13 Best Japanese Restaurants near Salinas

“Most cheerful counter person ever, probably the owner!“

“Hidden little jem! Come here a lot and always make sure to get the Spicy Chirashi, the appetizer Mussels. Only place you'll find this delicious spicy chirashi and I've eaten all across this peninsula. They have so many rolls, you'll definitely find something delicious here.“

“service was good, sushi has good flavor but is 1/3 what you get at other places. maybe 1/8th of a roll from Arigoto. For the same price. Up side is great service and never busy when I have been there. very good for last minute large groups.“

“Fabulous shrimp teriyaki. I've never received so many pieces of shrimp in one plate/bowl (compared to the other popular Asian eatery in the food court). The shrimp, veggies, and rice, were deliciously fresh and tasty. This will definitely be my go-to when I visit the mall.“

“Always outstanding! I come here often as it’s close to my house!“

“Kokoro is one of my favorite restaurants in Salinas! I've only had great experiences here as the wait staff is always friendly and attentive. My favorite is chicken katsu and the California roll but honestly, you can't go wrong with anything on their menu.“

“delicious food and quick service“

“Delicious! Can’t wait to go back and try different menu items.“

“We went to this place because we wanted sushi and it had a good rating. That said, being from out of state headed to Monterey we didn't know that Castroville is not a place a lot of folks familiar with the route to Monterey would stop. THINK AGAIN.
If you want Asian food or specifically Sushi, OMG
the Chef/owner prepares generous portions that are Outstanding.
The place is in a shopping center and the exterior was a little tired. Then we walked in and the interior felt a little cramped, but the dining area was clean. So the atmosphere isn't special. However, the food and the service was worth the time to pull off the main drag and have a filling meal at a great price 👍“

“This place is an absolute gem. The staff is so friendly and authentic. As I was eating, some women came in wearing yukata, it doesn't get more authentically Japanese than that. The food was bomb and so clearly made with care. This is definitely one of my new favorite places. They also roast their own coffee and it was delicious 😋“

“This is a very friendly restaurant. The food is good and reasonably priced. I really enjoy the broiled eel and spider rolls. Ignore the food snobs writing bad reviews, who expect every restaurant that they go to be a James Beard-Michelin Star Food Network experience.“

“Excellent food!!! It beats what we had in Maui recently.“

“Great find. Gifted sushi chef! We have stopped in when we can and every time we keep saying “We need to come out here more!”

Busy life but when we get a chance to treat ourselves to sushi we stopped going anywhere else.“