39 Best Japanese Restaurants near San Lorenzo

“This is the best teriyaki restaurant I had in years. The chicken has the perfect tenderness and flavor. The sauce is not too sweet or salty, just perfect. This is truly a healthy bowl with your choice of white steam rice or organic brown rice, which I picked and it was wonderful. I felt healthy after eating there. Not too much or too little, just right. I've been there five times now and every time it brings me back for more. Their ribeye steak is also one of my favorite, it's so good and flavorful. I often bring back some food for my husband and he's a picky eater, and he also likes it. I really like this place alot and hope they stay in business for a long time. It's close to my home and glad they came into the neighborhood.“

“Greeted with amazing service from beginning to end. We brought a little baby and forgot to bring our scissor to cut the food into tiny bits. The kind waiter gave us one to use, and without asking gave us extra napkins, a cup with a straw, and a baby bowl. Is the waiter a parent too? Because he gets it! We appreciate the gesture! Food is delicious too, of course. We went back several times. :)“

“I came here on a reservation as this restaurant is incredibly small. There are only 2 tables that can hold a group of 4 each, maybe 2-3 tables that can seat 2 people, and a couple seats at the chefs counter. I heard the server quote a wait time of 1.5 hours to a group who had come in without a reservation looking for a table of 4, so make sure you make a reservation! After ordering, it takes quite a long time for the chefs to make your sushi, I think we waited around 30 minutes? But that's because everything was cut and made fresh. Make sure you have good company to chat with or else the wait will bore you!For a group of 3, we got 2 nigiri combos, 1 sashimi combo, 1 spicy salmon maki roll, 1 negi hama hosomaki roll.1. Nigiri combo - 8/10. This was a great value for for only $25! You can pick 7 nigiris as well as a chef's choice maki roll. I really enjoyed the Kanpachi, Kurodai, and Ika because they torched the top for some smokey flavor. Our maki roll of the day was the salmon & shiso hosomaki which had a hint of perilla leaf flavor! For the amount paid, it was definitely worth it!2. Spicy salmon maki roll - 9/10. This isn't your standard spicy salmon roll where they mince the salmon with some spice. These are strips of whole salmon so you really get to taste the meaty parts of the salmon. It was my favorite dish of the night!3. Negi hama hosomaki roll - 6/10. We all didn't think much of it. It was pretty bland and I thought that the rice in the roll overpowered the fish. It is a pretty light fish in the first place, so you won't be able to taste it much.Overall a great choice if you want some cheap and beautifully presented sushi! The menu is relatively simple and small“

“Well hidden gem in the heart of Alameda, Utzutzu offers a culinary journey like no other with its exquisite 8-course Japanese dining experience. Each dish is a masterpiece, blending the freshest ingredients with skilled craftsmanship. From delicate sashimi to innovative rolls, the flavors harmonize in a symphony of taste. Impeccable presentation and attentive service elevate the dining experience, making this a haven for sushi enthusiasts seeking a refined gastronomic adventure.“

“This is kind of an out of the way spot which is taking over an old pho restaurant.I flew in late to Oakland airport, I need something warm and homey. Frankly, I was itching for a good ramen. Having lived in the Bay Area many years, I knew I could find something like that.This place wasn't too far off of my path, and it was late and they were still open.Walking in the place is fairly unassuming, yet there is still some customers there. Almost that closing. I asked quickly if it was too late to grab a ramen, the kind gal could be said please have a seat.Looking around, I saw several tables that were covered with dirty dishes and uneaten food. Well that wasn't necessarily a great first impression, at least they had a good rush.Sitting down I received a menu, and a glass of cold water.Looking at the menu there was a variety of ramens to choose from, and so I went to my go-to Tonkotsu. Almost nothing better than a Tonkotsu with Chashu late at night. Done that many times after hours in Tokyo.Anyway I had to add Gyoza as a side to complete it.First come out the gyoza, and their fried on all sides. That is not my first choice, and this is very common when prepared by non-Japanese. I bit in, and while decent, they were not great. But the Ramen came out, and I was very excited. It smelled right, the broth was piping hot, and there was several good pieces of Chashu.First, I sip the broth. It was good and hot. Second, I slurped the noodles, they are firm, warm, and perfect flavor. I grab a little sneak bite of a Chashu, It's warm, nice savory flavor, and a good thick piece. I'm pleased. I dive in. Before I knew it the ramen was gone, Gyoza, pretty much gone, and I was very full. The broth was nice and hardy, with a savory thick flavor, and simply it was a calming experience before hitting the hotel.For me my final question is always "would I go back?" The answer is a definite yes. Though I probably would not get the gyoza. But if you're looking for a good ramen, I recommend.“

“A gem of a restaurant tucked away in Castro Valley. Took my mom here to celebrate her birthday and had a lovely experience. The chef and the staff were all super attentive and kind, and even provided some complimentary sips which were like nothing I’ve ever tasted. This was our first proper omakase together, but it won’t be our last. Everything was prepared masterfully, super fresh, and very tasty. We even opted for a couple of extra bites which were well worth it. Dining like this is a nice treat once in a great while.“

“It’s a small restaurant with only 4 to 5 tables. The interior feels old but very clean and cute. The server is a cute Japanese grandma and the chef is a cute Japanese grandpa. Food presentation is humble, it makes you wonder is this gonna be good at first, but after you take a bite, you know it’s good quality. My friend and I ordered the sashimi dinner plate and two sushi rolls, all very tasty and priced reasonably. Really likes the food the vibe here and will definitely come back.“

“Great food, clean and nice place and warm staff. I ordered it for lunch on door dash and I liked it so much that I brought my kids for dine in the next day. The steak, curry noodle soup, shrimp plate, their salad and the peanut butter dressing were amazing. The plates are decent size and heartily.“

“I heard that this place opened recently, which is about 1.5 years now. The place looks alright since that’s how a Japanese restaurant typically looks like especially if it’s small.I was quite surprised how big the serving size is from the Chicken Teriyaki dinner plate (didn’t finish it). No wonder it’s expensive. The food tastes fresh and nice, but I honestly believe that they should lessen the salt of the edamame. Also like the taste of sashimi and California Roll.“

“Nice decor and vibes inside. Great service and food. Adventuresome dishes wish Asian flare.“

“I called and ordered a roll to go-the Storm roll. It was delicious, and the finest quality and freshness! The owners were there, and the place looks extremely cute inside and also has outside seating. I had never been here before, but will be coming back soon. Very good sushi!“

“First time here and probably last time too. I hella liked how the inside was decorated reminded me of a restaurant in Japan. Kinda disappointed though. I hella love sushi. But the sushi selection was small. Nothing caught my eye. The only thing I did enjoy with my meal was the ikura. The waitress’s don’t even check up on you to see how your doing. We we’re seated all the way in the back. I asked for more water and it never came. And for those 2 reasons I won’t come back.“

“Very good meal, service was great, I'll definitely be back.“

“Great fried chicken, and my friends food truck is there!“

“Excellent service and good fresh food clean environment!“

“Hashi Gawa was such an amazing find! We were in the area and I was craving sushi so I just yelped places near by. I'm so happy we chose to come here because everything was fantastic. We came around 6:30pm on a Friday and it was already pretty packed. We were a party of two and waited roughly an hour before we got seated. The server was very fast and brought the specials on the board to us so we could take a look. They had a lot of things on the menu that I wanted to try but we stuck mostly to nigiris because we wanted to test out the fish quality. We ordered an assortment of nigiris, one roll, one sashimi, and two hand rolls to try. My favorites were the Zuke Sake Nigiri, Walu Nigiri, Walu Sashimi, Spicy Scallop Handroll, and (Not pictured) Double Toro Roll!! The fattiness of the Zuke Sake Nigiri was so yummy, I loved the marinated soy that was on top. The Walu was phenomenal, I really enjoyed the walu/escolar because it's so buttery smooth. The Spicy Scallop Handroll was fresh, creamy, and the seaweed had a nice crunch! I can't believed I forgot to take a picture of the double toro roll, this was crazy good. I loved the mango inside the roll and how it was topped with a shiso leaf. It cut the fattiness of the roll very well. I'm devastated that I live so far from Hashi Gawa because this was truly such an amazing find. The service was great and everything came out super fast. The sushi was glorious, I wish I tried more things!!! I will definitely be coming back to try other stuff if I am ever in the area.“

“Food: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Price: 3.5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 TL;DR: This place has such a cute, traditional Japanese aesthetic -- most of the seating are regular tables but they have a tatami styled seating that fits larger groups. It does get a little chilly in there are lots of fans that are running throughout the restaurant. The service is great, everyone was really nice and patient. The quality of the fish is really good -- comparable to some of my favorite sushi spots in SF but does fall on the more expensive side. But for a restaurant in San Leandro, it's such a hidden gem. (also their wasabi is so good and strong, big fan lol) Nankotsu: *5/5*: Fried chicken knee cartilage. This was so so so good. If you like cartilage, you must try it. The batter & seasoning were delicious. It's pretty much like standard chicken karaage with pieces of chewy, crunchy cartilage pieces. Wish it came with some sort of sauce or aioli (but sauce isn't needed) Tuna Carpaccio: *4/5*: The tuna is delicious -- really fresh and soft, melt in your mouth. Pairs really well with the fresh greens and citrus-y sesame garlic dressing. The tuna was really thin and for the price, would've been nice if it was thicker. Salmon Sashimi: 4*/5*: 3 pieces of fresh soft, tender and melt in your mouth salmon. Can't go wrong with this (kind of expensive though) O Toro Nigiri: *5/5*: Such thick buttery soft pieces of tuna. The sushi rice was pretty good as well but not the best ever. Throw some wasabi on this and it's the perfect bite. Sunset Roll: *3/5*: the spicy crab and pieces of sashimi on top of the roll was good; however there was barely any tempura shrimp inside the roll. Some pieces either had just tempura batter (no shrimp) or such tiny pieces of shrimp so it feels like you're eating veggies, rice, and the fish on top. Also wished there was a sauce drizzles on top. Chicken Skin Skewer: *4/5*: pretty good, crunchy yet chewy. But for the price, probably won't order it again unless I'm really craving it. Pork Belly Nigiri: *2/5*: the pieces we got were way too overcooked so it was super dry and tough to eat -- disappointing that it was that bad, especially given the price too Tempura Udon: *5/5/*: this is SOOO good. we loved how the udon noodles were actually thinner than typical, and it was super soft yet chewy. The broth was perfectly savory and so addicting. Tempura is fried really well and it came with a "sauce" which was essentially the broth with grated radish in it. Would definitely order this again, we were so impressed.“

“Stopped by on a Friday evening around 7:00 p.m. and the place was pretty empty. My party of five ordered three specialty rolls, two California rolls, some nigiri, along with a few appetizers to share, including mixed tempura, karaage, and hamachi kama. The food came out quickly. I enjoyed the freshness of the rolls and this ended up being the perfect amount of food. The karaage was a bit dry and the hamachi kama was slightly overcooked but otherwise, everything else was not bad. My friends and I noticed our waiter did a bit too much upselling for our liking, but I can't fault him to much for his hussle. If you're looking for a casual sushi spot, Tomsa delivers. Last things to note: there's plenty of off street parking in the shopping center and 20% auto gratuity was applied to our party of five.“

“The folks who run the place are absolute gems, and the food is bomb! The auntie is so kind and often gives food to houseless people. The boats are fun of course! Best time to go for boats is 5-630. There are vegan options too. It is my go-to sushi spot in oakland.“

“The restaurant only for the reason of speaking another language within it the employees take Gonchi out of you is Can by the hair also they steal your belongings we made a case for the police“

“This place was great and had good food but not enough for five stars tbh. Some of the food items are great and some are okay and need a bit more seasoning. Sometimes it's hard to get the attention of the staff. Some of the items are a bit pricy.“

“Wow! I've been coming to Coach once in a while for many years now. On this recent visit, the sushi was the best I've had not just at Coach, but anywhere, in a long time! Excellent fresh fish expertly prepared. Garlic edamame were delicious, and the rolls were creative and well balanced.“

“Honestly, the food here is amazing! I've ordered multiple things from the menu and yet I have not been disappointed. My favorite rolls so far are the Kibo, Hartz, Salmon Skin hand roll and Isabel!! Isabel, Hartz & Salmon skin hand-roll are my top 3 favorites. For the appetizer, I really enjoy the garlic edamame!! If you're a garlic girl like I am, you should definitely give it a try. The gyozas and mixed tempura are a hit as well!! For rice plates, I really enjoy the chicken teriyaki. I usually never order chicken teriyaki at restaurants but oh man this one is soooo good. I really like the salad and pickled vegetables that come with it.“

“I usually don't leave a review unless I truly believe there was something exceptional (good or bad) about the place. This little, unassuming, sushiya is simply amazing. The service was so attentive and went above and beyond what you'd usually expect (thank you for the plum wine for us and ice cream for the kids!) and the sushi itself was really good and very well prepared. I honestly didn't expect much when we walked in (I was hungry, that I can readily admit) but the place was such a gem and I'm so happy we stopped by. Looking forward to doing it again soon!“

“The food was great and the staff was really nice“

“This is one of the better lunches I've had in a long time. The portion size is huge and tastes really good. Simple abs fresh ingredients. The service is quick and everyone was friendly and helpful. I've gotten take out and I've dined in it's definitely better if you have the time to sit down and eat.“

“It's small, so the wait for a dine in table can take a bit, but the food quality is worth the wait. Our family has loved everything we have tried. this is one of a handful of local restaurants my 10 year old some will never complain about!“

“We all enjoyed our dinners here. I'm not a raw fish fan so I had the tonkatsu, which was excellent. I prefer it served over a mound of shredded cabbage but it was very good, lean and pounded thin. The salad and miso soup were great. My dinner companions had a variety of sashimi and other sushi and seemed to enjoy them quite a lot. We will be back!“

“Friendly people, good food, generous portions, great service! Nothing better than to return to a favorite dining spot and have them not only remember you but also remember your "usual"! Beyond Pleased!“

“Love this place People friendly quick service very good never disappoints Price Is Right“

“We have ordered "to go" in the past and decided to check the restaurant. It was cozy and clean. We ordered Bentos and a couple of rolls (Rainbow, Blossom)The food was delicious!Currently our top Sushi spot in Hayward ?? Parking: There are multiple free parking garages that make it easy to walk to the restaurant.“

“On days I'm too lazy to make and bring lunch, takeout becomes a fun treat. As there are quite a few Japanese options in the area, this place came up as one I haven't tried before. Pick up for lunch was quick and simple, everything was bagged up very securely in a paper bag (folded and stapled shut as well). There is a parking structure across the ways, but parking outside isn't all too hard to find. Inside, there isn't too much seating available but that's what makes this place the ideal lunch pick up spot. The menu was a little simple than what I'm used to, but this seems nice for an easy simple lunch. I ordered a teriyaki chicken and beef combo (that comes with edamame and a coleslaw like salad). It was a good sized portion for the price, it's a bit more than 1 meal for me (1 meal and an afternoon snack to finish up). I did order medium rare for the beef, but it was more towards medium well - but wasn't all too overcook. I have to emphasize this is a lighter taste of a meal as the teriyaki sauce was very light on the meats, mostly just soaked into the rice nicely. The chicken has a nice sear and wasn't dry even after walk back to the office. It's not what I typically expect from a bento box meal, but I just can't stop saying how much I like the simplicity of it (light flavors of a hearty meal, makes my tummy happy when I don't feel like something hearty/greasy/cheesy).The edamame was a little salty and soft to me. As for the coleslaw, vinegary cabbage mix- it was perfect to add to a bite of meat and rice or on it's own as a bit... I'd like a container of this alone to snack on. I also have to note that the rice was really nice, not too soft but enough with the sauce soaked in for a good bite.Final Thoughts: Portion and price wise - I'm definitely ordering again for lunch; feels like a nice healthy, hearty meal.“

“Usually we have a go to spot for sushi, (JUDOKU) but this is another! Fuji summer is really really great! We usually get the special rolls and special is an understatement they are wonderful. We had ordered a bit too much food at this time but it was ok my husband nearly ate all of it without any complaints. The octopus balls are his favorite appetizer. I really enjoyed the dragon roll, unagi rolls are my fav! The pink lady roll is incredible and we accidentally ordered the teriyaki chicken skewers but by far an incredible mistake so yummy! This lunch was by far an excellent experience and fuji summer is a great restaurant to visit no matter what season lol. On our next trip we will try the ramen and bento bowls. And definitely eat the octopus balls. The service was great our waiter was super nice even when we We ate faster than we took pictures. Great local spot in Oakland highly recommend if you in piedmont area!“

“Aniki's is my go-to sushi restaurant. The food has always been great. The prices are a bit high.My last visit we went on a Monday. It was not busy. There was no wait. I learned that they recently opened for business on Mondays. Perhaps customers are not aware they are open Mondays now.We got Mango Crunch, Hamachi Lover & Charisma. We also got the crab salad, appetizer size. We love the crab salad. All these rolls were great, and I would get them again. Service was quick and professional.Parking: There are wheelchair accessible parking spaces and a ramp nearby.Kid-friendliness: I often see families with small kids here. It is kid friendly as long as they like sushi.Wheelchair accessibility: I am a wheelchair user. The restaurant floor is accessible. There is space between tables to maneuver. There are enough tables to allow plenty of options for wheelchair users. I have not been in their bathrooms; I cannot speak to their accessibilty.“

“niceplace and the fish is every fresh“

“Price is good and food is good.“

“I keep coming back to Satomi when craving sea food. My experience has been great and consistent. I’m please with the freshness and quality of fish served here. I appreciate the effort behind preparing these delicacy’s. My experience is inspired by the Thornton Location in Fremont Ca.“

“One of my favorite Japanese spots in Hayward. Kinda hidden on a side street.I love that they let me order salmon sashimi in the bento box, and I can have it with salmon teriyaki for even more salmon! Very tasty. They've got a double salmon sushi roll that my 7yo daughter loves, because I've apparently gotten her hooked on eating too much salmon as well haha. My sushi-disliking husband doesn't mind coming here either because they've got a variety of other things for him, like beef teriyaki and udon bowls.The service is pretty minimal, but not unfriendly. The server just tends to disappear and is pretty quiet. They're part of the Together For Hayward program, so if you can snag one of the limited-time deals on those gift certificates, the already low prices here are even better.“

“Mijori has been my go to restaurant since 1989 when I first moved into this neighborhood. The staff is friendly and welcoming and goes out of their way to make you feel part of their family. They’re only open on days when the local fish markets are selling M-Sa and the sushi is fresh fresh FRESH! Their prices are reasonable, their sushi chefs exemplary and I always enjoy myself fully when I visit. I engage in conversation with Jimmy- master chef in residence - and amazingly talented individual. I will be happy to return here in the future and highly recommend you come for the cuisine!Vegetarian options: I like that they have an all veggie bento box for those times when I don’t feel like eating fish.“