Love this hidden gem of a Japanese market! They have fresh, inexpensive sashimi platters and sushi grade fish, as well as a wide variety of specialty Japanese foods. The store is pretty spread out and the staff does a good job of enforcing covid safety and cleanliness (gloves and hand sanitizer are provided upon entry)! Definitely check this place out for your Japanese cravings :) read more

Yaoyasan - International Grocery Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Love this place and has become my goto for Japanese groceries since I have moved closer to this neighborhood but there are some distinct differences from Tokyo Fish which I an "still" a loyal customer of and will always be since I was a little girl. Yaoya-san does not have an open fish market but does carry a great assortment of Sashimi quality fish packaged fresh daily. I have even seen Toro (fatty tuna belly) when they are able to have it! Yum! Another difference is that I believe they have a slightly larger selection on "just add hot water" bowled Ramen, Udon and assorted frozen items such as frozen Lumpia and seafood line Clams and Mussels that I haven't seen much of at the other place. Lastly and this is a big one for me... They are open until 7pm every day (except Mondays )and even on Sundays so if I need to do any last minute shopping which calls for authentic Japanese ingredients, I can always count on Yaoya-san's to be open! So lucky to live in the area to be able to access both places easily and with parking too! read more

My okasan would be so proud that I have become a regular customer here. Sure, it's in a strip mall in El Cerrito right off Moeser Lane, but it's not as if I'm all that close to a Japantown where markets like Nijiya, Super Mira, or Santo could be found easily. Yaoya-san is not as fully stocked as those markets, but I'm amazed at how much good stuff the owners can pack into such a tiny space. You can go down three aisles full of Japanese food staples and related inventory including a refrigerated section upfront for produce and bento boxes (photo: http://bit.ly/2BHN89p) and another one in the back for all the meat and fish they sell in small packages (photo: http://bit.ly/2Ceki3Z). I come here like clockwork to get my Napa cabbage my Forest Nameko mushrooms, chicken tenders, and my little baggies of okra and snap peas for whatever stir-fry concoction I plan to make at home. Sometimes I pick up a tray of chukka ika sansei (squid salad) or chukka idako (marinated baby octopus) for snacking. Most conveniently I can pick up a portable yakisoba bowl or a salmon teriyaki lunch to take to my dad when I visit him south. It's quite a treat for him to get real Japanese food where he lives. They sell sushi party platters, Ginza-style desserts, and even frozen food from Zippy's in Hawaii. What else could you possibly need in a sansei kitchen? read more

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I love this cute little Japanese grocery store! Their produce is surprisingly really affordable, love their bentos, and it's honestly so nostalgic shopping here (I spent some of my early childhood years in Japan). The staff are all Japanese & it's great to be able to practice my Japanese even if it's really small talk. It feels like a community store & it's because it is a community store. So grateful for this establishment. read more

This place is a great gem of a small Japanese grocery store! It has virtually anything you'd need from a Japanese grocery store, and prices are really good (maybe 15-20% cheaper compared to Nijiya)! Super chill store, with very nice staff! So glad to have found this little local shop! read more

I love this cute little Japanese grocery store. While the selection is smaller than a large supermarket, it has everything you need for Japanese home cooking. My faves are their salmon sashimi, fresh soy milk (often sold out), jidori eggs! read more

[During Covid Reviews] Always pass by this place and I never realized it was a supermarket similar to Tokyo Fish on San Pablo. It has a small parking lot that it shares with other stores so sometimes parking can be tough, but usually it is easy to find. In terms of sanitation and making sure the public is safe, they have markers on the ground that tell you where to stand to keep 6 ft apart. I also like that in order for you to enter the market, you have to either (a) squirt some hand sanitizer that they provide for you or (b) wear gloves, which they also provide for you. If you don't do any of the options, they won't let you into the store. I really felt safe in terms of how they are handling Covid and make sure each customer is protected. Now in terms of what this supermarket has to offer, they have options similar to Tokyo Fish. What I will say that they don't offer a wide variety of fish selections compared to Tokyo Fish and if you wanted to buy a type of fish in bulk, that will be hard to do. They package small amounts of fish if customers wanted to buy it, but the amount they provide won't be enough to feed a 3-4 people if you were trying to do that. They do offer a variety of rice, soba noodles, and vegetables. While this location is similar to Tokyo Fish, I felt like this place when I went was lacking quantity. They ran out of a lot of ingredients that there were empty items on the rack. I enjoyed coming here to check it out, but I think Tokyo Fish has more options and ensure that everything is in stock. read more

GOOD SAMARITANS, GREAT FOOD. Having moved to the East Bay from the Peninsula, there is definitely a shortage of good Asian food markets in the Contra Costa area (at least in comparison). Though far from where we now live (Hercules), I go to Yaoyasan at least 1-2 times a week after picking up my son from daycare. I usually leave with a few grocery items, and always with some freshly made sushi platters. But switching it up, I want to utterly commend the staff for being good, honest people. A few weeks ago, I mysteriously misplaced some cash that I thought I had in my pocket/wallet. After searching typical places in my house, car, clothes, I eventually just brush it off. And just a few days ago, I stop by Yaoyasan to pick up some food/groceries. And as I'm paying the cashier, a second employee taps me on the shoulder, shows me a printout of a surveillance photo of myself, and asks "is this you?" Internally, I start freaking out, thinking "did I shoplift something by accident?" I scan the picture and it's undeniable that it was me from a trip there one week ago. And within a second, he flips the paper over, showing a note that says "lost money, and in the inside fold shows a zip lock bag full of cash (about $56). At this moment, the cashier (first employee) comes around to look at my face (though I'm wearing a KN-95 mask), and says something along the lines of "it is you." Anyways, I was floored by the honesty of their gesture. They briefly tell me their side of the story (money on floor, looking through surveillance footage, setting money aside), and I must spend the next 3 minutes thanking them and showing my appreciation for such a honest and selfless act. I do begin to finalize my transaction and ask if I can tip them for their gesture. They say no need, but I told them I definitely won't stop shopping at their business, and I'll definitely spread the word. Long story short, great small local business for great selection of Asian (mostly Japanese) food and grocery items, and good, honest people! Please support!! read more

I came here looking for something they didn't have. And was not as impressed as I had been when they opened. They seem to have expanded but it's not as tidy as I would have liked. Because I was there for the one item, I was a little underwhelmed by the way the rest of the store looked. It's not the type of market I'd purchase meat from or prepared dishes. I don't think I'll be back. read more

This is a very small Japanese market, but they carry a LOT of items that are hard to find. We were able to pick up shiro-negi ("Tokyo onion"), some thinly sliced meats for shabu-shabu and curry, enoki and king mushrooms, and some of our usual essentials. However, I was surprised by their selection of "straight type" nabe broth, which are pre-made broths ready to heat with meat and vegetables. They had curry, kimchi, crab, oyster, miso and chanko-nabe flavors. This is a lot more than our Ranch 99 market carries, which tend to be more Chinese brands for hot pot rather than Japanese nabe. They also carried a variety of flours, including Japanese brands of potato starch, joshinko rice flour, shiratamako rice flour, mugwort powder (for coloring things green!), so I was happy to find these things because I couldn't find them at my local markets. Parking is very limited here, and it's a bit of a drive from where I live, so I'm not sure how often I'll frequent this place. I also spent a lot more than I intended to, due to the markup on imported items. read more

We come here every pre NYE to get our Japanese NY meat and vegetables for our Sukiyaki dinner. They have a variety of fresh Japanese food and great prices. The store is small but has a good variety. Highly recommended for the area. read more

Has everything I need! Very friendly service, as well and always helpful to answer questions. :)

I love Yoaya San Market! 5 STARS ***** We are so fortunate to have a small store in El Cerrito where you can do all your shopping at reasonable and affordable prices of "excellent quality" foods. You can get your vegetables, meats for meat eaters (I'm vegetarian) and sweets snacks all in one stop. We shop here regularly for vegetable and Japanese products and kitchen utensils. The pictures are my favorite groceries. read more

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Overall great selection and service from the employees. The sashimi isnt the best, theres always a chunk of skin attached to the bottom of the fillet (hidden from their packaging as the skin is on the bottom). About 1/4 of the width of the fillet is skin/bones. I spoke with the owner about it twice (older japanese male), his response was that it was edible and no one has complained about it before. If I wanted salmon skin, id buy salmon skin, not sashimi. So keep in mind the weight of the actual sashimi part is dishonest. Photos for reference. read more

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I absolutely love Yaoyasan. It's my go to for all things Japanese. I missed Japanese food badly after coming back from my first trip to Japan last year and then discovered this grocery store when I came back. And I've been coming here for snacks and instant ramen. They also have my favorite milk tea that I drank in Japan and a bunch of other cool drinks. They have an assortment of pickled vegetables in the refrigerated aisle, a small produce area, meat section, and sashimi section. They also have ready to eat deli section and many types of sake to choose from. I'll literally come here for a few things and walk out with a hundred dollars worth of things instead or more. Since covid has happened, they've been taking every precaution necessary to keep themselves and their customers safe. Even though they've expanded to make the store a bit bigger, they still only allow a certain number of customers into the grocery story. They wipe down and spray the carts and shopping baskets when it's returned. They also offer you gloves or will spray your hands with sanitizer before you can enter the grocery store. read more

Yaoya-san is a cute little Japanese grocery store right near a Japanese goods store, Zipang. There is a really good selection of things for how tiny the store is. I still prefer Tokyo Fish Market to Yaoya-San for selection, especially of their daifuku. Still, Yaoya-san has fresh sushi, onigiri rice triangles, oshinko, some mochis. During new year, you can order your bulk fresh mochi. There is a frozen section for certain goods. The shelves are packed with candies and snacks, osenbe, salad dressings, furikake, teas, noodles for cooking, cup noodles, rice, mochi flour, you name it! It's quite impressive how much they manage to put in this place. read more

For those who live near Yaoya-San, we are privileged enough to live very close-by to a few Japanese markets, filled with lovely ingredients for taking it all the way in authenticity. Kamaboko, all flavors and types of miso, lychee ice cream, gyokuro and matcha, fresh fish, shirataki variations, bentos to-go.....handy and open on Sunday! PS within a few miles radius are Brasilian, Mexican, Asian, Indian, Spanish, Middle Eastern, and European markets. For the home cook, this is such a boon. read more

Small little market in a plaza with plenty of parking. Not the largest selection of fresh produce and meats but it has the basics. Small selection of sashimi but no toro or fresh uni (they did have seasoned uni in a jar tho). Some prepared foods and desserts in the refrigerated section. There is a large selection of dried/canned goods as well. They also have a larger selection of Hawaiian items compared to other stores. There are some Japanese beauty products that are more expensive than SF's Japantown but this maybe more convenient if you live nearby. Friendly employees. read more

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Great place anything you need to cook a nice Japanese meal you can find here, I was looking for the ingredients to make sushi at home and I found everything I needed and more haha I even got some snacks, in addition to having everything you would need for a nice Japanese meal also great helpful staff and very secured places when it comes to COVID-19 the care they maintain the place clean and not too many people inside plus gloves wearing OR sanitizer read more

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Always fresh fish and nice team workin there - appreciate the convenience and the variety. Usually pick up sashimi grade salmon to pair with sushi and it's always fresh and a way better deal. read more

One place I always visit when I need fresh, sushi-grade fish. The staff are approachable and very courteous. Great quick snack on the refrigerated section. I'm glad to have this in our neighborhood! read more

This place is just perfect! They just have everything I need! Fresh vegetables, and great sashimi! The snack isle is perfect! Ramen, both fresh and instant in all kind of brand and flavor to try! Their meat and chicken dept look small, but it actually has a ton of varieties and it's always fresh with all the best cut! The store is super clean and organized and extra special because it feels super safe to shop here during the pandemic because of their very strict COVID-19 protocol. This place is also the only place I can get fresh salmon parts with bone to make fish broth e.g., salmon head, belly etc. This place is special because it's not a very big store, but they stock all the right products, and organized them well. You can get everything you need quickly! read more

I've been coming here over 10 years. Food selection is excellent and staff are always friendly. Highly recommend

Came here to pick up sushi to go lunch for a quick picnic. Bought 4 prepared sushi, pork katsu, pickles and a large nigiri variety. Spent about $70 in groceries there. I asked for chopsticks and soy sauce so we can eat our prepacked sushi lunches right away. Cashier did not give me soy sauce so I had to stand back in Covid line to ask for packet of soy sauce for my lunch. TURNS OUT THEY CHARGE $0.50 For SOY SAUCE TO GO AND I HAD TO WAIT BEHIND 2 people to get into store just to buy the soy sauce when the cashier should have just took care of it at the point of sale-- she obviously knew we were eating it she gave us chopsticks! All this while my fish heated up in my car waiting. Really dumb to not just give out soy sauce packets when people are buying sushi for lunch to go. Loosen up people!! read more

Got the chestnut cake-reasonable price and very modest portion-the chestnut purée was good but did not care much for center. I enjoyed the gingko nuts-not very many places carry them. I was there in the evening so the bakery items were gone. For a small grocer, the selection is good. read more

Best Japanese store ever! It looks small but it's packed with so many delicious options. I've gotten ingredients for hot pot and sushi here and it's really just incredible. I also had a delicious matcha waffle ice cream from here and it's so hard to pass by without going in. The people here are super nice and dedicated keeping the store clean and safe. read more

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Super cute little Japanese market right by my house! I can not believe that I've lived here over a year and haven't been here yet! It is really small but they seem to have everything you need. Swung by on a Sunday late afternoon with the hubs to pick up some ingredients for hotpot and they had everything I needed. I usually go to the Tokyo fish market in Berkeley but that was closed today. This will definitely be my new stop though as it is sooo much closer. read more

Yaoyasan - Grocery haul - International Grocery Near Me - El Cerrito, California

The cutest little hidden Japanese market. I came in here not really knowing what to expect but was surprised at the variety of items I was able to find here. Prices are standard and all the staff seem are very friendly. I've only been here during COVID but I wish they served some fresher to-go foods like Nijiya does. read more

I love buying Karubi, Hamachi Kama, & frozen goods here. Selections is great, is far but I try to make a trip there once a month. No wait in the early opening hours. Best time to shop read more

Have frequented for a while now, like since 2001. It used to be just the one store front, and it's now inhabiting the next door's space as well. I was hoping what that meant was that there'd be an expansion on the deli food (that's made in house), etc. Alas, it's just got more space. Anyway, it's perfect for that Japanese grocery run when you don't want to brave the fish-counter madness at the other Japanese place in Berkeley that I won't mention the name of here. It's got all the goods, rice selection, dry and perishable items you can't really get at any ol' Asian store that are specific to Japanese food. All the furikake you can imagine, the good natto -- the organic one from Sebastapol, nori, tofu and tofu products, blah blah blah. If you know Japanese food, then you'll know this place covers it. Gotta love that it's family owned and run. read more

Today I was wanting sushi while Alan was out w/ a friend for lunch. I guess I haven't been to Yaoya San since the pandemic started. I was surprised and impressed by the level of their COVID precautions. A masked woman sat by the front door. I was encouraged to use hand sanitizer and, asking my permission, she took my temperature, Masks, of course, were required for entry. Once I entered I went to the cooler where the sushi is kept and picked out a package combining three pieces each of futomaki and inari sushi. At the checkout counter, the man who checked me out took my money in a plastic tray and offered me the change in the tray, making the transaction contactless. I noticed the woman at the door cleaning the hand baskets after they had been used. It was a pleasure to shop there. read more

I don't understand why this store doesn't come up when I search Yelp for "Japanese grocery," but lucky for me a local told me about it. Great for produce, pantry items, and bento items. read more

Although I'm loyal to Diablo Oriental Foods www.tinyurl.com/yc4hml7e I've found another GREAT little Asian food grocer on the other side of the tunnel that carries items that I cannot find here. This small store has a big variety of stock. You can purchase packaged meals to go, sweet treats, meats, seafood, sauces, breads, and so much more! I love to stop by and pick up a few necessities to prepare food at home, as well as pick up items for an enjoyable pre-made lunch or dinner. It's such a treat to enjoy wakame salad, sashimi, futomaki, and mochi at work or at home! The store is well organized and easy to maneuver, even when there are many shoppers since this is a popular neighborhood grocer, according to a woman who I started chatting with while I was shopping. There is a tiny cash wrap in the front of the store with room for just two cashiers. I was impressed that for a mom-and-pop store, they have a bill detector! Business is done in Japanese, so it makes it an unexpected surprise for other shoppers when they see me in the store : ) It's amusing to me, in a pleasant way, to see the shocked looks on faces as they peek into my basket to see what I've bought : ) I really wish that there was a Yaoya-san on this side of the tunnel! Then I would probably be in there every day! read more

Double check your RECEIPTS before you exit the store. In retrospect, the store clerk was distracting us and trying to make us laugh, etc. while the cashier was ringing us up. It wasn't busy or anything and I know she wasn't overwhelmed. She was looking at the register screen the entire time & the way the register is set up, we cannot really see what's going on. Just pay attention and look at your receipt before you leave the store. read more

This is the smallest Japanese market I have EVER been to. I can't even believe they even provide shopping carts in there! Hahaha. But it's cute, because everyone in there tries their best to work around it. My husband and I were actually trying to another market, but they were closed on Sundays, so it's awesome this place was open and known for the same thing--Japanese groceries and fresh sashimi (we were on a mission to get uni)! This place has a fair amount of Japanese grocery ingredients plus a small aisle of sake.. what I absolutely love about this place is the ready-to-eat food (they have onigiri right next to the cash registers). Sadly, when we went there, the onigiri was mostly sold out and the food area was crowded with people in line (since the store is small). So, the only way was to actually get in line to take a peek at what they have in the ready-to-eat food area. read more

This is a very authentic Japanese grocery store for all your cooking needs. I really have a big thing for Japanese market because of how fascinating their items are. They have so many Japanese items from: cluster of bento boxes, array of onigiris, assorted flavors of mochi ice cream, chopsticks, rice, curry powder, sake, udon noodles, snacks like Pocky, wagyu beef, and lists can go on and on. It's a miniature grocery store filled with lovely Japanese staff with a smile on their face. If I am around this area, I wouldn't hesitate to come here to pick up a few grilled salmon/tuna mayo onigiris! read more

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I stopped in just prior to hitting up El Cerrito DMV. Figured I should eat before going on what would certainly end up being an epic hours long quest (it was). I got a piece of grilled salmon and a little box of hijiki salad. Hijiki salad!?!?! I was so excited to have wandered into a place that sells it that I totally didn't realize the danger of eating hijiki (black sea kelp) prior to taking my DMV photo. Hopefully the lady would have told me had one of my teeth been entirely blacked out by hijiki, but I digress. The salmon was fantastic, and a big piece for the price. The hijiki salad was a little too sweet for me, but I think if you were to dump out the liquid and/or mix it with something else it'd match the salmon in its deliciousness. Overall, it's a small japanese grocery, with a nice take out section. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Yaoyasan - Probably the worst thing I could have eaten prior to a dmv DL appointment. So delicious though! - International Grocery Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Yaoya-san did have a fishy fragrance when i entered but it didn't bother me. a quick walk around this small, compact shop revealed the following goodies: -fresh mochi and mochi ice cream -bento boxes, sashimi, cali rolls, ready to eat -lots of sake and beers in da house! -veggies not sure, never looked for this. -ramen, yakisoba, & udon, instant and sometimes fresh. -standard sauces, mixes, dressings.... bonito flakes: -didn't have "sun" fresh ramen, did have yakisoba -passes 10 second rule for 4 stars: goodies that can be eaten/drank immediately that taste "good" after exiting the stoe gets four stars. -staff very helpful in locating items: "sun" ramen, tonkatsu sauce. -pricier than other places. but. for el cerrito, this place is hella cool.. sampling: -beef tataki (cyu takiki): seared raw beef slices with soy dipping sauce. better than ok. (.23lb/2.30) *fresh beef slices, tender with green onions side. tasted great with beer. -instant ramen-soybean paste flavor (myoyo1.19) soy bean flavoring very light. ramen seem like rice vermicelli from china. texture like chow mein soup noodles, not ramen. . read more

Been coming here for at-least 9 years before expansion. Always been my favorite spot in E.C But recently, Ive been bringing a lot of expired products home. My beer was expired along with couple snack items. I hope this is due to their close down during this quarantine. Its a really good grOcery place ,i hope they keep the expiration dates on pRoducts before shelving. Edit* If u scroll through their yelp reviews , someone had reported this same practice before since 2015. Under name Christy C. She mentioned buying from there twice and gOt expired iTems on both times. read more

Decided to check this place out since Tokyo Fish Market is not open on Sunday. Nice little Japanese shop if you're looking for any assortment of Japanese goods. Definitely coming back when it's not cold for the frozen treats and some fresh sashimi! They didn't have much for me to choose when I got around 4. Only "close" Japanese market for me since I'm in the Marin area. read more

Yaoyasan - Nigiri - International Grocery Near Me - El Cerrito, California