I happen to love takoyaki, those octopus balls from Osaka. I used to frequent Musashi on Dwight…read morebecause they made a great takoyaki but they stopped dinner service this year and my octopus dish is not offered at lunch. I tried some other places but kept looking. When I found Masa Ramen Bistro and their takoyaki I thought I was set for life. Well, for a few years. But now they are closed!!!! I cannot find out why and my heart is broken

Brief summary: - Good portions - fills up more than its…read moreappearance - Liked the equal balance of the broth and noodles with protein - Close to Trader Joe's - Indoor seating Ramen is a dish that has started sprouting in Berkeley, and this is one of them .I decided to go there for dinner with the family before heading to the Trader Joe's across the street to stock up on groceries. We entered a few minutes before peak dinner times, so there were seats to choose and sit from. By the time we left, mostly all the seats were filled up, so I would suggest coming in early. I liked the naming for each of the ramen dishes, some I recognized the names from Hawai'i. For this round, we ordered 3 different types of ramen: the Kuni, Broke da Mouth, and the Miso Hungry. These orders also came around the same time. A notable elements I liked about the ramen was that the noodles were chewy and springy, and the broth was smooth and easy to drink. I also didn't have the urge to drink lots of water either, so the seasoning was perfect. The other element was that I got to enjoy the ramen's broth and noodles as the stars of the dish, and the proteins, like the pork were supporting roles. For me, what I enjoy ramen are the broth and noodles, so I'm happy that these are prominent in the dish, rather than me having other chow down a thick slab of pork. This restaurant hit the right marks for what a delicious ramen is for me, so I'll come back, and maybe try their other broths.

Delicious ramen, but takes time for the food to come out…read more We came for lunch on a Sunday, a big group of about 10 people. The interior is spacious so they seated us with no issue. The menu is extensive and has a lot of great options. However, our food took over 30 minutes to come out, with the ramen coming out first, then buns, then sushi rolls. Since we were on a time crunch, a few of us either had to rush eat our dish or take it to-go. This was a bummer, but I would definitely come again to enjoy the food at a more preferable pace. The prices were also reasonable. Parking is as expected around campus - street metered parking. There is a restroom inside for customers.

The Hakata style ramen here at Ippudo is pretty solid. In case you are not familiar, hakata style…read moreramen is a thinner noodle than typical ramen. The ramen has a nice chew and the tonkatsu broth is really good without being overly salty which can be the case with many tonkotsu broth. Today I ordered the Akamaru Modern which for $2 includes a few drops of garlic oil and some umami paste. Was it worth the $2? Probably not but decided the splurge a little. The pork loin chashu was a bit bland though and had maybe 3 slices. To me, the biggest disappointment is that the ramen dish did not even come with an egg which is an additional $3 add on. After all the extra costs, ended up paying $22 for a bowl of ramen and that does not include the added tip on top of that. At least you can self serve sides like bean sprouts or pickles to add to your ramen. Definitely recommend the mildly spicy bean sprouts! The interior is modern and large and service is average. Just gave me my glass of water, took my order, and gave me my bill. No water refill.

We discovered this fun little Izakaya (Japanese social eatery) when coming into town for the…read moreLadytron show at the UC Theater on busy Saturday night on University Avenue and we are glad that we decided to give it a try. It was conveniently located across the street from the venue, and the unassuming outside of the restaurant did not hint at the amount of fun, ambiance, good food, and warm hospitality contained inside. First, there is the name. Not sure if it's some sort of play on words, secret joke, or if it's someone's actual name, but it works, kinda. It's kinda a restaurant, kinda a bar, kinda of a hangout, and kinda fun. The tiny entrance and plain facade reveals a bustling world of delicious food, tasty beverage, and lots of decorative eye candy to keep you looking around the space while you are hanging out with friends, on a date, or just relaxing after a long day. The decorations there are very upbeat, eclectic, fun, and distinctly Japanese pop culture. Posters, banners, flags, lanterns, toys, and trinkets can be found all over the restaurant, and made it fun to keep looking around and discover new novel things to look at. I did feel like I was in an authentic Izakaya somewhere in Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Ebisu in Tokyo. The place had a lot of personality & personal flair in an otherwise, tiny & industrial small warehouse type space. Service was excellent. The host was the cute & personable Mina, who couldn't have been more accommodating, patient, friendly, and engaging. It was very busy, and even though it was our first time there, Mina made us feel welcome into their home and was also very helpful to guide us around their experience. The other staff were less engaging, but still professional, efficient, and polite. Service was quick, attentive, and friendly on all accounts, and they as a team, managed to serve an entire full house of hungry & happy patrons during the entire Saturday night dinner rush. Fun place with a good staff. We opted for Izakaya-type, shared small plates to satisfy our hunger cravings without getting too full and weighed down on big portions of heavy, rich foods. Everything on the long & expansive menu looked great, but we mostly stuck with small appetizers to sample & savor. It was nice that there were plenty of lighter, fresh vegetarian options as neither of us were really in the mood for seafood, fried food, or big heavy entrees. We ordered the Kinda Tofu, Kyuri sliced fresh cucumber salad, and Kinoko butter-grilled mushroom hot platter and washed it down with some green grape Jinro soju. Everything was pretty good! Not overly fried, greasy, salty, or seasoned. Lightly cooked, delicately glazed, with just enough seasoning & oil/sauce to make it taste good, but not end up too complicated or messy. The taste really came through using these minimal cooking & seasoning techniques. The taste of the original vegetables & tofu came through perfectly, and were only complimented by their light hints of adding flavor. Portion sizes were ample for two people, and presentation was appetizing and organized. The bill for 3 apps + 1 bottle of Soju was less than $50, so it was a good value for the fun experience & good food. Wait times during the dinner rush are long, and there isn't really anywhere to sit or stand, so reservations are recommended. You can also enter and go straight to the 10-seat bar if there are openings, but we got a table for two after around a 20-30 minute wait. After that, everything moves pretty quickly, from ordering, getting food & drinks, to wrapping up and getting your check. Perfect system if you're trying to get to a concert, movie, or appointment with a specific start time. I really liked this place, not Kinda, not Sorta, but Definitely, or Absolutely! Kinda Izakaya will always be our destination to eat & hang out next time we come back to Berkeley, it is a true gem of a Japanese Izakaya/light meal fare right in the heart of downtown Berkeley. It's fun, tasty, busy, and friendly. Small & cozy, yet also airy & comfortable.

2nd Visit. I'm smitten with the menu and vibes. $6 Kyuri:…read morerefreshing vinegary counter to the fried and grilled items. $12 Crispy Chicken Knees: very karage like. Excellent. $6 Bacon+Oyster: Least surprising. Tasty at least. $4.50 Chkn Skin: kinda sweet! In a good way, charred, and fatty. Delicious. $31 Ika Yaki: delicious

The food was amazing, the presentation was beautiful, the service was excellent! They took vegan…read moredining to a new level. Highly recommend for vegans and non-vegans.

Who would have thought vegan sushi could be so good! It is delicious. We ordered pickup because…read morethis place is way too popular for dining in. If one were to eat gourmet vegan food, Berkeley is the best city. Not only it's healthy, (some even) gluten free, it is very very delicious. Tastes just like real rolls. We were so impressed. We got the Pacifica - tastes like a unagi tempura roll. The tangy sauce is excellent. The California roll is rich and creamy. All the avocado are fresh. The Point Reyes is spicy, looks like a spicy salmon roll. Tastes good. The rolls are nicely packed, do not fall apart easily. It is actually pretty spicy. The grilled mushroom comes with three types of mushrooms, the tangy bbq sauce is delicious. Nice interior, great friendly chef and staff. Always popular. We will be back!

This is my favorite place to get Ramen in Oakland! It's…read morepretty small and snug once you're sat down in there so it's a pretty friendly setting. The service is always rather friendly and on most days very attentive! It can be really busy so it's always good to check the wait times before pulling up, especially if you're really hungry!

I've been wanting to try this place for a while and it was a really good experience. We went on…read moreFriday afternoon around 5pm and waited for maybe 10 minutes. Service was great, very friendly and fast! I love that they have adult ramen bibs, it came in very handy immediately! The tonkatsu ramen was very tasty and I love how many toppings are on the ramen! Everything paired so nicely the creamy savory broth, the salty pork, and sweet corn. It looks beautiful too! Solid ramen place! I also loved that they had vegan options.

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.

Very friendly service, and *extremely* generous portion of pork in the "Bansho Ultimate Ramen"…read more I will definitely be back.

Aug 9 2025 3:30pm 3.4 stars…read more After a short struggle to find parking, we walked the half a block to find Bansho tucked away in a corner- almost hidden from the street. The front doors are littered with adds and dirt. It looked a bit sketchy on the outside but we went inside anyway. Inside, the restaurant looks very pleasant. It has a comfortable and cozy look for a small 49 seat place. Mood music plays at a quiet level. There are several conversation starters for sure inside the restaurant like.. "What is that shrine with the green bananas on it for?" "Can you decipher the price of beer written on that chalkboard?" My favorite was "What is that treadmill doing in this restaurant?" We were seated and given menus. The waitress left and then came back after four or five minutes. I felt a little rushed to order as if the order taker assumed we had pre-prepped ourselves on their menu. We had to ask for more of a chance to look at the options. The two of us shared a bowl of Ramen, an order of California Rolls, a coke and later on we ordered Takoyaki-deep fried dough with I believe a piece of squid inside. Before the waitress left to give our first order to the chef, she said "Anything else?" I inferred she was suggesting our order was to small. Later I understood she might be warning me that that might be our last chance to order anything. It was hard for us to place that second order of Takoyaki. Once we were given our food, the waitress disappeared and never checked on us. To place another order, I had to keep the kitchen under surveillance, watching for someone to exit so we could jump up, run to the frond desk area and order. The food we did have was tasteful enough and the $41 seems fare. Negatives for Bansho. 1) The phones used by the front desk and in the kitchen are too loud, they ring for too long and destroy the ambience. Someone will one day invent a device that buzzes in your pocket instead of ringing loudly throughout the entire restaurant. Name it something catchy like "Cell Phone". 2) The Men's restroom was too dusty and the toilet seat was "spotty"- if you know what I mean. 3) Having someone check on you while you are eating and saying "Welcome In" when you get there and "Thank You For Your Business" when you leave would go a long way. I did see a sign that they are hiring so they might have been short staffed.

* AMAZING Ramen!!! This has been my safe haven to deal with college life and midterms and their…read moreramen has always been consistently cozy and delicious ** Great ambiance that brings you out of the hustle life of DT Berkeley and into a warm and cozy atmosphere *** Great and quick attention to detail, cleanliness and interactions with the staff **** Meals and options are diverse, unique and good nods to Japanese and Californian options Could be packed in the evenings and weekends so it's better to come a lil earlier but the wait is worth it

One of my favorite izakayas in the U.S./Canada, especially if you love chicken skewers. Ippuku…read morefeatures LaBelle Rouge heritage breed chickens, which originate from France and are known for their rich flavor, firmer texture, and slower growth compared to conventional broiler chickens. Naturally, we ordered as many chicken skewers as possible, and every single one was fantastic. The hearts were especially impressive--soft and tender, which is rare since most places tend to overcook them. The karaage was also top notch. The biggest surprise was the bonjiri. I had to look it up, and once I realized it was basically the chicken equivalent of rich, fatty oxtail-style meat, I knew I had to try it. Holy hell, it was easily the best chicken skewer I've ever had. I would honestly come back just to order multiple of these. The squid ink rice was incredibly savory and filling, and paired with a few beers, this made for such a great evening out. All in all, Ippuku is a must-visit in Berkeley if you're into izakayas.