Japanese food and sushi in Palo Alto

Japanese food is one of the deepest categories in Palo Alto. In a few blocks downtown you can eat Tokyo-style tonkotsu ramen, udon pulled to order, sushi burritos and rice balls. California Avenue adds a second ramen shop and a family-run sushi restaurant. El Camino Real has a Japanese market and dinner spot. There is even a fully vegan izakaya.

Every restaurant named here was confirmed as open in October 2026 through its own website or a verified page in our business directory. This guide goes deeper than the Japanese section of our Asian food guide.

The styles, briefly

Japanese restaurants usually specialize. A ramen shop does ramen. A sushi bar does sushi. Knowing the format tells you how long the meal takes and whether to book.

• Ramen. Wheat noodles in a rich broth. Tonkotsu is pork bone broth, shoyu is soy-based and miso is seasoned with fermented soybean paste. Ramen is a fast meal, often eaten at a counter.
• Sushi. Vinegared rice with fish or vegetables. Nigiri is a slice on a rice mound, maki is a roll and chirashi is fish over a bowl of rice.
• Omakase. "I leave it to you." The chef chooses a sequence of courses, usually served at a counter.
• Udon. Thick wheat noodles, served in hot broth or chilled with a dipping sauce.
• Onigiri. Rice balls with a savory filling, often wrapped in seaweed. They are Japan's everyday portable lunch.
• Izakaya. A Japanese pub serving small plates meant for sharing with drinks.

Where the restaurants are

Downtown holds most of the list. University Avenue has Marugame Udon, Onigilly and Sushirrito. Bryant Street has Ramen Nagi. Emerson Street has Tane. Ramona Street has Iki Omakase and Hamilton Avenue has the Nobu Hotel. California Avenue has Ramen Kowa and Jin Sho a few doors apart. Away from the two downtowns, Sushi House is at Town & Country Village, Yutori is on El Camino Real in south Palo Alto and Dohatsuten is on San Antonio Road near the Mountain View line.

Ramen

Ramen Nagi, 541 Bryant Street

Ramen Nagi is the first U.S. shop of a ramen chain that Satoshi Ikuta founded in Tokyo in 2004. It serves four signature bowls, the Original, Red, Black and Green King, plus rotating specials. Diners can set richness, noodle firmness and other details. All four Kings come with pork toppings, so vegetarians should order the Veggie King. It lists hours of 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. daily. Lines form at peak dinner time.

Ramen Kowa, 445 South California Avenue

Ramen Kowa focuses on ramen, karaage fried chicken and Japanese curry rice. The ramen list covers miso, tonkotsu and shoyu, plus a Creamy Vegetarian Ramen and a Cold Tomato Ramen. Small plates include takoyaki and edamame, with bingsu shaved ice for dessert. It pours Japanese beer and sake and takes online takeout orders.

Dohatsuten, 799 San Antonio Road

Dohatsuten is a ramen kitchen and izakaya. It describes its approach as bones simmered slowly and broths built in layers. The menu has a build-your-own ramen, izakaya small plates and a Kids' Ramen for children 12 and under. Online ordering covers pickup and delivery.

Sushi and omakase

Jin Sho, 454 South California Avenue

Jin Sho is a family-owned restaurant founded by Noriomi Kaneko and Ichiro Takahashi, two former Nobu executive chefs. It serves sushi, omakase, kitchen dishes, udon and soba, with sake and shochu. The sushi menu groups fish by family. There is a vegetarian section. Reservations are taken only by phone during business hours, not by voicemail. It is closed Sunday and Monday.

Sushi House, Town & Country Village

Sushi House has served sushi, chirashi, noodles and teriyaki from the same spot since 1988. Founders Kenji Ueki and Masahiro Nagamine built it around Japanese comfort food made to order. Cooked dishes such as chicken teriyaki and karaage suit diners who skip raw fish. Takeout runs through ChowNow or by phone.

Iki Omakase and Nobu

Iki Omakase on Ramona Street serves omakase in timed sessions at a small counter. Seating is limited, so book ahead through its Tock reservation page. Nobu Palo Alto, inside the Nobu Hotel at 180 Hamilton Avenue, serves the global brand's sushi and signature cooked dishes.

Sushirrito, 448 University Avenue

Sushirrito has made sushi burritos here since January 2015. Each hand-held roll is made to order and mixes Japanese ingredients with Latin flavors. The menu also has bentos and hand rolls. The Vegan Kim-rrito is the plant-based choice.

Udon, onigiri and izakaya

Marugame Udon, 383 University Avenue

Marugame Udon ties its noodle making to Kagawa Prefecture in southern Japan. Guests watch noodles being made and cooked in what the company calls a theater kitchen. The menu adds tempura and rice bowls. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., later than most of downtown.

Onigilly, 164 University Avenue

Onigilly is a Bay Area chain founded in 2008 that makes onigiri with partially milled haiga rice. It offers more than 30 fillings plus bowls and bento. The menu marks vegan and gluten-free items. It sits close to the Caltrain end of downtown.

Tane Vegan Izakaya, 461 Emerson Street

Tane is an all-vegan izakaya from a group that started in Honolulu. It serves plant-based sushi, nigiri, ramen and small plates. Sushi rolls are made with gluten-free flour, though some dishes contain gluten. Tane serves dinner only and is closed Monday.

Yutori, 3375 El Camino Real

Yutori is a Japanese cafe, konbini and market by day and a restaurant and bar at night. The cafe runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the konbini and market until 5 p.m. The restaurant serves dinner Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday until 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. Dinner reservations go through OpenTable. The bar takes walk-ins.

Dietary notes

• Vegan and vegetarian. Tane is fully vegan. Ramen Nagi has the Veggie King, Ramen Kowa has a creamy vegetarian ramen and Marugame lists its Tan Tan udon with a vegan broth. Jin Sho has a vegetarian section.
• Fish-based broths. Dashi, made with bonito flakes, flavors many sauces and soups. Ask if you avoid fish.
• Gluten. Soy sauce, ramen, udon and tempura batter contain wheat. Onigilly and Tane label gluten-free items.
• Raw fish. Children and pregnant diners can order cooked rolls, teriyaki, karaage or noodles at most places.

Our vegetarian and vegan guide lists more plant-based options.

Reservations and ordering

Ramen and udon shops generally work on a walk-in basis. Go before noon or after 1:30 p.m. at lunch to avoid the office rush downtown. Book omakase in advance and tell the restaurant about allergies when you reserve, since the chef plans the sequence. Arrive on time, because courses at a counter are served to everyone together. Eat ramen soon after it arrives, before the noodles soften. Slurping is normal.

For takeout, Ramen Kowa, Dohatsuten, Sushi House and Onigilly all take orders for pickup. Ramen travels better when the broth and noodles are packed separately, so ask for that if the shop offers it.

Nearby in Mountain View and Menlo Park

Downtown Mountain View along Castro Street is known for its range of Asian restaurants, including many Japanese ones, a few minutes by Caltrain or car. Dohatsuten on San Antonio Road is already close to the Mountain View line. Menlo Park's downtown along Santa Cruz Avenue has cafes and restaurants, but we did not confirm a Japanese restaurant there for this guide. See our Mountain View and Menlo Park pages.

Frequently asked questions