Minato Japanese Restaurant

🍱 A San Jose Staple with Rich Local History Minato Japanese Restaurant is a deeply established part of the San Jose community, known for its long history and no-frills, traditional atmosphere. It’s the kind of place that many locals have frequented for years, and you can feel that sense of heritage as soon as you walk in. The menu features a wide array of Japanese staples like sushi, udon, and katsu, served in a classic booth-seating environment that feels like a step back in time. While the overall experience was a bit of a mixed bag for me, the food quality was decent, and it’s easy to see why it has maintained its presence in the neighborhood for so long. It represents a piece of Japantown that many hold dear. 🥢 Decent Food with Quick Turnaround One aspect where the restaurant performed well was the speed of the kitchen. Despite the steady flow of customers, the food came out relatively quick, which is great if you are looking for a meal that doesn't drag on. The dishes provide a straightforward, comforting taste of Japanese home-style cooking. While the flavors didn't necessarily stand out as exceptional or innovative compared to other spots in the area, the execution was competent and satisfying. It serves as a reliable option for those who want familiar, classic dishes served without much of a wait or any modern fusion distractions. 🚩 Surprising Interactions and Service Gaps Unfortunately, the visit was marred by some rather interesting service. When I asked a simple, standard question about whether they had draft beer, the server actually scoffed at me, which felt completely unnecessary and a bit rude. It wasn't the kind of question that usually merits that kind of reaction, and it left a bit of a sour note on the evening. While the staff was efficient in getting the food to the table and keeping the line moving, that lack of basic politeness made the environment feel less welcoming than I had hoped for. It’s a bit disappointing when a historic spot lacks the hospitality to match its reputation. Efficient Kitchen: You won't be sitting around hungry; the transition from ordering to eating is very fast. Traditional Vibe: The restaurant has a very specific, old-school feel that many regular patrons find charming and nostalgic. Menu Variety: They offer a large selection of cooked items and sushi, providing plenty of choices for different tastes and dietary preferences. Historical Context: Being a part of Japantown's history since the 1960s adds a layer of character that you don't get at newer establishments. 👍 Final Verdict: Form Your Own Opinion I am rating Minato Japanese Restaurant 3 stars on Google. While the history is impressive and the food is perfectly fine, the service interaction I had was a major drawback for me. Personally, it wasn't my kind of place and I won't be returning, but given its popularity and long-standing reputation, I’d still suggest that others try it out for themselves. It seems to be a polarizing spot where your enjoyment might depend heavily on your expectations for service and your appreciation for "old-school" vibes.

Minato Restaurant in San Jose is an excellent spot for sushi lovers. The sushi and sashimi are incredibly fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. The atmosphere is relaxed and authentic, and the service is always friendly and attentive. A perfect place for a high-quality Japanese meal — highly recommend!

Still one of my favorite restaurants in Japantown. It is a diner type vibe so don't expect a top tier sushi restaurant. The booths are degrading with tears in lots of the cushions. It is a family establishment and it feels that way. The prices are pretty good though. The sashimi is pretty good. It is just a nice feel good meal if you want some Japanese comfort food. Hours are short especially for dinner and it can be a wait to get in but I've always heartily enjoyed my meals here.

Incredibly fresh food and very attentive service. I ordered the Dinner Box and although it’s a simple meal, every item was flavorful and well made. Couldn’t list a single con.

We've been here multiple times. And have never been disappointed with the combo meals. Once seated, the service was quick and efficient. I had Sashimi and NY steaks combo and my wife had tempura and NY steaks combo. Sashimi were fresh and tasty. Both tempura shrimps were good size. The steaks were cooked and served properly, one with teriyaki sauce and the other with spicy dipping sauce on the side. Sapporo was cold and a hint of sweetness. Crockett appetizer was lightly fried and delightful.

The rolls are bad. I went there Saturday and kids ordered California rolls and spicy tuna. They are no good. I could roll batter rolls and put them decent in the plate.

Was not at all that great. Went to sit down, was told to sign in on sheet, not really a problem. Some girl with a round face sat us and the old man we walked by said for us to have a good dinner. As soon as we were gonna sit down, the hostess snatched the extra silverware off the table and threw it onto another table, before saying "have a good dinner" in a very dry unhappy tone which was like an "ooook" moment. The salmon dish was good, miso soup was good. But i wanted sushi, and this place had VERY POOR selection on any option (just tuna and yellowtail no raw salmon rolls or sashimi). The atmosphere here was very poor. Went to sushi Maru the next day and had such a better experience with WAY more choices and could have rolls specially made. Plus very helpful and happy staff. Very happy and energetic atmosphere

The food was great and very tasty. Service was top notch and the atmosphere was very nice. I will definitely go back.

Dinner time, thinking to check out Japantown in San Jose. Once got here, there are street parking around and no need to pay the meter as it was free from 6pm. Not sure what to eat in Japantown, and found a hole in the wall restaurant that is completely full. A little annoying was that they only posted the lunch menu around the waiting area and outside. I don't see the dinner menu anywhere. The waitlist only had 2 sets of people so decided to put down my name while exploring around a bit more. Ended up eating here and I'm so glad to have done so. They have a $19.99 dinner set. It had a nice amount of food with miso soup, salad and rice. Sashimi, Katsu, gyoza, salad all tasted great. The waitresses were super friendly and came back many times to refill water, give out napkins, asked if things were ok.... Etc.

Good deal for lunch, especially with what other places are charging with inflation and higher wages for employees. (also make sure to feed your parking meter before you sit down!) I got the bento box with California rolls, sashimi and teriyaki chicken. (don't order the spicy teriyaki chicken--not as good). I also tried the katsu chicken and it was OK. For the price, I give it 4 stars. For overall quality, 3.5 stars.

This place is a childhood favorite. I grew up coming here with my family and great-aunt. Not much has changed. A ver family friendly vibe and local service. Overall the years the food has stayed the same and still tastes great. A must stop when coming to San Jose.

How have I eaten in Japan town all these years and not know about Minato?? It's quite a popular place and I understand why. Most meals are around $20 and they have a variety of combo plates. The portions are decently sized and with rice, salad, and soup, you're good to go. The meat popular meal apparently Is the Dinner Box in the back of the menu. My choices were California roll, teriyaki chicken, and tankatsu breaded pork cutlet. Off and three pieces gyoza. Loved it. I also really enjoyed the sesame dressing; seemed tastier than Mia's other places. Tempura and hamachi sashimi combination was also delectable mess.

This wasn't a bad place to eat but not my favorite. The server was nice. She reminded us to pay for the parking meters in case we didn't. There are also signs of that posted all over the restaurant. They also warn that service may be a bit slow because they only have one server but it wasn't that bad when I went. The chicken katsu was crispy but a bit bland. I had to add a lot of the sauce to it. I was also worried about the rice to chicken ratio since it seemed to be very little rice but a lot of chicken. However, they did ask if I wanted more rice when I was almost done. I didn't take them up on it so I'm not sure if they would charge extra or not. The tempura udon was better. My boyfriend said it was his favorite udon since it wasn't sour like some others are. They also gave a good portion for this dish.

Found this gem on Yelp because I was looking for place nearby to have dinner with friends. Tried calling a handful of times to make a reservation but unsuccessfully goes straight to voicemail. But good thing we got there around half an hour after opening and was able to put our name down on the waitlist. For a table of 6, we got seated about 10-15 mins and was able to out in our order fairly quickly. We ordered: - 2x unagi sushi rolls: 4/5 - 2x minato sushi rolls: 4/5 - hamachi sushi roll: 4/5 - 2x gyoza: 5/5 - tempura app: 4/5 - katsu curry: 3/5 - bento box: 4/5 - 3x bottles Sapporo Food was pretty good. Service was great. Love that theres great value for Japanese food. Super cozy restaurant and all the workers there were super friendly.

The best food in all of Japan Town. My family and I come here often, their salad is amazing, the children's meals are perfect and the bento boxes are my favorite! My family and I love their California rolls too. Their service is quick and really awesome, drink orders are taken quickly and food orders are quick to follow.

It's been a long time since I've dined at Minato. Of course, the famous chef Anthony Bourdain has eaten here and did a segment about it for his show. I never tried the world famous ribs so on this visit, that's what I did. People are right, the meat is fall off the bones and you can take a fork and pull the meat off very effortlessly. It might look like only a little bit the ribs plate will fill you up for sure. I was only able to eat 3 and was so full. I had to take the last rib home. The plate comes with soup, salad and rice. Service is friendly and warm and the restaurant does get busy but you won't feel rushed. Sometimes I forget about Minato because it is not on the main streets but now, I won't forget about it since those ribs are so darn tasty haha

I don't come to San Jose often and was recommended this restaurant by a friend who was in the area for college. It makes sense as the portions are HUGE and prices are super affordable! It's also good for big parties and has a super homey atmosphere that felt very comfortable. It can be busy, so be prepared to wait if needed! The staff were all efficient and friendly. My friends and I left incredible full and happy! I even had plenty of leftover tempura to eat because look at how big the plate was with my hand for reference. Love a meal that is delicious and a good deal!

I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life and I'm so upset I've never heard of this place before! The quality of the food is outstanding - no matter what you get, you can tell they have high standards for what they are serving. My friend ordered a bento box and I got the katsu don, and we were both extremely satisfied with our choices! The katsu don was flavorful and crispy - I would argue that this is in the top three for me. I recommend getting multiple dishes and sharing them family style, so you're able to try a little bit of everything. The service and ambiance here is AMAZING. The owner is so sweet and the waitresses were fantastic too!! Shout-out to our waitress in training, we didn't get your name, but we share your love for Miffy. I will definitely be coming back here! I recommend coming before dinner rush, maybe around 5pm or 5:30pm if you'd like to avoid long wait times.

#taste - 4/5 #portion size - 4/5 #service - 5/5 #value - 4/5 #tip - the parking is street parking and metered. It ends at 6pm. #context - had dinner here with friends so not able to speak to the lunch menu. #like - The portion of the katsu curry was large and I thought that was good value. I also think the dinner sushi box has nice options by letting you choose sashimi and multiple meats. I think the sashimi quality is pretty good here which I use to gauge how good a japanese restaurant is. #dislike - the chicken with spicy sauce had a ginger taste to it. I wasn't expecting that with Japanese chicken dishes, so I wasn't a big fan of that.

I cant say enough about how great the service was at this location and how delicious the food was. Our servers were all amazing, they were attentive and sweet to me my wife and daughter. They had some of the best steak, tempura, and just overall meat quality I have had at most sushi spots. I loved my dish which was the bento box with spicy chicken, california roll, and pork katsu. They also give additional items no listed like sautéed bean sprouts and edamame. My wife had the steak and tempura. Not to mention they give endless rice and even brought a child's plate for us to share with our little girl. If you are in the area go, food amazing service amazing, and the space is so peaceful. Also biggest and tempura shrimp I have ever had in my life.

First time trying it yesterday and I love this place. They give like big bowls of udon. There plain udon is really cheap as well. They had solid teriyaki chicken with a salad and unlimited rice. The miso soup here is great too which is given as starter. Service here is great and quick. With friendly servers and and a lively atmosphere. I forgot to take pictures

Fantastic family run restaurant. The bento boxes came out quick. We got the last big table at noon. We all ordered the chicken bento lunch specials. The Teri chicken was good. So was the tempura. That's the biggest shrimp I've ever seen. Service was quick. We will come back

Suggested as one of the best sushi in the area on Yelp and by a suggestion from the hotel we stayed at in the area. We ordered sushi apps as the staff suggested it. plus tempura plates, eggplant, and gyoza steamed. For my main course, I had the world famous (not) Ribs. Let's start with the staff. Staff was AMAZING! Kelly was one of the best servers in a long time. the food was good and fresh, the ribs were just ok. I have had much better. the apps were excellent! Atmosphere was to be desired. needed a clean-up and fix up as there were piles of stuff in corner tables. photos of different food on the table we ordered everything from tempura meals to udon meals. Katsu seemed to be a big hit. but what made this place get 4 stars was the service.

Still my go-to in Japan town after decades. I found myself missing this place when I walked in. The prices definitely went up after 3 years of pandemic. They still asked you to sign-in at the door. The interior was exactly how it was for years. I think also the menu, but not very sure. I got shioyaki saba. Fish was perfectly cooked, but I think they chef forgot the "shio" (salt). No matter, I actually enjoyed the lighter flavoring. Companion got their bento. It's an excellent value and also delicious. Both came with Miso soup and, apparently, bottomless white rice. The waitress was friendly, attentive, and detail attentively professional. That's generally rare for busy small restaurants. The apparent owner/manager strolled the aisles to check in the guests -- twice during our meal. Worth noting the next table gasped when a plate of fried thing showed up. I only noticed the top was onion rings. I think the portion surprised him.S

This restaurant is my #1 go to Japanese Restaurant in downtown San Jose. I always get exactly what I order and the prices are affordable. When I order to go, it is always ready on time. The food is fresh and made to perfection. The tempura is nice and crispy. The gyoza is made with chicken which is quite rare. I cannot eat pork so I appreciate it being chicken. The mackarel is moist and flavorful.

Went here for dinner with friends. They were pretty busy so it took about 10 minutes to get seated which was not long given how busy they were. Once we we seated the server was fast to take our order and was helpful in explaining the different items on the menu. I like the art on the walls. It adds to the ambiance of the place. I ordered a meal and it came with miso soup and salad which was great because I was hungry and it was delivered really quickly. The combo meals are so good. If you are in Japan Town in San Jose you should try this place.

So good! We came in the early evening to have something small to eat before going out and v satisfied. I'm always a sucker for sashimi and happily ate everything and was fully satisfied :)

It's a homey and warm shop with workers who are equally, if not more caring and kind. We ordered two Katsu dons, one Minato roll, and a tonkatsu & sashimi dinner special. The miso soup and salads came out first as a little appetizer and I loveeeed the salad dressing. A light sesame dressing with fresh lettuce leaves. The Katsu don had a veryyyy generous amount but we were a tad disappointed because it was on the soggier side which I suppose is inevitable due to the egg topping. My friend's tonkatsu was very crispy and had a wonderful *crunch* the owner brought over the huge bowl of candy and we went to town on the hi-chew and lollipops HAHA thank you so much! Will be back again for Japanese soul food. Thank you so much for a lovely time and experience.

I am so happy with our recent visit here! The food was delicious, loved the spicy tuna roll but what really stood out was the great service. They are very family friendly and the food came FAST. Everyone was so attentive and kind... we have a baby so these things really make a difference. We will return soon.

***3.5 stars*** My friend and I came around 11:30am on a Saturday and we were one of the firsts to be seated. I ordered the B special lunch box combo and she ordered the C. B came with chicken (choice of teriyaki/spicy), tempura, and tuna sashimi. Included with these entrees are rice, salad, and miso soup. All of the items were pretty solid, but chicken teriyaki was ok and kinda stringy. Overall I think more variety on the menu would be great - specifically for the lunch box combos. I'm overall not the biggest fan of chicken teriyaki so it would be awesome to see some other entree options instead of just chicken teriyaki (for example: salmon teriyaki, saba shioyaki, etc). Service was ok, some waitresses made me feel a bit rushed. If I return, I will give other dishes aside from the chicken teriyaki a try!

I came here for lunch on a Tuesday around 12:30pm. It was a busy but we were able to get seated for a table of 3. They are more known for their teriyaki chicken with tempura and tuna lunch bento boxes. I was feeling sashimi so I got the tuna and hamachi lunch. The hamachi tasted fishy. Tuna was fresh though. I should probably try the lunch bento box next time. They don't have many sashimi and sushi rolls. Very basic. Parking is on the street.

Love Minatos! It had been a favorite spot of mine during my college years and after moving away from the downtown it just wasn't somewhere I frequently went anymore. This time I brought my three children with me, and wanted to share the delicious simple Japanese food with them! Cons are how small this place is. Fills up fast, write your name on the list and wait. Waiting space is small but honestly the wait goes by quickly. Also your entire party needs to be there for you to be seated. Pros, quick service, friendly staff, delicious food and a very positive experience overall. Food is well priced, great portions and really good! We opted for the bento box with teriyaki chicken, golden shrimp and tuna sashimi. And the worlds best spare ribs! The ribs are tender and sweet due to the teriyaki sauce, my daughter stole them from me- the chicken is delicious and fresh. The salad and dressing are to die for! And overall the service is just amazing and keeps us coming back!

I've been coming to Minato for the past 30 years. It's the oldest remaining Japanese restaurant in Japan Town. Great food at a reasonable price. It's not a "Sushi" restaurant. They create traditional Japanese dishes of teriyaki, tonkatsu, udon, and donburi. Yes there are sushi rolls, but the focus is on "homestyle" dishes. AND... it's true they are known worldwide. I ran into someone in Europe who had eaten at Minato. The decor is a little dark and outdated, but you go there for the good food and family friendly service. Highly recommend for a casual lunch or dinner with a date or friend.

Minato's has been around for decades and has served great food and continues to serve quality Japanese cuisine. Japanese decor adorns the place and the bustling place of people enjoying their meals warms your heart. Service is always friendly and attentive.

Met a couple of friends for lunch and both the food and the service was very good, just like it's always been. If you're coming to Minato, you know what to expect and it always lives-up to expectations. I arrived first and waited till my friends arrived till we were seated. We all ordered a lunch bento of some type and we all agreed the food was hot and fresh. I ordered the Special Lunch Combination F, which came with Chicken Teriyaki, Maguro Sashimi and Tempura Prawns. It also comes with a lettuce salad to round-out the meal. You get a good-amount of food for the price. The Chicken Teriyaki was tender, the Prawns were nice and crispy and the sashimi was fresh. If you're looking for a solid meal in SJ Japantown, look no further. Parking can be a bit tricky due to all the construction. But, I was able to find a spot fairly close.

Nice little gem in Japantown. Feels like a family run business and the service is prompt and friendly. There is a sign-up sheet inside by the entrance where you put your name and party size. Some of the parking out front has meters, so just be prepared to pay or park a few blocks away for free.

Checked out Japantown last weekend and went to this place for dinner, since we have other plans later, we went a bit early dinner around 5pm. And it was so lucky that we went early, since it's quite small inside and the business got quite busy right after opening. The food was absolutely delicious and with very affordable prices. We also tried their steak, juicy and tender. I want to try their steam basket next time.

Finally made it back here and I always ask why it takes us so long to come here - especially as traffic isn't as bad as before... Had their minato special sushi (no pic - we ate it too fast) with hamachi and ahi... I will say the hamachi is my FAVORITE but love them both - with that little spice an they have crunchy bits - so you get tons of flavors and textures! A MUST as a starter... We also got their gyoza - which was perfectly crispy, steamed and pan fried - with the crunch on the ends and the delicious flavors on the inside... so GOOD!! (also no pic - that's what happens when you go when you're hungry). BUT for our main courses - hubby was feeling guilty with all the turkey and trimmings he ate over Thanksgiving so went with the tofu and veggie steamer with more salad instead of rice... He was a VERY happy camper.. perfectly al dente veggies - with perfectly steamed tofu - but the sauces - he liked the peanut one the best... but overall he was a very happy camper... I - on the other hand - LOVE their tempura and nothing will prevent me from ordering my FAVORITE... and I asked for extra onions and mushrooms! OMG - is their shrimps on steriods? HUGE perfectly battered and cooked shrimp... and SO BIG... I did share one of my shrimps with hubby so he wouldn't feel denied! LOL... I of course couldn't eat it all - brought the rest home - air fried it the next day and it was just as crunchy and delicious... not exact but it was crunchy and tasty... My daughter had the saba teriyaki.. it looked delicious... I wish I could have both - but then my eyes are always bigger than my tummy. This dish is comfort food for my daughter and it really hit the spot for her. HUGE fish with NO bones... cooked perfectly. She was definitely a very happy camper! Service was AMAZING! We had Kelly who was so friendly and helpful. I loved how she repeated the order to make sure she had everything. And then Gene would come by to keep checking on us to make sure we had everything we needed or we wanted anything else. Love this family run business. Jo even introduced us to the table next to us as we found out we used to go to the same temple years ago. So welcoming and love how the food and people make us feel...

Minato feels like home! I've been going here for lunch or dinner for almost 17 years now. Gene and JoAnn always make sure we are doing okay and have everything we need. Either the servers, Gene, or JoAnn make sure we have enough napkins especially with our littles messy eaters. The food is so good. I can't decide if I like the teriyaki or spicy better. So I always ask for both sauces on the side! There's something about the way the Tonkatsu and Panko breaded prawns are fried. It's not oily and it's very crispy still! If you're in Japantown make sure you stop here for some traditional Japanese cuisine!

I came here for the first time for lunch with colleagues. Lunch service begins at 11.15 am. I got there by 11 am and there were already two groups waiting outside. A staff member came out to let us know we can put our names and party size down before they open. Right at 11.15 am is when customers started getting seated. They do require all parties to be present before being seated. There are signs everywhere to feed the meter and the servers ask you multiple times to make sure you have. I luckily got parking right outside and fed the meter extra quarters just to be safe. Additional street parking can be found along the area. I got the unagi don and it was delicious. I finished the whole thing. It came with a nice bowl of salad. Service was great and we were attended too. The place got packed by the time we left. I will come back to try out their other items.

I got the unagi don which came with a ton of eel. The eels were nicely seasoned and cooked, which I really liked. However, I wish there were more toppings like steamed eggs and seaweed. The service was great and our food came out super fast.

First time I have been here and ordered the bento box. The food is delicious and the service is fast. The staff are friendly and attentive. Celebrated my niece's birthday and had a party of 6. The majority of the party ordered udon and they all loved it. Heads up, the udon bowls are huge and could probably feed two or one person with a healthy appetite Would definitely recommend this place.

Now, when my friends and I come, we have to go to the waitlist when we arrive. I suggest getting there early so you don't have to wait in line for too long. Because we are eel rice lovers, we ordered 2 servings of eel rice. The rice was delicious and beautifully served, served with miso soup and salad. Very friendly staff always asking if customers need anything, especially an uncle. The price for one portion after tax is around $20. Cozy space.

Big quantity and solid homestyle Japanese food. Batter was thicker than expected, so fried food was chewy

I am going to keep this review short because Minato best speaks for itself should you choose to pay them a visit. It's a small spot, so would be tough to wrangle for a group larger than 6. It's not going to garner 1000s of likes or views, and it's not striving for a Michelin star. When I first arrived I was confused as to why everyone, eat in or take out, was leaving with a take out box. What I didn't understand at the time was that this place is basically an American style diner (booths, staff that treat you like family, enormous portions) that happens to serve Japanese food. It's amazing. That's it. I would come back if I found myself In SJ Japantown.

Food is onolicious!!! Great clientele nice atmosphere!!! This is the only place I will have my lunch or dinner in Laughlin o

Went here for lunch today with co-workers. This place has been around a long time..its small and I don't know why all the boxes were on tables, but it was an eye sore. I ordered the lunch teriyaki chicken lunch bento box with the California rolls and gyoza by the way the gyoza are chicken -yay! Item c Coworkers ordered item c with double gyoza instead of California rolls The second coworker ordered item e with gyoza. We enjoyed our food, it was good. The service was good. The manager or owner was nice. He came by several times asking if we needed anything. the water was yummy. I would return. I forgot to take a picture of our food prior. However, this was the end result. Lol, enjoy.

I thought I went to this restaurant before but I was wrong. This isn't your usual sushi place. I thought they would have a variety but I was wrong. I had the minato roll, spicy tuna roll, tuna sashimi, unagi roand gyoza. We wanted a small meal before my flight. I like the minato roll a lot. The sauce made it really good to eat. It's like the spicy tuna roll but the sauce... I can't put my finger on it. I just like it. I need to try their special or curry. I saw their curry from another table and it looks good. We got a minato card where they stamp for every ten dollars you spend. Get 20 stamps to get 20 dollars off your meal when you redeem it.

Hands down, the best Japanese restaurant! It's my first stop every time I head to San Jose. Gene and Jo Ann are the epitome of customer service. The quality of the food and the great servers are why it's the favorite Japanese restaurant in San Jose!

Inside is pretty tight and there's a clipboard to add your name to. Sushi rolls are not bad; cheap because they're not entree sized. I'd go to the front to pay instead of waiting for them to take and return the bill. They don't give out stamp cards anymore, but are willing to fill the ones you had from before.

We use to adore this restaurant; the food tasty, portions generous, and owners friendly. Minato was a Japan town icon. We would fill our stamp cards often. But, SHRINKLATION has hit Minato tragically hard. Don't be fooled by the meticulously plated combination lunch box. Costing $14.25, the portions are now the size of a kids meal. We left hungry and disappointed. Also, after the construction of the apartment complex across the street, parking is grotesque. Almost all parking is metered - and fastidiously monitored. The first thing your server will ask you, after sitting down, is 'have you fed your meter?'. It's annoying. There's much better restaurants, and value, in Japantown. Sorry Minato. We're sad too.

We have been eating at Minato since the 1980's when it was run by Mac. It has been a family favorite for years. The funny thing is that it is my sister's favorite, not mine. Anyway, parking has been harder to find since they are doing all kinds of construction across the street. It isn't impossible to find parking, just a bit more work. We were a party of 8 and it was perfectly understandable to have two separate tables for us. We appreciate being given the option. I opted to have gyoza and a salad for lunch. My husband had the world famous ribs. The rest of the party had bento boxes. I would say the food is good, gyoza was really good. My husband said the ribs were delicious. They have been doing it so long, they know what works. We eat there because my mom and sister love it. I personally prefer another restaurant in Japantown. The service is always good at Minato. Gene and his wife have always been friendly. I watched the Anthony Bourdain episode where he comes to the Bay Area and goes to Minato. It's so cool to see his photo when you enter the restaurant.

Early bird gets the worm. Impeccable service, so friendly and attentive. Small place so get there early, food is always consistently good.

This spot is in our neighborhood and we have been wanting to try it, and we finally did! First off, get there early because a line forms before they open at 5pm, which is always a good sign. The dinner box is the best bang for your buck, even though their prices are very reasonable. The food was so fresh and yummy, and great portions. They start you off with a traditional miso soup and salad. You get your choice of 2 meats, a teriyaki chicken (Regular or Spicy), and I chose Katsu chicken as my 2nd option, you also get sushi (Cali Roll or Sashimi), rice , and 3 pot stickers . The staff is very friendly, seems like it's family owned, which always makes it feel more hospitable. We've tried some other Japanese restaurants in the area, but we found our new favorite place! Can't wait to come back!

Our favorite Japantown gem! This is a popular date night destination for us that never ever disappoints. Last night was more of a takeout kind of night and my first thought was Minato's. - Friday night service: phone was answered on my first attempt and my order was ready in about 20 minutes. Easy and painless pickup as the order was ready when we got there. -Food and Quality: Everything is always delicious and the takeout experience was no different. - Dip the shrimp tempura in the salad dressing, sooooo good! - Owners and staff are always pleasant and personable. There's also a reward/stamp card they offer which is super cool imo. Still talking about how great dinner was. Thank you!

Been coming here for years good food but the customer service has really gone down hill. I witnessed the female owner be so disrespectful and blatantly rude the nice couple sitting next to me. I won't be back

Wow. This is real Japanese.This nondescript tiny restaurant (7 or 8 tables) is the real thing. I saw a line a few days ago, so I got there today right as it opened. Was seated in a few minutes. Ordered the box with spicy teriyaki chicken, gyoza and prawns. The prawns were giant. The spicy sauce had just the right amount of ginger, and the gyoza were fantastic. The server came by multiple times to check up on me. Also, the owner as well who was an incredibly nice gentleman. I see why there is such a long line for this delicious and authentic restaurant. If I wasn't just visiting, I would come back to try the sushi/sashimi.

This restaurant is fairly good value for money. We dined for $25 per person with sushi appetizer, teriyaki chicken, ribs and the three that come with all entrees: miso soup, salad and rice. I dont think this is possible at any other Japanese restaurant. Staff is efficient and keeps everything moving without rushing you. The owner came by to check on our experience and after our meal. We talked to another guest who had come here with her parents as a child, and now she comes with her children. We did not find the food amazing, but it filled us up. Every item could be made better. But to hit this price point, they have to leave out the extras. We learned that Anthony Bourdain dined here and he had the katsu curry, hamachi. We came here by accident and it was worth it.