I was in the neighborhood for some Japanese food and stumbled upon this restaurant. It was clean…read moreand organized. I walked in and was greeted immediately by a professional looking chap. The toro heaven was impressive great dish

This is a nice neighborhood sushi place. We almost didn't come because we thought it might be full…read moreon a Friday night and when we tried to call the phone line didn't work. We tried to call from Yelp and from there website - so not sure what the deal was. We took a chance and walked over from our hotel and were glad we did. It turns out that it is a pretty sizable place with a really big sushi bar. We got a small table by the window. We got a selection of some of favorite nigiri and almost all of them were really good. We both got O-Toro and while it was a very generous piece, it wasn't trimmed really well so it was a bit hard to eat. All my other nigiri's were really good, especially the Saba and Hotate. Our server was really nice and friendly and gave us great advice on the sake and the menu.

Very comfortable neighborhood restaurant. And as for Palo Alto restaurants there is never a long…read moreline. The food quality is good and better than most mid-tier sushi locations.

I arrived at the restaurant at the specified pickup time and had to wait 40 more minutes for them…read moreto finish preparing my order. I ordered via their website and they gave me a pickup time of one hour. I arrived one hour later, showed the waitress my order number, and was not given an estimate of when the food would be done, just that it was not ready yet. Two people came in after me, waited for ten or so minutes, received their orders and left. Ten more minutes later the waitress asked me if they could substitute the hot dish I had ordered for another one because the other one would take too long to cook. After another 20 minutes my order is finally ready, and the waitress optimistically says "see you next time." Quality of the raw fish was good, miso salmon was overcooked, sushi roll was not good.

Great service, good food, and ambiance!…read more I ordered the salmon teriyaki and it came with a salad and rice. The salmon teriyaki portion was HUGEEE. They were generous with the salmon. I also ordered a side of the salmon sashimi, they were very fatty and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, they have complimentary ice cream! Overall great experience, will plan on coming back on my next trip back in the city!

Very convenient. Open later than most spots in Palo Alto. College hangout, but we felt comfortable…read moreas a big family group. Food was ok. With food, specially sushi, you get what you pay for, so... Service was good.

Last time, I was here I LOVED it! So I brought some new friends and it was even better than I…read moreremembered. We had such a great time, the vibes were def there! The food and drinks were great and we had amazing service! Chanelle was our server and she made sure we were well taken care of all night! Will def be back again!!!

Had to come back here again, and funnily enough I had the same server from the first time! The…read moreservice was just as amazing as last time. Chanelle did an amazing job being attentive, and she knew exactly what to recommend for our table. The Hamachi Serrano was our favorite this time, and I'd strongly recommend it to anyone who is interested in going!

This place definitely deserves a higher rating! We had the 16 course omakase and every dish was…read morephenomenal! My personal favorites were Sakuramasu, Chu Toro, and King Salmon! I'd highly recommend visiting and make sure to make a reservation because there isn't a ton of seating. Can't wait to go back!

Daigo has been on my list for a while and I was happy to stop by on a Sunday morning for lunch. We…read morearrived right when they opened and was seated in the outside tent area since the shop is pretty tiny and filled up quickly. Prices were definitely higher compared to other sushi places as this restaurant leaned closer to finer, delicate Japanese dining. We ordered 3 different sushi rolls, 3 chawanmushis, miso cod, shishamo kaarage, and the softshell crab (total including tax but before tip was a little over $160). Overall, the food was good. I liked that the rolls had less rice and good quality fish and ingredients. The chawanmushi had a good variety of seafood (scallop and 2 types of shrimp). I would just keep in mind that portions were very small for the price you are paying. There was also only one server so it was a bit slow, but she was attentive.

I was recently in the area for a golf tournament and this place was in the area. I like the variety…read moreof rolls that Araki offered compared to other Japanese restaurants in the area. I wouldn't say this food was the best, but menu was definitely affordable and the portion size were generous. That is a major plus. Also the food came out fairly quick and the service was good. They were on top of me needing refills If you're hungry and you prioritize value, Araki Sushi is the place to go!

Came here right when they opened for lunch. Our food came out quickly. I had gotten the 12 piece…read moresashimi combo which comes with miso soup and salad. The sashimi cuts are pretty sizable, but some of the cuts contained the grisly fat so it was tough to chew. Reasonable pricing and a convenient location in downtown Palo Alto a block away from the train station. Staff was very friendly and while the restaurant isn't big, there are still plenty of tables and the place is beautifully decorated with cultural paintings on the wall.

Very unassuming, quiet little place on El Camino Real near Stanford. I intentionally picked it for…read moredinner because it was not flashy or trendy. I had the 10 piece chef's chioice sashimi plate, and I was knocked out at the care taken to prepare it. Very generous portions of a great variety of very fresh fish, subtly flavored and accompanied by fresh grated wasabi. I knew better than to use soy sauce. The chef is a master. I'll remember this place.

Coming into this place on a friday lunch break to enjoy some fish sounded like a great idea. I…read morearrived and there were two doordashers and just me ready to dine in. I was sat down and served pretty quickly by the nice waitress who also delivered water, a salad, and Miso soup. They were delicious and I enjoyed them! The sushi combo itself was not my favorite. The fish cuts were not great, they were huge which should be a plus for some people but it took away from the enjoyment of eating nigiri. The tekka was good though. As for ambiance, it looked japanese but it was kinda funny enjoying Miso soup while classic rock bangers were playing. Never imagined Red Hot Chili Peppers and Salmon nigiri together. The plus side, the chef and waitress were extremely nice though!

We got the Iki bento a few weeks ago and loved it, so we came back for their lunch omakase on a…read moreFriday, and it did not disappoint. The space is intimate, with only 8 counter seats, so you're served directly by chef Li. To my surprise, all of the seats were full on a Friday at lunch. I didn't want to drink too much at lunch, but they had a $29 sake flight of three 1.5 oz pours, which was just the right amount to pair with the sushi but still be able to go back to work after lunch! Pre sushi: 1. Pickled baby ginger: I love this stuff, and he was good about refilling it 2. Crab with Japanese citrus jelly and shiso: a generous amount of sweet, fresh crab 3. Ankimo: two pieces, served with wasabi 4. Signature octopus: massaged 1 hour and stewed 1 hour - very flavorful and tender 5. Steamed abalone: served over soba with abalone liver sauce 6. Seaweed shot 7. Chawanmushi with scallops and caviar Sushi: 1. Hokkaido scallop with yuzu and sea salt 2. Spanish mackerel 3. Akami: lean bluefin tuna 4. Kinmedai: golden eye snapper, torched 5. Isaki: 3 line grunt fish 6. Kelp cured black snapper, shiso leaf, yuzu 7. Chutoro 8. Saba: mackerel with kelp 9. Otoro: torched, topped with uni The scallop and kinmedai were the highlights for me. We also got one of the à la carte add ons: the hand chopped fatty tuna and uni hand roll. To finish: red miso soup At the end, you can watch the chef preparing the bento boxes, which was a good reminder for me to keep my eye out for the next available pickup. The fish was high quality, and the pieces were cut to the right size (I've been to way too many places with unappealingly large cuts). Each course was thoughtfully prepared, and pacing was consistent. For the quality and quantity of food, as well as the service and dining experience, this was a hot deal for $125 a person. We will definitely be coming back!

Came for lunch and had a very nice experience…read more My favorites were the monkfish liver and the chawanmushi with uni. The chef explained all the dishes and where they are sourced. The presentation is also lovely. I also loved the pickled ginger (that they keep refilling for you). Overall would highly recommend!

This review is long overdue--I've been coming to Eighty-Eight Sushi & Ramen occasionally for over…read more5 years. I love this place because it serves two of my favorite comfort foods--sushi and ramen! They hit perfectly every time. I always leave happy. The sushi and ramen are consistently great, and the sushi is beautifully crafted and exceptionally delicious. What really stands out is the owner, Alex. He creates a welcoming experience and takes the time to engage with every customer, building a genuine connection--that's always been my takeaway. The atmosphere is inviting and the decor is thoughtfully curated. Highly recommend for both the food and overall experience

TL;DR: Great sushi and decent ramen, but major service issues once the restaurant gets busy. Long…read morewaits and forgotten orders due to online order overload, make it hard to justify dining in, despite the food quality and potential. This place is a bit of a love-hate relationship for me, and it's hard to explain. Things started off pretty smoothly. Based on reviews, I was excited to see that they offer both good sushi and ramen--and that part is true. The sushi is really good and solid overall: fresh fish, flavorful roll combinations, and well-balanced rice/ingredient ratios. The ramen is decent. The broth is flavorful, though the chashu doesn't quite compare to what you'd get at a dedicated ramen shop. Still, it's nice to have ramen as an option, especially when dining with a group. That said, service took longer than expected, especially considering ramen is usually quick to prepare. To their credit, they noticed the delay and offered us complimentary edamame, which we appreciated. About 45 minutes in, the restaurant started filling up fast. We were almost finished but decided to order sweet shrimp nigiri, something we always try when it's available. Unfortunately, that's where things went downhill. Once the crowd came in, it became very difficult to get the staff's attention due to the influx of both dine-in and online orders. At least three other tables around us were also missing items or had orders forgotten--just like us. We placed our nigiri order at 5:34 p.m. and didn't receive the two pieces until nearly 7:00 p.m. We didn't even realize how long we had waited until we were leaving. Ironically, once we mentioned it to an employee, the order came out in less than five minutes. The explanation given to multiple tables was that there were too many online orders and they couldn't stop them (??) To me, this felt more like a communication and prioritization issue. Dine-in customers shouldn't be waiting 45 minutes for two pieces of nigiri or a single maki roll. They did offer us 10% off the bill, but it didn't fully make up for the frustrating experience. The food itself is undeniably good, and this place has a lot of potential. However, I wouldn't gamble my time here again unless the service issues are addressed. I really hope they find a better system, because the quality of the food deserves it.

Ambiance - Clean and welcoming…read more Food - Overall good! The Teriyaki Chicken, Hamachi Lover Roll, Pompeii Roll, Spicy Edamame, and House Salad were all tasty. The jalapeños on top of the Hamachi Lover Roll had a good kick to it (coming from a habanero eater). The Pompeii Roll was the coolest and most saucy -- it is cooked with a small torch at your table. Service - It was timely and warm. I had spice go down the wrong pipe and started coughing. The staff heard me and came over to check on me and bring water right away -- thank you!

Good place to dine after playing pickleball at the nearby Lifetime Activities center. The staff…read morehere is friendly and very attentive. My hot tea is rarely ever less than half full. The food is good tasting, filling, and reasonably priced. If you are "into" bento boxes, it's on the menu but you do not actually receive your food in any type of "box".