50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Mill Valley

“Ive been coming here for 16 years. Always as good. Best hamachi, uni, anywhere. There is no fresher, sor better ushi anywhere in the bay area. Exquisite, reasonably priced, generous portions. Simply amazing. !“

“Honestly really great sushi very fresh and delicious, the salmon felt like it melted in your mouth and the umnekyo was the perfect kind of sour. Stopped by on a whim and delighted to have discovered it! Very reasonable pricing and extremely fast and friendly service too!“

“fresh always my go to .. wonderful“

“Came here for a date night. It has casual hole in the wall vibes. We sat outside the night was perfect. I ordered the angry edamame, Brussels kushiyaki, and tempura veggie roll. My husband ordered the Hirame Carpacccio, Salmon lemon roll and bacon wrapped mochi. He claimed the bacon wrapped mochi had the best bites of the night. It appeared to have the same sauce as the Brussel sprouts which was delicious. The angry Edamame had a delicious chili garlic oil. The food was solid. The service was attentive and friendly.“

“𝑀𝑦 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑓𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑘𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑤𝑙 𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑡, 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠, 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑠ℎ, 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑑. 𝑌𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑦 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑠. 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒. 5 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑠.“

“I went to KEN for my birthday and it was absolutely phenomenal. The fish was delicious; so many new flavors and combinations; the chef was superb - talented and entertaining, with great attention to detail. The service was impeccable. I cannot say enough good things!“

“What a treat! Highly recommend“

“I love Yoma cafe, the food is amazing, great price, the owner is always so welcoming and nice to everyone.“

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“So it was my birthday, and I really wanted sushi. There is no dearth of quality sushi restaurants in San Francisco, however almost all of them are omakase – and to be honest, I am not a huge omakase fan (and I speak Japanese, have lived in Japan, and have consumed sushi all over the world – omakase does not necessarily mean better). Kuma’s execution and fish quality is some of the best I have had in the US in a long time. I dined with my mother, who is a Hamachi kama fan, and she said it was one of the best she has ever had. The atmosphere is no frills, and there were only two staff working the floor, one was I believe the manager – but service was attentive. Overall, this is probably my favorite new place to have non-omakase sushi in the city. Definitely recommend, and you definitely need a reservation.“

“Taniku Izakaya is a great spot for skewers and a solid casual night out. I really liked the spicy scallop hand rolls and the takoyaki, and the food overall was worth the wait. It does get busy, and there was a line since reservations are only for a couple tables, but we only waited about 20–30 minutes. The vibe was lively, and everything felt well worth it.“

“Best authentic Japanese restaurant in town.“

“awesome a must try, this is a hidden gem“

“If you want the freshest fish downtown has to offer.... go to Sanraku“

“Quality is key with any meal. Roger-San is all about quality. Sit at the bar if you can!“

“I have been meaning to write this review for years. Apologies for Jimmy and Ron for not writing it sooner.

First, I have to write about the people because they are the reason I love and will always love Kibatsu. Then, I'll write about my favorite dishes and the food.

The People:
I have been going to Kibatsu since 2014 so 12 years now. Before Kibastu, they were Sugoi Sushi in the Mission. I discovered them because they did catering for University of San Francisco. My college roommate and I befriended the young sushi chefs that came to the university, hung out with them once the sushi bar had officially closed and they encouraged us to come visit their Sugoi Sushi location.

Eventually we did and it became our Friday or Saturday night routine. Sometimes, we would splurge and go during the week (which for us as college students was a lot). But we loved them. Calvin, Ronald, (so sorry, I am totally blanking on the third guy's name but I see his face in my mind!) and Jimmy. The first three were the sushi chefs and Jimmy was the waiter - he always made room for us and always saved us our favorite booth in the front of the restaurant, closest to the windows. He remembered our classes and asked us how school was going. He always treated us to on the house mochi ice cream after each dinner. We would spend hours and hours there, camping out and chatting or doing our homework in the mood-lit, rustic, tastefully interior-decorated intimate setting, amid the hubbub of conversations and people enjoying the sushi. I remember Sugoi and those times really fondly - it was our safe space, our home away from home (dorm). Other times, we'd bring our friends. I can't even count how many people I and my roommate recommended this place to or brought there.

Then after we graduated, in 2018, they moved to the Haight and invited me to their opening night omakase which was a gift to everyone they invited. How sweet, thoughtful and amazing is that? Between Sugoi and Kibatsu, my partner and I met and Jimmy always remembers my partner and his two boys and asks about them when they're not with me. The boys love it here because of the large portions and how nice everyone is.

On my birthday this year, I decided I wanted to spend it at Kibatsu and Jimmy (who is now a sushi chef!!) and company went out and got me a birthday cake and brought it out before the rest of the dessert as a surprise. I almost cried. This is why I love Kibatsu and those who work there.

The Food:
The starter we always go for is the tataki dish which is albacore with delicious fried onion. The gyoza is always also a great way to go. We always get the omakase which is a true omakase with the different small plates, sashimi and nigiri. I love the salmon and umimasu nigiri as well as the negi salmon. Something special that Kibatsu does is they always surprise you with little gifts from the sushi chefs. For this past new year's they surprised us with a whole tray of steak and jumbo shrimp - a gift on the house. Their kindness never ceases to surprise us!

So there are some of our top favorites food wise and why Kibatsu has a special place in my heart. I hope you go and I hope you love it as much as I do. They work really hard, are so extremely kind and deserve the best.“

“Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful“

“Highly recommend this hidden gem!
We had a wonderful Father’s Day dinner here, and everything exceeded our expectations. The waitstaff and the friendly girls at the door who seated us were all fantastic—warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. Everyone took the time to explain the specials and answer questions, which made the experience feel personal and special. 
The portions were generous and the food was incredibly fresh and flavorful. As a nice touch, they even took a Polaroid picture of us with their own camera to commemorate the occasion—what a thoughtful gesture!
This was a great dinner overall, and we’ll definitely be back. Perfect spot for a memorable meal with family. Thank you to the whole team!“

“My favorite sushi spot in the city, and the service is fast and friendly!“

“friendly service and tasty food“

“Healthy, fresh meal. Filling, yet light. Felt kind of a splurge just for a casual lunch, so maybe come here with more dedicated time.

I finished the nabe just by myself. I got the pork one, and thought the meat was good quality. I wouldn’t say portions are big here. The flavors are also very light, even with the sauces. The mushrooms were not satisfying and we tasted more of the breading in each bite rather than the mushroom itself.

Our waiter was pleasant. Overall, the price of the meal was a bit higher than I expected for what we got (like $50pp). I feel like hot pot restaurants are cheaper and would offer ayce.“

“A great, local izakaya that really shines with kushi (skewer) cuisine. In addition to kushi, they also have several other dishes that are delicious, but especially the chicken-skin gyoza and their karaage. They also have a solid sake selection. I’ve been here several times and am always eager to come back. Heads up that if you come hungry then leaving full will probably run you at least $50 per person without drinks.“

“Delicious omakase! Really deserves to be a Michelin star again!! The ginger shoot was a cool touch and super tender. Great balance of nigiri and complementary appetizers and seared cod. Cute ambiance for our anniversary -- no reservation needed“

“It’s easy to find sushi restaurants with high-quality fish these days, but good shari (the rice) is still hard to come by in San Francisco. The moment the chef told everyone to eat the sushi right away, I knew he really knew what he was doing. Sure enough, when he placed it on the plate, the shari gently sank - perfect texture. Saw someone complaining that the rice fell apart… you belong at a place that serves edamame and California rolls 👋 lol“

“Food was amazing and happy hour were very decent prices. I'm definitely coming back to try more, especially the beer! Service was super fast.
I had oysters and takoyaki both were so good, perfectly cooked takoyaki ❤“

“A small, family-run spot tucked between Broadway and the Transamerica Pyramid delivers the kind of honest, soul-warming lunch that’s increasingly rare in the city. Run by a lovely older couple who treat every customer like a regular, this no-frills counter serves up comfort food at prices that feel like a time capsule.

Cash/venmo only so you know it's fire“

“Great place food is super salty tho.“

“Its Order to Go. No seating inside but a nice bench sitting area outside for anyone worked well for us. Checked the menu..its ONLY what is available nothing more..nothing less. Fresh sushi done well. Would love more options but what we had was good. Would not hesitate to eat here again when I am in the area and like a quick bite. Liked all my orders of Hamachi Donburi and mixed sushi..salmon aka saki which I hardly eat these days was fresh and on point. I really enjoyed the scallops hand rolls.“

“Eating is a kind of happiness, taste is a kind of interest“

“1000/10. This place is hard to get a table at because it only seats 20 people. They only do one serving, but this was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in all of San Francisco. The menu constantly changes so you get a new experience every time you would come. We’ll be going back.“

“awesome service and amazingly fresh sushi! open from 4:30 to 9:30. on Geary near masonic“

“Beautiful food and excellent service – went for my husband's birthday and it was a special meal. Servers were super attentive and explained the various cuts of meat and preparation, and everything is cooked right in front of you, which makes for a cool experience. Every bite was delicious!“

“The food smacks and the music they play always slaps.“

“The ingredients, the flavors, they're all top-notch.“

“Great food and great ambience � � love it so much“

“Fantastic atmosphere & fantastic food. We had the bento for dinner (not an option on the dinner menu, you have to ask for it). The sashimi is especially stellar and is honestly better than a number of omakase sushi I have had at much more expensive places. Portion was great - We came in very hungry and left very satisfied!“

“Abby was super kind and gave great service!! Unagi skewer was insanely good, but a lil on the sweet side but that’s just my prefance. The Yuzu lager was refreshing, could definitely taste the yuzu, its on the rotating draft menu though.“

“Great food & ambiance! Ron & Jennifer have done it again! ❤️“

“woah. i dont really say real deal but real f***** deal. well balanced. superb quality. exceptional service and presentation. clean flavors. first time I have actually been left utterly speechless. 5 stars. 5 forks. whatever. this place is the jam......“

“I cannot say I had a bad experience. Everything was my favorite“

“OK, this is my very first Shabu experience. I’m a little scared sometimes to try new foods. Although I am quite a foodie and love eating all kinds of things. This is an excellent place to go on your first Shabu journey. The broth are delicious. The vegetables they bring you are fresh high-quality. I tried both the Ramen and the udon noodles prefer the udon. We did the all you can eat $46 meal. It was beyond fabulous. You get to try all the different kinds of meat. That green sauce made with the cilantro. I swear I could put it in a glass and drink it!! we had a birthday party with 11 people, and they were so accommodating to us. They even helped us serve our cake with candles. By the way, the meal comes with either red bean or green tea, ice cream.“

“ALWAYS a fantastic and tasty dinner. ☺️“

“We had a great experience here! The tuna was fresh and buttery and everything we ordered was delicious. Prices were very good for the quality.

We also tried the chef’s Japanese sushi set. Not every type of fish was our favorite but it was a great way to try a variety of unique fish we hadn’t had before!

The eel hand rolls were another highlight absolutely delicious!

We came during Happy Hour so it was an even better value. The food came out quickly!
We made a reservation in advance. When we arrived there was a tablet to check in but we were seated before we even had a chance to use it haha. Fantastic experience and we’d definitely come back!“

“Omg! The Ribs are amazing!“

“Kitchen-made gyoza not from a box; fresh-grilled Unagi and just honest home-style Japanese food from a local family-owned restaurant. Doesn't get much better than this!“

“Came here for the first time with friends. They have a massive menu so there’s something for everyone, even the pickiest of eaters.
It was a little difficult to figure out the system here, you order via your phone but once you figure it out it’s fine.
Everyone enjoyed their drinks and meals. My bear milk tea was the cutest and so tasty!
Bathroom was nice and clean.
I did have to flag a server down, so that we could pay as it had been awhile. However they were busy, and there was only of two of them so I understand.
You get a sticker for a free menu item for next time which is very cool. Overall it’s affordable and yummy, I had a pleasant time at this cafe with friends.“

“Food was good but a bit more pricey than other Japanese sushi restaurants in terms of quantity and price. The service is good. The waitress is very attentive. We were seated at the section separating from the main seating area which is close to the door, so it was a bit cold because of the wind on that day. Overall is good but not great but will come back once in a while! :)“

“The server was so nice and the food came out after 10 mins of ordering and the food was good and good portions. Recommended to get a drink of you're ordering food and apps. Cozy place in Geary. Loved the flavor on the K.O. ramen and the Kobe Ramen. The Curry Lamb rice plate was also pretty delicious.“

“Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful“

“Excellent food, excellent service. We loved it. We had Shrimp Tempura Roll, Sexy Roll, Edamame, Miso Soup, Kirin Beer. Can’t wait to go back again.“