Japantown San Jose, one of three surviving historic US Japantowns, draws locals to its izakayas and ramen counters on N 6th Street for shareable plates and draft beer.

San Jose's Japantown was established in the late 1800s when Japanese farm workers and merchants settled along N 5th and 6th Streets. After Executive Order 9066 forced Japanese-Americans into internment camps in 1942, the community returned after the war to find their neighbourhood partially dispersed, but rebuilt it as a cultural anchor. The izakaya tradition, pubs with small plates and sake, took root in Japantown through the 1970s and 1980s as a social format that combined the community centre function with the pub. Today's Japantown izakayas draw diners from across Silicon Valley.

2 editor picks for Izakaya small plates in San Jose, ranked by editorial score. All San Jose signature dishes · Izakaya small plates across every city.

Kaita Restaurant ★ 4.0

$$JapaneseJapantown

Kaita is a family-owned San Jose Japantown gem serving authentic Japanese comfort food with daily rotating lunch and dinner specials on Jackson Street.

OrderDaily lunch special with rotating seasonal Japanese dishes

DirectionsView

Minato Japanese Restaurant ★ 3.9

$$JapaneseJapantown

Minato has been a cornerstone of San Jose's Japantown since 1957, serving world-famous teriyaki spareribs and classic Japanese comfort food.

OrderTeriyaki spareribs and tempura udon

DirectionsView

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Izakaya small plates makes more sense with someone from San Jose explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

Taste Izakaya small plates with a local in San Jose

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