50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Burlingame

“First time eating here and we were delighted to find this ramen shop to add to our rotation. They offer unique fusions, like the ramen with kimchi and galbi. The portions are generous and with a lot more toppings than your classic ramen (where you have to pay extra for this or that). I could only eat half and had to bring the rest to-go!“

“Family operated business establishments are always the best!! Food is superb!! Price is competitive!“

“What amazing find for being stuck at a hotel near SFO airport for a night. Mostly hidden in an old office park area is a kind, older, I presume Japanese couple who run this place. Everything is made to order. The sign on the door said closed Saturday but they were open and the steady steam of customers mean people know how to find it… and for good reason.“

“Absolutely love Tomokazu! Every dish is fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. The sashimi is top quality, and the rolls are always creative and delicious. The beef short rib and shioyaki saba were also amazing, even though I didn’t get a photo! The staff are friendly, the atmosphere is cozy, and this place never disappoints. One of the best Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area! 🍣✨“

“What made this place great besides the food was the service. We enjoyed salmon nigiri, California bomb, and the Alaska roll. Also had the plum sparking wine, which I’d absolutely recommend. I think what was notable was being cared about as if we were family. I’d 100% recommend and return to if ever back in the area.“

“Quality food everyone should give them a try ���“

“Amazing poke’ ! Incredible service! Awesome owners! Cool Asian sparkling water flavors! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“We love going here - it's sort of tucked away giving it a hidden gem feeling. The staff is warm, friendly and attentive. Sashimi is delicious and wonderfully presented. It was pricier than we expected but one wonderful thing they did for us was deep fry some of the decorations on the premium sashimi plate (the shrimp heads and the mackerel bones) - it was delicious and a nice, fun finish to the meal.“

“La comida es buena solo que hoy que fuimos apesar que tenía la reservación a la 1:45 pm el chef empezó 3 pm a cocinar“

“5-Star Review

Tiny Sushi - Oh Baby is such a fantastic spot! The sushi was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared, and the whole experience was wonderful. The atmosphere was welcoming, and the service was friendly and attentive. Everything came together perfectly for a great meal. Definitely a 5-star experience—I’d happily come back again!“

“The service was great and the food was fresh. I loved the shrimp tempura and the different sushi options - of which there were many.“

“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.“

“A neighborhood jam truly one of a kind hole in the wall place. If you want authentic Japanese kaiseki this is the go to spot. We came here to celebrate a graduation for a party of two. Everything was great!

The restaurant is cozy, and the owners are true Japanese chefs and very hospitable. You can choose the main course, but these are mostly set menus. Everything was properly planned with the quality ingredients that were refresh and tasty. Nothing overly powerful that would mask the true freshness of their ingredients which I absolutely loved.

The standouts were definitely the duck salad starter and the main sashimi plate for me.

Reservation recommended. Easy to park around the neighborhood.

**second visit, oct 2026**
Solid food - quality ingredients, mellow ambience, friendly service. Elegant plating and love the variety of their chefs menu. This time the highlight was the dessert: housemade red bean jelly and matcha mochi.

Can’t recommend this spot enough!“

“Diner Japonica is a hidden gem. The menu consists spectacular authentic Japanese dishes. Since the pandemic, they only do takeout, but the food is great and the portions are generous. Our family favorites are Katsu Curry Chicken, Oyakodon, and the Bento boxes (2 and 3 item). Give them a call - you'll be glad you did!“

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

“We love Hangetsu for our family sushi dinners! The sushi is excellent, and my kids adore Chef Charles who always whips up something special for them. The ambience is lovely for date nights as well!“

“We do mostly takeout here and keep returning because the food is great. My family’s general assessment is that their sushi is better than most in the area. But I wanted to highlight their excellent customer service. We had ordered a 3 item bento box in one of orders and one item was forgotten. When it was brought to their attention by phone, they reimbursed the entire bento box, no questions asked. Good customer service is hard to find these days and just wanted to make sure they were recognized for that on top of the great food!“

“Amazing meal, one of the few places for authentic kaiseki in the bay area. Very delicate flavors and intricately crafted. The zensai in particular was exquisite, grilled kamasu with egg yolk sauce was absolutely delicious and had me scraping off every bit of sauce from my plate. Some very unique dishes and flavor combinations I've not seen elsewhere too (peach tempura).

Service was very warm and attentive. Ambiance also very quiet and relaxing. Stepping in feels like being transported to Japan. Menus are truly seasonal too, will definitely be back!“

“Los invito a todos a disfrutar de un buenísimo sushi!! 100% recomendable!! sabrosos y accesibles ;)“

“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!!“

“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“

“Great service, food was delish. Chef made special sushi dish ( not on the menu) that was FIRE! My new to go place.❤️❤️❤️“

“Woah, the greatness of the sushi was unexpected as I was caught off-guard!! My hubby took me here for a regular Frid eat out night. Omg, every bite of my sushi tasted heavenly!! I felt so special like it was my bday as I slowly savored each morsel of divine deliciousness!! Phew! So amazing!! Love the intimate, cute atmosphere, &the service was warm & attentive. Id surely be back here soon with the rest of the fam, & later with friends! Stay great Ryoshin!!“

“San Mateos best kept secret. Best sushi I've had in years. Wonderful atmosphere, great service and at a reasonable price. My comment after dinner was , I guess I have had so much grocery store sushi, I forgot what real sushi should taste like.. Best Japanese food like this is rare these days until you try Tokies“

“This was a very pleasant surprise. We made a last minute reservation for 8 and ended up being 9. They did not reject us after the change at pick hour. Food was great and because we were ordering so much, we even got some freebies from our waiter.“

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

“For starters, being a new resident within their second year in San Mateo & now attending CSM for some courses I must say how pleased I am to find a gem of a restaurant such as Shiki. For it's convenience and location being an approximate 12 minute walk from campus I intend on visiting again on special occasion.

The service from staff was direct and accomadating as they allowed my cousin and I to enjoy our dinner over the course of our visit which spanned for almost more than an hour. This alone sets the tone of the atmosphere as the restaurant is moderately quaint with enough space to host a party of 4-6 comfortably according to the layout and tableing I could vaguely go over again in my mind.

Now, for the food commentary. The chirashi was a great choice for the night!A well displayed array of fresh fish placed on top of a balance of light seasoning topped sushi rice & garnish of thin clear noodles that could've been substituted from tamago kinshi. The hamachi was the highlight due to the robust sweetness that was propelled through the natural texture of the fish. The maguro being a typical favorite of mine did not disappoint at all!

Overall, the service was great as well as the atmosphere being perfect for intimate and relaxed occasions with loved ones. Not only was the chirasu fresh but the pork tonkatsu paired with a beautifully chopped sweet citrus fruit on the side among a fresh romaine leaflet embedded underneath was simple and clean. Thinly sliced and fried to a crunch with ease.

Thank you to the wonderful staff employed at Shiki! I most definitely want to thank the chef & kitchen crew for the delicious meals made tonight. Blessings!“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mikiya Wagyu Shabu House was an amazing dining experience! The wagyu was tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly in the delicious shabu-shabu broth. The ingredients tasted fresh, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was friendly and attentive. A fantastic spot for a special meal—I’d definitely come back again!“

“Very Japanese, very authentic, has Cafe in the name and they actually serve coffee unlike the Mexican joint across the street. I had a cold brew and Ton Katsu Bento, wish I took a picture before I itadakimasu'd that food right into my tummy. Very tasty, very sweet staff, oishi desu. Please check it out.“

“Great place For the best sushi in the Bay Area.“

“We’ve been here twice, but only downstairs, which can get very noisy. Their yakitori is very good. We also tried the mentaiko udon and grilled corn and both were good, too.

There’s a public parking garage behind the restaurant. Parking is free after 6 pm. You can enter the restaurant through the back door.“

“Not only is this the BEST SUSHI in Pacifica, but it is SO FRESH and even more than that, the employees are the KINDEST. They are so thoughtful and considerate and caring. This is our favorite date night restaurant in Pacifica! We love you Ocean Fish! 🐟❤“

“This is one of my favorite spots for a quick bite. The onigiri are always perfectly seasoned, fresh, and filling. The staff is incredibly friendly, and Erick was especially kind and welcoming. Everything tasted authentic and comforting. I’ll definitely be coming back!“

“The hostess was so awesome and just a ball of happiness and great energy.
The food was delicious and presentation was good; as many have said the Chicken Teriyaki was fantastic.

Portions were pretty good.
I’m a big eater so we ordered a lot. Chicken teriyaki, 5 Maki Rolls and a pop. Total plus tip was $100+

Give it a shot! We will definitely be back.“

“I cannot stress enough how good the food is here. New favorite spot! The city roll is their favorite item on their menu and was so good I went two days in a row just to eat this roll. Absolutely going to be first on my list next time I am in town. Also very friendly staff and great atmosphere but the food is the superstar here. Wish there was a six star ranking for this place.“

“good food great service and accomending.“

“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 little Japanese restaurant in the Carlmont shopping center. The inside has 7 tables plus two counters for dining. The table staff is friendly and helpful. The restaurant is open later than other restaurants in the area. The go tos here are the chicken teriyaki, the gal bi ribs, Japanese fried rice and the four seasons roll“

“I had quite a nice time. Their hi's were very good.

Standout yakitori for me were the scallops and chicken thighs. Sapporo on tap. Takowas was very crisp. No complaints all around and service was attentive and the kitchen was quick.

Looking forward to my next visit when I am in the area again.“

“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.“

“I was looking for a sushi place in the area. I was surprised to see it was in Bayhill Plaza. Upon walking in, this place was packed. It seemed there was only one person who was the hostess, taking orders, and delivering the food. I give her mad props. With the dinner rush she was all over it. I placed my order for to go, she was super helpful, gave me her recommendations, and she had a smile on her face with everyone she encountered. This place has seemed to have gotten an elevated, more modern face lift/ renovation compared to the restaurant that used to be here. I was surprised that they didn't have standard sushi rolls that I'm usually accustomed to, but from the rolls that I've tried here... change is good.

I ordered:

1. Corn tempura: First time seeing this, I love both corn and tempura. Had to see what it was about. It was perfection. Now it makes me wonder why this has never been done.

2. California roll: Standard staple and was good.

3. Warriors roll: It's an interesting combo, all items that I like.. first bite you're hit with a flavor explosion. At times I felt I couldn't taste the shrimp tempura, but the crunch from the crunchy onion ties it all together.

4. Beef steak: She recommended me to try this first before trying the daily special or short rib. She did not disappoint with this recommendation. The beef was so tender and flavorful.

Overall, a great experience. I will definitely be back for more. I forgot to take pictures, because we inhaled the food so fast.“

“Very friendly staff and delicious food. The variety is great! Definitely a go to place if you like Sushi 🍣 🤙🥇“

“ラーメンと言っているが、そばや焼き鳥など日本のメニューが複数ある。 日本で食べるような美味しさは無いが困った時やどうしても日本の味が恋しい時などは行ける。 まあ、悪くはないとおもいます。“

“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.“

“Yesterday I tried Uncle Tetsu inside Hillsdale Shopping Center for the first time and I really enjoyed it. There were so many flavors to choose from but I only got the coconut pandan Japanese cotton cheesecake and the ube cheese tart. They're selling the mini cheesecake - cheesetart combo for only $10, a pretty good deal!
Cotton cheesecake was super soft and fluffy, and the flavor leans more towards the coconut. I think pandan was only there for the color. Like you can see it but the flavor was really light, not super strong like I expected.
Ube cheese tart was also good but definitely on the sweeter side. Me and my friend shared one because it gets kinda sugary after a few bites (but it's still delicious, I highly recommend). The texture is nice, very creamy and buttery inside with a slightly crunchy crust.
Place was not busy, and staff was nice. I’d probably come back again when I'm craving desserts.“

“I’ve been going there for over 30 years. It’s the best tasting most reasonably priced Japanese food I have ever found.“

“Shoutout to our server Adin for making our first visit so awesome. My girlfriend and I loved everything he recommended and his energy made the experience even better. He made everything look so effortless and management is lucky to have him. Top tier service all around and we will definitely be back as regulars“

“I’m not usually in the San Mateo area, but I happened to be nearby with a friend for some tech-related work and decided to place an online order from Udon Mugizo for the first time. It was a Saturday and the restaurant was clearly very busy, so I expected the pickup to take a while, but everything was ready smoothly and the person who helped me, possibly the manager, was genuinely kind and attentive even with so much going on. I was honestly impressed by the quality of the food too. Everything tasted fresh, carefully prepared, and much better than I normally expect from an online order. The whole experience, from the pickup service to the food itself, was excellent. I don’t come to this area often, but I would definitely order from here again the next time I’m nearby“

“From the moment we walked in, everything about our experience was wonderful.

The ambiance was warm, inviting, and comfortable, making it the perfect place to relax and enjoy dinner. It had a welcoming atmosphere that made us want to stay and take our time.

The food was excellent. My favorites were the Truffle Scallop, the Shinjuku Roll, and the Bluefin Lovers Roll. Everything was fresh, beautifully presented, and packed with flavor. Each roll had its own unique taste, and I would gladly order all of them again.

The service truly made the night unforgettable. Eric was our server, and he was absolutely amazing. He has such a positive energy, and you can genuinely tell he enjoys being around people. He made us feel welcomed from the start, checked on us throughout the meal without ever being overbearing, and made the whole dining experience feel personal and like we were guests in someone's home rather than just customers in a restaurant.

We'll definitely be coming back--not only for the food but also for the incredible hospitality. Thank you, Eric, for making our dinner such a memorable experience!“

“We ordered the nigiri omakase and the omakase box and it was amazing! The fish was so fresh and delicately prepared. We struck a conversation with the chef/owner Jason, who was so kind, informative and fun to talk to. My favorite was the monk liver and my husband’s was the salmon chutoro. Will definetely be coming back.“