Sumika — Restaurant in Los Altos

A Hidden Gem. As we walk into a narrow but beautiful small room, I am greeted with the unmistakable smell of the hibachi charcoal burning... cooking...searing meat....Definitely Authentic...Most Definitely Japanese. We were seated at a small table with a view of the chefs .What a treat to be able to see the chefs hard at work over the food... We ordered the Wagyu and a few different yakitori suggestions made kindly by our server. Our meal was not rushed and came out beautifully timed with every tasty treat plated simply and cleanly. The beginning of our meal started with a deep fried Geso Karage. Crunchy chewy yummy . We topped it with the spice from the small jar on the table. After that came our Yakitori. We were instantly transported back to Japan...the taste, smell, and sounds surrounding us. Many tables of Japanese speaking customers made us feel as if we were back in an Izakaya again. Our favorite by far was the Wagyu Beef and the suggested chicken w onion . Also, the gizzard & heart were on special , a personal favorite, we humbly suggest you try these. Do not miss out or be intimidated. So Many items we would like to try. We happened to lucked out on a walk-in reservation as we were in the area. You have to call to make a reservation. The website link they prompt you to online doesn't work, unfortunately, but the service and food here are impeccable. A small but amazing menu of Yakitori , Handrolls, and other delights await. Delicious worth every penny & We will...

Service was poor; food was nothing out of the ordinary; wagyu skewers were very burnt, yet they were at least somehow medium rare. Probably will not be back, which is a shame because the only other yakitori place I know of that is good is in Dublin. Was really grating to be called "Sir" (male server with super curly hair, short, using profanity) many times, and after informing the oblivious server that I am a woman (I have no idea how they even made that mistake) they didn't even offer so much as an apology after what could have been an overlooked mixup. Before I even ordered my food I already wanted to leave, wonderful. Also, 18% mandatory service charge for dining in that they only inform you about after you are seated and drinks are served. Should have just ordered to go as they also charge 18% for that too, but are more upfront about it. I specifically went to the restaurant to avoid this, only to find out it was a wasted effort! I could have saved a lot of time if they had simply mentioned this online like they do for takeout. Oh, and they have a tip guide on your bill on top of that, 18% minimum; imagine expecting your customer to pay a 36% base tip!!!

When I finally got my food, there were so many flies inside that I spent about half the time swatting flies.

Overhead from the staff while I was eating that there were two customers outside that waited over 20 minutes without being served. Mega yikes, especially when there were...

I can say I'm being slightly harsh when giving Sumika 3 stars. But given the hype and the price, I guess we can all raise the bar a bit.

From an authentic Japanese yakitori point of view, Sumika checks the box. All the skewers are prepare heartily and you can see it being grilled behind the glass in the kitchen. Also, the fact that there are not that many yakitori places in the Bay Area should help with Sumika make its mark.

But this is exactly where it falls short, quite a bit. For a great yakitori, the three dimensions are simple. Quality of ingredients. Marination. And how it is grilled. The grilling was near perfection, although the fact that they bring it out altogether and not as they are grilled adds a bit to the "coldness". Tru yakitori joints bring it out one by one as they are done. The quality of ingredients I think is quite good but also not the top. The texture of some parts of the meat were just not as soft and tender, and the fact that it cooled waiting for delivery exacerbated the issue.

However, what is absolutely not forgivable is the inconsistent marination. Some skewers were just downright bland. Try the chicken liver that has no taste but the bitterness of protein. Don't get me wrong. Some are good. But the inconsistencies are far too big for Sumika to score higher than 3 stars.

The drinks are good. Good beer. Good sake. Decent service.

I guess it is worth a try. But I'd hesitate to be back if it wasn't...