Sumika

Came here for a birthday celebration, and they gave us our dessert for free (plus dimming the light and singing birthday song). That was a very nice touch and completely unexpected. They didn't even say anything to us, just zeroed out the dessert cost on the bill for us. It was our first time there, the waitress very patiently explained the dishes and her recommendations for us. Service is fast and friendly. The food is very high quality, albeit in small portion. The beef appetizer and grilled black cod stood out as especially delicious, but really have no complaints with any of the dishes we tried. Since it's pricey, will probably return only for special occasions. Look forward to trying some other dishes!

I would say it's the so far one of the best japanese grills restaurant in the area. Charcoal grill is so much different from the normal one, you can smell and taste it pretty easily. Must-tries: 1. Uni!!!! I just can't get rid of love for the texture and the refresh taste. Yes, it is pricy, but totally worth it. 2. Dried grilled fish. Oh my god! Whole fish is the best. The fish meat has a dried salty flavor and also soft and partially juicy… Not sure what words to use to describe here. A combination of so much different layers. 3. Sake. They got those sake that you cannot find in any other stores... And you would want to come back to try each of them… 4. Dessert is also great. Brulee, pudding, ice cream…

[updated] I've been here multiple times since my first visit, and while the quality of the food has been maintained and service is still fairly high, there's been a few things that has left the overall experience marred. Gari: it seems extremely unusual that gari or seaweed was not provided with the assorted sashimi. There are microgreens used for the presentation, but it lacks the cleansing element that gari provides. It's odd that such a basic element to sushi was left out. Order of the meal: there's never been any particular order in which the food is served. It seems to come to the table based on what the culinary staff can prepare the quickest. This means that your appetizer can come out during the middle of the meal, or the vegetable dish you ordered as a finisher to an entree is first and comes off bland, or the ontama rice comes out last after most of the entrees are done and cannot be coupled with the fish, not to mention the lack of sense in having rice at the end of the meal and not early on or in the middle. Tipping: I personally did not have any issues with service, as it's been gracious for the most part, and admittedly, I did undertip slightly as I went off a value off the top of my head and did not look at the recommended percentage. I also understand the value in seeking feedback from customers as part of the process in improving service and the restaurant as a whole. However, approaching the customer directly in front of their guests, asking about the tip just does not seem to be the best approach. I was told that the manager uses the tip percentage as a general gauge on how their service staff is and I was satisfied with the the service that we had, but I would recommend for future concerns regarding service feedback to not directly approach the table. It left a very negative air among the guests and even cheapened the experience in some sense. Overall, I'd still come back as I cannot find another place that grills like they do here. I'm honestly disappointed that the restaurant will close at the end of February, but will look forward to the owner's next endeavors. [/updated] This is by far one if my favorite Japanese restaurants in the Bay. The miso marinated cod is a godsend. The tenderness of the flesh that's basically infused with umami from the miso is too much. Eating it reminded me of Homer trying out a ribwich. Had their seasonal king crab. First I was amazed at nature creating such flavorful flesh, then I tried the clear ponzu sauce they prepared and was amazed again at how well people improve upon nature. It gives the crab a light acidity and sourness that elevates it to another level. The duck breast, also seasonal, had a light pink on the side, a crispy thin crust, and tasted phenomenal when you combine it with the lightly charred leek. There's more to be said, but it's best you try it yourself and have a taste of legitimate robata grilling.

Yes, this place has no obvious signage outside, but I don't mind. In fact I feel like it is a secret restaurant for people in the know, for the bon vivants! To fully appreciate Iroriya, you should bring a group of friends, and not think about the prices. I come only once a year with foodies, and we order a lot of things to try. Our most recent visit the bill came out to be about $100 (food + wine + tax + tip). With that said, this is not a cheap place, but prices are justified by its high quality. I go to their sister restaurant Sumika more frequently, where prices are better but with no fuss in presentation. They are also known for their Robata (food grilled slowly over charcoal) and rice dishes. Insider tip: If you are celebrating a special occasion, let Iroriya know when you make a reservation. They will create a sugar spun golden cone to encase your dessert. With a candle inside this dome, it looks beautiful and would provide a nice picture and wonderful memories :)