37 Best Japanese Restaurants near Castro Valley

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – A Hidden Gem Worth Every Bite!

We had an incredible Omakase experience at this unassuming gem in Castro Valley, and it truly exceeded all expectations. The service was a perfect 10/10 — the host was extremely attentive, warm, and made us feel genuinely taken care of throughout the evening.

The food was exceptional — fresh, beautifully composed, and full of thoughtful flavors that worked harmoniously together. Each course felt intentional and elevated, showcasing top-notch quality without the pretentiousness.

And the dessert? Unforgettable. The Hojicha panna cotta was an absolute standout — silky, flavorful, and the perfect ending to a phenomenal meal.

Overall, this place easily gets 100 out of 100 from us. If you’re looking for amazing food, impeccable service, and a truly memorable dining experience, this is the spot. A must-visit in Castro Valley! 🍣✨“

“I couldn't find it inside marketplace, so I called them and got precise direction.
It is winter time, no tables outside, so I took a table between them and a butchery.
Chef's truffle tuna rolls are to die for.
They also have good selection of japanese sake in bottles.“

“Great service. The Staff is always friendly and polite. Best sushi in Town.“

“One of our go-to places with super friendly staff which always goes the extra mile to make us feel welcomed, seen and appreciated.

The Food - especially their Dinner Special - is great, portion sizes just right, different options and still assembled and delivered to the table within minutes of ordering. And both Nigiri and Sashimi have sizable chunks of Fish and well prepared!

Kid-friendliness: Servers interact wonderfully with the kids, recommending suitable food and engaging with them in conversations. There are often families with Kids here, a testament to their appeal.“

“This hidden gem has amazing quality sashimi for reasonable prices. I appreciate that the origin of the fish is labeled. The store is very clean and the service was great. I will definitely come again. The only thing that would make this store even better is a wider variety of fish-they have all the popular ones, but I'd love to see things like arctic char/iwana.“

“Absolutely loved this place! They start you off with free edamame, and it was so good I devoured the entire bowl in 4 minutes flat. For the main event, the Mango Secret Roll and the Secret Love Roll were incredibly tasty and fresh.

They have basketball playing on the TV in the corner, which gives the place a nice, casual vibe. Service can be a little on the slower side, but the food is absolutely worth the wait. Will definitely be back!“

“Enjoyed clean and fresh tasting sashimi with delicious sides. Had to try the vegetarian okonomiyaki with bonito flakes mayo and unagi sauce. Salmon and avocado sushi roll was yummy. Definitely would come back to visit this quaint and tasty Japanese restaurant in my neighborhood!“

“I have been coming to this restaurant since they opened 16+ years ago. The food is always fresh and delicious. My whole family loves it! Abi and Andy are great hosts and the whole crew of peole working there are friendly. I wish they were open for lunch time during the week as it used to be. Still my favorite sushi place!“

“This place is great, service is fast a food is so delicious. I had the big scallop, unagi and avacdo roll, volcano roll and the lobster roll.

The big scallop was my favorite, and I highly suggest if you enjoy baked rolls. Unagi and avacdo was my next favorite, just a great combination I've never had on its own.

This place has a variety of selection when it comes to rolls. It will be a few visits before I can try them all.“

“BEST TERIYAKI CHICKEN!! Great food! Great service!“

“We had a great experience the food is fresh and the steak is tender the salmon was just right. Your recommendation is forwarded to Facebook“

“Lovely little sushi place with very friendly staff, delicious sushi with generous portions and reasonable prices. Everything we ordered was fresh and really hit the spot. Lots of standard options plus some interesting, innovative rolls as well. Kid-friendly place, which is helpful for families. The only tricky part is parking but that’s a Montclair issue, not the restaurants fault.“

“Had the Chicken Teriyaki Dinner. The Service was fast and Inviting. Started with the Miso Soup that was really good. The Chicken Teriyaki Came with White Rice and a Salad. The Portions were A Decent Size and Boy was it good. All of It..Every Single Bit..I asked for extra salad dressing and I got it.Very good Miso Dressing...The Service remained great throughout my meal. What a great hidden Spot in the Pelton Center. Can't wait to return. Can't wait to Try something new. Finished off the Night with a Great Iced Coffee Next Door...“

“One of the best sushi spot in the bay. The food just feels and tastes fresh. Portions are nice and flavors are there. The sashimi is amazing, the specialty rolls are all really well done. You can tell they care about their craft. Ive had delivery and the food is still amazing. You know delivery sometimes reduces the quality of the food.“

“I was so happy to find this place! It’s a casual Japanese restaurant. This place seems to specialize in takeout, but there’s tables and seating if you want to dine in.

I tried their chicken katsu bento and I was blown away with the quality and portion size. A bento can easily feed 2 if you don’t eat large amounts. Food is definitely on the heavier side.

They also serve sushi. Would definitely come back to try them.“

“Excellent quality healthy and authentic Japanese food at affordable prices. Service is fast (usually 10-15 minutes wait, but sometimes only 5!) And the place is very clean.

Very good spot for a date, or lunch/dinner with your parents. Also a great everyday lunch spot. I try to eat here once a week at least - when I need a healthy meal Asian style.

My favorite is the miso soup and side salad, add a rice and it's under $10. There are many food options in the $10-15 range for a full meal. My favorite soup is the vegetable udon noodle soup. I also like that they have soda pop available with no artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup, so I can enjoy a soda sometimes without feeling too guilty about it.

The sushi is also great, and the teriyaki dishes yummy.

Best overall restaurant for healthy Asian food that isn't expensive and you can eat here any day, their open for business hours are consistent.“

“I have been coming here for almost 14 years. And I would not change this japanese restaurant for another. Ambiance, food price, friendliness the taste of the food is wonderful. Like my mom always says : bueno, bonito y barata. Good, wonderful, comfortable prices. You won’t be disappointed!!“

“We got there in time for Happy Hour. The service was outstanding. Our server named Lumbi was attentive, super nice and took care of my family (plus our dog) so well. She brought out our food quickly, drinks refills quickly and our food came out flawlessly.

The prices compared to Irvine (where we are from) is very affordable!! The fish was fresh and the avocado roll was to die for. Not traditional sushi, it’s quite westernized so if that’s your style you’ll be happy. Solid locals spot!“

“Best and most underrated ramen in the Bay! The broth is so flavorful, the texture of the noodles is perfect, and the pork belly is so crispy. Good portions for the price and the owners/service are great. My personal fav is the TanTan! Can be a little salty so request less salt :)“

“When sashimi comes out at the right temperature, you know they’re doing it right. They have a great menu and prices aren’t absurd. I love this place and it’s arguably the best casual dining sushi restaurant I’ve ever eaten at. Please never change, Kigawa!“

“Price is good and food is good.“

“It's small, so the wait for a dine in table can take a bit, but the food quality is worth the wait. Our family has loved everything we have tried. this is one of a handful of local restaurants my 10 year old some will never complain about!“

“Great atmosphere, great food, great service. Highly recommend Yokohama Sushi! 👍“

“I have been going here for years. They have some of the best rolls in town. I always get the dragon roll, E14th roll, and the crunchy roll. So very yummy 😋“

“We ordered half and half Supream and Soy & Garlic fried chicken. It was v crispy and also juicy. We’ve also had the honey cheese one and that one is pretty good too. They were pretty understaffed tonight (2 servers on a Saturday night), so I hope they hire more people to work on a weekend night!“

“Wadaya hasn't left my mind yet. I love that the noodles are thicker than Kajiken. It makes for a chewier bite which I prefer. I'd say the taste is similar to Kajiken but maybe the flavor at Kajiken is a bit better. I definitely like the noodles here more. The absolute star of the show is the tiny scoop of rice they give you at the end to mix in with your extra sauce. I wasn't a believer at first until I actually tried it. Best bite ever. Holy.“

“Before you come here, make sure to call in first to get a reservation a few hours in advance. Despite that requirement, reservations are usually not hard to snag, and the place is not packed. Calm and clean atmosphere.

Food is plenty good, and doesn't take forever to come out: the portions are not massive and the food is fresh and well-made. Most of the drinks are alcahol, but they do have good sparkling water.

Hostess (Or more like manager?) was very kind over the phone as I called like 3X to reschedule.“

“Simply the best in Fremont“

“Another last minute dinner at one of the local restaurant in San Ramon. Senri Sushi has that cozy, neighborhood spot vibe that makes you feel like a regular even on your first visit. It’s not flashy, but that’s part of the charm, simple, welcoming, and focused on good food.

We ordered the crispy assorted tempura, which came out light, golden, and not greasy at all. Each piece had a nice crunch without overpowering the ingredients. The highlight, though, was the large sushi boat loaded with a variety of fresh fish. Everything looked beautifully presented and tasted just as good, clean flavors, soft texture, and high-quality cuts.

The soft shell crab was another standout—crispy on the outside, tender inside, and full of flavor. It’s the kind of dish you keep reaching for until it’s gone.

We also tried the crispy salmon. The flavor was there, but it could’ve used a bit more crispiness, as the texture leaned slightly chewy instead of having that satisfying crunch you’d expect.

Overall, Senro Sushi delivers a satisfying experience with fresh seafood, generous portions, and a relaxed, homey atmosphere. A solid go-to spot if you’re in the area and craving dependable, well-made sushi.“

“Delicious food for a great price

Vegetarian options: Seaweed salad, rolls can be made as vegetarian, and soup is vegan

Parking: Lots of parking, always.

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes there are wheelchair ramps and parking for those with disability“

“Definitely going to go back here again sushi’s are fresh and taste so good! My wife and my daughter enjoyed it the last time we went there for lunch. They have variety of sushi on their menu and the staff are really friendly. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ -donpinoytv“

“It was the best sushi! We will be back!“

“This is a great Japanese restaurant. We had a great time. The food was excellent. The atmosphere is quaint and romantic. You can sit at wooden tables with chairs or sit on a mat at authentic Japanese style tables. I highly recommend this restaurant for fun casual dining or for a romantic date night.“

“the.staff.is friendly. Food is fresh and tasty!!“

“We come here about once a month. We enjoy mostly the combination dinners with entree (we get Salmon Teriyaki or mackerel), mixed tempura, California rolls, salad, and miso soup. I tried the deluxe combo with entree, sashimi, mixed tempura, and nigiri sushi selection. Everything was very good. Quite a lot of food as a good value for Japanese food.“

“The only legitimate and actually JAPANESE sushi restaurant in Hayward.

How do I know?

The sushi chefs are actually Japanese.

Which of course makes a difference to us who are Japanese, married to a Japanese person for 30+ years, have traveled to Japan, actually prepare Japanese food in our homes...

IYKYK“

“I had a great time over there. Delicious food 🥘“