Minato Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in San Jose

Was disappointed. Don’t know if I’m having a higher standard or something. Seems to be a very Japanese restaurant from the google review. And the environment seems to renovated into Japanese style. But when I opened the menu... I know the owners are definitely not from Japan, they are Korean. Because there are many Korean stuff like bulgogi mixed with others sashimi and other rolls and stuff. When I ordered the sushi plates. The miso soup and salad come up first. But from the pictures you can see... there’s a tofu sticking to the bottom side of the bowl. And the empty bowl is not properly washed. Stains around the bottom and inner wall. Not gonna judge the miso soup since it’s lack of green onions and seaweeds. The Uni sushi Presentation is the worse I’ve ever seen. And it worth $5.95 per piece. Gladly the Uni taste fine... The sashimi plates were even worse... the radish were chopped unevenly... from the picture you can see... even some low-profile Japanese food would done it right since it’s the essential technique that every chef would have. And the sashimi are unevenly cut... The ramen were just the worse. No taste at all and over cooked... if you just find some Japanese food not too care about the quality, go ahead. But if you want some quality and real Japanese food. Here’s...

In A Nutshell:

-Wanted to stop by Minato b/c one of my favorite people in the world - Mr. Anthony Bourdain recently filmed an episode of "Parts Unknown" featuring SJ Japantown. -Come early (11:30am when it opens), so you don't have to wait in a long line. -The shop owner was super cool and showed us pictures of him and his family when Anthony Bourdain was there on his cellphone. -The tempura had great presentation and the fried pieces were to die for! Temperature was spot-on and the crispiness was perfect. -The "World Famous" spare ribs looked plain, but don't let the appearance fool you. OMG - the taste and tenderness is what makes these famous. -If you're lucky (w/ it being available), ask for the Hamachi Collar. Can you believe you get two large pieces for only $10.99? Whoa, that's a steal and a half. The tuna was so tasty, crispy and moist. This alone will make me come back for more.

Overall, the service was spectacular and the location feels just warm and accepting. It's reciprocal of the best Japanese restaurants you'd find while...

We absolutely LOVED Minato! It is a family-owned restaurant which is authentic, cozy, and delicious. You know when it’s a great restaurant when you see other Japanese people eating there too. We ordered the lunch bento and they were kind enough to change it so we could get the combination we wanted, which was katsu, gyoza, and tempura. The sushi was authentic, fresh, and well –made. The service was professional, friendly, and helpful as even the manager came by a few times to check on us. Our server was very forthcoming in making sure we knew we needed to pay the meter for parking. The location is right in the heart of Japan town surrounded by numerous Japanese stores including one of our favorites-Nijiya Market. We heard that the Japan Town in San Jose was bigger and better than in San Francisco and we were not disappointed. We enjoyed crepes for dessert at Banana Crepe, which was just down the street from Minato. We are definitely coming back here next time we are...