Note: Need to call for reservations. I searched high and low for booking options online and they don't exist. Call early. They open at 5:00pm but pick up the phone much earlier. You maaayyy be able to walk in, but it's very unlikely as there is limited seating. I love Daigo. Such a clean, minimalistic and well thought out establishment. The highest quality of fish and every bite has such perfect, complementing flavors. Anything on the menu is a good choice. Great sake options as well. read more

See all

Ordered an arrange of dishes from 10 piece omakase to monkfish liver and all the dishes were presented well and had a complex set of flavors. The food was very fresh and left me feeling like I cleansed my body from all the other junk food prior to this meal. My favorite was the uni that was served alongside the omakase. Super fresh, super savory, the umami flavors melted in my mouth. All the pieces of nigiri were delicious as well, it's hard to go wrong with sushi if the fish is fresh. I will say the portions are quite small compared to other omakase options in the bay, so you will be left feeling a little hungry if you don't order a few more dishes to accompany the main dish. You really come here for both the food and the service/ ambiance. The staff here is super polite, attentive, and have calm energy. It's just a pleasant eating experience and you know what you are going to get when entering Daigo. The place is small and quaint in the heart of Palo Alto. This is a place I've come to a handful of times and I will be back again. read more

See all

Daigo, nestled in the heart (an absolute hole in the wall in case you don't happen to have an intention of eating some amazing Sushi and are standing right outside to be seated) of Palo Alto is a culinary haven for lovers of authentic Japanese cuisine. Parking can definitely be challenging in Palo Alto in general and this wasn't an exception with Daigo, though you can park a couple blocks down in a public parking lot and its a few minutes walk The restaurant's ambiance exudes elegance and tranquility. With its minimalist decor, traditional Japanese aesthetics, and soft lighting, Daigo provides a serene and intimate dining atmosphere. The service at Daigo is impeccable. The staff is not only attentive but also incredibly knowledgeable about Japanese cuisine and the menu offerings. They patiently guided us through the menu, explaining the ingredients and preparation techniques every time they served the Omakase menu. Coming to our food for the night, we order an Omakase UNI and as well WAGYU, wrapping that up with the Cheesecake and ice-cream. The Omakase menu is definitely crafted with fresh sources of seafood and served in a pristine fashion. Each course was filled with flavors and textures that we definitely would crave and expect from authentic Japanese cuisine and as well the presentation was super artful. Every dish was a testament to the chef's dedication to excellence. Daigo falls on the higher end of the price spectrum, but it's a place where you're paying for the quality and authenticity of the dining experience. Given the exceptional quality of the food and service, it's well worth the occasional splurge for a special occasion. A definite hidden gem that deserves recognition among the finest Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area and an absolute candidate for a Michelin *. From the serene ambiance to the exquisite culinary offerings, it's an establishment that caters to those seeking an authentic and memorable dining experience. We are definitely going to go back for more!!! read more

See all

Fantastic sushi place in Palo Alto -- best sushi near Palo Alto and Stanford! The hamachi jalapeño is a little spicy but I like it -- beware those sensitive to spice! Rainbow Roll is solid -- great tasting and super fresh. Aburi Saba is the best roll in my opinion! Smoky due to the seared fish on top. Yummy Service is great and super fast. Will be coming back here! read more

See all

Had to come back for my mom's birthday dinner and as expected, everyone LOVED every single piece too Really liked how I got to try different pieces of nigiri from the first time I came. Never disappoints! read more

See all

I've been here so many times and have done omakase several times, but never wrote a review..so here I am! This place is a hidden gem!! The quality is amazing and the omakase is such great value! My typical dining experience includes getting the hamachi shots and the 10 piece omakase with uni. SO GOOD!! And around $100!! I know that's not cheap, but compared to so many other omakase places, this is a great value! Also the staff is so kind and attentive. Recommend calling in at least a day before for reservations! It's a small restaurant and they fill up fast. I'll definitely be back...a lot! read more

See all

Some of the best omakase/sushi I've had in the Bay! Despite what Yelp previously said, they take (and basically require) reservations. I believe the rice of the nigiri is brown rice and the nigiri of the omakase comes pre-seasoned with soy sauce and wasabi. (I can't have wasabi but they were happy to accommodate!) The service here ranges from amazing to just friendly: one server spent the time to explain which of the nigiri on the table was on the menu but another didn't. A pretty solid place to come when you want a nice sushi dinner! read more

See all

Over the years, I've been pretty disappointed by sushi restaurants in Palo Alto and Mountain View. Places like Tomi and Fuki are rated highly, but upon trying them they leave a lot to be desired. The number one thing I look for in trying a sushi restaurant is the temperature of the sashimi. Coming in at a close second would be the cut; the thickness, width and length. I've found that the few sushi establishments that seem to get it right are Japanese-owned and operated. At Izakaya, Chef Chiba-san always serves his sashimi, in particular the hamachi at a perfect temperature. His hamachi is almost as buttery as toro. Each cut of hamachi is the same thickness and size. After reading all the 5 star reviews, I had high hopes that Daigo might reverse the trend. I was feeling particularly hopeful when we walked past one of my favorite new restaurants, Protégé. Daigo is a cute little store front tucked away in an alley. It certainly had the look of a legitimate Japanese omakase restaurant from the outside. Upon entering, there are two bar counters. I was surprised to find that our counter would face an empty melamine wall rather than the sushi chefs. The kicker was when the waiter asked me to move my chair in. As I was about to get up to slide my chair, he had the audacity to push my chair in! I was in disbelief. It's unacceptable to shove the chair with somebody sitting in it. I tried to focus on the food, to give it a fair shake. First came out the hamachi shooter, which was full of roughly cut chunks of hamachi, quail egg yolk, ponzu sauce and tobiko. It was decent, but the thick hamachi cuts made it a bit unwieldy. The ankimo was soft and had some ponzu sauce like the hamachi shooter. But I've had a comparable grade of ankimo at Yakitori Kokko and Gaku with 2-3 times as much for around the same price. Then the sashimi was placed on the counter. Sashimi is a great benchmark for sushi restaurants because it is representative of the quality of the fish and how it is handled and prepared. No spice or ingredients to hide behind as you get with poke bowls or sushi rolls. Daigo's sashimi cuts were about twice as thick as one might expect. I suspected that those thick cuts would result in an uneven temperature. Upon my first bite into the tuna, I was right. It had the mouth feel of recently defrosted fish. Cold and metallic. The salmon was very average; a taste you could find at almost any other place. The uneven cuts to the hamachi made it difficult to enjoy. The best pieces were the scallop, which had little purple flowers on them. Tender to bite into, nice texture and flavor. The nigiri was considerably more enjoyable than the sashimi. The seared albacore had a nice torch seared flavor and texture. The aji (mackerel) and toro (fatty tuna) were both delicately sliced thin and tasted better than any of the sashimi. Temperature was not an issue presumably because the searing raised the temperature a few degrees. The food was a 3 for me, but the unrefined service from our waiter drops down my rating by a star. On top of the tactless push on the back of my chair, the same male waiter tried to upsell us continually as if I was still pondering what to order, after I had already placed a concise order for sashimi and nigiri. It felt like having to decline enhanced insurance on a car rental at Enterprise or Hertz. It's fine to mention a couple specials but he practically read half the menu out loud, never mind the fact that I hadn't asked him a single question about anything to express any interest. The waitresses, on the other hand, were polite and regularly refilled my hot tea. Ultimately, the Daigo experience wasn't what I had hoped. At a presumably upscale sushi establishment I expected a finer level of service. The service and food also didn't measure up to the glowing reviews and supposed value. My search for a quality authentic Japanese sushi establishment in Palo Alto continues. read more

Daigo - Ankimo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I came here for their omakase to celebrate a birthday. Inside is small (reminded me of Japan) but they have extra tables on the outside. Still, I would definitely recommend getting a reservation first. For $110, their omakase comes out with a good amount of food, and each dish tasted amazing. We ordered a couple more things off the menu and dessert. It was pricey but I would come back again for their quality. read more

See all

Lowkey ambiance with both indoor and outdoor seating. Food was fresh and presented nicely, the staff was very knowledgeable of every dish. Highly recommend! read more

Daigo - Entrance doorway - Sushi Bars Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Intricate japanese fare in a super tiny space. Everything I've had here is excellent quality. It's pricey but worth it and I can usually get a spot by calling an hour ahead on a weekday. At this point we have sampled the entire menu save for the rolls and the only item we wouldn't reorder is the ankimo (it was just fine). read more

See all

Daigo? More like dai-no. Okay, lame jokes aside, I've had this place bookmarked for months and just never bothered to make the trek down south, esp when I'm surrounded by sushi restaurants galore just minutes from where I live. We finally decided to go recently on a warm day and requested outdoor dining so we could bring our pup. Definitely make a reservation as they were filled. We made one the same day by just calling a few hours in advanced. Menu is relatively standard. They offer a few specials of the day, but otherwise it's your typical omakase, nigiri, maki, or temaki options. There's also some appetizers you can order. We normally get the omakase, but decided to just pick and choose what we wanted instead. We started off with the agedashi tofu ($13) and the kinoko salad ($15). The tofu was basic, literally fried tofu in dashi. It didn't have the mochi-esque exterior that I was hoping for, which was a little disappointing. The kinoko salad was good though! Packed full of umami flavors and light enough that you still feel healthy. The nigiri and other sushi that we ordered came quickly. Fish was fresh, but the sushi rice didn't have the vinegar tang that you get at most quality Japanese restaurants. It's not terrible sushi rice by any means (we've had mushy vs cold vs just bland plain rice elsewhere), but it's also not one that I would eat bowls and bowls of. Cuts are on the smaller side, which I feel is typical nowadays. I would definitely skip the handroll though. They skimp on filling A LOT and it's not worth the price at all. Service was fine for the majority of the meal. The only thing that left me feeling a bit distasteful was when the servers checked on us at the end of the meal. We had ordered uni nigiri and a staff member told us they would check on it. Usually restaurants will just go ahead and make it (you end up with a bigger check and hopefully a bigger tip, right?), but instead, our original waitress came out and proceeded to explain that we had in fact, never ordered it, and then went ahead to read back our entire order as if that justified her rationale. Couldn't it be possible that maybe she just didn't hear us or forgot to enter it in? I didn't think that this disagreement was necessary and we decided to just get the check instead so we could bail. With so many other options in the bay that provide better quality food for your buck, we'll dine elsewhere. read more

The food was excellent and the service was amazing. I would highly recommend this hidden gem in Palo Alto.

Walked in randomly on a week day. Cost me over 100 for three dishes - sashimi, chawan mushi with truffle, and black cod. Soso tastes. I would try nigiris and other hot dishes next time. Phoenix Hiro Sushi definitely has more reasonable prices for nigiri's, but Daigo is already not on the pricy end in the Bay Area read more

See all

Daigo serves very good food. Had GINDARA MISOYAKI, some selected sushi, and hot tea. I really enjoyed the dishware they use. The rice (the telltale first determinant of sushi quality) was excellent. The GINDARA was very good, though not the best I have ever had (Japan, US, Europe, Asia ex-Japan). The fish was very fresh. I must say, their tea is really nice! Enjoyed it a lot. Service was impeccable, and ambience is nice and cozy. It felt like we were inside a large comfy tent (outdoors seating). This was our first visit. I would return and try some other menu items. read more

So I came to daigo earlier this year and thought it was good but this time, the rice was undercooked which make the nigiri way to tough to eat and took away from the fish. The service from Our male server with the glasses and short hair was not great at all. He barely explained the dishes and when he did, he's like mumbling and the energy was dead. read more

The place is fairly small and hard to find, it's a small fancied area in an alley. The sign with the name is fairly small and hard to read, I actually went by twice before I realized this was the restaurant. That said, the outdoor seating is lovely, with strong heaters and great service. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. The food was excellent. All the specialty rolls we got were very fresh and tasted delicious in their own ways. The one nit I have is that the grilled squid was VERY peppery, far past my preference. That said, next time I want a delicious meal in a small intimate setting, this place is definitely high on the list. read more

See all

My wife and I have been coming here for years. The fish is super fresh and every dish is well balanced. Their service is also great and quick. The staff here is very attentive. I highly recommend sitting at the bar if you are doing omakase for the best experience. read more

See all

What an amazing experience! Service was very friendly and welcoming. This cute place tucked in an alley offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Use either street parking or the public parking spots nearby. Was impressed with the quality, taste, preparation and presentation of food. Would love to go back and try same/ different options on their menu. read more

See all

Service was great and the food phenomenal. It was melt in your mouth goodness! Everything from the appetizers to the rolls was worth every bite. Everything was fresh and the serving staff gave the greatest recommendations and educated us a lot. My favorite were the himachi shots! I literally could have 1-2 more. The butter clams were really smooth and clean - not gritty taste so super fresh. As my dinner date said "they didn't get it from Lion's market" lol. The nigiri pieces - unfortunately I didn't note the names but they were each buttery smooth. No soy sauce needed! The Hanabi roll had great texture from the tempura spicy tuna and great heat. read more

See all

This place offers amazing food at an amazing price! If you are looking for excellent and quality sushi, this is the place. It is not too expensive, so you won't feel your wallet getting thinner. Service is amazing; the waiter is very helpful and kind. She explains the menu so well. The restaurant itself makes it feel like an authentic omakase Japanese restaurant. Would highly recommend. read more

See all

Daigo is so good! I've been here a few times now and while I wasn't suuuuper impressed my first time, it just kept getting better. All of the fish I've had has been super fresh and they have a changing daily specials menu, but some things do sell out! We love ordering rounds of the hamachi shots, omakase set (i get the one with uni, but my friend loves the wagyu option), and the agedashi tofu is a great app to share with the table. The restaurant is tucked in an alley but there's plenty of free parking just a minute away, in walking distance. The inside is pretty small but they also have a decent sized patio perfect for a cool evening. The service is decent, nothing special, but the food speaks for itself and that doesn't deter me. This place is great for date night or a girls night out. However, I wouldn't recommend this place for large groups just because it's pretty small. You definitely need a reservation! While there are still tons of sushi restaurants in the Bay Area I've been dying to try, we'll for sure keep coming back here. read more

Daigo - Omakase 12PC (Uni) @janetvsfood - Sushi Bars Near Me - Palo Alto, California

See all

I decided to try their omakase. It was so dang good. I don't think you can find better at that price. I loved it and highly recommend it! Heck, I thought it was so good that I brought my niece and sister two days later. In summary, I recommend their omakase. I loved it. I will be back. :) read more

Small, tucked away sushi spot with excellent quality sushi, but very small portions for the money, so not good value. We tried a variety of sashimi and all the fish was melt in your mouth quality with a nice ocean taste (good thing). Service was good and they serve genmaicha tea! My only complaint is that we had to sit at a counter facing a wall. Not the best spot to sit for an expensive date night. read more

What a solid omakase spot in the South Bay! Their nigiri tasting comes in either a 9 or 12 piece set (of course we did the 12 piece). We started off with the Hamachi shooters (amazing) and karaage. Highlights of the omakase set were the o-toro, engawa, umimasu, aji, ji-kinmedai, and A5 Miyazaki Wagyu. Also highly recommend adding the Hokkaido uni Will be returning for more in the future! read more

See all

Awesome Japanese spot in Palo Alto :) excellent food service and ambiance. Manila clams for appetizer was delish and the salmon sashimi and hand roll were superb. read more

Daigo is a cute little Japanese restaurant. I made reservations one week in advance because the restaurant is smaller. We were seated inside but the outside does have a heater! Everything that we ordered was SOO good! What we ordered - Tori Karaage - Asari Butter Sakamushi - Eryngi Tempura - Unakyu Maki (unagi+cucumber) - Torotaku hand roll - Salmon Skin hand roll - Sake Salmon nigiri - Akami nigiri - Chu-toro nigiri This place is on the pricer end but the amazing quality makes it super worth it! Parking was very convenient because there is a parking garage close by and a bunch of street parking. read more

See all

By far, the most amazing sushi place I have ever been! This sushi place is the best sushi I ate in my life! And I love the place. The service was incredible, amazing vibes and so homey and cozy! felt like Japan!! I would definitely recommend the yuzo drink, I got 3 bottles lol It was incredible, one of the most amazing drinks that I got in my life! I would definitely come back again!!!!! read more

Daigo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Palo Alto, California

We went for a late dinner and sat in the back. We couldn't get the omakase since it was an hour before they closed but even with the a la carte, it was a great experience. Everything we ordered was delicious and the service was impeccable. The staff gave us several cups of sake tasting and even a black sesame cheesecake on the house. My favorite was the wagyu nigiri, hamachi shot, and the egg custard. Would love to come back to get the full omakase experience next time I'm in Palo Alto! read more

See all

This little spot is no more than a 3.x star spot, but will uplevel it to 4 stars as we had a good experience. Got the omakase dinner plus the hamachi shooter Pros - uni, octopus, hamachi shooter, Shima aji - warm sake - good cold sake selection Cons - the size of the sushi was extremely small. The fish was so thin that you only can taste the rice on a few pieces. - ocean trout was a big disappointment read more

Daigo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Decided to check out Daigo after a recommendation from a friend, and I definitely wasn't disappointed! Sushi in the Peninsula tends to be hit or miss (mostly miss), and I was so pleasantly surprised at how fresh and well-cut all the fish were. There are several hallmarks of good sushi: * no fishy smell (don't need that much wasabi) * appearance is moist/freshly cut * the flesh tastes sweet (rather than salty) * the meat melts in your mouth/is super tender ...and Daigo definitely knocked off every aspect of my checklist. Plus, the food arrived promptly and the servers were very attentive about refilling our waters and checking in. Definitely check out this hidden gem for some VERY high quality and reasonably priced sushi. I know I for sure will be back to try the omakase soon! read more

Daigo - Moriawase sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Palo Alto, California

This is my third time coming back to Daigo, and this place just does not miss. Everything we ordered were fresh, delicious, and well portioned. It does get crowded even during weekdays, so make sure you call ahead to make a reservation. We were seated outside. Their outdoor seating are covered and have heating. I prefer sitting outdoor then inside. Keep that in mind when you make the reservation via phone call. We covered a good amount of items from the menu, from maki to handrolls to speciality rolls. They are all great quality. I especially liked the salmon and avocado maki. The salmon was huge and the rice were well balanced. We also got some nigiri from the nigiri/sashimi menu. They were amazing. Would come back again! read more

See all

Came here with a few friends. It's a little hard to find. You have to walk done a street/alley way. I would recommend reservations since it's a small space. There is also outdoor seating. Chicken Karage was good but I really enjoyed the Tempura King Mushrooms with Truffle Salt. The sushi and sashimi or high quality and very fresh. We had red bean ice cream and Yuzu Cheesecake. It's a smaller portion but was satisfying and delightful. read more

See all

Decently priced omakase for the Bay Area. It's been a while that I have paid less than $100 for a 10-course. Quality of fish was also really good. No fishy aftertaste, cuts of fish were smooth like butter. Suzuki Hirame Kanpachi Sawara Kamasu Shima Aji Umiwasu Akami Chutoro Aoebi Torotaku Uni Were the selections during our visit. Great service as well! I called same day for a reservation (tuesday) and luckily had no issue. read more

See all

Love this place! Everything was so good! So fresh! My boyfriend said this was the best sushi he'd ever had. This was my first time tasting fresh, real wasabi. It was much less bitter and pungent than the green-dyed horseradish that most Japanese restaurants use. If you don't like wasabi, you can request your nigiri without it. Nigiri we ordered: Knifejaw Halibut -- loved this Stripejack -- loved this Tuna Fatty Tuna Hotate Scallops Torched Sea Perch -- super flavorful Ocean Trout Shrimp Other: Deep Fried Shrimp. Interesting experience, but I probably wouldn't order it again Rainbow Roll -- my favorite, fresh crab Deep Fried Oyster Mushroom -- crisp on the outside, hot and soft and packed with umami flavor on the inside Mango Cheesecake -- not my favorite Green Tea Ice Cream -- classic, delicious read more

See all

Absurdly expensive but it's Palo Alto so whatever. Everything is fresh and nice. I went here with my mom and it was 250 between us and I was still kinda hungry. Maybe I'm fat and maybe it's because we got sashimi and uni but whatever. Cute place but the guy on my right gave me a little show when he went to the bathroom since the tables were so close that night. I liked their saba (I think it was from Hokkaido that night so it was like 26 bucks for 3 pieces), and amaebi. Their salmon collar was honestly awful... I hope it was a rare kitchen error and not what they usually serve because it was pale, dry, and flavorless--something that is hard to do for a piece of fish that is more skin and fat than meat. I do recommend for a cute date though. Maybe just get the omakase. read more

Love this place!!! It's a tiny restaurant but the service is kind, fast and efficient. My friend and I always try out the newest seafood nigiri and specials. We always get the hamachi shots and hamachi kama (or current fresh kama). We normally ask about the freshest items and take their recommendations. Call to make a reservations. They take very few walk ins. read more

See all

Wow. I'm glad I bookmarked this restaurant and was finally able to try it out! The restaurant is located in a small alley way and it's pretty small. They only have a few seats inside and a couple of tables outdoor. Food: Hamachi shots 10/10 Uni 100000000/10 O toro 10000/10 Salmon citrus 1000/10 I will be coming back very soon! read more

See all

Nigiri Omakase ($94): 10 PIECES NIGIRI + ONE HAND ROLL + UNI (chef's choice for all) Nigiri: 2.5/5 the rice ... Daigo's lacked in sweetness and texture. For some pieces, the rice even crumbled apart. As for the fish, most of the options tasted mediocre at best. Some fish came a bit rubbery or had a strong stench. Some nigiri included in the 10 PC set: lean tuna, ebi, scallop, and halibut. Hand roll: 3/5 We were given one with mixed toro and pickles. Seaweed wasn't crispy or roasted. Quickly softened. The toro mixed with pickle was a nice combination of fattiness and fermented-- not bad. Uni: 3/5 Uni tasted fine but the rice made it mediocre Ambience: Beautiful restaurant inside, just tiny. Reminds me of Japan-elegant and small. Not a place to eat with more than 4 people. I wouldn't come with more than 3 here. Nothing special about outside seating (there are heat lamps though). Service: Attentive and fast. Maybe a little too fast, but our reservation was for 8PM and they closed at 9 so maybe that partially explains the rushed service. read more

See all

Extremely pricey, high quality sushi can be had here. Go when you want to treat yourself. Tried many appetizers with our maki and sashimi including - Hamachi shots (favorite) - Wagyu Croquettes - Hamachi Kama - Softshell Crab - few others Sashimi sets are relatively small for $48. Delicious, good service. Omakase is nigiri only and very limited so we did not order. 4-stars. read more