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    Muracci's Berkeley

    3.5 (394 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese Curry
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Muracci's Berkeley Photos

    MURACCI'S BERKELEY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Pork Katsu Curry
    Jon H.

    Best value and taste consistently for two decades. Hands down best Japanese katsu curry in the Bay Area! I started coming here since they first opened in the S.F. financial district. I saw the owner walk in delivering food and talked to him since I remember him cooking from the early days. He said he still makes the curry sauce daily and delivers it to his shops. Always a good sign owners are personally involved in operations! Kudos for legacy business and passion for upholding quality!

    Chicken Katsu Curry
    Su T.

    For the portion size to price comparison, this is a dependable and tasty spot to go for chicken katsu curry. My friends in berkeley and I used to always go here! I always had issues with curry being too watered down but Muracci's is always pretty good!

    How cute are these cups for the kiddos!
    Helen T.

    Glad my family & I stumbled across this cute cozy place after a day of hiking. It was getting chilly outside and this was perfect. We got the curry udon, the Katsu curry, and tried the fried Japanese potato. Our kids got the karaage and udon noodles. We basically cleaned up the plates. Kids & I loved the drink ware and dinnerware that were served for the kids! They even provided coloring mat and crayons to entertain the kids.. that's always a plus. Our server was attentive and asked if we needed water refills and quick delivery of food.

    Katsu udon
    Thiri T.

    I ordered the katsu udon and it was pretty solid! I got the spicy level but could've gotten extra spicy. The udon was perfectly cooked and the curry sauce was creamy. I loved the boiled veggies on the side for extra crunch. The portions were huge but the katsu would have been a bit more tender. Definitely the highlight of my meal was the very friendly staff and coloring paper. They gave us crayons and paper to draw on so we could put it up later on the wall. It was very wholesome and cute (:

    Beef cut
    Kaelin C.

    The beef curry never disappoints. Today I got it with potatoes and it was the best decision ever!!! They're very generous with the potatoes and the beef. The sauce is heavenly!! Service is great although I mostly order takeout. The fried gyoza was amazing too. I highly recommend muraccis.

    Salmon Fry Curry (Extra Rice and Extra Curry)
    Wesley L.

    Saw a sign a while back that the free extra curry / rice promotion for students has returned and wanted to give it a try. The special is for dine-in only and you can't share 1 plate between people. Ordered the fried salmon because I was looking to try something new. The portion was MASSIVE and I was excited to dig into a plate of rice & curry (honestly with the fried salmon on the side). Jokes aside, it was pretty tasty but not spicy at all even thought I ordered their hottest level. They also offer brown rice which is a nice healthier option. Honestly if I'm in the mood for just curry and rice, I will probably come here. The staff was really nice and kept refilling my water as I went through this salty meal. It's a smaller restaurant with a moderate amount of seating, but they also do takeout. Good vibes, affordable, and generous portions. All things students look for in a college town

    Tarek S.

    We came here after we tried to go to Champions but it was closed despite saying that it was open on Yelp (and other platforms) That's actually the second time we tried to go there. But I digress I was thrilled to find this place as I had promised my son that we would go for Japanese curry. I was very impressed by the large portions and the flavorful roux of the curry. The beef was very tender, and the egg and the katsu were fried perfectly. Service was a little careless but they were friendly enough. So overall it was a very good experience The price is pretty reasonable too and I think it should accommodate all budgets. Great choice and I'm sure we'll be back.

    meat curry
    Mito I.

    Quick Summary: - Looks soupy, but rich Japanese style curry roux - Entered hungry, left pretty full - Seats inside We entered here early evening, and we all decided that we wanted to eat curry for dinner. My relatives have eaten Muracci before, but this will be my first time. There were not many people yet; this was before class started, so there were not many students either. The staff guided us to our seats, and we browsed through the menu. We ordered four dishes in total: curry rice with beef, curry rice with pork cutlet, curry noodle, and a side of salad. It gave me a smile, when the salad arrived. If I recall, the menu displays salad with a S icon, and this also being a side dish, I expected it to be in a small sized bowl. The bowl looked medium sized in my opinion, so it was easily shared within the family. The size didn't bother us at all, but it would come as a surprise, if others also believed it was going to small too. The curry with beef or pork cutlet had different spice levels. The beef had medium, and the pork had a spicier roux (I don't remember what the level of spiciness was). The curry roux with beef was a good amount of spice, even I - with a low spice tolerance - was able to eat it with a straight face. I felt a mild burn on each bite, so it was a very comfortable spice level. The curry roux for the pork cutlet, on the other hand, had a kick. I felt it in the throat, and for this one I needed to drink water. Very good though, but water would be a must for me if I order this dish. I had the curry udon, and what I liked about this one is that the curry in this dish is different from the curry rice. It's soupier (as it should be) so it's easy for the udon noodles to wrap around the broth. The vegetables, some are large pieces but they were cooked tender. It easily broke with a fork or chopsticks. Very good food experience because we entered hungry and left full and happy. If I am feeling like eating curry, this will be a good place to return to.

    Salmon Curry with brown rice
    Tiffany D.

    We were so lucky to have gotten seats before the crowd came for dinner, we stopped by on a week night during the week around 630pm and it was great Service was slow because they had a large group take away order. But overall, the wait was worth it! I've been wanting curry for sometime. I was skeptical about eating salmon with curry because it isn't common, however, I was significantly pleased that the salmon wasn't dry & it was cooked to perfection, didn't taste fishy in my opinion. The brown rice was also cooked well. There is street parking & parking structure on Channing. Also, if you're concerned medium isn't very spicy. Overall, if you're craving Japanese curry, I'd recommend that!

    Curry Omelette Curry - not good
    Jennifer J.

    My curry tasted like it had a lot of vinegar in it and was hard to eat. My egg omelette was over cooked and dry. :(

    Karaage Curry
    Alexis K.

    This place is pretty par-for-the-course as far as Berkeley spots go. There's street parking on Telegraph but that's never guaranteed so if you live nearby, just walk over! The food is decent and I ended up eating most of my karaage since it was crispy, well-seasoned, and very juicy! The curry had a nice texture with that classic curry aroma. I wish there were some veggies like potatoes or carrots in it to accompany the karaage and rice but I enjoyed it. They have good deals for students so give it a try!

    Menu
    Lizzie S.

    I never actually had Muracci's when it was in downtown SF, and then it closed during COVID! When this other restaurant a group of friends wanted to go to was closed (on a Sunday night??) off UC Berkeley's campus, we unanimously agreed to go to Muracci's because who does not like curry?? There's really cute art from students inside, it looks like a place that serves the local community, and not just the college. I tried the chicken curry, and friends tried the beef curry and chicken katsu curry. Everything was delicious and filling and reasonably-priced. The kara-age was also very good, but it's fried chicken--it better be good! You can order ahead for takeout (no indoor or outdoor seating), or order inside--the wait was no more than 20 minutes! In short? Good food, great value.

    Brown rice Tofu and Vegetable Curry
    Nadav M.

    It's pretty okay. Nothing too major, the curries taste like they're made from Daiso or curry boxes filled with paste and powder. I never hear of curry in a Japanese atmosphere but I like the idea. From time to time they have certain promotions and whatnot. The service is very straightforward, nothing too major. A little dry but they're going through life and a pandemic. There's plenty of space inside for patrons but haven't recently seen a group of people inside. They have really good vegetarian options. The food is good. It is somewhat pricy for what it is.

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    Muracci's Berkeley Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Muracci's Berkeley

    Are the fried gyozas vegetarian?

    Is Muraccis open now for take out during quarantine?

    Yes, they are open for takeout and dining it.

    How is this different from the one in San Francisco on Kearny? Thanks in advance!

    The Berkeley location definitely has more seating options and in general is more spacious. It's better to bring friends here to sit down and enjoy the meal. At the Kearny location, there are stools and tables facing a wall directly adjacent to the… Read more

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    Masa Ramen Bistro

    4.5
    (320 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Brief summary: - Good portions - fills up more than its…read moreappearance - Liked the equal balance of the broth and noodles with protein - Close to Trader Joe's - Indoor seating Ramen is a dish that has started sprouting in Berkeley, and this is one of them .I decided to go there for dinner with the family before heading to the Trader Joe's across the street to stock up on groceries. We entered a few minutes before peak dinner times, so there were seats to choose and sit from. By the time we left, mostly all the seats were filled up, so I would suggest coming in early. I liked the naming for each of the ramen dishes, some I recognized the names from Hawai'i. For this round, we ordered 3 different types of ramen: the Kuni, Broke da Mouth, and the Miso Hungry. These orders also came around the same time. A notable elements I liked about the ramen was that the noodles were chewy and springy, and the broth was smooth and easy to drink. I also didn't have the urge to drink lots of water either, so the seasoning was perfect. The other element was that I got to enjoy the ramen's broth and noodles as the stars of the dish, and the proteins, like the pork were supporting roles. For me, what I enjoy ramen are the broth and noodles, so I'm happy that these are prominent in the dish, rather than me having other chow down a thick slab of pork. This restaurant hit the right marks for what a delicious ramen is for me, so I'll come back, and maybe try their other broths.

    Berkeley is a great city to try new food and we found another ramen spot! This restaurant is…read morelocated near the campus and parking was fairly easy to find after hours. When walking in, the dinner crowd was slowly trickling in. I found a spot closer to the entrance. They have the place a bit divided by two sides for more intimacy. The food is a mix of Hawaiian and Japanese. We both wanted to try the broke da mouth ramen as it was a customer favorite! I enjoyed my ramen and it was good to catch up and talk. The atmosphere was chill and it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. We ended up talking for hours about everything until I realized how late it was and the bowls were cleared. They were patient and didn't kick us out right away. Lol Ty Ty Very good ramen, good place to catch up and friendly staff. I'm still biased and have a few favorite ramen spots though

    Photos
    Dining space
    Dining space
    Da Kine chicken
    Da Kine chicken
    Inside

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    Inside
    Kitchen Story

    Kitchen Story

    4.0
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    Kitchen Story is my go-to for Korean-fusion brunch in Oakland (and it's on the way home from my…read morekids dentist so always a pit stop)! Kitchen Story nails the Korean-brunch mashup better than anywhere else I've found. The Kitchen Story benedict with millionaires bacon is a standout... crispy sweet and spicy bacon with poached eggs and hollandaise over asparagus and ciabatta toast, plus a side of crispy fried Yukon potatoes. The tornado eggs with galbi fried rice with that glossy brown gravy is another favorite, and the popcorn chicken (yes, served with actual popcorn mixed in) is a fun, addictive appetizer - or my 6yo favorite dish. Don't sleep on the stuffed French toast either, loaded with fresh fruit and a nice hit of powdered sugar. A few practical notes: this place is small and popular, so weekday visits or joining the virtual Yelp waitlist before you arrive is the move if you want to avoid a long wait. They also have a big TV that made watching World Cup games here a great bonus. My favorite detail, though: at the end of the meal they bring your receipt tucked inside a little book instead of just handing you a slip of paper. Such a charming, unexpected touch that makes the whole experience feel more special. Come hungry, come early (or waitlisted), and don't skip dessert-for-breakfast options. Highly recommend.

    Amazing food. Called to reserve a table for 10 on a Saturday morning one week in advance. They were…read moreable to accommodate us. Please be aware that there may be people reserved after if you are also reserving a table. We had to leave 1.5 hrs after and they did rush us to get our orders. The food was amazing though. I didn't think any one of us had complaints. We all loved the mango margarita. I particularly enjoyed the tornado omurice, they were also able to sub tofu for beef for my friend with food restrictions.

    Photos
    Kitchen Story
    Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast the outside was more crunchy than expected. Was a bit tough to chew.
    Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast the outside was more crunchy than expected. Was a bit tough to chew.
    Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast

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    Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast
    Noodle Dynasty

    Noodle Dynasty

    4.5
    (465 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    This is literally my favorite restaurant in southside Berkeley. I can't even count the number of…read moretimes I've been but it's the craving I always had after a long day of classes, or a night out, solo dinner, anything and everything. My go-tos are the bone-in beef noodle soup and the fish and pickled cabbage noodle soup. The cucumber appetizer is also really good here.

    Came here for the house special beef rib noodle soup, and it did not disappoint. It came in a…read moremassive bowl that could easily be shared between two people or packed up for leftovers. The rib was definitely the most impressive part of the dish. Not only was it huge and very Instagrammable, but it was also extremely tender--kind of like braised oxtail, but served in a cleaner, lighter broth. The daikon balanced out the richness of the meat really well, and overall, I'd say this was a very satisfying meal. The beef and tomato lo mein, on the other hand, was probably closer to a 2.5/5. The dish leaned heavily on the tomato flavor, only had a few pieces of meat, and definitely needed additional seasoning, such as soy sauce, white pepper, or something to bring more depth. One thing that could be improved is the ordering experience. Their tablet system felt a bit cheap, and it was difficult to clearly see what each dish looked like on the screen. Providing a printed menu alongside the tablet would be really helpful.

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Lamb Brisket Noodle Soup 羊腩面 with Thick Noodles ($13.99) - lamb brisket is better on rice than on noodles. Soup is too sweet.
    Lamb Brisket Noodle Soup 羊腩面 with Thick Noodles ($13.99) - lamb brisket is better on rice than on noodles. Soup is too sweet.
    2025 Menu

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    2025 Menu
    Kiraku

    Kiraku

    4.4
    (1.8k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Talk about a place that is absolutely worth the hype. Kiraku might be my favorite izakaya in…read moreBerkeley, with Ippuku coming in as a close second. I wasn't sure if the high ratings were just because Berkeley's sushi scene tends to lean more casual, but Kiraku completely exceeded my expectations. It reminded me of the izakayas I loved in Vancouver and Toronto--thoughtful dishes, great flavors, and that cozy, lively energy that makes you want to order one of everything. Pretty much every dish hit. The A5 wagyu with uni was a banger. The tako wasabi was solid. The black cod literally melted in my mouth. The mini kaisen donburi was packed with premium ingredients and so delicious. Extra points because they actually deep-fry the shrimp heads too, which I love. Overall, Kiraku is a must-try and I'd recommend it to anyone in the Bay Area.

    Really great restaurant. Was able to easily make a reservation on Yelp for 5:30 on a Wednesday…read more They have an iPad in the front that you can waitlist on, but you can also check-in for your reservation on it. Inside is definitely cozy and you'll be sitting fairly close to the tables next to you. Service was really fast and easy - no complaints at all! The food was all great. Standouts were garlic edamame, 6pc omakase, beef tongue, pork belly, negitoro maki, corn tempura, & sweet potato creme brulee. Edamame was lightly charred and salted well, with generous amount of garlic flavor. Omakase was fresh and tasty, although a tiny bit small so definitely perhaps get your own instead of sharing one order between two. Beef tongue was hands down the best thing. I thought it was a boneless short rib with how tender it was (can break apart with chopsticks). The pork belly was also soft and went well with the spicy miso. Negitoro was fresh and the wasabi was grated very well. Corn tempura was perfectly fried and very crispy while still being soft inside. Lastly, the creme brulee was a great dessert. You do get a hint of the sweet potato. Would love to return to try other dishes!

    Photos
    Ankimo chips & dip
    Ankimo chips & dip
    Nigiri sampler
    Nigiri sampler
    Kiraku

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    Muracci's Berkeley - japacurry - Updated July 2026

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