35 Best Japanese Restaurants in Berkeley

“Great food and great service“

“Ippuku is my favorite restaurant in Berkeley.
I have been coming here for 12+ years and the squid ink rice is amazing my kids love it.
The karaage is wonderful.
The plum wine is delicious.
I tried all their menu and recently I tried the potatoes salad is exquisite.
The service is excellent. I will always come back here. Mása and staff do a great job on welcoming me“

“I ordered a tuna poke bowl. It was tasty fish and tuna. Unfortunately it had no rice, not sure if they ran out or that’s standard for them but I’ve never heard of a sushi restaurant not putting any rice with a tuna poke bowl. I’ll come back but recommend that people mention rice if they want that in the dish.“

“Always great service and family has gone back here for years. High quality sushi, ramen, and other Japanese entrees. Chiraishi is great and they put great care into the quality of their menu. Highly recommend. Quaint quiet little spot and good for dates too.“

“Super delicious 👍 I never eat Japan food super good like this before.“

“Love this place, I feel safe and the food is incredible“

“The chirashi don comes with a generous portion of sashimi, and the bento box is also quite substantial. Though the flavors are definitely mediocre. It's great value for the price, with attentive service. Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.“

“Outstanding personal service. Sushi Burrito (several to choose from) are my favorite, Miso Soup, and a Beer or Sake. I recommend that you come and get some 🌯“

“Incredibly delicious, affordable, and filling rice triangles. I love stopping by to order here whenever I’m in the area. The food is delicious and a perfect meal. Personally, 2 rice triangles fills me up just right, I get the teriyaki chicken ones personally.“

“Life without sushi is no fun. That's why Manpuku is so needed. Whether pieced or in bowls, Manpuku brings both traditional and fusion in a delightful and pleasant way.“

“Great Japanese & Taiwanese food ?
The portion is satisfying while the price is relatively affordable! They also have free hot green tea and would serve you a cup of miso soup along with your order! (⁎⁍̴̛ᴗ⁍̴̛⁎)

The waiting might take a little longer than fast food restaurants of course, but you’d know they make your order freshly, and it’s worth it! ?

The vibe in the restaurant is unique and antique. A nice place for people who love hanging out with friends in the special place, or just enjoy yourself ??

# Fried Pork Noodle Udon“

“service and quality are top notch“

“SO GOOD!!! Everything was of very high quality—I got the deluxe red tonkotsu ramen and every part of it was great. It was actually pretty spicy, good noodles and broth, and the toppings were delicious (especially the braised pork wow!!) I also really enjoyed the jasmine green milk tea I got. This place is a bit pricey, yes, but I promise you it’s worth it!“

“Nice and accommodating 😘😘😘“

“very good salmon and gyoza. the sashimi were very fresh“

“Amazing food and service. Ambiance on point as well“

“Very tasty, good quality sushi at great prices. Happy hour prices are even better. We came in to pick up an online order but they didn't receive it due to poor Internet, so they expedited the order and finished it quickly. I would recommend dining in or calling in to avoid this.“

“Food was fresh! Service was great. The tables were clean!“

“Very good quality of food 👍“

“A gem of a vegan restaurant. So many choices we were unable to decide. Each on wasvgood potion and delicious. I tried a vegetable bun for the first time in my life. My 3 y/o grandaughter loves them I did not too much dough for ne but I had an amazing soup very flavorful and filling. Took home for a whole lunch the next day“

“The food is really good and tasty. The staff is very friendly and thoughtful. They provided kids cutlery and kids drinks and were so kind and accommodating to us. We had a great lunch time because of their service. Really appreciate them and highly recommend them!!“

“Very good Kale vegan ramen. Very good service. A bit pricey ($15 for a bowl of ramen). Seating in was at narrow counters but the staff's service was good enough to more than compensate for the limited space. All in all a very good experience. Recommended.“

“Small shop with warm food and an open fridge section of sushi. There was also a wall of snacks. Prices are very reasonable. No verbal communication which I think is fine but the woman dropped my packed sushi upside down and then tossed it into a bag. Sushi rice was a bit too hard for my liking.“

“Great food, great service, great atmosphere with reasonable prices. We had a couple of specialty rolls which were superb. Also the chirashi was not only delicious but artfully presented. The tempura was just right, not greasy at all and also delicious. Are you seeing a pattern here? The plain old salad had a wonderful take on the classic American Japanese restaurant salad dressing over crisp hand torn leaves and was accompanied by a perfectly prepared miso soup as starters. We will be back to this wonderful neighborhood restaurant!“

“This place takes the “& vegetarian” in their name seriously! So many sushi places have “vegetarian” options that turn out disappointing or limited, but not here. There were more vegetarian and vegan rolls than anywhere I’ve ever seen, and those options were just as interesting and delicious as any roll you could get at another sushi place. Plus, the nigiri was delicious - clearly high quality fish, and well made rice.

Vegetarian options: Most of the rolls were vegetarian or vegan, and they were great! Highly recommend the appetizers as well - the stuffed shiitake mushrooms were great.“

“I've been coming here since it opened years ago and it's one of my all time favorite spots. It's not my every-day sushi pick, it's my "I want the good stuff" spot. The fish is incredible quality. I typically get the chirashi because it's a great way to get a sample of some of their great fish, including some you may not typically get at other restaurants, plus they often include some of their incredibly tasty pickled veg and some shiso. This place is so good they make my least favorite things (Ikura) taste incredible. My partner got me their omakase for my birthday one year and it's still one of my absolute favorite birthday dinners. And while the price is by no means cheap, it's also not overpriced. Many lesser quality restaurants charge the same price for substantially inferior fish. I just love this place so much, the charming ambiance, the delectable fish, and the sweet and speedy staff. Everything about it is top tier. Truly a gem of north Berkeley.

Editing to add I was there the same night as "Dan potash" and yeah, it was a loud group, but it's a small place. The vibe is mostly pretty chill and the ambiance is usually pleasant. I would not begrudge the restaurant forever for an unexpectedly boisterous group of diners ONE time.“

“Excellent service, food was great and large portions,“

“Small shop, great food, prompt service. If you're lucky you can dine in. Don't let that turn you away it's a great restaurant. Their sushi is delicious, hand rolls hit the spot, and they're combos will satisfy any craving. My go-to's are the Chicken Katsu, Dragon Roll, and their California Handroll.

Wheelchair accessibility: If you're already on the sidewalk, you're good“

“A sushirito -like place with cheaper prices. $8 instead of $13. Try the B8, which has both salmon and tuna sashimi inside. Added bonus points for carrying takoyaki.“

“I value consistency and get the same thing everytime: miso soup and double order of shrimp tempura rolls. Always freshly prepared and easily best of the bay worthy. Sometimes I forget to request chopsticks but the staff is always nice about it when I call. The amount of food for the price/quality is also great.“

“Excellent foods, friendly staffs! We really love to have dinner here~ Absolutely, I will visit again when I come back to Berkeley!“

“Their onigiri is really good! I’m not always in the mood for spam, but they have plenty of options without spam too, and I haven’t had anything I haven’t liked yet. They partner with several delivery services and their food always is packed well and is ready quickly for the drivers. Definitely recommend!“

“A good place to taste Korean and Japanese cuisine with a twist.“

“Great people, fresh ingridients, authentic taste. Love it!!“