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    Aki Japanese Restaurant

    3.5 (132 reviews)
    InexpensiveJapanese, Taiwanese, Soup
    Closed Closed

    Aki Japanese Restaurant Photos

    AKI JAPANESE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Noodle vegetable soup
    Mary K.

    Went to get a bite at the food court and they were out of a lot of food to order from... so I got rice shrimp temporary plate, and the vegetarian noodle soup with the mixed tempura veggies! The tempura on the shrimp had too much batter and way too thick and greasy. The soup was OK. Didn't really like the broth. What's nice is they have free green tea and water that you can serve yourself. The service was good. The lady that took the order was nice so was the guy that brought over the food I just wish it had more flavor and not just greasy but again they were out of a lot of food. I really wanted to try the teriyaki chicken or the short ribs. Oh well next time. The place was nice and cozy and clean.

    Katsudon
    Dhelo C.

    Wow! The portions are gigantic, and every single bite of the food is simply amazing! I can't wait to come back here!

    Katsudon
    Savannah D.

    Super cute spot with great service and super yummy food. Their katsudon is crispy and flavorful, and not dry!! Which seems impossible to find sometimes! I also appreciate their free green tea. Big fan of this spot

    Katsu don, curry katsu don, pork over rice
    Elaine C.

    Generous serving sizes for a very reasonable price. My curry katsu don was mouthwatering and 100% authentic. Limited inside/outside seating and can get very busy in the early afternoon. Great service, but wait times could have been better--they might have been understaffed in the kitchen. Miso soup is included with each meal. Also, their pink hello kitty soy sauce bottles are adorable.

    Miso Udon
    Lily C.

    I'm an avid customer of Aki Japanese Restaurant. I've tried their beef noodle soup, miso udon, chicken teriyaki don, and tempura don. My favorite must've been the tempura don because it was fried just right -- crunchy exterior with a succulent interior. As for the other dishes, the beef noodle soup had very hearty broth that I loved, but the beef quality wasn't the best. The miso udon had a lot of vegetables and was very healthy, warm, and invigorating, especially on a cold day. Chicken teriyaki rice might've been my least favorite -- the chicken was dry and there wasn't much flavor to the dish. However, I keep coming back because the service has been absolutely wonderful. The food is decently quick, and I love the ambiance. They also serve hot tea (and you can refill as much as you like) and a bowl of miso soup for free, which is a big bonus for me! Will definitely drop by when I'm around the area.

    Montage of images from Aki Japanese Restaurant
    Ed U.

    ** The following review reflects my dining experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. ** Oh my, this one took me way back. Even Mr. Peabody could have built a Wayback Machine that goes as far back as my undergrad days, and I believe he and Sherman went as far back as Ancient Greece. I used to eat at Aki's all the time when I had time between classes, and it's still in the same back-of-the-mini-mall location with the same sliding glass door entrance. Believe it or not, I had not been back in all these years, probably because I associated Aki's and its semi-hidden location with my struggling unformed years. Now I'm more formed, probably more fossilized really, and a sweep of nostalgia came over me as I walked by. It's the pandemic, I think. Anyway, I saw mostly Asian youngsters darting by and thought maybe Aki had become a happening hot spot. Nope, it turned out they were heading to Seoul Hotdog next door, a true hipster magnet with ornately designed corn dogs their specialty. Aki's was as still as a tomb by comparison. Unhip and geriatric as I am, I ordered the veg-friendly $12 Vegi-Fish Bento. It consisted of slices of a seared mock fish that was close enough to real cod to satisfy. It was sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds and so was the lightly fried tofu cake, also quite savory good. It came with a generous side of vegetable tempura and rice (photo: https://bit.ly/3cl1UqW). I'm guessing the recipes haven't changed in all these years, and that's a good thing, trust me. I let the manager know about my long-ago history with Aki's, and she welcomed me back with socially distant arms. She also let me know the place has changed hands three times since then. FOOD - 4.5 stars...hearty bento boxes with plenty of tempura like I remember AMBIANCE - 5 stars...for consistency SERVICE - 5 stars...she treated me kindly even as I became that old man talkin' 'bout the good ol' days TOTAL - 5 stars...thanks for the memories RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

    Angie C.

    Tasty Taiwanese food! Came for the Taiwanese beef noodle soup (sold out) so got braised meat over noodles instead. Generous portions. Great people. Will be back for that beef noodle next time!

    beef noodle soup
    Karen T.

    Ambiance: really cute decors aged interior. Very Japanese with the little wooden tables benches and dividers. You wouldn't think there would be a decorated restaurant in this hole in the wall across from campus but there you have it. A pleasant surprise. Food: interestingly they have a mix of Taiwanese and Japanese food (actually quite a lot of Taiwanese food -- half the menu is bilingual with Chinese translations). Soup was packed with flavor and the beef was nice and tender. I really enjoyed it and honestly this place is such a huddle gem.

    Fish bento
    El Y.

    My go-to on Northside of campus to grab a quick lunch with friends or colleagues. I remember eating here freshman year after staying overtime in lab, past dining hall hours. I got the chicken teriyaki bento box, which came with california rolls, miso, tempura, rice, salad, etc. (The fish bento I ordered during my most recent visit also came with chicken). I also recommend their Katsu plates and rice bowls (gyu-don). Once I also ordered the classic 肉燥飯 to-go but ended up finishing it really quickly in the plaza.

    BENTO BOX Fish Katsu with Teriyaki Chicken and mixed Tempura veggies
    Matt S.

    Always wanted to try this spot since it was right next to Seoul Korean Corndogs, but was closed bc of COVID, came in today and got their Fish Katsu bento box! Their Katsu was great! Nice and crisp with a drizzle of sweet katsu sauce on top, that with the teriyaki chicken and tempura veggies, this is HELLA food for $12! I would note that they gave a "small" amount of rice for the bento, but I'm willing to take the lower rice to meat/veggie ratio if that means I'm getting some quality and quantity out of it in terms of everything else in the bento! It was so good I bought another one for dinner to-go! All this, atop of their great customer service and hole-the-wall feel, Aki gets from me!

    taiwanese spicy beef noodle soup
    Tiffany F.

    Good option for quick & cheap lunch food if you live/work close by Let's be honest. No one makes an intentional commute here for the sole purpose of trying Aki out. It has average to below-average food, depending on what dish you order. --udon: eh, ok, you will get by --Taiwanese spicy beef noodle soup $11: decent, kind of skimped out on meat, noodles ok SERVICE: Not really any, but they bring the food out to you even if you choose to sit outside (just let them know). The staff is really nice! LOCATION: Many CS/engineering Berkeley students frequent Aki w/in the Hearst Food Court during lunch (pre-COVID). JUST SO YOU KNOW: Aki isn't really a Japanese restaurant. It sells a mix of Jap/Chinese/Korean food. It says Japanese b/c there are already food places here in the food court that advertise themselves as Korean, Chinese, & Indian. Indoor & outdoor tables are available. Free water & tea provided. CC accepted.

    肉燥饭
    Carol D.

    名字上看这是一家日料店。但卖的不是寿司这类的日料,而是咖喱和盖饭这类的。这里还是我一个台湾朋友介绍的。朋友在这里吃了猪脚饭,说是很不错。 我去这里吃的是台湾肉燥饭。$12有找,现在来说是非常良心价格。绝对是学生们的福音。肉燥不少,还有菜,卤蛋和豆腐,还加一碗味增汤。绝对的高性价比。 这里的位置也很校园风。蜗居在一条路边上的一条小巷一样的地方。里面有7、8家店,卖的都是简餐。亚洲餐居多。 我吃过后又介绍给另一个台湾朋友。她也去了,反馈也不错,说是很台湾味道。 所以、喜欢台湾料理的朋友可以试一试哦!

    Sushi Bento
    Kỳ-Nam M.

    My son and I go to Aki's weekly before math class. There's dozens of cheap delicious eateries near Euclid around North Gate of Cal campus, but we always come back to Aki's because: "it's the best!" -my 9-year old, who always maxes out on tip because the family is so kind.Bento Box

    Beef udon

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    I eat here 2-3 times a week. I love their Pork Chop over rice, and their Beef Stew over rice!

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    Aki Japanese Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

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    Good To Eat - tofu wontons

    Good To Eat

    4.3(309 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    I have have this place on my list for quite some time. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this…read moreplace. It reminded me of the newer, cute and trendy places in Taipei. I think the lighting was very bright white (think being in an office) for the evening, but other than that, the tables were nicely spaced apart so you weren't sharing tables or having to hear other peoples' conversations, but still cozy. The service was a little unattentive and slow. Even though we were seated immediately, it took 3 attemps of asking to receive water and no one came by to take our order. I eventually got up to use the bathroom. There was a line of 3 other people. By the time I came back, no one had come by to take our order still. Eventually we flagged down a different server who took our order. The portions were pretty small but priced like a full entree (for the type of food I felt like we were getting). We ordered the Tofu Cream Maitake noodles, Tofu Cubes (I think that's what they were called?) and Scallion Oil Noodles. Typically we order maybe 4 dishes or 5 dishes at a regular Taiwanese place but after we saw how small the dishes were for the price, we just kept it at 3. The Scallion Oil Noodles were fragrant and Crispy Tofu Cubes were really good. The tofu cubes were more like BLOCKS and had great crispy texture. That was probably our favorite dish. I had such high expectations for the tofu cream noodles but it was really bland, not "mild", it was bland. And the flecks of maitake were just lost in there somewhere. It was disappointing because I love maitake and tofu!! All in all, it was an okay experience but I'm glad we stopped in. I don't think I would come back but it's definitely worth one try! Maybe if we were eating meat dishes, we would have had a different experience? This vegan will never know. In summary, the food was fresh and well-prepared but the portions were small and too pricey for what it is.

    one of my favorite cuisines of all time is taiwanese food, and as a girl with no car who grew up on…read moreamazing south bay taiwanese food stuck in berkeley, you know i was ready to ride the 36 down to emeryville for this. service is pretty slow and they don't take reservations, so you always have to wait in a 15-30 minute line outside, which kind of sucks, but the staff here is so nice i can't even be mad. the restaurant is also really nicely laid out and has a more upscale ambiance than the taiwanese restaurants i grew up eating at, so plus there. sad to report they don't have the classic dishes like beef noodle soup (牛肉麵) or stinky tofu (臭豆腐) or even the taiwanese night market foods like 豬血糕 or 肉圓. i was pretty thrilled to see braised pork rice (滷肉飯) or lu rou fan on the menu, but was bummed because it didn't taste like the lu rou fan i grew up eating. (not quite as dark brown in color and didn't have as much of that silky gelatinous mouthfeel that comes from the skin and fat in the pork belly.) however, a lot of the other dishes we tried were really good! i loved the seasonal clam dish they had, and their eggplant noodles were also amazing. next time, i think i'll order just the eggplant though because the noodles were really filling. overall, good to eat is a great restaurant for introducing people to the taiwanese cuisine and a decent spot for hitting a taiwanese food craving in east bay.

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    Good To Eat - Bar area

    Bar area

    Good To Eat - Lu-Rou Fan 滷肉飯 ($15) - hand cut duroc pork over rice, fresh sugar cane, pickled cucumber. Good but not mind-blowing. Sweeter than expected.

    Lu-Rou Fan 滷肉飯 ($15) - hand cut duroc pork over rice, fresh sugar cane, pickled cucumber. Good but not mind-blowing. Sweeter than expected.

    Good To Eat - Spicy noodles

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    Spicy noodles

    Noodle Dynasty - Lamb and Tomato Lo Mein 番茄羊捞面 ($14.99) - I found the sauce too sweet.

    Noodle Dynasty

    4.5(453 reviews)
    0.6 miTelegraph Ave
    $$

    One of the best spots for noodle soup in the Bay Area. I've tried coming here on 3 different…read moreaccounts and the line was always too long to fit my agenda. After the long anticipation, I was able block off my calendar and finally try this place on a Friday night. We had a part of 7 and it was more challenging to find a table to fit all of us. Especially with the wait, I would recommend coming here with parties of 4-5 max. The restaurant was mainly filled with students from the nearby college so it's very lively and packed. Usually when my anticipation is high, my expectations are higher and I'm usually disappointed but this did not disappoint!! The broth was so flavorful and the noodles had the perfect consistency of bounce and chew. The meats were tender and on top of that, the portions are huge and very reasonably priced! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but highly recommend the House Special Beef Rib Noodle Soup if it's your first time.

    Noodle Dynasty opened 3 years ago where Thai Noodle 2 was. Infrastructure, seating similar with a…read moreslight change of decorations. They opened 15 minutes early on Mother's Day. Inside seating only. Waited to be seated per notice. Given a tablet to order on. I didn't know how to turn it on. Associate did so. Staff spoke Mandarin, Cantonese & English. Ordered on tablet, paid. Got water soon without a cup. It arrived minutes later. Soup came within 10 minutes. After soup came, no check-ins. Offerings (Chinese): appetizers, lo mein, noodle soup, specialty stir fries, soup, stir fries... Slurps: lamb noodle soup in 8-hour broth (16.99) - boiling hot broth had savory unami. - overcooked, slightly mushy thin noodles mixed with boiled radish slices, sesame seeds, cilantro, green onions. No veggies Semi-tasty lamb slices. -pretty good. Not wowed. Many new Chinese noodle shops have opened in Berkeley in the past year. 4 ish stars. Service: wham bam! Thank U ma'am/man. None after bringing entree. Quality: reasonable. Quantity: ingredients skimpy. May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

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    Noodle Dynasty - Dining room

    Dining room

    Noodle Dynasty - Lamb Brisket Noodle Soup 羊腩面 with Thick Noodles ($13.99) - lamb brisket is better on rice than on noodles. Soup is too sweet.

    Lamb Brisket Noodle Soup 羊腩面 with Thick Noodles ($13.99) - lamb brisket is better on rice than on noodles. Soup is too sweet.

    Noodle Dynasty - 2025 Menu

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    Tasty Pot

    Tasty Pot

    4.0(811 reviews)
    0.6 miDowntown Berkeley
    $$

    Tried the beef hot soup at Tasty Pot and it was so good. The broth was rich and flavorful, and the…read morebeef was tender and cooked perfectly. Everything tasted fresh and comforting--exactly what you want from hot pot. Generous portions and price was decent as well!! The service was very friendly, which made the experience even better. Staff was very friendly and attentive when you need something. All the tasty pots we have visited had hit or miss servers but not this one!! Overall, a great spot for a satisfying meal. I'd definitely come back and recommend it to anyone craving noodles soup!!!

    I come to this place quite often but never left a review, so I decided to write one this time…read more The food is decent, but personally I prefer the Concord location -- somehow the food there tastes a bit better to me. My favorite is the Lamb Hot Soup, and today my husband ordered the Curry Flavor Hot Soup -- he said it was delicious. For the service, I have to say the lunch service wasn't great this time. We had to grab most things ourselves. I could've asked the staff, but since our table was behind the counter and the staff didn't seem very friendly or smiley, I didn't really feel like calling them. When we came during dinner time before, the service was much better. I like that this place has a reward program, and the restaurant itself is pretty clean -- including the restroom. Overall, it's okay. Not bad at all, but I do hope they can improve their lunch service.

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    Tasty Pot - Seafood Fillet Hot Soup

    Seafood Fillet Hot Soup

    Tasty Pot - Curry Flavor Hot Soup

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    Noodles Fresh - Jiangxi Noodle Salad ($13.50) - rice noodle with chicken, seafood flavored chili sauce, bok choy, bell pepper, garlic and scallions

    Noodles Fresh

    4.4(254 reviews)
    0.8 miDowntown Berkeley
    $$

    I work just down the street at AIMC Acupuncture School, and Noodles Fresh has become a favorite for…read moreme and many of the students and staff. It's one of those spots that keeps us nourished during busy clinic and class days. They have a great lunch special and honestly you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I was stuck on the Dan Dan noodles and the Beef Tendon Stew for a while, but the Chen Pi Beef and the scallion pancakes are also standouts. The tea selection is wonderful too. I even brought my parents here when they were visiting from New York, and they still talk about it. That's saying something considering how many Chinese takeout spots there are in NY--this place is another level: fresh, thoughtful, and truly feels gourmet. What also makes this place special is the community feeling. When we hosted our Lunar New Year celebration at the school, they hung our flyer in their window and even came by with a tray of egg rolls for the event. The owner is so sweet, and I love that Blue Moon is on the menu because it's her favorite. The space is open and inviting but still cozy, and the service is always great--intuitive and warm. Even the younger staff I've seen seem genuinely grateful to work there. We're lucky to have such a lovely neighborhood restaurant nearby.

    This place is so lovely, delicious, and affordable! Highly recommend, and it's a family-owned…read morerestaurant. I had been meaning to dine in for a while and only regret not visiting sooner. I enjoyed the Hunan Hot and Sour Soup on a cold, rainy day and it was an incredible meal. The service was excellent!

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    Noodles Fresh - Asian mural

    Asian mural

    Noodles Fresh - Best brown rice

    Best brown rice

    Noodles Fresh - Jiangxi stir-fry 表妹炒粉 - House special GFA Rice noodle with flank steak beef, bell pepper, baby bok choy, & spicy chilies

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    Jiangxi stir-fry 表妹炒粉 - House special GFA Rice noodle with flank steak beef, bell pepper, baby bok choy, & spicy chilies

    Ben Ben Restaurant - Vegetable Platters

    Ben Ben Restaurant

    4.3(57 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    This spot has an all you can eat hot pot deal that's really good. For dinner it's 28 a person. You…read morepick a broth, load up a plate of veggies, appetizers, noodles etc and let them know what meat you want and pour dipping sauces. Absolutely loved the spicy broth, and the dipping sauces took it to the next level.

    While we were in Berkeley, I asked my son what he was in the mood for dinner since his birthday was…read morecoming up. He wanted AYCE Hot Pot. Lo and behold, this was the closest place when we checked the app. It was just a few blocks from where we were, and they have a designated parking lot. If I recall, dinner was approximately $28.99 per person, which is pretty affordable in this day of age. Of course, as I am writing this, prices could change. Lunch is even more affordable at $23.99 per person. Upon arrival, the lady/owner warmly greeted us as she simultaneously seated us. She handed us a menu and explained the process. You pick a broth base as it comes with that articular meat of your choosing, then select the different rolls of meat. There are also different sides available (like chicken feet and tripe). There is also a self-serve cooler fridge that contains the usual hot pot items that you can add to your bowl from veggies, protein and noodles. The soup options are the following: - Spicy - Tomato - Sacha Seafood - Curry Flavored - Hot & Sour - Pork Tripe and Chicken - Beef Brisket - Beef Rib - Wild Mushroom There was also a sweet (not-too-sweet) drink in a large carafe-type container that was quite delightful. It was light, tasty and quite addicting that I kept refilling my cup. The vibe of the place feels old and homey; however, most of the customers were young, student-types. Perhaps UC Berkeley students? It also wasn't busy and half of the restaurant was empty. Most of us were seated by the front. All in all, we had a good dinner as the broths were seasoned well and not overly salty. Yes, most of the dishes are self-serve, but you can control the portion this way. I also enjoyed the chicken feet and tripe, which aren't typically on a hot pot menu in most places. There's also the hidden protein inside the broths. Whatever option you order (i.e. chicken, pork) there's hunks of them on the bottom for you to discover. It's like having a hidden reward. It's a good hot pot spot that won't break the bank.

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    Ben Ben Restaurant
    Ben Ben Restaurant
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    Noodles Fresh - Taiwan Beef

    Noodles Fresh

    4.2(627 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Feb 24, 2026 3:00 pm 3.7 stars…read more This place is smart to stay open when New Dumpling takes midday siesta. Always plenty of non metered street parking when I'm in the area for lunch. We are the only customer when we arrived. Very pleasant not overpowering jazz mood music plays. Our server has a very pleasant demeanor. We have Taiwan beef noodle soup. Nice and hot the way it should be. Perfect to my tongue textures of the beef cubes and egg noodles. The beef broth was amazing. At the end of our meal I was full. Too full to the point that I almost cried that I couldn't drink the last gulps but it was too small a portion to warrant taking home. Our Kung Pao chicken? Delicious. Chock full of chicken bites and delicious vegetables. Somehow the plentiful peanuts set my taste buds acraving. Wow wow Pao tasty. The only miss with this was that it was brought to us on a coldish serving plate. A common mistake. We didn't get to try this dish hot. We are now wanting our bill. Seems like long time wanting. To our dismay, our friendly server got herself enmeshed in an on again off again conversation with someone at another table shortly after we arrived. Then she disappeared for a while. We are tempted to guess the bill amount (turns out we guessed wrong by $1), leave cash on the table and walk out. Instead I get up and she appears at the register. Magic. We pay proper like and walk out respectfully. I wouldn't mind coming back.

    All the food was so excellent I got the Shaolin temple stir fry and the Shanghai Shaomai & sesame…read morepancake & my partner got the scallion pancake, Sichuan Dan Dan noodles (all pictured below) everything was so fresh and tasted phenomenal! The restaurant was very mellow with a great history of 11 years at this location this being the original location; i recommend anyone in the El Cerrito area local or visitor to come try this restaurant for some delicious food and amazing atmosphere. Great for all ages and they even have a robotic tea server shaped like a cat! The food is tasty and reasonably priced & you will leave with a full belly and a happy pallet and might pick up some new tea accessories before you leave. Highly recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Noodles Fresh
    Noodles Fresh - Beef Noodle Soup

    Beef Noodle Soup

    Noodles Fresh - Green tea- we so fancy!

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    Aki Japanese Restaurant - japanese - Updated May 2026

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