It was a pretty small place so the only thing that takes a while is waiting for a to go order when it's busy. But that's 100% understandable. I wasn't hungry when trying this role but jt was very tasty!! I appreciate when a place really does use real crab. It was very soft and the flavor was just spot on. Great food on this street read more

Butterfish Sushi - California rolls real crab - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

New sushi spot in Berkeley. We came in with a large group for the soft opening on Sunday. The staff was wonderful but I think they are still figuring things out. The food came out a bit slow and we had to remind staff about a few orders. The food was incredible! Quality, presentation, freshness. This spot served some of the tastiest oysters I have ever had. I would come back just to order them! The menu is also unique for a sushi place because they have Inari. I like the clean design of this space and the Aesop products in the bathroom are always a win for me. This place is full of potential and I can't wait to come back. read more

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Wow! What an incredible sushi dinner to wrap up a long work day! Service was beyond amazing! 3 dishes recommended! All were delicious! Small space but absolutely worth it! read more

Butterfish is a new West Berkeley sushi restaurant by the team behind Thai Table. We came in on a sleepy Wednesday night which was great as we got to interact with the staff who were very friendly and prompt. We ordered a set of 5 hand rolls, a specialty roll with unagi, and a steamed egg. The plating and flavors on all of the dishes were excellent. My favorite was probably the scallop hand roll, but everything was good. We finished our meal with a matcha cheesecake that was absolutely killer. My one gripe if I had to pick one would be that it would be nice if they served the hand rolls one at a time as soon as they're ready. The nori wrapper gets chewy and soft very quickly so it's important to serve it fast so it still has a bit of crisp. We really enjoyed our meal and will definitely be back. I'm looking forward to them serving sake and beer soon so I can enjoy a cold beer with my sushi. read more

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We had planned on going to another Japanese restaurant but it was closed on Mondays, so I looked at Yelp and Butterfish looked good so we gave it a try. This is now my favorite Japanese restaurant. If you're looking for traditional Japanese comfort food like noodles and tempura, this is not your place. If you're looking to have your tastebuds delightfully surprised and food beautifully present, then you'll be delighted like I was along with my friends who joined us in being delighted. read more

Butterfish Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

La atención y la comida es deliciosa y el ambiente es muy agradable voy muy seguido con mi esposo nos encanta su comida read more

Butterfish Sushi - Pescado sabroso - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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It's a great restaurant with a good variety in the menu offerings, at an affordable price point. I'm going again!

This place just understands what it means to bring value to their food and overall eating experience. The quality of the fish is incredible for the price points, the atmosphere is warm, the music is wonderful, and the staff are friendly. I've gone two days in a row, let's see if I'll keep it up. read more

Butterfish Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

A great experience of casual luxury! The atmosphere was classy and all the staff and other patrons were relaxed so we felt very comfortable the whole time. We came in a little before closing but the server was super nice and didn't rush us. The menu was beautiful, with so many tasty dishes. We got miso soup, rice, the spicy tuna roll, california roll, creamy scallop roll, shrimp tempura roll, Atlantic roll, bluefin roll, and the rainbow roll. The miso soup came at the perfect temperature and was qualitatively umami! All the fish was super fresh, like melting in your mouth! The sauces were delicious and the rice had a nice balance of vinegar. Overall we had a wonderful meal and time, I would definitely recommend Butterfish Sushi! read more

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Do yourself a favor and sit at the bar. The head chef provides a wonderful experience. Food is great. Service is delightful. Solid sushi place in West Berkeley. read more

The fatty tuna is chef's kiss! The space is small but the food packs a punch. The perfect sushi spot does exist!

This is one of the freshest sushi restaurants we've experienced on the entire west coast - and boy, do we try sushi restaurants, all over the country. Maybe THE freshest. Our server was sweet as could be, and speedy. The food came astonishingly fast. Not one disappointing note: the rice was impeccable; the fish a melt-on-your-tongue treat; the atmosphere just right for enjoying some serious sushi. This will be a starred, bookmarked go-to from now on, in a sea of otherwise unremarkable sushi restaurants. read more

The food - several orders of nigiri and a few special rolls - was fresh and delicious, and the service was excellent.

Me and my Son found this amazing sushi place in Berkeley. Service and food was amazing. Definitely will be back. read more

Butterfish Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Very cute, small spot with amazing, fresh sushi! We ordered the sparkling sake, hamachi collar, and the pacific roll. All were very delicious and would order again. Love that the hamachi had a smokey flavor to it. Plate included a salad, miso, and rice. Total bill was around $86. We went on a Monday around 12:30 and got seated right away. It also wasn't crowded which was nice. Take note that they do close at 2:30 for lunch service then reopen in the evening for dinner service. Parking is street parking and metered. Can be hard to find parking around the area. Staff was very attentive and kind. I would come back here again for a lunch! read more

Excellent sushi. Had the best glass of sake I have tasted in my life here. The ambience is cool and very sleek. We came for a birthday celebration and it was really special. Will be back soon! read more

the hype is real!!! the softest, fattest, juiciest freshest fish ever. beautiful but the price to match. i think hands down best sashimi tapas i've ever had. also amazing service and cute little spot so definitely reserve in advance read more

Finally got to try this place out. I went pretty early in the evening so there were plenty of seats. Sat at the bar and had an amazing experience. I ordered the Umi-Masu combo, which was a weekend special. It came with four pieces of Sashimi and 4 pieces of Nigiri. I opted for the smoked version. The smoke flavor wasn't as prominent, but the presentation was fun and whimsical. I also ordered a few different nigiris. I picked the sake toro, hamachi toro and Hokkaido scallop. I also got ikura sashimi style. All of the nigiris were delicious. The hamachi belly and sake toro were my favs. The scallop was very good, but had a very light scallop flavor. All of the fish was very fresh. The one dish I was a little disappointed in was the ikura. I'm a huge ikura lover. This one was pretty tasteless (I love when ikura is marinated). It was fresh, but still had a little of the membrane attached. This was the one thing I could have done without. Before finishing I ordered the fresh oysters. They were the small variation, which are my favorite. They were good, not the best oysters I've ever had, but I appreciated the ponzu and yuzu tomago that they were garnished with. I also ordered a miso soup to finish off the order, which they included on the house. The customer service was amazing. They were very attentive and friendly. They cleared plates quickly and checked on me the perfect amount. I also really appreciate the presentation and attention to detail on every plate they sent out, for all of my plates, but also all of the other diners. To top it off, the gentleman server was a Pokemon fan so we had a nice discussion about card collecting and Pokemon Go. Cant go wrong with a fellow Pokemon fan. I will definitely be back to try their hand rolls, inari selection and their arctic roll! read more

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If I could give this place 10 stars I would. The staff and service is absolutely fantastic. The spot itself is so welcoming and cute. We had service at the bar top and were taken care of by a server and the chef. Oysters were out of this world delicious and refreshing. The spicy tuna roll melted in my mouth, as did every single piece of sashimi. Miso soup was hot and flavorful. So so glad we found this gem. Will come back the next time I'm in town. read more

Butterfish, where have you been all my life in the East Bay! What a jewel! Freshest of fish and beautiful presentation. In love with this intimate sushi restaurant. We stumbled upon it on our way to another restaurant and are so grateful that we did! Service was warm, welcoming and prompt! It was a deliciously endless parade of nigiri, rolls, and nigori sake. Standouts were Oysters, creamy scallop roll, Hamachi and crab small plate, and scallop/uni nigiri. Oh, and that parade was very reasonably priced. We're returning next week - can't wait! read more

I returned to this place just two days after trying it for the first time-- that's how good it is. I've been searching for a great sushi spot in Berkeley for years and I'm so glad I finally found one that meets my expectations. The fish is fresh and high quality and the restaurant itself is small, cute, and intimate. The smoked hamachi roll is one of my favorites. They truly make dining an experience as every plate is beautifully presented. I recommend making a reservation since the space is small and fills up quickly. Definitely my new go-to sushi place. read more

Butterfish Sushi - Handroll set of 3 pieces - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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5 stars for the food & service, I feel lucky to have found this place. The smoked hamachi roll was a whole experience that I will definitely be coming back for. Every bite of fish I had was better than anything I've had to my memory. The seating at the bar was very tight, so I'd make a reservation for a table if you're a bigger person. Can't wait to return, thanks for having me! read more

Hidden little gem in Berkeley! The place is very small on the inside with bar seating a few tables. They're supposedly owned by the same people that run the Thai place next door. I came on a weekday and was seated immediately for a party of 4. Fish is so fresh! Absolutely loved trying all of their handrolls. Parking was available right outside on the street. Service was great, they came by often to refill our tea. They had a mint tea that my niece loved. We tried their sashimi, hand rolls and some of their popular rolls suggested by the server, they were all so yummy! Upscale and chic location, gives you a nice Berkeley vibe and fresh taste of seafood! read more

So yummy and amazing, it's nice and very cool. Servers always nice! Very cool vibes in there!

Wow! What an amazing experience. They just opened up 3 months ago. All of the servers are extremely friendly and they played up beat music. We went at 12PM on a Saturday. They have limited seating; a small bar area, a few inside tables, some outdoor tables. This is a true experience. They start by bringing you a hand towel, complimentary edamame, and complimentary miso soup. The Sapporo was extremely fresh, it may have been a draft. Their sake was extremely smooth. We ordered oysters which were very unique, it was a set of 4 oysters and I really enjoyed them. Then we also got a sashimi plate of 10, all of the pieces were fresh, it tastes like they just caught it this AM. By this point in the experience, I already decided they were 5 stars no matter if I liked my roll or not. I ordered the Atlantic roll and it was really good. Overall 10/10. You're getting an extremely high quality at a fair price. read more

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Sushi was pretty good and the service was great. It's a smaller place so maybe leave the kids at home. Good place for 2-4 people. Pricey but worth it. read more

Nice sushi restaurant on the west side of the city Definitely need to make a reservation since the restaurant is very small and popular. Food was delicious all rolls and sashimi were delicious and portions were generous. Service is good but you need to make sure to get their attention so you can place an order or you will miss last call all together. Very busy, good food and prices very reasonable. read more

It's been almost a year since we visited Butterfish. We came from out of town for a vacation and I still think of this place. Their service and fish is impeccable. They have a keen eye for detail and they are... well... unforgettable! read more

Had a 7:30 reservation. Made us wait almost an hour after that to be seated. We gave up and went elsewhere.

Small venue with excellent sushi. Everything was well prepared. Best for small groups (4 or less) or date night. Party of 2 is more ideal. We had a larger group and it was 45min between the first order and the last order in our group to arrive. Everything we tried was delicious and the staff worked hard to accommodate. It was just a bit overwhelming for them even with each of us ordering 1 item. The food items are on the smaller side so would not choose this location if I had a big apettite. Also not an ideal spot for larger groups. read more

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Butterfish Sushi is located on a main and busy street, but not much foot traffic here, as it is away from the main areas where most of the students hang / walk around. It may be easily missed from the simple exterior, but the interior is clean, modern, and sleek. Not much service, as I did a to go order, but upon walking in, the employees were friendly / welcoming - 2 stars, instead of 1 star because of the friendly service, so it was unfortunate that the experience / food was a miss. I ordered the Sake Atlantic Salmon, Salmon Avocado Roll, and Kani Crab - I specifically asked for no wasabi at all because I do not like both the smell and taste of it. Unfortunately, I received my sushi with wasabi both in the Sake Atlantic Salmon) and on the side, even though the employee repeated my order with no wasabi back to me. As they had already closed, so I could not go back - I just ended up eating it and I tried to mask the smell / taste with extra soy sauce when I usually do not use much soy sauce, so that was not that enjoyable. read more

What an incredible new sushi spot in Berkeley! It might be my new favorite. It's conveniently located on University Ave. with lots of free street parking nearby. The service was incredible with amazing vibes (especially the music and lighting!). I came during the soft opening so there was complimentary edamame and miso soup (even small details like the tofu in the soup were much better than other sushi restaurants). I ordered the Fresh Oysters, Sushi Deluxe Set, Oceania Roll, and Eel Cucumber Roll. Everything was fresh and delicious. I especially loved the ponzu and yuzu sauce with the oysters. There's lots of sake and dessert options on the menu as well, so I'll be coming back to try those! read more

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Stopped in for dinner before an Ashkenaz concert... sooooo good! we got two rolls, i wish i remembered which but they were both big portions and hit the spot. so tasty that we got some teriyaki chicken to eat later. quiet ambiance and really chic. service was quiet sweet as well. 10/10! read more

Butterfish Sushi - bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The sushi and staff were great. My friends and I are big sake fans and we didn't like not having sake pricing by the bottle

Absolutely everything. From the sushi to the top shelf saki. Going back again soon.

We had a terrible experience at this place. They completely misled us about the waiting time. On Yelp, it said we would be seated between 7:15-7:25 pm for our family dinner after we clicked joining waiting line. When we arrived, the waiter (who was very kind) explained that the restaurant is currently in a dispute with Yelp about this "waiting line" information. But that's no excuse--the restaurant should not allow misleading online options if they know it isn't accurate. Either make it clear that seating is first-come-first-serve, or only accept reservations by phone. Allowing customers to believe they have a confirmed time and then failing to honor it shows very poor management. Overall, a very disappointing experience. We will not be coming back. read more

I was amazed at the food , service & location . I mean wow ! Butterfish is the best ! They definitely live up to their name . Each fish is fresh !! Tbh I feel like anything you try on the menu wouldn't dis read more

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Absolutely delicious and wonderfully made. The quality of the fish was outstanding and fresh - melt in your mouth. Especially loved the salmon (can't go wrong). The Atlantic roll had a great balance of fish and creaminess - I loved the miso aioli and the serrano pepper gives it a great texture and layer of flavor. Overall, 5/5 for taste and looks of course. Sashimi Set had great variety and the quality and taste of fish was excellent. I loved the addition of the perilla leaf which gave it a flowery layer of flavor. Really great food for the value. 5/5 Oysters has a great tangy sauce and lemony flavor. Really loved the multiple flavors and textures coming together - it just worked. It's more on the meatier side which I love and it wasn't too fishy! We even ate the seaweed in the middle that had sesame tastes. Dessert was a wonderful surprise. I wouldn't 100% recommend it since the waffle layer was a little hard or chewy but overall not bad. I liked the red bean that wasn't overpowering and who doesn't like vanilla ice cream! 5/5 We also got miso soup and they made it to perfection -- some restaurants have it too strong or don't put tofu and seaweed. It was warm and extremely comforting. Service: 5/5 AMAZING! Truly kind server who would check up on us frequently and the food arrived in a timely manner. They were so kind on my Birthday especially. We tipped 25% because we loved it so much and they were above and beyond. EXTREMELY WORTH THE SERVICE. Ambiance: 5/5 It's such a cozy and nicely aesthetic place. Little small but felt comforting. Loved the wood details and small Japanese touches. Their music was great and trendy but chill (charli xcx& others). Really loved the plating too, just made the experience all more enjoyable. Highly recommend for special occasions. read more

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Downright delicious food. Great service. Very cozy ambience. Their sushi is off the charts! Some of the best tasting and freshest fish I've ever had, hands down. You can see the chefs working the magic if you grab a seat at the bar. Was blown away by the flavors their dishes packed in! read more

Butterfish Sushi - Behind the bar. Mastery at work. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

This restaurant was highly recommended by college peers from UC Berkeley, so we had to give it a go! There is some street parking available, but it might be limited. The restaurant is rather small and has more seating at the bar, nevertheless it was very aesthetic and comfortable. The service was super nice, and explained everything to us as well as checking up on us frequently. The quality of the food was definitely living up to its hype. The fish tasted very fresh, and was almost melting in your mouth. We ordered two of their special rolls that I believe are changed weekly or monthly(?). They were super interesting combinations. My roll was salmon with yuzu, lemon, aioli and cherry tomatoes. It was a great combination with flavors that complemented each other. However, there was just a tad of too much oil in their aioli, which overpowered my taste buds, and impacted the overall enjoyment of it. But if there was less oil, it would've been perfect. Overall, this is a great restaurant with quality fish and I would definitely recommend it! read more

Butterfish Sushi - Sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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