50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Orinda

“The best omakase around!!“

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

“Island Special Rolls are amazing!!! Phoenix, Pearl, Orinda and Super Star are a few of our favorites!!! #sushigood“

“Fresh ingredients, friendly staff, and delicious food and veggie options!“

“Probably the best meal I’ve ever had, super fun, exciting, every bite was perfect. Intimate and fast process“

“Atmosphere in the restaurant was great, service was attentive and they would take the time to explain the elements of every dish. If they have the off menu potato and cheese croquettes again, they are a must try. The short rib was amazing and the oxtail was a great comfort food. The milk bread dessert was delicious and unique, but the chocolate cake had too much cream and not enough chocolate for us.“

“Tatsu is a solid spot here that really delivers on atmosphere and flavor. The authentic Japanese design stands out right away - warm wood tones, pink Sakuras, clean lines, and a cozy layout that makes the space feel both traditional and welcoming.

On a packed Saturday night, the team was clearly working at full speed. The chef in particular was impressive - focused, efficient, and handling a nonstop flow of orders without missing a beat. You could feel the effort and care behind the counter.

The sashimi was fresh, clean, and genuinely delicious - exactly what you hope for when you sit down at a sushi bar. The specialty rolls like Flaming Dragon were beautifully plated with a bit of flair, and the uni shooters were the highlight of the night - rich, briny, and absolutely outstanding.

Overall, a lively, high-quality sushi experience. When a restaurant is that busy and still maintains this level of freshness and service, that says a lot. Definitely worth coming back.“

“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!!!!“

“My friend and I came for lunch, and we had a lovely afternoon. I got a poke bowl that was fresh, filling, and flavorful. My friend had a gorgeous sushi roll and miso soup. I ordered the house sale hot, and she got hot tea. The service was prompt and friendly without being overbearing. The overall vibe was popping over to a friend’s house and they just happen to have banging Japanese food. It was also a great value. I plan to come here again for sure.“

“Kuidaore is a wonderful restaurant! I highly recommend including it in your visit to Jack London Square.
Food: The fish is fresh, delicious and high quality. The small plates are creative and have all been really flavorful and well-balanced (I have just 1 more on the list to try). My only criticism is that some of the fish is so tender it can be difficult to get the whole bite from the plate to my mouth. The handrolls are really good, each one is packed with fish and the seaweed is super crispy - exactly what you'd want. They'll let you split them between 2 people if you want to be sure to have room to try a lot of them. There are a few expensive, very fancy ones - think edible gold, wagyu, caviar...incredible to taste and beautiful presentation. Their miso soup is delicious and an inexpensive extra that you should definitely try.
People: The staff are amazing! So welcoming and accommodating. After a few visits, our favorite waitress recognized us and had our drinks started before we even sat down! The chef/owner is friendly and checks in on customers when she can.
Atmosphere: The chairs are awkwardly tall but it gives you a great view of the handroll station. It's an intimate setting that's very comfortable. The only negative is that when it's busy it gets pretty noisy.
To reiterate, I definitely recommend going here if you're in the area!“

“Truly excellent place that has been here in the neighborhood forever. We've been coming here or getting orders togo for a decade and it's been the same folks running it the whole time and they are superb.
2025 update - still going strong. great food and great service!“

“Nigiri combo is excellent! I can’t wait to try the sashimi combo next. I came just before they were closing for lunch and people were steadily coming either to pick up or eat-in up until their closing time. It seemed they were regular customers who are keeping this place a secret and happy to say, I am on it already. Can’t wait to go back.“

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

“LOVE this place—we’ll be back again for sure!

Top notch food, and
Service was super-fast & polite.

Really outstanding sushi rolls.
Beautiful presentation, fresh popping flavor,
High quality tender fish.

Miso soup was simple but tasty, not too salty.

The *cloudy sake* was nice, a more earthy version of the typical sake flavor i’m used to.“

“Outstanding personal service. Sushi Burrito (several to choose from) are my favorite, Miso Soup, and a Beer or Sake. I recommend that you come and get some 🌯“

“We found this place online and decided to give it a try. The restaurant itself is a bit small, good for small groups of up to four. And you can use the tablet to put in an order.

We ordered the Omakase, the dill roll, and the baked unagi roll. The fish was fresh and delicious, but their rolls were a bit too heavy in flavor for me. I had to keep eating ginger to cleanse my palate.“

“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.“

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

“Tempura, so crispy. Miso cod, sake toro. I also would like to to recommend the different tastings like the nigiri tasting, the sashimi tasting and also the salmon tasting. They also have raw oysters presented in Japanese style, so good.“

“Great fried chicken, and my friends food truck is there!“

“The food was very good. We had a snow crab sushi and the warrior roll, as well as a side salad and a small soup. It was plenty for two people. It's a tight fit, so you get to know your neighbors whether or not you want to. Ours were fair -- quiet on one side and demonstrative on the other. The drinks were very good. We were there for the music, but the restaurant made the evening beautiful.“

“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.“

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

“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!“

“We are regulars here - absolutely delicious, always fresh, and decently priced to-go sushi options! Not to mention super friendly and kind service. Recently they threw in an extra toro nigiri (for free) with the cutest note written!! Can’t recommend Itani Sushi enough :)“

“During the week I spent visiting my daughter, a student at Berkeley, we went there twice: delicious, everything fresh, huge portions. After Europe, this is unreal quality for reasonable money. Thank you so much! I hope to visit you again, and more than once!“

“service and quality are top notch“

“This is a great spot! The service was great and very fast. The person serving us was very nice and attentive. We had the karage and sushi combo which came with more fish than we were expecting! Everything was very fresh and nicely presented. They had a lot of different seating areas -- it was two of us this time but would be suitable for bigger groups too. I always love getting an Andes mint after dinner too:) Definitely recommend and will be coming back!“

“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.“

“I’ve been eyeing this place for months and finally was in the mood for sushi. The bento box was very fresh and delicious. I got the salmon teriyaki and spicy tuna. I also got the uji time ice cream. They offer a variety hand make ice cream that changes every week. This week I got the purple potato one. It was a perfect meal for an early dinner and the staff was very nice.“

“Okay, this is the fourth time we’ve been here this week so, I think we’ve crossed the official “rating your favorites” threshold. Pa’s Papa is ‘official’ in my heart for three reasons:
1. Every time I come in there’s a genially kind and friendly, LOCAL face to greet us! They hire folks from the neighborhood and I think that’s awesome and so “Official Oakland!”
2. Each visit our food has been so fresh, well seasoned, thoughtfully presented, packaged * and delicious The servings and pricing truly fair. *I teased the owner for teaching his young, new cashier how to properly bag hot soup like an official Oakland Chinese restaurant!
3. It’s a hella nice vibe. Every time. Music is upbeat, the restaurant is immaculately clean, and it’s a POSITIVE VIBE… that truly matters in this moment in time. I appreciate it.“

“One of the best sushi spot in the bay. The food just feels and tastes fresh. Portions are nice and flavors are there. The sashimi is amazing, the specialty rolls are all really well done. You can tell they care about their craft. Ive had delivery and the food is still amazing. You know delivery sometimes reduces the quality of the food.“

“Came in this small but cozy restaurant for a quick lunch bite and was surprised by the ambiance. I got the pork chop over rice and was surprised on how authentic it tasted. Crispy and homey - good blend of veggies and meat. Definitely a spot for casual get-togethers or a quick lunch. I would come back to try the food they didn’t have in stock (certain foods weren’t available depending on the days of the week or month)“

“This is a local authentic sushi place. Chef is friendly and good listener if you have special inquiries. Sushi are freshly made to order with generous portions.
Good varieties of sushi, nigiri and sashimi plus non-sushi items. Ask staff for veggie options but some are clear through menu.
Place is clean and organized with responsive waiter.
Atmosphere is good for groups, meetup, seniors (flat floor) and small parties. Will return for orange spicy salmon (Netscreen) roll.

Vegetarian options: Veggie options available. Check with staff.

Parking: Free and paid street parkings“

“EDIT: I felt its necessary to make the amendment that, although walking in without a reservation was a thing previously, we've now had multiple visits where we've stood at the counter for 2 hours never to be seated.

You can still eat the whole menu there, but its generally very crowded.

Getting reservations seems to be catered towards friends, or some type of mysterious system, as we no longer have been able to get a reservation even weeks in advance. The food is still the same.

Original Review: I can’t believe that I haven’t left a review for Ippuku; this is as close as you can get to a Tokyo alley izakaya, from the sasami raw chicken special menu (to do for), to the epic yakitori, to the massive shochu selection.

By far one of my top 5 favorite restaurants in the Bay Area, we’ve been here a good 30 times over the years and it has never once changed at all, thankfully!!! Never want it to change, it does everything so well.

Hokkaido squid, chicken oyster, chicken tartare, agadashi tofu, crab croquettes, these are some favorites.

Make a reservation if you can, but otherwise we often walk in and are seated within an hour. Fun to hang out at the bar and wait.“

“thank you katsu sora Trinoma. maraming salamat din sa nag assist samin na si Claire. sobrang attentive and friendly.“

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“great food & great service!“

“OMG. I’m a sushi lover and this is my new favorite lunch spot. Happened to be in the area for lunch, which just happens to be their happy hour! We ordered one of everything on the happy hour menu and were BLOWN AWAY. Soooo good, we ordered 2nds of most of the items. Floored how good the oyster mushroom tempura on their HH menu is. Like. Chef’s kiss! All of the fish items in HH were top shelf. So good, we ended up ordering multiples. Staff was so helpful and happy. Can’t wait to come back.“

“I've been a regular customer for 20 years. I've been going to Katana-ya with my parents since I was little, and even now, after getting married, I bring my wife back. Tokyo Feng is still as delicious as ever. Their sushi has been infused with innovative elements, and the flavor and texture have improved. The portions are generous, and the prices are affordable! Tokyo Feng, we hope you continue to do better and continue to do well for another 20 years!“

“Love this place, I feel safe and the food is incredible“

“Small place, attentive staff, amazing sushi.
- Their rolls are stuffed to the brim with sushi.
- The salmon sashimi is a large portion, and super good.
- We also tried their Geta don. The tuna was amazing!! The onsen egg was really great!!!

I loved the spicy scallop roll. My friends really enjoyed the real cali roll. The hamachi roll was great too.

My only complaint is that the rice consistency wasn’t great and seemed basically unseasoned.“

“Awesome sushi poke place that is very generous with its portions! The staff is very friendly and helpful in getting all of the ingredients you like as well as telling you if something cost extra!

I ordered a large bowl which cost $20

The store is also very clean and if there's anything highlighted or shown for sale, they'll also let you know!

Overall, the ordering process was very smooth!“

“Think of the part last time you ate teriyaki...dried chicken with a bunch of gross sauce. This place perplexed me... the chicken and shrimp are perfectly cooked, with just enough sauce. The care in the prep is beyond anything you'd expect for what you'd think is a simple dish. I honestly can't think of another place that makes food this juicy, and with care. It's been on my weekly lunch rotation for a reason. Shame it's in a dead city bc you can tell they care when restaurants around them only care to make a buck.“

“One of our favorite local spots! The fish is always fresh and all of their food is really good! Our favorites were the 49er, phoenix, and pleasant hill roll. Great family owned restaurant that is always clean with kind service! 10/10 recommend!“

“In all my travels, I look for what I call "happy food." Happy food for me is healthy, nutritious, tasty, nicely prepared, and served by smiling people in a clean environment. Oori exceeded all my happy food requirements and then took me for a ride through food blissfulness worth each bite. I had chicken teriyaki, grilled salmon, and spicy tuna triangles. On the side, I complimented it with miso soup and ginger. Each flavor was distinct and made my taste buds ooh, ahh, and wow for more. I'll be back here for more without question. I felt like I was dining at a 5-star restaurant and found the food reasonably priced.“

“This is a quick serve onigiri restaurant in downtown Berkeley. It's awesome to be able to get fresh onigiri in the East Bay and they include edamame as well. We split a plate of 3 and got the short rib(x2) and the unagi. Very small inside the restaurant, very much a get your food and go type place, but there is some room to eat standing up. They were quick, well priced and delicious. The perfect quick bite.“

“This takeout only spot has the MOST affordable and FRESH sashimi and sushi in the entire Bay!! The omakase box features fresh pieces of salmon, tuna, fatty tuna, roe, and scallop for $16.99. Zero fishiness at all. But my favorite is actually the seared salmon—omg it literally melts in your mouth 👌🏻👌🏻 The California roll uses actual snow crab and all their other rolls are good too. Only thing is they don’t open on weekends but they have a location in SF now. Highly recommend!“

“Ever since Jo's Sushi Bar closed, I've been searching for a comparable sushi place and I'm glad to say, The Shoya fits the bill. I judge a sushi place not on their rolls but the quality of their fresh fish and sushi rice...and this place doesn't disappoint. We got the 10 piece nigiri omakase and and sushi combo (7 piece nigiri and roll) as well as the tekka don and tempura and wvwrything was well prepared and delicious! The sake was served in a cool looking dispenser I've never seen before, which was a nice touch! I'm not in Pleasant Hill very often but I'm happy to know this will be my go-to spot for great sushi when I am in town.“

“Update:

Came back again and the udon tasted even better than the first time! Got to try the wings this time which were superb, they also changed their potato salad to a perfectly breaded potato croquette. Uni was on the menu, so we got some nigiri’s as well as topped it on our udon! Their clam risotto was also super unique and had a ton of texture. Another big surprise was the crab cake sushi roll which was a deep fried sushi roll stuffed with real crab meat, and they do not skimp on the crab! Overall another amazing experience again and I cannot wait for the full menu.
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They say good things are worth waiting for and I waited all year for izakaya shodai to open, and it did not disappoint!

Gorgeous modern interior inside with plentiful seating. Soft opening so menu is more condensed but gives a good idea of what to expect from this establishment.

I tried the mentaiko udon, beef tongue skewer, tuna tataki, and was also given the curry fries on the house. Fav was the beef tongue, proper cut with a perfect smokiness to it since it was grilled over charcoal, just salt and pepper is the way to go! Mentaiko udon did not skimp on the mentaiko, most places just add a creamy sauce to cover up the fact that they don’t have enough mentaiko, whereas shodai is generous with it. Noodles had a perfect bounciness to it, only slight miss is it was a tad oily, but otherwise delicious and came with a side of potato salad. Tataki was seared to perfection with great sauce and flavoring. The curry fries were also good, I think it might be better if the curry was on the side for dipping so the fries can retain its crispiness; but it was refreshing to see a dark curry dish whereas most places usually serve light curry.

Cannot wait to come back and see what else is to come. Had a chance to speak with the managing partner Andy, and there are definitely some additions to the menu that I will for sure want to be the first to try (hello uni dishes!)“