Minato Japanese Restaurant

03/02/10

Japanese Restaurant with Good Kitchen Food

by verlisia at Citysearch

They do serve sushi and rolls here but this restaurant is really not a sushi joint. The sashimi was fresh but the nigiri and the rolls were just average. I come to Minato mainly for their good (and cheap) rice plates and bento boxes.

I had their teriyaki spareribs before and it was pretty tasty from what I remember. On my last visit I tried the Katsu Curry instead. The batter on the fried shrimp was a bit too heavy. The tonkatsu was decent. The curry sauce was pretty nicely done but the pork could be more tender. It was far from the best I have had but I enjoyed my dinner.

Their portion is really generous. I could not finish my Katsu Curry. Big eater will really love their bento boxes. For only $12.95 (Dinner) or $8.99 (Lunch) you get a huge amount of food!

• Pros: Good Value, Tasty Bento
• Cons: Close Early

12/15/07

Best Japanese Restaurant I ever try!

by graos at Citysearch

This Japanese Restaurant is great. We tried several Japanese restaurants but never like this one. We go there at least once at week. The Spicy teriyaki Sauce or the regular teriyaki sauce are great(I couldn't find that rich tasty sauce at any of the other restaurants. Excellent Sushi. The portions are big. We tried the chicken, beef and Salmon plates are are all delicious. Their chicken salad is great and huge with their teriyaki sauce and their special salad dressing . Tempura is awesome. Friday and Saturday evenings is always a waiting line. Our tip if you do not want to wait plan to be there early 5:30 pm or after 8:00pm. This is the only restaurant that we don't mind to wait to be seated. The owners and the staff are very friendly. The owner will always pass by the tables to be sure everything is Ok and we are happy with the service and the food. I never see that in any other restaurant.

• Pros: great service. Great food.
• Cons: small restaurant. Be prepare to wait during pic hours.

10/02/07

a waste of money!!!!! Poor quality food!!!

by princedapimp4 at Citysearch

i was very excited to go to this restaurant ever since i saw that it was voted number 1 japanese restaurant in santa clara county. Keep in mind that i have been to over 10 japanese restaurants. When i walked inside the place seemed alright. The staff was friendly and service was prompt but the store itself did not have a very good atmosphere and it seemed cluttered. i ordered the teriyaki chicken with vegetable tempura which costed $16 and included miso soup and miso salad. The soup and salad were alright, the tempura was decent, but the chicken was HORRIBLE! the quality of the meat was pathetic. i have never had meat that was chewy from fat and grissle. if im going to pay $16 for a plate of chicken it better be good quality meat. honestly, i dont understand how this place got voted number 1 japanese restaurant in the metro. Out of all the japanese restaurants i have ever been to this place is tied for the worst with sushi boat in valley fair. you can't have a good dish with poor quality meat, end of story. i have been trying to understand how someone could enjoy food like that. If you know what good quality meat and good japanese food is you will know that this place should not have been voted number 1. I have been going to kobe on el camino in santa clara for 8 years now and i have yet to find a place that is better. I do not work there and i am not biased. i love trying out new places but when people leave 5 stars for a restaurant that tastes like sh*t it really makes me wonder. the point is stay away from here because of poor quality and stop praising places that serve the same quality food as my dog receieves.

• Pros: service
• Cons: the worst quality meat i have ever receieved

09/24/07

good japanese food

by cbtran04 at Citysearch

small and comfy restaurant. the food came in huge portions everyone i went with got the dinner bento and no one finished. ok service, would definitely go again.

• Pros: Good Food, Quick, Friendly, very casual
• Cons: very small

06/14/06

My fav Japanese restaurant in San Jose

by bradsf at Citysearch

Cute waitresses, generous portions, good quality food, although decor is nothing to write home about. One negative - hours are short and strange.