A little pricey for what it was tbh. But the standout dish was the bacon wrapped mochi. Id go back for that. The sashimi was pretty good, and tempura super crispy. The vegan pavlova was not bad. The food is overall quite good. read more

Iyasare - Hamachi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Iyasare is solid enough for an upscale Japanese restaurant. Beautiful presentation with a modern interior. My favorite item was the kakiage tempura which was unique. However- the chirashi ($51!) was just okay- I was underwhelmed with the thin cuts of sashimi, and the nigiri set was just decent. But I can't give it more than 3 stars given the unreasonably high price point. Food quality wise, I wouldn't pay these menu prices read more

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We have been coming here for years so this review is long overdue. Their food is consistently great and service is wonderful. Between my husband and I, we always order the kakiage tempura with shrimp and sashimi salad, plus another entree to share depending on what we feel like eating. If there are more people in our group we will also add a bacon mochi. When I order the ramen I ask for the soup extra hot. The sushi is solid but not exceptional if you are used to eating sushi at places that specialize in sushi. read more

Iyasare - Branzino - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Kakiage tempura was BOMB! Their omakase was great too! Michelin star chef in the weekend did not disappoint. Salad and udon was just okay read more

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Great food and great service. Made a reservation for lunch and had a lovely time. We got the bento boxes, only available at lunch time. It has a pretty outdoor patio and we sat outside. Sushi was the highlight. They also have great miso soup. read more

Delicious food, best Japanese restaurant in Bay Area. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice atmosphere, good service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Even give you a choice of champagne or sake when you are seated. read more

Food was fantastic, service was great, and ambiance was lovely. Our party sat outside and enjoyed a delicious meal while taking in the sights and sounds of downtown Berkeley all around us. Would definitely recommend trying the Kakiage Tempura. It's unlike any tempura I'd ever tried before and my entire party was delighted to devour it. read more

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There's seating indoors and outdoors. Was able to get seating outside for lunch on a Sunday without a wait. Ordered the Iyasare kakiage tempura with shrimp added. It looks like a pancake and was quite tasty. Would recommend. read more

Iyasare - Kakiage Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Food was great. The pieces of nigiri we ordered and my hamachi don were fresh and delicious. Agedashi tofu and tempura were good as well. Can't say service was spectacular. Also, definitely not a kid friendly place. Staff weren't very receptive to kids and were not very attentive to our table. Maybe better for a group of adults or date night? I know every place doesn't have to be kid friendly, but it was hard to get a sense of good service when they weren't so found on having kids present. read more

We have reservations for 7:30 pm. Now is 6 8:00 pm we still don't have a table and waiting. I hope they will pay me $35 each for show. Up with no table. They will charge $35 if I cancel. This is ridiculous read more

Very good Japanese food with a big menu that covers ramen, sushi, tempura, donburi, and more. Decent cocktail, wine, beer and mocktail menu. We had panecotta and huckleberry cheesecake. Attentive service. read more

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I've been to IYASARE twice and have always been thoroughly impressed with the food, service, and ambiance! Our server, Andy, was exceptional at his job. Just looking at the menu alone everything sounded appetizing and very unique. Our party was pretty open to trying anything and everything so we asked Andy to surprise us with our menu items alongside a few for sure items that we wanted. He made sure to ask if we had any allergens or dietary restrictions before selecting the items for us. Every single dish was phenomenal and so flavorful. Our food included spicy edamame, tori kara-age appetizer, bacon mochi, Iyasare kakiage tempura, geisha roll, chef's omakase, and kara-age curry don. Although everything was spectacular, my favorites were definitely the Iyasare kakiage tempura, the chef's omakase, and the bacon mochi. The Iyasare kakiage tempura is a thick seafood pancake that comes with a nice bonito soy broth for dipping as well as matcha powder, green sea salt powder, and togarashi. I might be wrong with the powders but they had a nice additional flavor to the tempura. It's fried to perfection and you can taste the quality of ingredients. They were definitely generous with the Black Tiger shrimp pieces. The first time I had the bacon mochi, I personally thought it was just alright but when I had it for the second time today, I loved it. The mochi was fried at the perfect consistency with soft texture and crispy skin. It didn't get stuck in my teeth this time. The bacon added a little saltiness to the mochi which really balances out the taste. The chef's omakase was amazing as well. Each sashim piece was very fresh and delicious in its own without the need for soy sauce/wasabi. Andy took the time to explain all the fish and seafood on the plate which we appreciated. The snowcrab and the toro tuna hand roll were amongst my favorites from the plate. We ended the night with their cheesecake with blueberry compote. It was amazing as i remembered from last visit. The cheesecake is super light and not dense at all. It's very creamy and the graham cracker crust was delicious. I know their dessert is seasonal as well but you can never go wrong with any of their cheesecakes. Highly highly recommend checking out Iyasare! Thank you Iyasare and Andy for serving us! read more

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Amazing quality fish it is so fresh and every dish I had here is great. The overall restaurant has good vibes and the service is great. 1000% recommend. read more

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Iyasare is one of those spots that feels calm and intentional the moment you step in--beautiful plating, soft lighting, and a menu that leans into delicate, thoughtful Japanese flavors. We started with the hamachi tartare, and it was bright, fresh, and perfectly balanced with citrus and crunch. The kind of dish that wakes up your palate without trying too hard. The black cod was another highlight--silky, rich, and beautifully marinated. Served with a touch of yuzu that cut through the fattiness in the best way. I had the unagi rice bowl, which was good but not mind-blowing. The eel was tender and nicely glazed, but I was expecting just a bit more depth for the price point. Still enjoyable, but maybe not a standout. The real star? The agedashi tofu. Crispy on the outside, custardy inside, swimming in a dashi broth I'd drink by the glass if they let me. Service was polished but not overly formal, and the overall experience was serene--perfect for a quiet date night or catching up with someone you actually want to talk to. It's not cheap, and not every dish was a home run, but the highs were high enough to make it worth a return visit. A solid 4 stars. read more

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This place is really good. It is a little higher end but the quality of the food is outstanding. The pork miso ramen was very flavorful and the portion of char sui. It was too much for me. The waitstaff were very polite and the service was prompt. The decor is inviting and minimalist. The only problem is the parking in this area is kind of challenging. read more

Iyasare - Charshu Miso Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

We have enjoyed going to this restaurant over the years. The quality of food and service was quite good. Having not been in some time, we travelled over to Berkeley to dine at this spot and make it a special evening. Our visit began by waiting quite a long time to receive a beverage request. The bartender was not swamped at the time, so we were surprised that he had not acknowledged our presence. Though the flavors were good, the steak was extremely tough for the two meat dishes we ordered. So much so, that we had to request more substantial knives from the bartender to cut through the meat. I believe my steak was $60.00ish. The bartender claimed he had no idea the meat was tough--though he had been advised. He attempted to make excuses for the quality and cooking of the meats. We ordered the dishes at the temperature he stated the chief recommended to better ensure tenderness. There was no interest in trying to improve the experience, no offer of desert or a coffee. I sent an email to the owners with feedback on our experience, but never received a reply. The quality of the food sourcing appears to have diminished since our last visit, and the service was not as welcoming as on other visits. The food was entirely too costly for what was provided. On another point, we are accustomed to the pricing at fine dining restaurants, as we often visit SF. These prices simply felt excessive. If you always have a great experience at this dining spot, we are sincerely glad. read more

This place was amazing! Had a Berkeley date with my best friend and we wanted Ramen! This place had an upscale atmosphere but the staff were extremely kind and helpful! The service was fast and the food was incredible. The ramen was so tasty and the sushi roll was very fresh. There was street parking available with meters. Perfect food for rainy days. I definitely want to go back to try some other items from menu. read more

Iyasare - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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great food, bad service. one of the few good quality japanese places i've found near berkeley, and it has a formal ambiance. everything was going well at first, and we were excited to dine until the employees lowkey pressured us to leave. i want to make it clear we spent less than an hour in the restaurant, we had a reservation, and there were many table available and not many people waiting outside either. i was okay with them continuously asking us if we were still working on our meals, but i drew the line at my friend overhearing the server say to another something along the lines that they were waiting for us to leave. for a meal over $50 per person, im disappointed at the treatment. bacon mochi - chewy like mochi and not much flavor. it sounds like what it is. geisha roll - your average tempura roll with good quality ingredients kara-age curry don - the chicken is super crispy, and there's a bit of potatoes and onions in the curry! the food is good but nothing to rave over. i don't think it's worth the treatment from the employees sake & ikura don , poke read more

Iyasare - bacon mochi, geisha roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I came here for part two of my birthday celebration. I've always wanted to come here every since I found out about their bacon mochi because it was gluten-free and I heard it was amazing. Turns out that this is no longer the case and that their teriyaki sauce does have gluten in it. We were fortunate enough to stand in line and actually get a seat at a community table. This space inside is much bigger than I thought it was. And even though I was hoping to get a table outside, I'm glad that I didn't because it became very cold and I would've been very uncomfortable. The community is a cute one and I'm glad we got to sit there. I told the waitress that I was celebrating my birthday and that's how I got my birthday champagne and I appreciated that. It was very good. She was very good at helping me navigate them menu because I have the allergies of shellfish and wheat. I did choose the grilled dish and it worked out just fine. I actually like my dish better than my husband and his was good. It was hard to eat with the chopsticks, however, that's not an issue with the food or the quality. It was very good. The people there are very very very nice , and they were very attentive. Everyone from the person who filled our water glasses, to the person who brought me my champagne, to the person who took our order, and the person who served us, etc. everyone was absolutely wonderful, and I appreciate that! I really felt felt taken care of when my food arrived and the waitress took my food and took it back to the cook to explain to him that I could not have the teriyaki sauce. I really appreciate it that attention to detail. I wanted to order dessert but the gluten-free dessert they had had banana in it and I hate bananas. Otherwise, I would've ordered something. I know I'll be back and feel very good about this because I now know what to expect when I go in. read more

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Went to Berkeley Fourth Street to pick up some items and decided to pop in for an early dinner. We don't have any reservations but there was room at the bar and we got a table pretty easily. The service was incredible. Water was refilled frequently and the staff was incredibly attentive. We got a ramen, two rolls, a scallop & uni appetizer (this was divine!) and cocktails as well. Everything tasted delicious and the presentation was also beautiful. Great spot for an intimate date or a fun night out with friends! read more

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While the location and design of this restaurant are definitely pluses (although the outside tables can be cold even in nice weather), the food was not excellent. Especially given the higher prices. I ordered Chashu Miso Ramen, starting at $28, that did not include the egg typical in such Ramen dishes, which added another $4.50. There were other add-ons which could easily take this ramen dish to over $40. The noodles were good and chewy, the Chashu tender, but the soup base lacked flavor, as did the meat. For comparison, a small place near where I live has a larger, fantastic ramen, included the egg, for just $17. I was expecting a restaurant of this caliber to outshine such places. Other dishes were two different curries, which were good, and a noodle dish, also tasty, but did not knock my socks off as anything special. The Yaki Soba was $28.50, while the curries clocked in at $28.50 for Kara-Age Curry Don and $24.50 for Vegetable Curry Donburi. The total bill at lunch, including one small desert, no drinks, was over $175 with tip. Service was good, the staff was great, once it started, but we waited a long time for any attention after being seated, needing to flag down someone to ask for service. I may try this place again, as it was packed for lunch, so others obviously seeing something I did not. Maybe it was just a bad day for the place, or we ordered the wrong dishes, all possibilities. I'm not trying to sound cheap, and would not mind the higher cost for a high end place, but I guess I expected more here. read more

Iyasare - Our 4 dishes: Yaki Soba, top, Chashu Miso Ramen middle, and two curries - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Another hidden gem in Berkeley. Went there for both lunch & dinner and had an amazing experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great food, wonderful staff and nice cozy environment.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

A lovely Japanese restaurant located in the upscale neighborhood of Berkeley. Service here is always phenomenal from all of the staff; hosts, bartenders, and servers. I love that the staff have such a depth of knowledge of the menu. The menu occasionally changes introducing new and seasonal items. I always ask for a recommendation and the servers are always on point about what they think I would like in terms of food and drinks. I highly recommend coming here for your next date night. read more

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We've eaten here twice a few years ago and completely forgot about this gem until I ran out of ideas on where to go for my bday. It was a last minute decision to come here for my bday dinner, but boy, their menu has changed quite a bit. The menu is more expansive which is great! We were able to try a variety of dishes. We ordered a dragon roll, aji nigiri, agedashi tofu, Suzuki yaki, and the tiger prawn kakiage tempura. Everything tastes fresh and amazing, except for the Suzuki dish - maybe I'm just not a fan of sea bass? I felt it was kinda too undercooked for my liking, but my hubby said it was cooked perfectly. The seasonal veggies were green beans, squash and zucchini which were a bit underwhelming. Now the other dishes - wow! Dragon roll was nicely made - the shrimp tempura was still warm! Yes, a bit on the smaller side, but I'd rather have a good quality sushi roll than a big crappy tasting roll. The agedashi tofu had lightly fried eggplant, fried shiso leaf, seaweed, bonito flakes and lotus root in a slightly salty broth - I loved it. Tofu was so soft and light, but the eggplant was the star of the entire dish. I'd definitely order it again! Finally, the kakiage tempura with prawns, we ordered it because I had a good view of the kitchen and saw this dish go out over and over again. Plus, we kept getting a whiff of it when the servers walked by with it. We actually had it before a few years back, but couldn't remember if we liked it or not. But thank goodness we got it cuz I really enjoyed it. It came out hot and prawns weren't over cooked. I really appreciate that every dish came out hot. They really have a great kitchen team and servers. Everything was coordinated to ensure prepared food that was ready to serve would be immediately served. That's how great restaurants operate! Last thing to note: the entire meal came out to $156 including tax and tip. Pretty pricey, so it's one of those places that you come to if you can afford it or have a celebration. read more

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Very nice food [[HIGHLIGHT]]good atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I've enjoyed their cuisine many times sometimes the service is good and sometimes not so much read more

A restaurant with a nice atmosphere but food is way overpriced for its portion size. We had reservations for a party of 3 on a Saturday evening. We got there 10 minutes before the dinner time opening and there was a long line of people waiting in the front. It's a popular place for people to dine in but likely because there are limited options available in this part of Berkeley. Parking: no designated lot but there is a public lot nearby with a good number of spots. The spaces are tight though so use at your own risk. The public lot offers 3 hours of free parking. Decor: elegant and upscale with an open kitchen and open bar concept. There are seating indoors and outdoors (in the patio area and on the street). If you are one of those who prefer outdoor dining, try to grab a spot in the patio area, it's pretty romantic. I would not recommend the seating area on the street. Imagine all the cars that drive past you and all the dust getting into your food. Food: portion size is small and cost is high. We left hungry but the bill was $200+ for 3 people. We ordered the Iyasare kakiage tempura with black tiger shrimp (highly recommend and the only thing I think it's worth ordering at this spot), kani maki ($23 for 5 small pieces, don't order this!), okonomiyaki pancake (small and severely burnt, don't get this either), gindara (tasted average, I've had better), and the hamachi & ikura don (expensive and small portion size, you can't mess up on this since there's no cooking involved). For dessert, we shared the Japanese cheesecake with matcha crumble (very fluffy, light and matched well with the matcha crumble). Service: attentive, our waters were refilled once and if we needed something, staff is easily accessible and willing to help. 1 star for service, 1 star for ambiance and 1 star for the iyasare kakiage tempura with tiger shrimp. read more

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I absolutely LOVE this place! It's a place I meet with my mother a few times a year as she also loves this place. The food has always been amazing. Some items do change but there are staple items that remain in the menu that I order each time I visit. It may sound simple but I do love these miso Cesar salad. I also love and have to get the Kakiage Tempura with black tiger shrimp. This is a must get item. Get it without the shrimp if you cannot eat shellfish, it is still amazing. It comes with togarashi, seaweed and match to flavor it up more if wanted. The poppo yaki is another item I always order. The marinated squid is tender and delicious! Another item I like that is very simple but tasty is the agadashi tofu. From there many other items get ordered. Ikura rolls, uni, and tuna belly. They offer different ramen bowls and each is flavorful and filling. The Suzuki yaki (sea bass) is very moist. My wife tends to get the donburi bowls which are beautifully out together and fresh seafood. I usually end the meal with an order of the unagi but the desert change and are also delicious. This is a must visit restaurant. It is pricey but the quality and service is worth it. The atmosphere is vibrant and ambiance is electric. They offer bar seating, indoor and outdoor seating. Reservations are needed. read more

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Best Duck Ramen in the World We came for our 20th Anniversary , we keep coming back for it when is in season read more

Iyasare - Duck Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing service and delicious food. I celebrated my birthday with my husband and friend and was really delighted by the excellent service and quality of the food. The waitress at the front greeted me happy birthday right when my friend told her about our reservation. The inside of the restaurant is small and intimate and there are also some small outdoor tables. We sat indoors and right as we sat down, a bartender approached offered me a complimentary birthday drink. I chose the hot sake. I was offered more cups so I got to share this with my husband and friend. For the food, we ordered the Iyasare kakiage tempura, hamachi, and geisha roll for shareables. We then had our own entrees. I got the udon and my husband and friend both got the karaage curry rice plates. We all enjoyed every single item. We took some of our plates to go as we got full from our shared foods in the beginning. Love the attention to detail from the staff here and I also got to see the chefs cooking in the kitchen from where I sat. I had such a lovely experience. read more

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Foods are wonderful and taste absolutely better than expectation. I highly recommend the Kakiage tempura! It may be a bit pricey but I personally think it's worthy. Will definitely come again! read more

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Delish! Amazing cocktails, service and food. The tempura kakiage was out of this world, a must order. The Agedashi tofu was the best I've ever had and my husband's churashi was a work of art. We'll be back! read more

Iyasare - churashi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Super fancy Japanese Asian twist with amazing flavors. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Prices are higher but the quality of food, service and ambiance is what you pay for![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Try it! read more

Excellent meal. The tempura was different and yummy, but it was the Japanese rare cheesecake with huckleberry's that won the night. Good service. Didn't like our table location but there is always one bad spot. Nice outside seating. Good service. Only complaint is the mocktails, which were tasty but mostly ice, therefore overpriced. read more

Booked this spot for my parents' 25th anniversary, and they liked it so much, they invited me to go again for my dad's birthday. This modern Japanese izakaya is a great spot for celebrations or date night -- small, but intimate and calm. For their anni, I coordinated with the restaurant to save a table and add small decor, when I went to arrange it beforehand, they even offered free champagne! The best: Bacon mochi, chicken karaage (my dad swears it's the closest to what we had in Japan) Worth ordering: Agadashi tofu, rolls (any of them are really good and taste fresh) It's a great spot for sharing plates, so come hungry! read more

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Excellent. The food was excellent. Loved the atmosphere and the outdoor dining. Service was great too. We were finally able to find a place in the East Bay that served Okonomiyaki. The Karage was great too as well as the Dragon Roll. We topped it off with the Yuzu dessert. Definitely coming back. read more

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The three of us had a lunch date at Iyasare and found the place to be mediocre at best. We have all been there a few years back when the food was much more enjoyable to eat. One of us had kakiage with shrimp that lacked lightness of good tempura. The other two had different types of udon, with some complements but was not overjoyed with their selections. The ambiance is very nice as there are outdoor seatings as well as an inviting indoor space. The waitress took our order promptly and the food was delivered quickly. As far as the value, I thought our tab was a bit overpriced. It would have been okay if the food was good and we enjoyed our lunch. It may be a few more years before we go back. 3 out of 5 stars. read more

Our daughter made reservations for us here to celebrate our 25th anniversary. The restaurant was very accommodating. We were immediately seated as we arrived. The restaurant had a good trendy vibe. The wait staff was very attentive. We ordered the following: Chicken Karage 5/5: this was the first time I had Karage that brought me back to the Karage I tasted in Tokyo, Japan. I have been searching since 2016. The only place that came close to the flavor was at Sushi Kashiba in Seattle. I found it here. Bacon Mochi 5/5: my wife wanted to try this as she read a lot of people raving about it. The soft texture of the mochi with the caramelized bacon wrapped in a crisp nori skin was wonderful in texture but also flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Herb Oil Poached Black Cod 5/5: my wife ordered this. The fish was cooked perfectly with a great sear. The herbs consisted of mushrooms, and ikura among other ingredients. The depth of flavor was very good. Nigiri - scallops, albacore tuna, salmon and toro 5/5: the fish was excellent. It was fresh and cut perfectly. Cheesecake 4/5: we wanted to order the chocolate devils cake, but they were sold out. We then opted for the only other dessert, which was the cheesecake. I normally don't care for Japanese cheesecake, as it is too light. I normally enjoy heavier cheesecakes. This one was heavier than Japanese cheesecakes with a nice graham cracker crust. We enjoyed this as well. Overall, I was very surprised how the dishes we ordered made us feel like we were in Tokyo again with a California trendy vibe. The only difference was the prices, but I would definitely return again to try other items in the menu. read more

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Awesome place for creative and delicious Japanese food. The cocktails are yummy. The service is impeccable and the staff is very friendly. read more

Iyasare - Kakiage Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Incredible food with thoughtful and friendly professional service. The restaurant was bustling at lunch with a casual upscale ambience - indoor seating and two outdoor areas (one off the sidewalk area). So many delicious dishes to choose from and our server took a lot of time to help us choose a balanced selection. Agedashi tofu (highly recommend) was stunningly delicious- with silken tofu, perfectly crisp thin layer on the outside, and grilled Japanese eggplant and seaweed. Burdock root vegetables tempura with dipping sauce- a signature popular dish. If you like waffle- like shapes and light crispy textures made of savory latticed burdock root and vegetables, then this will be a favorite. The added shrimp was definitely the way to go. The Chirashi was super fresh and delicious selection of sashimi with two types of roe. The grilled fresh eel was the star and outdid the tamago. The Geisha roll - shrimp tempura, tuna roll with a spicy mayo was fresh and really great portions. Excellent overall and highly recommend. Would definitely return to try many more dishes. read more

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We came to Iyasare for a weekend lunch after taking a class nearby. The outdoor seating was pleasant and busy but there was adequate space for us to not feel too cramped. Although it took a while for a server to take our order, the food we ordered came out pretty quickly and tasted great. We had the following items: - edamame (big portion) - ichiba salad (which was great), - the miso soup (ok), - California roll (one of the best we've had), - vegetable curry donburi (great) - Yuzu lime aid (great) It was a little pricey but we left very satisfied with the experience we had. read more