50 Best Sushi Bars 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.“

“This sushi experience is worth every penny, especially for those who appreciate the highest quality fish. Sitting at the bar, you’re able to watch the chef carefully select and prepare each piece, showcasing the exceptional freshness of the ingredients. The fish is melt-in-your-mouth tender, with each bite bursting with natural flavors that highlight its top-tier quality. Whether it’s the buttery richness of the toro, the clean, sweet taste of the uni, or the delicate, perfectly cut slices of white fish, every piece feels like a celebration of freshness.

The chef’s expertise shines through not only in the preparation but in the way each piece is crafted to enhance the natural taste of the fish. The quality is on a whole other level, and it’s evident in every bite. While the meal is undoubtedly an investment, the unparalleled freshness and skillful presentation make it an unforgettable and worthwhile experience for any sushi enthusiast.“

“This is the best sushi restaurant in Palo Alto! We have been to a few of them on California Avenue, and the quality of the food and its affordability at Kanji is certainly the best among them all. We ordered the 15 pieces sashimi platter and the cut of the fish was so thick and satisfying. The sweet shrimps were also very worth it, it was so fresh and they even fry the heads for you. Will come back next time to try their breakfast!“

“The BEST Sushi in the Bay Area- FOR SURE“

“An amazing sushi experience, highly recommended“

“La comida es super deliciosa 👌 y el servicio que ofrecen es excelente“

“Exceptional hidden gem sushi spot. So glad we found this place. Very small, only about 6 small tables inside. All the sushi was exceptional, wide variety of foods including a sushi taco which was not a gimmick or stunt food, so so good. Prices were fair, they had a range from simple to fancy based on what you wanted. Miso soup was also delicious. The water cups were made of heavy stone, the miso bowls were handmade wood. I almost don’t want to recommend this place since it’s so small I’m worried it’ll get too busy! But they deserve it. Best sushi in the Bay Area.“

“I have been eating at Sushi House for almost 30 years and have almost always ordered their amazing Chinese Chicken salad (prepared the Japanese way) and shrimp tempura udon. It is my go-to place for authentic Japanese comfort food, and their Chinese Chicken salad is the best I’ve ever had. I hope they never change that dish!!! Also, Rueben the waiter, is awesome and has waited on my table for almost 20 years. I appreciate such consistency in staff who go above and beyond.“

“It's a relaxing environment after a long day at work. The sushi was amazing & most rolls are already made w/rice paper which we love. A must try!“

“Great affordable sushi! For the price the sushi is good. Some of my favorites include: BB roll, MJ roll, and Warriors roll. Also I recently tried the Honey Walnut roll and it was good too! I love the walnuts on there.

The service is good. They are attentive in making sure you have everything you need. I don’t feel like we ever wait too long to order or to get the check.

Also I like how this place is the only Bay Area restaurant that I know of that opens past 9 PM

The inside is nice. The restaurant uses a lot of warm wood so it feels very inviting. And the restaurant itself feels new and clean. They have many tables for seating. I also like the appetizer plates they use. They’re very pretty.

Parking: There are a few parking garages in that area of Palo Alto. We usually park at the one nearby.

Parking: There are a few parking garages in that area of Palo Alto. We usually park at the one nearby.“

“We had dinner here a week ago and had a lovely time. We arrived right when they were opening and managed to get a table. They have a few tables outside, the same amount inside, and a sushi counter bar. The staff were all very friendly and helpful during our meal. Both of us ordered the omakase and the fishes were all great. And for the price of $110/person it was perfect for a date night! They also include a sake pairing with the omakase for an additional charge. We went for a bottle of sale with our meal. I highly advise you to get a reservation because this place is very popular.“

“Love their foods, so delicious and fancy will bring my family & friends there again!!“

“Fantastic evening at Robin. The omakase restaurant had a hip, night clubby feel to it as the interior was dark with dance club music, but the sushi was definitely worthwhile. Erin and Abby provided friendly and efficient service, which contributed to the overall positive experience. Free parking lot next door makes it easy to find a parking space.“

“Always great food & service! Clean, friendly & fresh food! Thank you again!🤗♥“

“So bomb!!! Service is A+ and the food is delicious. Love stopping in for lunch during the week. Very affordable also...“

“Absolutely love Mikado! It's hands down my favorite sushi spot in the Bay Area. The sushi rolls are consistently delicious, with the New Mexican and Mango Alaskan being my personal favorites—perfectly fresh and full of flavor. The service is incredibly quick, and the restaurant is always spotless. The servers are friendly and welcoming every single time. Never a miss here, highly recommend!“

“Went here last night with our family for a birthday. Reservation for 7 was ready when we arrived, and seated quickly. Nice intimate atmosphere. Wonderful, attentive service. We felt well looked after all night. The food was beautiful and delicious. In particular, the 14 year old said that the fried soft shell crab appetizer was the "best bite of my life." Our host made suggestions, and we let her surprise us with a few extras, all of which were fantastic. 10/10 on all counts.

We used to go to a little family place in New Haven, called "Jerry-san's" which our whole family loved and was our default for birthdays, New Year's, etc... As we were leaving one of the teenagers said "That's our new Jerry-San's," which is high praise, indeed.

Dietary restrictions: Menu is well labeled with options for GF, etc... on many dishes...“

“😋Best super fresh sushi, without spending what is typically outrageous prices for this area. Good portions, delicious sushi, and really everything on their menu. We go back again and again.“

“+ For casual dining it is hard to beat the quality. Very fresh ingredients. Huge portion.
+ Great variety in Chirash bowl. Specifically recommend the Uni, sweet and refreshing.
+ Tempuras. Exactly right level of crispness and not oily at all compared to tempura dishes in other Japanese restaurants in Bay Area.
+ Bento boxes: good variety again, perfect amount of sauces.“

“I think it's good to be able to eat a lunch box for this price considering the location.
They also serve brown rice tea for free. I had the lunch bento box with a choice of 2 sides, $17.50. You can choose sushi rolls or nigiri sushi on the side, but there's plenty of white rice, so I personally recommend choosing a side dish. Personally, I'm concerned about the quality of the white rice. There's nothing wrong with vinegared rice, but that white rice is a no-no in Japanese food. The female staff member was very kind and managed the whole thing by herself. I think there was one craftsman who seemed to be Japanese.“

“Good sushi for good price“

“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!“

“Hands down the best sushi spot in Peninsula. Been coming here since 2018 and it’s still the same high quality sushi. Unlike other sushi spots, they have a ton of vegetarian options.

I just wish they would stay open till a little bit late. We always get there around closing time as it closes at 8 pm on weekdays, so we have to order everything all at once. :D“

“We walked in for a quick munch. Surprisingly we were the only ones there at 2pm. Service is great!“

“Best foods , great services 🥰“

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

“It was Ok. Thin slices of fish on th sushi. Not a big selection on th boats, but u can order off th menu. I ordered th eel don, which didn't hv too much teriyaki sauce (a good thing) n a good size piece of eel but not enough rice (for me, at least).

Vegetarian options: Sushi is vegetarian...... no?

Kid-friendliness: Kids love u th sushi on a boat“

“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.“

“We ordered one of their specials, Regular Chirashi Bowl, 2 types of sashimi and one Spider Ramen. The food was great. The Chirashi Bowl was spectacular. The Spider Ramen was quite interesting. Nice presentation with fried soft-shelled crab and shrimp tempura. The sashimi was also very fresh.

The restaurant was quite fancy yet cozy. The price was on the expensive side, but the food was delicious.

Wheelchair accessibility: No steps to the restaurant. Wheelchair tables.“

“Got it delivered. Sushi nigiri was mid to good. Chicken curry was delicious with bits of beef in the sauce and a nice crunch to the chicken. Otoko ramen was good as well. Was still hot on arrival. Comes with a scallop in it as well. Good portion size for the price.“

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

“Excellent food and service! We will definitely be back!“

“The owner John is absolutely wonderful! Not only do you get high quality food and drinks here but you get to be entertained by John the whole time. He takes time to come and talk with each table and make sure that you are enjoying the food. This is such a local gem of a restaurant and a must go when in Menlo park for sushi! The quality of the food speaks for itself!“

“Mexican Japanese fusion... Who Knew!

Absolutely fantastic. Easy to pass by... Some sketchy characters out front, but absolutely worth the trek to East Palo Alto!

Kid-friendliness: Normal non Mexican options for the philistines... I mean lovely children.“

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

“buenísimo 👍lo recomiendo 💯💯💯“

“It is rare that I would give a 5-star review to a restaurant that scores 4 on the food. However, I'm giving VK an exception. Yes, restaurants are about the food, but also the overall experience and the value.

VK has recently emerged in San Mateo and we visited for breakfast. This is not your high-end fancy breakfast place. This is a down-to-earth every day local eatery type of vibe. Of course not commercial as IHOP or Denny's and definitely a step above. It also isn't an Instagram shot type of a place. It truly exists to serve hearty food. And that's what it does.

The atmosphere again is a standard eatery. Sort of a diner, sort of a vanilla look & feel. I had the Steak Omelet and instant I could feel that this wasn't your commercial grade quality. The chef had used great ingredients and cooked it with care. Seasoned well, it was tasty. The side veggies also were done right. The pancakes were not top grade but could absolutely stand its own. The only reason why I retracted a star away was because it just missed border of being "special". Great food. Great taste. Just a bit too vanilla. Oh, and one of my pancakes still had a bit of runny batter in the middle, but that's okay.

Service was great. Coffee was bold and good, considering they brew these in pots.

All of the above, at a price point that is surprisingly equal or just slightly above IHOP.

VK's is absolutely a solid addition to the neighborhood. It isn't a place you come for. It is a place you go because you can rely on it. It is a working class, every day type of spot. And they are not shy about it. Will absolutely return.

Parking: Plenty of parking in the plaza.“

“💣🎉💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣👌💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣“

“This place was fairly close by for lunch when I had to report for Jury duty. Owner was super positive and nice personality was pretty contagious, despite how terrible the weather was that day. Had their "Power Chicken" at a mild spicy level. The food came out quick, and I can tell that there was some "wok hay" in the cooking. The chicken was tender, onions were fresh, crisp, and lightly charred which takes skill. Sauce was actually mildly spicy, unlike some places where there is barely any spice when you order "mild". Generous helping of rice.

Went back after service to order a small party tray for dinner, and to get some boba next door from Teaspoon. Would go again if I was in the area and looking for food.“

“good place to dine and very clean“

“Very clean, fresh and delicious, excellent service, if there are a lot of people it takes a while to serve because there are few people who work.

Vegetarian options: Plants and vegetables

Parking: There is a lot of room“

“10/24/2024

Hanabi Sushi
1040 N Rengstorff Ave Ste A1
Mountain View, CA 94043

We went there for lunch after shopping at Costco in the same plaza. The dining area is split between a cozy interior table and chair setup and a larger patio area. We were seated promptly with fast and attentive service.

We both chose the lunch combo bentos. Wifey had the beef teriyaki and avocado roll and I had the Saba Shioyaki and Combo Tempura. The miso soup had good flavor and a few small cubes of tofu with kombu. My dainty mackerel filet was moist, tasty and boneless. My one shrimp tempura was hot and juicy with a crispy panko breading. The veggies were yam, carrot, zucchini and cauliflower. The dipping sauce was a little sweet. The beef was medium rare and lean of high quality with good teriyaki flavor.

A good place for lunch and conveniently located. May repeat.

Parking: It's in the Costco plaza.“

“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!“

“I wish I could give more stars for the service! Everyone was genuinely so kind, helpful, happy and attentive. I was about to ask for a fork and separate bowl for my husband and I to split the soup I ordered and one of the waiters brought two bowls out, forks, chopsticks and spoons before I could even ask. It was like he read my mind! We also had our niece with us and my sister & birthed in law. They were so kind and helpful with her! The food was really good. If you go on Tuesdays, it’s 20% off, or at least, they’re running that deal now.“

“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.“

“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“

“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.“

“Rico todo , buen servicio“

“As we had just had dinner the night before my son-in-law wanted to go again. We live six hours away in the mountains closer to Oregon. Once again we had the poke and the calamari and the fish platters one with regular fries and one with sweet potato fries both were delicious. The server was great even brought handy wipes for the platters. Obviously this server had been around for a while plus the non alcoholic and the alcoholic drinks came out at the same time which is something I appreciate. Most important best food, thanks“

“I have been wanting to try this place for years and keep forgetting about it as it is located in a small strip mall on the other side of the tracks (literally) so I tend not to think of that side of town for dining.I was greeted immediately and sat at the bar. I have favorites I like to order in order to gauge the quality of the place and chef.First, the disappointment: the futomaki was plain, uninspiring, and plain dull. Not worth the $14. And a futomaki is a traditional roll that allows for a lot of creativity. I have had some stellar futomakis. Not so here.I had a bottle of junmai ginjo at $24 dollars. It was smooth... almost too smooth. The rice polish is 55%, same as one of my favorites, Kikusui junmai ginjo that has more distinct characteristics. While I have no complaints per se, I would look for something else next time.The nigiri was very good. Good taste, generous cuts/portion size, and the uni was great. Very fresh. Thank you Santa Barbara!I'd give the place a 4.5 to be more fair. I'll be happy to go back, but with more realistic expectations.“