Top Japanese Restaurant in Hayward
Sapporo Japanese Restaurant
22507 Main St, Hayward, CA 94541, United States
Nice sushi restaurant in Hayward. It serves multinational cuisines including Korean foods even though it is a Japanese restaurant basically. Quality of foods is really great and staffs are very kind and professional. Especially, the sakes and beers what they recommended were perfectly fit for their fresh sushi and sashimi as well. And some Korean food what we had for main dishes were incredible~! I will visit again if I come to Hayward.
Sushi Ichimoto
888 W A St, Hayward, CA 94541, United States
Hands down one of the best Japanese restaurants in the East Bay. Excellent sushi, great roll selections and a varied menu of cooked dishes. Friendly, efficient staff. On street parking, along with a small lot behind the restaurant.
Haha Ramen Sushi
22560 Foothill Blvd, Hayward, CA 94541, United States
Had the spicy miso garlic ramen. Quality was not bad for non-authentic ramen (toppings, soup, noodles are all satisfactory if you keep this in mind). FWIW, owner/chef probably Chinese as there is a Mala Ramen 麻辣麵 on the menu in place of Japanese 担々麺 (Tan-Tan Men). Reviewers that complain about the quality are most likely comparing against authentic shops like those found in South Bay and in SF. When I dont have the time or inclination to drive all the way to South Bay, for under $9 including tax, a bowl of non-authentic ramen here is actually a good value. (BTW, take non-authentic with a grain of salt, as ramen, 拉麵, has its origins from China, but the modern rendition of ramen ラーメン, the really good stuff, is from Japan. So when I say non-authentic I mean relative to the really good Japanese ラーメン. Haha, like many Chinese-owned restaurants, are trying to create their version of Japanese ramen, so their quality or ingredients may seem off. Rather than compare the two, I put non-authentic ramen in its own category because its cheaper, sometimes providing a good value. However, if two shops were equidistant and equally priced, I would always go for authentic ramen.)
Katsuo Sushi and Grill
28569 Hesperian Blvd, Hayward, CA 94545, United States
Reasonable price, good portions, and tasty food. Chicken combo is one of their most popular dishes: chicken katsu is actually crunchy! Even though its not the most authentic Japanese restaurant you can find, its a good place for some casual Japanese-style cuisine. The staff are friendly and most people do takeout, but you can also dine in.
Wakamatsu
22724 Foothill Blvd, Hayward, CA 94541, United States
Pictured: the sign of a very happy meal! (Bonus picture of the clock and dining counter)My SO and I decided to impromptu go out since it was Friday night and we hadnt had sushi in a considerable while so we found a new place to try. The location is in a good spot of downtown where parking isnt too difficult, and the building itself is very cozy and has a pleasant, intimate feel with large windows to prevent the space from feeling claustrophobic.But what good would all of this do if the food wasnt worth it?The menu is very broad and diverse, with full meal options (my SO and I did the Wakamatsu dinner and split it along with a Lion King roll), and having sampled their teriyaki beef, the tonkatsu, their sashimi, the rolls, and the sake, everything was hands down fantastic. The sashimi melted in our mouths, it was pretty fantastic, and the potstickers were very authentic - handmade and clearly traditional (Im a potsticker snob and these guys kick butt!)My SO and I agreed, were definitely coming back with friends!
SushiLand
19740 Mission Blvd, Hayward, CA 94541, United States
We live within a mile of this restaurant but never been here. Yesterday, since our favorite japanese restaurant was closed for the afternoon, we went here instead after checking good rating from decent amount or raters. And we glad we did! The food was delicious with a generous serving amount! The customer service is great and the place and bathroom is clean. Will definitely go back. Kudos to the owner and staff! Youre doing a great job!
Chef Teriyaki
26960 Hesperian Blvd, Hayward, CA 94545, United States
Absolutely tremendous! 10s across the board.The entire staff was incredibly kind, engaging, attentive, and helpful. As an American, I always appreciate a helping hand when it comes to how to best enjoy a restaurant and cuisine and they were kind enough to help me out with that. I will usually opt for a little bit of everything but tend towards things that feel comfortable and approachable to me. But, I saw their wonderfully curated chef recommendations and was happy to turn over the decision making to the waiter and chef.I had the 10pc Omakase Nigiri with Japanese Uni, O-Toro (fatty blue fin tuna), A5 Wagyu and a smattering of other incredibly fresh fish. Everything was so spectacular but I have to shout out the Uni, O-Toro, Salmon Belly, Ikura (Salmon Roe), Maguro (Blue fin Tuna), and Wagyu. Mind you I have never had Uni before and I am glad I waited until I found sushi chef! I was not nearly as adventurous when in Tokyo but I am glad I am now! Also the wasabi was slightly different from your typical American wasabi and I found it much to have a much more balanced flavor profile and the perfect amount of spice where it did not ruin the soy sauce or the fish. And I typically steer clear of ginger but their ginger was so fresh and not slimy or mushy; it was incredibly fresh and had good bite and texture to it. I also enjoyed their unfiltered sake, which to many Americans might be reserved for more refined or adventurous palates but nevertheless was a nice to try. I really appreciated all the suggestions and guidance the staff gave me; especially when it comes to the best order to have the omakase.I also came alone and everyone was kind enough to chat with me and make me feel very welcome. The beautiful and calm piano music in the background was the cherry on top. I highly recommend eating at the sushi bar and chatting with the kind and funny gentlemen behind the bar. The place settings and everything was very tidy and clean. I really liked their blue and white dinnerware. Everyone working tonight was really tremendous and a pleasure to be in the company of.I will absolutely be coming back and will make sure to take pictures!
Hinata Sushi Kitchen
1071 B St 2nd Floor, Hayward, CA 94541, United States
I was a little hesitant at first because going by the reviews, the experiences were hit and miss. We went on a weeknight and the dining room was only about half full. The quality of the food was actually very good IMO. Staff was friendly and the dining room was comfortable and clean.The sashimi overall was very fresh, we ordered the sashimi platter and the mystery box. They oysters tasted very fresh too. The rolls were also on par with a good sushi house so there were no complaints from the kids. As we walked in I looked at the fish at the sushi bar and everything looked well stocked and fresh.The staff was actually very attentive and didn’t hold us to any reordering time checks. In fact, for us they often came back while we were still eating and asked us if we were ready to order our next round. We definitely didn’t feel like we were restricted and we were all full when we were done.I really liked the dining room because it isn’t overly packed. There was room between you and other patrons around you. I appreciate that because it just makes for a more pleasant eating experience. There also was a balcony that wasn’t used while we were there. Not sure if that’s used when it’s busier but it’s wired that the tables and chairs there are very low to the ground.As for value, I would say this is a good value if you can avoid the peak times so the food arrives quickly and the you are able to order at your leisure. What we spent was not that much more than what our family would spend on a typical Japanese restaurant outing so this is definitely someplace that we would come back to in the future.
Naked Fish
24703 Amador St, Hayward, CA 94544, United States
Its not what it used to be. 10 years ago, the owners were still working in the restaurant. The food was amazing! Everyone of the waiters were were awesome at their job, and the cooks were fantastic! My family made it a point to go there every Sunday after church and every birthday celebration we had.Now when I walk through those doors, the waitresses are rude. They have more make up on they do manners! The tables are sticky, the food is less than decent and the cooks are mediocre. One of the waitresses even came up to our table asking if we had a personal problem with her because we only tipped $5. So my fiance took the tip back and asked the waitress if she would like change instead, haha.We were faithful customers for almost 15 years, not anymore. Naked fish is a disgrace of what they used to be. We havent been back since and if they dont do something about their food and employees, I guess well have to find a new sushi spot.
Mujiri
22530 Main St, Hayward, CA 94541, United States
I came here on a reservation as this restaurant is incredibly small. There are only 2 tables that can hold a group of 4 each, maybe 2-3 tables that can seat 2 people, and a couple seats at the chefs counter. I heard the server quote a wait time of 1.5 hours to a group who had come in without a reservation looking for a table of 4, so make sure you make a reservation! After ordering, it takes quite a long time for the chefs to make your sushi, I think we waited around 30 minutes? But thats because everything was cut and made fresh. Make sure you have good company to chat with or else the wait will bore you!For a group of 3, we got 2 nigiri combos, 1 sashimi combo, 1 spicy salmon maki roll, 1 negi hama hosomaki roll.1. Nigiri combo - 8/10. This was a great value for for only $25! You can pick 7 nigiris as well as a chefs choice maki roll. I really enjoyed the Kanpachi, Kurodai, and Ika because they torched the top for some smokey flavor. Our maki roll of the day was the salmon & shiso hosomaki which had a hint of perilla leaf flavor! For the amount paid, it was definitely worth it!2. Spicy salmon maki roll - 9/10. This isnt your standard spicy salmon roll where they mince the salmon with some spice. These are strips of whole salmon so you really get to taste the meaty parts of the salmon. It was my favorite dish of the night!3. Negi hama hosomaki roll - 6/10. We all didnt think much of it. It was pretty bland and I thought that the rice in the roll overpowered the fish. It is a pretty light fish in the first place, so you wont be able to taste it much.Overall a great choice if you want some cheap and beautifully presented sushi! The menu is relatively simple and small