Izakaya Restaurants near Berkeley, CA

“Often come here for my birthday. This place makes me overjoyed that I can really enjoy complex types of sushi again (after transitioning from pescetarian). A lot of places that serve meat sushi with vegan/vegetarian sushi options, tend to make them bland and overly simple (since it's usually something secondary to cater to have something at all for vegs). This place knows how to make them extremely rich and complex in flavor and texture, satisfying, filling and fun. There is a lot of love with these sushi. I highly recommend the Barbers, which is like playing Russian Roulette by including one random spicy sushi... if you get it, you're supposed to take the included shot of saké. But my absolute-absolute favorite is the The Wedge, the flavor and texture is absolutely amazing. This time around, also had the Sunset again (which has the fun display of fire), and Leahi (beets, vegan cream cheese and cashew sprinkles!)“

“Kinda izakaya is a cozy, lively spot with great vibes and friendly service. The menu has plenty of tasty Japanese comfort food—perfect for sharing. Everything we ordered tasted fresh and well-seasoned. Prices are reasonable, and the overall experience feels genuinely enjoyable.“

“Came here for drinks and some small plates after dinner and had a great time. They played good music and the bar sitting area is very nice. The drinks are also amazing as they have a very unique selection of Japanese cocktails and other stuff. Highly recommend!“

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

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

“I got the duck last time and was seriously disappointed. Got the tenpura one this time and completely different story. Flavor is incredible especially with the chili flakes they give you. The wasabi salt is a great dipper for the tempura! Now we are hooked!“

“one of my favorite places in the country to eat. whenever I'm in the Bay area, in here“

“在美國的日本味道，這是算不錯的“

“Ever since I started traveling to SF for work a couple of years ago this has been my go to ramen spot. I've made it a personal tradition at this point to eat here whenever I'm in town.

Love the food and the staff has always been amazing! Finally stopped by on one of the skewers days and it was everything I could have wanted 🤤“

“This is the best ramen in Oakland and possibly the Bay Area. I’m still trying new ramen spots but out of 22 that I’ve tried throughout the Bay Area this is the best I ever had! The toloyaki is really good as well.

The vibe tho! Oh so nice , good music great atmosphere! I try to go twice a month but the way my cholesterol is set up I have to pull back lol.

Give them a try they are amazing 10/10“

“Dragon Horse offered a solid meal with undeniably great quality ingredients, particularly shining in its food execution. The service was a bit on the slow side, however, and the sashimi felt noticeably overpriced for what you get. While the dining room lacked much in the way of atmospheric ambiance, the overall experience still turned out fine thanks to the high standard of the dishes.“

“One of the best spots in SF for ramen and happy hour. They have a day and night happy hour, prices are reasonable and food is great! The staff is always friendly, I would highly recommend on late nights when you are hungry and want a chill vibe.“

“The food here was definitely the highlight. Everything tasted pretty fresh and flavorful, and overall I would rate the food about 4/5. The ingredients seemed good quality and the dishes were enjoyable.

However, the service was a bit disappointing. The staff did their job, but they didn’t feel very welcoming or friendly. There wasn’t much interaction beyond the basics, and with the price point here, I expected a more warm and attentive experience.

The atmosphere was also just okay. It wasn’t fancy or fine dining, but it also didn’t really give a strong Japanese vibe either. The environment felt a bit mixed and not very memorable.

Overall, I’m giving 4 stars mainly because the food was good. If I rated the experience as a whole (food + service + atmosphere), it would probably be closer to 3/5. Still worth trying if you care mostly about the food.“

“A great little hidden gem near Chinatown! It’s very serene and just an awesome ambiance. We were greeted immediately by the most welcoming staff. The menu is great, offering a wonderful mix of flavors. I was blown away by the shiitake mushroom skewers. How can mushrooms be this intense and perfect in flavoring?! We ordered a mix of veg skewers, yaki, and sushi. I wish I had more room for it all! Definitely recommend Nomu Skewers if you’re in the area!! Did not disappoint!!“

“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! 😘“

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

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