Akari Japanese Bistro
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · consistently good sourcing, kaiseki + fun sake events and sukiyaki
4.9(115 reviews)
Hana Izumi
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · neighborhood chef-driven kaiseki, good for the price
4.9(179 reviews)
Sushi Jin
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 3 · decent budget semi-seasonal option if you're nearby
4.5(238 reviews)
Nisei
Fine Dining Restaurant
Tier 3 · youthful modern Japanese-Californian, fun if unrefined
4.6(236 reviews)Michelin
Sushi Ai
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 3 · strongly flavoured aged sushi, lots of aburi
4.8(52 reviews)
An | Japanese Restaurant
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · now Daisuke's; seasonal fish at a reasonable price, expected to climb
4.8(183 reviews)
Sushi Hakko
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 3 · counter over table; punchy aged neta; temporarily closed
4.6(146 reviews)
KUSAKABE
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · chef-specific; Shinji, Patrick and Mika all good; he goes often
4.7(786 reviews)Michelin Selected
KEN
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · Ken is a great host; sushi can be good but not a value
4.9(159 reviews)Michelin Selected
Friends Only
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · non-traditional dry-aged sushi, recent meals uneven
4.6(68 reviews)Michelin Selected
Ezo Omakase
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 3 · chef from Tokyo's viral Sushi Punch; big room, solid sushi
4.9(24 reviews)
Kenzo
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · Napa kaiseki, good serveware, execution slipping
4.6(238 reviews)Michelin
Hashiri Bettei Kaiseki Aoki
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 1 · best kaiseki in the Bay; Uber part of the way back
4.6(50 reviews)
YUJI
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · genuinely skilled, competitive for the price, lots of same-day reservations
4.8(97 reviews)Michelin Selected
FU HUI HUA
Chinese Restaurant
Tier 3 · Coco Yakitori x Fu Hui Hua dinners = best high-end yakitori in the Bay; DM Coco to book
4.2(37 reviews)
Sushi Salon
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 3 · young chef doing something fun and unique in Oakland
4.9(78 reviews)
Hamano Sushi
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 3 · last visit a pleasant surprise, may move up
4.5(327 reviews)Michelin Selected
Katsu
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 2 · former go-to; sourcing and nigiri slipped post-tariffs
4.8(89 reviews)
Wakuriya
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 2 · kaiseki, very hard reservation, lovely serveware
4.7(206 reviews)Michelin
Ranzan
Japanese Restaurant
Tier 2 · traditional kaiseki, amped flavours, nice lacquerware; he prefers it to Yuji
4.6(163 reviews)
Sushi Kinsen
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 2 · solid South Bay option, good sake mix, last visit notably better
4.7(36 reviews)
Sushi Shin
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 2 · was his #2 sushi spot two years ago, recent visits weaker
4.4(226 reviews)Michelin Selected
The Shota
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 1 with head chef Ingi (Tier 2/3 with apprentices) · likely on ice, check before booking
4.8(226 reviews)
Sushi Yoshizumi
Sushi Restaurant
Tier 1 · by far the strongest high-end sushi in the Bay; great sake list
4.8(266 reviews)Michelin Selected
Bay Area High-End Japanese (NoodleThings tiers)
24 places · by @leila
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