The ambiance is so welcoming !!! Great communication with the hostess :) We got seated fairly quick (we came before the rush) Our server Kenson was so swift and great with recommendations!! He checked up on us quite frequently, that in itself was very impressive! I always come here with my family, I absolutely love the service, the aesthetic, and the quality of food!!! Definitely would recommend the sashimi salad read more

Amakara - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

Great sushi and service. Sushi rolls are not small, nor is the sashimi! Fun cocktails too. We enjoy going there!

We dined here on a Saturday night a couple of weeks ago and I didn't intend on leaving a review. Reasons being that I've had better sushi before and I thought the place was below average. Instead of writing a review, I figured I would leave it as is. My girlfriend even left gratuity on top of the gratuity included for large parties when we didn't know it was already included. It definitely left a bad taste leaving without correcting. However, I'm leaving a review now because of a direct message left anonymously but seemed to be from someone that represents akamara that told us to read the fine print. When you read the fine print, it says it MAY include gratuity. We would have no idea when the receipt doesn't cover our items ordered. So to whoever decided to direct message us and let us know we should read the fine print before dining here: sure, no worries. I'll summarize it and rephrase it for others instead. Don't bother coming at all. Thanks Craig O. for the kind reminder to let us know about reading the fine print! Next time message us under your real alias. read more

Amakara - Gratuity left when there was no warning on receipt. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

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Happy Hour (HH) Menu is available Mondays-Thursdays, 2pm-6pm (excluding holidays). Went to Amakara on a Thursday for a late lunch at 2:10pm. You can sit at the bar or the sushi bar to eat/drink and watch one of the many jumbo TV monitors. They also have tables in the middle dining area. The second dining room to the right of the hostess stand was curtained off midday. Food review: HH assorted sashimi (4/5): Both salmon and hamachi were firm and delicious! Tuna was slightly mushy and didn't seem as fresh as the other fish. A couple of the tuna slices also contained some sinew (connective tissue) making them very chewy. HH Jalapeno Hamachi Roll (5/5): Delightful bites of hamachi pieces with avocado and a bit of chopped jalapeno for a slight spicy kick. HH Spicy Tuna Roll (3/5): The spicy tuna was okay but the tuna meat contained sinew so it was extra chewy. I believe sushi chefs typically remove the sinew from the tuna when slicing sushi but perhaps because spicy tuna is ubiquitous in many sushi rolls, it might not be done here. Seaweed salad (4/5): Might be an acquired taste for others but we grew up eating various forms of seaweed so it's natural for us. Crunchy and slippery at the same time, enjoyed with sesame seed oil. Our waitress was attentive, came by regularly to check on us, and refill our water glasses. read more

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Love this place! I always sit at the bar, which is open seating. I only order nigiri and alcohol whenever I'm here, so I can't comment on anything else. The fish to rice ratio is balanced, and the cut isn't overly big, like some places. Customer service has always been great every time I'm there. read more

Quality of sashimi is consistently excellent. When we are at Dublin this is "the place" to go for Japanese food. The sashimi will melt in your mouth. The soft shell crab is amazing. read more

Amakara - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

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Great service Great tasting food A lil pricey But well worth the price Lots of space to sit and an entertaining looking bar area read more

The food was great, the regular salmon maki, sake sashimi and takoyaki--we would definitely get if we ever go to this place again. The rolls that we got were alright, just not our cup of tea. I think the major things that really threw us off is the loudness inside and the menu. I understand sometimes it's the restaurants vibe but we were almost shouting at each other across our table and with our server it was that loud. The menu really just confused us. Seriously tho, Amakara, no shrimp tempura on the menu? And the shrimp that came with the mixed vegetables tempura was the size of my pinky and then the parking situation--we gambled our vehicle on the other side of the street hoping it won't get towed while we were eating ! Would I go back? Yes. But this is definitely not going to be my first choice. read more

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Always crowded for a reason. Best sushi in Dublin. I've never been disappointed. I usually order the dragon roll. I also love the Italian roll . read more

Delicious lunch with my bestie! We arrived right at 11:30am when they opened to get a seat without waiting. It got busy fast. Shared a bunch of things, Jasmine Pearl Tea, we each had a Miso Soup, Veggie Tempura and a couple specialty rolls, Shrimp Mango Roll and SSS Tuna Roll. Lots of food and leftovers to take home. Our server Arielle was the sweetest, great suggestions and super efficient. I can't wait to come back for a fun dinner! Photo is of the 2 of us with our pups, photo taken at another time, we were so into our yummy lunch we forgot to take a photo. read more

Amakara - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

I've visited Amakara twice for birthday dinners with friends who live close to Dublin. It's a large restaurant & the sushi bar is very convenient instead of waiting for a table as sometimes there can be a long wait. Come early before the dinner rush otherwise you'll be waiting for a long time. We arrived around 6PM on a Saturday & requested sushi bar seating & we're seated very quickly. After reviewing the cocktail options, I chose the Amakara cocktail (Absolut Peach Vodka, peach schnapps, lychee sake, lemon juice & Chambord) & my friend had a cucumber apple mojito. Drinks were strong but tasty. We shared the nasu dengaku & agedashi tofu appetizers which were both delicious. I'm generally a sushi purist so I chose nigiri (tuna belly, hamachi, salmon belly unagi & Japanese uni) & my friend had the Italian roll. My sushi pieces were very fresh & generously cut. Yum! For dessert, we shared the grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream. It was a big portion, enough for several people to share & was a refreshing ending to our meal. Service is friendly & helpful. There is retail parking in the building structure available but there are some parking spots on the street too. read more

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Honest Review from 2023-2024 The more I think about it, the more infuriating I become. Ever since they relocated to the corner apartment and bus stop area, it felt as though they have given up on food itself and just wanted to make as much revenue as possible with all the residents that live there now in rows who might be glorifying this place since they've probably never eaten sushi anywhere else other than the closest place near home LOL. Every single time my fam and I went there to eat, the food quality diminishes and snowballs getting worse and worse AND WORSE to the point where we can no longer eat there. We are NEVER GOING BACK there to eat again, such a disgrace to our community and parking SUCKS (they got staff members using those dumpster cones to hold spots for their own crew LOL such BS); hoping that they fold and have a different restaurant take over like a high end luxury Steak House. If you want real authentic and delicious Japanese sushi and ramen; go take your money and spend it at Yuyake Dan Dan Japanese Tapas in Stoneridge Mall by Men's Wearhouse (gonna give them a 5 star review later)..."I guarantee it"!!! The very last time we went, the Spider Roll was very bitter (inedible to the point where I had to spat it out into the napkin multiple times like I was gonna have food poisoning; either the guts were not cleared or it was going bad about to expire OR was left over for days/nights then reused), the Salmon Sashimi was not fresh with lots of stringy tendons (kept on getting stuck in my teeth like floss, so stringy that you can use it as a lethal weapon to choke someone out), Scallops were undercooked with a bed of very salty spinach resting on some even saltier dark-brown sauce (made me wanted to throw the plate away like a frisbee), and Ramen Noodles were undercooked as well with noodles stuck together like a baseball (you can throw it across the dining room to the bar area and it would still be intact). It was a terrible disaster and ONE of the WORST dining experiences we have ever had; even the table next to us with local regular seniors who frequent there were very concerned and agreed that the food quality has diminished over time, they were disgusted by their food too but not as much as us. I told our waitress/server it wasn't her fault; she just apologized and left us like nothing happened (she didn't do anything to help or complain to the MOD/kitchen or anything, she just kind of went about her way trying to get as much tips as possible from other tables outside our view; I understand you need to hustle but I'm a paying customer too...I could of easily made a really big scene but I did not because my daughter was there and wanted to show her face, luckily she was there LOL). At the end of the day, DO NOT EAT HERE, spend your money somewhere else; it doesn't even have a Michelin Star and they be charging you like they do and as if they're in some kind of 5-Star Luxury Hotel; WHAT A JOKE AND DISGRACE!!! read more

We're regulars at this restaurant and have always enjoyed our experiences--until today. My husband ordered the BBQ oysters, and after just one bite, it was clear something was off. We sent the dish back, but what was most disappointing was the lack of acknowledgment from management or the chef. No apology, no follow-up, no gesture to make it right. For a restaurant with such a strong reputation, we expected more care and hospitality. Unfortunately, after this experience, we won't be returning any time soon. read more

A sushi experience to remember! This place is the perfect blend of upscale and fun. From the moment we walked in, the vibe was lively and stylish; dim lighting, modern decor, and upbeat music that set the tone for a great night out. Every sushi piece was beautifully plated and incredibly fresh. You can tell the chefs take pride in both flavor and presentation. We tried a mix of classic rolls and some of their signature creations. The service was outstanding: friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. read more

Great fresh Japanese cuisine! Quick service and a lively environment. Try the sushi, teriyaki and great bar menu!

I love the sushi here but the parking really sucks. Basement parking is crowded and spaces are tight. Sashimi is always fresh! read more

Amakara - Chirashi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

Only went for lunch last week. It took them a while to seat me. No one was at the door and by the time I was seated, at the sushi bar, the waitress said it's after two and I can't order from the lunch menu. About five minutes. I told her I'll just leave then, since I did wait a while to be seated and I'm on my lunch break. I was alone, so I was seated at the bar. She said she would check with the manager. I said fine. He said okay, so I proceeded to order. I got a combination beef teriyaki and salmon shoyiaki. The beef was not a very tender cut, but the fish was fresh and perfectly cooked. It was awesome. I had leftovers, so I also asked for a bag to take my container in. The waitress repeated it and said, "a bag?" I said, yes, a bag. She reluctantly gave me one. In my mind, I really wanted to say, "You do want a tip, right?!" But I didn't . I noticed, on the way out, two senior ladies also had takeout containers on their table, without bags. I was thinking, now this is cold, one had a cane, and they were even older than me. Why is it so hard to give patrons a bag?? Why? Do the waitstaff docked in their pay? I surely would hate for food to spill all over, in case of a mishap. At the very least, a bag would protect it. This is my new pet peeve now, as a younger senior woman, who is already slow and unsteady on my feet. I'm not a young person anymore, and I would like a bag to take my food home with me. I think people who work in restaurants need to be reminded that if you offend seniors, it's not a good look. A lot of seniors are well off and tip well. I'm not well off, but I'm comfortable. I tip very well, for good service, but I tip very poorly for terrible service. I found it also ironic since the woman who waited on me was no spring chicken herself. The salmon was delicious, though. I don't know if it's enough for me to return considering the bag issue, but it was very, very good. read more

Got a gift card and went the day before Mother's Day. I always hear rave reviews about this place but we were disappointed. The ramen was average and the rib eye that people talk about was of extreme poor quality and was tough as rubber. The cocktails also were average at best. The one thing people got right way the edamame. Those were good and tasty read more

When you walk into the restaurant, you see cleanliness and a friendly host waiting to see you Aside from an easy menu to read quite easy to also order anything at any point in time of the meal and receive it in a timely read more

I love Amakara for sushi in the area. The environment is so nice and service is usually pretty good. Pretty modern and clean design. There usually is a wait I must say because it is pretty busy. The rolls are fresh and visually appealing. It is my favorite place to bring people who are from out of town. They can accommodate larger parties which is nice for gatherings or parties. The quality of the food is amazing. There is parking behind the building. I also heard the drinks are something to try. read more

Amakara - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

I love the food. The service can improve, it's so busy everyone looks rushed and drinks werent refilled in a timely manner.

Used to be a favorite spot of mine before they moved, but now that they're in a fancier category with the updated interior, I feel like the quality has gone down. The chirashi was extremely fishy and the ramen just okay. With the abundance of Japanese spots now, I think I'll check other places first before defaulting to Amakara from now on. read more

Amakara - Ramen (split between two individuals) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

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My son brought me to Amakara for Mother's Day. I really liked the vibe. Lots of people having a great time. We ordered four different rolls and assorted sushi. Everything was so good; including 5he cocktails‼‼ Loved the experience and loved spending time there with my beautiful son. read more

Just ordered $320 worth of food to go and they gave me four chopsticks . Asked for 4 more and they hesitated. Really?

Came on a Thursday night with a friend. I saw it on Check Please so that's mainly why I chose this place especially after the the rib eye steak looked. Amakara was packed with people so if you want a quite place go elsewhere. The service was good and so was the food, it's a nice and clean place so that's a plus. The rib eye was okay, but I felt the salad and sushi rolls were a lot better. read more

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10/10! Everything was so good!! We ordered the half dozen oysters, shishito peppers, crunchy rainbow roll, dragon roll, and hamachi carpaccio. The quality in their fish and oysters were impeccable and the ambience of the restaurant was beautiful. I'll definitely be back whenever I'm in the Dublin area! read more

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Amazing food with great flavor, we enjoyed having dinner here as a family. Unfortunately the yhree rolles all arrived after each other and 15 minutes apparts. So that the whole experience took way too long. Especially with two little girls that are eager to run around. read more

Ok nigiris, but I wouldn't recommend the cucumber wrap; it's not a good rice substitute, it turns out. read more

Amakara - Ebi, maguro, tamago, and the cucumber wrap. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

Amakara serves a pretty decent variety of sushi. My family and I visited this restaurant to celebrate a birthday and it was absolutely a perfect place for celebratory gatherings. The food was phenomenal. My grandpa really had a great time here and really enjoyed the sashimi he ordered. I particularly prefer deep-fried rolls and the ones they serve are very delicious. One of the things I loved about this restaurant was the staff. They were very friendly and attentive. I accidentally spilled water on myself and the server was very quick and helpful with the situation. I felt bad for accidentally making a mess, so I insisted on cleaning up myself, but the server was more insistent with doing the work. Because of the delicious food and excellent customer service, this restaurant is very popular and has a long waiting line. We waited nearly an hour for our table, but I think it was worth the wait! read more

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Food: can be hit or miss and is quite overpriced. Service: just ok Ambiance: way tooo loud Parking is basically nonexistent and horrible. read more

Service is good, vibes are great, but the blue fin and salmon belly are amazing!! Plus their "fresh chopped wasabi" is ACTUALLY fresh

Surprisingly it was not super packed inside the restaurant on New Year's Eve! It was very busy at the takeout window but I'm glad we got to sit down and eat without having to wait. It's a modern style restaurant and the light fixtures are soo pretty to look at. They have a full bar. You can also pick to choose at the table or sushi bar. We ordered the mixed sashimi , Klondike express roll, spicy crunchy rainbow roll, miso glazed eggplant (not pictured) and two cocktail drinks. Drinks were delicious and they don't skimp on the alcohol. The miso eggplant was more on the sweet side and there wasn't anything special about it. It was a large eggplant cut in half with the miso sauce on it ($9). Won't get that again. The mixed sashimi dinner was huge! Fish was fresh and the pieces were thick. You get a good variety of fish so it's a good plate to share. I always order the Klondike express and spicy crunchy rainbow roll; quality is consistent and the rolls are a good size. Between the two of us, we definitely over ordered. Total bill came out to be $127. Amakara is not cheap but for the quality of the food, it's worth a splurge ! read more

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Always love eating at Amakara! A friend was visiting from Oregon so we decided to meet for sushi. Parking is a bit confusing since you need to be familiar with the entrances to get to the parking garage. The first floor has parking spaces marked for retail sinxe the other floors might be for residentials in the upper floors. After going here once, you're fine with parking. But when it's your first time, like my friend visiting, she had to call me since she circled around several times. Love that the garage has clean vehicle parking spaces and EV charging at some spaces - thank you! The restaurant was packed for happy hour. Note, you cannot be seated until your entire party is there. If you decide to come here on the weekend, make sure to use the Yelp waitlist before arriving. There wasn't a wait when I checked in, but the flow of patrons was consistent. I had to wait a little since my friend wasn't there yet. Service was excellent and quick! Everything we ordered was delicious What we ordered: Matcha mule Rose Fried calamari Salmon skin salad Dragon roll Spicy crunchy rainbow roll Spicy sesame seed tuna roll read more

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After all these years, Amakara is still our go-to sushi night location because of their expansive menu and good quality fish. It's definitely pricey. They are also super slow - especially for take out when the restaurant is busy - so budget time to wait. read more

Midweek, arrived 5pm, seated right away at the sushi bar. Good range of happy hour options. The assorted sashimi dish had good portions. Eating the shishito peppers was like playing Russian roulette on spice levels. Ended the meal with spicy ramen which was quite salty. Note, "spicy" required $1 extra, yet it was not spicy enough. This nickel & dime approach doesn't seem necessary especially since the business seems to be doing well. The restaurant was getting filled within 30 minutes. The bathroom needs more frequent attention. read more

Amakara - Chasu ramen +$1 for "spicy"... not - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California

This place is exceptional! The sushi is top notch! The decor is chic and modern. They have a huge bar if you're into that. I would highly recommend that you get out of your comfort zone and try something new. I tried a sushi roll with pesto and I didn't think I was going to like it but it was phenomenal!! Do yourself a favor and don't stick to your basic rolls here. Their custom rolls are their specialties !! read more

The word "Amakara" means sweet and spicy in Japanese, and this concept serves as the root of the fresh quality Japanese cuisine being served in the heart of downtown Dublin for over fifteen years. Located in the Aster residential complex, of which it moved to on the corner of Dublin Boulevard and Golden Gate Drive in 2019, Amakara has been a favorite of locals, so much so when looking for Japanese cuisine to dine at while in the Dublin area, what would pop up on my Yelp app first but Amakara. With the pictures posted of the food that Amakara serves on the Yelp app, we were sold, and so a simple exit off of the San Ramon Road exit off the 580 Freeway and a right turn onto Dublin Boulevard, we were already there and by luck would have it, the Aster residential complex had a small parking lot for visitors off of Golden Gate Drive, and there was one spot left so we saw this as a sign. With no reservations we had hope for our party of four, and even though it was before the traditional dinner time of 5 p.m. their dining room was quite packed, so after a couple minute wait, their host graciously sat us in their room that was off to their left hand side that featured a massive mural of a sumo wrestler in a carnival setting on its wall. The menu at Amakara is separated into categories including Starters, including Raw & Carpaccio, Small Bites, Tempura, Salad, Pan Fried, and Sides; Robata or Grill; Sushi Rolls; Original Rolls; Entrees & Dinner; Lunch Specials; Kids and Dessert. After looking at some of the images of food that some of my fellow Yelpers posted on the app, I was sold on the Clam Ramen, as it was a bowl that was filled with Manilla clams, melting squares of butter, chopped green onions, and a heaping bowl of ramen noodles filled with warm chicken broth. To pair my meal, I decided to order a Lime Scallop Roll from the Non Spicy Rolls section of their menu, as it combined avocado, tomatoes and cilantro with scallops and was topped with lime slices and tobiko. Others in my dining party really had a craving for raw fish and so our server recommended their Mixed Sashimi entree, which was the chef's best sashimi selection of the day served with steamed white rice. And another in our party really just wanted to enjoy some sushi rolls, so they ordered their Red Dragon Roll, which was filled with spicy tuna and tempura shrimp with spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce and red onions; and their Scallop Paradise, which was scallops deep fried tempura style, served on rice served with spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce, mustard sauce, green onions, tomatoes, and three different kinds of tobiko. Everything was served almost at the same time with the stars of our meal being their Clam Ramen and their Mixed Sashimi entree as both were overflowing with fresh ingredients that they were both such large meals that they were easily shareable between all four people in our dining party. What we appreciated the most was the fact that there was so much detail when it came to the presentation of all of our entrees, which included a couple melting squares of butter in my ramen broth, or the freshly crushed ice and daikon that aided in the serving of freshly sliced sashimi. Our rolls were nice, and thanks to the unique flavor profiles that combined everything from scallops to tomatoes, I have never tasted sushi rolls with such pizzaz. Our total bill was $132.30 before gratuity was added in, which was reasonable considering how much we enjoyed this visit. Since it was so busy on the evening we went, service was a little spotty, but we didn't mind as we enjoyed ourselves so much that we were already thinking about the meals that we would enjoy for our next visit upon a lunchtime meal. At Amakara, they provide unique Japanese cuisine presented with fresh ingredients and flair that with multiple visits you won't experience the same meal twice! read more

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The best Chicken Katsudon I have eaten! Originally we were going to go to another sushi place but it was closed on Mondays so we decided to search yelp for any other options. So glad we tried out this place. Definitely will be our go to now! We got: Vegetable Tempura - 8/10 Above average, doesn't really stand out Agedashi tofu - 8/10 Good quality, wish there was more Mixed Sahimi - 10/10 My partner describes it as each bite you close your eyes and you live the lives of the fish you are eating Chicken Katsudon - 10/10 Usually chicken Katsudon that I get can be dry, mainly breading, and flavorless, but this was the opposite. It was light on the breading and moist with flavor! Service was fast, and the ambiance is dim lit, intimate, but spacious enough to be comfortable. Check this place out if you are in need of sushi or chicken Katsudon! read more

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This place had great rating, and my boyfriend and I were in the area so we decided to try it out! Upon arrival, I noticed how aesthetic the outside was. The font of the sign was really attractive as I was expecting a more "hole in the wall" kind of vibe! This definitely was the opposite! You will find Amakara in a nice apartment/condo area. Parking can be found in the parking garage around the corner. We came on a Sunday around 5pm and it wasn't too busy yet. We were seated right away because we opted for the Sushi Bar, definitely didnt mind! As we walked out, though, the wait was out the door! The whole restaurant was packed and rightfully so! The sushi here is really good! I recommend everything that we ordered: +Sesame Chicken - HUGE portion!!! We were not expecting for there to be so much! The flavor is SO good. Upon first bite will have you like MMM. It comes with a side salad as well and that was really fresh and tasty. I think this is definitely one of the stars of the show. +Cherry Blossom - Really fresh fish. Every bite was super yummy +Spicy Crunch Rainbow - This definitely got a lot of hype in the Yelp reviews I saw, so definitely we had to try it! It was worth the hype! You get 3 different types of fish on this roll as well as tempura throughout. Highly recommend! +Tempura Ice Cream - a great way to end the meal! This serving was also super huge! My bf and I didnt finish it all bc we were so full. It could gladly serve 2-4 people. I think its safe to say we enjoyed the place. We had NO leftovers to take home! This place is a bit on the pricier side compared to other sushi places I've been to. But! I would say for the quality it is SO worth it. read more

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This is the best sushi spot in Dublin, I ordered Beef plate over rice. It was really tender and had basic seasoning for the beef. I really enjoyed the lunch and would return to this location. If you are in the area try this spot for lunch or dinner!!!! read more

Amakara - Beef Teriyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Dublin, California