50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Foster City

“ラーメンと言っているが、そばや焼き鳥など日本のメニューが複数ある。 日本で食べるような美味しさは無いが困った時やどうしても日本の味が恋しい時などは行ける。 まあ、悪くはないとおもいます。“

“I had to go to the Richmond District today and I knew farmers market was happening. I told myself to just get a snack because I need to fit into a dress for the two holiday parties I'm going to on Thursday. Within 10ft of entering farmers market, I saw Kunugi Noodles's booth that had a picture of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. So naturally I didn't listen to myself and ordered one lol!The owner was working by himself so it was a wait. But the okonomiyaki was worth it, especially because Hiroshima-style is hard to find in the city.It wasn't exactly Hiroshima-style because the crepe batter was mixed with the cabbage and the egg was pre-made (a fried egg instead of it being shaped like a crepe). But working in an outdoor kitchen has limitations and cooking it that way was the way to do it in this situation. It was delicious nonetheless!The cabbage/crepe pancake is where the seafood was. There were pieces of shrimp and squid that gave it a chewiness against the softness of the crepe batter. The cabbage added a smokiness. The yakisoba noodles were yummy and maintained a slightly firm texture from being fried. I also liked the amount of Bonita flakes added. It was just right to add more seafood flavor.The owner was really nice! Even though he was clearly busy working on his own, we conversed a little on our travels to Japan.I know this page says his location is at a farmers market elsewhere and I don't know how often he's at Clement Street's farmers market. But wherever you go, if you see his booth, check it out!“

“Great food. Good portions. Our server is very nice, friendly, polite and professional.“

“The food was amazing, and it was made more so by our chef for the evening, Robert, who explained everything he was doing, where the ingredients came from and what the process was to create the menu. Thanks to everyone at 808 Zone, it was an evening to remember.“

“MJ sushi is surprisingly affordable and thereby amazing for families! My surprise favorite was the TAKOYAKI. Primarily appetizers and rolls here, plus 3 rice bento selections, so you're not going to find udon or nabes. The rolls were great with fresh tasting fish, while the chicken and salmon teriyaki were very understated in flavor but add some soy sauce and you're good to go. Food arrives really fast and it's a huge restaurant so usually no wait to get a table. There were a lot of groups and families eating here, so we fit right in.“

“Great find and will be back often … loved everything about this place“

“My family visited last night around 5:30 and our chef (right most from the counter) was super nice and food was amazing. My wife and my son were very happy with it. It will be our family's favorite restaurant in Bay Area. Thanks a lot having great restaurants nearby.“

“Lunch special is great value.
The ramen always has so much noodle. It’s not the best ramen, but it’s fairly cheap, consistent quality, good value. Everything comes out so quickly, and this location is very convenient.
The only thing I did not like one time was the fried pork (?) that came with my tantan ramen tasted kind of old.“

“From the warm greeting everyone receives when walking through the door to the attentive and super friendly service, this place is amazing! The sushi was outstanding… hands down the best sushi I’ve ever had! The texture, taste and presentation was top notch. Wish there was a location on the east coast!“

“We passed by the restaurant quite a few times that we would come here for a special occasion. We finally did and were delighted with its set menu offering. Every dish looks beautiful, tastes delicious. I particularly like its use of radish and savory herb and the special decor , a few herb taste like mild wasabi which really enhance the flavor. Price wise, maybe at the high end of a regular lunch but certainly an affordable meal for special occasion. Reservation recommended.“

“I had pretty low expectations for a sushi place attached to a La Quinta, but this place was spectacular. The fish was fresh and prepared well, the presentation was very nice, and sitting at the sushi bar was a cool experience. Service was a little slow, but they were absolutely packed with customers. It's not hard to see why. I've paid twice as much for sushi half as good. This place was excellent.“

“super yum! i had the garlic chili tonkatsu ramen and unagi chazuke and they were great! the chazuke was very satisfying and addicting to eat - the unagi was perfectly cooked and seasoned with a sweet sauce! i felt like the garlic chili tokatsu ramen was a bit overcooked but still very fragrant. a sleeper hit was the shishito pepper tempura - crispy and flavorful!“

“Many promotions going on, they have eat for under $10 and I was more than full. Also they have a gift card deal and more discounts when leaving a review that I am taking advantage of! This place is very well priced and you can tell everything is fresh. I saw the girl cutting up all the vegetables from scratch. Very honorable place, really liked the kake, similar to miso soup in my opinion“

“Family operated business establishments are always the best!! Food is superb!! Price is competitive!“

“First of all the owners are absolutely delightful. We got take out and it blew our socks off! Hands down the best egg I have ever had in my life....Seriously, I had waited a long while to come here and when I got a reservation for my husband's birthday it was a magical, moment. We were delighted. We traveled through taste and it suspended time. Satiated and joyous. Wakuriya is the best Japanese I have had in my life. I cannot wait to dine inside, but until then I will treat myself to their fare every month. Truly, a delight of sight, smell, texture and taste. I feel lucky to live in the neighborhood, to be so close to this 魔法の場所. Much Love Everyone, may you eat well, be well and visit Wakyuriya.“

“So many veggie options! They have a large section of vegetarian sushi, some of the best I’ve had. Very creative! Nice fusion dishes too like sushi tacos!! We ordered several veggie dishes and all of them were excellent. Casual atmosphere, friendly staff, and easy parking too.“

“Attentive and lovely service, wonderful food that’s well worth the price, and a simple spartan jnterior. The whole staff was amazing and patient and took the time to explain things. The food was excellent and a wonderful mix of flavors. The presentation was simple but elegant.“

“This place is pretty small but cute. There are not that many seats inside, and most people seem to be taking food to go. I got the tonkatsu quesadilla for $12 and it was essentially cabbage, corn, and tonkatsu, and cheese inside a tortilla(?) shell. It was an interesting item, but tasted pretty good.“

“Wonderful vegan sushi & friendly owner. I tried the shiitake avocado & spicy vegan rolls, both were delicious. Looking forward to visiting and trying other menu items soon!!“

“Maybe it was just because I hadn't eaten all day, but the food here was something else. Transcendental experience. Ate some of the best donburi of my life and I felt full after only finishing half because the portion sizes are huge. Great experience for sure 🙂‍↕️“

“Great service, food was delish. Chef made special sushi dish ( not on the menu) that was FIRE! My new to go place.❤️❤️❤️“

“Kurodai - Black Seabream Nigiri 3 very strong wasabi, bitter, fishy
Ao Ebi - Blue Shrimp Nigiri 5 very chewy texture, slightly seared, slightly sweet
Hon Maguro Chu-toro - Medium Fatty Blue Fin Tuna Nigiri 5 fat evenly distributed, not stringy at all, melt in your mouth
Negitoro Hosomaki - Supreme Fatty Bluefin Tuna w/ Green Onion (Maki) 4 fatty, rich, fresh, flavorful
Oyster Shooter 2 juicy raw oyster, raw quail egg, tobiko, sake, ponzu, tabasco, very strong alcohol, bitter
Baked Baby Scallop 5 two baked Peru baby scallop, juicy, presented on shell, uni, mayo, unagi sauce, green onion, creamy, rich, flavorful
Iku-Uni-Himo 4 soy sauce marinated ikura / large fish eggs, way too salty, uni, mashed monkfish liver, white truffle oil, flavorful
Mentaiko Yaki Udon 4 pan fried thick wheat flour noodles, crunchy seasoned cod roe, crispy bacon, stir fried thin udon, flavorful
Yuzu Cheesecake 5 glazed crust, strong citrus flavor, creamy“

“very good and fresh food for lunch“

“Great place For the best sushi in the Bay Area.“

“So give this place five stars. I also read all of the reviews. Some reviews were negative one stated food took too long but they must have been slammed, the other reviews seemed to be mired with personal issues. One guy had a seemingly decent review about the chirashi, however I found this to be amiss. One photo showed food but it must have been chewed. It was not an accurate or good review. The rice was firm but not mushy. They had a decent amount of portions on par with pricing. So in all they had great service and great food. Some of the other reviews may have been biased by competition or lack of education.

They earned my review for an order on takeout. Well put together everything was there not any headaches or bs.

They got their five stars today. 🙏“

“I'm SO glad someone mentioned 'mom & pop' - this place reminded me of the local places I grew up going to in Hawaii... (& hard to find here)

The Bento boxes are so oishi!!! The salmon teriyaki serving was huge and cooked perfectly (both pieces)... We also got chicken katsu & chicken teriyaki - both were great. Veggies - cooked & a side salad... Great value for the portions.

Now someone mentioned the curry was 'watery' - that IS Japanese curry. I didn't order it this time, but that's on my list to try on our next visit.

This is the perfect comfort food place - simple, tasty, good value - all prepared and served by a very nice couple.“

“We love Tokie’s and have been regular users since the mid-80s, when it occupied a tiny space in Charter Square in Foster City. They expanded their space significantly but were the casualty of redevelopment. Their old location was displaced by a primary school. The newer location (on 4th Ave in downtown San Mateo) has very nice ambience but the parking can be a challenge during peak demand times like Friday and Saturday dinners. We bring many of our friends to Tokie’s and the response is always very favorable.“

“We love it! This is party tray. Fresh, tasty, thick fish.
Love it every time we order to go, or eat in the restaurant.
There's plenty of parking next street, so that's not a problem at all.
Love their friendly and fast service!“

“This place is busy for a reason. Which could also be seen as a con. But the yakitori is good and most of the other food is above the bar for great. We had a very friendly server but could tell some of the other servers were not as friendly. The only major con would be the price. If you’re hungry you’ll be spending a pretty penny to eat here“

“My brother and I were in from out of town trying to decide between a few restaurants, and were both SUPER glad we chose Sushi Kuu. We each got Curry Ramen (pork and chicken katsu) and split a NewNew Roll. The roll was awesome, perfect balance of flavors. But the ramen absolutely stole the show. The curry broth was insanely delicious. I would consider flying across the country again to get a quart container of it. HIGHLY recommend this spot.“

“Came here during the week for their popular lunch special and it did not disappoint! For less than $20 I got chicken teriyaki (get it with crispy skin), salad and California rolls. The lady who workers here (I believe is the owner) is one of the nicest people I have ever met. I will definitely be back and encourage others to give this place a try!“

“The best Shabu in San Jose and located in the perfect part of San Jose in Japantown, we love coming here to eat Shabu, it is so delicious. I highly recommend it *****five stars the owner Richard treat’s us great with so much hospitality, we just feel so welcomed and will continue to frequent his establishment.“

“Waited approximately one hour to be seated. Spoiker: it was well worth that wait. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and pork buns. I can't decide which part was better, the noodles or the broth! The pork buns were priced just right at $8 for 2. Some of the best I've had. You are all so lucky to have such a wonderful ramen bar in your community. I am from Maine and will be sure to stop by this establishment every chance I get once I am in town.“

“I came here to take a couple of onigiris to-go on to my plane ride the next day. I got the salmon ume and the tarako. You order from the screen as soon as you get in, and the options they have is quite impressive. I stuck to some typical flavors and was really happy with the salmon ume one. I usually get mentaiko, which is a spicy tarako, and the tarako seemed like it was cooked and not raw? I wouldn't recommend the tarako if you're expecting it to be like mentaiko. However, it was really good and even though I ate it the next morning, it was still really delicious. I'd come back for sure and would recommend this place.“

“This place is ASTRONOMICAL. Sushi is cheap for the area, is extremely flavorful, and the attention to detail on some of these rolls are just chefs kiss. I come here very often to get food and it is highly enjoyed by me and friends. If your in the area and are craving sushi this is the place to go. One (extremely) small downside is for the tuna. Sometimes it's color is very light and is sometimes chopped in smaller rolls like the smaller tuna roll. Other than that everything is PERFECT“

“Food and service was incredible. The sushi and ramen was delicious. We went for a birthday party and brought a cake. Without us asking, the waitress offered to store the cake in their own fridge and even gave us new clean plates to eat the cake with after we ate our food. Now I have 2 reasons to go back. The food and the service.“

“Very friendly staff and delicious food. The variety is great! Definitely a go to place if you like Sushi 🍣 🤙🥇“

“The service was great and the food was fresh. I loved the shrimp tempura and the different sushi options - of which there were many.“

“It’s always cozy and the food is good. Everyone is friendly.“

“Food here is great. Best agedashi tofu I've ever had, and I love the red evil roll! Spicy tuna rolls are fresh and delicious.The guys working to the sushi are super nice, and if you're at the bar, put out good food really quickly.

They do roll out this cart to buss the tables. Clanging, banging a cart right next to people eating, with rags and cleaning products hanging off it. Just...super odd.

But if you can have a laugh about the cart, the food is totally worth it.“

“I got the tonkatsu curry rice plate. Very well priced for what you get. The place is nice, clean and simple.

The katsu is freshly fried.
You can definitely tell that the curry is made from scratch. It's light but not watered down. It's flavorful but not overwhelming. I think this is the first time I finished all the curry before the rice or the katsu. Is this is the best curry I've ever had? Not sure, my memory does not go that far back. I can say that this is the best curry I've had in the Bay so far. Give it a try, I highly recommend it.

Don't come in expecting something super rich and strong. This dish is beautifully simple, just perfectly ordinary in a comforting way.“

“good food great service and accomending.“

“Iki Omakase gave me one of the most enjoyable omakase experiences I’ve had. The food was excellent — super fresh ingredients, perfectly balanced flavors, and every course felt thoughtfully prepared. The uni was incredibly sweet and the toro literally melted in my mouth.
What made the night even better was the chef. He wasn’t just skilled — he was really funny and made the whole experience more relaxed and enjoyable. His jokes, stories, and interactions added a personal touch that you don’t get at many omakase places. You can tell he loves what he’s doing.
Service was warm and attentive, and the pacing of the meal was just right. For the price, this was absolutely worth it. I’ll definitely be back and will recommend Iki Omakase to friends!“

“First time here. Long line to get in but it moved fairly quickly. Had the Roast beef Aburasoba. Mind-Boggling GOOD! The flavor was out of this world! The service was fantastic!! I can’t wait to go back again!“

“We were looking for a new place to try and Octopus had some great reviews/ pictures of their sushi rolls. After looking over the menu we decided to head on down. Friendly staff got us seated right away and we started with a round of appetizers. Gyoza, chicken karaage and a Toro Nigiri special started off the night and everything was delicious. Ordered 4 rolls and a bento box combo and everyone was extremely satisfied with the food. Can't wait to return and explore more of the menu“

“Absolutely amazing❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ best sushi!“

“This place is a hidden gem! Almost every dish’s we ordered was absolutely delicious. My favorite was the beef tongue — it’s not even on the menu, but if you get the chance to try it, don’t miss out. It was tender with just the right amount of chewiness, and it paired perfectly with rice.
The staff here are excellent — very attentive and genuinely make sure you're well taken care of. Their service really adds to the overall dining experience.
The only downside is the parking. The lot is pretty small, so it can be a bit of a hassle during busy times. But honestly, the food and service more than make up for it. Highly recommend!“

“The food here was just amazing!! Everything was so fresh and flavorful and tasted authentic. Many of us dining had been to Japan this past year and we felt like we were back in Japan with the food and flavors. We felt really well taken care of and were so glad we decided to celebrate a birthday here. So highly recommend trying this place if you haven’t already!“

“I was seated right away during lunch time and it wasn't too busy. My favorite and reason for my visit was to have the torikawa (chicken skin skewers) I also had the Bento with the shrimp tempura and shioyaki salmon. Everything was delicious 😋 I almost forgot to take photos as I was hungry lol... price was also reasonable.“

“Absolutely love Tomokazu! Every dish is fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. The sashimi is top quality, and the rolls are always creative and delicious. The beef short rib and shioyaki saba were also amazing, even though I didn’t get a photo! The staff are friendly, the atmosphere is cozy, and this place never disappoints. One of the best Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area! 🍣✨“