Came around 7 pm on a Saturday and waited maybe ~15 mins for a seat at the sushi bar. It's street parking but wasn't hard to find a spot! I got the omakase and my partner got the chirashi bowl-- the fish really impressed us! each bite was buttery, and the flavors all melded well together. We also ordered a second order of the scallop nigiri with snow crab-- a highlight for us! We shared an appetizer of scallops with uni, sooo good. I would come back to try other menu items! read more

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Best way to end 2025! I've been to Thai Table many times and always loved the food, so when I found out Butterfish has the same owner, I had to try it--and wow, best sushi in town. We came with a group of 8 to celebrate the last day of the year. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, and the staff was so welcoming and accommodating. Our waitress, Pui, was super sweet and gave us amazing menu recommendations. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. I can't believe I waited this long to come here. Can't wait to come back again. Thank you, Butterfish, for making our celebration special and helping us welcome 2026! read more

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Loved the ambiance and the fresh fish. My fiancé and I's favorite date night outing, I cannot tell you how satisfied we are from the tapas to dessert! The staff is very kind and we love getting a seat at the counter. read more

- Ochazuke The broth in the Ochazuke had a delicate yet flavorful umami depth. The salmon was tender and lightly crispy on the outside, pairs perfectly with the rice, made each bite incredibly comforting. - Inari Sushi Trio This unique take on inari sushi was a standout! Including spicy tuna with tobiko, snow crab with shredded chilli threads, and yellowtail with tobiko. Every bite was sweet, savory and flavorful. It was a creative and flavorful dish that I'd definitely order again. - Tuna Rolls Classic tuna rolls with the tobiko adding a nice pop, making it both light and satisfying. - Matcha Cheesecake The matcha cheesecake was incredibly smooth, with a well-balanced earthy matcha flavor that wasn't overly sweet. Overall, Butterfish delivered high-quality ingredients, thoughtful presentation, and excellent flavors. The staff were friendly and warm. The restaurant has a cozy yet stylish setting. However, it's on the pricier end, the total ended up about $95 with tax and tips for this meal. read more

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Recommend making a reservation through Yelp. I joined the wait-list in person, but that ended up putting us on a lower priority. I saw another reviewer complained about the opposite experience last month so I guess the establishment may have overcompensated to try to keep it even. Anyway, I would've left this part alone, but several wait listed diners openly commented about this to the owner. Things were okay after we did get seated. They gave us complimentary snacks while we waited. We ordered their nigiri and hand roll sets. Deep down I was hoping it comes with uni AND it did! The downside was that the uni had a bitter aftertaste. The rest of the set was okay... A couple of good pieces... I wish they used sweet shrimp instead of the regular one though. This was a different experience. It's not your typical quiet sushi restaurant. They have loud music playing, but the chefs all seem to be unfazed. I'm not 100% against this - just that it wasn't my thing. I'm giving a 3 star for the overall experience. It's really a YMMV situation here. Hope y'all have a better experience! read more

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Very Creative and Friendly. Not Expensive And Great ambiance I will Definitely be back. read more

Absolutely loved both visits to this terrific restaurant, and it's definitely top five now -- of the hundreds I've been to The service was good, but the creativity and quality of the dishes is wonderful. The fish was very good and the combination of flavors they put together are what really makes this place special. The style and decorations are also really nice, and help you feel how special this place is. read more

I've gone to this place probably 3 times the past 2 months and every single time, it does not disappoint! Having a meal here is definitely more than eating, but a whole experience. I always prefer sitting at the sushi bar because watching the sushi chef prepare the food makes me even more amazed. Now to the food, I am a sushi lover. When I say, this is by far the best high quality sushi I've had in the bay area, i definitely stand by it. My favorite part about sitting by the bar is that the sushi chef gets to tell me what's the freshest fish they have for the day which is very helpful on what to order. My top favorites; oysters, salmon skin roll, blue fin tuna sashimi, handroll set, smoked hamachi truffle roll, and salmon belly nigiri! Love the aesthetic of the place as well, a little bit small in size but cozy! The music can get a little loud, but I kinda like the energy it gives the place. Everytime I come to dine, they always remember me and are very thoughtful & nice :) & I've always gone during weekdays & wait time has not been an issue. read more

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Absolutely fantastic -- worth the wait but highly recommend making a reservation. The albacore on snow crab was life changing and the uni on scallops were divine. Will be back next time we're in town! It's definitely a date or girls' night out place even though it's quite small. read more

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I OD'ed on O-toro here. Lunch was a cool $50, but the quality of the sashimi was very excellent. My gf eats high end sushi Much more often than I do, and her lunch set her back a cool $75, because nigiri , hand rolls, and sashimi slices run smaller than average at this small sushi joint--- Still, for a bistro-type atmosphere, I know now to expect to pay $10-15 more, but the ineffable satisfaction of having really good fish stands out for me! read more

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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Everything was 5 stars - the hosts, food runners, servers to the quality and detail of the dishes. We will definitely be back. 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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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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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

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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I made a 12:30 reservation for a family of four. We were the second party there as it was early-ish, but the small but cozy space filled up quickly around 1:00. Water was served as expected; however, I did not expect hot towels so it was a pleasant surprise. I ordered the 10 pc omakase cuz you gotta, my big kid ordered the chirashi bowl, my lil one had the salmon teriyaki (cuz not trying to be broke by introducing my 3yo to sushi), and my husband ordered the unagi don. We split a negihama roll, pacific roll, and negitoro nigiri. Ordered 4 drinks and it was around $300 with tip. The variety and the flavor combinations of the omakase was well rounded and eclectic and the quality of the fish was excellent. I do wish the server told me what each fish was and what topped each fish. It made for a nice guessing game. Beautiful presentation, nonetheless. My husband was a little less amused with his unagi don that awkwardly arrived in a long plate rather than a bowl. He liked the unagi but left much of the rice since it was sopped in sauce. Big kid inhaled his chirashi bowl in minutes without saying a word so that's a great indication of how much he enjoyed it. Lil one did not finish her meal but we all picked at the salmon teriyaki and it was cooked well, not overly sauced. The rolls we ordered were good, though I did find the rolls too loose so I would probably stick to ordering nigiris. The rice was seasoned well-- not too vinegary or sweet. Fish was cut perfectly. The ratio of fish to rice was uneven but I don't mind having less rice if it means I get to eat more fish. All in all, I am always on the lookout for reasonably priced sushi spots, and while I don't consider this place reasonably priced, for the quality of fish -- it's worth the money spent. 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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Staff was great! The food OMG delicious! The fish was so fresh every bite tasted like butter. The really wasabi and their home made pickled something on top of fish. This is by far my new favorite sushi spot. Truly a hidden gem! read more

Butterfish Sushi - Real wasabi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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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

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

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

This place is legit! Not a lot of seating, but when you do sit down, service is impeccable and the food is AMAZING. We ordered the pacific roll, the Indian roll, and the chicken bites. Everything was so good. Can't recommend enough! read more

Butterfish Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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

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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Food was amazing!!! First time here and I was blown away by the rolls! Especially one of their hamachi ones, I think it may have truffle oil in it...it was so unique. And the service was great, the staff was so kind. My first time here and my new favorite! Made my Mother's Day read more

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

Small restaurant. Good food and nice staff /service, but had better for the price of everything. read more

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Had a good experience at Butterfish Sushi. The sushi was fresh, nicely presented, and everything we ordered tasted really good. The place had a nice relaxed vibe and the service was friendly. It did take a little longer than expected when it got busy, but overall we enjoyed our meal and would come back again. read more

Excellent food. Pleasant surprise. Great service and cool staff. The quality of the fish and other dishes was outstanding

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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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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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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