Japanese Restaurants near Emeryville

“thank you katsu sora Trinoma. maraming salamat din sa nag assist samin na si Claire. sobrang attentive and friendly.“

“great food & great service!“

“Last night my husband, son and I went for dinner and, hands-down, it was fantastic! The restaurant is stylish and modern, the staff is super friendly and knowledgable and the food is delicious. You MUST try this place!“

“What a treat! Highly recommend“

“Best authentic Japanese restaurant in town.“

“This place has officially ruined ramen for me. Because if I go somewhere else, I’ll compare it to this place, and just be like, “Damn, I should’ve just gone to Taniku Izakaya instead.”
Perfectly cooked noodles in a flavorful broth, both the crab and the pork that I have gotten have been amazing. They can adjust the spiciness on the broth if you can’t handle too much spice, which is nice. The portions are generous, but not so huge that there ends up being a huge bowl of broth even after you finish your noodles. Delicious gyoza, as well.
It’s a nice, cozy, hole in the wall spot.“

“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.“

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

“I got the romano beans and the fried chicken. I didn't know the fried chicken was chicken wings--- which it doesn't say and I don't like, but I ate it anyway. Wanted to try the chocolate cake (which is on the online menu) but it wasn't on the menu anymore. Will come back to try other things another time. Good service and nice ambience.“

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

“Eating is a kind of happiness, taste is a kind of interest“

“Amazing, amazing, amazing!!! Perfection. The attention to detail and the warm service was great from the jump. The entire 17 course meal and sake pairing was one of the best meals that we've ever had. I don't say this lightly, it was flawless.“

“Fresh ingredients, friendly staff, and delicious food and veggie options!“

“I don’t mean to exaggerate, but when it comes to both the food and the service, exaggeration almost feels necessary. Chris was phenomenal, and the food exceeded anything I could have imagined. This place is truly unexpected in the best way—just trust the experience. There really aren’t enough words to describe how amazing it is.“

“I have dined at a fair number of sushi restaurants in America as well as some of the finest in Tokyo. Kuma distinguishes itself by having served me the best Chirashi Bowl (I had the Chirashi Deluxe), that I have had in my life. What made the bowl better than some good ones I’ve had was not only the excellent fish on top… but the thoughtfully composed bottom of purple rice with tasty nuggets of egg, soybeans, pickled cucumber, braised tofu, sliced lemon, and tobiko. It was SO GOOD. So if you love Chirashi, or just love thoughtfully prepared sushi, this is THE PLACE!“

“Probably the best meal I’ve ever had, super fun, exciting, every bite was perfect. Intimate and fast process“

“I genuinely don’t know how they make this profitable at this price point.

The quality of the food and the level of service are honestly surprising for what you pay. Every course feels thoughtful and refined, yet the atmosphere remains relaxed and comfortable rather than overly formal.

One thing I especially appreciated was the pacing. Tasting menus often suffer from long gaps between dishes, which can make the experience drag, but here the flow was smooth and efficient. It never felt rushed, but it also never felt slow or boring.

The portions were perfectly designed. Instead of a few heavy plates, they serve multiple smaller dishes, which keeps you engaged and comfortably satisfied from start to finish.

If there’s a sushi add-on option, absolutely get it. It was one of the highlights.

Even the smallest details are clearly intentional. The restroom is stocked with Le Labo hand wash, the amenities are meticulously curated, and the all-black aesthetic throughout the space shows how much care has gone into every element of the experience.

Right before the dessert course, the chef personally came out to greet the guests, which added a warm and memorable touch.

The only downside? It’s incredibly hard to get a reservation😅“

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

“Omg! The Ribs are amazing!“

“Blown away! Sitting at the chef’s bar was an outstanding experience. The chef made recommendations; he is a true artist of his craft - what a delight to watch. The nigiri/sushi is classic with no frills, relying completely on the quality of the fish and the expertise of the chef. What a local gem!“

“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.“

“Kuidaore is a wonderful restaurant! I highly recommend including it in your visit to Jack London Square.
Food: The fish is fresh, delicious and high quality. The small plates are creative and have all been really flavorful and well-balanced (I have just 1 more on the list to try). My only criticism is that some of the fish is so tender it can be difficult to get the whole bite from the plate to my mouth. The handrolls are really good, each one is packed with fish and the seaweed is super crispy - exactly what you'd want. They'll let you split them between 2 people if you want to be sure to have room to try a lot of them. There are a few expensive, very fancy ones - think edible gold, wagyu, caviar...incredible to taste and beautiful presentation. Their miso soup is delicious and an inexpensive extra that you should definitely try.
People: The staff are amazing! So welcoming and accommodating. After a few visits, our favorite waitress recognized us and had our drinks started before we even sat down! The chef/owner is friendly and checks in on customers when she can.
Atmosphere: The chairs are awkwardly tall but it gives you a great view of the handroll station. It's an intimate setting that's very comfortable. The only negative is that when it's busy it gets pretty noisy.
To reiterate, I definitely recommend going here if you're in the area!“

“Enjoyed clean and fresh tasting sashimi with delicious sides. Had to try the vegetarian okonomiyaki with bonito flakes mayo and unagi sauce. Salmon and avocado sushi roll was yummy. Definitely would come back to visit this quaint and tasty Japanese restaurant in my neighborhood!“

“Akari’s fixed seafood and meat menu is incredible. The fish is fresh, featuring Hokkaido scallops and uni directly from Japan. Pacing and portions were perfect. While the decor could be warmer and more curated, the food quality is amazing. A must-visit—we will definitely be back soon!“

“I have been coming to this restaurant since they opened 16+ years ago. The food is always fresh and delicious. My whole family loves it! Abi and Andy are great hosts and the whole crew of peole working there are friendly. I wish they were open for lunch time during the week as it used to be. Still my favorite sushi place!“

“Every roll was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. The staff were welcoming and attentive.
In the end they offered me plum wine but I asked for ice cream and they accommodated.
I’ll definitely be coming back!“

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

“Outstanding personal service. Sushi Burrito (several to choose from) are my favorite, Miso Soup, and a Beer or Sake. I recommend that you come and get some 🌯“

“Really interesting take on Ramen broth. The beef broth is rich yet not too thick. I prefer a richer Paitan but this is also good. Black garlic oil also adds more depth to the soup.

The noodle is bouncy and chewy with a strong smell of egg noodle.

Crispy mushroom is good but can be a little too salty to finish by a single person. A touch of something citrusy would help cut through the greasiness after half a dish.“

“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.“

“It has a very interesting menu, I really enjoy the food.“

“Best Omakase in town.“

“We had a wonderful meal at Cafe Okawari before the Giants game. It’s a great location that’s 1.5 blocks from the ballpark, and very close to the Caltrain station. The restaurant was full when we got there, but the food still came out soon after we ordered.

We had chicken katsu curry, korokke curry, and a menchi (fried ground chicken) sando. The chicken katsu was among the best I’ve ever had, super juicy inside and crunchy outside. One of the greatest quick bites I’ve had in recent memory.“

“Holy crap, I don't have to go to Berkeley for a good Izakaya anymore? Ok good is an understatement this place is stellar.

Super friendly fast service. Absolutely delicious food.

None of the skewers were over cooked. They all had a nice charred taste without being overwhelming. Even their rolls had super unique flavors.

Solid cocktail selection with a broad sake selection.

Would definitely recommend this spot. They've only been open a month and a half but operations are humming smoothly.

Not too crowded, super laid back vibe.“

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

“LOVE this place—we’ll be back again for sure!

Top notch food, and
Service was super-fast & polite.

Really outstanding sushi rolls.
Beautiful presentation, fresh popping flavor,
High quality tender fish.

Miso soup was simple but tasty, not too salty.

The *cloudy sake* was nice, a more earthy version of the typical sake flavor i’m used to.“

“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.“

“The atmosphere and presentation of the food was extremely chic! The meal was delicious!!“

“Life without sushi is no fun. That's why Manpuku is so needed. Whether pieced or in bowls, Manpuku brings both traditional and fusion in a delightful and pleasant way.“

“Very good meal, service was great, I'll definitely be back.“

“I had a really cool time here !!! The chefs are amazing so kind and understanding. I was losing my voice and he was very patient and the second
Chef was really fast . I think this isn’t favorite sushi place now ! The staff really looked out for me and I don’t think they k pa
How much it meant to me . Sometimes I show up places and people treat me negatively for no particular reason but I felt the love in there food“

“I was actually jonesing for some good Japanese curry when we were searching for a place to eat.. I decided on Fumi because the Japanese curry before the ramen lol must be good if it’s first right? It was perfect and the ramen was really good too. I definitely recommend this place for doing “simply” delicious.“

“Tempura, so crispy. Miso cod, sake toro. I also would like to to recommend the different tastings like the nigiri tasting, the sashimi tasting and also the salmon tasting. They also have raw oysters presented in Japanese style, so good.“

“I went alone here and my experience was really really good. The ambience is not the Greatest here but oh boy I loved the food and the service. First to start off they gave complimentary miso soup and salad. Miso soup was just so good and it was a cold windy day. I needed a hot soup.

I was craving katsu curry and rice and they had that. And it was really good. I really wanted a little bit more curry 🍛 but it's fine I enjoyed it. I also had hot sake and it was piping hot.

Highly recommend this place for taste. It was a peaceful dining experience out here.“

“9 items 🍱 bento & udon are awesome 👏“

“Food was really great and the staff were super friendly. Unfortunately the atmosphere was not relaxing. We were sat at a shared table and there just wasn’t any room between parties. The couple next to us was talking VERY loudly and we couldn’t concentrate on our thoughts which was very distracting. The restaurant was also playing this bad pop music as if we were in a department store. The experience just made us want to eat quickly and leave! It’s a shame since the food was great.“

“First time here and probably last time too. I hella liked how the inside was decorated reminded me of a restaurant in Japan. Kinda disappointed though. I hella love sushi. But the sushi selection was small. Nothing caught my eye. The only thing I did enjoy with my meal was the ikura. The waitress’s don’t even check up on you to see how your doing. We we’re seated all the way in the back. I asked for more water and it never came. And for those 2 reasons I won’t come back.“

“The ingredients, the flavors, they're all top-notch.“

“This place is amazing!!! What a gem! I have never been to a bath house before and after this I’m addicted. The food was incredible and I loved the cocktails. Service was wonderful as well! Definitely going back a bunch.“

“Just went here our first time on valintines day and although I did not have any noodles we had spicy spring rolls the Katsu chicken and chicken teriyaki skewers and everything tasted so good thin cuts of chicken lots of flavor all under thirty bucks we will definitely be back“