50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Orinda

“The best omakase around!!“

“Best sushi meal at this price point ive ever had. Got the Nigiri & roll combo, came with toro, salmon belly, amber jack, striper.. Premium Nigiri pieces in a combo at this price, as fresh and executed well as it was? Unreal.
Couple of the pieces had fresh Yuzu juice brushed on.

Incredible for 30$

Service was warm & friendly even when it got busy.“

“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“

“one of my favorite places in the country to eat. whenever I'm in the Bay area, in here“

“What we had:
3 hand rolls lunch (salmon, spicy tuna and unagi) with miso soup and edamame
4 premium handrolls options (A5 Miyazaki Wagyu, Japan Hokkaido Uni, A5 Wagyu Uni & Caviar, Uni Toro & Caviar)
Small plates: Maguro Ponzu and Tuna Tartare

This is an open kitchen setting, you can see the chef make every hand roll and serve the roll right to the dishes in front of you! The quality of the fish was excellent, everything tasted fresh, and you could really appreciate the simplicity of each hand roll. The rice was well-seasoned, and every bite highlighted the freshness of the ingredients. The premium hand rolls were definitely the stars, fatty, flavorful, if you’re a fan of uni and wagyu you have to try it.

The Maguro Ponzu and Tuna Tartare was refreshing and light, it's a great appetizer to share between hand rolls.

That said, I have to be honest, it is kinda pricey. The premium hand rolls add up quickly, so it’s definitely more of a treat-yourself kind of meal rather than an everyday sushi spot. Still, if you’re willing to spend on fresh hand rolls, it’s worth checking them out.“

“I’ve been coming here for years now and just now decided to write a review. The sushi is amazing, I’ve made my way down the list and tried all the rolls but my favorite ones are the Shiki, Samurai and the Double Sake. They are super fresh and so delicious. They’re always as delicious as the last time. Also, service is super nice, they recognize me at this point and are always happy to see me come in again. My favorite sushi spot in Oakland hands down. Also for a great price!! Don’t sleep on Sushi Park!!“

“service and quality are top notch“

“I got the lunch nigri, salmon was buttery, tuna was fresh. Complementary miso soup. Definitely an amazing lunch. Even the katsu was delicious. A plentiful variety of authentic Japanese dishes. Would come here again and recommend to anyone in the area.“

“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!!!!“

“We really enjoyed our first meal at Hanami. we were greeted by a friendly server and she brought us menus and chopsticks. We ordered seafood ramen, katsu ramen and a veggie roll.

my fiance enjoyed his first time having abalone! We really liked how they prepared the squid as well. My katsu was lightly fried and perfectly crunchy. The veggie roll was fresh and delicious.

The ambiance was our favorite part! So many pretty things to look at! And we really enjoyed the music as well.

thank you for the yummy meal!“

“Upfront the only downside: This place is a store with premade sushi and has no real seatinh besides one small bench.
However, the sushi is always freshly prepared und since the place has high turnover, the sushi never gets old. The quality of the sushi is great and not overpriced.
The staff is friendly and helpful. The free chopsticks and napkins are of higher quality than in most places and the place itself is clean and tasteful designed.“

“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.“

“This was a surprise dinner my friend invited me on. The hand rolls are so fresh and delicious. I had 5 amazing rolls that come out one at a time for freshness m. The server was super sweat and helped me pick out what I wanted. The menu does also have set options, but I decided to do individual rolls. I definitely recommend stopping by if you’re in the Oakland area.“

“This place is always so good, creative sushi options with high quality fish. While it has minimal atmosphere, everyone is super friendly visit after visit there is something yummy and unique to try. Like the deep fried shisho leaf with salmon and hamachi toro appetizer pictured.“

“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!“

“I grabbed take out from Sushi time and was super impressed. The packaging was great, miso soup was scalding hot, wakame fresh and crisp and perfectly seasoned. We tried Spicy Rainbow Roll, Mega Roll, Salmon Paradise, Flying Shrimp, Red Dragon and Cherry Blossom rolls. They were all incredible! They even provide training chopsticks for the kids!“

“Excellent take-out. Love their unagi, spicy crab salad, every roll that I’ve tried. And they are so nice!!“

“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.“

“This is one of my favorite sushi place to go. I love how fresh and well balanced the nigiri and rolls are. Seasoned just right to bring out the fish's flavor. The wasabi is not overly strong and has a very nice kick to it, even with some texture too.“

“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.“

“I had a really cool time here !!! The chefs are amazing so kind and understanding. I was losing my voice and he was very patient and the second
Chef was really fast . I think this isn’t favorite sushi place now ! The staff really looked out for me and I don’t think they k pa
How much it meant to me . Sometimes I show up places and people treat me negatively for no particular reason but I felt the love in there food“

“At Utzutzu, you can find a top-notch omakase experience. We’ve visited this restaurant four times, and every visit has been exceptional. The service is always warm and attentive, and the sashimi is incredibly fresh and beautifully prepared. We have never been disappointed. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an unforgettable omakase experience!“

“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 🌯“

“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.“

“Consistently delicious! I’ve been here 4 times now and every visit has been amazing. We ordered the Chicken Kaarage, Honey Bunny roll, salmon carpaccio, and gyoza. All were phenomenal and the vibe of the space is very relaxing with nooks of privacy intentionally provided.
I am glad they put in such effort to provide quality meals, great customer service, and awesome atmosphere. Highly recommend!“

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

“Nice place to enjoy a delicious meal before an excellent show performed by Kieko Matsui. Be sure to catch her the next she’s in Oakland. There was a good selection of food and everything was very tasty. The staff were friendly and pretty attentive given how busy they were before the show.“

“best sushi and cheap!!! will come again!!!“

“We had such a great meal here. Pa’ Papas serves some of the most authentic Japanese food we’ve had in a while. We ordered the tempura, miso soup, and a few rolls, and honestly everything was amazing. The tempura was light and crispy, the miso soup hit the spot, and the rolls were super fresh.

The portions are generous too, so you really get your money’s worth. If you want Japanese food that actually tastes authentic, this is the place. We’ll definitely be back“

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

“I’ve had the great joy and pleasure to eat omakase all over the world - including Japan, and this was the best meal of my life. The thoughtfulness, sustainability and conscious touch to every little thing made this Omakase experience above the rest. Additionally, our wonderful Chef sang accolades/praises about all of the sources he gets the pieces of the meal from, but did not once brag about himself. He needs to be bragged about! Chef Joji Nonaka is incredible. The art, precision, talent, and thoughtfulness he has is unmatched.
I’ll be chasing this meal for the rest of my life.“

“Been hot so was craving soba. That and the tempura really hit the spot. But what I really want to highlight is the service. My daughter was craving tonkatsu ramen and she’s really shy when speaking to people. So she didn’t clarify that she wanted ramen and not the plate. She was a bit disappointed but she loves katsu everything so she was ok with it. Our waitress overheard and came by and gave us a bowl of ramen noodles and broth on the house. For something that we were at fault for.
Just can’t rave about it enough. We will be back for sure. Also for those amuse bouche of tuna and avocados too.“

“Had the sashimi bento and a little bottle of sake (nihonshu), perfect amount of everything. The bento usually comes with chicken teriyaki, which was delicious, making the whole meal sizeable. Having just returned from Japan, I was pleased and the compact, quiet atmosphere was exactly what I needed! Friendly staff :) Tucked away in the little food court off Hearst, this is a gem.“

“This place did have high quality sushi and a great atmosphere inside. The nigiri and sashimi cuts were pretty small though, especially for the high price that they carried… if you’re looking for a no-frills sushi joint, this doesn’t fit that bill so much, it would make more sense for a Friday night date.“

“Chef recommended Soft Shell Crab. Definitely will add to the roto. Perfectly light, crisp and oh so, tasty. Age Dashi Fried Tofu is perfect for first-timers. Paper thin dried fish is ambrosia. Perfect hide-away to enjoy food made from the soul. Encountered trainee. Your patience will bring happiness.“

“Genuinely can't express how grateful I am to the staff for such a great experience. Emily is a rockstar and everyone in my group left the restaurant a little bit in love with her. The salmon kama was absolutely scrumptious, and everyone was so grateful for the generous portions. Such a great place to discover after a lovely beach day.“

“Authentic Japanese cuisine and warm environment near downtown Berkeley. Servers are always welcoming and friendly. I love how fast the food is well prepared and served at Musashi. My friends and I often come here during lunch hours, and although the restaurant is packed, we never felt less attention or being rushed. Also the noodles are very delicious!“

“This place is very cute and casual, and the food is tasty and fresh. Excellent salmon nigiri today, very luscious. The freaky brussels (lol) were shockingly good, unusual on a sushi menu but so garlicky and good.

I’ve been here a few times over the years, but I’m leaving a review today because they go above and beyond in one particular way. They have an actual separate gluten-free menu and gluten-free soy sauce upon request. Note that we dined right when they opened so I didn’t ask about cross-contamination. However, the consideration made me feel really good about taking someone with celiac to dine here. So thoughtful. We will be back!“

“Came here for drinks and some small plates after dinner and had a great time. They played good music and the bar sitting area is very nice. The drinks are also amazing as they have a very unique selection of Japanese cocktails and other stuff. Highly recommend!“

“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.“

“Absolutely loved this restaurant! The sushi was incredibly fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. Every dish we ordered exceeded our expectations. The staff were friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. The restaurant was clean, comfortable, and had a great atmosphere. We will definitely be coming back and highly recommend this place to anyone looking for quality Japanese food.“

“AMAZING FOOD!!!! Such great service! The waitress was super kind, so much food for only $20 bucks! If you want to go here get the bento box, has an orange, Cole slaw, and up to 3 different types of food! The atmosphere was nice but we heard a vacuum once or twice. Nonetheless, great food!

(Slightly different prices for lunch and dinner)“

“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.“

“Anytime we are in Pleasanthill area we try to eat at Jo’s Honda Sushi. We used to live in Pleasanthill and we would go there at least once a week. We love Honda and all his family ❤️“

“We had a great dinner here! Everything felt very authentic, and you can tell they put a lot of care into preparing their seafood. The proportions were spot on.
A huge surprise was the miso soup—it was so good that even my kids, who usually don't touch it, finished the whole bowl. The salad was simple and refreshing, and the fried chicken (karaage) was perfectly crispy and tender. The beef was a little on the salty side for my taste, but overall, it didn't take away from a really enjoyable meal.
We liked it so much that we even grabbed some nigiri to go, and the kids absolutely loved it. Definitely a spot we’ll be coming back to.“