50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Menlo Park

“If you come here expecting fancy cuts of super exotic fish, you’ll probably be disappointed. However, if you come with an open mind to try different types of fish each seasoned and dressed slightly differently to complement the flavors and also to cater to a less ‘traditional’ palette, then Robin can be a fun experience. We set our price point at around $140 and was served a good amount of food we felt full after. Our server confirmed our dietary restrictions and preferences, and was able to customize each piece to cater to everyone. My favorite piece was probably the uni wagyu seaweed crunch. We came for a work dinner and ended up finishing 3 bottles of sake and had a great time. We were probably responsible for destroying the ambiance as we probably got abnoxiously loud towards the end. Good option for date night or for an expensive company dinner :P“

“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“

“This was nothing short of incredible. The takoyaki was better than any I've had in Japan. The rolls have real crab. The chirashi bowl was packed full of the most delicious cuts of fish. I will definitely be back to try more of the special rolls!“

“Well run japanese izakaya with great food. Sushi was fresh and delicious, great charcoal grill. They use binchotan- the restaurant is neat and clean without strong smell. My only complaint: the source is a little too sweet in the don and on grill peppers.“

“Good sushi for good price“

“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“

“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“

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

“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.❤️❤️❤️“

“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.“

“At Iki omakase, the chef created a menu which included seasonal ingredients that translated to a delicious and refined dining experience. This dinner was extra special because we were there to celebrate an intimate send off for the bride and groom (Nic & Joseph 🥳) before their scheduled wedding ceremony in Santa Barbara CA. Chef Li and the entire staff at Iki omakase did not disappoint. The entire dining experience…priceless“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!!“

“Came for a belated anniversary dinner and had the best time!! Every bite was so so delicious! Highlights include the crab appetizer, mackerel appetizer (the skin was insanely crispy and meat was juicy/tender), kanpachi, tuna with egg yolk, scallop (omg the plumpest scallop I’ve ever had), wagyu, and hairy crab (extra order, so buttery and rich). I thoroughly enjoyed my meal here and will definitely be back!!“

“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!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“We went there for Mother’s Day lunch, and it was a genuine kaiseki experience in a shorter lunch format. The dining ware was beautiful, and every course reflected the chef’s technique and thoughtful intention.

I especially appreciated how the chef used refined cooking techniques to bring out the natural flavors of each ingredient rather than relying on heavy seasoning. Each dish felt balanced and carefully composed.

The pork belly was on the fattier side, and while it was well prepared, I thought the amount of fat was a bit excessive for the dish. The rice course at the end was somewhat underwhelming—it lacked fragrance and didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Overall, it was an elegant and enjoyable meal, and I’d love to come back to experience the full dinner menu sometime.“

“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“

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

“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“

“This is truly a hidden gem of a Japanese restaurant. ✨
Every time I come here, I just let the owner decide what to serve, and it never disappoints. The sashimi platter is always beautifully prepared, especially the six-section assortment — every piece is incredibly fresh and high quality.
One of my favorites is the uni hand roll, so rich and satisfying. And the small oyster topped with egg yolk and fish roe? Absolute perfection in one bite, especially paired with the fresh wasabi.
You can really tell the owner cares about both the food and the customers. Super genuine, friendly, and generous. Every meal here leaves me completely full, satisfied, and somehow still feeling healthy and refreshed.
Definitely one of those rare places you want to keep secret but also want everyone to experience. Highly recommend!“

“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.“

“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“

“Friendly, fast service. Comfortable seating and clean, lovely decor. Pleasant music and atmosphere. The food was delicious and freshly made. The tempura coating was crisp without being oily. Good amount of food for the price. Planning to return for sure!“

“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.“

“If you want good authentic Japanese food, this is the place to go. It's no frills so don't go if you are looking for a fine dining experience. Food is plentiful, service is good and they have an outside / tent seating area that is good for larger groups and kids.“

“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!!“

“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。“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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.“

“Incredibly delicious. Friendly atmosphere. Awesome.“

“Food was really good. Came for the gyukatsu, as that is one of my favorite dishes to get in Japan. While it doesn't reach the same levels, it is still really good, and this is the only place I know of that sells it. The sushi also was really good.“

“Among the best Japanese food in Mountain View/Los Altos/Palo Alto area.“

“good place to dine and very clean“

“Picked up gyozas and a couple of rolls including a fried one. Everyone at home loved it. It was ordered on Uber Eats and was done fast on a Sunday afternoon. The staff was also friendly and helpful when we got to the restaurant for pick up. Would recommend“

“Great ramen!!! Fast and friendly service!“