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About

Gaku Restaurant is a premier Japanese restaurant and Asian restaurant in San Jose, CA, specializing in authentic Yakitori cuisine. Located at 5152 Moorpark Ave #40, our restaurant offers a unique dining experience that will transport your taste buds to the streets of Tokyo. Our expert chefs use only the freshest ingredients to craft a menu that showcases the rich flavors and traditions of Japan. From savory skewers to steaming bowls of ramen, every dish is made with love and care to ensure an unforgettable meal. Whether you're in the mood for a quick lunch or a night out with friends, Gaku Restaurant is the perfect destination. Our cozy atmosphere and attentive service make us a popular choice for Japanese food lovers and adventurous eaters alike. Join us for a culinary journey through Japan and experience the authentic taste of Yakitori at Gaku Restaurant. Book your table now and discover why we're the top-rated Asian restaurant in San Jose!

Gaku Restaurant Review Summary

The summary was generated by AI, based on reviews.

Gaku Restaurant serves authentic Asian cuisine with a modern twist, offering a diverse menu that caters to various tastes and dietary preferences. The restaurant's cozy ambiance and attentive service make it an ideal spot for casual dining and special occasions.

Review Rating Chart

Yelp: 4.5/5

Google Reviews: 4.4/5

TripAdvisor: 4.5/5

Zomato: 4.3/5

OpenTable: 4.6/5

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Reviews & Ratings

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4.4
(247 Reviews)
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Junhua Chen
Junhua Chen -Google user
10 months ago
Gaku Restaurant offers a delightful dining experience with its fresh, high-quality food and excellent service. Each dish is carefully prepared, allowing you to truly savor the flavors. The portions are on the smaller side, which is a positive as it allows you to taste and...Read More
Dine inDinner$100+Atmosphere: 5
Wanting Jiang
Wanting Jiang -Google user
a year ago
Really really good skewer. So close to what we’ve had in Japan. Love the salt flavor. It really tries to bring out the true flavor of food! They must but very confident in their the quality of their ingredients. Charcoal is also the key!! I...Read More
Dine inDinner$50–100Atmosphere: 5Wings
Elad Mor
Elad Mor -Google user
a month ago
Friendly service, loose atmosphere and awesome Korean food!! The skewers are delicious
$50–100Atmosphere: 5Not sureNo waitIndoor dining area
Eve Lim
Eve Lim -Google user
Edited 11 months ago
Came here for dinner as I had wanted to try out their charcoal grilled dishes. Ordered beef skewers from the yakitori menu, grilled Barracuda fish from the Specials, and grilled squid and grilled onigiri with uni from the regular menu. Everything tasted good and uni...Read More
Dine inDinner$50–100Atmosphere: 5
Sida
Sida -Google user
a year ago
Probably the best Japanese BBQ I had in the bay so far, although not inexpensive. The lighting is good for photography. Recommend the skewers, uni with jelly and egg rice. Fish liver is too dry and I don’t recommend it.
Dine inDinner$50–100Atmosphere: 5Plenty of parkingFree parking lot
Jaime Felix
Jaime Felix -Google user
a year ago
My cousin from San Jose recommended this to me and I'm glad I tried it out because yakitori is one of my favorite foods. The flavors, vibes and dim lighting at Gaku Yakitori take me back a visit to Tokyo. I've been twice to Gaku in...Read More
Dine inDinner$30–50Atmosphere: 5Meatball Tsukune 2 PC, Yakitori, yaki onigiri 焼きおにぎり, Wings, ankimo あん肝ポン酢, Tongue, chicken tatsuta 地鶏の竜田揚げ, Chicken Hearts, Chicken Gizzards
Judy L
Judy L -Google user
2 years ago
The yakitori here is amazing - we ordered beef, chicken meat ball and chicken wings, they all tasted so good. Especially the beef, so tender, fresh and flavorful. We also had rice and salad, they also had great quality. The sauce for the rice was...Read More
Dine inDinner$30–50Atmosphere: 5Yakitori, Wings
A S
A S -Google user
Edited 11 months ago
Gaku is one of those hole in the wall Japanese restaurants that you frequent because you can’t get traditional Japanese dishes like takowasa, ika sugatayaki, yakitori, or ankimo anywhere else. Extremely late post with pictures of food that I’ve eaten at Gaku over the seasons. Highly recommend...Read More
Dinner$50–100Atmosphere: 5yaki onigiri 焼きおにぎり, shrimp karaage 有頭えびのからあげ, Ika No Shiokara, Green Tea Creme Brulee
Kuei-Da Liao
Kuei-Da Liao -Google user
2 years ago
You might want to make a reservation if you plan to come on weekends. It’s probably one of the best Japanese skewers in this area. Chicken, beef, and pork skewers were all really spot on. The beef tongue was especially impressive! Recooked to those ones craving for...Read More
Dine inDinner$30–50
momo
momo -Google user
6 years ago
Everyone needs to eat here when visiting the Bay Area. I found out about it through Thrillist and was pretty excited. They are not open for lunch, but are open in the evenings. Beware, it's quite small, so reservations are recommended or getting in early...Read More
Jianyuan Chen (Jack)
Jianyuan Chen (Jack) -Google user
a year ago
Great great taste, tender and juicy on every skewer we ordered. Pricey. The decor is pretty, authentic Japanese yakitori restaurant.
Dine inDinner$50–100Yakitori
Darren T
Darren T -Google user
6 years ago
Great food and nice atmosphere. Quick and friendly waiters. Food is a bit pricey and the parking lot is sketch with a lot of signage noting break-ins. Had a few skewers along with the yaki onigiri and chicken tatsuta (fried chicken). Favorite was the kalbi...Read More
michelle cho
michelle cho -Google user
2 years ago
It was a place where there were many customers and the food was delicious.But I wish there were lamb skewers.I wanted to eat lamb skewers because there were various kinds of chicken skewers, but they said it was a menu that they didn't sell.Of course,...Read More
Dine inDinner$50–100Atmosphere: 4
Matthew Davis 戴維斯馬修
Matthew Davis 戴維斯馬修 -Google user
2 years ago
Well, this place wins. Every single plate from start to finish was supreme. Very very yumm and fun in a funky little mall.
Andy Jan
Andy Jan -Google user
a year ago
Gaku is one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area. I have never had a bad meal here in the last ten years I’ve been going. My consistent favorites are the fried shrimp, spicy chicken wings, and the Gaku udon. A new item we...Read More
Dine inDinner$50–100Atmosphere: 5ankimo あん肝ポン酢, chicken tatsuta 地鶏の竜田揚げ, Green Tea Creme Brulee
Lori Fox
Lori Fox -Google user
3 years ago
This place is a really authentic Japanese restaurant. They have specials that come directly from Japan like the Pike conger sashimi (which was amazing!). We ordered several yakitori skewers and off of the menu as well. This place is maybe a bit expensive but the...Read More
Dine inDinner$50–100
Eric Lu
Eric Lu -Google user
2 years ago
Skewers were delicious! We also love the fried gobo (with dashi flavor) and yuzu cheesecake. Very good dining experience.
Adweeth S
Adweeth S -Google user
2 years ago
Fire spot!! Came back here after 5 years, the chicken meatballs are still unreal. Great service and genuine recommendations by staff. Five star🤙🏼
Dine inDinner$30–50Yakitori, chicken tatsuta 地鶏の竜田揚げ
Christie Chong
Christie Chong -Google user
5 years ago
It was really fun trying out all the different skewers and their variations (like garlic and spicy miso pork belly). My favorite was beef tongue and chicken thigh, so juicy! The skewers are relatively affordable, but we also got the yaki onigiri and rice soup...Read More
Ringo Y
Ringo Y -Google user
Edited 3 years ago
Amazing food with even better service! There are limited specials every month ranging from uni hot pot to sashimi imported FRESH from Japan! There’s an extensive sake and shochu menu and servers recommend drinks based off your personal taste which is great. Chicken skin, beef tongue, knee cartilage...Read More
Dine inDinner$50–100

Features

Service options

check icon Outdoor seating
check icon No-contact delivery
check icon Delivery
check icon Takeout
check icon Dine-in

Popular for

check icon Lunch
check icon Dinner
check icon Solo dining

Accessibility

check icon Wheelchair accessible entrance
check icon Wheelchair accessible parking lot
check icon Wheelchair accessible restroom
check icon Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings

check icon Alcohol
check icon Beer
check icon Cocktails
check icon Comfort food
check icon Late-night food
check icon Small plates
check icon Wine

Dining options

check icon Lunch
check icon Dinner
check icon Dessert
check icon Seating

Amenities

check icon Gender-neutral restroom
check icon Restroom

Atmosphere

check icon Casual
check icon Cozy

Planning

check icon Dinner reservations recommended
check icon Accepts reservations
check icon Usually a wait

Payments

check icon Credit cards
check icon Debit cards
check icon NFC mobile payments

Children

check icon High chairs