Good food and good service. We have eaten both take out and in person. Always fresh- I like the larger beer sizes- like Tokyo. Prices are consistent with the quality. If you can't afford it, cook at home. Great people and a great restaurant. read more

Oh so sad. Really was looking forward to this restaurant....love sushi, love that there are three sushi places in Montclair. Unfortunately, Kotobuki won't be an option for us. Arrived around 8pm on Friday night, expecting to wait because that's how it goes at that time, right? It was definitely packed, but there was only one couple ahead of us. I asked how them how the system worked, which was their opportunity to be pissy and say they'd been standing there 10 minutes and hadn't been greeted or anything. Over-the-hill Barbie and Ken then bitched some more but by that time I was done with them. Just looking around you could see they were slammed, plus they were clearing, so I realized there would be a table soon. We were seated 5 minutes later. Tea and water came immediately, and our server took our order in a very timely manner. Just to wrap up the service element....they were friendly, helpful, timely and appropriate. That's why they get 2 stars. Now the food. Amongst other things, my son ordered maguro. He said that it tasted like the fish had been soaked in water for an hour....you know - that lack of true flavor and weirdish consistency. Also, the roll he ordered was spicy for a couple of pieces, then not at all. I had unagi that came cold - which I always hate. Plus I had a soft-shell crab roll that also tasted like it had been frozen and thawed....a few times. Frankly, couldn't eat it. Daughter's vegetable tempura was good, and my eggplant dish (Agedashi nasu) was absolutely delicious. So the food was really uneven, with the cooked food being better than the sushi. Unfortunately, we have enough options that we won't be returning. Perhaps it will change and we'll give it a try some time in the far, far future. read more

Have gone to Piedmont Ave location before, but this was our first outing in Montclair location. It was full (Saturday night), and service was brisk. Bus service was particularly helpful (water, tea). Miso on the table for starters, but very salty.. We had three vegi roll starter, kinda small rolls, but reasonable We ordered two udons, the tempura udon, which was really whole bowl of udon, and a plate of tempura, including two tempura, for $10; just the right amount. .I had nabe udon, which had a shrimp, and lots of seaweed, an egg, and some bits of chicken. OK, but not the same value as tempura. The sushi chef seemed very efficient, and I might come back for a roll. Not as good as our favorite, Ichiro, but I would come back if I didn't want to go downtown. read more

Nicest staff and super delicious - we have been dining here for years, and even better now. Lots of special small touches make this a great place when craving Japanese food! read more

Kotobuki Jr. gets four stars for the following reasons: * They were open on the 4th of July when I was starving * When we ordered sake (the drink not the fish) it was delivered with a full carafe and the cups were full too * When I ordered Uni the chef suggested that I select something else because the Uni he had was not as sweet as normal. He followed up later by giving me a sample fully respecting my Uni-authoritah (you have to like South Park to get that last Cartman reference). * Huge list of sushi and rolls to select from * Two people made pigs of themselves for around 50 bucks including beer and sake So happy that we finally tried this place! read more

First time my family and I tried Kotobuki. Went in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Not busy, they were friendly and welcoming, and we sat right down. Good menu selection, so we decided to try out a few different items; entrees, donburi, and sushi rolls. Before our food came out, they brought us a complimentary sampling of their tuna tartar and everyone loved it! Everything else we ordered was just as delicious. Great prices in comparison to other Japanese restaurants esp since they have good size portions. Fresh sushi, great overall flavor and excellent customer service. This is definitely one of our new favorite restaurants, Highly recommended! read more

I love this restaurant! It's been my go to place for 11 yrs now, it's like home. There are some very traditional dishes- Beef Sukiaki, Donburi, and Gyoza to name a few. The food is wonderful, fresh and creative especially when you have them pick what to make. Catherine is a cheerful owner who greets you with a smile. Kanpai! read more

Good, solid restaurant in the heart of the village. If you have a taste for sushi and variety, give this place a try. Salad dressing has great consistency and flavor, sushi is made fresh at the counter. They serve hot food too, in case you want something different. Solid sushi place. read more

I would give it a 5 star had their lunch special that included a california roll wasnt so small (4 tiny pieces). Everything else was nice. read more

Kotobuki - Tempura dinner - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

This is probably the most kid friendly sushi place I have ever visited. Clearly that is a big part of their appeal, reading other reviews it seems that family-friendly is their niche. When we stopped in around 6 on a Saturday I think virtually every table was occupied by a family with at least one school aged child. The fact that they make hosting kids a priority is self-evident, from the complimentary miso chock full of tofu (and not too spicy) to the chop stick adapters for small hands. Their menu is quite extensive, so even that unsual (by CAlifornia standards) child who does not want raw fish will have plenty of options. With respect to the quality, I was pleased. I've generally been disappointed in the quality of sushi in the East Bay. It's usually okay but nothing that can compete with the great San Francisco spots like Ebisu or Eiji. Kotobuki won't challenge the SF greats and it's not quite the best I've had in the East Bay but it was still quite good. The Zig Zag roll was a favorite of mine; The scallop sashimi was also superlative. I also really liked the tako yaki, a bit more breaded than I usually like but the actual batter and octopus were very very good. The Fire Roll was a good idea but a bit fishier than I care for. Gyoza and Rock and Roll were both good. If you want Family Friendly sushi this place gets 5 starts. Setting that aside I still give it a solid 4 stars, just be aware that if you want a romantic or adult's only sort of vibe this is not the place for you! read more

Hello. I enjoy the avocado rolls and bland tofu with vegetables and brown rice. I have a Vegan/Gluten Free Blog/Vlog. I posted some pictures from my vegan/gluten free foods that I have ordered from Kotobuki Jr. I hope that is okay with you. Thanks. From, Julie read more

Happy they are back open! Great to have some sushi options in the Village. Hearty miso soup. Good vegetarian options and combos. They are generous with portions and always give kid chopsticks. Love them. read more

The best sushi restaurant in Oakland. I shit you not. "How then," you ask, "could it have such mediocre reviews?" Answer: Those people want to ensure they never have to wait for a table. Well, I'm blowing their cover. Check the wall for the list of today's freshest fish. Stick to that. There are always at least three types of toro; tonight there are SEVEN. All at prices to help you afford your hefty Montclair mortgage. But y'know what? Never mind. Stay away. I don't want to wait for a table. read more

Excellent food and welcoming. Affordable, good portion sizes. Fast (great when you're with kids) and parking garage 1 block away (which closes at 9). Usually, we go to Piedmont Avenue for Sushi, and waste time looking for a parking spot, then waiting for a table. No more. Kotobuki Jr. is our new go-to sushi spot. I went yesterday with my son. I ordered the Sushi Deluxe and let the chef choose for me. It was fresh and delicious and beautiful. I also ordered the Oshitashi appetizer which was very good and enough to share with 2 other people. My son had a dragon roll and potstickers and he was very happy. The sushi chefs are excellent. The waitstaff were very attentive and pleasant, and we were served very quickly. After dinner we went to the bookstore 2 doors away, if you're a book lover. read more

Outstanding service and great for kids. We've been coming here for years and they take great care of us.

Friday night, 3 adults and 2 children. Restaurant was quiet. We were seated quickly and served quickly. They accommodated special orders for the kids - HUGE bonus. The kids ordered an udon with tofu and broth as well as some kappa maki (cucumber rolls). The adults shared a few rolls along with a katsu curry, salmon teriyaki, and chirashi. They were great in accommodating my shellfish allergy and ensured that there was no shellfish in my chirashi. If we're ever back in the neighborhood, we'll definitely frequent this again. For 1 udon noodle order, 2 kappa maki's, 2 fish roe maki orders, 3 rolls, 1 katsu curry rice, 1 salmon teriyaki meal, and 1 chirashi...the bill came out to less than $150 incl. tip and tax! read more

Awful sushi and fish. Service was ok. Not sure why anyone would go there, don't waste your money!

I'm happy to keep supporting Kotobuki during the pandemic. I've come here for many years and, although I'd rather eat at the restaurant, their take-out is still a great choice. Their sushi I as good as always and their dinners are generally excellent. They are fortunately still very concerned about the small details that make their food so good, which is great at this difficult time. It's easy to support them and get take out- just get in touch with them when shopping in the village etc. and your food will be ready when you're done. All in all, it's a very good place when you are in the mood for Japanese food. read more

Great service have been happy customers for years. They have big portions w the dinner combination.

There are 3 sushi restaurants in Montclair - this is the family friendly, less expensive one. This is one of my 11 year old's favorite restaurants in Montclair - she loves the lemon chicken and the udon. My husband and I usually get the dinners where you choose 2 or 3 dishes and it comes with miso soup and salad. I don't usually get sashimi here, if I'm looking for that I prefer Kakui (the expensive, less family friendly Montclair sushi restaurant). I like the rolls, tempura, katsu, and teriyaki. Service is often a bit slow, but this is common in this neighborhood and like the others, we always get everything we ask for, just a tad slower than what we might prefer. Still a reliably good meal. read more

We love Kotobuki. The sushi and the cooked food is always excellent and the ambiance makes us feel at home and very comfortable. The staff is always pleasant and the service is fast. Try their donburi and their sukiyaki. It's all good. read more

Went to Kotobuki with my sister for the first time last night. Was nice because it wasn't busy at the time so we got a table right away. The salad i got was good and the size was just the right proportion. I got the ninja roll and the 49er roll. Both very good! They nicely put the spicy sauce on the side for me for the ninja. The ninja has a great crunch to it with the cream cheese it was very tasty! The 49er was fresh and yummy as well. Love the small lemon slice on it. Overall definitely recommend this place! read more

Kotobuki - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

Great service, really fresh nigiri. We really enjoyed the Crazy roll and the spicy tuna roll was one of the best I've had! All their fish was very high quality, I'm confused why this place is so empty. We will be back! read more

Don't get me wrong, this place is probably a 4 Star place except for my own personal experience with the sukiyaki. Don't order it. It's terrible. It was very sweet and tasted like it was doused in corn syrup. I was expecting the nice beefy slightly teriyaki-ish broth but it was so sweet it was unpalatable. The vegetables in it were mostly broccoli stems (what?) which also were old and tough and I couldn't chew the fibrous skin. This was in sharp contrast to the delicious meal my husband ordered, his was truly good. Like I said, I would've given this place 4 stars but knocked off 2 stars for how bad the sukiyaki was. I did complain to the waiter about how tough and inedible the broccoli stems were, but all he said was he will tell the chef, he did not offer to rectify it. I decided I would take my Sukiyaki home, dump out all their broth, and put in my own delicious beef broth to rectify it. Aside from all that the service was good. Even though I did not have a good experience this time, my husband's food and the food I had there on a previous occasion were quite good, the food is very fresh and beautifully presented. The sushi boats are gorgeous. read more

A big old roach scuttled out and scooted across our table while eating. It sat there eating a grain of rice on the table as we groaned in disgust and recoiled. My wife stood up and nobody came over to check on us even after I quite visibly smashed the roach on the table with a piece of paper. Bleh! The ramen here had been ok, not great, but I won't be coming back. read more

Kotobuki - A roach eating a rice clump happily. 4 roach stars! - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

I had dinner at their soft opening on July 9th, 2010. It was a very busy evening at the restaurant with every table packed and a few people waiting outside. The wait staff were busy, yet attentive. The food was great! I had 2 vegetarian rolls (the vegetarian combo and the vegetarian delight). Both rolls were quite tasty and the ingredients were very fresh. I will definitely be going back to try out the fish and meat items on their menu! read more

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One star because I will not go back. I left with a stomachache and $30 less in my pocket. I thought it would be one of those good, cheaper sushi places since it was busy on a Thursday night in Montclair, but I was wrong. The sushi rolls and miso were either completely bland or way too salty, almost inedible. The service was super slow and inattentive. read more

We went here last night for the first time and it was so bad that I felt compelled to create a Yelp account just so I can write a review. The service was SLOW. It wasn't really all that packed either. Whenever I go to a Japanese restaurant, tea and water is usually served right away. This place? Nope. We sat down and after 15 minutes or so I had to flag a waiter down and ask for it and even then it took forever for them to give us some tea. We ordered and the food was OK. But the annoying part was, when the food finally came (again, SLOW), it came ALL AT ONCE. The waiter came and gave each of us our miso soup and mini salad AND the dinner all in one visit?? So here we are in front of everything and we didn't know if we should bother sipping the miso soup or eat the salad b/c we didn't want our dinner to get cold. Just overall annoying experience. Oh, and later that night, I had the runs. :( read more

We stopped in here for a quick lunch today since I was craving Japanese food. I had the lunch special with two items plus rice, soup and salad. The miso soup was pretty good, with plenty of tofu cubes. The salad was the typical Japanese restaurant side salad - iceberg lettuce with shredded carrots and creamy light dressing. the gyoza and tekka maki that I ordered were pretty weak. The gyoza were over cooked and brittle, and the tekka maki was just blah. My hon of hons husband's udon bowl was much more successful. Perfectly cooked noodles in a tasty broth with plenty of chicken and veggies. Service was quick and professional. Tab for two came to $19. 2.5 stars. Next time we'll probably go to one of the other Japanese restaurants in the neighborhood. read more

My favorite sushi/Japanese restaurant in the village. I come at least once a week or every other week and I never leave without being satisfied. The nigiri sushi fish is always fresh and their warm cooked meal options are just as yummy. The staff are also consistently friendly and tend to you quickly. Great experiences all around! read more

I've really liked both the food and the service here. I hope this restaurant is a success in Montclair Village for a long time. The miso soup is actually good - which is not the case at a lot of places. My salad has always been fresh. Teriyaki salmon is great. Veggie udon is great - good texture to the noodles, tasty broth, fresh vegetables. Service has always been attentive and friendly. Both the food and the service are better than Kakui, up the street, which LOOKS nicer, but it's not if you like good food. Kotobuki Jr. is the best combination of good food and good service for Japanese food in Montclair Village. read more

Tried here for lunch because it was close to my grocery store and had an online menu. Got take out for lunch. The restaurant was empty except for one table. The ambience was good so I will definitely eat in at some point. Prices were reasonable, rolls we good, and it was prepared quickly. read more

Had dinner alone on a Monday night. A kind of don't want to cook night. I saw the other reviews and the 3 stars rating but thought I should give it a try anyway since I love close by. Conclusion is: just okay. It's not bad but it's not good either. Just "meh" I had 2 rolls and a udon. Rolls were okay. Not made really well but tasted okay. Udon, I sent it back. Did not like the taste nor the look of it. And I love udon usually. Graciously, they did not charged me for the udon, even If i said they can. Service was as the food: "meh" but polite. I might not come back. read more

Word on the street is this place is kids dicey. I certainly think it's pretty decent. I'll oftentimes get take out. Minus one star because it isn't consistent. Typical order (to share): 49er roll (my favorite!) Depending on who is in the back cutting the lemon, it can be a little chunkier or just perfect lemon slices. Piedmont roll (hubs fav): Pretty tasty. Spicy Tuna: This one is really big and it's hard to get in one bite but it's my favorite spicy tuna rolls of any place in Oakland. It has avocado and cucumber so it adds a little something different. Goyza: Sometimes perfect, sometimes soggy.. Still taste good but it's a texture thing. Anyway, it's worth trying out. And if you dine in its kid-friendly. read more

The best sushi in the Bay Area! My wife and I became addicted to it. The price is not bad.

Always friendly staff and tasty food. Very good for families.

5-star for service. We are new to dining out with our toddler due to the pandemic but this place was so attentive. The immediately asked whether we wanted a high chair or booster seat, has trainer holder for chopsticks, toddler plate and utensil, and even served extra tofu in miso soup for our little one. This made the whole indoor dining experience (main entrance door was kept open for ventilation) incredibly pleasant for our family. Thank you! read more

We live here in Montclair and have been a few times. Good food and nice folks. I like the large format beer- three brands. Alone, I get the lunch bento box style items. With my wife, we order a 3-4 rolls plus the given miso soup and we are always pleased. Last night we had an octopus appetizer- delicious as all get out. Spicy too. Had the Fire roll with scallops and the Crazy roll. All delicious. I think people who are "picky" about food should stay home and eat sandwiches and cold cereal. You can never meet their odd demands and they trash you and your business on social media. Just stay home and let other folks try new things. read more

Not into this place... We've only been once, so I'm not sure if it's their norm or going in at the tail of a holiday weekend, we just got the short end of quality. Between us we ended up with 3 rolls. Every one had romaine lettuce in it. Lettuce? Ew gross. Especially in a roll that has tempura something. Our dinner combination orders were mixed up, they too back to swap plates. Not a big deal. With that I ordered vegetable tempura and was given a shrimp tempura roll, which I just kept for ease... then I noticed the lettuce. Asked for tea several times and never got any. The seaweed nori for the rolls was so old and gummy it made the roll inedible, or risk choking. We had to pick the insides out, I ended up with a midden pile of seaweed and lettuce. Husband said the sashimi was fine, but his beef was off. He prides himself on his Vietnamese 'goat like' stomach, and rarely complains about food being old or bad, and assumes he can eat anything, except tin cans. Saying his teriyaki beef was sour, and not finishing is a big deal. My salmon teriyaki also tasted old, almost microwaved. The plus side, super great with kids! Very attentive to our toddler. Extra tofu, chopsticks, rice, cute kid plates! Very attentive and easy to have a child there. The portions are huge! Not sure if they were just trying to dish out old stock, or maybe they buy too much at a time and that's why the quality goes down. Either way I'd choose smaller better portions every time! read more

I don't consider myself a hardcore Japanese food fanatic but whenever I get my hankering for it - I head to Kotobuki. Service is fast and friendly, ambiance is homey and family-friendly, nothing super fancy and the food is tasty. The restaurant revamped their menus recently and I noticed a new lunch combos which hadn't been there before --- but some I had requested for special (Unagi Donburi + Sashimi) and they obliged for me. So I'm pretty glad they are listening to their customer's needs. Yay. I will always consider Kotobuki my go-to Japanese restaurant when in Oakland Hills. read more