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    Kotobuki

    3.9 (218 reviews)
    Closed 4:30 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 week ago

    Order Kotobuki Takeout or Delivery

    Kotobuki Photos

    Business Info

    KOTOBUKI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Kotobuki

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    Reviews With Photos

    Combo Tempura Dinner
    Anastasia K.

    This place is pretty good and has decent food. The restaurant is pretty quiet and very spacious. Customer service is good and the staff is friendly! Came here with some family for dinner and we definitely enjoyed ourselves. The tempura is nice and crunchy! Each dish was full of flavor and was pretty good. The tempura roll was good, but was lacking a bit of flavor. The bento combo box was a bit pricy for the flavor in my opinion. It definitely could have been a bit better. This place is a bit pricy, but still good. I'll definitely be back and try some other items.

    Joshua M.

    Phenomenal food and the service was absolutely incredible. I'd come back hear simply because the fatty tuna was incredible. I look forward to having more meals here. The ambiance is very melo and great place to relax. I

    Shane S.

    Kotobuki is humble and dishes up solid Japanese cuisine in the Montclair Village in Oakland. Staff is very friendly and accommodating. Two televisions show sports including college football and NBA basketball while we were there. Unfortunately the complimentary miso soup contains fish stock. A good way to order vegan if dining with someone is to do like we did share an order of edamame along with ordering a couple of veggie sushi rolls. We went with the avocado roll, cucumber roll, and marinated radish roll. Nice presentation. Enjoyed the ambiance here. Down to Earth. The vegan offerings here are extensive including a half dozen vegan sushi rolls on offer. Five specialty vegan rolls on offer. A whopping 10 vegan appetizers to choose from. We will return!

    Matsu Rollq
    Peter M.

    Came here on a warm Sunday and their HVAC was down- not ideal but they gave us a couple of free appetizers to make up for it. Good thinking too because it took a painfully long time for the food to come out. Matsu roll was pretty good- but didn't list on the menu that it had tempura which isn't my favorite. The escolar and ikura nigiri were just okay. Too much rice. The real dampener to the whole experience though is the amount of toddlers/children being loud in the place. My recommendation to the restaurant is perhaps play some music or something to drown it out. Anyways between the long wait and the annoying children I probably won't return even though the food was decent.

    Yasai soba
    Sydney J.

    I ordered takeout here and tried the following: Yasai soba: It was alright, but I found it somewhat plain (partly due to the amount of vegetables, and maybe just needed more flavors overall) yet also very dense and heavy. Veggie rolls: I thought these were pretty good, salty and savory, so glad to see they have this as a good vegetarian option since I've had mixed experience with vegetarian rolls at various sushi places. Tempura: Also pretty good, and I don't consider myself to be someone who really likes tempura.

    3 Items Combination Dinner
    Arron P.

    The food portion was great! The service is excellent and very friendly! The ambiance is casual. I'll be making a return. Very good experience for dinner.

    Tanzaru
    Scott H.

    This might be one of our new spots in Montclair Village! To preface, when we first moved to the east bay we ordered delivery from this restaurant our first night in our new house and were a bit disappointed, so we effectively left it off our list of places to go... this was our mistake! The restaurant is no frills, but there's seating for bigger parties and partitions between tables so it feels roomy. There's a huge TV broadcasting sports events too. We happened to go on "customer appreciation night" and were thoroughly surprised by the amount of complimentary dishes they brought to our table. I was already close to full with all this free dishes! I ordered the cold soba dish and that was really good. It even comes with a full order of tempura... we ordered some other small dishes for the kids as well. Overall, we were really impressed by the food and the service; our waitress was so friendly. We'll definitely be coming back here for meals!

    spicy tuna roll, piedmont roll and Negi Hama Maki

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    11 months ago

    Really good take out sushi tonight. Ten single piece nigiri had a wide range and no misses. Good value.

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    2 years ago

    Yummmy and fresh! Love this place! I've only ever gotten delivery and it's always delicious!

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Kotobuki

    Have you gone out of business as your phone number is no longer working?

    They are remodeling and plan to be back, soon hopefully!

    Are you open? Phone rings and rings.

    Sorry! We are closed now due to the kitchen remodel. We will be open soon. Thank you.

    Is this related to the Kotobuki that was on Piedmont Ave but closed some years ago? (If it is, I will do my happy dance!)

    Yes, get ready to dance Lol! Even some of the same waitstaff are there! I have been there several times!

    View All 4 Questions

    Kitchen Story - Chicken and waffles, very good.  Waffles so sweet, syrup was unnecessary.

    Kitchen Story

    4.0(1.4k reviews)
    2.4 miNorth Oakland
    $$

    Living down the block for years this is the first time I've been to kitchen story. The weekends…read morewhen I would drive by seems like there's always a lot of people here so I made a reservation reservations online and you have the option to choose if you want to sit outside inside or upstairs. I reserved for three to sit in the main dining room. The next day we arrived right on time for our reservation and still had to wait about 10-15 minutes and was asked if we could sit outside and then we were seated upstairs. I was a little bummed we didn't get to sit in the lower dining room like I booked on our reservations. It was still cute upstairs and good company always makes brunch even better. The servers were quick and helpful. I wanted something light so I just ordered the chicken and waffle bites. My husband got French toast and a side of chicken and my friend got a main entrée of a sandwich with some fries and a little soup. All of the food that came out looked amazing even at other people's tables. For brunch, the price is a little pricey, but I would like to come back to try other entrées when I'm more hungry. We asked one of our servers if he had a light as I brought a little candle to celebrate my friend's birthday, and as he lit it, he also decided to join in with us as we sang happy birthday, which I thought was really sweet. He did not have to do. He even got other tables around us to sing happy birthday as well. It felt like a special moment for my friend, which was a nice surprise. I did really appreciate this part and look forward to coming back.

    We visited Kitchen Story for a spontaneous Mother's Day brunch. I will say this is a popular brunch…read morespot, so be prepared for a bit of a wait. We arrived shortly after 10am and our wait was just under 30 minutes. The restaurant is cozy (on the smaller side) but has an interesting layout. There's seating both indoors, outside, and upstairs. You may have to squeeze by a few tables to make your way to the restroom. Customer service was friendly and attentive. Pricing for food & drinks was a bit high. Our total for 2 entrees and 2 drinks was $60 before tip. We ordered two drinks (orange juice and an iced mocha) which were provided promptly. The orange juice was a little too sour and my mom had to add some sugar to improve the taste. The iced mocha was good, not too sweet. One thing to note the wait for our food took much longer than expected, and it may have been due to how busy it was. My mom opted to order the salmon yuzu benedict and I got an egg plate (scrambled eggs) with a side green salad. My mom mentioned the potatoes lacking salt but she enjoyed the salmon benedict. I thought the scrambled eggs were good, but slightly bland & needed salt and pepper. The side green salad was alright, but the vinaigrette had a bitter aftertaste. Overall, the meal was pretty good and timing wasn't the best. I'd likely return for brunch on a non-peak day. Definitely recommend joining the yelp waitlist prior to arriving if you can!

    Photos
    Kitchen Story
    Kitchen Story - Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast the outside was more crunchy than expected. Was a bit tough to chew.

    Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast the outside was more crunchy than expected. Was a bit tough to chew.

    Kitchen Story - Korean FC & Waffles Breakfast

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    Korean FC & Waffles Breakfast

    Wawa Thai Food

    Wawa Thai Food

    4.4(402 reviews)
    2.1 miLower Hills
    $$
    Full bar
    Casual dining

    Update from a previous 5 star review... another 5 star review! This is our go to spot for pick up…read more Already ready on time and great quality just as in dine in. Dine in is also great- new spot , well taken care of. Smooth and colorful ambiance. My update is about how they ran to our car after our pick up to ensure we got the right rice order and once they made up for it they also added some nice complimentary cookies. They are too kind! I hope they continue to thrive!

    Wawa Thai is an assuming neighborhood Thai restaurant with a colorful interior and a chef-driven…read moremenu of Northern Thai dishes. We started with the Laos-style Papaya Salad, a salty, spicy, pungent combination of shredded papaya, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, and Thai eggplant mixed with a chili garlic lime dressing and salted crab. From the specials menu, the Khao Soi was a noodle soup made of egg noodles in a creamy coconut curry broth, topped with crispy fried noodles, red onions, lime, and pickled mustard greens, served with a choice of protein (I got the tender boneless chicken thigh). Next, the Fried Chicken and Roti was a huge piece of fried chicken served on top of a thick, flaky, layered roti, along with a fried egg, yellow curry sauce, and cucumber salad. The most comical part of the dish was the fried chicken, which looked impressive, but was composed almost entirely of crunchy batter surrounding a thin layer of meat in the middle. Not sure whether I was disappointed or amused. The Grilled Coconut Salmon was a salmon fillet marinated in coconut milk, lemongrass, onion, curry paste, kaffir lime leaf, and basil, then wrapped and grilled in a banana leaf. The flavorful, aromatic, tender salmon was served with jasmine rice, steamed vegetables, and a strong chili garlic sauce on the side. Finally, the dish I was most excited about trying was the Khan Toke, a huge platter with a ton of different items for sharing. The vegan version came with hung lay curry with vegan meatballs, jackfruit salad (my favorite component), tofu stir-fried with pineapple, nam prik noom (green chili dip), deep-fried puffs filled with curry potato, puffs filled with taro paste, fried tofu, fried tofu skin, fried vegan meat, mixed vegetables with coconut milk (including greens, eggplant, pumpkin), and sticky rice. While the platter definitely looked colorful and impressive, most of the items were disappointingly bland or mediocre in flavor. This one dish was skippable, but everything else we ordered was delicious and came at a good value with friendly service too!

    Photos
    Wawa Thai Food - Khan Toke

    Khan Toke

    Wawa Thai Food - Khao Soi

    Khao Soi

    Wawa Thai Food - Roti & Fried Chicken

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    Roti & Fried Chicken

    INDO Restaurant & Lounge - Pan Seared Seabass

    INDO Restaurant & Lounge

    4.2(1.3k reviews)
    28.3 mi
    $$$

    Just came back from lunch at INDO for the third or fourth time in the past few years. I am…read moreconsistently thrilled with this place. The food is amazing (ive had and loved both rib dishes, and the duck kapitan is incredibly flavorful) and the servers are friendly and made us feel welcome. Edder (I believe that's how it's spelled) recognized us from a past visit which lets you know they pay attention to the guests, and offered helpful opinions on food and gave us some background on the restaurant. The ambiance as a result of all this was relaxed and comfortable, it made the whole experience very pleasant. Totally recommend this.

    I've now enjoyed dining at INDO for well over a decade. Hard to wrap my head around that! While…read moremany restaurants have come and gone during this time, INDO has not only lasted...but I actually feel it's better than ever. With the passage of time, my love for INDO has made it all the way down to my kids. They now ask (or more accurately demand) to dine at INDO. Their faves include a double order of the Roti Prata and Chicken Satay plus the Garlic Noodles and Yellow Chicken Curry. For the adults, we usually add an order of the Papaya Salad, the Bali Ribs, the Chilean Sea Bass, a couple drinks and we are officially golden! From the taste & quality of the food to the friendly waitstaff and the relaxed ambience, we just simply cannot live without INDO as one of our all-time fave go-to spots!

    Photos
    INDO Restaurant & Lounge - Mie Goreng

    Mie Goreng

    INDO Restaurant & Lounge - Balado Short Rib  prime beef, spicy sambal glaze, potato medallions

    Balado Short Rib prime beef, spicy sambal glaze, potato medallions

    INDO Restaurant & Lounge - Lamb Korma  braised australian lamb shank, carrots, potatoes, coriander cumin curry

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    Lamb Korma braised australian lamb shank, carrots, potatoes, coriander cumin curry

    Fusion Delight - Suckling pig platter

    Fusion Delight

    2.9(1.1k reviews)
    10.4 mi
    $$

    I originally came to Fusion Delight because of the purple interior…read more Seriously. The giant lotus chandeliers, the deep violet lighting, the old-school banquet hall atmosphere - it immediately reminded me of the large Cantonese restaurants that used to define family dining in the Bay Area years ago. But after eating here during a packed weekend dinner service, I realized the real attraction is not the decor. It is the operational consistency. The dining room was completely full, with a long line of people still waiting outside. Under that kind of pressure, many large Chinese restaurants start losing control somewhere: fried dishes soften, stir-fries lose wok hei, food arrives unevenly, service becomes rushed. Fusion Delight somehow keeps the system together. And what impressed me even more was that the staff never became impatient. Even with the restaurant running at full capacity, the servers stayed friendly, patient, and organized. No chaos, no attitude - just steady service under pressure. That is not easy in a restaurant this size. The Mongolian beef was the first thing that stood out. Instead of thin slices hidden under sauce, the beef here is cut unusually thick and long - some pieces nearly two inches. Thick-cut beef is risky because once overcooked it immediately turns tough, but here the meat stayed tender while still carrying proper wok sear and caramelization. That tells me the kitchen understands heat control and timing. The crispy pork intestines were even more impressive. These were clearly braised first, then fried before the final stir-fry. The outside kept its gelatin-rich texture while the inside still carried fat and aroma, but without the unpleasant odor that ruins this dish at weaker restaurants. Even people who normally avoid intestine dishes could probably eat this version comfortably. That level of cleaning and pre-processing matters. The braised lamb with skin was another old-school banquet dish done correctly. The lamb was soft without collapsing, while the skin still retained structure. More importantly, the prep work was meticulous -- no gamey smell, no rough trimming, no shortcuts. The sea cucumber and pork tendon dish also showed strong banquet-kitchen fundamentals. The pork tendon had clearly been oil-expanded beforehand, giving it that proper soft and elastic texture instead of rubbery chewiness. The sea cucumber still retained bite and structure. The Singapore-style rice noodles and scallop egg white fried rice were textbook Cantonese banquet staples. The rice noodles stayed dry and separated while still carrying wok aroma and oil fragrance. The scallop egg white fried rice looked simple, but every grain remained distinct and lightly coated without clumping together. That level of consistency under volume is difficult. Even the red bean dessert soup at the end was handled carefully. The red beans still held their shape instead of dissolving into paste, while the sago remained fully intact and translucent. Most restaurants stop caring once dessert leaves the kitchen. Fusion Delight clearly does not. And honestly, that may be the best way to describe this restaurant overall. Fusion Delight is not trying to be trendy. It is not trying to become minimalist fine dining. It is not trying to be social-media bait. This is a high-volume Chinese banquet restaurant operating with old-school Cantonese production discipline. Hot food arrives hot. Fried dishes stay crisp. Wok hei survives peak hours. Plating still looks intentional during a packed dinner service. That kind of consistency is harder than people think. And somehow, inside a giant purple dining room filled wall-to-wall with families, they make it work. - Dr. C Purple room approved. Wok heat calibrated. Banquet discipline detected. Consistency at scale = correct.

    Visited here with my friends on a Wednesday morning…read more The restaurant opens at 10:30 AM, and we arrived a bit early--there were already a few customers waiting outside. However, within about an hour, the restaurant was almost full. Even though it wasn't the weekend, it was still very busy. This is one of my favorite dim sum spots because the food is consistently delicious, especially the siu mai--it's a must-try! The service is fast and friendly, which makes the experience even better. There is also plenty of parking, which is a big plus. The restaurant is spacious, with beautiful purple lighting that really catches the eye. The high ceiling also makes the space feel very open and comfortable. Although this place doesn't have the highest ratings on Yelp, it's definitely still very popular and worth visiting.

    Photos
    Fusion Delight - Lobby and entry way

    Lobby and entry way

    Fusion Delight - Beef rib

    Beef rib

    Fusion Delight - Geoduck tossed in truffle and fried taro

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    Geoduck tossed in truffle and fried taro

    One House Bistro - Braised Short Rib (THE STAR!)

    One House Bistro

    4.5(351 reviews)
    13.4 mi
    $$

    i love the presentation and the vibe of the place! the service was great. overall, food was good!read more

    5* Food 5* Service 5*…read moreAmbiance I want to return and try every single item on their menu! From the moment you walk through the doors, you are instantly made to feel joyfully welcomed. Just stepping in lifts your spirit and creates joy. The thoughtful decor and beautiful design immediately stand out, creating a special atmosphere, even if you are simply meeting friends for lunch on a weekday. I never expected to find such a stunning restaurant tucked into a shopping strip in the heart of San Ramon. One Hour Bistro is truly a delightfull find. The same attention to detail reflected in the decor is also evident in the quality of the ingredients and the incredible flavors of each dish. Crystal glasses in a Thai restaurant? YES! They also offer mocktails which I wish I had time to try and savor. I ordered the Kao Soi Braised Short Ribs, and it was absolutely stunning; beautifully presented, generously portioned, and deeply comforting. The rich broth, tender bone-in ribs, and flavorful noodles made every bite memorable. I couldn't even finish the entire dish because I wanted to savore it slowly. The Pad See Ew was a silky, heavenly treat. The rice noodles were succulent, the vegetables were fresh, and everything was coated in a rich, flavorful sauce. If your driving through San Ramon, this is a MUST try. If you live in the area, lucky you!

    Photos
    One House Bistro - Made in House Customized Cake

    Made in House Customized Cake

    One House Bistro - Avocado Eggrolls

    Avocado Eggrolls

    One House Bistro - Espresso Martini

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    Espresso Martini

    Kotobuki - japanese - Updated May 2026

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