Raw fish anything is always top notch! Main reason why that is my fave in the area. Plus, how…read morebusy they often are, others share same opinion. Always fresh clean flavors. One drawback is their seaweed salad. It isn't worth one bite. They used to have it perfect, but not the last few years. Now, it's super dry, hard to chew and not properly seasoned (missing seasoning). Quite disappointing, bc that was always something extra I got. Safeway down the street has it better, which says it all!

Came here on a whim as my previous lunch plan fell apart…read more I was greeted and seated immediately. I only wanted something light so I ordered the avocado roll and cucumber roll. A very short wait and my order arrived, nicely presented. The rolls tasted fresh and were nicely constructed. I know veggie rolls are not a thorough reflection of a Japanese restaurant but sometimes places get these simple things wrong. The only thing I didn't prefer was that the rice vinegar taste leaned a little more sweet than I prefer. Despite that I had no problem with the meal. But next time I'll order something different. Service was excellent and very prompt. Prices were reasonable. $15 total for my two rolls. The ambiance is no frills/casual and I was fine with that. You can dine inside or outside. Dog friendly on the outside patio! I sat inside as it was pretty warm outside. Since they're on the main strip in downtown LG, you'll need to park on the street or elsewhere nearby as they don't have their own parking lot. If presented with the opportunity I would come back to try some other dishes.

We had dinner here the other night. The service was prompt, we were served our drinks and had a…read morediscussion about the menu soon after sitting down. The atmosphere was relaxed, perhaps in part due to it being a Sunday. The prices are in line with other sushi restaurants in the area. Perhaps it's more my age than anything else, but sushi seems far more expensive these days. In any event, we were able to get a reasonable amount of food for a reasonable price. I ate some food before going, so I was able to get pleasantly full for under $30. The food was good, but nothing differentiated it from other good sushi restaurants in terms of taste. The ahi topping my role was cut very thin, which made for a better presentation than it did for eating. I'd rather pay a slightly higher price and get a thick cut of fish. That said, I did like the thinly sliced decorative lemon and orchid on the plate. Really upped the aesthetics. In short, it's a nice place, but given the price (of sushi in general), the cuts I received here, and the huge number of local sushi restaurants, I'm more likely to try somewhere else than come back, even though this is almost walking distance for me.

The main sushi chef is such a kind and friendly gentleman! He was extremely generous and gave my…read morefriend and I extra little compliments. The sushi rolls are always fresh and presented well. Supporting small local businesses is always a priority when I try and eat out. If you are hankering for some sushi come and try this place! You can find parking easily in one of the public lots. We will be coming back very soon! Enjoy my friends!

This place is always delightful and pleasant atmosphere kind of small limited parking but worth the…read moretrouble and if you come early, look around you'll find parking. Alex is very customer oriented, respectful and very considerate to the customers needs food is outstanding price is very but very reasonable for that area. so if you're in the area and looking for a good place to spend your money in a place that cares about their customers and has good quality food make sure you visit this place and say hello to Alex. He's a very outstanding individual.

Cute little place and super nice guys, but most of the food was pretty disappointing. Miso soup was…read morewhite and watery. Teriyaki chicken was soupy and flavorless. Salad was limp. Dipping sauce for agedashi tofu was watery. The tofu itself was good, however. Sushi was the bright spot - we had tamago, hotate, and sake toro - all were fresh and nicely made. There are plenty of good sushi places in town; this one just doesn't measure up, unfortunately.

I came here for the ayce with some friends over the weekend. It was not busy. There were some…read morechallenges around ordering because we were a larger group and the menus were limited. Taste: - We got the premium so we got to try a lot of the nigiri. It was good but the rice tasted very sweet. The rolls themselves did not stand out to me too much but my friends like the baked rolls. We also ordered some premium ingredients off of the menu but they never came. Service: - This was not good aside from the challenges around the menus. Parking: - We easily got parking but I heard from a friend sometimes the plaza will be full so they will park elsewhere.

Came for dinner on a Friday night and this place does get busy but it could be because it's the…read moreonly sushi spot that is close in the area. First off the place gets super stuffy as there is no air movement and doesn't seem like they turn the AC on. Rolls are average at best with way too much sauce that over powers anything else. Not even worth listing what I ordered and the sushi rice is off as when you pick up a roll it falls apart. The sashimi was like warm and extremely slimy. Won't come back as there are better places around even if they are farther. Service is average and the place is clean and modern on a plus side.

Just found out Sushi Kawa closed!! Wanted to leave this here. Really impressed with Sushi Kawa…read more My first time visiting, the Cherry Blossom roll was so good. The fish wasn't pungent and had a great texture. This restaurant will be missed!

I preface this review noting the restaurant is permanently closing on Oct 30 2025…read more This is my third visit in the roughly one year that they've been open. In that time they've matured the food preparation, service, and decor. On this visit (my final one, apparently) I got a Crispy Roll special and katsu chicken entree. The entree came with miso soup and salad similar to other sushi restaurants. The crispy roll was good but perhaps too many flavors combined to distinguish any one. The katsu chicken entree, which I've had before, is an absolute mountain of chicken. It's well fried and tasty. I like that it's strips rather than a cutlet. The entree comes with rice. The sauce is not curry sauce, for those of us who like curry katsu. JPOP music in the background is a nice ambiance

Let me start off by saying: WE LOOOOOVE CARLOS!!!…read more In celebrating my daughter's 6th birthday, she made it known that dinner absolutely had to be "SHUSHI". What better place to wine and dine my little monster than Mizu??! I made reservations for 6 @ 5:15pm through OpenTable a few days prior. Upon checking in & arrival, a gentleman [whom I assume was management] asked that we be patient with service due to only having 2 servers on hand. Not sure if it was bad scheduling or if someone called out but we agree'd and hoped for the best. The Birthday Dinner Consisted Of: *Yellowtail Tartare *Dragon Roll *San Jose Roll *Rainbow Blossom Roll *Yellowtail Special Roll *House Boat Kitchen [substitute the beef bulgogi for teriyaki Salmon] *Miso Soups & House Salad *Mango Mochi Ice Cream [complimentary] Service was slow and not exactly attentive- even with the restaurant not being busy. There were a number of occasions where we just flagged staff for requests. Shout out to Carlos- this young man was always upbeat, mind, and very welcoming. He made every interesting a breeze and happily obliged with customers inquiries. REGARDLESS OF HIM NOT BEING OUR ACTUAL SERVER! Once dinner was over, Carlos stopped by to see if we wanted to order dessert. We slyly asked if there could be any singing for the birthday babe and he 100% made it happen- even if he was the only staffer to sing along with our party. 5/5 stars!!! This TY and review is specifically dedicated to Carlos. Our entire party appreciates your efforts and your high quality work ethics are undeniable. Thank you for making the birthday babe feel loved- she absolutely left the restaurant with warm, fuzzy feelings.

I returned to this spot after a long hiatus, and I was honestly disappointed to find it has…read moreundergone a complete identity shift. It has transitioned into a half-sushi, half-pop-bar concept that feels disjointed and lacks the authentic Japanese "vibe" it once had. Instead of a cozy dining atmosphere, the decor now feels like a generic bar you might find in an Asian metropolitan nightlife district--not exactly the setting I'm looking for when I want quality sushi. The Food The menu is now heavily focused on sushi rolls, but the execution is strictly average. For a place that has moved toward a specialist roll menu, I expected more punch. We also tried the Chicken Katsu, which was the biggest letdown of the night; it was incredibly dry, bland, and lacked any depth of flavor. It's definitely not their forte. Service & Value While the staff was fine, the pricing is quite steep for the quality of food and the "bar" atmosphere provided. You are paying premium prices for a mediocre culinary experience. Final Verdict Given the price point and the shift in direction, I won't be returning. There are simply too many excellent, authentic Japanese options in the surrounding area that offer better value and a more cohesive dining experience.

I've been a loyal repeat customer at Sushi Koya in San Jose for what feels like forever, and it's…read morestill the ONLY place that comes to mind whenever I get a serious sushi craving. No matter how far I have to drive across the Bay Area, it's always worth it for the incredible freshness and perfectly satisfying portions. This place consistently delivers on every level. Every single piece of fish here is exceptionally fresh -- clean, vibrant, and full of that pure ocean flavor you hope for but don't always get. You can really taste the quality. I almost always order the Chef's Special or the generous Assorted Sashimi platter (which comes with a fantastic 20 pieces), and I've never been disappointed. From buttery tuna and sweet shrimp to delicate white fish, rich salmon, and whatever else the chef selects that day -- every single selection is absolutely delicious and "to die for." The rice is well-seasoned, the cuts are precise, and the balance is spot-on. The portions are generous without being over-the-top, striking that perfect sweet spot where you leave happily full at a fair price. In my opinion, no other sushi spot in the area matches this combination of quality, quantity, and value. The service is excellent every time -- friendly, attentive, and efficient whether I'm dining in or doing takeout. The restaurant has a comfortable, modern atmosphere that works great for casual solo meals, dates, or small groups. If you love truly fresh sushi done right and want great value, do yourself a favor and make the trip to Sushi Koya. I keep coming back year after year because they simply haven't let me down. Hands-down one of the best sushi experiences in San Jose. Highly, highly recommended -- 5 stars! Pro tip: Ask about the Chef's Special if you want to be surprised with the freshest options of the day. You won't regret it!

I've been trying for so long to find a new go-to sushi spot in SJ lol. We stumbled across Sushi…read moreKoya on a whim while scrolling a bit on Yelp and decided to take a chance. Luckily for us, it was absolutely worth it! We called in for takeout about 15-20 minutes out from the restaurant and everything was ready by the time we arrived. Initial impressions: I was glad that we got takeout lol. There were essentially little to no parking spots and the restaurant was PACKED. Line out the door and an even larger queue inside! It did feel a bit cramped but fortunately I was just in and out. Service was great too! We got the Lion King and a sashimi platter. The lion king was SOOO good. I always get worried ordering this at new sushi spots because I feel like it can be a hit or miss (especially when they load waaay too much spicy mayo on it lol) - this roll had the perfect amount where it wasn't too overpowering. The ingredients tasted fresh too! As for the sashimi platter - every piece was thick and fresh. I'd definitely come back for takeout! Make sure you call ahead of time.

Went to this place on a week day night with my girlfriend and had a great time. The owner is so…read moresweet and treats every customer with care. The food is super good and super affordable! I really enjoyed having the rolls and I would definitely recommend the Philadelphia roll it was my favorite. The owner and her daughter was so sweet and gave us gyoza for free. Overall really enjoyable experience and will defiantly become my go to spot to eat sushi whole in the area. Go here if you want an amazing friendly atmosphere with even more amazing food.

We were in the area and wanted to try a new restaurant. Found this place less than a mile from…read morewhere we were at. So glad we found it! Goku Sushi opened up in our hometown of Morgan Hill and just opened up this new location in South San Jose. Ambiance was inviting and friendly with good decor. Servers were all friendly and refilled our waters without being asked. The rolls were reasonably priced considering we frequent a lot of sushi restaurants not just in the Bay Area but also out of state. The Baked Rolls were $13.95, which is way less expensive than other sushi restaurants and the flavors were very delicious. Our son ordered the Lion King with baked salmon and I ordered Bay Island with baked scallops. We all agreed that the Bay Island was the bomb! The Unagi Avocado roll & Warrior Roll was also tasty. Especially the garlic chips on top of unagi sauce and seared salmon. delicious ! Nice combo. Kinda disappointed that they didn't serve wine but was able to order a hot sake to share and it was still satisfying and complimented the meal. Will be definitely coming back to try the lunch specials and other specialty rolls!

After an appt, we decided to get lunch and Ginza Sushi popped up. After reading some reviews, we…read moredecided to give them a try. They are located in the Hacienda Gardens Shopping Center. A spacious and modern decor with Japanese motif. A large painted wall captures your sight. They offer a nice sushi bar to sit at. A few tvs around the restaurant to catch a glimpse of whatever is playing. Only one unisex restroom. The service was very friendly, patient, and attentive. Lunch Special Bento (served with miso soup, salad, and steamed rice): chicken teriyaki, California roll, veggie tempura, & gyoza (4/5). My mom enjoyed it as she ate almost everything! 3-item Bento Box (served with miso soup, salad, and steamed rice): mix tempura, salmon shioyaki, and salmon sashimi (+$4). The dressing on the salad was pretty good. The fry on the tempura was light and crunchy. I did order the shioyaki but the salmon had teriyaki sauce on it. I had no problem as I like teriyaki sauce. The piece was a bit small. The salmon sashimi was decent sized cuts and the salmon tasted fresh and clean. I'll be back to try some rolls, etc. Support your local business.

Always good service and good sushi…read more We went multiple times and always enjoyed it. Semi casual

Freshest sushi in town!!!! It's family run and extremely clean. The fish is high quality and…read morefresh. I highly recommend this restaurant. My only regret is we didn't find it sooner as we recently moved from San Jose.

I love walking into a restaurant and seeing the staff and diners greet each other by name. The…read moresushi chef knew more than half the guests as they walked in, which says a lot about how well this place takes care of its regulars. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there, and the vibe was warm and welcoming. I let my wife and kids pick all the rolls while I enjoyed a large Japanese beer while listening to them tell me about their day. I couldn't tell you the names of what we ordered, but everything was super tasty and full of great flavor. The fish tasted incredibly fresh. My only small gripe is that the slices were thinner than what I'm used to at other spots in the area, but the quality and flavor definitely made up for it. We'll definitely be coming back!