In all earnest, the food isn't superior to the other Japanese restaurants around here. But that is not to say it's bad; I've enjoyed the times I came here. What compelled me to leave a review is the service. The couple of times I've dined in, service was attentive, punctual, and waitresses were willing to make small talk (when it wasn't busy, of course). It feels as if the servers here genuinely care about being sociable. There's a good atmosphere as well. Even during a rush, it wasn't unpleasantly loud. To sum it up, I definitely foresee myself coming back for more read more

Was recommended this spot by a friend. Located in quaint alleyway in Alameda off of Park Street. Service top-notch, clean spacious establishment, and food was excellent! We will definitely return. read more

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Extremely small, short and paper thin portions of the baked salmon on the Lion King for such an expensive price. Parts of the role don't even have salmon. Makes it look like a greedy business practice. I usually don't give bad reviews because I understand it is not good for the business. But I think this greedy business practice is unacceptable. read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Small, short and paper thin baked salmon of a Lion King. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

I've been coming here for over 10 years and the quality of the sushi rolls are always consistent while the fish is really fresh. I get the fried fish head every time. My main reason for return is the warm and friendly environment. There is always seating, so I never feel rushed. read more

Yellowtail is located at an alley area which can be hard to find at first but you'll find it! It is actually quite spacious! I got the combination box and chose tempura and sashimi. It came with a soup and salad. This is actually quite filling! The sashimi was nice and thick. The tempura was crispy and a good variety of vegetables. The purple yam tempura was actually really good! The staff is very nice and friendly. There is a parking lot but I just parked at the street. Would definitely come again! read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Purple Yam Tempura - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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We have been to Yellowtail a few times now. We keep giving it a chance and given the other sushi options available I think we are done with chances. I mean it's fine but fine doesn't cut it anymore. One thing going for them is an awesome sakile list including Rei, one of our favorites. Service is ok, fish is ok, it's just all ok. Not sure what else to say. read more

Yellowtail is a great place for lunch or dinner! Food is excellent and specials are great! Service is superb! We had the owner Henry took care of us. Good conversation for a lunch! Ambiance is nice. It can fit holiday parties lunch or dinner. Plus it's quiet! read more

Great experience with Yellowtail tonight and highly recommend. I wanted take out Japanese tonight and ordered a simple tempura dinner entree. Fresh shrimp and veggies, (including asparagus). My entree came with a delicious salad and miso soup and my order was packed to-go with care. The restaurant staff were welcoming, friendly and the food was fresh and reasonably priced. Waited for my order at the sushi bar (very nice) and was impressed by the care and skill of the sushi chefs. Next time ... sushi. Great place ... Hidden gem. read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Mixed tempura, miso soup, salad and rice. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

We were in Alameda, and the place we wanted to eat at closed early - their loss. We thankfully stumbled upon this place. You notice the small entrance. As you enter, it opens up into a two-story restaurant. You are immediately greeted warmly. They have plenty of tables for inside dining. The place is nicely decorated in Japanese art and trinkets in display cases. The server was friendly, helpful, and attentive. Combination Lucky Box: Choose any two different items (served with miso soup, salad, & steamed rice) - Beef Teriyaki - thinly sliced tender steak. We actually were pleasantly surprised. - Sashimi (6 pcs Assorted) thick cuts of otoro, sake, and Hamachi. They were very fresh, buttery, and melted in your mouth. Thuy's Roll: (Inside: Shrimp Tempura, Uni & avocado. Outside: Salmon, Uni, and Wasabi Tobiko). I saw this and thought that was a good price for a roll that had Uni. The Uni was good quality as it was not pungent like other places. So good. We will be back! Awesome food. read more

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Somewhat empty on a Friday evening; completely dark second level. Seems to do ample delivery service. Portions were abundant and prepared well. No complaints. Service was attentive. Not exceptional, but I would go back. read more

The chefs sashimi was so good and fresh. The restaurant is really spacious and they have a parking lot as well. Service was great and the food was good as well. If you follow them on instagram, you get 10% off your bill. read more

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Celebrated my son's 31st birthday at Yellowtail last night. It was a rainy and cold Friday evening where we enjoyed our sashimi and nigiris. The ambiance here is welcoming and the staff is absolutely gracious always ready to attend to any requests you may have. Upon ordering we started with hot sake and during our meal we opted for Asahi beer which always goes good with Japanese. I was impressed with the owner who warmly greeted us with us with a special plate of seared Toro, and I regret not taking a pic as we devoured the smooth goodness of this mouth watering delight! Overall you cannot miss trying this wonderful establishment. Enjoy! read more

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Sashimi we got was so flesh. Unique dishes can't find anywhere in town. Great for big group dinner.

This is excellent even in the Bay known for its great food. The ambiance is welcoming and comfortable for easy conversation. Service was unobtrusive yet attentive and friendly. We have a great time and leave full and smiling every time we come here. Visit and find your own favorites; you'll make memories and leave smiling as we do. read more

I am surprised I have never been here before. It's really a hidden gem tucked away in an "alley." We were initially going to visit another sushi place in Alameda, but it closed down, so we kept searching to find something not too casual but not too fancy. It can get a little busy on Park Street, but since it was a Tuesday evening, we were able to find parking right away and when we walked in, we were seated quickly. It seemed to be slow, but it was a weekday. The service was pretty amazing. Our server kept checking on us and I believe the owner came by to say hi as well. We ordered the specials: hamachi and spicy tuna were half off. My goodness, this was delicious and melt-in-your mouth! We also ordered another special: spicy (red) seaweed salad -- also amazing. More things we ordered: salad and soup, Nathan's Roll and Emily's roll. Everything was quite scrumptious and we ate every bite between two people! I will definitely be back! read more

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Amazing! Excellent customer service and wonderful cuisine! Visit this restaurant, highly recommend it!!

The best chirashi in Alameda! Their chirashi may even bring places in the city a run for their money! Yellowtail Japanese Bistro also has really good sushi, the staff here is very friendly, and the restaurant itself is nice, spacious, and clean--especially the bathrooms, very important! This is definitely my favorite place to go to for sushi in Alameda! The original Yojimbo on Park Street comes a very close second! Sushi House at South Shore doesn't even come close! My two centavos. read more

I thinks it's one of the best sushi restaurants on Park St and there aren't many. The fish are always fresh and the service is outstanding. It's a spacious, 2 story restaurant, great for groups. But we like sitting at the bar area if it's just the two of us. We ordered and the food came pretty quickly. Some of our favorites here are the basil wrapped tuna tempura (crunchy on the outside, nice and tender tuna w/ so much flavor on the inside), the Morimoto sashimi (seared, smoky and delicious! Inlove truffle oil on anything!) and saba nigiri (always fresh and so tasty). We also ordered some fresh oysters and the Gary's roll, which was made with/ lobster salad, sake and avocado. The food is always delicious and consistent. You cannot order anything bad. read more

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The food was mid. The service...I asked which rolls had yellow tail. You know, like in the restaurant name and stumped the waitress. That's when I knew it wouldn't be a good dinner. Alameda struggles to have tasty, artful, sushi and nigiri. Sigh. Ambiance? Decent. It was a little warm tonight. Not better than sushi house and that place blows. read more

My brother is my go-to source for good sushi and he didn't lead me astray.. this establishment is located off of park street with a parking lot in the rear. This is a busy area so I wouldn't hold my breath on finding easy parking in the lot either but I'm sure you can manage. The entrance is in an alley way, you might say and the door is parallel to park st. The decor is pretty modern mixed with traditional Japanese style and some make shift curtains towards the rest rooms. I wanna say there is upstairs seating which would be cool but I'm not 100% sure. We ordered a few rolls and they all checked out to be fine dining quality lol. The garlic edamame beans had a nice kick of flavor for the normally bland appeteazer. The crab stuffed shrimp was a bit of a let down if I had to say anything that stood out against the high flying flavors. It just seemed like a mush of fish in the shape of a shrimp. I can't remember the exact rolls that we ordered but you could put a blindfold on and pick anything and you'll be pleased with your choices lol. Pricing was fair and the customer service was great too. Our food came out quick and the waitress was very attentive. We had a few other employees (possibly management) check on our group to ask how our experience was. If you're in the market for sushi and a good experience, I'd definitely urge you to check this place out. read more

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Takeout review only. The order was prepared in a timely manner. I was greeted quickly upon entering the restaurant and was able to get out fast. The food was hot where appropriate. I'm not the biggest fan of the packaging: 1) the cold roll was packaged with the baked, 2) two orders of karaage were boxed together without a separation (minor). The rolls tasted great; the Lion King was rich and the Dynamite was flavorful. The karaage lacked in crunch and flavor. It may be better with a sauce. All in all solid place. It was a decent value so I would try again. read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Double order of kaaage - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Super nice servers and chef. Shout out to Ivanna for her recommendation. Very fresh and buttery salmon sashimi pieces that are thick and rich. The maguro tuna was more buttery than the salmon sashimi. We tried something new tonight that we have never eaten in Los Angeles. Escolar sashimi is a snake mackerel. Very light compared to salmon sashimi but buttery. It is nicely seared sous vide on the outside which brings out the rich flavor of the white fish. Learned something new in Alameda tonight. read more

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Had the pleasure of experiencing the amazing food at Yellowtail today and cannot recommend it more! Amazing food, friendly staff, attentive service, and a relaxed atmosphere perfect for our party of 8! Thank you, so much, for a wonderful evening! read more

*Open for outdoor dining, indoor dining, and takeout* Came here on a weekend evening to try a new Japanese restaurant in town. Service and staff: - Took a little bit of time for someone to see and acknowledge us when we walked in to get seated outside - Staff was quick and nice - We got our dishes as soon as they were ready Food: - Morimoto Sashimi: good flavor from the ponzu sauce - Agedashi tofu: little soggy (should be a little crispier), but still good - Misty Roll: I don't like cream cheese in my sushi, so I was glad to be able to order this without it. Nice mild spice from the sauce - Ribs: random addition we never order at sushi or Japanese restaurants. Was a little tough Miscellaneous: - Outdoor seating with heat lamps available - No dedicated parking lot, but parking is available throughout downtown read more

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Love to come here. Quiet spot. Food has been consistent. I usually get their sashimi. Quick service. read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Amazing food and wonderful service! Great position just off Park St. for after dinner fun.

Good is amazing, fish is really fresh and melt in your mouth. The servers are very friendly and nice. They currently running a best deal!! read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Yellowtail has this amazing deal!!! I ordered the10 pieces Sashimi, the fish is really fresh, the Basil Wrap Tuna was great!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

We came here recently with my MIL. We all love Japanese food and have enjoyed dining at Yellowtail in the past. We have young kiddos, and as we were ordering and waiting, the owner came over to say hi and interact with them. He was so kind, friendly and genuine--he drew in and engaged my kiddos in a very sweet and personable way. They are both on the spectrum but he was so fun, and folded origami for each of them (a fish for one, a bird for the other) and kept them occupied and enthralled. The food was delciious, and throughout the meal he came over to check on us. My kiddos split a bento and ate it all, and when he found out that they loved the tofu in the miso soup, he went off to get more! The food we ordered was all good, but the owner's attention to us and my kids is what compels me to give this restaurant 5 stars. It was all so genuine and you could tell that he honestly loves his customers. read more

Yum. Serious yum. Today was a stay home and do little day, so we ordered takeout for lunch and dinner. We haven't built out our complete list of go to restaurants since moving to Alameda last month, so it's still a little bit of trial and error. We chose 5 different rolls to try. Dynamite roll - Inside: spicy assorted fish, cucumber and avocado Nathan roll - Inside: Spicy hamachi and jalapeño Outside: tuna, basil and unagi sauce Ninja roll - Inside: spicy tuna, cucumber, jalapeño Outside: Hamachi and yellow tobiko Brian's roll - Inside: spicy tuna and cucumber Outside: Tuna, seaweed salad, and tobiko Emily's roll (adjusted to spicy mayo) - Inside: spicy tuna and avocado Outside: white tuna, mayo and tobiko. Our favorite were Emily's, Brian's, Ninja. The flavor and texture were perfect. The other two would be great by any standard, but paled next to the others. Every roll contained fresh, high quality, tender fish, and tobiko. The rice was also very fresh. The food was delivered quickly, and in good shape. There was plenty of ginger and wasabi. We'd have liked a bit more soy sauce, but otherwise, this was one of the best takeout sushis we have had for some time. They're added to faves. read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Didn't think to take photos before this, but you can see each of the 5 rolls we ordered. So delicious. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Today, my friend and I randomly searched Yelp and came here! In the end, it did not disappoint us! We had an Omakase meal, including appetizers and Nigiri. The value for money was excellent! And the sushi chef, Gary, introduced each dish to us. What I will always remember is the extra oysters we ordered, which were very fresh and the sauce added was very mild! Everything was just perfect! And at the end, he even treated us to a glass of Sake! The restaurant has two floors, and if you are looking for a place to have a gathering with friends or a large group, this would be a great choice. read more

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We were a party of 3 & were quickly seated at a table in the back which I didn't care for because the ceiling is so low you feel closed in. Ok so we take a bit to look at the menu and our waitress quickly took our order and helped make a few suggestions. We ended up ordering 5 rolls. It took about 45 min to get our first roll & then had to wait another 10 minutes to get the next 4 rolls. I would've much rather have had all our rolls come out at once. Anywho, rolls were good. Not amazing. Service was good. Not amazing. That's all. read more

Amazing food, great service, and always wanting more. In store dining is always a pleasure. Also, super fast when you do a pick up. My fav is the Ben's roll! read more

Not bad. Portions could be a little bigger. Quality pieces of sushi but mid overall. Requested miso soup after spending $100+ and was denied. read more

Fake Japanese food. Service was alright. Ambiance was alright. Food was disappointing if you're looking for quality Japanese food.

This review is long overdue--5 stars for service, food quality & menu options. I wish every restaurant took service this seriously. Impeccable--which means it starts from the top. When you treat your employees with respect and dignity it comes across to customers. It's no secret the owner is a super guy but what you may not know if you don't have young children is he has a natural calm that makes kids feel so welcomed. The miso soup rich with flavor and freshness. The rolls quick and delicious. Draft beer!!! Yes, draft Japanese beer....helloooo!! The salad was crisp with a fresh crunch and creamy dressing. Adding edamame and a piece of fruit to the bento box is the "little things" that other sushi places don't get (hear that EO!!). I'm a sucker for their chicken and breaded pork--Katsu sauce here is amazing! The friendly and timely staff makes this experience all the better. My only constructive comment would be, you have that big TV put on the Giants game (or Warriors, maybe the A's but maybe not). read more

Looking around Alameda for a great sushi place where we could become regulars. I think we found our place! The sushi was amazing and the service was top notch! Loved Gary's roll and the sashimi was amazing! They offered hand wipes before we ate which was such a nice touch and the staff were all so kind and complimentary of our kids who enjoyed dinner as well. We were a little unsure if our jeans and tshirt attire would be okay as we had spent the day house hunting but it seemed to be a relaxed atmosphere which made the meal even more enjoyable! Can't wait to return and try out some new rolls! We found our new sushi place! You should check it out! read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Gary's Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Stopped here for dinner on a Wednesday. Got seated quickly and we were able to sit outside near a heating lamp which was nice. Ordered 1 appetizer and 3 rolls, everything tasted fresh and delicious. The two hosts and a man (who I think is the owner) were all very nice and checked on us periodically to see if we needed anything. Would definitely come back here :) read more

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Haven't been here for a while! I do not know why! It's so delicious! Ordered a few items thru ubereats, and its so yummy! I got lion kings, beef teriyaki, sunomono and neghihama. Loved it all!!!!! This place is worth it and will def get my Japanese food from here! read more

Not sure about the in-person experience, but ordering takeout from here has been pretty terrible. The first time we ordered, we got a laughable sliver of salmon in a bento box. It was...just the fried skin. Gave it a second try...similar issue. The portion of salmon was barely a single bite. For $24. Also ordered a side of extra tofu, described as "delicately fried, a perfect addition to elevate your meal." It was literally a chunk of raw tofu in a container. Never again. read more

WHEN: Saturday @ 7pm We wanted sushi, something cold to eat on a hot warm evening. We normally go to yojimbo for the value of it. But there was a huge line so we decided to go to Yellowtail. The lot was full by the time we arrived, we parked right across the street at the alameda comedy club. There was a few ppl waiting for takeouts when we arrived. There's no wait to dine in, we were seated immediately towards the back of the restaurant. I was surprised by the 6ft distance of each table. I'm impressed. Each table has disposable chopsticks, sanitizing set wipes, hand sanitizer, soy sauce packets. Yellowtail did it right to provide disposable utensils. WHAT WE ORDERED Dragon roll Lion king roll Jalapeño chicken bento (comes with salad and miso soup) My bf liked it. It wasn't a spicy dish at all, it has jalapeño flavors. I'm mainly skeptical by the dark color sauce on the chicken. I hope it's not too much msg. We were bummed out yellowtail ran out of scallops, we were so looking forward to eat bay scallop roll n have searched the highs and lows for this menu item. Apparently a lot of sushi restaurants are low on scallops, it must be low inventory in the Bay Area. The cooked rolls are very good. I ate the dragon roll n it filled me up for the night. VALUE Each rolls are $12-20 depending on the special roll. It had 8 pieces per roll. It's typical sushi prices in the Bay Area. It wasn't bad at all, I prefer yellowtail over Judoku for the portion of the food. read more

Yellowtail Japanese Bistro - Dragon Roll Lion King Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California