It's a chill restaurant especially after a hard working day. The food are tasted good and fresh. Got a drink and relaxing.
Brian Crooks
Jackie(owner/chef) is a wizard. His weekly specials and daily-fresh fish will have you hooked, before you know it!And for the connoisseurs, try the ”spoonful of happiness”.
Love love love this place, our go to and our happy place Always leave so satisfied and feeling good! The chef has his own specials on the menu that you won't find in other places. Everything is always fresh and clean. Jackie puts so much heart into his food here. See you there
Gary R.
Been here 5 times in the past month, it's become my go-to local place for Japanese food. It's run by young people. The fish is really fresh, yet everything is priced a bit lower than its competitors. Parking has been easy. Serving staff friendly. Be sure to try the black garlic ramen--it's off the charts, the broth incredibly rich, with yummy thin, tender slices of pork belly, and plenty of noodles. Since I always order other things too, I get a second meal out of the ramen. In terms of ambiance, it's quite casual--compared to the quality of the cuisine. But down the road, I see this restaurant moving into a larger space --where a bit more comfort, could really make Kuriya a destination restaurant.
Joey M.
Sometimes you go to a nice restaurant, they put the check in a little book. What is this? The story of the bill? "Once upon a time, there were some very hungry people.." -Jerry Seinfeld da Scene: Heard about this newish spot in Albany and have tried it out 3 times (2 dine in, 1 DD)... now at the top of our rotation. Street parking, can be busy at peak dinner time. Well lit, modern dining room, several seats at sushi bar, tables spaced well, lively spot! da Grub: You MUST try their signature roll, downright decadent... salmon & bluefin Toro, hamachi & avocado, topped with tobiko. Mmmmmmm. Next up was the Fish Katsu Curry - 3 delicately crisp white fish filets, nestled next to creamy, spiced japanese curry with veggies that were tender with a little snap, mushy is pet-peeve so this was perfect! da Service: Being from Oahu, I'm always looking for joints that remind me of home. Kuriya does just that. Casual joint, that serves up high quality fare. Attention to detail, good sake, variety of tea, and a diverse menu. We'll try ramen offerings next... check them out!
Chad P.
My wife ate here yesterday with a friend and brought me leftovers. She said she really wanted to try another dish they have so in order to score points I took her back today. March 17, 2024 PHOTO #.... 1. We easily found street parking on a Sunday. The grand entrance. Wife having a bad hair day so I disguised her at her request. A nice guest on the way out held the door open for us 2. Don't ask. By bad. 3. Plenty of space. We are seated immediately and given menus. I normally would walk out immediately at the sign of a child. A little girl (3ish?)rides a scooter up to me and keeps yelling what sounds like "Don't Eat!". It made me laugh. 4. I had nigiri. Left to right octopus, albacore. Mackerel. Tasted ok but nothing to set it apart. Rice felt as if a bit dry. I am not an expert on these things though. 5. Wife asked for a sample of one dish and kindly brought this. We passed on this on. 6) She settled on the spicy miso ramen. This is hearty and tasty and has the best boiled egg I've ever found in ramen. 7) The one variable gender restroom is clean. I haven't seen one of those kiddy potties in decades. Must be for scooter girl. 8) Last minute order of California rolls. Tasty but again nothing to set it apart. 9..The $46 was worth it. We were greeted on the way in and thanked on the way out. Very on top of it service. The waitress was great about explaining items on the menu. I already was thinking about going back and looking at the receipt I have to now. I noticed I wasn't charged for our one diet Coke )-: Need to pay and keep good karma coming.
Robert C.
Started with a large Sapporo. Always good to start the evening when sitting at the window where the sunlight is poring in. Unagi roll was next up. I always expected presentation to be important. Not so much with this item although it tasted alright. The tempura shrimp roll was displayed appropriately and was fine. I thought the Tori karaage was not only hot out of the fryer but really good. It left the best impression on me among all the appetizers. This may been the best Tori karaage I've experienced. I'm super critical of ramen. I had the tonkutsu ramen which was okay but I'm always looking for something better. I had extra noodles on the side a generous portion. The place is not big inside. They were busy. The service was a bit spotty as they forgot my request for water a couple times although the servers were genuinely friendly. They've been opened about five months. It's a pleasant enough place for dinner.
Xiao U.
Finally got to try Kuriya and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Amazing and so delicious ！
Andrew Q.
It serves fresh and tasty sushi and sashimi. The service is also fast and friendly. Bonus. If you speak Cantonese, you can talk to the staff without the gringos eavesdropping.
L W.
Excellent Black Garlic Ramen! The broth was flavored by large fried garlic cloves. Included were two large pieces of roast pork, half a soft boiled egg, corn, fungus, green onions. seaweed, and noodles. Delicious! The service was outstanding, parking was easy, and the restaurant's achitecture and ambiance were quietly pleasant.
Saw 5 stars, reserved table for 4. Seated immediately. Asked if we could order immediately. Got calamari, gyoza, lion king roll, 49er roll and black garlic ramen. Got rolls first then calamari came. It was ghost white but tasted fine. Waited for 20-30 minutes before asking for the ramen and gyoza. She came back and only got water which she forgot to give us in the beginning. Then asked about the gyoza and ramen again. Said coming up soon, but never came. Asked to cancel last orders, gave us gyoza in a to-go container. Paid for it even after we cancelled them. Never got ramen. Gyoza tasted like Chinese Siu Mai and the soy sauce was sweet. The only thing that tasted right was a Sprite. Steady stream of costumers so seemed promising. Was disappointed with food and service. Ambiance was not bad but also not good.
Nora W.
A wonderful little Japanese restaurant in Albany that serves as a local meeting place as well as a family dinner spot. We arrived on the early side and a steady stream of customers came in for takeout. The sushi chef recognized the regulars and the waitress quickly took their orders. We started with the blue fin sashimi which was fresh and buttery. Worth every bite. We ordered the black garlic ramen which was delicious and satisfying. My chicken curry katsu was homey and comfort food over a huge bed of rice. On a cold and stormy Sunday, it was exactly what we needed. I would return and try out the other possibilities.
Jenny Z.
Absolutely loved this place. My husband and I shared Potato Special Tartare, Hamachi Carpaccio, Seafood Chawan Mushi, the Firestone roll, and the Black Garlic Ramen. Everything was delicious and done so well, we were unable to choose favorites. This will be our new regular spot!
Karen C.
A great place for sushi in the area! The fish was great and staff were very kind. I would highly recommend trying the Kuriya Roll or Hamachi Toro Nigiri. One important thing to note is that the Yelp waitlist does not work. There is a QR code on the window near the entrance that states customers should use it to join the Yelp waitlist. However, after scanning it nothing came up. The restaurant could have closed the waitlist but there were many people waiting at the small entrance. There was no telling who came first and it was very hard for the staff to know who to seat as well. This made it hard for people to wait outside the restaurant without worrying about being skipped. If you're coming during busy hour, make sure to kindly let the staff know and whether you prefer bar/table seating!
Aiza K.
Finally found a great sushi spot in the east bay. Chef Jackie and team are attentive and offer great suggestions on what to order. Aside from the fresh sashimi, I highly recommend: potato special tartare, black garlic ramen, and the specialty rolls. The ramen broth is so delicious, chef Jackie has perfected it. Can't wait to go back!
It's a chill restaurant especially after a hard working day. The food are tasted good and fresh. Got a drink and relaxing.
Jackie(owner/chef) is a wizard. His weekly specials and daily-fresh fish will have you hooked, before you know it!And for the connoisseurs, try the ”spoonful of happiness”.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tonkatsu Curry, Spicy Miso Ramen, Bluefin Toro, Kuriya Roll, Salmon Lover, Tonkotsu Ramen, Kuriya Roll and Honey Walnut Roll, Hamachi Carpaccio 6pcs
Love love love this place, our go to and our happy place Always leave so satisfied and feeling good! The chef has his own specials on the menu that you won't find in other places. Everything is always fresh and clean. Jackie puts so much heart into his food here. See you there
Been here 5 times in the past month, it's become my go-to local place for Japanese food. It's run by young people. The fish is really fresh, yet everything is priced a bit lower than its competitors. Parking has been easy. Serving staff friendly. Be sure to try the black garlic ramen--it's off the charts, the broth incredibly rich, with yummy thin, tender slices of pork belly, and plenty of noodles. Since I always order other things too, I get a second meal out of the ramen. In terms of ambiance, it's quite casual--compared to the quality of the cuisine. But down the road, I see this restaurant moving into a larger space --where a bit more comfort, could really make Kuriya a destination restaurant.
Sometimes you go to a nice restaurant, they put the check in a little book. What is this? The story of the bill? "Once upon a time, there were some very hungry people.." -Jerry Seinfeld da Scene: Heard about this newish spot in Albany and have tried it out 3 times (2 dine in, 1 DD)... now at the top of our rotation. Street parking, can be busy at peak dinner time. Well lit, modern dining room, several seats at sushi bar, tables spaced well, lively spot! da Grub: You MUST try their signature roll, downright decadent... salmon & bluefin Toro, hamachi & avocado, topped with tobiko. Mmmmmmm. Next up was the Fish Katsu Curry - 3 delicately crisp white fish filets, nestled next to creamy, spiced japanese curry with veggies that were tender with a little snap, mushy is pet-peeve so this was perfect! da Service: Being from Oahu, I'm always looking for joints that remind me of home. Kuriya does just that. Casual joint, that serves up high quality fare. Attention to detail, good sake, variety of tea, and a diverse menu. We'll try ramen offerings next... check them out!
My wife ate here yesterday with a friend and brought me leftovers. She said she really wanted to try another dish they have so in order to score points I took her back today. March 17, 2024 PHOTO #.... 1. We easily found street parking on a Sunday. The grand entrance. Wife having a bad hair day so I disguised her at her request. A nice guest on the way out held the door open for us 2. Don't ask. By bad. 3. Plenty of space. We are seated immediately and given menus. I normally would walk out immediately at the sign of a child. A little girl (3ish?)rides a scooter up to me and keeps yelling what sounds like "Don't Eat!". It made me laugh. 4. I had nigiri. Left to right octopus, albacore. Mackerel. Tasted ok but nothing to set it apart. Rice felt as if a bit dry. I am not an expert on these things though. 5. Wife asked for a sample of one dish and kindly brought this. We passed on this on. 6) She settled on the spicy miso ramen. This is hearty and tasty and has the best boiled egg I've ever found in ramen. 7) The one variable gender restroom is clean. I haven't seen one of those kiddy potties in decades. Must be for scooter girl. 8) Last minute order of California rolls. Tasty but again nothing to set it apart. 9..The $46 was worth it. We were greeted on the way in and thanked on the way out. Very on top of it service. The waitress was great about explaining items on the menu. I already was thinking about going back and looking at the receipt I have to now. I noticed I wasn't charged for our one diet Coke )-: Need to pay and keep good karma coming.
Started with a large Sapporo. Always good to start the evening when sitting at the window where the sunlight is poring in. Unagi roll was next up. I always expected presentation to be important. Not so much with this item although it tasted alright. The tempura shrimp roll was displayed appropriately and was fine. I thought the Tori karaage was not only hot out of the fryer but really good. It left the best impression on me among all the appetizers. This may been the best Tori karaage I've experienced. I'm super critical of ramen. I had the tonkutsu ramen which was okay but I'm always looking for something better. I had extra noodles on the side a generous portion. The place is not big inside. They were busy. The service was a bit spotty as they forgot my request for water a couple times although the servers were genuinely friendly. They've been opened about five months. It's a pleasant enough place for dinner.
Finally got to try Kuriya and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Amazing and so delicious ！
It serves fresh and tasty sushi and sashimi. The service is also fast and friendly. Bonus. If you speak Cantonese, you can talk to the staff without the gringos eavesdropping.
Excellent Black Garlic Ramen! The broth was flavored by large fried garlic cloves. Included were two large pieces of roast pork, half a soft boiled egg, corn, fungus, green onions. seaweed, and noodles. Delicious! The service was outstanding, parking was easy, and the restaurant's achitecture and ambiance were quietly pleasant.
Restaurantji Recommends
Saw 5 stars, reserved table for 4. Seated immediately. Asked if we could order immediately. Got calamari, gyoza, lion king roll, 49er roll and black garlic ramen. Got rolls first then calamari came. It was ghost white but tasted fine. Waited for 20-30 minutes before asking for the ramen and gyoza. She came back and only got water which she forgot to give us in the beginning. Then asked about the gyoza and ramen again. Said coming up soon, but never came. Asked to cancel last orders, gave us gyoza in a to-go container. Paid for it even after we cancelled them. Never got ramen. Gyoza tasted like Chinese Siu Mai and the soy sauce was sweet. The only thing that tasted right was a Sprite. Steady stream of costumers so seemed promising. Was disappointed with food and service. Ambiance was not bad but also not good.
A wonderful little Japanese restaurant in Albany that serves as a local meeting place as well as a family dinner spot. We arrived on the early side and a steady stream of customers came in for takeout. The sushi chef recognized the regulars and the waitress quickly took their orders. We started with the blue fin sashimi which was fresh and buttery. Worth every bite. We ordered the black garlic ramen which was delicious and satisfying. My chicken curry katsu was homey and comfort food over a huge bed of rice. On a cold and stormy Sunday, it was exactly what we needed. I would return and try out the other possibilities.
Absolutely loved this place. My husband and I shared Potato Special Tartare, Hamachi Carpaccio, Seafood Chawan Mushi, the Firestone roll, and the Black Garlic Ramen. Everything was delicious and done so well, we were unable to choose favorites. This will be our new regular spot!
A great place for sushi in the area! The fish was great and staff were very kind. I would highly recommend trying the Kuriya Roll or Hamachi Toro Nigiri. One important thing to note is that the Yelp waitlist does not work. There is a QR code on the window near the entrance that states customers should use it to join the Yelp waitlist. However, after scanning it nothing came up. The restaurant could have closed the waitlist but there were many people waiting at the small entrance. There was no telling who came first and it was very hard for the staff to know who to seat as well. This made it hard for people to wait outside the restaurant without worrying about being skipped. If you're coming during busy hour, make sure to kindly let the staff know and whether you prefer bar/table seating!
Finally found a great sushi spot in the east bay. Chef Jackie and team are attentive and offer great suggestions on what to order. Aside from the fresh sashimi, I highly recommend: potato special tartare, black garlic ramen, and the specialty rolls. The ramen broth is so delicious, chef Jackie has perfected it. Can't wait to go back!