I've been a regular here for almost 10 years, and Jin-san has never disappointed. The quality of the fish he selects is consistently exceptional, and his omakase is one of the best values you'll find. I've brought many friends here over the years, and every single one has been just as impressed as I was on my first visit. This is the only place I go for omakase in the entire Bay Area. If you're looking for authentic, high-quality sushi and a true omakase experience, this is the place to go. Highly recommended. read more

Updating my review--I left a message with my name & number Friday night. They never called me yesterday (Saturday), and I wasn't going to make a special trip to the restaurant with my uneaten food to argue about it. I think I deserve the courtesy of a return phone call. Their seafood is usually high-quality, and the preparation has been excellent whenever I have eaten there. However, I just cannot patronize a restaurant or any business that does not respect their customers enough to make things right. P.S. - I realize I need to do a better job leaving positive reviews. I'm not all sour grapes, so I plan to start leaving more reviews about my positive experiences. Lately those include Lanzhou Handpulled Noodles at the corner of Hearst & Euclid in Berkeley and U: Dessert Story at the corner of Hearst & Shattuck in Berkeley. Both are FANTASTIC! Reviews forthcoming. read more

Kamado Sushi - Chirashi special - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nestled in a corner, this is a nice quiet neighborhood Japanese restaurant, with some charm.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It's pretty pricy for what they offer, like having some macrel for in the omakase. So one starts to question if maybe it's cheaper to just order à la cart nigiri. I usually get the sea bass which has glass noodles, which is quite filling. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is quite small, and the tables are close together. So it's quite intimate[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. But service is very friendly and kindhearted. I had an interesting dessert with a crisp outer cracker and green tea ice cream, which vanilla crepe. Not so sweet either. read more

Kamado Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Omakase ended up around 140pp. They selected pieces from the menu they had up on display so it felt a bit off. It was essentially the same price as ordering a la carte, which to, me, low-key defeats the point of omakase. There was also a slight concern for cross-contamination. We had to return the plate every time and the chef handled both the plates and the fish. I think the overall process needs to be improved. Other than that, everything else was good. read more

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Decent little spot, just wish they had a wider selection of food. I also felt that it was a bit pricey for the type of sushi restaurant it was. The rolls were large but had a lot of rice in it. I really did like the fish though. It was fresh and tasted great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]As for the inside it's a bit stuffy and cramped.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Great experience from start to finish. We were greeted with a plate of warm hand towels- very unexpected but a nice start to the meal. Got half a dozen oysters which were served with ponzu and red onions+vinegar, negitoro roll, rainbow roll, clam miso, and kaisen futomaki. Everything was delicious but particularly the various miso options on the menu + the futomaki stood out to me. I'm still thinking about the kaisen futomaki a day later... five different fish, chunky and buttery, stuffed generously in nori, topped with delicious, juicy, briny ikura. I'm already planning my next visit to have this again. Everything was washed down with a hearty cup of matcha. 10/10 read more

Kamado Sushi - Kaisen futomaki - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The freshest and best sushi amd sashimi I have had in the US at expensive, but reasonable prices. The owner, staff and guest have made it a soon to return place for me. read more

I've been to quite a few sushi spots around the Bay Area specifically for omakase, and Kamado is the only one I've returned repeatedly for. Highly recommend their omakase special. It is on the pricier side, but absolutely worth it as a treat or for a special occasion. They seem to rotate their offerings with seasonal selections presumably based on seasonal fish availability, which keeps things interesting. This time, I tried the chirashi bowl. At first glance, the portion looked smaller compared to other places, but it ended up being the perfect amount for me. A good variety of fresh, high-quality fish--I'd definitely order it again when I'm in the mood for something with variety at a more affordable price range. Also sampled the mixed tempura. The batter was light and crispy. The only downside was the kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) could have used more time in the fryer. Otherwise, everything else was spot on. Service is consistently friendly and efficient. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The space is a bit cozy, but still comfortable, and I've never had an issue with parking.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 10/10 - would recommend this place! read more

Kamado Sushi - Mixed tempura appetizer - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Once again, Kamado SUSHI dinner was amazing! Fresh, beautiful, delicious sushi and sashimi, miso soup, goma-ae, and super special seasonal dessert! So cute and each element (crepe cake, green tea ice cream, caramel nut cookie) so delicious separately and together. Yum! read more

Kamado Sushi - Dessert - crepe cake and green tea ice cream shaped like a rabbit with crispy caramel nut cookie ears - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

People aren't exaggerating-- this really is the best sushi place in town now. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lovely service and ambiance too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Hidden gem of the Bay Area! Jin the sushi chef is skilled and has his fish flown in from Japan. This is my go to spot for a special occasion. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Always sit at the bar for the omakase for freshness![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We've also had the omakase prepared by his right hand man Luis, and that was fantastic as well! Surprised this place hasn't gone viral its value and quality (usually around $90-$105 for 14 pieces including toro and uni. Plus 5% cash discount). As for now, it'll be my favorite little omakase spot. read more

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First time trying sushi in the Berkeley area! Was craving sashimi so I came to this little restaurant on Shattuck. Dark interior and small tables divided by mini Japanese screen doors. I ordered some unique fish from the seasonal menu shown on the tv inside the restaurant (posted a picture). Ranked best to worst: 1. Isaki: also known as chicken grunt (Japan), this was DELISHHHH. The sear was immaculate and the flavor was almost meat-like. So rich, flavorful, and fresh. I could straight up eat this without any shoyu or wasabi. 2. Iwana: arctic char (Iceland) belonging to the salmon family, and it did taste like really rich, buttery salmon. Man. It. Was. Delicious. BUT. I could tell it was not superrrr fresh due to slight fishiness/degradation of texture (moosh). 3. Umi masu: also looked like salmon, but is actually ocean trout (Scotland). Tastes much lighter and fresher (flavor profile) than the iwana or regular salmon. I would say it was about as fresh or maybe a bit fresher than the iwana, but was still slightly mush in relation to what fresh sashimi feels like. 4. O-toro: big disappointment and the most expensive thing I ordered. Fatty blue tuna belly. Not fresh. Mush. Was definitely well cut, but it came WARM to my plate. And it wasn't even seared. What??? I regret ordering it. $25 is too much for 2 pieces of poor quality o-toro sashimi. Something that could have also played a part in the freshness deteriorating is that I specifically asked for sashimi, and my plate first came out as all nigiri. The waitress noticed right as she was bringing my plate and immediately brought it back to the kitchen which was awesome service. But my fish could have been overworked by hand and thus become mush and warm ): read more

Kamado Sushi - Seasonal Menu 9/5/24 - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Hands down my favorite sushi restaurant in Berkeley. The service is always warm and welcoming. Newcomers and regulars alike will feel at home here. I love to sit at the bar where you get to see the chefs do their magic. I love being adventurous and getting the seasonal fish. Depending on the month, you'll have an opportunity to get unique fish like ice fish and firefly squid. Everything tastes incredibly fresh and the sushi rice never feels too heavy. I always splurge on the nigiri but their hot items are also well prepared and delicious. read more

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Quick Summary: - Unique neta choices to try - There is a screen at the entrance that shows the fish options of that day or season We visited here on a summer evening for sushi. We discovered this restaurant by viewing yelp and walking by the restaurant. I was interested in the uploaded yelp photos and how the menu screen listed the seasonal sushi and fish options. We arrived a few minutes after opening. The interior is wide and cozy inside, with a cool bar table side near the entrance. We were seated in one of the tables on the right hand side. At this location, it was difficult to view what fish was on the large tv screen, so we designated one person to take a photo of it. From the menu we ordered the vegetable tempura and the unaju. From the tv screen, instead of the omakase style, we picked the ones we were interested in trying, which were the tuna, ayu and the aji. The staff kindly informed us that they were able to create the nigiri set for the amount of people at the table, contrary to the general 2 piece per neta; very thoughtful gesture. The side dishes arrived first: the miso and the salad. The miso soup bowl size is larger than the typical ones, so happy news for me. It filled me up quite nicely and ready for the main dish. In between waiting, the nigiri set arrived in a beautiful presentation. They fried the ayu's bone, and this was so delicious! I loved the fatty flavor of the fish in the ayu's meat and the bones. The bones were soft and easy to eat, so I highly recommend eating it and not leaving it alone. Reactions to the ayu varies by person, so be mindful. I love fish, so this tasted great, but for my relative, who is not a fish fan, they mentioned it was quite fishy. I got the unaju box, which is a rice bowl with eel placed on top. This one was unfortunately not a good eating experience. The cause was the rice on the bottom. The eel was soft, tender, and mostly free of the thin bones. However, the rice was packed too tightly, that I needed to use chopsticks like a fork and knife to cut split the rice pieces into smaller pieces. It also required a lot of chewing because the rice was packed in so tightly. In all, the sushi was a splendid experience because so far, this is the only place I know, where we can choose fish that is fresh and unique to the seasons, without requesting an omakase. read more

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Fantastic, fresh sushi and appetizers!!! Creative sauces and seasonings! The black cod is a MUST, so buttery and flavorful!! The service is super fast and courteous. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very clean, simple, and pleasing decor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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I would give no star if I could. We ordered Omakase but nothing fresh. There was not enough rice either, only a flat layer of rice under the fish. I don't think the sushi chef got proper training. Every single piece fish with a lot of soy sauce and tastes bitter. We had to stop the chef after 7-8 pieces of nigiris. We also ordered the tempura which was pre fried I believe. It's very hard on the surface. And the pickle we ordered is obviously from the super market. It's our first and last time here. I feel regret ordering omakase before a small trial order. My husband is very upset and he stopped eating after tried 3 pcs nigiris. read more

Kamado Sushi - Pickle - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is a nice little sushi bar! The service was very nice, attentive, and helpful. The food itself was all at a high standard. The breading on the karaage and the tempura were both light yet crispy. I would have like to see a little more variety in the vegetable tempura, though. The fish was the star of the show. The toro (fatty tuna) nigiri literally melted in my mouth and was such an amazing piece to eat. The chirashi included shrimp, octopus, scallops, eel, and several types of fish. They were all good, except one of the fish was cut at a weird angle, which created an unenjoyable chewing experience. Overall, great sushi place for a casual/slightly elevated dinner. Tip: The screen above the sushi bar has the prices listed for market price items. I didn't realize before ordering the most expensive nigiri on the menu! read more

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Update your prices. Thought I was paying 55 dollars. Turned out it was double and they kept blaming it on DoorDash that wouldn't update their prices. Got stuck with a hundred dollars and they didn't do anything to compensate their expired prices. read more

The selection of special fish and scallops from Japan and environs is remarkable. I always ask Jin, the owner and excellent sushi chef, what I should order. This time he suggested the mackerel. Nothing like our domestic mackerel. It was a delight. I also had scallops, perfectly prepared and absolutely delicious. I am really picky about what I order and do not trust all sushi restaurants for scallops. I always trust Jin. I had at least 6 dishes, each perfectly prepared. I hope others will go to Kamado sushi. Before the pandemic they used to be open for lunch. I can't get there for dinner hours as often as I would like. Easy parking and I am confident you will NOT be disappointed. read more

What happened to this restaurant? Even a year ago, it was a place that I was happy to bring Japanese guests to, but something has shifted. The nicest thing that I can say about my last meal there is that it was pedestrian verging on inedible. If that wasn't enough, the service is surly and slow . I once was willing to drive to North Berkeley because I anticipated an excellent meal here. Too bad. read more

Love this place - cute little spot for a date night or a chill sushi dinner. I was so sad when they were closed for the earlier part of the pandemic. They moved on to takeout-only for a bit in 2021, and now as of late 2021 and early 2022, they're back open for indoor dining. Yay! They have a large rotating menu of fresh, high quality fish, including stuff you don't see as much, like kinmedai (alfonsino), at your more standard bento boxes only type of place. The sides and entrees are also good of course. There is a glazed miso cod appetizer, and a just-as-good entree. Nice and flaky, with a super nice roasty miso sear. Also the karaage is wonderfully juicy, and the tempura is light, crispy, and moist all at once. Top that off with a large selection of sake and Japanese beers, and baby you got a st-... quality, affordable Japanese dinner going. read more

A surprise find. Great food, very fresh and good service. Will definitely be back for more read more

Kamado Sushi - Negi Toro Maki Roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We go to Kamado when we want good quality sushi for a reasonable price. We end up getting omakase every time (Around $80-$95 per person. Depends on what fish they have and/or what fish you ask to get) It's not a traditional omakase though. Once you order, they will make everything and they come out all in one plate. But they have fresh fish, friendly service, and good udon too!! I also love that it's in a quiet neighborhood and always has parking. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]My favorite low key sushi spot in the east bay.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] You can go to 25 sushi restaurants and combine their menus and not get the special fish selection that Jin offers on a daily basis, with uncommon species from across the globe every time I visit. Always the freshest and always get to eat something unique. Don't sleep on the tempura udon to finish. Tempura PRO. read more

Delicious food- my family and I love coming here! + they source their fish SO well. Servers are incredibly kind and knowledgeable. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is very quiet and calming![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Another incredible meal with Chef Jin at Kamado Sushi! Two flights from the Tokyo fish market every week. Where else do you find these unique seasonal fish? A hidden gem in Berkeley's gourmet ghetto. read more

Kamado Sushi - O-toro, yellow striped butter fish, pacific saury, Scottish ocean trout, Arctic char, amberjack, sea eel - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

We love coming here - it's one of our regulars in the neighborhood and we eat here a lot once a week. The sushi is excellent and traditional, with many fresh specials, and the staff are very lovely. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice ambiance, very neighborhood and family oriented.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My chirashi was very mediocre. Fish quality mediocre. Wife's cooked fish very good. Service fine. read more

Excellent sushi! Was really impressed by the sushi rolls here. The fish quality is superb. Fresh, tender and they all tasted like they melted in your mouth. So good. The ratio of rice to fish is perfect as every piece of a roll you eat gives you that delicious taste of some rice, fish and other fillings they came with. Some of the rolls were spicy and it sure gives an additional kick in a good way. Would want to try their chirashi next time. read more

Kamado Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Delicious sushi, but definitely with a cost! I heard about this spot a long time ago but never found the time to make the journey all the way up here. I finally got a chance to do so on a Tuesday night, and arrived at around 7pm. There was already a waitlist happening, but luckily we were only behind 2 parties so were able to get seated as a group of 4 in under 15 minutes. The inside isn't too big or too small, and everything is quite nice. We were seated and explained the daily specials, and then got a chance to look at the menu. You'll find your classic nigiri and sashimi combos as well as some rolls, all of which were on the more expensive end for sushi but not too outrageous. I opted for the baked spicy scallop and sake rolls, while my friends got the sushi dinner. The food actually came out quite quickly, and I could tell if was all freshly made! I was actually expecting the rolls to be smaller than they were, so receiving my plate was a happy surprise. The salmon was so fresh and buttery and practically melted in my mouth, while the baked scallop roll was so uniquely delicious. It had some topping which I couldn't quite pinpoint but it added great flavor to the roll. The rice for both was so perfectly cooked and seasoned, which definitely added to the experience. Overall, I would say this is a great spot if you're looking for a nicer restaurant to dine at! For something more casual I would just prepare to spend a bit more here. I definitely want to try their omakase sometime :) read more

Wonderful Miso soaked Sea Bas, and everything else we ate there was delightful!! Very authentic, they didn't even offer a fork!

Came here on a Saturday night and got seated immediately. Started with the black miso cod appetizer, which was pretty good. Then tried one of their special nigiri, ocean trout, which tasted pretty similar to salmon. Also got the dragon roll, negi toro roll, and assorted nigiri sushi. Dragon and negi toro roll tasted ok but the assorted nigiri sushi was disappointing. In general, the portion sizes were small, food overpriced, and the quality very mediocre. Unfortunately, don't think I will be coming back. read more

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May 10th 2025 - I feel it is time to update my review after 7 years. The quality of their food still superb after all these years. Chef Jin always with a smile on his face. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance still the same, you just want to leave when you're beyond full and happy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

4.5 stars. Fantastic omakase. With sake and dessert, it ended up being $100/person but well worth it. Best experience would be to sit at the sushi bar so each piece is served at a time vs. all of the pieces served in 2 chunks. Some of my favorites were scallop (subtle sweetness) and uni (creamy and fresh). The monkfish liver was surprisingly non-fishy. It was equivalent to the Japanese fois gras. I didn't care for the sea pineapple served first which had a latex overtone to it. All of the fish was super fresh. Made with ultimate care. A couple of times, it was hard to pick up the entire nigiri - the fish piece separated from the rice using chopsticks. The fish could be better molded to the sushi rice to be more functional. Several rare fish could be found here such as cutlass fish (interesting texture). The tempura green tea ice cream was solid. I would have preferred the green tea ice cream to have a deeper green color with stronger tea flavor. read more

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Sushi was very good! Service was a bit slow but good value and delicious place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance is quiet to medium and the crunch roll was great.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

My favorite go to sushi spot. Always has an interesting menu with fresh stuff on it. Staff are super friendly, especially the owner :-)

Came at 6:30pm on a Friday night and lucked out by snagging a table just as a group finished their meal. I'd recommend reservations. My teenager had asked to try sushi for the first time ever and after perusing websites, he picked Kamado. Great choice and now he absolutely loves sushi. Told him not to expect this quality of fish everywhere. The rolls were solid but standard. The Omakase, on the other hand, was amazing. Fish fresh from Japan were beautifully cut. The low rice to high seafood ratio was much appreciated and really let us taste the stuff that matters. Sea urchin, scallops, the fatty part of fish, the lean part of fish, liver, skin. Every piece was spectacular. We also got the black cod dinner, tempura udon and teriyaki chicken for the rest of the family and everybody loved their meals. We will definitely be back. read more

Kamado Sushi - Crunch roll and rainbow roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Kamado has been our home away from home for years now. The sushi is ALWAYS great, fresh, and well-prepared. There are ALWAYS seasonal fish options. Jin will take amazing care of you, explaining the different types of fish, encouraging you to try something new, and making sure you're visit leaves you satisfied. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly and the atmosphere is perfect for a neighborhood sushi spot. But don't let the humility fool you: you are in for an incredible ride at Kamado. Now if I only could afford to eat sushi for every meal... read more

Kamado Sushi - Hamachi, Umi Masu, maguro, aji, sake, kampachi, hotate, ama ebi, and toro w scallion roll. MMMMMMM!!! The Best - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is my second time at Kamado while in town visiting a friend. It's by far the best sushi I've had in a while! Everything is fresh and they often have harder to find fish like Umi Masu (which kind of tastes like salmon but better). It's also BYOB and the service is great. read more

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Food: Top notch sushi. If you want the luxury sushi experience, look no further. The chef himself studied and worked in Japan. Super intelligent man with a lot of knowledge about Japanese sushi. I highly recommend getting the fish of the day. It will blow your mind by how the fish melts in your mouth. If not, get any black cod dish. I get it every time I come here. Service: Awesome staff who hustles to please all customers. Cant thank them enough! read more