Izakaya Restaurants near Berkeley, CA

“Pretty good food. I think we will go back“

“I don't typically take time to leave reviews, but this place was actually incredible. I am from Arkansas and staying at an airbnb almost 5 minutes away, and just stumbled upon the closest restaurant that was still open at 10pm. Walking in, you are greeted with the largest smiles, fun music, and chill atmosphere. Having been to Japan, and seeing the Okonomiyaki on the menu, I HADDDD to get it... and oh my gosh. It was SO GOOD. My husband and I couldn't get over how authentic it felt and how hard it is to find okonomyaki back home in Arkansas. I'm SO GLAD we stumbled upon this place and I will be sharing with everyone I know 100%!!“

“The food is awesome!! It's my first time being impressed with Vegan food. I'm a big sushi lover, and this was the best sushi I've eaten all summer =).

4 people:

We had three shared plates
- the negiyaki (best!!)
- tempura shitake (great!)
- potatoes (wouldn't order again).

And four sushi rolls
- Kailua
- Waimanalo (best!!)
- pacifica
- half-moon (wouldn't order again)“

“EDIT: I felt its necessary to make the amendment that, although walking in without a reservation was a thing previously, we've now had multiple visits where we've stood at the counter for 2 hours never to be seated.

You can still eat the whole menu there, but its generally very crowded.

Getting reservations seems to be catered towards friends, or some type of mysterious system, as we no longer have been able to get a reservation even weeks in advance. The food is still the same.

Original Review: I can’t believe that I haven’t left a review for Ippuku; this is as close as you can get to a Tokyo alley izakaya, from the sasami raw chicken special menu (to do for), to the epic yakitori, to the massive shochu selection.

By far one of my top 5 favorite restaurants in the Bay Area, we’ve been here a good 30 times over the years and it has never once changed at all, thankfully!!! Never want it to change, it does everything so well.

Hokkaido squid, chicken oyster, chicken tartare, agadashi tofu, crab croquettes, these are some favorites.

Make a reservation if you can, but otherwise we often walk in and are seated within an hour. Fun to hang out at the bar and wait.“

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

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

“Amazing food and service! Sake is the best!“

“I can’t believe I never wrote a review for this place. Walked in you just feel like you went back to Japan. The decoration inside is so cute. The service was very fast attentive. The food came really fast too, and you can tell that they are fried chicken were freshly fried. We also got a cup of drink and it was also pretty good. They have a good selection of Japanese wine too. The sesame dessert we got at the end was so cool and we really loved it. It truly feels like you went back in Japan and go to Izakaya. I would definitely recommend here.“

“We stopped by after a graduation ceremony and had a wonderful experience. From the moment we walked in, we felt genuinely welcomed. The food was absolutely fabulous—flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented. We also appreciated the selection of alcohol-free mocktails, which were creative and delicious. The atmosphere was warm, calm, and peaceful—a perfect setting to relax and celebrate. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a welcoming and serene dining experience.“

“We arrived on a Friday at 5:30 PM. There was a short line, but the place was already packed. There is an outdoor seating area and indoor sitting area. The food came out pretty quickly. My favorite dish is actually the sashimi appetizer because the fish was super fresh and delicious. Other dishes we got was the tamago, the hot soba with the shrimp tempura and the hot soba with the duck. Everything was extremely delicious. A little pricey, but expected for Bay Area prices. Food was good overall so I would come again! No parking lot but street parking was easy to find.“

“My family has been dining here every couple weeks since it opened 3 years ago. The owner Paul always greets us and does some special things for the kids: salmon sashimi in bite sized pieces and steamed tofu. Our favorites are negima, the local halibut nigiri, agedashi tofu (I would argue best in the city), grilled butter fish, and okra. All washed down with Echigo lager and our favorite sake Drunken Whale. Highly recommend for a casual but delicious meal“

“Overall it was normal food.
I had high expectations because of the good ratings, but it was a bit more disappointing than I expected. However, when I revisited it, it was different.
I think it’s worth looking forward to the different types of food~^^“

“在美國的日本味道，這是算不錯的“

“Great fried chicken, and my friends food truck is there!“

“We had the most wonderful dinner tonight at Noren Izakaya! Everything was fantastic from start to finish! From the service to the cocktails to the variety of food, to the dessert! Japanese yakitori and grilled street food and even sashimi! My new favorite! A must if you live or are visiting San Francisco! Oh! And tonight is not the night to skip dessert! 😘“

“Good ramen is easy to find. Great ramen is harder. And finding excellent ramen at reasonable prices in downtown San Francisco is a rarity.

This is the ideal spot for lunch or dinner and a hot bowl of noodles. The pork was deliciously juicy, the egg was cooked to perfection, and the Tonkotsu broth was very flavorful.

Service was quite good and attentive in both the upper and lower levels. Can recommend.“

“Bento boxes were great, so many options to chose from. Would definitely go back.“

“The food is fabulous, the staff is fabulous. It was a wonderful experience. If I lived here I would go back.“