Godai by Sakana

I recently dined at Godai, a restaurant serving traditional Japanese cuisine, and had a great overall experience. The ambiance was beautiful—modern, sleek, and well-designed, making it a great place for a refined dining experience. We let our server choose some of the more popular starters, which was a fun way to explore the menu. For the main course, we had the miso cod, which was excellent—flavorful, tender, and well-prepared. The sake paired beautifully with the food, enhancing the overall meal. Service was outstanding; the staff was personable, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. However, while the food was very good, I found it to be overpriced for what it was. Overall, Godai delivers on quality, ambiance, and service, but the high prices may not justify the experience for everyone. Worth a visit for a special occasion or if you’re looking for high-end Japanese cuisine.

This is the best, freshest Japanese food /experience you can find in Puerto Rico. Everything is so carefully prepared to bring out all the flavors of every dish. Varies from traditional to very rare seasonal ingredients flown from Japan. Love Godai.

Even with reservation, we had to wait 30 min… Wyagu was delicious, sushi is great. Pork belly to fat for me but otherwise great experience. Service was also exceptional the waiting great and all dishes good explained. Room is a bit cozy but nicely designed. Also sake is nice.

With the first visit Godai became one of my favorite restaurants. Every single menu item has a unique taste difficult to find anywhere else. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable. All ingredients are of top quality, the yellow fin tuna, the truffles, the wasabi, even the sauces. We had a wonderful experience and would love to return soon.

After spending a month in Japan, I can attest that Godai by Sakana is the best & most authentic Japanese dining experience in Puerto Rico, hands down! The space whisks you away with its Japanese minimalist design, soft lighting, and relaxed yet chic atmosphere. The menu features innovative options like uni udon, toro truffle hanabi (crispy rice), and an Asian mushroom clay pot that was my favorite bite of the night. The arugala sesame salad we ordered was a perfectly balanced preparation, including a poached egg that binds it all together. Sushi rolls include unique options and fan favorites, all with fish flown in from Japan. The robata grill options are enough to make a dining experience out of those alone. Lastly, the bathroom must be mentioned because it has the most incredible tile mosaic piece done by a local artist, that goes down the wall and extends to the floor. The toilet is Japan-approved with heated seat and built in bidet. If you've been to Japan before and have seen the expensive futuristic toilets, you'll know what I mean! At this time, the restaurant is still in their soft open phase, but we had a sneak peek at the omakase space they are building and we can't wait to come back and experience that. What an awesome edition to San Juan's restaurant scene!