Man what is with my terrible luck with sushi restaurants lately?? We arrived and checked into the yelp waitlist tablet at the front that said there's a 9-20 min wait, which didn't seem bad. Well, we waited for around an hour outside in the cold before we were seated, and heard several other customers complain about the misleading wait estimates too. But what bothered me the most was seeing how we were next in line for a while, but the staff ended up skipping over our name multiple times before they finally chose to seat us. There was one name who was called several times over a span of 30 min, and they actually waited for them to finally show up instead of letting someone else eat first. Then, when we finally made it inside, we couldn't exactly warm up either when they left the door wide open and let all the cold air in. I ordered the 7 piece handroll set ($69.95). Although seated right at the sushi bar, they didn't come out one at a time, and came in plates of 3, 2, 2. The portion sizes were quite generous, and had a good variety of different toppings. However, every time I took a bite, all the toppings would pop right off the top of the handroll and make a mess. Of all the handroll restaurants I've been to, this is the only one where I've had this issue. Not sure if it's because they used too much rice or the nori was too soggy to make clean and crisp bites, but the mess certainly ruined the experience a bit. My husband ordered the 10 piece nigiri set ($49) and the only comment he had was that the uni tasted bitter. read more

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First time dining at butterfish we came on a Saturday 1:30 pm! Service was amazing our servers were super attentive and the vibes were 10/10. The place isn't that big but loved the interior especially the fall ceilings. Food: We got the smoked hamachi roll 8/10, umi masu lover roll 10/10, and the truffle butterfish roll 8/10. We added the chefs 10 pc nigiri set which was good but didn't blow me away 6.5/10. Overall I would def come back for their rolls next time will try their handrolls and inari pockets. Fish was fresh and portions were huge! read more

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Such a cute little place with great service and delicious food. Came here with my kiddo, so had some simple rolls and just a couple nigiri, and even those few things were awesome. I can't wait to come back to try more nigiri. I had the escolar and yellowtail belly and they were amazing! My son made sure to tell the chef his California roll was a 10 out of 10 read more

Butterfish Sushi - Escolar and yellowtail toro nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This spot has some fireeeee I loveeeeed the scallop and uni I will definitely be back for more ;) read more

Butterfish Sushi - Scallop and uni - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Very good. I got their food delivered so I cannot give 5 stars because I don't know what in house dining is like, but the sushi was very tasty. I would certainly order again. read more

This place was clean and pretty upscale, but dang is it pricey. Came for lunch and wanted some tasty sushi but also tried not spending $50+ for weekday lunch. Ended up getting a 5 PC inari packet and man it was delicious. Can't even remember all I got (chef's choice), but I thoroughly enjoyed each one. Service was top notch, place was nice and trendy on the inside, but I did end up spending nearly $10 a pocket after tip. Maybe I'm just not the intended cliente for this spot, but it is tasty. read more

Butterfish Sushi - Inari pockets - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

From the absence of the traditional "irasshaimase", being shouted upon entering the restaurant, the order in which the dishes were served, to the random house music playing in the background, not to mention forgetting my order. This was not a "traditional" Japanese restaurant. I was concerned about the quality of the food we were about to be served. To my surprise, the quality of the fish and its preparation were spot on. It was a little pricy, but let's not forget we're in Berkeley. Butter Fish is still relatively new, so they have plenty of time to correct these minor issues, such as timing and getting orders correct. PS, the manager graciously removed the missed item from our bill, still allowing us to experience their delicious Chawanmushi. BB read more

This is a special place. The sushi was exceptional. I encourage people to order items they usually don't order. The chef specials are truly masterpieces. They serve fresh wasabi most pieces of fish; it makes every bite something special. The restaurant is tiny but worth the wait and nice interior. Sit at the bar if you can, front row to chef preparing beautiful plates. read more

Butterfish Sushi - Wagyu and chutoro - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Since this opened it was on top of my list to try. So glad my girlfriend and I tried this and it was beyond amazing! I am blown away. Lets start with the presentation and ambiance. Wow! The napkin to clean your hands the moment you sit down is such a nice touch. The ambiance feels a bit romantic, yet incredible quaint and clean. The crustiny is beyond any words that I could possibly think of. The salmon that was added was so silky soft and tender and it was great. I probably could've ordered a couple more and just eat this the entire night. I was so beyond please that we ordered 2 each for the both of us. The rolls were also great, and flavorful. The staff was super attentive and so accommodating. Would definitely try to go again and bring my husband. read more

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After a beautiful Sunday hike in Tilden Park my kid had a taste for sushi and Butterfish Sushi wasn't too far from where we were. This was our first time there and I was surprised to see that it wasn't a very large spot but it more than made up for it by having such a chill and trendy vibe (they even play light dance music in the background!) Our hostess was friendly, she was able to get us seated within about 10 minutes, we were just lucky to get there at the right time (for sure with the size of this place make reservations!) We were seated at the counter/bar so we had the perfect view of the sushi chef (it was cool to see him create art one roll at a time!) I'm pretty basic when it comes to my sushi choices so we had California rolls with real crabmeat, a chicken dish with a spicy sauce and teriyaki salmon with rice and a miso salad (the folks next to us was very adventurous and tried a variety of rolls and they all looked delicious!) The portions were nice and each item was more than sharable. The prices were fair considering the area and the quality of food as well as the ambience. This would be a great spot for a date night and or catching up with friends (this place feels like something you'd find in the City.) My kid loved this place and he already wants to go back and to be honest so do I! J read more

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First time trying this place! Came in around 5:40pm on a Friday, we didn't make a reservation ahead so we had to wait a little bit. And luckily we happen to get seated at the bar table that came with a view of the chef and others at work. Getting to watch the chef, closely and upfront, prepping all the food made my dining experience really cool. I absolutely LOVE the escolar tapas. I never really a favorite-Favorite sushi place, but this place made me have one now. The island scallop top uni was also really amazing! Everything is really delicious and top-notch in general. Would visit again . read more

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Wow! Hands Down, the best sushi outside of SF. In Berkeley! Service was amazing and everyone working was helpful with their recommendations. The chef was plating each dish like it was a piece of art. His presentation was simple, and clean. His sauces were perfect on their own... so do not use soy sauce when he adds sauce to your dish. Each plate we had was delicious on their own. I hope you enjoy your visit and don't forget to make reservations since there are limited tables. read more

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10/10 from the chef preparing and giving you recommendations, the attention to detail on presentation and the freshness of the fish. The price is steep but well worth it. It is a small cozy seating inside and the wait is long but come early and you will be able to sit in booth. read more

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Where's the 6th star? Damn, this place is off the hook! Absolutely delicious food. It's basically a big hallway so be prepared to wait, I promise it's worth it. The prices reflect the quality so don't be cheap. read more

Butter Fish is really good and I'd definitely go back. The quality of the fish is solid and everything we tried was well done. It is on the pricier side for students, but for a nice meal or a special occasion, it's worth it. Overall a solid spot with great flavors read more

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A hole in the wall spot with great sushi! Called in day-of to make a reservation for 3 for dinner on a Saturday. We got seated at the bar area. Not a big interior but perfect for a more intimate dinner for 2-3. Service was great. We got warm hand towels before our meal and complimentary edamame. The food took a bit to come out but the inside was full, and we can see the rolls made in front of us. We ordered the bluefin emperor roll, arctic roll, 2 nigiri (10 pc) sets, spicy tuna roll, hamachi collar, and uni nigiri. Overall, the rolls were done well. High quality, buttery fish with the right amount/texture of rice. The hamachi collar was delicious and came with miso soup, rice, arugula salad, and seaweed salad. The nigiri set was overall solid. The scallops, salmon, and halibut nigiri were the favorites. The shrimp nigiri tasted off. We ordered the uni nigiri halfway through and were disappointed that the uni was fridge cold - like they just took it out and served it. Nonetheless, overall, we had a good experience here. read more

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I turned to Yelp needing a lunch option for our family after sake tasting at Takara Berkeley (did you know there's a sake factory across the street and down 2 blocks). For lunch within walking distance, of course Yelp delivered 5-star perfection. Duh, it's called Butterfish, so get the butterfish! Sooooo tasty. One of my favorites. Sushi chefs here know what they're doing. I ordered the Chirashi bowl and all the sashimi was perfect. Everything was delicious on everyone's plate, our family loved it. Super charming small interior, delicious food. The service was friendly and skillled, even though it was lunchtime on her very first day. We'll be back again for sure. read more

My friends and I were in town for a concert and we wanted to treat ourselves to something nice since we live more inland in CA and stumbled across this place on yelp. We Ubered 20 minutes to get there and were told they were packed with upcoming reservations but they said they can see what they can do which you can tell they were busy when we showed up and would have understood either way! They ended up getting us a table (for 6) and making the reservations work in their back room. When I tell you this was the yummiest, freshest, most beautifully plated sushi, I am not lying! Everyone kept raving about our dinner there for the rest of the night and the whole next day! We highly recommend the saki from their specials list - second one down read more

Butterfish Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Chances are you likely won't be on a walkabout this far down University. This is the end of the stretch that people travel to get to places at one end or the other. So chances that you'll spy Butterfish on a stroll are slender. Ok. I can't help it. Butterfish. Butter fish. Use it in a sentence. "I loved the service and the cute interior, butter fish was to die for!" There. I feel better now. Oysters, salmon sashimi and nigiri, a simple Indian roll. Because it was so hot last weekend and my body didn't want to eat. It didn't want to do anything. But a body must eat so that's what was ordered here. All delicious. One cold Asahi to wash it down. Service was super welcoming and on point. Space is small, though that ensures personalized attention. Definitely worth the trip. read more

We stopped by on a whim and were delighted by the experience. The service was excellent--welcoming, attentive, and efficient from start to finish. Dan was our server and truly made the evening; his recommendations were spot-on. We ordered the albacore tapas plate, which was outstanding, along with the smoked hamachi roll and a few other rolls. The portions were generous, everything was incredibly fresh, and every dish was delicious. We'll definitely be back. read more

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This just became one of my favorite sushi spots in the Bay Area. We ordered the chirashi, smoked hamachi roll, and the Atlantic roll. The smoked hamachi roll was so delicious and the presentation was amazing. We also ordered the Summer Fall Breeze Bubbles Sake. It was so light and sweet. The service was amazing and the restaurant was so cute! I would definitely come back! read more

Butterfish Sushi - Chirasi bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I went here for Memorial Day dinner. My dining companion and I were blown away by the quality of food, and the service was outstanding. Everyone was very attentive and genuinely friendly. We had the bluefin tuna tartare to start. You are given strips of seaweed to wrap everything in. I was a little awkward, and should have asked for tips on how to properly roll it, but that's my fault. The ingredients were great. Everyone mentioned in other reviews the smoked hamachi roll, and it was my favorite of the meal. We also had the nigiri sampler and added a California roll because we were still hungry. This place is pricey compared to other Berkeley places, but every bite is an adventure, and the service was among the best I've had in the Bay Area. I'm definitely coming back. read more

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This was some of the most gorgeous sushi I have ever seen. And the quality was exceptional. I only wish I had discovered Butterfish sooner!

Second time here. First table they sat us at was dirty- like filthy. We came back for the crab over albacore. That's why the second star. It's delicious. Everything else was gross. The crab crostini was so covered in sauce it was incredible. Hard pass. read more

Glad we called ahead of time to make a reservation for 6 since the place is pretty small and can only probably handle one large group. The freshness, quality, and QUANTITY of fish is probably one of the best in the Bay Area. The thickness of the slices of fish and eel we had was WOW. The hamachi belly and negitoro were our favorites out of the nigiri. Other people in our group ordered the uni and was a show stopper when we saw the sheer amount. The only downside was they only serve sake by the glass not by the bottle which made it more expensive for drinks since we had a larger party. read more

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Amazing food always. I love the saki here and the toro. Also, the oysters were off the charts. read more

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A small cozy space. A sushi bar that probably fits 8 people and 4 tables (of 2) ppl. Not very good for big parties or family-friendly. A place to come with your girlfriend to chitchat. Vibes are trendy and chill. The miso soup has good umami flavor. Tartare or Artic roll didn't really stand out for me. I would say the fish is pretty fresh. My kiddo enjoyed the Saba dinner. A nicely seared and grilled Saba with good flavor. The inari rolls were the winner of the night. Similarly to a handroll concept but in an inari tofu skin instead. The freshness of the fish overall is what keeps the rating up. Parking is limited but if you're patient you can score street parking right in front. Customer service was a bit lackluster. I'm not sure if they were busy but the waitress gave us the bill without asking if we were done or needed dessert. Didn't really care to ask if we needed a high chair for our toddler. Other than that I'd be back if I had a sushi craving. read more

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It seems like the Bay produces sushi restaurants ad infinitum, so while competition is fierce, I do hope Butterfish becomes a mainstay. The recently opened Butterfish is a notch above your casual sushi establishment but still cheap enough to not be considered an expensive meal (by Bay standards). My party dined here on a Saturday night at 6, apparently right before they drew the dinner crowd as foot traffic really started to increase around 6:30. We ordered a few dishes to share, namely, the chawan mushi, Alaskan roll, rainbow / bara don, miso black cod, and a Chirashi. While pricy, the fish quality is admittedly good and you do get what you pay for. The service is also awesome; our waiter was attentive and even kindly let us drink the Asahi beer on display as it was out of stock otherwise. I won't say their food is to kill for, but if you're in the Berkeley area fixing to try something new, perhaps give them a try. read more

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Delicious SUSHI! Nigiri was also very fresh! Service was really sweet and the ambiance was so chill and really nice. Looking forward to coming back! read more

Although I used Yelp/Open Table to make reservations online for 8pm, the restaurant didn't seat us until after 8:30. There was a kiosk at the door to add your name to the waiting list, but it already showed my name on the waitlist "via Yelp", but that didn't seem to matter at all. It was really confusing. It also didn't seem like the servers or hosts were going outside to check on the waitlist and the folks waiting to be seated at all. Some people left because they got tired of waiting. I didn't realize how small the place was until I got inside. It probably only seats 20 people, and it's fairly tight. We got bumped into and we couldn't avoid bumping into others. Our server never brought us water and seemed to forget about us. The workflow of the restaurant seemed chaotic and inefficient. I'm not sure if it's due to the tight space or being a newish restaurant, but it felt jarring. Sometimes the server took our order, sometimes it was someone else... sometimes the chef? It was unclear what the actual process was supposed to be. The food itself was delicious. The quality was fresh and the flavors and textures were complimentary. We ordered miso soup, edamame, one of the special rolls, an Atlantic roll, and the tasting spoons (4). Note to self: tasting spoons are not for sharing. There was no way to do it. I tried to pick at it with my chopsticks so my date could have the other half, but the chef seemed to scold us by leaning over and said it's supposed to be one bite. What is the most polite way to share one bite of fish on a spoon? No good answer here; order with the intention of eating all 4 spoons by yourself. read more

Pros: solid and unique menu, beautiful space, easy parking Cons: space is small so reservations are a good idea I ate solo here a few days and I'm glad that I happened to find this unique spot on Yelp! I ordered the ocean trout special which included nigiri and sashimi as well as a hamachi collar bento box special that included soup and salad. The hamachi collar is an old go-to for me at any sushi spot and the fish was well-prepared. The only thing missing was a tangy dipping sauce for the fish. Salad and miso soup were spot on. The ocean trout was excellent both in portion size and taste. I didn't try the drink menu but there also seems to be an extensive wine, sake, and beer list. The restaurant is tiny, a small bar and limited high-top seating as well as outdoor tables (although you're right on University just a few blocks from the highway so that's not super pleasant). Either come very early or make reservations. Definitely recommended! read more

Greeted by sushi chefs and host upon arrival. Sat at bar which made it super fun. Variety of dishes, ordered mostly sashimi. Delish. Loved the vibe. read more

Butterfish Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Pros: Ambiance was great, i loved the hole-in-the-wall, intimate setting. Service was top notch, the servers constantly checked in on us and made sure everything was going well. Sashimi was pretty fresh which was nice and they had a good selection. Cons: really long wait for food that didn't feel worth that long of a wait. We had a resy at 730pm and we didn't get in until 810pm, which felt a bit ridiculous given that we had a reservation. Food also took a while to come out. Crostini: 5/5 best thing we got! It had the perfect flavor combo and textures. Definitely recommend this one, i was very happy with this one Arctic roll:2/5 there wasnt any flavoring and it didn't taste like anything besides the fish. I'm a little disappointed with this one since it looked promising. The roll was also pretty small Bluefin tuna emperor roll: 4/5 really good! Flavoring was nice balance and the sashimi was really fresh. Nigiri set: 5/5 really fresh and good selection of sashimi. What you expect out of a good nigiri set read more

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Sushi was so fresh - like butter!! Had a lovely experience. Definitely an upscale vibe without the price tag. Loved watching the sushi get made right in front of us. It was a lovely experience I'd definitely go back read more

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This is such a cute little sushi restaurant, I don't think I had ever seen it and yet I pass by it all the time! My dad is in town for my birthday, so we went to get sushi here - we went with the chefs choice sushi platter, which has some of the most delectable, melt in your mouth sashimi and nigiri I have ever had in my life. The service was also the perfect balance of being attentive without hovering, available for answering questions, but I never felt rushed. Also, I really enjoyed the music, which was electronic covers of 80s songs! I think this is a great place to go get really good sushi if you're with either one special person, or a very small group (seating is limited - we got a reservation, and if you wanted to make sure that you would get seated, I would recommend that. That said, there was seating at the bar!) read more

I loved this spot when it first opened- but after the last 3 visits it's unfortunately time for me to admit they've changed for the worse. Their umi masu lover roll for example has even gone as far to substitute cucumber for avocado even though it still lists it as such on the menu. The service is not great also- but that's always been the case. Similar with the overly hot temperature they keep the inside at. Oh well. On to the next one. read more

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I had a really great experience here. I tried the tasting spoon and the handroll set, both chosen by the chef, and everything was super well put together. I came in later in the evening, close to closing, but never felt rushed. Even without a reservation, I was able to get a seat in a reasonable amount of time. The space is small and cozy, with a really nice vibe. Prices were surprisingly fair, too. Definitely one of those spots you could see yourself coming back to often. read more

The ambiance, service and food were exceptional! Sushi here is fresh, innovative and beautifully plated. The vibe gives date night. The pricing is reasonable for this level of dining. I love butterfish as a sushi and not many places serve it. Adding it as one of the go-tos. read more

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It was a pretty small place so the only thing that takes a while is waiting for a to go order when it's busy. But that's 100% understandable. I wasn't hungry when trying this role but jt was very tasty!! I appreciate when a place really does use real crab. It was very soft and the flavor was just spot on. Great food on this street read more

Butterfish Sushi - California rolls real crab - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

New sushi spot in Berkeley. We came in with a large group for the soft opening on Sunday. The staff was wonderful but I think they are still figuring things out. The food came out a bit slow and we had to remind staff about a few orders. The food was incredible! Quality, presentation, freshness. This spot served some of the tastiest oysters I have ever had. I would come back just to order them! The menu is also unique for a sushi place because they have Inari. I like the clean design of this space and the Aesop products in the bathroom are always a win for me. This place is full of potential and I can't wait to come back. read more

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