Ichika in California

"We have been here probably 10 times and it’s always such an interesting and delicious experience! The nigiri is always cut beautifully. The chawanmushi and desserts change seasonally. Sake options are great. We always sit at the bar and sometimes we get some special cuts or some experimental dishes from the chef which always makes our night so much more fun!"

"A beautiful small space, cozy, zen and classy! We dined with our infant at the 5pm seating so they were quite accommodating in giving us a big table. Service was great. Our server was really attentive and explained the courses well. We loved their soy sauce made in-house by their chef! It felt special, top notch, and paired so well with their sashimi. All the courses were presented well and were paced appropriately. No dead-time between courses and we appreciated that since we had a small baby with us. The first course Sakizuke was a big wow for us! The scallops and monkfish liver were my favorite. All the courses following that were delightful, we loved the light and refreshing taste in most of them. My husband added the Supplement (uni, wagyu, otoro) to his serving, but we thought it was quite expensive since it came with one piece each and we didn’t know our Nigiri would come with uni and otoro already. The yakimono (grilled miso sea bass) were a bit too salty for our taste. Dessert was decent but not as impressive as the other courses. It was our first kaiseki experience and we were quite pleased overall. The price of $148 per person is reasonable at nice restaurants nowadays in my opinion. Good food, great space, a memorable meal to celebrate a special occasion."

"Impressed with the carefully and mindfully crafted menu. Great sake selection to pair with the food. Service was excellent. Every course was explained to us well. Ambience was great with non-intrusive music in the background We were there to celebrate mom's 81st birthday. They played a nice version of "Happy Birthday" on their audio system for her! Totally unexpected"

"Transported into a beautiful and calming interior when you walk past the doors. The staff do their upmost to make you feel at home and valued for being there. The sushi chef at the bar was so much fun to talk and so experienced in explaining every cut of fish and the presentation behind it. All of the staff made tasting notes as they delivered the food. Truly a wonderful experience and wonderful staff to interact with. Everything was beautifully presented. We would come back often if we lived in the area (we’re from Boston)."

"Great gem in the middle of a strip mall in Milpitas. The food was sophisticated and delicious, and the service was attentive. Very impressed"

"Ichika feels like a hidden gem in Milpitas. The decor is beautiful and inviting. My party and I all had the omakase. Every dish came out timely and so so delicious! Artfully presented and fresh clean ingredients. I highly recommend this place."

"Their menu of February is amazing. Oysters 4 ways, lobster, sea bass, wagu beef melted in mouth."

"Absolutely love this restaurant! The food is delicious, the atmosphere is lovely, and the service is great! All the dishes are selected by the chef and are seasonal, so each time you go, the dish set can be different. Toward the end we got another menu for us to order extra besides the dish set. To my understanding, you don't always get a chance to order extra dishes; it's probably all based on how busy the restaurant is and how the chef feels (my assumption). Yes, it's expensive, but it's sooo worth it!!! Highly recommended, especially if you have a special occasion! You won't regret it! THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND: - Because the dish set is selected by the chef, please remember to confirm with the restaurant before you go for those who may have a food allergy. - Maybe it's better to make a reservation because the restaurant space is quite limited. - The time limit is 2 hours. - For those fast eaters, you probably still need 2 hours to enjoy the food. It's not about how fast you eat; it's about how each course is brought to you one after another and how everything is at a relaxing pace."