We really enjoyed the tatami mat room, and they also have a great happy hour Fridays-Saturdays from 9-11pm which is fun to go to in the evenings. Lots of non-sushi options for those who don't like raw fish. The staff are always extremely kind and helpful. Will continue to go here more. read more

Sakana And Yasai - Tatami room - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

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Sushi Combo A - fantastic. Melt-in-your-mouth quality fish. Beautiful arrangement on serving board. Spicy tuna rolls - absolutely delicious Lion King roll - lightly and perfectly baked salmon. Amount of rice was just right and thus not overpowering. Ingredients were fresh and complemented each other smoothly. Purple rice in all dishes had perfect consistency and went so well with everything. Excellent service, very welcoming and attentive. Love this place! read more

Sakana and Yasai mean fish and veggies, and this restaurant has plenty of both! What a nice neighborly addition to Solano Ave. This restaurant took over a previous Japanese restaurant. Having recently opened, the business seems to be doing well, with lots of families and couples coming in to dine. The ambiance is casual, a bit dim, and relaxing with Japanese decor. They also have a room with a tatami mat, but reservations are required. Several tables sit between 2 and 4 inside, and no outside seating. The service by the staff was all kinds and courteous. Wait times for food can vary; it took almost 30 minutes to get our second sushi roll. I came with my family, and we ordered appetizers plus entrees. We got Kaki Fry, Takoyaki, Rainbow Roll, Orange Blossom Roll, Yakisoba, and Unagi Don. The fried items were fine. The rolls were good in terms of rice-to-fish ratio. Though they use purple rice, it definitely affects the rolls' shape and texture. My family seemed to enjoy their items as well. I think the quality was decent, but prices can vary depending on what you get. Sakana and Yasai have two locations in the area. This is their second spot off Solano Ave. Parking is limited to the street or in the neighborhood. If you live nearby, it's worth a visit! read more

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Authentic Japanese cuisine served in a small but charming restaurant along the Solano Avenue corridor in the heart of suburban Albany, California, Sakana And Yasai serves up some of the freshest and unique sushi rolls in the entire region. Coming from the same team that has operated the smaller Sakana Sushi & Roll on Arlington Boulevard in nearby Kensington, Sakana And Yasai took over the old Sugata Japanese Restaurant that existed here from multiple owners for decades along the corner of San Pablo and Solano Avenues. What gives Sakana And Yasai its authenticity is the fact that their ownership is authentically Japanese, which can be hard to come by, even locally in the Bay Area, which is displayed by their massive cuts of sashimi grade raw fish, thoughtfully arranged nigiri plates, and some of the most delicious sushi rolls that I have enjoyed in quite some time, thanks to the abundance of freshly sliced fish and flavor combination profiles. What brought me and two other diners here on a weekend evening for a nice dinner was the fact that one of our trio were interested in dining on Japanese food nearby and after looking at our options, I realized that Sakana And Yasai was now open for business. We decided to get to their new location early right at 5 p.m. as they open every evening for dinner at 4:30 p.m. We were lucky enough to get a table for three as they only had one more left when we arrived for dinner. What sets Sakana And Yasai apart from so many of their competitors, especially along Solano Avenue is the fact that they use purple rice in all their dishes, including their sushi rolls. Purple rice is a special blend of white and black rice, which they say are rich in antioxidants and fiber, which offers a better balance of flavor as well as makes for better overall nutrition at least so their marketing states. The menu at Sakana And Yasai is separated into categories including Appetizers, Sashimi and Nigiri, Combination, Sakana Donburi, Sakana Special, Classic Rolls, Baked Rolls, Vegetarian Classic Rolls, Vegetarian Special Rolls, Poki Bowls, Special Rolls, and their special menu that is featured alongside a wall on a board. For our first visit, we ordered their Sushi Combination C from their Combination section of their menu, which featured six pieces of nigiri and six pieces of sashimi with our choice of a California roll and served with one bowl of miso soup. We also ordered their Chicken Katsu entrée from their special supplemental menu, and we order two rolls from the special rolls section of their menu, including their Orange Blossom Roll which had salmon and avocado wrapped on the inside, and salmon and tobiko on the outside of the roll in addition to their signature purple rice, and their Three Amigos roll, which had tuna, salmon, yellowtail, avocado, tobiko all wrapped in the inside of the roll with their signature purple rice. Our Chicken Katsu entrée arrived first, and it was easy to see why it's such a popular choice. Perfectly crispy with just the right touch of salt, it delivered a satisfying crunch in every bite. This was followed by our two favorite dishes of the night, which was their sushi rolls. With generously sliced, high-quality raw fish layered over beautifully seasoned purple rice, each roll was delicious from the first bite to the last. We also loved their nigiri/ sashimi combination, as everything was prepared with such thought and precision that it felt like we were dining in a bistro in Tokyo. Our total bill for so much food, some of which we were able to take home for a late night snack, was $110, which was more than reasonable considering the amount of food we received upon our first visit to Sakana And Yasai. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience so much that our group was back days later to try once again those delectable two sushi rolls and this time their small Sashimi Combo which were nice very generous slices of the freshest raw fish including Maguro tuna, Hamachi yellowtail and Sake salmon, it was a real winner priced at only $26. We loved the rolls and freshly sliced fish at Sakana and Yasai so much that we can easily see ourselves coming back again and again to satisfy our cravings for quality Japanese cuisine. As one of the newest spots on the block, it's already proving to be a welcome addition to the neighborhood dining scene. read more

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Amazing presentations. Poetry of food meeting flavor. I saw so many things here I've never seen anywhere else like the purple rice and the Sushi and the combinations in the presentations are off the hook, beautiful. It was a surprise lunch for myself and my family, and it was a really great suggestion that we go there and enjoy the combination of foods that they offer. The staff was always pleasant and cordial, though busy they had time to stop and answer questions and we ate until we almost exploded. It was worth it. Strongly recommend this place if you like Sushi. read more

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The biggest issue with this restaurant is the service. We were seated before another table, but they received their drinks, appetizers, and entrees before anyone even acknowledged us. Throughout the meal, the staff acted annoyed whenever we asked for anything, making us feel unwelcome. The food was disappointing as well. Some dishes were noticeably undercooked, which is unacceptable. The sushi was even worse because of the purple rice they use. It has a sour taste that completely overpowers the fish and ruins what sushi should taste like. Instead of complementing the seafood, the rice became the dominant flavor. The restaurant itself is cramped and noisy, making it difficult to enjoy the meal. I also noticed hygiene concerns, and combined with the poor service and disappointing food quality, this was one of the worst dining experiences I've had. I've eaten here before and know they can make good food, but the inconsistency is unbelievable. Unfortunately, this visit was enough to make me decide not to come back. I cannot recommend this restaurant. read more

Found this place by luck after my go-to spot was closed for a long holiday break, and learned that this is their second location! The restaurant is small, but intimate and it looks like they even have a small private space that can accommodate 1 party at a time. My boyfriend and I ordered a few rolls to share and nigiri and thought the fish was extremely fresh, and the metal chopsticks/ceramic plates definitely add a touch of luxury. We were surprised that all of their rice was the Korean purple rice instead of the usual sushi rice. Since it's a Korean establishment, I thought it was a fun way to pay homage to the culture. The rice tastes really similar to the usual Japanese rice, but the texture is not as soft and sticky, but that's me nitpicking on the details. Service was kind and fast, no complaints. read more

Sakana And Yasai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

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Yay- new location! Love the intimate, clean and homey vibe with attentive service and the usual high quality fresh Japanese food that's earned one of the coveted date night spots for my hubz and I. We visited the Albany location for our anniversary and had a lovely dinner. Menu at this location has more hot food like udon, rice plates, and other specials, along with the usual sushi forward menu. -Chicken karaage: ok but a few pieces were a little tough so wouldn't get next time. -Nabe udon: hot, umami goodness! -Mango tango roll: my fave- love the salmon, unagi, mango -Herbivore dinosaur roll (vegan) -California roll (vegan) -Veggie tofu poke bowl (vegan) Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. Love their purple rice! Also ordered chicken teriyaki entree to go and it was alright. Will probably stick to my tried and true rolls. Welcome to Albany, Sakana! read more

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So happy to see Sakana expanding their business...hopefully they'll eventually make their way over to southeast Bay Area ;) This location offers a more intimate setting with noticeably more dining space than their original spot in Kensington. If you have a bigger party, I recommend coming to this location since they can accommodate better than the original place. However, parking can be tricky. It's mostly street parking, so depending on what the time/day, it can take a minute to find a spot. Sweet Tomatoes: 5/5. I've gotten this several times already and it never disappoints. The tomato isn't overpowering and the asparagus gives it a nice crunch. Highly recommend trying Rainbow Roll: 5/5. You can taste the freshness and really taste the crabmeat inside the roll. Saba Nigiri: 5/5. Fresh and a must-have for my friend who loves saba. Winter Roll: 3.5/5. May skip this one next time. Was a little too saucy for us. Overall, happy to say that the food quality here is exactly the same as their OG location, which is great! read more

Sakana And Yasai - Winter roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

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We found a good Sushi spot for our to go orders! We tried dining in and decided this would be our to go place for sushi. This place is small with only a few tables so get there early! We did notice the purple rice but can't tell the difference between the traditional sushi rice and the purple rice. Whether dining in or take out, customer service is great! You can tell they love what they do and respect the customers and handle everything with care! Parking is a little challenging since it's at Solano and San Pablo, but worth the extra steps for excellent sushi! read more

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This is a geat place with a welcoming environment. Cozy atmosphere and helpful service. read more

Sakana And Yasai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

Same delicious sushi they offer at kensington. Black rice rolls. Same quality and service. Just a new location (opened today 8/10/25) Try the kensington roll , blue fin negitoni amd the Albacore drop appetizer read more

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Wow! Every single thing we ordered looked beautiful and tasted as good as it looked. The next day, as I was thinking about how good our dinner was, my husband said "that dinner last night was so good!" I think it'll make it onto our regular rotation. We ordered chicken udon, veggie caterpillar roll, spicy vegan roll, a crispy jalapeño with spicy tuna appetizer and Asahi on draft. Every bite was SO GOOD. There were plenty of staff to handle the Friday night crowd and keep everyone happy. The restaurant is cozy with about 8 tables and a tatami room. Nice decor. read more

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This might be one of my favorite sushi joints when comparing other "strip mall" type sushi places. They use purple rice for all of their dishes. I believe the place is Korean owned. I ordered the Hamachi Lover roll and Three Amigos roll. Since they use purple rice, the rolls were pretty flimsy and more "wet", so careful not to miss your mouth! Personally, I didn't have any issues with that, and I actually appreciated the rougher texture of the purple rice with the rest of the sushi ingredients. The fish tasted fresh which I appreciated. Service was attentive and prompt. The interior is on smaller side, so you may be seated pretty close to other parties. There's also some jazzy music playing in the background so it can be a bit hard to hear at times, but luckily nobody dining at the time was being super loud. read more

Sakana And Yasai - Interior - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

Good food, good service, good ambiance. Need I say more? Just adding characters to satisfy yelp

The sashimi was incredibly fresh and literally melted in my mouth No fishy taste at all, and the texture was perfectly chewy. Every bite made me happy haha The atmosphere was great and the staff were super kind too. If you love sashimi, you definitely need to try this place! read more

Sakana And Yasai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

So this is the sister restaurant to the one in Kensington, CA which occupies the space of what used to be the restaurant called Sugata at the bottom of Solano Ave. It seats a few more than the other place with a wider "Special" selection. Today my partner ordered Chicken Kara-age with a New York & California roll and I ordered my usual Chirashi Don which had tobiko hidden underneath the fish( oh yeah...!!!) and also came with delicious Miso Soup. I also ordered Hokkaido Uni Nigiri Special which was absolutely Devine! The Chicken Kara-age had and exceptionally light batter which was packed with flavor as well! Overall this will be added to my "do over" list of places to come back to! Prices are comparable and everything served with their delicious "purple rice!" read more

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We learned that their Kensington location is now (temporary) closed on Mondays and were directed to their new location here. Same amazing flavors and high quality fish. The Alaska Poki bowl is still exceptional as always. Congrats to them, they definitely deserve it! read more

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So delicious and amazing service. The best poke bowl I've ever had. Plus the shishido peppers are so good. Love this place! It's special.

Today was my first time going. The food was very good. The staff is friendly and attentive. It's nicely decorated. It is a bit pricey.

NEW FAVORITE SUSHI SPOT IN EAST BAY!! This place was delicious, the rolls were huge. Get a couple different ones and family style it. Spicy garlic edamame was amazing, the sunomono salad was unique and every roll was fantastic. Definitely will return read more

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My first time here, and I was really impressed. The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff was incredibly kind and attentive. I tried the Golden Crunch, Fuyu Yasumi, and a variety of nigiri. I especially love white fish, so I was very happy to see so many different white fish options available. The food did not come out very quickly, but the staff consistently checked on us, kept us updated, and made sure we had everything we needed. Their attentiveness and friendliness made the entire experience even better. Overall, a wonderful dining experience with amazing food and exceptional service. I will definitely be back. read more

This is my new favorite local Japanese restaurant. They took over the space of a previous old time Japanese restaurant and really updated the ambiance and menu. My dining partner described the sound track playing as "Futuristic off-planet lounge music" (really just jazzified popular tunes) but along with the tasteful remodel, the place has a cozy cool vibe. The food is something special. Very high quality, healthy and uniquely presented. read more

Sakana And Yasai - Poki Bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

We were big fans of Sugata so decided to give the new place a try. The fish was fresh and delicious but unfortunately I'm just not a fan of the purple rice. The texture was different from normal sushi rice and didn't work well with nigiri, to my taste anyway. read more

The original location is in Kensington and it's our favorite sushi spot. After trying sushi there, all other places don't compare. This is our first time trying the new location and it's just as good. They even have menu items that the one in Kensington doesn't have. The fish is always so fresh and delicious. Love that they use purple rice. The staff is super friendly. Love this place! read more

Sakana And Yasai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

Excellent!!! Fresh fish, great service, cozy place. Tried classic Avo tuna and Dragonfly rolls, Hawaiian poke bowl.

Ren, our waiter was very personable and friendly. The bento box lunch combo was immaculate. I highly recommend this location if you want cooked food. We've been going to their Kensington location for years for the sushi - recommend also. read more

Sakana And Yasai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

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Came here for dinner last night and had a really great experience. Every dish we ordered felt made with care and attention to detail. The sushi rolls were especially impressive -- not only fresh, but also beautifully presented. You can really tell that a lot of effort goes into each plate. The service was also very friendly. I especially recommend the Kensington roll. It was one of the highlights of the meal. I would definitely come back again. read more

We've been going to this location for sushi for over 30 years. We're always a little hesitant when ownership changes. We did go after they opened and it was quite good. However, now that they've really got their vibe going with their own new menu and name, I feel the quality is off the charts. I love that they use purple rice and that there's more fish than rice when I order a roll. Service was on time and friendly. Love love love the ambience. The Tres amigos role was stunningly, beautiful and delicious. Their miso soup is delicious. If you care, I believe they only use white miso in their recipe. The previous owner did a blend of white and red miso. Both are delicious, just worth noting. read more

Sakana And Yasai - Tre Amigos Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Albany, California

I used to frequent this place when it was Sugata then taken over by a new owner. Again good. Now a revamp. I had a sashimi plate fish good. It came with soup and a side of rice. Not classic sushi rice. This new guy uses purple rice and it's heavy and stodgy. The waitress said she would bring an order of rice they use for sushi. Same. Stodgy and heavy. I love mixed grains at Korean places with that food. But not with sushi or sashimi. Too heavy. Sorry lost a customer. read more

Honestly, one of the best sushi experiences I've had recently. The atmosphere at Sakana is cozy and welcoming, perfect for a casual dinner or a date. Service was quick even though it was busy. If you're looking for authentic flavors and a relaxed vibe, I highly recommend checking this place out. read more

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Food, service and ambiance are all stellar. Cozy but never claustrophobic. If you're lucky, you might be able to enjoy dinner in the private room near the entrance. This is the Albany outpost of the Sakana on Kensington, if you were wondering. All their rolls are made with purple rice, which is hearty and delicious. And the portions are generous! Will definitely be back. Shoutout to Ren and the crew for awesome service read more

Wow! Our new favorite Sushi restaurant. Every dish, every roll, every side was perfectly prepared. We ordered a lot of items that commonly appear on Sushi menus but they simply were better here with little twists, perfectly done and seasoned to perfection. Best Sunomono ever! Tempura was lightly battered and not greasy with the flavor of the food front and center. Each roll was memorable in its own way. We look forward to coming back over and over again! And lest I forget, their purple rice adds both to the flavor, texture and visual of every dish with rice in it - and that was most of the dishes since this is, after all, a Sushi restaurant! And the prices are fair for the quality of the food and loved the intimacy of this small but wonderful spot. read more

Amazing sushi, best in the Bay Area even. It's a cute little spot with quick service. My favorite roll is their baked scallops roll. Their quality is great and everything is super awesome fresh. They have two locations and they're both consistent. Definitely Coming back. read more

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Great neighborhood spot. Ordered from their other restaurant once and it was good so was excited to see them open another. Small spot. Cozy. Good and friendly service. We ordered too much. I had the chirashi and it was great. read more

I went here for my bday dinner, the servers and host were very attentive, friendly and helpful with my party of 7. Service was fast and the waiter gave out his recommendations. The ambiance inside is very comfy yet authentic. The food was amazing the rolls were so delicious and flavorful we got like 6 rolls and 3 appetizers. We ordered the lion king, dragon roll, 911, and the mango tango. read more

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Cozy classic space with excellent welcoming waitstaff.....especially Rem......outstanding sushi......all the usuals and some amazing new combos....using purple rice......large portions of delicious fresh fish........will go back often read more

The food was amazing some of the best Sushi I've had in the Bay Area. The service was great they were quick and very friendly. It's a little small but that makes it intimate and I think that's the point. Overall great experience. Must try! read more

Such a cute spot with comfy cozy vibes and delicious, unique rolls. The service was great as well.

The food was delicious and fresh! I had the sashimi combo and the 9 pieces of fish was plenty for me. Good portion. The service was quick and the space was small but since I went early, not too crowded but I can imagine it can get packed at later time. read more