Food: Ume Bowl with Ochazuke Set Price: $26 + $4.5…read moreOverall: I came here with my boyfriend to celebrate our anniversary back in April! It is in the general area with Cere Tea and Koi Palace. We arrived around 6PM and were seated immediately. We came for the seafood don and both got the UME with an addition of the ochazuke set. For $26 + 4.5 for the set, I think it's really worth the price and you get a good amount of fresh fish. Each bite felt like I was transported to Japan and eating a Kaisendon. Although we had to wait for a bit for the dashi soup to arrive , it was a delicious end to our meal. So comforting and hearty.

Cute little space in a very Asian-centric strip near that McCarthy Ranch area, right below Koi…read morePalace iykyk. Loved the quaint atmo, dark colors with zen vibes and the small space made me feel like I found a gem in an alley in Japan. Unique menu where they'll do a few fried apps, udon soups where they told me the noodles are homemade. And this rice seafood bowl where minced up tuna and other sushi ingredients are all in one bowl. I've had chirashi hundreds of times but I've never had a bowl quite like this...so I had to give it a whirl. Take Bowl ($33/4*) So this gets presented in a very Japanese fashion. On a tray with a decorative ceramic bowl containing the seafood and rice, a matching ceramic bottle of homemade soy sauce, a pickled cabbage side and a nice big wooden spoon. In that bowl is a base of warm plain short grain rice, topped with a generous mound of minced raw tuna, a little snow crab, a few chunks of raw scallop and this particular version has a ton of salmon roe. It is garnished with a small nori sheet, some scallions, pickled ginger and wasabi. So very familiar ingredients if you're a fan of sushi, but the experience is one I can say I've never done. Menu says to first make your own hand roll with that nori sheet, stuff it to your hearts content. Once that's done you can eat the bowl as you wish. Hopefully with a dousing of the soy/wasabi combo as the minced fish is completely plain, no seasoning. I kinda mixed the seafood mixture into the rice a bit, not sure if that's the move. Now here's my take on this new way to eat sushi ingredients. I liked it but I didn't love it. I think I would much rather just eat a chirashi or a tartare prep from a sushi chef, as those have texture and flavor added by a chef. Here you have to do everything yourself and often there can be a learning curve to the new experience. Like I had to add the soy/wasabi mix several times, as I just couldn't figure out the right amount as their soy sauce is much less salty than commercial versions. And I was too concerned on not going overboard and ruining my bowl, so I was doing it in a very cautious but cumbersome manner. Also since everything was so minced up, the overall texture is very one note, soft and mushy. At least with a chirashi you can sense each fish's firmness and unique texture. Here the chopped tuna, chopped scallop and shredded crab are all soft, and with the soft rice, was just a mush fest for me. There were small hunks of cucumber and pickled lotus root that gave little hits of crunch, but still not enough for me. I will say the seafood is very fresh and in good portioning. Fried Squid Legs ($4.50/4*) Very small skewer of trimmed up calamari tentacles fried tempura style. The fry is very light. The tentacles remain quite tender yet with a slight chew. But the crispness was minimized by the light fry. Still decent with the cold seafood bowl, to go back and forth on the bites. I'd still come back to try those homemade udon noodles, now that I've knocked out their seafood bowl. Give me an adventure and I'll delve right in. Thanks Yaichi for providing such an adventure.

Such a great AYCE BBQ spot! The wagyu was fresh and really good quality, and there were plenty of…read moreoptions to choose from. We had a great time and definitely left very full! A special shoutout to Joann -- she was so friendly and attentive throughout our meal and made sure we always had everything we needed. She really made the experience even better. Would definitely come back!

Very good food and service. And the ambiance is neat. It's really good and I would recommend…read morealthough they need more desserts.

I love this place! I've been here many times and is one of my go to spots when I'm craving ramen…read more My recent favorite dish is the Niku spicy ramen. This is your traditional ramen with a broth. When I want to eat ramen, this is exactly what I imagine a bowl of ramen looking like. The spice is perfect and the broth is so flavorful. The only issue is you can't really drink the broth after you finish the noodles because it is a bit spicy and salty too. The noodles are the perfect consistency and the fixings are also so good such as the egg and the seaweed. I've also gotten the Tsukemen before and I love that you can get the broth added at the end to drink the dipping bowl. The service is good here but if you come at a popular time there may be a wait.

4.5 stars! Our first visit to Taishoken in Milpitas was a really good experience. We were seated…read morequickly, and the space was clean and bright. I also appreciated being able to see into the kitchen and watch how the food was being handled. We ordered the kids' ramen, Tokusei Ramen, Tokusei Tsukemen, karaage don bowl, and takoyaki. The kids' ramen was a generous portion! The broth was flavorful without being too salty, the meat was tender, and the noodles had just the right texture. Service was excellent. Since it was our first time, the staff took the time to explain the menu and walk us through it. One item from our order was missed, which was the only thing keeping this from a full five stars, but they handled it well and brought it out right away. Good food, generous portions, and a team that took care of us. We'd come back!

My first time eating Katsu Gin with my friend for late lunch. Overall, the food was amazing! They…read morehave more variety on the menu. The service went well and not too crowded. This used to be the Starbucks, but aye! The background inside is chill and very peaceful. My rating 10/10 . The staff did a fantastic job with their service! Thank you for all you do! I'm definitely coming back again!

Yes, that makes it sound more like your voice. Here's the updated version:…read more Katsu Gin was okay overall. I love this kind of Japanese set lunch, where everything comes together with rice, miso soup, cabbage, pickles, and sauces. It always feels comforting and complete. The set was nicely presented, and the breading on the katsu was crispy, but the meat itself was a little on the dry side for my preference. The sauces and cabbage helped balance it out, but I was hoping the katsu would be a bit more tender and juicy.

Good quality fish and service. Prices are great. There is a lot of great variety on the menu…read more Definitely recommend!

The Golden Philly was amazing and very worth it for the price, as well as the Bay. Everything is…read morereasonably priced and the restaurant looks very clean.

So cute and delish! Will definitely be going back here again to try more our waiter was so sweet…read morehaha

As of right now, this is my favorite restaurant in the entire Bay Area. My favorite food is…read moreJapanese pasta. I had it in Japan and it changed my understanding of how delicious food could be. I'll always dream about a particular pasta dish I had near Kyoto Station...but I digress. If you've never had Japanese pasta, it's sort of difficult to describe. Think of Italian pasta, but if the sauce were less thick and there were a greater variety of flavors and textures. I think it's an overall cleaner and more varied experience. I prefer it. When done well, it has a certain quality that keeps you addicted. You can keep eating it and savoring every bite without feeling weighed down. I just love it. La Casa Mia does it well. In fact, out of every restaurant I've tried that attempts Japanese pasta, this place comes the closest by far. It might even match it. During my most recent visit, I tried the uni (sea urchin) pasta. Amazing. But the standout menu item, everyone, is the Salmon Shimeji. Oh, I love it so much. So savory. Little chunks of salmon, with roe, dainty little mushrooms, and all kinds of other ingredients perfectly cooked blended. A sauce that warms your soul and makes you want to keep eating. I honestly wish I could describe it better, but ironically, my favorite dish in the entire Bay Area is so good that I can't describe it. You'll just have to try it yourself. If they ever take the Salmon Shimeji off the menu, I will probably literally cry. I need this. When things in life get rough, I go for this dish. I have not found anything in the U.S. that matches it. Oh, and the service was fantastic. The lady who helped us most recently was very attentive, thanked us profusely, and was unfailingly polite. Gosh, I felt so taken care of. Yeah. La Casa Mia. My actual favorite restaurant. Love it.

This Korean BBQ spot with great food and even better service is a must try!…read more Jonathan, our server, was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience so enjoyable. He checked on us often, gave great recommendations, and made sure everything came out perfect. We will definitely be back!

Food was greatand with lots of variety. One of my favorite ayces. Service was also great and fast…read more Shout out to our awesome server, Jonathan L.

One of the most consistently fresh, tasty, and convenient go to spots for sushi in the Bay Area for…read moreme! Whenever there is a craving for sushi - Sen Dai automatically pops in my mind. All the other places that I have eaten for quick sushi fixes pale in comparison due to several factors - fish seems not as fresh, fish portion is small, prices are higher and not a bang for your buck. The rolls here are great and their chefs nigiri sets always hit and are on point.

Will start off with the positive:…read more For the garlic edamame and spicy tuna hand roll alone would give the place 3 stars, but too many variables that downgrade my review: Strike 1 place closes at 8pm on a Friday night so was rushed to order fast coming in at 7:30 so environment was not very welcoming being given the check as soon as my food arrived. Strike 2 only restaurant I have been to in my life when I asked for a hot water they charge. Hot tea is understandable, but charging for hot water is wild. Strike 3 was we ordered the treasure box and 3 out of the 4 sushi items were not fresh and ended up only eating the salmon and left the rest. Didn't bother taking pictures of it, but the teriyaki chicken was also burnt and not seasoned good at all and barely edible. If you want garlic edamame or hand rolls or basic rolls those options are actually better than average for the most part. I advise to stay away from sashimi options as it is below standards.

Flavor: 10/10 Aesthetic: 10/10…read moreService: 11/10 Ambiance: 9/10 Okawa Sushi is my guilty pleasure! I have been here about 4 times already, and I am happy to recommend this wonderful venue to other sushi lovers out there! There has been a dearth of AYCE sushi that has been the talk of locals around the San Jose/Milpitas area. Okawa Sushi fills that void. The AYCE factor really shines when you opt for their Premium Course menu. The options made available for the appetizers, signature dishes and the nigiri menu are very delicious! For an AYCE venue, the freshness of their sashimi is on point. I personally enjoy ordering their salmon nigiri, but I didn't know that their maguro nigiri would be just as buttery, soft and flavorful! I also enjoy ordering their hamachi nigiri & salmon carpaccio. I didn't know that I would enjoy appetizers in a group as well. We kept on ordering the baked muscles, kaki fry and soft shell crab! Everything you order here is appropriately smaller size than the typical American portion sizes you expect elsewhere. This way you can keep on eating and explore the menu. You can order easily off of a QR code at the table or with staff walking by. And your friends who don't like raw fish have options at this venue so they can join you as well! This place is not very busy, and while relatively new, I have seen it gradually grow in size. I would expect this place to continue growing over time. For the fast service, freshness of sushi, and expansive menu, I strongly recommend Okawa Sushi to any sushi lovers in the area! Come for lunch where the prices are a bit lower (although the price is already decent)!

Not Busy @ all on a Thursday Noon! but it did start to get busy during the evening dinner time…read morerush. Plenty of parking, located in a small plaza & the inside has lots of space & looks very nice. The waitress was On It from taking our order, checking in on us, and making sure our drinks were refilled. Lunch Time, all you can eat, fresh sushi, for the Price Is Right SORRY idk what happened to my "food" pics

exceptional service. very unique take on sushi…read more The place is too crowded, small room, which is perfect for you to focus on culinary experience. I do not post any photo here or comment on the food. You should go and experience for yourself.

The culinary journey is created by Chef Sodeyama . He is originally from Japan . He spend twenty…read moreyears working as a Japanese chef in Tokyo and San Francisco. Chef Sodeyama also soend ten years working as a French chef . This unique experience is why you would see subtle French techniques , presentation or textures woven into their modern , Kaiseki- inspired multi- courses menus . The menu relies heavily on the concept of seasonality , using fresh fishes and premium ingredients directly sourced from Japan ( such as Hokkaido uni ) The atmosphere it creates as intimate , upscale , kaisek-style in quiet and cozy vibe . The food are fresh but kind of very small quantities compared to most of the other Japanese restaurants that I have been . I have eaten a lot of Omakase restaurants in San Diego, Honolulu, San Francisco , Midwest , Vancouver, and a few other places. I would give a 4 out of 5 for this experience.