My favorite restaurant in the world.I love sushi, and I love jazz. Restaurant side: It's pretty classy. You don't want to show up in t-shirts and jeans, but they will still serve you with a smile. My friends and I all showed up without a reservation like that once because we didn't have any other clothes and were visiting the Bay area. They served us at the sushi bar, which was pretty fun, I think I liked that more than sitting at a table. Service is spectacular. Very friendly and warm servers and hostess. Sushi chefs are friendly and fun to watch as well. I remember asking if I could bring our half full bottle of wine into the jazz lounge for a show after dinner and the waiter said "Absolutely!" ....that's what I like to hear! He got an extra nice tip. Sushi is excellent and for a reasonable price considering how nice the place is, you could spend more for worse sushi, and I have. All the Sushi that I have had is pretty good. So I won't get into specific rolls. Just order what you like, you probably won't be disappointed. The desserts seem to change each time I've been there. But last time i had the green tea cheesecake with gelato and that was is up there in the top 3 desserts I've ever had. It was pretty amazing. I hope they have it next time I'm there. Jazz Lounge side: What's not to say that hasn't been said? The acoustics are the best I've ever heard. I'm actually hard of hearing, and if I can hear every instrument in a 5 piece jazz combo perfectly clear, that means it's really good. Also, it's been said many times, but there isn't a bad seat in the house. I found out there is actually a category in the "best of oakland" awards that is called "Best jazz club that isn't Yoshi's" LOL, no kidding. read more

YUM! that will really sum up the rest of the review, but read on if you want some ideas of what to order and what to expect from a visit to Yoshi's :) My friends and I made reservations to Yoshi's for Oakland's Restaurant week. $30 for a 4 course meal...not bad at all! First of all, reservations is a must here, so plan ahead. The wait to be seated wasnt long at all. We were seated in the Tatami mat area, so we had to take of our shoes. I love table settings like this because it gives you a feel of authenticity. Once we were seated and settled, the server took out orders, and food came! Drinks: I got a Lotus Blossom (lychee martini)- I like sweet drinks and this was a winner! we also got a complimentary glass (large shot) of their house sake. I'm not a sake expert, but im used to stronger sake. This almost just tasted like water. Other drinks that were ordered were the pear-cussion (pear martini) also sweet and reminded me of sprite bc it was fizzy, and the sangria which was a bit strong for my taste. First course: I had the Kobe beef tataki (kobe beef seared to rare). I was concerned when I read rare. I usually think bloody, but I was very wrong. If done right there is no blood. it was presented on the plate with ponzu and sesame oil drizzled over it and grated daikon radish on the side. It looked like sear tuna sashimi, but tasted better! It looked like something you'd see on iron chef or top chef. my friends got eh ceasar salad, which is their vegetarian option. I didnt try it, but they loved it. They said there was a hint of wasabi in the dressing and the addition of the enoki mushrooms made it a bit asian. Second course: I had that Kariage (Seafood Fritters). This wasnt my favorite course. It was good but it didnt really blow my mind. Think of a deep-fried tempura pancake. I was good and the presentation was nice, but ive had it before. The vegetarians had mixed vegetable tempura which they loved! Third course: I had go the grilled teriyaki salmon over a bed of kale and enoki mushroom. The 2 generous pieces of fish were pieces of heaven. they were cooked perfectly. The teriyaki wasnt over powering. I love kale and enoki mushrooms, and white rice just went well with it. I'm salavating as I think of it... The Chef was kind enough to make a vegetarian option for my friends since they menu didnt have one. They all love it! it had pureed white beans, crunchy brussel sprout, friend carrots, fava beans, and other yummy goodness. They were very satisfied. Fourth course (DESSERT): I got the Chocolate brownie with coffee ice cream with sea salt caramel........YUMMMM. I wish they put more caramel on that thing because it was delicious, but the brownie was the winner. I was really full but I was not going to let that brownie got to waste. other desserts ordered: triple chocolate cake, sesame creme brulee, trio of gelato...everyone was very happy Next time i want to try their Lemon merigue cheesecake with blueberry-basil compote...sounds soo yummy! Service: The servers were very friendly. there was a time it took her a while to get a friend of mine a fork, but ill let it slide. despite the fact that there were a lot of people, there was harly a wait between courses, and not once did i feel rushed. All in all, I had a wonderful experience at yoshi's defintely more for those special occassions, and I would love to see a show here next time, just to see. read more

We have been going to Yoshi's since it was on Claremont Avenue. A long time to be sure! Our inside joke is that we have yoshi's season tickets - there are so many great concerts and performances we just cannot resist! In late December we saw Sinbad - yes - Sinbad the comic! - he plays the guitar and is backed by the "funk stank nasty band" - we laughed and sang along with the amazing vocalists - great night! If Sinbad comes to Yoshi's again do not miss it!! Last night, we made our annual Mark Hummel harmonica fest - you have to really like old style blues to enjoy this concert. Hummel knows everyone in blues from the 60's and 70's. He spends some time talking about the artists that have lived and played in Oakland which is interesting! Unfortunately, they spend a lot of time talking about how old they are - not necessarily a good thing - but at least they are older I am! The food is always delicious at Yoshi's. Sushi is fresh, delicious and imaginative - we just can't get enough! Last night we decided to go for the "cooked" menu, the steamed clams and mussels are amazing!! The grilled chicken and salmon were also great although we liked the chicken better. The service - We always go to the late show with dinner before so they reserve seats for us in the club. They are very accommodating if you ask for a certain seating area. In general the Yoshi's people have always been amazing! However, I am giving the place 4 stars instead of 5 because the last two meals we had there - the service was not it's usual perfection! The waiter disappears for 10-15 minutes at a time, so we sat for a long time before we could order drinks or food. The support staff in the dining room is still wonderful, the dirty dishes never sit for long, food is served nicely. It's the "order takers" that have fallen short. So what's up Yoshi??? Do some training for the waiters! The rest of the dining room staff are amazing friendly and fun as usual but these new waiters are not so good. One other tip for yelpers and friends - the wine by the glass is a very small serving, poured at the table by the waiter, it was just barely 1/3rd of a glass for $9.00!!! So order a bottle if you want wine, it's a rip off otherwise. They will let you bring your own wine as well, small corkage fee, also a way better deal than wine by the glass! Have Fun! read more

Yoshi's changed its menu a few years ago from your stereotypical Japanese fare to what is best described as "upscale" Japanese food. And, of course, prices jumped up accordingly. To me, the change means better quality and fresher ingredients with Japanese undertones: The rib-eye has a moro miso sauce; salmon has a teriyaki sauce; lobster with shitake mushrooms and a cocktail sauce with wasabi, etc. Unfortunately, gone from the menu was my favorite, the bento box, where you get a taste of everything. Great for big eaters. Please bring it back?! I'm not a big sushi nor sashimi fan but what I've had was on par with the best offerings in the bay area. Homerun: My wife ordered the rib-eye with the moro miso sauce and she couldn't stop raving about it, saying it was the best one she's ever had. And it was really, really good. Seared dark but juicy and perfectly medium rare inside. The sauce added a hint of Japanese flavoring. Less successful: My order of duck breast was moist inside and with a dark, tasty skin but the wine sauce didn't add a whole lot. I was disappointed I had to order rice separately, which would have been an automatically side in a real Japanese restaurant. And that was the way things are done here. Everything is ala carte. If you want vegetables, you have to order them separate.. What this means is that each order adds to the bill and before you know it, your bill is really up there. Service is great. Ambiance is great, Drinks are great. And despite the prices, food was (mostly) great. The best thing about having dinner at Yoshi's though is that you get first choice 0f the best seats ahead of those who skipped dinner. Yoshi's nightclub is fantastic. If possible, the performance venue would get 10 stars. There's really not a bad seat in the house. Top acts and you get closer and intimate to the performers than in any of those huge concert venues. It can get romantic and almost personal, or it can get the level of foot-stomping, hip-swaying, head-bobbing, hand-clapping fever pitched -- depending on the artist. If we were to judge Yoshi's on food alone, it would get a 3.5 star rating. But the entertainment venue is so good -- the best in the East Bay (maybe the best in California) -- Yoshi's rating is pushed to 5 stars. TIP: Street parking is hard to find but Yoshi's is the first floor of a public parking building. It validates to reduce the cost. read more

Great place, everything from the ambiance, decor, staff, the restaurant, and the music venue. There is parking literally as part of the building they are in and is pretty easy to get to near 880. They're situated in a really nice part of town and it's a treat to come here for a show and to eat either here or somewhere else fun in the neighborhood. By the way, the dreaded "dinner and show" type of eatery this isn't. Not only is it good, but I would easily drive here from the South Bay to just eat dinner, it's that good. Highly recommended. read more

I saw Rana Farhan perform here. There was good food to go along with the good music. The stage seemed really small for Rana and her band. They made it work though and gave a great performance. The staff was professional and helpful, they have a lot of people and order to balance in a small amount of time and I think they did a great job. There didn't seem to be a bad seat in the house. I was in the back, against the wall, and I had a great view of the stage. I'd look forward to seeing another performance here. read more

My husband and I frequent Yoshi's a great for dinner and the entertainment. Lately the service has been awful in the dining room and in the Music venue. The staff that Yoshi's is hiring is awful. Bad, and poor customer service. We had dinner and ordered a $60.00 bottle of wine that we wanted to finish at the show. The waitress handed me a paper bag for our wine, I went to management, and he said she probably didn't know you could take wine into the show. I am like, really. who trained this waitress not to know to take wine into the venue. Then she dropped off the bottle of wine, with NO wine glasses. Music is awesome, but the staff needs a complete overhaul, including the manager who acts like he doesn't have a clue as to what's going on. We may still attend Yoshi's for their entertainment, but forget dining, the service is awful for the amount of money that you are spending on dinner. The two of us had a $130.00 bill, and expected better service from the waitress. She has the wine chiller in the middle of our 2 person table, really? D Burmann read more

Prior to seeing a movie last night, and on a whim, my boyfriend and I grabbed dinner at Yoshi's. We had contemplated sitting in the restaurant, but seeing as though we only had an hour, we decided to head to the bar. Everything was pretty great! The bartender was nice. He was efficient and even made an off the menu cocktail based on my likes/dislikes. The food was also pretty good. We got the larger omakase nigiri sampler and I was excited that it had kampachi on it. The sampler itself was reasonably priced as was the food (except the TINY portion of edamame you get is a joke!). Beers and sakes were a tad bit expensive but the cocktails were spot on with price points. Overall, I'll be back. Good service. Good food. The prices for quality and product basically even themselves out. I definitely want to order off the bar menu next time - we saw it too late to order off of it this time. read more

I have been to Yoshi's many times, going back to the days on Claremont. The theater was fine on Claremont and excellent at Jack London too. I wasn't a big fan of the food when Yoshi's opened up at Jack London initially because I felt it was too needlessly adventuresome, but lately it seems to me to be returning more to its traditional Japanese roots. Quality Japanese dining in modern, but understated surroundings. Service has always been first rate, and the parking garage around the corner sure is convenient. I think it's great that you can reserve a nice table for their shows in the theater if you dine at Yoshi's first. That really makes a difference. You're gonna eat anyway, so why not dine and get a great seat for the show too? I sat front and center for the last time the late, great Tito Puente was at Yoshi's. One of the best shows I've ever seen. I saw Tower of Power there very up close recenly and it was fabulous. I went even more recently and saw Bay Area favorite Cold Blood from about half way back in the theater. It seemed like the sound system could not really handle the volume from so many instruments and vocalists at the same time. But don't let that deter you from enjoying Yoshi's - a real credit to the East Bay. read more

Restaurant. Bleh. I have been disappointed by the freshness and quality of the food time and time again at Yoshi's Oakland for decades. I have sworn off it time and time again and this time it's for good. No more chances. I feel held hostage to eat there when I'm going to a jazz show but now I am accepting the inconvenience of going somewhere else to eat before a show. Besides, their new "server reserves your seat if you dine in" policy stinks. I always hate my seat when they pick it for me. The old days when you could wait in line and pick your own seat were better. My new plan is to eat somewhere else then take whatever seats are available when I get there. Besides, the resto prices are inflated. They don't even put the regular sake on the menu because they want you to spend more on designer sake. It started with salmon that was not fresh back at the Claremont location, and has continued up until March 09 at Jack London Square. It's as if they use good stuff for half the plate then fill in with crappy quality for the other half. Half my seabass was excellent and half was disgustingly mushy. Hamachi ngiri is good one time and mediocre to poor the next time. It's like this 80% of the time. And their new dessert selection sucks. I need chocolate. Other yelpers seem to like the food and actually come here for the food. They always ask if you are coming to show so it makes me wonder whether they somehow tag your ticket because they know you're eating there out of convenience rather than as a resto destination and then take the liberty to give you the lower quality stuff. As for the club, the sound is great, most seats are good (though I do have my strong preferences), and if the late show is not sold out you can usually get back in line after the early show is over and get in for free. You'll share a table of 4 if you come with a smaller party. It'll be cozy to say the least. Parking is pretty easy in the surrounding area. read more

The positive: Delicious food and wonderful service. The HUGE negative: A little overpriced and in a not so great neighborhood. We actually witnessed a shooting when we got in the car and drove two blocks away. It was on the news when we got home. That was kind of scary and makes me not wanna come back to this particular location. read more

Yoshi's used to be the best place to see and hear jazz. The jazz program is still superb but, unfortunately, the organization of this place has gone downhill. It starts with getting in: you pick up your ticket at the counter, than you are herded outside, wait, then you are herded back inside, and, if you're lucky, you'll find a seat. I sat in a sold-out show and everything was so tightly packed that folks around me elbowed each other out of the way. Then the server lady squeezed through every 2 mins and it was difficult to focus on the show. The sound was a total disaster. I went to see Al Di Meola; it would have been nice to also hear him but the sound quality, and in particular the guitar sounded as if it came through a sponge. Alltogether, Yoshi's appears mis-organized, poorly set up, and not worth going anymore. read more

Yoshi's is the spot to be! Either just for dinner or a show as well, this is the East Bay's premier Jazz Club with an exceptional menu to boot. I went here to celebrate my friend's birthday a while back, and the entire restaurant staff made us feel like queens. They were wonderfully warm, polite, and professional. The service and food was nothing short of delightful. The sushi is to die for; fish so fresh! The double tuna roll is always a WINNER, but there are so many special rolls it's always hard to decide! Since then, I have been back for a couple of shows, and each time is a lovely and memorable experience. They are quite serious when they say there isn't a bad seat in the house. If you are severely allergic to strangers, you may sneeze a couple times as you do sit close to your fellow show-goers.. The club is a close and intimate space, where you have a great view of the stage from all angles and may share a table with another couple. It's a good thing people round these parts are generally all nice to meet and tend to shower. Another gem of Yoshi's is its Thursday Late Night Happy Hour. Great deals on food and drinks, in addition to a band (always good!) playing for free in the lounge. Bring your friends! All in all, Yoshi's will show you a great time if you're looking to celebrate any life event with loved ones, go on a sexy date, have a ball with your friends, or even go see a show solo! Cheers read more

The place is beautiful. Clean and Hygienic. Modern interiors and serene ambience. Not a good place for vegetarians. But it can be a heaven for fish lovers. Deserts not that great but impressive presentation for all the food. Staff was professional and helpful. We actually went there to attend the concert of ANDY MCKEE which was phenomenal. read more

Decent quality sushi but I have to confess I'm a bit spoiled. We hung out in the lounge and washed and NBA playoff game service was great beers are cold overall we had a good time. read more

Yoshi's is the diamond in the rough of Jack London Square, Oakland. What a venue!!! If you're a fan of jazz or music in general you won't be disappointed. I attend shows about three times month. For the 25 miles I drive from Newark it worth every mile. The showroom is built as a sound studio. It's constructed so well that you can't even hear the trains that travel down the middle of the street in front. Their sound tech's are tops too making every band sound of CD quality. I wanted to give a shout out to Server, Brooke. For the times I sit in her section she has been tops! She's really good with the customers and is prompt with the orders. She seems to really like her job. She's lucky because she gets to enjoy hip music every night... read more

I have been going there once a week for the last 3 weeks and I must say that I love Yoshi's! Sure, everyone may say that it was better back in the day, but I'm saying it's great now! The decore is that of a classy modern Japanese restaurant complete with a few authentic kneeling tables, a great sushi bar where you can watch the art, and a regular sit-down side. The place in well lite, yet intimate enough for a fun date. The food has the distinct characteristic that all sushi joints must have, that is freshness! There is not a huge variety of specialty rolls, but the freshnesses of the fish makes up for the lack of variety. Try the sashimi sample platter! Oh, and if you love sake, they have two different sake samplers with 4 different sakes each that are a must for any sake fan! The jazz club is really one of the best in the bay, especially for anyone in the east or south bay. The club entrance is on the far left side, opposite of the restaurant, so there is not too much noise bleed either way. The club is set up in a semi-circle with tiered seating so there is really no bad seat. As for the artist, well they change about weekly so if you don't like what's play, then come back later. read more

Great place to see some quality jazz...tonight Colin Gleason and band killed it!! Great sound system and mixing by the house... Check in through Yelp for edamame! read more

So I went to Yoshi's about 3 weeks ago to go see Goapele and I had been wanting to check this spot out because of all the great things I heard about it. When I got there, it was PACKED, but luckily I made reservations for myself about an hour before the show, which I thought would be enough time for my ONE order to be out and I could enjoy my meal before seeing Goapele... nope. I understood that they were busy because of her, and I'm definitely not one of those customers that is ridiculously unsatisfied by every little thing HOWEVER I didn't even get asked if I wanted water for about 20 minutes... hats a long time for me, on top of that it wasn't even asked by my own waitress, she told me she was my waitress and I didn't see her again for at least 35 minutes after that, and that was because i ASKED for her, I already knew what I wanted, being a sushi expert lol so I was ready to pay for my overpriced fish! After I ordered it took another 15 minutes, and by this time the show is about to start and im SUPER aggravated because, if that was the case, I would have just ordered my food from within OR I thought that they could have at least suggested that (my first time so i didn't know that that was a thing idk why). Fortunately my food came out in the nick of time and I was able to enjoy the full show (: Now about the actual food, I ordered the Snow Monkey, which was good BUT I've had better fish at my local sushi spot down the street that no one has even heard of. maybe it was because I was slightly aggravated by the wait. I will definitely try Yoshis again when its not THAT busy and see if I can conjure up a better experience. But right now, I think Yoshis is way over hyped, its just a cool looking spot with overpriced food... so we'll see read more

A perfect evening celebrating our son's 31st birthday with a delicious dinner and a great show with Roy Ayers. The restaurant opened at 5:00 and we had a reservation. Our meet and greet with Roy began at 6:00 so we only had one hour to order and eat and we didn't want to rush. Our waiter, Michael, was amazing. He already knew when he came to our table that he needed to have us out by 6:00; and he accomplished it! His attitude was positive, happy, and even though he had other tables he had to get out by six also he never seemed stressed or flustered. The bus person, an older gentleman, did an incredible job keeping our waters filled, bringing us things we asked for, etc. We were impressed with the service and very relaxed and happy. All of the food was delicous! We had the Sea Bass, Caesar salad, vegetable rolls, balsamic carrots, spicy enamames, brown rice. The venue and show were great. We've been here several times before and will continue to return. The parking garage is in same building, so you just walk around the corner to the venue. We were there for 3.5 hours and it cost a little over $6; a good deal. I do have one small complaint however. In the venue there is a one drink minimum per person. We had already had our drink during dinner and did not want another. I do not agree with this rule. read more

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First visit to Yoshi's Oakland. We've been to a few performances at the SF venue. My partner purchased tickets to Eric Benet for a Christmas gift. I had mentioned and sent a link to him about the show. I just love his music! I asked to purchase the $59 general admission tix. I don't know how this happened but the BF went to Yoshi's site, got redirected to a 2nd hand already purchased resale site and paid $132 each. While we were waiting in line I said thank you for the tickets and the reply was "they were really expensive". I asked how much did you pay and he said it was over $300 with fees! I looked into it further, still can't figure out how he was directed to some site called vivid. Eric was great. The seats sucked, we ended up 2nd from the back row, in the corner next to the wall. I ordered 2 glasses of wine and 2 glasses of water. The server returned with one glass of wine. I reminded him that I ordered 2 and 2 waters. He returned about 20 min. later with 1 glass of wine. Upon his return I said you might as well get 2 more for us as we'll be ready when you return, also - 2 glasses of water. He came back another 20 min later with 2 glasses of wine. Never did get a glass of water. Prior to the performance the standard announcement "turn off your cell phones" was provided. During the performance I'd guess 60% of the audience had their phones out recording. Wow! So disrespectful to the performer. A few days later in speaking with my partner trying to figure out how he ended up purchasing from that site? He has no idea how he got directed there from the Yoshi's site. I suggested he send a note to Yoshi's and I found the General Manager's contact. He sent the feedback, didn't mention the crappy seats and service only expressing the frustration and expense booking the tickets. He received a form letter response that did not address his feedback about the experience. Yoshi's is a cool place with some amazing history and some of the best performers. Its truly a unique bay area place. Sadly this visit was unfortunate. read more

Great sushi, but.... I had dinner there so I could get a decent seat to see a performer( Eddy Palmier) and he played no more that 3 frkn long drum melodies and said goodnight! I felt cheated, because it didn't come cheap!!! Bottom line... won't be going back, so many other great sushi bars and great venues read more

disappointing service. We were too late for the reserve seats so we were told to wait outside. After 30 minutes in 38 degree weather we entered the seating area to pick our seats. However no control so people that just bought tickets just went in without having to wait outside. We were told to "pick any seats without a tag" . Every seat had a tag. When we asked the waitress what to do, we got a snotty "they don't all have tags". Yes they did. Then we were directed to the guy with the orange shirt. Apparently your supposed to pay him to take the tags off? Why don't they either charge for the reserve seats or tell you to pay the guy. They were very disorganized and the show started late which made meant when we left there was a huge crowd for the next show. Poor crowd control and poor service. read more

I do remember back in my college years going to Rockridge and having the best time at Yoshis. When they moved to Oakland and i had a change to see the new venue I was more than happy. The food was excellent and having a few drinks before a show at the nice bar was nice.. When they opened the new club in SF somehow I notice their standard's being dropped a bit regarding Jazz shows. For many years Yoshi's was the place to be for Jazz musicians and fans alike. Now with other styles of music being played there, it seems, getting crème de la crème of Jazz music is not their priority. Monday nights were good for local bands but i'd like to see more relevant music. read more

Heads up if you make Yoshi's reservations on OPENTABLE! Any comments/preferences you add to your table requests show up in the info that is visible to the folks who assign your SEATS for the music. We'd asked for "a quiet table, please" for dinner. The knucklehead who assigned our seats for the show saw this and figured we wanted a quiet table for the show! ...And gave us the worst seats in the house. When we very calmly tried to bring the issue to his attention, he replied "i don't make mistakes." Fortunately, our excellent waiter, Derrick, intervened with Knucklehead's boss, Errol, who remedied the problem. Key lesson - Don't enter comments or preferences when using Opentable for Yoshi's if you're seeing the show. read more

BE CAREFUL when you take the BART to Oakland. We were visiting from out of town and decided to take public transportation. We got off the train - it was a little sketchy, but plenty of commuters around, no problem. Then we got on the bus in the wrong direction. And it was REALLY sketchy. And I'm from the south side of Chicago. So take a cab. Or there is parking in the garage directly next to Yoshi's. About Yoshi's itself, I agree with other reviewers - the service is great, the music is great, and the food is mediocre. Yoshi's staff was extremely accommodating. Usually you're supposed to be there at least an hour before a show to get seats, and we were delayed by our transportation mishap. They still managed to get us a table for the show, and we had our order taken, food served, and check brought in under 20 minutes. The food itself was mediocre sushi, but service was definitely great! read more

My family and I had an extremely positive experience at Yoshi's tonight. Craig, the manager, went out of his way to ensure that we were seated in the dining room and not the lounge as we celebrated a graduation from law school. Selena gave me a fantastic wine recommendation and it matched the duck I ate perfectly. By the way, my meal got better and better with every bite - what haute cuisine is supposed to be like. In all, we couldn't be happier to have to come to Yoshi's tonight - they made our night special and memorable. This place is off the hook; get here soon to live the full experience of the Bay Area's hottest jazz club and restaurant. read more

Last night we saw the incredibly talented Ottmar Liebart and Luna Negro. Wonderful sound system and intimate venue. HOWEVER...Yoshis needs to alter their cell phone policy or we are not coming back. ALL cell phones need to be OFF. Allowing customers to take pictures with flash off is ridiculous. You dont allow video...but do you really think that is not happening? We sat behind a couple who were videotaping and moving their well lit phone in front of our faces so they could get the best shot. Then they just had to post on FB. The couple next to us were clearly board with Ottmar and spent the second act laughing and joking while on FB. This is not only disrespectful to the perfomers but to customers who paid to listen to them. Yoshi's....please change your cell phone policy. read more

I was already in an amazing mood before coming here for dinner, so this may be a slightly biased review. But the food, service, and ambiance of the restaurant did not detract from it whatsoever. I ordered the seabass and almost passed out when I tasted the broth. I was in fishy miso heaven. The hamachi appetizer looked and tasted beautiful. The savory flavors of the garlic, ginger, and hamachi mixed with the sweetness of mango melded into a glorious vibrato in the symphony that was happening in my mouth. So excellent. I was smiling when I walked in and I was smiling when I walked out. My cheeks still hurt but I think that's a good thing. read more

The lobster tempura with the spicy aoili was bangin! Lovin' it. I'm feeling the dining room, with the low seats and gigantic windows. I got a close-up of the Amtrak passing by. Went to see Bilal perform. I love how dinner reservations get you priority seating for the show. They need to have a location in LA, we would eat it up! read more

Definitely better than I thought. I avoided the place because I thought it was one of those "Japanese fusion" restaurants that over charges up the butt. And yes, it was a Japanese fusion restaurant that over charges up the butt. BUT the food was actually pretty good. Hamachi Crudo was very flavorful with the mango slices and crunchy garlic pieces. The duck breast wasn't the best I had and nothing I'd get for that price, but it was still very well cooked. I was there pretty late, but the kitchen closed a bit earlier than expected. The waiter was super nice about it and gave us a dessert on the house. Black sesame creme brulee. It was definitely something I'd pay money for. Very nice. I wouldn't come back just because I still consider their food overpriced for what it is. But if I am there for the Jazz concert, I wouldn't mind dining there for the convenience as their food is definitely decent. read more

Yoshi's is always one of the best jazz venues you should visit if you're in the bay area! I'm still a newbie to the scene and have so far seen Keiko Matsui there as well as (just this week) Brian Bromberg. Both performances were excellent attributing to both the artists' skills and the great ambiance and acoustics of Yoshi's. This is how good music is meant to be enjoyed - in a fun intimate setting where you have a chance to chat and mingle with the artists after the show. There's only a 1 drink minimum (unlike most venues' 2 drink minimum) but that's a minor detail. Expect to spend about $50-$100 there in a night if you start out with drinks, move on to dinner then the show. I rarely like to splurge on food/entertainment (I'm a tech and car junkie) but it's money well spent! You will definitely have an "old-school" night on the town! The drinks are excellent (if you like cocktails I would recommend the "Bright Moments" vanilla lime drop (stoli vanilla, lime, simple syrup). This is very smooth and refreshing if you're not into the harder liquor tastes. Yoshi's also has a large selection of different sakes to suit your tastes. I sampled the "Yuki no bosha" which had hints of peaches & plumeria (from their menu). Very good, clean, slightly sweet and a good compliment to the sashimi. The food is excellent (albeit, I cannot attest to the majority of the sushi since I'm not a seafood person). I had an edamame appetizer (which I could totally make at home for $1) which was tasty followed by the deeeelicious rib-eye steak for two. It was a giant piece of meat, nicely marbled and cooked medium rare. VERY tasty and satisfying (a little pricey but still great). I had some nice and fresh maguro (the ONLY seafood I'll consume) as well. The performances are always excellent and the wait staff are very friendly and professional so you're guaranteed to have a great night! The performance ticket prices are very reasonable and it's a complete bargain for what you get! One of the classiest and enjoyable experiences you can share with some friends, a date, family, etc. The staff and clientle are always fun to be around. read more

For a Japanese restaurant to charge for hot tea and rice really blew me away. Three dollars for a pot of tea and the same for a scoop of rice to be added to your dinner entree which to me was already over priced. Most Japanese restaurants will give you tea, rice, salad and miso soup to accompany your dinner entree. The four items cannot amount to much in terms of dollars, but will go a long ways in bringing back customers. I don't understand the concept at Yoshi's. Perhaps it's the great ambiance as it is a nice spacious restaurant or whatever as I thought the service was mediocre and my plate of sushi was unstable that it rocked the whole time while trying to consume the sushi. Geez, at least get some decent plates if I have to pay these absurd prices. read more

This review has me conflicted. On the one hand I want to give this place a single star for the overpriced sushi which nearly choked me with a fish scale inside -- I guess it's at least fresh. However, I want to give this place a 5-star rating on the account of the amazing music venue and amazing choice in artists. read more

The food is just ok. The wine list sucks. I usually stick with beer or sake. Great venue for music. When I saw a tribute to Jimmy Smith concert there, who was to appear on drums? Bill Cosby! He plays great jazz drums BTW. tip- if you see a show there. just book your dinner there too, so you are not the loser waiting in line fighting for a table. read more

I am a huge fan of Yoshi's jazz . What an amazing place to see great acts in the music industry. I really like the restaurant too. So usually I end up making a dinner reservation when purchasing show tickets. Another plus is there is actually plenty of parking. I remember years ago when Yoshi's was still in Berkeley, the music and the sushi were great, the old building had "character" but the parking just plain sucked. Brilliant move Yoshi. read more

Yoshi's is a fun date spot. Maybe not a first date - maybe a 3rd or 4th date. It's got a jazz-club feel to it and they serve decent (not great but passable) sushi - and of course booze. It's been here for years and has expanded quite a bit. They have some neat shows at Yoshi's on weekends, too. read more

Five stars for one of the longest standing Jazz house's in the bay area, and one of the few where musicians truly feel respected due to the relationships she has created through the years. Small venues like this make for a much more intimate setting, where you can almost sit on the artist's lap. This place can get crowded fast for the more popular artists, so go early. I still long for the old days when they were still on Claremont and had a separate bar where you could watch performances on a big screen while drinking your libations for free...how cool is that? Go to Soizic for dinner before the show. ** 2 stars for the food. You can easily spend $50+ for two in the club, and still be hungry. Food was only good when it first opened as a restaurant on Claremont. It made a downward spiral once they opened the club, diving to it's lowest quality at it's current location. Spend the $50 at Soizic a couple blocks away and enjoy a great meal. read more

This is a review for the jazz club only. Pretty hip place for some good jazz. Went here the other night to listen to Hiromi Uehara and her trio, and it was definitely pretty awesome. Nice environment, friendly waiters and waitresses, although the food is kind of pricey. It gets a little crowded though, and if you don't get a reserved table, it's a lot harder to get a good view of the artists. read more

Experienced a lot of chaos and confusion in just making the reservations, after which I was called and asked for a credit card to hold my reservation. Never in my lifetime, of making reservations, have I ever been asked to do this. When telling them I was not going to do this, I was told that my reservations would not be held. I told them that this was a breach of contract going against the initial terms of the reservation process. After this, the employees started to make harassing calls to my number going to voicemail and just sitting on the line until the voicemail time was up, I was called approximately 3 times after initially denying their request for a credit card. Eventually, I had to call the manager explaining to them that I had special conditions that needed to be met for my reservation consisting of handicap and/or accessible seating for my sister and me due to disabilities. In addition, because we also attended the concert, that these accommodations were also necessary in the concert venue as well. The manager was most accommodating, professional and understanding, and all need's were met once we got there. Nevertheless, although the food was good, the service of the host, waitress and waiter was a little dismissive in regards to me, and I felt they were cold, lacked professionalism and seasoning, and not inviting or warm in any sense. After dinner the concert went well, but once the concert was over and we needed our parking tickets validated, they announced that the ticket validation machine was no longer working, thereby charging us full price for the parking when we spent approximately $1,300 for dinner and concert tickets. This gave me a sense of cold and uncalculated greed for purposes of profit and no consideration for the customer. read more