Went on a Tuesday night. The restaurant was relatively empty. Waited for about a couple of minutes before being seated. I made my order through a tablet. Ordered the agedashi tofu and dragon gate roll. The dragon roll was just as I expected to taste and look like. A little disappointed at the agedashi tofu as I was expected to eat crunchy tofu. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Agedashi Tofu(App) - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

It's open late, so I'll give it that. Unfortunately, the service also seems determined to make it feel late. I came in after a long rehearsal, tired and starving, and all I ordered was sushi. Nothing complicated. It took 45 minutes for my food to come out. Seriously? If I were with a party of four and we ordered half the menu, fine. I get it. But 45 minutes for a Dragon Roll feels a little excessive. At some point I started wondering if they had to go find the dragon. The worst part is I was genuinely looking forward to it. By the time the food finally arrived, I was too tired and annoyed to really enjoy it. Two stars because they're open late, and sometimes that's exactly what you need. I just wish "open late" didn't also mean "you'll be here all night." read more

Stopped by Kaoru sushi for their $1 oysters that they have on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We were so excited to get $1 oysters, also bonus because they come pre-dressed with a ponzu sauce, green onion, tobiko, and sriracha! In total we ordered 30 oysters but they didn't all come out at the same time. The half dozen came out then they served the two dozen on one huge platter! They were all relatively the same size and very fresh + briny. We also ordered some entrees. I ordered the Sukiyaki which honestly could be a meal for two. The soup was perfectly sweet and they even subbed udon noodles for the yam noodles by request! I really enjoy the restaurant furniture & theme. They did a really great job with the interior design and I wish that more restaurants embraced theme like Kaoru Sushi does. The staff was a bit overwhelmed so they weren't very attentive, but they definitely made sure to tend to us if we called them over. We were seated fairly close the sushi bar and kitchen entrance/exit so I was surprised when we didn't get too many check ins from the staff. Nonetheless, the service was fine and we got what we ordered. I'll definitely be back for more oysters! read more

See all

Very good food, the nigiri pieces were decently sized and so was the baby lamb chops. I loved the dressing they had on the salad in the bento box. The yelp check in stand wouldn't let us join so we had to flag down the server which took a minute as they are very busy with online orders as well. The scan to order menu is also a bit of a hassle, having to hope someone at the table has signal and scroll through a little phone to see what they have. read more

Mealtimes are happy times, and my body heals and strengthens with every bite take. Kairu Sushi is a pleasant and comfortable spot. The atmosphere is enjoyable, complemented by lovely harmonious sounds coming from outside the restaurant. The music of a child playing the piano adds a romantic touch to our evening, especially with the delicious food that nourishes us. Hoping to see a more comfortable chair to sit on. Putting more cushions or pillows to all chairs make customers feel more comfortable while enjoying there food. Total all good services. Recommendations, thumb up. read more

See all

This place deserves love and high praise! We came in a group to celebrate the birthdays of my cousin's husband and daughter. We were able to book a nice long table that fit maybe 12 of us all quite comfortably- on the left wall upon entering. It feels very authentic, as we're sitting on wooden benches and have a long wooden table. There were cushions on the wooden benches and they were very nice too lol very comfy! Might need to ask where they purchased these haha. It was very easy for my cousin to order on her phone for the whole table to share everything. We ordered lots of things: edamame, udon soup, fried udon?!, shrimp/veggie tempura, sashimi, rainbow roll, Giants roll, karaage, miso soup, and probably much more but I can't remember it all! It was a flurry of delicious food. The rainbow and giants roll really stood out for me in terms of taste - super fresh and plump like not skinny pieces of roll or fish lol. So good!!! Craving it again just writing about it lol. I'm also a sucker for karaage and miso soup and those were tasty as well. Our server was a very sweet Asian woman with glasses and a hat, sorry I didn't get her name but she was so nice! Overall I would recommend this place if you're in the area! I'm intrigued to come back for $1 oysters Tues/Thurs and karaoke every night?! Lol this spot is the best! Will be back. read more

We've been wanting to head to this spot for quite some time now, and for those that don't know this spot by first glance, Kaoru Sushi is located in the Pacific East Mall in Richmond. The mall itself feels like it's become more vibrant with a few more businesses opening inside which is really exciting to feel the hustle and bustle. Kaoru Sushi seems to always have a nice crowd, and I love the overall vibe of this spot with super nice service, a great menu/bar, and competitive prices. My husband ordered a nice Japanese whiskey and we had a Lion King roll, miso soups, and ordered a steamed egg custard for the babe. The Chawan Mushi is available for dine-in only, typically comes with seafood and mushroom, but we ordered ours plain. Loved the Lion King roll (so creamy and freshly made/plump with all the typical ingredients) ~ one of my favorite fun, baked rolls to order in the lineup. Kaoru has such a fun menu with a little something for everyone if sushi isn't typically your go-to. And if it is, they have plenty of signature rolls, maki rolls, hand rolls, nigiri sushi, and sashimi to choose from. They have a nice app menu and kids menu as well. If you're looking to bring a group, solo dine, date night, or have the whole fam with ya, this was quite an enjoyable experience with other neighboring businesses open inside if you wanted to grab dessert or karaoke after. Nice big and open parking lot (non-metered) too. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Chawan Mushi (plain) - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

We went here for late night sushi. We found this spot because they were one of the only places still open. The sushi quality was decent. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

Really bad food because: 1) Edamame was microwaved and served with black pepper. It should have been boiled and served with salt only. 2) Tako-yaki was deep-fried, not cooked in the traditional pan. The atmosphere is nice, and so is the service, but that is not enough. I am not going back. read more

We ordered a party platter here as part of our family get together dinner. The sushi was fresh and delicious, and the platter itself was a great deal. What was rather disappointing however was that for such a large platter of sushi, no ginger or wasabi was included. I had merely assumed that it would have been inside the platter, so I did not think to ask for some before leaving. Not sure if this was simply an overlooked omission, or they genuinely do not provide wasabi and ginger with their sushi unless specifically asked for. read more

There was a guy at the cash register taking orders with a mask on and after I put in my order he told me it would be 15 minutes so okay cool I'll go and grab boba from happy lemon and walk around . 15 minutes go by and I go back inside and I'm sitting at the bar. There are two other ladies who are serving and passing out orders to door dashers. Another 15 minutes go by so I ask the guy what's going on with my order and he says they're working on it now. NOW?! Are you kidding me another 10 minutes passed so I'm super annoyed and I ask one final time and finally my order comes . No sorry for the wait here's a Coke for your trouble smh terrible service I see why they have less than 4 stars and the sushi is MID overdone rice and not enough texture balances I ordered the spider roll salmon and spicy tuna. Will not be coming back read more

Kaoru Sushi - Spider Roll Spicy Tuna Roll salmon roll - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

I came in on a Tuesday night with my family and ordered food. We came in at 7:30 and all the food came out 15 to 20 minutes per plate. We didn't get our final dish about two hours into the meal. Then we sat around, waiting for the one single waitress, serving the entire restaurant to come to take our money for another 30 to 40 minutes. I eventually lost my patience and walked up to the bar and talked to the sushi chef telling him that we need to go. It's now 10 PM as I'm writing this review. If you do not respect your time come here otherwise I would never come back to this restaurant and I recommend no one else does. read more

This was a really good spot in Richmond great sushi. My boyfriend didn't even know that it was there so we'll definitely be back. We had soki bombs. Lock the black this issue was really good. Ambiance is really cute. It's like wood. It almost looks like you're sitting in a boat service. It was good. Try it if you ever been in Richmond try to see. read more

See all

Misleading Rewards Policy - Beware‼ I've been a loyal customer at Kaoru Sushi and have been collecting stamps on their rewards card (10 stamps = 1 free house specialty roll). The card clearly states it's redeemable for a free roll with no mention that a purchase is required. When I finally completed my card and went to redeem it, I was told by a staff member named Johnathan that I couldn't get the free roll unless I bought something. They told me that the owner Yoyo and co-owner John are not good at english so that could be the case why it wasn't mentioned on the stamp card. When I received the stamp card this condition was never mentioned by the server who gave it to me and anywhere on the card. It feels misleading and unfair. I asked about it but instead of honoring the card, they insisted on the extra purchase. It's disappointing, especially when customers spend time and money to earn rewards in good faith. If you're collecting stamps here, be aware that the "free roll" apparently isn't really free. It's a bait. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

Been here many times and also order party platters from them frequently for work events. Great fish quality and it is incredibly rare to have a long wait here. If I want a cheaper sashimi experience and I don't want to go far this is where I end up. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Chefs choice sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

Food here is good. Service sometimes hit or miss. Kids love their sushi and I like their bento boxes/bowls. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

All I got to say is this is a nice gem in the rough. Customer service has been great the multiple times I've been here. Food is great and tastes amazing! And let me tell you, I'm not a fan of sushi but from what I have tried from my wife plate I have liked. Drinks are good! Can't go wrong with hot Sake! Atmosphere is pleasant and clean, the aesthetics of the place suit it very well. Would definitely recommend this place to friends and family. Thank you! read more

Great service, delicious food and amazing ambiance! The staff is very kind, love that they stay open late. Perfect for a night run with friends and family. highly recommend! read more

Kaoru Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

A pleasant getaway setting. Makes you feel like you stepped through a wardrobe into Narnia. Good service, delicious satisfying food and fair prices. We have walked past this place a hundred times without stopping in. Our loss. Don't make it your loss. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Menu quick study. - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

Wow. Just wow! 5 stars? Make it 10! Boyfriend and I just recently moved here and we've been looking for closer spots to relax and enjoy a bit of sushi. Kaoru is definitely the IT spot within the shopping center, and an underdog at that! The ambiance is fantastic! Love the music, love the lights, and I especially like their deco! Always love seeing their little pufferfish banners. Too cute! Service? Another level. It always comes exceptionally fast and the main waiter (an Asian gentleman wearing glasses) is always so accommodating kind to my partner and I. Kind and considerate even when it's busy, and greets us almost always! He always checks in on us for water, checks in regarding if we like our order (which is always), and I really don't have anything to say that can come off slightly negative. Food suggestions for this place? Definitely their SakeDon. Big salmon portions and tamago rolls for 23 bucks?!? What a freaking deal! Again, you will not be disappointed at Kaoru! And, you get a little yogurt and candy afterwards. What a fantastic place! C: read more

Kaoru Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

Amazing experience and customer service here! I mean.. just look at the pictures! Interesting take on the sushi but in a great, flavorful way. Favorite was the sashimi spread, with great fresh pieces! I really loved their take on the cucumber roll with a mix of all sorts of raw fish and the black rice on the Jack Roll was a great balance of savory and sweet altogether. Give the tempura ice cream a try too!! The wasabi paired with the sashimi is pure wasabi which tasted much different than the paste. Great experience and definitely coming back to this quaint but lively restaurant! read more

See all

The food was delicious, especially the fresh and incredibly sweet uni (sea urchin). This was my first time trying the food here, and I was quite impressed with the dishes, but the service could be improved. I waited a long time to order food and drinks, and after ordering, I had to wait a very long time for my drinks. It seemed like the restaurant doesn't serve water unless the customer asks for it. I had to ask for my drinks at my table once and then had to go and ask a staff again. I feel that water should be served before the food, but here the food came before the water. I only ordered a Coke, and it took too long. It seemed like there was only one waiter. the staff should be more careful because when they served the table next to me, I saw them accidentally knock over a customer's glass of water, spilling it everywhere. Customers also had to ask for the bill multiple times. read more

See all

I love this establishment. The interior is adorable, quick service, AMAZING FOOD. I can't wait to come back here. And staff was lovely. read more

Kaoru Sushi - House Salad - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

The ratio of rice to fish is crazy big it's so much rice and a tiny piece of salmon it's been like that everytime we've got it so it's not like a one time thing I don't want to go back again because I see it's not going to change. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Sake Roll - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

Looking for a sushi place with Bento box lunch specials that was open between the notorious lunch and dinner gap. So many great Japanese restaurants in the area are closed between lunch and dinner. We got this recommendation from our banker Lydia at Wells Fargo - located in the 99 Ranch in Richmond. We were the only patrons, good service and the food was delicious! My parents got their favorite Bento boxes - Mixed tempura and Teriyaki beef for my dad, Teriyaki salmon and a California roll for my mom. I started with a Spicy tuna hand roll and it was plump and huge, so good! Then a Dragon roll. We were all so happy with our choices. Service was fine - our original waiter disappeared and then another guy filled in. Only negative was the men's room was closed but there wasn't a sign. My dad is 81 so needed the bathroom. He went two times and it was locked, thinking that someone was using it. We finally asked and they said it was closed so he should use the women's room. read more

See all

The ambience is like most other Sushi places the service is a 3 out of 5 the order(s) placed came separately almost 10 minutes apart the dish I ordered was almost cold and was average tasting at best the servers are courteous they deserve a 4 out of 5. To sum it up average food with good servers. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Chicken Teriyaki Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

I placed an online order and was told it would be ready at 7:20 PM. I arrived at 7:20, but the order didn't come out until 8:30 PM -- more than an hour later than the time they gave me. If the kitchen is overwhelmed with orders, they should either stop accepting new ones or give customers a realistic pickup time for when the food will actually be ready. read more

Stopped by for a quick bite to eat. We've had take out once in the past and it was good so we decided to sit and eat. NFL playoffs going on, but not on the TVs so that was a bummer. Our order was taken quickly and we received our food in a timely manner. My wife got a miso soup and she said it wasn't the best, but she ate it. We received the 49ers roll and Philly roll first and both were good. It's hard to go wrong with these rolls. Really no complaints here. We received the tempura combo next and the tempura batter was crispy and flavorful. The dish was presented well, but on closer inspection I think the containers used to serve the dish have mold growing in them. At least that's what it looked like to me. (See photos) In the future we'll probably just stick to our favorite spots, but the sushi hit the spot. The service charge was unexpected and I really don't like that. Just add it to the food prices because it really does make you want to leave a smaller tip. For what we order it was $57, so fairly pricey in my opinion. read more

See all

Food was amazing! Loved the vibes and the servers were so kind! The atmosphere was amazing.

Really cool looking location, but it's a waste because they seem to really prioritize take-out. Food ranged from average to sightly above average, and service was really bad. They were nice but not attentive at all. Also, they said they couldn't make ANY of the special cocktails on the special menu. When we asked "ok, what CAN you make?", the lady said "let me check on that" and then never got back to us, and it was impossible to get her attention because she was locked in on preparing take-out orders. I guess just Doordash your food instead of sitting in, and make sure your home bar is stocked when you do. read more

my boyfriend and i live cities away from kaoru, but we've visited multiple times within the last 2 months. i think that should say everything about this hidden gem! i love heading here after work. not only is it one of the only sushi places open after 9pm, the quality of their fish is TOP TIER! i don't know where they source their fish from, but it is the freshest, most buttery-est fish we've ever had. they are NOT skimpy on the portion sizes either; each slice of fish on the chirashi / nigiri is SO generous and worth every single penny. unfortunately, during our past few visits, they were out of a handful of items including uni, natto, and egg for the ikura. additionally, the service can be a tad bit slow despite there not being many customers, but we don't mind too much as the ambiance is super relaxing. i absolutely love the aesthetic of this place. we'll be back very soon! ^_^ read more

See all

I think I have been here 3-4x already. Food is light & fresh. Service is quick & the place is clean and quiet. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

I only did take out, the place look cool and the workers are really nice. I only ordered oyster pancake so can't really review anything else besides that for now. Absolutely delicious! Crispy and really flavorful, wished that there maybe slight more oysters, but flavor on that pancake does balance it out so I'm not like too put out about it. Definitely recommend! read more

Kaoru Sushi - Oyster pancake - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

Kaoru Sushi is conveniently located near the 99 Ranch in Richmond, which makes it easy to swing by if you're already in the area. Unfortunately, proximity is one of the few things working in its favor. I stopped by for lunch hoping to find a solid neighborhood sushi spot, but the experience fell short. The restaurant itself is clean and the staff was polite, but the food quality didn't match the prices. The sushi, in particular, was underwhelming. The fish didn't taste especially fresh--some pieces felt watery or lacked flavor--and the sushi rice was a bit too soft and overly sticky, missing that delicate balance you expect in good nigiri. We also tried a few appetizers: the agedashi tofu was soggy and bland, with a broth that lacked umami, and the karaage was oily and didn't have much seasoning. While the food wasn't terrible, it felt like it was just going through the motions--nothing memorable or crave-worthy. Despite being next to such a busy plaza, the restaurant was oddly quiet even during a meal rush, which affected the overall vibe. It didn't feel cozy or tucked away--it just felt empty and a little sad. With so many great sushi spots in the East Bay, it's hard to justify returning here. The service was fine--friendly and attentive--but ultimately, it's the food that brings people back, and Kaoru didn't quite deliver. Unless you're already shopping at 99 Ranch and need a quick sushi fix with no wait, I wouldn't go out of your way for Kaoru. There are better options for sushi, ramen, or Japanese comfort food not far away. read more

Service: 6/10 Food presentation: 10/10 Sushi Rolls: 5/10 Convenience seating: 10/10 I was walking around checking out what new restaurants have come to the 99 Ranch market plaza. I was intrigued how the place looked. I decided to give it a try. I was seated in the cubicle where the seats were cushion pillows. Overall, I've had better sushi. I was disappointed on the appetizer: jumbo calamari. They tried to cook it like chicken karaage but it was too fluffy and had too much flour. To me, it looks like baby calamari. The rolls I had ordered were the Superman and yoshio. Both tasted mid. I will not be coming back. read more

See all

This review is primary for the nigiri combo. Large big fatty pieces of a mixture of normal and somewhat exotic pieces. The waiter even presents the platter to me omakaze style. It also takes a little bit of time but I've never been disappointed for $40. Add $3 you can have a saucer of fresh wasabi. Hella places skimp out or don't have it. I've gotten the same server for awhile, and he's possibly been the only one, but he's pleasant; and blandly cheers me on whenever I order the nigiri combo . I've ordered the sashimi combo many times and was not impressed. You would think that these things would be congruent with each other. Other foods were usually ok but not for the price. Im not sure if they still have those sushi roll specials but those were good if you're hungry and can feed like 2-3 people for $60. The rest is like solid 3 stars. read more

Kaoru Sushi - a plate of sushi on a table - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

Service was quick and attentive. The menu options are pretty good with good deals for lunch. I started with the Ika Uni appetizer. This dish was a mixed bag as the Uni is fresh and sweet. However, the squid was very slimy and didn't seem the freshest. Then I got the Chirashi lunch option. Value was its great for the selection of fish as well as proportions. The only thing I wish it had more of is the seaweed. Will definitely come back and try their other items. read more

Kaoru Sushi - Ika Uni - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

This place is a gem on the East Bay! I highly recommend it. All of the sushi is excellent quality. The rolls taste delicious and the service is excellent. Definitely worth a stop! Great vibes and ambience here as well. I will be back! read more

Kaoru Sushi - Hokkigai cucumber special with cold Sapporo Beer - Japanese Near Me - Richmond, California

See all

Amazing food and equally amazing service, a great place for a late night meal. They had plenty of options, and overall was a very pleasant and friendly place read more

Food and service was amazing and owner is a very hospitable and welcoming person would come again soon