Gombei
408-279-4311
193 Jackson St San Jose, CA 95112About Gombei
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Insider Pages Reviews for Gombei
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Insider
| Rank: 19,078
Gombei is a small restaurant in San Jose's Japan town. If you plan to go there for lunch, you will need to arrive early or face long lines. The food is delicious and served promptly.
July 29, 2011Was this review helpful to you?
Insider Guru
| Rank: 429
A small restaurant compared to their newer location. Their rice plates here are good...but it does get packed if you dont' get here early.. and yes cash only please!
July 29, 2011Was this review helpful to you?
Be sure to bring cash because this place doesn't accept credit or debit cards. Food is usually good and served in a timely manner. Don't think I've ordered anything that disappointed me. Hamachi kama dish is pretty good.
July 29, 2011Was this review helpful to you?
Gombei is a very good restaurant located in San Jose's Japantown. Having a wide range of Japanese food, anybody who enjoys the tastes of Japan will enjoy this restaurant. I have grown up eating at Gombei and the good service and taste of the food has never changed. With the amount of food that is given with each order I would say that it is a pretty good deal and worth the money. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone because of its cozy atmosphere and really good food. With that said, it is a very small location so it does fill up fast, try to get there early so you don't have to wait in a long line.
January 04, 2009Was this review helpful to you?
Insider Expert
| Rank: 14,082
Their selection is a lot smaller than most places, but still not bad. I usually get the three combo that they have on the specials board. I usually only eat there when I find something good on the 3 combo. haha... they also don't have tempura, but instead deep fried shrimp? It is different, so don't expect tempura when you order it.
December 16, 2008Was this review helpful to you?
I am not too fond of sushi so I wasn't sure what to expect but loved the food once we have eaten there. Their tofu appetizer with just soy sauce and bonito flakes. The curry Udon was good. So is their stuffed tofu. Very tasty. My husband liked their sashimi. All the tofu dishes were excellent as they use the tofu from next door San Jose tofu company.
May 07, 2008Was this review helpful to you?
Gombei is one of the few authentic, rustic Japanese restaurants in the San Jose area. My faves are the flavorful stews and curries and dont forget their daily specials. They remind me of those out of the way country diners small coastal towns in Japan I visited years ago. They have many daily and seasonal specials on the chalkboard and are well worth trying. Prices are reasonable (<$10 for lunch) but the lines during lunchtime can go out into the sidewalk.
August 30, 2005Was this review helpful to you?
Latest reviews from Citysearch.
If you?re seeking sushi, this isn?t the place to visit because they don?t offer any. However, what they do offer is a good selection of home style Japanese food. I ordered the chicken teriyaki, and it was one of the best teriyaki chickens I have ever eaten at a Japanese restaurant. Unlike many places that pan fry the chicken, they grill it; which added a delicious flavor to it. The meal included a bowl of rice, miso soup, and a salad. I typically avoid salad dressing because I simply don?t care for it, but the dressing at Gombei was absolutely delicious. I wished I could purchase a bottle of it.
I went on a Saturday night and saw a line out the door and considered leaving. I was glad I waited because it only took a few minutes for two seats to open at the counter. For those that waited for a table, they didn?t appear to have to wait very long. The service was prompt and efficient. The staff were all friendly.
One very important thing to note about Gombei is that they ONLY accept cash, and I don?t recall seeing an ATM machine located anywhere near the restaurant.
Pros: Reasonable price for excellent Japanese food.
Cons: Cash only
The food is awesome and authentic. There is almost always a line and that says something right there. If you're looking for sushi don't come here, go to kazoo or sushi maru across the street. If you're looking for a burrito, get the hell out of japantown you moron.
Pros: Good food and they serve beer.......always a plus
Cons: Cash only.......this is 2006 gombei, get into this century please. The samurai are dead.
