15 Best Japanese Restaurants in Walnut Creek

“Tatsu is a solid spot here that really delivers on atmosphere and flavor. The authentic Japanese design stands out right away - warm wood tones, pink Sakuras, clean lines, and a cozy layout that makes the space feel both traditional and welcoming.

On a packed Saturday night, the team was clearly working at full speed. The chef in particular was impressive - focused, efficient, and handling a nonstop flow of orders without missing a beat. You could feel the effort and care behind the counter.

The sashimi was fresh, clean, and genuinely delicious - exactly what you hope for when you sit down at a sushi bar. The specialty rolls like Flaming Dragon were beautifully plated with a bit of flair, and the uni shooters were the highlight of the night - rich, briny, and absolutely outstanding.

Overall, a lively, high-quality sushi experience. When a restaurant is that busy and still maintains this level of freshness and service, that says a lot. Definitely worth coming back.“

“Excellent sushi again and again. Highly recommend this restaurant. Great service and fresh fish every time.“

“Nothing but a 5-star experience at Tanoshi. Great value for their combo - at $14? Am I even living in 2026?! I doubt this will last long... And the food was amazing! Katsu and tempura were very well executed - even stayed crunchy after the whole meal. Raw fish taste fresh. Miso soup was well balanced. The salad was well dressed... What else can I say? Hmmm with such good quality of food and great pricing, their decoration was also very pleasant - their bathrooms were also well decorated!

Ok, nothing is perfect. Two things here. 1 - Low on staff. This place can get very busy and you might have to wait in line for a while. 2 - Shrimp tempura was the biggest disappointment. Microscopic shrimp with a thick blanket of flour. Still, couldn't recommend this place more.“

“Hakashi is truly one of the best sushi restaurants in the East Bay. The sushi is always fresh and delicious, and they add their own creative twist with unique flavors and presentation. Their drinks also have a personalized touch, definitely try the tamarind and hibiscus mocktail. For sushi rolls, the 49er and the Hakashi roll are must-tries, with the Hakashi roll being my personal favorite.“

“It’s so nice that there’s an actual Japanese-owned ramen shop in this part of inland Contra Costa County. Usually, your average suburban ramen shop (like the Ramen 101 chains) is owned by Chinese or Koreans. They’re not bad per se but the ramen they serve is not Japanese.

I knew this place was authentic because of their noodles: their tonkotsu ramen has the thin, firm white noodle normally seen in Hakata-style bowls, whereas the Yuzu Shoyu comes with the classic, wavy egg noodles. It’s a nice touch that shows they are serious about serving good ramen.

Chashu is delicious….its slightly smokey from being torched but it also falls apart in your mouth. It’s also thicker than your average chashu slice.

Tonkotsu broth is creamy and rich, without being too salty. It’s also balanced with the addition of pickled ginger.

The Yuzu-shoyu on the other hand, is more savory and tart, with a good amount of spice from sansho (Japanese Sichuan pepper).

Service was good and straightforward. I’d come back again when I’m craving real ramen but don’t want to cross the tunnel.“

“We love this place! The best of Thai and the best of Japanese! I have the salmon skin ham roll today and a Poké bowl. Both yummy. Services is friendly. Food is great.“

“First time here. Super cute & chill vibe. Pic of food was after I ate one shrimp tempura then remembered I wanted a pic of our dinner. The presentation was much better when it arrived. One teriyaki chicken bento with shrimp tempura and a lion king roll was more than enough for two. Overall, super happy with quality and quantity of food. Definitely recommend trying out this place.“

“Good food, good service and value for money!“

“I absolutely love this restaurant and have been coming here for nearly 20 years. The staff are attentive and kind, and the food is consistently delicious and fresh. We have celebrated birthdays here and they make it special.

Whether you’re going for a bento box or sushi (or both!), you will be happy with your meal. What I love is that it’s consistent from visit to visit. The sushi is especially fresh and, in the past, I’ve asked them to recreate some of my favorite rolls from other restaurants and they were happy to give it a go (and it came out great).

We visited again a few weeks ago and I was so happy with our meal that I wanted to leave a review. I should have done this sooner… they deserve every 5 stars!

Oh and if you’re a plant lover… check out the gorgeous ficus at the entry. 😍 It’s real and thriving!“

“Everything was absolutely amazing!! We’ve passed by this place so many times, I’m sad we didn’t try this place sooner! We have eaten plenty of sushi, and I’m happy to say that everything we ordered at Toyosu was SO delicious. Not pictured was the o toro hamachi, which was definitely my favorite. Now we’ve tried and enjoyed 4/4 of our ordered dishes, we will 100% return.“

“The sushi was great, but like others have posted, the rolls are really large and make it difficult to eat.

The service was awesome very speedy and on brand.

The atmosphere is a normal bistro, and designed to be super fast.“

“Sasa is a staple for us anytime we want great food, great atmosphere and great service. My husband and I have been going regularly for years and we have never had a disappointing meal, or service. Best sushi around! Staff is fantastic!“

“We love this place! The best of Thai and the best of Japanese! I have the salmon skin ham roll today and a Poké bowl. Both yummy. Services is friendly. Food is great.“

“An absolutely mind blowing experience and meal. We went for brunch. We had the halva pancakes and pistachio French toast. The French toast was my favorite. The bread was crunch on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. Great drinks as well. DJs were awesome. Music really set the mood for a good brunch.“

“The best sushi in the east bay!“