Good sushi and very kind proprietors. I was at Kaiser waiting for a family member's surgery to be…read moredone. I came here for a take-out. I was offered a mug of hot green tea while they put together my order. When it was ready, they offered me a cup of hot tea to go. I mean...that's a nice gesture. The food is always good and plenty. My soft shell crab was flavorful and crispy, and their Lion King rolls are always good.

Nothing fancy but excellent food - delicious, good quality and ample portions. We stopped in…read moreBy chance and it turned out to be a hidden gem. Highly recommended.

This place is amazing! It was worth the 30min wait. It's a small cozy Lille restaurant. Please make…read moresure you make a reservation!! We made the mistake of not making one and were glad they took us in. We ordered... Appetizers Chicken karaag- crispy, juicy. Shiitake tempura- lightly battered and dipping was sauce was Chien fritter- skip or ask do no sauce if you can't handle wasabi Quattro mushroom tempura- a must get!!! Entree Katsu Don - the pork was tender and the egg was so delicious. Wagyu Curry Rice with Tonkatsu- we thought the pork in the katsu Don was tender, the pork here was even more tender!!! Wagyu Steak with Garlic Rice- this dish was why caught my eye on IG. It's very flavorful but definitely really oily. All these dishes reminded my of Gonzalo Barin Tonkatsu in Hawaii and the Wagyu Steak Garlic Rice reminded me of Japan street food at the night market

Craving a Wagyu bowl since my trip to Osaka, and not wanting to deal with an hour of traffic coming…read morethough rush hour from redwood shores to San Jose I thought why not I'll check it out. The restaurant was packed on a Thursday night but I was able to walk in at the bar. I got the ankimo pate from the seasonal menu and the wagyu steak and garlic rice. While waiting for my food I observed a sign of authenticity: a table of 8 Japanese businessmen, so I was pretty excited to get my food. I usually looooove ankimo and I didn't really think too much about how the mascarpone would be. I think it's too heavy/creamy and lost the liver-ness of ankimo which I really like. I understand a lot of people don't though so, different strokes for different people. Not a big fan of the mixture, and there was also water or something on the bread that made it soggy. However, the pickled onions and grapes were really good especially with the wagyu steak and garlic rice. At first glance the image of the wagyu steak is not that impressive, as it was in real life as well...BUT as I took my first bite I was taken back to the underground Kobe beef bowl hole in the wall restaurant. The beef is cut into really big pieces so in this picture it doesn't look like a lot but it was a good ratio. The rice is soft and fluffy and flavorful. Worth getting the dashi. I will definitely be back!!

Diner Japonica on Woodside Rd is a takeout only, super budget friendly Japanese restaurant in…read moreRedwood City. I wasn't expecting much but the portion was actually huge... like really huge. Each dish can easily feed 2 people no joke. I got the bento combo with 3 items (teriyaki beef, teriyaki salmon, pork katsu) and a beef curry, both were $17.95 each. Everything tasted really good. The beef was super tender and well seasoned. I think I like beef teriyaki more since its thin sliced and easier to eat. Pork katsu is prob my most favorite, crispy outside but still juicy inside. They also keep some fat on the pork which I actually like lol, more flavor. Salmon and beef curry was just okay, like any other Japanese restaurant. They gave sooo much rice, I could only finish like 1/3 of mine before giving up (appreciate the generosity). There's also 2 free salads on the side but honestly I was too full to even touch it. Overall a really solid place, cheap and filling. Def recommend if you want affordable Japanese food around the Bay.

Such a lovely mom and pop shop! They make amazingly crisp and juicy katsu with huge portion sizes…read more It's pickup only so make sure to call your order ahead. Parking can also be a bit difficult since it's in a small plaza so prepare extra time to look for parking.

This is my favorite Ramen place in the bay I've been to the Cupertino one many time but this was my…read morefirst time going to the Redwood City location. The chicken is so tender and delicious. The staff is very welcoming and on top of things here. I wish I remembered her name, but I was greeted by a very friendly hostess, who was able to seat me right away. My waitress Erika, was so sweet and accommodating! I'm definitely coming back

Such a cool location. Parking at end of street very close by. Not the biggest of places, but worth…read morethe wait. Quiet, clean, and cool vibes. Service was excellent. All the staff, not just our waitress kept checking in with our table. Gyoza was crispy on its seared side, tender in the other and very juicy. Broth was very flavorful. The pork belly was great, and the chicken was full of flavor. Oh, and Sapporo on draft. Nice!

We brought the kids for a Teppanyaki Lunch, since they both love sushi and steak. It was a really…read morefun lunch, my 4 year old was so excited when the cook started performing tricks with fire. We had an entire table to ourselves and ordered different combos like steak and shrimp or steak and chicken, with sushi rolls for appetizers. Everyone had a great time. Later that night when putting my daughter to bed, she recalled that the place with the fire (Sakura) was the best and she wanted to go again tomorrow.

This has been one of my favorite sushi places since I was a kid. I grew up here in Redwood City, so…read moreI'd say I've been coming here for about 20 years or so. Our meals are always perfect, it's very comforting to know that I can come here anytime, alone or with the whole family. Quick service and family friendly joint. I come here very often, take it from me that this is the best local spot to grab a small or a large meal. Thanks Sakura for the memories!

We recently checked out Akami Sushi in Redwood City, and it was a solid place to dine in (place was…read moretoo local and hidden that we didn't expect it to be that good). We really recommend checking out their off menu items (they will hand you a hand-written note when you get there) because the chef is just clearly so talented. Here are the highlights: * Ankimo Nigiri (off menu): Have to be honest, I was actually pretty scared to try ankimo (Google said it's monkfish liver - like who even dare to eat liver ), but I'm so glad I did. It wasn't fishy or difficult to eat at all, but incredibly rich and creamy. I'm obsessed!!! * Otoro (off menu): This was the star. The tuna belly was pure umami, super fatty, buttery, and literally melted the second it hit my tongue - really recommend ordering this one * Lobster Roll (off menu): As a girl who's on calories deficit, my body screams for help when I found out it had shrimp tempura (I tried to avoid fried food), but this roll was so damnnnnn savory! It's made of lobster, shrimp tempura and a combo of eel sauce, spicy mayo, and tobiko - no need anymore dipping sauce cause they were just phenomenal * Kaisen: This was a refreshing roll - made of tuna, salmon, hamachi (yellowtail), and white tuna. Shiso (perilla) really enhanced the flavor of the fish and brought fresh taste that I think is the best pairing for any sushi/sashimi dish * Woodside Roll: This was the only miss for us. It uses minced spicy tuna, which honestly ruined the texture and flavor of the fish. We prefer tasting the real meat rather than a mash :( Overall, we like everything that we order, and our bill came out at around $100 for all that we had (budget friendlyyyyy) and we were really satisfied with the sushi quality. Will we go back? Definitely! Do we recommend it to our friends? Heck yeah!

I absolutely love this place and visit all the time! The rolls, miso soup, and handrolls are…read moreconsistently excellent -- fresh, flavorful, and always satisfying. The service is friendly and welcoming, which makes the experience even better. Make sure to call ahead and make a reservation, as it can get busy and there's often a wait if you don't. The space itself is very small and cozy, giving it a true hole-in-the-wall charm, but they also have a to-go option if you prefer. This is definitely a hidden gem and one of my favorite spots for sushi -- I can't recommend it enough!

Ranzan Redwood City is one of the best omakase experiences I've had in a while. I went with the…read moreHana Kaiseki set ($98) and it felt very worth it for the quality and variety. The pacing was just right, nothing felt rushed, and each course was thoughtfully decorated! I enjoyed every moment during the experience. We started with warm house sake to warm up, and luckily it paired really nicely with the meal and made everything feel extra cozy. Then for the courses, I had: - Starter: Kumiage Yuba with light house sauce and wasabi, I'm so impressed!!! At first I thought I was eating some fish liver because the texture was similar, but turn out it's tofu and they makes it excellent! A very nice starter - Appetizer: Squid tempura, pickled radish, mushroom & veggies, and tamago. I really like the tempura, crispy but not greasy, nice mix of textures - Sashimi plate: 3 pieces of bluefin tuna otoro, very fresh and buttery, just melts in my mouth! Love it - Oden bowl: I'm so in love with the broth, sweet, umami and comforting. It had braised pork belly, radish and konjac jelly, and all taste amazing, could not find any words to complain - Grilled fish: a very simple dish with not much seasoning. Fish was paired with some salty pickled plum and sweet potato. - Steamed tofu with abalone: I really like abalone texture, they made it very tender and easy to chew. Also not much seasoning so that you can feel the natural taste of the seafood, love that! - Hotate scallop with persimmon sauce: I don't like persimmon that much, but the scallops taste fresh and sweet - Rice bowl with pickles and miso soup: this is the 2nd final course, they have 2 options to upgrade from the white rice, uni ikura (+$16) & A5 wagyu (+$26) - we have 2 people so we order both to try a little bit of everything. Both worth the upgrade, but I prefer a5 wagyu - Matcha yokan with red beans and hot tea: the dessert was a bit too sweet for me, even though they served with hot tea to balance. But still, a great dish! Overall, really solid omakase spot on the Peninsula. I'd definitely come back if I had the chance!

Came here for a Mother's Day lunch with my family. It was very quiet, which my parents appreciated,…read moreand the overall atmosphere was minimalist, grounded, peaceful, and distinctly Japanese. The decor felt understated and calming, and both the host and server were very kind and welcoming. Service was definitely on the slower side -- we started the first course around 1pm and dessert wasn't served until about 2:40pm -- but I suppose that's part of the intentional, course-by-course dining experience. We ordered one of the lunch set menus. A few thoughts on the dishes: * House made tofu - Delicious. Light, delicate, and creamy, topped with wasabi and soy sauce. 9/10 * Appetizer assortment - A box with four small dishes (Nanohana steeped in dashi, simmered daikon radish, Tai marinated in vinaigrette, tamago). The tamago was less sweet than what you'd usually get at sushi restaurants (just okay for me, 6/10). The daikon was tasty (7.5/10), the fish had good flavor but a firmer texture than I prefer (7/10), and the vegetables were well-prepared (7.5/10). Everything was served room temperature. Overall, the flavors and sauces were very mild and subtle, in line with more traditional Japanese cooking. * The sashimi dish was fresh and delicious. 9/10 * Pork belly with vegetables - The pork belly was extremely tender and flavorful, and the vegetables were cooked nicely. The sauce was delicious. I almost wished it came with rice, but it was lightly seasoned and balanced as-is. 8/10 * Gindara marinated in miso - Lovely buttery, flaky texture. I've had similar miso black cod dishes elsewhere that were a bit more flavorful, but still very enjoyable. 8/10 * Chawanmushi - Very smooth, custardy texture with hints of citrus/yuzu, crab, and shiso. The crab texture was nice, though I didn't get a ton of crab flavor. * Octopus - A bit too chewy for my taste, though it paired nicely with the sweetness of the plum. I especially liked the nagaimo (yam) for both flavor and texture. 7.5/10 * Rice with kelp, wasabi cucumber, and simmered baby sardines - The kelp had a great texture and slightly tangy flavor. The wasabi cucumber was a bit too salty for me, even with the rice, but the baby sardines were delicious with just a hint of salt. 8/10 * Miso soup - Nice and light. 8/10 * Dessert (matcha yo-kan) - Green tea jelly with raspberries. Nice texture, though I personally prefer more pudding-like desserts. Not overly sweet, but I'm generally not a fan of beans in desserts. 7.5/10 One especially thoughtful touch: they served dessert to my mom on a special plate with additional Japanese candies and little origami pieces made by the staff. It felt very warm and personal. Overall, a good experience. They also offer à la carte options in addition to the set menus. The space feels intimate and would probably be best for smaller groups or quieter meals.

Came here with a group of 4 and had a reservation. They sat us immediately and we were in one of…read morethe lifted booths. Not loud or too busy yet, so we ordered a few drinks, juices and asked for the tahin straw. Made the pineapple mango juice even better!!! We ordered a ceviche to share, which came out really fast and great quality. Definitely a good amount for the table. We got a few rolls and one order of the Burris tacos. The food was so good, we all ate everything. The Burris tacos had so much meat! All the rolls were great and different. Will be coming back to try more menu items!

Sushinaloa in Redwood City really blew us away. I've never known Mexican style sushi was a thing,…read moreso when we learned that this Sinaloa-style sushi spot was right in our neighborhood, we definitely had to try! And we did not disappoint. Everything was phenomenal: the vibe, the flavors, and especially the portions. We were shocked by how much food came out. Their rolls are MASSIVE, double the size of rolls from other sushi places. Normally for 2 people, we'd order around 3 rolls and maybe 1-2 appetizers, but here, we ordered about the same amount, the same price and somehow ended up with enough food for like 4 people . Genuinely shocked until today (but in a good way) As for the flavors, it's pretty much exactly how you'd imagine Mexican-style sushi, smoky, bold flavors, spicy, super cheesy and super filling. And here's what we had: - Brucheta Sushi ($22.95): a must-try, signature. Everybody around us ordered this. It had steak, shrimp, cream cheese, avocado, and cucumber. A fried roll, big bites and super comforting. - Cachichurris ($19.45): the 2nd fried rolls we ordered with shrimp, octopus, cream cheese, cucumber, and avocado. Okay now it's becoming too much. I mean it's delicious, nothing's wrong, but we should just order 1 fried roll only - Salmon Roll ($22.45): the real life saver!!! Since the other rolls were fried and heavy, this fresh salmon roll really balanced thing out. - Tuna La Perrona ($22.50): basically a tuna sashimi-style dish, served with fried tortillas and pickled mango & cucumbers. The sauce was ridiculously good, I would have it again next time! - Oyster shots ($18.5): Bold!!!!! - La Gueva ($17.50): Refreshing cocktail, I love it!!!! Definitely will come back!!!! But next time I'll come hungry we ended up bringing a lot of leftovers home.