It's a rare find these days to come across an affordable, fresh, and not over-crowded sushi restaurant. As my first Japanese restaurant in the Berkeley/Oakland area, I have high hopes that there is hope for sushi on this side of the bridge. Kiku Sushi is a relaxed, casual sushi restaurant. I like that they do nice plating's as well as use really authentic looking dishware. It's really cute and smart how they care about the way they present their food. Their menu had a broad selection (but not overly broad) of sushi rolls, nigiri, sashimi, appetizers, and lunch specials. I opted for the chirashi lunch special ($16). The fish was fresh, the sushi rice was awesome, and the lunch special was well worth it. The lunch special came with miso soup and it was probably the best miso soup I've had. My friends both got the tempura lunch and it was huge! For $11, they could not finish it. The tempura looked very tasty. My friend noted that the batter wasn't too heavy and she liked the consistency of the way they made the tempura. My one friend also got the veggie roll which looked really good as well. I was very satisfied with the food. Kiku is one of the rare sushi places in the area open for lunch so I'm glad I came across it and will be a repeat customer! read more

Kiku Sushi - Chirashi lunch special. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

When I walked in with Sprinkle, I knew that we were in for a treat. We sat at the sushi bar and were greeted by smiling cartoon authentic Japanese people. We ordered a feast! We deserved this! We first got miso soup and the house salad, which came with chicken teriyaki. Let me just say that the miso soup was -- the salad was deeeliisshhh! The dressing on the salad was a peanuty-soybean some kind of something. Very good, though! Next up the dynamite and rock'n'rolls appeared before my eyes, and i do declare that they were FABULOUS. The buttery wetness of the unagi melted in my mouth and manifested in joyful tears from my eyes. The dynamite roll made me feel... nice? In a whirlwind, we were on to the gyoza. They were not my favorite. Shmeh. In waiting for our chicken teriyaki, we received complimentary edimame! This was due to our order being given to another table. Whoopsie! The edimame was cold. Brr! Left me shivering! We are still waiting on the scrumptious chicken teriyaki. My tummy,'-@$!# here it is! Sizzling. As much as it sizzled, when I put it in my mouth my expectations fizzled. Boooo! my tastes buds are angry. Sprinkle and I had a wonderful time. We find using chopsticks erotic. This is going back to the bedroom;) Thank you Kuku! read more

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I have been brokenhearted since my departure from San Diego and the later closure of my favorite sushi restaurant ever, Kiyo's. And although Kiku doesn't completely fill the void (I fear nothing ever will), it is certainly a step in the right direction. I hesitate calling it a hole in the wall because it's so gosh darn classy (and those spanning windows hardly characterize a hole), but holes in the wall hold a special place in my heart, so I'm going to go ahead and do it anyway. It's simultaneously smaller than you were hoping, but bigger than you'd expect it to be. The number of seats is limited and there is usually a short wait during prime dinner hours. Their rice is perfect and they don't skimp on the fish on the nigiri. Every time I eat ikura nigiri, it completely deteriorates, leaving me with a plateful of scattered ikura and rice and embarrassing sideways glances to see how many people noticed. But at Kiku, it somehow holds together for me! ...as much as ikura can hold together in my clumsy hands. Their saba is great and you can't go wrong with any of the rolls. This is probably not a big deal for most people, but I always just kind of assumed tamago came in bulk in some vacuum sealed bag off a Sysco truck. Well, the other day, I actually had the pleasure of watching these lovely people make tamago! And then I had the even greater pleasure of eating it! For dessert, the green tea tempura is way more decadent than it has any right to be and the staff is more than happy to serve it to you, even if you've been taking up the table for a couple hours already and they're just about to close. read more

Kiku Sushi - Maguro, sake, saba, ikura, uni. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I definitely have mixed feelings about this place because it does have potential but the poor service has knocked off those stars that it could've earned. The food was decent overall. The salmon in the sushi roll was okay but a little more on the fishy side, which I personally don't mind but others in my party noticed the fishiness right off the bat. I also ordered the chicken teriyaki bento box which came on a sizzling stone platter. It was definitely my fault for not mixing the chicken up because by the time I started eating, the strips were getting burned piece by piece (cue Kelly Clarkson). I would probably recommend that the chef cook it completely and then place it on a plate just in case parties take their time eating family style. In addition, the bento boxes were overpriced. They're normally anywhere from $10-$13 but this place charged nearly $20 or more! As for the service, it was probably one of the worst that I have had in a long time. One of the ladies who is middle aged (it probably doesn't help that I can't identify her) but she was getting frustrated when my party was ordering various drinks. The younger female server also seemed to have gotten annoyed when we asked for a, might I add, clean knife to replace the dirty one. Just to sum up their service, it was curt, rude, and downright unprofessional. It was disappointing because this place is rated 4 stars but it seems that the other fellow Yelpers have experienced a similar level of service. However, I do want to compliment Cheka, who was wearing a polka dot headband wrap. She was so sweet in refilling our various drinks- without frustration might I add. She also grabbed us our check and checked with us to see if we needed anything else. Cheka was 110% the redeeming quality of this location and without her, I would've walked away even more disappointed. read more

This sushi place seems to be in the middle of nowhere in a suburban neighborhood. Restaurant is on the smaller size but it was pretty packed when we went. Sushi is on the pricier side but not unreasonable. You will probably spend about 20 a person just on food. Between two people with small appetites, we ordered the chirashi bowl, yellowtail nigiri, salmon nigiri and the salmon roll. The chirashi bowl was good. It came with mushrooms which I really liked. They were slightly sweetened. Good thick cuts of fish but it came with a lot of rice. I really liked the sushi roll. It was simple, just seaweed salmon and rice. There were six small pieces but it was only five bucks so not bad. What I really did not enjoy were the nigiri. Looking at it, it looks amazing! Thick cuts of sushi with generous portions of fish. But when I took a bite, the salmon was really fatty.... Super buttery but not in the good way. I had to dip it in a LOT of soy sauce to eliminate the fishy taste. Both of us did not want to eat it but it was such a waste of money. After leaving the restaurant, I could not leave that fishy taste in my mouth and had to get ice cream to cleanse my palate. Will definitely NOT visit here again. read more

Kiku Sushi - Curashi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My wife had been raving about this place, and we finally had a chance to check it out. When it comes to sushi, I have one rule: keep it simple. I don't need rolls covered in multi-colored mayonaise with two different types of deep fried seafood. I don't need techno music blasting and uplights blinding me during my dinner. In short, I don't want a Michael Bay movie type of experience, where the glitz and effects hide the sheer lack of quality. When I want sushi, I want good quality fish, cut precisely at the right temperature over perfectly seasoned and cooked rice. In this regard, Kiku is an absolute win. They serve great sushi at a reasonable price. I am knocking off a star for our chawanmushi order however. Our chawanmushi was a far cry from the light, delicate custard that one is used to. Instead, we got a dense, overseasoned and overcooked mess. It was the only knock to an otherwise fantastic meal. If you want great sushi, go to Kiku. If you want mayonaise and $19.99 AYCE sushi deals, look elsewhere. read more

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Portions are small (even for sushi). Rolls were sloppily assembled. Sushi rice was slightly hard. Avocado was sparse & brown. Arrived at 10pm (30 mins before closing) & was rushed 3 times within the first 2 minutes to order, even as they allowed a new customer in 15 minutes later. The food was mediocre. Menu items are very basic. Ordered the rainbow roll & it was a sloppy mess. Taste was ok, but not very fresh. Will not be returning. read more

Kiku Sushi - Sloppy Rainbow Roll with brown avocado. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Before I went vegan, Kiku Sushi was top 5 for me for quality of fish, sushi rice & menu selection. After I went vegan, Kiku Sushi is top 2! Hah! There aren't many sushi restaurants that offer a wide array of vegan options besides simple ones like the avocado or cucumber roll in the Bay Area.. other than Shizen in SF, BUT Kiku has recently added more vegan options. The vegan baked "scallop" roll (substituted with oyster mushroom) is DELICIOUS! I'm planning to go to Kiku tonight for dinner & I'm ordering 2 orders of this same roll. It's THAT good. The eggplant nigiri is also an amazing alternative to unagi nigiri! They also have vegan miso soup & several other vegan options! I've never left Kiku disappointed. Sushi quality, customer service & selection is excellent! read more

Undiscovered great place sushi in Berkeley. This place is just far enough from the usual paths that it remains under the radar. It is between the gourmet ghetto and Solano ave and surrounded by residential neighborhoods, so you won't ever randomly stumble upon it. The highlight of the meal was definitely the chirashi bowl. It initially looked on a bit on the small side, but it was packed with tons of goodies including tasty mushrooms, egg tamago, roe caviar, and most importantly huge CHUNKS of very fresh tasting fish. I definitely felt my $20 were well spent. I'm pretty sure I had a second serving in my dreams that evening. The agedashi tofu was a little odd as it was cheweyer than others I've tried. It wasn't bad though, and a pretty large portion for $5. Service was welcoming and attentive; the atmosphere family-friendly and comfortable. I look forward to returning. read more

A small neighborhood in a residential area of Berkeley, the head sushi chef here serves up a mean Omakase that includes all the daily specials, fresh as can be and served with legit grated wasabi(!). Like Amami Sushi across the peninsula, the Aji here delicious and includes the head and bones deep fried to a crisp. Tasty as well, though very greasy. Admittedly, the sushi rice here could use some work in terms of texture and vinegary flavor. While the fish freshness and portions are just a notch below top places like Amami, Kiku most definitely still holds its own and is worth a stop for any sushi lover. read more

This is my favorite sushi place in the east bay by far!! I am always impressing folks with this place based on overall freshness and presentation! The vegan menu is incredible and the people who work here have become like a family to me! Sometimes there's a long wait but that's because people know what's up! Tip top sushi spot! read more

Sushi was delicious, but service forgot all about us on a quiet night. We pretty much had to get up and ask for anything we needed at the table.. which would be fine if we were eating at a spot with a take out counter.. but not for a mid-high end sushi spot with the prices to match... plus we were here to celebrate a special occasion.. ca ne se fait pas. Aside from that, we really did enjoy the variety of sashimi and sushi here. The specials were creative and traditional depending on your tastes and it was all delicious! I am willing to give it another go round, who knows maybe just an off night. read more

Kiku Sushi - Miso delicious! - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Not from the area but we were in the mood for sushi and this place had the best reviews. It's a very small location on the corner it looks super cute and quaint. Server was very polite and attentive! Unfortunately we didn't eat much because we had the kids with us and were going for pizza with them after. My husband and I shared a sashimi combo, which came with 8 pieces of sashimi, rice and a soup ($18.50). This had to have been the best sashimi I've had in my life so far!!!! Fish had amazing texture, no odor, incredible flavor. We were sad about having to eat the pizza cuz we wanted more sushi. If we happened to return to the area we'd love to come back again!!! Would definitely recommend read more

Absolutely amazing sushi! I just stumbled across them because I was starving in the neighborhood and stopped by. The gentleman that answered the phone and greeted me was super nice and the sushi was absolutely delicious. World class dragon role. The hype is real. read more

Solid goto sushi in pandemic. Love supporting small businesses in the area that rely on us.

Expensive with quite the wait time for mediocre food. We were the First and only table in the restaurant, the service was nice, but the wait time was crazy. Almost 30 min from when we ordered my fish based sushi came then 15 min later our vegan rolls came meanwhile they're pushing out to-go orders left and right. It was an overall ok experience read more

I've been on a quest for good sukiyaki in the East Bay, and it's been as fruitful as a search for penguins around here. But I found it! Kiku has delicious sukiyaki. Wonderful broth (hot as heck), lots of meat, tofu and other goodies, and a beautiful iron bowl. I'll definitely return for more. read more

Delicious! Amazing!!!! If you are sick of Kirala being disappointing, COME HERE INSTEAD! This is true sushi and an amazing meal that will make the rest of your day bright. We came here on a Thursday night around 6pm. There were certainly people there, but it wasn't by any means super crowded and we didn't have to wait for a table. There weren't any Japanese people there, which concerned me, but I guess it is Berkeley and there aren't too many Japanese people in the area to start. After we got our food, my worries were allayed because the food was terrific! We were originally seated at a table, but when we asked about Omakase, they said we had to sit at the sushi bar, so we moved without any problem and there were open seats. I typically like to do omakase at a new place because I know a good restaurant will serve me their best because they're the experts. I'm just the unknowledgeable customer! I don't 100% remember what I received, but the plate consisted of 10 pieces, 5 pairs of nigiri and it was a perfect amount of food for me with my boyfriend picking off it too. My favorite was the hamachi toro and there was this orange fish (not salmon) that was amazing. They also had the mark of a good Japanese restaurant where you don't realize it, but everyone is hyper aware of your experience and watching to see if everything is going well. We also ordered the miso black cod and oh boy! The fish was beautifully cooked and the sauce was incredible. The sauce was super flavorful and satisfying because of the rich umami flavors. It came with a little bit of noodles and some nicely done squash. We chatted with the sushi chef and apparently he used to work at the sushi bar in Hotel Nikko, which is where he learned a lot of his skills. This particular chef was Korean and Japanese. I really enjoyed the experience and I can't wait to add this on my list of go-to places in Berkeley! read more

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Wow, what a great place for sushi, and I'm talking from experience. This unassuming sushi joint offers some top notch fresh sushi by a couple of chefs that really have an in-depth knowledge on sushi prep. When we walked in, the place was almost completely full, which is a good sign knowing that there are return customers and also that the food will be fresh. I went straight to the bar and ordered omikase "chef's choice" and I'm so glad that I did. It was very interesting seeing a fish turn into our delicious meal. Our meal started off with a 7 seaweed salad that had a great balance. Next was our appetizer which was medium cooked black cod that was possibly the best piece of fish I've ever had. Great subtle flavors. And than came our sashimi platter with fresh wasabi. Yes that's right, I said it. Fresh wasabi grated from the root! A rare treat and by the end of the meal, I was eating the wasabi straight up. If you've never had it, than it will change the way you look at sushi. The sashimi platter itself had very generous pieces of fish. Some of the ones that really stuck out were the chutoro, the scallops were so fresh, and what I thought was salmon but was actually a type of trout was amazing. Very fresh sushi overall. The plate came with a deep fried aji bone and sauce that had an amazing crispy texture and taste. Another small thing I noticed is that they give you the pickled white ginger, not the dyed pink stuff. News flash, ginger is NOT pink. I prefer it with it's natural color. The service came quickly and with pleasant smiles. Needless to say, I will be coming back here for my sushi fix. read more

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I really wanted to give it a 5 star... Because there are not that many places that have decent sushi in this area. I am pleasantly surprised for their quality and effort to bring best dish possible. I had some sushi, sashimi, udon and spicy tuna roll. - Fish quality is 5 star! Very juicy and buttery. Freshness you can taste - Udon was great. Not salty, lots of tempura, lots of fresh veggies in the udon. - Spicy tuna roll though, it's good but it has some fragrance that I didn't expect from tuna roll. It overpowered the goodness of he fish itself. I wish it was simpler... Overall, I would come back time to time, and to explore more! -------------- Second review .. After omakase .. Had to change from 4 stars to 5. It's worth the try! The last item was fried shrimp with shrimp sushi. It was best thing ever! read more

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The best sushi in the bay especially for the value and price. bet your bottom dollar that the Philidelphia roll is the best you will ever have in your life. I can't love human children more than I love this roll. I don't think its on the menu anymore but they will still make it. I love the people that work here as well! The sushi is 190% the way to go. read more

This is my second time here, and I have to say that Kiku is much less appealing the second time around. My first visit was 4.5/5 stars. I was with a friend. Service was good and the food was even better. This time around, however, I was not so lucky. I came to a dinner service (Thursday night @7pm) and it was fairly crowded. The restaurant itself is very small and packed, but not stuffy. Service was very slow and, at times, was nonexistent. My table would flag down a waitress, ask for something (like tea or wasabi), waitress would acknowledge the request... and then that was it. We were never brought anything we asked for unless we asked multiple times. It was just kind of tiring, because it took so much effort to just flag down one of the waitresses! Another issue, besides the shoddy service, was the quantity of the dishes (or lack thereof). The portions are very small - think bite-size appetizers and almost regular sized rolls. The saving grace: I enjoyed my food (except for the natto roll... that was just NO), and 10% off if you use cash! read more

Great sushi spot on the border between Albany and Berkeley. On a weekend night, the wait was fairly minimal, though we sat at the sushi bar. The menu is great with a variety of daily sushi specials, rolls and also cooked seafood dishes. In addition to deliciously fresh sashimi, we ordered the salmon collar and fried octopus which were both great. read more

We sat at the bar and the sashime combo plate was amazing. The fish were fresh, but the most incredible thing was the wasabi. It was freshly grated from wasabi root imported from Japan, the chef explained to me. I've had fresh wasabi before but they were from the Pacific Northwest, and they're not the same. The wasabi served at Kiku will make any fish taste amazing! I made the mistake of ordering a couple sushi rolls - should have know to order only traditional sushi plates at an authentic place like this. The rolls were OK, but the fish were great and the wasabi ... did I mention the wasabi was out of this world? Apparently they only serve this wasabi with the more expensive sashimi plates. Check it out! read more

Kiku Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Celebrated my birthday here back in Oct. The sushi is fresh and the sake good. We did have a problem getting a table, even though we had made reservations. They didn't have a table ready for us at the time we asked for, so it ended up taking about half an hr to sit down. The waitress was very helpful when we were trying to order sake. read more

Kiku Sushi - Green Tea Tempura Ice Cream! - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

We love this place. Every time we came here the service was great and accommodating. The fish is also super fresh! Would def come back! Reasonably priced too. read more

They are sooo incredibly slow and they really lost me when after 25 minutes they brought out my $4.25 (!!) cup of miso and it tasted like diluted salt water. It didn't get better from there either. The food is just ok and definitely overpriced. There is no shortage of excellent sushi in the East Bay. Trust me, this ain't it... read more

Have watched this storefront turn over a few times before Kiku took over. I wonder if this Kiku is related to the one in Oakland? After checking the Yelp reviews and reading about the small space, for a Saturday night dinner, we headed over at 5pm. The restaurant was 3/4 full and by 530, there were 2 parties waiting. Lots of families with babies. The couple next to us had the sake sampler and a variety of shared dishes. That looked like fun! Our family of 4 had the chicken teriyaki (2 kids), seafood udon (me) and some sort of sashimi don buri (husband). We also had 2 sushi rolls, a beer and a diet coke. Everything was very deliciious, fresh and authentic tasting. However, after tip, we spent about $100. That was a bit of a sticker shock. read more

What I ate: Tempura, agedashi tofu, spicy tuna roll Visit date: December 30, 2015 First time? Yes. Nestled in a cozy Berkeley neighborhood, Kiku Sushi is the cutest place on the block. It comfortably seats about 25 patrons. It's easier to snag a table if you come early or are a small party. We ordered the assorted tempura and agedashi tofu to share. The tempura is crispy - the sweet potato and shrimp were my favorites. The agedashi tofu had the bonito flakes and ginger on the side - add as much or as little as you wish. The tofu is cut on the small side which I really like because there's a better surface area to soak up the sauce. I could drink that stuff! The spicy tuna roll was just slightly spicy. Kiku uses the ramen pepper spice as their heat source. 10% off if you pay with cash. read more

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Came here for dinner and everything was fabulous! The tempura was perfectly crunchy and not overly battered. The fish was so incredibly fresh and absolutely delicious. Definitely coming back again! read more

Kiku Sushi - Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

The sushi wasn't anything special. I get better quality at the local grocery store. The service was absolutely ridiculous. The wait time for basic appetizers ( miso soup, edamame) and drinks was over 20 minutes - no joke. Never coming back. read more

Small place with great service. Miso soup was good and the 2 rolls we had were good. Cannot recall which ones but they were tasty. One different thing is you have to go out the front door then take a right to the side of the restaurant the. Take another right thru a screen door to the bathrooms...no biggie just different read more

A tight little squeeze of a sushi spot, but with a warm and busy feel to the place. There is usually a wait of 15 to 30 minutes for a party of two. The sushi here is fresh, and the portion sizes are reasonable if not generous. My favorites here are the scallop, uni, and smoked salmon sashimi. My husband loves their tuna roll as they load it up with shizo leaf to impart that extra punch per bite. We still love Sushi Sho, but in terms of price, faster service, and overall quality of the dining experience, we prefer Kiku's more often. read more

Kiku Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Found this hole in the wall-ish sushi place after finding out that Sumo Sushi (my go to local sushi place) was not opening til' 5 PM. The restaurant itself is pretty dainty & accommodates, at most, maybe 20 people, so leave your cousins, cousin's cousin at home. The quality of the food was great, although I can't judge because I didn't order anything raw. My baked scallop was tasty, but just lacked the x-factor I was looking for. There was no sauce over my sushi & nor did I taste anything baked. Their salad was sooo good. I don't know about others, but when I go to a sushi spot, the salad dressing is what makes or breaks the deal. The dressing was... Sesame seed, garlicky, light brown colored goodness. I devoured the tiny salad side dish. The portions of the food was tiny.. But I'm just a greedy fat American- so hell what do I know about portion size. The bento box that we ordered came with 8 slices of beef teriyaki (yes I counted), 6 California rolls, a miso soup, a side salad, & a bowl of white rice. Everything was delicious, but my hungry ass wanted mo' Servers seemed busy so I didn't get the above & beyond service that I always seem to feel obligated to receive. Oh wells. read more

Kiku Sushi - Spicy scallop roll & tamago - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Residential Street Parking Small Restaurant Opens at 5pm Ten Percent Cash Discount Green Tea is Top Shelf Quality Wasabi Agedashi Tofu is Tasty and a Great Deal Sashimi Dinner has 10 Large Slices of Fresh Fish Kobe Beef Wrapped around Avocado is VG Miso Cod could have used a little more Size and Miso Spicy Scallop Roll was OK - Could have been a little Tighter Overall.....We'll be Back! read more

Kiku is currently my favorite sushi spot in Berkeley. My party and I tried a combination of small plates, entrees, and sushi. The overall consensus was this place is worth coming back to again and again. The spicy tuna roll and baked spicy scallop roll stick out in my mind as my favorites of the night. The quality of the fish and the care that went into the preparation was noticeable. Just thinking about the seven types of Japanese spice in both rolls is making my mouth salivate. Make sure to sign you name on the clipboard hanging on the wall when you walk in. They seat on a first come first serve basis and that's the hostess. read more

Kiku Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Surprise is a residential neighborhood this place that was and is really great! I found it just cruzin back home from up North and googled spots in the area,read a review,looked at a few helpful photos and in an instant or two,I was there! Truly,this place is just awesome! If you live in Cupertino it would remind you of "I-Sushi" that sold and changed menus and i went to that place twice a week upon discovering it as i would this spot if I lived here in the area! It's those little gourmet specialty mixes on the soup serving spoons you will not be able to resist spending more than you planned on Doubles of! I'd move in this street if I worked within 15 miles!! :) The uni was the best i ever had as an afterthought to the assorted super fresh Nigiri I tried! I still taste that Unagi and that Uni like weeks later! LOL. The place is cozy,clean and just spectacular! One of my rare "5"ers! I saw pics and saw a probable college student inhale the Chiroshi! You know,with the accented tobiko and kiwate!(sp), I got to try it next time for sure. I escaped with a mere $53 bill but admit i almost had everything i was willing to explore at first visit! It is just a Great place! I'm going back before Christmas and bringing my wife on a date there! :) If you love sushi it is a must for the bay area resident! read more

Kiku Sushi is my favorite sushi spot in the East Bay. Location is small and dainty, servers are very friendly, and the fish is to die for. If you're willing to spend a little extra, don't skip out on the otoro. Have not tasted a better otoro on this side of the Bay Bridge. Appetizers are great. Grilled yellowtail is awesome too. If you love uni, the Japanese uni is worth the extra couple bucks over the uni from Santa Barbara. Chirashi bowl has amazing variety. read more

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Tiny spot delivers tasty+ sushi and great vibe. Set in the middle of Westbrae, perfect to walk/bike to from surrounding neighborhoods or beyond by BART. Right off Ohlone Greenway. read more

Had this tonight for the first time. It was a good, solid choice. Nothing special or creative with the rolls, but very fresh fish. My crunch roll could have used a little more eel, but overall very good. They also have a decent selection of sake for such a small place. I got an unfiltered nigori sake, it was good. It was very slow but overall good service, good food. read more