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Ichika is nestled inside the Lion's supermarket mall with tight spots where parking is difficult to find. Once inside the Kaiseki-style restaurant, decor is nice, and food pic-worthy. Out of the 9 courses, I love the Sea Bass, but the sauce is super sweet. Appetizers were nice, but the flavors and textures are a mishmash. In agreement with recent review, the abalone itself was flavorless, so I was glad they added the whisky mustard sauce and grilled veggies. The sashimi ,nigiri's and dessert were pretty average. Soup and chawan-mushi were below average. Nevertheless, there was a lot of food and I was pretty full after 5 courses. Accompanying us are first-time diners of this kind of restaurant and they enjoyed it.
Ugh I knew as soon as I ate the raw items here that something felt off. Lo and behold, spent all weekend with a severe bout of food poisoning. The seafood here is not fresh. The worst offenders were the uni, sashimi and lobster. The uni came out as part of the appetizer course and smelled so fishy. I love uni and so it totally caught me off guard. The uni was mushy and disintegrated as it touched my tongue. The sashimi/nigiri was so disappointing too. The rice texture felt old and gave off that characteristic stale stench that old rice gives off. The lobster (which was cooked) was also not fresh. Smelled fishy, you know, when you get seafood that's on sale at the market cause it's close to its expiration date. The non seafood items were good though. Really enjoyed the katsu and dessert. Honestly I didn't want to make a big deal at the restaurant at the time because it was a special occasion dinner. But I'm still suffering from this dinner and regret spending 300+ on this night.
Enjoyed another great omakase here. Loved the corn tofu with uni, sea bass, abalone, nigiris and tiramisu dessert. Everything else was delicious as well. Couldn't finished all the food. Lobster dish was okay. Enjoyed sitting at the bar looking at all the dishes being made. I think my Valentine's Day omakase was a better experience. Ambience was nice but I would turn the music down a tad bit.
This was the worst omakase I've ever had. I'm sorry but I did not like the chef's choice for appetizers. Check out the pics for the full fixed menu. Sashimi was good. The nigiri was mid. The tofu in the tiny cup was good it had uni and eggs on it. The grilled halibut was kinda unnecessary and not very flavorful. Dashi soup was only okay. I wished I had just done à la carte. I gave this place an extra star only because the waitress was so sweet and the ambiance is nice. I'll give them a star for decor. I just wish the food was better and worth the price of $148.
I really enjoyed my meal here! They were very efficient - the next dish came out very quickly after I finished the previous course! My favorites were definitely the chef special sashimi selection - each fish was very unique and tasty. I also loved the dessert - we had a hojicha pudding with black sugar syrup and fruit. Overall I really enjoyed this meal!
An amazing omakase experience in a hidden gem location! Suggested this spot for a nice dinner out with my parents and we were so surprised to find such a nice sushi place in milpitas. It's located in an unassuming plaza, but the interior design is amazing and really transports you into a whole different place. There aren't too many tables so it's definitely a more intimate meal, but there are high barriers between each table for privacy. For the food - we all thoroughly enjoyed the meal and I would say it's one of the more creative omakase sets I've tried. Everything was delicious and had stronger, more distinct flavors for each dish but I honestly prefer that to lighter flavors for omakase. Service was attentive and helpful, esp when explaining the dishes. We originally thought that there was no way we'd hit the 2 hour limit, but it honestly took us a little more than 1.5 hours to finish everything. Good for a leisurely meal, didn't feel rushed at all. Would definitely return for a special occasion or just to try more seasonal items! Would recommend :)
I really wanted to like this place, but for the price and quality, everything fell short. We had friends that recommended this place the week before we went and they showed us their pictures --ours looked nothing like their photos even tho it was the same menu. Understandably menus change, but the quality of our food was questionable. Lets get into some of the dishes: Beef tongue chawanmushi - I couldn't even taste the beef tongue. It was like little pieces of mushrooms were cut up to impersonate beef tongue. The egg custard below was delicious, but we just couldn't get past how thick the sauce was to actually enjoy it. Seasonal sashimi - quite possibly the most basic plate of sashimi ever. Peep the scallop that was cut in half too. It seems like they prep this ahead of time, refrigerate it, then plop it on a plate when it's ready to be served hourssss later. Nigiri - probably the best dish we had all night, but also very underwhelming. Also very small. Grilled seabass - how do you mess up a grilled seabass? Serve it in sweet/thick yuzu sauce. Also, the skin was super chewy (weird) Snowcrab in dashi broth - just not good. The broth was salty and crab didn't taste fresh. Abalone - tasted microwaved. We left VERY underwhelmed, so underwhelmed that I felt compelled to write a review. We've been to a ton of omakases and this one was by far the worst.
Very intimate setting, dimmed lighting and minimalistic. They only have omakase and you can even make a reservation online but you'll need to pay for a reservation fee that will go towards your meal. Oh my... it was a very long dinner but it does state online that it may take up to 2 hours. My friend and I were just exhausted from our flight and I guess it was a bad choice to come to an omakase that night. Besides all that, it was a very delicious meal. Everything was super fresh, you can taste the quality and I appreciate the chef's time and work of art. Service was also great the servers were nice and as each dish came by they would give an introduction.
Small tight-knit atmosphere . Got to sit at the bar for sushi omakase. Service was good. Sushi chef knew his stuff and was friendly. Food was awesome! The menu and selection of dishes and fish chosen were on point. Sushi was fresh. Had a great time. Despite not living in the area, I would not hesitate to come back!
A really nice omakase restaurant in a quiet, unsuspecting plaza with plenty of parking! We had a 9 course omakase prix fixe and decided against the add on but you can receive A5 wagyu, Hokkaido uni, and O'toro for $45. I really loved taking my two friends here for their first omakase! Restaurant itself is gorgeous. We loved the quiet, yet cozy ambience and the rocks, water, and colors just makes you feel transported to a different place. There were about 5 tables give or take and also a line of bar seating for those who would like to hangout with the chef! But reservations are definitely required and it's made through Tock on their website. There's a $50 deposit per person which is put toward your bill at the end. Each dish was incredible and carefully plated by the chef and described by our wonderful servers. The fish was so fresh and seasoned well. Rice never broke apart. And to top things off, the dessert was beautiful and tasty as well. The syrup given accentuates the flavor of the dessert, I poured mine with every couple bites but my friend dumped the entire bowl and enjoyed that too if you're a sweet tooth! Overall was an amazing experience from start to finish, from food to service, I would definitely bring more people back here! Just keep in mind that expectedly, the bill is going to be quite large with tip, tax and whatnot.
The best friend took me here for a belated birthday dinner. We're always on a hunt for some fine dining experiences and just so happen to land in Milpitas for this Kaiseki style dinner. She made a reservation online the day of and had no issues securing seating for the two of us. We arrived around 6pm and were the first ones to be greeted for the evening. The sous-chef and servers were all really kind, inviting, and elegant to interact with. For a Tuesday evening, this was on the Prix Fixe menu for $128 per person before drinks and gratuity -- 1) APPETIZER: Chef's Choice Starters 2) SEASONAL SASHIMI: Chef's Choice Seasonal Seafood Sashimi 3) KANI CHAWANMUSHI: Steamed Egg with Crab Meat 4) NIGIRI: Chef's Choice Seasonal Nigiri 3 pc 5) GRILLED: Grilled Sea Bass Marinated in Miso 6) NIGIRI: Chef's Choice Seasonal Nigiri 2 pc 7) SOUP: Japanese Clear Clam Soup 8) DESSERT: Seasonal Dessert Since we're on the topic of the menu, I want to share that the food was excellent. The cuts and quality of the sashimi were very thoughtful and owned it's distinct flavor with every bite. The presentation to each course were intentional with embraced the beautiful art and culture an authentic Japanese cuisine offers. I enjoyed how our server would explain what order to eat each serving in as it paved the way for our palate to prepare for each tasting. Compliments to the chef and sous-chefs for taking such pride in the selection and makeup of each course. The ambiance is on the romantic side -- calm, quiet, and intimate. This is good choice for dining if you're celebrating an anniversary, a birthday, or trying to impress on a first date (yes fellas - take notes!). All in all, it was another sophisticated experience in the world of fine dining. Would not mind returning again to try another prix fixe menu.
Great atmosphere, high quality omakase, would recommend anyone who wants to enjoy some fresh sushi and good Japanese beer
Went here to celebrate an early birthday and another occasion and the experience was pretty good. At first glance through the photos, the interior look spacious but it really isn't. The place is located inside a plaza w/ a tons of random shops, restaurants, bakery, and a 99 ranch market. Parking can be difficult (what we noticed when left) but since we had our reservation at 5pm, there was plenty of parking. There's 2 chefs and 2 waitresses, all are really nice and welcoming. We appreciated the booth seating, as it gave us some privacy from the surrounding tables. Interior design was very modern, even down to their utensils. Ambience was nice - sometimes it got too loud but other times, it was dead silent. Maybe it's just the tables surrounding us. NOW for the food. I felt like the first dish that they brought out to us was packed w/ a ton of heavy flavor and too much of it at the same time. There was a lot of things that I wish they would've done differently. For one, and this is just IMO, but I wish they would've started out a warm course or something lighter on the palette. I feel like it's important to ease your guests into your experience, rather than one heavy meal after another... By "heavy" I meant like literally the first dish we had was all unique flavors, including a taste of lavender w/ a shrimp. Another huge disappointment for me was the egg custard. Idk what it was but I did not enjoy this at all. It was dense, cold, and just didn't taste as delicious as it looked. I've had better egg custard for sure, but this was one was just a no-no. I couldn't finish mine so I gave it to my bf, but he didn't like it either. I felt like it was disrespectful to have them pick it up and saw that we didn't finish it but honestly, it wasn't appetizing. I wish they could've asked for suggestions/recommendations on how to improve (FYI: some places do), but there was no way I could've finished that. Everything else was pretty tasty and the experience was good nonetheless. My favorite dish: dessert. Just absolutely delicious. If you're looking to do casual date night or celebrate an occasion without going too far, then I would recommend this place. But if you're looking for a top-notch experience, I don't think this place will fit.
The culinary journey is created by Chef Sodeyama . He is originally from Japan . He spend twenty years working as a Japanese chef in Tokyo and San Francisco. Chef Sodeyama also soend ten years working as a French chef . This unique experience is why you would see subtle French techniques , presentation or textures woven into their modern , Kaiseki- inspired multi- courses menus . The menu relies heavily on the concept of seasonality , using fresh fishes and premium ingredients directly sourced from Japan ( such as Hokkaido uni ) The atmosphere it creates as intimate , upscale , kaisek-style in quiet and cozy vibe . The food are fresh but kind of very small quantities compared to most of the other Japanese restaurants that I have been . I have eaten a lot of Omakase restaurants in San Diego, Honolulu, San Francisco , Midwest , Vancouver, and a few other places. I would give a 4 out of 5 for this experience. read more
I feel like I'm being gaslit reading everyone else's reviews.. I was so excited to try Ichika but it's ended up being the worst omakase experience I've had by far. And I've tried a fair share of omakase places. The prix fixe 9 course meal was $150 per person, and I personally feel the quality of the ingredients and overall seasoning of the dishes did not meet that price point. It was already a rough start with the appetizers. I'm also a texture person so maybe someone else would like these but I was not a fan of the vegetable jelly nor the goopy seaweed salad. Had I known this prior to dining I don't think I would have wanted to go with the omakase menu. The chawanmushi was very underseasoned and missing salt completely. On the menu it says it has crab in it but the only crab meat you get with it comes in a tiny claw that you have no way of digging out The nigiri, which I was most excited for, fell VERY flat. The fish wasn't particularly fresh and I found a bone in my nigiri. (??) The rice was also really dry and mushy. I was genuinely so disappointed at this. Miso sea bass was overly sweet which didn't really work with how fatty the fish was. It was too much. Also found more bones in the miso sea bass but that's less gobsmacking than finding it in your nigiri. The dessert, matcha tiramisu, just tasted like straight up cream and not sweet at all. I don't have a sweet tooth by any means but this could've used sugar. I didn't feel very good eating this, the fattiness of the cream plus not having any flavor ruined it for me :( Overall, the main theme is just the lack of seasoning in any of the dishes plus ingredients not being fresh. I know it's Kaiseki style, but the dishes also seemed very uninspired and plating was kinda messy. When I looked closely, the plates weren't clean and there were marks.. Maybe I'm being nitpicky but at a price point like this, the details matter. Word of advice, if you live in South Bay and want omakase, just take your $ and drive an hour up to SF. My bf took me here to celebrate our anniversary and I feel awful about how bad it was.. +1 star for the friendly service. read more
Dined here on a weekday evening. We came with prior reservation and were seated within 5 minutes. There were few empty tables and the bar seating was completely empty. I was hesitant in the beginning since they offered us bar seating where the bar wasn't even functional so it was just empty and it would be weird to sit there facing a closed bar space. On asking for a table seating option we were lucky to get one since the restaurant was half empty. We opted for the 9 course meal. The first 3 courses were nothing amazing to talk about. The first course lacked flavor, the sashimi was decent. I had high expectations from the sashimi considering the price of the meal. The courses became better after the 4th one. Both the nigiri courses were pretty good. The dessert was nothing exceptional. Overall, the food wasn't bad, it was decent but nothing amazing. The service was good, they were slow in the beginning but started rushing toward the last 3-4 courses. In summary, I did not find the experience and food worth the expensive price tag attached to the meal. I wouldn't be interested in repeating this restaurant. read more
Ichika is nestled inside the Lion's supermarket mall with tight spots where parking is difficult to find. Once inside the Kaiseki-style restaurant, decor is nice, and food pic-worthy. Out of the 9 courses, I love the Sea Bass, but the sauce is super sweet. Appetizers were nice, but the flavors and textures are a mishmash. In agreement with recent review, the abalone itself was flavorless, so I was glad they added the whisky mustard sauce and grilled veggies. The sashimi ,nigiri's and dessert were pretty average. Soup and chawan-mushi were below average. Nevertheless, there was a lot of food and I was pretty full after 5 courses. Accompanying us are first-time diners of this kind of restaurant and they enjoyed it. read more
4 months ago
Ugh I knew as soon as I ate the raw items here that something felt off. Lo and behold, spent all weekend with a severe bout of food poisoning. The seafood here is not fresh. The worst offenders were the uni, sashimi and lobster. The uni came out as part of the appetizer course and smelled so fishy. I love uni and so it totally caught me off guard. The uni was mushy and disintegrated as it touched my tongue. The sashimi/nigiri was so disappointing too. The rice texture felt old and gave off that characteristic stale stench that old rice gives off. The lobster (which was cooked) was also not fresh. Smelled fishy, you know, when you get seafood that's on sale at the market cause it's close to its expiration date. The non seafood items were good though. Really enjoyed the katsu and dessert. Honestly I didn't want to make a big deal at the restaurant at the time because it was a special occasion dinner. But I'm still suffering from this dinner and regret spending 300+ on this night. read more
11 months ago
Enjoyed another great omakase here. Loved the corn tofu with uni, sea bass, abalone, nigiris and tiramisu dessert. Everything else was delicious as well. Couldn't finished all the food. Lobster dish was okay. Enjoyed sitting at the bar looking at all the dishes being made. I think my Valentine's Day omakase was a better experience. Ambience was nice but I would turn the music down a tad bit. read more
This was the worst omakase I've ever had. I'm sorry but I did not like the chef's choice for appetizers. Check out the pics for the full fixed menu. Sashimi was good. The nigiri was mid. The tofu in the tiny cup was good it had uni and eggs on it. The grilled halibut was kinda unnecessary and not very flavorful. Dashi soup was only okay. I wished I had just done à la carte. I gave this place an extra star only because the waitress was so sweet and the ambiance is nice. I'll give them a star for decor. I just wish the food was better and worth the price of $148. read more
1 month ago
2 years ago
I really enjoyed my meal here! They were very efficient - the next dish came out very quickly after I finished the previous course! My favorites were definitely the chef special sashimi selection - each fish was very unique and tasty. I also loved the dessert - we had a hojicha pudding with black sugar syrup and fruit. Overall I really enjoyed this meal! read more
10 months ago
An amazing omakase experience in a hidden gem location! Suggested this spot for a nice dinner out with my parents and we were so surprised to find such a nice sushi place in milpitas. It's located in an unassuming plaza, but the interior design is amazing and really transports you into a whole different place. There aren't too many tables so it's definitely a more intimate meal, but there are high barriers between each table for privacy. For the food - we all thoroughly enjoyed the meal and I would say it's one of the more creative omakase sets I've tried. Everything was delicious and had stronger, more distinct flavors for each dish but I honestly prefer that to lighter flavors for omakase. Service was attentive and helpful, esp when explaining the dishes. We originally thought that there was no way we'd hit the 2 hour limit, but it honestly took us a little more than 1.5 hours to finish everything. Good for a leisurely meal, didn't feel rushed at all. Would definitely return for a special occasion or just to try more seasonal items! Would recommend :) read more
2 years ago
I really wanted to like this place, but for the price and quality, everything fell short. We had friends that recommended this place the week before we went and they showed us their pictures --ours looked nothing like their photos even tho it was the same menu. Understandably menus change, but the quality of our food was questionable. Lets get into some of the dishes: Beef tongue chawanmushi - I couldn't even taste the beef tongue. It was like little pieces of mushrooms were cut up to impersonate beef tongue. The egg custard below was delicious, but we just couldn't get past how thick the sauce was to actually enjoy it. Seasonal sashimi - quite possibly the most basic plate of sashimi ever. Peep the scallop that was cut in half too. It seems like they prep this ahead of time, refrigerate it, then plop it on a plate when it's ready to be served hourssss later. Nigiri - probably the best dish we had all night, but also very underwhelming. Also very small. Grilled seabass - how do you mess up a grilled seabass? Serve it in sweet/thick yuzu sauce. Also, the skin was super chewy (weird) Snowcrab in dashi broth - just not good. The broth was salty and crab didn't taste fresh. Abalone - tasted microwaved. We left VERY underwhelmed, so underwhelmed that I felt compelled to write a review. We've been to a ton of omakases and this one was by far the worst. read more
Very intimate setting, dimmed lighting and minimalistic. They only have omakase and you can even make a reservation online but you'll need to pay for a reservation fee that will go towards your meal. Oh my... it was a very long dinner but it does state online that it may take up to 2 hours. My friend and I were just exhausted from our flight and I guess it was a bad choice to come to an omakase that night. Besides all that, it was a very delicious meal. Everything was super fresh, you can taste the quality and I appreciate the chef's time and work of art. Service was also great the servers were nice and as each dish came by they would give an introduction. read more
Small tight-knit atmosphere . Got to sit at the bar for sushi omakase. Service was good. Sushi chef knew his stuff and was friendly. Food was awesome! The menu and selection of dishes and fish chosen were on point. Sushi was fresh. Had a great time. Despite not living in the area, I would not hesitate to come back! read more
A really nice omakase restaurant in a quiet, unsuspecting plaza with plenty of parking! We had a 9 course omakase prix fixe and decided against the add on but you can receive A5 wagyu, Hokkaido uni, and O'toro for $45. I really loved taking my two friends here for their first omakase! Restaurant itself is gorgeous. We loved the quiet, yet cozy ambience and the rocks, water, and colors just makes you feel transported to a different place. There were about 5 tables give or take and also a line of bar seating for those who would like to hangout with the chef! But reservations are definitely required and it's made through Tock on their website. There's a $50 deposit per person which is put toward your bill at the end. Each dish was incredible and carefully plated by the chef and described by our wonderful servers. The fish was so fresh and seasoned well. Rice never broke apart. And to top things off, the dessert was beautiful and tasty as well. The syrup given accentuates the flavor of the dessert, I poured mine with every couple bites but my friend dumped the entire bowl and enjoyed that too if you're a sweet tooth! Overall was an amazing experience from start to finish, from food to service, I would definitely bring more people back here! Just keep in mind that expectedly, the bill is going to be quite large with tip, tax and whatnot. read more
6 months ago
The best friend took me here for a belated birthday dinner. We're always on a hunt for some fine dining experiences and just so happen to land in Milpitas for this Kaiseki style dinner. She made a reservation online the day of and had no issues securing seating for the two of us. We arrived around 6pm and were the first ones to be greeted for the evening. The sous-chef and servers were all really kind, inviting, and elegant to interact with. For a Tuesday evening, this was on the Prix Fixe menu for $128 per person before drinks and gratuity -- 1) APPETIZER: Chef's Choice Starters 2) SEASONAL SASHIMI: Chef's Choice Seasonal Seafood Sashimi 3) KANI CHAWANMUSHI: Steamed Egg with Crab Meat 4) NIGIRI: Chef's Choice Seasonal Nigiri 3 pc 5) GRILLED: Grilled Sea Bass Marinated in Miso 6) NIGIRI: Chef's Choice Seasonal Nigiri 2 pc 7) SOUP: Japanese Clear Clam Soup 8) DESSERT: Seasonal Dessert Since we're on the topic of the menu, I want to share that the food was excellent. The cuts and quality of the sashimi were very thoughtful and owned it's distinct flavor with every bite. The presentation to each course were intentional with embraced the beautiful art and culture an authentic Japanese cuisine offers. I enjoyed how our server would explain what order to eat each serving in as it paved the way for our palate to prepare for each tasting. Compliments to the chef and sous-chefs for taking such pride in the selection and makeup of each course. The ambiance is on the romantic side -- calm, quiet, and intimate. This is good choice for dining if you're celebrating an anniversary, a birthday, or trying to impress on a first date (yes fellas - take notes!). All in all, it was another sophisticated experience in the world of fine dining. Would not mind returning again to try another prix fixe menu. read more
1 year ago
Great atmosphere, high quality omakase, would recommend anyone who wants to enjoy some fresh sushi and good Japanese beer read more
Went here to celebrate an early birthday and another occasion and the experience was pretty good. At first glance through the photos, the interior look spacious but it really isn't. The place is located inside a plaza w/ a tons of random shops, restaurants, bakery, and a 99 ranch market. Parking can be difficult (what we noticed when left) but since we had our reservation at 5pm, there was plenty of parking. There's 2 chefs and 2 waitresses, all are really nice and welcoming. We appreciated the booth seating, as it gave us some privacy from the surrounding tables. Interior design was very modern, even down to their utensils. Ambience was nice - sometimes it got too loud but other times, it was dead silent. Maybe it's just the tables surrounding us. NOW for the food. I felt like the first dish that they brought out to us was packed w/ a ton of heavy flavor and too much of it at the same time. There was a lot of things that I wish they would've done differently. For one, and this is just IMO, but I wish they would've started out a warm course or something lighter on the palette. I feel like it's important to ease your guests into your experience, rather than one heavy meal after another... By "heavy" I meant like literally the first dish we had was all unique flavors, including a taste of lavender w/ a shrimp. Another huge disappointment for me was the egg custard. Idk what it was but I did not enjoy this at all. It was dense, cold, and just didn't taste as delicious as it looked. I've had better egg custard for sure, but this was one was just a no-no. I couldn't finish mine so I gave it to my bf, but he didn't like it either. I felt like it was disrespectful to have them pick it up and saw that we didn't finish it but honestly, it wasn't appetizing. I wish they could've asked for suggestions/recommendations on how to improve (FYI: some places do), but there was no way I could've finished that. Everything else was pretty tasty and the experience was good nonetheless. My favorite dish: dessert. Just absolutely delicious. If you're looking to do casual date night or celebrate an occasion without going too far, then I would recommend this place. But if you're looking for a top-notch experience, I don't think this place will fit. read more
Ideally, I'd give Ichika a 3.5/5. Ichika in Milpitas offers a unique take on Kaiseki, a multi-course Japanese fine dining experience. The restaurant itself boasts a beautiful ambiance, with a mix of modern and traditional elements. Booths and sunken seating provide a great setting for groups, while natural materials and handcrafted furniture create a modern and sophisticated atmosphere. The service at Ichika was excellent. The staff was attentive and friendly, and the chef himself was happy to chat and answer questions. However, the omakase experience itself had some hits and misses. For a fixed price of $148 per person, the menu offers a seasonal selection of dishes. Our omakase experience included - Sakizuke: This was a solid start. It included 4 appetizers - 1. abalone 2. sweet shrimp, and hotate 3. gobo (burdock root) 4. seaweed and crab. All four appetizers, including the standout sweet shrimp and hotate (scallop), were fresh and delicious. Tsukuri (sashimi): The sashimi course featured four different types of fish, showcasing the quality of the ingredients. These 4 fishes were - 1. Kanpachi 2. Hotate 3. Kurodai 4. Akami (bluefin tuna) The hotate (sweet and delicious) and the bluefin tuna were the highlights of this course. Reisei Chawanmushi (cold steamed egg custard): Unfortunately, this dish fell flat. The custard itself lacked flavor, and while the foamy sauce helped a bit, it wasn't enough to save it. Nigiri (6 pieces of premium cuts): The first round of nigiri included 3 interesting pieces - 1. Hirame (flounder) with truffle salt was a unique twist 2. The Shima aji (stripejack) with ginger was a classic combination. 3. Iwana (Arctic char from Iceland) Hirame and Iwana were my favorites from this nigiri round. The second round of nigir also included 3 pieces of premium cuts of fish - 1. Kinmedai (golden eye snapper) 2. Soy cured fatty tuna 3. Hokkaido uni with slamon roe The fatty tuna was buttery and soft (melt-in-your-mouth texture), and the Hokkaido uni with salmon roe was a perfect combination of sweet and salty. These 2 nigiri pieces definitely offered the rich flavors you expect in a high-end omakase. However, a heads up for those sensitive to wasabi - all the nigiri came quite generous with it. You can definitely request the chef to go lighter on the wasabi. Agemono (tempura): Both the pickled tempura and sweet potato in this course were a bit bland. A sprinkle of salt or a more flavorful dipping sauce would have been a welcome improvement. Ankake (fish in broth): This savory dish with white fish in a dashi broth was a comforting addition to the meal. Monaka (caviar and otoro): Outside of the nigiri pieces, this dish was the star of the show! The combination of caviar and melt-in-your-mouth otoro (fatty tuna belly) on a crisp wafer was a delicious burst of salty and creamy. Suimono (soup): The shrimp ball, mochi (rice cake), and sakura (cherry blossom) in this 7soup were a nice way to cleanse the palate before dessert. Though, as with other dishes, this dish lacked salt, too. Dessert (hojicha ice cream): The hojicha ice cream itself was good, but it lacked sweetness on its own. The provided honey black syrup helped, but overall, the dessert felt a bit underwhelming. In conclusion, Ichika offers a beautiful ambiance, friendly service, and a good variety of dishes in their omakase menu. However, some courses could benefit from stronger flavors and more creative execution. For the price point, I would rate it a 3-star experience. I wish they included more nigiri pieces in their omakase experience. read more
1 year ago
I really want to like this place and give it a higher score. It's so close to home and the staff (maybe husband and wife) are remarkably sweet. The presentation and restaurant decors are on point. I am sure they put a lot of thoughts onto them. However, the omakse course meal just left me so much more to desire. Let's start with the worst. The marinated Chilean sea bass was overwhelmingly sweet with the sauce. The sashimi and nigiri were good, but I didn't come for that. I wanted something great for the price! That's the problem, most are all average. My favorite dish was the dessert. read more
I made reservation to celebrate a birthday and when I arrived, they immediately gave us the option of a table or the bar. We chose the bar. We really had a great meal. Excellent interaction with the sushi chef and staff, great food, great service. It is pricey, but well worth it for a special occasion. read more
2 years ago
Ichika was my first omakase experience, and it gave me some ideas of what I would look for in future pursuits. Food - 3/5 A ten course meal, with everything leaving me with a feeling of mediocre satisfaction. As each stage of the meal came about, there was a harrowing realization that nothing particularly stood out. It was all decent food, but the flavor profiles were rather unassuming. I think for those who have a lighter palate, this might be for you; but, for those who want something with more pizazz and weight to it, this lacks it. For a price point of $168 per person, it was a confusing justification at the end of the meal - it simply did not feel worthy of that value given other potential restaurants and other omakases elsewhere. Service - 5/5 There is definitely an eye on the table, as the waiter and waitress would take the empty dishes immediately and serve the next meal relatively quickly. The food was explained well, the overall treatment very cordial, and there was definitely professionalism from the servers. Atmosphere - 4/5 Admittedly, the place is hard to be relaxed in. The store is on the smaller size, so patrons are a little closer to each other than I would have liked. Conversations felt muted due to the environment, and it was a little tense eating here. Overall impression - 3.5/5 If there are no other omakases nearby and you really want something more upscale for the one time, Ichika is...considerable. I didn't hate the experience, but it also did not live up to a built up preconception of omakases. From my own time there, I felt that in retrospect a plethora of other places would have left me far more satisfied. I think back to the old cliche in shows where a family goes to a stereotypically "fancy" place for the first time, only to come out hungry and disoriented: now I get it. read more
2 years ago
Decent omakase style meal in milpitas! It's 5 or 6 courses composed of small bites, soups, fish, nigiri, and dessert. I really enjoyed the variety of foods served during this meal. While everything was good, nothing stood out as amazing. read more
The restaurant is a bit hidden away, hole in the wall type of place, but once you enter, you find that it's got such an elegant ambiance. The lighting, the music, everything makes you feel calm and sets the mood for a great date. We were greeted right away by our hostess and brought to our seat. This place mainly offers an 8-course meal for $128, but you can always add other things to your meal. Everything is carefully crafted by the master chef and sushi chef. Each piece of appetizer we had was a different texture and different flavor. Then came the sashimi, I really liked their homemade soysauce which was bubbly and light as to not overpower the flavor of the fish. The steamed egg and crab meat was PERFECTION! Made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The miso glazed sea bass was my favorite, I was sad I finished it so fast and wanted more. The clam soup was a great palate cleanser for the dessert. For dessert, it was a light horchata pudding which was fabulous. The horchata flavor was so strong and not too sweet, but you can adjust with the syrup they give you on the side. Overall it was a great experience. I would definitely recommend to try this place out! read more
Came here for our first tasting menu experience ever. This review is long overdue ichicka was everything and more at a great price point. The restaurant itself is in a strip mall and genuinely looks like nothing. Just some blacked out windows with a small menu. The inside is gorgeous and small - with a sushi bar and a handful of tables. I made my reservation online and deposit is required. I noted my fiancé has a peanut allergy and the restaurant was quick to respond and super friendly. As for the tasting menu, everything was exquisite. I think the soup course was the only one I truly didn't care for. Presentation of the food is A+, with each dish having unique plates and plating. One thing that we were particularly fond of was their foamy soy sauce. So delicious! All the fish was fresh as well. Service was amazing. We had two servers and both were super nice. They also gave us some complimentary sake for my fiancé's birthday, and played a birthday song for him. If you're new to tasting menus and looking for something delicious and more on the affordable side, Ichika is your spot! read more
3 years ago
*LOCATION* We visited the restaurant on a Friday ~7:45pm for a friend's dinner. There was plenty of free parking in the plaza and we didn't have any trouble looking for spots. The outside did NOT look like a restaurant at all. The door was closed and windows were all blacked out. The only indicator that it was a restaurant was the stand with the menu on it LOL *WAIT TIME* My group of 3 had a reservation so there was no wait time. The sushi bar was full and there was a medium-sized group at one of the other tables. We got to choose between either the big table up front or one of the booths in the back. We chose the latter so that we could be closer to the sushi bar & chef. *FOOD* All 3 of us opted for the prix fixe at $128 per person. It came with multiple courses and there was the option to add on additional items separately if we wanted. I was excited when each course came out because the presentation of each dish was sooo beautiful. The appetizers were interesting (some I liked more than others hahaha) but the fish were all really fresh and tasty. My favorites were the steamed egg custard and uni nigiri. The warm clam soup at the end was also a nice way to tie everything together. I thought I was too full to eat the dessert until it came out! It was a unique take on panna cotta (texture is more firm) with matcha powder/mochi and honey(?) drizzle. I literally scraped the bowl clean LOL *SERVICE* Waiters were all friendly, attentive and nice. I didn't like the set-up of the booths because the inside seats are too far for the waiter to reach. It was an awkward transition between each course because I had to be the "middle person" to pass the plates back and forth. It would have been nice it they kept a copy of the prix fixe menu at the table so we could reference back to each course. *AMBIENCE* Although the outside looks sus, the interior is much *aesthetics*. There is nice mood lighting and definitely gives off classy modern Japanese vibes. This place would be a good choice for a nice (& expensive) date night or a birthday celebration! read more
A soft ambiance spot for quality omakase? Come here for your next special meal. My husband brought me here for my birthday. I was so surprised it looked so secretive and was a beautiful spot. Beautiful plating and quality ingredients. We came on a Sunday night with a reservation, it's hard to tell this was a spot for secret omakase from outside, so definitely low key! We had wonderful time & service was attentive with the tea & water throughout. Ichika's omakase as of 1/2024 is $128 per person. The birthday had a subtle candle which I loved & for those who don't like the staff singing at them, they played John Legend's happy birthday which was wayyyy wayyy more tasteful read more
We loved everything here at Ichika! From the service, ambiance and the food, so worth it! It was $128 per person for an 8-course meal and will definitely come back. Don't forget to book a reservation as they get busy. There is a non refundable deposit of $50 per person so no backing out lol. read more
1 year ago
Tried Ichikas omakase. Although some dishes were good, the actual fish seemed to be on repetition - which was disappointing. Also nigiri pieces were minimal unlike other places I've tried. Opted for the $50 supplemental of uni, Wagyu and Toro - which was underwhelming. We were the only party for the evening, so maybe something has changed in the quality. Service was great and our waiter was excellent. read more
5 months ago
Food 9 course prix fixe meal for $148 Sunomono Salad Japanese Vinegar Salad Appetizer Chef's Choice Starters Seasonal Sashimi Chef's Choice Seasonal Seafood Sashimi CHAWANMUSHI Beef Tongue Stew Steamed Egg Custard NIGIRI I Chef's Choice Seasonal Nigiri Part I Sawara Saikyo-Yaki Spanish Mackerel, Mixed grains rice, Mountain with Yam sauce NIGIRI II Chef's Choice Premium Nigiri Part |1 (O-toro, A5 Wagyu, Hokkaido Uni Soup Snow Crab Claw Umami Soup Dessert Seasonal Dessert All of three dishes were exceptional and the price point was worth it. I would definitely come back again. Customer Service Very attentive customer service throughout the dining experience. This was a reservation placed in advance and the restaurant capacity wasn't fully booked. Ambiance Dim lighting and perfect setting for a nice dinner to celebrate any occasion. There were some seating areas that had zen-like decor with bamboo and rocks. read more
3 years ago
Everything about this place is amazing! I came here to celebrate a 5 year anniversary and felt so taken care of the entire time. Reservations were super easy to make. You make a reservation online and put down a deposit to secure your booking. I made our reservation the next night and didn't have to worry about it being fully booked. I liked this because we had to pay the deposit and we can be fickle so I wanted to be 100% committed. Once we arrived, there was plenty of parking. The outside just looked dark but once we walked in, we were in awe of how beautiful it was. Absolutely loved the decor. We were greeted and seated immediately. The hostess/waitress explained the menu and our experience started right away. It was a 8-course meal for $128 per person. The six piece appetizer was delicious, offered lots of variety, and was actually substantial. They make their own soy sauce which I thought was so cool. The Steamed Egg with Crab Meat was perfectly steamed, which I've seen other restaurants mess up. One of our favorites was the Grilled Sea Bass Marinated in Miso! I wanted seconds of the sea bass and desperately want this recipe. One of the seasonal nigiri, the fatty toro, was ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. I loved every bit of it. And to top everything off, the dessert that day was CHEF'S KISS!!! It was some sort of hojicha pudding with black honey on the side so we could adjust the sweetness to our liking. When they brought out the dessert, they played "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran and dedicated the song to us for our anniversary which we thought was so sweet and personal. I'm quite skeptical when it comes to going to expensive places like this, but it was well worth every dime. We had a great experience, the food was delicious and filling, and it was quite memorable. read more
1 year ago
Delicious food and outstanding service! We absolutely love this place. Every dish is packed with flavor--generous portions and beautifully presented. The atmosphere is so romantic, making it perfect for a special night out. The staff went above and beyond, even explaining the ingredients and how each dish is prepared. Truly a memorable experience! read more
4 months ago
Delicious kaiseki style omakase meal. Every dish was outstanding. Restaurant is located in Milpitas strip mall which is a bit random but don't let that deter you. The taste and quality of food is amazing. Would recommend. Portions are decent, left feeling full. read more
Finally visited Ichika for a Friday date night. It was rly easy making a reservation online. Parking here is usually crowded and you might not even notice Ichika's door when you arrive. Upon stepping into the restaurant, the interior is super cozy. Tables are spacious and they even have a table where you sit in the floor. We did the $128/pp prix fixe menu which included 8 courses. Our first appetizer course was already so many dishes! The fish here is plump and fresh. We also opted to add on a couple more nigiris (salmon & wagyu). I didn't rly care for the matcha tiramisu because it was too bitter and dry for my taste but that's the only qualm I had. Even tho this is fine dining, the environment was more laid back which made us feel more comfortable. Our waitress was very attentive and so nice. They came around to fill our water and hot tea several times. This is definitely a more affordable omakase option and I think it was worth it! read more
Yummy! First off, the staff are so sweet!! They were really accommodating when we ended up coming 30 mins late. You have a 2 hour window to eat for the time you book. There's 8 courses and it was filling! The fish was *chefs kiss*. Definitely recommend coming here if you have a chance. read more
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More info about Ichika
1728 N Milpitas Blvd
Milpitas, CA 95035
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(669) 226-5215
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http://ichikamilpitas.com
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Ask the Community - Ichika
Can you order from an la carte menu after the prix fixe, or is prix fixe the only thing served?
When I went there in February you could do both.
The price show on menu that one for one person or two?
It's the price per person
When can I get back the deposit?
The deposit is put toward the total bill of your meal. If you cancel or miss your reservation, then you lose your deposit.
How long is the entire dining experience? 2-3 hours? Im trying to make plans after my reservation.
I would say a little over 2 hours. Last time I went our first dish came out at 7 and dessert came out 8:46
We have reservations and were wondering what the dress code is? Also, can we bring our own bottle of wine or Saki to have opened at the restaurant?
Dear Johnny, thank you for your reservation. Our dress code is casual elegant, just put on where you would wear to a date night. Our corkage fee is $30/bottle, we respectful ask not to bring any drink that are currently on our menu. Thank you!
Do you have any cancellation policy?
Dear Cecilia, our reservations are non-refundable. If you are unable to join us, you may transfer your reservation to someone else. You are welcome to email us if you have any questions.
How much for a 7 year old kid?
Hi Fanhui, our apologies, we respectfully request no children at our restaurant, unless they are old enough to order the regular set $128 or premium set $168. We do not have the resources to prepare a kids menu at the moment. Although we adore your…
Do you have non raw options?
Hi Ellvy, we have 2-3 course out of the 8-course meal that contain raw fish. We currently do not have enough staff to prepare the non-raw options on weekends, however, we would love to accommodate you and provide non-raw alternatives on a less busy…
What kind of options do you have for vegetarians?
Hi Dan, thank you for your inquiry. Although we would love to accommodate your dietary requirement, please understand that we still at our soft opening phase, we are afraid that we currently do not have enough staff to provide a vegetarian option,…
How long is the typical kaiseki course?
It takes about 2-3 hours for the full course of the meal.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
14 reviews that are not currently recommended
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