Kobe Japan

The fish here honestly is pretty good. Been here twice now and haven’t been disappointed too much with it. I would simply say that the salmon sashimi here is the only fish NOT worth eating. Tastes a little old and funky, but the rest of their fish are pretty great! Fairly fresh and property on flavor. My problem with it is the rice. It has a strong odor that seems a little too vinegar-​y, and it isn’t always cooked well. Overall, not bad and worth eating at. If you want to get the best experience, get sashimi so you don’t have to overload on weird/​mediocre rice.
I’m giving this four stars because the fish really does outweigh the bad in this situation.

Have eaten at Kobe Japan many times. The service is friendly and efficient. I always have the Habachi dinners. The steak, chicken and calamari are excellent. The show is better than Benihana, the food is equivalent and the price is better.
If you like Benihana give Kobe Japan a try. I think you will be happy with this choice.

I was very exited to try this place out since I’m a huge fan of Benihana. I read all the positive reviews of bigger portion sizes, more reasonable prices, tasty dishes before coming here for dinner last night and sadly it wasn’t what I was expecting. Customer service was decent, but our chef at the tepenyaki table was either super stoned or was tired. He wasn’t very engaging and he kept staring off at the other tables where the other chefs were cooking and everyone kept looking back wondering what he was looking at. He was messy at cooking, spilling rice everywhere all over the table and the portion sizes of food was different for some people. The flavor wasn’t that good, everything’s was blan including the meat and rice. I’ll come back here again but never eat at the tepenyaki table. I’m glad I tried this place out though overall.

Great place if you want good sushi, the drinks are good the food is good & the service was excellent… thumbs up, I’ll be back…

Our go to sushi spot! Love the bartender and the service! Great selection of food for all types of eaters. Awesome drinks too!

We had 2 Pineapple Infused Martini, very smooth drinks Happy Hour,
Some rolls very tasty, large portions and good price.
Enjoyed the environment crowded with gteat costumer service.

Absolutely LOVE Kobe! My mom brought me here in November for my birthday for lunch. We sat in the sushi bar and had outstanding service. We were never forgotten about, all the food came out exactly as we ordered it and everything was super fresh, not to mention beautiful. The chef made us a special treat as well which we enjoyed. I loved it so much I convinced my hubby to bring me for date night and this time we sat in the bar area. Again we were treated so exceptionally we’ll and the food was fantastic! I love how our server took the time to let us know happy hour was almost over so we had the opportunity to purchase another beverage for the discounted price. I never feel rushed when I come to Kobe, I feel welcomed. Can’t wait to try the other side of the restaurant!

So disappointing. I’ve been here 3 or 4 times. The first was the only time the service was great and the sushi was perfect. A few months later I went back the service was horrible. It took forever for the sushi to come out and then they ended up taking our order down incorrectly. Being that this place has some good reviews on Unilocal I wanted to give it another try. Third time was not a charm. We decided to order the sushi to go. We spent over $ 70 on sushi and the fish was not at all fresh. After having one piece we decided to take it back. When my husband brought it back, the manager called out the chef so he could talk to him. I don’t know why he needed to talk to him, so unprofessional. We will not be back.

Just ok. Things were forgotten. The Kobe beef sushi was amazing but being removed from the menu. The role was predictable and things didn’t really come out on time. Possible but not excellent sushi.

This is part of a series of reviews of sushi restaurants in the Walnut Creek/​Pleasant Hill areas. We eat a lot of sushi, so I thought it was time to share some experiences and make some ratings. The overall review that I provide is a combination of ambiance, service, quality, and price, probably in that order. Mediocrity in any of those areas means that we do not go any more. There are simply too many choices and too little time to spend frequently places that we really do not like for one reason or another.
I will start off by saying that Kobe Japan has become our new go to sushi place in the east bay. It excels in all the important areas, though there have been occasional minor lapses. We have now been there so many times that we can see that the overall excellence is maintained.
I can start almost anywhere with the positives, but the real strengths are ambiance and food quality/​variety. Only Miraku can rival them in ambiance. There are actually 3 different ways to dine in one restaurant and they all seem great.
I probably enjoy dining in the bar the most, because I am an avid sports fan and they have many giant flat screen TVs almost always tuned to something I want to watch. In addition, when Tien is the bartender, he simply kills it on courtesy and service. The bar gets crazy busy, but Tien (and others) do their best to hold it together and make it appear that they are not too stressed out even though there are a lot of tables to service and it is hard at times to keep up. People are usually laughing and enjoying themselves in the bar and we love taking the kids to the tables there, where we can talk, watch sports, and eat some great food. They always have some really creative specials on the board of the bar. I particularly recommend the Kobe Beef sliders which are killer and the Yakitori. For Bar specials during happy hour, we usually get 2 or 3 combination sashimi and specialty rolls — there are many many really good ones — which are very well priced and quite creative combinations. There are some rolls that are cooked and even a delicious roll that features Kobe Beef. The drinks are ok, not great. Cannot go wrong with Sapporo and the Bloody Mary. Other drinks can be hit and miss, especially the foo-​foo sweet drinks that I often like.
The sushi bar part of the restaurant is very clean with well spaced and attractive tables and lighting. There are a couple TVs, but nothing overpowering and they can easily be ignored or watched from the tables as desired. There is even a quiet back room for family dining. All in all, this is the best room for sushi when your party is 5 or more and you actually want to talk to them and enjoy your dinner conversation. (The bar is good for up to 4 for that same purpose). We also have brought friends and enjoyed slammers in the sushi bar section which is probably best for that.
Finally, there is a Benihana style wok that looks like fun. We have never been, but some of our friends go all the time and say they love it. We have enjoyed Hana Japan and Benihana and this looks very competitive with them. Lots of laughing and seemingly fun being had judging by the noise that comes out of that section.
The quality of the fish is quite good to excellent. They get interesting varieties from Japan. If you eat in the sushi area, the chefs get quite creative with presentation. Some are virtually works of art, and this greatly enhances what is already excellent food. They have many truly creative things on the menu. Funky rolls, funky salads, all sorts of skewers including mushroom and brussel sprouts in addition to the standby chicken and beef varieties which can be made spicy. Crazy long menu with fun specials of the day that are explained on dry erase boards — one large one as you come in for main dining, and then some additional bar specials in the bar.
The prices are neither good nor bad — they are the usual Walnut Creek Pleasant Hill prices. You would almost think that the restaurants here are in collusion since they all seem to charge around the same amount! :)
I like the food and people here so much that I now have their number in my contacts on my phone and sometimes order food to go since the regular menu can be found online and their location is so convenient for me.
In summary, this is a very unique place in Pleasant Hill. It is spacious with 3 distinct and fun dining options that can fit every mood or occasion. Kobe Japan has a large and varied menu with tremendous creativity, freshness, and great taste. In addition, to flexible options to dine in, it is not a bad place to order take out. In fact, after they aced a party platter for a «Super Bowl» party about 5 years ago, they have become my go to place for almost any party I am invited to. They make killer tasting and truly gorgeous sashimi and sushi platters that we are proud to bring to the parties we are invited to.
Enjoy!!!

As a huge fan of Benihana’s, I was so excited to find and try Kobe.
Much like the hibachi grill experience, you sti at a table with some strangers and await the chef to make your meal before your eyes — a fun show and easy way to interact with other diners.
I ordered the scallops and they were PERFECTION!!! So buttery with just enough crisp, I could eat them until I get sick and then eat them some more.
The bacon fried rice is a nice addition too and fun twist on a classic — who could say no?
We tried a few rolls too, including one with Kobe beef that was delicious.
I would reccomend this place to anyone looking for a fun, casual night out filled with great food. The service was amazing as well — not a single complaint!

I prefer Kobe’s to Benihana’s any day because of the service and more intimate atmosphere. I’m a huge fan of hibachi — so trying this place was a must.
We came in on an unusual night I guess — Halloween. It was cool that they participated and staff wore costumes — Mario from the Mario Brothers was our chef for the night!
My partner and I ordered the chicken and filet mignon with the shrimp appetizer. Each entrée is served with onion soup, salad and a choice of rice, I ordered the fried. The soup wasn’t good, an onion soup from most traditional Japanese restaurants includes scallions and mushrooms in chicken broth with those little crunchy things? But they served all of the above with seaweed. I am 99.9% sure you’re not supposed to put seaweed in onion soup. So that was a mistake on their part. My other complaint is their fried rice came out too salty.
Other than that my steak and chicken and veggies were all delicious and we got decent sized portions and had leftovers to take home. The service was quick and painless.
I’d be interested in coming back for their lunch special and happy hour before coming back for dinner.

Drove out 30 minutes to try out this well reviewed restaurant for my birthday dinner and it could not have been a bigger disappointment.
First off– their birthday deal did not specify that each member of a party needed to order an entrée. We wanted to order the minimum two and order sushi in addition to share. The server insisted so we ordered an extra entrée and did not order the sushi. Unsettled and upset, we decided to talk to the manager anyway. She heard us out, then said she would talk to our server. No apology, nothing, and left us. I returned to my seat where our server said that he would cancel our third order and muttered «sorry». What the hell is this? A lame apology without any incentive to return after trying to scam us?
Didn’t even order the sushi we wanted. Didn’t want more of our money to go towards this dishonest establishment.
On top of that, my red wine pour was severely under poured and the manager just said «it’s the standard pour because the glasses are big». Bull. The lady next to us ordered a glass of wine that was up to the half line mark (the proper pour, I worked as a bartender, I know for damn sure what a proper pour looks like). I’ve attached a picture of both wine glasses.
In short, do not eat here. You will be scammed into ordering more than you need and skimped on the portions you deserve. Completely unacceptable.
Thanks for ruining my birthday dinner Kobe Japan Restaurant!

This restros is located inside a plaza tat got other eateries n shops. They got parking lot! parking can b limited during peak time, tight squesy plaza.
Expensive! The high price is fine if the food is amazing wit good qualities as well. Sadly to say, it was just alright.
its similar to Hana Japan, if you only want sushi, u get seated at the sushi bar side area, the other side is where the chef cooks n show u their skill while u sit in front n watch.
O-​toro deluxe $ 22 — fresh, good
Uni nigiri $ 14 — it tasted slightly fishy, overpriced
Titanic $ 15 — its just ok, overpriced
Lion King $ 13 — too loose n oily, took 35 mins to cook
House sake $ 9 — overpriced

Nice Benihana alternative.
had the filet, super tender, but I wish they had rib eye as an option.
We were the last patrons so we got a private show. The chef was fun and super charismatic. From Taiwan. Servers were also personable and friendly.
Food was delish… nicely seasoned not too salty, and veg was cooked perfectly zucchini was soggy and onions were still cooked enough not to be too harsh.
Large Sapporo was sooooo huge! couldn’t finish. and their house hot sake was smoooooth.
Will return soon!

Been here twice and the place NEVER disappoints. My boyfriend and I drive approximately 30mins just to eat here, to think that there are a lot of Japanese restaurants where we live.
Service: ⁵⁄₅
Food: ⁵⁄₅
Ambiance: ⁵⁄₅
BTW. Parking sucks! However, that has nothing to do with the number of stars I’m giving this resto HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Decent food, but nothing exceptional.
I came here slightly on a whim recently while running some errands somewhat close by. I had a mad craving for Japanese food, and was curious of checking out a new place; so with a click into the Unilocal app, this place came up within distance; which made me delighted to check out, being it resides within my old stomping grounds.
The place is relatively nice, providing some nice spacious rooms, along with plenty of seating. The service upon entering was also extremely welcoming.
I was seated within the room next to the sushi bar. It took a few minutes to be greeted by my server. They have a decent selection of sushi and additional options to choose from. I started off my visit, with their cold house sake. I then decided to go with a bento box. I believe it was 3 choices of options priced at $ 19.00 (totally pricey if you ask me) but I was hungry, and was willing to give then a shot. For my options I chose: Teriyaki chicken, some sort of garlic broccoli (comes with a garlic sauce) and the vegetable tempura. It also comes with the miso soup and salad. The soup was ok; as well as the salad. Bento box arrived aesthetically appealing, however was just nothing superb. Teriyaki chicken was good. Tempura was just ok (and I usually am not too picky with tempura. And as far as the garlic broccoli, the sauce it came with, was far from spectacular.
Overall, the environment was nice (all though a little choppy in the lay out) service was mixed between good, and just so-​so. And as far as the food, definitely not something that has me eager of wanting to come back — especially considering the slightly steeper prices.

First impressions: parking sucks, smells good inside.
I was with a pretty big group, so we got the back room all to ourselves. Soon enough, our waitress took our orders, and soon after that, our chef Genji was ready to prepare it all for us. his knife skills were top notch. When he was spinning and cracking the eggs, I was impressed.
I had the scallops and shrimp, and they were perfectly prepared.
I wish we were able to order half portions, or do something a la carte… It was way more food than I needed (although, I did eat it all…), and it would be pretty nice to have the option not to get everything the full menu comes with.
Food + chef — parking = 4 stars

Love the show!
Perfect place to take a date, but of course you can always bring your friends and family. This was my first place I have ever experienced a show of the cooks throwing their knives around and tossing an egg into the air. I was so impressed!
The ambiance is very pleasant, with dim lighting. Service was great, so I can’t complain.
Food:
Everything was cooked to how I like, medium rare, and again, I love how they do it right in front of you.

Kinda strange but the directions say this restaurant is in San Francisco. The Kobe Japan Sushi Steakhouse is in Pleasant Hill nestled in the suburbs close to Walnut Creek, not easy to get to. The Japan Sushi Steakhouse features a sport bar, a sushi bar and Teppan style cooking tables decorated in American décor, not your typical Japanese décor.
Since my company team was having a team dinner, it was free and I had nothing to do on a Wednesday night I decided to go. Our team sat at the Teppan style cooking table and watched Chef Ken do his magic. After a couple Sapporos I thought that he was «Iron Chef» No. 1. Ken broke out his magic spatula and knives and precisely cut the vegetables and made his version of fried rice with egg and bacon. He stole my flavorful recipe I thought.
For my main entrée I ordered the filet mignon plus lobster and other team members ordered the similar entrees. Chef Ken noticed that I whipped out my Unilocal app on my phone and asked me about it. I told him that tonight’s outing was for our brilliant efforts on the team and the company was paying. He was probably wondering if I was going to give him a good or bad review. Only bad part was I had ordered the filet mignon medium and I thought it was going to have some pink but it was closer to well done. The lobster was cooked just right with the right amount of seasoning.
I must admit the food tasted better then the restaurant that starts with a B_​_​_​_​_​_​. Hangman fellow Unilocalers.

Resto teppan yaki, trés bon, viande extrement tendre, on y a vraiment bien mangé.
De plus le spectacle est au rendez vous.
Si vous n’avez jamais essayé ce style de restaurant, c’est a faire absolument!!!
Prix tres raisonnables.
(seul bemol, le cuisinier n’enflammait pas le volcan ce soir la :-)))