Jin Sho

About Jin Sho

Jin Sho is a Japanese restaurant at 454 California Avenue, in the California Avenue business district. It was founded by two former Nobu executive chefs, Noriomi Kaneko and Ichiro Takahashi. It describes itself as local and family owned. Its stated aim is to share the true taste of Japan with the Bay Area in a fresh, contemporary way. The kitchen mixes traditional technique with what the restaurant calls creative fusion.

The restaurant's About page quotes two pieces of press coverage. San Francisco magazine's Susan Bryan noted that the chef-owners were veterans of Nobu, the New York restaurant that pushed sushi in new directions. The San Jose Mercury News ran a piece by Aleta Watson under the headline "Thoroughly Modern Sushi." Those lines capture the pitch: classic sushi with a modern touch from chefs trained in a famous kitchen.

What is on the menu

Sushi is the center of the menu. The online menu is organized the way a sushi bar thinks. Fish is grouped by family: tuna, salmon, yellowtail, white fish, silver-skinned fish, eel, shellfish and mollusks and fish roe. A Today's Sushi Recommendations list highlights what is best on a given day. Sushi entrees come with descriptions of the selection. The restaurant also features an eight-piece sushi omakase among its signature dishes.

Rolls are split into premium rolls, regular rolls, vegetable rolls and hand rolls. The kitchen side of the menu covers kitchen appetizers, salads, entrees and udon and soba noodles. There are separate sushi bar appetizers, plus sides, rice and soup and desserts. A vegetarian section gives non-fish eaters a dedicated list.

The drinks list leans Japanese. Sake is divided into junmai, ginjo, daiginjo and specialty bottles. Shochu, beer and non-alcoholic drinks complete it. The restaurant itself labels daiginjo as its top-shelf premium category and ginjo as premium, which helps if you are new to sake grades.

Seasonal specials and closures

Jin Sho marks the Japanese calendar with specials. Its website has promoted an ehomaki roll for Setsubun on February 3, a traditional "lucky direction roll" served whole to welcome spring. For Valentine's Day it has offered a multi-course prix fixe menu for dine-in only, with reservations highly recommended. On Sundays it has run Ice Days, serving shaved ice from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. even though the dining room is otherwise closed that day.

The restaurant also closes for a summer holiday. Its website announced a closure from June 28 to July 6. Check the homepage before planning a visit around a holiday.

How to book and order

Reservations work differently here than at many restaurants. The website says reservations must be made over the phone during business hours. It asks guests not to leave reservation requests on voicemail, so call when the restaurant is open. The site also carries an online menu through its Square ordering system for takeout.

Hours are short compared with many restaurants, so plan ahead. The weekday lunch window lasts only two hours. There is no regular Sunday dining service. Lunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Dinner runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on those days and from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday. The dining room is closed Sunday and Monday.

Tips for visiting

Jin Sho suits a business lunch, a sushi dinner for two or a meal with someone who wants to explore sake. For an omakase or a holiday menu, call early. Because bookings are by phone only, call during lunch or dinner service rather than in the afternoon gap between them, when the restaurant is closed. California Avenue has city parking lots. The year-round California Avenue farmers market takes over the street on Sundays, when Jin Sho's dining room is closed anyway. Our California Avenue guide covers the rest of the district. For more sushi, ramen and other Japanese food in town, see our Asian food guide. Our fine dining guide lists other special-occasion restaurants.

Location and getting there

Jin Sho is at 454 South California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306, in the California Avenue area of Palo Alto. Our California Avenue guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the California Avenue Caltrain station, about 0.3 miles away. That is roughly a 7 minute walk.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

What is nearby

• California Avenue Optometry, practice, under 0.1 mi
• Lee Aldinger Insurance, firm, under 0.1 mi
• Backyard Brew, cafe, under 0.1 mi
• Country Sun, food shop, under 0.1 mi
• Kali Greek Kitchen, quick-service spot, under 0.1 mi
• College Terrace Library, 0.2 mi
• Bowden Park, 0.4 mi
• Peers Park, 0.4 mi

Other restaurants nearby: Terún Pizzeria (under 0.1 mi); Namaste (under 0.1 mi); Ramen Kowa (under 0.1 mi); Izzy's Brooklyn Bagels (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full restaurants list.

Before you go

• Popular dinner spots in Palo Alto fill up on Friday and Saturday nights, so book ahead where the restaurant takes reservations.
• Many kitchens close earlier than in big cities. Plan to order by about 9 p.m. on weeknights unless the posted hours say otherwise.
• If you have allergies or dietary needs, call ahead or check the current menu on the restaurant's website.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against Jin Sho official website; About Jin Sho. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions