50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Lafayette

“One of my favorite lunch spots in downtown Lafayette! 🍣

I stopped by after a busy morning at work and it totally made my day. The sushi is always so fresh, the service is wonderful, and Sunny, the owner and her family, is the sweetest. You can really feel the love they put into the restaurant.

If you’re looking for a cozy neighborhood sushi place with consistently great food, definitely give Kiku a try. I’ll be back… probably very soon with more friends! ❤“

“Loved this place, but removing a star because they took the teriyaki salmon option off the menu. Strange, because everyone loved it and it was often sold out! The raw fish is hit or miss. Bring back the teriyaki!

My roommates and I check doordash every week or so, just to see if they have Salmon Samba.“

“Delicious and everything was so fresh 😋“

“Best freaking poke spot ever I sometimes drive out thirty minutes just for this place... I LOVE THEIR MARINATED MUSHROOMS SO MUCH. I dreamt about a bowl from here once too... The pricing is great compared to poke spots around my area and they are generous with their portions, not to mention the quality of the food is amazing! Staff is really kind as well :)“

“Some of the best sushi in the East Bay, and one of the best sushi chefs, Jack san,“

“I’ve been coming here for years now and just now decided to write a review. The sushi is amazing, I’ve made my way down the list and tried all the rolls but my favorite ones are the Shiki, Samurai and the Double Sake. They are super fresh and so delicious. They’re always as delicious as the last time. Also, service is super nice, they recognize me at this point and are always happy to see me come in again. My favorite sushi spot in Oakland hands down. Also for a great price!! Don’t sleep on Sushi Park!!“

“Hands down the best restaurant in Martinez. I travel from Vallejo to enjoy the Salmon and steak hibachi. The staff are so kind and friendly. The dining area is always spotless. I highly recommend you come here if you’re looking for a good quality meal!!!!“

“I got the lunch nigri, salmon was buttery, tuna was fresh. Complementary miso soup. Definitely an amazing lunch. Even the katsu was delicious. A plentiful variety of authentic Japanese dishes. Would come here again and recommend to anyone in the area.“

“Upfront the only downside: This place is a store with premade sushi and has no real seatinh besides one small bench.
However, the sushi is always freshly prepared und since the place has high turnover, the sushi never gets old. The quality of the sushi is great and not overpriced.
The staff is friendly and helpful. The free chopsticks and napkins are of higher quality than in most places and the place itself is clean and tasteful designed.“

“Every roll was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. The staff were welcoming and attentive.
In the end they offered me plum wine but I asked for ice cream and they accommodated.
I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“I grabbed take out from Sushi time and was super impressed. The packaging was great, miso soup was scalding hot, wakame fresh and crisp and perfectly seasoned. We tried Spicy Rainbow Roll, Mega Roll, Salmon Paradise, Flying Shrimp, Red Dragon and Cherry Blossom rolls. They were all incredible! They even provide training chopsticks for the kids!“

“Very good meal, service was great, I'll definitely be back.“

“At Utzutzu, you can find a top-notch omakase experience. We’ve visited this restaurant four times, and every visit has been exceptional. The service is always warm and attentive, and the sashimi is incredibly fresh and beautifully prepared. We have never been disappointed. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an unforgettable omakase experience!“

“Best sushi meal at this price point ive ever had. Got the Nigiri & roll combo, came with toro, salmon belly, amber jack, striper.. Premium Nigiri pieces in a combo at this price, as fresh and executed well as it was? Unreal.
Couple of the pieces had fresh Yuzu juice brushed on.

Incredible for 30$

Service was warm & friendly even when it got busy.“

“Life without sushi is no fun. That's why Manpuku is so needed. Whether pieced or in bowls, Manpuku brings both traditional and fusion in a delightful and pleasant way.“

“This place has great service and amazing food. It’s great to get a sushi place that as such a great variety of rolls even for vegetarians. Can’t wait to go back.
9/5/2026 new addition to my past year old
Review
I have been going here ever since they opened and the service is always the best.
The food is alway great and so much to choose from on their menu. Definitely a must try if you haven’t yet.“

“Consistently delicious! I’ve been here 4 times now and every visit has been amazing. We ordered the Chicken Kaarage, Honey Bunny roll, salmon carpaccio, and gyoza. All were phenomenal and the vibe of the space is very relaxing with nooks of privacy intentionally provided.
I am glad they put in such effort to provide quality meals, great customer service, and awesome atmosphere. Highly recommend!“

“Excellent sushi again and again. Highly recommend this restaurant. Great service and fresh fish every time.“

“First time here and probably last time too. I hella liked how the inside was decorated reminded me of a restaurant in Japan. Kinda disappointed though. I hella love sushi. But the sushi selection was small. Nothing caught my eye. The only thing I did enjoy with my meal was the ikura. The waitress’s don’t even check up on you to see how your doing. We we’re seated all the way in the back. I asked for more water and it never came. And for those 2 reasons I won’t come back.“

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

“We had such a great meal here. Pa’ Papas serves some of the most authentic Japanese food we’ve had in a while. We ordered the tempura, miso soup, and a few rolls, and honestly everything was amazing. The tempura was light and crispy, the miso soup hit the spot, and the rolls were super fresh.

The portions are generous too, so you really get your money’s worth. If you want Japanese food that actually tastes authentic, this is the place. We’ll definitely be back“

“best sushi and cheap!!! will come again!!!“

“Had the sashimi bento and a little bottle of sake (nihonshu), perfect amount of everything. The bento usually comes with chicken teriyaki, which was delicious, making the whole meal sizeable. Having just returned from Japan, I was pleased and the compact, quiet atmosphere was exactly what I needed! Friendly staff :) Tucked away in the little food court off Hearst, this is a gem.“

“Been hot so was craving soba. That and the tempura really hit the spot. But what I really want to highlight is the service. My daughter was craving tonkatsu ramen and she’s really shy when speaking to people. So she didn’t clarify that she wanted ramen and not the plate. She was a bit disappointed but she loves katsu everything so she was ok with it. Our waitress overheard and came by and gave us a bowl of ramen noodles and broth on the house. For something that we were at fault for.
Just can’t rave about it enough. We will be back for sure. Also for those amuse bouche of tuna and avocados too.“

“The best omakase around!!“

“Genuinely can't express how grateful I am to the staff for such a great experience. Emily is a rockstar and everyone in my group left the restaurant a little bit in love with her. The salmon kama was absolutely scrumptious, and everyone was so grateful for the generous portions. Such a great place to discover after a lovely beach day.“

“Good authentic Japanese cuisine! Had the tempura udon, beef teriyaki set and double salmon roll. Salmon tasted especially delicious.

Service was great, they accommodated for a party of 8 without reservation with about a 15 minute wait (friday dinner, 6pm). There is a physical waiting list upon arrival, staff was efficient and kind despite the large group inconvenience.

Would 10/10 go again, great value and great service.“

“Very beautiful!!!! Vale a pena conhecer“

“AMAZING FOOD!!!! Such great service! The waitress was super kind, so much food for only $20 bucks! If you want to go here get the bento box, has an orange, Cole slaw, and up to 3 different types of food! The atmosphere was nice but we heard a vacuum once or twice. Nonetheless, great food!

(Slightly different prices for lunch and dinner)“

“We had a great dinner here! Everything felt very authentic, and you can tell they put a lot of care into preparing their seafood. The proportions were spot on.
A huge surprise was the miso soup—it was so good that even my kids, who usually don't touch it, finished the whole bowl. The salad was simple and refreshing, and the fried chicken (karaage) was perfectly crispy and tender. The beef was a little on the salty side for my taste, but overall, it didn't take away from a really enjoyable meal.
We liked it so much that we even grabbed some nigiri to go, and the kids absolutely loved it. Definitely a spot we’ll be coming back to.“

“Anytime we are in Pleasanthill area we try to eat at Jo’s Honda Sushi. We used to live in Pleasanthill and we would go there at least once a week. We love Honda and all his family ❤️“

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

“Marugame is our absolute go-to for the kids! The menu options make it so easy to find something everyone loves, and the cafeteria-style layout makes ordering a breeze. Everything tastes fantastic, and the dishes are so easy to share across the table. Always a reliable, delicious meal for the whole family.“

“I had such a wonderful dining experience here recently. The quality of the food was impressive and every plate was presented beautifully.

Everything tasted so fresh. I especially loved the bento box, which came with a perfect slice of orange and some really delicious, crispy dumplings. It is rare to find a spot that puts this much care into their presentation and flavor profiles.

I am definitely planning on coming back soon to try more of their menu. This place is a real local gem for anyone in Concord.“

“Excellent neighborhood sushi spot! Got a salmon nigiri and the Fat Boy roll and it was everything I want in a roll - crunchy, loaded with savory toppings and just a complete flavor bomb. I walk past this every day as I live nearby and am glad I finally checked it out.“

“Food was fresh! Service was great. The tables were clean!“

“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!“

“The service was very good, but the restaurant is a little bit understaffed. The restaurant was very clean. Restaurant was mostly quiet.

I recommend the katsu curry, it was very savory and comforting! The sushi was good (forgot to take a picture of the sushi). Also had tempera and fried squid.
The price was reasonable.

Would come back here again for sure! 🥰“

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“I had a rainbow roll to try it out and I was very pleasantly surprised how good it was. The fish was fresh and very good. This trip was amazing. Next visit I'll buy a free note rolls and report back but they are definitely worth trying out. I think I may have found my new favorite spot“

“Quick and affordable made to order onigiri with vegan/plant based options. I like the spicy tofu triangle, the teriyaki tofu and the kimchi tofu triangles are good as well. They usually throw in complimentary edamame if you get a few, and they have other options as well. More of a grab and go atmosphere but they are fast and friendly to me, and the condiment section is loaded with good stuff like free sesame seeds, teriyaki sauce, Japanese spice, Sriracha, shoyu etc. I like this for a nice light meal for some protein and energy after a work out or so.“

“Our favorite neighborhood sushi spot! We’ve been here numerous times and it never disappoints. Atmosphere, freshness of fish, flavor, quality of food all very solid and consistent. One note is that it is pretty cozy in there so on a busy night expect to be in close proximity to other diners :)“

“The freshest sushi I’ve ever had in this area. Hands down. Will definitely be back!“

“Mijori – A Classic at Lake Merritt!

This little gem has been a mom-and-pop staple in Oakland for over 30 years, and they’re still going strong. The service is consistently friendly, and the food never misses. It’s a must-stop if you’re in the Lake Merritt area.

They offer a variety of weekly specials depending on the fresh fish they receive, so there’s always something new to try. Don’t skip the tuna salad—it’s topped with their house-made spicy Korean sauce, and it’s absolutely delicious.

The sushi we ordered tonight was fresh, sweet, well-seasoned, and simply satisfying. Pair it with a cold beer or a glass of sake, and you’re in for a great evening. Come check them out—you won’t be disappointed!

Don’t forget to follow for more Great foodie stops @Only1christinelu“

“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.“

“This is one of the best izakaya spots around here. The owners and staff are very friendly, and it looks like they have a lot of regular customers.

I ordered a few dishes to enjoy with some good sake. The yakitori was a bit disappointing since it lacked that smoky, grilled flavor. I wouldn’t recommend it.

However, the steamed clams were excellent—perfect as a drinking snack. The fried herring was so delicious that we finished it in no time. Lastly, I had ochazuke, which was absolutely satisfying and something I’d definitely order again.

Overall, it was a perfect dinner experience.“

“Nice and accommodating 😘😘😘“

“Obsessed with this place! We got bento boxes - I got the bbq beef - it comes with so much food! We also got the lettuce wraps, I can’t remember the name but it’s like a California roll, but instead of rice it is lettuce. The portions are big, one bento box could feed two people and the prices are very affordable. Seriously even a basic CA roll is so delicious! Customer service was AMAZING. Highly recommend 😋“

“Stopped by on a work trip. Ordered two sushi roles, a bowl of miso soup, and a large Sapporo beer. The food was excellent, service was very friendly, and I walked away happy. If you enjoy sushi in a relaxed atmosphere, this is the place to go.“

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