37 Best Japanese Restaurants in San Mateo

“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.“

“All their yakitoris were seasoned well and I loved both the salted and soy options. You order through a QR code using your phone so you won't have any issues with flagging down a waitress whether you're seated on the first or second floors.“

“Wonderful vegan sushi & friendly owner. I tried the shiitake avocado & spicy vegan rolls, both were delicious. Looking forward to visiting and trying other menu items soon!!“

“Tokie’s Sushi in San Mateo is an absolute gem. The food is consistently fresh, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor...from the sushi to the cooked dishes, everything is done with care and attention to detail. You can truly taste the quality in every bite.
And don’t skip the craft cocktails—they’re just as impressive as the food. Creative, well-balanced, and perfectly made, they pair incredibly well with the menu and really elevate the whole dining experience.
What truly sets Tokie’s apart, though, is the people. The owners are incredibly kind, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about what they do. The staff is just as amazing, friendly, attentive, and always making you feel like a regular, even on your first visit. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, which makes the experience even better.
If you’re looking for outstanding sushi, excellent craft cocktails, and top-notch service, Tokie’s Sushi is a must. Highly recommend and can’t wait to keep coming back.“

“It was a nearly empty Monday night. We waited a minute before being acknowledged by staff and seated. The interior is spacious and bright. We ordered takoyaki, karaage, tempura udon and mentai cream udon. Enjoyed the takoyaki and karaage, however the mentai cream udon was a little too salty, even before mixing in the mentaiko. I was unable to finish it due to saltiness. Portion size was good and could be shared between two people. We did have to flag down a waiter for water when it seemed like they forgot.“

“It’s always cozy and the food is good. Everyone is friendly.“

“We love it! This is party tray. Fresh, tasty, thick fish.
Love it every time we order to go, or eat in the restaurant.
There's plenty of parking next street, so that's not a problem at all.
Love their friendly and fast service!“

“Kurodai - Black Seabream Nigiri 3 very strong wasabi, bitter, fishy
Ao Ebi - Blue Shrimp Nigiri 5 very chewy texture, slightly seared, slightly sweet
Hon Maguro Chu-toro - Medium Fatty Blue Fin Tuna Nigiri 5 fat evenly distributed, not stringy at all, melt in your mouth
Negitoro Hosomaki - Supreme Fatty Bluefin Tuna w/ Green Onion (Maki) 4 fatty, rich, fresh, flavorful
Oyster Shooter 2 juicy raw oyster, raw quail egg, tobiko, sake, ponzu, tabasco, very strong alcohol, bitter
Baked Baby Scallop 5 two baked Peru baby scallop, juicy, presented on shell, uni, mayo, unagi sauce, green onion, creamy, rich, flavorful
Iku-Uni-Himo 4 soy sauce marinated ikura / large fish eggs, way too salty, uni, mashed monkfish liver, white truffle oil, flavorful
Mentaiko Yaki Udon 4 pan fried thick wheat flour noodles, crunchy seasoned cod roe, crispy bacon, stir fried thin udon, flavorful
Yuzu Cheesecake 5 glazed crust, strong citrus flavor, creamy“

“Visited Yakitori Kokko for the second time. Expect classic izakaya vibes, well-executed grilled dishes, and a solid place for late-night dining with friends.

Highlights / Must-order items:
* Wagyu Steak – nicely seared, tender, and juicy
* Beef Tongue – thick cut with great texture
* Lamb Chop – well seasoned, no gamey flavor
* Steamed Clams – very fresh with a flavorful broth
* Grilled Scallop – sweet and tender (often sells out)
* Takowasa – smooth texture, great with sake

Small portions, great for skewers + sake flights 🍶. Ideal for casual dinners, late-night bites, or a first stop after landing at SFO.“

“good food great service and accomending.“

“I came here to take a couple of onigiris to-go on to my plane ride the next day. I got the salmon ume and the tarako. You order from the screen as soon as you get in, and the options they have is quite impressive. I stuck to some typical flavors and was really happy with the salmon ume one. I usually get mentaiko, which is a spicy tarako, and the tarako seemed like it was cooked and not raw? I wouldn't recommend the tarako if you're expecting it to be like mentaiko. However, it was really good and even though I ate it the next morning, it was still really delicious. I'd come back for sure and would recommend this place.“

“Food here is great. Best agedashi tofu I've ever had, and I love the red evil roll! Spicy tuna rolls are fresh and delicious.The guys working to the sushi are super nice, and if you're at the bar, put out good food really quickly.

They do roll out this cart to buss the tables. Clanging, banging a cart right next to people eating, with rags and cleaning products hanging off it. Just...super odd.

But if you can have a laugh about the cart, the food is totally worth it.“

“Cozy and casual Japanese spot. Great vibes with the Japanese posters and anime theme music playing.

The food is outstanding for such an unassuming spot. Everything is super fresh. We ordered the edamame, a spider roll, chicken karaage, and a tempura bento box.

The Tempura in particular has the perfect light batter and I appreciated all the small side dishes that came with the bento.

We'll definitely be back to try the Japanese curry and ramen.“

“Waited approximately one hour to be seated. Spoiker: it was well worth that wait. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and pork buns. I can't decide which part was better, the noodles or the broth! The pork buns were priced just right at $8 for 2. Some of the best I've had. You are all so lucky to have such a wonderful ramen bar in your community. I am from Maine and will be sure to stop by this establishment every chance I get once I am in town.“

“We dined at Kodawari last night. The sushi and sashimi were excellent. However, I had the soup and curry chicken katsu, and both were way too salty. Hopefully, Kodawari can make their cooked food (at least the ones I tasted) as delicious as their raw fish dishes!“

“Enjoyed omakase 8pcs with some age dashi tofu, nigori sake and the white peach panna cotta!“

“TASTY MEAL & COZY PLACE It was lunch time in San Mateo downtown and I wanted some different for lunch. The ambience was friendly, comfortable, and inviting. At lunch time, there were both the Lunch Menu with many Lunch Plates, multiple Lunch Combos, several Beef Curry bowls, various Donburi bowls, numerous Noodles dishes, and quite a few Nabe pots; and the Lunch Special with 8 different sets which includes soup, salad, and entree. My Curry Soba was delicious and the soba noodles were swimming in the curry sauce. Wow! Lots of sauce. It was heavenly delightful. Lunch Special #2 Bento Box - chicken teriyaki was tender, the tempera had a light batter, and the California roll added a nice touch along with soup, salad, and rice. There was so much food my wife couldn’t finish her meal The service was excellent. We were served with green tea within minutes of seating. The wait staff explained the daily special. The wait staff made the entire experience enjoyable. We had a TASTY MEAL at a COZY PLACE … at Hotaru Japanese Restaurant, San Mateo downtown.“

“First time here. Long line to get in but it moved fairly quickly. Had the Roast beef Aburasoba. Mind-Boggling GOOD! The flavor was out of this world! The service was fantastic!! I can’t wait to go back again!“

“Great ramen!!! Fast and friendly service!“

“Excellent meal here. The miso sea bass was delicious, and the nigiri in the seasonal omakase was great. Wagyu nigiri was a standout. Our waitress/server was fantastic also! one of the best sushi/omakases in san mateo in my opinion! pricing is absolutely reasonable too.“

“The American wagyu cut of meat was great and the fact that it's included in the ayce was a great deal. $48 pretip for 1 person, I paid 60 because the guy waiting the bar and on the deli slicer was so nice. Goma and ponzu dipping sauces were great too.“

“Sushi was delicious and service was great! Not a romantic spot though because it’s loud but fun if your going with family and friends. Music is good!!“

“I totally recommend YAYOI Restaurant SM Cebu City branch! For their great & delicious food and great staff, especially to our server Ms. Ygerne 🫶“

“One of the only places in the Bay Area that you can get traditional Chicken Katzu Don made with dashi, egg and onion. I have dreamt about this dish and living in the East Bay it’s hard for me to get it. Apparently they are still open over 25 years later…I might have to make a pilgrimage.“

“I had the best night at Benihana San Mateo! Starting off with the appetizers, you need to get the crispy rice - we did all 3 (yellowtail, tuna, and salmon). But the real star of the show was the Wagyu. It was absolutely impeccable. We ordered the A5 Japanese Tokyo Broil, the Australian NY Strip, and the American Masami Ribeye (my personal fav). All of them were cooked to perfection! Here's a tip; get the wagyu fried rice and the truffle butter!!! Lastly, had to end the night with green tea ice cream. So bomb!! Armando was hands down the best! He had us laughing the entire night and made the whole experience so entertaining. If you're looking for a place to have a great time while enjoying amazing food, this is definitely the spot to be. Highly recommend!“

“Cozy little Japanese restaurant with super friendly servers. The owner works at the counter. I come for Ishiyaki Hitsumamushi (Stone Bowl Seafood Rice) which I don’t think is served anywhere else. I also had tuna bone marrow for appetitzer and black sesame cheesecake for dessert. So many other dishes I want to try so will be back.“

“Authentic Hong Kong style Chinese food with high quality food.
The quality of the food here is a highlight. All that is familiar with Hong Kong style Chinese will agree.
Everything we have ever ordered had always been up to our standard and we have had Chinese food all our lives.
The food is not too oily, not too sweet, not too salty. All the flavors are very balanced.
The HK milk tea is was made in a traditional and authentic way. The bitterness and sweetness is well balanced.
I highly recommend this place!“

“Relaxing and modern ambiance to the restaurant. Super friendly service for an enjoyable experience. Hidden gem outside the hustles of the downtown area of San Mateo. The dishes were fresh and well presented. Ordered the Tom Yun Shrimp noodles and Keema Curry Rice. Nice Japanese infusion of flavors and techniques on South East Asian regional dishes. Can get pretty busy during lunch rush. We got there at 1:45pm and beat the rush.“

“My family and I love Sushirrito, and the creativity they bring in fusing amazing flavors together with sushi rolls the size of burritos 🌯! We recently dined at their newest location in Redwood City. The restaurant is clean, modern, and I loved the decor, esp the fish lanterns hanging from the ceilings. I got the Satori roll, and it’s the best - fish is fresh and it had the right amount of crunch and sauce to balance the tender hamachi. The matchagave latte was very refreshing, and had flavors mixed together that I’d never tasted before. Sumo crunch roll was perfect for the kids, esp. the red tempura flakes!🍣“

“Great food and great people. I always have excellent service and great food when I eat there.“

“Japanese style cheese cake and tart. Compared to western style, this is more like a sponge cake. Flavors of the pandan and cookies n cream were not too strong. Cheese tart is ok too.

Service at this location was fast and friendly. Long line sometimes. There were good deals to try new and different flavors.“

“Thank you for the fresh Uni, and very awesome customer service. Highly recommend!!!“

“Not my usual sushi diner, but we wanted to try out a new place. This restaurant has 2 stories with a staircase.

The service was average. The serving staff couldn’t speak English. We didn’t know Spanish so we had to communicate with body language to ask for some water. The staff that actually took our orders knew English, but he was missing the first 10 minutes, counting from when we finished scanning the menu.

The food was very good. Fresh sashimi and sushi rolls. The only thing that could be improved was the plain udon. As far as I know, even Japanese plain udon contains seaweed, fish cakes and tempura crumbs. This one had none. Literally, just udon and broth, not even chopped green onions.

Vegetarian options: They have veggie dishes, look for the descriptions.

Parking: Free parking after 6pm

Kid-friendliness: Kid’s high chairs and plastic utensils

Wheelchair accessibility: I think first floor dining area is for disabilities and elders.“

“I’m happy to support The Backhouse. I’ve ordered from them twice now, the $450 deluxe platter, and both times were excellent. You can tell the owner takes pride in her preparation, selects high quality fish, and the rice is cooked and proportioned perfectly. Most importantly, you get to enjoy delicious meal in the comforts of your own home.

Ordering through their website may seem daunting, but it’s actually pretty straight forward. They are also accommodating as I selected the wrong date and corrected with a link they provided. I didn’t have to call or speak to anyone. Their ordering website is intuitive and well designed.“

“Great walkable neighborhood“

“Excellent selection of sushi 🍣“

“Their all-you-can-eat option is the best deal going! Try everything on the menu- very fresh, so yummy and discount for cash payment“