Leichi

Yoon Lee

Leichi is truly a hidden gem in the neighborhood — serving delicate, authentic Japanese dishes with a warm and welcoming touch. We arrived right at 5pm for dinner and were seated immediately, which was a great start to a lovely meal. We tried a few dishes, and here’s my list — from the ones I loved most to the ones that left a lighter impression. 🎏 Snapper Head – Absolutely amazing! The fish was rich, tender, and perfectly cooked — the kind of dish you don’t want to end. 🥢 Seiro Soba – The house-made noodles were outstanding. Perfectly cooked, with a smooth texture and subtle balance of flavors — exactly what good soba should be. 🍤 Assorted Tempura – Light, crispy, and never greasy. Each ingredient kept its natural texture and moisture, making it one of the best tempura platters I’ve had. Perfect with a cold beer! 🥗 Potato Salad – Healthier and lighter than the mayo-heavy versions I expected, but still flavorful with a great chunky texture. 🍆 Nasu Dengaku (Grilled Eggplant with Miso) – I don’t usually like eggplant, but this one changed my mind. Perfectly grilled, with a delicious miso sauce that tied everything together. 🍲 Chawan Mushi – Silky and comforting, though not as memorable as the other dishes — still a nice way to finish the meal. Overall, it felt like dining at a high-end izakaya, yet the prices were very reasonable for the quality. I left full, happy, and already planning my next visit.

David Huey

Leichi is a hidden gem in a Santa Clara strip mall that feels way more refined than it looks from the outside. The cozy space is perfect for a date night or a small group, with easy parking and the option to reserve ahead. The staff is friendly and the service efficient. Standouts are the house-made specialties—the ginger ale, silky pudding-like tofu, and refreshing cold-dipping soba. Don’t miss the comforting salmon ochazuke, perfectly crisp tempura, scallop with uni, fresh mini chirashi, and the hojicha panna cotta to finish. Everything here is a win.

Hitoshi Watanabe (Kevin)

The udon and tempura were absolutely delicious! I went there for lunch and it was a bit crowded, but if you go early, you can get a seat right away. They also serve soba, so if you’re craving authentic Japanese udon and soba, this is the place to go! It turns into an izakaya at night, so I’d love to come back and try that next time!

J H

Awesome and fresh Japanese restaurant. There were a lot of items I got to try that I’ve never really seen before. Like the Yuba and Salmon with Yum. Both had interesting textures and were cold dishes. I didn’t expect that, but it was a pleasant surprise. The sashimi was amazing. If I were to rank them, I would put the yellow fish at top and then salmon and mackerel to follow. The other 3 were also great but I liked those ones more. The duck soba was complex. It has a smokey flavor to it along with the fatty taste of duck. Highly recommend this dish. The restaurant is on the smaller side, and it can get a bit loud and crowded in there. The wait can be really long so it is best to reserve through Yelp ahead of time and even reserve earlier than your eta. You can show up for a time, and still be waiting since it is that popular.

Dave Cheung

This is one of my favorite places for Japanese food, tapas style. Their menu is great, and their food rivals Japan. Highly recommend if you want special Japanese food (other than sushi, ramen, and Bento boxes.

Betty Wu

A small Japanese restaurant with nice vibe and good food! This restaurant was cheaper than average bay area Japanese food places. The place wasn’t spacious but the staff were friendly and the food was great. We ordered Kamo Kunsei (hickory-smoked duck) and it came with smoke and tasted really good! The fried chicken cartilage was ok, and the grilled black cod was very well marinated and had really rich taste. I also ordered chazuke and it was good as well but I forgot to take a pic. Will def come again. Highly recommend!

Leo Li

Beautiful food. Would order everything on the menu if I can😝

Lixing Fu

A really good one. Decent food and great taste. The food are not exotic, which you can find anywhere. However, they do it better in presentation and flavor than other places. I saw many hypes about this restaurant and was afraid my expectation was too high. However, it is totally great. Service was great too. Reservation is highly recommended before going. Otherwise you can wait for 2-3 hours.

Irene Lu

Make your reservation on Yelp! You're taking a huge risk coming here without one. Leichi has been around for a long time, recently renovating their space to reduce/remove their bar seating in favor of more tables. I haven't had many dishes here that I didn't like. And if I didn't like it, I was just trying to be adventurous and was too weenie to go through with it. (Ex: Tako wasa) Some of my favorites include: - Fresh tofu: it's like eating savory pudding 5/5 - Goma tofu: dense and nutty sesame tofu. 4.5/5 - Salmon and mountain yam: great if you like the slimy texture. The sauce is just flavored enough with the ingredients still coming through. 5/5 - Salmon ochazuke: I love the dashi broth they provide. Because I'm not the biggest fan of cooked fish, I ate the salmon first hehe. 5/5 - Ebi baguette: fried shrimp paste in sliced baguette! This is so good here. 5/5 - Duck dipping soba: a pretty unique dish here. 4/5 - Cold soba/udon: their soba has limited quantities, but I enjoy the chewiness of the udon more! 5/5 - Roasted tea panna cotta: it's so good! The tea flavor is super strong. 5/5 Grab a friend and get some tapas here! Parking is easy since the lot is huge and most of the other stores service morning/afternoon customers.

What a gem of a restaurant. I came here twice and had a great meal both times. If you like home cooked, comfort japanese food this is the place for you. I loved their miso black cod with miso soup. Their homemade cold tofu is delicious and so is their burdock salad. Hubby enjoyed his duck soba and eggplant side. It's a small restaurant with only 10-12 tables but we managed to get a table both times for lunch. We have not tried dinner or their raw dishes so can't speak for that. The food was flavorful and authentic and I truly enjoyed my experience. The service is fine and the prices are really good!

Charming Japanese tapas restaurant in Santa Clara. The tables and seats are small, but the food they serve are fresh, well-seasoned, and beautifully presented. Reservation is highly recommended, as they fill up quickly and the turnover rate is not very fast. Efficient and friendly service. Large free parking lot.

It was pricey, but I think it is typical for the quality of food that you get. Definitely make a reservation because the venue is small. I would have preferred a bit more privacy between the tables, but I understand it's hard because, again, the venue is small. I took my date here, and was conscious about the other party sitting 5 inches away from me while I was trying to have more intimate conversation

Went without reservation but was seated quickly enough except the table was wobbly and we brought that to the attention of the server who seated us. She told another server to stabilize the table and then I saw that they were cleaning up the other 2 tables next to us and asked if we could moved instead. They fumbled and then insisted for us to remain where we were although other customers weren’t even shown to the other tables yet. Both their mannerisms weren’t very desirable. I actually wanted to walk out at that point. However, we didn’t as my friend said I had wanted to try this restaurant for quite some time. Fortunately, we were served subsequently and mostly by another server whose manners was completely different from the other 2. She was very polite and gentle. But every once in a while we still get the other 2 coming to us and almost snapping at us. Can’t explain or pinpoint what is wrong but my friend sensed and agreed with me on my perception. So, glad we stayed for the food. Ordered the Goma Tofu, Nasu Dengaku, Salmon Kama, Simmered Tako x Radish, Tori Soba and Panna Cotta. I like the creamy taste of the Goma Tofu and Uni on the tofu tasted fresh too. The Salmon Kama was very moist and tasty but wished the skin was crispy. Simmered Tako x Radish was good with radish being soft and had absorbed the flavor of the broth, but the Tako looked and tasted more like squid vs octopus that is stated on the menu. Nasu Dengaku is an eggplant with 2 different miso, I think. The darker miso was very sweet to the point I had to scrap away some of the miso topping to eat it. Tori Soba is handmade soba in a hot soupy clear broth. Panna cotta I believe is green tea flavor and I like that it isn’t too sweet for a dessert but the taste of green tea was rather faint and had a denser texture than normal panna cotta. Overall I like the food and the serving portions. The tofu I was told was made in-house. I like the taste and its creamy texture. Definitely very interesting unlike any tofu I’ve had. Ingredients tasted fresh to me too. The rice doesn’t seem/tastes like Japanese short grain rice. There were 3 servers in the restaurant and only 1 of them made us feel comfortable. The other 2 felt brash to us…don’t quite have the right word to describe the service of the other 2 servers but we definitely didn’t feel comfortable whenever they served us. I would recommend the restaurant for the food, but that’s all. Can’t speak about the sushi/sashimi since I do not eat raw food except for the uni.

Food is good here with delicate portion. Service is limited because of busy hours during dinner time. We did not have reservation, but we were lucky to get the bar seats which was comfy. Food quality wise, the beef tongue and salmon roe was not fresh enough.

Decent Japanese food with a variety of different menus and it was quite authentic. Feels like the fish and seafood are not fresh (texture feels like well-defrosted one) enough and the portions are quite small. The atmosphere and service were great.

Lunch here was a great idea... They have so many different options that aren't too heavy of a meal, which would help prevent a food coma. We love that they feature some sushi/raw items while still providing a full menu of cooked dishes. We ordered the Cold Soba Noodles w/ Tempura, Hot Soba, Hokkaido scallops w/ Uni, & Jellyfish! It was a really nice meal that hits the spot. Take a look at the photos below: @phidingthefam

Wei-Ai Tai

Charming Japanese tapas restaurant in Santa Clara. The tables and seats are small, but the food they serve are fresh, well-seasoned, and beautifully presented. Reservation is highly recommended, as they fill up quickly and the turnover rate is not very fast. Efficient and friendly service. Large free parking lot.

Kyou Sho

It was pricey, but I think it is typical for the quality of food that you get. Definitely make a reservation because the venue is small. I would have preferred a bit more privacy between the tables, but I understand it's hard because, again, the venue is small. I took my date here, and was conscious about the other party sitting 5 inches away from me while I was trying to have more intimate conversation

Eve Lim

Went without reservation but was seated quickly enough except the table was wobbly and we brought that to the attention of the server who seated us. She told another server to stabilize the table and then I saw that they were cleaning up the other 2 tables next to us and asked if we could moved instead. They fumbled and then insisted for us to remain where we were although other customers weren’t even shown to the other tables yet. Both their mannerisms weren’t very desirable. I actually wanted to walk out at that point. However, we didn’t as my friend said I had wanted to try this restaurant for quite some time. Fortunately, we were served subsequently and mostly by another server whose manners was completely different from the other 2. She was very polite and gentle. But every once in a while we still get the other 2 coming to us and almost snapping at us. Can’t explain or pinpoint what is wrong but my friend sensed and agreed with me on my perception. So, glad we stayed for the food. Ordered the Goma Tofu, Nasu Dengaku, Salmon Kama, Simmered Tako x Radish, Tori Soba and Panna Cotta. I like the creamy taste of the Goma Tofu and Uni on the tofu tasted fresh too. The Salmon Kama was very moist and tasty but wished the skin was crispy. Simmered Tako x Radish was good with radish being soft and had absorbed the flavor of the broth, but the Tako looked and tasted more like squid vs octopus that is stated on the menu. Nasu Dengaku is an eggplant with 2 different miso, I think. The darker miso was very sweet to the point I had to scrap away some of the miso topping to eat it. Tori Soba is handmade soba in a hot soupy clear broth. Panna cotta I believe is green tea flavor and I like that it isn’t too sweet for a dessert but the taste of green tea was rather faint and had a denser texture than normal panna cotta. Overall I like the food and the serving portions. The tofu I was told was made in-house. I like the taste and its creamy texture. Definitely very interesting unlike any tofu I’ve had. Ingredients tasted fresh to me too. The rice doesn’t seem/tastes like Japanese short grain rice. There were 3 servers in the restaurant and only 1 of them made us feel comfortable. The other 2 felt brash to us…don’t quite have the right word to describe the service of the other 2 servers but we definitely didn’t feel comfortable whenever they served us. I would recommend the restaurant for the food, but that’s all. Can’t speak about the sushi/sashimi since I do not eat raw food except for the uni.

Andrea Zhou

Food is good here with delicate portion. Service is limited because of busy hours during dinner time. We did not have reservation, but we were lucky to get the bar seats which was comfy. Food quality wise, the beef tongue and salmon roe was not fresh enough.

Jeremy Cho

Decent Japanese food with a variety of different menus and it was quite authentic. Feels like the fish and seafood are not fresh (texture feels like well-defrosted one) enough and the portions are quite small. The atmosphere and service were great.

Vincent Phi

Lunch here was a great idea... They have so many different options that aren't too heavy of a meal, which would help prevent a food coma. We love that they feature some sushi/raw items while still providing a full menu of cooked dishes. We ordered the Cold Soba Noodles w/ Tempura, Hot Soba, Hokkaido scallops w/ Uni, & Jellyfish! It was a really nice meal that hits the spot. Take a look at the photos below: @phidingthefam

Grilled Edamame 3 garlic, medium flavorful A5 Wagyu Steak 5 marinated thick pcs, medium rare, juicy, rich, melt in mouth Miso Black Cod 5 tender, juicy, slightly sweet, flavorful Simmered Gindara 4 black cod, soy dashi too salty Steamed Gindara 4 super juicy, sake flavor, ask for no mushroom Salmon Kama 4 large piece, yuzu zest, super juicy, slightly fatty Tongue Grill 4 thin slices, no seasoning Tongue Steak 5 thick pcs, medium rare, chewy, juicy, yuzu pepper soy sauce, white truffle powder, flavorful Smoked Duck 4 chewy, slightly dry/tough, medium flavorful Hamachi Carpaccio 5 Hamachi Sashimi 4 red, fishy, fresh Cured Snapper 4 white, chewy Octopus Carpaccio 4 chewy, sauce too salty Sweet Raw Shrimp 5 super fresh Hotate Uni 5 fresh Grilled Salmon Belly 4 Assorted sashimi (bluefin tuna 5, halibut 4, horse mackerel 4, cod 4) Limited sashimi 3 twelve pcs, Japan, some meat loose / soggy Snapper Eggplant w/ Dashi 3 fish slightly dry, soft eggplant, dashi broth seafood savory, salty, drinkable Fish soup 3 Vinegared Sea Cucumber 3 Curry Udon 2 Cold Dipping Sauce - Duck 3 cold soba, thin, sticked together, lukewarm sauce, mostly soy sauce flavor, 3 pcs of duck Yellowtail & Daikon 2 not good Hokkaidon Special 4 sushi rice bowl; Hokkaido uni, dark color; 4pc scallop, fresh; marinated ikura, ginger flavor; seasame; super small bowl Green Tea Panna Cotta 3 brown, roasted tea, super strong tea flavor, slightly bitter Fresh Squeezed Grapefruits Chu-hi 2 too light, taste like water

Cindy Lu

Grilled Edamame 3 garlic, medium flavorful A5 Wagyu Steak 5 marinated thick pcs, medium rare, juicy, rich, melt in mouth Miso Black Cod 5 tender, juicy, slightly sweet, flavorful Simmered Gindara 4 black cod, soy dashi too salty Steamed Gindara 4 super juicy, sake flavor, ask for no mushroom Salmon Kama 4 large piece, yuzu zest, super juicy, slightly fatty Tongue Grill 4 thin slices, no seasoning Tongue Steak 5 thick pcs, medium rare, chewy, juicy, yuzu pepper soy sauce, white truffle powder, flavorful Smoked Duck 4 chewy, slightly dry/tough, medium flavorful Hamachi Carpaccio 5 Hamachi Sashimi 4 red, fishy, fresh Cured Snapper 4 white, chewy Octopus Carpaccio 4 chewy, sauce too salty Sweet Raw Shrimp 5 super fresh Hotate Uni 5 fresh Grilled Salmon Belly 4 Assorted sashimi (bluefin tuna 5, halibut 4, horse mackerel 4, cod 4) Limited sashimi 3 twelve pcs, Japan, some meat loose / soggy Snapper Eggplant w/ Dashi 3 fish slightly dry, soft eggplant, dashi broth seafood savory, salty, drinkable Fish soup 3 Vinegared Sea Cucumber 3 Curry Udon 2 Cold Dipping Sauce - Duck 3 cold soba, thin, sticked together, lukewarm sauce, mostly soy sauce flavor, 3 pcs of duck Yellowtail & Daikon 2 not good Hokkaidon Special 4 sushi rice bowl; Hokkaido uni, dark color; 4pc scallop, fresh; marinated ikura, ginger flavor; seasame; super small bowl Green Tea Panna Cotta 3 brown, roasted tea, super strong tea flavor, slightly bitter Fresh Squeezed Grapefruits Chu-hi 2 too light, taste like water

The food was great and the service was fast, but it’s unacceptable that the udon soup was served with a thumb with dirt in it. It really ruined an otherwise good bowl of beef tongue udon soup. =(

HC Y

The food was great and the service was fast, but it’s unacceptable that the udon soup was served with a thumb with dirt in it. It really ruined an otherwise good bowl of beef tongue udon soup. =(

ayush kalani

Ideally, I'd give this place a 3.5 Ambiance: Cozy and intimate, the low lighting and wooden accents create a relaxed atmosphere. The small space fills up quickly, so be prepared for some noise and close quarters. Service: The service was on point. Our servers were very attentive, friendly, and courteous. Food: 6 Kinds of Sashimi: Fresh and beautifully presented, the sashimi was the highlight of our dinner. Except for the chewy octopus, each piece melted in the mouth, showcasing the quality and freshness of the fish. Tongue Grill: This adventurous dish was a textural delight. You grill the meat at your table. I wish they had some sauces to go with this dish rather than just the salt. Salmon Kama: This fatty marinated salmon collar in yuzu zest was cooked well, falling off the bone and offering rich, melt-in-your-mouth bites. There were quite a few bones in this dish, so be cautious when eating. Tori Soba: This dish was very disappointing. The chicken was a bit dry and lacked luster, and the broth had some bitterness to it. Hokkaidon: Hokkaidon was on their "today's special menu." It consisted of Hokkaido uni, Hokkaido scallop, and house marinated Ikura over sushi rice. For $32. We were expecting a decent portion of uni, but it wasn't much. The uni's creamy sweetness complemented the scallop's delicate flavor and the ikura's pops of briny richness. However, as I mentioned earlier, the portion size definitely felt small for the price. The bowl was mostly full of rice. Overall, Leichi is a decent restaurant. It's a small restaurant, so make sure you have a reservation before you go there.

I'm leaving a bad review due to the terrible management here, for 2 reasons: 1) The restaurant doesn't have many tables, so you reserve ahead. Problem is, you can't get the reserved table at the promised time. We reserved 7:30pm, arrived at 7:00 and they 're still getting people from 6:30pm to be seated, while lots of walk-ins come and leave, disappointed. Meanwhile, the online reservation is still open for 8:00 and later. 2) They charge you $20/person for not showing up. This is absolutely absurd is way out of the line. People don't show up for lots of reasons (too much wait time, emergency, etc.) and all the restaurants simply pass on to the next in line. Did I get service? No; Did I get food? No; Was I charged? Yes! Oh by the way, the msg I received for now showing up on 7:30pm was at 8:15pm, 45 minutes after the promised time. As a customer I don't care if this policy made by you or Yelp, cancel it. This is extortion.

For a $130 per person pre fee pre tax "fine dining" Valentine’s Day Set Menu (comparable to Michelin-starred pricing), my expectations were high—unfortunately, this Valentine’s Day experience was chaotic, unsafe, and utterly disappointing. Timing & Service: Our 7 PM reservation meant standing in the cold until 7:20 PM while staff scrambled to seat guests. The restaurant’s rushed “three-group” system (5 PM, 7 PM, 9 PM) felt like an assembly line, not a premium dining experience. Presentation & Basics: Single-use chopsticks and no physical or electronic menu set the tone: this was not fine dining. While the first two courses (tofu, ankimo steak, sashimi) were tasty and well-served, everything unraveled afterward. The Downward Spiral: - Shabu Shabu Nightmare: The "innovative" paper pot over a flickering solid fuel flame was a joke. The broth refused to boil—even after replacing the fuel—leaving us staring at mushrooms, mochi ball, and raw beef for 10+ minutes. When the foam from cooking the beef began floating in the broth, we lost our appetites. Sharing one pot for two people felt like a budget hot pot joint, not a $130 meal. - Chaos in Course Order: The kitchen and staff were clearly overwhelmed. Our table received the fried shrimp course *after* the miso soup and pickles (these two are supposed to come as a set with hot stone crab rice). Servers huddled in corners asking, “Did Table 5 get their shirmp yet?”—loud enough for guests to hear. It felt like a dining roulette, with no two tables experiencing the same meal flow. On top of that, the miso soup arrived without utensils. - Grilled Fish Fail: The fish arrived lukewarm, as if pre-cooked and forgotten. Worse, it was riddled with bones—unacceptable for fine dining. A $130 menu should deliver a pristine, deboned fillet, not something resembling a rushed home kitchen experiment. - Hot Stone Rice Hazard: The wobbly stone pot, perched precariously over an open flame. The server carried two sets with active fire. Huge safty hazard. When she scooped the rice, the hot stone nearly toppled onto our server as she struggled to balance it. The rice was utterly bland—no trace of crab meat. Our neighbors served themselves, risking burns. - Forgotten Fish Roe: Midway through the rice course, a server suddenly gasped, “You didn’t get the roe!” and sprinted to the kitchen. The Final Insult: Dessert arrived with the check—a blatant rush to flip tables. This was particularly frustrating as we noticed the next wave of customers also waiting in the cold half hour past their reservation time. Conclusion: For $130/person, this was an embarrassing mix of amateurish service, safety neglect, and inconsistent quality. A few good bites don’t excuse the chaos. Save your money (and patience) for a restaurant that respects its guests—and basic dining standards. Never again.

Zhengsen Fu

For a $130 per person pre fee pre tax "fine dining" Valentine’s Day Set Menu (comparable to Michelin-starred pricing), my expectations were high—unfortunately, this Valentine’s Day experience was chaotic, unsafe, and utterly disappointing. Timing & Service: Our 7 PM reservation meant standing in the cold until 7:20 PM while staff scrambled to seat guests. The restaurant’s rushed “three-group” system (5 PM, 7 PM, 9 PM) felt like an assembly line, not a premium dining experience. Presentation & Basics: Single-use chopsticks and no physical or electronic menu set the tone: this was not fine dining. While the first two courses (tofu, ankimo steak, sashimi) were tasty and well-served, everything unraveled afterward. The Downward Spiral: - Shabu Shabu Nightmare: The "innovative" paper pot over a flickering solid fuel flame was a joke. The broth refused to boil—even after replacing the fuel—leaving us staring at mushrooms, mochi ball, and raw beef for 10+ minutes. When the foam from cooking the beef began floating in the broth, we lost our appetites. Sharing one pot for two people felt like a budget hot pot joint, not a $130 meal. - Chaos in Course Order: The kitchen and staff were clearly overwhelmed. Our table received the fried shrimp course *after* the miso soup and pickles (these two are supposed to come as a set with hot stone crab rice). Servers huddled in corners asking, “Did Table 5 get their shirmp yet?”—loud enough for guests to hear. It felt like a dining roulette, with no two tables experiencing the same meal flow. On top of that, the miso soup arrived without utensils. - Grilled Fish Fail: The fish arrived lukewarm, as if pre-cooked and forgotten. Worse, it was riddled with bones—unacceptable for fine dining. A $130 menu should deliver a pristine, deboned fillet, not something resembling a rushed home kitchen experiment. - Hot Stone Rice Hazard: The wobbly stone pot, perched precariously over an open flame. The server carried two sets with active fire. Huge safty hazard. When she scooped the rice, the hot stone nearly toppled onto our server as she struggled to balance it. The rice was utterly bland—no trace of crab meat. Our neighbors served themselves, risking burns. - Forgotten Fish Roe: Midway through the rice course, a server suddenly gasped, “You didn’t get the roe!” and sprinted to the kitchen. The Final Insult: Dessert arrived with the check—a blatant rush to flip tables. This was particularly frustrating as we noticed the next wave of customers also waiting in the cold half hour past their reservation time. Conclusion: For $130/person, this was an embarrassing mix of amateurish service, safety neglect, and inconsistent quality. A few good bites don’t excuse the chaos. Save your money (and patience) for a restaurant that respects its guests—and basic dining standards. Never again.