50 Best Sushi Bars near Albany

“This restaurant is now going to be on our regular rotation when we come over from the City to Berkeley Rep. The hand rolls are each unique and exquisite; the cocktails are inventive and enhanced w/Japanese touches; and our server couldn’t have been better — friendly and professional and enhanced our experience w/expertise as well as generosity.
Well done! (Good value as well, especially for the quality.)“

“We came in on a late Friday night and were immediately greeted by the friendly and warm hostess. The lighting is intimate and the seating is well spaced. Genuinely greeted by the chefs and the waitresses. Ordering was easy and there were so many options to choose from. I went with my favorite basics to test them out and I am so impressed. We got the happy hour specials, California roll and spicy tuna roll, fresh and tasty. Followed by chicken skewers that were soooo juicy and delicious. I ordered the Toro and I cannot begin to describe how scrumptious it tasted. Soft, buttery smoothness and beautifully presented. Finished the dinner off with the avocado and cucumber roll which was delightful and light. The rolls are plenty and full. The ratio of rice to meat is exactly what you want, balanced and on the meatier side.

They were receptive to our special requests for sides of lemon and spicy mayo.

Our water was refilled often and tasted great, clean and fresh water with NO weird smell or aftertaste. Just saying, that is definitely a win in my book. I like my water to taste like water and their water is exactly that.

The prices are very fair for the area and the happy hour pricing is even better.

I cannot wait to go again! 100% 10/10 would recommend to a friend and anyone else who will rad this lengthy review. I couldn’t wait to get home to leave them a splendid note!“

“This place is always so good, creative sushi options with high quality fish. While it has minimal atmosphere, everyone is super friendly visit after visit there is something yummy and unique to try. Like the deep fried shisho leaf with salmon and hamachi toro appetizer pictured.“

“Great lady who gave me her charger since I was stuck there in Albany area with a dead phone and in need of getting an UBER. So I went in, asked for charger and ordered their chicken+Beef Teriyaki lunch box. And it was delicious. Got my phone charged too. Happy customer here. Will eat there again if in the area.“

“Best vegan meal I’ve ever had, went twice in a four days it was that good ❤️“

“Overall I was happy with my visit, but I wasn't wowed either. The highlight here is the food, the fish is excellent, and the amberjack and spot prawn were exceptional. Be prepared to spend at least $50-60 here, realistically you're approaching the $100 mark to leave without needing some supplement. Service was very attentive, and the only negative part was being abruptly informed that our 90 minute booked slot had expired when we tried to order dessert, a warning about the 90 minute slot would have been appreciated.“

“I went to KEN for my birthday and it was absolutely phenomenal. The fish was delicious; so many new flavors and combinations; the chef was superb - talented and entertaining, with great attention to detail. The service was impeccable. I cannot say enough good things!“

“Watermelon 🍉 Roll; no rice, refreshingly good Fried seafood chips appetizer; I wanted it as a meal it’s a different yum 😋 Ice cream sandwich wow!“

“I cannot say I had a bad experience. Everything was my favorite“

“Emma ,Julio and staff great!“

“ALWAYS a fantastic and tasty dinner. ☺️“

“Upfront the only downside: This place is a store with premade sushi and has no real seatinh besides one small bench.
However, the sushi is always freshly prepared und since the place has high turnover, the sushi never gets old. The quality of the sushi is great and not overpriced.
The staff is friendly and helpful. The free chopsticks and napkins are of higher quality than in most places and the place itself is clean and tasteful designed.“

“Five stars. My son and I had the Omakase experience at Akiko's in San Francisco, and it was hands down the best sushi we've ever had. Every course was beautifully presented, incredibly fresh, and packed with flavors that exceeded our expectations. The chefs' attention to detail and craftsmanship were evident in every bite. The service was equally outstanding, warm, attentive, and perfectly paced from start to finish. The entire evening felt like a true culinary experience rather than just dinner. If you're looking for an unforgettable Omakase in San Francisco, Akiko's is absolutely worth it. Five stars. We can't wait to come back.“

“Tried the sushi here with a few different rolls, including one with tempura shrimp and another with spicy tuna. The textures worked well together, and the flavors were nicely balanced. I liked that the menu had both familiar choices and a few more creative options“

“This was a surprise dinner my friend invited me on. The hand rolls are so fresh and delicious. I had 5 amazing rolls that come out one at a time for freshness m. The server was super sweat and helped me pick out what I wanted. The menu does also have set options, but I decided to do individual rolls. I definitely recommend stopping by if you’re in the Oakland area.“

“awesome a must try, this is a hidden gem“

“The customer service is outstanding and the quality of sushi serves were delicious. The Chef prepared the plates well. I don’t think I can return to a regular Japanese restaurant after this experience. 😁“

“Wow, cannot say more about this fantastic sushi spot! As someone who frequents Tokyo, I can’t recommend their omakase and salmon appetizer enough. Special thanks to Kathy, who had sublime recommendations and treated us like family. We can’t wait to return!!!“

“Excellent take-out. Love their unagi, spicy crab salad, every roll that I’ve tried. And they are so nice!!“

“Best non-traditional sushi that I've ever eaten“

“At Utzutzu, you can find a top-notch omakase experience. We’ve visited this restaurant four times, and every visit has been exceptional. The service is always warm and attentive, and the sashimi is incredibly fresh and beautifully prepared. We have never been disappointed. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an unforgettable omakase experience!“

“Great sushi, perfectly prepared and presented. So glad I walked a few more blocks to go there. Small with a very friendly staff (my 2 Buddhi’s) made for enjoyable experience. Come to town at least once a year; plan to be back.“

“I’ve been to the other locations, too—it’s my favorite spot. The food is delicious, the service is excellent, and it’s always a pleasure to come back. I highly recommend it; I always leave feeling happy, satisfied, and light.“

“I’ve had the great joy and pleasure to eat omakase all over the world - including Japan, and this was the best meal of my life. The thoughtfulness, sustainability and conscious touch to every little thing made this Omakase experience above the rest. Additionally, our wonderful Chef sang accolades/praises about all of the sources he gets the pieces of the meal from, but did not once brag about himself. He needs to be bragged about! Chef Joji Nonaka is incredible. The art, precision, talent, and thoughtfulness he has is unmatched.
I’ll be chasing this meal for the rest of my life.“

“I absolutely love this place ! It’s honestly the best food I’ve had in San Francisco!
The atmosphere and the staff are just wow.
I want everyone to try the Sushi Domo it’s my absolute favorite… but please leave some for me 😂❤️“

“I recently placed a large group order from Khatan, and everything was excellent. The food was fresh, delicious, and full of flavor. The owners also provided exceptional service and truly went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. It has definitely become a favorite restaurant!“

“What a fantastic restaurant! We stopped in, not knowing what to expect, but we were VERY impressed. Everything we got was delicious, fresh, and beautiful. The edamame was great, fish items were incredibly crafted, and the service was even better.“

“Been coming here for over 20 years. My absolute favorite sushi bar in SF. Do you want to be social with loud music and rainbow rolls? Then don’t come here. Do you want authentic sushi with only the best of the best fish? This is your place.“

“The food was nice. Very tasty. I like when there is a sampler platter on sushi menus so you can let the chef pick. They had 6 of these and a sushi bowl. I went with combo A. I was pleased with the choice. They have the Kurosawa Kimoto sake here. I love thise stuff. I get the 300ml. I'd get the 720, but the fiance would probably be critical of that decision.“

“It’s cozy, good and fast service and the food is high quality. We got the top secret and hamachi carpaccio which I would definitely get again, then for main dish we ordered curry rice (little bit of spice, nice crispy pork) and mentaiko yaki udon (flavorful, not too heavy noodles were perfectly cooked) which were good but would want to try other items that also looked good on the menu. Definitely recommend!“

“The best sushi place in the city!! Quality of food is 10 out of 5......“

“wanted to hate this place becuase the wait was so long but honestly the sushi was so freaking fresh and the rolls were massive. definitely worth the wait, id wait again. the salmon had this buttery texture that just melted.

im already planning my next trip back there, also their miso soup was really good too which i wasnt expecting from a place that focuses on rolls. definitely my new go to spot in albany“

“My new favorite sushi place!!

Would recommend Shrimp Tempura Rainbow Roll and Cherry Blossom. Can’t go wrong with seaweed salad and nigiri to start.

The service was really good, friendly and efficient!“

“Best sushi in the Marina District!“

“So many delicious affordable options, it makes you want to order the entire menu. We got miso soup, cucumber salad, wok fried green beans, the tuna poke and the garden roll. Everything was so good and well worth the month. I wish the portions were bigger but for the price you really can't complain.“

“Exceptional service. Delicious, artfully presented omakase at a reasonable price point.“

“Nigiri combo is excellent! I can’t wait to try the sashimi combo next. I came just before they were closing for lunch and people were steadily coming either to pick up or eat-in up until their closing time. It seemed they were regular customers who are keeping this place a secret and happy to say, I am on it already. Can’t wait to go back.“

“The best sea bass and the best sushi 🍣 Love it“

“Grrrrreat SUSHI, nice daily ordering menu, quick Service...and then there is wonderful BETTY. Always fun, friendly and helpful. Hip, hip hooray ❤️ Xenry & Bob“

“Best authentic Japanese restaurant in town.“

“The best sushi place in the city!! Quality of food is 10 out of 5......“

“You can't always judge on appearances. There was only one other couple seated when we were there for an early dinner. Service was fast and the sushi rolls were outstanding. I would call this a hidden gem. Several more were seated by the time we left but this place deserves more business than we saw.“

“If you want the freshest fish downtown has to offer.... go to Sanraku“

“Fantastic food, great service!“

“Quality is key with any meal. Roger-San is all about quality. Sit at the bar if you can!“

“It’s easy to find sushi restaurants with high-quality fish these days, but good shari (the rice) is still hard to come by in San Francisco. The moment the chef told everyone to eat the sushi right away, I knew he really knew what he was doing. Sure enough, when he placed it on the plate, the shari gently sank - perfect texture. Saw someone complaining that the rice fell apart… you belong at a place that serves edamame and California rolls 👋 lol“

“I have been meaning to write this review for years. Apologies for Jimmy and Ron for not writing it sooner.

First, I have to write about the people because they are the reason I love and will always love Kibatsu. Then, I'll write about my favorite dishes and the food.

The People:
I have been going to Kibatsu since 2014 so 12 years now. Before Kibastu, they were Sugoi Sushi in the Mission. I discovered them because they did catering for University of San Francisco. My college roommate and I befriended the young sushi chefs that came to the university, hung out with them once the sushi bar had officially closed and they encouraged us to come visit their Sugoi Sushi location.

Eventually we did and it became our Friday or Saturday night routine. Sometimes, we would splurge and go during the week (which for us as college students was a lot). But we loved them. Calvin, Ronald, (so sorry, I am totally blanking on the third guy's name but I see his face in my mind!) and Jimmy. The first three were the sushi chefs and Jimmy was the waiter - he always made room for us and always saved us our favorite booth in the front of the restaurant, closest to the windows. He remembered our classes and asked us how school was going. He always treated us to on the house mochi ice cream after each dinner. We would spend hours and hours there, camping out and chatting or doing our homework in the mood-lit, rustic, tastefully interior-decorated intimate setting, amid the hubbub of conversations and people enjoying the sushi. I remember Sugoi and those times really fondly - it was our safe space, our home away from home (dorm). Other times, we'd bring our friends. I can't even count how many people I and my roommate recommended this place to or brought there.

Then after we graduated, in 2018, they moved to the Haight and invited me to their opening night omakase which was a gift to everyone they invited. How sweet, thoughtful and amazing is that? Between Sugoi and Kibatsu, my partner and I met and Jimmy always remembers my partner and his two boys and asks about them when they're not with me. The boys love it here because of the large portions and how nice everyone is.

On my birthday this year, I decided I wanted to spend it at Kibatsu and Jimmy (who is now a sushi chef!!) and company went out and got me a birthday cake and brought it out before the rest of the dessert as a surprise. I almost cried. This is why I love Kibatsu and those who work there.

The Food:
The starter we always go for is the tataki dish which is albacore with delicious fried onion. The gyoza is always also a great way to go. We always get the omakase which is a true omakase with the different small plates, sashimi and nigiri. I love the salmon and umimasu nigiri as well as the negi salmon. Something special that Kibatsu does is they always surprise you with little gifts from the sushi chefs. For this past new year's they surprised us with a whole tray of steak and jumbo shrimp - a gift on the house. Their kindness never ceases to surprise us!

So there are some of our top favorites food wise and why Kibatsu has a special place in my heart. I hope you go and I hope you love it as much as I do. They work really hard, are so extremely kind and deserve the best.“

“The best omakase and multi-course dinner I’ve ever had. We came to celebrate our anniversary here and a great time. The atmosphere was perfect and the food/fish were literally hands down the best I’ve ever had. If you want high quality omakase where every bite is the perfect blend and diversity of textures and flavors you must go here.“

“My search for my favorite sushi place in east bay has ended. I have eaten at many sushi places in Oakland/ Berkeley once and not returned. I will definitely return to Butterfish. Everything was perfect. Service at the bar on Friday evening was exceptional! Can’t wait to come back and try more.“

“I have come to this amazing establishment for over 15 years. Delicious. Efficient and amazing staff. Fresh and tummy always pleased. Yes!“