Amberjack is a restaurant version of the packaged plastic container sushi that you can find in the fish section of Safeway. The environment is that of a place that specializes in take out, and the sushi, other than meeting the very definition of sush,i is not worth the oddly low price that it costs. No need to come here, I did it for you. read more

This place is really not clean!! Dirty!!!! You can see that from the door, service??? Not service, ...... i ask for a hot tea and i the lady said yea and she walk to the hot water dispenser and she just fill up hot water and pour to my tea cup,,,,, wtf??? Hot water?? This place is not good at all!! read more

Amberjack - Japanese Near Me - Mill Valley, California

I hate writing bad reviews on small businesses, but I hope they read this and take my suggestions to heart so that others have a better time than I did! 1. Why did the two groups of people get served before me, when I came in alone and ordered something fairly standard (a Bento box with sashimi)? The woman next to me ordered Chirashi (way more fish than what I got) and she got hers first! 2. The tea was so hot I burned my lip. It still hurts. 3. The service was slow slow slow, though there are maybe four tables in the whole place. The waitress never asked me how things were (I needed ice for my lip since the water was lukewarm!) 4. The food was decently fresh, but the rice was suuuppper dry and bland, like it had been sitting out in a grocery store sushi place. I want this place to be good, and I think these things can be fixed! But for now, I'm not going back. read more

I have been going to amberjack for several years and they have been consistently good. I would usually order takeout but I finally ate there a few days ago. Their service is prompt and their fish is both reasonably priced and always extremely fresh. I highly recommend the 49er maki and the cherry blossom maki. Definitely the best sushi place in mill valley. read more

Amberjack - Clockwise from top left: kamikaze roll, hamachi nigiri, sake nigiri, and 49er maki - Japanese Near Me - Mill Valley, California

This tiny little sushi shop is unexpectedly good. The quality of fish they serve is so fresh I've visited this place twice in one week for the sashimi chefs choice plate. Even my picky boyfriend approved it. read more

We have been going here once a week for 4 years...so respect my 'authoritay' (j/k) Why, because the food is very good and the price is excellent. The folks are always friendly. This is a solid restaurant at a great price point; highly recommend! read more

Very small and intimate place. There are maybe 4 tables total. This place is fun to come and listen to other peoples conversation(s). The service is pretty good. I stopped coming here because my bf has a surprise hawthorne leaf in his salad...he bit into it and cut his mouth and they said it was part of the salad..hm strange? the best thing to get here is the butter fish entree. omg. its so buttery and delicious. the sushi is ok, not the best. come here early if you want to get a seat. theres no place to wait for one unless you sit outside. they have sweet cups here too. read more

I love this place. Yes, it is small, quirky and sometime they do not remember your reservation and you have to wait but i do not care. The fish in this place is delicious. I especially adore Saba, the lightly marinated mackerel. The service is prompt and friendly. read more

Sad, the service impressions was descriminative and controlling we took out our food, had to discard the minute we left. Caution proceed at your own whim! read more

Love Amberjack. I've tried the other sushi places in Marin, but nothing beats Amberjack. It may not be fancy but the interior is cozy, I would even say intimate. We'll go here on dates or just get take out- either way it's our go-to sushi place. Take out is easy and the people are friendly. And the sushi is great- always fresh and they never seem to get it wrong. The best part? Cheap. Fantastically well priced, especially for this area and considering how great the sushi is...you really can't get much better in this area. read more

I went here hoping for some great sushi. The service was incredibly slow, and t felt like we were bothering the staff being there while they filled takeout orders. When we received our rolls, I was very excited. Unfortunately, the taste of the fish didn't feel fresh and was a bit off putting. I ate the rolls, but my stomach felt sick all night. Not somewhere I would return to. read more

My daughter and I chose to come here over Samurai. Big mistake! From the moment we walked in, the service was terrible. We were the only ones there! The man behind the counter would not make eye contact & was as joyless as can be! It took forever to order. It's obvious most of their business is take out. We were not made to feel welcomed and more of an inconvenience to them. We will not be returning! read more

We LOVE this place! It's our go to family comfort food for many, many years. Reasonably priced, great sushi, excellent customer service. Tiny with only 5 tables and a small bar to eat at, but take out is fast and easy too. read more

Edmund is the owner/chef. Michelle is his wife, the waitress. His parents are back there in the kitchen. They all work every day. Amazing. I hear newbie customers trying to impress them sometimes with their knowledge of the Japanese language, but they are Chinese. However, they take it all in stride with a great smile. This is the best overall sushi bar in Marin. Another one of Marin's best-kept secrets. Yes, BETTER than Sushi Ran. Affordable- and Edmund does a wonderful job selecting and preparing the cuts of fish. Small and intimate; a perfect neighborhood sushi bar. Most of their business is takeout since it is so small. Great fish at great prices. Excellent sake selection as well. Try the Ohyama by the wine glass. read more

I'd been craving sushi for awhile and decided to order from here on a rainy day. The restaurant is quaint and I've never dined in so can't comment on the service. Only issue I had is that they don't have a menu online so it was difficult to place the first order. It's a no frills spot but he fish seems fresh so I'm good with that. read more

As we entered, we were hopeful as I saw the linguistic correctness on the menu. No obvious errors, and there was clear evidence that much care went into writing the menu. However, the hope was quickly dashed. While the fish was a standard fare, nothing special, but the rice was so dense. The rice, or shari is the foundation of good sushi, and here it earns one star. Also, I was troubled by the sight of salad mix in Chirashi-zushi. Should have been a shiso leaf. The "dashi" or the stock used in the miso soup was miserable, without any fragrance of Katsuo-bushi, and was just salty. My eternal search for good neighbourhood sushi in southern Marin continues. read more

Bitter, rude, hostile people serving mediocre food. Took the happiest kid on his 9th bday -- his request to try this sushi place. The chef was SO rude to us from the moment we walked in -- in every conceivable way. The waitress barely better. They are both clearly miserable people in the wrong career. As I was signing the bill, leaving over 20% thinking they had just maybe had a rough day, the chef walked back over and fussed directly at my child for making a noise -- "stop that right now!" -- and we were literally the only ppl in the place! For the first time in my life, I scratched through the tip and left none. He was appalling. Truly. He is a hostile, bitter man who frankly makes only mildly mediocre sushi (near frozen, barely any rice, and the tiniest scrap of wasabi served with it). Awful. No wonder the place was dead. Steer clear. read more

Very good quality fish, just ok prep, great prices. The fish is very fresh and good quality. However, the roll preparation is a little sloppy - fish not formed too well, rice not even. Kind of like homemade sushi if you bought your fish at a real good place. Prices on rolls are really good - $4.5 for a 6-piece spicy tuna. The tempura was fresh and perfectly done. Agedashi Tofu - too soft. Topping was good but not great. Seaweed salad - very good. Beer was ice-cold. Perfect. Hot saki - only have a small (medium?) size which only did 4 small saki cups. You're not going to get much from that. I agree with the reviews where the staff is a little cold, but this isn't in a bad way and I liked it. Overall, liked it a lot, but I wouldn't travel far to get here. This is a great place to have in your neighborhood. Sizing it up with what I've had in Marin, I'd put it after Sushi Ran (long after but much cheaper) but ahead of anything else I've tried. read more

holy mother of god. how on earth did i *not* know this place was here?! it was so good that i even ate a piece of sashimi (which i never eat). our total bill was $54.00 for the kind of meal that i think should've cost about $70 because we had a beef-wrapped asparagus special and 4 rolls *and* 10 (!) pieces of ungodly fresh sashimi in addition to some other food and sake. wowzers! oh, and it's open on sunday nights! it's my new go-to sushi happiness. UPDATE: i went again tonight and amazingly it got even better! the poke was awesome and the beef asparagus maki was incredible. wowwww. this is my new go-to! read more

We had a strange visit to this very clean little place that seats about 15 people. The service was very slow and unfriendly though we were only guests. The food was disappointing. The miso soup was way too salty. The sushi seaweed was too tough to eat. We did not feel welcome and the food was disappointing. read more

I love sushi and I've been all over the place. I think Amberjack in Mill Valley may be my favorite so far. There are other places that have crazier rolls, but the Amberjack in Mill Valley serves sushi that's so super fresh that you can really taste the quality. I love their Tiger and Dragon rolls so much that I order them every time I go. A word to the wise, sit down and eat there; their sushi loses much of the magic if it sits for 15 minutes because you got it to go. read more

I came here because I've just moved to MV and this place is the closest to my house, walking distance. I read the yelp reviews and decided to go for it. As soon as I walked in, I kind of regretted sitting down. I didn't find it cozy one bit and the service was mediocre to lame. The sushi chef seemed to be in a very surly mood like he really hated his job and was making no effort to fake it. I tried to compliment him twice on the sushi, speaking louder the second time. He was so tuned out, he didn't hear me even though he was 2 feet from me. He never made eye contact or asked me how anything was. There was 1 waitress handling all the tables and the to go orders, another older woman in back putting things on the grill. They seemed stressed and no smiling. I came here because I work from home and just needed to get out and be with other humans. I was expecting at least a friendly sushi chef as I sat at the bar. no dice. The worst part was it was ICE COLD outside and I nearly froze sitting at the bar with a sweater and scarf around me because every other patron that came in and out (lots of take out orders) would let the door wide open (this is something the restaurant HAS to fix - put a spring on it so it self closes! .... and every time it was a seated patron that would have to get up from their meal to shut the door, myself included! My feet and hands were freezing the entire meal, not exactly relaxing to say the least. This happened no fewer than 10 x's in an hour while I was sitting there! I ordered Shiro Maguro and Hamachi Sashimi (5 chunky pieces ea for about $8 per) and an Amberjack roll (CA topped with warm eel and roe). The sashimi tasted fresh and the eel on the roll was very nicely done - warm, almost crispy, not fatty. I sat at the bar around 7pm on this Friday night as all the tables were full. I had to ask for Miso soup and hot tea (usually miso is standard with a full meal). All in, I paid about $55 for 2 5-pc sashimi, 1 roll, edamame, seaweed salad, miso and 1 large Sapporo. Given those prices for a single person's meal (a woman) I would expect much more from the place. Zero ambience, unfriendly service, no artistic presentation of food. I may use this place for pick up but will never eat here again (dine in). I had brought my laptop to try to work on a presentation, which the bar was a pretty tight squeeze. Luckily it was just me and one couple at the bar with a few seats in between so I could actually pull out my laptop. Would have been much better if I had gone somewhere I could have sat at a warm table. read more

Nothing to write home to Mom about...but definitely something to Yelp about. The prices are fantastic but so far, the non-sushi items I've tried are forgettable. The Oyako Don wasn't the best I've had, but it wasn't awful. I'll have to write an update once I try the sushi. Really, the prices are the best aspect to this place read more

Been going to Amberjack since it opened, 8-9 years Sushi has always been fairly good with low prices Now with higher prices, Rabata Grill is now a better value. The service usually poor, cold and surly - she never smiles or acknowledges guests The chef, no personality seems angry most all visits. The food prep area has gotten dirtier over time, needs paint and better lighting It does not seem sanitary in the prep area or behind the bar anymore. I was rushed out last night WAY before closing. I commented on being hurried, no reply. She just looked down at the floor. I used to like it but am tired of being treated indifferent. It no longer seems like a healthy environment in which to eat. They should change their name to ANGRYJACK! read more

Friendly service and fresh sushi. I visited here last night and enjoyed an appetizer from their specials board, beef asparagus roll. It took some time to make, but it was very well flavored and good. Previous to this a nice miso broth was served. It was short on contents, but the broth was good. My main dish was chirashizushi. It was ok, they passed the saba (mackerel) test. Saba is a fish that easily tastes 'fishy', and theirs was quite fresh. I wasn't so impressed with the addition of mixed greens under the egg -- I would have preferred a leaf of the more traditional shiso. The patrons seemed to be neighborhood folk who well-appreciate the place and enjoy meeting there. A small place, with a friendly atmosphere that transcends just the staff. It was my first visit, so I'll be visiting again and revising this review if necessary. read more

While I wouldn't venture to say this was the BEST sushi I have ever had in my life, it was a good solid place if you just are feeling the need for some fresh fish. If you are looking for creative or more fusion type rolls this is not your place. It's small, the service is good, and over all it has a nice atmosphere. read more

This is a considered review. I've been fortunate enough to enjoy sushi at some of the best restaurants in the world, including a pilgrimage to Tsukiji in Tokyo. Not a snob though, and I love to find excellent, cheap high-quality fish served by people who care in small unknown spots. To get right to it: Amberjack could be the most disappointing sushi restaurant I've ever been to. Being a MV local for 14 years, I have probably been there 50 times with my kids and it has always been a crapshoot. It's cheap, sure, and sometimes the fish is having an okay day. It's local, and cute. But what used to be barely tolerable inconsistency has become an embarrassment to sushi chefs everywhere who actually care about their craft. Last night's dinner offered mealy, tasteless yellowtail; flaccid, bland tuna that was so falsely pink it looked fake; discolored scallops that tasted like the sea - and not in the good way; limp tempura; goma ae served with an unappealing glop of congealed peanut sauce; all delivered by the perennially crabby server who - even after ~50 visits - has never managed to crack a smile or give any indication whatsoever of appreciation for our patronage over the years. We gave up on Amberjack a couple years ago when Samurai (thankfully) stepped up its game with its ex-Sushi Ran chef, and only came back because Samurai is closed for the holidays. Frankly, we could have had better, fresher fish at the Whole Foods sushi bar. This may seem super harsh but Amberjack dishonors the craft. Sushi is art, it requires skill, refinement, and passion. A sushi chef has made a commitment to the customer. Amberjack fails in just about every regard. read more

What a nice place! It's small and quiet, and doesn't have the high energy vibe of a lot of sushi restaurants. And there is really no "bar" to sit at, but none of that matters. The sushi and sashimi are as good as you're going to get, and hot dishes are wonderful. Don't miss the deep fried tofu. I know it sounds terrible to both tofu people as well as deep-fried people, but it's great. read more

I always get my food as take out since I live a block away, but the couple of times I did eat in the "restaurant" I sat at the bar. The staff is super nice and the food is FANTASTIC (almost as good as the sushi in Japan). Whenever I need my sushi fix it's Amberjack all the way read more

The eggplant dish is amazing and I love the spider roll. The sushi is fresh and the sashimi is light and delicious. Fun to pop in and eat at the tiny bar on a low fuss night! read more

Small restaurant, reasonably priced. The sushi was fine but the service was slightly disappointing; our waitress had a bit of an attitude. Don't let that hold you back if you're looking for some local sushi in Mill Valley. read more

I've dined here 5 or 6 times over the past year. All but one of the times were quite satisfactory. It is small, and 3 of their 4 tables are side by side along the front window. We have consistently conversed with the people on one or the other side of us and have always had fun and interesting conversations. The food, is yummy. I judge a sushi place on the freshness and quality of its Uni, and Amberjack always meets my high standards. They make good handrolls, excellent salmon rolls, creative salads, excellent miso soup...all round I love this place. read more

Hit or miss sushi. We've been here about a dozen times, mostly for take-out, and about half the time their salmon, unagi and rolls are fresh. Other times, food taste a bit like it's been sitting in a pre-packaged bento box for too long. I'm not a fan of their agedashi tofu and I wouldn't recommend ordering it if you like a crispy outside and tender center. Here, it's a bit greasy and soggy. It's a small place so we usually bring it home. Prices are low so you may want to order a bunch of things and see what you like. read more

A very cozy small lil gem. The sushi was very fresh and the prices were very fair. Only thing that was a little bit of a downer was that I met a girl here for a date and the tables are so it was hard to have a very private conversation. xOther than that we had a great time and the food was good! read more

This place is solid. Lunch Nigiri special, 8 pieces plus a cal roll, all for 20 bucks including tip. High quality product for a reasonable price in Southern Marin, can't beat it.... Sushi Ran in Sausalito would be at least double the price and the quality is damn close... read more

I'm a fan! Very fresh sushi. Large pieces, and very cheap for the quality. Very small place with not-so-great atmosphere, but who cares - amazing fish! read more

My original visit to Amberjack a few years back, soon after it originally opened, left me underwhelmed and I haven't been back. On a whim I visited it again today and boy do I regret not coming back sooner. The Shiro-maguro sashimi was generous, fresh and delicious. Amaebi was great and the fried heads were crunchy, not greasy, and well seasoned, the best (fried) head I have ever enjoyed. I felt the 5 piece sashimi, 2 Maki and 1 nagiri, 30.00 dollars, is a good value. All the food was thoughtfully prepared and was very quickly delivered. read more

It's not horrible, but certainly not good. The music is TOO LOUD, and the waitresses seem more occupied with personnel matters. I didn't have a bad experience, but I won't go back. read more

They've lost ! ! ! SERIOUSLY bad fish smell! O.K., So maybe I should know better than to go for sushi on a Sunday (doh!) but the Chinese joint was closed already. Walk across the road to Amberjack and the place smelled like old fish. (plus the vibe was equally unfriendly and all around unpleasant) Because I didn't want to stay there a moment longer than I had to, I got carry out, which when I got home, made my house smell like dead fish, too, until I put $40 worth of bad sushi down the garbage disposal--PLUS a couple of lemons @ a buck a piece to get rid of the odor. This place was good when it opened--always had that fresh ocean scent that is the mark of a passable sushi joint--and I've gone there on and off ever since. But NOW, staff has changed, and it appears to be run by Koreans with poor English skills. The service was bad, they wasted my money, and now I'm eating cereal for dinner. The whole thing was such a buzz kill I seriously thought of calling INS and suggesting a green card check on the staff. I doubt Immigration would find many legal workers. Go back AYOR! For myself, I'd rather eat cold cereal than ever venture into that stink hole again. And they don't take Amex, either. read more

Great for pick up dinner but not for dining for a party larger than two. It's very little, slow service, and customers don't know how to close the door when they leave (and it gets cold!) The presentation of the rolls is not great either but for the price and the convenience, when you don't want to go to Sausalito or the city, is great. I love the spicy tuna rolls and the udon soup is pretty tasty and satisfying. I highly recommend the Misoyaki (if that's how you spell it... aka butter fish). read more