Iyasare, located on 4th street in Berkeley is an incredible Japanese restaurant. They continually make playful and innovative dishes that push boundaries in the best way. Their flavors and presentation are exquisite. Their aesthetic is clean, modern and Japanese inspired. We love going and sitting outside when the weather is nice. They have heat lamps so you don't get too chilled with the bay breeze. The service is excellent. They are very attentive and gracious. The menu constantly changes but we went to celebrate my new job and here is what we got: -Spicy Miso Edamame ( These were delicious. Perfectly cooked, garlicky and umami) -Mixed Vegetable Tempura (perfectly cooked, super crispy in an umami broth) -Vegetable Shoyu Ramen (delicious, comforting and so fresh) -Okonomiyaki Pancake Ginza Style (this dish wasn't my favorite, it tasted a bit bitter, it was ok but everything else was excellent) -Suzuki Yaki (the sea bass is always my favorite, they cook it perfectly, it's a generous portion and the sides are always so complementary) I highly recommend this restaurant for any reason but definitely for special occasions and fancy dates. read more

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Excellent food with top quality ingredients. The service was great (refilled my tea pot many times). Love the 4th street vibe. read more

Iyasare - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

We had the honor of dining at Iyasare for date night after hearing so many good reviews from friends and family. This place lives up to the hype! Their ramen was amazing.. super rich broth, tender chasu, and fresh veggies. The portion size of the fish in the Ikura Don was definitely on the smaller side.. I left feeling slightly hungry still which is a little disappointing knowing how much we paid. However, at the end, it didn't really matter to me because our overall dining experience was divine. We had the pleasure of having Jackie as our server! She was helpful, knowledgeable, and just an overall an amazing human being! So glad we got to chat with her at the end of our meal. Be prepared to spend some $$$ read more

Iyasare - Japanese Sea Salt Edamame and Chrysanthemum Loose-Leaf Tea - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Great sushi in North Berkeley area. - Burdock fritter is a must try. Definitely add the shrimps. They added to the texture of the dish. - Chirashi bowl: very fresh. It's huge too. - Vegetable curry: decent Japanese curry with a lot of veggies. I would come back to get the fritter again. read more

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3 people in our party got food poisoning, and the staff brushed us off when we called and completely ignored our emails to kindly let them know. We also discovered the "complimentary hot sake" for our birthday girl was added to the bill. For a $635 dinner, we were expecting more professional service and at least a response. Life is too short to eat at places like this. read more

wow. how have I not noticed this place on 4th Street in Berkeley! I'd be a lot more broke if I had I guess lol superior service, amazing and innovative dishes, good sake and cocktail list do not miss the bacon mochi, omg. so good. also okonomiyaki pancake Ginza style. these two were my favorites by far it's not cheap, but don't let that deter you. it's well worth it! seriously, one of the best Japanese dining experiences I've had in the Bay Area (which already has a high bar) read more

Iyasare has been my gastronomical 'happy place' on Fourth Street in Berkeley for years now. The warm and welcoming staff embody authentic hospitality from the moment you arrive. When it comes to consummate customer service, elevated and artful Japanese food and specialty cocktails, Iyasare is at the top of their game! read more

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Iyasare was the epitome of over promising and under delivering. When faced with the menu I was overwhelmed by the options that sounded amazing. I settled on the Genki Salad which listed sweet potatoes and edamame, which were in short supply in tiny undercooked quantities. Moreover, the dressing was nonexistent leaving it a flavorless pile of greens and radishes. When I sent it back (which I am loathe to do, but it was justified), the server suggested the Caesar as a flavorful replacement. Nothing could have been further from the truth. You'd find a more satisfying Caesar at an Olive Garden. Iyasare looked incredible but both salads were bush league and left me wanting in every way. Plus our server was brusque and extended no sympathy for the extremely subpar meal. Two pluses: they took the first salad off the bill without my asking and they are close to a Whole Foods where I got a supplementary meal to fill me up with sweet potatoes that are actually cooked and detectable. Don't let the charming exterior fool you. read more

Iyasare - Genki Salad - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've eaten here a half dozen times or so and it's always been good. Recently however I just came back and holy hell it was horrible. In particular the service was shit. The Asian woman w thick glasses was nonexistent, didn't listen to half the order, forgot multiple items and was barely present the entire time. She happened to show up however near closing, and forgot, yet again, an other item we had ordered or simply wasn't listening....so not sure if the entire place had gone down hill or just our particular experience but when you're told about the "amazing" Michelin starred guest chef and you forget or don't listen or simply don't bring out items bc you're in a hurry I'll err on the side of going down hill. read more

This place is a hidden gem. The sushi is fresh and flavorful, and they have a classy and unique approach to tempura. The feel of 4th street is festive and brightness whether you're dining al fresco on the patio or in the minimalist but modern dining room, you're in for a treat. This is currently my fallacy for sushi, the only way it could be better is an ocean view. Reservations are a bit tricky as they use resi or something like that. It's a small place so I don't recommend walking in as when the app says they're booked, they're booked. read more

I've been here two times and both times have been amazing! I was first introduced to this place when my friend took me here for my birthday. I recently took my brother here for his birthday. Definitely a great spot for a nice meal! I've tried and would recommend all the following items: - Iyasare kakiage tempura: This is a must-try/order appetizer for the table! The best tempura I've ever had. The different dipping powders given on the side adds a nice touch to it. Fried perfectly and it doesn't give off an oily taste - Ocean umami: Beautiful presentation, very fresh and tasty - Sendai hot chicken: It does have a good spicy kick to it and I'm all for it! - Chirashi don: All so fresh! - Geisha, zeitaku, & kazan rolls: Reasonable sized rolls, all delicious Workers were all so welcoming and helpful! For both visits, I asked them for sake recommendations and both bottle purchases did not disappoint. Always convenient when you can make reservations so I highly recommend making one on their website to ensure you get a table and not have to wait! read more

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I try to come here every time I'm on 4th street! I haven't had a single thing there that I didn't absolutely love. The tempura??? Nothing like I've ever had. The miso soup is incredibly flavorful and the agedashi tofu is one of my favorites. I rarely order rolls because the tempura is so filling but I refuse to not order the tempura!! there's an extensive drink menu and the place is small with a very chill vibe. I prefer the outdoor seating when the weather is nice because there's nothing better than a drink, fire food, and Berkeley people watching! read more

Iyasare - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Amazing food and service. Portions are ample and plates are meant to share. I enjoyed their sashimi, sushi and cooked items. Fish is extremely fresh. read more

Iyasare - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Hubbers suggested this place for my birthday lunch. So what's a girl do? Check out their menu, of course, OF COURSE! I found a few interesting plates, but my initial overall impression was... meh. BUT! I'm not one to judge without giving it a try (plus it's been awhile since I last came through this part of Berkeley) so, might as well make a day of it. Made reservations (requested patio seating because we planned on taking the pup with us) and mentioned we were celebrating a birthday. We arrived 15 minutes earlier to allocate extra time to find parking. Still wr barely made it to our reservation time - but don't fret, they will hold your spot for 15 minutes. We were welcomed and seated immediately, pup in tow. Our server acknowledged we were celebrating a birthday, so she offered a glass of champagne. (I welcomed it immediately, of course!) Hubbers put in his cocktail order and we both immediately got to studying the menu. We got it down quickly, though... JAPANESE SEA SALT EDAMAME: Hubbers ordered it spicy, but there was barely any heat at all. They were very tasty, though! Off to a good start! OCEAN UMAMI SALAD: What a pretty dish! It's too bad there were only three bites. But each bite contained explosions of flavor! The freshness of uni, scallops, roe plus the nori purée. I took my time with the bite I got, this is one excellent combination! I wish we got more than three bites, though... SPIDER ROLL: It's a two-in-one for me. I love fried soft shell crabs and wanted a roll at the same time, so this was a perfect choice. Cut in 5 pieces. The rolls are slightly bigger than what I'm used to. The veggies added refreshing taste and texture. Delish. IYASARE KAKIAGE TEMPURA (w/ black tiger shrimp): my fellow Yelpers were raving about this (shrimp is a must have) and it didn't disappoint. I mean, who doesn't like anything fried, and the shrimp as definitely a good idea. Each bite was crispy, crunchy, seasoned well. Didn't even really need the bonito broth/dip. Plenty to share with three or four people. GINDARA: My choice for main. I chose this because I love grilled black cod. I also thought the enoki was a bonus! I was excited to see its final plating but ended up being disappointed when it was delivered: why did it come in broth?! I even had to double check the menu to make sure it was under the"Grill & Sauté" section and I assumed the "gravy" (not sure why it was in quotes) part of it was something on the side. Needless to say, I felt a bit misled. I took a bite of the fish which was good! That part was done right. Then it went downhill from there: the enoki mushrooms were plain, the broth was bland, the roe (as much as I love it) was barely a saving grace. I ordered a side of rice to go with it, but that, too, was a waste. There was way too much going on that the cod just ended up being neglected rather than being the centerpiece of the plate. They completely missed the mark on this. Had they sautéed and seasoned the mushrooms, use it as a bottom layer, top the fish and roe with the micro greens... might have been way better than what I got. I very barely enjoyed this dish, if at all. SAKE & IKURA DON: Hubbers main. Now THIS, is a dish. It tastes better than it looked and it looked really good. He was nice enough to share a few bites, and if I liked it, so did he. Maybe even more than I did. FOOD: 3. 1 for my main dish, 5 for the rest. SERVICE: 5. Our server was fire! VALUE: 2. Pricey. But given location wise... still don't feel like it was worth it. PARKING: Street and public parking lots. Always an issue in these parts. Plan ahead! OVERALL: 3.25. It was a nice setting on a nice day. Good run, but not great. An okay stop overall, mediocre at best. Would I return? That'll depend on a lot of factors, but the biggest challenge here is that I don't live anywhere near here, plus there are plenty of other eats nearby I would much prefer to try first, so... we'll see. read more

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Iyasare is a favorite-- excellent sushi, sashimi and a menu with wide variety including many vegetarian options. My only suggestion is that they get more powerful patio heaters for cold evenings (bring layers if you are dining late outside). read more

Came here on a weekday and got seated in a few minutes. The bowl of ramen we ordered was pretty decent, nothing too special. The highlight of the meal was definitely the lyasare kakiage tempura. The crunchy texture with a subtle salty flavor is so addicting, I recommend! read more

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Great vibes and environment, but just alright food. We were a party of 3 and had a reservation on a Saturday night, and got there a bit early. They didn't seat us until a bit past our reservation time. No issue there as we didn't wait too long after our reservation time. We all love sushi, notably the raw fish stuff, but we all wanted to try a bit of everything. We ordered a couple items to share to start - Bacon Wrapped Mochi - really nice concept. Good texture and flavor. Not bad at all. Looks like you can split a piece in 2, but nope, really difficult to do so. It comes with 4 pieces, so I'd recommended getting multiple orders if there are more than 4 people at the table that wants to try. One of us had 2 pieces of these after failing to dividing the last piece. Spicy Fried Chicken - forgot what the dish was called, but we wanted the full spicy. It was really good; I def felt the spiciness to this! One of the best things that we had here, and it wasn't even the raw stuff. We all ordered the bento dinner that came with a variety of items - various tempura, veggies, sashimi, rolls, etc. I think we were all a bit disappointed with the bento, mostly because the rolls were rather bland and the sashimi was just mediocre. The hot stuff was way better during our night here. We also ordered some drinks, but they didn't arrive. We got our food and we reminded them and they apologize and gave us our drinks and made it up to us that way. That was nice, though we'd prefer to have receive the drinks earlier. Ah well! This was my second visit to Iyasare. The first time I went was for lunch a while back and tried their curry, salmon bowl, and some tea. My thoughts then was, "oh wow, pricey," but their outdoor seating area had some good lighting and great vibes. I enjoyed the environment and their hot food. The salmon bowl years ago was pretty decent, so perhaps it was the night that we went where the raw stuff was just meh. read more

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Food was great and was presented well! I ordered the Tekka Don ($28.50) and a Yuzu Hibiscus Palmer ($8). The fish had a nice, clean flavor; tuna tends to have a grainy, metallic flavor, but this was fatty and rich. I do wish the drink had a little more yuzu in it, though, as it was mostly tea. The desserts looked great, though I didn't order one. I'll have to come back and try it next time. read more

Iyasare - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Food: Variable. A mix of flavors, some of which are truly exceptional.  - Ramen: it was fine and served its purpose. (First order, last year) - Crab Roll: it was served warm and didn't meet my expectations. The warm temperature affected the texture and taste, making it difficult to enjoy. I gaged and regurgitated all of it. This was alarming and unpleasant. (Ordered last year and refunded by diff manager) - Kara-age Chicken was exceptional! The flavors were terrific, and the chicken was deliciously tender. (ordered to go -today) - Veggie Rolls: disappointingly small portion size for the price. Additionally, the take-out tax, tip, and overall prices made the experience not worth it for me. (ordered to go - today) Service: - Attentive, in general, especially from the host. Mandatory tip: - BEWARE OF THIS PRICE GOUGING AND "TAKE OUT GRATUITY" WHEN THERE IS NO SUCH "TAX" FOR DINING IN. Ambiance: - Airy and pleasant, with indoor and outdoor seating options. read more

Iyasare - SMALL PORTION SIZE COST $24 !! - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Just the freshest, most authentic Japanese food w/ best service and ambiance - really really good

Celebrated our anniversary here tonight. Their special Ocean UmamiHokkaido scallops, ikura caviar, uni, nori puree, ume, shiso were so good - like a party in your mouth. Kids had the Sendai ramen and enjoyed it. My husband had the chirashi. My Hamachi Ikura don was good but I felt that the cuts of fish were the thinnest I've ever had at Iyasare to date. My husband gave me his hamachi from the chirashi and it was definitely thicker than the slices on my bowl. That's my sole feedback area - to make sure their cuts are uniform for the bowls. The Brussel sprouts are addictive and I have to ask how they are cooked. The seasoning is so umami and the sprouts are fresh. The desserts were delicious and I'm glad we ordered both. It's not a restaurant we usually visit with our kids but it is Spring Break and I'm grateful the staff were so accommodating and friendly. read more

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Can't say enough about this place. They have a signature dish written up NYT. I've gone twice. Must make reservations. You will quickly see why. Very popular very pricey very worth it. read more

Took a speaker out to dinner here and it was a definite hit! There's both indoor and outdoor seating, although there isn't heat outside. We decided to sit indoors for that reason. Our waiter, Fernando, was extremely knowledgeable and all of his recommendations were phenomenal. We ordered several dishes for the table, including the Iyasare kakiage tempura with black tiger shrimp. This was my absolute favorite dish. It was as if they took shrimp and made a pancake with the tempura batter instead of coating each of the shrimp in the batter. Just delicious! Both salads were delicious, especially the mekyabetsu. The Brussels sprouts were cooked to perfection! Not too salty, just the right around of umami, yum! I also really enjoyed the teppan yaki. The plate was still sizzling and searing the rice as it was brought to the table, giving the bottom rice a nice crust. It had kimchee too and it was the perfect flavor blend with the steak and veggies. The ramen was good but not great. I didn't appreciate the thickness of the noodles and the broth wasn't anything to write home about, but it was tasty and filling. The pork was delicious though! Finally the drinks were excellent, alcoholic and nonalcoholic! The yuzu Palmer was a big hit at our table, and I really enjoyed their version of a lychee Martini (it's over ice). Will definitely be coming back!! I didn't care for the bacon mochi but the rest of the table enjoyed it. read more

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My husband and I had dinner at Iyasare the Thursday before Christmas. This restaurant is located conveniently on 4th St. in Berkeley. When we checked online, it looked like the restaurant closed at 8 pm, so we tried to call to confirm. No one picked up and there was no way to leave a message. Even though it was just after 7:30 when we arrived, we figured we'd try to get a table. They asked if we had a reservation, and while we didn't, and while it was close to what I presumed to be their closing time, they figured out a way to accommodate us. Turns out their last seating happens at 8 pm? We were initially seated at the lower bar, but as soon as a spot opened up, we were able to move up to the higher bar. There is outdoor (some with heat lamps) and indoor seating. It was pretty busy. We had some food options in mind, but when we asked our bartender and server, we made some changes. We stuck to the Big 3 Sashimi dish we wanted to start off with from the Osusume menu (2 pieces each of sake, maguro, and hamachi). Omg, hands down, favorite dish because it was SO fresh and flavorful. Melt-in-your-mouth goodness! The unagi and ikura nigiri were great! We were planning to order the Japanese Katsu curry and steak dish, but ended up ordering the Iyasare Kakiage Tempura which was uniquely different from any tempura I've ever had before. Instead of the heavy-handed soggy batter, this was packed with different vegetables and prawns in a lighter, crispier dish. This came highly recommended both by our server and the bartender. There were six pieces. We got through four and the last two pieces were just as delicious the next day for leftovers. The sauce and three seasonings were divine and just made the dish extra special. The okonomiyaki pancake (and I can't believe I'm saying this) just felt like it had... too much going on. The wildly different flavors just didn't mesh for me. The spider roll... was okay. Not bad, just nothing special or particularly delicious. Drinks were good. The prices, generally, were high. The tempura was $30! The kirin was $14! Overall, we really loved the ambiance and most of the food was really, really good. We definitely want to come back and try other dishes. read more

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Iyasare is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Berkeley. My girlfriend and I decided to celebrate Iyasare for Valentine's Day, and the food and service was nothing short of amazing. I made a reservation ahead of time, so we were seated immediately. The server was very kind and gave us several recommendations, and we ordered most of them. For our appetizer, we ordered the Kakiage Tempura w/Black Tiger Shrimp, and it was honestly my favorite item on the table. It was very crunchy and flavorful, and filled with a lot of shrimp! We also shared a Chirashi Don and Okonomi Pancake. The Chirashi Don was filled with a variety of different, fresh sashimi. I liked how the cuts were pretty big and filled you up. The Okonomi Pancake was delicious as well, and unlike other Okonomi pancakes I have tried before, it packed a pickled ginger taste. I will definitely come back again to try their other signature dishes! Tip: Many of the dishes at Iyasare are large and meant for sharing! read more

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This review is only for the ambiance. I came here for the first time to celebrate a special event. Overall, the food was good with a few exceptional items. Service was fine. The restaurant was FREEZING. To the point that it impacted the quality of the entire experience. I got the feeling that the staff were also frustrated by the temperature. We were told that the door had to stay open for the entire time that they were doing seatings. It was just really unpleasant. I had to borrow a bulky wool coat from someone else in our party. The person sitting next to me was so cold that they eventually brought her a cup of hot water to drink to try to warm her up. Our physical discomfort affected the mood of the entire evening. With so many nice restaurants in Berkeley I have trouble imagining myself picking this place again for a special occasion. read more

I don't understand the point of having a hostess who doesn't know how to host and is blatantly rude for no good reason other than a power trip. We made reservations for 2 for dinner at 5:30 on a weekday night and were seated in an awkward table right in the middle between the bar and another booth. I asked the hostess if we could switch to another 2 seater table with a booth seat. She explained there were other people who had made reservations, apparently our reservations didn't make the cut for the booth seat. We asked her if we could pull together two seats at the bar and at this point she's yelling and proceeds to blatantly lie to me and say we can't because she can't risk people tripping when I have seen people sitting there before. Food was mediocre as was the service, should have went to Zut next door instead. read more

This place is in the heart of 4th street and I would recommend it if you are into Japanese fusion. They have a smaller indoor footprint with a nice patio area for seating. We ordered the Hamachi starter, blue fin tuna tataki, miso soup, chicken ka ragi, Waygu flatiron steak, salmon sashimi, as well as a spicy margarita, a sea breeze and a local hazy beer. The Tuna was very good and the sauce was full of umami. The Hamachi was very good as well but the Serrano pepper on ours was very spicy so you may want to remove it if you are sensitive to spice. The salmon was average, but not disappointing. The chicken was excellent and was accompanied by several spices and a hot mustard that was great. The steak was a bit disappointing as it was cut with the grain and ate very chewy, we had also asked that it be separated from the sauce and accompaniment so my kid would eat it but it was still dressed. Ultimately they took care of the steak which was a nice gesture. The drinks were well balanced and refreshing. The service was good even though they were busy. Overall definitely worth a try. read more

This place always seem to draw a long line. We were in the area browsing and must've came near opening hours since there wasn't a lone so we decided to go in. It was a tad early for lunch especially something heavy but YOLO. Birria Ramen - holy smokes. My virgin eyes has never seen such a huge bowl of noods. The noodles were perfectly cooked, the broth was rich and tasty, the flavors had a hint of spice which lingered but I'm building up my tolerance so this was perfect, and the meat was plentiful and tender (they dont skimp!). A bit heavy for a first meal but I managed to finish it Service was extraordinary, food was great. read more

We were excited to try this Michelin recommended Japanese restaurant, located in west Berkeley in the main shopping strip. Street parking and a large paid lot is nearby. Service was ok but I expected more for the price point. Food was disappointing the dishes are mostly traditional with not much inspiration to call it contemporary. Sashimi salad - 4/5 lighter alternative to chirashidon, but fish was average Asparagus & matsutake mushroom tempura - 1/5 the tempura was OK but I'm really rating the service because they had ran out of asparagus and did not tell us when we ordered. They served us only mushrooms and I had to ask our server what happened, they said they gave us extra mushrooms instead. I would've appreciated if they told us before serving so that we could decide to order something else. Sendai hot chicken - 4/5 we asked for the sauce on the side because it's super spicy, chicken was ok moist but could be crispier. I liked alternating between the soy sauce and the mustard. Teppanyaki - 2/5 most disappointed with this dish, we asked for medium rare and it looked raw in the middle and almost burnt outside. It's served on a sizzling plate but the rice and onions didn't get charred enough. Overall service was below average and food was not up to the standard we were expecting. The area is nice though so we were able to walk around and shop after lunch. read more

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Food was fantastic! Staff were friendly and helpful. Omakase is definitely the way to go when not sure what to order.

I came here on a Sunday night for dinner and had a great experience! We came without a reservation but they luckily had an open table at the time, and we were seated right away. The inside is very aesthetic and so is the outside, where there was a plant arch to walk through to enter the restaurant. I ordered the Geisha Roll which was really good. The fish was fresh and the combination within the roll was super flavorful. Service was also great and our waitress was super sweet. Prices were also reasonable given where the restaurant was located and the fact that it was sushi. Overall, I had a great time dining here and would definitely return. read more

Iyasare - Geisha Roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Delicious Japanese restaurant on 4th street. Make a reservation as it's usually packed. Very modern decor. Service was excellent. Fish quality is very good. The standouts were the karage and any of the nigiri. Would definitely come again. read more

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Exceptional service and excellent food! Found this restaurant on the Michelin Guide app, and so glad I chose this place for a birthday dinner. Highly recommend making reservations. The restaurant had a line long before the doors open at 5:30pm. Birthday champagne on the house?! What a lovely surprise! Reading all the reviews on Yelp helped me decide on what we would order. We got the sashimi salad and the Kakiage tempura as appetizers. Let me tell ya, I was already getting full after those two delicious and fresh dishes. The volcano ramen was superb! The heat is perfect! The duck confit was falling off the bone. Very tender and juicy. read more

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I had dinner with a friend. The Kakiage tempura with prawns was perfectly cooked and delicious. We enjoyed the pancake also. The raw scallop sashimi and uni sashimi were perfect. The server was knowledgeable and attentive. We found the patio quite a relaxing space. There is enough space between tables to have private conversations. read more

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I absolutely love Iyasare! It's one of my favorite restaurants ever! The staff, Shilla and Ume (and all of them) are so warm. Honestly, it is not just a delicious restaurant with incredibly fresh and tasty dishes - it is an EXPERIENCE. Treat yourself and go to Iyasare, and you will never look back! read more

Celebrated my birthday here last night and what a delight! They really went the extra mile to make me feel special and I thought the restaurant just had such a nice, friendly vibe. There was a birthday card on the table, I had a free drink, and a candle in my dessert. I mean, that's so unexpected and amazing. And the food! We ordered several small and large dishes to share from all over the menu and each one was interesting and delicious. And for those with nut allergies, there were zero items to worry about. Just an epic, memorable night! read more

Sunday 2023/10/08 19:00 upscale Japanese restaurant with a mix of contemporary and traditional - everything was a little overpriced - service was casual and friendly - we were celebrating a birthday, and they gave us a mocktail on the house uni nigiri ($24.00): 2 pieces - especially for the price, it was not very good uni, as it had a slightly fishy flavor instead of being fresh and sweet bacon mochi ($18.50): grilled bacon-wrapped and teriyaki-glazed mochi in toasted seaweed, topped with furikake and served with seaweed salad and pickled ginger - this was very yummy - mochi was very chewy but had a crispy outside with the bacon Iyasare kakiage tempura with black tiger shrimp ($23.50 + $6.00): fried mixed shredded vegetables and shrimp served with dashi and a variety of salts - loved the matcha salt and dashi for dipping the tempura (although the latter made it soggy) - there was a variety of flavors and textures from the shrimp and vegetables (burdock root, onion, sweet potato, shiitake, enoki, carrot, shungiku) - fried super crispy and not too oily - highly recommend! sake yaki ($29.50): grilled salmon served with vegetables, spicy miso, pickled ginger, lemon, and seaweed salad - this was just okay - salmon was a little bland but very tender - vegetables included bok choy, cauliflower, and king oyster mushrooms and were cooked well; they were tossed in a tasty miso sauce read more

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My partner and I decided to walk in after finding Iyasare on a best restaurants list, and we were in for a treat. Our host, Mariah, was so welcoming and gave us suggestions for every course of the meal. She suggested the Kakiage tempura with tiger shrimp, this was one of the best foods I've ever had, I lived in Tokyo for three years and I have not seen this concoction before, the texture, the taste, and the spices were perfect. The birria ramen was decent, a little salty, but the meat was cooked perfectly, and the hot sauce on the side was very spicy! The sake (salmon) ikura don was great, the ikura tasted amazing, and the salmon was fresh. The sushi rice could have maybe used a bit more flavor like vinegar. But very good. The Sakura cheesecake was a very tasty cheesecake topped with cherries and a red sweet sauce, but I am not sure where the Sakura part came into play. The experience was great, especially the tempura and Mariah's service, the tempura was exquisite and Mariah brought a good energy to the experience. read more

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I've been to Iyasare a few times now, and it's easily one of my favorite Japanese spots in the East Bay. The service is always great, and the atmosphere has a nice, cozy vibe that makes for a great dining experience. Some of our go-to dishes are the Kakiage Tempura with Black Tiger Shrimp, Tori Karaage, and Chirashi Don--all super fresh and packed with flavor. Definitely coming back again! read more