good service and ambiance. approachable staffs and good service . we will be going back hereread more

Beautiful venue. Excellent service. delicious food. I recommend it and hope they open for dinner…read moresoon.

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

Man I just love this place, the food quality is incredible and I'm not sure I know any other…read morerestaurant round here that makes fresh soba and is quite as cute as soba Ichi. The service is also amazing, everything is smooth sailing, everyone's calm, collected and super stylish. This place is a gem and never fails to make me smile:)

First timer at soba ichi and soba noodles!…read more I ordered Chirimen Sansho Tofu, Yuba & Ichigo Salad, Seasonal Sashimi, Teba Karaage, Ten Seiro, and Kamo Nanban Soba. Chirimen Sansho Tofu 4/5 Very soft and tasty. I enjoyed the slightly salty tiny fish that brings a bit of umami to the dish. My friend who doesn't like tofu but he actually enjoyed this dish and it may have changed his mind. Yuba & Ichigo Salad 4/5 Very refreshing and nice starter to pair with the sashimi. Seasonal Sashimi 5/5 Super fresh and delicious. Teba Karaage - Omg. The chicken looked so simple but it was cooked to absolute perfection. It was so tender and juicy that it explodes in your mouth (pause). Perfectly seasoned. Definitely worth it. Ten Seiro 4.5/5 This was absolute peak. Loved the duck and the tiny meatball you dip in to the egg yolk. It was a fun and tasty dish experience Kamo Nanban Soba 4/5 It.'s my first time with soba and it's not too bad. I thought the cold soba was okay but I enjoyed the hot soba more. Tempura was absolutely tender and crispy. So delicious Ambience 4/5 Very fun and lively outside seating. There's also indoor seating. I sat outside and noticed it was very windy, so a lot of dust and tiny leaves were blowing in our faces and food. Kind of sucked but still okay since we ended up eating everything super fast as soon as it came out. Just something to be aware when sitting outside. I'll definitely choose inside next time. Service 4/5 Staff are super friendly but I did wish they were a little more attentive since we wanted more water and needed more napkins I'd definitely come back, it's a highly recommended soba spot for me. Do yourself a favor and try everything!

* 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.

Really good chicken, really good vinegar on the salad. Well seasoned and fried, very light.read more

Cool place with a good vibe, feels a tiny bit grungy and they had good music…read more I ordered my meal for takeout and it came out quick. The miso garlic chicken tasted great, and the best part - I ordered a 4 piece and they gave me 5. Instant five stars for that. The dry rub was great, super flavourful and not greasy. Chicken tasted fresh and not super processed. My only complaint is the salad lacked flavor and there was not enough sauce to put in the chicken and sprinkle on the salad. Same goes for the rice, when you would get a bite with the chicken and rice it taste great but I was left with a lot of left over rice without any sauce I'd come back for sure 8/10

Was lucky to catch them one Saturday morning in Pacifica. We got the veggie pancake and chicken…read moregyoza. Both were packed with flavor and fresh ingredients. The couple that owns this place is friendly and has good recommendations. Make sure to have your Venmo app ready if you don't carry cash!

Okinomiyaki is one of my favorite dishes that I always get when I'm in little Tokyo in LA. It's…read morebasically a savory Japanese pancake that generally has cabbage and eggs, and can be customized with different toppings, meat, etc. I was stoked to see a pop up doing this dish in the Bay Area! I had the basic but added mushroom to it. It was delicious, though next time I would add hot sauce for a kick. Definitely check this place out if they are popping up near you.

Top contender for Japanese cuisine in Berkeley--equal parts sophisticated and scrumptious…read more Highlights include: - Sea Bean & Corn Tempura: a savory funnel cake worthy of a Michelin star thanks to its texture and the side of matcha salt - Salmon sashimi: succulent with fresh wasabi - Wagyu Shime Special: insane price for insane flavor--a generous portion of veggies and wagyu in a big ol' iron bowl of bubblin' broth

Ate Christmas dinner here with my mom as our celebration tradition is usually a Japanese…read morerestaurant. The ambience was intimate and cozy yet elegant, and the staff was very attentive and kind. I loved the decorations, the plates and silverware, and the food was just as intentional in flavor and selection. For appetizers we had: Anchovy Stuffed Olives Tempura - Tempura Spanish alives stuffed with anchovies $9 Kombu Tsukudani - Premium Hokkaldo kelp, say sauce, bonito, shiso, sesame seeds, enjoy with sake or rice $6 For our meal we had: Saba Bouzushi - House-cured saba mackerel bouzushi - stick-shaped sushi, also called battera, served with shiso, sesame, scallions, topped with Hokkaido shiraita kombu, ten pieces $29 Gindara Yuanyaki - Local black cod marinated in soy sauce and shikuwasa Okinawan citrus juice served grilled $34 Steelhead Trout Nabe - Norwegian ocean trout raised sustainably in the clear, cold ford where the seawater meets fresh meltwater from the glaciers in the mountains. Enjoy the rich flavored, melt-in-your-mouth fish, hotpot with dashi broth, mushrooms, napa cabbage, burdock, clear noodles, tofu, mizuna, scallions, yuzu kosho $39 We've been to many izakaya spots and this place had some of the most unique flavors I've tasted. The Saba Bouzushi stood out to me because it reminded of Filipino paksiw but as a roll! The Gindara was buttery and soft and had a yummy smoky flavor. The Nabe was perfect for a rainy evening - hearty, fresh, and so well balanced in flavor (I loved the yuzu kosho the had us add for a citrusy, peppery flavor)

My favorite ramen spot! Lunch special includes free appetizer and drink (try the strawberry matcha…read morespritzer!) My favorites are the tonkatzu and tantan men. Savory broth and just right ratio of perfectly cooked noodles with all the goodies (including half of a perfectly cooked egg). Yes, I've overused the adjective "perfect", but maybe you should try Tada and decide for yourself! Street parking during lunch hours is easy - plenty of nearby spaces.

Tada Ramen & Yakitori in Oakland was a bit of a rainy day pivot for us. I'll start by saying I'm…read morehella biased, I love Marufuku over in Temescal, but we wanted to dine in for lunch and found out they were only doing pickup. So we ended up here instead. For starters, we got the enoki chips, and they were such a fun, unique treat. Super crispy with a great texture, I'd absolutely order them again. We also tried the Tada bun. It was good, but it felt like it was missing something to really make it pop. I really appreciated the variety on the menu, especially the starters and curries. There are so many options that I'd definitely come back to try something different next time. If you're vegan, this is actually a great spot. They have three vegan ramen options, which felt special since most places only offer one. My partner ordered the spicy vegan ramen and thought it was terrific, though we both agreed the broth wasn't as rich as we're used to. I ordered the Tonkotsu ramen, but unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The broth felt a bit underwhelming, and the pork flavor came across stronger than I expected. That said, I'd definitely come back, especially because of the thoughtful vegan options. Next time, I'll probably try the Chashu Bowl, which looked really good when it came out at another table. The space isn't very big, so it's probably not ideal for groups larger than 4-6, but it would be great for a casual date night or cozy lunch.