50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Saratoga

“This restaurant is truly an experience. You come here not just to eat, but to learn about the culture, the thoughtful preparation of each ingredient, and to enjoy the very best ingredients of the season. The meal is meant to be savored slowly.

Dinner runs from 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM with one seating only, and the door opens promptly at 6:30 PM. There is ample parking in the back, even on a Saturday night.

The environment is intimate and very homey. The only small note is that the music was a bit loud at times, especially since the hostess, Yoko, is very soft-spoken. Turning the music down slightly would make it easier to hear her explanations.

The evening began with a celebratory yuzu sparkling sake in honor of the New Year. The seasonal *Hassun* was my favorite course of the night. Served in an adorable ceramic fish, it was filled with auspicious New Year foods such as herring roe, chestnut, octopus, plum, abalone, konjac, kombu, and more—each cooked to its ideal texture.

The *ozoni* was Kansai-style, featuring mochi, yuba, and black cod, and was wonderfully warming and comforting. The sashimi course was exceptionally fresh, highlighting Aomori bluefin tuna, 明石鯛 (widely regarded as the best *madai* in Japan), and Santa Barbara uni. For winter, Hokkaido uni is not considered at its peak, making this selection especially thoughtful.

The wagyu course was simply divine—truly melt-in-your-mouth. The rice course followed with a generous bowl of Dungeness crab meat and ikura, paired with refreshing *tsukemono* and a clear seafood broth.

I absolutely loved the monaka dessert, and the meal concluded beautifully with a bowl of lightly whipped matcha.

Once again, this is an experience, not a simple meal. Come with an open mind, an appreciation for nuance, and the willingness to explore different flavors while immersing yourself in a meaningful cultural journey.“

“We had the Kaiseki experience at Hachi Ju Hachi, and it was exceptional. Our table was in a small room next to the kitchen, connected by an open pass-through where Chef Suzuki prepared parts of our meal and engaged with us throughout the evening.

Every course was beautifully presented and delicious. The smoked cod was a standout, even for someone who doesn’t usually enjoy cod. The aged gari, miso soup, and a snapper soup with matsutake mushrooms were all excellent.

Service pacing was perfect, and the whole evening felt calm, thoughtful, and memorable. Highly recommended.“

“I have known the Korean waitress since the E 3rd Avenue, San Mateo location days. Extremely friendly waitress. Food portion is always generous and decent quality. I have been to both locations but sadly, the San Mateo location doesn't exist anymore.“

“friendly staff, monstrous upon great broth“

“Good ambience, great food. Loved the family vibe. Feels like eating in a cozy eatery in Osaka.“

“Love this place, they have the best fried tofu and service is fast!“

“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.“

“My first visit to Mikiya was shortly after they opened. The food and service were decent, but a 45-minute wait past our reservation time left a bad taste, figuratively speaking. I wasn't sure I'd be back.

I'm glad I gave it another shot. This time we came to celebrate a visiting friend, and Mikiya more than delivered. The menu has noticeably improved, we were seated promptly, and our server Zac was the kind of hospitality professional who makes a meal memorable. Friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive without being overbearing, his recommendations were spot on and genuinely elevated the whole experience.

It's clear the team has put in real work since opening. I'm signing up for the membership and already looking forward to the next visit.“

“Amazing food 🍱 Great Service“

“I had a great time over there. Delicious food 🥘“

“Shabu Time is a fantastic choice for hot pot lovers! The ingredients are always fresh, and there’s an impressive variety of meats, vegetables, and broths so you can build your meal exactly the way you like it. Everything tastes great, and the customization makes it fun.

Pricing is very reasonable for the quality and portion sizes, so it always feels like a good value.

What really sets this place apart is the service. The staff is friendly, attentive, and quick to help, which makes the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. The space is cozy, so weekends can get busy, but it’s worth the wait. If you’re looking for a welcoming spot with fresh food and excellent service, Shabu Time is a must-try!“

“love this cute place . tempura veggies crunchy.all fresh , great service.“

“Everything great except for the pork 😔“

“The new sushi restaurant in Los Gatos (Yokohama) is a real gem. The food is exceptionally fresh and delicious, with a wide variety of rolls to choose from. The service is attentive and welcoming, and the atmosphere is calm and pleasantly quiet. We loved our experience and will definitely be back.“

“This place is fantastic. Great food. Staff. It is located in boulder creek. I order the dragon roll. So yummm“

“Sushi O Sushi is amazing!! We usually drop in for lunch and a couple times for dinner. We get the bento boxes with teryaki chicken, California rolls, and sashimi (tuna or salmon) the miso soup is great and the salad with that delicious dressing is perfect. We always stop here and you shoukd definitely give it a try.“

“Our first time here and everything was delicious! We had the garlic edamame, salmon express and the spicy tails rolls and the salmon with lemon dill nigiri. So good!“

“Just a random visit here and I will say they were one of the better sushi restaurants I have been to.

Their 3 roll combo is very reasonably priced with them also being quite good as well.
Their specialty roll that I got was fantasic albeit a bit pricy compared to the rest but still a good roll.

Would recommend for people near by for sure.“

“Back in Nov 10th, 2025, My takeout order missed the curry that's supposed to come with tonkatsu curry udon Bento. I called the restaurant to see what should we do and the restaurant staff said they will give us a free curry next time. Today, we ordered takeout again and called the restaurant to see they would honor that promise, and they did honor it.

Besides this incident above, we always get great service in the restaurant whether it's for takeout or dine-in. Their staff is friendly and treats kids nicely too.“

“Great food and the staff is friendly the environment is spectacular“

“Efficient service, delicious sushi and Saki.“

“We went early as they opened and service was quick and straight to the point. The lady who helped was very helpful and efficient checking up on us.

The food was great and really enjoyed their sushi despite not liking seafood very much. My favorite entree from this is the Ton Katsu that includes Miso Soup, Salad and White Rice.

The atmosphere was great nothing too fancy but very authentic. The important part was it being clean and it very much was!

Highly recommend just make sure you arrive while they are open cause their hours are strict.“

“I love onigilly and this place has made it accessible to just get one when I needed it. This would be more 3rd or 4th visit at this point. Last night while at Valley Fair I suddenly felt faint-ish from hunger/lack of food. We were at Men's Macy's to shop for my husband but I had not expected to be there that long. From a distance inside Macy's, I could see the exit to the mall (planning my escape route - just kidding). I knew a onigilly could solve my hangry problem. I actually was prepared to pay approx $10 for one as that was what I recall paying before....but it was surprisingly a good price at around $3.99 (so I ordered two, to give one to the hubs). And then I got a reward to claim so when I added that reward one of my onigilly was credited. That was a nice surprise. Besides the pricing the onigilly was yummy and the seaweed crunchy. I got the tuna. It was a good proportion of rice to tuna. The line wasn't that bad, one person ahead of me. It was at around 8 pm.“

“Food is always fresh and delicious. There’s always a variety of specials every week besides their main menu items. It’s easy to place an order and pickup. Try it; it will become your main takeout restaurant like it has become ours!“

“Kaizen was super delicious!!! It exceeded my expectations. I was looking for a local sushi spot with fresh fish and I’m happy to report that I think we found our new go-to spot. I’m usually a bit picky with sushi places and haven’t returned to any so far in the area but the fresh was really fresh, portions were extremely sizable, and service was kind and attentive.

We already started digging in before I took the photos so please excuse the missing pieces! The chirashi bowl had about 15 pieces of big sashimi and was really worth the bang for your buck. The rolls were also huge with good pieces of fish! The hotate nigiri was my star of the show and the yummiest bite! The salmon egg nigiri was pretty salty though so that’s the only one I’d probably skip next time.

Overall my husband and I really enjoyed our dinner and I hope this place gets lots of love!! The owners and wait staff were working incredibly hard! Can’t wait to return again soon.“

“the sushi was so delicious and very reasonably priced for the quality :) I loved all of their unagi rolls, especially the black dragon roll that has an entire eel on top! I also really liked the salmon sashimi, the 49ers roll, and the caterpillar roll.

the waiter was also so kind, we will definitely be back :)

I forgot to take a picture until we’d eaten almost the entire roll lol but the rolls and fish were so plump and so fresh!“

“Great menu and terrific service. You will not be disappointed!“

“place is awesome. quick and tasty“

“Great food and service as always“

“We have been ordering from Yoshi Sushi via Uber Eats. The food is very good even after delivery. Well, we live about 1 mile away so delivery is really fast. I forgot to take photos of the sushi but it is very good.

Will I buy from them again ? Absolutely !“

“Very authentic flavors, reminded me of the times I ate at the ryoutei style restaurants in Japan! サーモンハラスの塩焼き - Grilled salmon belly 生うどん - Fresh udon noodle soup ユズ香る茶碗蒸し - Egg custard with yuzu with crab sauce on top イイダコの唐揚げ - Deep fried mini octopus“

“YUM! We love Rokko! Lovely restaurant, great food and a wonderful staff. Happy we have this restaurant in DT Sunnyvale. 😀“

“Our favorite sushi spot in the Bay Area! The sushi is authentic Japanese style and the taste is always on point. The owner is very kind, checks in with your table during your dinner, and served us miso soup on the house for the busy wait time. We always come once a month :) thank you for the positive experience and delicious food always!“

“Not sure if they're part of Fugetsu or if they're just the ones who make the food but regardless they are fantastic.

Not a lot of places that make onigiris around here surprisingly but this place is the best I've been to.

Pricing isn't too high but is a bit more then other spots but the quality is worth it. Would get their salmon onigiris for sure.“

“We just moved back to the area and glad to see that Tanto’s still doing good and now serving LUNCH even! Went for lunch today and the food and service was excellent. The food was fresh and you can tell everything was made with intention. I like that Tanto gives classic Japanese food vibes and it feels like you’re transported to Japan for a nice comfort meal. Can’t wait to try more items on their menu.“

“Absolutely fantastic food and excellent service. We celebrated our Birthdays tonight, and the staff is amazing. Love their salmon sashimi and megura. Kyiv roll and honey walnut rolls were also delicious!“

“Fresh food and good taste. One of pocket restaurants.“

“First time trying this chain restaurant. Pretty good first impression with speedy service by the young and energetic staff. Food is ordered via the QR code and came out piping hot in a few minutes. Tasty dishes just be careful not to burn your tongue!! Reasonable prices. Can recommend.“

“You have to come here! My husband and I loved everything we ate. Our 5 year old got the kids chicken teriyaki w. the california roll. It's a big portion, you might even be able to split this between two younger kids if you wanted. We all ended up trying the Cali Roll and loved it. Our 10 year old ordered the Nabe Udon. It's definitely big enough to share as well. The waitress was kind enough to bring us two extra bowls and spoons. The broth was AMAZING. We also had the gyoza, and the dragon eye roll. The dragon eye roll was absolutely delicious. The service was also great. All of the waitresses that worked there were very nice and did a great job of checking on us.“

“Great food, fast service!“

“A very straightforward yakitori restaurant with some unique dishes they have per day, as well as available for takeout and doordash/fantuan. They have many different yakitori dishes to choose from, including beef and chicken as well as some vegetarian dishes too. Be very mindful of what you pick as each order is $12+ and only comes in two skewers each. I ordered the gyutan which was amazing and kalbi which also equally, maybe little less, as much. They also have many other skewrs too such as chicken and even vegetarian options. They also had a shrimp with mushroom that was fried that was okay. As well as the gaku udon with a very interesting noodle and broth, but I really liked the pork belly! I really like the other dishes they offered too such as Ochazuke, Hot pot, rice bowls, and even steamed clams! They also have a great selection of sashimi and sushi too. This is all with a very friendly service as well as instructions how to order the skewers if it's the first time here. But like I mentioned, each skewer is very expensive at $12+ so just be aware about what you're ordering. In fact, each item on the menu isn't designed to fill you up fully, so do order multiple dishes as you please. I estimate maybe around 7-8 orders of skewers may be enough for some? Although I don't want to see the end of that bill... They also have an extensive sake collection too that can be ordered cold or hot. Overall, this is a really solid yakitori place and wouldn't mind coming back here again if it was feeling a little spendy.“

“Presentation wasn't great but food was tasty. Price was reasonable. If owner is reading this. You can do so much better with proper bento boxes for your bentos. And sushi rolls on a round plate in 3 long rolls might not be the most eye pleasing.“

“We had a great lunch, so yummy and fresh foods. We love the taste so much especially their garlic rice very recommendable to all of you guys who wants to try a japanese food that’s really satisfied your cravings, so come and dine in.“

“Got 3 types of okonomiyaki, yakisoba and curry katsu for a party of 5, more than enough food. Favorite okonomiyaki was the ebi (shrimp). Flavorful and not too heavy. The seafood one was a little too heavy with the amount of mayo added. The katsu and yakisoba we're alright. Service was good, friendly waiters! Wait on a Saturday night at 7 was around 15 min.“

“I never review restaurants but if you are reading this, I’m really hungry right now….and just wanted to share to my food people, that Kyoto Palace Japanese Steakhouse is the best Japanese restaurant I still have ever been to and my favorite restaurant growing up as a kid… #1 miso soup and salad are just never the same anywhere else..the same chef Jose that would make roosters with the scrambled eggs still works there over 20 years later..If I had yelp or seriously reviewed restaurants I would 10/10 them for never changing a single thing about this place. Just sharing for my food friends keep scrolling if you don’t care about this post 🙂“

“edamame is bomb and so delicious. and service is the best“

“I was a little hesitant because I had been disappointed by sushi places in the area before. But Yoshi Sushi completely changed that. The fish quality is clearly a priority here and it shows in every bite. Chef Peter was working that afternoon and the rolls came out looking immaculate. Will be coming back regularly.“

“Great food and very tasty!! Staff are very friendly!! Highly recommended!!!“

“Best Tempura donburi in the Bay Area!! You can always request to have Tempura lunch/dinner instead of donburi too!“