Came here for a weekday dinner with a longtime Cal college friend. We decided we wanted to go a bit further than the downtown area that had too many students milling around and had too much of a student vibe. We're working professionals now, and we wanted to eat like it, lol! It's a small place, which made it feel intimate, and the waitress was SO NICE to us. We got udon, though I'd say the appetizers were more memorable. We got a sampler of skewers, and the bacon-wrapped mochi were definitely a hit. Cute little Japanese place in Gourmet Ghetto in Berkeley! read more

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I came in on a Sunday afternoon for lunch with some friends and we were greeted by the friendly ladies in the front. We were all craving sushi but this place did not satisfy our needs. I enjoyed the caterpillar roll but the raw fish on our nigiri combo wasn't the most fresh & left my stomach feeling queasy after I left the restaurant. The rice could have also been softer but it wasn't a dealbreaker. The miso soup was also a bit bland & didn't have tofu. Various tables inside with cozy ambiance on a rainy day along with a single stall bathroom. Not sure if I will be back again. read more

Ijo Izakaya - Super Nigiri Combo the tuna in the roll might have done something to my stomach, not fresh compared to the other cuts - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came on a Friday evening without reservation for 2. Service was quick and friendly. The restaurant was tiny but still spacious. We ordered cold sake, very different and tasty! First time having cold sake. The skewers were delicious but a bit dry for my preference. The char on the skewers are different, doesn't have that charcoal crispy grill. Chicken karaage was very dry and tough. Not much of a crunch from from the batter. Rice and raw octopus with wasabi was delicious, I really liked the nori with it. Sashi was good and fresh. Got a free mango mochi for dessert on the house. That was a nice touch to finish dinner at the end. read more

Ijo Izakaya - Chicken Karaage, steamed white rice, Shishito Peppers, 1/2 size Sashimi Moriawase (10pcs), chicken and pork belly skewers - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Small restaurant on Shattuck in Berkeley. It shares about a block long space with other dining places. There's outdoor seating. We sat inside as it was a little windy and found it to be quite cozy and chill. They weren't too busy. Our nice server promptly came with waters, and after a few minutes we ordered our food selections. We ordered two two-item bento boxes and other family ordered sushi rolls, skewers, agedashi tofu. We were hungry that I forgot to take pictures of some of the items! Food was delicious, staff was nice and love the ambiance. Ample street parking nearby. read more

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My usual favorite Japanese restaurant in the area was closed today so I came here for a quick take out dinner. I order salmon carpaccio and a 10 piece sashimi Moriwase which came with rice OMG! Most places serve sashimi without rice these days so I was shocked, but pleasantly surprised. The salmon carpaccio was pretty good, but the fish was decent. Good selection. I would definitely come back. Parking. Wasn't bad in the evening. Plenty of street parking. good service food was ready in less than 10 minutes. Definitely do over.! read more

We were visiting from SoCal and stopped in for lunch. There was something for everyone. My son loved the salmon rolls and salmon sushi. My daughter said her udon was really delicious and I enjoyed the tofu & avocado salad. The service was really nice, and they were very understanding of an antsy little boy causing trouble ;) they even gave us some complimentary strawberry mochi dessert. Very nice! read more

Ijo Izakaya - Tofu Avocado Salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Great food, clean place and great service. We ordered karage and ramen to try the basic Japanese food and it was good. Also try a tofu avocado salad. Overall a great place read more

Ijo Izakaya - Tofu Avocado Salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Ijo Izakaya was great! A lovely meal with my kid and we had the chirashi don, assorted skewers, and the miso cod, which was particularly tasty. The service was swift and attentive read more

Ijo Izakaya - Chirashi Don and assorted skewers! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Went to check out Ijo Izakaya on Monday evening during the happy hour. We got yellowtail carpaccio (fave!), aburi tuna nigiri (2nd fave), kushiyaki set, soft shell crab roll, & aburi salmon roll for 2 ppl. Portion is good & ingredients feels pretty fresh. A good neighborhood izakaya for date night read more

Ijo Izakaya - Soft Softshell Crab Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Updating my review to add updated menus and reviews for new dishes I tried! The poke salad was great - refreshing and tasty. I would reorder this one, it balances well with other dishes. The Katsu Don was also really good. Katsu was tender and the dish was well seasoned. Substantial portions too, which I always appreciate! One thing is they no longer give free mochi at the end anymore :( its ok though, still a great spot and I will be returning! read more

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The food was super good! The sashimi plate was very fresh! The cocktails, especially the matcholic and yuzu-kini were perfect! Glad I found this place! read more

Great staff, great food, great time!!!! Love the homey ambiance. Got the sashimi combo (yum), katsu don (also yum) and tempura mix (so freaking crispy and deliciouso) Thank you. read more

Ijo Izakaya is definitely a place you shouldn't underestimate. TONS of menu items and wide variety of options. Izakaya's are my favorite spots for getting many different Japanese bites. I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon and was sat immediately. Smaller restaurant but their food is large in flavor/quality. Staff was welcoming and always checking in on me. I ordered: Yellowtail Carpaccio Ikura (salmon roe) Eel Salmon Sashimi Dynamite Roll Everything was very fresh and good size portions. Ikura (salmon roe) can be very fishy but it was not fishy at all and I loved it. The eel was almost butter like and melted in my mouth. Really great quality all around and would highly recommend stopping by. read more

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Food: The food was mostly under salted and over cooked and the fish quality was not the best. We had the mentaiko cream udon and the broccoli that came with it was mushy. The rice was hard and cold. Would also avoid the tuna roll that came with the nigiri combo. Service: The service was normal. Ambiance: The ambiance was alright. Nothing stood out but the tables are covered in vinyl peel and stick paper. We came because the yelp page looked promising but it was an unfortunate experience, definitely didn't satisfy the sushi craving. read more

Fantastic and unique dinner. Great quality and so interesting. Everything was perfect! Happy hour goes till 7! Service was excellent! Fresh fish ! read more

this place is a small place for japanese food. To be honest, it didn't give me a very authentic japanese food feeling, especially when eating. What we got: lion king roll (4/5): it was pretty good but very expensive for not that much of a roll. the flavors were good and there was fish on too and the salmon on top was VERY big, but also the california roll in the inside wasn't that impressive nabeyaki udon (4/5): pretty solid udon, on the sweeter side but it was basically just napa cabbage, a few pieces of chicken, and udon. I personally just felt meh, ESPECIALLY because nabeyaki udon shoukd be served in a donabe or an iron pot and it was just in a bowl. kimchi cream udon (4/5): not very flavorful to be honest and just felt very creamy. it looked really good and the noodles were a good texture, but lacked kimchi or gochujang flavor tonkotsu udon (4/5): it was okay. the noodles were a bit softer than my liking, but also thinner than usual ramen noodles. it was okay and the soup wasn't very special. katsu don (4/5): it was good but just like a normal katsu don, nothing special. read more

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Not sure if there's been a recent change if ownership, but the restaurant was dead at lunch hour, we were the only ones there. The food was nothing special, price is ok, menu also changed from what's being posted. We had gyudon, geso-kara, yaki-corn (best out of 4 items tried, but also like other postings said, they forgot all the toppings, just got grilled corn), and shishito peppers (it wasn't just grilled, was tossed with garlic). Restaurant is Chinese owned, and the server did not speak ANY English. She finally went and got the manager to come take the orders. Overall, it's a ok restaurant if you dont have any other options, but we went there seeing the good reviews, not at all what the reviews states. So we were a little disappointed. read more

Ijo Izakaya - Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Came here with my rather large group of housemates for an end of the semester celebration. We made a reservation for their outdoor dining beforehand. The portions here are quite small (it's Izakaya, after all), so we ending up ordering a ton of food. The waitress did a great job handling our group and all of our orders! The food was pretty good and the fish tasted fresh. My favorite was the volcano roll; the presentation was beautiful, and the crunch of the tempura adds a nice contrast to the texture! However, a few of the rolls weren't as neatly presented, which is part of the reason I'm giving four stars instead of five. Overall, quite satisfied with my visit here, and would come again! read more

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I had lunch there recently and the food is really good! They have a good bento box that they serve all day! I love the pot stickers but they run out the last time I was there! This made me disappointed but I still gave you five stars what brand of pot stickers do you carry it will be nice to know! Thanks, Cheryl Davis read more

I came to Ijo Izakaya with a friend for a quick lunch to catch up. They were one of the only decent looking sushi spots in the area that was actually opened at this time. Parking is mostly paid parking/street parking, but it is hit or miss around here. We were one of the only ones in here, so it was kind of slow and there was not much service. I ordered usual - the salmon nigiri and salmon roll, while my friend ordered a few different of their deep fried and grilled items - I believe it was the chicken, peppers, and tofu. I thought my sushi was alright, it tasted kind of bland with no real salmon taste, it tasted more like rice and soy sauce with some rubbery fish to go with it. My friend enjoyed her food, hence the 3 stars, instead of the 2 stars. I recommend getting some of their non-sushi items because that is what they are known for. read more

so calming, great service, lovely sushi Get the miso soup or seaweed salad Haven't tried the main entrees, but the sushi made a happy tummy ! read more

I've coming here for years now and there's always great service, food, and vibes. Also have a great happy hour.

Izakaya's charm, Yakitori fresh, flavors dance, Decent, yet delights. - haiku reviews read more

Honestly one of the best staffs that I've had the pleasure of being served by. The food is absolutely amazing! I rec the kimchi cream udon.

Popped by on a random Sunday afternoon for a quick lunch with a friend, and we both absolutely loved this place! It has such a cozy, hole-in-the-wall vibe, and the waitress was so friendly and helpful. We ordered the tofu teriyaki + California roll lunch special, chicken katsu + hamachi lunch special, and the kushiyaki (grilled skewers). Everything was so good, and there wasn't a single miss. The tofu was agedashi style and seasoned just right, and the California roll was delicious too (and packed w/ ingredients). One highlight was the pork belly skewer- two thick slices marinated in this brown sweet/salty sauce - so so good!! I tried my friend's katsu and that was really yummy too. Overall a very solid lunch spot and would love to come here again! read more

Ijo Izakaya - Lower: Tofu teriyaki + California roll lunch special Middle: Kushiyaki Upper: Katsu + Hamachi lunch special - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Nothing is off the charts amazing; but nothing disappointed either. Japanese tapa's! Service is efficient and friendly. I liked the octopus best. Wait maybe the shishito peppers... That just it. We couldn't decide where or what to eat. So Ijo was a great compromise, Bae got udon and I got a bunch of appetizers. Perfect combination of small bites , washed down with Kirin on happy hour. Dog friendly outside seating, nothing pretentious or overpriced. Solid neighborhood spot! read more

The rolls are so good here! The volcano roll, sexy roll, & chikaten rolls are my favorite. The gyoza and hamachi tataki are also really tasty. The service is also really great and the servers are very nice. Nice atmosphere too :) read more

Beautiful, tasty, and affordable! The food reminded me of my trip to Japan, one of my fondest memories.

Had the pork Katsudon and although a little salty, it tasted great! Super fulfilling! Decent pricing to portion ratio as well!

It was great service and excellent food I still remember this spot after 4 years. Going back soon now that I have found it again read more

Tried the Salmon Roll and Sexy Roll, both were great. Very helpful staff and nice atmosphere, would come again!

Okay restaurant. Not at all the classy atmosphere I was expecting. The people seemed nice but at the same time, clueless. We ordered the kimchi udon and stated no seaweed. The waitress comes back later with the udon and some seaweed. We told her we already stated no seaweed and she only said "oh" and went back into the kitchen to replace it. But I do like how they offer free edamame appetizer with a yelp check in! We also ordered their salmon roll. In my opinion, the rice was a bit hard and a bit below room temperature. If I do come back, I will not get their sushi again. Especially since my wasabi came with a bug in it! But I did not complain about that since I didn't plan on eating the wasabi. One thing that bothered me at the restaurant was how they had two tubs on the floor stacked with tableware. Seemed like they just dumped everything into it maybe to wash all at once. But at one point, the same waitress went over to place more dirty dishes on top. Of course that isn't the brightest idea since a plate fell from the mound and broke to pieces. It wasn't until the restaurant was closing that someone in the back placed both tubs onto a cart and moved them somewhere else. Come on! At least don't let your customers see this. I won't be coming back because of the price for the quality of the food. Not worth it. read more

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Has not disappointed! Yes, it was a bit cold inside but I'm not taking a star away because our server remembered all of our preferences. Service was efficient, the ocha (tea) had rice in it, portions are a good size, and we didn't feel rushed. Everything we ordered tasted great - I'll definitely be back! This is great for a regular, local izakaya. The prices are fair and the food is consistent. If you're looking for a fancy Japanese spot to visit once a month or on special occasion, this probably isn't going to fill that need for you. Japanese izakaya are on par with British pubs - they aren't meant to be fancy. Pro tip: get the hotate carppaccio -- scallops topped with some sorta smokey magical goodness. I have not yet been able to find a place that can top this dish. The texture is wonderful, they've always been flavored perfectly with a nice, smooth finish. It's just...and I'm not even a big scallop eater! We did order them but I had to made a life decision: pull out my phone for a pic or enjoy one before my friends took them all. read more

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Best sushi in Berkeley! Great ambience, solid portions for the rolls, amazing service and good prices for a nice out! Carpacio scallops were so rich and the staff are very kind! read more

We ordered sashimi salad and fish was in good potion and fresh. Oyster fries came with sweet sour souse. Authentic way to eat it is more with tonkatsu sause so we asked for it and got it. Chirashi fish was also in good portion too. Overall our experience was positive, even though we could tell this was not truly authentic. One downside: the receipt contained one item we did not order, so we pointed it out to them. Since we already paid through an app, then realized it, she gave me a cash back. But in the amount of the item. I needed to explain that we also paid tax and 18% tip too on top of the item and get the proper refund. She was nice but still it made me puzzle why this has happened to begin with and why we needed to explain it to them. read more

I was craving ramen, but, knowing that this place is a sushi place, I had low expectations for the ramen. They only have the tonkotsu option for ramen. It took a bit of time for the ramen, but their lunch specials came out pretty fast. For their lunch specials, you can choose two things from either list A and/or B. The tonkotsu ramen was much different from other ramens I've had; it resembled instant ramen more. If you're familiar with Korean Gomtang instant noodles, the ramen tasted like that but with black pepper instead of white pepper. The noodles were not the usual yellow wavy noodles, but more of a straight rice noodle type. I give it an overall 2/5 for taste and price, because it costs about the same as most ramen but did not compare to the deep broth flavors you'd expect. We also ordered a lunch special with salmon teriyaki and California roll. The salmon was kind of small, but with the addition of salad, rice, and miso soup, it wasn't a bad deal for around ~$13. Staff was friendly and the interior was beautiful, but I would give this lunch experience a 3.5/5 (if I could). This rating is mostly based on the food (taste and proportions). On the plus side, if you check in, you can get a free side of edamame (with garlic)! read more

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Had yellowtail carpaccio and that was very fresh and delicious. Place is very clean and cute and service is fast but patient. I changed my mind at the last minute because I didn't realize the menu had two sides but they humored me. read more

good price and rly liked the seared hotate and nice sushi appetizers. skewers were ok. read more

Ijo Izakaya - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Most of the food is good , some are misses. To start: take wasabi - yes, yes, yes! Really good and the portions are generous. Fried octopus was fresh and nice. We didn't like hotate scallop , because they just poured mayo all over it. Ugh, who does it to the Hokkaido ones!! But then they fixed it with Hamachi Kama, the cheek was perfectly cooked, fresh and the sauce was amazing. All in all - an amazing neighborhood izakaya. Maybe not worth a drive from SF, but if you're here - it's a good place to visit. read more

Even though there's a fair amount of traffic on this block of the Gourmet Ghetto, it's pretty easy to overlook this relatively nondescript Japanese eatery that bills itself as an izakaya. It really doesn't give off the informal social gathering vibe that would make it a true izakaya like you'd find in a Yasujiro Ozu movie where the characters would get loose-lipped over a bottle of sake. It's also competing against a much livelier Japanese restaurant, Kamado Sushi (review: http://bit.ly/2JJYUHf) and the very non-Japanese Saul's...oy , such crowds waiting outside (review: http://bit.ly/2JNISw6). Jamie W. and I gave it a try on an early Sunday evening and started with a couple of sushi rolls. We ordered the $7 Alaska Roll with salmon and avocado (photo: http://bit.ly/2JqtupP) and the $6 Spicy Tuna Roll (photo: http://bit.ly/2JI6rWY). They were alright, shrug-worthy really. Somewhat better was the $8 Chicken Karaage because after all, who doesn't like fried chicken bites dipped in mayo or excuse me, spicy mayo (photo: http://bit.ly/2JHWskm)? The $5 Garlic Soy Edamame delighted but the bar was low on that one (photo: http://bit.ly/2JRbPaa). The biggest disappointment, however, came with the $15 Hamachi Kama because it was overcooked to the point of being burnt (photo: http://bit.ly/2JNINZk). It also didn't help that we heard a hacking cough coming from the kitchen. Oy, maybe we should've done for some pastrami next door. FOOD - 3 stars...just OK except for that burnt yellowtail AMBIANCE - 3 stars...kinda generic, not that social SERVICE - 3.5 stars...somewhat industrious TOTAL - 3 stars...truly middling izakaya fare RELATED - Looking for other dining options in Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2CbVh8u read more

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