I was looking for a good sit-down sushi lunch place near campus (not an easy feat), wanting fresh nigiri and sashimi, etc. I remembered Sumo Roll as a quick and delicious sushi burrito (only) spot, but hadn't been there for ages. I saw that they now had a full sushi menu and a nicer setting with table service, so we headed there. It was wonderful! Everything tasted fresh and high quality. The nigiri pieces were super generous in size. The server was warm and friendly and attentive. The only very minor complaint I had was that the air was warm and stuffy, not a lot of ventilation or fresh air in there, but we got used to it and all the positives outweighed this minor issue. I'll definitely be back for lunch and maybe dinner too! read more

Since we wanted a quick bite to go, I can't say much about the ambiance, but walking in to pick up my food, it looked nice and clean haha. Since it's Berkeley, parking was of course a challenge. I eventually found someone leaving, so we were able to pick up our food to go. The sushi burritos was good, just the bottom was closed off like a normal "burrito", so essentially it's a huge sushi roll haha. I forgot the name, but we got one with chicken and the other with fresh salmon. They were both pretty good. From the pic, you can see they fill it up pretty nicely. If you want a sushi burrito, stop by Sumo Roll. read more

Sumo Roll - Burrito with 3 types of fish. I forgot the name - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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A charming little hole-in-the-wall that totally delivered! My kids were craving sushi, and this place hit the spot perfectly. The portions were generous, the fish was impressively fresh -- exactly what you want on a hot day. The couple who owns it are warm and welcoming, which gives it a real neighborhood gem feel. If you're anywhere near downtown Berkeley, it's absolutely worth a stop. read more

Sumo Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

We walked here for dinner from our nearby hotel. The place is on a quiet side street away from the busy main street. For Saturday night there was only one table already seated. The waitress was very friendly and helpful. The wait was a little longer than expected but everything was well presented, savory, and satisfying. I really enjoyed the wagyu steak combo and the Godzilla roll. read more

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For this review I ordered the dish via takeout, so the focus of this review is on the food. I'll visit the restaurant to eat in one day and update the review when the time comes. Brief summary: - Great balance of vegetables and fish proteins in the sushi burrito - Eat bite had a good mix of proteins and rice - Located near the BART station - Burrito is well-packed; stomach is content with a spot in the stomach for dessert We ordered three different types of sushi burrito. When browsing the menu, I was debating on getting the Hawai'ian or the 3-in-one. The ingredients in these ones attracted my attention. In the end, the burrito that had more fish proteins won (because I like fish), so 3-in-1 it is. Fortunately, one of my relatives chose the Hawai'ian, so I got to try a a bite. The burrito was kindly cut into two, making it easy to hold and eat. Inside of the sushi burrito is beautiful with assortment of colors from the fish proteins and the vegetables. In each box, it comes with a small container with gari (ginger) and wasabi. The first bite was pleasant because already I got a bit of the cabbage, lettuce, and fish in addition to the rice and the seaweed. The vegetables and the fish are seasoned, so it's not just eating a salad. The texture is a great mix of crunchy, crispy, and chewy. I love hamachi (yellowtail), so I was happy to taste this in the mix of the other three fishes. Even near the last bite it wasn't just rice and seaweed, there was still something to eat. I have a suggestion to the soy sauce packets that came with the takeout style. While the burrito is flavorful, I did pour droplets of soy sauce to get more of the rounded salt flavor (or maybe I'm used to eating fish with soy sauce). It would be best if these were from Kikkoman, or once the restaurant considers an upgrade, Yamasa soy sauce. Yamasa soy sauce is preferably better but the price is higher. The ingredients listed in the soy sauce we received are not in typical soy sauce. I didn't use these packets and instead used a bottle I have at home. read more

Sumo Roll - 3-in-1 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

This was the first time I have ever had a sushi burrito and let me just say. It was FIRE. So yummy and so filling. I am so full. We go the 3 in 1 burrito and the Hawaiian burrito. Both were delicious. Generous portions of fish in them. Poured some soy sauce and spread wasabi and added ginger on to each bite. This is such a good bang for your buck. So flavorful and so fresh. Will definitely be back when I'm craving sushi again. read more

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The sushi was fresh and extremely delicious! I also tried their Japanese chicken fried rice. It was very fluffy and great seasoning. The service was super friendly and fast. . We went there on a a Sunday afternoon and it was not super busy. The ambiance was nice and inviting . The only downside of this location is that parking is very difficult. It is near the college so I can understand. Other than this, I would highly recommend it! read more

My first time here, and definitely will be back. Ever since I had real Japanese food in Japan, I've been on a hunt for authentic Japanese food, and this spot did not disappoint! It is so fresh, so good, my whole family was impressed! We were a big party, and luckily it was not too busy! We were served fast, and we all tried different dishes, mine was the Unagi, my son got the Omurice, and my other son got the Chicken Katsu! Street Parking, close to UC Berkeley, we will be back! read more

Still the best sushi burrito I've ever had - been goin' here for over a decade now! The staff are always kind, and there's always seating available even though it's a small little spot. read more

Lovely restaurant in Downtown Berkeley, we came in the afternoon & ordered a Hawaiian Sushi Burrito & the steak meal set. Sushi burrito was so delicious! I loved it, flavors were fresh and well balanced with the perfect touch of umami. I'm so excited to come back, they had around 8 sushi burrito flavors which I love! The steak meal was a generous portion and delicious too. Service was great, the server who helped us gave amazing recommendations and was very attentive. Ambiance is lovely as well. The decor is very traditional Japanese aesthetic, cozy and quiet with calm atmosphere. Overall, I loved it & am excited to return! read more

Sumo Roll - Hawaiian Burrito, Wagyu Maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I would rate this place as a 4.5! Was in the area and wanted some casual sushi for dinner. Doesn't seem like there's a specific sushi spot in the area that's particular popular, but I came across this spot on yelp and the reviews looked pretty good. Bonus points for being conveniently located (only a 2-min walk away from the BART station)! Also, the overall restaurant (and restroom) was clean, so that's always greatly appreciated in Berkeley. The prices of the sushi rolls were definitely not cheap, but the taste and quality were good. We got an order of the lion king and the 49ers to share between the two of us. Both were delicious and was the perfect portion size for us. I would definitely come back if I'm in the area and craving some sushi. BTW don't be like me and forget to check in on yelp for that 10% off your bill! read more

Sumo Roll - Lion king - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We had a craving for sushi last night and decided to go to Sumo. Friday night, it was packed since the university is in full swing. We had to wait for about 20 minutes but as usual it the food was well worth the wait. We've been going there for years. The waitress, Helen, knows us by name and our quirks (gluten free soy sauce and lots of pickled ginger) and she always takes good care of us. We've been to many sushi restaurants and my daughter said tonight that " this is hands-down, my favorite sushi place." I have to agree with her. Downtown Berkeley is always packed during the school year so leave a little extra time to find parking if you're visiting by car. If you're coming in on Bart, it isn't a problem it's very close to the station. read more

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Good food and excellent service at this small Japanese restaurant across the street from the Berkeley campus. The shrimp tempuras were good sized and super crispy. The Unagi was soft and tender with a good hint of sweetness. Our host/server was attentive and kept checking on our family. Will definitely come back again. read more

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Soo delicious! The lady that works here is the kindest and I love to see her whenever I come here. The food is incredible and very well priced for the large portion. Love this place ! read more

Amazing food, great customer service, Reminded me of another restaurant I went to in Tokyo, would go again if in area read more

Sumo Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

what a pleasant surprise...this place is just outside my son's apartment and after an awesome niner game, we wanted a easy, quick meal so we walked into this unassuming restaurant. our expectations were mid but what a great choice. everything was top notch. we had katsudon, sushi burrito, tonkatsu, and several rolls. No left overs whatsoever. my only concern is that when we return, this place will go viral and will become super busy. read more

Stopped in tonight for take out. Located across from Edward's Stadium / UC campus. We ordered a caterpillar roll, the Hawaiian sushi burrito and the Yoshihama sushi burrito. Service was super friendly. Everything was delicious and fresh. Excellent rice to fish ratio. Large serving size that could easily be split. We will definitely be back soon. read more

Sumo Roll - Hawaiian sushi burrito - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place is amazing! Their sushi is really good & taste fresh, I would recommend this place to everyone. I came 2 days in a row and even 2 times in one day lol.The staff are also very welcoming and sweet every time i come here. The restaurant is a small restaurant but very nice and clean ! read more

Sumo Roll - Tiger roll with no fish eggs - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Sumo Roll, in my opinion, has really good sushi burritos. Better than Sushirittos! The ingredients are fresher, and its a sit down restaurant. The lovely woman who served us explained very nicely and in detail about the Sushi burritos we asked about. read more

Sumo Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

Some of the best sushi we have had in suchhhhh a long time! We waited a bit for our sushi to come out, but I understood, once I ate it, why it took so long! I feel like a lot of sushi places rush their rolls and they don't come out efficient, but these two rolls were soooooo good and made correctly. The waitress was also so kind and attentive, her energy was so sweet we loved her! Definitely our go to sushi spot during our evenings from now on. 10/10 recommend! We look forward to trying out other rolls + the burrito next time. read more

Sumo Roll - 49er - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Hats off to the chef owner, Gino, because my boyfriend and I experienced one of the yummiest Japanese cuisines in the Bay! We ordered the okonomiyaki (octopus pancake) first as an appetizer and... o m g... each bite was incredibly moist and creamy paired well with the chewiness of the octopus. I've been to my fair share of poke parlors across the Bay and there is always a distinct "poke" taste. The poke dish offered at Sumo is different though. It has an elevated gourmet taste to it. It's hard for me to describe it but it is by far one of the best poke dishes I've eaten. Last but not least, we got the fried chicken and crab sushiritto. I mean look at the photo...it's glorious, it's jam packed, it's giving "made with care and passion". The soft, creaminess of the crab paired well with crispiness of the chicken. I also loved that the cabbage and shredded carrots gave each bite a fresh vegetable texture. It was simply delicious. We ordered another one for to-go. Overall, Sumo Roll exceeded our expectations. We have this place bookmarked as one of our favorite sushi spots in the Berkeley area. Thank you to Chef Gino and his staff for the amazing service! read more

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I came back! Sumo roll is just fantastic. I've decided that their sushi burrito is unmatched. It's a sizable portion of food, so I saved the other half for later. read more

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Stumbled upon this place and really enjoyed the food! The roll was so free it just melted in my mouth. Staff were super friendly too, I'll definitely be back. read more

Sumo Roll - S7. Mexico City Special Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We were craving sushi and it felt nice to visit the UC Berkeley area again. As we went on a Thursday, there was nobody else here. Parking was a bit tricky as with anywhere in Berkeley. We got the salmon set which took a bit of time to prepare but it was pretty good with several different salmon dishes (salmon sashimi, salmon nigiri, salmon maki, pan fried salmon belly over fried onigiri, salad, and miso) I liked the salmon belly the most due to the melt in your mouth tenderness which fit really well with the crispy onigiri. The salmon nigiri also had delicious fatty pieces. The rest of it was more normal slices. With all the extra omega-3, I'm super charged to think about the next place to eat! We appreciated the nice and quick service when checking on us. Overall a nice date spot. read more

Sumo Roll - Salmon set - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I recommend this place. Service was good. On the Poké bowl, reasonable price at $17 and they let you pick all the vegetable toppings that you want and everything was fresh. Service was very nice and prices were reasonable. My son enjoyed his wagyu beef. Tender and flavorful. read more

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One of my favorite spots for sushi in Berkeley! Worth visiting when in Downtown Berkeley and it's pretty close to campus. Sumo is a consistent go to sushi spot with its fresh, delicious sushi with friendly service. It's a nice and cozy spot for dining with friends in Berkeley. My personal favorites are the Lion King roll which is blow torched to smoky perfection every time and the Rainbow Roll has a great assortment of fresh fish. read more

Sumo Roll - lion king and rainbow roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Hello! As I started out college at Berkeley, Helen and Gino were actually the first ones my family met! Starting off from there, I would ALWAYS go, order, and enjoy their delicious food. Over time, actually, Helen and Gino would actually get to know my tastes, and recommend certain dishes for me! They are family friendly, and sometimes their kids are around also! Get to know them! My favorite dishes are: Unagi Don, Shrimp Tempura Udon, and their Bentos! Feel free to say you know someone that recommend their food! They probably know who you're talking about! read more

This place has higher quality sushi than the other restaurants around Berkeley. It's a hole in the wall restaurant but with very nice staff! The lady was very nice. There is limited staff (I think one chef and one server only) so service and food did take longer than usual, but that is understandable. The rolls were on the pricier side (maybe I'm stuck in pre-Covid times) but hit the spot. Will come back if I need another sushi fix! read more

Sumo Roll - S8. 49er Special Roll (left) S4. Rainbow Special Roll (right) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

The service was impeccable. Very very nice people who anticipated every need with care and consideration. The food was mediocre at best. I ordered the unagi special combo which came with miso soup. The soup was barely warm and didn't taste better than instant. The shrimp tempura that accompanied the combo was decent. It was a large portion of rice under the unagi. The unagi was baked but the texture seemed a little off to me. I only ate half. It also wasn't very hot either. The hottest thing I had was tea. It took 15 minutes for it to become drinkable lol. It was a good portion for $3. It tasted a bit overbrewed though. In general, the service is worth it. Everything else was okay. read more

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It pains me to have to leave this review but people should know what they're getting into. I ordered to go from here on my lunch one day and picked it up. My total was $27. The next day after my card was charged for an additional $4 added tip. I did not leave a tip as it was a Togo order and I distinctly remember placing a 0 in the tip space. Which means someone went back and wrote in a $4 tip. This review isn't in response to bad food, as I thought the food was fair and would've returned had I not had the experience. Quite unethical business practices to charge a customers card later without permission. Yea, wont be returning. read more

A decent Japanese place in downtown Berkeley. The owner was really friendly and accommodating. You get 5% off if you pay with cash and they also have the Yelp 10% if you check in. I ordered croquettes, two rolls, and a sushi burrito. I thought the croquettes were pretty decent. The inside was really soft and it was nicely fried. The sauce that they drizzled on top was the sauce for the takoyaki (not sure what sauce it was but it's a common sauce in Japanese food). The rolls were pretty good. Nothing mind blowing. The sushi burrito had too much of the imitation crab meat in it and I didn't really enjoy that. I'm not sure which sushi burrito it was because they didn't give the one I wanted but I didn't have the heart to tell them. The lady was being really nice and I didn't want to waste food so I chose to just keep it. I would come back if I was craving sushi rolls. I do want to try their noodles and rice bowls. read more

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This is at the top of the list for my sushi spots in the vicinity of Berkeley campus. The restaurant is relatively relaxed and quiet with indoor seating and, as a smaller place, the food can take a little longer to arrive (20-30 minutes). This is no dealbreaker but just something to keep in mind. The food itself exceeded all of our expectations. Splitting the sushi burritos into three, we didn't expect each one to be particularly sizable, but they're bigger than any of us expected and the flavors are spot on. I've had sushi burritos before, but they've always felt engineered, with the sushi part being an after thought. This place truly serves what I'd consider a sushi burrito. The three rolls we got were the golden spider, 49er, and mexico city spicy tuna roll. They were all great. Admittedly, I rarely think sushi is bad since it's my #1 comfort food, but this place sets itself apart by letting the flavors of the fish carry the bite. The 49er roll, for instance, tastes like a bite of fatty salmon adorned with other complimentary flavors, rather than a bite of rice and seaweed with an added bit of fatty salmon. There are a few other sushi spots in Berkeley but this is the one I'd go to. If you're a sushi lover, I bet this place won't disappoint! read more

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Everyone deserves a second chance so I chose to get take out here yesterday and this was my experience. For starters, my order did arrive exactly as I had requested! The Ramen noodles were a little overcooked in my opinion, but both the soup and the noodles arrive separately and piping hot, which was great! You got three very large pieces of pork belly, and the overall presentation and taste of the ramen noodle soup was good but a little sweet for my taste. The sumo roll was good and had a decent amount of salmon poke and dressing. What I will say is that they do need to clean up their online Yelp menu as several of the choices I wanted were apparently no longer available such as the Chirashi Don which was a disappointment and some items were duplicated with different pricing! Overall I might try this place again in a pinch! read more

Sumo Roll - Kakuni Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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So close to campus it has become my favorite lunch spot!! Every roll I've had is expertly created & so fresh & delicious. I've been here for dinner & it is generally packed . . . . . it is a small space. Do yourself a favor & come for lunch - so much more relaxed & the food is just as great! The waitress is always so welcoming & sweet, service is super fast (at least at lunch!), & the food is so so good! Tell your friends . . . but only a couple, eh? I want to keep this lunch dream spot to myself!! read more

Food: 3.5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 3.5/5 Overall: A good healthy option in the area. The extended review... Food: Poke Bowl - 3.5/5 - I'd say the one thing that I was impressed with by this place was the option to get some fried meat along side. The portion size I would have loved to be a little bit bigger but overall I was good with it. Service: 4/5 - Very friendly staff. Ambiance: 3.5/5 - Ample seating and clean. read more

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If you go here go for the sushi because thats what makes this place good the entrees and tempura is just ok so just come for the sushi

Food, service, and presentation are fantastic. We got the gyoza appetizer, which was excellent. We also had sake and hamachi sushi which were fresh and well prepared. Finally we got a poke bowl which was delicious and had generous portions of fish and vegetables. A good assortment of toppings are offered. Even the lemonade was very good! read more

Sumo Roll is one of the closer sushi restaurants to UC Berkeley. I decided to get take out for my friend and I, and ordered their Dragon Roll and Salmon Set. I ordered both for dine-in previously, and expected the same quality. When I came home, I quickly realized that the Salmon Set was not as described on the menu. It was suppose to come with salmon belly; however, it seemed to be substituted with eel, which I did not ask for. I was disappointed, since that was my favorite part of the meal when I dined in. Other than that, their salmon sashimi and nigiri was delicious. Their Dragon Roll was your everyday typical Dragon Roll and was delicious as well. read more

Sumo Roll - Dragon Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I don't enjoy leaving negative reviews, but I was genuinely shocked by my experience here. I paid extra for real crab, and when I opened my order, the sushi looked incredibly unappetizing, not at all what I expected from a place serving real seafood. I was starving, so I tried one of the two rolls I ordered, and it tasted absolutely foul. I threw everything in the trash after one bite. A couple hours later, I even developed a rash on my chest, which was really alarming. It's deeply disappointing, and honestly unsettling, that sushi in this condition is being served. If I were the owner, I would be seriously concerned about the potential health risks this could pose to customers. Food safety has to be a top priority -- this felt like a serious miss. read more

Great sushi, highly recommend the cheese cake. Nice restaurant, clean, and cool ambiance. Service was quick and effective. Would come back!