Shame on me for waiting so long to post a review. Admittedly, not dining in since 2020 ... we've only taken advantage of bento and sushi platters for pick up and have NEVER been disappointed! Always well presented, fresh and delicious. We've ordered Musashi sushi platters as appetizer contributions for various gatherings recently and it's always a hit w/feedback 100% positive++. I usually order one nigiri and one veggie platter to cover the bases. Four guests asked for contact info bc they were so impressed and had no issue traveling across the bridge from SF and Marin to PU. That speaks volumes! I'll be picking up 4 bentos tomorrow and taking them to friends in Corte Madera. Thank you Musashi!! read more

You know a place is good when there's a line waiting for it. And for a small joint like musashi, if people are willing to be seated in rubbing elbows distance away from a stranger even after waiting in line, that's a damn good sign that it's pretty fantastic. I went there with my brother for a dinner a couple of days ago and there were quite a few other parties that were waiting for their tables. Thankfully to either their good organization or perhaps just mere good timing on our part, we were seated pretty shortly afterwards. Awkwardly, our table was right next to a couple on a date, so it felt as if we were involuntarily third-wheeling on their special moment. In any case, the food was great. We got quite a few selection of things to try since the wide spread of a variety of dishes on the menu were irresistible. Between the two of us, we got a takoyaki for starter before teasing our hunger juice with Gyu (rib eye) skewers, Hotate (scallop) skewer, Mune (chicken breast) skewers, and Kawa (chicken skin) skewer. Then, we awarded ourselves for a job well done on finishing everything with a Saba (grilled mackerel) dinner, and salmon & ikura donburi (salmon sashimi and salmon roe on top of sushi rice). While everything was delectable, I loved some more than others. Here's a breakdown: Takoyaki: decent but not the best I ever gotten. If the bonito flakes ain't dancing when I get these squid balls, my tummy won't be either. The squid slices were quite small and there's a lack of crispiness to the batter Gyu: holyshitzu these were tender...it's too bad that they're rather bland. I get it that the taste of cow itself is just enough for some but I felt like something was missing from taking it to the next level. And don't get me wrong, I do love them juicy bits that were covered in the smoked aroma, but I felt like there could've been more flavor Hotate: MUST-TRY. Again, musashi seems to have mastered their art of smoking their robota items to grilled goodness and this one is no exception. I loved loved loved how they somehow found a way to preserve the inherent sweetness of the scallop meat while allowing for the just-right texture (not too soggy or overly dried from being cooked to its second death) to come through. Kawa: DO NOT SKIP THIS if you're a lover of chicharones or fried chicken skin. Every bite of this skewer was so damn good and I'd definitely recommend getting it to pair with your meals Mune: similar to the rib-eye, the chicken breast meat is tender but quite subtle in taste. Overall, I like it but I don't love it. I'm a fan of flavorful meats, so this one fell a teeny tiny bit short of meeting my expectations. Saba dinner: while the fillets are small in size, they are excellent in their preparation. I am still drooling over the thought of that slight crispy skin texture which complemented so well with the soft, flaky, sweet meat Salmon & Ikura donburi: Delectable in both presentation and taste. If you're a fan of salmon sashimi, this dish is gonna rock your world. Hell, how could anyone not dig that flowery arrangement of the fish slices? They also don't hold back on the portion of the sushj rice in this dish. I was so full of bliss from all the other food that by the time this baby came out, I had no choice but to save it as my morrow-meal. Even as a leftover, everything was still great. With such a great dining experience, I wonder why musashi is downsizing in its dining room space. I sure hope to see this gem survive and thrive into the future, so I hope that everyone continues to go there and support their business. read more

Musashi - Salmon & Ikura Donburi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My favorite place!! I love this place and visiting more than 3 years Their food is so great and so fresh Usually order nigiri or chirashi everything is so great and excellent! read more

Mini chirashi was abundant and fresh, the shrimp tempura perfectly fried, the complimentary miso and hijiki appetizer well balanced. Loved the cozy ambiance. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I'm definitely coming back here regularly. read more

Musashi - Mini chirashi & shrimp tempura - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Drove 20 minutes to eat here on a Friday night and the staff had locked up a full 45 minutes

Musashi! It was love at first bite when I first came here a couple years ago. A charming, authentic Japanese restaurant in Downtown Berkeley. Because my friend and I went on a Friday night at a busy dinner time and since one half of the restaurant was closed at the time, we had to wait quite a while. When we were seated, service was very swift and courteous. We both got a glass of Sapporo beer (yum!), and I got: Agedashi tofu: Compared to the first time I tried Musashi's agedashi tofu, when it blew my mind, this time it was not as great. The tofu was more firm that I had expected, and the thin skin around it was not as a delicate or crispy. I don't think this will be stop me from trying it again though, maybe during happy hour. Negi (leek) skewer: Similarly, the negi was not as sweet and tender as the first time I had tried it, but I love leek so much it was still pleasant. Nasu (eggplant) skewer: The nasu came with a thick, dark sauce on top which was sweet, savory and a good fit for the eggplant. Overall, I love the Musashi's atmosphere and will continue to come back and try new things. I usually recommend this place to friends looking for Japanese restaurants in the Berkeley area. read more

Musashi - agedashi tofu - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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wonderful service, great consistent taste! Regular.. probably every 3-4 weeks, we have a nice blow out dinner.

Average Japanese restaurant with higher than average prices. They have a ton of options here for both raw fish/non-raw fish eaters. They also have weekly specials on the chalkboard wall. Ordered the grilled squid, nabeyaki udon, real CA roll, and a sashimi set. The grilled squid was pretty good and came with a side of mayo. The nabeyaki udon barely had any broth or chicken and the udon noodles were thinner than I'm used to--would pass on this dish. The real CA roll had real crab, but the portion was extremely tiny for $10.50. The sashimi set came with miso soup, salad and an appetizer of a few pickled veggies, however, the sashimi itself looked really thin. Service here could be improved. The waiter did not offer to box up our leftovers (even though we had a ton) and we had to ask. They also took our leftovers to the back and took a longer than usual time to bring it back to our table. Would recommend going to Kirala down the street instead. read more

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For dinner I ordered the nabeyaki udon for $17 and the chawanmushi for $8. The nabeyaki udon rated satisfactory. The soy sauce broth wasn't too heavy and just a touch sweet, and the toppings - spinach, tofu skin, chicken, a tempura shrimp - garnered no complaints. Additionally, it arrived piping hot as expected. The chawanmushi picked up umami from the shiitake mushrooms, fish cake, and shrimp while still managing to taste light on the palate. read more

Musashi - Nabeyaki udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm a huge fan of Musashi. I think they have the best sashimi and sushi I've had in Berkeley. They're a little bit more expensive than a lot of places nearby, but it's worth the premium. The chef's selection for sashimi is great. It's not just your basic fishes, and the quality is really good in my opinion. The nigiri is a little bit interesting. They put some wasabi between the rice and the fish (arguably just a bit too much). The presentation is so nice - see the attached pictures. This place also has some of the best rice in the area. The miso soup is really good here. While the dishes are a bit more expensive (about $25 for a platter), the portion sizes are huge. There's not a huge beer selection, but they do have a few common Asian beers on tap. The inside is cozy. It's not a super big place, but they have more seating than like Nanayiro. The last time I was here, unfortunately there was a man yelling at customers, swearing, blasting music on his phone, and making a ton of noise. I was surprised the restaurant didn't kick him out. Aside from that one incident, the ambience is pleasant. I think it might be worthwhile for them to be a little bit more aggressive in preventing that kind of behavior in the future. It kind of does ruin the experience for other customers. The servers have all been great in my experience. Everything is about as quick as you can expect, and the waitstaff is attentive. You won't have to wait for very long if you need to ask for something. Overall, I've enjoyed my experiences at Musashi, and I'd be happy to come back. read more

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On Friday night my wife and headed out to try Musashi in Berkeley. It was about 6:45 pm when we arrived and the parking gods had saved me a parking space right in front of the restaurant. We walked in and placed our name (number 4 ) on the waiting list. During the 15 minute wait we checked out the huge daily special board and the happy hour specials ( until 7 pm). We were seated at at 7 pm and ordered our happy hour drinks right away. Our food order were as follows: Spicy tuna roll Ankimo monk fish liver Hamachi Kama Katsuo Tataki Bonito Chawan Mushi Sushi Aji Hamachi toro Albacore toro Sea Bream Hirame Kani Japanese crab All of item were excellent. Although, half of the tables ordered the Charashi bowl, we decided to stick with the specials board. We sat next to a Mother and Daughter from Israel. They asked about the items we ordered and had a nice conversation. Service was good. Nice evening out for a sushi dinner. read more

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Found this place in Berkeley looking for a place for dinner. Saw a line out the door on a weeknight and gave it a try. Gave a fair amount of food for the price. I gave it 5 stars because the wappa is unusual and not found at any other restaurants that I have tried. This place is worth the wait and the service was good even though they were busy. The salmon was fresh and good. read more

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Our new favorite for Japanese food!! Having lived in Berkeley for a couple years now, I don't know how it's possible that my husband and I just found this place a few months ago. After discovering Musashi's existence, we eat here roughly once a week now. It's seriously become a staple. The best dish, in my opinion, is the chirashi bowl. Whether you get the regular size or the mini, you can't go wrong. The fish is of a good quality and very fresh, and the chirashi bowl has a wide variety. From what I can discern, there's squid, octopus, scallop, shrimp, tamago egg, mackerel, white tuna, salmon, yellowtail, albacore, tuna, and one more seared fish I can't identify. (There's 2 of each for the regular-sized bowl.) Service is always great, and take-out is excellent as well (they still give you miso soup)! I can't recommend Musashi enough. read more

I absolutely love this place! Hands down one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in the states! I've been twice, and each time, it has been packed. On my last visit, we arrived a few minutes before opening, and a family was already waiting at the door. Once the restaurant opened, we were seated immediately. The staff is very polite and prompt, and most of them speak Japanese. The portion size is very Japanese-style - perfect in that you'll feel full after a side and entree, with room for dessert. I highly recommend the karaage here! Very crispy and tasty. I also like their sushi - the simple salmon roll's my favorite. We got the matcha pudding for dessert. I'm definitely biased because I love all things matcha, but it was absolutely delicious!!! I will certainly be back! read more

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my friend really hyped up this place- shes been here multiple times. i first noticed the super traditional japanese decor which i thought was really dope and they had a huge sushi bar. what first enticed me was the free appetizer that they brought out- it was a simple cabbage dish that was nice and clean to start the meal. i ordered the large musashi bowl that i shared with my friend and it was plenty food for the both of us. the fish was also DELICIOUS. i know my fish and these were hella good pieces that all melted in my mouth. the reason why i'll give four stars is because i'm the worlds biggest takoyaki fan and theirs was subpar- it was an interesting take with the furikake on top instead of the fish flakes and it looked beautiful but it needed more octopus inside and they were barely warm. otherwise, service was superb and friendly and i liked the cute goodies they left us at the end. read more

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My favorite place for sushi in Berkeley! I absolutely love the chirashi bowl. Each piece of fish is so fresh and unique--it's an adventure in every order. I also enjoyed the agedashi tofu. It's very soft and warm, a great appetizer for tofu lovers. I've noticed that prices are significantly steeper than when I came two years ago. The mini chirashi bowl is now a whopping $18 (previously ~$14), though the quality has not changed. Waited around 20min to be seated for 2 on Friday around 7:30. It seems like half the seating area is not open at this time, so wait times are quite long. Coming early would be the best bet to be seated quickly. I have a great experience at Musashi every time. Despite the increasing prices and wait times, I'll continue to come back for the delicious chirashi bowl :) read more

Musashi - Mini Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Delicious chirashi. The variety of fish and flavors make a perfect bowl. There is also a salmon chirashi which I might try next, but the variety of the regular chirashi bowl is huge. Excellent service and the interior is cozy. read more

Came here during lunch to satisfy my sushi craving and left incredibly satisfied! The sushi was great (we ordered a set to share), but the standout dish for me was surprisingly the unagi wappa. I've seen many unagi dons served at various restaurants, but I haven't come across many places that serve the wappa. On top of being unique in that sense, the dish itself was incredibly delicious! (It actually wasn't my order to begin with, but I snuck in so many bites I think I ate half of it...) I'd definitely recommend trying it at least once, especially if you're a fan of unagi. The appetizers were excellent as well! The agedashi was especially good. Service was great though the wait for the food was longer than I would have liked. Seems like service can get pretty slow during peak times. Overall, I would say if you're in the area and in need of a sushi fix, this is the place. Try to come early to avoid the lines! read more

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This would be 3-stars due to a service mishap, but the food was so good that I'm giving it 4. Musashi is located a little bit off the main drag of Downtown Berkeley. My friends and I chose to eat here because of their wide range of offerings on the menu. Chirashi Bowl ($24): So fresh! A little too much rice, though. TBH, didn't really know what I was eating, but it all tasted good! RECOMMEND Yakitori/Robata Chicken Meatball ($3.25): Juicy and delicious. Perfect that there were three because there were three of us. Ribeye ($4.75): Pricey, but flavorful. My friend tried cutting it and dropped a piece on the ground because it was so hard to cut. Spicy Tuna Roll (HH: $7): Not to spicy, rice was perfectly cooked! Shrimp Tempura Roll ($10): $10 for 5 pieces? That's expensive, but it was delish. The dessert menu here is so unique! It's not just your plain ole mochi ice cream, green tea ice cream. Check out their: Sweet Potato Hand Pie: More savory-it's filled with Japanese sweet potato. Good, but it was LUKE-WARM! and Chestnut Mont Blanc: Pureed chestnuts topped with whipped cream. Delicious! I've never seen this dessert before! RECOMMEND Presentation here is marvelous! Service: I ordered the small chirashi bowl ($15)-I specifically pointed to it on the menu. We didn't realize until we were done eating and received the check that they served us the normal size chirashi bowl ($24) because our bill was SEVENTY DOLLARS for three people. I wonder if they just assumed we wanted the regular size to share because we were a group of three? I told the waitress I pointed to the small bowl and she said they couldn't adjust our bill because we already ate the regular bowl. rip us. Besides that, the service was quick. The prices are pretty decent for the appetizers, robata, noodles, maki, and sushi/rolls, but are pricier for the donburi and dinner entrees. We were there during happy hour, so our spicy tuna roll was $1.50 cheaper. The happy hour menu is pretty limited though, but it's during a normal dinner time period (5:30-7PM) which is great! read more

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Solid place for japanese food that feels home cooked and tastes great. We got agedashi tofu which was delicious in the sauce it came in, though I expected it to be more crisply fried rather than coated in a jelly-like substance. The pork katsu donburi was very filling with a hearty portion of katsu. The soboro was also not bad, though it felt kind of plain like something I could make at home. I tried it because I had never had it before, but it definitely feels more like comfort food. The chawa mushi that came with it was delicious, very soft silky egg with lots of savory flavor. I would probably get that on it's own if I came again. Overall this place isnt cheap but it's definitely better quality japanese food than most other places in Berkeley. read more

Musashi - Chawan Mushi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Food: Overall, their fish is fresh, food is good. Spicy Tuna Roll (from HH) - simple yet hits the spot, it's not too spicy and just a good balance of rice vs. filling Takoyaki - pretty decent, not your best food truck takoyaki but it still has that slight crunch on the outside and goey squid bits on the inside Kelp Noodles (weekly special) - tastes like a grassier version of normal noodles (but that's just what i like), the shredded ham that went on it was salty and overpowering Regular Chirashi Bowl - good assortments of fresh fish, they're thicker than sashimi slices but still slide down your throat nicely Price/Quality/Quantity: Honestly, the price-quality here is great. Happy Hour is only about $1.50 off the original prices so no need to fret about the cutoff time. The chirashi bowl is good deal if you want raw fish but don't want to spend $30 to feel full. You may be able to find cheaper sushi in Berkeley but they will not compare to the quality here. Atmosphere/Service: This place is located off of Shattuck and away from the strips of restaurants in DT Berkeley. It looks a little hidden from the outside and the interior layout looks a bit mom & pop but don't let that stop you. The service and even plating of food is going to surprise you. read more

Musashi - Full Size Chirasi Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Good Japanese food-- although a bit pricey. They have great sushi and the restaurant serves my favorite: wappa meshi.

Musashi is the most underrated Japanese restaurant in Berkeley. I'd imagine it's because of its location that many don't know about it, but it's a shame because the food here is absolutely delicious. I love that you can tell that their food is high quality, fresh, and well prepared. They have so many different options and they are all so good! Every single week they have a different weekly special, it's $8.50 (SO CHEAP) and it's always a complete meal that leaves me very satisfied and full! This is the only place where even if I'm not familiar with the dish or ingredients I TRUST that's it will be delicious because they have never disappointed! Not to mention this is one of the very few truly authentic Japanese places around this area. Btw the weekly special is only served between M-F 5:30-7pm. ANNDDD they have great happy hour menu! AND the staff is always super friendly and on top of it. I can't get enough of this place, truly. If you love Japanese food or if you want to give it a try, this is the place to come. read more

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Another great, authentic, family run Japanese restaurant in Berkeley! It's a small place with minimal decor. It's very casual and homey. We were seated at the bar when we visited and our server, who is the daughter of the owners, was very fast and efficient. We ordered: *Tempura Udon-this was good. I liked how our server asked if we wanted the tempura on the side. The tempura was fried perfectly. I thought the soup for the udon was a tad bit sweet and my girl thought it was perfect. *CA Roll-we ordered it with imitation crab. This was ok, thought the seaweed was a bit too chewy. *Nigiri and tempura lunch-the nigiri was delicious. I appreciated how the tempura came with a small side of grated Daikon and ginger, it's a given to include that when ordering tempura. I haven't come across a Japanese restaurant in my hometown who serves it like that. Overall, the show stopper was the tempura. It was fried to a crisp, not greasy and we liked the variety of veggies along with the shrimp that was available. The price was very reasonable for the amount of food we ordered. I'll definitely return if I'm in the area! read more

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This is the best Japanese restaurant in the east bay by far. Everything we had tasted amazing! The service was top notch too. If you're looking for a place to have a great authentic Japanese meal, go here. You will not be disappointed! read more

I've seen this on Yelp for years, but FINALLY got to go. We live a few blocks away and I am happy to say this is my new favorite local sushi spot. Happy hour is great (4-7pm) and features rolls, small bites like agedashi tofu, and cheaper drinks. They have different specials every few weeks and we ordered their current vegetable curry special, which was delicious and filling. We also got a tuna roll, California roll, and sochu from their HH menu. My barley Sochu was extremely refreshing and delicious. We also got a grilled rice ball with miso paste, which was slightly underwhelming but worth trying. We'll be back for sure. For those worried about the wait, we got there right before 5:30 on a Thursday when it opens and were the first ones here. read more

Musashi - Grilled rice ball with miso paste - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This was the second time that I've been to Musashi. It's a good staple for the scarce amount of Japanese restaurants here in Berkeley. It's a little on the pricey side, but it's good comfort food. I ordered the chicken karaage appetizer the first time and last night I ordered the beef wappa. The Karaage (4.5 stars): Pretty fulfilling for an appetizer. I was a little peckish, but I didn't want a full meal so I ordered this appetizer. The chicken was juicy and tender and just plain good. Beef kappa (4 stars): It was really good, just not worth 17 bucks. It's thin sliced ribeye beef with yaki sauce (I can't describe what this sauce is, but it's good) over rice in a bamboo bowl and it comes with chawamushi (steamed egg soup with mushroom, fish cake, and shrimp) and the chawamushi was pretty cool. It had the consistency of pudding when you dip your spoon in but as you eat it, it becomes more broken up/liquidy. The portions were generous enough, just not worth 17 dollars for beef and rice. The chawamushi was 6 dollars a la carte though so that's another reason why I got this dish. Service (4 stars): The lady came by twice to refill our drinks, but since she was the only one serving all the customers, obviously service is a little slow. Yes I would come back, but probably get something cheaper. The happy hour menu is cool because karaage costs 5 dollars (not sure for appetizer or entree though) and there's also specials during the week that sound interesting too. Be warned though, this place is a little small so try not to come parties of more than 6. read more

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We came to Musashi before the Moth Hour at Freight and Salvage, and we hit it just right for the happy hour. We've been before, and we have had the sushi platter which was perfect, but this was the first time for happy hour. it is just a nice neighborhood feeling Japanese restaurant with a wide variety of fish, as well as grilled robata and soups. We usually come just for the sushi/sashimi. the salad was terrific. The grilled banana as dessert was ok, needed a little more sauce, or a glaze on the banana. The chirashi bowl on their weekly special was fine, with small chunks of fresh fish, and large helping of rice. I wish the rice was more sushi like, but it was fine. The roll, and the karaage were delicious. I'm missing Ichiro's, but Musashi will be our new place for well rounded dinner! read more

I love Musashi!! A tip is you should go when they open otherwise you might have to wait To get a table. I like how they expanded their space to next-door so there are more tables. Their food is excellent & their happy hour menu is great value! My favorite dish is there a small Chirashi. I also order their fried chicken and edamame. I've had their hamachi Kama (fresh). Everything is so delicious. This is one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants around the East Bay. Definitely recommend! read more

Eh .... So maybe it's because I read the review saying that this was "THE BEST CHIRASHI/MOST WORTH" that I had high expectations coming into this restaurant. I mean ... I guess this might be the best Chirashi in the area, but if this place sets the standard, I'd rather get something else all together. I came in during lunch with a bunch of classmates. We all ordered different dishes, but I only tried what I got, which was the mini Chirashi (due to popular recommendations from other Yelpers/delicious looking photos). In regards to people saying this place has AMAZING Chirashi, I definitely beg to differ. I've tasted more fresh chirashi that had better rice (the rice seemed kind of old and I didn't care to pair it with the fish; other places have that semi-sticky, soft, tasty, textured rice) ... and you could tell how fresh or unfresh the fish was by looking at it. Meh. The assortment of fish wasn't bad, nor was it anything amazing. Maybe I was just unlucky and didn't get as fresh fish compared to other people ... hence why my experience wasn't the greatest. My classmates also said the rolls were whatever, nothing amazing ... and my one classmate who's really into sushi because his family owns their own sushi restaurant did not approve whatsoever ... but anyway LOL ... The mini Chirashi bowl is definitely worth your money though ($13) because it forsure will fill you up! I do appreciate how their special menu changes weekly, offering a great price on different dishes rotating throughout the weeks. I wouldn't get the Mini Chirashi again, but maybe I'll come back to try the Mini Salmon & Ikura Don or weekly specials because of the great price point ($6.75!!) I'm also interested in the Chicken Karage, but it's $14 during lunch ??? read more

Musashi - Mini Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is our new go-to sushi restaurant in Berkeley. We wouldn't go here if it wasn't amazing as there are tons of choices in the area. 5/5 read more

Musashi has a sign on the sidewalk saying they are an Izakaya / Yakitori spot. I stopped in for lunch and found yakitori (specials http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cODqYoxUxOGo6YNMW1VErA?select=dGRYoIhdN4QGFP1Wcdxixg) is dinner only. They also have a dish called Wappa at dinner which is kinda BiBimBop-esque (not my pic http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cODqYoxUxOGo6YNMW1VErA?select=KOWl_ZhqhYqY33-CbaJubw). The dinner menu seemed more standard Japanese fare + robata items vs. Izakaya, but what do I know? They were having a weekly special of Shoyu Ramen with Tsukemono (pickles) for $6 (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cODqYoxUxOGo6YNMW1VErA?select=SExIj_utZVXF3jtTYL0tEA) so went with that and some Chicken Kara-age ($6). I missed the Buta no Kakuni (braised pork belly) on the specials menu (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cODqYoxUxOGo6YNMW1VErA?select=PU0r5sTVhKmNCldKcG_5qw) otherwise I would have gone with that. The ramen (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cODqYoxUxOGo6YNMW1VErA?select=vyWECq7z7_OzzJScAAneig) was good, but not anything to go out of your way for. Shoyu broth tasted chicken based and was very light (I prefer richer broths). The straight noodles were slightly overcooked (for me). 1 slice chashu was very good and best thing in the bowl. I think it was from the tenderloin, it was tender and sweet. It looked and tasted seared prior to slicing. Handful of bamboo shoots were very tender and also very sweet. 1/2 hard-boiled egg was cold and not seasoned. Some naruto, nori, spinach and green onions rounded out the toppings. The tsukemono that came with the ramen were pretty tasty (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cODqYoxUxOGo6YNMW1VErA?select=tjxOJUUIx8u4gmO94hdj6w) The kara-age were well fried and moist, but bland (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cODqYoxUxOGo6YNMW1VErA?select=gEWpHm-HO9moj-HncUqU3g). It looked like there were some spices in the coating, but nothing came through. The couple of pieces with skin or fat were the tastiest. It came with a small salad with a ginger based dressing which helped me pretend I was eating healthy ;-) Service was attentive. I was the only non-Japanese speaking customer (2 other parties) read more

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Musashi feels like an authentic Japanese izakaya. Down to earth, casual, friendly staff. I guess it's obvious I'm a Japanese-American, as they immediately speak to me in English, but will speak fluent Japanese to the next customer who is from the home country. I had the oyako don the first time I went for lunch and it was quite good. Today, I went big and got the chirashi bowl ($18). I don't usually eat such a big lunch but the Yelp reviews made it sound so tempting! Such a pretty presentation and so many yummy ingredients: tamago, hamachi, scallops, albacore, and more! Haven't tried any of their weekly specials yet but definitely will be a regular here. Can't believe I've just discovered this place in my South Berkeley 'hood. read more

Musashi - Chirashi bowl! Sooo pretty! - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

We didnt plan on going here. We made reservations on Yelp at another Japanese restaurant around the corner. Despite utilizing Yelps waitlist saying that we would be seated after our 30 min drive to Berkley from Rodeo, we were told at that other restaurant that we would have an hour half wait. So we found Musashi who took and honored our reservation (unlike the other Japanese restaurant), took great care of us and most importantly was very kind to my elderly dad who, for various reasons, doesn't treat himself to a nice restaurant. We convinced him to come help us celebrate my 12 year olds birthday (who loves Japanese food) and we drove him 30 min to Berkley. When the other restaurant wouldn't seat us, I was so angry and felt like the night was ruined. BUT the folks At Musashi took great care of us and was so attentive that they helped me switch gears and enjoy my family and our special dinner. Thank you! I should also add that beyond the excellent service, I had an excellent and very generous bowl of Chirashi. The tofu was excellent and made locally (the tofu came highly recommended). The birthday boy said that his Unagi was delicious and my dad enjoyed his salmon so much that he made us all taste it (which is uncharacteristic of my dad). Try the plum green tea wine. It's not very heavy on the alcohol (as wine is) and the plum with the green tea lingering aftertaste is a unique drink experience that one must try. read more

Great, authentic find in the East Bay. I visited this spot around 8pm and got 2 seats at the sushi bar. Score. I imagine this spot being busy earlier in the dinner hours. They have 2 servers who are definitely working hard taking care of the tables and pumping out a bunch of to go orders. So...service was a bit slow but they were efficient. We ordered the regular chirashi and also the beef wappa meshi. The chirashi was large, full of fish, and served with a bowl of miso soup. The fish was a little above average, not fishy whatsoever. The beef wappa meshi stole the show. Simple, Japanese food served in a bamboo basket. Beef over rice...steamed to perfection. It also came with chawanmushi, a delicious steamed egg dish. Prices were reasonable. Street parking. Authentic. 4 stars. read more

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Great sushi, tasty & fresh. First come, first serve, no reservations! Doors open @ 5:30 pm sharp! Lines started to form @ 5:00 (I should know, we were first in line). We sat at the sushi bar and tried EVERY nigiri the restaurant served. Wow, what a treat. After traveling to Japan a couple years ago, I can attest the quality of the sushi at Musashi was just as fantastic. My only minor criticism is that the chef at the sushi bar is making all the orders for the entire restaurant, therefore getting eye contact to order more food was pretty difficult. We weren't in a hurry so we eventually got to try everything. He was probably shocked that my brother and I could eat so much food. read more

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Musashi is my #1 chirashi place in Berkeley, even though there's almost always a wait! It skews a bit on the pricey side for sushi near campus but it is definitely worth it. The vibe and food quality are superior to other similar restaurants in the area. I always go for the chirashi, but their fried stuff is pretty good too! Can't go wrong with their karaage or squid. read more

A friend and I enjoyed dinner here the other night. We arrived around 7pm, the restaurant was not very busy and we were seated immediately. We ordered asparagus tempura, special veggie roll, and the chu toro special. The items came a few minutes apart from each other, all were delicious. Staff were very attentive and pleasant. read more

Love this place. It's just across my apartment so I go there every week. Very cozy environment and nice service. The sashimi is fresh. My favorite is Agedashi tofu - better than many other Japanese restaurants. read more

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Amazing food and service. My friends and I enjoyed their appetizers and skewers. Happy hour is an amazing deal!!! read more