This is hands down the best sushi spot I’ve ever been to. They know me by name because I’m there every week now. The staff is awesome and the chef is amazing. You can tell they only use fresh fish and that they are passionate about serving you the absolute best sushi. I could be having the worst day in the world but if I come here, grab some sushi, and have an ice cold Sapporo it brings me right out of my funk. After Octopus, you’ll realize you’re just wasting your time and money at the other spots.Parking: There’s about 20 parking spaces right behind the restaurant. Too easy to park.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Miso Soup, Sushi, Hot Sake
Mav M
Fried octupus is great! Good variety of rolls.Udon and sashimi is ok.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Lukas Voesenek
Very reliable, tasty food, super kind service, fast and very chill relaxing vibe eating in
Sourav Anand
Placed a pickup order via doordash but had to wait 15 after arriving at the store. Doordash said it should be ready between 6:08-6:18 and i arrived by 6:18, only to be told that its not ready and why did i arrive until they said its ready on the app. I left work according to the pickup placeFurther more instead of apologizing, they were telling me that its rush during evenings and were telling me its my fault that I arrived on time before checking the app, and i even showed them the app says that its time for pickup. When i asked why do they not increase their estimate on doordash, i was told that if they do that then no one will want to order from there which essentially means they would rather lie to customers and make them wait instead of giving proper estimate.
Service: 1
Matt Mendez
I love this restaurant. It's delicious! It's a bit cramped but other than that it's incredible.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ayush K.
Octopus Japanese Restaurant is a hole in the wall restaurant with an extensive menu, which includes sushi, bento boxes, tempura, soups, specialty rolls, octopus specials, and salads. We showed up to the restaurant without a reservation, but we were seated right away. The restaurant has a cozy vibe. Our server was very nice, attentive, and knowledgeable. My friend and I decided to try their omakase nigiri. There are 3 different options for omakase nigiri-1. 8 pc. for $282. 10 pc. for $323. 12 pc. for $35We both got 12 piece omakase nigiri. This included 12 different fish nigiri-1. Halibut2. Mackerel3. Shrimp4. Yellowtail5. Salmon6. Albacore7. Sea clam8. Sea bass9. Octopus10. Tuna11. Skipjack Tuna12. SquidOur meal started off with complementary miso soup and salad. The miso soup was decent. The omakase was good for the price we paid. It would be unfair to compare it with any premium omakase experience. We were pleasantly surprised by the sizeable portion of fish that crowned each piece of nigiri. With that being said, some of the nigiri smelled very fishy. We had to call our server to enquire about all the different types of fish that we were served. The omakase came with ginger and wasabi on the side. The soy sauce was a bit salty.
Rhoderick M.
First time here. We ordered the Omekase and it was delicious. The price was pretty good also. Definitely coming back here.
Rachel A.
Friends and I walked in to Octopus Japanese for dinner and were really surprised by the quality! It was pretty empty when we visited so I got to talk to the owner and his son and they explained they'd been hit pretty hard during the pandemic. Reporting back that the food here is DELICIOUS and I'm definitely planning to be a regular (already been back and I appreciate that it doesn't break the bank!)My favorites:- Firecracker (spicy salmon, albacore, and tuna on crispy rice! I could eat this every day)- Kraken (it's a roll but the octopus on top was so unique and delicious! I usually don't even like octopus )- Hamachi Carpaccio (always a fav!)- Korokke (Japanese style croquette!)- Chirashi and Unagi-don (generous amounts of fish and super fresh!)- Nigiris (these were the best indicator of the fish quality and I give them a triple thumbs up!)- the Orange Blossom!I would recommend every one of the dishes we ordered! Even the service was lovely and everyone was super sweet! Five stars from me!
Andy B.
My culinary escapade at Octopus Japanese Restaurant played out more like a cliffhanger movie than a hearty Japanese banquet. There was an undeniable aura of suspense, courtesy of a 45-minute wait that could've rivalled an episode of Masterchef. The drama escalated when my bento box finally arrived, featuring a salmon shioyaki that was more of a cameo than a leading role.In terms of taste, the salmon shioyaki was akin to a shooting star - bright, pleasant, but sadly, too fleeting to register. The portion was so minute, it could've been mistaken for a Costco sample. A tantalizing tease that left my palate craving more.The beef teriyaki was a similar story. It was akin to an unassuming background actor, who, despite a decent performance, was woefully underrepresented. The spicy tuna roll managed to add some spicy punch to the otherwise underwhelming main act. This edible dramaturgy was certainly tinged with a pinch of irony. The taste did its job, but the symphony was over before the first movement had time to settle. I left with my stomach echoing like a drum, contemplating a late-night rendezvous with In-N-Out.In short, Octopus Japanese Restaurant was a theatrical spectacle of flavors that left me wanting - mostly in the realm of portion sizes. It's a "once and done" dining experience - I shan't be returning for an encore.
James Yin
My review seems to be hitting the owner's nerve and causing a knee-jerk reaction. For actually decent Japanese food, check out Kyosho just a block away. Menlo Park is still needing more high-quality restaurants, but this is not your only option for Japanese food.Here's the details:The sushi rolls are okay, but that's about the only thing that's okay about this restaurant. Service is incredibly slow. It took 15 minutes to get some water on our table, and I had to ask twice for it. One of the water cups were quite sticky on the outside and I was sure it was not cleaned properly. Rolls came before our cold appetizer. A bento box took 40 minutes when the restaurant wasn't packed at all. The taste of everything other than the rolls was quite bland and a bit weird if I'm honest. Servers also had this numb expression on their faces. I can't tell if they have an owner that's too harsh on everyone or doesn't care. It's one of those.UPDATE: The owner made many claims about my visit, but it doesn't look like the owner actually remembers who I am, now that it's been several days since my visit when I wrote the review. The owner claims that I raised my voice to the servers, which I never did. The owner also claims that the restaurant was packed when I was there, which is also not true. The owner also used the covid as an excuse for having a slow kitchen, but it's been three years and it's hard to imagine someone not able to adapt to a post-covid era. From the level of gaslighting the owner is doing to me, I can only imagine the same type of gaslighting the owner could be doing to its employees, blaming their own fault onto others, causing their faces to be numb. I originally gave the restaurant a two star. I'm changing it to a one-star. I will also do everything I can to expose the owner's malpractice from here on.
This place was sooooo meh. Lol. Just your typical Japanese hole in the wall but at like Menlo Park prices. Sushi had a lot of rice. Noodle soup dish was fine but I literally could have put it together myself so idk why I paid $20 for it. Service was good. Ambiance was awful. Lol. Restaurant felt very dark.
Gwen Brounce
Fresh, delicious and beautiful sushi! Stopped in on Friday evening and enjoyed the Melting Albacore Special, Salmon Lover, Drunken Tiger and Octoroll. The Pinot Noir wine tasted off, the server apologized and removed it from our bill - providing excellent customer service! Atmosphere is relaxing with good music. I plan to return soon for take-out after work.Vegetarian options: They offer several vegetarian options.Parking: Parking available behind the restaurant.Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible - first floor restaurant.
Bernadette Reed
I have been to this glorious restaurant many times. The most freshest food you can find. I love their sushi cooked rolls, beef teriyaki and chicken teriyaki dinner. Their miso soup is fantastic. Their servers are very kind. Good atmosphere and there’s plenty of parking with handicapped spots. Everything is just absolutely delicious. It’s always a night to remember when you eat at this very chic restaurant, bar none.
Sushi here is excellent! I love that they have so many different rolls. My all time favorite is summer break, deep friend spicy tuna and python. Oh and you should try the octopus karage. Worth the drive!
Monique B.
This spot was really good! We got the Bento box and a few rolls of sushi. We got our food pretty fast too. Can't wait to go back again
This is hands down the best sushi spot I’ve ever been to. They know me by name because I’m there every week now. The staff is awesome and the chef is amazing. You can tell they only use fresh fish and that they are passionate about serving you the absolute best sushi. I could be having the worst day in the world but if I come here, grab some sushi, and have an ice cold Sapporo it brings me right out of my funk. After Octopus, you’ll realize you’re just wasting your time and money at the other spots.Parking: There’s about 20 parking spaces right behind the restaurant. Too easy to park.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Miso Soup, Sushi, Hot Sake
Fried octupus is great! Good variety of rolls.Udon and sashimi is ok.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Very reliable, tasty food, super kind service, fast and very chill relaxing vibe eating in
Placed a pickup order via doordash but had to wait 15 after arriving at the store. Doordash said it should be ready between 6:08-6:18 and i arrived by 6:18, only to be told that its not ready and why did i arrive until they said its ready on the app. I left work according to the pickup placeFurther more instead of apologizing, they were telling me that its rush during evenings and were telling me its my fault that I arrived on time before checking the app, and i even showed them the app says that its time for pickup. When i asked why do they not increase their estimate on doordash, i was told that if they do that then no one will want to order from there which essentially means they would rather lie to customers and make them wait instead of giving proper estimate.
Service: 1
I love this restaurant. It's delicious! It's a bit cramped but other than that it's incredible.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Octopus Japanese Restaurant is a hole in the wall restaurant with an extensive menu, which includes sushi, bento boxes, tempura, soups, specialty rolls, octopus specials, and salads. We showed up to the restaurant without a reservation, but we were seated right away. The restaurant has a cozy vibe. Our server was very nice, attentive, and knowledgeable. My friend and I decided to try their omakase nigiri. There are 3 different options for omakase nigiri-1. 8 pc. for $282. 10 pc. for $323. 12 pc. for $35We both got 12 piece omakase nigiri. This included 12 different fish nigiri-1. Halibut2. Mackerel3. Shrimp4. Yellowtail5. Salmon6. Albacore7. Sea clam8. Sea bass9. Octopus10. Tuna11. Skipjack Tuna12. SquidOur meal started off with complementary miso soup and salad. The miso soup was decent. The omakase was good for the price we paid. It would be unfair to compare it with any premium omakase experience. We were pleasantly surprised by the sizeable portion of fish that crowned each piece of nigiri. With that being said, some of the nigiri smelled very fishy. We had to call our server to enquire about all the different types of fish that we were served. The omakase came with ginger and wasabi on the side. The soy sauce was a bit salty.
First time here. We ordered the Omekase and it was delicious. The price was pretty good also. Definitely coming back here.
Friends and I walked in to Octopus Japanese for dinner and were really surprised by the quality! It was pretty empty when we visited so I got to talk to the owner and his son and they explained they'd been hit pretty hard during the pandemic. Reporting back that the food here is DELICIOUS and I'm definitely planning to be a regular (already been back and I appreciate that it doesn't break the bank!)My favorites:- Firecracker (spicy salmon, albacore, and tuna on crispy rice! I could eat this every day)- Kraken (it's a roll but the octopus on top was so unique and delicious! I usually don't even like octopus )- Hamachi Carpaccio (always a fav!)- Korokke (Japanese style croquette!)- Chirashi and Unagi-don (generous amounts of fish and super fresh!)- Nigiris (these were the best indicator of the fish quality and I give them a triple thumbs up!)- the Orange Blossom!I would recommend every one of the dishes we ordered! Even the service was lovely and everyone was super sweet! Five stars from me!
My culinary escapade at Octopus Japanese Restaurant played out more like a cliffhanger movie than a hearty Japanese banquet. There was an undeniable aura of suspense, courtesy of a 45-minute wait that could've rivalled an episode of Masterchef. The drama escalated when my bento box finally arrived, featuring a salmon shioyaki that was more of a cameo than a leading role.In terms of taste, the salmon shioyaki was akin to a shooting star - bright, pleasant, but sadly, too fleeting to register. The portion was so minute, it could've been mistaken for a Costco sample. A tantalizing tease that left my palate craving more.The beef teriyaki was a similar story. It was akin to an unassuming background actor, who, despite a decent performance, was woefully underrepresented. The spicy tuna roll managed to add some spicy punch to the otherwise underwhelming main act. This edible dramaturgy was certainly tinged with a pinch of irony. The taste did its job, but the symphony was over before the first movement had time to settle. I left with my stomach echoing like a drum, contemplating a late-night rendezvous with In-N-Out.In short, Octopus Japanese Restaurant was a theatrical spectacle of flavors that left me wanting - mostly in the realm of portion sizes. It's a "once and done" dining experience - I shan't be returning for an encore.
My review seems to be hitting the owner's nerve and causing a knee-jerk reaction. For actually decent Japanese food, check out Kyosho just a block away. Menlo Park is still needing more high-quality restaurants, but this is not your only option for Japanese food.Here's the details:The sushi rolls are okay, but that's about the only thing that's okay about this restaurant. Service is incredibly slow. It took 15 minutes to get some water on our table, and I had to ask twice for it. One of the water cups were quite sticky on the outside and I was sure it was not cleaned properly. Rolls came before our cold appetizer. A bento box took 40 minutes when the restaurant wasn't packed at all. The taste of everything other than the rolls was quite bland and a bit weird if I'm honest. Servers also had this numb expression on their faces. I can't tell if they have an owner that's too harsh on everyone or doesn't care. It's one of those.UPDATE: The owner made many claims about my visit, but it doesn't look like the owner actually remembers who I am, now that it's been several days since my visit when I wrote the review. The owner claims that I raised my voice to the servers, which I never did. The owner also claims that the restaurant was packed when I was there, which is also not true. The owner also used the covid as an excuse for having a slow kitchen, but it's been three years and it's hard to imagine someone not able to adapt to a post-covid era. From the level of gaslighting the owner is doing to me, I can only imagine the same type of gaslighting the owner could be doing to its employees, blaming their own fault onto others, causing their faces to be numb. I originally gave the restaurant a two star. I'm changing it to a one-star. I will also do everything I can to expose the owner's malpractice from here on.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
This place was sooooo meh. Lol. Just your typical Japanese hole in the wall but at like Menlo Park prices. Sushi had a lot of rice. Noodle soup dish was fine but I literally could have put it together myself so idk why I paid $20 for it. Service was good. Ambiance was awful. Lol. Restaurant felt very dark.
Fresh, delicious and beautiful sushi! Stopped in on Friday evening and enjoyed the Melting Albacore Special, Salmon Lover, Drunken Tiger and Octoroll. The Pinot Noir wine tasted off, the server apologized and removed it from our bill - providing excellent customer service! Atmosphere is relaxing with good music. I plan to return soon for take-out after work.Vegetarian options: They offer several vegetarian options.Parking: Parking available behind the restaurant.Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible - first floor restaurant.
I have been to this glorious restaurant many times. The most freshest food you can find. I love their sushi cooked rolls, beef teriyaki and chicken teriyaki dinner. Their miso soup is fantastic. Their servers are very kind. Good atmosphere and there’s plenty of parking with handicapped spots. Everything is just absolutely delicious. It’s always a night to remember when you eat at this very chic restaurant, bar none.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Teriyaki, Hamachi Kama, Wonderful Roll, Shrimp Tempura
Sushi here is excellent! I love that they have so many different rolls. My all time favorite is summer break, deep friend spicy tuna and python. Oh and you should try the octopus karage. Worth the drive!
This spot was really good! We got the Bento box and a few rolls of sushi. We got our food pretty fast too. Can't wait to go back again