One of my favorite restaurants in the Bay FORREAL. Japanese izakaya style food, which is basically…read moredelicious small bites. My brother took me recently and we went IN! Some standouts were the otoro nigiri, eel skewer, miso black cod, the pesto udon, as well as the sweet potato creme brulee. But we ordered way more food and all of its delicious!! It's very authentic. The service is good but they do have limits on the tables because it's sooo busy there so don't be offended if they tell you to get your big back up. Def make a Rez because it's always a wait. Im finna go back soon mmmm.

Had dinner at Kiraku last week. It was a big disappointment!…read more During the pandemic, my husband and I found this restaurant for take out. Everything we ordered was delicious. One of my husband's favourites was the fish porridge. However, after a few times, they decided not to make it anymore. It's a shame cause it was their best dish even though my husband normally doesn't like porridge, he thinks they made the porridge so good that he can give it an exception! Fast forward to last week, we decided to give Kiraku a try again - dine in. I noticed that they have quite a strict policy in reservation (if we don't show up, they automatically charge a fee and we have to spend at least $50 pp like other high end restaurants which I guess it's ok because it's hard to do business nowadays). When we arrived, we were greeted and seated right away. The restaurant was very small, obviously all the tables were very small as well. There was hardly any room for the wait staff to walk/move around and my head/arm got hit a couple of times by their elbows. That was not the worst though. The place was so loud that we could not hold a conversation. I felt that my ears and my head were hurting by all the noise from people talking and the sound of the dishes clinking. However, that still was not the worst! We looked at the menu, my husband doesn't eat raw stuff (I did tell him that they have lots of cooked items). I asked the wait staff what kind of fresh sashimi they have since I have a craving. She told me they have blue fin tuna. I was so excited so I placed that order. Here comes the break down of my disappointment: 1. Blue fin tuna, turned out that they actually didn't have. So I had to choose either salmon sashimi or torched mackerel. I don't like to order salmon sashimi since most of the salmon restaurants serve is not wild caught so the farm raised salmon often tastes fishy. I decided to order the torched mackerel at the wait staff suggested. It was a big mistake....the mackerel was so fishy that I couldn't finish the whole thing. My husband ordered the chicken karaage and the snow crab with torched cabbage which were only ok, we also had the tender beef tongue skewer which was good, black cod miso which my husband said I cook that one much better, we also had jumbo squid and gyoza which were only ok. Our dessert was probably the best - the sweet potato brûlée. We have decided to scratch this restaurant off our dining list because the food was just not good enough for us to give it another try! I guess I am spoiled by the excellent Japanese food in Singapore, Japan and Australia, this place just cannot compare to any of the places we had but I am sure I can find other better Japanese restaurants in California!

Butterfish Sushi provides some of the best service and flavors in Berkeley. Recently, their Salmon…read moreSkin Roll shocked me as one of the best rolls I have tried in the Bay Area. It combined crispy salmon skin with snow crab in a creamy mayo and was topped with daikon radish, avocado, cucumbers, unagi sauce, yuzu tobiko, and ikura. This rich combination really showcased the ingredients at Butterfish. The Arctic Roll serves as a fantastic scallop-forward addition to any meal, and in combination with the formal yet cozy atmosphere, it makes Butterfish one of the best bites in Berkeley.

Love love love this place! This is my go-to whenever I have family in the area. The fish is fresh,…read moredelicious, and well-presented. I would definitely recommend making a reservation as the space is quite small, but it's never overly crowded or loud. The drinks are good and the food is good. The service is a bit slow but it's very understandable as everything is plated fresh. I can't wait to come back here again! A staple option I would recommend to anyone looking for an East Bay sushi spot.

Food was mediocre. Okra skewers were extremely tough and had to spit it out after chewing a while…read more Service was mid also.

Joe-son made a plan drive up from LA to surprise mom..He was hidden in the back of my car as we…read morepicked up Gio. When we arrived at Ippuku he popped up like a Waks-in-a-box......she "aaaieeeeeeed!" big success! Seated as night was approaching and ordered a 45mil sake carafe @$45. yummy Kokuryu. Will first list foods that won't get again....1. interesting but tiny teeny bowl tofu skins 2. tasteless watery egglant dish(worst thing). 3. and an ok but boring egg omelet. now for the winners: gyoza with a delicious filling encased in a delicate traslucent skin; 1/2 crispy skinned grilled mackeral (my fav!) grilled chik butt (a bit lite on salt..soy fixed it;) then to Joes objection I ordered smelt tempura... objection waived..we all loved it; wagu beef on a stick great (Joes fav); Scallion pancake quite good but which weirdly came toward the end of the meal & had to ask for it numerous times??? why Did it come so late.? anyway we finished with onigiri sesame crusty grilled rice ball and another in a delicious rich chicken broth.....asked our server for the check! wait a minute...something was amiss...missing items? when the bill arrived we were right! 3 grilled different chicken skewers that were missing in action were on the bill ....what? informed the staff ...the manager arrived & asked if we now wanted them...too late baby its too late.....the bill was corrected and almost $40 was deleted.... sooooo again the service here can leave much to be desired similar to missing items on our former visit. still many great dishes as well as its visually stunning interior & plus...ATTENTION! Women...your toilet seat is heated which Gio gushed about & adored! next time I'll have her photo the seat

What an incredible dining experience we had from delightful food to great service from Jackie. It…read morewas a very professional and enthusiastic attendant. The restaurant is nice. It's in a great neighborhood plenty of parking in the rear try to make reservations. We sat inside in a booth and the food was remarkable. From the bacon wrapped mochi to the perfectly made noodles with so much flavoring. I loved the kakiage tempura with black prawns (wow) The unagi donburi. Wow!! Everything was incredible and the Pink smoke mezcal drink was. A winner They also have an incredible sake selection.

Date of Visit: 7/9/2026…read more Visited the Japanese restaurant Iyasare located in Berkeley with my friend in early July. We sat outside in the patio, and it was warm enough with no fireplace next to our table around noon time. Iyasare was awarded with Michelin recommendation and has various Japanese foods including appetizer, tempura, rolls, etc. Iyasare Bees Knees $18 I got the cocktail made with Barr hill gin, elderflower liqueur, honey ginger syrup, and a piece of dried lemon on top for decoration. Lavender Mint $10 My friend got the lavender mint tea in a pot. Dragon Roll $23 We ordered a roll with shrimp tempura, cucumber inside and on the outside, there were unagi, avocado, tobiko, unagi sauce, and kaiware. The mixture of the fish and the sauce were amazing. Iyasare Mentaiko Pasta with Uni $44 And definitely must try is the mentaiko pasta with fresh Hokkaido uni. The spaghetti was mixed with spicy cod roe, ikura, shiso, and kaiware. On top we added the Hokkaido uni which was fresh and creamy. Iyasare Shrimp Kakiage Tempura $34 We also got the kakiage tempura with burdock root, onion, sweet potato, shiitake, enoki, carrot, shungiku, and black tiger shrimps. There was a bowl of bonito soy dipping broth on the side. Sendai Miso Soup $8 The warm miso soup has tofu, wakame, negi, and mushroom.

Still all these decades later, Kirala meets the mark. We sat at the sake bar in the back with two…read morekids 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.

Kirala isn't just another Japanese spot for us--it's a reminder of how far we've come. My wife used…read moreto 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!

Food was delicious…read more Service was great Would recommend this Japanese restaurant to anyone who wants authentic Japanese cuisine

Really Good Japanese ramen. A must try. Great service…read more Relaxing ambiance. Great for any size party and occasion.

WHEN: Sat @6pm…read more PARKING: There is metered parking around, and is free after 6pm. It may be a bit tricky especially around meal time, but keep circling and you'll find a spot near by enough. This cute little ramen shop has such perfect lighting coming through thanks to thier skylight. We weren't actually hungry so we shared the following: TONKOTSU - $16.50 (Regular) Pork Belly Chashu, Bamboo Shoots, Red Onion, Wood Ear Mushrooms, Green Onion, Ajitama Egg. You get a choice of noodles to pick: 1.) Hakata - Thin Straight 2.) Sapporo - Medium Thick Wavy Figured since it's my first time here, I choose the most basic version of their bowl of ramen. I chose Sapparo and for some reason expected it to be thicker/wider, but regardless it was still good! The presentation of this bowl is just gorgeous, served on a small wooden platter. The red onion is chopped, and the pork Belly is quite tender. Regarding the egg, you get just half. Overall this bowl of ramen is creamy, rich, and the right amount of flavor and salt. But still make sure to drink at least a glass of water! CREAMY CHASHU PORK CROQUETTES - $8.50 I have never seen anything like this so I must give it a try! It actually didn't come out piping hot, so I was able to drive in right away! It was definitely creamy (like ramen) and had pieces of the Chau's pork, encased in a crispy and warm batter that was deep fried. It also comes with a katsu sauce and I really enjoyed it. The staff was friendly and didn't make us feel bad for ordering enough of just one, but man I was so full. Had to walk around downtown Berkeley for awhile.

I really love Tsuruya so writing this review stung a bit. Tsuruya snuck in additional tip amount…read morethe last time we dined here. It was only a couple of dollars more but tip fraud is never acceptable. We rarely deviate from our usual order so the posted transaction felt off to us. We were able to confirm and report to the credit card company. I recommend you guys take pictures of your receipts and verify the transactions. Hope this doesn't happen to y'all!

Having been to Japan twice and eaten Ramen several times each trip in several cities, I can…read morehonestly say Mensho is serving up the best Ramen I have ever had - by a long-shot!!! I went for lunch on Sunday w/ my Japanese-American wife (who can only be categorized as a true Ramen connoisseur) who has dined there several times. I had the "signature" Ramen with the smoked seaweed and Duck/pork/wagu... Utterly transcendent. There was a coil of hard smoked seaweed that has to soften in the creamy rich broth. It was so delicious at first I thought it was smoked meat. Super rich, perhaps for your first visit-have the classic not the "signature" ramen

I figured out the secret of when this place is not busy with no lines. It's when the weather is 80+…read moredegrees! I dined here on a weeknight during a heat wave, and walked in as a party of 2 to be seated immediately. The host even provided options of which table we preferred. Totally unheard of especially when every other visit included a 45+ min wait. Mensho has great ratings, and for good reason. They have enough ramen selections to cater every type of eater. The ingredients seem quality and the noodle texture has the perfect chew, which Mensho described them as "mochi noodles". I opted for the vegan ramen during my recent visit, loved all the veggies and the broth wasn't too salty. I had a couple bites of the wagyu from the wagyu ramen, the meat was very rich/buttery. I probably wouldn't want a whole serving of that, but a few bites satisfied the curiousity. Currently, Mensho offers a matcha pudding type dessert for $7. It was very tasty with a few bites of red beans and couple slices of strawberry. I was actually enjoying every bite. Prices have definitely creeped up over the years, glad to see that they're still using quality ingredients. Service was good. I'll come again during the next heat wave. Haha. #39/2026

Top contender for Japanese cuisine in Berkeley--equal parts sophisticated and scrumptious…read more Highlights include: - Sea Bean & Corn Tempura: a savory funnel cake worthy of a Michelin star thanks to its texture and the side of matcha salt - Salmon sashimi: succulent with fresh wasabi - Wagyu Shime Special: insane price for insane flavor--a generous portion of veggies and wagyu in a big ol' iron bowl of bubblin' broth

Ate Christmas dinner here with my mom as our celebration tradition is usually a Japanese…read morerestaurant. The ambience was intimate and cozy yet elegant, and the staff was very attentive and kind. I loved the decorations, the plates and silverware, and the food was just as intentional in flavor and selection. For appetizers we had: Anchovy Stuffed Olives Tempura - Tempura Spanish alives stuffed with anchovies $9 Kombu Tsukudani - Premium Hokkaldo kelp, say sauce, bonito, shiso, sesame seeds, enjoy with sake or rice $6 For our meal we had: Saba Bouzushi - House-cured saba mackerel bouzushi - stick-shaped sushi, also called battera, served with shiso, sesame, scallions, topped with Hokkaido shiraita kombu, ten pieces $29 Gindara Yuanyaki - Local black cod marinated in soy sauce and shikuwasa Okinawan citrus juice served grilled $34 Steelhead Trout Nabe - Norwegian ocean trout raised sustainably in the clear, cold ford where the seawater meets fresh meltwater from the glaciers in the mountains. Enjoy the rich flavored, melt-in-your-mouth fish, hotpot with dashi broth, mushrooms, napa cabbage, burdock, clear noodles, tofu, mizuna, scallions, yuzu kosho $39 We've been to many izakaya spots and this place had some of the most unique flavors I've tasted. The Saba Bouzushi stood out to me because it reminded of Filipino paksiw but as a roll! The Gindara was buttery and soft and had a yummy smoky flavor. The Nabe was perfect for a rainy evening - hearty, fresh, and so well balanced in flavor (I loved the yuzu kosho the had us add for a citrusy, peppery flavor)

I loved sushi made using purple rice. It adds a beautiful and tasty punch to pristine delicious…read morefish. The server was very happy to explain to me how the shop came to use the purple rice, which is a combination of White and black rices. It is more influenced by Korean cuisine than Japanese, but you just gotta love the inventiveness and style. This place adds to the wonderful sushi options in this neck of the woods worth the drive, worth everything.

I love sushi and rolls, and this place has such wonderfully creative both. Unfortunately it's not…read morealways consistent in terms of presentation.. But when it's on, it's so on it's worth the gamble. There are options for people who don't like raw fish. I just wish I could convince my companion who doesn't like uncooked seafood that the lion roll is cooked. I had some it was delicious.