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I wanted to love this place - and I couldn't. The omakase is a fantastic value (given the quality of the fish, it's one of the best deals in the Bay Area). But service was too fast. I was in and out in less than an hour, even after ordering the 10-piece omakase and adding a number of other additional items. And given the place was mostly empty, there was no real need to rush what I've often felt should be a slow, patient meal. Instead, as I'm biting one piece, the chef is already making the next one. SLOW DOWN. It's an expensive, special occasion. The restaurant itself is sparse; that's typical of these omakase spots, but there's a lot of tables as well... Parking is challenging (though I did manage to secure one of the only two spots outside the restaurant). I won't go back - i just felt too rushed to really enjoy the meal. And that's disappointing because the fish itself is great.
Service was good, our waitress was friendly and made some good recommendations for the flown in from Japan Otoro (my wife's favorite) and Wagyu A5 torched nigiri (melted like butter). The rest of meal was good (salad, vegetable tempura, short ribs, and tuna roll). A bit pricey for what you get. A half star taken off for not mentioning it was our anniversary when I booked and notified them in advance.
Every day, we pass by this non-descript restaurant located in a strip mall while picking up my son. We've noticed their white simple sign with black writing which is aesthetically pleasing but we've never paid much attention to the place. Recently we read about them in the Michelin guide and only then realized we were reading about the Gintei in our own little San Bruno. The building is tucked away in a strip mall and the door and windows are very non-descript. When pulling up front, I wasn't even sure I was at the right place. There are a few parking spots in front but parking was sparse in the area on a Sunday evening. We arrived late for 6pm reservations and were quickly greeted by friendly staff to let us know it would be a minute. The place was packed and we took the last available table. It was a very inviting place, very nicely decorated, charming and pleasant. Once we were taken to a table, I asked for a Sprite before we even sat down. My son's sugars were dropping. Without hesitation or questions or comments, not even a face, the server quickly brought me the Sprite. We perused their menu and decided to slowly order and try different things. Eventually we had the fish board brought to us so we could learn about the offerings for the evening. They had quite a large selection of fresh fish so it was difficult to decide. We ended up ordering a few dishes at a time to try and coursed out the evening and enjoyed it with a sake flight. To start off, we had Grilled Beef Tongue, a Tataki, Kurobuta Kukuni, Nyumen, and Oyster Shooters. Then Amaebi, Camino Roll, and two kinds of raw Tokyo Fish. Everything was delicious. The broth in the Nyumen was really tasty and it came out hot. The sake flight I had was so yummy, I had a hard time deciding which sake I liked more. The best part of the meal was the service. Everyone was friendly and attentive. The manager (or maybe owner) spoke Cantonese and Japanese. She spoke to us in Cantonese and entertained my husband's attempts so that always makes me happy. They came by to pick up plates as soon as you were done. We loved our meal. We will surely be back soon!
We had omakasei at the sushi bar. The service was friendly. The chef would tell us the name of the fish but wouldn't volunteer any more information unless we ask. The sushi was served in relatively rapid succession. The pieces were fresh, and we had no complaints. They don't have an alcohol list for some reason. When I asked for sake, the server asked us for our preference and offered a recommendation. I had to ask to get the price of the bottle. It is reasonable, but it's weird that the price was not given. I had high hopes of making this our go-to sushi place, but it failed to reach our expectations this time. I am willing to give it another try and order a la carte.
Solid spot! The owner was our sushi chef on a Sunday night and we got bar seating. The omakase is $90 for 10 pieces but the owner was so chill, he hooked us up with 17 pieces! We also ordered the wagyu, extra amaebi nigiri, and uni at the end. Every piece was delicious and authentic. The tasting came with an appetizer and soup, too. We enjoyed our experience for my birthday celebration.
Gintei is fabulous! The fish was so incredibly fresh and delicious- some of the best we've had in the Bay Area. The sushi chefs were kind and interactive with us as we sat at the counter. Can be pricey, but 100% worth the splurge. My partner and I both did the Omakase and everything was perfect, the fish, the rice, and the delicious delicate toppings.
Score - 3.5 - rounded up for yelp Came for a weekday lunch with some coworkers just before noon. Parking around the area can be difficult. There's a few parking spots in front of the restaurant but they're all for accessible/ADA. We were lucky to find street parking around the block and just had to take a short walk to the restaurant. I had made a reservation on OpenTable so we were able to check in and get seated immediately. At this point, there was only one other table occupied. The server was very polite and friendly. We were given menus and a good amount of time to look over everything before he returned to take our order. There is a lunch menu!!! I had yelped this place before going and didn't see any posts of the lunch menu except one from 6 months ago so I wasn't sure they still had it, but they do! We ordered the sake oyako don ($30) and bluefin toro don ($25) from the lunch menu and the "I ate the bone" special roll from the regular menu. The sake oyako don was my favorite of the three. The salmon and ikura were very fresh and the sushi rice was well seasoned. It was the perfect combination. The bluefin toro don resembled a poke bowl with the avocado cubes and seaweed salad, and we all found it a bit too salty. The roll was tasty, with soft shell crab and fresh fish. The sauces on top melded well with the toppings and fillings of the roll. It was a very filling roll. Overall, the ambiance of the place was good and food was decent but not worth the price. I wish I was more impressed as the place seemed more upscale, but we were unanimously underwhelmed with the food. By noon, the restaurant was pretty full so I'd recommend making a reservation if you can but walk-ins would also be fine.
We had the omakase and it was delicious and beautiful! 10 beautiful pieces of fish, all of them with unique flavor profiles (some delicate and light, some strong and fatty- all delicious). Our wait staff was super attentive and efficient, and the atmosphere they created was fun and welcoming. The parking situation is basically street parking, we didn't have a problem finding a spot a bit down the way. We came on a cold night and got the hot tea- was perfect to accompany the meal.
Went there for my boyfriend's birthday and we loved it! We sat at the sushi bar and each got the omakase set. This was our first time having an omakase tasting and it did not disappoint. There were 10 pieces in each set selected by chef's choice and we really enjoyed the experience of each piece coming out one by one. The sushi itself was very fresh. My favorite was the sweet shrimp, but my boyfriend loved the amber jack. The omakase set pairs really well with the sake flight. We chose the seasonal one and it was a great range of sweet to dry options. They also gave us a glass of our favorite one after trying them all. The only thing was that parking can be difficult as they don't have their own parking lot and there is only street/residential parking around. Overall, this is a great place for date night and we would definitely come back again!
Some friends took my out for a belated bday dinner at Gintei a few weeks ago. I've seen this place many, many times but never thought about checking it out. My mistake. This place is a place one would find in the City instead of San Bruno. No offense to San Bruno, I live there. But, it has that boutique quality that would right at home in Japantown. Anyway, everything was excellent and extremely fresh. I haven't had Uni in a long time, because it can spoil very quickly. The Uni was awesome. I'll just let my pics do the rest of the talking. Without a doubt, my new favorite Japanese place in Bruno.
Amazing food, service, and romantic/quiet ambiance. The quality of the food is top notch (best I've had south of S.F.) and very accessible to the airport. Highly recommend coming here. They have an extensive rice wine list as well. Trust the chef- order omakase.
Can we talk about how beautiful the presentations are? This was such a wonderful experience during my double date and I couldn't have asked for a better restaurant! Parking - it's street parking but wasn't too hard finding a spot on Saturday at 6:30PM. Food - 5/5 - wow the fish are so delicate and fresh! Everything looked superb and tasted delicious. The ankimo was my absolute favorite! We also various dishes but the presentation of the Sashimi Omakase was so colorful and vibrant. Service - 3/5 - honestly, everyone was super nice and accommodating! Unfortunately, we were brought out one wrong order and didn't even get comped for it (we asked for two ankimos and she gave us an extra roll). We felt bad so we told her to cancel our other order and ended up being charged for the mistake. We definitely don't want anyone losing their jobs over a small mistake but this bothered me afterwards. However, I love how they kept refilling our tea and water even though we were just catching up and done with dinner! Overall, great dining experience and I would definitely come back for the food!
Came by for dinner the other night and it was a tasty experience. Gintei is located in the Michelin guide. Parking is available on the nearby street or in the few spots right in front of the restaurant. Dining is indoors exclusively. Made a reservation via OpenTable and our table was ready upon arrival. Service by the staff is cordial. Started off with the negi tori which was decent. I've had much better versions in Tokyo. The Kurobuta Kakuni was world class. The pork belly melted in my mouth and the flavors were on point. The side of daikon and perfectly marinated egg definitely hit the spot. The grilled salmon collar was also excellent. This was grilled to perfection, lightly salted and served with a soy sauce dipping sauce. Finished off the meal with the nyumen which was a rice noodle served in a dashi broth. Staff speak Japanese too. ~$65/head after tax and gratuity for dinner with plenty of leftovers read more
It was a very last minute decision to book Gintei but we were glad to have done so. The restaurant itself is very unassuming from the exterior but was cute and welcoming on the inside. The sushi was fresh and overall we had a good time. The omakase was great value for the bay area and would revisit if back in the area. read more
Looking for restaurant near our client's office, my team and I found Gintei through a quick Google search. Everyone was onboard for sushi, and the reviews looked solid. We didn't see an option to reserve a table, but we called the restaurant and were informed that walk-ins were welcome. When we arrived around 5 PM on a weekday, we were surprised to see that we were the only group in the restaurant. As a result, were seated right away. Since we couldn't agree on individual rolls to share, we opted for the omakase experience for the entire table. This set featured a starter of a flaky, white fish, followed by ten pieces of onigiri (served five at a time). Each piece of fish was elaborately presented, and our server explained the types of fish for each round. The onigiri tasted fresh, and each piece had the perfect ratio of fish to rice. I was very full after consuming all of that sushi in a short amount of time, but the warm bowl of miso soup at the end of the meal was just what I needed. read more
I wanted to love this place - and I couldn't. The omakase is a fantastic value (given the quality of the fish, it's one of the best deals in the Bay Area). But service was too fast. I was in and out in less than an hour, even after ordering the 10-piece omakase and adding a number of other additional items. And given the place was mostly empty, there was no real need to rush what I've often felt should be a slow, patient meal. Instead, as I'm biting one piece, the chef is already making the next one. SLOW DOWN. It's an expensive, special occasion. The restaurant itself is sparse; that's typical of these omakase spots, but there's a lot of tables as well... Parking is challenging (though I did manage to secure one of the only two spots outside the restaurant). I won't go back - i just felt too rushed to really enjoy the meal. And that's disappointing because the fish itself is great. read more
11 months ago
Service was good, our waitress was friendly and made some good recommendations for the flown in from Japan Otoro (my wife's favorite) and Wagyu A5 torched nigiri (melted like butter). The rest of meal was good (salad, vegetable tempura, short ribs, and tuna roll). A bit pricey for what you get. A half star taken off for not mentioning it was our anniversary when I booked and notified them in advance. read more
Every day, we pass by this non-descript restaurant located in a strip mall while picking up my son. We've noticed their white simple sign with black writing which is aesthetically pleasing but we've never paid much attention to the place. Recently we read about them in the Michelin guide and only then realized we were reading about the Gintei in our own little San Bruno. The building is tucked away in a strip mall and the door and windows are very non-descript. When pulling up front, I wasn't even sure I was at the right place. There are a few parking spots in front but parking was sparse in the area on a Sunday evening. We arrived late for 6pm reservations and were quickly greeted by friendly staff to let us know it would be a minute. The place was packed and we took the last available table. It was a very inviting place, very nicely decorated, charming and pleasant. Once we were taken to a table, I asked for a Sprite before we even sat down. My son's sugars were dropping. Without hesitation or questions or comments, not even a face, the server quickly brought me the Sprite. We perused their menu and decided to slowly order and try different things. Eventually we had the fish board brought to us so we could learn about the offerings for the evening. They had quite a large selection of fresh fish so it was difficult to decide. We ended up ordering a few dishes at a time to try and coursed out the evening and enjoyed it with a sake flight. To start off, we had Grilled Beef Tongue, a Tataki, Kurobuta Kukuni, Nyumen, and Oyster Shooters. Then Amaebi, Camino Roll, and two kinds of raw Tokyo Fish. Everything was delicious. The broth in the Nyumen was really tasty and it came out hot. The sake flight I had was so yummy, I had a hard time deciding which sake I liked more. The best part of the meal was the service. Everyone was friendly and attentive. The manager (or maybe owner) spoke Cantonese and Japanese. She spoke to us in Cantonese and entertained my husband's attempts so that always makes me happy. They came by to pick up plates as soon as you were done. We loved our meal. We will surely be back soon! read more
We had omakasei at the sushi bar. The service was friendly. The chef would tell us the name of the fish but wouldn't volunteer any more information unless we ask. The sushi was served in relatively rapid succession. The pieces were fresh, and we had no complaints. They don't have an alcohol list for some reason. When I asked for sake, the server asked us for our preference and offered a recommendation. I had to ask to get the price of the bottle. It is reasonable, but it's weird that the price was not given. I had high hopes of making this our go-to sushi place, but it failed to reach our expectations this time. I am willing to give it another try and order a la carte. read more
Solid spot! The owner was our sushi chef on a Sunday night and we got bar seating. The omakase is $90 for 10 pieces but the owner was so chill, he hooked us up with 17 pieces! We also ordered the wagyu, extra amaebi nigiri, and uni at the end. Every piece was delicious and authentic. The tasting came with an appetizer and soup, too. We enjoyed our experience for my birthday celebration. read more
1 year ago
Gintei is fabulous! The fish was so incredibly fresh and delicious- some of the best we've had in the Bay Area. The sushi chefs were kind and interactive with us as we sat at the counter. Can be pricey, but 100% worth the splurge. My partner and I both did the Omakase and everything was perfect, the fish, the rice, and the delicious delicate toppings. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
11 months ago
One of the best sushi restaurants in the Bay Area. Amazing customer service and super fresh sushi and we got a special treat. If you haven't been, must come and try this place. read more
1 year ago
11 months ago
Score - 3.5 - rounded up for yelp Came for a weekday lunch with some coworkers just before noon. Parking around the area can be difficult. There's a few parking spots in front of the restaurant but they're all for accessible/ADA. We were lucky to find street parking around the block and just had to take a short walk to the restaurant. I had made a reservation on OpenTable so we were able to check in and get seated immediately. At this point, there was only one other table occupied. The server was very polite and friendly. We were given menus and a good amount of time to look over everything before he returned to take our order. There is a lunch menu!!! I had yelped this place before going and didn't see any posts of the lunch menu except one from 6 months ago so I wasn't sure they still had it, but they do! We ordered the sake oyako don ($30) and bluefin toro don ($25) from the lunch menu and the "I ate the bone" special roll from the regular menu. The sake oyako don was my favorite of the three. The salmon and ikura were very fresh and the sushi rice was well seasoned. It was the perfect combination. The bluefin toro don resembled a poke bowl with the avocado cubes and seaweed salad, and we all found it a bit too salty. The roll was tasty, with soft shell crab and fresh fish. The sauces on top melded well with the toppings and fillings of the roll. It was a very filling roll. Overall, the ambiance of the place was good and food was decent but not worth the price. I wish I was more impressed as the place seemed more upscale, but we were unanimously underwhelmed with the food. By noon, the restaurant was pretty full so I'd recommend making a reservation if you can but walk-ins would also be fine. read more
2 years ago
We had the omakase and it was delicious and beautiful! 10 beautiful pieces of fish, all of them with unique flavor profiles (some delicate and light, some strong and fatty- all delicious). Our wait staff was super attentive and efficient, and the atmosphere they created was fun and welcoming. The parking situation is basically street parking, we didn't have a problem finding a spot a bit down the way. We came on a cold night and got the hot tea- was perfect to accompany the meal. read more
2 years ago
Went there for my boyfriend's birthday and we loved it! We sat at the sushi bar and each got the omakase set. This was our first time having an omakase tasting and it did not disappoint. There were 10 pieces in each set selected by chef's choice and we really enjoyed the experience of each piece coming out one by one. The sushi itself was very fresh. My favorite was the sweet shrimp, but my boyfriend loved the amber jack. The omakase set pairs really well with the sake flight. We chose the seasonal one and it was a great range of sweet to dry options. They also gave us a glass of our favorite one after trying them all. The only thing was that parking can be difficult as they don't have their own parking lot and there is only street/residential parking around. Overall, this is a great place for date night and we would definitely come back again! read more
Some friends took my out for a belated bday dinner at Gintei a few weeks ago. I've seen this place many, many times but never thought about checking it out. My mistake. This place is a place one would find in the City instead of San Bruno. No offense to San Bruno, I live there. But, it has that boutique quality that would right at home in Japantown. Anyway, everything was excellent and extremely fresh. I haven't had Uni in a long time, because it can spoil very quickly. The Uni was awesome. I'll just let my pics do the rest of the talking. Without a doubt, my new favorite Japanese place in Bruno. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Amazing food, service, and romantic/quiet ambiance. The quality of the food is top notch (best I've had south of S.F.) and very accessible to the airport. Highly recommend coming here. They have an extensive rice wine list as well. Trust the chef- order omakase. read more
Can we talk about how beautiful the presentations are? This was such a wonderful experience during my double date and I couldn't have asked for a better restaurant! Parking - it's street parking but wasn't too hard finding a spot on Saturday at 6:30PM. Food - 5/5 - wow the fish are so delicate and fresh! Everything looked superb and tasted delicious. The ankimo was my absolute favorite! We also various dishes but the presentation of the Sashimi Omakase was so colorful and vibrant. Service - 3/5 - honestly, everyone was super nice and accommodating! Unfortunately, we were brought out one wrong order and didn't even get comped for it (we asked for two ankimos and she gave us an extra roll). We felt bad so we told her to cancel our other order and ended up being charged for the mistake. We definitely don't want anyone losing their jobs over a small mistake but this bothered me afterwards. However, I love how they kept refilling our tea and water even though we were just catching up and done with dinner! Overall, great dining experience and I would definitely come back for the food! read more
The friendly atmosphere and service made up for some of what it was lacking in our experience. This was not Michelin quality anything. I've had way better sushi at average restaurants before. This place is overpriced. There is no where to park but on the street and that is pretty though to find too. The neighborhood is kinda questionable too. I'm not familiar with the area but when I see old motels and liquor stores on the corners it makes me wonder what goes on at night around there. Let's just say it took me awhile to find parking a little closer to the restaurant. The food is ok but it's nothing special and the presentation was extremely lacking. The sushi wasn't cold enough either which was slightly concerning. The quality of the fish just wasn't what you expected. The bathroom was run down and dingy. Slightly dirty too. I'm being generous with 3 stars. The nice part is the food came fast. The roll and sashimi were good. I do not recommend the Salmon Toro Carpaccio roll The service was great, they kept my tea cup full and warm. The smiles were non stop and all of that is wonderful for customer service but it didn't make the food taste better. read more
1 year ago
A super excellent dinner tonight at Gintei. Tried some new things including: Steam boat oysters: amazing Nodoguro: lots of texture, but wonderful and creamy Waygu: luscious Chutoro and Kinmedai (old favorites) were also excellent. So good, again. read more
We were searching for a place near SFO and found this gem. Luckily we didn't need reservations to get a table for four. What a nice surprise. Hubbies got the sushi deluxe and beer. The sashimi just melted in our mouths. So buttery and delicious! Our rolls were not a disappointment either. Everything tasted SO fresh. Even the color of the sashimi was glistening, you could see how fresh it was. The cut of the fish was perfect, not too thick and the rice underneath was not too sticky either. A must! Their miso soup was delicious too. It wasn't salty and came out nice and hot. Even their teas was delightful. A nice, smooth tea that was setting in our stomachs on a rainy evening. Perfect combination for sure. Would definitely go back. read more
2 years ago
This is your ticket to authentic. Spanking fresh pristine fish, sushi, nigiri, sashimi, rolls and tempura plus other specials of the day, written on their board. Spartan clean minimalist interior with the most warm, welcoming attentive service ever, a smiling woman greeted us and ushered us to a corner table. We got their grilled mackerel, plus a host of other nigiri, very buttery and decadent, salmon belly couldn't have been more mouthful and unctuous. Their house salad with pickled cucumbers was fine, but wouldn't get it again, was a bit too heavy on the soy. Parking is free and easy up front with their dedicated mini spot. It's right off of El Camino and yif you drive too fast, you'll miss it. Tiny spot but worth a visit. read more
4 years ago
A bit disappointed. Perhaps I had a little too high of expectations going in with all the reviews. The food was decent but I feel the omakase is a little overpriced for the type and quality of fish provided. Especially with Amami close by with one for a fraction of the cost and bigger cuts... The fish was not bad but it's probably cheaper to just order them individually. Not a bad spot though if you want more variety of fish as they have stuff not available elsewhere but I can't recommend the omakase. Go a la crate for nigiri. read more
How is it that we must've driven by Gintei hundreds of times over the years and we've never dined there? Hubby and I were craving Japanese and decided to give Gintei a try. We were able to make reservations on Open Table for a 6:30 PM time on a Saturday night. Upon arrival, we were seated promptly, but it took awhile for someone to come take our drink order. The restaurant was pretty busy, but not at full capacity. There were only two servers working hence the reason for the slow service. The food took awhile to come out as well. Hubby ordered cooked items - grilled short rib, wagyu harami steak, hamachi kama and veggie tempura. I went for the raw items - nodoguro, kasugodai, hachibiki (all from the daily special menu), otoro, amaebi, and shimaaji (from the regular menu). Everything was phenomenal even though I didn't get my shimaaji and was given sea anago and a different fish instead. I also liked the small amount of rice in each piece of nigiri. I ordered the daijingo flight, which came with three different sakes and a fourth one of your choice from the original three. Looking at a menu from five years ago, this flight was $36 so was shocked to see the $60 price tag on the bill when it came, but all good since I didn't check before ordering. Pros: - High quality, fresh food - Friendly service - Nice ambiance Cons: - Parking is hard in the area (we parked a block and a half away on El Camino) - Service was slow - Pretty expensive We are definitely adding Gintei to the rotation of local Japanese, sushi restaurants and I look forward to being able to give them a 5 stars in the future! read more
4 years ago
More of a 3.5 star review but the service was great so I rounded up :) My fiance took me here for my birthday and we sat at the bar for Omakase because I love sushi! I know this restaurant has been around for quite some time but I haven't tried it until this year. The restaurant doesn't focus on just a nigiri/omakase experience, so we ordered other food but to be honest, the nigiri was all that was memorable. We ordered the Sushi Deluxe Omakase for $80pp that comes with 10pc nigiri, an appetizer and miso soup. The fish was fresh and the sushi rice was good, but it definitely wasn't the best I've had in the Bay Area. The fish pieces weren't of the highest grade/types of fish. Most were like mackerel, hamachi, salmon - more of the basic grade fishes but I guess you get what you pay for at $80. We ordered an additional piece of Wagyu at the end and that was pretty good at $24 for 2 pieces. I would personally skip ordering their ankimo cold dish and their oyster shooter. The ankimo didn't really taste like anything, even with the ponzu-like sauce it came with. The oyster shooter had actual sake in it (you have to be over 21 to order this) and it just didn't make the shot enjoyable since all I tasted was the alcohol. Normally it comes with a ponzu dressing that doesn't overpower the ingredients in the shooter. The service was amazing! The waitress was so nice and attentive even though we sat at the bar and she had tables to wait on. We ordered sake and we don't know our sake brands, so she let us try samples of each sake bottle before purchasing. I like how they can give us half carafe versus buying the full bottle - I am older now and not trying to get drunk but just trying to have a slight buzz haha. At the end, the waitress gave us free ice cream with a candle on it for my birthday :) so nice! read more
One of the best omakase sushi experiences I've had in a while! We were able to book through open table for a Tuesday night without any issues. My boyfriend and I decided to do the ten piece sushi omakase course and shared a Humble Guy roll. We had an assortment of imported Japanese and American fish, and everything tasted spectacular. There seems to be many regulars, and I definitely see why! I'm coming back again once I have another omakase craving. Only con: we did feel a tad bit rushed read more
3 years ago
Super delicious Japanese food in the peninsula. The service was exceptional as they allowed us to try from 3 different sake bottles before choosing which we wanted. The inside of the restaurant was spacious and there didn't seem to be much of a wait all night. Shocking considering how delicious the food was! My favorite dishes: Kurobuta kakuni Amberjack nigiri Tempura read more
3 years ago
Gintei is gold. It's on El Camino real in San Bruno and the interior is cozy. We usually snag a seat at the bar and order their omakase or grab a table if 4 of us are dining. Any larger of a group, I'd recommend making reservations on OpenTable. Luckily today, it was a tranquil Tuesday and seats were not an issue. There are a few handicap parking spots right in front of the restaurant but we easily found parking across the street. Today's order included: Kurobuta Kakuni: Braised pork belly with sweet soy sauce, sake, egg & horseradish on the side. We order this frequently and it hits the spot. It's a rich dish so best to share and eat all that sauce with rice. Chicken Tatsuta Age: The chicken was perfectly moist, seasoned and fresh (we both kinda burned our tongues, lol). This is also a regular item we like. And check out the quenelle for their dipping sauce. Gintei Deluxe Chirashi Sushi: The fish was fresh and the sushi rice was on point! They had an additional lunch menu and this item was being offered for $40. Not pictured is the fresh wasabi, super hot tea and green tea snickerdoodle ice cream which tied in the whole meal. read more
We lucked out and a spot on Opentable became available, so please book your reservation early, as this place gets booked up quickly! This place is easily the best sushi I've had outside of SF, so no need to drive all the way up there and possibly get your car broken into. Service was top notch and were able to provide us with great direction on how to navigate the menu, which has some unique items. The menu ranges from fish all the way to beef tongue, yes beef tongue! We got Omakese sashimi, beef tongue, edamame, AJi Tataki (wow..please get this for presentation alone!!) and barracuda!! Everything was top notch and a great place for date night or just for a roll! read more
Pleasantly surprised dining in here tonight. I've been wanting to try this place so long now and the anticipation was worth it! Everything I tried tonight was delicious. My favorite were the Nodoguro Nigiri and the Wagyu Harami Steak. Service was so friendly and the interior of the restaurant was beautiful. Will definitely be back again! read more
Sushi is my go to. I picked this place because I saw it was on the Michelin guide. We ordered some sushi, humble guy roll, and Daniel roll. The sushi was fresh and tasty, sourced from Japan. I don't know if they have any dessert. They gave us the bill without asking if there was anything else we wanted. The restaurant was half empty, but the service was lacking. read more
When I cruise through El Camino Real, I always drove past Gintei with the belief that this wasn't a notable restaurant from the outside looking in. San Bruno certainly isn't the first area I think of when it comes to a high end Japanese restaurant, but after seeing all the positive reviews and deciding to stomach the potential high price tag, my family and I finally went to try Gintei for the first time. I was impressed without a doubt. We came in with the mindset that we'll splurge on this restaurant one time and probably not come back because of how high the prices are, to "Wow, we are coming back for every special occasion moving forward" simply because of how amazing and fresh the sushi is here. Followed by how polite and hospitable the two waitresses were. They were some of the nicest waitresses I've come across and treated us more like friends than customers and always smiled at us every time they came by our table. A+ service all around. The restaurant was also very clean and had a very comfortable environment. Moving on to the food, the prices were certainly a little daunting, but there is no issue if we felt we were getting our money's worth and we sure felt it was worth it. We ordered the Sashimi Omakase initially and it was so aesthetically pleasing to look at. The level of attention to detail they put into the plate was impressive and you can tell the sushi chefs are real good at what they do. Every piece of sashimi you can easily distinguish from one another. The freshness and taste was on another level. We were so impressed we ordered another Omakase which was the Sushi Deluxe which was also amazing and came with some pieces being difference fish from the Sashimi Omakase. Even the miso soup that came with the Omakase was impressive. Both Omakase's were a 11/10. We also ordered vegetable tempura, the Camino roll, and the Daniel Roll. They were all amazing. The Daniel roll especially was great because real crab was used instead of imitation. 10/10 would order them again. After being satisfied with our meal we finished it off with black sesame ice cream that was plated very nicely and the ice cream had real black sesame seeds which I don't see at every Japanese restaurant that serves this kind of ice cream. It was very rich and creamy and it was a very satisfying way to end our dinner. You have to be ready to spend quite a lot of money when you come here and the four dollar signs on Yelp is an accurate representation of the pricing, but Gintei is one of those restaurants where I felt it was money well spent. They did everything well from customer service, to cleanliness and ambience, to the freshness and flavor of every dish. I'd recommend this place to anyone. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Everything was delicious!! Service was nice. Ambiance was relaxing. They know how to deep fry a roll without cooking the roll inside! PERFECTIONNNN ALSO everything was great quality :) id recommend this place to everyone read more
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More info about Gintei
235 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94066
Directions
(650) 636-4135
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Visit Website
http://gintei.co
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Ask the Community - Gintei
I don't like fish or rice. Do you serve burgers?
Wil S. is either a troll or an idiot. It's a f**king SUSHI bar bruh...
I want to order catering for a private party. Can you please contact me?
We will reopen soon for dine in. Please email directly at 235gintei@gmail.com. Thank you for the continuous support during these tough times. See you guys soon.…
Please update your hours. It says you open at 11:30am on Tuesday, but we went there slightly after and it was closed? And no one answers the phone. Are you open?
Sorry We missed you. We will open when at least 50% of dine in is allowed by the government. Thank you and stay safe.
Are u guys open recently? Cuz I called several time and no one answered my call. I can't wait to eat my favorite sushi.😭
They are open right now!
Do you need to order omakase in advance?
You can order ahead or order at the same day
Is there a dress code?
It's California, if you can afford to eat here you're probably dressed appropriately.
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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
27 reviews that are not currently recommended
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Gintei - japanese - Updated August 2026
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