The food, service, and atmosphere were outstanding, but what truly set this place apart was the genuine warmth in the service—something you don’t often experience in city restaurants. The Arun Patel artwork on the walls was another detail I really appreciated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kai Dwd
I don’t know about the summer peak season, but I’ll start by saying this is not the kind of restaurant worth giving your credit card number and replying to a confirmation text just to make a reservation. It feels like a place at a crossroads between casual dining and fine dining, but it is not run by Japanese owners. Instead, it seems designed to create a nice atmosphere for special occasions while using pairings as an excuse to raise the average check price. My impression is that perhaps someone who once worked at a Michelin‑guide restaurant in the nearby Elk area is involved, or at least trying to emulate that style. First of all, they don’t serve draft beer, which is the basic of any izakaya. In Japan, people usually start with draft beer, and once the mood sets in, they order sake or shochu to go with small dishes. Since only canned beer was available, I didn’t drink alcohol at all. Selling only canned beer—which is easy to manage and requires little effort—shows the operator’s convenience‑first mindset. That’s the first reason this is not a good restaurant. The second reason is the food. For Americans, tempura coated with starch or glutinous rice flour might feel novel, but this is actually one of the most common basics of any izakaya, because it pairs well with beer and other drinks and helps sales. However, the tempura here was poorly executed: the oil temperature was too low when cooking began, and even after refrying, the pieces were greasy and heavy with oil. The menu overall consisted only of dishes that are easy to prepare and manage. I was so disappointed that I went elsewhere for a second dinner. On top of that, they automatically add a 20% service charge. Reading the reviews, you might expect a lot, and for people with limited experience this place might seem impressive. But by my standards, I cannot recommend it at all. Including myself, there were only three tables of guests that evening. Please take this into consideration. And one more thing I forgot to mention: never order the curry dish. It tastes worse than instant curry.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Jordan Mayor
Had high hopes for this place based on the reviews but this dish really set me back. Three bites of local rockfish (not an expensive fish), about the amount in one fish taco at the nearby pier, was $26 (plus automatic 20% gratuity on all tables). I told the enthusiastic and well meaning server that I would never order such a small portion for this price and they comped me the dish (with some huff, and an offer of French fries). So that was ok, but had I not spoken up I would have really regretted it. (Did not go for the fries.) Why no rice or veg to round it out?
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Justin Case Photon
The service is excellent if not superb. The restaurant is clean well lit for ambience. The food was good, well seasoned, and simple. For being in a remote small town on Route 1, an hour driving , according to google, south of Mendocino , it is remarkable.
The portions are a tad small portion for the prices. couple of things i was put off were ; 1. The time limit of 90 minutes per table. make one feel they have to rush thru, nothing like the European dinner where one come to relax , have good food, catch up on life events, have a few drinks... etc . 2. A 20% automatic service Tax ( basically a tip) irrelevant of table or bill size. If the owner wants to pay the worker with decent pay, please never have the customer pay your obligations.
Tip is and has always been for the service rendered , nothing else. I am not sure if service tax is legal in Point Arena; if they were voted and approved. On top of this, it appears the sales tax was a combination of item subtotal plus the 20% service tax. I don't think tips or service tax should be tax, i could be wrong.
Would i go back? definitely NO.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Brian Antonson
Great food in this little restaurant on the coast in this cute town. We wish they had a wider wine selection. But overall, a great night out.
Mason Shelnutt
We were, overall, pretty pleased with our dinner here. The review is really hurt by the fact that our first dish—raw trout—came with a rather long hair mixed into the garnish. We had the dish sent back and they replaced it, but I feel that they could have taken the matter more seriously (the server didn’t even seem surprised), and I think they should have comped the dish or offered something to make amends. To boot, the replacement came out and the sashimi wasn’t as good as in the first dish—I think because it was still a bit too cold and hadn’t come to room temperature. Our server was kind, but a little inattentive and I had a hard time getting her attention. Expect to take your time—it took us about an hour and a half to get through dinner, which seemed about average from surrounding customers. I’ve dined at many American izakayas, and I’d say the food was very good despite feeling put off by the hair in our first dish. Dishes we liked: (hairless) raw trout, rice, matcha ice cream w/ strawberry puree, egg soufflé w/ bolette, grilled shishito skewer, pork belly, and chicken knee. You can see the hair in the green onion, photo attached.
Liz Feder
A true gem for anyone who loves impeccable and intentional food with a sublime sake list to boot. The team is so generous, knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. Thank you Gama, we’ll definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Heidi Bark
Incredible food and service. The perfect place for an elevated dining experience that honors the Japanese culture and food. It’s fun to feel like you’re getting food you’d usually need to go to a big city for, but with a local family atmosphere. My husband and I will be going out of our way to return in the future!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Adam Gray
Holy moly! So good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brannon Diones-Beliso
We showed up super late and really didn't want to be a pain, but... The staff welcomed us with ope arms and provided us a table and amazing food when they didn't have to. We had the Karage , potatoes Salad, grilled peppers, and chicken meatball. All dishes were amazing. I could eat 100 peppers it they had them. Must try while on this coastal trip , is give 10 stars if I could.
Wow. This is incredible. Maybe one of the best restaurants I have been to in my life. The green salad and the potato salad are so incredible I wish I could bottle them and take them home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maria and Ryan
10/10 meal - seriously phenomenal, good enough to want to gate keep but would never because go small businesses!
don banks
Great food, great service, great atmosphere (nice interior design with great prints on the wall). Will definitely be back. Enjoyed the variety of food on the menu; the beer was a bit too flowery for us.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yuri Vizitei
Let me get to the point : this restaurant is a Michelin star level experience at 50% of the price it would have been in San Francisco. And 25% of the price it would have been in Tokyo. And yet thoroughly authentic and at the same time original. It’s not for folks who are looking for sushi rolls. But if you want to have a completely unique dining experience, don’t miss this gem. The owners are genuinely nice, local couple steeped in Japanese food culture.
Best dinner I’ve had in a year - and that covers top of the line in 10 countries.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Steven Guastucci
My girlfriend and I ate at Gama for her birthday dinner this past Saturday which I booked. I suppose I should have done my research reading the bad reviews first. One review was so on point with almost everything we tried. The cold potatoes are just mediocre potato salad, the beef curry is comparable to a cheap hungry man dinner from Safeway, it lacked any depth in flavor in the sauce and the cuts of meat tasted low quality and dry. The chicken was essentially just fried chicken tenders with aioli, the chicken was chewy and very displeasing. Finally the pork belly skewers were tough, over cooked and tasted more like chicken than any pork I’ve ever had. I would Highly suggest changing everything up if they want customers to ever return and not leave poor reviews. The final slap in the face by far was having them come so highly recommended and to be told the chef worked under a Michelin star. Additionally the 20% gratuity is already tacked on. Horrible!
The food, service, and atmosphere were outstanding, but what truly set this place apart was the genuine warmth in the service—something you don’t often experience in city restaurants. The Arun Patel artwork on the walls was another detail I really appreciated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I don’t know about the summer peak season, but I’ll start by saying this is not the kind of restaurant worth giving your credit card number and replying to a confirmation text just to make a reservation. It feels like a place at a crossroads between casual dining and fine dining, but it is not run by Japanese owners. Instead, it seems designed to create a nice atmosphere for special occasions while using pairings as an excuse to raise the average check price. My impression is that perhaps someone who once worked at a Michelin‑guide restaurant in the nearby Elk area is involved, or at least trying to emulate that style.
First of all, they don’t serve draft beer, which is the basic of any izakaya. In Japan, people usually start with draft beer, and once the mood sets in, they order sake or shochu to go with small dishes. Since only canned beer was available, I didn’t drink alcohol at all. Selling only canned beer—which is easy to manage and requires little effort—shows the operator’s convenience‑first mindset. That’s the first reason this is not a good restaurant.
The second reason is the food. For Americans, tempura coated with starch or glutinous rice flour might feel novel, but this is actually one of the most common basics of any izakaya, because it pairs well with beer and other drinks and helps sales. However, the tempura here was poorly executed: the oil temperature was too low when cooking began, and even after refrying, the pieces were greasy and heavy with oil. The menu overall consisted only of dishes that are easy to prepare and manage. I was so disappointed that I went elsewhere for a second dinner.
On top of that, they automatically add a 20% service charge.
Reading the reviews, you might expect a lot, and for people with limited experience this place might seem impressive. But by my standards, I cannot recommend it at all. Including myself, there were only three tables of guests that evening. Please take this into consideration. And one more thing I forgot to mention: never order the curry dish. It tastes worse than instant curry.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Had high hopes for this place based on the reviews but this dish really set me back. Three bites of local rockfish (not an expensive fish), about the amount in one fish taco at the nearby pier, was $26 (plus automatic 20% gratuity on all tables). I told the enthusiastic and well meaning server that I would never order such a small portion for this price and they comped me the dish (with some huff, and an offer of French fries). So that was ok, but had I not spoken up I would have really regretted it. (Did not go for the fries.) Why no rice or veg to round it out?
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
The service is excellent if not superb. The restaurant is clean well lit for ambience. The food was good, well seasoned, and simple. For being in a remote small town on Route 1, an hour driving , according to google, south of Mendocino , it is remarkable.
The portions are a tad small portion for the prices. couple of things i was put off were ;
1. The time limit of 90 minutes per table. make one feel they have to rush thru, nothing like the European dinner where one come to relax , have good food, catch up on life events, have a few drinks... etc .
2. A 20% automatic service Tax ( basically a tip) irrelevant of table or bill size. If the owner wants to pay the worker with decent pay, please never have the customer pay your obligations.
Tip is and has always been for the service rendered , nothing else.
I am not sure if service tax is legal in Point Arena; if they were voted and approved.
On top of this, it appears the sales tax was a combination of item subtotal plus the 20% service tax. I don't think tips or service tax should be tax, i could be wrong.
Would i go back? definitely NO.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great food in this little restaurant on the coast in this cute town. We wish they had a wider wine selection. But overall, a great night out.
We were, overall, pretty pleased with our dinner here. The review is really hurt by the fact that our first dish—raw trout—came with a rather long hair mixed into the garnish. We had the dish sent back and they replaced it, but I feel that they could have taken the matter more seriously (the server didn’t even seem surprised), and I think they should have comped the dish or offered something to make amends. To boot, the replacement came out and the sashimi wasn’t as good as in the first dish—I think because it was still a bit too cold and hadn’t come to room temperature. Our server was kind, but a little inattentive and I had a hard time getting her attention. Expect to take your time—it took us about an hour and a half to get through dinner, which seemed about average from surrounding customers. I’ve dined at many American izakayas, and I’d say the food was very good despite feeling put off by the hair in our first dish. Dishes we liked: (hairless) raw trout, rice, matcha ice cream w/ strawberry puree, egg soufflé w/ bolette, grilled shishito skewer, pork belly, and chicken knee. You can see the hair in the green onion, photo attached.
A true gem for anyone who loves impeccable and intentional food with a sublime sake list to boot. The team is so generous, knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. Thank you Gama, we’ll definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Incredible food and service. The perfect place for an elevated dining experience that honors the Japanese culture and food. It’s fun to feel like you’re getting food you’d usually need to go to a big city for, but with a local family atmosphere. My husband and I will be going out of our way to return in the future!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Holy moly! So good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We showed up super late and really didn't want to be a pain, but... The staff welcomed us with ope arms and provided us a table and amazing food when they didn't have to. We had the Karage , potatoes Salad, grilled peppers, and chicken meatball. All dishes were amazing. I could eat 100 peppers it they had them. Must try while on this coastal trip , is give 10 stars if I could.
Thank you again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Wow. This is incredible. Maybe one of the best restaurants I have been to in my life. The green salad and the potato salad are so incredible I wish I could bottle them and take them home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
10/10 meal - seriously phenomenal, good enough to want to gate keep but would never because go small businesses!
Great food, great service, great atmosphere (nice interior design with great prints on the wall). Will definitely be back. Enjoyed the variety of food on the menu; the beer was a bit too flowery for us.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Let me get to the point : this restaurant is a Michelin star level experience at 50% of the price it would have been in San Francisco. And 25% of the price it would have been in Tokyo. And yet thoroughly authentic and at the same time original. It’s not for folks who are looking for sushi rolls. But if you want to have a completely unique dining experience, don’t miss this gem. The owners are genuinely nice, local couple steeped in Japanese food culture.
Best dinner I’ve had in a year - and that covers top of the line in 10 countries.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My girlfriend and I ate at Gama for her birthday dinner this past Saturday which I booked. I suppose I should have done my research reading the bad reviews first. One review was so on point with almost everything we tried. The cold potatoes are just mediocre potato salad, the beef curry is comparable to a cheap hungry man dinner from Safeway, it lacked any depth in flavor in the sauce and the cuts of meat tasted low quality and dry. The chicken was essentially just fried chicken tenders with aioli, the chicken was chewy and very displeasing. Finally the pork belly skewers were tough, over cooked and tasted more like chicken than any pork I’ve ever had. I would Highly suggest changing everything up if they want customers to ever return and not leave poor reviews. The final slap in the face by far was having them come so highly recommended and to be told the chef worked under a Michelin star. Additionally the 20% gratuity is already tacked on. Horrible!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
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