Daigo — Restaurant in Palo Alto

After reading all the 5 star reviews, I had high hopes that Daigo would be an authentic Edomae-style sushi restaurant. The cute little store front tucked away in an alley certainly had the look of a legitimate Japanese omakase restaurant from the outside. Turns out the owner and staff of Daigo are Chinese, which was a surprise. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as Drunken Monk and Sushi Shin also have Chinese owners and they are both good.

Upon entering, there are two bar counters. One faces the sushi chefs, which is where one would expect to be seated. I was surprised to find that our counter faced an empty melamine wall. The kicker was when the waiter asked me to move my chair in. As I was about to get up to slide my chair, he had the audacity to push my chair in! I was in disbelief. It should go without saying that it's unacceptable to shove the chair with somebody sitting in it. The service would digress from there.

First came out the hamachi shooter, which was full of roughly cut chunks of hamachi, quail egg yolk, ponzu sauce and tobiko. The thickly cut pieces of hamachi made it a bit unwieldy. The ankimo was soft and had some ponzu sauce like the hamachi shooter. But l've had a comparable grade of ankimo at Yakitori Kokko and Gaku with 2-3 times as much volume for around the same price.

Then the sashimi was placed on the counter. Sashimi is a great benchmark for sushi restaurants because it is representative of the quality of the fish and how it is handled and prepared. No spice or ingredients to hide behind as you get with poke bowls or sushi rolls. Daigo's sashimi cuts were twice as thick as you’d expect to see. They looked more like blocks. I suspected that those thick cuts would result in an uneven temperature. Upon my first bite into the tuna, I was right. It tasted cold and metallic. The salmon lacked flavor, without the tang of vinegar. The uneven cuts to the hamachi made it difficult to enjoy. The best pieces were the scallop, which had little purple flowers on them. Tender to bite into, nice texture and flavor.

The nigiri was considerably more enjoyable than the sashimi. The seared albacore had a nice torch-seared flavor and texture. The aji (mackerel) and toro (fatty tuna) were both delicately sliced and tasted better than any of the sashimi. Should be noted that the toro was so thin that it barely covered the rice. You can see the rice peeking through the toro in the photo. Temperature was not an issue presumably because the searing raised the temperature a few degrees.

The food was barely a 3 for me, but the service from our Cretan waiter drops the rating by a star. On top of the tactless push on the back of my chair, the same tonedeaf waiter tried to upsell us continually as if I was still pondering what to order, after I had already placed a concise order for sashimi and nigiri. It felt like having to decline enhanced insurance on a car rental at Enterprise or Hertz. It's fine to mention a couple specials but he practically read half the menu out loud, never mind the fact that I hadn't asked him a single question about anything to express any interest. The waitresses, on the other hand, were polite and regularly refilled my hot tea.

At a supposedly upscale sushi establishment, I expected a finer level of service. The food and service did not measure up to the glowing reviews and supposed value. I genuinely question the judgment of reviewers who leave 5 stars for this place. Despite its cosmetic appearance, Daigo does not make their nigiri or sashimi in traditional Japanese Edomae-style with the right balance of vinegar and temperature of the fish. I do not recommend Daigo for anyone who values authenticity or respectful service. Try instead Shin Sushi in Redwood City, a 1-Star Michelin omakase restaurant which is run by Jason Zhan, a Chinese sushi chef that properly learned Edomae sushi under Hideo Kuribara while working at...

Daigo, nestled in the heart (an absolute hole in the wall in case you don't happen to have an intention of eating some amazing Sushi and are standing right outside to be seated) of Palo Alto is a culinary haven for lovers of authentic Japanese cuisine.

Parking can definitely be challenging in Palo Alto in general and this wasn't an exception with Daigo, though you can park a couple blocks down in a public parking lot and its a few minutes walk

The restaurant's ambiance exudes elegance and tranquility. With its minimalist decor, traditional Japanese aesthetics, and soft lighting, Daigo provides a serene and intimate dining atmosphere.

The service at Daigo is impeccable. The staff is not only attentive but also incredibly knowledgeable about Japanese cuisine and the menu offerings. They patiently guided us through the menu, explaining the ingredients and preparation techniques every time they served the Omakase menu.

Coming to our food for the night, we order an Omakase UNI and as well WAGYU, wrapping that up with the Cheesecake and ice-cream. The Omakase menu is definitely crafted with fresh sources of seafood and served in a pristine fashion. Each course was filled with flavors and textures that we definitely would crave and expect from authentic Japanese cuisine and as well the presentation was super artful. Every dish was a testament to the chef's dedication to excellence.

Daigo falls on the higher end of the price spectrum, but it's a place where you're paying for the quality and authenticity of the dining experience. Given the exceptional quality of the food and service, it's well worth the occasional splurge for a special occasion.

A definite hidden gem that deserves recognition among the finest Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area and an absolute candidate for a Michelin *. From the serene ambiance to the exquisite culinary offerings, it's an establishment that caters to those seeking an authentic and memorable dining experience.

We are definitely going to go...

Daigo seems to have appeared out of no where in the California Ave scene straddling between a high-end omakase shop and your sushi date night joint. It's entrance is hidden in a small backstreet with a traditional Japanese lantern making it genuinely feel like a sushi-ya in Japan. As we approached Daigo, I got genuinely excited.

Food was quite good to near phenomenal. It was clear that the sushi chef was a bit timid that day with his/her expression on the omakase course. Everything was there - the fresh ingredients and the effort and passion. I would've preferred a bit more boldness with the soy sauce and wasabi, and other enhancers. But again, won't complain about the food. One of the best in the Bay Area. In addition, the black cod was well done, as well as the chicken karaage.

Now here are my issues which make me really struggle even to give a 4 star. First of all, we were seated outdoors, which is absolutely fine but not on a winter rainy day. Even with the heaters on, the wind was chilly. This is not something that you want to experience while eating sushi.

But what really brings down Daigo is the price and its portions. The price is appropriate for a high-end sushi restaurant in Palo Alto. Fine, I accept that. But the portions were tiny. Seaweed salad that can be cleaned out in less than 4 chopstick picks, $8. A single handroll - $13+. Again, the food is great. It's just so "stingy" on the portions, especially at expensive prices.

Despite the great food, I didn't feel good walking out. I paid Michelin star prices to sit in a wind-chilled tent and left hungry. Thank god for hot tea refills.

Daigo needs to understand that the post-pandemic abundance in dollars is over. Yes, the restaurant was full but I don't think many...