Asaka is THE BEST sushi in Berkeley. It's basically our family's home away from home. The soft…read moreshell crab is a must. Our other favorites include the raw oysters, house salad, edamame, miso soup, spider roll, hamachi nigiri, salmon avocado roll... everything is amazing! Oh, and it's family owned and they are soooo caring and quick and accommodating and... basically family to us! They remember details about our lives and prep the food in advance.

I stopped by here for a quick bite as I'm heading to the city. The parking was a little bit of a…read morehassle, but that was to be expected. The restaurant itself was very cute & cozy. Our waitress was quick & greeted us with a smile & brought waters. The menu had a lot of options to choose from, so it wasn't hard for us to find something we wanted to try. We decided on the tempura mix, Mango Crunchy Roll, & the Hopkins roll. The tempura was good, just wish we ordered it a little bit more crispy. When it came to the rolls, both were amazing! They were huge & definitely got us full pretty quick. Our waitress made sure to check in on us during our visit & kept our waters filled. For dessert, we got the mochi ice cream. You can never go wrong with mochi ice cream as dessert(; overall, we had a great meal! The service was nice, restaurant was clean, & food was great. I'll definitely stop by if I'm ever in the area again.

Visited last night. Enjoyed dinner bento with Bbq short…read moreribs and salmon sashimi, and rainbow roll. The fish was soo good and fresh, that it would just melt in my mouth! Food was delicious as before, even the tempura is crisp yet non greasy. Hot miso soup and tea presented as soon as we sat down, so that was nice during rainy night. All in all, delicious food and great service, will return!

I have walked by this place many times. So decided to try it out the service was good. The food was…read moregood. I give it a four because the windows and the entrance of the door desperately needs a window cleaner! Inside the tables were clean.

Enjoying the smoked hamachi roll (5/5) and our Arctic roll (5/5) and it hit me that maybe this is…read morethe best sushi I've ever had. Pacific and Atlantic rolls are 4.5/5, as are the oysters, adjusting for price. Every plate is a work of art, and art is expensive. Seating is limited so if you have a party of 2, you have options, but there's only inside table for four. Service is attentive but if you're starving and they're packed, expect to wait a while for your order. Enjoy watching the other orders coming out and make notes for next time. Can't rush art!

I kept seeing and hearing about this place on TikTok and through word of mouth so I knew I had to…read morecome check this spot out when I had the chance and I was very satisfied. You can taste the freshness and quality of every ingredient they serve you with and the aesthetics of the food are also very nice to look at. The salad was legitimately one of the best salads I've ever had, every bite was flavorful fresh. I'd definitely recommend this place to everyone that asks for a good sushi spot to go to.

Wow! Both the taste and presentation blew me away. As someone who loves quirky ice cream flavors, I…read morereally appreciated the creativity the menu offered. We ordered the natsu yasumi roll, the riceless sakana special, mango tango roll, and the classic lion king roll. The natsu yasumi roll was one of our favorites, even though the shiso leaf flavor was quite forward. The purple rice was absolutely stunning, and each roll was vibrant and meticulously crafted. Everything looked just as impressive as it tasted. Not to mention, the rolls came out quickly despite the level of detail in the presentation. The 4.8 star rating is well deserved! Definitely worth the drive in the hills.

I'm surprised that I haven't written a review for Sakana in Kensington yet. My wife and I have…read morebeen coming here for a few years now and they have yet to disappoint us. Everything we have had has been fresh, delicious, and well presented. The sashimi, specialty rolls, baked rolls (cooked ingredients besides tobiko), nigiri, and vegan/vegetarian rolls have all been excellent. I like the purple rice they use (sushi rice mixed with black rice) as it helps them stand out in both flavor and healthy offerings. The service is consistently on point too. Our servers have always been very courteous, attentive, and hard working. I appreciate that they can offer this level of food and service in a casual environment. I heard that they opened up a location in Albany within the last year or so that we have yet to visit. They do a great job and we're looking forward to dining with them for years to come.

I've been a regular here for almost 10 years, and Jin-san has never disappointed. The quality of…read morethe fish he selects is consistently exceptional, and his omakase is one of the best values you'll find. I've brought many friends here over the years, and every single one has been just as impressed as I was on my first visit. This is the only place I go for omakase in the entire Bay Area. If you're looking for authentic, high-quality sushi and a true omakase experience, this is the place to go. Highly recommended.

Nestled in a corner, this is a nice quiet neighborhood Japanese restaurant, with some charm. It's…read morepretty pricy for what they offer, like having some macrel for in the omakase. So one starts to question if maybe it's cheaper to just order à la cart nigiri. I usually get the sea bass which has glass noodles, which is quite filling. The restaurant is quite small, and the tables are close together. So it's quite intimate. But service is very friendly and kindhearted. I had an interesting dessert with a crisp outer cracker and green tea ice cream, which vanilla crepe. Not so sweet either.

Actually made it to the berekley location for lunch and it was great! They only have counter seats…read moreand was surprised most of the people take it to go. They didnt rush us and allowed us to take our time so I was happy about that. It seems like most of the people are buying take out and I can see why. Service was pretty good and the sushi was really tasty. I wish they were more of a set down resturant with more tables but I can see why the setup is like this. There are just too many restaurants with too many competitions.

Brought my friend from Australia here yesterday and we both gave it a solid 10/10…read more Fresh sushi, beautiful presentation, and such a welcoming vibe. The chef was super kind and even gave us some complimentary sushi on the house, which honestly made our night.

Food was delicious…read more Service was great Would recommend this Japanese restaurant to anyone who wants authentic Japanese cuisine

Really Good Japanese ramen. A must try. Great service…read more Relaxing ambiance. Great for any size party and occasion.

Still all these decades later, Kirala meets the mark. We sat at the sake bar in the back with two…read morekids and it worked well. Service by Taka was great - attentive and quick. Only lag was when we ordered 2 nigiri at the end and it took a really long time but I think the sushi chefs lost the order or something. Delicious sukiyaki, chicken skewers, cold tofu, salmon rolls, hamachi sashimi, Ikura and uni, tuna and Ikura nigiri, and hamachi Kama (not sure why they charge $21 and then $7 for a large when it is two small dollars that came out though). Decent wine selection - Chardonnay was good. Restaurant itself is fairly loud, especially with a baby that kept crying. But it might have been crying because it was loud. Owners should consider the Constellation System by Meyer Sound to make the dining experience more enjoyable for patrons. As this is a longtime bastion of Japanese food in the Bay, they should really invest in the sound portion of their restaurant. Prices have gone up since the last time I was here but it's not totally unreasonable. Good quality food and service. Love this place.

Kirala isn't just another Japanese spot for us--it's a reminder of how far we've come. My wife used…read moreto only treat herself to Kirala when she was younger--on special occasions when a bonus check came in. Now, we get to dine here as a family, and that nostalgic treat feels all the more satisfying. Food (4 stars) + Ribeye teriyaki was a hit--tender, cooked to perfection, and the kids loved it! + Lamb chop was a standout--one piece, but perfectly grilled, juicy, and tender. I could eat 2 of these with a bowl of rice and it would be a hearty meal! + Chicken karaage was solid--crispy, good portion, and a nice appetizer. It's basically a Japanese version of chicken strips that is way better than nuggets. + Salmon sashimi for the kids never disappoints. ~ Chirashi bowl was fresh and filling, though standard compared to other spots. There was a lot of rice which if we knew that we probably would've skipped the extra bowl I ordered to eat with my lamb chops. For the somewhat premium pricing, I wish they provided fresh chopped wasabi. ~ Stuffed mushroom skewer was just okay--tasty but nothing special. I guess for mushrooms it does taste kinda like a chicken meatball which could be a good thing. Service/Ambiance (4 stars) + Attentive and thoughtful service, especially accommodating a broken foot. They let my family wait at the bar instead of standing. + Ambiance is that classic Japanese vibe, busy but comfortable. Maybe not high-end, but definitely a place that feels special--especially now that we can afford it!