Bad service: I can't comment on the food because we walked out before we were served. We waited 20 minutes in our seats before they took our order. In fact, it took about 15 minutes before anyone even came to our table to greet us and bring us a menu. That's poor service and longer than we were willing to wait. And the place wasn't even that crowded! read more

(++) Miso Glazed Truffle Black Cod - Decadent, flavor-packed, tender - what more can I ask for? Try the appetizer if you just want a piece of heaven, or get the entree for two pieces and a bowl of the truffle dashi too. Note that if you don't like heavy flavors like truffle, this may not be for you. (+) Nigiri sushi. If not the cod, this is what you should get here. Don't get some trashy rolls here - save that for Tako. Instead, opt for the omakase (chef's pick), which includes some of their staples and some of their freshest, or make your own picks. Get their tamago (egg), hotate (scallop), ootoro (fatty tuna), and unagi (eel). It's rare to see a sushi place in the states at this price point while maintaining such high quality standards, AND while offering a killer and unique entree. Definitely worth checking out if you like (nigiri) sushi! read more

Kamado Sushi - Miso Glazed Truffle Black Cod - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Got in just before closing on the first day of business, having seen the work in progress the past two weeks. I kept my order simple as it was a late snack/meal - hamachi sashimi, dragon roll, and a 6 oz sake, which came from a wide selection. The hamachi was tasty, great texture, and generously sliced. The dragon roll was ample, nice blend of textures and tastes, and appreciated the presentation. The sake was smooth and refreshing, as it was presented on the menu (I don't remember which one I selected - I'll do better on a follow-up review. ) Excited to have a new option in the neighborhood and will definitely be back. read more

My boyfriend and I really enjoyed our first of what I anticipate to be many meals here. The space really translated well from the breakfast-type place it was before into the sushi restaurant that it is now. My one complaint about the atmosphere was the lighting...the lights seem to be those energy efficient bulbs which is great, actually, (good on ya Kamado) but that cold light they give off tends to give me that oh-so-lovely washed out look which is not the most flattering for a romantic evening. Vanity aside, I wasn't really thinking too much about it once the food started arriving, because everything was delicious. The miso soup was really excellent, as was the salad. The dressing was miso-based, rather than the usual Kewpie-based fare (not hating on the Kewpie, which I love, but it was a nice change up!). I got the sushi dinner, and my boyfriend ordered pork katsu. Between our two meals, it was pretty clear that the restaurant's strength is sushi, however, the katsu was decent enough that if you have any fish-haters in your party, they won't go hungry. In a sea of Americanized rolls (which can be quite delicious, don't get me wrong), I was really pleased with the traditional approach to nigiri sushi here. Vinegared rice, touch of wasabi, skillfully cut fish--- everything was delicious and well prepared. And, if rolls are more your thing, they do have a selection of rolls suiting all tastes that look really good. Also, the noodle soups look AMAZING. I can't wait to return and eat my way around the menu. Worthy of special note, the dishware is really beautiful! Each course came out on a different patterned stoneware, glass, or ceramic dish, and my boyfriend and I really enjoyed admiring them all. Also, the chopsticks were nice! None of those disposable wooden or worn out plastic ones. The wait staff seemed, admittedly, a little inexperienced, but it didn't really effect our experience. It's one of those things where I really feel like what you put out is what you get back... There were some *ahem* demanding tables near to us, and it seemed like the waitress got a little flustered, irritating the diners even more. However, we had the same waitress, and she was incredibly nice and accommodating. Service was maybe a little slow to typical American standards (which I find excessively rush-y and impatient, but anyway). My recommendation would be to enjoy the experience, savor the food, and admire the pretty dishware! Overall, we had a lovely time and look forward to returning! read more

I had a wonderful experience at Kamado and look forward to returning...many times. I've done the usual sushi circuit in Berkeley and am pleased to say that this place is high quality and won't scoop your wallet. I had miso soup and most of the special sushi selections. The baked scallop roll was a little heavy on the mayo, but that didn't extend to the spicy tuna and salmon rolls. All of the sushi was high grade. Why are you closed on Monday, Kamado?! Next time I'll do the omakase and update my review. read more

Came here today for lunch. Treated this place as just another typical sushi place with overpriced and mediocre quality fish, but I was wrong! I ordered a Tempura Udon (~$11) and a Sake Sushi (~$6.5), and it was phenomenal. I was greeted warmly and sat down with a hot cup of Matcha green tea. First, the Salmon pieces were surprisingly fresh, and they're not stingy with their pieces at all. Usually at other places, the salmon piece is thin, but they give you a lot of rice on the bottom, but it's the opposite for this place! The salmon really melted in my mouth, and it's exceptionally chewy and flavorful. Second, the Tempura Udon really hit the home run for me. At other sushi place, you'll probably just get a bowl of Udon with two pieces of shrimp tempura on top, but not here! I got a fresh bowl of tempura (with a variety of veggies and 3 pieces of shrimp) and a hot bowl of Udon paired with it. So much food for $11?! so worth it! The Udon was so decorated with many pieces of cucumber and shredded green onions; looks very authentic and appetizing. I also heard they have amazing Chirashi here, and I'm definitely coming back here for that soon! So, amazing food, large proportion, and great service! What else could you ask for? read more

Kamado Sushi - Salmon sushi. Two very generous and delicious pieces! - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

I was beginning to worry the east bay didn't have good sushi. Whew! Perfect fish, best chowamushi ever, friendly Japanese staff. This will be one of my Berk staples. read more

I have been going to this restaurant before (dine-in) and during the pandemic (take out). Their quality is very good and consistent. The servings are generous and well cooked. They are very good value for money, the staff are always understanding and polite, and every experience I have had there has been excellent. I just hope they can survive the pandemic and I am trying to patronize them with regular take out orders! read more

Kamado is just seven months new, which is probably why there aren't more reviews. Sit at the sushi bar for attentive service by Chef Jin. This is a traditional sushi place, where the nigiri truly sings. We asked for recommendations and Chef Jin rec'd the smelt and aji. It was spectacular. It was so good, we got an extra order. The mackerel and hokkaido scallops were also on point. Very reasonably priced. We ate like kings and had a bottle of sake and the total was still only around $100. Definitely my new favorite sushi place. Can't wait to come back. read more

Kamado Sushi is definitely a great place for authentic sushi. My friend and I were greeted warmly by the hostess and given adorable warm, rolled hand towels to wipe our hands. I ordered the agedashi tofu and I expected the tofu to be slightly firmer, but I didn't mind at all. The tofu seemed to be a good quality and had a fragrant soybean aroma to it. I also got the Kaisen futomaki roll which had salmon, tuna, hamachi, roe, and maybe other fish but I don't quite remember. Kamado had a board of the daily fresh fish and udon, chirashi, bentos, nigiris, and rolls on the menu. There are no crazy rolls that are fried or come drenched in sauces. They have mostly tradition rolls that are simple. But I love the simplicity because their sushi is simple, but fresh and of great quality. Service was great and I never felt rushed to order or anything. Come for some quality, authentic sushi! read more

Kamado Sushi - Kaisen futomaki roll: salmon, tuna, hamachi, roe - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

So I decided to give this place another shot, or at least try, after my ankle incident that left a slight scar and apparently they should just say that they do not take walk-ins, even for one person. I waited for 15 minutes for one person. There was an open seat at the bar, but the hostess was thee worst I have ever ever encountered. Group of 4 came in all she cared about was reservations, they didn't have one so they got their name in and walked away to wait until the thought maybe their table was ready. Two other parties came in, one of 2 and one of 3, and were seated told only if they had reservations they could sit and I guess they did. Then I saw some shuffling. The hostess had a whole group slide down a chair at the bar so she could seat a party of three that she had given their reservation away. And their were still single seats left at the bar. Why couldn't I be seated, I have no clue. Time to find sushi elsewhere. I don't care how good the sushi is or how close to my house it is. I am never going back with that bad of service. read more

I don't like to post reviews usually but this is the first time that I'm in a restaurant and the chef tells me that I can not get 1 of the fish on the Manu be cause he don't like the fact that I add spicy maio to their expensive fish.. 7 dollars fish!! Beside, it takes them about 25 min to make a simple roll. There are many good sushi places in the area don't waste your time on this one..! read more

To be real honest -- I was lured to come to this place with their high ratings! Located in the lesser crowded part of the city, their location is a big plus. Street parking was easy at least during the time we got there. The waitress was pleasantly nice! However, I think she was the only server trying to accommodate the whole restaurant!! I feel her stress but the nice thing about it was her unfailing smile and patience despite the struggle. She deserves an A plus! I ordered the chicken teriyaki bento box and I gotta say this is one of my least favorite combos I've ever tasted! The chicken teriyaki had a soupy teriyaki sauce -- I for a minute thought I ordered some chicken broth!!! NOT THE BEST AND MAYBE THE WORST CHICKEN TERIYAKI I've ever tasted! Sorry..... The portions are small -- good thing It wasn't the best Japanese food so I didn't have to eat a lot .. Hint... Because of only one waitress doing everything -- we had to wait for tea and water refills. Longer than expected. The 3 stars really go to that nice lady who was running around the restaurant ! Bless her heart! read more

See all

Warning - not authentic Japanese and definitely not Japanese owned, owner or chef! I'm SUPER disappointed and not sure how this place has such high ratings! I rate this "0" stars!! We were there ten minutes before restaurant opened with one other individual. When the hostess asked if we had reservations (which we didn't), she said, I can seat you but you can only stay for One Hour. Since we had no other options we agreed and sat down. Our server/hostess then brought "oshibori" (warm wet hand towels).... should have left when we received it, I hate to describe this but it looked like old stained rags rolled up... not sure about hygiene... quite disgusting now that I think about it. We went ahead and ordered, 2 chirashi, sushi dinner, salmon dinner, black cod, spider cut roll and salmon skin roll. Black cod was probably the only decent edible item but a bit strange. On the menu it said grilled but ours came out in a soupy plate and we had to use our spoons to fish out our fish... Sashimi in the chirashi was a complete mess... maguro had a big suji (white stretchy vein which should have been removed) shiro maguro was dark brown colored - fishy taste not fresh at all, ikura was partially dried up in the corner and the sushi rice?? Where was it? A thin 1/2 inch layer of rice... who does that?? Really?? Spider roll and salmon skin roll- totally disgusting! Couldn't bite into the salmon skin roll at all. The skin was not fresh nor was it broiled in the oven... they fried it to a crisp and not today, this must have been from yesterday or the day before (?) it was so dried up and hard it almost broke my tooth! Spider roll also was not made fresh- old greasy dried up taste. I complained to the waitress and she started to speak KOREAN to our server and absolutely no apologies from our host/server. To make things worse, I thought she was going to do the right thing and bring a fresh new one since she took our rolls away.... drum roll please, absolutely not! She brought the bill and billed me for it!! $144!! No more comment ... I told her clearly that I was going to write a review and she seemed to not care so here it is!! Don't waste your time!! read more

I happened upon Kamado after driving past it on Shattuck Ave. Decided to sit at the bar, and sushi chef Jin was welcoming and made several recommendations of fresh and unique fish. We particularly enjoyed the seasonal sayori, fresh scallops, and uni (the best I've ever had)! He clearly cares about the quality of the fish he chooses. The servers were warm and attentive. In general, where Kamado will shine is the fresh fish - preferably omakase, which I will be sure to have next time. Chef Jin was great about explaining the different types of fish and flavors. It's nice to see someone so passionate about their work. I can't vouch for any of the rolls or other items, but honestly - why waste room on those things?! I've tried a lot of Japanese restaurants in the area, and this is one I can be sure I'll visit again. read more

My family enjoyed their dinner here. We had the chicken teriyaki, tempura appetizer, sashimi, potstickers, sushi specials, and the fried tofu appetizer. The service was great. The best item was their sashimi. The only thing was the texture of the fried tofu was a bit off. The bread crumb turned into a mochi-like texture after soaking in the ponzu sauce. I've ordered this dish at Japanese restaurants before and never had this Mochi-tofu, which I did not like. Other than that, the meal was good. There was no wait, which was nice. read more

This food is amazing....great service We will be going back soon. If you come here you have to try the calamari at least once. read more

Good experience. Quiet inside. Tables not crammed together. Warmly greeted by waitress and sushi chef. Younger sushi chef was very friendly. The waitress bungled my order but it was good and reasonable. I had inquired about futomaki but then ordered individual rolls that came as one big roll. Never mind. I ordered one more roll. It was very good and the sushi chef made the second one inside out for variation. I just have vegetarian sushi and a salad. Very good. The sushi chef was extra patient with s bratty kid. Mom was on her phone half the time. The girl had her boots all over her chair at the sushi bar and the empty chair next to her. She told the older sushi chef that she hates wasabi and likes to throw it. He tried to tell her that was wasting food but she just babbled over him. Then she told the younger chef that she hated fish and it looked creepy and in a rather loud voice. Mom ordered her the veggie tempura appetizer and she again repeated that she hated fish. Star gets 5 stars for patience. Parents 0 stars. read more

First time here but the food is far beyond expectation! The price is definitely lovely considering the quality of food. Fresh fish, tasty rice and nice free miso soup and matcha tea! read more

See all

First meal there was average. The sushi special had a pretty selection but nothing was extraordinary tasting. Prices are fair. The service is slow and awkward. e.g. I asked the server for a glass of water mid-meal. She left and started rearranging the chairs around tables, dragging them with a huge racket. No water until I asked again. She had not forgotten. She was just moving slowly. Exchanges were odd. Simple requests and questions were misunderstood. She had a hard time understanding the other patrons' requests as well. The tables did not look very clean either. The whole thing was disappointing. Will try again in a few months as the location is convenient. read more

The food is good here. The space is quite. The sushi $27 is fresh and the California roll $6 is great. read more

See all

My boyfriend and I love this place. Each time we've visited we tried something new and it has not disappointed! The wait staff are friendly, as are the chefs at the sushi bar. They have a seasonal fish menu with lots of varieties I often don't recognize, so we like to try one or two every time we visit. Our first visit we sat at the sushi bar and the chef gave us a rundown of the seasonal choices and made us feel really comfortable to try new things. It's a small place, so you wanna avoid the dinner rush if you can. If you're a sashimi lover, go for the seasonal choices. For something light but rich in flavor, get the black cod (probably my favorite so far). Overall a great place for a date, to bring your parents to, or a chill dinner with a small group of friends! read more

I was very good during my pregnancy and managed to avoid my favorite food (sushi) since raw fish isn't recommended to eat during that time. After my baby was 4 weeks old & more manageable. I was ready to finally satisfy my craving. Luckily the timing coincided with Kamado's grand opening! The service was a little slow as they were still working out their kinks. But the servers were very friendly and warm. They patiently explained the different options and happily substituted another salmon instead of the yellowtail. The sushi chef really knows his stuff and seems to have a cult following. I overheard folks sitting at the bar saying that they've followed him to 3 different restaurants! The fish was very fresh and delicious. I highly recommend the crunch roll. The broth for the udon was a little on the salty side for my tastes but the consistency of the udon was perfect and the tempura on the side was fried to perfection. The rainbow roll was very pretty and very tasty. The ambiance was low-key. Not necessarily kid-friendly but I brought my 4.5 year old and 4 week old and the server was very sweet towards them. Parking was convenient. This has become my new go-to place for delicious sushi!! read more

I had a sushi lunch. It was very nice and came with a miso soup. My friend has a sashimi lunch and it came with s rice bowl as well.

Impromptu dinner date. We were seated immediately, around 7pm on a Sunday night. Some of the best sashimi in the area, really fresh - and the chef's choice of raw scallop won my husband over, he doesn't even like scallops. I'm vegetarian, so my options were more limited and ordinary: veggie tempura dinner (well fried, pretty good portions), some smaller veggie maki rolls (asparagus, avocado, etc.), and an assortment of appetizers (agedashi tofu for $5). Service was cute. The details were nice too: origami chopstick holders, warm towels, chipper service, cozy atmosphere, tasty miso soup. read more

Great sushi. Small place but authentic. Lots of options. Vegetarian options can be limited (to be expected I guess).

I went an hr in a half before closing and they were friendly and welcoming. I asked about some dishes and the waitress tried her best to explain and also tell us the specials but I could not understand her. I ordered the mackerel dinner and it was very good, lots of flavor. Salty too but I like salt. I also had a sake (salmon nigri pair) of sushi and I must say it was one of the best I ever had! The décor was kind of plain in the place but no big deal. My only complaint is that I was surprised they didn't offer me tea as I waited, just about every place does. read more

Tl;DR: The food here is frankly quite good, but despite the friendly act, it is clear to me that this business is shrewd and miserly. If you support ethical businesses that care about their customers, avoid this place. This evening, I asked for an item from the seasonal menu that was under $9. The head chef overhead and gave his recommendation. I clarified with the server which he recommended, and though it was $10, asked for it. Then, the waitress asked if I still wanted the dish she had recommended, and I replied I would have "just the one" referring to the chef's recommendation. The dinner came out as four pieces. For context, the 8 piece sushi plate is around $26, but comes with miso soup. So four pieces for $10 seemed appropriate. When I was given the check, I had been charged $20 for two sushi orders. I asked why, and was told the head chef had given two recommendations, unknown to me. I had made it extremely clear that I wished to spend under $9 on sushi. Why would I ever buy two $10 dishes? Especially when I had said I wanted "just the one". Despite all this, the server and owner refused to remove the $10 charge, suggesting that it was my fault for not recognizing that I had been given two dishes. This was absurd. Over the last week, I had spent around $100 at this restaurant if you include tonights meal, so removing the $10 was just a small fraction of what I spent in total and simply the right thing to do. But apparently the right thing to do means nothing to the owner. read more

I am so glad that I checked out this place after a reviewer suggested Kamado Sushi. We tried Kiku nearby and was greatly disappointed. Kamado's miso soup is a tad bit salty, but tasty served in a large wooden bowl. The nigiri sushi had large slices of fish under a small mound of rice. The tekka-don was also served with fresh tuna and was very good. If we're in the area, we will re-visit again. read more

I had heard that the chef opened this space after making Ipiku a success. Sitting at the bar and asking for what was fresh was an awesome experience that did not disappoint. Very high quality food and friendly service. Highly recommended. It's my go-to sushi spot in Berkeley. read more

This is seriously my favorite sushi place in the Bay Area. The miso soup was the best i've had in the states and I tend to use the miso soup as a gauge for how awesome the rest of my meal will be. The miso soup was right. My chirashi bowl was the best I had ever had in the states! There was great variety and the flavors were on point. My friend got the chicken katsu and he said that it was the best katsu he has had in the Bay Area too! I don't want to write this review because I want to keep this place to myself but I can't help myself, they are so yummy! read more

2-1/2 stars. I wanted to like this place, and was really impressed the first 10 minutes into our meal, but left disappointed. The salad and miso soup were prompt, generously-sized, and delicious. They even brought out kid-friendly platters for our little ones. And the hot towels in the beginning were very nice. Since this was our first time trying out a new place, we decided to try a little bit of everything (or at least as much as 2 adults and 2 toddlers could eat): - House Specialty: Glazed miso cod in truffle broth and clear noodles (delicious, but for $25 I expected a little more) - Sushi Dinner: *Meh* Thought the quality of fish was just okay. Scallop was incredibly fresh. But the maguro was tough and veiny. I thought the sushi was better at Kiku Sushi (which is ironic because apparently the chef here came from Kiku). And the rice was a little hard. Maybe because we dined on a Sunday night? - Assorted tempura: We got this for the kids, who didn't care for it at all. Not your regular shrimp and veg temp -- their assorted version included beef and salmon, but the breading wasn't crunchy and sub-par at best. Things I wish I had gotten instead: Robata pork belly, udon or yosenabe (since the broth in the miso cod was excellent). Overall, 2-1/2 stars (rounded up to 3 for the nice service) but most likely we will not be back. read more

Had another pleasant meal with friends to celebrate the new year at Kamado. The welcoming energy is experienced from the moment you walk into the door to the moment you leave, and more. Always left feeling well taken care of and satiated. The black cod in truffled broth is heavenly, as always. The service is spot on and well balanced. The chef/owner Jin runs a great business here where positive energy is felt through out, it shows that he takes care of not just his customers, but also his staff. Look forward to returning soon! read more

Kamado Sushi - Maki combo - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Bad experience. The two of us came in at 6:15 on a Tuesday evening. They were moderately busy with around 14 patrons dining. We then ordered 3 items at approx. 6:20 including 2 pairs of nigiri and a 10-piece sashimi platter. The green tea came out promptly along with our waters. Then the wait... We were approached by our server apologizing for the delay at 6:45 and were offered complimentary sodas. We declined. At 7:00 we asked our server the status and was told the sushi chefs were working on it, now 40 minutes after we placed our order. I asked that at least one of our items could be served. We waited 10 more minutes before leaving. It's not like we ordered complex rolls. Only some sashimi and nigiri and they couldn't get even 1 piece out in 50 minutes. On top of all this my water was never refilled. read more

It was not just great sushi but also a great experience. Chef Jin explained us about all the sushi that he served with his lovely attitude. Each item in his selection had character. Each tasted great, and some were hard to call fish (melting like butter in your mouth). I highly recommend the place, and definitely the sushi bar experience. read more

Wow! I had an amazing time tonight. I normally go to Kiraku or Kirala when in the Berk area to give you a frame of reference on what I personally like. I had the blue shrimp sushi, sweet and delicious as promised I had a seasonal beak fish that was insanely good, reminded me of Aji - plus they deep fried the bones and head and they tasted like FISH BACON!! YUM Himanchi Toro, BlueFin Toro, Cali Roll for my lady and a great spicy baked scallop roll that I'd order again and again and again. Like sushi, give this place a try! read more

I've tried almost every sushi restaurant around Berkeley (Including Elmwood and Rockridge). This place serves the BEST sushi in Berkeley! I won't complain about the service, however, as previously mentioned, kids were a bit noisy whenever I've been there too. I'm not expecting an age limit or something, it's not a fancy omakase restaurant anyways but still... It makes you uncomfortable. read more

Kamado Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came here for my partner's birthday for the last two years and we always had a wonderful dining experience. Even with how crowded the restaurant was on Valentine's day, the hostess greeted us warmly and was quick to seat us without reservations. They even have roses to all the ladies at the end of the meal! Second time around was also Valentine's Day/birthday weekend but this time with a larger group of 5. Service was again, very prompt with greeting and sitting. We ordered a large selection of rolls, but the favorites were definitely the baked spicy scallop roll and the salmon skin roll. We ended up needing 4 orders of the baked spicy scallop roll! Minus one star for the ordering portion. Though we were greeted and seated very quickly, there was a lag of time between ordering and reodering. Though there were many people who passed by our table to ask us if we needed anything else, it seemed that only one waitress was allowed to help us queue in our order. Still a great place to come for really great fish at a good price. I'd recommend ordering a few more dishes than you normally would if you're hungry at the beginning of your order to prevent it from being backed up in the kitchen. Plus, it's delicious so you'll want more anyway! read more

I am a huge fan of ika (squid) nigiri and this place has the best ika nigiri in town. I always order ika nigiri and sushi dinner combination every single time I visit and totally worth it. Just gotta love that freshness. Overall, best nigiri place in Berkeley area. I love it so much! read more

Kamado Sushi - Love the dinner sushi combination! Here, take my ! Totally worth it! My most favorite sushi place in Berkeley! - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

My husband and I come here for lunch when we have time off during the week. Really adore the head chef and owner. He's passionate about fish. Have some hotate especially when from Hokkaido and in season (probably winter). Also, the kakiage is fun, haven't seen restaurants do it-- but my Japanese momma does for New Year's Eve w soba noodles! If you're a sushi fan ask what's in season. You basically can't go wrong. We haven't been when it's super busy-- but service always seems fine. read more