Food is excellent, but wait for a while even I have reservations. Many choices of Sake, must be tried! read more

It's been a while since my last update... Visited for lunch as a walk-in some time back. My friend ordered the duck soba, I had the tempura soba, and we also shared a couple of a la carte dishes. Finding high-quality, authentic soba in the Bay Area is quite challenging, so this place is a true gem for soba lovers. While I've enjoyed dinner here multiple times in the past, this was my first lunch visit. I didn't drink this time since I was driving, but their menu is excellent for those who enjoy pairing their meal with drinks. The crowd seems to include many Japanese expats, which speaks to its authenticity. A great, reliable spot for a calm and delicious meal! read more

Nice izakaya with good food! We had a reservation so were seated right away. The place is quite small so not many seats. We tried the housemade tofu which was fun and the salmon which was so good. The chicken soba was ok. The price is a bit steep but decent izakaya food. read more

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Tried Leichi right when they opened, so the space was calm with plenty of seating, which made for a relaxed start to the meal. The food was decent overall. Nothing was off, but nothing really stood out either. The sashimi was fresh and the grilled fish was cooked well, though the flavors and presentation didn't quite leave a lasting impression. It felt like everything played it a bit safe. Service was the highlight. Our server was attentive, checked in at the right moments, and made sure everything was taken care of without being intrusive. Overall, a solid spot if you're looking for a quiet, easy meal, but not somewhere I'd go out of my way for just yet. read more

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Came by for dinner the other night and it was a decent experience. Made a reservation for dinner and our table was ready upon arrival. Parking was plentiful in the private strip mall lot and dining was available indoors exclusively. The menu was large and the restaurant also had a few daily specials. Started off with the sea bream miso which was different. I was expecting a piece of fish inside some dashi broth. The agedashi tofu was tasty with a tempura mushrom. The assorted tempura was a generous portion and came with a few dipping accoutrements. The highlight may have been the grilled black cod which was buttery smooth and grilled to perfection. The grilled beef tongue was tasty too. The soba was light and best finished sooner rather than later since the hot broth kept on cooking the noodles. The panna cotta was a tasty way to finish off dinner. ~$65/head after tax and gratuity for dinner read more

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I really enjoyed the ambiance as soon as I entered the restaurant. They quickly seated us on a Sunday night. I ordered chicken hot soba, eggplants, salmon cheekbone, poured tofu, chirashi and many other dishes. I love the traditional Japanese restaurants. If you like raw fish, it's the best place for you. The parking is very easy to find. read more

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What a cozy Izakaya! Not fancy, just small and cozy to give an intimate feel. Waiting staff was eager to accommodate and foods excellent. The booths were on the clamp side -- I was forced to sit straight. If it is a bit closer to home, I will probably come every week. read more

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This restaurant holds a special place in my heart, as it's the first higher-end meal I treated my parents to from my first corporate job. I cannot rave enough about how EVERY. SINGLE. DISH. IS. DELICIOUS! The first time I had Leichi, I wanted to go back the week after because it was that good. Service (with reservation) is always on point and food comes out quick. The waiters are welcoming and open to answering any questions. My favorites are the tempura octopus, homemade tofu, cold duck soba, black cod, hojicha panna cotta, and assorted sushi. They ship their fish from Japan, so it's always high quality and fresh. The sashimi is literally melt in your mouth. The housemade tofu is fresh and has the rich soy flavor. My boyfriend isn't a big tofu guy, but even he loved it. The black cod is cooked with sake and a must try! Their ginger ale is housemade with their ginger syrup. I'm always grabbing two cups whenever I go! The hojicha panna cotta is rich, creamy, and always a great end to any meal. read more

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Your beef tongue is so good and your karrage chicken is so good next time I come to Leichi I'm gonna try your beef teriyaki bento box and soup on the side yummy read more

Leichi - Love it - Japanese Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Delicious food Good service No pressure to leave quickly Clean and tidy Right amount of attention read more

Came here with my husband for a lunch date and it was perfect. The restaurant is really cozy with tables separated by dividers. Here's what we got: Assorted tempura: 10/10 lightly coated and fried really well. It came with radish, ginger, and matcha salt. I will say the matcha salt just tastes like salt but it was fun! Harasu: 9/10 tasty salmon belly cooked perfected with crispy skin Sashimi bento: 9/10 sashimi was fresh Sweet raw shrimp: 10/10 they fry the head Potato salad: 9/10 the flavors are great but i don't love the texture over a bed of mixed greens. It was tasty but I wouldn't get it again given all the other options on the menu(: read more

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Prices are bigger high considering for lunch. I got sashimi bento $33. Fishes are smaller pieces and cut was not decent. Tried it and will not come back. read more

Leichi - Cold tofu, doesn't event know what to do. End up messed up the tofu. I wish the waitress will explain. - Japanese Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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Loved this place! If you're looking for traditional Japanese cuisine and small plates this is the place to go. Service was quick and the food quality was great. Ordered the chawanmushi, salmon chazuke, the seared scallops, and the duck dipping soba. My top dish was the salmon chazuke. I also loved the soba quality but thought the duck portions could have been larger given the price. Would come back to try more items! read more

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A Bay Area staple that is 100% worth visiting. Small, clean restaraunt. Make sure you call to make a reservation, or come early around the first hour of opening to make sure you don't need to wait in a long line. Hot Sake is great here, as well as the Lychee Highball. Recommend getting both! FOOD: Special Chirashi Bowl (8/10) - Ingrediants (scallop, ikura, uni) were really fresh. Only downside was that the bowl is small for it's price. Hamachi Carpaccio (7/10) - Solid fresh fish, but not as fatty as other places I've had in the bay. Sauce is very good though. Yuzu Ikura (6/10) - Interesting solid starter, but I think the radish slightly overpowers the ikura. Good with rice though. Steamed Gindara (9/10) - SO good! Fish was so tender, fatty and fresh, and the broth was amazing. Vinegared Scallop X Octopus (7/10) - Small portion but the freshness of the octopus and scallop really shined through. Nasu Dengaku (10/10!!!!) - So good. So good! Will order 2 of these next time i come. Perfectly cooked eggplant with a sweet miso sauce on top. read more

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We did a random Saturday lunch walk in and were seated immediately. Meals are all so good and seemed more authentic than some fusion Japanese places. My top favorite dish has to be: - Gindara Saikyo (black cod steamed in sake)!! It's so tender and light; I can literally eat a couple of these. Overall, prices are good. Would definitely come back just for the fish and the goma tofu dish! read more

Leichi - Duck udon at top, tai salad(L), goma tofu(R), gindara saikyo black cod at the bottom - Japanese Near Me - Santa Clara, California

I came here on a Saturday evening and was seated immediately at the bar. There were a lot of interesting items on the menu but I ended up getting uni topped tofu, cold noodles (recommended by my server), an ikura bowl, and the sashimi special. For one person, it was a good amount of food, and I did end up leaving some noodles behind. I felt that service was good, as I was checked in on multiple times, and that the food was excellent in taste and quality. The server offered to deep fry the shrimp head which I thoroughly enjoyed. The restaurant itself is small and quaint and felt like an intimate space. I enjoyed all of the items I ordered and would return to explore other food items. read more

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Leichi is always so satisfying when I want nice Japanese cuisine! Service is very attentive, and while the restaurant is small, it's in a convenient location and cozy! Plenty of parking in the lot next to Lucky as well. Kaisendon here is spectacular 9/10 Duck soba is consistently good 8/10 Yuzu sorbet and the tofu dessert are 9.5/10 The scallop crudo style appetizer with basil oil wasn't their best work, flavors felt awkward and clashing 6/10 read more

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Came here for a late night dinner and was able to snag a spot. This place is pretty small and tight so prepare for a wait if you go during the typical dinner time. Despite it being a small space, the wall border definitely created privacy for my party. This place is like an izakaya with a lot of small fish specialties. Ikura Bowl (4/5): If you just want Ikura and love it, I definitely recommend this one. It's cheaper than by a whole box at Hmart. Hokkaidon Bowl (4/5); This bowl comes with scallop, uni, and Ikura. I thought the bowl was way too small for the price. The fish was pretty fresh though. Would not recommend sharing. Udon w/ tempura (5/5): I really thought this was the best dish the share. It was warm and cozy. Marinated Black cod (5/5): although it was small, it was packed with flavor. The sweetness just bursts as you go through the flakiness of the fish. Panna Corra (5/5): I usually never get dessert at a restaurant, but this looked too good for me not to try. I thought it wasn't too sweet and was the perfect ending to a meal. Overall I really enjoyed this place and would love to come back to try other dishes. read more

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Food quality was really good. The portions were just really small. We went at about 5pm on a Sunday night and luckily got a seat for two without a reservation. The waiter were really nice and though it was small, they had dividers that made the dining experience more private. We ended up getting more food afterwards since we were still a bit hungry but overall, quality was great. read more

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Tasted absolutely delicious but I left hungry after spending $100. Table of four and everything came out very quick and beautifully. We were near the door but it was still a nice atmosphere despite it. The food was good but I am just disappointed that I left hungry. read more

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Incredibly well prepared, authentic Japanese fare. The hamachi carpaccio is ridiculously stellar. The sake flight and associated pairing was brilliant. Everyone had things they had never tried and everyone walked away having experienced an absolutely fantastic meal. Service was also incredibly prompt, swift and sharp. Never judge a book by its cover... read more

I've come here a few times, and always walk away feeling satisfied having come to a solid spot. We walked in on a weekday without res and got seated promptly, but was surprised it got quite packed throughout the rest of the night. It's cozy / intimate / casual interior, a perfect place to wind down for a treat after a long day. Portion size overall is on the smaller side, but honestly enjoyed every dish we ordered. Dishes I would re-order next time would be the grilled miso eggplant and stone grilled beef tongue (not pictured, it was so good I devoured it before remembering to take pics). Also huge fan of their hot sake, and lychee high ball just hits the spot. read more

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I came here on a Thursday night and it was a great spot for a date night. This was my first time having Japanese tapas like this and it was really enjoyable. We started off with some beers (a nice treat after a long work week) and ordered the hot stone beef tongue, the chawan mushi with salmon roe, and sashimi 6 ways. I've only cooked meat like this in a hot stone once so I was glad to experience it again and the quality of the meat was good. Paired with a little salt and a squeeze of lemon, I thought it was tasty. The sashimi was really delicious and the quality of fish was good. The yellowtail and salmon were our top picks and really melted in our mouths. I would come back to try some of their other menu items, like the noodles and some of the other popular dishes on Yelp. The ambiance of Leichi was like an elevated casual. Nothing too fancy but definitely a good spot for a date or like a small special hangout with friends. Plenty of parking as well. The service was pretty good. They were attentive and we were seated right away (granted we did have reservations). Overall, would recommend and would come back! read more

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definitely make a reservation! great izakaya! v light flavors and authentic. sashimi was so fresh! I do think it lives up to the hype if you love Japanese food. read more

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Leichi is such a cute, cozy Japanese restaurant in San Jose that I visited recently with my family. We ordered quite a few things - from favorite first: 1. Homemade tofu - this came with toppings on the side that you put on top - some green onions, salt, ginger, soy sauce. The tofu was SO fresh and had an amazing sweet taste to it even without all the toppings (had a bite first!) 10/10 - would 200% get it again next time. It's so difficult to find fresh made tofu in a restaurant! 2. Unagi bowl - this was in a tiny wooden square bowl; it was so fragrant and the sauce drenched perfectly onto the white rice. The quality of this dish reminded me of the unagi bowl I had in Japan. 10/10 3. Ikura chawanmushi - SO good?!! The egg was so soft, so fluffy and the ikura on top was perfectly salty and generous in portion. NO NOTES 10/10 4. Hamachi carpaccio - flavor was so well balanced with a bit of sweet, tangy, sour and saltiness. So buttery and fresh, 9/10 5. Hot duck udon - the broth was rich without being overwhelming. Duck meat was tasty and not too gamey. Homemade soba noodles made in house, another treat!! 9/10 6. Mini chirashi bowl - came with just two types of fish (salmon and albacore?) it was tasty but the portion was quite tiny, next time will opt for the sashimi platter instead! 8/10 I can't wait to come back to try their other dishes :) It was such a fun evening, took me right back to Japan!! read more

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Great food. But the space is really small. They offer 5% discount for cash. Love the location - easy to park!

I love this place and my go to whenever craving for Japanese food! It's a hidden gem where I found my comfort food and the prices are also very reasonable. I recommend booking reservation because the tables are limited and they're almost always full for dinner. When I'm inside, I feel like I'm dining in Japan! I love that their menu is very authentic Japanese food and not just a sushi/ramen menu. They have a lot of variety in the menu and I'm sure you can find something you like. My favorites are - buri daikon, miso soup, saikyo cod and salmon belly. I also love the matcha ice cream! All are so good! People there are also nice and Japanese :) Will always be my favorite place. read more

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I've been here multiple times now and it never disappoints! Pro tip - make reservation so you don't end up waiting an hour for an open table (the space is rather small). The waiters are pretty knowledgeable about what they recommend as well as sake/drink pairings, so we ordered a couple appetizers (I always love the house made tofu and scallop with uni), some deep fried dishes, and a couple sushi and hot items. I also like their beef tongue (comes with a small personal grill that they'll light for you) and the wood pressed mackerel sushi read more

Leichi - Scallop uni, sea cucumber, house made tofu - Japanese Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Leichi came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. It is a small, but very clean restaurant with really good service. It was lunch time and they had a nice lunch menu with a lot of good options. I had the Sashimi Bento that came with really fresh sushi that melted like butter, white rice, miso soup and some veggies. I will definitely be back and I will be getting the Katsu and curry plate that looked so good. read more

Leichi - Sashimi Bento - Japanese Near Me - Santa Clara, California

This spot has been on my foodie bucket list for a minute so I knew I finally had to slide thru so here I am. I came here with my dad and we ordered a variety of items. I ordered the taco wasa, the hokkaidon, and the tongue grill. My dad got the 6 kind sashimi, harasu, and the gindara saikyo. Everything was pretty good. My dad really liked the harasu and saikyo. For me, the highlights were the hokkaidon and the tongue grill which is beef tongue cooked on this decorative tabletop grill. Our server Tuan was cool and he gave great recommendations and insight on their menu. Overall, this is a comfy Japanese spot offering a variety of high quality tapas. Try it out if you like. :) read more

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I really enjoyed this Japanese spot in Santa Clara. It's a little cute small restaurant and is worth the wait. I recommend getting a reservation first before going. If you like tapas and Isakaya, this is the spot! They have grilled beef tongue that you can grill it yourself that is one of their signature. I really like that I could grill it myself and it's very fun to do! But my favorite is the miso black cod and the salmon chazuke!!! I love the texture and flavors so much and definitely would go back for them! read more

Mediocre japanese izakaya place that tries to do everything while seeming a bit fancy, not worth the price. I don't believe they have the freshest ingredients or best flavors, but maybe we should refrain from comparing to sf/oakland area standards for this category of restaurants. I don't recommend the 3x3 grid sampler; don't expect super tender and juicy miso black cod or grill. The tofu and soba are standard. read more

Came here Sunday lunch right at opening 11:30 without a reservation and after 5 minutes it was already packed and there was a wait, so best bet is to make a reservation on the weekends. I saw that it was 3 dollar signs but when looking at the menu I could see somethings being that but most of it I would say is affordable. I got their must try house made leichi tofu and it was delicious equal part soft, smooth, silkly, sweet and yet savory. I also got their Salmon Chazuke which was tasty but the portion of rice to salmon was off. I had alot of leftover rice probably around a third to half of the bowl for the amount of salmon that was given. I also got the lunch menu Beef Fresh Udon Noodle with Hot soup and the noodles were definitely fresh, super chewy, but the garnish of the orange peel was a bit overpowering when eating just one piece with anything else the flavor just got make in orange even the beef which I was surprised by. I would say ask for less if you can so it doesn't overwhelm your palate. I did end up taking them out because I felt like it made the dish worse. But overall the food I had I would recommend with maybe slight changes. read more

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Leichi is a strip mall Japanese restaurant at the shopping center with Lucky market and a run down liquor shop. The restaurant itself is small and cluttered, but we had a reservation and we got seated right away. The booth we got was ok but right under the AC so very cold. The service was friendly and quick, but it wasn't really that organized. They took the order quickly and then came back and oddly asked us if we still needed menus. They delivered hot soba instead of cold soba. The food came out quickly but they never came around to ask if we liked it or needed anything else. Anyway the food quality is pretty good. The cold soba was tasty and the tiny pieces of duck were tasty. The limited sashimi (import from Japan) was excellent. It tasted fresh and tender. The ikura bowl was good but the rice needed a tad more seasoning. The nasu denkagu was disappointing. The eggplant itself was fine but it was overpowered by a thick coating of miso or soy based sauce. The tempura was pretty good. It was served hot and was nicely cooked and breaded. It read more

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I really wanted to like this place, but the food was quite mediocre for the price. I got there around 11:30 am on a Saturday and decided to wait since I didn't make a reservation. The restaurant was very small and quite packed. The wait wasn't terrible and the service was actually quite good. They were warm and quick, but I have a hard time giving a better rating since the food was just decent. read more

SPECIAL: - Kobujime amaebi yukke (shrimp with spicy miso): 7/10 - Uni blancmange: 2/10; this was a miss for us. It was uni (which was great) over an orange jelly with a mousse below it. The mousse was the worst part - flavorless and was like eating whipped fat. I also was not a fan of the way they served it. It came in a shot glass which made it hard to eat and taste all the flavors at once STARTER - Grilled edamame (garlic): 10/10 - Housemade tofu: 10/10 - Goma Tofu: 8.5/10 - Salmon w Yum (salmon sashimi with mountain yam noodles): 6/10; sticky gooey consistency to the noodles DELICACY: - Karasumi (sun dried salted mullet roe): 4/10 - Ume suisho (shark cartilage w sour plum paste): 9/10 - Tako Wasa: 6/10 - Shiokara (marinated squid, squid liver paste): 8/10 a little salty. So much better eaten with rice SASHIMI - Sweet raw shrimp: 6/10 - Kombu cured Mackerel: 6/10 - Octopus Carpaccio: 7/10 STEAMED - Ebi Shjino: 6/10 -Chawan mushi with crab sauce: 8/10 COLD DISHES - Vinegared Scallop x Octopus: 6/10 - Mozuku cured snapper: 6/10 mostly seaweed DEEP FRIED - Nankotsu (chicken cartilage): 10/10; amazing crunch, chewiness and perfect amount of salt - Nasu Dengaku (fried eggplant): 10/10 tastes wonderful with rice - Ebi baguette: 7/10 -Tai to nasu: 6/10; fried sea bream, eggplant, dashi GRILLED - Gindara Saikyo black cod: 10/10 - Tongue steak: 6/10, nicely cooked, nice chew, needs a bit more salt on top - Harasu (salmon belly w salt): 8/10 - Kamo Kunsei (smoked duck with balsamic vinegar sauce): 7/10, the smoke was great and you could really taste it. It needed a little more salt or flavor SIMMERED - Simmered Gindara (black cod simmered): 9/10 SUSHI & RICE DISHES - Chirashi (lunch menu): 8/10 - Wood pressed sushi mackerel: 9/10 COLD & HOT NOODLE DISHES - Seiro Soba with tempura: 8/10 DESSERT - Soba pudding (buckwheat flan w/ caramel): 6/10 - Panna cotta (roasted green tea): 8/10 read more

Very cute Japanese "tapas" place. The fish is very fresh and I highly recommend their sashimi. The grilled beef tongue is also really fun. The rice bowls are mostly ok, but I recommend getting more dishes with less emphasis on the carbs. Would recommend ordering ~7 dishes for 2 people It gets a little pricey per person but definitely recommend for a special occasion read more

Got a chirashi here for delivery, the fish is quite fresh, a little frugal on the fish, felt like they cut it thinner. Overall it's okay for $28. read more

Returned for an early lunch today. We managed to grab the second to the last table for two. Lunch sets and a la carte dinner menus were available. We ordered a chirashi sushi and salted salmon bento. Great service and delicious food just like the first time there. Give it a try - highly recommend making reservations especially if a special occasion dinner! read more

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Leichi is a hidden gem in a Santa Clara strip mall that feels way more refined than it looks from the outside. The cozy space is perfect for a date night or a small group, with easy parking and the option to reserve ahead. The staff is friendly and the service efficient. Standouts are the house-made specialties--the ginger ale, silky pudding-like tofu, and refreshing cold-dipping soba. Don't miss the comforting salmon ochazuke, perfectly crisp tempura, scallop with uni, fresh mini chirashi, and the hojicha panna cotta to finish. Everything here is a win. read more

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