dinner party.

Wear floral patterns if you go. We missed the memo, but everyone had their finest florals out tonight!“

“It has a very interesting menu, I really enjoy the food.“

“ALWAYS a fantastic and tasty dinner. ☺️“

“1000/10. This place is hard to get a table at because it only seats 20 people. They only do one serving, but this was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in all of San Francisco. The menu constantly changes so you get a new experience every time you would come. We’ll be going back.“

“Watermelon 🍉 Roll; no rice, refreshingly good Fried seafood chips appetizer; I wanted it as a meal it’s a different yum 😋 Ice cream sandwich wow!“

“The small unassuming entry way will make you think you’re breaking into someone’s house but it’s perfect for that intimate feeling as well. Once you find the right door it’s a super chill vibe in a small space. The chef was preparing everything as we walked in and the server sat us down. The food was super fresh and the chef was very kind. There were 13 different sashimis served along with 6 additional courses of non sashimi items. Very nice service and amazing meal, left full and happy!“

“Delicious food and friendly staff“

“service and quality are top notch“

“We had a wonderful meal at Cafe Okawari before the Giants game. It’s a great location that’s 1.5 blocks from the ballpark, and very close to the Caltrain station. The restaurant was full when we got there, but the food still came out soon after we ordered.

We had chicken katsu curry, korokke curry, and a menchi (fried ground chicken) sando. The chicken katsu was among the best I’ve ever had, super juicy inside and crunchy outside. One of the greatest quick bites I’ve had in recent memory.“

“Came here for drinks and some small plates after dinner and had a great time. They played good music and the bar sitting area is very nice. The drinks are also amazing as they have a very unique selection of Japanese cocktails and other stuff. Highly recommend!“

“Blown away! Sitting at the chef’s bar was an outstanding experience. The chef made recommendations; he is a true artist of his craft - what a delight to watch. The nigiri/sushi is classic with no frills, relying completely on the quality of the fish and the expertise of the chef. What a local gem!“

“Emma ,Julio and staff great!“

“Abby was super kind and gave great service!! Unagi skewer was insanely good, but a lil on the sweet side but that’s just my prefance. The Yuzu lager was refreshing, could definitely taste the yuzu, its on the rotating draft menu though.“

“Super delicious 👍 I never eat Japan food super good like this before.“

“Nigiri combo is excellent! I can’t wait to try the sashimi combo next. I came just before they were closing for lunch and people were steadily coming either to pick up or eat-in up until their closing time. It seemed they were regular customers who are keeping this place a secret and happy to say, I am on it already. Can’t wait to go back.“

“Rico pero lo malo es que nunca tienen basil para la sopa pho“

“What we had:
3 hand rolls lunch (salmon, spicy tuna and unagi) with miso soup and edamame
4 premium handrolls options (A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, Japan Hokkaido Uni, A5 Wagyu Uni & Caviar, Uni Toro & Caviar)
Small plates: Maguro Ponzu and Tuna Tartare

This is an open kitchen setting, you can see the chef make every hand roll and serve the roll right to the dishes in front of you! The quality of the fish was excellent, everything tasted fresh, and you could really appreciate the simplicity of each hand roll. The rice was well-seasoned, and every bite highlighted the freshness of the ingredients. The premium hand rolls were definitely the stars, fatty, flavorful, if you’re a fan of uni and wagyu you have to try it.

The Maguro Ponzu and Tuna Tartare was refreshing and light, it's a great appetizer to share between hand rolls.

That said, I have to be honest, it is kinda pricey. The premium hand rolls add up quickly, so it’s definitely more of a treat-yourself kind of meal rather than an everyday sushi spot. Still, if you’re willing to spend on fresh hand rolls, it’s worth checking them out.“