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“

“Great food and great service“

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

“Every single dish at Oken is incredible and I rarely say this about any restaurant. I'm afraid to post this review to alert others of the awesomeness of Oken but the chef and the Oken team deserve the praise and awareness of the phenomenal restaurant experience which they have created.“

“This restaurant just became my favourite Japanese restaurant in the area. We ordered two lunch combo with Katsu, Beef Teriyaki and Deep fried gyoza. First came complimentary miso soup once we sat down. Very thoughtful. Lunch combo start at $14.50 and $1 to $4 extra depending on what you order. Food was served in an efficient manner. They even gave us 6 dumplings on the house. Katsu was good. Not too much coating. Teriyaki wasn’t too sweet. Staff were friendly and efficient. Overall a very good experience.“

“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.“

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

“Sushi bar runs by Chinese? Why not?
The origin of sushi has to trace the sushi’s roots back to China—and even further, to Southeast Asia. The earliest form of sushi, called narezushi, was a method of preserving fish by fermenting it with rice. This technique likely developed in the Mekong and Irrawaddy River basins and was adopted by the Baiyue people of southern China. The Han Chinese documented it as early as the 4th century BCE.
So yes, Chi ese gave sushi the practice beginning.

Twice we dined here, savoring sushi not from a Japanese bar, but from a Chinese family’s hands—gentle, precise, and quietly proud. The flavors whispered of history: from riverbanks in southern China to the bustling streets of Edo. Sushi, reborn and reimagined.“

“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 🌯“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“We booked an early 5:15 pm reservation and arrived 10 minutes before but had to stand in line along with all those that had show tickets before being seated almost 15 inutes later. Maybe Yoshi's will consider a separate line for dinner only guests? Our 2 year old guest wolfed down the kobe beef kabobs! So tender and flavorful. Then he grazed on his very generous kid's meal of soba noodles, tempura, chicken teriyaki and rice! So happy! Adults enjoyed tempura calamari, the Japonese, Jack London and Warrior rolls along with hamachi nigiri. Fish was fresh. Sadly we had to ask for soy sauce 4 times before a staff member brought to our table. Then we were served an order of what the staff member called hamachi nigiri but it was ikura so we had to call attention to getting the incorrect item. The tatami room was a nice experience, especially for our 2 year old guest. Seemingly private.“

“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.“

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

“Intimate sushi and Japanese restaurant. The handrolls are delicious, crispy and subtle flavor. The fish is fresh (key to good sushi and sashimi). It's definitely higher level Japanese restaurant. And the servers are attentive and very friendly. They gave my toddler special attention and kept him happy ( no small feat). Definitely a premium sushi and sashimi restaurant at a reasonable price.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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 :)“

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

“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.“

“service and quality are top notch“

“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!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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“

“I walked in with low expectations only because not that many people were in the restaurant. I was proven wrong quickly. The food was amazing and the service was great. I can't stand it when you get giant sushi rolls. These were small and very fresh. The dudes rolling the sushi were bout the business. Tashiko was a great waitress and she made our 10 year old picky eater feel special and went out of her way to make sure she had a good experience. The salad dressing is amazing , the nigiri and rolls were awesome as was everything else. Great little date spot. Highly recommend.“

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“great food & great service!“

“I heard about this restaurant through Forum on KQED this morning. I promptly took my family there for lunch and it did not disappoint!
The ordering process was self service which was not very clear. We ordered two chicken breast katsu and one curry rice plate with katsu. We were served with water first and the curry rice plate came out soon after. The delicious pork katsu was declared excellent. Our chicken katsu came afterwards and it was SO good. The katsu were served with the best cabbage salad I’ve ever tasted, just right dipping sauce, crispy marinated daikon and sushi rice. And then, there’s the katsu- lightly battered, flakey with juicy insides- the best I’ve tasted outside of Japan. The $24 price is a lot for lunch but it is a copious amount of food and well worth it.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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)“

“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!“

“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!“

“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.“

“Nice and accommodating 😘😘😘“

“I think this could make a fun date spot.

I thought the sets were reasonably priced, but maybe it’s because I’m comparing it to SF pricing.

Every bite was great, but I think next time I’ll ask for less rice or maybe even none.“