What a cute little shop for to-go Japanese sushi! Kyoto came up in my search for takeout sushi since I wanted something light for lunch (we had reservations for Fogo de Chao later that evening for my husband's birthday). The shop is tiny, but well-stocked with drinks and snacks, as well as a good variety of hot bentos and sushi rolls/nigiri. The price is hard to beat! We went with the smoked salmon roll and an 8-pc nigiri combo (I chose salmon and tuna but there were other options). They even have veggie rolls also, for vegetarians reading this. The smoked salmon roll was only $8.50 and the nigiri combo only $14.50. The quality of the fish was fresh and the slices of salmon and tuna were thick. Once you check out you are given chopsticks and Kikkoman soy sauce. We took our sushi to Chicha San Chen to sit and enjoy our little lunch with some top-tier Taiwanese tea. The smoked salmon roll was delicious with a wonderful smoky flavor and the nigiri was super fresh and not fishy at all. I really appreciated how thick the slices of fish were. I will say that several times the fish would fall off the rice, some of which was a bit clumpy, but I simply treated it as sashimi with a side of rice. No complaints here because of how affordable the sushi is, but just something to note. It was a really enjoyable lunch, and I wish I could have returned another day to try some of their other rolls. But this just means I will have to visit again sometime, hopefully sooner than later! I'd definitely recommend Kyoto for a fast, cheap, and yummy meal, with good-quality fish all around. PS: Parking can be a bit of a pain in the ass but we were fortunate and snagged a spot pretty quickly along Solano Ave. However, during peak times, you may have to circle around a few times to find a spot. read more

Kyoto - Front entrance - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I will way too long to finally get over to Kyoto on Solano Avenue. Solid sushi, selection, and quality. I was pleasantly delighted. They also have a great array of Japanese drinks and snacks. Looking forward to coming back again very soon. One last comment is that their pricing is very reasonable considering how ridiculously priced everything seems to be these days. read more

My favorite spot for affordable sushi in the area. Grab and go only, it's a small shop and you pay at the counter. They have sushi, teriyaki bowls, gyoza, and a variety of Asian snacks and canned/bottled drinks. The sushi is always fresh, it's a great spot to grab a quick lunch. They also make party platters on request. I've ordered large platters for parties before and they are great at allowing you lot customize what you want, and you can pick it up the next day. Love this local gem, highly recommend checking it out! read more

Kyoto - Cucumber roll, pickle roll, tuna & avocado roll, California Roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

My go to spot for takeout sushi during my lunch! Typically, I get a platter of Unagi nigiri or salmon nigiri. The portions are always very generous and the rice is seasoned well. Not too much salt or too much mirin. I love how quaint & homey the shop feels. They have hot foods, sushi rolls/nigiri, and a shelf with drinks/chips/candy. A few weeks ago, I stopped by to get a wedding gift for my coworker. I got her a sushi party tray because I show love through food! Admittedly, I didn't order ahead. I walked in and asked how long it would take to make a tray. The woman working there, I didn't catch her name, said to grab what I want from the takeout fridge and she will arrange it on the spot for me. So in less than 10 minutes, I arrived at the store, made my selection, and left the store with a roughly ~$80 customized sushi party tray! Of course, it's better to order ahead so you don't clear out their stock, but it was a very last minute idea and I'm glad they were willing to accommodate my request! read more

Kyoto - Takeout Station - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Very small cute store, friendly staff. Prices are reasonable and the sushi is good. I do wish they cut slices a bit smaller though.

I was driving to the Bay to pick up my Bear (not a real Bear, but IYKYK haha) and felt like some quick sushi. Of course I check out Yelp and stumbled upon Kyoto. Perfect, it was in the way... sort of haha. Parking was the tricky part though. It's street parking, so anyone who is from the bay knows Parking is a pain. After a few rounds of driving, I eventually ended up with a parking spot right across the street from Kyoto! The shop is located right on the corner. It's pretty small. You take a few steps inside and you're already to the register, which is the end of the shop haha. To the left is the Sushi ready to go. To the right are some Japanese snacks. I went ahead and got their 8 piece Salmon nigiri and went to the register. The person working offered some soy sauce and chopsticks. I went ahead and paid and walked to my car to eat. The rice was a bit starchy and dense. But the size of the Salmon made up for that. It was nice thick slices. It wasn't too thin like other places around this price range. The nigiri overall was a bit above ok. I think if the rice didn't taste too starchy/old, it would be better. I wouldn't go out of my way for this, but was glad to get my salmon fix that day. If you're around the Solano area and can find parking quickly, stop by Kyoto for some Sushi and Japanese snacks! read more

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My wife and I came here on a weekday to grab lunch. It's a small space with a lot of fresh rolls and other hot options. I was very impressed with the selection and how clean it was. There are a number of Japanese snacks on one side of the room, dozens of nice niche options for some added interest. The sushi options all looked fresh and high quality. We liked what we got, a spicy tuna roll, a tempura roll, a cali roll. Overall all the food was very good. And most rolls were between $7-$10, with some combo plates at $14. There really isn't much in the way of staff, just a cashier, but he was fast an friendly and offered plenty of soy sauce and napkins. TL;DR: Good quality cheap sushi. read more

Kyoto - A number of rolls we'd picked up. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Went there for my first time yesterday and picked up some california rolls, salmon teriyaki, and bean curd sushi. Looked at some of the other maki rolls but they were so small. The amount of soy sauce given was not enough either. For the high level of reviews I was expecting something more, but it wasn't anything above average. My local Sprouts market has fresh sushi that is not only just as good, but I would say even better. If I was nearby I would go again, but I wouldn't make a trip just for this. Price was good, but that's the only thing that really stood out as a reason to come back. read more

It can be hard to find quality and affordable Japanese takeout, but Kyoto answered my prayers. I hopped off the 18 bus early to finally give this place a try. I got the California roll covered in fish roe & a tuna/avocado roll for under $20. Aside from the reasonable price point, the fish tasted fresh and the portion was sizable for a quick lunch. The service is pretty straightforward here where you pick your food, go to the counter, pay, and leave. No pleasantries which is fine by me. It's a takeout place so really casual, an open fridge with shelves of fresh sushi, some hot food options, and nowhere to sit so prepare to find somewhere to picnic with your findings. Will definitely visit again if I'm in the area read more

Kyoto - Tobiko California Roll, Tuna/Avocado Roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Kyoto is an unassuming storefront that serves excellent sushi (with strong wasabi) at very reasonable prices. Highly recommended!

Great prices and fresh sushi. Got 3 rolls for less than 20$! I ordered via phone and pick up was super quick in person. Small, quiet, clean store- not a place you would sit down to eat, but rather to grab and go. Will definitely come again! read more

Idk how I never gave her a review before but I'm so glad she's still there. Used to go there about once per week. Yes, she can be a bit frosty at first, but if you keep going there you realize she's ok. For the sushi purists this will never be good enough. "Not authentic" blah blah blah. Sure you can pay a lot more somewhere else. But you won't be able to beat the cost/benefit ratio. The amount of fish you get is amazing for the price. As everybody else notes, take out only! read more

A nice hole in the wall with convenient grab-n-go sushi, snacks, and other assortments of foods. I personally come here for the sushi as it is fresh, fairly priced, and because the store has a homely feel to it. The owners are super sweet and you can definitely tell that the folks put a lot of love into their shop. My favorite cut is the yellow tail. It's very sweet, not overtly fishy, and has a great taste to it. With that, the salmon is very nice too. It packs a decent fishy punch to it. The tuna is also great in both the nigiri and tekka maki. The rice is a bit packed with vinegar but the texture is great. With that, the wasabi is also great. As a side note, they do not have extra packets of wasabi, only the ones included. Overall, definitely check this place out for a quick sushi fix, a nice afternoon picnic, or if you're just in the area! read more

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Take-out only. If you're deciding whether to have sushi every week or send your child to college, come to Kyoto and you can do both. In our 20 years of patronage we've enjoyed the Rainbow Roll and the Nigiri (red tuna, white tuna, salmon) which are always outstanding quality and thick pieces of fish. The California Roll is also excellent and of course the green part is avocado not cucumber. If it's not already prepared with tobiko (the orange roe) ask and they will add it on. If you're a saba aficionado, you're in for a treat. It's not always available but when it is it's the best. Admire the beautiful silver color before enjoying the fresh flavor. Could be where the phrase "Holy Mackerel" originated. Can't speak to the rest of the menu offerings, we just get what we like. Parking can sometimes be a bear (hence the Berkeley mascot) but there's free parking on the Albany side streets (to the west) so if you're mindful you shouldn't have to feed a meter. read more

My son says "they have the best sushi that I have ever eaten!". Our go to for fast takeout sushi.

The best sushi in the area. Pick-up only. I'm giving five stars because the freshness of the sushi, the flavor of the sushi rice is perfection and the prices are good. Plus I like my sushi simple, the crazy rolls aren't my thing. I think... the owner is the grumpy woman behind the counter that is there every day. She is in fact so grumpy and the place is soooo good/clean, that the whole thing reminds me of the soup nazi Seinfeld episode. She makes great sushi, just buy it, and leave. Small talk is not acceptable here and that's fine with me bc I hate it anyway. ;) read more

Cute little Japanese shop that offers fresh sushi, teriyaki bowls and a wall full of Asian snacks. It's not a place I'd really going out of my way for but a good option when you're in the area and want something fast and easy. We grabbed three trays from the sushi section - eel and avocado, salmon and a combo of inari with futomaki. It's a 4 out of 5 on the flavors, but I did appreciate how filling their rolls were. We could barely finish half of it. I do like supporting mom and pop shops during this time so please check them out of you're on Solano Ave.! read more

Kyoto - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

My forever favorite quick sushi place in the Bay Area and beyond. Me and my family have been coming here for 20+ years and it's always been great. It's clean and has a great variety of snacks and drinks. The owner is always kind and I will be devastated if it ever closes. read more

Kyoto is a neighborhood spot that offers take out Japanese. The offerings are not elaborate in their sushi variety but if you're craving some sushi and are on a budget this place is great. I love sushi and sashimi, and I get cravings for it a lot so coming here helps me stretch my dollar a bit. I also tried a salmon fried rice and it was super good! They also have a bunch of Japanese snacks so if you're an adventurous snacker this would be a great place to shop. Take out only, takes card and street parking. read more

Kyoto - Soosh selection - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Solano Avenue always has some cute foodie gem that I happen to chance upon. Kyoto is no exception as my BF and I strolled down the block over the weekend. Luckily they were open during Covid times but with limited capacity. It turned out to be a smallish takeout Japanese spot with freshly made unagi-don, Salmon teriyaki bowls, a variety of maki rolls, specialty rolls, nigiri- it was beautiful. I spent a lot of time looking at each item- I wanted to buy them all- it didn't help that it was lunchtime and my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I ended up with a rainbow roll which had salmon and tuna on the outside and a California roll on the inside. What I liked about this roll was the bonito flakes, umami type sauce, and sesame seeds on the bottom. That elevated the roll's flavor and made my lunch more savory. I would highly recommend this place for a quick takeout lunch/dinner, which is pretty much what most people do nowadays. Next conquest is getting the unagi don and a variety of the other rolls with sake and hamachi. read more

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I noticed this place for the first time today as I was on Solano. It's a small Asian store with grab and go sushi and bowls on the left hand side and a bunch of Asian snacks on the right. There is no seating in this place. I wasn't very hungry so I only picked up a beverage from their fridge. My drink (coffee in a can) was $2.00. Pros: - grab and go meals. Great if you want to pick up something quick -metered and street parking in front and on side of store Cons: -cash only. I'm not sure if it's because I only got a drink or if that is across the board? read more

Kyoto - $2.00. Cash only - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

** The following review reflects my takeout experience DURING the shelter-in-place order currently in effect. ** I knew if there is one spot on Solano Avenue that I knew would survive COVID-19, this be it. Even though I've walked by it dozens of times, I never bought anything here not because I didn't find it appetizing but simply because I'm not the sushi-to-go type. Well, until now since it's the only way I can have it now. I thought I'd surprise Jamie W. by getting some for dinner. There was barely any left by the time I perused. I got three items. The first was the $10.99 Nigiri Combo with maguro, hamachi, and salmon slices over eight pieces (photo: https://bit.ly/2JWGdPp). The second was the $6.50 Salmon & Avocado Roll (photo: https://bit.ly/2UZUHV6), and lastly, the $2.99 box of Edamame (photo: https://bit.ly/2yacgbS). Really hit the spot for both of us when we realized we took such delectables for granted before. As Joni Mitchell said, "you don't know what you got 'til it's gone." FOOD - 4 stars...hey, it was fresh enough for us, the sushi deprived AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...it's a tiny spot with all sorts of Japanese goodies and no space to sit if we could...felt like Tokyo to me SERVICE - 5 stars...they're open, enough said TOTAL - 4 stars...I won't take takeout sushi for granted again RELATED - Strolling Solano Avenue? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2HvcTQH read more

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For convenient ready made sushi, this place blew my mind. Didn't know what to expect going in and was met with melt-in-your mouth soft af salmon in their salmon roll. The rolls are a good size too. Perfect spot for someone on the go but also craving sushi. They give you chopsticks, soy sauce, and a napkin too. Thank you for the meal! read more

Kyoto - Salmon roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Such a cute little gem! Very affordable grab and go sushi. The food is fresh and tasty. Staff was nice when I asked for certain rolls to be made. read more

4 stars for value! The sushi is fresh and decent. When my family orders sushi it can get quite expensive. This place has lots of affordable choices. It's all to go. In a refrigerated stand. The owner is all business, and that's ok. Order the large party tray, it's 55.00 and enough to feed 6 people (or more light eaters). We called and did some customization, still 55.00. She didn't give me an opportunity to tip, no receipt in fact. I forgot to take a picture cause I was really hungry. Next time. They also have some candy and beverages available for purchase. read more

VALUE VALUE VALUE!!! Wow! I ordered a sushi party tray and couldn't believe how much sushi was included!!! I love that you can customize your party tray to the taste of your crowd. My mostly under 10yo were in awe over the abundance of CA rolls, avocado, and cucumber rolls. They were all fresh, and VERY TASTY. I will definitely order again!!! read more

Kyoto - Sushi platter - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

My boyfriend and I dropped by Kyoto because we wanted some takeout sushi. We were not disappointed! All this sushi was under $25. The fish was fresh. We dropped by around 4 pm. Make sure you have cash because the place is cash only! read more

Kyoto - Spicy Tuna Roll, Tuna Roll, Salmon Roll, California Roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Kyoto is a great place for ready to go eats. They have a variety of sushi and rice bowls. The food is pretty good. We definitely recommend to others:) read more

Hands down my favorite sushi place in the Bay Area. I come a very unhealthy amount and they always satisfy. I typically get either the avocado and tuna roll and it is AMAZING. Also price point is so good. read more

Kyoto - Avocado roll - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great prices and delicious sushi. Two rolls of sushi was $14 and it was perfectly filling. Love the location as well. Highly Recommend. read more

Kyoto - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Love love love that a casual Japanese grab and go shop like this exists. The prices are reasonable and proportionately tasty. I make a point to visit every time I'm walking down Solano Ave, if anything just to window shop their wall of Asian pantry goods and snacks. My only qualm is that the service is lacking - after walking up to the counter with goodies in hand, I had to ask the person at the register, who wouldn't look up for any part of this interaction, to ring up my food. read more

This is a reasonably priced sushi to-go shop. Want something that isn't on the shelf? The woman behind the counter is the sushi chef. We were able to directly order something, and it was ready in a flash. Due to the nature of this restaurant, it seems like there wasn't a need for any major shift in response to Covid. It's a one-person shop that is highly specialized, very fresh, and set up to get you in and out without delay. It's less expensive than what we've been getting at other places, with better tasting rice. read more

Fresh and honest flavor with home straight forward taste . A memorable togo small treasure eating experience.

Kyoto has been reliable and has fed me for years. The shop has no frills - come choose your pre-packaged but freshly made sushi, pay, and be out the door quickly! When I went to Cal, I used to come here since it was affordable and I ALWAYS craved sushi. Now, as a young professional, I still go out of my way to come here and support the business. Not for nostalgic reasons (trust me there are many places where I ate during my college days that I'll pass on today), but really because it's THAT good. There is a reason why other yelpers have gone out of their way to leave a review for this shop. Come and see it for yourself! :) read more

It's a tradition for me to get lunch at Kyoto sushi during Solano stroll since 2016! So glad this small family owned business is around. Fair prices and quality to go sushi dishes with a small market for snacks and drinks like iced green tea. It's perfect read more

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Great place to pick up sushi if you're in a hurry. Great prices and variety.

What's for dinner when you don't want to cook and you're tired and hungry? Kyoto is a godsend for those days. The food is always fresh it's such an easy place to navigate. Just take what you want from the cooler or warmer and pay the lady. It's her store; she's always there. As you can see from other reviewers that are offended by her gruffness, they eventually return and start to like her. I'd rather do business with her than someone with a fake smile. What a treasure! read more

If you're in the mood for sushi but are in too much of a hurry to wait, then Kyoto is your spot! Their sushi is ready-made and fresh. The unagi roll is a personal favorite of mine. Looking forward to my next stop! read more

The sushi is amazing and the customer service is alright but the inside has a bunch of flies.

Ok sushi they had regular avacado rolls and avocado rolls that were mushy inside and tasted like guacamole their avocado in our other roll tasted like lemon their hamachi rolls were ok read more