BEST sushi in the bay hands down. Freshest ingredients and ready to grab too. The Itamae (master sushi chef) is experienced and fast. I eat here weekly if not daily some weeks, lol because the fish is top quality ALWAYS! I am so grateful it is near my home. They have a point program so I am often granted $10 off my orders. I used them for a NYE gathering and chose some of my favs. Cherry blossom, spicy tuna, lion king and rock n roll are some I recommend but honestly they are ALL excellent. They have a restaurant in Berkeley too but I have never been. The Castro Valley market place has a good deal of seating and parking. They used to allow outside seating but apparently the adjacent owner never learned how to share in kindergarten and took them to court and won I suppose -because now they do not have outside seating. Kinda dumb-you would think the dude would want to stimulate our economy as everyone one benefits. The male ego always baffles me, cutting off the nose etc. (another topic, sigh). The CVM tables inside are large and clean and the temp is controlled as well. You will be tempted by the other offerings inside like the bakery, butcher, insanely good pizza, beard papa yummys and upstairs Puerto Rican food and Pho. Go here if you like sushi and you will NOT regret it! Tell them Cheri sent you! They know me! read more

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Cold chicken karage, sushi was ok. For the price, I'd rather go elsewhere where. There are better grab and go sushi places (one being next door and one in downtown). This was expensive and disappointing. read more

Online ordering system has been upgraded and issues resolved. Food was always and is excellent.

I wish this place is a full dine in restaurant. I love their rolls! Fresh and tasty. The one with mango on top was so flavorful. No need to dip with soy sauce at all. Another one without rice was a great option as well. read more

Akemi Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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You know what... this is a 5 star for me. Really have to be consider the setting. It's a convenient take out style sushi situated in the Castro Valley Marketplace. There are no dedicated seating for dining either. We both ordered their deluxe nigiri set consisting of 8pc nigiri, 6pc tekka maki, and miso soup. The fish were all decent quality and we didn't feel cheated by the experience. They included some of the more expensive options too - just not uni hehe. They prepped the food right after we ordered. It took about 18 minutes for two sets. Their takeouts are 50% off at end of day. Also saw a Valentine's day promotion going on. read more

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Came here on Monday afternoon and ordered some sashimi and a roll after being disappointed by Hokkaido Marketplace. I ordered two sashimi plates and a roll. Each sashimi plate has 5 pieces for $20. We ordered one salmon and one tuna. Salmon was good and nicely marbled. Tuna was ok but oxidized from the bottom and brown in color. The rock n roll was standard and good. Overall, the sushi was good but a little overpriced. read more

Akemi Sushi - Sashimi and Rock and Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Happy to have found another affordable, yet good quality takeout sushi spot! I almost always go for the deluxe/omakase nigiri combos at every sushi restaurant I try to see their best offerings. Unfortunately, Akemi didn't include my favourites of uni or ikura, but I can't be mad when it was only $33 and still included toro, amaemi, scallop and free miso soup! The deluxe sushi was also not available in the grab and go section and had to be ordered (on the spot or in advance), but at least I knew it was made fresh. I was able to stroll around the marketplace in the meantime while I waited for my order. read more

Akemi Sushi - Deluxe Sushi combo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

The last time I will spend a single dollar at Akemi. We've been going to Akemi since they opened in the marketplace years ago now. They were in our regular rotation of local restaurants that we support. Not because they are the best tasting sushi in town, but because we want to help our local restaurants survive and its convenient. Last night was Valentines Day and we were told our order would be ready at 6:30pm. I arrived promptly and checked in. Unfortunately, our order was not ready and they pulled the ticket and started working on it, would take 20 mins. Fine, they're busy, I understand. I have a seat with a bunch of other people waiting. They stopped taking orders at some point and only a few people have picked up their orders since I arrived. 40 minutes later, I go back up to the counter. Turns out our order has been sitting there for about 20 mins. Not a peep from the staff. I didn't want to crowd around the front and bother them repeatedly. My mistake. Now, if this were the first time this happened, I could let it go. The problem is, this exact scenario has happened multiple times now. Check in, food is ready, no one says anything. I guess were all supposed to go up and check every time we see an order placed on the counter. They are consistently behind schedule. Order something to be picked up at 630, don't bother showing up for a least 10-15 minutes after your pick up time. At this point, with the amount of time I've wasted sitting and waiting for my order, I'll go elsewhere. The sushi is average at best. The rice has little to no flavor (and sometimes tastes old). Save yourself some time and go to a better sushi place. read more

Akemi sushi is a friendly convenient location to grab take out sushi. Located in the quaint marketplace. There are tables if you d like to enjoy your sushi immediately . Everything is fresh delicious high quality ingredients. Friendly staff makes the whole experience read more

Took about 15 minutes to get our order. Wouldn't be back. Sushi didn't taste very fresh and was watery. read more

Akemi Sushi - Lion King Sushi Roll & Under the Sea Sushi Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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I always order ahead and pick up from here. The times are pretty spread out though so if you know you want to eat here, I'd place the order earlier. It's also conveniently located in Castro Valley marketplace so while you wait for the sushi, you can also pick up groceries or other things. The fish quality is hit or miss but I enjoy the selection and I've had more hits than misses. I've ordered from this place a handful times and it depends on what you're getting. Sometimes the fish nigiri is a little fishier than other places I've tried but it's not every time. My go to is the bluefin and truffle roll. It's quality chunks of fish and the combination is yummy. Also it's not heavy on the truffle taste at all, I just enjoy the toro. I also always go for a simple roll too like the Philly and the salmon is always fresh inside. I rotate between the pieces of nigiri i usually order. But I've been loving the Tai (red snapper) or the Hotategai (Scallop). But I've had experience with both being fish once or twice. Just depends on the day. We've also ordered the Chicken Karaage and it's not our favorite. It is served cold and the chicken is flavored nicely but the texture is hard from it being cold. If you're looking for a nice snack to drink with your alcohol I think this would be a good match. Overall it is nice to see a more quality place for sushi pick up that isn't the usual salmon or tuna rolls. read more

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I hate that I'm writing this review but I'm afraid I must. My friend and I went to Akemi today for lunch to get our favorite roll - the titanic. While we were ordering our rolls, I noticed that the employee had an excessive amount of dandruff sitting atop his head. Nevertheless, we continued on and paid for our meal. Then, the same employee moved on from the register to make our sushi rolls. Upon observation, I noticed he didn't wash his hands before making the rolls, nor was he wearing gloves as he stuck his hands into the rice cooker and began assembling the food. Between not wearing a hair net to cover the very noticeable dandruff and the lack of handwashing/glove wearing, my friend and I decided to simply leave without collecting our food. While we probably should have just told him we wanted to cancel our order, we couldn't bring ourselves to out of sheer awkwardness. Suffice it to say, both my friend and I are disappointed and a bit disgusted. When preparing food, especially raw fish, it should be of utmost importance to practice proper food handling and sadly, Akemi dropped the ball. read more

Counter service sushi- with fresh sushi made daily (and discounted at 50% off right before close!). Lion king roll is great as well as the nigiris (tuna being my favorite!). Situated in a very small food hall/marketplace with some outdoor dining space read more

Akemi Sushi - two trays of food on a table - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

It's not bad, so not knocking it. It's quick made, strip mall grade sushi. Construction was a little sloppy, but still eatable. Fish did seem fresh, so no worries there (it's not gas station sushi). Good spot for 'on the go' sushi if you've got the craving. Below order was about $20. read more

Akemi Sushi - 2021 roll and California roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Akemi sushi is still good. However, When we called for pickup, they didn't respond. We placed the order, and there was no space to write any note. We called them repeatedly over the next hour trying to get ahold of them to ask about making mine gluten free. When we arrived we asked why the phone wasn't working, and they told us they didn't know why. It seemed to be off the hook. They did not try to fix it. It's a hassle to not have any way to communicate with a restaurant that allows takeout. No way to cancel your order, no notes area, no phone or anything. That was difficult. read more

Akemi Sushi - Veggie Sushi Combo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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I got the deluxe nigiri chef's set and was not disappointed at all. Their bluefin truffle roll is also to die for. The only downside is their wait time. It took a while to get my online order, 35 minutes after the time provided. If you sign up for their rewards, you get $5 off your next order. Also, if they have leftover rolls after 7:15p, they're 50% off. read more

Akemi Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Such a cute (and to be honest) way better alternative to whole foods hands down. This tiny gem is located at Castro valleys marketplace in their downtown area. Food was fast, fresh and delicious! Staff was friendly and courteous. And sooooo clean. Will be a repeat customer. Enjoy everyone! Bon apetite read more

Akemi Sushi - The 49er roll and edemame - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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This review is long overdue (kept eating up the food before taking pics). I LOVE this place! To have a sushi place of this quality near to where we live is a dream come true! Everything I've tried has been extremely fresh and high quality. An added bonus for us is that they regularly get fresh uni. All of the staff are very friendly and accommodating. What a luxury it is to take a short drive on a regular basis to satisfy our sushi cravings! I agree that it's a bit pricey but for the convenience and quality I'm all about supporting Akemi Sushi in CV. read more

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This is a sushi spot located in the food plaza area. They have take out sushi and sushi rolls they can make there. I had a nice girlfriend date here. Theres a public eating area. Its a little confusing to find -- remember its located inside the food plaza in the back! read more

Akemi Sushi - Salmon nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Nice people, usually. VERY POOR TASTING SUSHI!!!! Maybe try a better place.................... read more

Could you add wasabi please? Even on the side?good sushi but rice seems sour for my taste. Thank you.

My go to rolls are ca roll and shrimp tempura. I call it in and pick up. Process is smooth and rolls taste fresh. I am for sure going to be back soon read more

It was great doing a little shopping and coming across Akemi Sushi. So great being able to get out of the house again! The staff were very friendly and both were wearing masks (still a requirement due to Alameda County health regulation. I ordered and assortment of rolls (see photos) and had to wait a quick 15 minutes as someone else ordered before I did. The selection of fish is no different than the typical sushi restaurant with a very nice selection. Prices were about average for the area and the rolls were a little on the small side. The fish was fresh, no fishy odor and the rice was a nice sticky sushi rice that bound together well around the roll. I would definitely eat here again if I am shopping and get the munchies like I did today. 4 stars read more

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Sorry, but this place is a joke. Don't waste your money. You're paying restaurant prices for grocery store sushi (that is barely grocery store quality.) They made my dragon roll on the spot, so I was hoping it would be fresh. It was falling apart, and the taste was mediocre. (For $17! SEVEN. TEEN. OF. THEM.) The spicy edamame (6.50) was prepackaged (didn't realize that when I ordered it) and not spicy at or flavorful at all. The staff was nice, but that was the only positive. The meal pictured was $25. (Are you kidding me?) There are better places less than a mile away. (Check out iSushi In the Castro village!) read more

Akemi Sushi - Dragon roll Spicy Garlic Edamame Plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Akemi is the the Castro Valley Marketplace. The sushi here is surprisingly good! I went during the lunch rush and ended up having to wait a long time. I wish I ordered ahead because I was so hungry by the time my food came out. In addition to ordering from the menu, they have some rolls already made and packaged in the fridge. They also have ice cream and drinks available for purchase. The fish on all the rolls were fresh and good quality. It's definitely on the pricier side though. If you don't want to eat at home, there is seating outside and upstairs. read more

Akemi Sushi - Regular Sushi Combo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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I have tried all of the sushi places around Cv and this one definitely tastes the best in my opinion, even if its basically take out it beats the dine in options we have here and I usually get my order quickly. I've been a repeat customer for about 2 years now and I've never been disappointed with my food. I usually will either order right there or grab one of the convenient take out platters. Their fish tastes fresh and not fishy at all, the freshness was what originally drew me in to this place I have yet to try a fresher tasting roll! I have a hard time liking the other sushi restaurants because the fish always tastes older and its never worth the price, but I feel very comfortable spending a bit more money here. My favorite roll is the 2021, I could actually eat it everyday! I also like their regular california rolls and salmon nigiri platters. The staff has always been very kind and now I think they recognize me so they're even nicer when I come by after work. read more

It seems very intriguing when you pass by this sushi place when walking around and shopping in the Castro Valley Marketplace. I got the akemi roll and my son got the sake maki. My roll was more interesting as I was reading it, but it was just okay for me. It was an interesting concept to make the cucumber as the wrap but it was hard to eat. Located in the Castro Valley Marketplace. Always a lot of parking but just hard to get out of the parking lot. Must order to-go but the Marketplace has a lot of outdoor open seating. Very expensive for the amount of sushi you get. Also, it wasn't amazing where I felt I wanted to come back. It's just your basic sushi spot trying to be a Michelin star restaurant. read more

Akemi Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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If you're looking for fresh high quality sushi, check out Akemi's. They use real crab in their sushi rolls and their uni is super fresh (2 pieces for $15!). Ingredients are simple, but high quality. No need to smother in sauce to cover up any fishy business. They're located in the Castro Valley marketplace. To-go takeout and outdoor seating available. If you're looking for high quality sushi, check out Akemi's! read more

Akemi Sushi - Kamikaze and Baja California Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Ordered online for dinner and I was able to pick up the order right on time. The staff was very nice as well. Overall the food was good and very well presented. I ordered 4 rolls for 3 people and it was perfect. Lion King The top was extra charred comparing to other Japanese restaurants. It was nicely presented and the sauce to rice to fish ratio is perfect. Good flavor but not a big fan of the char top though. It would be great if this is packaged individually, separately from the rest of the rolls, because this is cooked while the others have raw fish. Under the Sea My favorite out of the four! Very fresh! 49er The salmon was a bit 'cooked' from the lemon slices on top by the time I got home to have it. I would recommend having it there rather than ordering takeout. Titanic Good flavor and the portion is big. read more

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I saw their stand at the Castro Valley Marketplace and today decided to try. My take is if the futomaki is good then I'll venture further in the menu. The futomaki flavoring was very good. I'm going to go back and try another item. I went a little after 11 to make sure it was made for my order versus looking for it in their display. Sushi refrigerated doesn't appeal at all to me. If there's one minor criticism is that the pieces were unevenly cut but really doesn't matter. read more

Akemi Sushi - Futomaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Akemi Sushi was my lst view and 2nd stop. never can get enough omega 3's. it's a small space next to 7 Hills Bakery. some grab n go items in refrigerated unit. saw menu. one can order online one can say reasonable, one can say pricey. i saw it as market priced. per my sampling, sashimi is reasonably fresh. not melt in ur mouth quality. ur pricing criteria will vary accordingly. eats: sashimi combo (16) -6 pieces of hamachi, tuna, & salmon reasonably fresh, not WOW. big, thick slices 3.5 stars priced according to value/qualtiy. takeouts: -sushi rolls, karange, sashimi, other sides ready for grab n. go. read more

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A grab n go style sushi place is pretty nice in CV as it is very convenient. You can order online for pick up and it is very convenient, very timely with the orders as well. Everything was packaged nice and neatly, works very well with Covid restrictions in place. I've heard people say this place was a little pricey, but I'd say it's fairly reasonable as the sashimi was decently fresh. I ordered the Under the Sea roll online, picked up a Rock n Roll and sashimi combo in store. It was about a 30 minute wait during lunch hr so pretty fast in my book (ordered on the way back from Dublin and just waited a little bit for pick up time). Under the Sea: Decently sized roll with slices of scallops on top, more mayo than spicy Rock n Roll: The unagi was average, no big wow factor but satisfies a craving for it, rice was a bit squished. Sashimi Combo (6 pieces): Slices were decently sized, no fishy smell but had more of a bite than expected (wasn't quite melt in mouth status). $16 for 6 pieces, not too bad. Salmon, Maguro (tuna), and Hamachi. Final Thoughts: Service was brisk as it isn't quite the time to linger around. Good for a quick fix, will definitely be back to try a few other rolls read more

Akemi Sushi - Sushi Combo (6 Piece). Salmon, Maguro (Tuna), and Hamachi. - To-Go - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Food is always super yummy and fresh however CHECK YOUR ORDER FOR EVERYTHING YOU PAID FOR. I hate having to go through everything but they just can't seem to get your order right :( read more

The quality of the fish is good. The prices are not cheap, but they are fair. Castro Valley lost its best basic (and cheaper) Japanese restaurant during the pandemic. Now Akemi is the best Japanese or sushi in Castro Valley, the others being overwhelmed by weird hot rolls and the fish quality varying. Akemi in the CV Marketplace has seating only outside. It is pleasant at the outdoor tables--good for a casual date, a family, friend meet-up, or casual business lunch. Sometimes there are special music events. Tip: as the Marketplace has several food vendors, this is a good place to come with eaters who like different things than you do. You can all eat together at the tables outside, with Akemi sushi, or pub food, good supermarket hot-counter food (including veg and gluten-free options), Mexican, coffee/sweets. There is also Vietnamese and ice cream/burgers/fried food in the restaurants on the other side of the outdoor seating area. Akemi also does a good job with to-go orders. I note that some folks gave a low review for a mix-up on a to-go order. I don't think that's fair unless it's the norm, which it is not here. Yes, we had one mix-up in their first week open. (They gave us extra food! That meant someone else had to wait longer for their order) We have since ordered to-go several times with no issues, but one should always check one's order at any restaurant before leaving. Favorite choices are Akemi roll: with cucumber on the outside instead of seaweed, good quality fish, mayo drizzle that's just the right balance. The vegetarian platter is always a hit with our in-house gluten-free veggie diner. We generally end up with dragon rolls and real crab -CA rolls as well. Tried the nigiri last time with scallop and two kinds of tuna. All were good and fresh with a nice lemon finish on some. These are solid sushi offerings for an every night meal (if you can afford it) or for a special occasion if these are your splurge prices. During COVID, nobody is giving free water with meals. Akemi employees gave me a cup and pointed me to the water fountain in the building. thank you. Other restaurants in the building simply shrugged and said I had to buy bottled. Bathroom grade: B+ 2 gendered restrooms in the basement level of the Marketplace. Standard public restroom style, clean, ADA access (there is an elevator in the building). Appreciate the foot-operable door to reduce germ transmission for employees and guests. read more

Not sure what's going on with the inconsistent reviews but I had a fabulous experience. We ordered basically every nigiri option and everything was sweet and really fresh. Not cheap, but fair pricing for quality of the fish. I felt like I found an amazing gem. Very friendly staff. I will definitely be back and I guess I'll find out if it's consistent but based upon this first experience it was stellar. read more

Convenience in the marketplace. Originally I was skeptical about a take out sushi place especially seeing their menu and prices. Sushi and sashimi are made to order. My girlfriend like salmon and hamachi so I had ordered the salmon and hamachi 5 piece sashimi plus a double hamachi roll. I must admit it is pricey for take out sashimi. Despite the expensive, the sashimi was very fresh and enjoyable. Since my original visit I stopped a second time and it was equally enjoyable. The counter person remembered my previous visit and made this visit more pleasant. If you are craving for sashimi or sushi pay a visit. read more

We were so excited to try their Valentine's Day menu. They posted their menu just a few days before and we jumped at the chance to try it. We have had their takeout items and everything is fresh and tasty. This dinner was very special and we were given very special treatment. They served the food on the upper floor of the CV marketplace which provided a lovely, quiet setting where we could watch the happenings down below. I definitely recommend this for any hard core sushi lovers. read more

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I came here for lunch mid week a few weeks ago. I called to place my order for a Lion King and went to go pick it up about 15 minutes later. The pickup process was easy and parking at the Castro valley market place is plentiful around lunch on a Tuesday. It was a bit on the pricey side for one roll ($18 plus tax)and definitely wasn't the best lion king I've had but was still decent. I wish since it was a baked roll it would have stayed warmer when I ate it but pick up orders can only stay warm for so long. read more

Akemi Sushi - Lion King Sushi Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I stopped by here for my first time in the marketplace and thought I'd give this place a try since I was craving sushi. Decided on the Philadelphia Roll. It was almost 7pm and they close at 7:30pm weekdays. I was told it would take 15 min to make my order. After I sat down at a table in front of their location, I was watching the two, young guys making the sushi. I noticed that neither one was wearing gloves. Both were hurriedly trying to keep up with the orders and running to the cash register to ring people up them start making food again. Never once did they stop to wash their hands in between. Hmm, not good. I wanted to actually cancel my order. I did not and it was brought out to my table after 25 min. The salmon was not really fresh but the rest of the roll was fine. You get six for under $10. Don't think I'll come here anymore if I see no gloves on and they are making sushi with their bare hands. read more

Decent sushi joint in Castro valley pre se. Fresh fish offering on rolls. Some items were missed like tamago and unagi. Price performance wise is average. read more