Still all these decades later, Kirala meets the mark. We sat at the sake bar in the back with two kids and it worked well. Service by Taka was great - attentive and quick. Only lag was when we ordered 2 nigiri at the end and it took a really long time but I think the sushi chefs lost the order or something. Delicious sukiyaki, chicken skewers, cold tofu, salmon rolls, hamachi sashimi, Ikura and uni, tuna and Ikura nigiri, and hamachi Kama (not sure why they charge $21 and then $7 for a large when it is two small dollars that came out though). Decent wine selection - Chardonnay was good. Restaurant itself is fairly loud, especially with a baby that kept crying. But it might have been crying because it was loud. Owners should consider the Constellation System by Meyer Sound to make the dining experience more enjoyable for patrons. As this is a longtime bastion of Japanese food in the Bay, they should really invest in the sound portion of their restaurant. Prices have gone up since the last time I was here but it's not totally unreasonable. Good quality food and service. Love this place. read more

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Kirala isn't just another Japanese spot for us--it's a reminder of how far we've come. My wife used to only treat herself to Kirala when she was younger--on special occasions when a bonus check came in. Now, we get to dine here as a family, and that nostalgic treat feels all the more satisfying. Food (4 stars) + Ribeye teriyaki was a hit--tender, cooked to perfection, and the kids loved it! + Lamb chop was a standout--one piece, but perfectly grilled, juicy, and tender. I could eat 2 of these with a bowl of rice and it would be a hearty meal! + Chicken karaage was solid--crispy, good portion, and a nice appetizer. It's basically a Japanese version of chicken strips that is way better than nuggets. + Salmon sashimi for the kids never disappoints. ~ Chirashi bowl was fresh and filling, though standard compared to other spots. There was a lot of rice which if we knew that we probably would've skipped the extra bowl I ordered to eat with my lamb chops. For the somewhat premium pricing, I wish they provided fresh chopped wasabi. ~ Stuffed mushroom skewer was just okay--tasty but nothing special. I guess for mushrooms it does taste kinda like a chicken meatball which could be a good thing. Service/Ambiance (4 stars) + Attentive and thoughtful service, especially accommodating a broken foot. They let my family wait at the bar instead of standing. + Ambiance is that classic Japanese vibe, busy but comfortable. Maybe not high-end, but definitely a place that feels special--especially now that we can afford it! read more

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Saturday night dinner for a group of 3. The place opens around 5. There are no reservations, so you have to wait in line. The wait wasn't too long though. We ordered a few different items - tempura, sushi dinner, shisito peppers, miso eggplant and croquettes. Most were decent, eggplant was meh. Service was prompt. Prices are reasonable. Note that they do tack an extra 4% fee on credit card payments. read more

We have been to Kirala a few times and have always enjoyed the service and food. On this occasion we dropped in just after they opened on a Saturday evening. No surprise that they were already full. So we grabbed a seat at the bar. Service was quick and efficient. We ordered the rib-eye teriyaki dinner and a mixed tempura dish. Comes with miso, rice and veggies. Everything was very good and flavorful. read more

Kirala - Rib-eye teriyaki beef dinner - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Delicious food and attentive service. This is definitely a treat meal - it is a pricey option. Get on the yelp waitlist ahead of time! Very fresh and delicious sashimi - great flavor and texture. I had a special uni and ikura roll ($10 ea!) that were perfect. No fishiness, just silky smooth texture. Grilled saba is flavorful and juicy Chawanmushi was super smooth with a delicate seafood flavor - delicious. read more

We were looking for food after leaving Walnut Creek. We ended up in Berkeley and found this restaurant. We haven't been to this restaurant in years. It does get busy and is a very popular spot in Berkeley. The staff was friendly, and our server was amazing. Every dish was great and tasted fantastic. The ambiance of this restaurant is quaint and cozy. read more

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Still a great place after all these years! They get packed, so be patient and join the Yelp waitlist. Try to snatch a seat at the bar and have a beer while waiting for your table. Pro tip: ask for off menu beers! Service is good, food is better. Sushi always hits, so does the tempura veggies. I'm not a fan of the fried chicken nor the fried blue crab, but other grilled items are pretty solid. Plenty of on street parking, paid. Decor is minimal, tends to get loud, but always a good choice. read more

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We sampled a bunch from the menu: sushi, grilled squid, unagi over rice and ribs. Sushi was very fresh. For some reason, a lot of the cooked food tasted bitter. It seems chef didn't put enough sugar when cooking with soy sauce to balance out the bitterness in the taste. It was our first time and will check it out again! read more

Finally, after a four-year hiatus in Vegas and LA, it offers the most authentic home-cooked Japanese cuisine around. Oyako Donburi was not on the lunch menu; however, Chef Gregory obliged me and fired up a delicious bowl of chicken and egg over rice. Good to be back home! read more

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Taking a trip down memory lane nearly 27 years later, we came back to return to our very first Sushi experience ever! It's the spot that won us over to this delicacy of a cuisine and has had us venture to try so many sushi restaurants across the bay area. Our return visit did not disappoint! We arrived approximately 6 PM On a Saturday evening and fortunately we were seated immediately. Decades past, this would not have been the case as the line would be out the door and around the corner at this very early hour. There was indeed a line when we left at about 7:00 p.m. The restaurant was certainly busy during the entire stay while we were there. They are a bit understaffed with three wait staff including a busboy circulating the small restaurant. Nonetheless, our waitress was very friendly and as attentive as she could be. We did have to on all occasion specifically call out to the service staff to refill our water glasses. The menu is not as vast and overwhelming with an abundance of special rolls that you may find at some other popular Japanese restaurants. However, there are number of specialty dishes that aren't common across Japanese restaurants. We got adventurous with ordering the Chawan Mushi, which comes in a covered individual-sized clay soup bowl with mostly a seafood broth and some fish paste and seafood items that I can't even recall. I enjoyed it, however, I can see how this may not be a universally coveted item. We also ordered garlic edamame which isn't a necessarily common appetizer that is done right. I can say Kirala does this quite well and is definitely at the top of my list. The seafood yakiudon was delicious and full of seafood ingredients. And lastly the caterpillar roll; although a very common sushi roll, the taste was superb and tasted so fresh. Prices are typical, but definitely on the higher side. However, the freshness of the ingredients and unique flavors can definitely justify what we paid for. I hope it doesn't take another several decades for us to return again. This was such a great dining experience that brought back great memories! read more

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Years ago a coworker recommended Kirala to us. Taken the advise we stopped in. Very cozy Japanese restaurant that lived up to the hype. Great food and excellant service. Unfortunately it's been over ten years since our visit so when out friend asked if we should eat at Kirala after the SF Giants game, we said yes without hesitation. We got here about half an hour before they opened to make sure we got a table without a lengthy wait. First in and seated we ordered right away. I went with the Unaju, fresh water eel over rice with special sauce. Most places would name this dish, Unagi Don. This was delicious! Perfectly grilled unagi! While most in our group ordered the Beef Teriyaki making my have second thoughts, I was very pleased with Unaju. Our service was on point with not just our server but all staff jumped in to help. Thank you Yelp Elite extraordinaire, Patrick Y for the suggestion! read more

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The food was nice and fresh. I ordered the Sashimi dinner and everything was delicious. We sat at the sushi bar had a great time. They were busy. read more

Kirala - Sashimi plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Dine in. I was about to leave a 3 star review, since I do takeout here often enough, but I just dined in with some friends, and it was such a better experience. Everytime I do takeout, I'm always disappointed. Dining in: it's warm, cozy and always busy adding to the ambience. They have a long sushi bar, and about a dozen or so tables. While the server wasn't the friendliest, the sushi was good, which when doing takeout, hasn't been the case recently. I do wish they had better sushi sets - no nigiri plates, you have to go a la carte. The robata is delicious and they have weekly specials when dining in. Overall, a very popular and cozy Japanese restaurant that is worth the money if you're having a dining in experience. Takeout isn't consistent and ends up being quite a bit of money for what I think ends up being averagely thrown together sushi. read more

Best thing I ate here? The gyoza. And that's not that much. Heard that this place was great, but after a 45min wait on a weekend evening what I came out with was overpriced mediocre sushi. Sat at the bar and the waiter didn't even do the courtesy of coming by to get my order. Had to shout to him across the bar. Which, he ended up getting wrong. I know, shocking... Honestly, there are way better ways to spend your hard earned money. read more

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Always a pleasure seeing everyone again, especially the chef who prepares the food . Still the best sushi I've ever had.

Best sushi in East Bay. And the online waitlist is amazing. Showed up just in time for table.

We came here early right when they opened for dinner which was definitely the right choice as the restaurant quickly got packed. We sat at the sushi bar and I ordered the chutoro don, clam miso soup, and grilled stuffed mushrooms. The chutoro don was delicious with thick slices of fatty tuna and I liked that it came with Ikura. The grilled mushrooms stuffed with minced chicken were great as well and had a good amount of smokiness. Service was rushed but given how busy they were it's understandable. Will definitely be back! read more

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I came here with some friends to celebrate one of their birthdays. It's a pretty solid Sushi spot. The wait time was a bit crazy but I guess that's understandable for a late Friday night dinner. Inside was very packed and busy. Staff was nice. Sushi was good but portion size... was not the best for the price. Overall, tasty sushi and we had a good time. Street parking available read more

I came with a couple of friends on a busy Saturday night. We were able to sit at the bar and order our food there. We were soon served by the bartender with cutlery and water. I ordered the deluxe sushi dinner and it was delicious. The fish was fresh and buttery soft. My friend ordered a beef skewer and a couple rolls. The portions were very good. I wish I tried the clam miso soup but I'll probably try it next time. The restaurant is quite compact with a cluster of tables close to one another, seats along the sushi bar and grill, and more seating at the bar itself. Regardless, the food was worth it. read more

Kirala - Deluxe sushi dinner - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

It was a busy Friday night and my date and I walked in and waited for a mere 2 minutes to get seated at the bar area. The bar seating was pretty cool since it gave us a chance to watch the robata grill (robatayaki) in action. We ordered (and shared) the following dishes: the Seafood Yaki-Udon, Seaweed Salad, Edamame, a Spicy Crab Roll and a Caterpillar Roll. I had no complaints of the food since it arrived fresh and tasteful. My personal favorite was the Yaki-Udon, since the noodles and the scallops and shrimp were flavorful together! The service was quick and friendly. The staff running the floor were courteous and mindful. I'm giving this place a rating of 4.8 aye! read more

Kirala - Sharing the Seafood Yaki-Udon... - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

The Robota menu is great. I like the whole squid. I miss the pumpkin pie. Easy to make reservations. Seating is tight

Kirala Restaurant is a very popular restaurant that always has long lines. We were fortunate to get in before closing. It is a very cozy and small restaurant. The decor is modern yet simplistic. Deluxe Sashimi Dinner: five kinds of fresh sliced raw fish (15 pcs). Tuna, seared tuna, salmon, albacore, and yellow tail. The sashimi was fresh. Uni Nigiri (Santa Barbara) - The uni was good, but not as great as I had hoped it would be. The service was friendly and attentive. Overall, 3.5 stars. read more

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When you are craving good Japanese food but unable to make the trip to SF or South Bay, Kirala does the job. It's always busy during dinner time and judging from the older crowd, it's definitely not budget-friendly for the average college student. However, if you go with a group of friends and share, it's not too bad and you can try a variety of dishes. The standout is the unagi bowl, which has three thick strips of perfectly seasoned and cooked strips of eel. The mackerel was worth an experience. It comes with pureed white radish and sauteed carrots+burdock, which pairs nicely with the umami smokiness of the grilled mackerel. Their chirashi bowl also has a good selection of fish - all fresh. The udon was very average for me but that may be because I'm not a huge udon broth person. Overall, it's the place I recommend when you need Japanese food fix in Berkeley but not otherwise. read more

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Everything was delicious The Sashimi and Nigiri were very fresh and good size. The chefs behind the counter obviously know what they are doing. I would definitely come back. read more

Kirala never disappoints. Wonderful place but it's just always crowded. A sign that the food is delicious.

Been going to Kirala for 40 yrs and living it every time. The best sushi restaurant in the EB.

My family and I love coming to Kirala when we're in the Berkeley area for dinner. The food here is consistent and service was always fast, friendly, and efficient (especially when we'd see our favorite server Eddie around). My favorite spot to sit would be around the sushi bar and grill. This is one place I love coming back to to enjoy robatayaki. I recently found out about the yakisoba and it's incredible. Seriously have yet to have any bad experience or food here. If you haven't tried this place yet, do yourself a favor and grub here! read more

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It's been decades since my last visit. It's a unique Japanese skewer place. A lot unusual selection with the usual Japanese fares. On this occasion, I just couldn't click with the variety offered. So in my eclectic manner, I had ordered the mushroom stuffed with chicken, short ribs, and the third item I can't recall. The short ribs was a fusion of Korean and Japanese teriyaki which was good and plenty, perhaps too much if a good thing. lol the stuffed mushroom was alright, not memorable whereas my third item despite my photo, I can't recall. This has steady stream of diners as always. Menu prices are a bit on the higher side and each individual item adds up. Just be aware. It's an institution and perhaps better in memory until I get better acquainted on their offerings. My bad. read more

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Last minute dinner idea and I remembered Kirala. I hadn't eaten there for decades, but was very happy to have gone. We sat at the counter and watched the grill & sushi chefs do their thing. The service was on point as well. Delicious meal and memories to boot. Thank you, Kirala! read more

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It's a legacy established sushi place in Berkeley. Great variety of Japanese Cusine. Rolls are limited but delicious. It's a bit pricy but good quality. Service a bit slow and messy sometimes but OK. Free and paid street parking available. Accessible by ramp but narrow paths inside. Only outdoor seating. Credit card payment incur extra 4%, cash preferred. read more

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This was my second time going to Kirala since July. It's a family favorite of my boyfriend's, and needless to say we were both left a bit disappointed at some things. The food had great flavor as always. My boyfriend and I ordered a lot for the two of us because we like to have leftovers after a night out. The seafood yaki udon tasted great. It was nice and buttery, but the toppings were a little lacking. Usually, there are clams, shrimp, scallops, and squid included in the dish. However, this time there were only a few shrimp and small pieces of scallop. No clams or squid at all. I don't know what happened there! Most of the plate was bok choy and cabbage. The caterpillar roll was great, no complaints! As far as the chawan mushi goes, the toppings were, again, scarce. There were one or two pieces of chicken in total. I did enjoy the fluffy texture and the miso flavor though! The sukiyaki dinner was yummy, but they did forget our miso soup (not a big deal, we didn't need it). There was a lot of broth, so the bowl was full of liquid. All the meat and veggies rose to the top, so it felt empty. There were also hardly any noodles. I missed them, they were great! We know that Kirala can be better than it was this time. The restaurant has a comfortable feel, and the servers are always nice. I hope the food was just a fluke! read more

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We are from southern Ca and whenever we come north, we must stop here Everything we have ordered over the years - perfectly delicious! read more

Kirala has new ownership and the quality is not the same The pristiine boneless back cod has transformed into a bony nonentity The new dish of scallops and shrimp tempura is bland. The California roll lacks strong contrasting flavors. This was always a five-star go-to for me. Sadly, the new owners are trying to get more for less read more

Hm, maybe it's because I am spoiled by the many great South Bay Japanese restaurants and izakayas, but this place was just OK. I had the agedashi tofu and sukiyaki dish, and bf had the chicken teriyaki and the rock and roll. I did not have the chicken teriyaki but out of the three that I did taste, agedashi tofu was probably the best one. It was nicely fried and the spicy dikon(?) on top was an interesting touch. Maybe because of the price point i expected more but the sukiyaki and rock and roll missed their marks both on flavor and presentation. Sukiyaki beef was tough and chewy with too salty of a broth. Vegetables were thrown in at the bottom and some pieces were way too large. The rock and roll sushi was mostly rice with the saddest amount of tobiko i've ever seen on sushi. It's unfortunate because service was great and the restaurant ambiance isnt too bad. The food just was a bit of a let down for the rating and word of mouth recommendation I got for this place. read more

Kirala - Sukiyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

My partner lives very close to Kirala so we come here whenever we are craving sushi. There's usually a wait for a table but we have been lucky and can usually get seats at the bar right upon arrival. The ambiance is lively and the sushi chefs at the counter are very personable. A lot of locals and regulars come by and sit at the counter. All the food here is good so you can't go wrong with ordering. A couple of my favorites that I always get: oysters (fried or grilled) and nigiri (hamachi, salmon, toro, scallop, amaebi aka sweet shrimp). My partner really enjoys the seaweed salad and whatever grilled fish special they have (it alternates depending on the week). Highly recommend coming to support your local neighborhood sushi spot that has delicious food, quick service and reasonable prices. :) read more

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We got the deluxe shashimi plate and it was so yummy! Would recommend. The wait staff was very sweet and we had a great time! read more

Kirala - Great experience! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

We've loved Kirala for years. We went last night and I was a little grossed-out by the (new?) table menus. I don't know how long they've had the new ones, but they were green paper covered in folding plastic, like you might get at any side-of-the-road diner. The menus aren't beautiful or special anymore. That change might be cost effective for them, but it's not the reason we go to Kirala. read more

Many thanks for helping my family church ! The bento boxes were delivered on time and delicious! read more

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Amazing sushi and friendly staff behind the sushi bar. Note to bar folks: lighting is probably good for your preparation of sushi, but it's terrible for the guests. Too bright! Maybe there's a way to screen or provide different lighting for guests? Anyhow, I know it's a dilemma. read more

This place always hits! I love their unagi and their crab is so good. Especially in the California rolls. read more

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