Yonsei Handrolls
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The Yuzu Shandy Asahi beer had a nice sweet lemon taste that you usually wouldn't expect from a beer. Unfortunately, because it tasted sweet, it didn't pair well with the edamame. Typically I like a more mellow beer to highlight the edamame sweetness. As for the handrolls, I got the lunch special Temaki Trio. The Negihama handroll was delicious, I would recommend using the soy sauce dropper sparingly so it doesn't taste overly salty. For the Spicy Tuna, I focused the soy sauce at the tempura to build more flavor over all. The Salmon was decent but the lemon taste overpowered the salmon flavor. Overall, surprisingly filling lunch set without feeling bloated after.
Service was a bit scrambled. The restaurant only had a few tables occupied but the staff seemed preoccupied. They took awhile to give us the menu and they forgot to provide soy sauce with the first set of hand roll. They were surprised I don't have soy sauce at the table already when I asked.. well I was too. Foodwise.. everything was pretty good. I love the uni handroll at the end. The overall experience could've been better though. Will have to see if I end up returning.
I can confidently say this is my favorite place for sushi and especially handrolls. I always get so excited to dine here especially since it is a treat and I barely hold back. I see a lot of people ordering maybe 3-4 handrolls and sharing appetizers but I mainly focus on the handrolls. These handrolls are on average 2-3 bites for me, 2 would be a big bite. There is no discount if you order from a set so order the sets only if you truly want every item in the list. If you come for lunch, take a look at their lunch sets because it comes out to only a couple dollars more and you get cucumber and edamame as an appetizer which is enough to share amongst two people. I love that they make the sushi rice vinegary here. I enjoy most of the items that I normally would like, there isn't a bad one except sometimes the black garlic aioli on the seared albacore tastes a bit fatty to me. Otherwise everything I order from my pictures are always fresh and good. One thing I noticed for the snow crab and chives is that they do not use mayo here compared to their Oakland location. I loved the ocean trout I had in early May and sad to see it gone by the end of May, it was sweet and fresh. Hope it comes back soon, @manager, let me know! lol thanks P.S. I do have a suggestion about the timing that food comes out, one time I was there for lunch and our table specifically had large gaps between the rolls coming out. I'm talking about 15 minutes before the next set comes out while other tables get multiple things in the meantime. After 45 min, I finally said something and the staff was able to get everything else out in 5 min so the kitchen was not backed up, she said it was some kind of timer the chef sets and maybe something was wrong there. I had brought a friend so I felt really bad for him to have a bad experience with the wait time but other than that the food was great.
This place has been on my mental bucket list for a while and I had a free day so I figured I'd take advantage. I came here after having a spa day close by. When I walked in, I was low-key excited because I saw the furniture. It was black cane furniture in a swanky restaurant setting. I decided to sit at the bar. After perusing the menu for a bit, I decided on a trio for my first time which included yellowtail, tuna, and salmon. The price was $20 for a trio and it came with cucumber salad and edamame. There was a dropper bottle in front of me and I asked the woman behind the bar what it was and she said it was soy sauce. My face when she said it was like "oh you fancy fancy!!" Each type of fish came one after another, but only after I finished the handroll. The first one was yellowtail and it was mid- which was nothing to write home about, but I was disappointed because yellowtail is my favorite. The second one came and it was tuna with crunchies and that was actually better than my yellowtail and tuna is my least favorite. The salmon one was the best, the absolute best. It had lemon in it. The dropper was fun to use and it was controlled. Service was friendly and price wise- it didn't break my Apple Pay!
I dream about yonsei handrolls at least once a month! My top two must get at yonsei is the seared albacore and the snow crab. So so so yummy! In addition, the service and the ambiance is so nice. I always have to come here whenever I'm visiting Oakland.
Still awesome! We went for lunch and the prices are more affordable. We went for the $30 one because it had the truffle oil and it was amazing the first time we had it. And it is worth it. Maybe not if you just wanted a Ramen or something but if you want a special fancy lunch with a perfect cucumber salad (with Wakame seaweed) and perfectly steamed edamame, get it, you won't be sorry. Lunch cost me 49. A bit high but oh boy, was it worth it?!?!?!!!!!
I went for lunch with a friend who loves this place, and it did not disappoint! I tried the OG set and devoured each of the 5 hand rolls. My favorite was the Negihama (yellowtail and green onions) but I appreciated how each one was different from the last. Perfect amount of food for lunch. The yuzu lemonade was well-prepared, flavorful and refreshing. Service and ambiance were both excellent. Parking was easy on a weekday; we found a spot on the street a block away. Eager to return to try some of the starters. I appreciated the care and quality that went into what was served - everything tasted fresh and the nori was nice and crunchy. No notes!
We made a reservation for 8:30 PM on a Saturday night but when we got there, it was completely empty. I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the interior but the ambiance was very nice and perfect for a date or a nice meal with friends. It came out to roughly $40-50 a person post tax which was honestly really affordable. My favorite hand roll was the yellow tail and the ahi tuna. The first quality was amazing and honestly the portion size was surprisingly enough, with 5 hand rolls leaving me extremely satisfied. Overall, this is one of my favorite restraints that I've tried in the East Bay and I would definitely come back again!
This place can get busy and I can see why! Every roll we got was delicious. Truly enjoyed my meal here. Taste: I tried the avocado, salmon, fatty salmon, jellyfish, and snow crab. I expected a little more from the snow crab given the price, but everything else was 100% worth it. Parking: Street parking! It seems like when's street parking by the elementary school is allowed but if you come on a weekday near school hours it can be limited. Service: We sat at the bar and the device was fast and nice.
I will be dreaming about Yonsei Handrolls for quite some time after a pretty extraordinary meal here. Would love to return for dinner to experience the cocktail menu also, but let's dive into lunch. Check hours before heading over because they may vary between weekday/night and weekends, but weekday they open at 11:30a. While in the area, we were so hungry and realized we had never tried Yonsei before. Also fyi there is a wine bar that opens at 12p called Best Friends next door. While parking on San Pablo can be a bit challenging, we found street parking near the front of the building, so we took this as a great sign. The vibes inside were high ~ loved the art and immaculate space. Also love the bar area and sleek but cozy environment. They have the coolest lunch menu. Being new to handrolls, we went with the DIY Lunch Set that included 3 different fish: yellowtail, spicy tuna, and salmon with rice and the seaweed wrappers. What an excellent and incredibly fun way to have a 'first foodie moment' with others. (See pics and videos) We also ordered the sashimi salad and tenpura (Shungiku Kakiage) to start, with a few 'single' handrolls for variety as well. I ordered an Avocado single handroll, and it was perfection. Everything we tried was incredibly thoughtful, intentional, light, fresh, and just simply delicious. So much flavor, so much depth to each and every bite. Service was great, and I appreciate the variety of lunch 'sets' but also the individual handrolls if you want to try something different. I can now say I'm a huge fan of the open-faced Japanese sushi handroll. The wasabi hit different here and the soy sauce in the liquid dropper (see video) was everything. Chef's kiss.
Came on a Sunday lunch and was seated right away. Indoors was a nice ambiance - it felt very clean and modern. We ordered the Temaki Gochisou lunch set, which was 3 hand rolls with sides. The sides were edamame and a seaweed cucumber salad. We did a late lunch so we were very hungry. The rolls didn't come out until after we finished the sides. The 3 rolls came with: - seared albacore, black garlic aioli - black cod & truffle butter: my fav out of the set! - saba misoyaki, myoga ginger The rolls were all delicious but we were still hungry so we added on a snow crab & chives and a salmon belly, truffle salt, yuzu to share. They were both good but the salmon belly felt a bit short. It didn't feel like a premium cut and felt like just regular salmon. One suggestion is to provide some warm hand towels. It felt odd to me that a handroll place didn't have any hand wipes to start off the meal or at the end. It would be a nice touch vs going to the restroom to wash my hands before/after the meal.
I have been wanting to try this place and decided to give it a try the other night. The restaurant itself is small but the noise level was good where we can have a conversation. Both food and service were excellent. The Handrolls comes out one at a time which allows you to enjoy them individually and remain fresh. I liked the flavor of the rice and the fish was very fresh. Just a word of caution: it was not cheap.
My wife and I went here for a date night on a weeknight and as she put it we "loved it and can't wait to go back". If you aren't sure what to order they make it easy with an omaka-set preselected set of hand rolls. The overall experience is very nice as the dining experience is not rushed and your hand rolls are served one-by-one. We started with the Shungiku Kakiage vegetable tempura. My wife does not normally enjoy mushrooms but we devoured every bit of this appetizer. I opted for the Yonsei omaka-set since I'm not as big a fan of crab or salmon. The five hand rolls was the right amount, with my favorite being the black cod and truffle butter roll - so rich and decadent. My wife loved the OG omaka-set, especially the spicy tuna roll with tempura crunch that was not overly-spicy. I appreciated the dropper for the soy sauce to easily apply to the roll without risking pouring too much. We really enjoyed their cocktail menu as well, I liked the combination of flavors of The Hidden Fortress and the mouthwatering list of whiskeys. On the night we went they were out of the High Roller Martini. I'd come back for dinner again or even just drinks so I can try more of their whiskeys.
Good service, good food, yummy drink, lovely atmosphere and reasonable pricing. Went here with some friend after work to catch up and we all ended up loving the place. We all did the OG Omakase sets and swapped in a premium rolls for one roll in each of our sets. They also have interesting soy sauce dispensers that come in a glass dropper- super cute and felt like I was doing a science project lol. The rolls come out one by one after you finish each one so if you're starving and want all your food at once, this might bother you. I'd come back here again. read more
5 months ago
Super cute spot! My friend's have been raving about this place and I'm so glad I was finally able to come eat here! The service was fast and really kind! The food was amazing! Definitely recommend the salmon, salmon belly, and black cod roll. read more
Really great new spot in Albany. We went because of the 100.00 resey credit from AMX. The hand rolls are all interesting and different. My SO got the 2nd teir omakase with the plus one. It was a little pricey but very delicious. I got a couple of hand rolls and we got two appetizers. The hamachi collar was very good and the fried mushrooms were very filling. read more
1 year ago
Yonsei Handroll is the first restaurant I selected for our special occasion when American Express extended the Resy dining credit to their Platinum card holders. I made a reservation online for two for lunch and stated that it was for our anniversary. We arrived when the door opened. We informed the host of our reservation, and we were given the choice to sit anymore we like. We ordered one of the lunch sets and the OG set, for a total of 8 handrolls, plus the hamachi carpacio, and the chocolate torte for dessert. The handrolls were actually a bit larger than I expected, so 8 handrolls were plenty for the two of us. The lunch specials also came with a small salad, cucumber sunomono and edamame beans. The handrolls were quite good. The ingredients were high quality and the flavors delicate, so there's no need to use a lot of soy sauce or wasabi, and we enjoyed them all. The chocolate torte was a nice finish. The server was attentive. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, but we were disappointed that the host didn't acknowledge our anniversary, even though we noted on the reservation. It would have made our experience more special. read more
The food here is amazing!! It's pricey but if you enjoy great food!! Come and check it out!! They make their own soy and it is on the table in a dropper bottle fantastic presentation!! Definitely the best soy sauce I've ever had!! I had their take on a Negroni. It was good but not what I was expecting. It was a white Negroni which I've never had before. It was good but I probably wouldn't order it again. We ordered the duck appetizer. I would not order it again as it wasn't crispy like I like my duck. The 2 of us ordered the OG. Wow!! So spectacular!! Every roll was good... my least favorite was the snow crab which was the last roll. I really wish that would have been the 1st roll as I felt it was the least interesting. All the other rolls were fantastic!! I would order every one again! Make sure you get the black cod with the truffle butter. It was the surprise roll. It was so yummy! I think of cod as part of fish and chips. Battered and deep fried. This roll was nothing like that!! It had a buttery consistency and was wonderfully fresh!! Absolutely hands down fab!! I could have eaten a half dozen of them!! The service was spot on! They bring the rolls out one at a time so the seaweed stays crisp. I can honestly say that was the best experience. We ordered the olive oil cake with Yuzu. That was nice and tart with the lovely cake. It was my favorite. The chocolate torte was good but a bit too heavy for me after the dinner. But if you like chocolate... you should get it!! Cause it is CHOCOLATE!! Fantastic place!! You will not be disappointed!! read more
I was pleasantly surprised when I happened upon their Oakland Uptown location for dinner one night, so was excited to try their Albany location. My first dinner there was another pleasant surprise, with maybe 2 or 3 rolls that stood out in their OG menu (yellowtail, black cod and snow crab). Upon returning recently, I was a little more underwhelmed for the price point. While their hand rolls are not skimpy, the ahi tuna, salmon, and spicy tuna were fresh but lacking in much flavor or oomph. The same three rolls I liked last time were still good but the black cod was a bit more of a greasy mess this time. Sigh. read more
My wife and I visited here a few years back when we tried the Oakland location. We absolutely loved their OG omaka-set! I think the Zuke Maguro (soy-cured ahi tuna) and Negihama (yellowtail with green onions) were the absolute best. We've also had the Yonsei set before, and if you're new to it, I'd suggest adding the Black Cod to the OG for a truly amazing experience. read more
5 months ago
The vibe the service and the food were just out of this world I didn't have any expectations going in but definitely was blown away and loved every second of dining here! read more
7 months ago
love this place! quality meets price. came on a late friday night and sat at the bar-- ambiance was such a vibe and a cute place for date night :) read more
Japanese temaki (hand rolls) spot in Albany, literally at the corner of San Pablo and Solano. Came here based on the reviews. I kept things simple and ordered the OG Omaka set, which is 5 different rolls. Also got the 6th roll, black cod with garlic/chive. As a bonus, I also ordered the salmon belly w/truffle salt. Each roll had a detailed, high quality to it. Very delicious and excellent quality of each fish. Definitely coming back. read more
22 days ago
It was crowded, seems like they take reservations mainly. I was able to get a seat at the bar though. The staff are very nice and friendly. Very quick and responsive. I had the carpaccio and the og set. The rolls were very flavorful and tasty. The rolls come out separately. I would say about 7-10 minutes apart from one another. The vibe is super chill and they have dim lighting which is great for a date! read more
7 months ago
Had reservations at 5pm and was promptly seated. I tried the oysters and the yonsei set. I wasn't a big fan of the oysters. The rolls were served one by one, and since the restaurant was half full at the time once we finished our rolls the waitress would promptly serve the next. Everything in the set was super good and flavorful. My favorite was the seared albacore. The wasabi provided was really good quality and spicy. I would definitely come back again! read more
1 year ago
This is Yonsei Handroll's second location, and I was so excited to check it out in Albany. Parking was definitely tricky--there are a lot of restaurants and bars nearby, so the area gets pretty busy. Once we got inside, though, the experience was great. The staff were incredibly welcoming and engaging. For appetizers we ordered the yonsei oysters, we enjoyed the uni + ikura but each one had a piece of shell which made it a little less enjoyable to eat. We ordered the OG Set, which includes six hand rolls for $46. The rolls came out at a steady, consistent pace, and everything was super fresh. My favorite was the zuke maguro--packed with flavor and perfectly balanced. I also tried one of their mocktails, and it was so refreshing--light and well-crafted. Yonsei Handroll is easily one of my favorite handroll spots in the Bay. I'm already looking forward to going back! read more
6 months ago
We went on a Wednesday night and were seated quickly. We started with the Shungiku Kakiage, which was a lovely take on tempura with unique vegetables like chrysanthemum. The handrolls themselves were amazing, we particularly liked the snow crab and the black cod. My friend and I tried about six rolls from the menu in total. We ordered the first three together and added on more as we felt needed and the rolls came out one at a time so we could enjoy the flavor. read more
Great new spot with high quality food. Went here for lunch and the interior is very light and modern. The lunch specials are a pretty good deal, not cheap but fair. Tried a variety of rolls and all of them were fresh and delicious. The black cod with truffle butter was a standout for me, a very luxurious bite. The tempura was also exceptional, well seasoned and the perfect amount of batter (no soggy bits). Tip for those who are slow to learn (like me): the soy sauce is in a dropper bottle so you can drop it onto your rolls as you eat them, instead of dipping it and having all the fish fall out. Small detail that made the eating experience just a little more elevated. Servers seemed a bit inexperienced but really friendly and helpful. One of our dishes was served to another table, they were very kind in correcting and comping one of our dishes for the small inconvenience. I will definitely come back here, especially for the lunch specials. Would be great for a date or any special occasion. read more
We loved having dinner at this new sushi spot! We didn't have a reservation, but thankfully got seats at the bar despite the restaurant being packed. We opted to order individual hand-rolls rather than the set. We thought each roll had well portioned fish and we loved the creative twist on the roll. Highly recommend the seared albacore, which not only had a black aioli but came with pickled onion that was a nice touch. read more
8 months ago
I came in during lunch for the five roll dinner set. I selected the OG set with the additional black cod hand roll. Upon arrival, virtually every table but maybe two were occupied. Because I came in by myself I was worried that I would be forced to sit at the nearly full bar given the amount of people there, but was happy to have had the choice to sit at a table, which I did, I was welcomed in, and thanked for coming when walking out which is always nice. The roles are served in the order listed on the menu and they come out one by one instead of altogether, and the rolls come out REALLY quickly. My favorites were the spicy tuna hand roll and the black cod with truffle butter - absolutely delicious and a great first experience with hand rolls for me! Light music in the background allowed me to bop while eating which is always nice for a music lover like me! Highly recommend a visit. read more
My little sister has been craving handrolls, so we came here on a random Tuesday. I have never tried this place nor the other locations, but she loves it! When we first got there, all tables were taken, but the bar was empty, so we decided to sit at the bar. Everyone was very nice, and the bartender was very informative as well. I am not a huge fan of raw fish, I can eat it, but sometimes the taste is just too fishy. You can order each hand roll individually or they have sets. I got the first set, and we also order a side of their cucumbers and carpaccio. Everything, and when I say everything was delicious. The cucumber, tasted so refreshing, the carpaccio with the jalapeños and the greens, tasted so well together. It's a little dim inside, so it feels very intimate. Which I enjoyed. I enjoyed my time there and food. I definitely would come back and try other handrolls. read more
4 months ago
9 months ago
beautiful, intimate spot for generously portioned hand rolls! i stopped by after hearing great things about this spot and was definitely not disappointed. service was fast and super friendly - our server was incredible and so sweet! i'd recommend going to this location as it seems to have a shorter wait. parking was a bit tough though, so you may have to walk a bit from your parking spot. the dim lighting inside and cozy ambiance is perfect for a small group or a date night. this place is pricier than other hand roll spots i've seen, but it is a nice restaurant and the quality and creativity in their dishes seems to be worth the price. on to the food itself - we got the basic set and added on another salmon roll. the flavors are unique without being unapproachable, and the rolls come with a ton of fish! if you can't eat a lot i'd recommend splitting a set and adding extra rolls, since they fill you up pretty fast. my favorite roll was the salmon, sesame, and yuzu - the salmon was creamy and soft, complemented by the fragrant yet fresh sesame and yuzu. overall, will definitely be back again the next time i'm craving good hand rolls! read more
5 months ago
11 months ago
11 months ago
Seating relatively easy the first time I went and got a walk in seat at the bar and did a Saturday night reservation the other time. I find the quality of rice and fish top level as well and even the ridiculous simplicity of toasting the seaweed prior to being served. read more
1 year ago
Super delicious and great service! I was walking along the street and their hand roll sign caught my eye. Dropped in for their lunch special and it was super yummy. The servers were nice and the restaurant was clean and cozy. Highly recommend!! read more
1 year ago
9 months ago
1 year ago
I met a friend for lunch here and was so excited to try it as I had never been to a handroll restaurant. The restaurant was clean and cute. I'm sure parking is tricky at times. My friend ordered the OG set with the black cod add-on and I ordered several singles to try the ones that sounded best to me. All of them were delicious but the standout was the black cod with truffle butter. We also ordered the cucumber sunomono which seemed too pricey for what you got. Service was good as well. I liked how they brought them out one at a time and tried to course them based on how fast we were eating them. read more
1 year ago
Fantastic restaurant with amazing service. The handroll trio lunch sets are an amazing value and everything that I tried here exceeded my expectations. read more
4 months ago
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1 year ago
After having great times at the Oakland Uptown location multiple times over the years, I was excited to see Yonsei was opening a new location and was looking forward to the grand opening. Once it opened, I snagged the first available reservation that fits my schedule. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming and I am disappointed in the execution of the new location. When I walked in on Sunday at 7pm, I was surprised with how empty the restaurant is, there were multiple empty tables, for a brand new opening with so much fanfare, I can't believe that it wasn't packed! Then, I noticed that the place was very warm. I saw server looking at the thermostat on the wall and trying to fan themselves with their trays. This location has big windows facing west so in the early evening it was bound to warm up, maybe the AC needs to be adjusted and upgraded, but this make the experience less than stellar to begin with. Then come the food. It was meh, compared to the Oakland location with the same pricing, the portion was smaller, the quality also seems to be lower as well. First course, Zuke Maguro, fish were cut much thinner than the Oakland location and looked dry, the texture was unpleasant because of the thinness. See attached picture. Second course, Negihama, no problem. Third course, Salmon, no problem. Fourth course, black cod, no problem. Fifth course, Toro/Caviar, I don't remember having this at the Oakland location, so no comment on that. Sixth course, Uni, the pieces look shredded and small, and with edges missing and some melting already, so not fresh, they don't look like they should be served at all. See attached image for comparison vs Oakland. In general, the flavor of the fishes are excellent, but the presentation and the mouth feel were off. Lastly, the rice is also off, they didn't stick together well causing lots of spilling of rice instead of it holding its shape. Lastly, let's chat about the service. 1. The course by course structure of the philosophy means that everyone is getting a course at the same time and then the next course and continue. However, there is an issue with adding course in the middle of the meal. Apparently, if you were to add a course in the middle of the meal, that course gets served immediately possibly in between your courses or while you are still in the middle of your previous course. This causes the flow of the meal to be all over the place and it needs to be corrected. The FOH and BOH need to be in constant communication and make adjustments on the fly more effectively. 2. During ordering, the server offered to adjust the courses order based on flavor profile so that we aren't getting a course too rich before a milder course. However, because of this, we have no idea what's next considering that 2 of us in the party ordered the same 5 courses but 1 of us ordered an extra course which gets inserted in the middle. So when the food come out, the server needs to know which person is having what, but no, the courses just get dropped off and that's it, so we at the table ended up having to sort it out ourselves. This is definitively another training moment that needs to be fixed. Again, new restaurant going through some kinks, I understand. I will try again in several months and update my review as needed. read more
1 year ago
This was 4th time eating here in Albany. The three prior times I had the OG set so I tried the Yonsei set this time. I was not disappointed, it was delicious. Service was great as I kept asking for more ginger. Ambience was nice although a little noisy.... Reservations are recommended especially after 6... I will return many more times to my favorite sushi spot. read more
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