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    Kotobuki

    3.9 (218 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order Kotobuki Takeout or Delivery

    Kotobuki Photos

    Business Info

    KOTOBUKI ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Kotobuki

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    Swamp Roll
    Renee F.

    We stopped in on a friend's recommendation and were greeted with friendly service. Once we ordered we were treated to a complementary spoon size appetizer, of tangy tuna, which was delicious. I had the house hot sake and my daughter and boyfriend has Sapporo beers. Then came the best tasting miso soup and edamame before our main course. We ordered some Gyoza appetizers along with several rolls, including the Swamp roll and Spider roll, plus an order of Toro nigiri . Everything was delicious and fresh. The restaurant itself was clean and comfortable. The staff and servers were all polite and friendly. I look forward to going back and trying more items.

    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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    1 year 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

    Kitchen Story

    4.0
    (1.4k reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    Kitchen Story is my go-to for Korean-fusion brunch in Oakland (and it's on the way home from my…read morekids dentist so always a pit stop)! Kitchen Story nails the Korean-brunch mashup better than anywhere else I've found. The Kitchen Story benedict with millionaires bacon is a standout... crispy sweet and spicy bacon with poached eggs and hollandaise over asparagus and ciabatta toast, plus a side of crispy fried Yukon potatoes. The tornado eggs with galbi fried rice with that glossy brown gravy is another favorite, and the popcorn chicken (yes, served with actual popcorn mixed in) is a fun, addictive appetizer - or my 6yo favorite dish. Don't sleep on the stuffed French toast either, loaded with fresh fruit and a nice hit of powdered sugar. A few practical notes: this place is small and popular, so weekday visits or joining the virtual Yelp waitlist before you arrive is the move if you want to avoid a long wait. They also have a big TV that made watching World Cup games here a great bonus. My favorite detail, though: at the end of the meal they bring your receipt tucked inside a little book instead of just handing you a slip of paper. Such a charming, unexpected touch that makes the whole experience feel more special. Come hungry, come early (or waitlisted), and don't skip dessert-for-breakfast options. Highly recommend.

    Amazing food. Called to reserve a table for 10 on a Saturday morning one week in advance. They were…read moreable to accommodate us. Please be aware that there may be people reserved after if you are also reserving a table. We had to leave 1.5 hrs after and they did rush us to get our orders. The food was amazing though. I didn't think any one of us had complaints. We all loved the mango margarita. I particularly enjoyed the tornado omurice, they were also able to sub tofu for beef for my friend with food restrictions.

    Photos
    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.
    Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast

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    Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast
    INDO Restaurant & Lounge

    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.

    The women in engineering group at my workplace organized a lunch here and we had a really wonderful…read moretime! They sat us outside on their lovely patio at two long tables to accommodate our group of 24. The first thing we noticed when we sat down was the customized menus they had prepared, with the name of our organization printed at the top which was a nice touch. The organizers had opted for a family style meal, so they basically just brought out several dishes of everything on the menu spread out across our tables. The restaurant was great about crafting a menu around dietary restrictions- about 1/3 of the group was vegetarian and we also had one vegan (me), and there were plentiful options for everyone. While vegan options were not labeled on the menu, the servers are very knowledgeable and let me know that out of our menu, all the vegetarian options except the roti prata were vegan (the roti has butter). As a result I was able to try the poh pia, wok fried eggplant, sayur lodeh, and kueh nagasari. They started first by bringing out the appetizers, I personally was not a huge fan of the poh pia, I really enjoyed the sauces but I didn't love the roll itself. However chicken satay was a huge hit, I think for many it was their favorite dish of the whole meal. I enjoyed the entrees a lot more, especially the wok fried eggplant which was so wonderfully tender. The sayur lodeh was also very good, however the curry could have been more flavorful- I didn't even realize it was supposed to be spicy until I looked again at the menu after the meal. We ended with kueh nagasari which was a coconut pudding for dessert, I thought this was delicious, except I think the shredded coconut inside the pudding should have been left out since it disrupted the creamy texture. Since we had leftovers after the meal the staff brought out a ton of takeout containers and we all left happily with food to take home. Overall the service and ambiance definitely made this lunch an amazing experience. The food was pretty good but nothing really blew me away, although I'm not sure if having to serve such a large group affected the food quality. I would definitely be willing to come back again to try some more of the menu.

    Photos
    Mie Goreng
    Mie Goreng
    Balado Short Rib  prime beef, spicy sambal glaze, potato medallions
    Balado Short Rib prime beef, spicy sambal glaze, potato medallions
    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
    The Hangout

    The Hangout

    4.4
    (342 reviews)
    8.3 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    My sister went to The Hangout at Pleasant Hill but they put our party down for the one in Walnut…read moreCreek - how does that happen? I'm glad it did because she said there were a lot of people waiting outside at the PH location. By the time we made it to WC, our tables were ready. There were no long wait times for anyone who came after us, maybe 5 minutes. Crowds started thinning out around noon. This was the 1st time any of us dined at The Hangout and it did not disappoint. The staff was very inviting and friendly. The person who took care of us was very helpful with explaining menu items and making suggestions. We were a large party so they had to split our tables but we were right to each other. There is a spacious dining area as well as outdoor seating. Standout dishes: Chicken & waffle - BIG portion. The chicken was crispy and flavorful. It was so good, the entire plate was wiped clean. Crispy chicken with garlic noodles - delicious combination. The garlic noodles were made with real garlic, not just powder. They need to offer this as a side dish. Chicken pops - chopped up, sample size version of the chicken and waffles. Perfect for sharing. We will definitely come back to this location if we're in the area.

    I was looking for a brunch place in Walnut Creek and found The Hangout. After entering, I was…read morepleasantly surprised to see that it was Brunch + Asian Fusion. There were so many items that I wanted to try, but I only had one stomach. Came here on a Thursday morning and the restaurant was operating at around 20% capacity. The food: Garlic Noodle with Crispy Chicken - Garlic Noodles were tasty. The Crispy Chicken had really nice, almost tempura like batter. Wish it had a little sauce or something to bring it all together. Berry Lover Toast - Two large pieces of French Toast with a blueberry based inside, topped with a ton of stuff including sliced almonds, corn flakes, powdered sugar, sliced grapes and some thinly sliced oranges. There's a lot going on here. I did like the strawberry preserves as a topper - it seemed homemade and it wasn't too sweet. I didn't try any of my friend's Country Potatoes, but they looked legit. Good service and plenty of nearby parking. Properly named, as this is a good place to Hangout!

    Photos
    Ultimate Bacon Burger
Beef patty, romaine, avocado, tomato, Cheddar, and bacon jam
    Ultimate Bacon Burger Beef patty, romaine, avocado, tomato, Cheddar, and bacon jam
    Ube Pancake you must order. For Breakfast and Brunch.
    Ube Pancake you must order. For Breakfast and Brunch.
    Crispy Chicken Burger

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    Crispy Chicken Burger
    Teni East Kitchen

    Teni East Kitchen

    4.3
    (534 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    We just missed Tru Burger by minutes, and since we had recently been to Brenda's, timing (and a…read morelittle luck) led us to TENI. The menu felt very similar to Burma Superstar--but without the long lines or the hype. We ended up enjoying a lighter, abbreviated meal in a really cool setting, paired with excellent service. In a way, Tru Burger closing early worked out in our favor--we were pleasantly steered toward a healthier alternative. Would happily repeat. BB

    This was my first time at a Bib gourmand and also trying Burmese food. I was very excited. The…read morerestaurant's atmosphere is so calming and welcoming and the waiters were so nice and attentive to us. My friend and I shared the Roti with Dip and the chicken wings as appetizers. The Roti Dip was OUT OF THIS WORLD (6/5). It exceeded my expectations. The Roti was very soft and crispy and the dip had an amazing coconut/herby taste. The waiter saw how much we loved the dip and brought us another one to use for our rice. Big shout out to her! The chicken wings were okay. Not that spicy for me (I have a high spice tolerance) but I expected them to be more savory. They were cooked very well though. I would give it a 3/5 Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with my main which was the crispy whole dried fish. I am a sucker for whole fish dishes so I was pretty excited and expectant for something spectacular. The fish itself was bland. It was very crispy and cooked well but not really seasoned. I had thought the sauce they serve with it was intended to impart flavor on the fish, but the sauce was just very tangy and not flavorful. I did finish the fish though but it's not something I would get again. Overall a 2.5/5. Their coconut rice was good though I was expecting more of a coconut flavor with it. I would rate that a 4/5. It was cooked very well. I think this is a really nice place though, perhaps I just did not order the right or more popular dishes. I'll be coming back for the ROTI WITH DIP (It was that good) and to try the other items in their menu.

    Photos
    Teni East Kitchen
    Setting
    Setting
    Pretty cool interior

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    Pretty cool interior
    Fusion Delight

    Fusion Delight

    2.9
    (1.1k reviews)
    10.4 mi
    $$

    This is the restaurant of choice for my wife's family gatherings, and she has a pretty big family,…read moreso we're here quite a bit. To be honest, Fusion used to be terrible, and I used to absolutely hate coming here. Food was slow in coming, what came out was often cold, the dining room was loud, and service was impersonal, at best. On one visit, half the menu was unavailable, requested silverware was crooked, and numerous glasses, bowls, and plates were chipped or damaged. On another visit, I saw multiple families sneak out of the restaurant, walk to McDonald's across the plaza, and smuggle food back in to tide them over until their orders came. After a while, I wasn't alone in meeting the decree of, "come to Fusion on Saturday," with a groan. However, when HL Peninsula opened in Castro Valley and established itself as a threat to Fusion's business, it served as a wake-up call. Food immediately got better (from "below-average" to "know what to order and you'll be fine"), the speed of service improved, and food temperature became consistent and proper. It's not QUITE a "different restaurant" feel, and there are still some negatives. It's still loud and service could still be better (there have been times where chicken wings have taken over an hour to come out, which is a "should not occur"). However, at least I don't dread coming here anymore.

    Fusion Delight priced their dishes really high, and the service is below standard. Food took…read moreforever to come out, the tea was not hot, and they never came to ask if we needed anything. No water. No English. Brought out a beer and didn't know that it needed a cold glass. It was a huge place, packed on a Thursday night, with less than a handful of wait staff. One of the dishes we ordered was the marinated cucumber dish, which didn't have any chili oil in the picture but arrived drenched in it.

    Photos
    Lobby and entry way
    Lobby and entry way
    Beef rib
    Beef rib
    Geoduck tossed in truffle and fried taro

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    Geoduck tossed in truffle and fried taro
    Top Hatters Kitchen and Bar

    Top Hatters Kitchen and Bar

    4.2
    (808 reviews)
    7.2 mi
    $$$

    Came here for a lunch date with hubby. We dont come to San Leandro often so not sure how was the…read moreparking situation. We saw a street parking as soon as we turn, and just parked even though it was 1000 ft away. The drink/cocktail list is vast, but we are not much of a cocktail drinker and not usually drink during lunch, but I saw Matcha Sharka being ordered a lot and the other seemingly popular drink was this lavender drink. If you are a cocktail drinker during lunch, do check them out. We ordered 4 shareable items: * Savoy Donuts - 5 stars - fluffy and yummy, not greasy at all * Focaccia w/ Meyer Lemon and Garlic Confit - 4.5 stars - wonderful texture, did not taste the garlic much but the lemon was really good add. * Grilled Beef and Pork Chipolata - 4 stars - I think the star was the dressing. The meat itself was just okay. * Rice Vermicelli Bowl - 4.5 stars - not sure why it is called a bowl when it was served more in a plate. This is the fusion take on the Vietnamese dish with different dressing. We selected the Galangal Pork, which I did not like as much compared to the usual Vietnamese ones with Lemon Grass. There is a choice to select Lemongrass chicken instead, so you might want to try that. The pork tasted "porky" despite it was thinly cut. I was hoping to try dessert, but we were full so we did not do that. Next time. The restaurant is nicely set, and you can select indoor or outdoor seating. We did make a reservation, but when we arrived there were plenty of tables available. Service was fine, we did not get the "is this your first time" greeting as I heard other tables got. But it was our first time.

    This was a delightful meal. It had everything, the relaxing ambiance, the flavorful dishes, and…read moregreat drinks. Oh not to mention, our waitress was delightful! This spot is a little hidden, but once you go inside, it is its own little oasis. Small and intimate, you know the dishes are made fresh. We enjoyed the tissue bread (10/10), seared rice cake (8/10), oxtail (10/10), and more that isn't pictured. I think this is a great celebratory dinner spot. I'd love to come back to try more seasonal specials.

    Photos
    The bar area
    The bar area
    Grilled Oysters
    Grilled Oysters
    Pork belly

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    Pork belly
    One House Bistro

    One House Bistro

    4.5
    (358 reviews)
    13.4 mi
    $$

    Was a little hesitant about going here because I've been to so many restaurants that do that…read moreinstagram interior and then inflate their prices with poor execution on the food itself. Luckily, I feel like the flavors, service, and experience was really positive. We ordered a few noodle dishes, fried rice, and a curry. All of it was great and would order again. Thanks!

    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
    Made in House Customized Cake
    Made in House Customized Cake
    Norwegian eggs benedict
    Norwegian eggs benedict
    Espresso Martini

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    Espresso Martini

    Kotobuki - japanese - Updated July 2026

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