Izakaya Restaurants near Oakland, CA

“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“

“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“

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

“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.“

“Kaisen don offers customers an exceptional variety of authentic Japanese food, a serene setting, and outstanding service from Maney: our favorite server/hospitality goddess extraordinaire. She's consistently attentive, responsive, professional, dedicated, and accommodating regardless of how busy she may be. While we usually dine on Sunday nights, we went on a very busy Saturday evening and although she was absolutely swamped, we still received stellar service as always. Maney makes Kaisen don our #1 favorite Japanese restaurant and we've become loyal regulars. Eveything we've tried on the menu is delicious and authentic. Don't miss it!“

“We booked Dragon Horse's private room for a company dinner with 18 people, and everything was wonderful from start to finish. Booking the large private room was very easy—the private event coordinator was responsive and great to communicate with. We ordered a lot of sushi rolls and nigiri, and everything was high quality and noticeably fresh. The veggie tempura and chicken karaage were also perfectly crispy, and you could tell the oil was fresh. The private room also includes free karaoke, which was such a fun bonus. My coworkers and I had a great time singing a few songs together after dinner. Dragon Horse is an excellent choice for larger groups. We will definitely be back!“

“Right at the edge of China town. Tried a lotus vegetable with mayo it was not good a bit too raw for me, also the squid legs which was good but a bit greasy. However we tried two different Ramen and they were delicious. Broth was very flavorful and heavy. Half egg 🥚 a nice touch usually you pay extra for the egg so it was nice to have it come in the dish. Service was nice and fast. Overall we had a great meal. There is allot of seating areas. I say check it out.“

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

“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.“

“在美國的日本味道，這是算不錯的“

“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!“

“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! 😘“

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