i have tried sushi all over the east bay (as well other places). here are my votes in no particular order:
Kirala (Shattuck in Berkeley): great food, but really snotty people (esp the maitre'd) working there. completely ruins the experience for me, so i avoid it like the plague. it's sad, cuz their food is awesome. too bad they wait on yuppies first (out of turn) & leave the scruffies like me waiting longer. i guess they don't know i always tip at least 20%...
Koryo (Telegraph Ave @ 43rd): best late nite sushi (open til 2 AM)
Drunken Fish (Piedmont where it hits Broadway, owned by the Koryo people): best chirashi sushi (nothin' sez lovin' like rice-n-roe in a bowl!)
Bonsai (Telegraph near 43rd):
nicest chefs- Moraino-san is partially deaf, but super sweet, buy him a beer & ask what's fresh!
more later!
Posted by daniland at March 19, 2003 04:24 PM | TrackBackLet's not forget Party Sushi on Shattuck. The atmosphere is funky, but the sushi is OK and inexpensive. Their hours are a little big confusing and you better bring CASH, because they don't take American Express (or any other card). I was primarily drawn to their neon sign, but have gone back again and again because their sushi is fresh, fresh, fresh. If I can't go to Sebatopol for sushi (Sushi Hana in Sebastopol makes sushi like mama's home cooking to me), then Party Sushi is the next best thing.
Posted by: KellyB at March 25, 2003 04:45 PMMijori on Grand Ave. is the bomb. Small little place, the sushi is excellent. expect waiting on Friday/Sat night.
Posted by: Justin at May 21, 2003 08:36 PMSushi House, 2226 South Shore Centre in Alameda. It's in a strip mall.
If you look at the ChefMoz dining guide ( http://chefmoz.org/United_States/CA/Alameda/Sushi_House1021945203.html ), it gives it pretty bad reviews. However, the food is good, especially the Bay Scallops. I do agree that the place is crowded with not enough servers. This is why I recommend that you make an order by telephone, pick up the sushi an hour or so later (that's how long it took an order for 7 people on a Sunday night) and just eat it at home without the fuss and the drama. It's worth it.
Posted by: Ernie at August 7, 2003 11:47 AMI've found that the trick with Kirala is to show up about 5 minutes before they open in the evening, you then get a seat right away.
A few other tips about them:
1) The maitre'd is usually one of the two owners
2) Tell them you would like to sit at either the bar or a table, otherwise they will assume just table and your wait will be longer
3) Try to grab a seat at the saki bar, you can order sushi from this bar as well and I've found that having a beer will magically make your wait go quicker.
4) I'm sorry to hear about the yuppie's served first experience you had, I've been going here since '96 when I had a giant goatee and a mohawk through today (I probably look pretty yuppie now) and have never experienced any difference in their service... They just seem to have good nights and bad nights randomly... I do suspect that their servers are fairly ageist though - they seem to treat younger people (students - or people who look like them) with less respect than older people.
i'm giving kirala another shot on tuesday. i'll report back & let you know how the service was.
Posted by: dani at September 16, 2003 12:49 PMangelfish, on alameda! it's in a strip mall, sort of, but it's really small, really good, and whenever we go, we get some sort of freebie, a nice surprise.
Posted by: Rena Tom at September 16, 2003 10:07 PMAgreed that Angelfish rocks!
Posted by: peterme at September 25, 2003 10:50 AMkirala update:
well, i had a better experience at kirala on tuesday. it wasn't the mean man owner at the door, it was the older women, and she was very nice. i'm glad to report that i had a good experience this time around. i hate to write off good restauarants that way.
food highlights:
their sake bar had two varieties of nigori sake (my fave kind-unfiltered!), and i got to try a new one that i hadn't had before (always a plus in my book!)
they had the freshest uni i've had in a while, and the an kimo (monkfish liver- the foie gras of the sea!) was great!
we also had some great items from the robata grill (the feature that makes kirala different from many other japaense restaurants): spicy sardine (with a belly full of roe- yum!) and quail. very gamey & yummy.
*************************************
party sushi:
i usually go "to party" for take out, as it is cheap sushi (but consistent in quality). when i want to have a rented movie nite at home, i call ahead & pick it up with a flick on the way home. perfect!
ichiban on grand lake is the best japanese delivery place in oakland. they will deliver far and the food is always fresh. they also deliver sake and japanese beer. great dragon roll! try it...
Posted by: jeremy at September 29, 2003 03:41 PMyes, i use ichiban many times, particularly when i have PJs on & don't want to go out.
i usually get sashimi and a soft shelled crab! i find it consistent & they delivery to me (lakeside within 20 minutes!
dani
Posted by: dani at September 29, 2003 05:09 PMTachibana on College is my favorite. Mr. Sushi on Grand is good too.
Posted by: lisa at October 8, 2003 12:52 PMI like sushi, sashimi is great as well.
Posted by: keno at December 21, 2003 08:56 PMJust to get my hood in: in Hayward, on Foothill at D St. is Wakamatsu - the best hole in the wall family run sushi joint. Joey makes amazing roles (try the hamachi mango and Joey's Special - it involves macadamia nuts!), but as he is the only on making it, when the place is hopping the wait can be long. Other food stuffs are GREAT, and take less time, but the sushi is to DIE for.
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