Kaita

Went to Japantown in San Jose and a friend of mine recommended this restaurant. We waited about 15 minutes for a table. The service was fast and the male server was very polite and always had a smile in his face. All the dishes we ordered was really tasty and fresh except for the beef dish. We were expecting it to be tender and juicy but it was chewy and a little bland.

Dinnertime seemed to be quite busy—service was just so dreadfully slow. It took quite a while for us to receive our food. The food overall felt like a very average homestyle Japanese meal. Both the kaisendon and teriyaki were decent.

We had a solid time at Kaita, pretty good overall. The service was on point: we got seated fast, had enough time to figure out our order, and the food showed up quick. Could’ve used a smile or two, though—they were polite but not exactly warm and fuzzy. 😐 They’ve got a regular menu plus a whiteboard with specials, which is cool. We went for the pan-cooked miso cod special and the sushi-sashimi combo. Pair those with the soup and salad, and you’ve got a decent-sized meal. The salad dressing was tasty, maybe a little sweet for my liking. The miso soup? Super good, no notes there. 🥣 The sushi and sashimi were a win for me. The fish was fresh—you could really taste it—and the piece selection were nice. Seems like they care more about quality than piling your plate high, which I’m all for. The ginger stood out big time—so smooth and sweet, not that harsh stuff you get some places. The rice, though? Kinda dry. I’m guessing it was just an off batch, no biggie. The miso black cod was solid too. Funny thing—it didn’t actually have miso, but some other soup I’d never tried before. Still delicious, though! That dish came with a little sashimi on the side, which was a nice bonus. 🍣

The gyoza and salad dressing was the best item I had. The gyoza was crispy and quite enjoyable. The sushi didn’t seem fresh and rice was not very sticky. The udon soup was okay.

I went to this place once because my Japanese friend said it seemed like home food and it really did not disappoint. Went again and brought my whole family and each meal was just excellent. I got the negitoro don (special menu, on white board when entering) and it was some of the best fish I’ve ever eaten. Would 100% hands down come again and again.

Just OK. Kind service but food was below par. Ordered pork katsu and the all combo udon. Pork katsu meat was too tough and the salad that came with it was bland with no sauce. Udon broth was quite good but the tempura inside the udon wasn't great. Weird combination of tempura - including carrot and bell pepper - and the tempura skin all came off quite fast before I could enjoy them. Seemed popular with a lot of people trickling in even close to closing hours but wouldn't return.

This small restaurant is good for sushi only . Ordered Katsu don is way too salty, miso soup also is very salty! かいせん Don is great , rice is bit too hard, but fish is so fresh !

Izakaya place that serves good small tapas to go with drinks. The dishes are done well although I did hit a much too chewy piece in the plate of beef tongue. Will try other items on their menu the next time.

I have been going here for years. I live alot closer now, so I go somewhat frequently. It has a nice variety of food. Sushi is good (although not the best I've ever had--Tomi might be a bit better). I used to love the tonkatsu here, but something's changed the past year. Did they change the pork quality? It's just off. Because it's a small place, they fill up quick. However, their food is pretty authentic in both food and hospitality. You may find better Japanese places in other areas of the Bay Area, but I will save you some trouble: this is the best restaurant in San Jose Japantown at least. Some of the others down that street are garbage.

pros: -best japanese food in japantown -great variety of super authentic food on their menu; affordable prices -fast service cons: -none

We visited this restaurant with friends while we were in California for vacation. Our order and ratings (1-10 with 10 being the highest) were: Fried oysters - 8 Scallop Curry - 8 Short Ribs - 8 Combo sushi - 7.5 Spider Rolls - 7 The service was prompt, and the food was the correct temperature. It's not a huge place, but we only had a short wait until we were seated. The staff were friendly and we felt welcome. The sushi was okay, nothing special, but the other dishes were good.

I got the Kaisendon which in included about 5 different fishes, shrimp, tomago, scallop, squid, octopus and unagi. Special Kaisendon comes with uni and toro compared for regular Kaisendon. Overall decently priced for a Kaisendon and tasted like good quality fish. It's a smaller restaurant and we went on a Friday night which wasn't a long wait. They also had special combos which we had missed before we ordered so next time we'd want to try that instead.

"On the sushi at Kaita: The price ain't right-a." Stick to the entrées. Karaage curry was a special when this foodie dined at Kaita. The price was reasonable for a large portion of crunchy fried chicken and unremarkable curry gravy. A good filler upper. Nigiri sushi ordered a la carte was highway robbery. $8 per two piece order of sake and hamachi. $16 per two piece order of toro. Quality prices for mid, disappointing fish. The service is very business-like. The decor is snug and homely. Avoid the sushi, stick to the entrées and grab a mochi next door afterward. True score: 7.9 / 10 Return: NO

Dined in 12/2/24 around 1:24 PM: Definitely check the sushi prices prior to ordering! We were a tad bit bamboozled upon seeing the bill since we ordered 6 pieces of nigiri total but that was almost half the bill. The karaage curry was delicious, nothing super amazing about the flavor profile for the curry but it was a very homey dish and the chicken was hot, juicy and crispy. Service was friendly and food came out quickly, ambiance is very warm (not sure the AC was on that day), so I can see this being a cozy place to come to during the winter. Bathroom was clean and parking is doable in the neighborhood, just a short walk away.

I think this is the best fish i've had in awhile. Located in Japantown right next to the mochi place, wasn't packed and came here for the first time on Wed evening. We were seated right away and our server was very attentive, brought us waters and refills were always there. I ordered the Special Kaisen Don and my bf ordered the Amerjack 3 ways special. For $37.95 the special kaisen don came with toro and uni. I have to say the fish was sooo fresh, the uni was sooo good, i think it tasted like Santa Barbara- has a bite and tastes like the ocean. The toro was very good too! Comes with plenty of rice and miso and salad. My bf really enjoyed his Amberjack fish, it was cooked crispy and very delighful in the crunch and taste. The fried pieces were nice and i also loved the japanese potato salad it came with. Was pretty blown away by this place and it might be my fav sushi place now.

I went to this place once because my Japanese friend said it seemed like home food and it really did not disappoint. Went again and brought my whole family and each meal was just excellent. I got the negitoro don (special menu, on white board when entering) and it was some of the best fish I've ever eaten. Would 100% hands down come again and again. Service is great and fast. Location is clean and nice.

Randomly found this spot and I was glad that I did. I was so excited to show my partner that I took her there the following week. Food: ok, this is a bit hard cause 2 very different experiences. The first time I went for lunch, the food was incredible. I got their special curry with chicken and it was the best Japanese curry I've had in my life. There, I said it. I make J curries at home, I'm a decent cook. This was just light years away. So damn good that despite the fact that my second meal (hamburger patty with cabbage on top) was bad (imo), I still give this place 5/5 for food. I can't sell this curry enough. Only available for lunch tho so keep that in mind. Also tried their gyoza and chicken katsu. Above average but can't touch the curry. Service: great service overall. Staff has been nice both times. No notes from me. First time, server came out and shared a little tidy bit on how they make the broth so much appreciated. Ambiance: small, but great. Both times didn't feel rushed despite them being busy with people waiting. Feels like a mom and pop shop and that's always such a great vibe. Overall, 100% recommend. It would take a few bad experiences for me to change my mind about this place with just how good that curry is. Make it available for dinner! I can't always do lunch :)

The lunch specials here have massive portions for a good price! I stopped by on a Saturday around lunchtime and only had to wait about 20-30 minutes to get seated at the bar. I was eyeing some of their entrees because the prices were so cheap (many in $14-15 range) but ended up getting the fish bento ($17.75) since the sashimi at the sushi bar looked so fresh. I had no regrets! Every piece of sashimi I got was so buttery. The other items in the bento were fresh and tasty as well. At first the bento looked kind of small but after eating the salad and miso soup I realized that the portion was very filling. The service here is very quick. They are quick to come around and refill your hot tea.

Kaita has been around for decades and it has not changed a bit. The restaurant itself looks clean but needs some fresh remodeling. The service is just ok. They're efficient but not friendly. We asked for water, they gave us tea. The sashimi donburi was just ok. Some of the fish was great but some had a metallic fishy flavor. The rice was just ok. The salmon belly was actually excellent with fresh fish and wonderful texture and flavor. The croquette was actually as good as you would find in Japan. But again the sashimi was just mediocre.

Came to Kaita on a Tuesday night at 6pm and we were seated right away (2 people). The restaurant is small, so recommend putting your name down early if you're with a group. The space is cozy and pretty comfortable. It's hard to hear, especially when the restaurant is full and has groups seated. But staff were warm and attentive, refilling tea and water often, and the food came quickly. We ordered the broiled mackerel and tuna sashimi dinners. The mackerel was really flavorful, and I enjoyed the sides that came with it. For two entrees, we paid about 55$ including tip. Would definitely come back again to try more of the menu items.

Yummy, I started coming here about 20 years ago, same owner and same good food. I'm not from the area, so I only come here when I'm in the San Jose area for work.

Really great authentic Japanese food. Location: Kaita is located in the middle of Japan town SJ. The restaurant is on the smaller side. I would say its not suited for groups bigger than 8. If you do not come during opening times expect some sort of wait time. They have metered street parking around the area. Food: I have been to both their lunch and dinner times. They have different menus for both. I would say the lunch menu is more limited. They only offer select things. But there dinner menu has ample of options. I really enjoy their handrolls and sushi rolls. My favorite thing on their menu is their salmon soup rice. I do not know a lot of Japanese restaurants that make the o cha salmon rice soup anymore. I also had their katsu curry. The portions they give you is huge for the price you pay. Service: Service here is fantastic. They are very attentive. They give you free hot tea and water. Servers are always walking around making sure your glass is not empty. The food comes out relatively quickly as well. Overall, I would highly recommend this place to anyone who is in the mood for authentic Japanese food.

The wrong dish was served, so I asked to correct it. The surprised waiter says, unable to, that my friend took a bite. When the dish is completely untouched. Never had such a poor experience dinning here with a friend on business.

I can't believe I never had review for our favorite go-to restaurant for more than 6 years! We always take our friends and family here for meet up, celebration, our birthday, anniversary and always have quality time together. Both Food & service here have never disappointed us. Their daily special could be checked out on their fb page which is what we mostly end up getting. Our toddler loves here too! Ambiance is more on the quiet side so you could actually have conversations. Our favorite dish is grilled Hamachi Kama (cheekbone of yellowtail), fried oyster, Sake Ikura (salmon and fish eggs don, sashimi plate, basically any set from special. You never go wrong with any items from there; It's like eating in Japan.

Gave this place a shot and left with zero regrets. We started with some fried chicken. Flavor and seasoning better than many places but I wish it was a tad crispier. Still, don't skip it. My sushi and steak teriyaki bento was a sizable amount of food. I was really umpressed by the steak. There was a nice char and some pieces is meat were still a bit pink. The California roll was decent. The tuna and salmon nigiri were excellent (other couple pieces were tasty too). Next time I'll get the sashimi instead. The meal has plenty of rice as is. Seating is a bit limited so come early before you need to put your name down.

I came here for a weekend dinner and the place was pretty busy. Parking can be tough so I suggest heading to the restaurant earlier. Everything was generally pretty good, but I don't think it's the best in terms of portions or pricing. I got the nigiri combo which was fresh, but just a tad small. Coming here after going to an AYCE place in Chicago for the same price (with more variety + better taste) raised my standards :') The waiter was super sweet though.

Mainstay Japantown restaurant. We've been here for lunch and dinner. Food quality and service are consistently excellent. They do take reservations. This is a small place, seats about 25 people. Menu offerings remind me of home-style Japanese cooking. Yum!

Went in for lunch around 1:30 and was glad Kaita was still open and taking guests. We were seated right away. The people who work here are so sweet and welcoming and friendly! I love that about Kaita. I usually stick tot he specials but I was in the mood for simple and basic. I got the beef teriyaki for the first time here and I was very pleasantly surprised. Cooked perfectly medium and the sauce was good texture, not too thick or thin. I thought Gombei had the best teriyaki but this visit to Kaita may have changed my mind- definitely tied at least. The salad and miso hit the spot and the service was awesome! This is true comfort food for me, with plain white rice- best lunch out, in a long time! Wife had the chicken teriyaki donburi and she enjoyed that as well. It was a very large portion and she took a lot home for later. We had one soda and loved the complimentary tea. Lunch for two was $35.71 before tip. Can't beat that price, the quality and deliciousness of the food, and the friendly and genuine sweet service made our day!

Homey, excellent food, cozy vibes. Best restaurant in sj Japantown by leaps and bounds. Super extensive menu with a bunch of interesting small plates. Soft shell shrimp & the Asari clam udon were standout dishes.

Located in downtown SJ in Japantown, this small shop has a range of cozy Japanese food and daily specials. It's a mom and pop shop that gets busy even on weekdays with customers of all backgrounds. My friend and I came here around 6:15 PM; it was empty when we entered, but soon it filled up with a waiting list. There were mostly tables for pairs. You can see the kitchen and sushi bar from the front of the restaurant. We got the special and regular kaisen dons (charashi bowls). The special kaisen don differs from the regular one by having uni, fatty tuna, and different roe. They both came with soup and salad. The amount of food wasn't too much nor too little. The rice settled in my stomach towards the end of the meal. The fish had good variety and texture. It was difficult to flag down help for a water refill once things got busy, but I have no other comment besides that. All in all, a worthwhile place to check out for Japanese food!

I've been coming to Kaita for over 5 years now and have constantly returned when craving Japanese food, so this review is long overdue. Kaita is a small and casual restaurant but the food is amazing and authentic. I've tried items from their daily specials, sushi, rice bowls, and sashimi. I've never been disappointed and that's what keeps me coming back. I love that they have combo options which really satisfies my craving by getting to have a variety of options. The fish has always been fresh, so Kaita has earned my trust to take friends here whenever we're looking for Japanese food. The staff is friendly and attentive, which is always appreciated. I plan on being a loyal customer for as long as I live in San Jose!

03/11/23 -Kaita There are so many wonderful restaurants in Japan town. I do my best to show love to all of them. Came in at 7:30 PM on a Saturday and got seated right away. Kaita is a causal Japanese restaurant, the inside is small but nice. The staff is sweet and attentive. The food is good for the price, the fish is fresh, and the portions are great.

My colleagues and I came here on a Tuesday night for dinner. We walked around and decided to come to Kaita. I've been here before so I recommended my colleagues since it was all their first time. The service was strange, as usual, but food was delicious! This place is really small so unless you come outside of rush hour, there will be a wait! I got the Chirashi bowl, so good! They have lots of combos on the wall or special menus. Their menu is huge and all over, so check them out carefully to see what you like. Overall, you can't really go wrong with any of the options here. Great food!

Nice restaurant in Japantown - get there early if you want to avoid a long wait. Had lunch here with an old friend and former colleague who was visiting. We found street parking nearby and walked over, being one of the first few patrons seated soon after they opened at 11:30. I ordered the sashimi, fried chicken and soup special ($27.50) from the board propped up against the front window, and she ordered sushi from the regular menu. Food arrived quickly. The service was attentive even though they were short-staffed. I enjoyed my fried chicken, but wasn't impressed by the sashimi. My friend seemed to enjoy her sushi. They didn't have any dessert on the menu - the server suggested we get mochi at the shop next door, but there was a long line, so we opted to get coffee at Roy's nearby instead. Will try other places next time we visit.

Kaita is an incredibly authentic, comfy, Japanese spot located in the heart of Japantown. There is nowhere else you can get a Negitoro Don w/ Tanuki Udon lunch special for UNDER $20 and at this quality. The tuna was fresh, the udon was bouncy, and you leave satisfied. Service is quick and attentive and turnaround is fast. I look forward to coming back and trying some of their other offerings! Support local businesses y'all!

Super cute hole in the wall spot that you definitely dont want to miss! We came here on a Friday night and it was surprisingly not a long wait to our table (20 min on a friday? we'll take it!) The spot is very cozy and tables are small, but I would not skip! Everything we ordered was delicious and fresh, and came out in the perfect timing! We definitely recommend the uni, amaebi, and salmon, as well as a hot soup like the nabeyaki udon to top off your meal. Definitely a new fave of ours, and we'll be coming back for another date night soon! (Highly recommend the squid and sea urchin with wasabi dish, its the best way to try both for a really good price and portion!)

Came here on a weekday for some nice sushi. The waiters seemed very rushed which felt a bit overwhelming. It seemed a bit understaffed when we came, two people cooking and one waitress. Once they took our order, we waited over an hour for our food, which was okay. We ordered a small natto, but it was forgotten so we had to remind them. Inside the restaurant it is very small so there arent many seats. The food wasnt anything impressive. I dont think id come again.

I've been to many Yakitori around the world and recently from Japan. Regardless of what they grilled, the flavor of the charred grilled by long charcoal (長炭) is what made it special. You can taste it. The teriyaki chicken was grilled with that flavor. I assume the chef must use charcoal to grill this. I'm gonna have to announce this may be one of the best chicken teriyaki in the world. The spicy tuna was done perfectly, Spicy tuna flavor and the amount of sushi rice and its taste. Ichiban!!

Great little authentic Japanese restaurant located in J-town. Daily menu board can change depending on what's fresh and what homey dishes they are serving that day. Great and humble service. The warmly greet you as you enter the establishment.

Casual spot with a variety of good eats! Tasty tempura, sashimi, sushi. Nice relaxing spot for dinner.

I came by during lunch on a weekday and didn't have to wait. The restaurant is pretty small but we got seated immediately. I ordered the poke don + udon special and my mom got the sashimi and Karaage special. The total came out to be $60 after tax and tip which was steep for the amount of food we got. My poke don came with a small amount of fish and lots of rice. This dish was enjoyable but wish there was more fish. I had a lot of leftover rice. The udon soup was good but udon texture was too soft. The sashimi was pretty decent and fresh. We were both disappointed in the karaage. It was dry and the breading wasn't crispy at all. Overall, food wasn't amazing but it's a really cute restaurant!

The manager put his finger in my face pointing to the table I requested to be seated in when there were only three tables seated. He was vividly talking down to the poor server as she denied my request. I politely asked him as he aggressively approached me, got in my space--quickly pointing at the empty tables saying that they are for larger parties--with his hand and pointy finger an inch from my face. I think he was expecting me to flinch, instead I ordered him to take his finger away from my face immediately--as he did and apologized like the coward he is and was raised to be... He better get on his hands and knees and thank God that I know the law and I didn't let it get the best of me...

We called at 5:45p for take out order, was quoted 35-40 min wait. Then, the restaurant called us back at 6:30p saying they need another 20-25 min. We waited at the restaurant until 7:10p until the food was finally ready, nearly an hour after the initial committed time. During the wait, the waiters avoided eye contacts with us, and they did not apologize at all throughout the experience or at the end. I understand they probably prioritize dine in orders but it is also reasonable to expect better time management of take out orders if they committed to it. Very disappointed with how the whole situation was handled.

Pretty decent but pricey spot in a very ambient location! The restaurant is at the heart of Japan town next to the world-renowned mochi shop Shuei-Do. FOOD: Overall pretty good, not the best sushi for its price point, however. The plating is very beautiful and nice looking though! The miso soup and salad were also pretty good, though I wish there was more tofu in the miso soup. PRICE: The Nigiri Sushi Combo was around $22 dollars for a California Roll, one salmon nigiri, two yellowfin, one shrimp, and one tuna, alongside a small salad and miso soup. Overall, if you're craving nigiri or rolls, it would be best to head across the street for cheaper sushi. LOCATION: Pretty solid location! There are a ton of interesting shops around that you can go around which include Shuei-Do, a gift shop, ice cream, and the Japanese market. AMBIENCE / SERVICE: It is very nice inside and it is very lively! They have very cute decorations and it gives a very traditional, homely feel. It is a bit loud at times so it may not be the best location for a date or business chat, but it is great otherwise. The staff are very sweet too! My group stayed five to ten minutes past closing and the staff were very sweet about it.

Authentic Japanese. We had our first date and anniversary date here. Highly recommended. Good sushi and non sushi options both. The fried lotus root is my favorite.

Amazing food!! Real homestyle cooking with a lot of soul. Go and support this long standing family business.

Food is great and delicious. The service is not perfect to be honest. But since the food is great I can overlook the service. Ambience is ok, I actually like that the place feels old and traditional, I hope they don't renovate it. It feels like japantown as it should.

Cute cozy environment, but unfortunately the food was subpar. I was very shocked to find my $9 gyoza was none other than 6 ling ling potstickers.

Came here for dinner with a friend after work. It took us a little while to find parking nearby on a Friday evening. We ordered the tempura shishito peppers which was one of the special appetizers and both got the roll special dinner that came with a California roll, yellowtail and green onion roll, and a tuna roll. The food came out quickly. We were lucky to get a table when we arrived.

Had the karaage donburi. Chicken was really salty! Service also took extremely long for a workday lunch. Rice was good quality.

A decent Japanese restaurant. I only tried their hot food so far but definitely want to come back and try the sushi next time. I got the Tonkatsu, which came with rice, potato salad, miso salad, and miso soup. The portion was huge! I had leftovers enough for another meal. The tonkatsu itself was very crispy outside, but slightly tough on the inside. The savory sauce it came with paired really well with it! I also really liked the miso salad - the flavor was just right and not too salty. The miso soup was a little salty, though.

A HIDDEN GEM in Japantown SJ I'm obsessed with this restaurant. I love how I was seated instantly. I ordered the negitoro don + udon, broiled mackerel and poke don. The portions were perfect! I love how everything so simple yet so flavorful. The broiled mackerel was my favorite, I haven't had any place that makes it as good as here! The fish in the poke don was so fresh and the sauce was so delicious. I also loved how they used small grained sushi rice for the entree's and bowls. It made such a big difference. I'll definitely be coming back when I'm down in San Jose:

Was in Japan town for an event, and decided to stop here for dinner. Nothing impressive. Service was horrible. I had the yakiniku beef which was overcooked, tough and chewy. Highly disappointed. Dragon dragon roll was good and I forget the other role that we had that's how memorable this place was. We had potstickers which were at least fresh but again average nothing very tasty. They were slow when we got there, so I'm not sure why the service was so horrible would not come back here the prices were not over the top.

Been coming here since they opened. One of the best sushi and sashimi in the Bay Area. Highly recommend the special Kaiden don although the price is pretty steep. It's so difficult to find decent and authentic sushi these days. Kaita really delivers and I hope they will stay in San Jose Japantown forever.

This place has been here since I was a little kid in elementary school (aka a long time). And for a great reason. This mom and pop shop has great Japanese cuisine which provides a warm comforting atmosphere with delicious homey but also well crafted food. Their tempura is my absolute favorite, the batter is crispy but not overly heavy and you can taste the freshness of the vegetables and shrimp they use. I've also had their curry and teriyaki in the past and it's I wanted to try their off menu special (always on the whiteboard near the entrance. I has the slow cooked beef with potatoes (reminds me of Niku don) fried smelt, and Kinpira/ soup. Oh man the fried smelt reminded me of a sophisticated fish stick, the flavor was so good and the crisp was to perfection. I had no complaints at all just good vibes my partner got the chicken katsu curry and they give a generous portion for the price point. I felt like my meal was just the right amount as well. The beef was perfectly cooked with savory sweetness and balanced with the veggies. Service is also fast and great and attentive.

Excellent small, family-run, traditional Japanese restaurant in San Jose's Japantown. Excellent staples, hot food, and of course fish! Attentive service, lovely ambience with regular customers coming in and out and being greeted by the staff with visible familiarity. Highly recommended, would come again.

It's been a really long time since I've hung out in Japantown SJ, and I usually swing by for art shows but tonight, I came out early enough to decide and try a new spot to eat. I randomly chose Kaita for dinner tonight and I was NOT disappointed. I was greeted by a super friendly staff member who seated me promptly (the restaurant didn't really have anyone eating dinner as early as I was, about 5ish). Skimmed through the menu real quick looking for chicken teryaki, put in my order, it came out and boy was I impressed. I ordered the teryaki entree, I think it was, and nigiri for appetizer. I was really happy about how organized the presentation was with the food, how clean it was plated as well as the portions of the teryaki with the sauce and when it comes to teryaki sauce, they don't skimp. I'm pretty critical about that when I get the teryaki with rice dishes or bentos from different japanese restaurants cause most of them don't give enough sauce or the portions just aren't good, but Kaita definitely had the balance right. My meal was filling, flavorful, and awesome. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very cozy and welcoming, and it's very clean here. Next time I'm in Japantown SJ again, I'm definitely coming back, but maybe I'll go for the Katsu next time. Thank you, Kaita! 5 stars for sure!