50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Pinole

“From the moment I walked in, I was impressed with the welcoming service. The staff was friendly and made us feel at home, offering great recommendations. The sushi was fresh and beautifully presented, with each bite bursting with flavor. I especially loved the signature rolls and sashimi. The ambiance was serene and cozy, with a minimalist design and soft lighting that created the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed meal. It’s the ideal spot for a special night out or a casual sushi craving. Will definitely return!“

“We came here for lunch right when they opened at 11 AM. There were no guests yet, so we were seated and served right away. The place was cozy, comfortable, and clean — even the bathroom was well maintained. They served water first, which was a nice touch.

We ordered the sake nigiri and were surprised by how big the salmon pieces were — definitely worth trying! The tempura appetizer was also great — light, not just all breading — and came with their own special sauce.

The katsu curry came with a generous serving of rice. It was good, though I found the katsu sauce a little bland for my taste. Still, the portion size was satisfying. It also came with miso soup and a salad on the side — both were delicious, especially the salad dressing!

My husband ordered ramen, and the meat was so tender and flavorful that I might try it next time. :)“

“Located where the old outback used to be, this is great for someone like myself who lives in the area and wants decent sushi. The rolls aren't huge but I like that so I can order/try a variety of rolls. Lunch is $25 and dinner is $40 if I'm not mistaken. The staff is so nice and attentive. Everyone helps out and the food comes very fast. Good quality sushi with fried options and good appetizers. The only thing I would skip next time is the ice cream. Other than that I will be back!“

“Great food and great service“

“Sushi bar runs by Chinese? Why not?
The origin of sushi has to trace the sushi’s roots back to China—and even further, to Southeast Asia. The earliest form of sushi, called narezushi, was a method of preserving fish by fermenting it with rice. This technique likely developed in the Mekong and Irrawaddy River basins and was adopted by the Baiyue people of southern China. The Han Chinese documented it as early as the 4th century BCE.
So yes, Chi ese gave sushi the practice beginning.

Twice we dined here, savoring sushi not from a Japanese bar, but from a Chinese family’s hands—gentle, precise, and quietly proud. The flavors whispered of history: from riverbanks in southern China to the bustling streets of Edo. Sushi, reborn and reimagined.“

“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 🌯“

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

“I had Salmon over rice Togo. When I pick up my food, I opened it but I didn’t see any vegetables in that. I asked him and he said that I should order the meal if I would like to get small salad too. (I ordered wrong tho) but he so nice:) he gave me the vegetable salad for free of charge. I will definitely come back. I like to support local and good people, plus their food is so yummy and fresh too.“

“We are regulars here - absolutely delicious, always fresh, and decently priced to-go sushi options! Not to mention super friendly and kind service. Recently they threw in an extra toro nigiri (for free) with the cutest note written!! Can’t recommend Itani Sushi enough :)“

“During the week I spent visiting my daughter, a student at Berkeley, we went there twice: delicious, everything fresh, huge portions. After Europe, this is unreal quality for reasonable money. Thank you so much! I hope to visit you again, and more than once!“

“This is a great spot! The service was great and very fast. The person serving us was very nice and attentive. We had the karage and sushi combo which came with more fish than we were expecting! Everything was very fresh and nicely presented. They had a lot of different seating areas -- it was two of us this time but would be suitable for bigger groups too. I always love getting an Andes mint after dinner too:) Definitely recommend and will be coming back!“

“service and quality are top notch“

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“The best omakase around!!“

“I've been a regular customer for 20 years. I've been going to Katana-ya with my parents since I was little, and even now, after getting married, I bring my wife back. Tokyo Feng is still as delicious as ever. Their sushi has been infused with innovative elements, and the flavor and texture have improved. The portions are generous, and the prices are affordable! Tokyo Feng, we hope you continue to do better and continue to do well for another 20 years!“

“Came in this small but cozy restaurant for a quick lunch bite and was surprised by the ambiance. I got the pork chop over rice and was surprised on how authentic it tasted. Crispy and homey - good blend of veggies and meat. Definitely a spot for casual get-togethers or a quick lunch. I would come back to try the food they didn’t have in stock (certain foods weren’t available depending on the days of the week or month)“

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

“This is a quick serve onigiri restaurant in downtown Berkeley. It's awesome to be able to get fresh onigiri in the East Bay and they include edamame as well. We split a plate of 3 and got the short rib(x2) and the unagi. Very small inside the restaurant, very much a get your food and go type place, but there is some room to eat standing up. They were quick, well priced and delicious. The perfect quick bite.“

“Very beautiful!!!! Vale a pena conhecer“

“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.“

“It is at the same location as Alley’s. Order at kiosk, food come out from the bar counter, and send back bowl to bar counter afterwards.
The ramen was tasty and the soup base was rich. We had original, red, and black tonkatsu. The red tonkatsu was hot, but very flavorful .“

“Cool sushi spot, atmosphere was very chill. I was pretty much the only one eating at the time. Sashimi was good, the 49er roll wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be but this pace was still great. Staff was very courteous and the food came really fast. They also give you large portions. You'll get full fast at this spot.“

“The food is great!!! Crew is awesome!!! Dine by the sea!!! Highly recommended!!!“

“I gave this location a try on Friday. I was the first one. My takeout order came out pretty quickly. It took 10 minutes. I ordered a spicy one and it had some kick to it. I wish the portions were a little bigger. Fortunately, I ordered a side item to help fill me up. For the price, I would say, it is above average... but not as good a value as Curry House when it was still around.“

“Sushi is good! Got the snow crab roll, salmon skin hand roll, spicy tuna roll, Berkley roll and salmon roll and they were all good! No food poisoning either so major plus! We got there right at 11am, and it's a cute little place. Felt like we were in Japan based off the decor! The place is small, right when you walk in the main area where the sushi bar is at you may be able to have 18 people in this room at the most! There is another side that has some seating. So definitely not a place for large groups! The service was on point, gentlemen making the sushi was very kind but when we asked to split or check per item, he was confused. He replied if I wanted to split it evenly and I said no I'd like it to be split per item of what each person ordered and it was like I was speaking a different language to him. He was able to figure out what I meant but this is the only negative thing I would say, don't assume people are on the same check. Staff need to make sure they ask prior to combining checks to save the confusion for the future. Also another side note, it is Berkeley and this location is located and what looks to be the ghetto. I am not from that area at all but do not let the location deceive you. This is a very good place! Prices are reasonable for the size of the sushi rolls. Average price is roughly $16 per roll and you get eight pieces out of each roll. If back in the area we'll definitely go back.

Also a major plus, we were given complimentary edamame!“

“Great food and quick service! A must try place if you’re in the area!“

“Customer friendly & quick service. Food is great.😋“

“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.“

“Amazing food and service. Ambiance on point as well“

“Very good quality of food 👍“

“As great as it gets local sushi at affordable prices. Good clean taste with nice touches of flavor that excite the palette. I got a crazy monkey roll and some chefs nigiri that was perfect for my refined taste. I ended the night with halibut nigiri (shown here) and walked out happy“

“Benicia has so many restaurant choices. This one is a must try! A small family owned Japanese restaurant for dine in and take out. You can sit at the small Sushi counter or at a table in the small dining room. The people are nice and friendly and they have a good selection of Sushi Rolls and other dishes. We made a reservation just in case. Free parking is on the street. Casual dining for family, business and date nights.

Vegetarian options: vegetarian dishes are available.

Kid-friendliness: They have kid friendly meals

Wheelchair accessibility: no stairs“

“Food is always fresh and is Always made to order. Never disappointed me.“

“Island Special Rolls are amazing!!! Phoenix, Pearl, Orinda and Super Star are a few of our favorites!!! #sushigood“

“This is our fourth time coming here and we're always so impressed with the delicious, fresh, creative,unique dishes that are beautifully presented. It's an unpretentious atmosphere and a great value as well. A true Berkeley institution!“

“There was an important item left out of my order last night. But when I went back today, the Asst Manager Brandon went over the top. He really hooked me up. Their food is good, but their service and attitude is the best!“

“Absolutely best sushi. The chef is extremely passionate and talented, and it shows in the food and the service that is a lost art in current times. The prices are extremely fair for this quality of sushi. I think it's honestly worth more, but the lower prices make it more accessible. They have excellent vegetarian and vegan options. Highly recommend spicy crunchy tuna roll, futomaki roll, shitaki maki vegetable tempura, and my partner recommends the white dragon roll.
I have a crab allergy and have never had any issues here.
Service is good and the atmosphere is nice. The restaurant is decorated and has a nice feel.
In the picture: white dragon roll, spicy crunchy tuna rolls, vegetarian Bento box with veggie tempura and shitaki maki. Highly recommend this place.“

“经常更新季节性的鱼类…😋新鲜…主要的是老板很帅☺️…😜“

“Loved the food, I got the prime rib steak teriyaki and the mango ice cream. Service was great and waitresses were very friendly. Atmosphere was great, I love the light fixtures. Music was a little loud, though. I’d prefer jazz or an instrumental track over lyrical music.“

“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.“

“Excellent foods, friendly staffs! We really love to have dinner here~ Absolutely, I will visit again when I come back to Berkeley!“

“One of the first places I had dinner here after moving to Berkeley! The owners/staff are so quick and friendly. The sushi is always as ordered and fresh/delicious. Not only one of the best places on Durant to get sushi, but food in general! Fairly priced for the fresh food as well.“

“Hidden gem in El Cerrito, food was tasty and served promptly. We had beef appetizer, miso soup, nigiri tuna an yellow tail, suno mono and regular salad. The suno mono was good, but not as great as the other dishes. Our waitress was very attentive and smiled a lot, that’s probably just how people from Nepal are. We will be returning to checkout happy hour when they have their special deals.“

“This sushi spot is pretty great! I'm a big sushi lover and had never been here before. The restaurant itself is small inside but the sushi is well made and you can tell they put effort into it. All the sushi and sashimi was fresh and tasted great. I would definitely recommend this place and I will definitely be back. Thank you!“

“I come twice a month. This place is my go to for Japanese comfort food. I love the gyudon just the way they prepped it. Saucy, sweet and savory just like I remember from childhood in Asia. Sushi and sashimi are fresh (enough). Bento is reasonably priced. Atmosphere is good. Not pretentious like some of the Japanese restaurants in this area. They actually play Japanese tunes.“

“Pretty solid. Only got the basic tonkatsu and jasmine drink. Thought it’d be expensive due to being so close to campus, but the portion was large enough to fill me up. Prices are slightly cheaper than if I got it in SF for the same food. Service was quick. Nice staff.“

“So glad to find out they reopened after being closed a while during the pandemic. Currently you have to pre-order a day in advance for pickup so it takes a little planning but so worth it.Their fried chicken is so crispy. I ordered it with waffle fries and they say they only fire up the fries just before your pickup time so that they're fresh. When I went to pick up my order, they let me know it would just be a few minutes because the fries were finishing and when he came out with my order, he said he accidentally made the salad but included both the fries and salad and threw in a vanilla pudding. Everything was so delicious. Even the bonus pudding had flecks of vanilla bean and tasted so much better than the instant stuff. The chicken and fries were enough for 2 meals.“

“A sushirito -like place with cheaper prices. $8 instead of $13. Try the B8, which has both salmon and tuna sashimi inside. Added bonus points for carrying takoyaki.“

“Many vegetarian and vegan options. Really good appetizers. The miso eggplant and the green beans were popular. Also the soba salad was really good. Service was nice. 9/10 people enjoyed their food. The only item not liked was the veggie curry udon soup.“