5 stars Expensive but a worthy splurge. I will note that they don't serve Highballs as a drink option for added authenticity but their drinks menu is otherwise complete for an Izakaya. Skewers: Beef intestines: fatty, perfectly charred and marinated Pork belly: delicious but the least interesting Lamb + okra: nicely prepared and delicious Pickled Sakana leaves: deliciously pickled and salty on its own but worked perfectly as a skewer meat accompaniment Chicken karage: perfectly cooked and juicy Beef+lamb potstickers: homemade and presented in the traditional style. Very good Roasted tea leaf pudding was delicious read more

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Honestly one of the top meals I've had in the bay in a while. Made a reservation for Friday 9PM, and it was still very lively and packed. Would order again/changed my brain chemistry: - Suzuki carpaccio: my bf didn't like this as much as I did since he thought it was too acidic, but I thought it paired well with the rest of the dishes... nice acidity but then sesame and umami aftertaste - Beef intestine skewer: melts in your mouth, actually insane - Beef tongue skewer: also melts in your mouth and also insane, loved that the flavor was distinct from the beef intestine skewer - Soy sauce marinated shrimp: so much flavor infused and the texture is amazing Good: - Roasted tea blanc manger - Smoked unagi: very tender & different flavor than typical japanese unagi, which I appreciated - Mini kaisen donburi: tasted very fresh, though not sure why but the fattiness of the salmon didn't come through as much Skip: - Pork belly, thought this was standard... not bad but it was tougher than I expected and the sauce was ok - Homemade tofu/yuba spoons: if you're getting the kaisen, I would skip. it's basically a lot of the same ingredients but there was what I think was the tofu skin in there and idk why but the texture reminded me of bland playdough a bit - Black cod: good flavor and smokiness but idk if it stood out read more

Best sushi I had in Berkeley went I went there, you need to make a reservation to be able to eat there and the seating arrangements are not the best. In exchange you will well a great good experience. Everything was great read more

So glad we had a reservation as this restaurant seemed super popular as the restaurant filled up quickly. VAlthough they have omakase sushi I loved their Japanese style tapas much more. We ordered the 9 piece omakase, fish was fresh, rice not as much but was still good. The sashimi natto tartare was delicious and had such a beautiful presentation. The ganjang seawoo which was Korean Style Soy Sauce Marinated Raw Shrimp, Added a Side of Mini Rice, Korean Seaweed & Marinated Egg York. At first we didn't know how to eat this but wow it was so flavorful. The black cod was absolutely amazing. Service was prompt and very helpful with their recommendations. There was street metered parking right up front and I was lucky to snag a spot. Didn't see any parking lot though. read more

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Popular Izakaya gem on Telegraph Avenue. I was surprised by the extensive waitlist. Good idea to do a table reservation. This place is super popular and quite cozy inside. Be aware -Tables are very close to one another. Oh my! The quality of food is excellent. A friend and I got 8 plates to share between the two of us. It was enough. Really really tasty. I highly recommend and will be returning here. read more

Kiraku - Outside - waitlist must have had 20 people on it - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Exquisite food, cozy vibes, and totally worth the wait. Kiraku is hands down one of the best spots for Japanese comfort dishes in Berkeley. read more

Kiraku - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

We came 10 min before opening and got a table for dinner on Saturday. The space is small so seating is a bit cramped. Food: - Tako Wasabi (5/5): good portion, raw and spicy, not for everyone - Beef Wagyu Tataki (3/5): ponzu overpowered any taste of the beef - Mini Kaisen Donburi (5/5): such a treat! It was topped with 3 small pieces of uni and I thought it was worth it for $22. - Garlic edamame (5/5): A MUST! read more

Kiraku - Beef Tataki (3/5) - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Delicious small plates to enjoy! The tongue was excellent! Ceviche salad with chips was delicious! The pork belly skewers was delicious! The uni pasta was good! Salmon sashimi was solid. The creme brulee desert was good! Fun meal to eat with family and friends. Also good to know that they require each person at the table to order at least up to $35 a person even if they are kids! read more

Kiraku - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

The food is always amazing! Always make sure to book a reservation because they can get packed pretty quick. One of my favorite Japanese spots in the Bay Area. I find myself always coming back! read more

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Authentic izakaya in Berkeley. Very fresh sashimi, grilled squid was our favorite. A little crowded and always a long line, but worth a try. Casual gathering place with friends, overall a bit pricy though. read more

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LOCATION: Telegraph/Parker PARKING: Limited street parking WHAT WE ORDERED: * Salmon Crudo ($18) * Black Pork Belly Skewer ($6) * Beef Tongue Skewer ($7) * Lamb Skewer ($7) * Tako Karaage ($9) * Black Cod ($18) * 9 Piece Nigiri ($65) * Deluxe Kaisen Box ($67) * Sweet Potato Brulee ($8) I took my boyfriend here for a birthday dinner and he loved it! It reminded us of the coziness of the restaurants in Japan. They even had baskets to place your bags and belongings! The servers were extremely friendly and attentive. All the food was really good despite the price. The yakitori melted in our mouths. The fish tasted fresh and was prepared well. There is a minimum spend per person, but it's pretty easy to hit. I'd say this restaurant is more of a once-in-a-while type of restaurant rather than a regular go-to restaurant. Very casual, but authentic. I'm surprised it's not Michelin rated! I recommend making a reservation, as the restaurant is rather small and there seems to always be a long wait. read more

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Kiraku is definitely a MUST TRY if you're ever in Berkeley, however, make sure you make a reservation (min. $50 a person) or else you will definitely have to wait for a long time, even on a weekday. The restaurant was offering a special omakase set for around $80 so it was something that we knew that we had to try, and let me say, it did not disappoint. The fish was extremely fresh and tasty, especially their Bluefin Tuna sashimi which was definitely my favorite. If you're a fan of udon and want to try something new, I also recommend the Yaki Udon which uses pesto sauce. Extremely creamy and delicious. Kiraku offers a unique variety of dishes, a relaxed and comforting environment, and an overall awesome dining experience. I definitely want to come back again to try more things next time! 5/5 stars! read more

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Great place for a special meal. Definitely make a reservation, the minimum charge is easily surpassed. Tables are packed in as it is a small place. Some classics and lots of creative dishes as well. Mini kaisen bowl was a highlight for me. Beautiful salmon, ikura, and delicious uni. Definitely try the corn fritters as well! read more

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If you're debating on whether or not to come here, this is your sign to GO!! My group and I came on a Friday at 5:30pm which is when they open. There was already a huge crowd of people waiting before the restaurant even opened, luckily our group had a reservation which requires a minimum purchase of $50/person. The servers were very kind and offered good recommendations from both the regular menu and daily menu. The food came out quickly despite how busy the restaurant seemed to be. The interior was vibey and they had metal baskets under each table to put your bag or belongings into. I would definitely recommend the Suzuki carpaccio, this dish had a good yuzu ponzu flavor to it, and the fish tasted fresh. Overall, this restaurant offers a unique variety of dishes and a great dining experience. Overall, I would definitely recommend it and will be coming back soon. read more

Kiraku - Suzuki Carpaccio (YUM) - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

Reservations highly recommend, otherwise you may be waiting hours or not even be seated at all. Why take the chance?! Also, you are required to provide a credit card for the reservation as a last minute cancellation would charge your card. Also, requires you to spend $50 per person in your group. So table for 2 requires $100 minimum spend and table for 4 requires $200 minimum spend. Also, each nigiri requires 2 orders minimum The dining room is quite small, tables are small and right next one one another. You MAY get a little roomier tables by the corner if you have a party of 4 or more, otherwise you'll be squished together like salmon during mating season. Started off with a Asahi draft beer and Sake: Yoshinosugi no "Tarusake". The description is spot on "gentle, subtle dry cedar sake with mineral & roasted rice aromas". Highly recommend, great flavor especially for the price! I really love the daily menu items and you definitely want to try them as they rotate that menu! Food items I ordered for the night: Tsubugai & wild bluefin tuna Hamachi &mizu tako Deep fried softshell crab Yuzu chicken udon Black cod Hokkaido uni Santa barbara uni Lamb skewer Tongue skewer Beef okonomiyaki I recommend all the items in my order except for the Yuzu chicken udon. It was just udon and nothing special, would only get if someone was really craving udon that night haha. read more

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Came by for dinner the other night and it was a world class experience, reminding me of izakayas in Tokyo, without the smoking. Made a reservation via Yelp and my table was ready at the specified time, after checking in on the tablet outside the entrance. Parking is available on surface streets. Dining is indoors only and is pretty cramped. There seems to be a $30 minimum charge for walk-ins and $50 minimum charge for reservations. The queue upon arrival for walk-ins was 150 minutes. There is a 1.5 hr limit on tables during peak hour. Meal started with a hot towel service and the talented uniformed staff sharing off-the-menu specials of the day. The menu online is the regular menu. Dine-in patrons have a special menu, daily special menu, along with verbal specials. Started off with the fresh fish tempura which was lighted fried and served with some vegetables. The miso black cod was excellent. Despite the menu stating it's merely 1 skewer, 2 pieces showed up. The flavor was excellent, and it was grilled to perfection. The black cod was super fresh too. The pork jowl skewer had a nice char from the grill. The iberico pork was fragrant and juicy. The unagi grilled skewer was also decent, served with a side of wasabi. The soft shell crab was fried and cut into pieces served inside some sweetened soy sauce and topped with some super fresh vegetables. The A5 ribeye nigiri was excellent and had fantastic marbling. The negitoro and onion roll was excellent. Super fatty and flavorful negitoro served with some wasabi and pickled ginger. The chicken karaage was world class. Super fresh organic chicken, marinated to perfection, and served piping hot. The oil was super fresh too! The chicken udon was tasty. Super flavorful broth, tasty udon, and topped with some fresh chicken and cabbage. Ended off the meal with the matcha montblanc which was tasty. ~$85/head after tax and gratuity for dinner with plenty of leftovers. read more

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It's so hard finding another spot to eat at for a special occasion because Kiraku sets the bar so high. From food quality and consistency to the staff, you basically get a Michelin star experience without the pedigree. We've been here enough now to have our favorites from the menu and these are what I would recommend if you are able to score a reservation here at Kiraku (Don't even be a minute late, your name will get called only once before you are considered a no show) Yuzu Carpaccio, Premium Angus Beef Tongue with Truffle Oil, and Corn Tempura. The rest are give and take depending on the occasion but those three are a must have. This will be my final review unless something drastically changes. read more

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Love going to this place. Takes me back to Japan each time yet their dishes are more inventive than traditional Japanese Izakaya. It's a small place but serves high quality dishes. Most are small tapas size dishes but packs in lots of flavor. I can't wait to come back to try new dishes each time. I usually get stuck in the first two pages of the menu. We were able to try 2 grilled item but we ate it so fast we forgot to take pictures. We will definitely be back! read more

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We got on the waitlist right when Kiraku opened, and it took about 10-15 minutes before we were seated, which wasn't bad at all. It's a small, cozy spot, but really cute inside. Everyone working there was so kind and took the time to explain the menu and answer our questions, which we really appreciated. We ended up ordering the six-piece omakase which is chefs choice, garlic, edamame, and a couple of the starters. I really liked that they offer chef specials and a rotating menu -- it makes the experience feel more thoughtful and unique. Everything we tried was good and clearly made with quality ingredients. It is a little on the pricey side -- for everything we ordered it came out to almost $100 -- but the quality and care definitely matched the price. Overall, a great experience and a place I'd happily come back to. read more

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Cozy, authentic, and absolutely delicious. My friend and I grabbed dinner at Kiraku before a show at the Greek Theatre and it was the perfect pre-concert spot. We made a reservation about a week in advance and were seated right on time, which was great since we were on a schedule. The interior instantly reminded me of Japan. It had a warm, intimate vibe that felt like a hidden gem. We ordered the 9-piece omakase, negitoro maki, agedashi tofu, edamame, and organic chicken karaage. Everything was packed with flavor and beautifully prepared. The karaage was especially crispy and juicy, and the tofu was so delicate and satisfying. Service was friendly, the timing of the dishes was just right, and overall the experience felt really well curated. We'll definitely be back next time we're in the area. Kiraku is a must if you're in Berkeley and craving quality Japanese food. read more

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Potato Croquette: Perfectly crispy outside, soft and creamy inside -- ultimate comfort bite. Grilled Angus Beef Tongue: Tender with a smoky char, brightened by a squeeze of lemon. Mini Kaisen Don: Fresh, flavorful seafood with just the right rice-to-topping ratio. Sashimi Sampler: Generous cuts, melt-in-your-mouth freshness. Overall, a go-to for authentic Japanese small plates. It has that cozy, intimate izakaya feel with warm lighting, lively but not overwhelming. The staff is friendly, attentive, and great with recommendations; dishes came out at a good pace. Expect about 30 minutes to 1 hour wait time during peak dinner hours. read more

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Favorites are the Deluxe Kaisen box, Unagi skewer, and corn tempura. it is a popular spot and is quite small, so expect a wait! read more

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When a friend of mine came to visit from New York, I wanted to take her to a really great place! I hadn't been to Kiraku since before the pandemic, so I was really excited! Overall, the food was really good, though there were a couple of things that we ordered that were a miss for me. Things we ordered: *Fermented firefly squid - I love firefly squid but this wasn't something either of us enjoyed. *Salmon tostada - this was yummy! *We also ordered a black cod from the daily specials menu and I wish I had taken a picture to explain why I didn't love it. The texture was slimy and awful. I normally don't care about texture but this just didn't work for me and completely took away from any flavor this had. *Tofu from the daily specials and I thought this was a miss. It had zero flavor. *Tomato and snow crab salad - this was surprisingly delicious because of the tomato! *Tempura - this was good, but nothing overly special *Yuba spoons - these are delicious *Beef tongue skewer - yummy and had a nice plum sauce *Mini Kaisen donburi - as delicious as I remember it! *We also ordered the scallop and shrimp nigiri and I had requested the shrimp with a fried head, which sadly never came Overall, I think the things I didn't love were simply not for my tastebuds, because the things that were delicious, were absolutely great and I would come back for them. Our server was attentive and helped us gauge how much to order. Also, we were lucky in that we were sat in a corner, which meant that it was a bit quieter and out of the way, as the place is small and it did get progressively louder throughout the night and the tables are fairly close together. read more

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we came here for dinner on a Wednesday, and the restaurant filled up quickly! i enjoyed the hamachi salad which had crispy garlic, and the beef intestine skewer melts in your mouth. the hot pot was okay, but their sirloin skewer was flavorful! read more

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I been wanting to come here for a while so here I am. We ordered a lot of things lol. We ordered the wagyu beef tataki, taco wasabi, corn and fish tempura, duck breasts, omakase sampler (12), Deluxe Kaisen Box, and Uni carbonara pasta. All of the food was really good. The highlights being the Kaisen box, omakase sampler, and the Uni carbonara pasta. Despite how busy the restaurant was, my party and I got great service. The food came out at a surprisingly fast pace. The servers often came to check in, refill water, and they gave us soo many new utensils when my baby niece kept dropping everything lol. The restaurant cozy and very lively. Quick note, I definitely recommend making a reservation because this place tends to get pretty packed and the place is kinda small. I recommend checking this spot out. This is by far my favorite Izakaya spot in East Bay. Try it out if you like. :) read more

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Surprised to see that I don't already have a review for this place as it used to be my go to while living in the Bay. I thought I'd reviewed it so I didn't even take pics of my dinner to share last night! A small restaurant on Telegraph. Parking can be a little tough. It is so busy all the time that waits can be long. You can make a res but you'll have to put a credit card down and guarantee a $50 per person spend. I'm usually down to do this to cut the wait time but with a flight landing so late, I just wasn't sure I'd make it. Got there at around 10:20 pm and waited a out 15 min without a res. The folks that work here are very friendly and attentive. They sat us very close to the door and moved us away when they had a chance so that we could get away from the breeze that kept wafting in. The food is unreal! The otoro with truffle was melt in your mouth delicious. My go to faves: rock shrimp tempura, corn tempura, pork belly skewers, nasu miso, miso black cod. I tried the pork jowls skewer and it was tender and yummy with its marinade. If you're wondering whether or not to come, it's a must! read more

Kiraku has a special place in my foodie heart. I've eaten here a handful of times now, and I feel so satisfied afterwards every single time. I have a few staples here: - Yuba spoon - this is one of my favorite bites in the world. The first time I experienced this, it forever altered my brain chemistry. - Suzuki carpaccio - gorgeous presentation and fantastic blend of flavors. I love the tanginess of the citrus with the fish. - Corn tempura - simple dish, but so so good. I could eat ten of these in a row. We do try to order new things each time, especially from the specials menu, but they can be a hit or miss. My only few critiques is that the restaurant is too small and intimate. It sort of feels like you have to knock into everyone's seats to get to yours. Also, since there is such a high volume of people in Kiraku, the floors do get a little gross, and same with the bathroom. read more

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A hidden gem, tiny place, so reservations are always recommended. I live in Chicago, but always try to get in.

Delicious, small bites so you can try lots of dishes! My favorite hands down had to be the Sautéed Fresh Hokkaido Jambo Scallop! The sauce was just so surprisingly delicious and unique, and the scallops were cooked to perfection. The environment felt straight out of an izakaya in Japan. The servers were all very friendly and nice as well. We absolutely loved our dine-in experience. read more

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One of my favorite Japanese spots in the Bay. The food is thoughtful, unique, and consistently high quality. Every visit brings me back to evenings in Japan... comforting, authentic, and made with care. If you know, you know. read more

Came in with a reservation for 4 at 5:30PM. The place gets very crowded quick with reservations. Loud atmosphere in a small, cozy restaurant. Waitresses were very friendly. It's a very popular spot even at 5:30PM opening time. While the meal was enjoyable I thought a lot of the dishes were heavy on the salt. If you make a reservation you must spend at least $50 per person. Without reservation you are required to order at least $30 per person. Tsubugai & wild blue fin tuna sashimi nuta $18 - Sea snail had a fun texture, light, enjoyable appetizer Hamachi & mizu tako carpaccio salad $18 - Very overdressed and salty/sweet. It was hard to enjoy the salad since the dressing was so overpowering and it looked like they put way too much dressing than intended. Black cod & kale yanagawa style - Rich, buttery and velvety dish. Burdock adds a nice crunchy texture. Beef okonomiyaki $18 - Beef was very soft and flavorful. Tender beef tongue skewer $7 - The price is for 1 skewer. This one is a must! Very different than usual beef tongue yakitori. I've never had beef tongue so tender before. Lamb & scallion skewer $7 - Enjoyable for even those who don't like the smell of lamb. It was not too gamey and nice flavor. Yuzu chicken udon $14 - Broth was nice and light at the end of the meal. Nothing too special though. Hokkaido uni $15 + Santa Barbara uni $15 - Both had very different flavors. One was more rich and buttery, the other more sweet. You must order 2 at a time for nigiri orders and the price listed is for 1. read more

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Great experience overall. The menu has a nice variety and the food quality is consistently good. Staff were friendly and the vibe feels lively but still comfortable. read more

Small intimate setting serving sushi and Japanese cuisine. Space is very tight and they appear to always be busy, but do a great job of keeping on top of everyone. The omakase did not disappoint serving six fresh pieces of nigiri with a variety of flavors and an extra surprise dish! I also got a lamb and scallion skewer which was chewy and tender. Not a cheap meal, but very reasonable for the quality read more

Kiraku - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

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came in with a reservation for 2 at 9pm that we grabbed a few hours before. (note: reservations come with a $50/per person minimum spend!) we got the ceviche, chazuke, blue fin tuna skewers, seared flounder nigiri, and chicken skin. LOVED the blue fin skewers, we ordered 3 and couldve ate more. got the last seared flounder nigiri of the night, would have loved to get more but the price of the nigiris were just for one piece, quality is worth it though. small restaurant great for date night or casual dinner with friends. would love to come back to try other dishes read more

Kiraku - chazuke - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Honestly dreading this review because we've eaten here before and had a good experience. Our experience today for Valentine's day dinner here was marred by the service received. Simply put we were completely forgotten. We placed our orders about 15 minutes in and was left alone till I flagged them about 40 minutes later. We found out that they had forgotten to place our order... So yeah big oof. The food came in quick afterwards. Everything tasted amazing. We particularly enjoyed the ankimo mousse and chips; we haven't tried it this way before. They added something on the house, but forgot to remove it from the bill. I know it was a busy night, but this was another WTH moment for us. However, I'm glad the other diners enjoyed their meals. Good vibes here. Long story short.. great food, good vibes, but bad service this time around. read more

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This is my second time here. The quality of the food is solid. The staff are attentive. Since we had a reservation, we didn't need to wait for a table. I came with my baby. She is a messy eater! Staff continued to offer us new utensils and warm wet washcloths for my daughter who is kept dropping utensils and was getting rice all over the place. Water was refilled frequently. The place is tiny. We didn't know baby was supposed to be counted in reservation but we were still accommodated. I loved the chicken cartilage and generous portion of takowasabi. All the food was good. read more

Kiraku - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Loved the ambiance. Super intimate setting. The service was very good. It was our first time and the waiters were very nice. Highlights are definitely the wagyu, the corn fritters, and the soft shell crab we ordered. The grilled mackerel was alright; definitely a little bit fishier for my taste. The negitoro maki ro read more

Kiraku - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have heard amazing things about Kiraku, so while I was visiting Berkeley I decided to make a reservation. There's a minimum $50 spend per person, but expect to spend more (total for our meal was ~$170). The ambiance is nice and cozy, and it was definitely packed. We did around three rounds of food and tried a little bit of everything. The quality of the food was great, but I was seriously thrown off by the portions. With the beef tataki, I'm not sure why they left open that gap instead of just filling the whole plate. My partner and I were also not full by the time we left. Fave dishes: fried shrimp heads, corn tempura If I could go back in time I would skip the sushi and try more skewers. Compared to other izakaya places I've had in OC, Kiraku is tastier, but it's kind of a hassle to go to. All in all, I don't really see myself going back unless it's a super special occasion and I get a promotion at work, but a great experience that I think everyone should try out! read more

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cute cozy place. not great for big groups it's pretty tight in here. There is a yelp waitlist. There is a $30 minimum per person. Got the plum wine and it was sweet and strong. yummy. Black miso cod was my favorite. The tuna nigiri and cut roll were also yummy. Very buttery tuna not like a regular ahi tuna. The carbonara was good. very rich and umami. i'm not the biggest fan of uni but I wanted to try this. read more

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Very disappointed to give this review. It's Valentine's Day, so it was a long anticipated meal. I couldn't be surprised that the restaurant was packed and there was a bit of a wait outside before we could be seated. However, what we didn't expect was for them to completely forget to put in our orders, and we were sitting there for nearly an hour without any food while we saw all the tables around us eat and leave. When we finally got our first appetizer, they also left us a beef tataki (we didn't order it) that they said was on the house to make up for the wait. But when we got our bill, they actually tried to charge us for it??!! Extremely sneaky. Two stars only because every dish we got was very good. This would've easily been a 5* restaurant had they not completely flopped on the service. read more

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