29 Best Japanese Restaurants near Portola Valley

“Wandered in after getting disgusted by the parking situation at another nearby restaurant. Very pleasantly surprised by the attentive service, taste and quality of the food, and the availability of gluten free options. Crab cakes were really good.“

“Robin in Menlo Park has quickly become one of my absolute favorite sushi restaurants in the Bay Area.

I’ve been here at least ten times now, and each visit feels just as exciting as the first. The consistency, creativity, and attention to detail are what make this place stand out in the Bay Area dining scene.

One of the best things about Robin is the flexibility of the menu. You can choose à la carte if you have favorites in mind, or you can go for the omakase and let the chefs guide your evening. I’ve experienced both, and I can honestly say you can’t go wrong either way. The omakase is particularly special — every dish arrives beautifully plated, with flavors that are fresh, innovative, and balanced. The fish quality is always top-notch, from the buttery otoro to the delicate hamachi, and the chefs often surprise you with unique touches that make each course memorable.

The à la carte options are equally impressive, especially if you want to revisit your favorites. The nigiri and small plates showcase the freshness of the ingredients, and the variety keeps the dining experience exciting. Even the desserts are worth saving room for — light, creative, and the perfect way to finish the meal.

The atmosphere inside Robin is modern yet welcoming, with a stylish design that still feels comfortable. Service is another highlight: the staff are knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely make you feel taken care of.

Robin has become one of my favorite restaurants in Silicon Valley, and I can’t recommend it enough. Whether it’s your first visit or your tenth, it always feels unforgettable.“

“From the warm greeting everyone receives when walking through the door to the attentive and super friendly service, this place is amazing! The sushi was outstanding… hands down the best sushi I’ve ever had! The texture, taste and presentation was top notch. Wish there was a location on the east coast!“

“This place is pretty small but cute. There are not that many seats inside, and most people seem to be taking food to go. I got the tonkatsu quesadilla for $12 and it was essentially cabbage, corn, and tonkatsu, and cheese inside a tortilla(?) shell. It was an interesting item, but tasted pretty good.“

“Great service, food was delish. Chef made special sushi dish ( not on the menu) that was FIRE! My new to go place.❤️❤️❤️“

“YES THIS SUSHI IC SO CLOSE TO OUR HOUSE AND CHEAP!!!! YOU GET A FREE DRINK WITH ORDER! ( not including water, that’s always free)

Kid-friendliness: Not many kids go there, but they are still kind to kids who do go there.“

“First of all the owners are absolutely delightful. We got take out and it blew our socks off! Hands down the best egg I have ever had in my life....Seriously, I had waited a long while to come here and when I got a reservation for my husband's birthday it was a magical, moment. We were delighted. We traveled through taste and it suspended time. Satiated and joyous. Wakuriya is the best Japanese I have had in my life. I cannot wait to dine inside, but until then I will treat myself to their fare every month. Truly, a delight of sight, smell, texture and taste. I feel lucky to live in the neighborhood, to be so close to this 魔法の場所. Much Love Everyone, may you eat well, be well and visit Wakyuriya.“

“I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food at this sushi place! The prices might be a little high for the amount you get, but the quality is absolutely there. As long as you keep in mind that you might need to order a little more than normal to fill up, this is an excellent place to get sushi from.

The only not-so-great thing is that the chopsticks they gave me had jagged pieces of wood coming off them, and I got a bit of a splinter, but that's okay I won't hold it against them. 😆“

“Absolutely amazing❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ best sushi!“

“I have been to Ranzan many times for both lunch and dinner. This restaurant is elegant and refined, with meticulous attention to every detail. The service was warm and attentive, making the experience even more enjoyable. Every dish was absolutely delicious—beautifully prepared, well-balanced, and bursting with flavor. A truly memorable dining experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for both special occasions celebration and amazing food.“

“I had the 3 choices bento box. It comes with salad, rice, 1 piece of pork katsu, 1 teriyaki beef steak (with broccoli & carrot) and 2 large shrimp tempura (with potato salad). $20 total. Good value and fresh food. Feeds 2 people. It was not very busy on a Sunday afternoon. I waited for 10 min for the food. It's for takeout only.“

“The service was great and the food was fresh. I loved the shrimp tempura and the different sushi options - of which there were many.“

“This is my go to spot when visiting from Texas. The sashimi is by far the best quality I've had anywhere.
They have started getting busy so I would recommend getting on the waiting list before you get there. Inside the service was perfect.“

“Was looking for fresh delectable sushi while I was visiting Cali. This spot popped up on Google maps so I thought I'd give it a try. It 100% did not disappoint. The service was amazing & the sushi was delicious. I got a miso soup, 2 rolls & a specialty beverage all for $50 (including tip).
I will definitely come back again when I'm in town.“

“Came here during the week for their popular lunch special and it did not disappoint! For less than $20 I got chicken teriyaki (get it with crispy skin), salad and California rolls. The lady who workers here (I believe is the owner) is one of the nicest people I have ever met. I will definitely be back and encourage others to give this place a try!“

“Great place For the best sushi in the Bay Area.“

“My brother and I were in from out of town trying to decide between a few restaurants, and were both SUPER glad we chose Sushi Kuu. We each got Curry Ramen (pork and chicken katsu) and split a NewNew Roll. The roll was awesome, perfect balance of flavors. But the ramen absolutely stole the show. The curry broth was insanely delicious. I would consider flying across the country again to get a quart container of it. HIGHLY recommend this spot.“

“The overall experience was good, the food was tasty and the flow for Omakase was decent. We added the Uni which total per person was $200. I would love it if they add a few more nigiri to the Omakase menu alone is $150 per person. Is it worth it? Maybe for special occasions.“

“Have been back for a few times to try different things on the menu, I will let the pictures speak for themselves! They serves fresh, high-quality sushi and delicious skewers in a relaxing atmosphere. Attentive service and variety of sake selection. Highly recommend for a special night out!“

“good place to dine and very clean“

“Kemuri is definitely not a typical American Japanese restaurant; if you’re not raw fish eater you can enjoy much broader range of different cooked and uncooked Japanese food beyond sushi rolls and sashimi at this restaurant. However it is far from providing an authentic Japanese food experience. Which authentic Japanese restaurant does not provide tempura sauce but soy sauce for a vegetable tempura dish? And their smoked soy sauce, the staple of Japanese cuisine basic sauce is very salty and dark, another mistake. Other disappointment included real tough overcooked beef tongue and thick fried pork chop not juicy due to problems with the flours. The only dish we truly enjoyed is sardine with cheese, a fusion of east and west. That is probably the strength of this restaurant’s cooking but when I ordered simply traditional Japanese food, it is far from perfect. All that being said if someone wants atypical American Japanese food, this is the place to go.“

“Incredibly delicious. Friendly atmosphere. Awesome.“

“We frequent Shiki at least monthly. The variety on the menu is very good, no complaints about the quality of the food or raw fish, they typically have seating, and I have no complaints about the service. Overall it's a great last minute choice in a packed San Carlos/Redwood City area.“

“adoro la variedad de Mocho que tienen además la excelente atención“

“We were looking for a new place to try and Octopus had some great reviews/ pictures of their sushi rolls. After looking over the menu we decided to head on down. Friendly staff got us seated right away and we started with a round of appetizers. Gyoza, chicken karaage and a Toro Nigiri special started off the night and everything was delicious. Ordered 4 rolls and a bento box combo and everyone was extremely satisfied with the food. Can't wait to return and explore more of the menu“

“I love ❤️ to meet my friends here for private gatherings to plot steps fit really big and bold new ideas. My preference is for the 7:17 (give or take) omakase at the bar followed by a night meeting around a square or round table. Each person has two people to talk to at the bar (Me - Jeff- Elon - Mark - Lauren - Priscilla - Sergey- - Larry - Larry - plus 4 additional guests if others can attend - Camelia Me 12 Camelia Typically my wife returns home early by Lyft or Uber but I stay out later and sometimes overnight in Woodside at a suitable location.“

“Among the best Japanese food in Mountain View/Los Altos/Palo Alto area.“

“Yoshi Sushi has several locations in the Bay Area which all of them are so consistent with quality and customer service! I have been to the San Jose one and now I have decided to try the one in Los Altos. Parking was very easy as they have a spacious parking lot in front of the restaurant!

Upon walking in, we were warmly greeted by the host and directed the QR code for ordering. I love the QR code ordering system because it includes all the pictures of the items! There was so many options on the menu and it was hard to choose since everything looked so good! We ended up ordering 3 rolls, 1 dream box, and a smoking salmon sashimi which was perfect for 3 friends to share! My favorite was the giants roll and dream box! The slices of fish in the dream box were huge and it also came with some uni too! After eating the huge buttery slices in the dream box, I will be surely having dreams about sushi in my sleep!

We Ordered:
1x Kamikaze Roll - so yummy, a little spicy
1x Smoking Salmon Sashimi- loved the smoke show, sashimi tasted smoky yummy
1x Giants Roll- as a salmon lover, i enjoyed this so much
1x Dinosaur Roll- reminds me of a dragon roll, but better
1x Dream Box- my most favorite, the slices of fish were huge and so buttery“

“I’ve been coming to Little Mad Fish for a while now and realized I’ve never left a review—so here it is! This place is consistently amazing in both food and service. The staff is incredibly attentive, greeting you as soon as you walk in and checking for available seating. If there’s a wait, they let you know right away, and honestly, it’s worth it—this place is busy for a reason!

We ordered the Spicy Seafood Ramen, Fire Dragon Roll, Bay Bridge Roll, Deep Fried Philadelphia Roll, and a Bento Box, along with a couple of drinks. Everything was delicious, fresh, and beautifully presented. The balance of flavors and quality of ingredients really stand out.

On top of that, the restaurant is always clean and spotless, making the dining experience even better. If you’re looking for one of the best Japanese restaurants in Redwood City, I highly recommend Little Mad Fish. You won’t be disappointed!“