Minako

Andrew Ludwig

Formerly in San Francisco, this mom/daughter serves up Japanese takeaway food. The mom herself cooks the food and daughter manages the front. Their most popular item is Katsu Curry and are an excellent choice if you have dietary restrictions. I tried the Teriyaki Chicken Bento, and the daughter described it as being different from a normal teriyaki glaze, which it was. It was less salty/sweet and the sauce was light making the dish feel like health was in mind. An amazing thing they mentioned was that if the mom of the shop has the ingredients, they would make items off the menu if it’s requested!! Such a wonderful duo - come support your local business!

Alan Kornfield

So Good! We went there with new friends of the owners, a mother-daughter team. Mom cooks, Daughter runs the front (and lots more, including dishes!). Both were Very attentive and friendly, introducing us to great flavors and specific details of specials on the Very Creative menu and dishes. Creative flavors, creative playing made all the vegan/vegetarian food visually provocative. The Very fresh, Organic-ish (R) food looked, smelled and tasted great. We’ll definitely go back and take more friends!

Anthony Moffa

Delicious Japanese food! Tastes like home cooked meals and very friendly service. Had chicken curry and tofu katsu and both were delicious. Will definitely come again!

Katya E Konkol

This place is amazing. The customer service is also great and the women working there are extremely friendly. They have a lot of vegan options (and non vegan, of course). I’ve had the tofu katsu curry, garlic tofu, and vegan gyoza and they were all delicious.

Noam Kedem

A great authentic little gem of a Japanese restaurant with multiple vegan and vegetarian options that's also mostly organic. The proprietor is the server and her mom is the cook. Wonderful Ramen with fantastic pickles if you ask for them. The place isn't fancy, and the music is too loud, but if you're here for the taste of the food, you'll look past that easily. We had a wonderful vegan Ramen with absolutely delicious veggies, gluten free Ramen noodles and finely textured tofu (shown in photo). Additionally, please be mindful of the proprietor's harsh fragrance allergies and do not wear and strong scents, perfumes, lotions, etc. I highly recommend the food and the authenticity of the place.

Jared Zimmerman

Delicious veggie and vegan (many gluten-free) options. Everything is made from scratch and made to order. Cute hand lettered menus and very friendly and helpful staff. If your vegetarian it might be your only opportunity to get ramen, Japanese curry, or donburi.

Kang Zau

Nice place for take out (only). I think I would become super healthy if I got take out from Minako more often. Food made fresh per order so call ahead or expect to wait, but worth it.

Kenneth Johnston

I stopped by this little bento spot up the street and was blown away. The food tastes like true homemade Japanese cooking ,super fresh, flavorful, and comforting. You can literally see a sweet grandma in the back preparing everything with so much care. The woman at the front was incredibly kind and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. It’s takeout only, but the quality is top-tier. Definitely one of those hidden neighborhood gems. I’ll be coming back often! I ordered the chicken karaage

David McClellan

Amazing Japanese cuisine in a small, quaint location. Seating is very limited, so if you plan on dining in, be prepared to wait, or come on off hours. Everything is authentic, and is prepared fresh to order. The sushi is good, but I would also recommend the udon and the ramen. One other important note, the woman who runs the front of house is highly allergic to perfumes and strong fragrances, so please try to be mindful of how much scent you are putting of before entering.

al patel

Needed to eat before flight found this place close to airport. All vegan ran by family. Very nice ladies. Got the bento box with tofu katsu and sushi tasted great all sauces are home made. Not a lot of seating it is all outdoor.

Great authentic Japanese cuisine, been here twice but already love the place, I got chicken curry both time, great taste imo. Highly recommended. Ps: If the chef see this im sorry for making you work more but your food is so tasty 😭👌🫶🏼

This is great food with fantastic service and friendly owners. A lot of care for the food and ability to make most everything gluten free. They also keep a book of gluten free and other places shared by other people. From local, to out of state, and even out of country. The only downside is the limited hours, so we can only come by occasionally during lunchtime.

Food is great and the service is very friendly. We’ve been multiple times now and everything we’ve gotten has been really good. They have a lot of vegetarian and gluten free options which are clearly marked on the menu

True quality is measured not just in flavor but in fellowship and Minako Japanese has both in spades. Judy and her mother offer a menu that easily accommodates both vegans and folks with celiac desease. Home-grown ume plums and meticulously stewed sauces will convince you this is about as authentic as it gets. Just remember to pull yourself away from the meal long enough to chat with the ladies who make this place so special!

It id only take out or you can have your lunch outside in the sidewalk there are a couple of tables. The BEST chicken teriyaki Don that I have tried. It came with a fried egg and the flavour is amazing!!! loved the owner, she is super friendly and her mother’s cooking… Delicious . You have to try it.

Marcela Minvielle

It id only take out or you can have your lunch outside in the sidewalk there are a couple of tables. The BEST chicken teriyaki Don that I have tried. It came with a fried egg and the flavour is amazing!!! loved the owner, she is super friendly and her mother’s cooking… Delicious . You have to try it.

Fernando Ramirez

Great authentic Japanese cuisine, been here twice but already love the place, I got chicken curry both time, great taste imo. Highly recommended. Ps: If the chef see this im sorry for making you work more but your food is so tasty 😭👌🫶🏼

Kyle Bowles

This is great food with fantastic service and friendly owners. A lot of care for the food and ability to make most everything gluten free. They also keep a book of gluten free and other places shared by other people. From local, to out of state, and even out of country. The only downside is the limited hours, so we can only come by occasionally during lunchtime.

South Bay Vegan

True quality is measured not just in flavor but in fellowship and Minako Japanese has both in spades. Judy and her mother offer a menu that easily accommodates both vegans and folks with celiac desease. Home-grown ume plums and meticulously stewed sauces will convince you this is about as authentic as it gets. Just remember to pull yourself away from the meal long enough to chat with the ladies who make this place so special!

Wendy Chou

Care and attention are paid at this tiny family-run establishment that flies under the radar. My favorite item is the tofu katsu curry with a very complex set of flavors and the perfect texture (not too thick, not too thin). Really nice vegan/vegetarian sushi with pickled cucumber, umeboshi, and other options. The only drawback is not much ambiance in terms of seating. There is no indoor seating. There are two tables along the sidewalk (no shade, bring a hat). The host is super friendly and goes out of her way to make you feel welcome and valued. This feels like authentic cooking your own grandma might prepare with love.

I've had Minako's on my list for a while since seeing the homemade, organic vegan Japanese options that they provide. As someone who loves Japanese food, it's always nice to see a place that offers more than just an avocado cucumber roll for someone like me. We ordered three items: my mom got the Chirashi bowl, I went with their Tofu Kaarage, and a Mushroom Avo Roll. They told us it would be a 30-40 minute wait due to the number of orders, and we said we'd be okay waiting. When they realized we were dining "in," they even brought out a small bowl of rice crackers for us to enjoy while the food was being prepared. To my surprise, the kaarage came like a set so there was rice, pickled veggies, and their daily side included. The tofu kaarage was fantastic and a nice change of pace from the standard tofu katsu I often see at Japanese restaurants. My maki roll was good too but was a bit small for me. My mom also enjoyed her chirashi but felt it wasn't a lot of food, and the wait probably made it a bit harder to justify the full cost. Service here was great and I did appreciate talking to the owner and daughter about their business and seeing how many vegans have stopped by to share their recommendations on plant-based spots around the country. They were very attentive and kept coming out to check on us even if it meant leaving the restaurant. As of October 2023, they are still very much take-out only but have a few small tables outside to dine on site. I recommend ordering to-go since it's not guaranteed you'll have a table and there isn't a whole lot of activity situated on a street corner with a gas station next door.

A charming unassuming eatery located at the street corner. Street parking only, but usually not too busy. The decor is very homey, somewhat like being in someone's living room. The menus were handwritten sheets in plain binders. There were many signs warning against wearing of scent. We were served by the chef Minako's daughter who treated us like a friend. Waiting for the food took quite a bit of time as the kitchen was open and we could see it was only Minako doing all the cooking. The food was tasty and refreshing. Some of the flavors differ drastically from what I usually associate with restaurant Japanese food, such as the decades old pickled vegetables. We also ordered two of the dinner sets, which came with simple but fresh dishes of vegetable soup, grilled fish, teriyaki fried tofu, and tender chicken. However, the quantity is drastically small for the price. A good experience, but I don't think I would want to pay for it again.

Delicious sushi and curry. I had very good vegan options here and they were all good. Small place so prepare to sit outside or take to go.

Mette Schaefer

Delicious sushi and curry. I had very good vegan options here and they were all good. Small place so prepare to sit outside or take to go.

Andy Ng

I've had Minako's on my list for a while since seeing the homemade, organic vegan Japanese options that they provide. As someone who loves Japanese food, it's always nice to see a place that offers more than just an avocado cucumber roll for someone like me. We ordered three items: my mom got the Chirashi bowl, I went with their Tofu Kaarage, and a Mushroom Avo Roll. They told us it would be a 30-40 minute wait due to the number of orders, and we said we'd be okay waiting. When they realized we were dining "in," they even brought out a small bowl of rice crackers for us to enjoy while the food was being prepared. To my surprise, the kaarage came like a set so there was rice, pickled veggies, and their daily side included. The tofu kaarage was fantastic and a nice change of pace from the standard tofu katsu I often see at Japanese restaurants. My maki roll was good too but was a bit small for me. My mom also enjoyed her chirashi but felt it wasn't a lot of food, and the wait probably made it a bit harder to justify the full cost. Service here was great and I did appreciate talking to the owner and daughter about their business and seeing how many vegans have stopped by to share their recommendations on plant-based spots around the country. They were very attentive and kept coming out to check on us even if it meant leaving the restaurant. As of October 2023, they are still very much take-out only but have a few small tables outside to dine on site. I recommend ordering to-go since it's not guaranteed you'll have a table and there isn't a whole lot of activity situated on a street corner with a gas station next door.

Milo Conway

A charming unassuming eatery located at the street corner. Street parking only, but usually not too busy. The decor is very homey, somewhat like being in someone's living room. The menus were handwritten sheets in plain binders. There were many signs warning against wearing of scent. We were served by the chef Minako's daughter who treated us like a friend. Waiting for the food took quite a bit of time as the kitchen was open and we could see it was only Minako doing all the cooking. The food was tasty and refreshing. Some of the flavors differ drastically from what I usually associate with restaurant Japanese food, such as the decades old pickled vegetables. We also ordered two of the dinner sets, which came with simple but fresh dishes of vegetable soup, grilled fish, teriyaki fried tofu, and tender chicken. However, the quantity is drastically small for the price. A good experience, but I don't think I would want to pay for it again.

We came here for take out - the only option - and waited an extremely long time for a few rolls. The owner was friendly, but I would not go back for the food. The rolls were very messily prepared and ingredients and rice were falling off. There was also ingredient contamination between rolls.

This is a take-out only place, despite the photos clearly showing tables and chairs indoors. They also conveniently haven't mentioned "take out" in their name of business. I drove all the way to this place for nothing. I hope the better business bureau investigates them for fraud.

Erfan D

This is a take-out only place, despite the photos clearly showing tables and chairs indoors. They also conveniently haven't mentioned "take out" in their name of business. I drove all the way to this place for nothing. I hope the better business bureau investigates them for fraud.

Iulia Gheorghita

We came here for take out - the only option - and waited an extremely long time for a few rolls. The owner was friendly, but I would not go back for the food. The rolls were very messily prepared and ingredients and rice were falling off. There was also ingredient contamination between rolls.