The Best Sushi in San Mateo
From a Michelin-starred omakase counter to the neighborhood roll spot, San Mateo's Japanese food runs deep.
San Mateo has quietly been one of the Bay Area's best sushi towns for years. Here's the range, from a bucket-list omakase to the everyday roll spot, plus the legend that lives on under a new name.
The omakase
Sushi Yoshizumi
A tiny eight-seat cypress counter serving Edomae-style omakase. Chef Akira Yoshizumi earned a Michelin star here, and the room feels like a hushed sushi bar in Japan. The bucket-list splurge.
Sushi Edomata
The continuation of the beloved Sushi Sam's, run by Sam's nephew and family. Reservations-only Edomae omakase at a lively bar that still draws the old regulars.
Sushi Maruyama
An intimate room with fish flown in from Tsukiji, a deep omakase and nigiri list, and A5 wagyu. High quality without the tasting-menu sticker shock.
The everyday spots
Sapporo Rock-N-Roll Sushi
Opened in 2021 by two childhood friends. Torch-seared aburi nigiri, Japanese-influenced tapas, signature rolls, and a fun early happy hour.
Joy Sushi
A long-running downtown favorite with a big menu of rolls, nigiri, and combos. The reliable, unpretentious neighborhood bar people have gone to for years.
Izakaya Mai
A longstanding downtown izakaya with nigiri and rolls plus grilled meats, fried tapas, and curry bowls. The group spot when not everyone wants raw fish.
Kazu Sushi & Sando
A family-run takeout-only spot doing omakase sushi boxes plus chicken katsu and fruit sandos, ready in about fifteen minutes. Best value grab-and-go.
One honest note: if you want conveyor-belt sushi, you'll have to leave town, there isn't a kaiten spot inside San Mateo right now. Know a sushi bar we missed? Tell us at hello@sanmateolocal.com.