Ichika izakaya
satisfy the soul, not just the palate
The Taste of Asia
Exquisite Asian Cuisine
explore the Japanese food
Exquisite Asian Cuisine
Delicious Sushi
enjoy the atmosphere at our restaurant
Delicious Japanese food
Wow!! My favorite sushi restaurant in the area. It is the sister restaurant to ichika sushi house, but is very different in concept, hence the izakaya name. I actually think it is better than the sushi house. It is twice as much as it though, but I will say this place is better than nobu in terms of sushi.
The sushi is top tier. The sushi rice is really amazing and is some of the best I’ve had in a while. The fish is very fresh and very tasty. The sear on the chutoro adds a yummy texture and flavor. I order at least two every time I go- it’s my favorite. I also tried their sushi rolls which are very good as well. If you’ve ever been to sushi Maru in San Jose it’s comparable to their sushi rice. The only down side is they charge per nigiri piece. Each of them are about 5-10$ which is definitely on the expensive side.
Kaili B., Pacifica, CA
This Chawanmushi was Michelin quality. It almost made me forget the fact that this restaurant is in a strip mall in San Bruno. Eating this crab and roe Chawanmushi made me feel that, for a second, I was in Las Vegas or something. Simply outstanding dish.
Their fried corn, though it sounds simple, was sweet and packed with tons of flavor. You know how I always complain that fried food or hot food isn’t hot? Not here. Everything was fresh, hot, and fried food was freshly fried. Their oyster with uni was great. Not briny or stale. Their nigiri had fresh fish. Their spicy tuna over rice had just enough spice.
Their sunomono salad was a great balance or sweet and sour. Their flan was amazing. The perfect dessert.
Their softshell crab and prawn tempura could have used some sauce. Also, it’s weird that the prawns are like popcorn shrimp prawns lol. I would skip this next time. Their beef tataki which has a longer wait time (see menu) and was a no-go. Think of some kind of medium rare cooked beef at a Chinese banquet with that soy sauce…this wasn’t a Japanese beef tataki served rare. Wouldn’t order this again.
Overall, I liked almost everything we ordered.
$2 charge for tea, just warning you. They said it’s their own tea with matcha blend. Tastes regular to me. Wish it was stronger, really. Reminds me of a light Chinese tea.
Service was attentive and great. Music was even better. They had some remix Maroon 5, Drake, etc tunes on.
Just comes to show that you can get some great Japanese food in a boring strip mall.
Jack R., San Francisco, CA
Delicious and creative Japanese style food!
The service here is very attentive and friendly. We were seated immediately, even though we didn’t have a reservation (on a Thursday night).
The uni is wonderful! Creamy and silky smooth texture, and lightly seasoned to bring out the nuances of the uni. I appreciate that everything is dressed for you already.
The Bayhill roll is so delicious! The texture of the tempura is so delightful in how light it is, but still filled in flavor.
The tuna tataki was very supple in texture. Especially with the onions, the acidity really makes this a palate pleaser. The avocado wrapped it all up in a smooth bite!
We got their special of the day: baby hamachi. The texture had a nice bite to it: it was both tender and firm. The fish is so fresh!
The hamachi collar was so tender and flaky, it falls apart when you tug it gently. The flavor is very delicate.
Lastly, the flan pudding is a surprising hit! The sweetness and suppleness of the flan has a light sweetness to it. Many thanks to the wonderful staff who comped our dessert for us!
Overall, I would love to come back to try more dishes off the menu!