What a fun place to find! We weren't even looking for a sale tasting and museum place. My hubby and I were just driving around and found this gem! The people here are super friendly. They greet you and they accept walk-ins. If you want to go on a weekend then it's probably best to make a reservation. I was told it gets crowded. Lucky us, we came in on a weekday. No crowd. We watched a video on the process of making sake and we also did a self tour of the museum. We spent most of our time doing the tasting because we have never done a sake tasting before. It was very enjoyable. Karen was our lovely host and she knew enough about the sakes to help us out, The place is absolutely beautiful with paper looking birds hanging from the ceiling. Also the woodwork and displays were very elegant. I will probably visit again if I'm ever up here. I'm so glad we found it. read more

See all

This was a completely last-minute stop for us, so we didn't make reservations ahead of time for the sake tasting. The original plan was just to check out the museum, get a feel for the tasting area, and maybe come back another time with a bigger group for the full experience. We had no idea how large the facility actually was or that it's been around since 1983. The museum itself was really well done and surprisingly informative, and we enjoyed being able to look through the viewing window into the sake production area. Before leaving, we wandered into the retail section to check out the products for sale. They carry both the sake made on-site as well as selections imported from Japan. One of the employees came over to see if we had any questions, and I mentioned being curious about the fruit-flavored sake they produce. She immediately offered us samples. The pineapple and Fuji apple flavors were the ones I was most interested in, and both were fantastic. Then they mixed in some unfiltered sake with them, which somehow made them even better. After that, they offered us a sparkling sake to try, and we loved that too. Needless to say, I didn't leave empty-handed. I ended up buying bottles of the pineapple, Fuji apple, and sparkling sake before we headed out. The two employees helping us were absolutely wonderful... friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to share the products with us. I joked that we somehow managed to get a free sake tasting without even making a reservation. Even after all that, we still plan to come back for the full tasting experience, which sounds much more in-depth and includes a guided production tour and short film over about 90 minutes. The entire facility was spotless and beautifully maintained. Overall, it was an unexpectedly great experience, and we're definitely planning a return visit with friends to do the full tasting next time. read more

See all

What an amazing tasting experience! The tasting room requires a reservation. I went there with my sister on a Sunday afternoon for their shopping experience (no rsvp required) and was greeted by Vivienne. Luckily for us, she let us know they still had two spots available for the tasting experience if we were interested and we went for it. The first part is watching the video of the sake making process. Not only was it interesting to learn about the process, but I didn't think i would enjoy the soundtrack to the video as well. The tasting experience itself was very educational and informative. They have a tasting menu you can choose for your sake flight experience and also individual tasting. I don't usually drink alcohol so I had a "non drinker" placard on my table, but it did not stop me from taking some sips from my sister's sake flight. I ended up trying the Mio sparkling sake and the Nigori Sake in White Peach -- both are very sweet like a dessert drink. I also learned why Berkeley was the ideal location for Takara Sake to have their factory, and let's just say the Bay Area is blessed with good weather, good water, and good food. We also got lucky to try one of the sake (forgot which one) they usually do not sell outside of their factory! Afterwards, we went to the museum to explore and to see the actual tools used in the sake making process. We did not see the silos though, so we might need a repeat visit. Overall ambiance is very nice. Exudes calmness with Japanese architecture designs. The tasting room cost can be quite pricey especially when you start adding individual tasting to the flight tasting. They do sell sake (duh) so if you tried one you like, it can be convenient for you to get it there. If you are in Berkeley and are wondering where else to explore, definitely check this place if you like sake and appreciate the art and science that goes into making them! read more

See all

Amazing tasting experience with Vivienne! She's so enthusiastic about sake, I enjoyed hearing her talk about each sake. What a gem of a woman! We opted for the daiginjo tasting menu- they newly refreshed their tasting offerings to offer more tiers to choose from. We got lucky and tried their Nama Nama sake in house - this is a sake that's so fresh from the brewery it's brought in unbottled to the tasting room and they don't sell it anywhere else outside of the tasting room. Would come back to do another tasting or get a pour here. This experience was so great- I loved how quiet the tasting room was and the large art mobiles in the tasting room. read more

See all

Fun experience. Got to learn the process of Sake and how much work is done to make sake. Also get to learn why the picked the location in Berkeley for the business. Signed up also for the sake tasting. That was fun. Didn't expect all the different notes of sake. read more

Finally made my way here, have been wanting to check it out for years! What a great experience. Fantastic group of people who work there! They really elevate the place. Arrived around 1:30pm Sunday, didn't realize they take tasting reservations and was relieved they accommodated a walk in- turns out this place gets very busy! The room was packed... it was actually really nice to be seated with others so we could socialize and learn together. Enjoyed the video and museum, which created such an appreciation for sake. Ended the class with some sake to go and wandered over to Dumpling Time- the perfect Sunday! read more

Takara Sake USA - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

Booked a tasting after finding it online and was very happy with the experience. It starts with a video on the sake-making process, time to explore a small museum of related artifacts, followed by the actual tasting. Our server Eugene was incredibly knowledgeable and excited to share all the details of each sake we sampled. They also have examples to show during the tasting, including rice that was polished to different extents, sake prior to the pressing/filtration step, etc. We did the variety tasting and added on the bourbon barrel-aged sake. Our favorites ended up being the REI Junmai Daiginjo for its cleanliness and ease of drinking, and the Organic Nama for the depth of flavor. For the dessert sake, we relied on Eugene's two favorites, which were both enjoyable. Worth mentioning that we were 15 minutes late due to traffic and they still kindly accommodated us. We will definitely return and bring some friends/family. read more

Takara Sake USA - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I came here because I received a gift of Sake and I remembered that I'd been wanting to visit since I was a kid. I found that on a Thursday, they had 1, 2, and 3 o'clock appointments and I chose the 2:00 slot. This didn't start well at all. Because of a ton of traffic on a Thursday afternoon. Not rush hour, just after lunch something I was told was common when I arrived. However, I'm usually teaching so I didn't know. So, I was late and then the driving directions directed me to a parking lot, which would have been fine, except it's for employees only. So after walking around and finally calling, I was able to get in. I had to leave the building to park my car on the street. When I returned I saw a bunch of people sitting at a long table and was told that they were from the 1:00 group. Ok, so I sat at a long table and was told that table was for the 3 pm group. My group was watching a movie, which I missed because I was trying to find a parking spot. Then we sat around the tiniest of tables, yes, our group was smaller, but there was barely any room to move. So the tasting started and the directions were hard to follow. I tasted the Sake, but I had more fun walking around and taking pictures. They have a museum to occupy you which is cool. A nice audio would have been helpful. All and all, it was fine for what it was. But I wouldn't go back on my own, but if a friend mentioned that they wanted to go, I'd consider going with them and make sure to tell them everything I learned about getting there early. That's probably the only way I'll finally get to see the intro video. read more

Takara Sake USA - More silos. - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

We arrived super late for our reservation and missed the movie. The lady helping us was so nice, detailed and educated on sake. The tasting was great, lots of fun. It's a super cute place with a small museum area. Would recommend it!! read more

Takara Sake USA - Sake - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place requires reservations, but the host was nice enough to let us join a group for the sake tasting. We first watched a 10 minute video about how Sake is made and produced, then we explored the museum which included the tools used to produce Sake. We then sat as a group and went through a 7-ish course of Sake tasting (if you chose the Variety course). You're also able to order extra glasses of sake along with the tasting. Then at the end, you're given a menu of bottle selections for home. This is a great group experience and a way to socialize with friends and strangers alike. I would definitely recommend! read more

Man, I really like very curated "touristy" experiences like this. It was cool to find one so close to home. The tasting is fun, and very educational - we watched a video at the beginning, and the woman who ran the tasting taught us a lot about what made each pour taste different. A lot more information than a typical wine tasting, and very tasty. Great date idea, but would also be fun with a group of friends or even alone. read more

They are finally open for tasting again after Covid! Go online and make a resy! It's super easy. When you walk in you'll notice these amazing crane fan and it swear it's the cutest! Before the tasting start you'll watch a quick video on how they produce the sake. I promise you'll have such a different appreciation for sake afterwards! Tasting is $15 and they have additional sake you can taste for an additional cost. They also have a little musuem which is included with the price of the tasting. They have a little store you can buy the sake you like. A few bottles can only be purchased at the fa 10/10 would definitely do it again! read more

See all

We had so much fun doing a tasting here. Vivian was great! They start off with a short video and then you move to the tasting - expect to spend 90 min or so! We learned a lot about the sake and took some home! Would definitely bring more friends here read more

Takara Sake USA - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I have been there three times and the first two times were fantastic! The last/3rd time, was very disappointing. The host/pourer was very polite however, there was only one, who poured our tasting as well as worked the retail. There were only four of us and we joined another two groups, so it would be efficient. She was also pouring another group on the bar. I felt sorry for her, as she was going back-and-forth and trying to please everyone. read more

This was the most fun experience I've had at a tasting! It was educational on the history of sake and how it is made. I enjoyed learning more about it and the decadence of sake. It was decorated nicely, as if we were in Japan. We were then grouped according to how many folks we had. It was just me and Hubby, so they parred us with another couple at the counter, which was totally cool. They were a fun couple to have some drinks with. We each did the $30 tasting to split up trying all the drinks and added the premium for an extra $10 for their premium bottles. Our waitress was super chill and gave us a few extra tastings since there were so many fruity flavors we couldn't decide, which was super helpful as we ended up leaving with 4 bottles of the ones she recommended. Fun date or friends day out social event! 10 stars if possible! read more

See all

The Takara Sake Museum and Tasting Room is definitely worth visiting to get introduced to the wonderful world of sake, Japanese rice wine. For $10, you get to sip 6-7 different varieties of sake, which vary in sweetness, temperature, and alcohol content. You'll also be able to do a self tour of a small museum, along with a short video of the modern sake-making process. Be sure to make an appointment! I came here as part of a team-building evening event. The highlight was definitely the tasting! All of us chose the classic menu, which gives you the widest variety. Here are my ratings for the various sake: Sho Junmai Ginjo - The first one and probably my favorite. Like a chilled, sweet white wine (5 stars). ShoChikuBai Organic Nama - Unpasteurized sake that's treated by micro-filtration and needed to be drunk fast! It was not my favorite, and some of my friends tasted the mushroomy flavor. (3 stars). ShoChikuBai Classic - Served warm at 100F or chilled, and they let us try both. This is Takura's flagship sake. I like the chilled version (4 stars) but not the warm one (2 stars). Warm booze to me is acceptable only if its coffee-based, LOL. Shirakabegura Mio Sparkling - Yikes this was way too sweet for me, like a boozy Sprite. (3 stars) Sho Ginjo Nigori - Served in a pretty, purple bottle this chilled, milky sake was sweet. I liked it (4 stars), but two of my friends sipping on either side of me hated it and nearly spit it out. Can't explain that one. Hana Lychee Sake - I enjoy Lychee Soju so why not try Lychee Sake. The filtered, chilled lychee is definitely a dessert drink (5 stars). Plum Sake - The final sake and its real special. It was actually cherry flavored, and the flavor was so rich and intense they added ice cubes to our cup! This tasted like port, and would be a great drink after a heavy meal. (5 stars). Overall 4 stars for an awesome event. I don't normally drink on school nights, but sake is worth it. Kanpai! read more

See all

Was introduced to this place by a set of friends back in 2013. Since then I absolutely love Sake. We visited them again this year for Sake tasting and I am not surprised that this place has only become more popular. We went there on a Sunday evening but there was a group that was having a bridal party and another small group. Both were having separate tasting. We were asked to put down our name and they will see if they have enough bandwidth to do tasting on that day. Luckily one more couple walked in and they had 2 couples for tasting. They provided us with 2 options, 1 of $10 that had regular sake and another of $20 that had premium sake and 7 tastings. We decided to go with the regular one. Experience was great and we got to taste a lot of sakes. Luckily this place is next to Viks Chaat so we went there to have some food. Had a great time, will be back sometime. Highly recommended tasting experience for friends and family! read more

See all

Such a peaceful, beautiful experience. My dad took me here after he had visited around 10 years ago and recommended the visit. The education on sake was delightful and the service was even better. The sweetest woman ran the tasting and made our time there absolutely amazing. I would honestly just go back for her! Highly recommend if you're new to sake or want something fun and new to do! read more

Takara Sake USA - Sake Musuem - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Takara Sake is definitely more for the tasting experience than the museum. You can find a good deal if you're super into sake on Groupon for $35 and $45! My friend and I bought the deal for $45 on Groupon that came with 3 large Sake bottles and 2 Wooden Masu Cups (their more like boxes to hold the Sake in), and with $15 each for the tasting. Honestly I would recommend just going there and just doing the tasting instead of buying the Groupon. Having the tasting was really great, but it was too much for me personally, and trying different sweet alcohols is rough on your body after. 3 Bottles is a lot after, but now we know what we like and don't like. The B set is more for beginners for sake, and the C set is more for people who are more hardcore into sake. I got B, and my friend got C, so we got to try each others! On weekends, you need to make a reservation for a tasting! read more

Takara Sake USA - Tasting - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

Went for a little Father's day excursion with the wife and had a great time! Paid for about 9 different samples and oh my goodness... I don't even know for sure how many we tried! Our hostess really was knowledgeable about the types and flavor of what we tried while encouraging us to share our thoughts. Even ended our time with her favorite mixture which was a blend of a sweet Plum and their more recent Sparkling Sake. Wish we had brought some cash to tip her. Had another​ couple end up at our table as they walked in and really just added to the experience. The Lady was very descriptive and had similar opinions as myself while her partner and my Wife saw eye to eye on quite a few flavor profiles as well. Definitely going back for another try and MUST bring a friend or 2! read more

Hidden-gem for sake tasting and brewery tour. Reservation is required for tasting. They cater to larger groups. We dropped in not knowing this, fortunately they have a limited time offer of 5 dollar/shot of nama-nama, a freshly made sake that's only good for less than a week. So it's not available for purchase at any market, nor can be purchased at the brewery. It's for on-site tasting only. I can't drink but I took a sniff. It was fresh and sweet with a scent of floral aroma on the nose. There are gift sets of sake drink ware and robes with their brand printed for sale. They make good souvenirs. read more

Takara Sake USA - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

This was a surprisingly great tour and tasting, really informative and fun. I've never really liked sake, but there were a couple of genuinely delicious, easy-to-drink sake varieties on the tasting menu, and that low-alcohol sparkling beverage they give you at the start of the tasting would make the PERFECT "summer afternoon in the garden" kind of drink... if only I had a garden. read more

Takara Sake USA - The tasting room at Takara - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm not sure why I don't visit more than once a decade because I do loves me some warm sake to make me feel tingly in the cool of the evening. I'm sure if I stayed in Japan after my birth, I'd be one of those salarymen who gets drunk before taking the three-hour train ride home to my shrew of a wife. It took Jamie W.'s interest in going to motivate me to make a reservation here. Unlike Tiffany Haddish who would have schooled me on the financial reward of using Groupon, yeah uh-huh, I just went with two $10 flights of six featured sake tastings. But before we could start getting our rice liquor on, we were told to go through their sake museum, which was actually one room full of all the traditional wooden implements necessary to make sake back in the days of yore. So we perused the baskets and barrels, the scoopers and shovels, the maps (photo: http://bit.ly/2xTrC3X)...but I won't lie...we was thirsty, yeah uh-huh. Then we needed to sit in front of a TV screen so we could patiently watch the meticulous documentary on the laborious process of sake making. It was interesting in a PBS sort of way, but I think if it had some Kurosawa touches with blood and swords, it could have given the film a much needed goose. I think the video lasted less than fifteen minutes, but by this point...tick-tick, tick-tick, uh-huh. When we saw the crawl of the end credits, we got excited because it was time to drink. Back to the cavernous tasting room for us (photo: http://bit.ly/2kVixhO) where the hostess was very pleasant and a font of sake knowledge. We started with the fruity Sho Chiku Bai Premium Ginko, a fine introduction to the sake uninitiated (photo: http://bit.ly/2kTwJYO), and then segued into the Sho Chiku Bai Organic Nama, an earthier libation that tasted of mushrooms with a chocolatey finish. The room temperature Sho Chiku Bai Classic came next, and that was sake as I knew it. My favorite came soon after, the prosecco-like Shirakabegura MIO Sparkling, which I could see making me giddy after a few swigs, yeah uh-huh. The white peach flavor of the Sho Ginjo Nigori was quite pleasing as well (photo: http://bit.ly/2JElMIz), but we both found the final plum sake wine way too sweet. A lovely flight even as I stumbled over the plaster boulder on the way out. Yeah uh-huh. read more

See all

If you ever find yourself in West Berkeley, skip the wineries and check out Takara Sake! We love to bring East Bay visitors to a tasting here because it's such a unique experience. When you first arrive you can check out an actual museum and from there you watch a super informational video on the sake making process. After that, that's when the fun begins! For only $10 or $20 (a GREAT deal) you can sample several different types of sakes (from dry to sweet to fruit-flavored) and get a better sense of what you like in a sake. I'm personally not a big sake drinker, but my absolute favorite is the MIO sparkling sake. It makes for a great gift and is fun to bring to a party because it's so unique. I definitely recommend spending an afternoon sampling sakes here! read more

Takara Sake USA - What you see when you first walk in to check in - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

Such a fun experience! I know Takara has been around for awhile, and I'm happy I finally got to go! I ended up coming on a Thursday afternoon, and made reservations online. Luckily, we were the only ones there. The museum was interesting, and then they showed a movie about the Sake making process. I really had no clue how sake is made so it was informative! Then my favorite part, the sake tasting! All of them were delicious and the person serving us was really nice and helpful. All in all, we were there for maybe an hour, but we had a great time! A fun thing to do in the East Bay! read more

See all

Always been a fan of their Sho Chiku Bai Junmai Sake that I typically grab at the grocery store. Tried their sake tasting and it definitely gave me a different perspective on sake. I love it even more! The entire experience was educational with a light buzz. We had a tasting appointment on Mother's Day and was anticipating a full house. The holiday traffic set us a few minutes late as well. Street parking out front was occupied that led us to park a few blocks away. Vigorously making our way was unnecessary. It turned out no one was there and time was not an issue. Felt like an idiot. We were immediately greeted and given the option to view a short film on their traditional sake process. Then after, we headed to the bar and picked samplers from their menu. The more variety you try, the more you appreciate each and every one of them. After our tasting, we could not refuse but to purchase our favorites. In addition, we were given a gift bag that is included. I need to return on annual basis just to refresh my sake taste buds. read more

See all

Takara Sake is amazing! Making a reservation is so easy! All you have to do is go to their website and select a date and time to come in. I went with my friend and learned so much about sake. Parking is easy! There's a lot of available street parking in this neighborhood. Be sure to pay for it at one of the machines and leave the ticket in your car. Once you go inside, you will be greeted by one of the workers and write your name down on the reservation sheet-- they alSo do walk-ins as well (depending on how busy it is). Once you write your name down, you get to watch this wholesome and informative video on how sake is made. After the video is done, you will be told to come to the bar and select your sake tasting package! It's all super fun and affordable. There are no wrong choices when picking a tasting package! The sake expert helping us was Tomoko. She was super sweet, funny, and extremely knowledgeable about sake. You can ask her anything! She is so easy to talk to and answers very clear and concise. She explained sake and food pairing, different types of sake, the difference between cold, hot, and room temperature sake, rice polishing, how to serve sake-- everything! Ask her anything! She knows all about it! She is terrific! I definitely want to come back soon because a sake bar is so unique to have here in the Bay Area. There was also a cute museum and a small area to drink and take pictures. This is a great place to take friends and family who love sake, or even want to learn more about the taste and process of sake. On my way out, I was even able to meet the director and Vice President, Atsushi! I was so buzzed, and he was so happy that I was having a great time! I will definitely have to come back and bring my friends! You will really enjoy your experience here! I totally recommend this place to everyone. I also recommend the sparkling sake, Mio! It's phenomenal! read more

Takara Sake USA - I got pretty buzzed off of all the amazing sake! 6-7 sake shots for only $10! That's amazing! - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

Have driven past this place for years & decided to come for sake tasting Sunday. Reservations recommended & can be made online but we called ahead late in the afternoon & had no problem getting to last tasting at 4:30 pm Street parking was not too bad, found a spot about a block away. Video was a little dated but still informative, tasting pours were quite generous & service was fabulous. Patient & knowledgeable. We did one $19 tasting and one $20 also the special $5 shot of fresh NamiNami Facilities are quite beautiful inside, restrooms are clean, prices for bottles are super reasonable. read more

See all

So much fun! You can wander the museum, watch a video, and then TASTING! We serendipitously made it for the Nama Nama tasting. It was so good! We enjoyed everything about our experience. It's educational and delicious. It's also very reasonably priced. I learned a lot about sake and what I like. Street parking, $3 for two hours, which is enough time. Reservations recommended. read more

See all

Not a big fan of sake but decided to try sake tasting instead of the usual breweries in the bay area. Came on a Sunday and saw a sign that said weekends needs reservation but they were really nice and allowed us to attend without a reservation since we were a small party of two. They had a small gallery in the back which was interesting and insisted we watch a 15 minutes informative video on sake making before the sake tasting. The video was pretty informative and shows you each process of sake making. Once we were seated for the tastings we had to decide whether we want the $10 sake tasting or the $20 sake tasting. We opted for the $20 because the sake selection was more unfamilar compared to the $10 list. Plus it came with sake with gold flakes. During the each tastings they would tell you about the sake and history of the company. They should offer something to grub on cause I got a bit hungry. Although not having food in the area is probably why this place looks extremely clean and they had simple yet traditional decorations. Great experience if you like sake. read more

See all

We had so much fun here. My husband has had a tough time with sake- he's had some bad cheap sake, and then one glass at Morimoto in Napa that he loves- but it was 375 a bottle (sadness). So it was a great relief to come here and find that he can like Sake that's not quite so expensive. He did the B tasting and I did the A tasting- in this way, by sharing, we covered most of the bottles. We had done a Groupon- and we got Gift package #2 to take home. Sake cups (Masu), Bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Sho Junmail organic, Bottle of Sho Chiku Bay Sho Ginjo Nigori and a bottle of Hana Orange. As I said, we tried most of the sake offerings- but we were really "wowed" by Shirakabegura- only 5% alcohol, and the delicious taste of something similar to a sweet moscato. We loved this one! Bought two of the large bottles (44 dollars for 2). We also bought the Sierra cold sake- because it was crisp, clear and light- perfect for summer as our host said. 19.55 for four small bottles. We also LOVED the plum wine- we bought the Koshu plum sake (2 bottles!). We also bought 1 yuki White peach and 2 Hana pineapple flavored sake bottles. I am in love with the pineapple. It's hard to find good, fresh tasting pineapple drinks- look no further than Hana pineapple. It's really amazing. I loved the museum here- I learned a lot about the sake process. And the film was really helpful. I wish I'd gone here before I went to Japan, as I would have paid more attention to the sake there. When I think of all the sake opportunities I've missed, I weep! Parking is a little tight here, so come well before your reservation and find a spot. You'll have the choice of stairs or a ramp to enter the building, and then you can take an elevator or the stairs up to the tasting room and museum. It's an awesome experience. I think anyone would find at least one tasting they loved here, since the sake is so different. The traditional creamy, yeasty sake is just a completely different drink from the light fruity and floral sake- and that's no wonder since they are made from different molds and yeasts. read more

Had a great time my second time visiting this place after a failed attempt to enjoy a sake tasting when I had first go to the Bay Area for a family reunion. We didn't know that we had to make a reservation on the weekends but this past Saturday before heading on my red eye back to the East Coast, I was able to enjoy this experience with family. You would not have known that their distribution center housed a beautiful Japanese tasting room from the outside. But with a serene environment that's also filled with delicious sake and history of the production, you'll be asking yourself why you haven't come sooner. The tasting consists of a short video that details the history and creation of sake which is pretty unique compared to beer and wine. The video along with the small museum in the back show how sake was made years ago and how the modern age has influence the production and taste of sake now.. Though we are in the modern age, the sake taste clean and refreshing with each unique bottle offering a unique taste and experience and with our knowledge and comical Sake expert, we were both informed and entertained by all that she had shared. We were able to sample primarily sweet and chilled sakes for $10 while the most dry ones and upper tiered were $20 a tasting. But we took our expert's advice and shared samples giving us all the full experience with a couple of additions not on the menu. That part really is great about keeping a human element to these companies. We had a women that was passionate about her job and the drinks she poured and they all had fun even sampling a homemade concoction; but all in all people that want to share what sake means to them and what is good sake. read more

Visit: 2.13.20 Parking: Street / Metered Ambiance: Chill Drinks: Classic, Modern & Traditional Sake. My favorite was the Sparkling Sake - Mío. Ugh! So yum! Service: She was Exceptional, knowledgable and very thorough (unfortunately I didn't get her name) Really Enjoyed this Sake Tasting Experience. It was my first Sake tasting, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I have done many other tastings (wine, tequila, vodka) and I would say this is one of the top 5! There's a small cute museum where you can learn about the tools they use to make the Sake, as well as an informative video about the fertilization process. All around very educational! Then comes the tasting - Three different flights to choose from, all between $10-$20! Offering both chilled and warm Sake, Generous portions, she explained food pairings, and difference between dry and sweet Sake! Learned so much! Would I come back? Yep! Already told my friends all about it! read more

Takara Sake USA - Sake Bar Tasting Area - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

What is the most exclusive tasting experience in California? No, it's not in Napa. And it's definitely not wine, beer, or distilled spirits. It's sake. Made according to demanding Japanese traditions using only rice, spring water, koji, and yeast. Junmai sake, in other words, along with premium and ultra premium Ginjo and Daiginjo styles that involve polishing of the rice grains to 60% or less of their original sizes, resulting in delicate, floral sake that is best served chilled in special glasses, like fine white wine. Berkeley is one of few places in the US where you can sample traditionally made premium sake, along with the opportunity to learn more about the history and technology used to craft rice based alcoholic beverages. Sho Chiku Bai (Pine Bamboo Plum) is the American West Coast outpost of Kyoto-based Takara Shuzo Co. Since its founding in 1983, it has pioneered California sake making using heirloom rice varietals imported from Japan, like Yamadanishiki, to produce award winning Daiginjo and Ginjo products. Visiting the tasting room in Berkeley is a great way to sample a wide range of sake types, both those made in the USA plus several from the Shirakabegura sake works near Kobe, Japan. A one room museum contains a range of historic artifacts and step by step instructional displays of how sake traditionally was made. Visitors also are invited to view a short documentary on sake making, about 10 minutes long, before their tastings. You don't come here simply to drink sake! The experience is designed to be educational in nature, so treat it as such even if you are knowledgeable about sake types and traditions. The tasting itself can last more than an hour and will likely include warm as well as chilled sake. The Tokubetsu, Kimoto, and organic Nama Junmai sakes are especially nice, as are the high end Daiginjo sakes from California and Japan. A small gift shop contains reasonably priced sake cups, carafes, and glasses, in addition to lots of sake bottles of various sizes for purchases. Even if you only plan to do a museum tour and tasting, visiting is a very fun thing to do in Berkeley. It's well suited for single visitors, couples, and groups (reservations recommended), especially if you arrive early after they open at noon daily. Because no food is served, plan on a lunch after the visit. The popular Fourth Street shopping and dining district is a short walk away. And if you want tips on good Japanese food in the area, just ask the gracious tasting room staff for suggestions! read more

See all

Sock it to me? More like "sake to me"! Kanpai (cheers). Cho oishi (aka hella' good)! Quick sidebar: Takara Sake USA is part of the Takara Shuzo Company in Japan that started brewing the delicious rice wine in the mid-1800s and opened the Berkeley brewery in 1982 to become the largest producer of Sake in America. Takara Sake's most well-known brand is Sho Chiku Bai which means "redwood tree/bamboo/plum". I've always loved sake and after watching "The Birth of Sake" documentary on Netflix that told the story of a brewery in Japan that still makes sake by hand, I've been on a sake drinking binge. Love the 720 ml bottles and all the tradition behind the rice wine! So when a Living Social coupon came up that offered three bottles of sake with a tour and a complimentary tasting for two for Takara, it was a no-brainer. After asking the CFO (aka wifey), we booked a rainy Saturday to make our reservation because sake just tastes better in the cold when it's nippy. And speaking of nippy, Nippon does mean Japan after all. After finding street parking across the street and paying the City of Berkeley a small parking tax (since only Sundays and holidays are free), and because there is no separate lot, we walked up the stairs to the tasting room. We signed into a clipboard and walked up to the bar area not knowing what to do. I presented Yukiko with our printed coupon and she gave us a paper bag of three Sake bottles. Then she told us we could check out the museum and watch a documentary and then come back for the complimentary tasting. Honestly, the museum was kind of underwhelming. It was informative and all, but kind of small. By this point we just wanted to drink... so we skipped the 1990s-style video and went back to Yukiko who is like the most super sweet Japanese lady ever. I give her props for answering the zillion questions I asked her. Hehehe. It turns out that there are multiple sake tasting options lettered A through I that includes everything from variety and very sweet to junmai and ginjo flights. Our coupon allowed us to try their D sample that was a mixture of three junmai and three ginjo sakes that included two daiginjo sakes, which is like the Super A-grade of sakes. Letter D was one of the more premium tastings at a normal cost of $10 for six samplings. BTW normal tasting flights are only $5! Yukiko gave us a sheet and a #2 pencil to take notes and like the nerd that I am, I did exactly that. Although towards the end of the tasting, I think I stopped. Our favorite sake had to be the Sho Chiku Bai Antique imported from Japan that is a junmai daiginjo sake that was very smooth. We also enjoyed the award-winning Shirakabegura Tokubetsu Junmai that is also imported from Japan and means "white wall". We ended up getting a bottle of the Shirakabegura Tokubetsu Junmai to save it for when Game of Thrones and the white walkers come back. We The North! The awesome thing about the tasting was that Yukiko even let us try the junmai sakes at both room and warm temperatures to taste the differences and she allowed us to try some of the flavored sakes. Too bad they were way too sweet for us. At the end of the day we really enjoyed our visit and Yukiko even said that if you come with several people, you can each try a different tasting option. * Elite Tip: Bring some snacks since no food is served. And also, no dogs allowed. read more

See all

Legit!!! You watch a 10 minute video that is very informative and then you choose the tasting package. Each sake you try is so different and they definitely have solid selections. I didn't care too much for the sweet ones but the lady also did a personalize mix for me and it was delicious. Will come back to visit and possibly get some sake next time I'm in town. read more

This place is sooo worth it! I know there was a groupon going around but I've checked back multiple times and it has been sold out ): Nevertheless, we still got quite our money's worth without the groupon. In the beginning you watch a 10 minute video of how sake is made, it's a little outdated but not too boring either. Then after someone shows you to where you're going to do your sake tasting and with whom. The lady we had, totally forgot her name but she was very sweet and accommodating with my boyfriend and I. There's a few options to choose from, and they range from $5-$20 if I remember correctly. We chose A and B which came out to $30 total. The sakes we tasted were a pretty wide variety, and some better than others. We even ended up buying some to take home (there was a deal for a 4-pack for $11.99) and didn't break the bank either. There's also water to drink in between tasting the different sake as well as to settle the stomach. After the tasting, there's a tiny museum exhibiting the tools and everything else used to make the sake (which were all apparently shipped from japan!). Lots of fun, and will definitely be coming back. Hopefully with the groupon! read more

Takara Sake USA - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

What a fun experience! My boyfriend and I came here with a Groupon which I thought was an awesome deal. You get two tastings, three bottles of sake to take home, and two wooden masu cups for $45. There is a small museum in the back where you can see all of the old equipment on display. The tasting starts with a 10 minute informational video. A little cheesy, but very informative. You then go back to the tasting area and can choose from tasting A or tasting B. I did A and my boyfriend did B, so we were able to try just about all of the different types of sake. The woman leading the tasting was very sweet and knowledgeable. If you enjoy sake, this place is definitely worth the visit! I recommend you make reservations about a week in advance, as I have heard they tend to fill up. You can make reservations right on the website. read more

Takara Sake USA - Tasting bar - Museums Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I thought it was a great experience. We were one of the first groups in for the day. You sit at a communal table. Street parking only. Not really much of anything else in the neighborhood. Being it my first time I thought there was too many options to really make a informed decision about what flight I wanted. Once seated we waited for a little too long to finally start the process but once we started the Sake came out in rapid fire. Almost a little to hard to finish the taste before the next one. There was not a lot of instruction or explanation about the Sake or really much time to ask a question before the next taste was on the way. I had no idea there was a sparking Sake, so that was a fun surprise. I purchased a bottle of that. I liked the fun video about how Sake is made and the museum. read more

See all

Ever been to a sake tasting? Daily, from noon to 6, Takara Sake Factory is open for sake tastings. There's also a museum (free admission) and video (also free; you can probably skip it). All this resides at their factory headquarters - you can even observe the bottling process from above. For the sake tasting, several packages are available depending on how familiar you are with sake and on what kind you prefer. I went for the total tasting ("A") for a mere $5. The company rep and our teacher for the afternoon - Izumi - was chill, and led us on a tour of various sakes in their relaxed tasting room. He was professional, knowledgeable, and friendly - we got a photo with him - and we learned the difference between sake and soju, and how sake is like wine. There was a lot of sipping and shooting going on, which led quite naturally to us Takara's in-house stock. You can buy various bottles of Takara sake. Try their lychee sake! It's heavenly. We purchased a few bottles for gifts for convenience's sake. Food of some kind - sushi or edamame, maybe? - would make Takara perfect. Even without food, the sake tasting was still a wonderful thing, and if you haven't been to one yet, there's a first time for everything! read more

See all