50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Menlo Park

“Some of the best California-omakaze style I’ve had. The fish quality is absolutely top notch. Some of the more creative “California” dishes are fantastic and some are a bit of a miss.

On one of my visits here there was a strong soapy detergent smell throughout the restaurant. This put a real damper on the experience.“

“Ren Omakase was an exceptional dining experience! The dishes were beautifully presented, fresh, and full of delicate flavors. The service was attentive and welcoming, and the atmosphere made the meal feel special from start to finish. I’d definitely love to return for another memorable experience!“

“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“

“Amazing service. We had lunch there today. I ordered for the table and for one roll to go. When they brought the food the server realized they put two of the rolls in the to go box. And instantly said she’d have them make another for me to eat here and the second one was on the house. They also give free drinks when you dine in. They are wonderfully run!!!!“

“Drunken Monk is one of my favorite Japanese spots, especially for their oyako don. It’s the dish I keep going back for, but I’ve also tried quite a few other items on the menu and have enjoyed the variety.

The space has a cozy, casual izakaya feel, making it a nice place for a relaxed dinner or date night. It’s not exactly a cheap eat, but the food feels fresh and thoughtfully prepared, so it’s a good spot when you want something a little nicer without being too formal.

The corn karaage is also amazing and definitely worth ordering. Crispy, sweet, and so easy to snack on. I’ve also tried dishes like their sashimi, mini uni don with ikura, grilled skewers, and clam dish, and everything has been comforting and well done.“

“Good sushi for good price“

“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“

“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!“

“friendly staff, monstrous upon great broth“

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

“Exceptional omakase experience in the city; commendable service provided by the chef and waitress, both of whom are exceptionally courteous. Ingredients of the highest quality, with each course meticulously prepared and elegantly presented.“

“Enjoyed omakase 8pcs with some age dashi tofu, nigori sake and the white peach panna cotta!“

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

“Woah, the greatness of the sushi was unexpected as I was caught off-guard!! My hubby took me here for a regular Frid eat out night. Omg, every bite of my sushi tasted heavenly!! I felt so special like it was my bday as I slowly savored each morsel of divine deliciousness!! Phew! So amazing!! Love the intimate, cute atmosphere, &the service was warm & attentive. Id surely be back here soon with the rest of the fam, & later with friends! Stay great Ryoshin!!“

“This was a very pleasant surprise. We made a last minute reservation for 8 and ended up being 9. They did not reject us after the change at pick hour. Food was great and because we were ordering so much, we even got some freebies from our waiter.“

“This restaurant is run by an elderly couple who are genuinely the sweetest people ever! They make you feel so welcome, and the food is absolutely incredible.
Every time I come here, I get a plate with the shrimp tempura and a California roll, and the chicken teriyaki is so good too. But honestly, their salads are actually my favorite part—I can’t even explain it, but the dressing they use is just so insanely good! I end up eating so much of it. In fact, everything is so delicious that I always buy a ton of sides every single time I go. This place is amazing and deserves so much more love!“

“Los invito a todos a disfrutar de un buenísimo sushi!! 100% recomendable!! sabrosos y accesibles ;)“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House was an amazing dining experience! The wagyu was tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly in the delicious shabu-shabu broth. The ingredients tasted fresh, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was friendly and attentive. A fantastic spot for a special meal—I’d definitely come back again!“

“Amazing meal, one of the few places for authentic kaiseki in the bay area. Very delicate flavors and intricately crafted. The zensai in particular was exquisite, grilled kamasu with egg yolk sauce was absolutely delicious and had me scraping off every bit of sauce from my plate. Some very unique dishes and flavor combinations I've not seen elsewhere too (peach tempura).

Service was very warm and attentive. Ambiance also very quiet and relaxing. Stepping in feels like being transported to Japan. Menus are truly seasonal too, will definitely be back!“

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

“I am writing this review with great happiness because the service I received was beyond my expectations. I have known about this restaurant for a long time, but yesterday was my first time visiting, and I had a wonderful experience.

The food was very good, and the taste was excellent. We asked them to prepare the meat in a specific way, and they made it exactly as we requested. Their service was outstanding, especially Mr. Joe. He was very kind, respectful, and professional. He listened carefully to our instructions and made sure everything was served just the way we wanted.

I truly appreciate the great service and hospitality. Overall, the restaurant, the staff, and the food were all excellent. I would definitely recommend this place to others.“

“Very Japanese, very authentic, has Cafe in the name and they actually serve coffee unlike the Mexican joint across the street. I had a cold brew and Ton Katsu Bento, wish I took a picture before I itadakimasu'd that food right into my tummy. Very tasty, very sweet staff, oishi desu. Please check it out.“

“good food great service and accomending.“

“We went here with our 1 year old and it was a great experience! Staff was very friendly and the ambience was good too :)
We tried the heart attack sushi and the mango crunch sushi and both of them were very tasty.
Would definately recommend this place!“

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

“We’ve been here twice, but only downstairs, which can get very noisy. Their yakitori is very good. We also tried the mentaiko udon and grilled corn and both were good, too.

There’s a public parking garage behind the restaurant. Parking is free after 6 pm. You can enter the restaurant through the back door.“

“This is one of my favorite spots for a quick bite. The onigiri are always perfectly seasoned, fresh, and filling. The staff is incredibly friendly, and Erick was especially kind and welcoming. Everything tasted authentic and comforting. I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“San Mateos best kept secret. Best sushi I've had in years. Wonderful atmosphere, great service and at a reasonable price. My comment after dinner was , I guess I have had so much grocery store sushi, I forgot what real sushi should taste like.. Best Japanese food like this is rare these days until you try Tokies“

“I cannot stress enough how good the food is here. New favorite spot! The city roll is their favorite item on their menu and was so good I went two days in a row just to eat this roll. Absolutely going to be first on my list next time I am in town. Also very friendly staff and great atmosphere but the food is the superstar here. Wish there was a six star ranking for this 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“

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

“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!“

“Cleanly renovated by the new owner, the place now has very nice ambiance! Service was reasonable. Perhaps it would have been better if our arrival was not so close to their closing time.

The food was okay. Sashimi seemed well agrd and tasty. Pieces were good size also. The other stuff needs some improvement. The combo tempura were quite greasy. I wonder if the temperature of the frying grease was not high enough to result in crispy, non-greasy coating.

Reasonable value for lunch. Dinner price would diminish the value if the food is about the same.“

“We were a group of 6 all visiting for the first time and we loved it! 5 out of 6 of us did the Omakase tasting. All the courses were delicious and all of the folks there are amazing and welcoming! I highly recommend Sushi Jin. It is great spot and we will go back again.“

“The hostess was so awesome and just a ball of happiness and great energy.
The food was delicious and presentation was good; as many have said the Chicken Teriyaki was fantastic.

Portions were pretty good.
I’m a big eater so we ordered a lot. Chicken teriyaki, 5 Maki Rolls and a pop. Total plus tip was $100+

Give it a shot! We will definitely be back.“

“The beef tongue was absolutely delicious! We ordered two servings, but the second one wasn’t as good as the first—it was a bit tougher.

The ramen and the beef rice bowl were both very tasty as well. However, the beef was a little too rare and had a strong bloody taste. We hope it can be cooked a bit more next time.

Overall, we had a great dining experience and would definitely come back!“

“Cozy and casual Japanese spot. Great vibes with the Japanese posters and anime theme music playing.

The food is outstanding for such an unassuming spot. Everything is super fresh. We ordered the edamame, a spider roll, chicken karaage, and a tempura bento box.

The Tempura in particular has the perfect light batter and I appreciated all the small side dishes that came with the bento.

We'll definitely be back to try the Japanese curry and ramen.“

“Great little Japanese restaurant in the Carlmont shopping center. The inside has 7 tables plus two counters for dining. The table staff is friendly and helpful. The restaurant is open later than other restaurants in the area. The go tos here are the chicken teriyaki, the gal bi ribs, Japanese fried rice and the four seasons roll“

“Excellent meal here. The miso sea bass was delicious, and the nigiri in the seasonal omakase was great. Wagyu nigiri was a standout. Our waitress/server was fantastic also! one of the best sushi/omakases in san mateo in my opinion! pricing is absolutely reasonable too.“

“I love ❤️ to meet my friends here for private gatherings to plot steps fit really big and bold new ideas. My preference is for the 7:17 (give or take) omakase at the bar followed by a night meeting around a square or round table. Each person has two people to talk to at the bar (Me - Jeff- Elon - Mark - Lauren - Priscilla - Sergey- - Larry - Larry - plus 4 additional guests if others can attend - Camelia Me 12 Camelia Typically my wife returns home early by Lyft or Uber but I stay out later and sometimes overnight in Woodside at a suitable location.“

“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。“

“We ordered the nigiri omakase and the omakase box and it was amazing! The fish was so fresh and delicately prepared. We struck a conversation with the chef/owner Jason, who was so kind, informative and fun to talk to. My favorite was the monk liver and my husband’s was the salmon chutoro. Will definetely be coming back.“

“Yesterday I tried Uncle Tetsu inside Hillsdale Shopping Center for the first time and I really enjoyed it. There were so many flavors to choose from but I only got the coconut pandan Japanese cotton cheesecake and the ube cheese tart. They're selling the mini cheesecake - cheesetart combo for only $10, a pretty good deal!
Cotton cheesecake was super soft and fluffy, and the flavor leans more towards the coconut. I think pandan was only there for the color. Like you can see it but the flavor was really light, not super strong like I expected.
Ube cheese tart was also good but definitely on the sweeter side. Me and my friend shared one because it gets kinda sugary after a few bites (but it's still delicious, I highly recommend). The texture is nice, very creamy and buttery inside with a slightly crunchy crust.
Place was not busy, and staff was nice. I’d probably come back again when I'm craving desserts.“

“I had quite a nice time. Their hi's were very good.

Standout yakitori for me were the scallops and chicken thighs. Sapporo on tap. Takowas was very crisp. No complaints all around and service was attentive and the kitchen was quick.

Looking forward to my next visit when I am in the area again.“

“I’m not usually in the San Mateo area, but I happened to be nearby with a friend for some tech-related work and decided to place an online order from Udon Mugizo for the first time. It was a Saturday and the restaurant was clearly very busy, so I expected the pickup to take a while, but everything was ready smoothly and the person who helped me, possibly the manager, was genuinely kind and attentive even with so much going on. I was honestly impressed by the quality of the food too. Everything tasted fresh, carefully prepared, and much better than I normally expect from an online order. The whole experience, from the pickup service to the food itself, was excellent. I don’t come to this area often, but I would definitely order from here again the next time I’m nearby“

“Sushi was delicious and service was great! Not a romantic spot though because it’s loud but fun if your going with family and friends. Music is good!!“

“Shoutout to our server Adin for making our first visit so awesome. My girlfriend and I loved everything he recommended and his energy made the experience even better. He made everything look so effortless and management is lucky to have him. Top tier service all around and we will definitely be back as regulars“

“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.“

“My friend and I got the Mentaiko soupless ramen, shishito peppers, takowasa, squid legs tempura and the hokkaido crepe. Everything was delicious. Ramen was rich and creamy with a hint of spiciness. Our appetizers were all delicious, flavorful and the squid legs were so crispy. I love the texture from the takowasa, crunchy and had a chew to it. Our servers were very sweet and helpful. I will definitely come back here if I visit again.“

“when you did a free giveaway from harvest. my stepson gave it to me and this food is delicious... you have me sold!“