50 Best Sushi Bars near El Cerrito

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

“I’ve been here a few times and the food and service never disappoints. They have a pretty good size menu with not only rolls but also other options such as bowls and salads. We ordered the Bay Area roll and double spicy ca this time around along with gyoza and tuna nachos all super delicious!

Parking: It’s in a the plaza so there’s is always plenty of parking“

“My family’s favorite restaurant. The presentation is amazing and let’s not talk about the sushi chefs they do a tremendous job , one of the best sushi restaurants I’ve ever been to in the Bay Area it’s a hidden gem . I totally recommend it .“

“Reminded me a lot of when I visited Japan From the wonderful servers fast food prep ambience of inside the restaurant and most importantly the meals were very good and so much to pick from 😁“

“This place is so worth it. My family has been going for 10+ years, almost since the beginning of the restaurant when it was in a different location. Aki-San will tell you when you’re eating something wrong, but it’s not mean-spirited. You should definitely ask him about his life and his journey to becoming a sushi chef. The sushi is the best you will ever have, even better than sushi I had when I visited Japan. It may be very expensive, but if you have the means it is extremely worth the price. Don’t ask for specific things, get what he recommends (but don’t be scared if you have diet restrictions to ask for something that works). Is is an amazing experience so if you go really enjoy it.“

“Really nice place with good-quality Japanese cuisine. The rolls are really tasty and really big, you can get enough with just one set! The Seafood Udon that’s in broth is brought in a pot in which it was cooked, very authentic. The bento box is delicious! We tried sushi in so many places this place is the best of the best. We always come back only here when we really want a good and quality sushi. I recommend 100% Lion king is our fav. Greatly recommend as a lunch or dinner place, the service is really good and the meals were brought pretty quickly.“

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

“I KNOW you're sleeping on this place. It's absolutely delicious, you can truly taste the difference between other sushi spots. Everything about this place is incredible, try it out for yourself seriously.

Ladies, the bathrooms are even stocked with necessities. I felt seen.“

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

“Amazing experience. I went on a quiet evening. As expected, sushi was fantastic. I have been to Friends Only and wanted to try Akikos upon my next visit to SF. Had wonderful conversations with another guest and our chef. Sushi was tasty and attention to detail was 100%. The Toro, Zuke, Buri, and Uni were my favorite. It was so good, had to order a few more pieces. Will be back and thank you! 🙏“

“-The quality of the fish is very good and tasty. They know how to combine and play with the ingredients
- the price is too expensive for what you get
- the service is average. Our server is very friendly. However, we arrived a bit early for our appointment, the server told us to wait for 10-15 min for them to get a table ready since the customers at that table about to pay.We waited for more than 30 min outside, watching new customers came in and out. The server knew we were waiting outside at the door. Then we went inside just to see why they took new customers and saw there were multiple empty tables. It's quite weird when they have available tables and still let us wait outside. It took us a while to get the server attention at the door and also at dining.“

“ALWAYS a fantastic and tasty dinner. ☺️“

“One of the Best Omakase Experience we had!“

“Unassuming- soon to be addictive. So just about the best kept Secret on Union Street- I am sure to come back, again and again and it is just hiding in plain sight! restaurant. If you can't get to Japan try this- Excellent quality, unusual rolls and exceptionally fresh- crunchy and tasty. High quality. High end details. Like the chef and his no nonsense approach. One Wish- that they would include side of wasabi though with to-go orders.“

“Love the convenience and quality of their sushi. The setup of this place is odd; people don’t know where to stand and there’s a past of the shop that is totally unused. It would be nice if they redesigned the space and could have more things or allow people to not block others trying to look at and grab food.“

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

“An astonishing 18-course omakase, expertly prepared, sourced in the finest sushi chef tradition of impeccable quality.
Warm and comfortable welcome with a happy-to-share chef who told us stories about his choices in making what has to be one of the finest Japanese experiences stateside.
Tiny space, superbly arranged.

I cannot recommend it enough. Not cheap but value for money if you struggle to “have something you’ve never had anywhere else” (and don’t want the 9+ hour Tokyo flight).“

“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.“

“A true gem in downtown SF! Came on a week night and was half full, with some takeouts here and there. May not need to make a reservation if weeknights. I was astounded by the variety of the sushi rolls, sashimi, and the appetizers. The octopus wasabi and agedashi tofu were fantastic, the octopus was very fresh I could eat a big bowl! I devoured my sashimi, sushi and roll set and wanted to come back for more!“

“We stumbled upon Sushi Hashiri because the mall was closed, which turned out for the best. Executive Chef Toshiaki Ono is an expert in his craft. The fish is fresh and flavorful, and the nigiri and rolls are exquisite. I’d recommend everything we ate, but my favorites were the goldeneye snapper nigiri, Hokkaido uni, and the tuna belly & takuan roll. Service was exceptional. I wish I knew the name of our waiter — she was so friendly and helpful. Kenichiro (Head Hospitality) was also friendly and so knowledgeable about the sake and whiskey. The pairings he suggested were perfect. The ambiance was lovely and unpretentious. We really enjoyed our experience and will definitely be back. Next time we’ll try the omakase!“

“Two friends from out of town were visiting and wanted some west coast sushi! This place was so perfect. Quiet, cozy vibe on the inside with beautiful wooden tables. The sushi was incredible- two of us got the omakase and two of us got custom rolls. Both were so good and we ended up ordering more tuna/salmon belly for the table. Ben our server was hilarious and well. 10/10. We will be back!“

“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.“

“OPTIMAL! Following the other reviews we arrived at this small Japanese restaurant, almost invisible from the street. Excellent and well-groomed food. Very kind staff, very helpful both in advice and in customizing orders! A little dark but welcoming place!“

“Emma ,Julio and staff great!“

“I ordered the Futo Roll, which was on their menu. The waitress explained that there was egg in it, and asked if I wanted the roll without it. As I am vegan, I was impressed! I appreciated that she was looking out for me! Excellent food and excellent customer service. Will definitely be back!“

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

“A wonderful evening at Okoze with Jason, doing a vast taster session for us organised by some amazing friends.
Some of the freshest ingredients I’ve ever tasted!
From crab, to tuna, to prawn, to scallop, to wagyu, to pickled plum and a wild array in between this was a fantastic evening and wonderful meal. A special shout out to the prawn tempura we started with, so crunchy but so light! Plus the wagyu that melted like butter!
Highly recommend a visit to Okoze for truly beautiful and tasty food.“

“Best sushi in the Marina District!“

“We have been looking for these folks ever since they moved from Noe Valley. We were so happy to find them again. This is by far the best Sushi place in San Francisco 👌🍣“

“So yummy! Lovely cool music and laid back ambiance. Huge sashimi pieces, and amazing maki mono. Stafff is so courteous and mindful — beautiful balance of attentive + engaged + giving space. Perfect place for a last minute Fri date night anytime in Hayes Valley 💓“

“After lunch, I was surprised that they didn't have more people eating in this establishment. This is a great place for a date or to come alone. The food is amazing 10/10. We had the omakase nigiri. 10 pieces of pure magic. The ramen just was amazing the best i had in san Francisco. The staff was amazing too. Definitely give them a visit. 10/10“

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

“We had a wonderful dinner here. The food was varied and inventive. We had a variety of dishes. The rolls were more interesting than the shared plates, but all were good. We especially liked the Ewa and Pacifica specialty rolls. The desserts were fabulous - Yuzu Cheesecake, Mixed Berry Cheesecake and Pistachio Ice Cream. Gluten containing dishes were clearly marked.“

“Fantastic food, great service!“

“The staff was really friendly and the food was delicious. The Hamachi (nigiri) was very soft and smooth. Also highly recommended their special rolls. If you like salmon, the 49er's Roll has a slice of lemon on top, making the taste very refreshing!“

“I ate at Oma SF Station for the second time last week with my wife and two adult daughters. Like our first visit, the experience was outstanding. We have traveled extensively in Japan and are very familiar with traditional, small sushi bars. Oma SF Station is an excellent US version of a small Japanese sushi bar.

It is located in the Japan Town mall tucked away in obscure corner of the mall. Only 8 seats. We stay at the Kabuki Hotel next door several times a year so we find ourselves wandering through this mall and always notice Oma. During the day you will see large Styrofoam containers of fish being delivered. This is always a good indication that you will be having very fresh fish.

We had 4 in our party. 3 of us had the Tsubame menu (12 pieces) and 1 of us had the Sakura menu (16 pieces). The chef managed the mixed menu perfectly.

As this is a small sushi counter, you get to sit directly in front of the chefs and watch them do their magic. The chefs were very engaging and entertaining. I love interacting with sushi chefs.

As for the food.....it was outstanding. Very fresh, great variety and lots of creative preparations. The set omakase menus were really great. I was also able to add a few ala carte items at the end just to top off.

The chef and host were also very knowledgeable about the sake offerings. We enjoyed two different bottlings.

If you want to experience a Tokyo style small sushi bar experience with outstanding food (in the United States), give Oma SF Station a try.

We will be back on our next visit to SF.“

“Amazing sushi rolls and great service. Try it. I promise you won't be disappointed.“

“First time visiting in August and did not dissapoint. Such great food and the service was very thoughtful and speedy. Will be returning for sure.
Update:
Returned and totally worth it. Such excellent sashimi. Wonderful service and so wonderful to sit at the bar this time to watch some masters work! Looking forward to next visit.“

“Awesome salmon and tuna nigiri.“

“I really like the sushi rolls and the calm atmosphere at Sumo. Hot tea and miso soup to start on a rainy evening. It was my first time having the GoGo roll, with shrimp, avocado, cucumber and DF asparagus... give it a try! The baked scallop roll is a warm savory treat as well.“

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

“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.“

“The most amazing and traditional sushi near Golden Gate! I totally recommend this place!! You should come here, ask for the Nigiri Combo, you’re going to love it!!! The fish is VERY VERY FRESH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Can’t wait to come back to SF, to eat here again!!!“

“EVERYTHING WAS SO GOOD IDK WHAT ELSE TO SAY!!! we came on a saturday night and was lucky to get a table after like 10-15 mins. atmosphere was alright but food was great. 2 of us ordered like 40 nigiris and 5 rolls and were so full after. you have to wait 10 mins before you order more nigiris and there is a 90-min time limit but it's not a big deal at all. totally recommend!!!“

“Just discovered this place while walking the dog and thought I’d give it a shot. Awesome discovery! Very friendly greeter who prepared my meal immediately while I’m sure he had other online orders to fulfill. Got the pork katsu and rice - crispy breading, great flavor, a LOT of food! I highly recommend Ginto!“

“I came here with my friends while we were on a field trip and the atmosphere was super cozy, they had good R&B playing and it was lowkey aesthetic. I had the dragon roll, my friend had the sushi bae roll and we both shared the philly roll. We really liked the sushi and we finished it super fast. The staff was super sweet and super awesome, then when they told us about the pictures that they took for their poloroid wall, my friends and I were super excited. We had a really nice experience here and it was very hospitable. I will definitely be back when I have my next field trip in Oakland. Loved it!“

“经常更新季节性的鱼类…😋新鲜…主要的是老板很帅☺️…😜“

“The importance of an experienced and friendly chef should not be overlooked. Too many times I have found restaurants where the chef disregards the customer's opinion due to perceived lack of expertise in the culinary craft. That isn't the case here. Chef Bobby spoke to every diner during my visit and listened to our feedback, as well as provided some backstory and reason to his processes. It was a very warm and engaging experience, which helped us better understand the food. This is always a good thing.

The prices here are excellent, especially for the quality. I don't need to talk about the all you can drink deal, but it's what you'd expect and really great for the price again.

I have nothing bad to say as a customer, but I noted throughout the night how the layout of the restaurant causes the robot server to impede the staff's ability to quickly move around the restaurant. This is due to the hallway layout causing only one person to be able to walk through at a time, sometimes while shuffling behind the robot. I know it's a unique piece for the restaurant, but I wonder if it's really necessary. I imagine it would be pretty annoying for all involved parties during busy hours. On the other hand, the train is a much more efficient design although it lacks the ability to move larger dishes.“

“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!“

“The best sushi I’ve ever eaten (huge pieces!), the lowest prices I’ve ever seen ($5.50 for sake and hamachi), and the most friendly family staff I’ve ever experienced. It’s no wonder this place has been operating for 25+ years. So good I have to go back the very next day.“