Don't go to this place unless you have so much time on your hands that you don't know what to do with. The food is not bad. B+ Japanese food with decent varieties. But the service is really really slow. We ate here on and off the last three years and could not get served with food for at least half an hour after placing our order. We switched to takeout instead and that would take another 45 min to an hour as well after they told us an half hour. We made the mistake of sitting down and eat there last night because our daughter just came home from a long trip and we decided not to cook. After we placed our order, we FINALLY got our first dish in a half hour. The rest of the food started coming after 45 minutes. The tea they served us in the meantime is so watered down that it has no taste to it. The unforgivable thing is, we did not even get our edomame and a couple of our ready made dishes for 40+ minutes. Serivice is lousy. The two waitresses have no sense of service. Never come to change our plates, add tea etc. until you almost finished your meal. Strange thing is while the male owner is busy at the sushi bar, the female owner just looks on, completely oblivious to the "sufferings" of her patrons. I hope they have sky high profit margins in this place! Because the owners clearly missed the concept that profitability in a restaurant depends mostly on the turn of the tables. Either way, do not reward bad service with your patronage no matter the quality of the food because service is part of the experience as well. read more

We like this place! Sushi is good, not excellent, but good. Ok to great service. Better some nights than others

This is my go to spot for sushi outside of the city. I love sitting at the bar, it's relaxing and quiet and the chefs are very friendly. After only two visits they already know and greet me. The sashimi is all good, so is the Spider Roll, Four Seasons Roll, and my personal favorite the Mita Roll. read more

We have been going to Blue Ginkgo for almost ten years and it never fails to disappoint. It truly is an institution in Lafayette and the staff is so wonderful and friendly. We have never tried something we didn't like and the fish is incredibly fresh. Whenever our family visits from London, they request eating at Blue Ginkgo at least a few times before they leave! Their tempura is incredible. I can't eat it anywhere else because it is never as good as it is here. We also love the Dragon Roll and the Spicy Scallop nigiri, along with pretty much everything else! read more

Overpriced and not impressed with the service. I came with a party of four and I ordered a bowl of the Atlantic Salmon and udon. Everyone else in my group ordered sushi. The noodles came out first probably because they made it in the kitchen. We waited for about ten minutes and still no sushi. I decided to start eating as to not have my soup go cold and it wasn't until I was halfway through my bowl of noodles that 2 out of 3 rolls showed up to the table. Another 10 minutes go by before we can finally get the server's attention to ask about the third roll. By the time the third roll showed up we had all finished eating. The soup was watery and bland with nothing other than a hunk of salmon and some udon and broccoli. The fish in the rolls were fresh, so that earned this place a second star in my book. read more

This is by far my favorite Sushi place! My family has been going here for 13yrs and they know us by name. Our kids love it too! Everyone is so nice there and the food is amazing! Try the spicy crunchy yellowtail rolls! Yum! read more

My favorite go-to sushi restaurant. Great location, I always feel welcomed, and the food is exceptional. I go for the sushi and it's ALWAYS fresh. The staff and the sushi chefs are extremely courteous and friendly. read more

It's ok, but not great. I don't know how else to describe it. The food is never offensive, but it didn't do much either. I never add or cook with salt, but the food was under-seasoned even for me. I like it, but it's underwhelming. read more

I love Blue Ginko. My favorite rolls are the Golden Gate, Rainbow Roll and the Volcano Roll. I've been going there for years and will drive up there from Dublin to get my sushi fix. It is a small restaurant and can be busy at peak meal times. read more

Very nice, hidden, small spot in Lafayette for fresh and inventive sushi. I've been once before but forgot about this place until a few days ago. Sashimi was fresh, firm and delicious - I'm not a huge Roll fan but this place offers some interesting takes on creative rolls (Jalapeno Roll was the special on the night that I visited). It was pretty busy on a Monday night yet the service at the bar was quick, efficiant and frendly. The price was right as well. I highly recommend for a simple sushi meal read more

Overall outstanding- started with the soft shell crab mini plate which was good. Loved Hamichi(yellow tail) best in the bay - spicy scallops really tasty - lion king was also a hit read more

I work close to this restaurant and they regularly get deliveries before they are open for business. 4 times, including this morning, I've noticed deliveries with frozen and refrigerated product sitting in front of their door for hours. Here's a photo from today: http://i.imgur.com/Zu5pJ.jpg. Today's delivery had some kind of milk product, as well as frozen stuff. It's really gross and the next time I see it I'm going to call the health department. read more

Holy moly.The mediocre food is SO OVERPRICED it makes me mad! I ordered an udon soup to go and a sushi roll, and was surprised by the bill - $32 plus tax! The soup was NOT good - broth uninteresting and almost tasteless, the chicken was WAY over cooked and therefore incredibly dry and then there were a few pieces of broccoli. $16!!! For water with dry chicken! I am used to paying $7 or $8 for delicious udon soup - there's no way it should be $16, even if it was really good. And the roll was also $16 - it was fine, nothing special. For $16 it had better be a flavor sensation! I am never going back. I like supporting local restaurants, but will not pay this kind of premium for below average food. read more

We went here last night only because our "regular" sushi place, Joe's Sushi, had a line out the door. The Blue Gingko is not really a sushi place. Oh, it has a sushi bar, all right, but the sushi chefs focus on preparing box after box of take-out sushi, ignoring the actual customers sitting in front of them at the bar. But you don't order from the chefs; you order from servers who seem very annoyed that you are disturbing them. It might have helped if they had not seated 6 "tween" girls and their toddler brother at the sushi bar). Prices were considerably higher than at Joe's, but more importantly that sushi was not good. I'm sure it was fresh - it's not that - but every single thing we had was sweet to some degree. Yech. We started with the fried oyster (I know, not really sushi) - it was served with some horrible sauce that was loaded with 5 spice powder and sugar or honey or something. Next we had poke. We LOVE poke. This was served with rice cracker chips - but the poke was sweet! WTF? They we ordered the sea bass, served with pink peppercorns. Anywone familiar with these knows that they are sweet - so we weren't surprised by that. It was served with a citrus sauce. The combination sounded delicious, and it would have been, but they put something sweet into the citrus sauce! Then we ordered some spicy rolls - all had some degree of sweetness. The service was terrible; our server had to squeese past me and she saw my empty wine glass - Rob said she looked at it two times - but never asked whether I wanted another. One thing for sure; this place made us appreciate Joe's Sushi even more. But don't go there! We don't want the crowds to keep us out ever again! (P.S. - Joe's customer service is beyond fantastic and their food is just as good. But please, please - stay away! Away, I say! read more

Looking for a nice, quick dinner on a Wednesday night after a long day. Thought we'd give this place a try since we heard it was good and sushi seemed like a good idea. WRONG. We ordered two rolls and a dinner (grilled shrimp and scallops). The dinner plate came out first and the shellffish were few and lukewarm at best. Nearly 20 minutes later the sushi rolls appeared; one was supposed to be a spicy hamachi roll but was clearly a non-spicy white albacore roll. WHen this was brought to the waitress's attention, a stone wall of denial was what we got instead of an apology and correcting the mistake. BTW, this was about 8pm with the restaurant less than half full so there was no reason for the slow service and mistakes except incompetence or arrogance or not caring. Doesn't really matter anymore bec we are never going back. There are way too many nice restaurants who genuinely want your business and deliver a tasty product, instead of an insult to your intelligence. Judging from recent reviews, ours is not the only bad experience. read more

Best sushi place ever. Amazing quality and freshness of all their food! I highly recomend the crouching tiger roll and 'm not sure why this place doesn't have five stars but it should read more

Have been to BG a few times. We took the family there tonight and my husband and I both have food poisoning. We called to let them know. Didn't ask for our money back. Just wanted them to know we thought it was the tuna. Owner was defensive and said we are wrong. She told us food poisoning takes 4-5 hours to hit. FYI Beware! read more

The shrimp tempura roll is the best in the area. They also have amazing ginger dressing for their salads. The chicken teriyaki is very moist, and they also have amazing coconut rice. Really good sushi!! read more

A great place for lunch! Roberta & I beat the crowd for an 11:45 am lunch. We took the advice of many Yelpers and ordered the spinach dish - cooked spinach with a creamy sesame dressing - good call...it was delicious! We also split one of the daily special sushi rolls - the Haru Maki - cucumber, avocado, salmon, hamachi, and tuna - it was huge, so we each got 4 large pieces! And so fresh and satisfying! Perfect for lunch! read more

I really like this place! I love sushi and have eatten at plenty of places. I love the Gom-ae spinach ,the white garlic tuna sashimi and hand rolls of anything I ask for. The staff are nice if your nice back. It's pricey but I always get fresh cuts of fish. I guess I've been lucky. I am addicted to this place!!Mmmmmmmmmm and the Sake...... read more

Unique & Delicious offerings as far as appetizers go. Try the sprouts. Great mixed garden salad with tasty dressing. They make some pretty good rolls as well (but they are definitely on the generic side). Very attentive & kind wait staff. I will definitely eat here again. Bottom line-quality clean food. A little more originality would earn this place a 5-star from me. Enough with the Volcano Roll. read more

We miss BLUE GINGKO more than EVER having relocated to the East Coast. The sushi restaurants here (for the most part) lack freshness, flavor, and excitement (like Ginko's infusion of tropical fruits). As for their being racist, this is blatant nonsense! I find it interesting that J.W.'s profile states that "Asian is the new blond" whilst make a claim that this establishment is racist. Blue Gingko, nor any of its other contributing customers, have made any similar racial claims or statements. Someone sounds a little bitter to me. Besides, who gives one star reviews and claims "racism" twice? Why did he/she go back if he/she was so offended in the first place? Weird. I think a competitor has been trying to soil this establishment's reputation. NOT TO DIGRESS, Blue Gingko is well worth your visit, biracial, bisexual, or whatever you may be. So long as you like GOOD, QUALITY SUSHI, you'll have NO PROBLEM here! read more

Visit the restaurant for the best sushi in town, and the best wait staff around. They are efficient, friendly and familiar with their customers. Great food, easy access and a great place to eat. read more

This is our go-to sushi place in the East Bay. The sushi is fresh and beautifully prepared. We love the spicy crunchy yellow tail, the tuna tartar on crispy rice toasts, We also always start with the gyoza and finish things off with a selection of nigiri. It's not the cheapest, but it's definitely the best in the area. My husband and I come here at least once a month. Yum! read more

OK, so I'm japanese so I'm pretty critical of japanese restaurants, I know how it's supposed to taste. I usually don't trust Yelp reviews because either the reviewers don't know anything about the cuisine they're reviewing, so they think anything is good, or they are just too generous so everything gets 4 stars. Blue Ginko rates a 2-3 stars. Went there a few days ago only because my mom who lives in Lafayette wanted to go there. This is actually the second time I've been there. Once we were seated my Mom said the menu had changed so perhaps they have recently changed chefs or ownership? I asked the server if the chef was japanese, she said, no, he's filipino and the owner is chinese. Now, I don't subscribe to the "genetic theory of japanese cooking", i.e. "you must be japanese to make great japanese food" I don't believe there's a genetic component to making food from any particular cuisine. If you're a professional chef and you were properly trained and you have the right attitude then you can be as good as anyone. But the fact that there were mushrooms in the misoshiro was an early sign that things were not quite right. I have noticed that some of the servers can be less than friendly, bordering on rude. Both my mom and ordered the sushi/nigiri combo. $18. It was ok, not spectacular. A bit overpriced considering what we got. 1 piece of maguro nigiri, 1 piece of shiro-maguro nigiri, 1 piece of ebi nigiri, 1 piece of sake nigiri, and 6 pieces of maguro tekka maki. One thing that bothered me was the fact that they charged me $3 for a side order of rice. I guess I'm spoiled by going to places like Kirala. So, sorry Blue Gingko (I noticed there was a framed recommendation from Diablo Magazine prominently displayed giving them a high rating) Like a lot of restaurants they may be coasting on a high rating they got in the past. Scott read more

Way too expensive! I've tried it a few times to rule out a down night, but the fish is just OK, and not worth the $ ($7 for an order of hamachi???) No fault to them, but I believe the service is a bit out of whack because they're not Japanese (hint) and won't speak to each other in front of the customers - lack of communication equals long waits...Tachibana over in Rockridge has better fish for about half the price... read more

so I have to give them a four even though, yes, their service sucks, they always get the order wrong, and they're very pricey. unfortunately, its the best, freshest sushi in lamorinda. been going for years and always try to order to go to avoid the terrible wait and service. what can you do? it's hard to find decent sushi in lamorinda! read more

Sushi presentation was excellent, service was personal and entertaining. The Alaska roll was amazing and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the spicy crunchy yellow tail! The price is fair not a steal, for the quality. read more

I have to say that the service is not always fast but it has always been courteous. It is small and always busy so I just keep this in mind when you head over. The food is wonderful and I was excited to hear that they are opening a new place in Walnut Creek. read more

Really fresh fish, inventive combinations and friendly people. It's crowded but still workable and the service is good. Recommend especially the Mita roll, volcano and they do tuna appetizers in several different styles. Truly excellent food. read more

One of my favorite sushi places!!! Try the volcano roll and spicy yellow tail roll! Very fresh fish and casual atmosphere!

Simply the freshest sushi in the area. The portions are crazy good, the service is lovely and the sushi is fantastic. It's very clean without an antiseptic smell. I've been going here for over ten years and I have NEVER had a bad experience. read more

Sushi wasn't excellent but it was definetely worth the money. Good place to stop by and get a quick bite to eat

This place is my local sushi place for a reason. The staff is always nice, the fish is extremely fresh and always excellently prepared, and they have a decent (if not extensive) collection of Sake's. Their lunch menu is good as well. The resteraunt itself is kinda a hole in the wall in a old strip mall, but its always clean and parking is easy. (For now, there about to build a whole foods which is going to make parking a living hell for all the small businesses in the area.) There aren't that many tables, and they are a little bit close together, but the quality of the food makes up for it. In my opinion its the best sushi in the Lamorinda/Walnut Creek area, at least comparing it to the likes of Miraku and Niwa and such. It is a little expensive, but it's in Lafayette so thats kinda to be expected. read more

Ugh, the most horrible service I've had in awhile. The food was just ok and over priced.

A superior dining experience. Great salad, excellent edamames, and the sushi was superior. Service flawless. Warm, cozy atmosphere. Golden Gate roll was excellent. read more

we come here twice a week at least (your welcome;). the tuna tartare is fantastic and my wife's favorite, so we come here twice a week, more if i need to throw sugar her way.. the salmon skin handroll is delicious as is the crunchy hamanchi roll. good tempura. nice folks serving and also behind the ginzu knife..get's packed, so order ahead for takeout. read more

Great sushi close to home. Fresh, delicious, excellent service.

Have always loved the sushi here. It was a favorite for my whole family when we lived in Lafayette. We still visit Lamorinda periodically to see friends and always make time for the Blue Gingko! read more

Unbelievable sushi... Diablo roll was my personal favorite.. Nice staff too