Really great experience, though I wish it started quicker. Our reservation was for 5:00 but the first dish didn't come out until 5:20 or 5:30. We ended at around 7. Everything was really great, especially the wagyu and uni. The dessert was also had a lot of flavor without being overly sweet. The only dish I was meh about was the clam soup. It just tasted like hot water with dashi. read more

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When I walked into Ichika, I was immediately taken away by the beauty of artistic Japanese design that plays throughout every corner of the restaurant: wood from Japanese trees, Japanese-designed walls and screens, and marble and granite that created a warm and cold balance of being in a place hidden away in a serene and mystical Japanese mountain-top. The consistency of design and ambiance was further fortified with the subtle but powerful excitement of each of the 9-course theatrical dishes. Each dish presented themselves and created an epicurean experience that I had not experienced through the many Michelin-rated restaurants I had visited in San Francisco and New York City's Manhattan. Although Ichika doesn't have their Michelin-star...yet -- they are, in every single way, from the service to the uniqueness of flavors and artistic presentation of their dishes, a Michelin-star dining establishment. The most memorable experience I had with Ichika is the fact that each of the dishes' texture and explosive flavors were unique -- all the seafood and beef dishes had a smooth and soft texture that literally melted in my mouth while exuding explosive flavors I had NEVER experienced in my dining adventures at many of the Michelin-star and non Michelin-star restaurants I visited throughout the world. Each dish was a work of art; and, they were so beautiful, I did not want to destroy them; but, once I did, and the moment they hit my palate, the artistic characteristics transmuted from their visual state to flavors that excited every sense of taste in my mouth. None of the flavors were over bearing nor cancelled other flavors out...it was like a well-played orchestra -- each favorable note complimenting each other to create a unique and exciting epicurean experience. The service was not over bearing but very attentive -- at a moment's notice, without saying a word, the service specialists were at the table ready to address any orders I wanted to place or address my dining needs. I attached pictures of my two favorite dishes out of the 9-course dining orchestra. I also included a picture of the menu I experienced during my stay. Give yourself a magical epicurean get-away at Ichika and enjoy the unique and splendid experiences that's unique to this restaurant. /s/ Alfonso Faustino read more

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Celebrated our dating anniversary last night at Ichika! We opted for the premium menu and it didn't disappoint! The A5 wagyu was nice but my favorite had to be the nigiri. They were super flavorful and elevated in flavor. Every dish was prepared exquisitely! You can tell that the chef knows what he's doing from the 12 hours braised beef tongue (that tastes nothing like tongue) to the lightness of the tofu cheesecake. Delicious and fun! It did take a long time to dine. We were there for three hours but the service staff were exceptional. At one point, the lights were too bright next to my seat and the staff went out of their way to try and figure it out for me. I told them it was alright after trying and they gave me a piece of cardboard to block the light. Nice place to celebrate an occasion. Give it a try! read more

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Highly recommend! One of the best Kaiseki experiences I've had. Food is awesome, service is top notch. The interior is beautifully renovated. Great atmosphere! Good for small groups and date nights. My favorites were the appetizer salad (almost too pretty to eat) and the tiramisu. SO GOOD! Will definitely come back! read more

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What an amazing place! Reminds me of the traditional Japanese kaiseki. Every item has a unique delicious flavor and texture. What an experience! read more

Great food, ambience and excellent service! My husband and I went for the first time and enjoyed ourselves. Although seafood was very fresh and tasty, Wagyu was a bit tough and not the best quality. read more

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Wow, where can I start. I went here for a friend's birthday celebration and the service was unlike anything I've experienced. The staff here really catered to us and made sure we were all having a great time. We all participated in the tasting menu and I really appreciated how the staff took their time to throughly explain each course to us. The presentation was excellent and each course took us on a journey. The restaurant as a whole was very intimate and felt very luxe. It's definitely a great place to celebrate friends and loved ones here. read more

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Had a pleasant dinner here with friends. They are soft opening so they have some kinks to work out but we overall had a good experience. For the soft opening price I think it's worth it!! The food was very good. We will be back in the future for sure. Highlights of my meal: - Cozy interior: I love the interior it was very sleek and cozy, the music was not too loud either so we were able to enjoy conversation throughout our meal. - The otoro sashimi and maguro nigiri were amazing! Melts in your mouth and clearly great quality. - The soy sauce was good and more mild than the store bought ones. It came out foamy but it has a pleasant mild taste that didn't overpower the sushi. - Wagyu was amazing! It came out and smelled delicious. The matcha salt was also very good. The sauce they prepared went great with the meat. - Temptation: every aspect of the dish was very clever-- the apple symbolizing sin and the uni (gonads) along with ikura (eggs). I wasn't sure about it the pairing but it was surprisingly very good! I never thought these 3 would taste good together. - There was a gooseberry in the surf & turf dish that was so yummy! It was my first time having gooseberry. I wish I ate it last though since it would've been a great ending for the dish. Just a few things I thought could have been done better: - Some dishes may have required some direction that we didn't get. For the Temptation dish, we weren't sure if we were supposed to eat the apple. We did anyway since it was a sweet apple though. And for the surf & turf I wasn't sure if there was a particular order to eat everything so I just took small bites of each item. The noodles with kiwi we weren't too sure how to eat it. - The bowl for the clam broth was cute but it was too small for the large clam. It kept getting in the way as we tried to scoop the other items in the broth. - For the surf & turf course I noticed two of us had fish without any bones in it but one of my friends had a lot of bones to pick out. It wasn't a big deal for him but I think all the dishes should have consistency. - The service was overall great, but there were certain parts of our meal where we wouldn't get tea refills for a long time. Sometimes they would come often and refill when we had half the cup which was amazing, but other times we would finish our cup and wait a while for them to return to refill. read more

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The ambience is very nice - relaxing and delightful. The presentation of the dishes were beautiful. The fish quality and service attention to detail was mediocre BUT their other dishes were delightful. The flavor combinations were great. I especially enjoyed the duck, steamed egg, clamp soup, and match tiramisu . There was also wayyy too much wasabi on their nigiri. read more

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It's all aesthetics. Food was all subpar. Their nigiri was disappointing, cold, as if it were prepared, thrown into the fridge, then served hours later. Their service was a joke. The waiter went around making small talk about some fish that was his favorite (in the back of my mind thinking why tf are you telling me about a fish that isn't even going to be on tonight's menu) Disclaimer: we had dinner here months ago, and yelp suggested I give a review. Ichika was such a disappointment for the price, quality, and service. It left such a bad memory for me I'm going ahead and writing a review read more

I took my parents to dine at Ichika. They loved the food and service very much and had a great time there. We especially would like to thank the lovely girl who can speak Chinese Mandarin and patiently introduced the courses to my parents (because my parents don't speak English). read more

Ichika - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Came here with my dad and bf on a Thursday we love their location in Brisbane and so we have to try this one out since it's lot more closer to my house The decor is so nice love every part of it even the bathroom! The place gives you a comfort yet high end feel about the restaurant It is omakase be prepared to have a long and lovely dinner our experience was 3hrs long so bring someone you can have a good conversation with my dad being Chinese and all is not used to this kind of dining (same with me and my bf we like our food fast so we can pig out) Food presentation 10/10 Service 10/10 Taste 8/10 Seems like a few things was a bit cold (waygu) Speed 4/10 I just like my food fast Overall atmosphere 12/10 read more

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Interior design was beautiful. Food was good but nothing that was incredibly innovative. Service was fine, very nice but again nothing to write home about so all in all - good but not worth the price point. read more

Food was delicious. Superb and thoughtful service! The waiter & waitress was very attentive to our needs constantly filling our cups bc we were finishing our drinks at a rapid pace. The atmosphere was beautiful, there were flowers and a dark, romantic, and intimate ambiance. It was my parents' wedding anniversary and during our dessert, they played a romantic Cantonese song for them! They really enjoyed their dinner, what a sweet moment for them that surprised us. The waiter mentioned he isn't fluent in Cantonese but that was the one Cantonese song he knew. They played a birthday song for a party before us. We were very satisfied and full after our meal! read more

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First time at fancy sushi place. Nice atmosphere, staff was amazing, service was quick and on point

This place was a 10/10 for my husband and I! We came here for our anniversary dinner and we absolutely loved it. The staff was extremely nice and attentive with out hovering over you. We tried two different sakes and both of them were excellent! The food was amazing! We sat at the sushi bar, so we got to see the master sushi chef prepare all the sashimi and nigiri courses. The sushi chef was also super friendly while explaining to us what each dish was that we were about to eat. I cannot wait until we can go again! read more

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This restaurant's food made me smile. The ambiance, professionalism, quality of food were all 10s for me. Although it is a little spendy, it is worth every penny. read more

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The best Japanese omakase in bay area. Delicious food, service and ambiance. Price is reasonable for 8 or 9 courses including desert.

Amazing experience!! The decor and ambiance very elegant. Service first class from start to finish. And the food...wow, incredible! Truly a "Michelin Star" like experience. Definitely highly recommend for sushi "foodies" and can't wait to come back. read more

High quality Japanese seafood, great service, excellent presentation. Highly recommended. read more

Ichika - Great food, presentation and service. Will come back again. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

We came here to celebrate a special occasion- ordered the top omakase set with wagyu . Overall great from start to end, but we don't think wagyu was worth it. Service was great. Overall a great spot in the south bay for Japanese fusion omakase read more

I came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. We both were surprised of how nice the restaurant is inside- we wouldn't expect it to be based on the location and business around it. I thought the service was good and the presentation of all the dishes were superb. Tastewise- I would probably just give it a 3.5. I wasn't impressed at all with one of their dish- Chawanmushi. I think the steam egg custard was just too bland and even the soup was just meh. I also felt like their sashimi wasn't the best I've had for the price point. Overall, it was a decent meal but I don't find myself wanting to come back again anytime soon. read more

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We were lucky to snag a 7:30pm ressie. The whole dinner lasted 2 hours and truly this was an amazing experience. The 4 of us sat in a booth which was perfect fit so we could chat and had a view of the sushi chefs. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated. Simple but chic and modern. Speaking of chic and modern! I regret not taking a selfie in the bathroom. You know how they say you can tell how good a restaurant is by the restroom well the restroom matched the vibe perfectly. Literally it's picture perfect. On to the food! 1st course was the Sunomono Salad. Nice start with a fresh crisp taste. 2nd course was the Appetizer. We had beef tongue, scallop topped with caviar, and peach tofu. The beef tongue was so soft and flavorful. I think it was cooked for 5 hours. The scallop and caviar was a nice bite and then the peach tofu was a surprise. The Delicate texture with the light fruity hint or peach was a nice ending to the appetizer. 3rd course Chawanmushi. I really could have eaten more than one bowl. Ahhh! So many flavors however nothing overpowered each other. Different textures too. There was mushroom and edamame hiding underneath. I think the star of the dish was definitely the smoked roe. 4th course Nigiri 1 was Hirame, Taichio, kanpachi. Foamed soy sauce on the side was a nice touch. Creative and not overwhelming. 5th course Tai Risotto I think this may have been my favorite dish of the night. I cherished every spoonful and I wanted more but good it was a good amount because I was starting to be get full. 6th course Nigiri 2 we had otoro from Spain, Miyazaki A5 wagyu beef and Hokkaido uni. Very different flavors and textures from each other which was great and avoided my palate from being bored. The Wagyu certificate was even shown to us. 7th course Soup- Japanese carpet she'll soup. ahhh such a nice way to end dinner. I was definitely full by then and the soup smoothed out the meal. 8th course Dessert- beautiful and delicious. Ice cream with beans and chocolate. Make a reservation for Ichika Milpitas on Tock. You'll be glad you did. Oh and don't forget that bathroom selfie! read more

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Been busy recently but try to find time to come back today. And as usual they are doing things great. Not only food but also the professional service. I like this place in this area as I say before it's more than a restaurant it is a second home you want to be. Fine dinner? Be there. Try some premier sake? Be there. Meeting with your friends? Be there. read more

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It was so disappointing . I gave this place three stars based on their customer service. The sashimi itself wasn't that WOW. I mean, what can I say? 168 per person for omakase isn't too bad. A party of 5 came out to be 1200+total, and I can go to a decent local sushi restaurant and probably will have better omakase. read more

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Ok, sushi/Japanese food snob review incoming... Having had many omakase and kaiseki experiences across the country and in Japan, this place was a HUGE disappointment for the price point. The dishes were decent on their own but lackluster for omakase dining, and the progression didn't make much sense. It was also heavier than a typical kaiseki. For example, early on in the meal we were served a beef chawanmushi covered in pastry, alongside a light yuzu sparkling beverage (too heavy for that early in the meal, plus super weird pairing). Then, we only received four pieces of nigiri (five if you get the uni addition) and they were all very generic stuff that you can get at any basic sushi place here or anywhere else. When paying this price point, we're expecting some super interesting fish and shellfish from Japan. AND they were not seasoned! I've never been to an omakase dinner where the nigiri is not just perfectly seasoned by the chef. The soy sauce by the way is foamed up, which seems kind of gimmicky. Service was good in that the dishes came fairly fast and were explained, however my water glass was repeatedly empty for long periods of time (even after asking for more water and conspicuously pouring water into my glass from my partner's). Again this is one of those things you could forgive at a regular restaurant, but not somewhere you are paying a high premium to dine. The sake selection is quite small and nothing special. The whole experience was like a cheap imitation of a real omakase/kaiseki, but costing the same amount. The dishes were all like _fine_ but made to seem fancier than they really are. I have a strong feeling the owner(s) are trying to capitalize on the popularity of high-end Japanese dining, without having a real passion or knowledge about it. As another reviewer mentioned, nothing felt quite delicate, refined, or even Japanese enough to be labeled as high-end kaiseki. The bill at the end was over $400 for 2, which was a ripoff for what we got. Which part of this meal cost even a fraction that much for them to produce (even ignoring service)?? If it had cost half the price I would've been like "ok fine" and maybe given them an extra star. And of course the tip suggestion they provide on the bill (which goes up to 25%) is after tax . Just another piece of proof they're trying to rip you off. So yeah - please save your hard earned cash for one of the plethora better omakase restaurants in the bay area (we wish we had)! Maybe Ichika will step it up in months to come (I know they are fairly new) so that's why I'm giving them 3 stars instead of lower. read more

The restaurant is small but was full tonight (Saturday). You must reserve your spot through the website, and pay a small deposit. They is only three chef's menu, no other choices. The ambience and the thoughts that the chef put into his dishes was excellent. The dishes were well planned and executed. I enjoyed the dishes a lot. The whole meal will take 2 hours at least. They try to use the robot server to help but it wasn't effective so it was abandoned at the end. The servers tried their best but they weren't Michelin star servers. We had to request for water service. The people who sat near the wall in the booth also had to reach out to help the servers with the plates. In conclusion, presentation and the taste of the food was great. Also, the price of the alcohol was not marked up that much, so ordering some sake was definitely worth it with the meal. The location of the restaurant is a bit weird, doesn't feel like where an expensive restaurant would be. Perhaps it's BC the restaurant is still at soft opening, so I didn't want to be mean. With the price that I paid for this meal, I would much rather go to another restaurant with better service. However, if it becomes a normal Japanese restaurant (where not only chef's choice is available) I would definitely come back. read more

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Really good experience! Highly recommended! Food is gorgeous and very fresh. See pics! You will have A5 wagyu beef, uni from Japan, toro, and a lot of fresh yummy food on the menu. The portion of food is really enough for me. I'm full after all the courses. Good place for celebrating anniversary read more

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First time at Ichika with my friends to celebrate their anniversary. The inside decor was stunning. The courses were very fulfilling. The fish qualify was on point. Everything was delish! However, I wish they served us ginger to pair with their sashimi nigiri courses. Overall the experience was nice. read more

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Amazing place. I have no words. Really! Everything is so delicious, well-made, and just PERFECTLY PERFECT. The place itself is gorgeous, clearly painstakingly built, and all impeccable and beautiful! I really don't understand all the bad reviews about it. The food is far more authentic than any run-of-the-mill sushi restaurant, and the waiters/waitresses are so incredibly polite. The lights are romantic even when they don't have to be, and warm and welcoming! The walls, ceilings, and floors have a dark theme going, but it's sharp and fine and in general just really cool. We also marveled at the napkin folding- it's able to be repeated, but its simpleness and hidden ingeniousness make it simply the best. In all, I recommend this place. It may not be the best for picky eaters, but those welcome to have an open mind about food will find this unique Japanese restaurant just beautiful. read more

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Fair warning- this review is lengthy. Tldr at the bottom. I will say I really wanted to like ichika- I was super excited since I hadn't been to a sushi restaurant in so long. But at 184++ pp, ichika leaves MUCH to be desired. I compare most of my sushi fine dining experiences with my experience at sushi kashiba in Seattle. That's the best I've ever had and a level of service and quality that I expect when paying this much, which I don't think is an unfair comparison. Before it was ichika this place was sushi Kai, a quaint shop serving great sushi. Since then the restaurant has been tastefully remodeled. We went on a Tuesday evening and while there was no wait to be seated, it was definitely awhile till we got our first dish- I think this is probably just due to them being short staffed, but it was a good 15-20 minutes before we got the starter and the entire meal took 2+ hours. To start the night off, we get this ocean salad dish - not terrible but not impressive. Comes with a shrimp head that the server says is amazing but I say is undercooked and literally inedible lest I'm trying to choke to death on the shrimp skin. Don't get me wrong I love a good fried shrimp head- this one wasn't done right at all. Next we get a sashimi platter- plating is not bad and overall fish isn't bad either, which I'd hope for lol there is a bone in one of mine, which is strange considering i expect better lol Then comes this egg tofu dish with king crab. Maybe its just me, but when I'm paying this much, I expect the food to be ready to consume upon arrival, not work to get the crab meat out trying to figure out if I should use my hands or a utensil to carve out what little meat there is in the crab piece lol but hey again, maybe just me being a sushi snob ‍ Next is the wagyu, which I'll say was one of my favorite dishes of the night. No complaints here. Meat was tender and marbled. Delicious. Now the nigiri. I love nigiri, after all that's what omakase is. This nigiri set wasn't anything impressive. You got 4 pieces and they weren't bad but nothing to write home to mama about. The uni. This dish along with the wagyu are "premium" dishes, only included if you pay for the higher tier package. My husband and I opted for this since we figured we probably wouldn't come back (we judged right) lol. The uni came in this sadly cut apple used as a bowl. It was interesting... my husband really enjoyed eating the apple is all I'll say. This is also where there's some breakdown with the service. The sushi chef gets confused and serves us the food with no explanation of what it is and the servers tell him he shouldn't do that but never come by to explain the dish lol seems to be some breakdown in communication here. Clam broth- nothing to note, soup is too salty to me. Surf and turf - Probably my favorite dish after the wagyu. Food is all cooked (not raw) except for the seaweed salad. One thing to be improved is food comes out almost cold, probably because it's all prepped beforehand (seems staff is short). One thing I will note though- my dish came with an extra side of protein, an aphid lol bugs in meals are normally really ew to me, aphids ok because they're "natural" but cmon I'm literally paying for that to not happen, but again, Maybe me just being a sushi snob. Dessert - delicious matcha tiramisu, one thing I would come back for. TL; DR - save your time and money, go elsewhere for your sushi fine dining experience. I'd recommend sf. Ichika is priced at a Michelin restaurant tier but delivers as nothing more than a nice sushi restaurant. Where you really see the discrepancy is in the details - plating, presentation and overall quality of food just isn't there. It feels like this inexpensive dinner play pretending to be expensive except the quality just doesn't hit the mark when you compare to the price point. I will say though- I was so full by the end of of the meal, felt as though I'd just left ayce kbbq AND they did an amazing job of making sure my tea was always refilled. Overall service was good and friendly. read more

From ambiance to service and food, everything was perfect for our celebration dinner. The preset menu was well balanced and the quality was exceptional. We love the presentation, the taste and texture of every dish presented. It was a wonderful experience. read more

Disappointment. Must have been an offnight or the 5 star reviews are fake. I personally think it is the latter. The fish and shrimp were not fresh. My wife and myself had upset stomachs after we got home The presentation was good but the taste was underwhelming.Service and the matcha cake was good . 0 stars for value for price paid. This is my honest review and I cannot recommend based on the experience last night. read more

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I wish I could just copy and paste Cynthia's review. This restaurant is incredible. We had a very similar dinner (maybe one or two different courses), and it was beyond our expectations. Seriously, re-read the previously mentioned review. ;). Food is beautifully presented, and very, very good. Came here for husband's birthday and could not have asked for a better experience. They played a birthday song (not a traditional song) as they delivered the dessert -he got a kick out of it bc he didn't realize it at first. Then, upon listening more closely, he noticed the lyrics included the words "happy birthday." Such a sly and subtle touch to acknowledge the occasion without the embarrassing table-singing that one has come to expect. Please, do yourself a favor and make your way out to Milpitas. Your effort will be well worth it. read more

Ichika brings passion, creativity, craft, and care. The environment is cozy and intimate. Every dish has its unique texture; together, they work in harmony and cover a wide and rich palate. Words and pictures can merely reflect the experience that we had. You will have to come and immerse yourself with great food and accompany. We ordered Set B: 1. Ocean Garden Salad 2. Sashimi Omakase 3. Golden Egg Tofu 4. Nigiri Omakase 5. Temptation 6. Grilled Wagyu Beef 7. Clam Broth 8. Surf & Turf 9. Grilled Seabass + Risotto 10. Dessert (Matcha Tofu Tiramisu) read more

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I give it two stars because the first dish I had was not prepared fresh. Shrimp head was cold and dish was prep hours ago. Second Nigiri dish also prepped and put away. The sashimi fish cut was dry. You can tell it was cut hours ago when it looks shiny. The Uni dish wasn't appealing. Don't get me wrong. It's Hokkaido uni. But just grade C. Very dark. I been to many Michelin star Omakase seatings and this was the worst. I would take $168 per person to SF where you can get your money's worth. My suggestion is trying Ju-Ni or even a Take out in Berkeley that's cheaper and satisfying for $25 Mujiri. Two of my favorites. read more

Ichika - Tasting menu on 10/10/21 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Retreat into the soft ambience of Ichika, providing a calm and relaxing omakase experience. Savor the moment of each bite on the next level. Quality and presentation prided by the humble and skilled sushi master himself. Friendly and doting wait staff, plenty of free parking, early dinner reservations highly recommended. Forever jaded at this point as this recent Japanese fine dining visit has transformed my palate, exceeded my expectations, and raised the bar. Certainly making reservations next time for the prix-fixe menu. read more

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Love the service and dishes here，food tastes umami. Plates and bowls are beautiful. Christine served us today, she is sweet and patient. She can peak Chinese, introduce the ingredients for us. read more

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The decoration is nice and creative. Service is okay. I seriously don't like the food here. With the same price, you will have better experience in SF. I picked menu B to try. Starting with the salad, the shrimp was good but it didn't match with the served veggies and sauce. Then sashimi, nothing special at all, the fish was not that fresh. The wagyu was good. The uni bowl in apple looked good but the taste was so so, the combination wasn't suited. The most disappointing dish was Nigiri. The fish was so dry and not fresh, no taste for the rice. The last dish was something I didn't remember because I didn't touch it. But my friend said it's so so too. The dessert was ok. read more

Amazing ambiance, excellent and accommodating service, innovative food menu but with a couple dishes that missed the mark (and hence 4 stars instead of 5). Ambiance - intimate and elegant, with hints of black, gold, and wood tones. Loved the music. Overall, very romantic. From a COVID safety perspective, all the tables were spread far enough and all the waitstaff wore gloves and masks. Service - attentive, always refilling my water/drink. I think this was the least amount of waiting I've done at a restaurant. Every dish was served at the perfect cadence and my cup was always full. Food - what I appreciated about the menu was the mix of sushi and kaiseki-style dishes. The seafood and sushi were all incredibly fresh. The scallop and abalone in particular were so juicy! However, a couple courses (the risotto and the steamed egg) felt like "filler" dishes and the flavors+texture simply did not match the rest of the menu. Given the price tag and given that's almost 25% of the set menu, I was honestly a bit disappointed. That said, we still had a great dinner. Would recommend coming for a special occasion, but simply not my *favorite* given the price tag. read more