20 Best Sushi Bars in San Mateo

“I think it must take a lot of effort to source the ingredients to be able to serve sushi of this caliber in San Francisco. It's a great honor to be a fishmonger.‼️“

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

“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.“

“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!!“

“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.“

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

“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“

“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“

“High quality food at fair prices. One baffling issue is that they charge for tea, but provides FREE saki and sida.“

“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.“

“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!“

“good food great service and accomending.“

“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“

“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.“

“Was greeted & seated promptly. Welcomed by Manager Hung. Brittany was our waitress & we received the 20th Anniversary Sacks. Happy Anniversary.“

“Excellent selection of sushi 🍣“

“Poke here is always on point. I’ve ordered from this place at least 30 times. The food is consistently fresh and tasty. That said, the customer service can feel a bit cold at times not much smiling or acknowledgment. The bathrooms could also use some attention. Still, it’s in a great location and the quality of the poke keeps me coming back.“