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    Yonsei Handrolls

    4.5 (107 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 1 week ago

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    Edison H.

    Service was a bit scrambled. The restaurant only had a few tables occupied but the staff seemed preoccupied. They took awhile to give us the menu and they forgot to provide soy sauce with the first set of hand roll. They were surprised I don't have soy sauce at the table already when I asked.. well I was too. Foodwise.. everything was pretty good. I love the uni handroll at the end. The overall experience could've been better though. Will have to see if I end up returning.

    The Hidden Fortress cocktail, Lychee Peachy cocktail, and Shungiku Kakiage appetizer
    Ian A.

    My wife and I went here for a date night on a weeknight and as she put it we "loved it and can't wait to go back". If you aren't sure what to order they make it easy with an omaka-set preselected set of hand rolls. The overall experience is very nice as the dining experience is not rushed and your hand rolls are served one-by-one. We started with the Shungiku Kakiage vegetable tempura. My wife does not normally enjoy mushrooms but we devoured every bit of this appetizer. I opted for the Yonsei omaka-set since I'm not as big a fan of crab or salmon. The five hand rolls was the right amount, with my favorite being the black cod and truffle butter roll - so rich and decadent. My wife loved the OG omaka-set, especially the spicy tuna roll with tempura crunch that was not overly-spicy. I appreciated the dropper for the soy sauce to easily apply to the roll without risking pouring too much. We really enjoyed their cocktail menu as well, I liked the combination of flavors of The Hidden Fortress and the mouthwatering list of whiskeys. On the night we went they were out of the High Roller Martini. I'd come back for dinner again or even just drinks so I can try more of their whiskeys.

    Seared Albacore Black Garlic Aioli
    Amy T.

    I can confidently say this is my favorite place for sushi and especially handrolls. I always get so excited to dine here especially since it is a treat and I barely hold back. I see a lot of people ordering maybe 3-4 handrolls and sharing appetizers but I mainly focus on the handrolls. These handrolls are on average 2-3 bites for me, 2 would be a big bite. There is no discount if you order from a set so order the sets only if you truly want every item in the list. If you come for lunch, take a look at their lunch sets because it comes out to only a couple dollars more and you get cucumber and edamame as an appetizer which is enough to share amongst two people. I love that they make the sushi rice vinegary here. I enjoy most of the items that I normally would like, there isn't a bad one except sometimes the black garlic aioli on the seared albacore tastes a bit fatty to me. Otherwise everything I order from my pictures are always fresh and good. One thing I noticed for the snow crab and chives is that they do not use mayo here compared to their Oakland location. I loved the ocean trout I had in early May and sad to see it gone by the end of May, it was sweet and fresh. Hope it comes back soon, @manager, let me know! lol thanks P.S. I do have a suggestion about the timing that food comes out, one time I was there for lunch and our table specifically had large gaps between the rolls coming out. I'm talking about 15 minutes before the next set comes out while other tables get multiple things in the meantime. After 45 min, I finally said something and the staff was able to get everything else out in 5 min so the kitchen was not backed up, she said it was some kind of timer the chef sets and maybe something was wrong there. I had brought a friend so I felt really bad for him to have a bad experience with the wait time but other than that the food was great.

    Seared albacore
    Paula V.

    I dream about yonsei handrolls at least once a month! My top two must get at yonsei is the seared albacore and the snow crab. So so so yummy! In addition, the service and the ambiance is so nice. I always have to come here whenever I'm visiting Oakland.

    Agedashi Tofu
    Yoko O.

    Still awesome! We went for lunch and the prices are more affordable. We went for the $30 one because it had the truffle oil and it was amazing the first time we had it. And it is worth it. Maybe not if you just wanted a Ramen or something but if you want a special fancy lunch with a perfect cucumber salad (with Wakame seaweed) and perfectly steamed edamame, get it, you won't be sorry. Lunch cost me 49. A bit high but oh boy, was it worth it?!?!?!!!!!

    Salmon, sesame, lemon
    Janice B.

    I went for lunch with a friend who loves this place, and it did not disappoint! I tried the OG set and devoured each of the 5 hand rolls. My favorite was the Negihama (yellowtail and green onions) but I appreciated how each one was different from the last. Perfect amount of food for lunch. The yuzu lemonade was well-prepared, flavorful and refreshing. Service and ambiance were both excellent. Parking was easy on a weekday; we found a spot on the street a block away. Eager to return to try some of the starters. I appreciated the care and quality that went into what was served - everything tasted fresh and the nori was nice and crunchy. No notes!

    Ahi Tuna
    Warren K.

    We made a reservation for 8:30 PM on a Saturday night but when we got there, it was completely empty. I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the interior but the ambiance was very nice and perfect for a date or a nice meal with friends. It came out to roughly $40-50 a person post tax which was honestly really affordable. My favorite hand roll was the yellow tail and the ahi tuna. The first quality was amazing and honestly the portion size was surprisingly enough, with 5 hand rolls leaving me extremely satisfied. Overall, this is one of my favorite restraints that I've tried in the East Bay and I would definitely come back again!

    avocado roll
    Jennifer

    This place can get busy and I can see why! Every roll we got was delicious. Truly enjoyed my meal here. Taste: I tried the avocado, salmon, fatty salmon, jellyfish, and snow crab. I expected a little more from the snow crab given the price, but everything else was 100% worth it. Parking: Street parking! It seems like when's street parking by the elementary school is allowed but if you come on a weekday near school hours it can be limited. Service: We sat at the bar and the device was fast and nice.

    spicy tuna
    Avril L.

    I came with my bestie on a Friday night and it was a lively atmosphere upon walking in. I would definitely recommend making a reservation to ensure you don't have to wait for a table. We were seated within mins of arriving. Our waiter was fairly attentive, refilled our waters quickly, took our order when we were ready and explained each roll as it arrived. The food itself was just OK. Nori was a bit soggy, I wish it wasn't made in advanced, the fish to rice ratio was a bit off, a bit more rice than fish in the roll. I've been to their Oakland location 3 years ago, and preferred it there. I'm glad to have tried their Albany location but I likely will not be returning.

    Tenpura (Shungiku Kakiage, mushroom varietals and onion)
    Gina G.

    I will be dreaming about Yonsei Handrolls for quite some time after a pretty extraordinary meal here. Would love to return for dinner to experience the cocktail menu also, but let's dive into lunch. Check hours before heading over because they may vary between weekday/night and weekends, but weekday they open at 11:30a. While in the area, we were so hungry and realized we had never tried Yonsei before. Also fyi there is a wine bar that opens at 12p called Best Friends next door. While parking on San Pablo can be a bit challenging, we found street parking near the front of the building, so we took this as a great sign. The vibes inside were high ~ loved the art and immaculate space. Also love the bar area and sleek but cozy environment. They have the coolest lunch menu. Being new to handrolls, we went with the DIY Lunch Set that included 3 different fish: yellowtail, spicy tuna, and salmon with rice and the seaweed wrappers. What an excellent and incredibly fun way to have a 'first foodie moment' with others. (See pics and videos) We also ordered the sashimi salad and tenpura (Shungiku Kakiage) to start, with a few 'single' handrolls for variety as well. I ordered an Avocado single handroll, and it was perfection. Everything we tried was incredibly thoughtful, intentional, light, fresh, and just simply delicious. So much flavor, so much depth to each and every bite. Service was great, and I appreciate the variety of lunch 'sets' but also the individual handrolls if you want to try something different. I can now say I'm a huge fan of the open-faced Japanese sushi handroll. The wasabi hit different here and the soy sauce in the liquid dropper (see video) was everything. Chef's kiss.

    Black cod & truffle butter
    Vega T.

    Came on a Sunday lunch and was seated right away. Indoors was a nice ambiance - it felt very clean and modern. We ordered the Temaki Gochisou lunch set, which was 3 hand rolls with sides. The sides were edamame and a seaweed cucumber salad. We did a late lunch so we were very hungry. The rolls didn't come out until after we finished the sides. The 3 rolls came with: - seared albacore, black garlic aioli - black cod & truffle butter: my fav out of the set! - saba misoyaki, myoga ginger The rolls were all delicious but we were still hungry so we added on a snow crab & chives and a salmon belly, truffle salt, yuzu to share. They were both good but the salmon belly felt a bit short. It didn't feel like a premium cut and felt like just regular salmon. One suggestion is to provide some warm hand towels. It felt odd to me that a handroll place didn't have any hand wipes to start off the meal or at the end. It would be a nice touch vs going to the restroom to wash my hands before/after the meal.

    Helen W.

    I have been wanting to try this place and decided to give it a try the other night. The restaurant itself is small but the noise level was good where we can have a conversation. Both food and service were excellent. The Handrolls comes out one at a time which allows you to enjoy them individually and remain fresh. I liked the flavor of the rice and the fish was very fresh. Just a word of caution: it was not cheap.

    Saba misoyaki roll
    Jessica M.

    The "newer" of the two locations. The Albany location opened up mid last year, I believe. I used to go to the Oakland location quite often. (Which I also love!) I really enjoy this Handroll spot. I have regular rolls I order lol today I got the lunch special they offer. They have two to choose from. I got the more expensive one ($27) Just cause it comes with the comes with black cod which is one of the regulars I order. The special comes with three rolls, a side of edamame, a cucumber salad and a green salad. All of which are also delicious. Edamame is steamed and salted. Salads are not over dressed and a perfect addition to the rolls. This particular special came with the seared albacore Handroll, the black cod, and the saba misoyaki. It was my first time having the saba roll. It was good. Not one of my favorites but definitely still a good one. 3 rolls is never enough for me, so I added 2 of the regulars I like: the negihama and the salmon belly. Cannot go wrong with those! The albacore Handroll is slightly seared and comes with this black garlic aioli. So good! I could eat a ton of those. The black cod is perfectly cooked. The truffle butter goes so well with it. It's definitely one of my top rolls. The negihama is lighter and you can really taste the fish. I just love the way they prepare it. I always order it when I come. Gotta give that one a try when you visit. And last but not least, the salmon belly. Perfect piece of fish. They have a truffle salt and a yuzu finish. Anything with yuzu, I love. Definitely try that one when you come. I came for lunch so I didn't order any cocktails/drinks this time, but their drinks are good also. Love coming here. Service is always good. Restaurant is clean and well maintained. This location has better parking than the Oakland one but it never stopped me from coming lol Come check them out!

    Duck tataki

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    0.1 mi
    $$

    The pizza is the star at Little Star Pizza! Located on a busy stretch of Solano Avenue on the lower…read moreportion near the San Pablo Avenue intersection on Albany, California, Little Star Pizza is just one of many locations of this burgeoning franchise from owner Brian Sadigursky, who began his mini-pizza making empire of his signature cornmeal crust deep dish pizzas in a small location along Divisadero Street in San Francisco's Nopa neighborhood. That location has since closed down, but two locations remain, this one in Albany and another along Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission District. The team also owns three The Star pizza restaurants with locations in Oakland, Alameda, and Portland, Oregon. With all these locations to keep track of what makes people keep coming back for all these wide varieties of pizza pies? It's the dough of course, but it is not just any dough, it is their beautifully crusty cornmeal dough that is cooked to perfection for their Chicago-style deep dish pizza that is what makes Little Star and all of their subsidiaries so worthwhile. I had originally been to this location when they were located literally right next door in a smaller location on the corner. Now, in a much larger location, with floor to ceiling windows that let in natural light on two sides, and their own communal parking lot, where there is a door for direct takeout orders, Little Star Pizza is thriving here in Albany. What brought me and a dining mate back for a first time visit to this newer location was the affordable lunchtime deal that they serve seemingly seven days a week. From open until 3 p.m. diners can order a Personal Signature Pizza either Deep Dish or Thin Crust for only 11 dollars. You can also build your own personal pizza for 9 dollars which is an affordable option. My fellow dining mate and I knew we wanted to select from their Seasonal Specials or their Signature Pies. I decided to order their Personal size All-Star Signature Pie, which was topped with bacon, meatballs, sausage, pepperoni, provolone cheese and served on their signature cornmeal crust, then filled with mozzarella cheese and house-made tomato sauce & finished with parmesan & oregano. My dining mate was intrigued by their Specials menu, and their Personal size Sweet Heat, which was topped with spicy sausage, caramelized red onions, cherry peppers, hot honey and served on their signature cornmeal crust, then filled with mozzarella cheese and house-made tomato sauce & finished with parmesan & oregano. Since both pizzas were so affordable at 11 dollars each, we decided to splurge and order two dessert drinks as I ordered their Golden Gate Orange Soda Float and my dining mate ordered their Dad's Root Beer Soda Float. The wait for our personal size pizzas would be a lengthy one, at least twenty minutes, which for about a nine inch pizza pie, is still a considerable amount of time. But once you do get the pizzas you order, I can report it is well worth the wait, as the pizza has that extra special graininess to it that makes it extra special good. Combined with the fresh tomatoes and an abundance of mozzarella cheese, you cannot go wrong with any type of pizza you order. I liked my All-Star pizza pie with its abundance of meat toppings and I tried my dining mates Sweet Heat pizza pie and it came as delivered as it has a combination of sweetness meets spiciness. Luckily our wait wasn't too long, as we had our ice cream and soda floats to keep us satiated while we waited for our pizzas to be handcrafted. Our total bill was $42.08, which was with tax but before gratuity, which in all reality was very reasonable considering we ordered two rather large personal deep dish pizzas, and our floats were a mere fraction less in terms of pricing. Since they have a Happy Hour on weeknights from 3-5:30 p.m. with reasonably priced cocktails, one-topping pizzas and other menu items at affordable pricing, you better believe it will not be another decade that passes by before I make another appearance. Here's to the continued success of Little Star Pizza, may more locations be in the future, and may their current locations continue to thrive thanks to their delectable Signature Deep Dish pizzas!

    I went there yesterday for dinner. Never been. 1) Decor is…read moremodern and stylish. Restaurant is clean. 2) Location is good, in Albany, you could easier find street parking 3) Ordered a thin pesto chicken and a Detroi style California pizza, and a wedge salad. 4) Food arrived pretty quick 5) waitress, employees are very nice there. 6) Has outdoor seating, but kind of cold yesterday, so I did not sit outside. 7) Pizza taste so good. Almost as good as pizza in Rome, Italy. 8) Price is very reasonable. I want to go back again and eat there. Highly recommended.

    Photos
    Take-out counter
    Take-out counter
    Classic pizza
    Classic pizza
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