Love this place. Been several times. The staff is very friendly and the food is excellent.

Very very sweet lady running cashier. perhaps owner. Small lagoon but a few tables and bar seating. I got the steak it comes with rice and edamame and a pickled cabbage salad. the salad is cold and refreshing with a bit of brightness from the pickled flavor but not super vinegar. I got the meat med rare and it was yummy. they have a few grab n go things like japanese pickled veg, kimchi, edamame, salad, baked sweet potato and more. also lots of drinks. went at lunch time weekday and waited 15? read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - steak - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

It's a tad pricey, but alas, fresh, healthy food is hard to come by these days. In an effort to make 2024 the year my health takes priority, I need to do a little less eating out, and the struggle is real. However, with Genji, lunch takeout isn't a detriment to that goal. While you may not be wowed by immense flavor, I chalk that up to hopefully lack of salt and high caloric sauces. This spot is known for its fresh, made to grill, teriyaki plates - pick your protein, it comes with rice, edamame and a little salad. It's all freshly grilled to order and you can see that it seemingly is a Japanese couple that runs and owns the place. I went with the salmon and prawn combo plate which was about $23. A small, but completely adequate amount of salmon with a handful of prawns on a bed of white rice (brown rice is additional). It was crowded on a Tuesday at lunch time and the wait was about 15ish minutes, so if you're in a rush, this may not be the spot, although it looks like you can call ahead to put your order in. Overall, healthy, fresh and delicious. In a world that is seemingly being catered to fried and saucy dishes, this is the opposite. read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - New menu and prices - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

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Food was amazing, the first time I try Japanese food & definitely I'll try it again. Service was awesome as well Simple menu, cheap & delicious food stop by, don't think twice. Ambiance was calm and great I love this place 10/10 read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Chicken Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

My pleasure coming to Genji for lunch in the past 20 years. Friendly family run business. Authentic Japanese food, my regular chicken and salmon are always cooked to the perfection. Make sure you try their small dishes by the refrigerator, they make me feel like eating on Tokyo street. read more

Genji is a mom and pop shop run by the sweetest husband and wife and their trusty chef. Each order is prepared with the utmost care, and you can tell from the quality and flavors of the food. My go-to is their salmon teriyaki, and it has yet to disappoint! They plate each of their meals with a Japanese slaw vinaigrette and edamame, making it a perfectly balanced meal that I always clean my plate for. They have a nice, clean, well-lit space with about 5 tables or so, but I would recommend calling in your order ahead of time whether you plan on eating in or taking out. They're popular with the lunch crowd, so orders can take about 15 minutes to prepare. Please show them some love! Fresh, fast, healthy Japanese food is hard to come by. read more

On days I'm too lazy to make and bring lunch, takeout becomes a fun treat. As there are quite a few Japanese options in the area, this place came up as one I haven't tried before. Pick up for lunch was quick and simple, everything was bagged up very securely in a paper bag (folded and stapled shut as well). There is a parking structure across the ways, but parking outside isn't all too hard to find. Inside, there isn't too much seating available but that's what makes this place the ideal lunch pick up spot. The menu was a little simple than what I'm used to, but this seems nice for an easy simple lunch. I ordered a teriyaki chicken and beef combo (that comes with edamame and a coleslaw like salad). It was a good sized portion for the price, it's a bit more than 1 meal for me (1 meal and an afternoon snack to finish up). I did order medium rare for the beef, but it was more towards medium well - but wasn't all too overcook. I have to emphasize this is a lighter taste of a meal as the teriyaki sauce was very light on the meats, mostly just soaked into the rice nicely. The chicken has a nice sear and wasn't dry even after walk back to the office. It's not what I typically expect from a bento box meal, but I just can't stop saying how much I like the simplicity of it (light flavors of a hearty meal, makes my tummy happy when I don't feel like something hearty/greasy/cheesy). The edamame was a little salty and soft to me. As for the coleslaw, vinegary cabbage mix- it was perfect to add to a bite of meat and rice or on it's own as a bit... I'd like a container of this alone to snack on. I also have to note that the rice was really nice, not too soft but enough with the sauce soaked in for a good bite. Final Thoughts: Portion and price wise - I'm definitely ordering again for lunch; feels like a nice healthy, hearty meal. read more

Prime lunch spot for whenever I'm in the office. I love getting the salmon teriyaki with prawns. Given the weekday lunch rush, their service keeps up with their loyal crowd. Bright and airy dining space with good, reliable plates! read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Salmon Teriyaki with a side of prawns - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

I just tried this place and the food is great. Simple, clean and cheap. Great customer service and clean restaurant space.

Great place to come with friends! had a nice time and great drinks. Get the sparkling sake!

The food here is always on delicious and perfectly cooked - the family that runs it has the best recipes. They remembered me after 3 years of being away! Between the food, service and dining area with natural light you can't go wrong. Go to Genji! Support this local spot! read more

I live close and found Genji during the pandemic. They are so friendly and offer delicious BBQ chicken and seafood at a decent price. When I walk in they know my order! I love that. read more

Love coming here for lunch. The owners are really nice the food is fresh and delicious. I usually order the chicken and steak plate and everything on the plate is a perfect balance, the steak and chicken has light teriyaki sauce and still tasty, coleslaw is really refreshing and has a nice zing to it and the edamame nice lightly boiled. Perfect lunch plates read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - 1. Chicken and Beef Teriyaki Combo - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

I like Genji. I mean I like almost every Japanese restaurant in the area, but what separates Genji is the focus on more healthy and fresh options. Don't get me wrong, the pork katsu curry from Bhugay's I think about ordering every week, but fried pork isn't exactly the healthiest option. Neither is the fried chicken from Aburaya. So sometimes you need to grab some grilled teriyaki chicken in light sauce over rice with a side salad and edamami to counter that pizza you had the other day. They've always had teriyaki dishes, combinations, and salads, as well as some maki and nigiri. With Covid some of the sushi options run out quick every day, but again the grilled dishes are solid for a healthy option. On my recent trip, they had a special combo: 3 oz of chicken teriyaki, 3 grilled prawns, 3 salmon gyoza, edamame, salad, and rice for $12. Honestly not a bad deal for the variety. Again, they use light sauce here, so don't expect anything to be covered is sweet, syrupy teriyaki sauce. Rather enough to flavor the chicken and season the rice. Also something to not skip is the fridge selection. Offering some great premade items, a number of which are vegan, and at around $3 a pop can get you some nice appetizer or snack sides on the cheap. I tried the burdock and it was really good. On aside, I really like this little corner of Downtown, Franklin and 19th: Aroma Cafe, Genji, Bay Fung Tong, Falafel Boy, Coco Cafe. A lot of diversity in food options that I'd probably hit up if I was a bit closer. read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Combo Special menu - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

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I ordered the salmon salad and a drink. I paid almost $20 and I got 3 small pieces of salmon and very little salad. I was not impressed. This was my first time here and I thought it would a lot more food for the money I paid. NOPE. I will not be returning. Oh I'm still hungry. read more

Over priced & over hyped. Downtown Oakland is losing its spice. This place is clean! So that's a plus. The food is over priced and unflavored. The Teriyaki sauce also lacks flavor, and is thinned down. We got 3 meals which came up to $54! I ordered the prawn & salmon combo which comes with some sort of slaw and edamame. This meal was worth about $12 tops. It didn't have any flavor. I do like how the meat is grilled. Other than that, I could make this at home. Parking is a nightmare but lots of people walk here for lunch if they work by. Overall, if you have $20 to spend on bland food, then by all means try it out. read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - The menu - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

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I didn't take a picture of my food but I've ordered the chicken and salmon teriyaki plate which was surprisingly really good! I say surprisingly because the presentation wasn't the best, however, the flavor was 100% there. Definitely recommend coming here on your lunch! They also have choices of sides such as kimchi, radish, fish cake, etc. I haven't tried those yet but definitely will on my next trip there! read more

Genji is a simplistic and clean restaurant that offers teriyaki chicken, beef, prawns, and salmon. There was also a fridge section where the restaurant sells pre-made poke bowls. I ordered the teriyaki chicken and salmon combination, which came with a side of white rice, edamame, and sliced cabbage. The chicken and salmon were cooked and seasoned good. For the price, I wish I had gotten a bit more food; I was still hungry after my lunch. If you're looking for a healthy meal that come in healthy portion sizes, then I recommend. read more

Fresh food made with quality ingredients! My buddy David and I hit up Genji today for a quick lunch. Genji is located on Franklin Street next to Bay Fung Tong Tea House. It is kind of hard to spot since there's no signage outside. But you should be able to the big orange logo through the glass windows. We walked in at around 11:45am and it wasn't too busy, as the rain probably kept some people away. The interior was clean, bright, and minimally decorated. There were about six small tables for dine-in customers. Despite calling themselves a "restaurant", there's no waiter server here. You order at the counter and wait for them to call you when your food is ready. The menu consisted mostly of teriyaki boxes, sushi, sashimi, and salads. David and I ordered the following: - Marinated Angus Steak Teriyaki ($10.25) - Chicken Teriyaki ($9) - Shake-Avo Futomaki (5 pieces of salmon avocado roll, $6.75) - Unagi Nigiri (2 pieces of grilled eel sushi, $5) Our food was made to order and was ready in about 10 minutes. The owner called out our order and we picked it up at the cash register area. The teriyaki boxes came with edamame and a small amount of pickled vegetables. The meat sat atop of a small bed of rice, garnished with some thinly sliced green onions. The portions were on the small side. The grilled Angus steak was fantastic! It was cooked medium and was very tender. The beefy flavor was very rich and flavorful I also tried some of David's chicken. It was also grilled to perfection. It tasted organic (unlike the chicken you get at your local supermarket) and was moist and succulent. The teriyaki sauce had a subtly sweet taste and did not overshadow the chicken. The Shake-Avo Futomaki was very good. All the ingredients were fresh. My only complaint was they only put a little bit of wasabi in the box. Personally, I like wasabi so it was a bit disappointing. The unagi nigirl was the best I've had in a long time! Two good size pieces of grilled eel sushi served warm. I loved the fact that the outside edges of the eel were a bit crispy while the center was tender. Kudos to the chef for an excellent job of grilling! Overall, I thought Genji's food was outstanding. I took a star off because of the small portions. But what can I say? I'm a big eater! Just a note to the budget conscious, be selective on your choices or you will end up spending $30 easy for lunch. Other than that, I highly recommend Genji to you all! BONUS MATERIAL: - Lunch only M-F. - Cater service available. - Major credit cards accepted. - Street and garage parking only. read more

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This place has become my favorite lunch spot in Oakalnd. The food is always fresh and cooked perfectly. The staff is friendly and welcoming. I usually go for the Teriyaki chicken or salmon plate. The protien is usually served with some salted edamame and vinegared cabbage. It's a perfect combination of sweet and savory. Definitely give this place a try. I'd post a pic but I ate all my food haha. I will definitely be back. read more

I have been a customer of Genji for about a year now. I work in the area and few of my co-workers and I have come here multiple times to get mainly the teriyaki chicken. For one the portions are small compared to the cost of the food. Service has not been consistent with pricing and food quality. I recently had lunch from Genji that did not end well as I was treated very poorly once I paid for my food. I my container without a bag which was the second time that this happened recently. Which was weird because everyone else that had ordered food was already in a bag. When I asked for a bag the same lady that is always at the counter got an attitude and said that at grocery stores you have to pay for a bag. I then proceeded to ask for a bag and she had such a terrible attitude as if I didn't just spend $18 for a small plate of chicken. The sauce is so watery and gross, provide barely any veggies. I will no longer be a customer of this restaurant. This was the last straw!!! NEVER AGAIN! Terrible customer service read more

Very good food and friendly staff! Spacious enough to dine in with a group. I stop by every chance I get

Love how I can get some fresh handmade simple maki rolls at Genji when it is mainly a teriyaki rice plate spot. My usual go-to is miso soup with a sake avo or unagi avo maki. They also have tuna and hamachi sometimes. Their sushi is only served Tues-Fri I think. I have tried their unagi rice plate and it was yummy also, but when I need something light, I go for their a la carte rolls. The lady who works there is super sweet and professional too. read more

For weeks, I've been walking past this restaurant on various occasions on my way to and from other eateries. I decided today to stop by and order something. I first looked at the menu. My first impression: It was pretty standard lunch menu for a Japanese restaurant. . The food was competitively priced for the area. They have the usual selections of teriyaki, combination plates, sushi, and some salads you'd expect. From my perspective, this is very standard and nothing stood out as unique. The restaurant is very plain. Maybe about eight small tables that can hold four people each. No decorations on the wall to make it feel Asian. This is certainly an area to improve on. Maybe that's why it was easy to walk past it before - it did not stand out from the outside. I ordered my food, and it was ready within five minutes. I ordered the beef teriyaki dish from the grill. You're given the choices of having the meat rare, medium, or well done. I chose medium. Having beef cooked medium typically means a little bit of pink on the inside. There was no pink on the inside whatsoever. It was cooked all the way through. This wasn't what I was expecting. However, the beef was very tender, not tough, and flavorful. The beef was served over rice, which was soaked all the way through with teriyaki sauce. For some, this may be an issue; however, this was just fine for me because I like sauce on my rice. On the side were small servings of edamame and salad. In my opinion, the serving was a little bit smaller than I would've hoped for. I was still hungry afterwards, but I am a big eater. That said, for an $11-$15 fresh lunch served within five minutes, this is a nice, convenient place to eat once in a while. Too expensive to eat here regularly, though, and not be full. read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Beef teriyaki from the grill - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

Expensive rice bowls. The cheapest options are the pre-made bowls and the sushi, but those aren't very filling. Service is good and it's a clean spot, but there can be a wait during business lunch hours. read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

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$16 chirashi bowl: Rice is over seasoned (too vinegary), 5 thin slices of ahi, 3 decreasing sized pieces of hamachi, 4 decreasing sized pieces of salmon, 2 slices of avocado, some cucumber. The fish looked beautiful but all of them - including the salmon - was really fishy. I actually had to eat more rice to fish to have the vinegar overpower the fishiness (which btw I eat a lot of sushi and don't mind raw fish, but these did not taste very fresh). Small bowl and definitely not worth 16$! That's how much you might pay at a regular sushi spot, won't be coming back here again, which is too bad cuz the place was cute and the lady was very nice. They seem to have their regulars and treat them well. So sad. read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Chirashi bowl. Not worth it. - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

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Everything about this place is very simple. From the dish itself, the menu and the restaurant setting inside. There are about 5 teriyaki combos: chicken, beef, prawn, veg and I don't recall the other. You can also get these as salsas so instead of rice, you get lettuce with the protein. Price ranges $10-$18. The picture attached is the teriyaki chicken salad. Basically had lettuce, carrots, chicken, some rice noodles and peanuts. I really liked the flavor of the chicken. The dressing was pretty good too. I think it was some kind of sesame vinaigrette. I wish they were more generous on the veggies! read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

Awful food, no flavor. The shrimp and chicken were literally just thrown on the grill. Awful taste, poorly cooked and way overpriced. I would highly discourage this place. read more

I love eating here. Everythings really delicious and i wish they were open longer. Great place to eat. read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Prawn Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

It's still open!!! I hadn't been in the office for over a year and this is the place I'd go at least once a week for lunch. So it was my first choice for a place to eat when I came back to the office today. Wen recognized me when I came in and said, "the usual?" like no time has passed at all. She's always very nice. For me the usual is the Teriyaki Chicken rice plate. Usually, at other places, Teriyaki is too sweet for me, but this chicken is grilled and more savory than sweet. I love it! It tastes so fresh and I feel so good after eating it: I'm full, energized and not weighed down. I missed this place and I hope they stay in business, so please support them. read more

That was horrible. You can't taste the teriyaki. The chicken was smelly. The edemame was overcooked. And the portion sizes are small. The miso soup is good at least, it's made with white miso. read more

Very fresh and good dishes, known for many years. Miss them for lunch as I, like many others it seems, no longer go to an office. Pls support if you are in the area. Hang in there. read more

Genji has the look of an hole in the (white) wall. on a casually walk by. prepped foods in friq. short menu on board with seats nearby. ambience doesn't match the splendor of dining in the Rotunda. offerings: futomaki, hisomake, nigiri, chirashi, sashim, bonburi, etc. eats: poke premade (5.99.. 4oz?) spicy +1 -"tuna, hawaiian sea salt, green onion, sweet onion, marin, sesame oil". sea salt overpowdered all subtle flavors, gooeyness tasty -tasted fresh. 3.5 stars take outs: -3 sushi places within a block, a food fight has already started post 1 p.m. -Genju has the higher end look, others just cheap take out with minor or no decor. read more

Decided to wander a bit on our lunch and decided to pay Genji a visit. Genji is as reflective as the Japanese culture I grew up with: simple and minimalist. Aligning culture with modernity and ever expanding Uptown Oakland, this new eatery bears promise to the denizens of local area businesses. Menu is simple: rice entrees and salads. The flip side of the menu reflects a sparse but good smattering of main sushi nigiri items, such as maguro, hamachi, and salmon nigiri. They also carry futomaki, which depending on what type of Japanese restaurant you were brought up with, either never existed or existed. You now know them as the ridiculously large and colorful sushi rolls that are delivered amped up beyond recognition and drizzled in all types of sauces known to man. These types of rolls do not exist in Japan so it was nice to see them offering basic Japanese fare. The cold space off the side held basics that I would see quite frequently when visiting my grandparents back in the day: Hijiki, Gobo Kimpira, seaweed salad, edamame, and on the lower rack, they even had small donburi and bento boxes to-go. They even had small rounds of poke takeaway! For those seeking traditional style Japanese fare, Genji is the new welcome spot. read more

Genji Japanese Restaurant - Chicken teriyaki salad lunch-to-go - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

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I dunno about this place. I mean, it's nice inside. The people here are nice. It's fresh. The people are nice. Ha Ok, so there menu is limited, im sure on purpose. But for $9, you get a plate of teriyaki chicken on a bed of rice with some small sides. The quantity is just barely enough to see the sign in your belly saying "ok, I'm satisfied, stop eating now." Almost there, but not quite. Sad, seeing as you just dropped $10. That said, the chicken pieces were very tasty. And someone crisp. It was good. Very good actually. But this aint no fine dining joint where it's presentation over quantity (man do I hate those places). In conclusion, it's your call if you come here. I can think of better places to go. Sorry. read more

Great service, smiles, and options! One of my favorite quick and healthy spots to eat downtown!

I don't normally give five stars, but after my first visit there I couldn't find a reason to knock any off and will definitely be back. Order: Unagi Nigiri Negi-Hama Hosomaki From the Grab and Go: Poke Seaweed Salad Total: $18.99 (but that's a lot of stuff, and it's sushi, so although not cheap, I'd say fair for the area and cuisine) I eat sushi a lot and know the difference between fresh and tasty and not. The fish and unagi were tasty and fresh. The unagi was better than most places because they actually grill it, vs heating it up under a broiler. It was grilled to order so it took a little while but it was worth the wait! That kiss of flame really resulted in superior texture (firm yet delicate) and bumped up the taste. I'm definitely getting some more unagi next time I visit. They offer it as a meal with rice, edamame, and veggies as well as in a salad. The negi-hama was rolled well with a perfect ratio of fish to rice. The size was well-suited for the price ($5 vs the bigger rolls price of 6.50+). The poke was balanced well between the mirin which cut the richness of the sesame and fish and was all complimented by the fresh green and sweet onions. It was heavily seasoned but not too much salt for my taste and I would say it brought the whole dish together. I would have gotten the spicy but couldn't understand why it was $1 more. These are found in the grab-and-go case, and there weren't many which is nice since I noticed the woman working there restocked some items as I was there - meaning what's there is in fact fresh. The seaweed salad was a bit better than most, not as greasy and lacked some of that cardboard flavor I've had in other places. It was a lot of food for one person, but I knew that going in and wanted to sample a bunch of different things. Popular orders while I was there were the chicken teriyaki meal and salad. The place was clean, the woman behind the counter was friendly, the food was fresh and tasty and I won't knock them for slightly higher prices considering the quality and location. What more could you ask for? Will I be back with some friends next time. You betcha! read more

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Fantastic food, clean space and super reasonable prices. Having worked for the owner over 20 years ago, I can tell you that the food is top quality and always has been. An Oakland gem!! read more

Awesome japanese food cooked by great friendly people! I've been here twice now and between me and coworkers tried: - Beef & Chicken Teriyaki Combo - Unagi - California Rolls - Seaweed Salad - Cookies (Walnut & Praline) The chicken is amazing. Mary's Organic cooked with the skin; juicy and tender. The beef was good but I ordered medium rare and it got a little overcooked. Not a huge deal. The Unagi was fantastic! Just melted in your mouth, wow! I would order that the next time. Then lastly the cookies were great. Perfect mid afternoon snack. The combos came with edamame and a small salad. Both were excellent and just the right size. What is nice is you only get enough sauce and it isn't super sweet and carb heavy so your left feeling gross after. The portion is just the right size. I love the new restaurant. It is clean, high ceilings, lots of light. The service is also super fast for lunch and the only reason it isn't 5 starts is it is a little pricy for lunch and lack of brown rice. If they lowered prices 20% and had a brown rice option I would be eating here 3 times a week. read more

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This is my favorite spot to grab lunch! The staff are amazing and so kind The food is consistently fresh and I highly recommend this restaurant. read more