I was recommended this omakase restaurant and decided to book a reservation for a special occasion. This place exceeded expectations on all ends. The whole experience was great. They only serve 5 tables a seating which made it a very intimate experience. The staff was definitely the highlight; the two servers were so kind and attentive, and the chef was super conversational and so nice. It a very relaxed dinner, and we were served at our own personal pace. We were able to spend about 2 hours here enjoying every course, so I definitely recommend booking the second seating. The food speaks for itself (see photos). Everything was flavorful and light, and we were totally satisfied by the end of it. Our favorites were the chawan mushi (steamed egg), noodles, and of course the high quality nigiri that was prepared in front of us. We definitely recommend sitting at the bar. You have to try this location and I will definitely be coming back for more future celebrations. read more

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Most definitely didn't expect the elegant interior decor from the nondescript exterior and the fact it's situated in the middle of a strip mall in Milpitas. That said, the food was fantastic (all of the sushi were quality) and service was top notch. I think this was great value for the money and worth visiting. read more

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First real omakase experience I've had in a while, and it was worth every penny! My sister found it while researching places to eat at. Criteria: - Food has to be excellent. - Must be able to accommodate gluten-free for one of our friends. We called before making a reservation for their 5 p.m. seating, and Ichika confirmed they could do a separate gluten-free menu. And they did not disappoint: Both the gluten-free and regular menu items were tasty and beautifully presented. The servers took their time explaining the ingredients in each dish and also made sure to let our friend know what was NOT included in her version so she could eat worry-free. The presentation was top notch, and so was the food quality. We all opted to add the supplement, which included Hokkaido uni, wagyu beef, and tuna belly -- highly recommend because it was absolutely worth it. The service was attentive without being overbearing, and everyone was really nice. Other reviews have mentioned this, but from the outside, you wouldn't expect much because the restaurant is located in a strip mall. But it feels like a Michelin-style restaurant the minute you step inside due to the thoughtful decor. I would absolutely go back and would recommend this place to anyone looking for a great place for omakase in a beautiful setting. Great place for a date too! (Maybe not a first date because it can be pricey.) read more

Ichika is located in a very unassuming plaza in Milpitas. Lots of Chinese storefronts in this random plaza that is connected with lion market. Once you walk in the door, it's a really nice ambiance inside! Service was great. I made a quick reservation online the day of at 3:30pm for a 5pm seating. They let us choose where we wanted to sit when we got there. Sushi bar of course! Yay! It was nice to see the chefs preparing the plates. We also had great drinks and the food came quickly as we had a time restraint for dinner (1.5 hrs roughly). Dinner was $148 per person and there's a $50 supplemental 3 piece nigiri that we opted for. Seared wagyu, otoro, and Hokkaido uni. Yes please! The supplement nigiris were delicious and everything came out great. It's a nice place to celebrate something or just come for a nice meal. There was sashimi, oysters, nigiri, somen with uni and Dashi broth. Everything was delicious. There was one or two small plates I didn't care too much for but I loved not having to think about what to order. Pair it with some nice sake or unique beers, and you have yourself a fun night! The only caveat is this meal cost about $600 for the 2 of us with alcohol and tip. So, just you know, things add up. Anyway, thanks for the great meal, ichika! read more

Great price and quality omakase at ICHIKA! For a nice restaurant, its unexpectedly located in a busy Asian shopping plaza. It's nestled between several other businesses with a small sign, so if you blink, you might miss it! They have a couple of tatami booths, regular booths, and a bar. It atmosphere is quiet here, so you can really focus on the tastes and textures of the food and savor your meal. Servers are kind and welcoming. We got their prix fixe menu, and this included eight courses. The appetizer course was a beautifully presented variety of six different small dishes, including the most tender, savory beef, scallop, sweet shrimp, tofu, and veggie dishes. Next, was a sashimi course of three different fishes, all very fresh and delicious. After that was their incredible chawanmushi. The egg custard was perfectly steamed with crab meat and ikura on top. Following that was the Chef's Choice seasonal nigiri course. Then was the Grilled sea bass marinated in miso. It literally melted in my mouth! We had yet another nigiri course after that. I love how they spread the sashimi/nigiri out, so you get to enjoy some throughout the meal! This course was my favorite of the entire meal. It was a perfectly seared piece of wagyu nigiri along with a tofu custard with uni and ikura on top. AMAZING! The last savory course was a Japanese clear clam soup. Warm and comforting. Lastly, for dessert, we had a matcha parfait. It was mostly cream with some cake at the bottom and some fruit and mochi on top. Overall, I really enjoyed the omakase experience here! read more

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I brought my girlfriend here to celebrate our 3 year anniversary, and we truly regretted it. I don't think there was single dish we enjoyed. The fish did not taste fresh, the non-fish dishes had quite odd textures and not great flavors. The first dish they brought was truly difficult to stomach. We've have been to many different omakase experiences, including some in Japan, so I don't think it's a case of authentic dishes that our palate is not used to. For $150 a person, I'm so disappointed in Ichika, I truly felt cheated out of my money. read more

A lovely restaurant with fantastic service, Emily was super nice to us. We really enjoyed the food and variety of dishes. This is one of the best omakase I have ever eaten. I strongly recommend this restaurant. read more

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We came here on a Friday night, and really enjoyed the meal. Every course was so delicious and the presentation was amazing. For $148 per person, the amount of food was quite a lot and I felt very full afterwards. We also ordered the $50 supplement (otoro, uni, and a5 wagyu nigiri) and of course it was amazing. All the sushi tasted super fresh, and I was savoring each bite. The vibe inside is also super nice and intimate. And the waiter and waitress here were super sweet and food came out so fast. They also had a unique foam soy sauce which was really cool. Would definitely come back here many times!! read more

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I was soooo excited when this place opened and honestly did have some high expectations - esp. knowing it would be an Omakase experience. To be fair the menu is seasonal and everchanging here, so my experience might be based off a specific menu that no longer exists - but altogether compared to so many other places in the bay - I think this place did fall short from expectations given the price. It was, all in all - a great experience, environment, and wonderful service - but food unfortunately was the underwhelming part. I may go back though and give it another shot per a different season menu. The restaurant is situated in a (kind of random) Asian plaza, but once you walk in - it's a completely different vibe...beautifully modern, contemporary, and intimate. Menu as noted - is pre-fixed Omakase and seasonal. Our food experience: (1) Ocean Garden Salad - this fell short, a bit messy in presentation and taste alike - little too much dressing and a little too much going on where the seafood which really should be the main attraction was kind of lost. (2) Sashimi - this was good overall, presented much neater - fish was fresh, but I do think portion was very little compared to what I've had at other places. (3) Golden Egg Tofu - the king crab was cooked perfectly, but I honestly didn't care much for the fried noodle and or the mushroom broth overall. (4) Wagyu beef - was tender, a little overcooked per my liking (usually like it bit more pink) but still fatty/juicy overall. The veggies and accompaniments were basic. (5) Nigiri - was fresh, but with only 4 pieces I think it was def. underwhelming compared to other places. It def. can at least be presented on a smaller plate for a more visually appealing image. (6) Temptation (Uni) - this was my least favorite, I LOVE Uni and having it in this apple was def. not my preference. The apple flavor was just too strong and took away from the Uni completely. Def. not worth the upgraded price. (7) Clam broth - enjoyed this soup, it was light and refreshing while the clams were cooked perfectly. (8) Surf & Turf - this was interesting - Beef tongue was bomb, Soba noodz OK, Seabass lacking flavor, Burdock eel unique/tasty, and the other two small fish apps were actually super tasty/my fave. (9) Matcha Tofu Tiramisu Dessert - this was very tasty but legit just way too much and big. Given everything was so petite portioned it was odd that this came out the way it did. And as tasty as it was, we def. were just not able to finish it. read more

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Was really excited to try this place but it was such a let down. There's so much this restaurant has to work on to charge at this price point. Food Ingredients are fresh - loved the sashimi, nigiri and the risotto. However, when the trio of appetizers were presented, we were told to eat the tofu last. All the other items has a much stronger flavor and the tofu tasted totally bland when we ate it. And for the dessert, I would give it negative stars if I could. They were serving salted frozen cream cheese cubes and it tasted terrible - it was so salty and the cream cheese overpowered the whole dish. Had they baked the cream cheese first then freeze it, it would become great cheesecake bites to have. Cannot think of a worse way to end our meal. The kitchen also has to work on the pace, the first couple course came very quickly and then we waited a prolonged period of time before the nigiri were served. Service Servers definitely need much more training - they took away our dishes before all guests finished the course. This made our friend felt uncomfortable as it seems like everyone is just watching him eat/ waiting for him to finish the food. Also, the server placed dishes for other customers on our table as they are trying to serve multiple tables at the same time - this is totally unacceptable. Final thoughts For this price point, I expect much better. They charge a lot more than other similar Japanese restaurant in the bay area and I definitely had much much better experience elsewhere. read more

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This place somehow manages to make a strip mall feel like a luxury restaurant in a Tokyo basement. We did a set menu option and no regrets at all, everything was delicious and authentic. The sushi is especially good with excellent rice texture and flavor. The service was attentive though maybe a little fast- they do want you out by the 2hr mark. I will definitely come again when I want a special occasion Japanese experience. read more

A cute little spot in Milpitas. My partner and I went here for celebrate our anniversary and we had a great time. The server and the sushi chef were attentive. The food was delicious and we ordered a sake that came in a really cute bottle and shot glass set. It's priced well for omakase and would come here again read more

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Where do I even start! Okay firstly the staff was so kind - nice - and accommodating. I celebrated my birthday dinner here with my sisters and my mom - the staff really made it an amazing experience ! We all did the omakase dinner & based on our taste and dishes we are having they recommended a few delicious sake bottles that we could pair with our dinner. My mom isn't a big drinker so the taste of drinks is really important to her - she loved every single recommendation! Next, the ambiance was just so warm and elegant. I loved the decoration but the atmosphere also made us feel so comfortable :) Now of course the food - every single dish was so thoughtful curated and mouthwatering ! I loved the presentation. The fish was very fresh ! I think the kani chawanmushi was probably one of the best I've had ~ and this is always the dish I look forward to when trying omakase Experiences for special occasions :) I can't wait to come back ! read more

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I came here for my boyfriend's birthday! It's located in an old plaza. My boyfriend was so confused. It honestly transports you into a whole new world. The interior is super nice! Black and gold all around, with dim lighting. Prepare yourself to stay for around 2 hours since they time everything and everybody is eating at the same pace. (I guess it depends on your reservation). We had a reservation at 7:30pm and we left the restaurant at 9:30pm. We got the set menu without the supplement! It was honestly enough for my boyfriend and me! Everything was really good, but I thought the sashimi assortment was a little small (this was the first sashimi assortment with hamachi, tuna, and salmon). I also felt they didn't give us that much ở tổ rõ in the cracker :/ I recommend sitting at the bar to talk with the sushi chef! read more

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A wonderfully low-lit ambiance with attentive service and great food! My partner and I found the pace in which each course came out was well-timed. Each course tasted unique, fresh, and cohesive. We would definitely consider coming back again as their menu changes! read more

Ichika - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Came here for our anniversary dinner and it was so well worth it. We booked our reservation using tock a bit out in advance as it was still in its soft opening phase. Parking would not be a problem as its located in a big strip mall with lots of available slots to park and well lit for dark evenings/nights. A very friendly hostess greeted us, verified our reservation details and sat us at the bar and it seemed quite a bit of an intimate setting though they did have a few tables alongside the bar that were occupied as well. With a warm welcome from the chef, started the onset of the dishes that as well sashayed the master's craft. He definitely took pride in his work and executed the cuts, slices , rolls et al to perfection and spent quite some time walking us through each of the item that was served. Great experience and I would definitely recommend it to those who like Sushi and an intimate omakase experience. Gochisousama deshita!!! read more

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Very very thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Ichika! Luckily I was able to make a reservation a few days in advance, and love that you are able to note if you are celebrating something! More to come on this later - From the outside it looks almost sketch but the inside is beautiful. All the servers are incredibly welcoming, friendly, and professional. For a prix fixe meal the pricing was not too terrible, but of course not on the lower end. Everything we ate was delicious.. the quality of the sashimi really made us and our tastebuds happy. If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, etc the music suddenly begins playing a fancy John Legend Happy Birthday song or a song about love as the servers bring your dessert. It definitely makes you smile and feel special! I will say though, that this is one of the prix fixe meals that we left not feeling super full - we felt like we could eat more. Usually prix fixe meals looks small but are actually very filling. Nevertheless, it was a great experience and I would recommend coming here if you are celebrating something nice and want to spend some money :) read more

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Great experience. Excellence ambience. Great presentation. Awesome service. Fresh and tasty food. All tables are served the same entree at the same time. There are 3 people serving the entrees. The complimentary drink is served with Charwanmushi. They really go well together. Best Omakase in the South Bay! Will definitely be back in some other time. Tips: sit by the sushi chef if you want to get the food first. read more

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Food is delicious, but Service is even better - Michelin star. They let us stay late because we are having a good time. They even change the music note to match with the mood. Made sure our Uber arrived before closing the door as we were the last leave read more

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I was curious about this omakase place with high reviews since it's located in Milpitas so we decided to drive over from Cupertino. I love the decoration in the restaurant. It's a great place for date night and each table feels so secluded and private. The service was great and prompt. I would say I loved all the non-sushi dishes. The peach tofu they served in the assorted appetizers was amazing. I would love to see it as a dessert. The peach flavour was so strong. I also loved the cold chawanmushi. It was very flavourful and light. For the sushi, I think it was just average. Other than the shima aji, none of the nigiri stood out to me. The wagyu was pretty chewy. The sushi rice quality was also average. I also thought the dessert could use some more creativity. The green tea ice cream had a lot of ice in it like it was freezer burned. read more

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Ema hidden gem. Exquisite food and ambiance. Wonderful service. Some of the best seafood I've had. Love how it's prix fixe so I don't have to think about what to order. read more

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Overall, food was really good!! 5/5 for food. We did the tasting menu, and everything really was melt in your mouth & I was craving the food items the next day. Maybe my mouth just became a bit more boujie-er? Hehe I knocked down a star because of service. Everyone was very attentive but I think some waitresses didn't exactly familiarize themselves with the menu, so seems like there was some hiccups with the statements. Their voices were so quiet so boyfriend and I sometimes still didn't know what we were eating. At one point, I think my boyfriend and I were just truly savoring the flavor of the items in front of us but we might of been behind the course route, so the waitress placed another dish on our table before we even finished the one that we had. I think this is a good intro to tasting menu if you haven't been to one before. The food was really good which makes me feel like the service is a bit more forgivable. We went here for our anniversary! And I will say I was shookt that is near a lion supermarket...and I even questioned my boyfriend why I was dressed up nice to go to the supermarket and he surprised me with this restaurant! Makes for a great story and memory for both of us. The interior is beautiful and feels very exclusive. Another thing for improvement would be that the tables near the front of the resto seems a bit too close, so felt like folks could easily ease drop in convos...to the point that my boyfriend and I felt like we were the loudest ones carrying the convo for the whole resto bc folks were quiet... But I would go back and hopefully some improvements happen! I believe this is a fairly new establishment and it is a gem! Reservations only!! Walking by, you'd totally think the resto was closed or at least that was me! Haha I am still dreaming of the food we ate...the dessert was also really good that I could eat x10 more rounds. My fav was the red snapper fish,uni, a5 wagyu, sea bream...I found new favorites from this place! read more

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Unexpected in the middle of a strip mall, once inside the door, ambiance changes to high end Japanese restaurant. What a hidden gem! Each bite of food was tasteful. Service was great! Be prepared to splurge! Appetizer to dessert, full course awaits. read more

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Love the food! Tim, Emily and Katina was awesome! Service was amazing. The atmosphere was really nice and relaxing.

My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday back in December, and it was a really cool experience! Loved the decor and interior design, really gorgeous. Most other people were not as dressed up as I expected, some even in sweats/hoodies so it kind of killed the fancy vibe I was expecting. As for the food, it was okay to good. Some dishes were not very creative or just didn't taste that special or unique. I had high hopes for the oyster, puff pastry, and wagyu dishes but they all kind of fell short in terms of taste or uniqueness. Presentation was also alright. It's nice to see a fancy Japanese kaiseki place here but I think the food could have been a tad better for the price point. I also felt that there were awkward gaps where we had to wait to get the next course because other people were taking longer. I do appreciate the special birthday candle at the end and the nice dessert plate. Overall a good experience but also plenty of other tasty, high quality Japanese food in the Bay if that's your main goal. read more

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Wow, I didn't expect to find such high quality Japanese-cuisine dining experience in an ordinary strip mall in Milpitas. My sister and I were blown away by the excellent quality of their food, the exquisite presentation, the attentive and kindest staff and the elegant ambiance of Ichika. We've been to Japan before and this restaurant is as authentic as the ones you get in Japan. Ichika is a small yet cozy restaurant, with a spacious bar area where you can watch the chefs cook, two booths which can accommodate parties of 4, three smaller table for couples and a traditional Japanese table for larger parties of 6 or more. That's why they only accept reservations and don't allow walk-ins. Reservation is quite easy to do. Just use Google map or Yelp and go to their website to reserve your preferred time and date. They're sold out quickly on their time slots though so make sure you plan a few days before. My first impression of the restaurant was its nice interior design, simple yet sophisticated furnitures and relaxing music choice. My sister and I arrived at 5pm on a Sunday evening for our dinner. The staff was polite and seemed enthusiastic to see us. We were quickly shown into our tables which had neatly folded handkerchief that held all the utensils we were going to need. Next to our table was a Japanese couple in their traditional kimono outfits. We soon learned that there was only 1 menu for tonight for all tables in the restaurant, like an omakase experience. That works for us because we love to eat what the chefs choose and decide to serve us for the day. Our servers were Christine and Zoey. They were one of the sweetest and most attentive servers I've ever interacted with. They paid attention to when our teas were half done and quickly filled them up without us even asking them do it. Christine recommended a nice alcohol to go with our meals and preferences. She was conscientious, helping us pour our alcohol, replacing our ice bucket and taking our dirty dishes away without interrupting our conversation and giving us privacy and space. And now comes the main character - the FOOD!!! My sister and I were IN LOVE, head over heel! Every bite we took, we felt like we were in heaven. Everything from the salad to nigiri to soup to dessert was PERFECT! The fish is incredibly fresh, smooth texture and melts in your mouth. Like I mentioned before, my sis and I had been to Japan and we were sushi lovers and had tasted quality sushi and Japanese cuisine before. But WOW! This is another level we didn't know existed till now. Food quality to eye-pleasing presentation to careful choice of plating. If I can give them more stars, I would. The staff is knowledgeable about the food. They always introduced the name and the ingredients of the dish as well as which utensil went well with which dish. I forgot all of the names because I was so eager to dive in and taste all those delicious looking dishes in front of me. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. Plan to spend at least 2 hours here as they served you dish at a time from appetizers to main course to dessert. Believe me, it's the best 2 hours spent and time flies by quickly when you are served excellent food and service. Also plan to spend $$$ here but in my opinion, with that quality and service, it worths every penny. Save this for your extra special occasion and you won't regret it. Highly recommend! read more

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If you told me this place was in SF, charging 350 per person I would have believed you. This place is a win. Excellent service and superb food. Usually I like about 75% of the dishes in a omakase but this one ranked a 90% win. Every piece of sushi and sashimi was fresh and the presentation did not disappoint. There was even a strange little robot that wheeled around so that the waiter could stack plates on - brilliant! I came out of there full, happy, and not stuffed. The place is completely unassuming and in a strip mall with three or four other Asian bakeries around it. Most recommended! read more

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My husband took me here for my birthday as a surprise so I had no idea what I was walking into. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the decor was. The ambiance of the restaurant very dark, modern, Moody, sexy, masculine. Accented walls of black marble with gold veining from floor to ceiling, vertically laid grey concrete tile alternating with a natural wood back board. We went with set A, $128 . (Set B cost $168 , which I think include a few extra courses. One with wagyu and another with uni) Course 1- ocean garden salad- was a banger had all my favorite things: amaebi, grapefruit, with a vinigarette salad on arugula, edible flowers. The dry ice fog adds to a pretty presentation and does add wow factor but I feel was too showy. The dish even without it is still beautiful and colorful and vibrant but maybe it helped to keep the salad cold, idk. Course 2- Sashimi omakase- It came with 4 different kinds of fish. My fav of course was the chu toro. I kinda just ate everything from left to right. The sashimi portion I felt was a little smaller than a normal sized single piece of sashimi might be. Course 3- Golden Egg Tofu- The crunchy somen noodles when soaked in the shimeji mushroom broth was divine. The creamy and subtleness of egg tofu and the salty broth had a nice balance. The mix of textures crunchy , smooth, and creamy was perfection. Course 4- Nigiri Omakase- this was my first time having truffle shavings and the umami was fleeting. Again I wasn't sure which order to eat it in, so I just ate left to right . All fresh and tasty. Course 5- clam broth- the owner/server, said was a palette cleanser course. I feel could have been less salty. I get it , I mean it's seafood . Everything is already kinda salty. But I wanna give my taste buds a break from the salt. The clams were a little hard to eat as well, to break away the tiny bit of flesh in a tiny bowl full of clam shells. ( I would have preferred a chawanmushi but the golden egg tofu dish is probably too similar already) Course 6- surf and turf- I just ate everything from left to right as usual. But it is a very adventurous plate and had a few firsts for us. # 1 being the seabass milt and #2 the eel. We had a good laugh but we built up the courage eventually to finish the shirako. The shrimp should have been deveined. The calamari didn't add to the the dish at all, would have even been better and fine without it. The beef tongue was very tender and the mustard seed was a nice touch. I did feel , because it being called surf and turf , the surf definitely outweighed the turf . I feel like should be closer to 50/50 if called so. Course 7-matcha tiramisu- SOOO good! The tofu so delicate . I ended up eating my husband's portion as well actually. It was nice a candle was added and a cheerful birthday song to celebrate our occasion. The Choco crumble was marvelous, subtly bitter but truly chocolate. The chocolate crumble can stand alone quite honestly. It's cool you can eat the spoon as well but it wasn't tasty at all. It didn't taste bad but it wasn't appetizing or yummy also. Overall 5/5. Bc you don't get a lot of nicer restaurants outside of the city. The decor and food are above par. I could be more nitpicky about little things but that's the whole point of the soft opening and figuring out those minor mishaps. For one, my first cup of tea came out Luke warm, second time was scalding hot and I couldn't hold my cup right away. I did initially have to ask for refill but quickly after asking my cup was constantly kept filled. Also my husband ordered a drink but not until asking about it again where our order was the owner said they had just sold out. Another gripe was timing. Sometimes the dishes came out super quick. Immediately after one was done the next was brought. Another time we were sitting around for longer than what would be comfortable. But we did get reassured our next dish was coming soon. I think it's because since we ordered set A and other tables ordered set B we were just sitting and waiting for longer waiting for them to finish their course. The entire experience for us was about 2.5 hours. I was about 8-8.5 on a scale of 1-10 full by the end of it. I think the owners name is Kai, he was very receptive to customer needs and very friendly and eager. read more

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Wow, where do I even start? Ichika completely exceeded my expectations and then some. And I just got back from eating at the world's number 1 ranked restaurant last week - Maido - and am fortunate to have eaten in the world's best restaurants. The food was absolutely incredible - every single dish was a work of art that actually tasted as amazing as it looked. The chef is doing some seriously creative stuff here while still nailing all the classics. I kept thinking "how did they come up with this?" with each course. The whole vibe of the place is perfect too. Feels upscale but not stuffy, and you can tell everyone working there genuinely loves what they do. Our server was on point the entire night - knew exactly when to check in, made great recommendations, and clearly knew their stuff. Honestly, this is the kind of meal that spoils you for other places. Already planning when I can come back! read more

Disclaimer: This review is for the soft opening experience. Menu is not set in stone and substitutions are very likely without prior notice. For what Ichika is aiming to do, I think there are many things in the experience and menu that could be improved. I think they should've provided a soft opening discount knowing they have kinks to work out. DECOR They did a great job remodeling the interior. They have one large table that seats up to 8 people which is on a raised platform with floor seating. The rest of the restaurant consists of bar and booth/table seating. SERVICE Service was friendly, but under-staffed and incredibly slow. I dined with a large group and our meal took a whopping 4 hours, which was only bearable because of my good company. I was expecting the meal to be around 2-2.5 hours at the most. FOOD The food is a fusion of Japanese and French techniques. Overall, there could've been better execution. My party agreed that a lot of flavor profiles tasted really similar or didn't really complement each other. The components may have been fine on their own, but they didn't work in harmony to make a cohesive dish for many items on the menu. Specific comments on dishes: -OCEAN GARDEN SALAD: Seafood was good and the vinegar jelly was interesting. Not much to complain about. -TEMPTATION: Good uni and ikura. The apple vehicle presentation is cool, but it didn't add to the dish and it seemed wasteful unless you're willing to eat the whole apple. -SASHIMI/NIGIRI OMAKASE: I expect cuts from an upscale place like this to be one biters because sushi is traditionally supposed to be eaten in one bite to enjoy the balance of rice and fish (and any accoutrements). But the sashimi and nigiri were large, especially the sashimi. The sashimi was very clunky to eat. The homemade soy sauce foam was good though. Also, I'm not sure why they separated sashimi and nigiri into different courses. I think the sashimi, nigiri, and Temptation courses could've been combined into one course, making room for more interesting fusion courses on the menu. I'm paying for a kaiseki experience, not for 3 courses that are basically sushi dishes. -GRILLED WAGYU BEEF: The beef wasn't kept warm enough before it got to our table, so it was very oily by the time we ate it. Heated plates might've helped, or even letting us cook it on hot stones at our table ourselves would've been fun. The accompanying sauce was good. -UNI BROTH: The name is misleading because it makes you think the broth is made with uni, but it's a bonito broth with uni in it. I thought the uni was wasted in it, since it got overpowered by the broth's flavor. I've never had boiled uni before, probably because it's better eaten raw. I was not a fan of the earthy and bitter flavor profile. Maybe removing the uni and giving us some citrus to squeeze into the broth would've brightened it up. -SURF AND TURF: My least favorite dish. The duck was substituted since they got poor feedback on it, but they didn't replace it with another meat. Instead we got a fish or mochi cake that didn't complement the dish nor taste good. This dish had so many things going on in it and it didn't feel cohesive. The vinegar salad was very tart. Would've been nice to have more textural contrast on this plate since everything was soft. -GOLDEN EGG TOFU: Seafood quality and egg tofu was good, but flavor profile had a strong earthy taste (probably from the mushrooms), which didn't complement the crab or ikura well, in my opinion. The components probably would've tasted good on their own, but together, they didn't work well. -GRILLED SEA BASS AND RISOTTO: The best dish of the night. Sea bass was cooked well and it's hard to go wrong with risotto. -MATCHA TOFU TIRAMISU: Very airy and light. No complaints about this. Ichika has potential and I sincerely wish them good luck in their endeavors. read more

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Today, we celebrated the boys going back to school & #nationalcouplesday2021 ! When I heard #ichikamilpitas was coming to town, I just had to treat my Babe here. Andrée loves sashimi, sushi, and anything omakase style. So, I figured I'd be the very best gf and his #wcw today & always! Ichika is located in Milpitas, CA. It's in a soft opening phase and has two preset menus. I purchased the Premium Set B for both of us, and it was a savory, elegantly presentable, and filling 10 course meal. Pictured: Ocean Garden Salad Temptation Uni Sashimi Omakase Grilled Wagyu Beef Nigiri Omakase Uni Broth to reset the palette. Surf & Turf Golden Egg Tofu & King Crab Grilled Seabass & Risotto Dessert And Irvin the owner was so hospitable & generous that he hooked Dre up with free sauce to take home (their special soy sauce) & a free beer! Cheers to this man as my constant lover for all time! Happy National Couples Day to all you lovebirds out there, holding it down and being accountable to each other no matter what! #ichikamilpitas #charaeeats #bayareafoodies #wcw #nationalcouplesday #summer2021 #10coursemeal #uniquediningexperience #omakase #healthyeating #imsofancy #spoiledboyfriend #foodies #foodiesofinstagram #instafood #milpitasca #japnesefood #wednesdate #foodporn #cottacrew read more

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Came here for a dinner 5PM seating. Ichika is located in a strip mall so parking was no problem. The interior is beautiful and modern. During our seating, a family came in with some very young children. It wasn't necessarily an issue (the kiddos were pretty well behaved) but they were still noisy and that def affected the ambiance. It's great that people want to bring their kids out to have great food but not gonna lie it brought down the mood for date night service was amazing and super friendly. We opted for set B because why not and I wanted to get the full experience. Overall, the food was good but much was left to be desired. Ocean garden salad: not bad, the bowl with water and dry ice added some wow factor but taste-wise this fell flat. It was interesting how they made their dressing into a jelly that was crumbled over the salad but I couldn't taste it. Sashimi: The fish quality was disappointing. Like I've had fresher fish from Costco. Some pieces were okay and others were very fishy. They also offer a foamy soy sauce that they make in house. Golden egg tofu: tasty! Presentation was also nice. I thought the textures and tastes work together well. I do wish the crab leg provided had a bigger piece of shell cut out or something because it was such a challenge trying to get that little piece of crab meat out! Crab was also bland and had an almost spongey texture (I'm guessing as a result of defrosting) Wagyu: we were told that due to logistical issues (given the COVID era we live in), they were unable to have grilled wagyu steak and instead offered a wagyu beef stew. The stew was sooo good. My favorite thing from the whole night Nigiri: again, the fish quality was just ok so I wasn't a huge fan of their nigiri offerings. The fish was paired with some sauces that i felt didn't go with the fish. The plating for this one was also messy... presentation is important because we eat with our eyes first! I believe they grated some citrus zest over which also affected the taste. The o-toro was the best piece. So deliciously fatty Temptation: essentially an apple they carved out with uni and ikura. We were informed this was a nod to the story of Adam and Eve. However, we were left to wonder how uni and ikura fit into the picture... these were also flavors and textures I would've never imagined putting together. It wasn't bad but still not sure how I feel about it... the uni by itself was amazing though Clam broth: nice and simple. The little piece of unagi included was so good Surf and turf: an assortment of small bites. I really enjoyed the grilled sea bass and pumpkin croquette Matcha tofu tiramisu: I'm not usually a sweets person but I still think this could have benefited from being a bit sweeter and a stronger matcha flavor. There was a slight tangy flavor that was a bit off putting Overall, not bad but given the price point and how Ichika brands itself as a kaiseki/fine dining establishment I was expecting much more. I appreciate the creativity but I think the menu would benefit from some more thought in how flavors and textures would go together and presentation. read more

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Visited here 11/11. Date night with my husband. They are reservation only & have 2 time slots, 530p & 730p. We went for the 730p. They don't start serving dishes until everyone shows up for the time slot. They serve the tables all at the same time. They just changed their menu on our visit & we chose the premium option ($168 person). The premium option has extra offerings than the regular. It was an 8 course meal & since we started a little late due to a group getting seated late, we didn't finish until about close to 10p. The service was great, but having to wait for each dish, I started to get tired. Especially after drinking some soju. Each dish was good & my favorite was the wagyu. The egg custard was a little over cooked & the beef tongue kind of dry. Since they just opened I know they are getting thing situated & I will fill sure visit again. read more

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While looking for the next new kaiseki restaurant to try for special occasion, came across this listing. No walk-ins allowed, reservation required through Tock. There is a $50 non-refundable deposit per person so plan ahead if you change your mind. You are only allowed to transfer the reservation to someone else. Food: Overall the food was tasty and delicious. There is a nice variety to each course in this kaiseki menu. Nigiri II was realy the highlight course, including A5 Wagyu, Hokkaido Uni, and O-toro, simply amazing! There is room for improvement with creativity and presentation, although the dinnerware was quite colorful and unique. Since they seem to be on a seasonal schedule, I would return and call ahead to check the menu. Drink: Yuzu sake is really balanced and nuanced, highly recommend it! Ambiance: Fancy and elegant decor, casual dress, quiet and romantic Service: Wait staff is friendly, courteous, professional, and attentive. Unfortunately the appetizer included something that was originally specified as a food allergy and they completely ignored it! Parking: Plenty of free parking in the business plaza read more

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We scheduled for omakase dinner. The service was really nice and it was a 9 course dinner. The first salad was more like a mixed flavor between Korean and Japanese, pretty refreshing with good presentation. I really like the appetizers, especially the yellowtail and the sweet tofu. The grilled saba was also good. The foamed soy sauce made the texture more fun. I literally love all their fish selections. The price is pretty decent imo for a 9 course omakase. read more

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Our group of friend decided to give this place a try for a special occasion. The outside building is meh at best but when you walked into the restaurant, it's like you're in a whole different realm. The food came as a course. Our waiters were super polite and took the time to explain each dish to all of us. The chocolate mousse desert was the most memorable thing I ate. It came with edible spoon and it was sweet but not overwhelming. It was so good that I wish I had two. I would definitely recommend this place for a special occasion versus regular dining. Overall, the portion was small. Just remember that you're there for an experience rather than to get super full. read more

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Quick overview: I'm blown away by yet another Japanese omakase in the South Bay. The restaurant's interior was elevated and gave off a modern Japanese aesthetic. The overall dining experience was refined and elegant. I left with a full stomach but still wanted more. A MUST-GO! Pro tip: RESERVATION ONLY! Make sure to make a reservation ahead of time. Their dining experience is grouped into 2 or 3 time slots a day so that they can serve all parties with the same course simultaneously. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ More detailed review: 9/10 for Environment: We booked a 5pm reservation for two people on a Saturday evening. When you arrive at the front of the restaurant, there isn't anything special and almost hidden, but the moment you step in, it's like you have stepped into Japan. The restaurant is a little small, and they have about 5 tables and a bar seating. All the other parties at the 5pm slot were all spread out. On top of that, since it was a reservation only and everyone at the restaurant at that time was all on the same time slots, no one was walking in and out of the restaurant during our dining experience. That minimizes distractions and noise. Overall, the environment enhanced our dining experience here at Ichika. 9/10 for Customer service: The staff here were attentive and ensured our tea was always hot and filled up. I like that they weren't overly checking up on us but would still come around to ensure we enjoyed our meal. 8/10 for Food: My expectations for omakase are very high since Japanese food is one of my favorite cuisines, and having to been to Japan so often. I gave the food an overall 8 because it is delicious, but there are better omakase I had. The presentations were also all amazing. They also change up their menu, so that is nice for those who want to return and try something new. Here are some of my favorite items I had that night (in the order it was served): *Sunomono Salad: It had a bit of uni on top of a scallop and veggies. The uni wasn't overpowering the whole salad, and the scallop was fresh and tasty. *Kani Chawanmushi: This is the Crab Meat Steamed Egg Custard. This was hands down one of my favorites. The crab paired so well with the soft and smooth egg custard. *Nigiri II: The premium nigiri part II includes O-toro, A5 Wagyu, and Hokkaido Uni. Both the Wagyu and Uni were good, but it was the O-toro that blew me away. The fresh O-toro melted in my mouth like butter. This was my top 1 or 2 favorite items from everything I ate that night. *Dessert: I think it was a Matcha tiramisu mousse. The matcha was rich and paired well with the mousse and dark chocolate. They also plated really nice with a candle because we were celebrating a birthday. The Sashimi and Nigiri Part I were fresh and good, but nothing stood out here. I did like their sushi rice with their Nigiri. On top of the omakase, we ordered a bottle of Aizu Homare Yuzu to share. It was our first time having it, and we loved how good it was. The alcohol was on the weak side (perfect for us), and the yuzu flavor was delicious. Highly recommend if you are a fan of yuzu flavor. Put this on your list to try! Perfect for a suitable occasion. The overall dining experience was terrific, from the food to the aesthetic of the restaurant and the attentive staff. Guarantee a great night! read more

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I came here for my boyfriends birthday and I'm happy to say I'm not disappointed in the least. Our party was 4 people and all of us loved the menu, the food was made with high quality ingredients and each presentation was beautiful. The restaurant itself has a nice interior also as well as a clean looking sushi bar. Really good food overall and had a great experience! One of the few tasting menus I felt was worth it, given the price point and that I felt full when leaving read more

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This was a Valentine's Day dinner for myself and the wife. Great experience overall. If you understand what they are offering, then you should be fine as they delivered a great tasting course for us. - Great Atmosphere - Creative, Delicious Food - I liked the beer options, ordered a Suntory beer (malt) that we dont see as often Not much to say for something like this other than to look at the pictures and price and if you are into this type of thing, then book. For anyone who is significantly far away like in SF, I would say that it's worth coming combined with a day trip to Oakland/San Jose or something. read more

We just came here for a belated valentines day celebration, and the service, food, and ambience at this place was amazing! Very high quality dishes served here (I was personally in love with the dessert :3) 10/10 experience! read more