WHEN: Sat @6pm…read more PARKING: There is metered parking around, and is free after 6pm. It may be a bit tricky especially around meal time, but keep circling and you'll find a spot near by enough. This cute little ramen shop has such perfect lighting coming through thanks to thier skylight. We weren't actually hungry so we shared the following: TONKOTSU - $16.50 (Regular) Pork Belly Chashu, Bamboo Shoots, Red Onion, Wood Ear Mushrooms, Green Onion, Ajitama Egg. You get a choice of noodles to pick: 1.) Hakata - Thin Straight 2.) Sapporo - Medium Thick Wavy Figured since it's my first time here, I choose the most basic version of their bowl of ramen. I chose Sapparo and for some reason expected it to be thicker/wider, but regardless it was still good! The presentation of this bowl is just gorgeous, served on a small wooden platter. The red onion is chopped, and the pork Belly is quite tender. Regarding the egg, you get just half. Overall this bowl of ramen is creamy, rich, and the right amount of flavor and salt. But still make sure to drink at least a glass of water! CREAMY CHASHU PORK CROQUETTES - $8.50 I have never seen anything like this so I must give it a try! It actually didn't come out piping hot, so I was able to drive in right away! It was definitely creamy (like ramen) and had pieces of the Chau's pork, encased in a crispy and warm batter that was deep fried. It also comes with a katsu sauce and I really enjoyed it. The staff was friendly and didn't make us feel bad for ordering enough of just one, but man I was so full. Had to walk around downtown Berkeley for awhile.

I really love Tsuruya so writing this review stung a bit. Tsuruya snuck in additional tip amount…read morethe last time we dined here. It was only a couple of dollars more but tip fraud is never acceptable. We rarely deviate from our usual order so the posted transaction felt off to us. We were able to confirm and report to the credit card company. I recommend you guys take pictures of your receipts and verify the transactions. Hope this doesn't happen to y'all!

I happen to love takoyaki, those octopus balls from Osaka. I used to frequent Musashi on Dwight…read morebecause they made a great takoyaki but they stopped dinner service this year and my octopus dish is not offered at lunch. I tried some other places but kept looking. When I found Masa Ramen Bistro and their takoyaki I thought I was set for life. Well, for a few years. But now they are closed!!!! I cannot find out why and my heart is broken

Brief summary: - Good portions - fills up more than its…read moreappearance - Liked the equal balance of the broth and noodles with protein - Close to Trader Joe's - Indoor seating Ramen is a dish that has started sprouting in Berkeley, and this is one of them .I decided to go there for dinner with the family before heading to the Trader Joe's across the street to stock up on groceries. We entered a few minutes before peak dinner times, so there were seats to choose and sit from. By the time we left, mostly all the seats were filled up, so I would suggest coming in early. I liked the naming for each of the ramen dishes, some I recognized the names from Hawai'i. For this round, we ordered 3 different types of ramen: the Kuni, Broke da Mouth, and the Miso Hungry. These orders also came around the same time. A notable elements I liked about the ramen was that the noodles were chewy and springy, and the broth was smooth and easy to drink. I also didn't have the urge to drink lots of water either, so the seasoning was perfect. The other element was that I got to enjoy the ramen's broth and noodles as the stars of the dish, and the proteins, like the pork were supporting roles. For me, what I enjoy ramen are the broth and noodles, so I'm happy that these are prominent in the dish, rather than me having other chow down a thick slab of pork. This restaurant hit the right marks for what a delicious ramen is for me, so I'll come back, and maybe try their other broths.

Delicious ramen, but takes time for the food to come out…read more We came for lunch on a Sunday, a big group of about 10 people. The interior is spacious so they seated us with no issue. The menu is extensive and has a lot of great options. However, our food took over 30 minutes to come out, with the ramen coming out first, then buns, then sushi rolls. Since we were on a time crunch, a few of us either had to rush eat our dish or take it to-go. This was a bummer, but I would definitely come again to enjoy the food at a more preferable pace. The prices were also reasonable. Parking is as expected around campus - street metered parking. There is a restroom inside for customers.

The Hakata style ramen here at Ippudo is pretty solid. In case you are not familiar, hakata style…read moreramen is a thinner noodle than typical ramen. The ramen has a nice chew and the tonkatsu broth is really good without being overly salty which can be the case with many tonkotsu broth. Today I ordered the Akamaru Modern which for $2 includes a few drops of garlic oil and some umami paste. Was it worth the $2? Probably not but decided the splurge a little. The pork loin chashu was a bit bland though and had maybe 3 slices. To me, the biggest disappointment is that the ramen dish did not even come with an egg which is an additional $3 add on. After all the extra costs, ended up paying $22 for a bowl of ramen and that does not include the added tip on top of that. At least you can self serve sides like bean sprouts or pickles to add to your ramen. Definitely recommend the mildly spicy bean sprouts! The interior is modern and large and service is average. Just gave me my glass of water, took my order, and gave me my bill. No water refill.

Great food, if you prefer Japanese food with original flavor, it's best choice…read more Great service, very considerate.

We discovered this fun little Izakaya (Japanese social eatery) when coming into town for the…read moreLadytron show at the UC Theater on busy Saturday night on University Avenue and we are glad that we decided to give it a try. It was conveniently located across the street from the venue, and the unassuming outside of the restaurant did not hint at the amount of fun, ambiance, good food, and warm hospitality contained inside. First, there is the name. Not sure if it's some sort of play on words, secret joke, or if it's someone's actual name, but it works, kinda. It's kinda a restaurant, kinda a bar, kinda of a hangout, and kinda fun. The tiny entrance and plain facade reveals a bustling world of delicious food, tasty beverage, and lots of decorative eye candy to keep you looking around the space while you are hanging out with friends, on a date, or just relaxing after a long day. The decorations there are very upbeat, eclectic, fun, and distinctly Japanese pop culture. Posters, banners, flags, lanterns, toys, and trinkets can be found all over the restaurant, and made it fun to keep looking around and discover new novel things to look at. I did feel like I was in an authentic Izakaya somewhere in Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Ebisu in Tokyo. The place had a lot of personality & personal flair in an otherwise, tiny & industrial small warehouse type space. Service was excellent. The host was the cute & personable Mina, who couldn't have been more accommodating, patient, friendly, and engaging. It was very busy, and even though it was our first time there, Mina made us feel welcome into their home and was also very helpful to guide us around their experience. The other staff were less engaging, but still professional, efficient, and polite. Service was quick, attentive, and friendly on all accounts, and they as a team, managed to serve an entire full house of hungry & happy patrons during the entire Saturday night dinner rush. Fun place with a good staff. We opted for Izakaya-type, shared small plates to satisfy our hunger cravings without getting too full and weighed down on big portions of heavy, rich foods. Everything on the long & expansive menu looked great, but we mostly stuck with small appetizers to sample & savor. It was nice that there were plenty of lighter, fresh vegetarian options as neither of us were really in the mood for seafood, fried food, or big heavy entrees. We ordered the Kinda Tofu, Kyuri sliced fresh cucumber salad, and Kinoko butter-grilled mushroom hot platter and washed it down with some green grape Jinro soju. Everything was pretty good! Not overly fried, greasy, salty, or seasoned. Lightly cooked, delicately glazed, with just enough seasoning & oil/sauce to make it taste good, but not end up too complicated or messy. The taste really came through using these minimal cooking & seasoning techniques. The taste of the original vegetables & tofu came through perfectly, and were only complimented by their light hints of adding flavor. Portion sizes were ample for two people, and presentation was appetizing and organized. The bill for 3 apps + 1 bottle of Soju was less than $50, so it was a good value for the fun experience & good food. Wait times during the dinner rush are long, and there isn't really anywhere to sit or stand, so reservations are recommended. You can also enter and go straight to the 10-seat bar if there are openings, but we got a table for two after around a 20-30 minute wait. After that, everything moves pretty quickly, from ordering, getting food & drinks, to wrapping up and getting your check. Perfect system if you're trying to get to a concert, movie, or appointment with a specific start time. I really liked this place, not Kinda, not Sorta, but Definitely, or Absolutely! Kinda Izakaya will always be our destination to eat & hang out next time we come back to Berkeley, it is a true gem of a Japanese Izakaya/light meal fare right in the heart of downtown Berkeley. It's fun, tasty, busy, and friendly. Small & cozy, yet also airy & comfortable.

I visited Tane Vegan Izakaya with a mission to try a couple of sushi rolls, but ended up with much…read moremore! In addition to vegan sushi rolls, the menu includes shared plates, starter soup and salad, ramen, grilled plates (yakimono), nigiri, cocktails, mocktails, and dessert. And yes, it's all vegan, and many items are or can be made gluten-free! I tried the: Gyoza Eggplant Nigiri Pacifica Roll Sunset Roll Basil Mojito The Pacifica Roll is deep-fried heaven. Tempura veggies rolled in rice and topped with a garlic aioli and sweet, sticky soy sauce that I am craving as I type. It's crunchy, it's tasty, and you have got to try it to get the hype. I was told it was a fan favorite, and I'm its new #1 fan. Visit my blog post for the full review: Yourneighborhoodvegan.com and follow me on social media @yourneighborhoodvegan for more reviews!

Who would have thought vegan sushi could be so good! It is delicious. We ordered pickup because…read morethis place is way too popular for dining in. If one were to eat gourmet vegan food, Berkeley is the best city. Not only it's healthy, (some even) gluten free, it is very very delicious. Tastes just like real rolls. We were so impressed. We got the Pacifica - tastes like a unagi tempura roll. The tangy sauce is excellent. The California roll is rich and creamy. All the avocado are fresh. The Point Reyes is spicy, looks like a spicy salmon roll. Tastes good. The rolls are nicely packed, do not fall apart easily. It is actually pretty spicy. The grilled mushroom comes with three types of mushrooms, the tangy bbq sauce is delicious. Nice interior, great friendly chef and staff. Always popular. We will be back!

Victorias service was great! customer service was a 10 and is great when it comes to…read morerecommendations- very attentive :)

This is my favorite place to get Ramen in Oakland! It's…read morepretty small and snug once you're sat down in there so it's a pretty friendly setting. The service is always rather friendly and on most days very attentive! It can be really busy so it's always good to check the wait times before pulling up, especially if you're really hungry!

Food was delicious…read more Service was great Would recommend this Japanese restaurant to anyone who wants authentic Japanese cuisine

Really Good Japanese ramen. A must try. Great service…read more Relaxing ambiance. Great for any size party and occasion.

Food was mediocre. Okra skewers were extremely tough and had to spit it out after chewing a while…read more Service was mid also.

Joe-son made a plan drive up from LA to surprise mom..He was hidden in the back of my car as we…read morepicked up Gio. When we arrived at Ippuku he popped up like a Waks-in-a-box......she "aaaieeeeeeed!" big success! Seated as night was approaching and ordered a 45mil sake carafe @$45. yummy Kokuryu. Will first list foods that won't get again....1. interesting but tiny teeny bowl tofu skins 2. tasteless watery egglant dish(worst thing). 3. and an ok but boring egg omelet. now for the winners: gyoza with a delicious filling encased in a delicate traslucent skin; 1/2 crispy skinned grilled mackeral (my fav!) grilled chik butt (a bit lite on salt..soy fixed it;) then to Joes objection I ordered smelt tempura... objection waived..we all loved it; wagu beef on a stick great (Joes fav); Scallion pancake quite good but which weirdly came toward the end of the meal & had to ask for it numerous times??? why Did it come so late.? anyway we finished with onigiri sesame crusty grilled rice ball and another in a delicious rich chicken broth.....asked our server for the check! wait a minute...something was amiss...missing items? when the bill arrived we were right! 3 grilled different chicken skewers that were missing in action were on the bill ....what? informed the staff ...the manager arrived & asked if we now wanted them...too late baby its too late.....the bill was corrected and almost $40 was deleted.... sooooo again the service here can leave much to be desired similar to missing items on our former visit. still many great dishes as well as its visually stunning interior & plus...ATTENTION! Women...your toilet seat is heated which Gio gushed about & adored! next time I'll have her photo the seat

I love their hokkein noodles! I've been here twice this month, and I'd probably go more often if I…read morelived closer. I love the build your own bowl- and the serving is big enough for me to have a box of leftovers. The first time I got a mix of the Thai and Malay sauces with chicken- and that was great. The second time I got just the Malay sauce. I think next time I'd mix it with the Thai again for the extra layer of spice on top of peanut. For balance.

First time trying this place. I love eating noodles so it's amazing to see so many different…read moreselection of noodles and sauces on the menu. My family ordered garlic noodles, laksa soup rice noodles, pad see ew, and a recommendation with noodles and Thai plus Malay sauces. The portions were plenty and 5 of us got plenty full and still had some leftovers. The place was clean and had counter service. Food came to our table very quickly as it wasn't crowded at the time. We enjoyed it very much!

I love Marugame! I always order the Curry Nikutama. The curry flavor is light but still flavorful,…read moreand there's a good amount of beef. The udon and egg were both cooked perfectly. My only complaint was that I wish the food had been served hotter. It wasn't busy when I dined here, so I didn't have to wait in line long or worry about finding a seat. This location is also very spacious, with plenty of room between the tables. The tables aren't squished together, so there's enough space to comfortably walk around.

Rude and dirty! We came because we'd gone to the sister…read morelocation in Hawaii and we loved it so much. But this location was disgustingly dirty, the staff were snippy and rude, and so much of the tempura was ice cold. The ginger and dipping sauce station was crusty and empty. We were super disappointed we made the trip out to Berkeley for this. The plus side? The udon was delicious. but after sitting at sticky tables, and seeing how the rest of the restaurant looked, I'm worried about the food safety of the areas we could see.