We loved yojimbo on Park. The new one on Santa Clara is loud when there's lots of people. The food isn't quite as good as the original. The tempura used to be fresh and crispy out of the fryer delivered to your table. Now it's precooked and damp. Asked for a clean bowl bc they left me with a dirty salad bowl to eat dinner. Instead of a rice bowl they brought me a soup bowl . The service was nominal.Drop off and not remove completed our used dishes? Chicken katsu still good. Teriyaki chicken meh. YoJimbo roll presented well. Lots of competing flavors :-(. read more

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I enjoy being a repeat customer at Yojimbo, especially this location. I really dig the owners collection of iconic anime/manga figures and the art gallery. The portions are amazing and getting the cream puffs at the end of the meal is a real sweet treat. I'll be back again soon! read more

Yojimbo - Tempura Bento - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

This place is very popular, has a cute anime theme throughout, has excellent customer service, and is very clean! The ambiance of this restaurant is stellar! The walls are covered in anime decor, there's plenty of room, and the noise level isn't bad. Overall, the atmosphere here is quite nice. Absolutely 0 complaints about the restaurant itself. My 4 star rating is purely off the food and prices. The food was tasty, but some items truly lacked flavor. For the price, you'd expect the flavor to be more powerful and savory. Well, let's begin. Their version of the "lion king" which is called Youdontwannaknowme roll was pricy and it lacked flavor. It had an overwhelming cheese on top that actually didn't sit well with 2 of our guests. It was a very heavy roll in terms of how it was sitting in the stomach. It wasn't super flavorful either, it was underwhelming in that manner. It seemed rather plain, but smothered in the cheese on top. The edamame was very very very salty and it was making all of us thirsty. Don't get me wrong, the size of the edamame serving was excellent, but it was super salty. The peanut dressing on the salad is very light and could use a bit of flavoring same goes for the teriyaki sauce on the teriyaki chicken. Overall, the food here was pretty decent. Our table had quite a bit of selection! We had the deep fried California roll 10/10, spider roll 10/10, the Philadelphia 10/10, cokes, red dragon roll, chicken teriyaki bento, tempura appetizer, and more. We definitely enjoyed our time here and will be back. read more

Yojimbo - Chicken Teriyaki Bento - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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A fun artistic themed restaurant. I enjoyed all the art work. They gave us a complimentary salad and dessert. I would prefer complimentary tea instead of thr dessert. But the desserts custard buns were pretty good... not too sweet. I got the pickled radish rolls. They were good but kind of small. The ramen was good ... only thing was the boiled egg in it was cold inside. I ordered two scoops of gelato. I was given one on a cone and one in a cup. Maybe she misunderstood me. It tasted good. read more

They accommodated our party of 9 in about 10 minutes on a Saturday night which was very quick and much appreciated. I ordered the chirashi donburi after seeing photos of it on Yelp and the presentation did not disappoint. It was a colorful bowl with 6 different cuts of fish and tamagoyaki. The fish was all fresh and cut in thick slices so I'd say it's worth the money except that the tuna wasn't the best quality. It comes on a bed of lettuce and rice so it's not as filling but it was still hard for me to finish the bowl. It came with miso soup and although it was good I was stuffed. They also gave everyone in our party a small salad bowl which had the most delicious peanut dressing ever. I would buy a bottle of it if they sold it. They were also kind enough to give each of us a mini cream donut which had an amazing whipped cream cheese filling. A great sweet treat to end the night. The restaurant is also decorated with a lot of anime figures, drawings, and paintings which is very cool. read more

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Date: 8/11/2025 Time: 4:30 PM 69° Sunny After a visit to the Kaiser Pharmacy, I decided to have linner at Yojimbo. As many times I have walked by this restaurant, I have never been here. It's my first time, and after perusing the menu, I decided to have my usual - wakame and shrimp/veggie tempura. I sure have been missing out. The wakame was a generous portion. It was enough for two people. The shrimp/veggie tempura was on point and I couldn't finish it all. I thought I ordered the 4-pc. shrimp appetizer tempura. Instead it was a big bowl of tempura. Yummy! Service was great! Waitress was attentive. She even gave me a complimentary dessert - a mini donut filled with whipped cream. The ambiance is one of comfort and casual. Jazz over the speaker system is quite mellow, soothing and relaxing. The display of artwork is beauthfully done. I especially like the Bruce Lee one. Return visit? Definitely for their bento box lunch and ramen noodles. I might even go for the donburi bowl. read more

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What a cool spot. Santa Clara and Park St. easy street parking. This place is big inside. And the staff is so nice. We were a party of 4. The fish was very fresh tasting. I did nigiri, spicy tuna roll & I shared some shrimp tempura. My friend had some sashimi which looked delicious. The dressing has peanuts in it & was tasty. We also ordered which were fantastic. Gyoza. It has a fun vibe & there were lots of families, people on dates, and small groups. read more

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Note that the other Yojimbo location has closed. Went there first before being redirected here. Overall, the location had a higher end feel but still somewhat casual (kind of like PF Chang) and had Spirited Away playing on multiple screens. You're also surrounded by art work and collectibles which was a fun bonus. Food wise, we stuck with the sushi which was good quality at acceptable prices. It's not a steal by any means and it's not the best sushi we've ever had, but we'd come back if we're in the area or in the mood for a slightly fancier feel than our other spots. Favs were the 49ers and the Cowboy Bibob. Salmon skin roll and Peter roll were cheaper (~$10) but they were 5 piece rolls and didn't have as much depth of flavor. read more

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The restaurant has a great ambiance with the awesome paintings and tons of action figures. Now i understand why it is a gallery! And this is why i am giving it 2 stars. The service is as expected. Now the food. The teriyaki salmon was so small and thin, and I think that is why it was sooo dry. The chicken teriyaki was a lot, but was dry and i think it is because they use chicken breast. The sashimi was okay. The california rolls was small and do not seem fresh. The salad and soup were on the house. Both were good. Before leaving, we were given a bite size sample of their ice cream and a cream filled cake like bread. These were awesome and why i am giving another star. We will go back at another time, but for now, i cannot recommend it. read more

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Been a while since I've been back here ! The ramen was so flavorful I got the pork . They are not skimpy on the meat ! I wish we could add corn and mushroom But other then that a 5/5 . Great service and cozy ambiance . Complimentary dessert as well read more

Yojimbo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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There are so many things I want to try on the menu like ramen, donburi, sushi combo or just simple bento box. But then I realize I can also add options on everything! Finally I decided to customize bento box which I picked sashimi, 49ers rolls, saba. It came with miso soup. Everything is fresh and tasty. They even gave a bonus dessert which I heard is different everytime. What I got was matcha cream roll which is light and fluffy. It made me want to come back just to taste the surprise dessert!! read more

Yojimbo - Customize Bento Mixer - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Omg!! First you notice is how much of a whole in the wall Yojimbo is! But don't be fooled. The small location can accommodate big groups as I visited with a group of 10. The wall art is amazing and they even have art in the restroom. Parking can be difficult for street parking can be hard to find but there are parking garages near by. The food! First, be aware thelat the bento box meals are hugh! I didn't know and we ordered 3! Had way too much left over. read more

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Yojimbo was the first sushi place I came to when I moved to Oakland. It was a high recommendation from a friend. We used to go to the smaller location down the street, which we didn't know until today that they closed in May. So we finally came to the new location. It's much bigger, but has all the same feel as the other one with all the figurines and artwork all around. The menu is the same, so I was happy to see that. We went with the veggie tempura and a dragon roll. The roll was exactly what I was cravings the tempura wasn't as good as I've had it before. They offered a salad, which was refreshing. On your way out they give you a dessert, like a cream stuffed donut. That was perfect, not to sweet. The service was fast and friendly, they made sure our waters were filled. read more

I absolutely hate to give Yojimbo anything lower than a 4 but unfortunately here I am :( The first time I went to Yojimbo around 2018, I was amazed at the deco, the food, and the portions. However, when I finally came back in 2025, I was a bit disappointed. First, they had significantly downsized this location and opened a new location in another part of Alameda. I had wanted to walk down the halls and look at the art again, but they had closed it off. We had also ordered pork ramen (was this a mistake? should I have ordered sushi) and it wasn't the best. Maybe I've been spoiled by other ramen spots, but the noodles were a bit chewy and sad. The egg was hard boiled which I can't be mad about but I was a bit sad. My friend had ordered the same pork ramen but with a different protein, but his dish came out 5-10 minutes later, which was a bit weird. I may have made a mistake of waiting for his dish to come out before eating and maybe that messed with the quality of my food/chewiness of my noodles. My friend had gotten the combo, which is a ramen and an added side. We ordered the takoyaki but they didn't have it, so we settled for the nigiri which was pretty good, but it was two pieces for an extra $6-7 (I can't remember), and I think you save $1. However, the chashu was really good and melted in my mouth!!!!!!!!! I think that this place has/had so much potential but I'm just not sure what happened. Keep in mind-- I had first come a long time ago and so I had pretty high expectations. read more

Yojimbo - Pork ramen with pork/chashu protein - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Yojimbo is a classic. I haven't been here in over a decade so I thought I'd stop by on a Monday afternoon. I was seated at a table that wasn't cleaned yet. It took some time for the waitress to take my order. I definitely think she was overwhelmed because she gave our miso soup to the wrong table and almost gave our food to the wrong table. She also didn't bring us water until after our food had arrived after I asked her a few times. It also took us a while for us to get a check. People who arrived after us even left before us. Anyways, the food was great. They definitely don't skimp on their portions. read more

Yojimbo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Fun place, good vibes, and great food. Service was good and friendly plus free pasties don't hurt either. Definitely will be coming back here again. read more

Yojimbo - Spider roll Red Dragon Roll Mexican Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Delicious sushi! Got a door dash order earlier this week. We had the red dragon roll, yojimbo, cowboy bob, and spider rolls. The yojimbo and red dragon were my favorite. The donuts are fantastic! Would definitely order again or visit in person! read more

My favorite Japanese restaurant in Alameda. The downside is parking is challenging to find during lunch or dinner. The restaurant is small and sometimes feels like you're eating in a basement. But don't worry, this place is worth it in every aspect. Not only is their food excellent, but their portions are enormous! My go-to when I come here Is the bento mixer. The bento mixer is the best overall value. The bento mixer requires you to pick at least three items, and it does not include anything. I usually pick four items, which are chicken teriyaki, salmon shioyaki, rice and salad. My bento comes out to $18, and I can get two meals out of it. The chicken is tender and has charred edges. The salmon is moist and flavorful. If you've never had shioyaki, it's marinated salted fish that's grilled. If you're a fan of bentos, come here! You have a variety of options to build your bento. read more

Yojimbo - Bento mixer w/ teriyaki chicken and salmon shioyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

I ordered and got the Mad Max Roll, Red Dragon Roll, and miso soup for takeout. They packaged it really well and I didn't expect them to put it in a box to carry it out. The food was yummy and spicy (but in a good way). I would order from here again. Also, there's only street parking. read more

Yojimbo - Mad Max Roll & Red Dragon Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

My favorite hidden gem in alameda. My portion was big enough for lunch and dinner. Everything was so flavorful and yummy. They checked on us multiple times which I appreciated. Always get a table with no line and found street parking around the corner read more

Yojimbo - Curry Chicken Katsu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Second time here. Love this place. Large portions and the BEST miso soup. Complimentary dessert also. Great service read more

Yojimbo - Spider roll. Philadelphia roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

As I continue this food journey, limiting my meat consumption, I'm eating lots of seafood. It is my favorite. Thought I'd try Yojimbo, I hadn't had sushi in a while. Seaweed salad 3.75outta5 It was good. It was very good. At $19 I wasn't sure what to expect. It's a serving for 2-4. No big deal. It was sitting on a bed of lettuce or cabbage. Every time I've ever had seaweed salad there was nothing else included. I'm all for innovation & trying new flavors etc., but some things, the simple things need no altering. It's probably a hit w/others tho. BBQ eel over a spider roll 5outta5 Absolutely freakin delicious! Every single bite was an explosive delight. No complaints whatsoever. read more

Yojimbo - BBQ eel over spider roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Such a cute place! My friend took me here for lunch and I absolutely loved it. It has so many cute photos and art work of studio ghibili movies. The restaurant is rather small and tucked away but such a gem to find. The rolls were quite filling and honestly, a good price. You can get a lot of different rolls and share. I suggest the dragon roll, I love unagi and the crunch of the tempura and crab meat blended nicely together. The salmon roll (jenny) gave meaty portions of the salmon. They do not skimp on the portions here and every bite will leave you satisfied. The server was so sweet and gave us a little treat as a free dessert. She was attentive and kind and checked in on us constantly (sorry didn't get her name but everyone was so nice!). I would come here again! read more

Yojimbo - Jenny Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Food: - Very tasty & your typical sushi - One of my partner's favorite spots in the area - Treated us to free dessert at the end which was given with our tab Service: - Got seated immediately after walking in - Took our order very quickly - Server was very nice & welcoming - Food came fairly quickly Ambiance: - On the outside it's not fancy looking, just like a very niche spot - Inside is decorated with many studio ghibli decor perfect for studio ghibli fans - The story behind the restaurant is really unique & interesting - Inside is fairly small so big parties might be a struggle - Parking is street parking if you can find any - Feels very homey & calm, a place to wind down & eat out Overall: - I'm not from the area but would visit here whenever I can - Sushi was yummy as a sushi fan - I was very excited from the decor since I'm a studio ghibli fan - Must visit spot for studio ghibli &/or sushi fans! read more

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First time here. We went during lunch. We got seated right away. Love the art decor and all the anime figurines. We ordered dragon roll and chicken & salmon teriyaki bento box. Food were delicious. The bento box portions were BIG, enough for atleast 2 people! We're definitely coming back! read more

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Want to be whisked away to Japan for just a short time without the jet lag and loss of luggage? This ramen spot with an anime theme is just the spot. A hole in the wall with limited seating and friendly service. From the outside anime to the inside dedication to studio Ghibli it's all very fun. Art and even a screen showing a Ghibli movie. Friendly attentive service for the entire time. Wait for a table was 10 or so not bad at all ! Lovely menu that included bento boxes , sushi and ramen. Miso was lovely ! Pot stickers were crispy. Ordered pork ramen, 49er roll and salmon bento boxes with tempura everything was delicious ! And best part was the crème puff at the end for dessert on the house ! Lovely place with lots of charm, fun and great Japanese food. Come for the charm but stay for the food !!! read more

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The only reason im giving this place 4 stars instead of 5 is because the ginger is covered with red dye and the unagi has a lot of bones. Other than that the atmosphere is good and i love all the complementary things like salad and donuts. Service is a little bit slow (depending on how many staff there are) but i will say this is a very well run resteraunt. read more

My Jimbo. How I love your sushi, employees, and vibe. Go there, get a beer. Look at the art. And get full belly. Full belly = happy life. Compliment them for their visions. I have been going there for 7 years. Never once was disappointed. Satisfactory is an understatement. The women and men there are so sweet and dare I say, HOT. read more

1 docked star only because it's on the pricey side. Otherwise, everything was phenomenal! Let's start with the food, OMG! This is probably the best sushi spot in the area, portions are perfect. It better be with that price! The flavor is well worth a wait in line, if there is one. The typical sushi is scrumptious but then they have some typical sushi with a slight twist. Now, this place doesn't have "unique" sushi, but I'd love to try them all! Service was great, very attentive and polite. Ambiance was out of this world! The anime is super cool and if you are an old school head like me (before anime and K-pop was in) then even better.... Toys and art of Bruce Lee, toys and art of mech warriors and toys, art and a sushi named Cowboy Bebop!!! In door dining you actually might think you're in Japan... I highly recommend! read more

Like Build-A-Bear, this was a Build Your Own Bento Box! Much more edible and fun, I assure you. This was right up my alley because I could avoid getting rice and get a salad instead. It's literally whatever you order from scratch. Items vary from $3 to $9, but it's a great chance to sample stuff, or if you're a picky eater like me---create your own dish. I got a salad, saba, tamago, rock and roll, and tempura and liked it all. Quick and friendly service, and I felt the portion size and freshness was great. My friend ordered her own salmon bento box and told me she's been here several times before. Wish places in SF would have a Build your own bento with MORE than 3 items. Here, you can have 6 or even 9 items! Whatever you want, and I'm totally digging that bento life! read more

Yojimbo - Build A Bento - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

I have been to this place so many times and it it never disappoints. The staff is great, the sushi is fresh and delish. Portions are just huge and you have enough to take home left overs. I love that they have anime movies on all the time. It feels like you have stepped into some place in Japan for just wee bit. I love Yojimbo, it's my to go place in the area. read more

Fantastic "hole-in-the-wall" vibe, this spot is amazing, especially for Studio Ghibli fans! The walls had beautiful artwork, and the restaurant was playing a Studio Ghibli movie during my visit, which made the experience even more unique and fun. We tried the pork ramen (4.5/5) and was impressed. The portion size was generous and the ramen came with egg and seaweed salad included. Also had the chicken katsu curry (5/5), which I've not seen done well that often in the East Bay. This one was the best I have had in a while. You will likely be leaving with a to go box because of the large portions, but the food was great! Highly recommend this spot! read more

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I can't believe it's been over 10 years since I last visited Yojimbo. As a small mom and pop business, I'm happy to see they managed to survive through the pandemic. Despite shrinkflation and rising cost of goods nearly everywhere you look, there is one thing that hasn't changed: the chicken teriyaki bento box here is still the biggest plate of food I've ever seen in the Bay Area. My wife and I shared the bento and we honestly couldn't even eat half of the mountain of chicken. The chicken is unbelievably tender and has a great grilled taste to it. Additionally, there's a mountain of rice and a family-size portion of salad included in the entree as well. I love that all sauces for both the chicken and the salad are provided on the side in small little cups so you can control exactly how much you add. If you're looking for a super filling meal at reasonable prices, Yojimbo's bento box definitely delivers. read more

Yojimbo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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There are so many options for food here! There's a build-your-own bento box so I got mine with chicken teriyaki and takoyaki. My boyfriend got chicken katsu with tempura and gyoza, which I happily took many bites of as well. All of the food was yummy! I haven't tried any of the rolls here just yet but I'm excited to return and try them because of how good the bento boxes were. The waiter was also very accommodating when we made a to-go order, which required a bit more customization. At the end of our meal, the waiter gave our group free donuts to try. They weren't too sweet and had the perfect pillowy texture. I'd definitely come back just for that if I'm back in the area. read more

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Very cool place. We came late around 3:30pm after spending couple hours at Alameda beach and were really hungry. The place is so cool. Decor is filled with art and animation paintings/drawings. Super cool and I would imagine that's how hole in the wall places look in Tokyo? Don't know, never been but felt like we were in Japan as soon as we entered. Service was quick and friendly. We got like 8 sushi rolls and makis and everything tasted fresh and yummy! Our 5.5 year old said this sushi place was the best she has tried so far and she had like 11 pieces and loved everyone of them so kudos. They offered us complimentary miso but we had just placed our last order for 2 extra rolls so we were too full to savor the miso soup but thank you for offering:) No sake or alcohol by the way in case you love pairing that with your meal. We shall be back :) read more

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Yojimbo feels like a tiny sushi place hidden down a dark alley in a gritty anime yakuza film. You open the front door and enter the kitchen if you're not careful. Left to the kitchen, right to the tables. Maybe six tables scattered around food service equipment. We ordered a bunch of rolls, all of which were great. My wife ordered the Leftover roll. It's a chef's choice surprise roll of whatever is close at hand. I told her to look over at this great looking plate that someone ordered. It's her Leftover Roll!! The only downside here, no sashimi. The service and vibe make up for it. 100% the most low key, cool spot for sushi. As we're finishing up three straight up anime yakuza dudes all dressed in black come in to eat. We pay and leave, this guy walks out, looks both ways, looks at me, goes back in and closes the door. I love Yojimbo!!! read more

Yojimbo - Front door - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Most delicious fantastic sushi I have ever eaten (summer roll). I do not give this praise lightly and I have eaten at many places. Good, solid ramen, chewy noodles with very flavorful broth. The meat and egg on top are served cold and the egg is hard boiled, fyi. Cute Studio Ghibli art and movies playing! If you love sushi, ramen, and/or Studio Ghibli, this place is a must. read more

Yojimbo - Pork ramen in pork broth tempura combo, summer roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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The rolls here are sooooooo good. The ambiance is really fun. They were playing Studio Ghibli movies on the various screens. They had fun Studio Ghibli art up too. The rolls were the star of the show. We made the mistake of ordering the Japanese curry and it just wasn't good at all. The portion was generous but it just didn't have any flavor. Our rolls were super good. The nigiri was fresh and tasty. The other rolls were big and fresh and delicious. All in all this place is super fun for dates. Service is ok. Would go back and just order rolls this time. read more

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This is the original Yojimbo and I prefer this location over their other one, which is their newer one out of the 2. Parking is street parking and although they are located on a busy street / in a busy area, parking is not as bad here, as they are a bit further down at the less busy end of the street. I have not been here in awhile, so I had no high expectations. I ordered ahead and was told it would take about 10 minutes, so I came by in 15 minutes to give them some wiggle room, but when I arrived, the order still was not done yet, and it took about 20 minutes in total. I ordered an order of sake nigiri and 2 orders of salmon maki. I wished I asked for no wasabi though because I do not prefer it and they were a bit messy with the wasabi, as it was all over the sushi and on the outside of the takeout box as well. Overall, the salmon tasted decently fresh, and the portion and quality is decent compared to a lot of other sushi spots. read more

I loved it! Lots of food, but too good to leave any behind. The server was kind, even though it was packed. The decor was great to look at too, especially for anime fans. read more

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