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Nestled in a quaint building across from Berkeley High, Sushinista serves up nori (seaweed) wrapped Japanese meats and fix-ins colloquially dubbed "sushi burritos." Unlike your traditional burrito, the meal won't make you cancel your day plans and induce a year-long food coma. I ordered the Uma Uma Beef this time around, but I highly recommend the Juu Juu Unagi (which is a great deal for only $14 for a typically expensive fish) or the Saku Saku Shrimp. The beef was perfectly marinated, tender, and juicy, and complemented the rich buttery sauce. Beyond the food, what makes your visit extra special is the lovely couple working inside. This literal mom-and-pop shop makes you feel super welcome with inviting smiles and friendly dispositions. Although the patio seemed to be closed at 2, they clarified that they closed at 2:30 and still allowed my group to sit outside to enjoy our meals. I will say though, for such an unassuming couple, they sure know how to whip up meals with the tastiest flavor profiles. What a power duo!
Absolutely loved this place. Who doesn't love a giant sushi roll? We ordered a ton of food because everything sounded good. We had the tuna puri puri poke roll, the uma beef roll, the saku saku shrimp roll, the waku waku california roll, and an eel roll. It was all good. My son wasn't the biggest fan of the wasabi mayo in the waku waku but I thought it was great. I could eat any of those again and hopefully I will someday soon.
** The following review reflects my delivery experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. ** Somewhere between Sandinistas and fashionistas lie sushinistas. OK, I made that up, but I'm trying to picture what a sushinista would look like. Maybe a samurai bandana tied around his head with tubes of wasabi on his belt. Probably the first one at the tuna auction. Anyway, this Sushinista is in Downtown Berkeley on MIlvia. Jamie W. and I have passed by it as we were waiting for a movie on Shattuck, but alas, it took the pandemic for us to try it... for delivery, of course. Jamie decided to order the $12.75 Teri Teri Chicken Bowl, a hearty mix of honey grilled chicken breast, fried zucchini, cucumber, shredded cabbage, sesame seeds, teriyaki sauce, and mayo (photo: https://bit.ly/2LykOk5). It was a crunchy, no-rice delight. He even got a bag of Calbee Potato Crisps for added crunch and carbs (photo: https://bit.ly/36ScH9d). I went for the $11.75 Sushinista Seafood Salad, which combined sushi-grade tuna, salmon, and shrimp with radish, cucumber, corn, romaine lettuce, and sesame seeds. It came with their house seafood dressing on the side (photo: https://bit.ly/3p44Lbt). Basically it was a higher-end poke bowl. No complaints from me. In fact, I decided to make a detour and ordered the $3.50 Tofu Nuggets, which were exactly what I expected, non-tater tater tots (photo: https://bit.ly/2MPOmu7). All it needed was a honey mustard dipping sauce, but I ate them naked. Not me, the nuggets. I don't think our meal made us sushinistas, but we're willing to earn our titles over time, Old Master. Go on, snatch the pebble from his hand, Grasshopper. FOOD - 4 stars...sustenance for the sushinista AMBIANCE -n/a...delivery for us SERVICE - 4 stars...timely and well packaged TOTAL - 4 stars...good for on-the-go eating RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u
I was a little nervous when I drove by Sushinista on my way home earlier this week and saw the windows covered and a sign on the front door. However, on my walk this morning (8/19/21), I was able to get a closer look at the sign that was posted. Sushinista will be closed for a short time and will reopen on 9/8/21, no reason is given. You bet I'll be the first in line ready to get some sushi burritos when you guys open. The best spot in all of the Bay Area for sushi burritos in my humble opinion.
It's a small home-y shop with very lovely people! They're a small business so definitely go out and support! The fish is super fresh but there is one or two ingredients that threw the flavor off for me.
Yep! They've got that sushi burrito game on lock. Super tasty sushi burritos at very reasonable prices! Lately, I've been on this poke bowl/sushi burrito hype and Sushinista did wonders when it came to satisfying my sushi burrito craving. The shop is randomly located in Downtown Berkeley not too far from Berkeley High. The space is small and makes more for a take out situation versus a dine-in, but they do have a few tables inside. They have preset sushi burritos and you can also choose to build your own. What I really like about Sushinista is that they have a variety of both raw and cooked meat that you can choose as your main. Often times I find that the majority of sushi burrito and poke spots mainly serve raw seafood which totally makes sense of course. It's just nice to mix it up and to have more options that cater to people who don't necessarily love raw seafood. I ordered the crunchy shrimp burrito with cream cheese and it came out wonderfully. It's similar to a chipotle style where they make it in front of you and they ask you what ingredients that you'd like. Other than the avocado being a little too ripe for my taste, everything tasted super fresh. The sushi burrito had great flavor and it was a nice size. That crunch from the shrimp could become dangerously addicting. This was my absolute favorite element of the burrito itself! That crunchy shrimp was fiyah! At first I thought that the cream cheese would be a bit overpowering but it wasn't. It really complemented everything very well and was also very filling. There were two men working there that day and I believe that one of them was the owner. Both men were very friendly and helpful. The interior space was very clean. I noticed that they have some happy hour specials during the week that I'm excited to check out next time around. Overall, this is a solid place to fulfill your sushi burrito cravings.
If you are a sushi lover, this place will be like heaven to you. They make sushi burritos. It's off the hook good. The service is quick and food is made right in front of you. It's quiet and you can eat outside. I'm definable Corning back here. Make sure you come here and support local establishments.
Brief Summary: - Affordable prices for sushi and it also fills you up - Located near the library and post office area in Berkeley - Wasabi mayo amount versus tolerance: depends on the person - Enjoyed the sweet potato fries too This is one of the places I wanted to visit for the longest time; however I struggled with the timing because I tend to visit Berkeley on weekends, and this restaurant is closed. Finally, the time arrived when I left work early and decided to stop by Berkeley to see the sakura blossoms that bloomed in the university campus this year. What good way to observe the sakura blossoms with the traditional hanami experience, so we decided to take sushinista sushi rolls and eat at the long sakura alley way near University Ave. There are different types of fillings in each sushi, and I chose the saku saku shrimp. Various vegetables are packed inside, with the optional spread of wasabi mayo. I chose to have the mayo in all of the rolls; the staff mentioned 3 levels if I recall: regular, a little, and no wasabi mayo. For the wasabi tolerance, I was pretty alright, it didn't sting my nose. However, this depends on the person because the same amount made a relative of mine sniffle through the eating experience. I wouldn't have tried the sweet potato fries, but my relative is a fan of them. Glad we did because I enjoyed this snack. When it is served fresh from the fryer, the exterior is light and crisp! This paired very well with the match salt that came with it. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience, so I would love to visit after work hours and have this again read more
Super fast nice service. No real seating it's more a grab and go and with how fast the service was I don't mind it. Average size sushi burrito but good for the price and definitely tasty. I would recommend as I will definitely be coming back. I'm just sad they have such small hours. read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
What is this madness, absolutely delicious and not heavy at all. Definitely coming back to try all the other burritos they have. read more
1 year ago
Nestled in a quaint building across from Berkeley High, Sushinista serves up nori (seaweed) wrapped Japanese meats and fix-ins colloquially dubbed "sushi burritos." Unlike your traditional burrito, the meal won't make you cancel your day plans and induce a year-long food coma. I ordered the Uma Uma Beef this time around, but I highly recommend the Juu Juu Unagi (which is a great deal for only $14 for a typically expensive fish) or the Saku Saku Shrimp. The beef was perfectly marinated, tender, and juicy, and complemented the rich buttery sauce. Beyond the food, what makes your visit extra special is the lovely couple working inside. This literal mom-and-pop shop makes you feel super welcome with inviting smiles and friendly dispositions. Although the patio seemed to be closed at 2, they clarified that they closed at 2:30 and still allowed my group to sit outside to enjoy our meals. I will say though, for such an unassuming couple, they sure know how to whip up meals with the tastiest flavor profiles. What a power duo! read more
Absolutely loved this place. Who doesn't love a giant sushi roll? We ordered a ton of food because everything sounded good. We had the tuna puri puri poke roll, the uma beef roll, the saku saku shrimp roll, the waku waku california roll, and an eel roll. It was all good. My son wasn't the biggest fan of the wasabi mayo in the waku waku but I thought it was great. I could eat any of those again and hopefully I will someday soon. read more
** The following review reflects my delivery experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. ** Somewhere between Sandinistas and fashionistas lie sushinistas. OK, I made that up, but I'm trying to picture what a sushinista would look like. Maybe a samurai bandana tied around his head with tubes of wasabi on his belt. Probably the first one at the tuna auction. Anyway, this Sushinista is in Downtown Berkeley on MIlvia. Jamie W. and I have passed by it as we were waiting for a movie on Shattuck, but alas, it took the pandemic for us to try it... for delivery, of course. Jamie decided to order the $12.75 Teri Teri Chicken Bowl, a hearty mix of honey grilled chicken breast, fried zucchini, cucumber, shredded cabbage, sesame seeds, teriyaki sauce, and mayo (photo: https://bit.ly/2LykOk5). It was a crunchy, no-rice delight. He even got a bag of Calbee Potato Crisps for added crunch and carbs (photo: https://bit.ly/36ScH9d). I went for the $11.75 Sushinista Seafood Salad, which combined sushi-grade tuna, salmon, and shrimp with radish, cucumber, corn, romaine lettuce, and sesame seeds. It came with their house seafood dressing on the side (photo: https://bit.ly/3p44Lbt). Basically it was a higher-end poke bowl. No complaints from me. In fact, I decided to make a detour and ordered the $3.50 Tofu Nuggets, which were exactly what I expected, non-tater tater tots (photo: https://bit.ly/2MPOmu7). All it needed was a honey mustard dipping sauce, but I ate them naked. Not me, the nuggets. I don't think our meal made us sushinistas, but we're willing to earn our titles over time, Old Master. Go on, snatch the pebble from his hand, Grasshopper. FOOD - 4 stars...sustenance for the sushinista AMBIANCE -n/a...delivery for us SERVICE - 4 stars...timely and well packaged TOTAL - 4 stars...good for on-the-go eating RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u read more
I was a little nervous when I drove by Sushinista on my way home earlier this week and saw the windows covered and a sign on the front door. However, on my walk this morning (8/19/21), I was able to get a closer look at the sign that was posted. Sushinista will be closed for a short time and will reopen on 9/8/21, no reason is given. You bet I'll be the first in line ready to get some sushi burritos when you guys open. The best spot in all of the Bay Area for sushi burritos in my humble opinion. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Best sushi burrito I've ever had! The freshness, the texture, the flavor! Highly recommend this place to anyone wanting good sushi burrito or bowl. read more
2 years ago
It's a small home-y shop with very lovely people! They're a small business so definitely go out and support! The fish is super fresh but there is one or two ingredients that threw the flavor off for me. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
Yep! They've got that sushi burrito game on lock. Super tasty sushi burritos at very reasonable prices! Lately, I've been on this poke bowl/sushi burrito hype and Sushinista did wonders when it came to satisfying my sushi burrito craving. The shop is randomly located in Downtown Berkeley not too far from Berkeley High. The space is small and makes more for a take out situation versus a dine-in, but they do have a few tables inside. They have preset sushi burritos and you can also choose to build your own. What I really like about Sushinista is that they have a variety of both raw and cooked meat that you can choose as your main. Often times I find that the majority of sushi burrito and poke spots mainly serve raw seafood which totally makes sense of course. It's just nice to mix it up and to have more options that cater to people who don't necessarily love raw seafood. I ordered the crunchy shrimp burrito with cream cheese and it came out wonderfully. It's similar to a chipotle style where they make it in front of you and they ask you what ingredients that you'd like. Other than the avocado being a little too ripe for my taste, everything tasted super fresh. The sushi burrito had great flavor and it was a nice size. That crunch from the shrimp could become dangerously addicting. This was my absolute favorite element of the burrito itself! That crunchy shrimp was fiyah! At first I thought that the cream cheese would be a bit overpowering but it wasn't. It really complemented everything very well and was also very filling. There were two men working there that day and I believe that one of them was the owner. Both men were very friendly and helpful. The interior space was very clean. I noticed that they have some happy hour specials during the week that I'm excited to check out next time around. Overall, this is a solid place to fulfill your sushi burrito cravings. read more
2 years ago
If you are a sushi lover, this place will be like heaven to you. They make sushi burritos. It's off the hook good. The service is quick and food is made right in front of you. It's quiet and you can eat outside. I'm definable Corning back here. Make sure you come here and support local establishments. read more
2 years ago
So I've been driving by this place for years wanting to check this place out but due to limited hours of operation.. I keep missing them but managed to finally get there while they were open this evening! For starters this is an authentic Japanese take out restaurant owned and operated by a lovely couple from Japan which I don't see very often and was pleasantly surprised by. I got the Salmon Poke Burrito with a side of Sweet Potato Tempura! The ingredients were very crisp and fresh with a lot of subtle flavors of sesame seed and veggies! The Sweet Potato Tempura while on its own was delicious but they also served this with matcha tea salt which made this very simple side dish a game changer! So yumm! Parking is available on the street and you can't miss this place as it's in the middle of the block across the street from BHS! This is a definite place I'd go back to!!! read more
2 years ago
Definitely not a fan of this place. The zucchini tempura was super cold and lacked flavor, which was really disappointing. Can definitely tell it is not made fresh to order, wonder how long they were sitting around before I got them. Got throw 3 and tossed the rest, coworkers didn't want them. The canned coffee drink was advertised without a caution sticker, but after paying for it...my cab had a label that read "Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals..." Please give me the option to be exposed to that prior to paying for it so I can save my money. The sushi burrito is ok. The ingredients do not taste fresh and not crisp like fresh ingredients usually are. I ordered the shrimp burrito and it's highlight was the spicy mayo...how sad is that?! Portion size is immense, I barely made it through half of the burrito. I love to support my local businesses, but making my tummy happy is more important. Prices are super affordable. I will not be returning. Thank you for the convenience of ordering online for delivery, will not be requesting your service again. read more
Small little spot that does sushi burritos/bowls. I opted for the bowl with salmon. They were out of brown rice so got white. You can choose 2 sides and 1 topping to add on. The bowl is shallow but its good for a light snack. Overall it wasn't bad. Service was good, order and pay. Only street parking available. read more
Sushi burritos are so fun to me. This place is just down the street from my job. My boss actually turned me on to it. The food is all made fresh to order and is all organic. I did one time have them make a large order for a department meeting I was having. The owner who is also the person who makes the food with an assistant made all of the burritos and bowls perfectly and didn't miss one detail to each persons special request. I don't go here often but I know when I do go I can expect and I also appreciate there attention to presentation and detail oh and did I mention the food it good to lol read more
Nice hole in the wall place, not too much seating. I got the unagi sushi burrito, and I realize that for the ingredients alone it would be expensive (over $13), but it wasn't very filling at at all. I would recommend making your own burrito so you can avoid having too much space filled with romaine lettuce and with more of the veggies you like. I made the error of quickly defaulting to a set menu item. The unagi itself was good, very crunchy though so it didn't feel like I was getting an actual whole piece of it, just the remnants. You could hardly find it in the burrito. read more
4 years ago
I come here at least once a week. The customer service is great and the food is even better. I love this place and how fresh there ingredients are! read more
Awesome joint to grab a quick bite, and absorb some positive vibes. The owner and his employee (I believe this to be the dynamic), were both incredibly friendly and a pleasure to interact with. The student discounted teriyaki bowl hit the spot, and satiated my hunger. Super mad at myself for not grabbing a burrito while I was in town. Don't worry though, I'll be back! If you're in the area and not a patron, then you need to reevaluate your life... especially if you're a college student. Lol. Seriously though, it's a unique little place full of vibes and good food, what's not to like? read more
7 years ago
It's hard to find an affordable and tasty sushiritto these days! There's a lot of places that comes with too much rice and drench their sushirittos with lots of sauce. This place relies on the freshness and quality of of their ingredients and hook you up! Their sushi burritos are loaded with fresh ingredients and is very light and delicious. I can eat this on my healthy days! Look at the pic I uploaded! I want to try their other ones next time I'm in the area! I also like how the owners are an older Japanese couple. They are so sweet! read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
A really cute mom and pop shop for sushi burritos. All the items here are made with quality organic ingredients and you can taste that as well. Waku Waku California: This is a sushi burrito made with salmon, I got raw salmon for an additional $2 and it was great! I'm normally not a huge raw fish fan, but surprisingly I quite liked this one. It was flavorful and light with that tiny kick from the wasabi mayo. Juu Juu Unagi: this was a grilled eel sushi burrito and it was fantastic! Super flavorful from the grilled eel and unagi sauce, no additional sauces needed. The lettuce complimented the eel fantastically. There's a place in the back patio where I was able to eat, which was nice. It was very reminiscent of eating in your own backyard, which adds a nice homey feel to the shop more than it already does. Overall, I like this place. It's delicious and has good quality items. One sushi burrito is good for a light lunch, so it won't make you full, but I would come back. The owners are super sweet as well. read more
3 years ago
10 years ago
HEADS UP: There is NO RAW FISH here! Confusing, right? Isn't sushi synonymous with raw fish? You'd think so, but Sushinista offers up bento-style COOKED food in burrito or bowl form. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed to find this out upon arrival.....and shame on me for not checking Yelp beforehand!! Since we had paid to park nearby, my friends and I decided to try it anyway. I ordered a bowl with the sliced beef & pickled ginger. While the flavors were great and I appreciated the customization process, the portions felt SUPER small. The bowl includes a layer of rice, topped with a small portion of the protein, veggies that you can customize, and a cabbage/carrot/kale salad. The salad takes up the majority of the bowl. I could literally count the sugar snap peas in my bowl (head count: 2) and real talk, I think I could've eaten the entire portion of beef in one bite if I tried hard enough. Maybe I should've ordered the sushi burrito, instead? Who knows. Overall, the portion size & price point (1 bowl was ~$9.50 after tax) are not worth a second visit for me. read more
11 years ago
The concept is cool but the food just wasn't that great. When I think of a "sushi burrito" I imagine different types of fresh fish options to put inside. However, the only thing close to sushi was the grilled salmon. The other meat options were chicken, beef, and pork. I opted for the grilled salmon bowl and my boyfriend ordered the chicken sushiritto. The meat and vegetable choices didn't look too appetizing and seemed like they have been sitting out for a long time. That surprised me since it was early afternoon when we arrived. The sushiritto was small and didn't really taste like anything. The bowl was more flavorful but wasn't anything amazing either. Service was good though - the man helping us was really nice and explained how to order. The place is really small with only three small round tables and two cocktail tables if you want to dine in. Oh, and in case you were wondering, they do accept credit cards and parking is along the street. read more
I have been here a bunch of times, so it was about time I made a small contribution. My favorite thing about Sushinista are the portions and the friendly service. I've only had their sushirritos, which are great. My go to is the salmon one. They're $9.50, and you have your choice of rice, meat, 2 vegetables and 1 topping. The amount of meat/fish that they put is huge, so they're definitely filling and worth the price. Every time I've been here, the service has been amazing and I've received recommendations (they usually recommend toppings and dressings that so well with your choice of meat). Also, not everybody knows this, but they have a cozy outdoor patio in the back. read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
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