Blue Pagoda in California

"The founders of this restaurant really take food passion to another level! Not only are they focused on making incredible food but also delivering incredible VALUE! I couldn’t believe how incredible the Omakase experience was for JUST $99!!! The ambiance, the service, the cleanliness is all a 10/10 as well. Come here for great sushi, and a place find an elevated dinner experience right here in the South Bay!!!"

"One of the best Omagase experience I've been to. The place is decorated in japanese minimalist zen-like with beautiful bonzais and artistic rocks with zamurai swords. The service was warmth and attentive (with ratio of 1 server + helpers per 6 customers) and there were 4 chefs behind the counter. We began with 4 courses of amuse-bouche which all gave great balance of flavors. Follow by the main course of 10 nigiri, all amazingly fresh and well balance with perfect amount of garnish, some of which were very interesting such as edible gold dust, truffles, smokey flavor from torching, or just simple pickle. We actually ordered an extra nigiri from the daily special options that was offered after the nigiri course. We chose the wagyu A5 top with fresh uni and the flavor and texture was so rich but so good! After that it was wrapped with a sear black god over rice, which was OK. A bit too dry. And the last course was a dessert of tiny taiyaki over green tea pudding and strawberry. I have to say that this is the worse dessert course that end an otherwise very nice dinner experience to end it with a dessert that was not on par with the rest of the dinner at all. The taiyaki itself was almost rancid, obviously was made a while ago and reheat. The pudding was so-so and the strawberry was half-frozen and sour. Overall food was amazing except the skippable dessert. The service and ambient was great. IMO, a great value for omakase, not crazy expensive. It will be one of my top choices for omakase in the bay area."

"This is probably the most delicious omakase place we’ve been to. Clean and warm ambience, fresh and tasty food, and very nice staff and chef. The price is reasonable compared to the food and service. Will def come back!"

"We went to Blue Pagoda for date night and our experience was 100/10 - if I could give them 10 stars I would! We sat at the sushi bar (highly recommend) for omakase and it was such a fun experience . We started with the sake flights and our incredibly kind and knowledgeable server took the time to explain each sake and flavor profile that we tried (and we loved them all). Each bite from the appetizers, to the nigiri, to the ramen and dessert were delicious and so well balanced - our chef was amazing as well and made the experience even more wonderful! I am so excited this spot opened up here in San Jose - everything from the atmosphere to the food to the service is top notch and we will back back very soon (probably every month to try the new menus!) Definitely make a reservation before you come and if you can sit at the sushi bar, do it, you won’t regret it!"

"I had an amazing Omakase experience here! The ingredients were incredibly fresh and every dish was beautifully presented. The entire staff was so warm and attentive, which made the evening even more enjoyable. The absolute highlight was the gold flake presentation—it was such a fun, unique touch that added a great sense of ceremony to the meal. I’m pretty sure I’m at least 2% more expensive now that I’ve eaten that much gold! It created such a fancy vibe and a total "main character" moment. If you want to feel like royalty (and eat like it, too), this place is a must-visit!"

"Recently landed in San Jose, we were looking for an experience not just dinner. We received word of a place that is low key but top notch. We were suggested to try "Blue Pagoda" a relatively new spot but feels like a traditional Japanese Omakase Restaurant. We sat down at the main sushi bar where the chef presented everything one by one as he made them for the entire restaurant. Flavors outstanding, service was great, "Rose" was helpful. Now we also found out that the restaurant has a few great drinks that you don't find everywhere. One the Amy Tini a take on a traditional Dirty Martini with caviar and gold flake. It's strong but ladies after a hard days work I am sure it's your drink. The other was something called "Ane-San" I am not normally into mixed drinks but it was excellent. Great atmosphere and service and decorated like a traditional Japanese restaurant. Check this place out right away, you will need to make reservations as they have two sittings a night."

"It was a chilly Wednesday evening, when it was about time for me and my partner to try out this new omakase restaurant. Overall, I enjoyed the omakase experience, especially for the price point, but there were definitely some things that could be worked out a little more. Most of the dishes were great, but could honestly use a little more strength in flavor. I know people tend to think Japanese food is all about subtlety, but really the best Japanese food is all about balance, specifically balancing out multiple strong flavor profiles. With this in mind, I feel like the chefs could definitely be a little more bold, and work on balance. Moreover, I was hoping for a more calm and intimate dining experience with my partner, so I didn’t choose the sushi counter, but I feel like the chefs weren’t even as talkative as they should have been at the counter anyway. At every omakase I have been to in the past, the chefs are always chopping it up with the customers. But this time, every time I would look over at the bar they were rarely talking. However, there were a few things I really enjoyed about this restaurant that they just nail. One of those being all of the different ceramic dishes they use. They essentially had a different dish for every single item we had and they were all very tasteful. The service was also really nice as multiple people would ask what we thought of everything. The aesthetic of everything was really a stand out detail for me, however one thing I really didn’t like are the QR code stones for the menus. Overall, for the price I think this is a really good option in San Jose and it delivers a very solid omakase experience with a changing menu."

"We recently had our first omakase experience at Blue Pagoda in San Jose, and it was truly unforgettable. For anyone new to omakase, it’s a multi-course Japanese dining experience that highlights the best seasonal ingredients, offering a personalized culinary journey and this experience delivered on all of that and more. We had been wanting to try omakase for quite some time, and my husband booked seats at the bar area to celebrate my birthday and our anniversary (even though it wasn’t noted in the reservation). Sitting at the bar turned out to be the perfect choice for a first-time experience, being able to watch the chefs prepare each course added so much to the overall experience and appreciation of the craft. Our server, Jason, was absolutely top-notch, attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming. He encouraged us to mention that he owes us next time so it could be referenced on future visits, which really speaks to the level of care and consistency they strive for. The atmosphere was intimate and inviting, the service was accommodating without feeling rushed, and every sushi course was beautifully presented and incredibly fresh. Each dish felt thoughtfully curated, and the progression of flavors throughout the meal was impressive. The drinks were also excellent and paired wonderfully with the courses. Overall, this was a memorable dining experience from start to finish. I would highly recommend sitting at the bar for your first omakase visit. We’re already looking forward to returning when the season changes to experience a new menu and discover new flavors."