IMHO It's a good sign to see a group of people waiting outside Gombei's to eat. We put our names down and were told it would be about 30 minutes. We walked around Japantown before venturing back 20 minutes later. They had called our name while we were out-and-about, but said they'd call us next. Thankfully we were seated before they close their lunch break. My friend ordered the Beef teriyaki/fried shrimp combo, ($18.50). I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki/Pork Cutlet combo, ($15.75). Both entrees come with a bowl of miso soup, bowl of rice, and dressed salad on the plate. I also ordered a side of freshly made Cold tofu (topped with bonito flakes, green onions), $5. When I eat Japanese food, it is usually a bento box. My Gombei portions on a plate were bigger than any bento box I've ever had! This pleased me as I like "bang for my buck!" Food was tasty and plentiful, so much so that I had leftovers for the hubby! Customer service was friendly, and fast! Food came out quickly! No wasted time here! Will I return? Definitely!!! read more

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We recently discovered this sweet Japantown spot when we were looking to support a local business and try a new place in San Jose. It reminds me of a Japanese diner. Cute and cozy decor and we were so warmly welcomed when we walked in. The menu is not huge but hits all the Japanese comfort food items you can imagine. We tried the teriyaki chicken bowl and the udon bowl with egg. Both were so delicious. The udon broth was layered and flavorful and recommend adding the spicy spice they offer on the side. The food came quickly and was fresh and delicious. Truly one of our favorites! read more

Gombei - Pork Udon - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Had lunch today. The food was lukewarm. The miso soup had no flavor. The waitress had the balls to say you need to stir it up. I know. I'm not stupid. It had NO FLAVOR. read more

Well... Gombei has been serving me excellent comfort foods for the past two decades. Always my go-to restaurant for a nice warm Japanese simple dishes/meals. :-) read more

Gombei - The new hire (hostess) at Gombei. Super friendly. - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

The OG spot for Japanese food in Japantown. We went for Saturday lunch at 1 pm. I have to admit, it was a bit chaotic going to put your name with the hostess and with staff going in and out the front door. Wait was only 5 minutes and we were seated quickly. Note that my companion was parking the car as parking is tough. Be prepared to bring quarters or park far away. All parties must be present in order to be seated. Food came out quickly. I had the salmon teriyaki. I got two big pieces of salmon. We also had the beef teriyaki with deep fried calamari and the tuna sashimi. Those were good as well. Food was just how I remembered it as they used to have a location in Menlo Park. Overall, for nostalgia, this place transcends me to childhood so I give it a solid 4-stars! read more

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We came here tonight on a whim. It was so so good the broth in my udon was unbelievably rich and tasteful. My better half had a pork cutlet bowl which was giant. She only ate like maybe a quarter of it and was full. She brought it home eat some today and I ate the rest of it for my lunch and it was so good. We will be back again and again and again read more

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Very homey, comfortable Japanese interior. Food is average.. we ordered fried shrimp udon, Gombei lunch special, and stuffed tofu. Nothing special or particularly good (or bad!). Service was prompt and friendly. Would come back if I'm in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way. read more

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I like coming here for an easy, affordable, and good dinner. Been coming by every so often since I moved to the neighborhood. Every time I order, the food here is fresh and hot! It's well seasoned and tasty. The service is quick and polite, and my water or tea are never empty for long. This is a great place with a neighborly vibe. Overall, would recommend! read more

Gombei in San Jose Japantown is our number one family style Japanese restaurant. Quality usually good, we had lunch there yesterday, I ordered cod and tofu combo, both items are lightly warm but not hot. These are supposed a fresh made main dashes not a cold dash. It was a bit disappointing. I paid with credit card and noticed there is an extra Convenience fee on my bill, this is not a government tax or anything. I have no idea what that was and didn't see that until I looked at my receipt at home. If this is something the restaurant charge because of the card payment, they should have tell the customer before charging, I might just pay cash. After all, honest business will customer happy. read more

Classic Japanese comfort food. Quite popular restaurant but we were seated and served quickly. I got the chicken udon and it was delicious. read more

Gombei - Chicken Udon - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Been here a couple times already and this place is always a good option when I crave Japanese food! The restaurant isn't super big but the times I go, I don't think I've ever had to wait long for a table. Close parking are street parking meters. They have a standard, set menu but they also have a chalkboard that they regularly update with different entrees/bento options that aren't on the set menu, so it's always interesting to see what new or different things they are offering. In the past I've had the chicken teriyaki and beef yakiniku. Both are really good meat options. This time I ordered their tuna poke with chicken karaage bento that comes with cucumber, rice, salad, and miso soup. The tuna and cucumber combo was so good- the fish quality wasn't amazing but it wasn't bad either. I didn't really like the fried chicken, it felt really oily and too saucy, so I wouldn't order this again. I like to go to this place once every month or two, and it's enjoyable each time. I think for the price, the amount of food you get is great and the quality is pretty good as well. read more

Gombei - Fried chicken & tuna poke bento - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

First time visiting this little restaurant. It was a good experience. Hot green tea is free and the plates all include salad, rice, and miso soup. Yum! My boyfriend and I ordered a few different dishes: - Beef Yakiniku (3.5/5) The meat looked cooked to perfection, but a good portion of the meat was hard to chew/chewy. The sauce for the meat tho was fantastic. - Chicken Teriyaki w/ Pork Cutlet (4/5) The best dish of the two. Both were good. - Croquettes (3/5) This was a different curry croquette that I wasn't expecting. I would pass on this dish. Would love to come back and try some other dishes. read more

Gombei - Beef Yakiniku and side order of Croquettes - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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This place is such a gem! I love how authentic and consistent it is from the workers to the food and service. This is also on a San Jose map guide, and I understand why. read more

Gombei - Chicken Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Love Gombei, my go to place in Japantown for over 40 years. The staff remembers you, which I appreciate. Even though I don't live in San Jose any more, whenever I am in the vicinity, I always try to come by for lunch or dinner. read more

Gombei - My favorite restaurant in Japantown for over 40 years. Great food & customer service, led by Pablo, Christine and Terry. - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Gombei is our go-to restaurant in SJ Japantown! We always get the tofu curry rice and vegetable udon. Pros: - great price for quantity and quality of food - attentive service - kid and dog friendly if you sit outside (they also have high chairs) - our toddler LOVES the udon and will actually sit and eat here! Personally, the food has never disappointed, although to be fair we always get the same things. Ambiance isn't super fancy or anything but they have tables and a bar and some limited outdoor seating. Honestly, I'm shocked they haven't raised prices more. I find this place to be great bang for buck! read more

TRY THE STUFFED TOFU! Wonderful and tasty appetizer and is not too expensive, only a couple dollars. The curry is on the runnier side, but filled with wonderful spices. It's a solid traditional curry, so if you're looking for something not too expensive and a solid standard dish, I recommend coming here! The staff is always delightful! Be sure to stop by! read more

Gombei - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Gombei is gomBAEEEE It's so delicious here. The location is in Japan town so you gotta be ready to struggle and pay for decent parking but trust me it is worth it. Gombei has home styled cooked meals that pack on the flavor. I came during lunch and it was very busy which speaks to its popularity. We waited for about 20 minutes to be seated. For a party of 3 during a weekday lunch time, I would say that is pretty decent. They have daily specials too. I went with their croquette curry and damn was my mind blown. The taste was unbelievably delicious. There was something pickled and red on top of the rice that contrasted the flavor of the curry so perfectly that having a bite of the croquette, curry, rice and the red stuff was impeccable. It's definitely a dish perfect for a cold weather day because it has a heavy comfort factor but also good for any day. I can't wait to come back as try more read more

Gombei - Croquette curry 10/10 very delicious - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came at opening time on Saturday (11am) and it wasn't busy. But just in about 15 minutes, the place became busy. I ordered the deep fried shrimp with curry. The curry was very normal, the rice was cooked well, but the best part was the 3 shrimps. I've had a lot of breaded fried shrimp, but there was a unique flavor in the batter for this one. It left me wanting to keep eating it even though I quickly had no more to eat. Solid dish! I would come back here to try the shrimp again but maybe not with the curry so I can try more options. read more

Gombei - Curry Sauce w/ Deep Fried Shrimp (oops I forgot to take a picture before eating!) - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Came by on a weekend. Parking can be kinda hard to find. Arrived around 1130 am and it was packed. Waited little bit and Seated outside. They have specials and items on menu. Food tasted okay. I may come back. read more

Gombei - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came on a Friday after work to grab a quick bite. Ordered the poke and fried chicken special. The specials are written on a whiteboard and rotate. The meal came with a cucumber side salad, miso soup, poke, fried chicken, and a bowl of rice. Well balanced, flavorful meal. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Food tasted fresh and wholesome. Enjoyed my meal! read more

Gombei - Poke and Fried Chicken Special - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Despite living in the area for almost 15 years, we hadn't yet visited Japantown in San Jose, although we've been to the one in SF multiple times. We decided to visit the area on Monday of this past President's weekend (which is a terrible time to try new restaurants, btw, as many of them are regularly closed that day, which felt especially true on a long weekend). Gombei was one of the few places that was open and had outdoor seating, so we got seated right away (if you read the reviews, you will note that many say that they usually encounter a line to get seated). I love the no-nonsense, no-frills service and the food - Japanese comfort food like curry and udon - was so, so good. I had the lunch special with fried shrimp and a croquette and broiled mackerel and everything was simple and tasted so savory and comforting. My husband had the chicken udon and the broth was very light and flavorful, a little sweeter than we've encountered before, but the lightness made the dish really comforting without being overly heavy. read more

Meanest restaurant owners I ever met, as if I owe them money, as soon as we stepped into the restaurant! The whole experience was terrible and food quality was not so great (some dishes do not even look real Japanese to me). Other than foods came fast, there is nothing else positive to say about this place. Don't go. Don't waste your money. Plenty of choices for much better Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area. read more

We visited for a lunch on a Friday. It was busy but they got us right in at the bar. I had the teriyaki chicken and fried shrimp lunch with rice miso soup and salad. The chicken was flavorful even without the teriyaki and the fried shrimp was tasty. My friend said her chicken cutlet was also very good. Even though they were busy, the wait staff was attentive enough. I visited their sister store in Sunnyvale when it was there and they had a nice bento box. I would have liked some tempura but they didn't have it on the menu. read more

Gombei - Teriyaki chicken with fried shrimp, miso soup, rice and salad. Lunch special. - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Whenever I get the chance, I like to come and get the lunch special. Even on weekdays, it can get busy but the service is still good. read more

Gombei - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Has not change a bit! This place has been here forever . For me it's a Truman and pop favorite. I will always find myself here whenever I'm in San Jose. Try it ! You'll love it :) read more

Gombei - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Food: Ordered the Curry Sauce with Pork Cutlet. Comes with rice, side salad, and a slice of orange. The pork cutlet, rice, and curry was the perfect combination. Enjoyed creating that "perfect bite" throughout the meal. Service: Opted for bar seating and it was great. All staff members were attentive and food was served quickly. Ambiance: Cozy and felt cared for based on the ambiance and service. We will definitely be back soon! read more

Small neighborhood joint that is popular with the locals. The changing lunch specials are a delight. My only criticism with he Broiled Mackerel is the fact that it is very small so the bones were tough to find and the fish could've been cleaned better. On this last issue it lost a star. read more

Gombei - Lunch Special Broiled Mackerel, Salmon & Nishime - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Amazing food !!! The place is small but so original the food is great ! Recommend 100% for a Date Night or friends meal

Located in Japantown so parking only available on the streets. Came on a Friday evening with friends for dinner and there was a small wait - so be prepared to wait since it's a smaller restaurant. There's indoor and outdoor dining available. I ordered the pork udon because it was just fitting for a chilly day. The bowl came out steaming hot! The udon noodles were way better than I expected - different than the thicker ones you would usually get at other places. The broth was very savory which I really enjoyed. However, maybe it was my mistake to get pork because all the pieces were so dried, overcooked. My bf got the plate special with fried chicken and tuna poke that came with a miso soup, bowl of rice, and a side of slightly pickled cucumbers - so great variety! The fried chicken was super tender and was topped with a very flavorful sauce. Also, the poke was pretty fresh as well. Next time, I would stick with the plate special because you get variety and it's better bang for your buck. read more

Gombei - Pork Udon - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Arrived at 11:00 AM sharp on Friday. First time here. Immediate seating. They are always busy and flooded with customers on regular peak hours. That's why I have always avoided coming here on workdays. I was undecided browsing the menu, so I ordered the Beef Teriyaki & Fried Calamari lunch combination. Chose medium rare beef while enjoying hot green tea there. Was seated at the bar counter area watching the team of Hispanic cooks make my foods. Surprisingly, food tasted pretty good, especially the teriyaki beef. Fried calamari was good too. It came with white sushi rice, miso soup, and plain salad, but dressing was tasty good. Slice of orange wedge was very sweet and likable too. Nothing fancy here. Just all plain and casual. It's not for picky eaters or people with high expectations for higher quality Japanese foods. This is your casual quick in and out lunch/dinner on the run. I'm sure teriyaki anything is good and tofu dishes look delicious. Inexpensive. What you see here satisfied my appetite. Including taxes, total was around $21 USD. Really not too bad at all. I tipped $4 extra bucks because I did enjoyed eating here. No rush. I've had much better lunch meals elsewhere, but these old school casual small Japanese restaurants are still worth the stops. I may swing by again whenever I come back to San Jose Japantown next time. My preferred regular stop is usually the best Sushi Maru place down the street. read more

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I thought I had been here before. But maybe not. The place didn't look super familiar and no previous reviews. But I met some friends there. Apparently there was a Gombei location in Menlo Park, but it closed and it used to be one of my friend's fav Japanese places. Came on a busy weekend for lunch. I had to drive around a bit to find parking. It's mostly metered parking...which is kinda a bummer. I would def frequent Japantown a lot more if parking was free. Anyways the menu is pretty simple and the price point is not too bad, for Japanese food. I ended up with beef don, which is beef and egg over rice. I think you can get the eggs two different ways and I opted for Japanese style. Food came out relatively quickly. My other dining companions got a bento box, an udon dish and another don/rice dish. I really liked my rice dish. It's simple but well cooked and seasoned. The egg was slightly runny and went well when mixed with the rice and beef. I was pretty hungry so I finished the whole thing and was satisfied. My friend loves their udon so I might have to get that next time. I will be back. read more

I was in the mood for a meal that was super comforting and Gombei was so on point with their food. My favorites were the croquettes and curry! I'm usually not a fan of japanese curry due to most places making it too sweet but the curry here is to die for. The pork cutlets were fired to perfection with the perfect amount of juiciness and the meat was so tender. The croquettes were crispy on the outside and smooth and flavorful on the inside. All the waiters were all so sweet & the restaurant is quite small giving it a nice homey feel. The only downside is that it's located in japantown in sj meaning it can get difficult to find parking, but all in all I'm already looking forward to going back and DEFINITELY recommend to anyone looking for good japanese comfort food. read more

Gombei - Croquette & Tuna Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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the vibe is your neighborhood casual Japanese eatery -- the waitresses are constantly roaming around tending to customers and speaking Japanese between themselves and the kitchen. i can here on a Friday for lunch and it wasn't packed, but they were still busy! i ordered the #4 special and asked for no rice -- they're very waste conscious and as someone who doesn't eat rice and hates to waste, this worked out perfectly! i would highly recommend Gombei for an authentic and comforting japanese meal! ごちそうさまでした! ^^ read more

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I have been eating gombei since I was in the womb- and my parents have been coming here for years before that. Gombei is my favorite restaurant in San Jose that specializes in comfort Japanese dishes. We always ask if they have cucumber for the day and start with agedashi tofu. They also have the best croquette and seafood mix! read more

Gombei - Deep Fried Seafood Mix - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Gombei will always have a special place in my heart (and stomach), as well as a family wide favorite place to enjoy. They serve the darn best udon from anywhere in the San Jose area, and the other menu items are equally as good (but I'm very biased with the udon). read more

I would have ordered from the Specials menu if I saw it before ordering. I recall they had fried chicken and poke. The food from the regular menu was still pretty good. I got chicken teriyaki and saba. Some pieces of the chicken were dry but I wasn't terribly bothered by it. The saba was exactly what I was exactly what I was expecting. Two entrees with miso soup and rice for about $20 isn't too shabby. read more

Hello obasam, please improve your service first before asking for more tips. Nobody came by to our table to check in if we need anything. I need to ask 5 times for tea refills but never came. Until we finished dinner only a super hot tea came. How can you ask more tips where there isn't any service provided? -3 stars for poor service, -1 star for the quality of foods have gone down. read more

Wonderful lunch special and amazing experience! Would come again for sure. Know there was a wait (about 10 minutes) and the seating is tight. read more

Gombei - Sashimi and fried chicken special - Japanese Near Me - San Jose, California

The service was excellent and the food plentiful. I ordered a dinner special Teriyaki Chicken which was a large and flavor was acceptable. Also a large bowl of rice balanced by a bowl of miso soup and a good size portion of salad. All in all, I will return for sure because the price was very fair, and we left feeling full and satisfied. Will try the beef next time! read more

I went here for lunch. Ordered the lunch special (with Teriyaki chicken) and udon noodles with chicken. The food was... meh. Super bland, the noodles were tasteless, the teriyaki had barely any sauce. The worst part (apart from the meh food) is the price shock. The menu said $17 for the lunch special and the $14 for the udon, instead I was charged $21 and $19! Definitely not returning. Cupertino has way better food than here. read more