Absolutely one of my favorite spots in Los Altos! You can't go wrong with Sumika. The meat is amazing, donburi and vegetable tempura. Definetly recommend trying a bit of everything. Perfect to take out-of-towners as well since it is definitely a unique restaurant with bites for everyone on the table, since they even have sushi on the menu. read more

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Must-try: their American wagyu skewers! Why visit? this is my first yakitori bar, and their selection for the price and presentation is top tier! Kind service and a very rustic interior that I could appreciate. Don't sleep on their spicy karaage either. Protip: their "cocktails" are unfortunately so underpowered that I don't think they're worth ordering. read more

Sumika - Japanese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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Definitely had a Japanese theme this weekend (also went to Jun-ni). Overall the found was really good for our group (included two kids) and my biggest issue was a service one. We had a 730 reservation and a few minutes after we ordered we were told it was last call and if we wanted to order anything else. For me this style of dining is best when you order multiple times as the meal progresses plus if I really like something I want to order it again. We could not do this as we had no food before last call. Some of the highlights for me were: chashu pork potato salad - well balanced with the acidic dressing, tempura vegetables- great texture and mushrooms always welcome. I find that I like the more basic grilled items best (no sauce just salt) but all of the chicken dishes were great with my favorite being the skin. Probably will not return as there are many options in the area. read more

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I would like to say this is a hidden gem, but based on reviews, and wait times, it's not! Nestled in downtown Los Altos, lies an authentic yakitori restaurant. The food is absolutely delicious, and service is top notch. Food is a little pricey, but a skewer of each menu item was more than enough for me and my fiancée to share. Tips - book early, reservations are a must. 1 yakitori stick was good for 2 people to share. We had about 7 yakitori sticks and the donburi, which was enough to keep us full and satisfied by the end of the meal, but not bloated. read more

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05/08/21 Yes, we are back. Another amazing tummy stuffing meal. OMG. Everything is delicious. Udon with the tempura ... put the tempura in the side to keep it crispy. Have your yaki onigiri cone our first read more

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Overall, a nice cozy spot with a good atmosphere and good food. I ordered the Beef Steak Don Tray and it was nicely cooked. For dessert, we shared the frozen pudding which was yummy. The service was good, and overall, it was a nice experience. read more

Food is good is always. Their grilled meats are so tasty. The Sumika Salad is great too if you're looking for more greens. Service is good and prompt. Ambiance is casual and lively. read more

Went with friends for dinner. Ordered too many items to remember. Have a few photos. Overall, food quality is very nice, but price seems too high for the amount. about $6 for 3 slices of charcoal grilled zucchini ? Got grilled rice balls and that took forever. Actually we were limited to a certain time by the waiter and the rice came out about 10 min before our 1.5 hr imposed time ended. I really wanted to eat the rice with all the dishes, but being the last item to arrive kinda killed that idea. Hard to get attention of waitstaff to get water too. Not sure I'd be back. Too expensive for what you get and too long to get key food items out. read more

Sumika - Almost finished tofu and Sumikas Famous Organic Fried Chicken. Both good. - Japanese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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If I had to choose between 3 yakitori places in the area, I would choose Gaku, Sumiya and Sumika (this one) last. I may be a little biased because I really don't like orenchi either and I don't get the hype. The yakitori were flavorless, not even salted I don't think. We had chicken skin, the wings, heart, liver, beef tongue, chicken with green onion, shiitake mushroom and okra. That's a pretty big variety. None of them were the right tenderness or chewiness. You don't even taste the charcoal or anything. I was very disappointed. The appetizers were okay. The salad was mediocre with not a lot of dressing. The agadashi tofu was good, and the pork belly was good. The chicken egg don was decent too. Overall, if you're going for yakitori, there's better. I think they just opened one in Santa Clara. I don't think I'll be back. read more

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Dark and cozy spot in Downtown Los Altos We came in for lunch on a weekday and had no problem getting a table for 2. I think it's pretty busy normally, so maybe make a reservation. Agedashi Tofu: a bit overpriced, the shredded white radish was very refreshing though Meat Skewers: soo delicious, the meats were smoky and cooked to perfection, not a huge meat lover but I would definitely go back for these skwers Oyako-Don: my first time trying this dish and I loved it! The ingredients are very simple and healthy. The egg was an interesting consistency, so if you don't love runny egg it might be hard to eat. My friend who brought me to Sumika said that it was his favorite Oyako-Don in the area. read more

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Yummy place to come for yakitori! They have other dishes as well, also executed pretty well. I came with a friend and tried out a range of yakitori as well as the chicken karaage and salmon ikura don. Yakitori was pretty great in general but my favorites were the sori (chicken thigh), wagyu, and beef tongue. So juicy and flavorful! Beyond that, the other chicken thigh options were really good too, scallops were good, asparagus roll in pork was good, chicken breast options were OK (on the dry side), quail eggs were OK (on the rubbery side). Always love a good variety though, and Sumika definitely offers that. Overall a fan of this place! Good to note that it's on the pricier side and individual menu items vary from OK to great, but generally a really nice experience dining here. read more

Sumika - Japanese Near Me - Los Altos, California

Pretty decent food and experience overall. I was a little thrown off by how dingy it was inside and the outside seating did not look too appealing either. However, the service was on point and the food was pretty good. I got some hot tea to warm up and refilled it several times. For my main course, I got minced chicken, scrambled egg, and veggies over rice. It came with salad and pickles. It was tasty but I found it a little dry, so asked for some siracha aioli which complemented the dish well. I also got the veggie tempura which was just OK. read more

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Sumika's quality is soooo good! Their food and service is always consistent. I love that they even give a hot towel to wipe your hands when you dine in. My favorite thing are the lunch bento boxes; they're an amazing deal and so filling. The prices are a bit steep otherwise, but it's worth the money! You can't go wrong with anything on their menu, but I'm obsessed with their agedashi tofu -- it's so perfectly chewy and crispy. 10/10 recommend!! read more

Sumika - Agedashi tofu - Japanese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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Worst Japanese service I've ever seen. We placed the order at the beginning, and then 30mins later the waitress came again and tried to place a new order for us. That was when I realized our order wasn't placed at the beginning. I asked the waitress and she looked like she didn't know it. So We had to order again, After waiting 30mins for nth. While I sit here typing These, the table next to us said their desert was forgotten lol. This is such a funny place and Idk why it happened. It was event not rush hours. Definitely don't suggest anyone come to this damn funny place. read more

COVID outdoor seating Good service, love the black sesame panna cotta. The chicken don looks nice but we didn't get to try it. The fish liver akimo is also delicious, especially that it's served warm. The sashimi cut is thick. The skewers are ok, not impressed with the beef skewer as the sauce seems too sweet even though the meat is soft. read more

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My favorite casual cooked Japanese restaurant for over a decade! I would give it 5 stars but they stopped making my favorite dish -tsunune don. The oyako don is similar but just not the same. read more

This place is perfect for lunch .... I always get the oyakodon (literally "parent child bowl") with chicken and eggs over rice in a bowl. Get the eggs runny. My partner got the tonkatsu bento, which was also amazing. Ver nice dark feeling like in a basement in Japan. Very authentic. Service was kind and efficient. read more

Sumika - Tonkatsu bento - Japanese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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I don't know what's happened to my tried and true favorite of the Chicken Oyako-don, but I was embarrassed to have recommended this for lunch today with my friend. We both ordered the oyako-don, and the egg came more jiggly and undercooked than usual, and the formerly amazingly delicious and savory sauce was nowhere to be tasted. When I usually get this dish, the egg is partially cooked (not 100% translucent and gelatinous), and the sauce is amazing, both savory and sweet and so fragrant. This time, the dish honestly had no flavoring, to the point that my friend and I both asked for additional sauce (we were brought a soy sauce dispenser, which we liberally poured all over the dish). In addition to the dousing of soy sauce, we also sprinkled some of the random pepper seasoning on top, just to give it SOME flavor. And on top of the lack of flavoring, the rice was lukewarm at best! I tried to "cook" the egg a bit more by stirring it up and heating it up with the rice, but it was very telling that my gelatinous goo egg stayed translucent. It was a really disappointing experience to say the least. I'm not sure I will come back until they figure out just what's gone wrong. What is their "special" sauce, if the dish has no flavor at all!?!?!?! Maybe their chef screwed it up today, it certainly didn't taste like a dish where much effort was made. Really disappointing. read more

My boyfriend took me here for Valentine's dinner! Everything we ordered was flavorful and cooked to perfection. The pumpkin appetizer was amazing and the fried tofu and sashimi were both delicious. Sake was a great traditional Japanese addition too. I am removing one star because the service was slow and ambiance was a little crowded. In addition, they were out of their specials. But it was a Saturday night so I understand. If you are looking for high quality Japanese dishes, especially grilled, this place is perfect! read more

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Dined at Sumika tonight with a friend for a semi-celebratory dinner. Overall, the food tasted fresh and clean but was (in my opinion) overpriced. Vegetable tempura: lightly battered, which was quite different from the thick-battered tempuras I'm used to having. I surprisingly enjoyed it more! Salmon sashimi: even though the sashimi was fresh, the dish was priced at around $20 for 6 pieces. Momo chicken thigh skewer: tender and flavorful! Would recommend getting this. Pork belly with garlic sauce skewer: tough and a bit lacking in flavor. Green tea panna cotta: the STAR of this dinner. The panna cotta itself was so delicate and the green tea flavor paired so well with the red bean. YUM Probably wouldn't eat here again for dinner, but open to coming back for lunch, as I've heard their lunch specials are hearty and affordable. Stay tuned ha read more

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I really like Sumika! The food is really good, and I love the oyako don here. I've been here for both lunch and dinner, and the quality is great with both. I will say though, that the lunch has a very nice domburi set...which is actually a lot of food. I've tried so many dishes there. I love the agedashi tofu, I think it's done really well here! And the skewers are all really good. Weirdly, I really liked the fried garlic--it doesn't really even taste like garlic much. We also tried the tako wasa, the raw octopus with wasabi, and I also liked that. Honestly, I haven't tried anything I didn't like here at Sumika. It's definitely worth a trip out to visit. I would love to go back soon! read more

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One of the best and my go to Izakaya in a well hidden speak easy of Los Altos for a number of years. Can't go wrong with anything grilled. Make a reservation if you prefer not to go. Enjoy! read more

I absolutely loveeee the Sumika located in Santa Clara but remembered there was also remembered there was one located in Los Altos. At first I didn't think they were in any way related but after checking the website I figured out they are! I was in the area so instead of making the drive all the way to Santa Clara I decided to go here. My friend and I walked in on a Sunday night and were lucky enough to get a table outside. It seems as this restaurant is based off of reservations though so I highly recommend you make one and not try your luck with no reservation especially on busy nights. We ordered a variety of skewers that consisted of shishito peppers, shrimp, quail eggs, chicken hearts, liver, wagyu beef, chicken skin and a few others I forgot the name of. We also ordered the vegetable tempura which was delicious and the tako wasabi. The only downside was that their menu is very limited. Compared to the Santa Clara location I felt that they were missing a lot of the items I usually order. I'm not sure if its cause of covid or both locations have different items on the menu. Only downside of sitting outside is that I felt that the waiters were not as attentive. I felt that we spent a lot of time trying to flag someone down to place our order but the food came out fairly quick. Nevertheless the food was still delicious. read more

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Came for dinner on a weekend, didn't have a reservation but staff was gracious enough to get me a table for 2. However, when I spoke to them over the phone, the person who answered was quite rude and direct, saying things like "you coming or not". Additionally, I noticed that every table around me was getting a daily specials menu and when I asked about it, the server wouldn't tell me about it and only pointed me to the board which was a small selection. I tried ordering something off it and the staff had to go and make sure it was something they could serve me. I get that maybe the restaurant wants to reserve the specials for people that made reservations but as a paying customer, I felt extremely disrespected. Food was decent, nothing really to write home about. Probably wouldn't come here again considering we drove almost an hour to get here. read more

Not great for gluten free. GF options are very limited and the staff seemed confused that soy sauce had gluten in it. I will not return as the risk of getting sick from gluten seemed high. read more

Sumika is usually a very busy restaurant, and you often have to make reservations to ensure that you have the ability to order a lot of their good items. As of now (COVID-19), it is relatively easy to get the items you want here, but their hours have become very limited, due to the fact that they aren't getting as much business as they usually do. For lunch, the restaurant closes at 1:30 pm, so try to get here as early as you can. I usually order their yakitori, which is Japanese chicken on a skewer. They have several options ranging from chicken leg to chicken breast. The chicken breast ones usually have more seasoning to counteract the dryness of breast meat. I would recommend both. Each skewer is about $4. In addition to their skewers, I recommend the Oyako Don (~$16) which is chicken, rice, and egg. If you order these two items, you will surely be satisfied. The chicken here is AMAZING, and has a nice charcoul/smokey kick to it. Expect to pay about $20 per person. This restaurant is owned by the same people who own Orenchi Ramen in Santa Clara, CA. read more

Sumika - Oyako Don ($16) - Japanese Near Me - Los Altos, California

The food at Sumika is simply amazing- great taste, perfectly cooked with great service. Use to travel to japan a lot and eat at small yakitori restaurants and Sumika reminds me of those intimate experiences. Love that you can do online reservations read more

Oh wow. What a lovely little place. More than Excellent! Could not stop eating! Tasty. Will visit again.

We stopped by for lunch, they have a fairly small interior so make a reservation if you don't want to wait. It took a while for us to be seated as their staff was busy helping the seated customers. However, after being seating, it was quick to order and receive our dishes. We got two set entrees, and then some skewers. All the skewers were tasty, but the chicken was definitely the best one. The pork belly wasn't quite fatty enough and the steak was tasty but not particularly special as a skewer. The chicken was juicy and tender and really the star of their skewers, so I'd definitely recommend that. The set is closer to $20 per but contained a salad, miso soup and 2 small side dishes, plus white rice. It was a good portion size, but not necessarily the cheapest lunch set you could get. That said, no complaints about the food, the meat was breaded well and I enjoyed the tonkatsu and skewers. Parking can be a bit trickier as there's public parking lots but they tend to be full so you may need to drive around a bit or park a bit further into the residential areas. Note their entrance is facing the parking lot (not the "street side"). read more

The space is not fancy and basic. The dishes are big and the skewers are very tasty. The beef was a little salty for me. The Tamagoyaki was more like an omelet. Service was fast and polite. read more

Some background: This location is tucked away in a back alley in Los Alto so you'd be forgiven if you haven't noticed it. Frankly, I never minded because it made it easier for me to get a table. Unfortunately, it's reputation has grown over the years and it can get quite crowded. The owners have opened a second location in Santa Clara next to their sister restaurant Orenchi. I haven't been to the SC location yet but Orenchi is also very good. Thoughts on the extensive dinner menu: Sumika salad: cabbage, chicken, tomatoes mixed with a peanut dressing. Solid and worth getting every time. Karaage: This is killer fried chicken. Seriously, I'm a friend chicken snob and this is top-notch. Agadashi tofu: The tofu is tasty but I would like a little more broth. Oyako Don: A tasty rice dish with Chicken thigh and egg. The flavors are really good. One of my favorite items on the menu. You're at a yakatori which specializes in grilled items so be sure to order a couple skewers. Some of my favorites: momo with spicy sauce, sori chicken, scallops, okra, and shitake mushrooms. At lunchtime, Los Alto has a smaller menu and doesn't do reservations. I'm a big fan of Sumika -- just don't tell too many people as it's already hard to get in. read more

Back when Sumika won Michelin's Bib Gourmand in 2010 for their yakitori cuisine, they would also make wonderful wasabi-kissed salads, lofty donburi and briny bathe agedashi tofu that would make people swoon and reservations coveted. No more. The food now resemble other want-to-be Japanese places, overall salted with no sense of subtlety--as if non-Japanese are cooking (!) To add insult, even the hamachi hand-rolls reeks of a fishy smell. So sad. read more

FOOD 5 SERVICE 5 AMBIANCE 5 My friend enjoyed his chicken bento box. Oyako don was very good. Beef skewer was delicious. read more

TL;DR at the end Great place for delicious Japanese food! My boyfriend and I came here for dinner to celebrate his birthday, and it was packed around 7:30 PM. Restaurant is on the smaller side, so be prepared to wait or make reservations in advance to skip the waiting. More pricey and "high-end" compared to other skewer places, but the food was worth the price! Agedashi tofu (4.5/5): Delicious! Silky tofu, perfectly seasoned broth, and came with bonito flakes on top. Tempura skin of the tofu isn't as crispy as I'd like, but it's just a small con compared to all the other pros about this dish. One of our favorites of the night! Salmon Sashimi (5/5): the BEST salmon sashimi I've ever had!!! Thick, generous slices, super buttery, and fresh tasting. At $18.75 for 6 pieces, this sashimi is pricey, but it's worth the price! I'm a frugal person, but I would hands down order this again. Dashi maki egg (5/5) : Another appetizer that didn't disappoint! Comes with 4 thick, fluffy rolls with just the right amount of seasoning. Chicken skin (3.5/5) : This was just alright. The skin didn't have that crispiness that I hoped for. Pork belly with garlic sauce (4/5): If you're debating between this and the asparagus wrapped pork belly, I'd recommend getting this one. Pork belly was grilled to perfection with great flavor. Asparagus wrapped pork belly (2.5/5): Wouldn't recommend. This was tough and the pork belly was overcooked and under seasoned. My boyfriend and I ended up needing to add salt to this to bring out more flavor. Wagyu tataki (4/5): Pricey, but delicious! The dish doesn't really match the picture on the menu. The wagyu is seared on the outside with the inside rare. The wagyu was more chewy than I preferred and I got tired of the chewiness after awhile, but my bf and I still really enjoyed it. Combined with the onions, garlic sauce, green onions, and ponzu sauce, the flavors were perfect together! Grilled rice ball (2/5): The outside of the rice is seasoned and grilled, but personally, I wouldn't order this again. There's no filling on the inside, so it tasted like I was just eating crunchy, smoky rice, and the rice was also hard and dry on the inside. I was over eating this after the second bite. Overall, the food was amazing. This place is a bit of a trek for me, but I would make the drive just to eat here again! TL;DR: Get the salmon sashimi, agedashi tofu, and wagyu tataki, and dashi maki egg. Skip the grilled rice ball and pork belly wrapped asparagus read more

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A tiny yakitori spot in los altos. The service here is excellent. The place is cozy but feels like a chill welcoming hang out. The food was ok nothing really jumped out. Ordered a variety of yakitori and none of it was bad, all about average. Definitely enough to satisfy my yakitori craving. A little bit on the the pricey side for dinner and their hours are pretty limited but all in all a decent spot read more

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I went to Sumika for the first time and I was blown away! We made reservations before coming because they apparently get very busy and don't always take walk ins. They have a parking lot in front of the store and plenty of spots nearby. The restaurant is more traditional Japanese food and I loved that they serve more than the usual noodles or sushi. They are known for skewers and small plates, but today we came for lunch. I ordered the katsu bento from their daily lunch special that day and I was so happy with the quality and taste. The breading was fluffy and the portions were generous. My boyfriend got the grilled chicken and it was delicious as well. I liked that the food tasted home made. I also like that they serve hot tea with the food and the tea tastes fresh. I was very impressed by the quality of the food and how unique it is from the other Japanese restaurants I have been to in the area. Sumika is worth checking out! read more

Sumika - Lunch special katsu - Japanese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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Warning:. Suspected changed ownership. People used to work there are gone. Those Japanese ladies and gentlemen all gone. I suspect it's no longer Japanese run. Based on the food and business practice. Food wise it pretty average. Similar to every other Japanese restaurants (many Chinese run). Doesn't taste like they used to. It charges you 18% service charge even just 2 persons. By putting 18% service charge regardless of the party size bothers me. Worst yet, there was no service. That's problem when tips aren't earned but guarantee then you no longer need to serve. IMHO, I'd rather go somewhere else. Y'all can try it and make your own call. read more

If you're looking for an izakaya in the Peninsula, I would not hesitate to recommend Sumika. I was introduced to Sumika by my college roommate, who had heard about it from a professor. He and I actually went together for our first time to try their infamous Oyako Don, a popular Japanese dish made of chicken and eggs over rice. I absolutely think this is one of the best dishes I've had in my entire life. The oyako don is made with delicious chicken thigh meat and runny eggs. It's topped with an umami-filled sauce that coats every rice kernel perfectly. This is truly a must get dish every time you are here. If I recall correctly, they only offer the skewers (yakitori) at dinner, like most izakayas. Every time I am here, I usually get a few skewers with the oyako don. Some of the skewers, like the chicken wings and thigh are fantastic. Others can come out a bit more charred than I would like, which is why I deduct one star. But honestly, this is a truly authentic Japanese izakaya experience that will always have a special place in my heart because of the Oyako Don. Just make sure to make reservations, they are a must! read more

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Visited 5+ times since 2019 and it's just so disappointing to see how this cute, small yakitori joint has turned out now. In 2019 and 2020, Sumika was easily the best yakitori spot in the South Bay. However, the menu has gone through a lot of not-so-great changes and certainly the kitchen as well. The sauce-glazed skewers were cooked well for the most part (not the gyu-tan), but the Shio skewers were terribly under-seasoned. The oyakodon was overcooked and the rice selection was not up to standard. The kawa yakitori was disastrous. The fat was not rendered enough and it was nowhere near being crispy. The unpleasant, gooey taste was the only thing left on my palate also because the seasoning was so under. Sure, there was table salt available, but dipping yakitori in salt was just wrong. Service was never the strongest at this restaurant, but I was shocked when the waiter told us it was standard that the shio skewers were not seasoned. In my own experience I know that this certainly was not the standard two years ago. read more

Oyako Don is great. They do serve skewers during lunch time. There is 18% service charge. read more

Sumika - Japanese Near Me - Los Altos, California

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