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Kinda Izakaya has been on my to-try list and I've heard mixed reviews from people on know, but I definitely wanted to judge for myself. Today we had something to do in Berkeley, so we made Kinda Izakaya our dinner spot to meet up with a couple friends as well! It was a Thursday night and I wasn't sure if it would be packed or not, but I made a reservation through Open Table just in case. We walked in around 6:30PM and it was fairly empty, but we didn't order until closer to 6:50PM. A little later and it did get pretty pack, so I'm glad we beat the rush. For our group of four we got a lot. We shared: - Purple Tempura - Crispy Knee - Karaage - Shima Hokke - Gomae - Beef Tongue x 2 - Chicken Skewer Set (Special Menu) x 2 My partner and I specially also shared a Chirashi Don and a Ochazuke, while our friends shared another Ochazuke and a Japanese Curry. Of everything we ordered, I had a few favorites: 1) The purple tempura was very nicely fried. It had a crispy outer layer, but the potato was still soft. Who doesn't love some fancy fries? 2) The crispy knee was nicely fried as well. Hard to go wrong with crispy knees when we love the cartilage crunch so much! 3) The Chirashi bowl was beautiful! There was a good variety and I like that they gave two slices of every fish (and tamago). It made for a great sharing bowl with partner. Each piece of fish was pretty fresh and my favorite of the bunch is the Hotate and the Ikura! 4) The Ochazuke was probably my ultimate favorite. The dashi broth was comforting especially when it's a little cold outside. It was also really delicious. They topped it with some fresh salmon pieces so when you pour the broth in, it cooks it just slightly, but still retains the soft texture of raw fish. We also had a few disappointments as well though. 1) Most of the skewers were a bit of a let down and I think it's because they put a marinade on the meat. I didn't like the taste of it that much - there's a weird tangy taste that was a little off-putting. The quality of the meat wasn't bad though. The tongue was actually a nice thick, but soft cut. 2) The Gomae wasn't quite what I expected. Although spinach is the main component of the dish, I feel like the sauce pairing should really elevate it because otherwise spinach is pretty bland. Their twist on this was on the blander side. Overall it was okay, but the sauce could definitely use some work. 3) Shima Hokke was a little tough so I think it's slightly over-grilled. I think I would choose to try the Hamachi Kama next time instead. All in all, service was pretty attentive. The place got crowded, but we didn't particularly feel neglected. Food came at a good pace. I recommend their stuff from their Fried section and Donburi section. The place is such a vibe too. I like how much posters and decorations they plastered around the restaurant. Parking here can be a little crazy, but otherwise, we had a good time here!
Brief Summary - Close to Trader Joe's in Berkeley - Recommended to reserve a seat if you're visiting during peak dinner hours - Portions are great to order a variety and avoid leftovers Been a favorite place to eat with friends in Berkeley. There is a large variety of menus and appetizers to choose from. I did most of the ordering by looking at the menu rather than from the QR code (It didn't work for me when I tried the latter option). I also prefer the menu in this restaurant because it's like a piece of art. The whole canvas is covered in collage of food; I like the pop. I also love the interior decoration. There is a lot of things to look at and observe, the eyes are entertained. My particular favorite is the nook, where the wall panel is covered in manga panels of well-known manga. Favorite dishes I ordered - yakionigiri - yakitori - beef tongue - mentaiko spaghetti - kinda tofu - fried squid - hamachi carpaccio
Sometimes you visit a restaurant while traveling and instantly wish it existed in your hometown. That's exactly how I felt about this place. Kinda Izakaya is located in Berkeley, just outside the busy college areas and food streets. It's a cozy Japanese izakaya-style spot that serves small plates, yakitori, sushi, fried bites, and comfort dishes meant for sharing. The vibe feels casual but lively, the kind of place where people sit around chatting while plates keep arriving at the table. I'm currently visiting San Francisco and Berkeley and only have a few days left before heading back to San Diego. My goal while visiting was simple: eat. What I didn't expect was finding a restaurant I loved more than most places I've had recently in San Diego. This place completely blew me away. We arrived around 7:30 with no reservation and the staff was able to accommodate our party of three right away. I appreciated the flexibility, but as the night went on walk-ins quickly turned into a 25+ minute wait, so reservations are probably a good idea. We were seated in a fun booth setup and immediately given menus and water. I also want to highlight the staff here. They were incredibly attentive and kind. You could tell they genuinely enjoy working there through how they interacted with guests. The menu is a little overwhelming because there are so many options, some with pictures and some without. I wanted to order everything but we settled on five dishes for three people which came out to around $56 total: fried mochi, beef tongue yakitori, garlic fried rice with beef, crispy knee, and the cherry blossom roll. The fried mochi was the first surprise of the night. For $6 this might have been the best value on the table. They came out hot and crispy on the outside while staying chewy inside. Think chewy rice cakes cut into blocks and fried, then drizzled with a sweet, sticky, almost teriyaki sauce and topped with bonito flakes. The flavor was balanced and the texture was amazing. I honestly wish we ordered two plates. The beef tongue yakitori was another standout. Large chunks of tender and flavorful tongue grilled perfectly on the skewer. A little tip is to squeeze the lemon over the meat and let the juices mix together. If you have cabbage on the side like we did with the crispy knee dish, that lemony meat juice works great as a dressing. The garlic fried rice with beef was a huge portion for $17 and easily shareable. It was buttery, garlicky, and comforting. The steak pieces stayed tender and soaked up the garlic butter flavor really well. The crispy knee was something I had never tried before but I'm glad I did. If you like karaage, imagine that idea pushed a little further. It has a crispy exterior with some cartilage texture inside that adds crunch. A squeeze of lemon helps cut the richness and dipping it in the spicy mayo made it even better. The cherry blossom roll was unfortunately our least favorite dish of the night, though it wasn't bad. It came out about ten minutes after everything else. The cuts were a little inconsistent in size and it looked smaller than expected for a $20 roll. The fish tasted fresh, but I've had better sushi back home in San Diego. Overall I'm honestly just sad because I want to come back and try more dishes. This is the kind of place I would happily become a regular at if I lived nearby. If you ever find yourself in Berkeley, I highly recommend giving it a try.
Quite a disappointing experience all around. My husband and I came for dinner and made a reservation same day. No issues making reservations and being sat. It got quite packed. We ordered a large hot sake ($9) and immediately there was something off about it. Weird yellow sediment floating around, and it tasted and smelled strongly of vinegar. This indicates that it has spoiled and oxidized, presumably from being warmed too long. We flagged over the male server (who was nice enough throughout), and he immediately brought it over to one of the female servers to check. Initially, he offered us a replacement but upon checking with her (as she looked concerned), he asked us if we wanted to replace it with cold sake instead. We said sure. After getting the replacement, this same female server kept giving us dirty looks throughout the night. They also had people they knew keep coming in and they would go sit in the back by the bar, then the servers would go chit chat with them. Made it hard to flag anyone down, besides from the one male server. Disappointing service, besides from the one male server who checked in with us once. The food also came out really slowly; we came at opening and ordered quickly, but the food still came out quite slowly. Food-wise: we started off strong with the grilled chicken skin ($4.50). We also got fried chicken skin ($10) - the chicken skin items were good. Mentaiko udon was quite good, if you like carbonara. The roe was salty, udon was creamy, it's a super 'fishy' tasting pasta but it's really good. $18 atka mackerel: pretty good, tender, less 'fishy' than typical mackerel $18 Fried mochi was interesting, my husband liked it enough. Sweet, crispy outside, chewy inside. $6 I wanted to try a variety of grilled items as they're a izakaya: - Grilled beef tongue was a massive chunk and just overall kind of dry. Not much flavor. ($6) - Grilled angus beef was just okay as well. ($6) - Grilled baby scallops: small because they're baby scallops but also unremarkable and dry ($6) -grilled pork belly: way too much fat and cut too thick of slices. Would've been a much better texture if it was cut thinly, but since it was so thick, the fat was overpowering, it was around 80% fat, 20% meat I would say ($14) Overall, I would recommend the mentaiko udon and the chicken skin items. Mackerel wasn't bad either. Everything else is just ok to not great. I don't know if we'll be back anytime soon. On to the next restaurant to try in Berkeley...
Wow impressive and my first time her and def won't be my last. We are seeing a gig at the back room and wanted to grab a bite. Entered and the place was packed for a Friday. Mina greeted us and asked if we had reservations in which I looked at hubs in disbelief thinking we were out of luck. Let Mina know we dont have any and hoping shes able to accomdate us as we weren't planning on staying long. She and another waiter were very attentive and were awesome. Highly recommend and Mina is the best.
I'm definitely a fan! The ambience was great, service was amazing, great place. I had the MENTAIKO udon, soooo good with the added bacon. I'm not a fan of the assorted chicken skewer. The best skewer was the chicken skin. We also had the lychee tower, you can't even taste the alcohol. Definitely will be back
I feel like I was in Japan when I ate here. The vibe gives the same small izakaya feeling as if you were in Japan. The tables are seated somewhat close to each other and there is single seating at the bar. It's on the darker side in here, but it definitely sets the vibe for late night ramen and appetizers. I tried the shishito peppers and tonkatsu ramen. The wait time for food is not bad at all. Appetizers came out quickly, and the entree followed shortly after. Definitely looking forward to coming back but be weary!! There might be a wait!
DD a few times from here when I have a hankering for quality snacks: - the sauces are all different and really good - batter on the fried items - light and not overly seasoned - hamachi kama, small portion, super fresh - beef tongue, so tender and love the wasabi Excellent izakaya eats - like Kiraku and Ippuku's love child.
excellent food, all so tasty and generous serving. My favorite was the ochazuke with salmon, the dashi broth was so good I wish there was more! The skewers a a bit small but cooked well and flavorful. The udon was comforting and came with lots of tempura! friendly staff and service. they only have 2 highchairs so if other families with kids are there you may not get one.
Arrived at 6PM on a Saturday as a party of 2 and we were able to be seated immediately with no reservation. The interior is quite cool with awesome decor and moody lighting. Service was attentive throughout as well. The mentaiko udon was definitely the standout--creamy and savory, and the noodles had the perfect chew. I also thought the chicken yakitori set and squid had a great char flavor, although there were a few pieces of squid with grainier texture that may have indicated it wasn't as fresh as it could have been. The tofu was also fried well with the soy sauce adding just enough saltiness. Would skip the yakisoba next time, the flavor was overall on the blander side surprisingly. Decent option for izakaya, especially for the ambiance, but keep in mind the smaller portions/higher price point.
Fun vibes and great decor, best to come with friends and order multiple things to share. Services was so friendly! We had some winners and skips: - lychee Soju tower 10/10 would come back, 2 of us drank the whole tower. It was fresh tasting with the lemon and fun to drink across our whole meal! -Spicy tuna bite- the tuna was delish but confused why they gave us store bought tortilla chips. Odd pairing, we thought it would be wonton wrapper crisps. -Golden spoon - pricey and the soy sauce is way too overpowering/does not pair well, but the uni was good. -okonomiyaki- perfect for 3 people to taste -Karage - like 6 tiny pieces :( shouldn't be $12 -combo tempura - ate it all! -Sukiyaki - we were waiting for this when we saw another group get theirs before us. We notified the staff and they got it to us asap and gave a discount on the item for our wait. Hot and great to share!
My partner and I tried Kinda Izakaya recently after wanting to try it for a long time. I don't know how we've gone this long without trying this place! With a small, cozy interior, this place is very inviting. They have beautiful panels of manga and other decor plastered all over the walls and casual seating options, including bar seating. The menu is very accessible and has pictures of each menu item, making your selection process a little easier. All the food coming out of the kitchen looked and smelled absolutely incredible. We ended up ordering the udon carbonara, karaage, and grilled squid, as well as mochi ice cream for dessert. The udon carbonara was genuinely out of this world. We mixed the toppings into the udon, and they basically melted right into the sauce. It was creamy, well-balanced, and so flavorful. We almost didn't order the carbonara, but I'm so glad we did! Next time, we'll definitely order two of them. The grilled squid was yummy, as well. I wish the slices had been cut a little thicker, but it was still good! The karaage was crispy and delicious, as was the dipping sauce. For the mochi, we chose black sesame and green tea. I'm not personally a mochi fan, but my partner really enjoyed the black sesame! The service was great; everyone was friendly, polite, and attentive. I expect I'll be back very soon!
3 months ago
We discovered this fun little Izakaya (Japanese social eatery) when coming into town for the Ladytron 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. read more
2nd Visit. I'm smitten with the menu and vibes. $6 Kyuri: refreshing 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 read more
great little place in berkeley! it's a bit small but still cozy and usually has a waitlist around dinner time. the sushi and gyudon wasn't really anything special, but i did really like the tofu & udon! the agedashi tofu has a nice crisp on the outside so it fast before it gets soggy in the sauce! the carbonara udon has great flavor -- i could honestly eat a whole meal of just the udon overall this place is a staple, no complaints! read more
5 months ago
Kinda Izakaya has been on my to-try list and I've heard mixed reviews from people on know, but I definitely wanted to judge for myself. Today we had something to do in Berkeley, so we made Kinda Izakaya our dinner spot to meet up with a couple friends as well! It was a Thursday night and I wasn't sure if it would be packed or not, but I made a reservation through Open Table just in case. We walked in around 6:30PM and it was fairly empty, but we didn't order until closer to 6:50PM. A little later and it did get pretty pack, so I'm glad we beat the rush. For our group of four we got a lot. We shared: - Purple Tempura - Crispy Knee - Karaage - Shima Hokke - Gomae - Beef Tongue x 2 - Chicken Skewer Set (Special Menu) x 2 My partner and I specially also shared a Chirashi Don and a Ochazuke, while our friends shared another Ochazuke and a Japanese Curry. Of everything we ordered, I had a few favorites: 1) The purple tempura was very nicely fried. It had a crispy outer layer, but the potato was still soft. Who doesn't love some fancy fries? 2) The crispy knee was nicely fried as well. Hard to go wrong with crispy knees when we love the cartilage crunch so much! 3) The Chirashi bowl was beautiful! There was a good variety and I like that they gave two slices of every fish (and tamago). It made for a great sharing bowl with partner. Each piece of fish was pretty fresh and my favorite of the bunch is the Hotate and the Ikura! 4) The Ochazuke was probably my ultimate favorite. The dashi broth was comforting especially when it's a little cold outside. It was also really delicious. They topped it with some fresh salmon pieces so when you pour the broth in, it cooks it just slightly, but still retains the soft texture of raw fish. We also had a few disappointments as well though. 1) Most of the skewers were a bit of a let down and I think it's because they put a marinade on the meat. I didn't like the taste of it that much - there's a weird tangy taste that was a little off-putting. The quality of the meat wasn't bad though. The tongue was actually a nice thick, but soft cut. 2) The Gomae wasn't quite what I expected. Although spinach is the main component of the dish, I feel like the sauce pairing should really elevate it because otherwise spinach is pretty bland. Their twist on this was on the blander side. Overall it was okay, but the sauce could definitely use some work. 3) Shima Hokke was a little tough so I think it's slightly over-grilled. I think I would choose to try the Hamachi Kama next time instead. All in all, service was pretty attentive. The place got crowded, but we didn't particularly feel neglected. Food came at a good pace. I recommend their stuff from their Fried section and Donburi section. The place is such a vibe too. I like how much posters and decorations they plastered around the restaurant. Parking here can be a little crazy, but otherwise, we had a good time here! read more
6 days ago
Brief Summary - Close to Trader Joe's in Berkeley - Recommended to reserve a seat if you're visiting during peak dinner hours - Portions are great to order a variety and avoid leftovers Been a favorite place to eat with friends in Berkeley. There is a large variety of menus and appetizers to choose from. I did most of the ordering by looking at the menu rather than from the QR code (It didn't work for me when I tried the latter option). I also prefer the menu in this restaurant because it's like a piece of art. The whole canvas is covered in collage of food; I like the pop. I also love the interior decoration. There is a lot of things to look at and observe, the eyes are entertained. My particular favorite is the nook, where the wall panel is covered in manga panels of well-known manga. Favorite dishes I ordered - yakionigiri - yakitori - beef tongue - mentaiko spaghetti - kinda tofu - fried squid - hamachi carpaccio read more
Sometimes you visit a restaurant while traveling and instantly wish it existed in your hometown. That's exactly how I felt about this place. Kinda Izakaya is located in Berkeley, just outside the busy college areas and food streets. It's a cozy Japanese izakaya-style spot that serves small plates, yakitori, sushi, fried bites, and comfort dishes meant for sharing. The vibe feels casual but lively, the kind of place where people sit around chatting while plates keep arriving at the table. I'm currently visiting San Francisco and Berkeley and only have a few days left before heading back to San Diego. My goal while visiting was simple: eat. What I didn't expect was finding a restaurant I loved more than most places I've had recently in San Diego. This place completely blew me away. We arrived around 7:30 with no reservation and the staff was able to accommodate our party of three right away. I appreciated the flexibility, but as the night went on walk-ins quickly turned into a 25+ minute wait, so reservations are probably a good idea. We were seated in a fun booth setup and immediately given menus and water. I also want to highlight the staff here. They were incredibly attentive and kind. You could tell they genuinely enjoy working there through how they interacted with guests. The menu is a little overwhelming because there are so many options, some with pictures and some without. I wanted to order everything but we settled on five dishes for three people which came out to around $56 total: fried mochi, beef tongue yakitori, garlic fried rice with beef, crispy knee, and the cherry blossom roll. The fried mochi was the first surprise of the night. For $6 this might have been the best value on the table. They came out hot and crispy on the outside while staying chewy inside. Think chewy rice cakes cut into blocks and fried, then drizzled with a sweet, sticky, almost teriyaki sauce and topped with bonito flakes. The flavor was balanced and the texture was amazing. I honestly wish we ordered two plates. The beef tongue yakitori was another standout. Large chunks of tender and flavorful tongue grilled perfectly on the skewer. A little tip is to squeeze the lemon over the meat and let the juices mix together. If you have cabbage on the side like we did with the crispy knee dish, that lemony meat juice works great as a dressing. The garlic fried rice with beef was a huge portion for $17 and easily shareable. It was buttery, garlicky, and comforting. The steak pieces stayed tender and soaked up the garlic butter flavor really well. The crispy knee was something I had never tried before but I'm glad I did. If you like karaage, imagine that idea pushed a little further. It has a crispy exterior with some cartilage texture inside that adds crunch. A squeeze of lemon helps cut the richness and dipping it in the spicy mayo made it even better. The cherry blossom roll was unfortunately our least favorite dish of the night, though it wasn't bad. It came out about ten minutes after everything else. The cuts were a little inconsistent in size and it looked smaller than expected for a $20 roll. The fish tasted fresh, but I've had better sushi back home in San Diego. Overall I'm honestly just sad because I want to come back and try more dishes. This is the kind of place I would happily become a regular at if I lived nearby. If you ever find yourself in Berkeley, I highly recommend giving it a try. read more
7 months ago
Quite a disappointing experience all around. My husband and I came for dinner and made a reservation same day. No issues making reservations and being sat. It got quite packed. We ordered a large hot sake ($9) and immediately there was something off about it. Weird yellow sediment floating around, and it tasted and smelled strongly of vinegar. This indicates that it has spoiled and oxidized, presumably from being warmed too long. We flagged over the male server (who was nice enough throughout), and he immediately brought it over to one of the female servers to check. Initially, he offered us a replacement but upon checking with her (as she looked concerned), he asked us if we wanted to replace it with cold sake instead. We said sure. After getting the replacement, this same female server kept giving us dirty looks throughout the night. They also had people they knew keep coming in and they would go sit in the back by the bar, then the servers would go chit chat with them. Made it hard to flag anyone down, besides from the one male server. Disappointing service, besides from the one male server who checked in with us once. The food also came out really slowly; we came at opening and ordered quickly, but the food still came out quite slowly. Food-wise: we started off strong with the grilled chicken skin ($4.50). We also got fried chicken skin ($10) - the chicken skin items were good. Mentaiko udon was quite good, if you like carbonara. The roe was salty, udon was creamy, it's a super 'fishy' tasting pasta but it's really good. $18 atka mackerel: pretty good, tender, less 'fishy' than typical mackerel $18 Fried mochi was interesting, my husband liked it enough. Sweet, crispy outside, chewy inside. $6 I wanted to try a variety of grilled items as they're a izakaya: - Grilled beef tongue was a massive chunk and just overall kind of dry. Not much flavor. ($6) - Grilled angus beef was just okay as well. ($6) - Grilled baby scallops: small because they're baby scallops but also unremarkable and dry ($6) -grilled pork belly: way too much fat and cut too thick of slices. Would've been a much better texture if it was cut thinly, but since it was so thick, the fat was overpowering, it was around 80% fat, 20% meat I would say ($14) Overall, I would recommend the mentaiko udon and the chicken skin items. Mackerel wasn't bad either. Everything else is just ok to not great. I don't know if we'll be back anytime soon. On to the next restaurant to try in Berkeley... read more
4 months ago
Wow impressive and my first time her and def won't be my last. We are seeing a gig at the back room and wanted to grab a bite. Entered and the place was packed for a Friday. Mina greeted us and asked if we had reservations in which I looked at hubs in disbelief thinking we were out of luck. Let Mina know we dont have any and hoping shes able to accomdate us as we weren't planning on staying long. She and another waiter were very attentive and were awesome. Highly recommend and Mina is the best. read more
8 months ago
I'm definitely a fan! The ambience was great, service was amazing, great place. I had the MENTAIKO udon, soooo good with the added bacon. I'm not a fan of the assorted chicken skewer. The best skewer was the chicken skin. We also had the lychee tower, you can't even taste the alcohol. Definitely will be back read more
I feel like I was in Japan when I ate here. The vibe gives the same small izakaya feeling as if you were in Japan. The tables are seated somewhat close to each other and there is single seating at the bar. It's on the darker side in here, but it definitely sets the vibe for late night ramen and appetizers. I tried the shishito peppers and tonkatsu ramen. The wait time for food is not bad at all. Appetizers came out quickly, and the entree followed shortly after. Definitely looking forward to coming back but be weary!! There might be a wait! read more
1 year ago
DD a few times from here when I have a hankering for quality snacks: - the sauces are all different and really good - batter on the fried items - light and not overly seasoned - hamachi kama, small portion, super fresh - beef tongue, so tender and love the wasabi Excellent izakaya eats - like Kiraku and Ippuku's love child. read more
11 months ago
excellent food, all so tasty and generous serving. My favorite was the ochazuke with salmon, the dashi broth was so good I wish there was more! The skewers a a bit small but cooked well and flavorful. The udon was comforting and came with lots of tempura! friendly staff and service. they only have 2 highchairs so if other families with kids are there you may not get one. read more
25 days ago
Kinda izakaya is a cozy, lively spot with great vibes and friendly service. The menu has plenty of tasty Japanese comfort food--perfect for sharing. Everything we ordered tasted fresh and well-seasoned. Prices are reasonable, and the overall experience feels genuinely enjoyable. read more
Arrived at 6PM on a Saturday as a party of 2 and we were able to be seated immediately with no reservation. The interior is quite cool with awesome decor and moody lighting. Service was attentive throughout as well. The mentaiko udon was definitely the standout--creamy and savory, and the noodles had the perfect chew. I also thought the chicken yakitori set and squid had a great char flavor, although there were a few pieces of squid with grainier texture that may have indicated it wasn't as fresh as it could have been. The tofu was also fried well with the soy sauce adding just enough saltiness. Would skip the yakisoba next time, the flavor was overall on the blander side surprisingly. Decent option for izakaya, especially for the ambiance, but keep in mind the smaller portions/higher price point. read more
Fun vibes and great decor, best to come with friends and order multiple things to share. Services was so friendly! We had some winners and skips: - lychee Soju tower 10/10 would come back, 2 of us drank the whole tower. It was fresh tasting with the lemon and fun to drink across our whole meal! -Spicy tuna bite- the tuna was delish but confused why they gave us store bought tortilla chips. Odd pairing, we thought it would be wonton wrapper crisps. -Golden spoon - pricey and the soy sauce is way too overpowering/does not pair well, but the uni was good. -okonomiyaki- perfect for 3 people to taste -Karage - like 6 tiny pieces :( shouldn't be $12 -combo tempura - ate it all! -Sukiyaki - we were waiting for this when we saw another group get theirs before us. We notified the staff and they got it to us asap and gave a discount on the item for our wait. Hot and great to share! read more
My partner and I tried Kinda Izakaya recently after wanting to try it for a long time. I don't know how we've gone this long without trying this place! With a small, cozy interior, this place is very inviting. They have beautiful panels of manga and other decor plastered all over the walls and casual seating options, including bar seating. The menu is very accessible and has pictures of each menu item, making your selection process a little easier. All the food coming out of the kitchen looked and smelled absolutely incredible. We ended up ordering the udon carbonara, karaage, and grilled squid, as well as mochi ice cream for dessert. The udon carbonara was genuinely out of this world. We mixed the toppings into the udon, and they basically melted right into the sauce. It was creamy, well-balanced, and so flavorful. We almost didn't order the carbonara, but I'm so glad we did! Next time, we'll definitely order two of them. The grilled squid was yummy, as well. I wish the slices had been cut a little thicker, but it was still good! The karaage was crispy and delicious, as was the dipping sauce. For the mochi, we chose black sesame and green tea. I'm not personally a mochi fan, but my partner really enjoyed the black sesame! The service was great; everyone was friendly, polite, and attentive. I expect I'll be back very soon! read more
It's authentic Japanese Izakaya (skewers) place with variety of foods. Good thing they serve all sort of Japanese cuisines from sashimi, sushi, ramen noodles, Izakaya and desserts. Food is delicious and fresh. Waiters are attentive but could be a bit slow in rush hours. Nice interior with lots of anime! Indoor seating with Japanese touches, not easily accessible, narrow entry and pathways with uncomfortable seating. Great for couples and small gathering only. Parking options are close by public parking and street parking. read more
7 months ago
Went here around 11 pm after a concert at the UC Theatre , glad they were open so late! The sashimi was fresh and good tasting, fav was yellowtail & salmon. Seated us right away and took our orders very quick. Love the service read more
2 months ago
My wife and I stopped by Kinda Izakaya on a Friday evening right when they opened at 5:30 p.m. and as expected, we were immediately able to get seated at a table. It wasn't until closer to 6:30 p.m. that the place started to get busy and tables started to fill out. Between the two of us, we ordered the takowasa, hamachi collar, fried chicken knee, chicken thigh skewers, bacon wrapped mushroom skewers, beef tongue, and one grilled rice ball. This ended up just being a tad too much food and we ended up taking some of the chicken knee and hamachi collar to-go. To be honest, there wasn't really a stand-out dish for me. Everything was good, but nothing was mind-blowing delicious that I had to come back again to try it. If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be the beef tongue, which was very tender, didn't have an iron flavor to it, and each piece was cut perfectly even. The one negative to this dish is the strong, spicy wasabi sauce included with it was way too overpowering: a small pea size serving of the sauce is more than enough to make you wince and your eyes tear up. Though most dishes came with a sauce and a wedge of lemon, I thought all dishes could have been greatly elevated with just a single flake of finishing salt. Additionally, some dishes also ate a bit dry, like the chicken thigh skewers and the hamachi collar. Food came quickly out of the kitchen and pacing between dishes felt good. Overall, Kinda Izakaya is a good spot for a casual date night that won't break the bank -- 3.5 rounding up to a 4 stars. read more
1 year ago
The evening of our date night was off to a rough start - service was slow and the waitresses seemed unorganized and confused about who was taking our order. At one point a waitress greeted us and asked for our order when we just placed it moments earlier. Our lukewarm appetizers - chicken skin & takoyaki - were served and finished before our first order of drinks arrived. We had to get the attention of one of the waitresses to ask about our drinks, then they finally came. After placing our second order of food and drinks I requested that after it arrives to come back because we'll want to order more. We decided to just order our last round of food and drinks at one time to avoid the delay. We noticed that another table had to check on their status of their order too. Four stars because the food was good and in shareable portions and the drinks were really good. My man really enjoyed the highball and my umekko and lychee martinis were delicious. We skipped dessert. The chairs and tables aren't very comfortable either, the benches/stools are too short for the table so it was a bit difficult to sit comfortably. But we're open to coming back because it's a great vibe, pretty good music and a casual place for shareable plates and good drinks. We ordered: beef tongue, hamachi Kama, oshinko, tuna bites, and agedashi tofu. read more
4 months ago
Been craving yakitori and missing japan so decided to come here for Sunday dinner. As you walk in the vibe is giving Japan hole in the wall restaurant! So def check! They have a good mix menu - from warm food, cold food, grilled, summer special, etc. We ordered a bit of everything to try a bunch of stuff The food taste really great! The chicken thigh are juicy and cooked well w tasty sauce. The hamachi is fresh. The beef tongue is tender. Takowasa was fresh! The kimchi udon noodle is def my fave! And the hamachi Kama melts in your mouth! We also got the matcha cocktail that was so good! The food can take a bit longer, but bec they make everything to order but the servers are nice and friendly!! Would def comeback again! read more
The restaurant is in the corner of the street. It is a small restaurant that would fit only small parties. There were a lot of food selections from noodles, soup, and etc! The server was really nice recommending all the items and they were all really good! I would definitely come back here! read more
Came upon my coworkers recommendation. He said the vibes were good and the vibes were indeed good. I ordered the fried chicken knees, raw octopus with wasabi, and handrolls. The staff was very kind and checked up on the table often. Chicken knees: perfectly battered and fried. I think it's just something I would get frequently texture wise but it's fun and I recommend that people try. Raw octopus: it tasted like normal raw sushi to me with a slight chewy texture. Not as chewy as chicken knees. The wasabi gave it a burning spice. Handrolls: a bit over sauced for my taste. I couldn't taste much of the actual fish to pinpoint the quality. Cucumber smash: delicious and didn't taste like alcohol at all read more
The inside of the restaurant is so cool! It feels like you're being transported to a bar in Japan. The service is also super kind and it's an open kitchen so you can see the chefs making your dish. However the food isn't exceptional, but since the restaurant seems to be a late night drinks and mingle type of place it's not that big of a deal. Agedashi tofu which: 7/10 flavorful but not crispy Grilled mackerel: 8/10 Grilled rice ball: -/10 no option. I don't think I've ever liked it at any restaurant so I don't think it's for me Sukiyaki: 7.5/10 it was a bit salty and gave me a headache. Initial flavor was good so maybe the quality of ingredients wasn't read more
3 years ago
Cute little izakaya with fun decorations. Servers were very sweet and attentive! I don't think any of the workers were actually Japanese though. The food was ok, not too great, not bad either. The sukiyaki was way too sweet for my liking. I liked the variety of options they had though! Their sashimi wasn't too fresh but their rice dish and skewers were really good. read more
Kinda Izakaya is kinda my vibe! My companion and I had a reasonable experience here but I wasn't blown away. I'm a seasoned izakaya goer so I had high expectations coming in based on the reviews--let's just say Kinda is Americanized and not authentic. For any Berkeley or Cal students looking for a bustling yet leisurely vibe then this is your spot. This is a place to unwind with several tables to seat pairs, groups of 4, and a bar table. There's fun Japanese retro decor and artwork plastered. The lights are dim and customers are loud which mimics a true izakaya. My companion and I found the service to be okay. Not quite attentive or friendly, geared more toward ordering and delivering the food. What I love about izakayas is the practically limitless amount of food choices. Kinda Izakaya's vast menu offers appetizers, grilled and fried items, skewers, noodles and rice, and much more. We chose to share the Dashi Maki Tamago and Mentaiko Fried Rice. The egg was sweet and umami but other bits lacking. As a mentaiko lover, I was underwhelmed with the amount of mentaiko on the rice. The rice was filling, and chewier since cooked with short grain rice, plenty of crunchy toppings mixed in, and savory. The portion was bigger than expected and we took half home if we were to give the place another chance we'd try the skewers and okonomiyaki. If you're into reasonably priced bites, late-night hours, and different options for food this is a good choice. It's an easy walk for Cal students or those taking public transportation. Street parking is around as well since the restaurant is off University Ave. read more
Berkeley's newest late-night gem! We decided to give it a try on a weekday around 9pm. Kinda struck the perfect balance between being uncrowded yet pleasantly bustling. The Izakaya ambiance was spot-on, a touch of dim lighting that still kept the place lively and inviting. The service was great. We tried sweet potato tempura, grilled octopus, agedashi tofu, and okonomiyaki. All the dishes portion sizes are pretty reasonable. The tempura, though not as light as I preferred, was still yummy. My favorite was okonomiyaki - a delightful blend of savory and sweet flavors with some crunch texture. They also offer sashimi, noodles and skewers. read more
You wouldn't bat an eyelash if you saw a bustling place like this in Tokyo's Shinjuku or Osaka's Dotonbori districts, but seeing it on University Avenue near the UC Berkeley campus made me happy. Jamie W. is such a big Japanophile that he couldn't wait for us to try it. I was hesitant just because new spots like this attract droves of hungry students looking to Instagram their food. Indeed that was true on Friday evening, but we got lucky and got seated at the counter in front of the most active prep area. The menu was a multi-page pictorial filled with all the tempting Japanese comfort plates we could've hoped for. We ordered generously, and the deep-fried dishes arrived first. The $12 Ika Gesso (Deep-Fried Squid) was an excellent start (photo: https://yelp.to/TAtRDqi5Bx). A generous amount of tentacles with the requisite spicy mayo. We were surprised the similar $17 Tempura Combo came next, but who can complain when a trio of large prawns are served with a bounty of deep-fried vegetables? The Japanese eggplant was a standout (photo: https://yelp.to/MCwOnFbwYC). Our skewers came next, all winners starting with the singular $6 Beef Tongue (photo: https://yelp.to/n2JQR3qD3U). Perfectly grilled. Fortunately the $8 Chicken Thigh skewer came as a pair alternating with charred scallions (photo: https://yelp.to/ChfONGgOTC), as did the $7 Oyster Mushrooms abundantly sliced (photo: https://yelp.to/2vWd3Mx7LQ). All of them were succulent. Next was a late order I made when I saw the party next to us receive it, the $7 Sake Roasted Pork Belly which came thickly sliced and jalapeño braised (photo: https://yelp.to/VAmH3OQmlb). That turned out to be our favorite plate of the night but still barely overshadowing our last order, the $12 Okanomiyaki, which I can happily report was executed Kansai-style in a way that could've been served in a true Osaka Izakaya (photo: https://yelp.to/A2iPUIqm1S). The kewpie mayo, brown sauce, and bonito flakes were present and accounted for. Definitely returning as it's a lot cheaper than the airfare to Narita. FOOD - 5 stars...really well executed Japanese bar bites and then some AMBIANCE - 5 stars...close my eyes and I'm back in Tokyo SERVICE - 4.5 stars...speedy and efficient TOTAL - 5 stars...an izakaya that speaks to me with most everything a standout RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u read more
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Kinda I.
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Cute place that does a good "Japanese pub food". First off, the house sake in a box was delish. It's u filtered and have a wonderful sweet rice flavor to it The skewers is what you come here for. Alas, they were inconsistent with the quality of the skewers. The chef forgot to season some of the skewers. For the ones that he remembered to season was delish!! Will come back for another date night. read more
Walk into Kinda, you get a feel of a typical Japanese izakaya place or a beer house in Taiwan. The walls are decorated with Japanese posters. Well-spaced wood tables with plenty of 4-5 person tables are placed downstairs. There are many seats by the bar and open kitchen for 1-2 persons. The menu is quite extensive. It covers appetizers, salads, fried items, sashimi, noodles, rice, sukiyaki, and even zuke. Drinks include sake, wines, beer, cocktails, and sodas. Few desserts round it up. We ordered several dishes to share. Blue sweet potato tempura was chewy and not overly sweet. Saki roasted pork belly is also a solid dish. We also had Agedashi tofu, Katsuo tataki, assorted sashimi, and Karaage ramen. Kinda evokes atmosphere of eateries in Shinjuku's Memory Lane. It has a well-selected menu covering all bases, reasonable priced menu, and a cozy and intimate setting. It is a perfect place for drink a beer with friends, or for students after a day of hard study. If your group has 6 or more people. You can call ahead to reserve. Otherwise, just walk in. read more
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More info about Kinda Izakaya
1941A University Ave
Berkeley, CA 94704
Downtown Berkeley
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(510) 647-9226
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https://kindaizakaya6.godaddysites.com
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Ask the Community - Kinda Izakaya
When is the happy hour?
Is it always noisy there?
When you go there in the afternoon when they just opened there will be few people there. Later it will be more crowded and noisy there.
Do you open at 5 or 5:30 ? Your website says one and Yelp says the other.
Hi we open at 5:30 pm :)
I can't find any reference to Reservations?
For 6+ persons, otherwise just walk in
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Kinda Izakaya - tapasmallplates - Updated August 2026
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