Sushi California

Stopped off here when they opened before a concert. The staff was very nice. The food was delicious. Small place but not cramped. Everything was fresh and hot. They have can sodas, so there are no refills, but thats my only complaint. Will be back to try other rolls. Highly suggest the unagi with tobiko. So delicious.

I recently visited Sushi California and was blown away by their amazing Dragon Roll. It was a perfect blend of flavors and textures, beautifully presented. The service was equally impressive—friendly, attentive, and efficient. Dining at Sushi California was a delightful experience, and I highly recommend it for both the fantastic food and exceptional service.

This was some of the best sushi weve ever had! Generous cuts and fresh portions, really thoughtful service along with reasonable prices. Location is interesting and the ambient music was pop which didnt seem to fit the lovely Japanese setting. We popped in to get some to go food but decided to have some neguri while we waited. One of the items we ordered to go was this unagi. The server suggested we also eat that while waiting while it was fresh and warm and he was right! We loved it. We really appreciated the suggestion.

The rice was sticky and mushy and falling apart and the nori was chewy. Ill consider giving them another shot because I came in an hour before close - I am hoping that this might be a fluke given that the other reviews are so good? But it was NOT good and there is no way the chef didn’t know how bad the rice was as they were packing it 😢

I ordered a tuna poke bowl. It was tasty fish and tuna. Unfortunately it had no rice, not sure if they ran out or that’s standard for them but I’ve never heard of a sushi restaurant not putting any rice with a tuna poke bowl. I’ll come back but recommend that people mention rice if they want that in the dish.

The service is impeccable. From the moment you step in, the staff greets you with genuine smiles and a welcoming attitude. They are attentive without being intrusive, ensuring that your dining experience is smooth and enjoyable. The servers are knowledgeable about the menu and are happy to offer recommendations based on your preference.

New Management, I wont be returning. This was the worst Nigiri Sushi Ive 🍣 ever orderedin the bay area.Ive been dining here for 33 years. Sushi was always fresh and authentic when prepared by the previous owner Ryoji Arakaki.

Wow. What a surprise. We found this place by accident to be honest. We were looking for a good place to eat and walked past this place. Came back later as we couldnt find anything else that looked good. Kiyomi was an excellent waitress and was very friendly and helpful. We had the 49er, Mexican, and Lion king rolls which were excellent. But the chefs choice sashimi and hamashi was beyond delicious. Excellent atmosphere too. We went on a Friday which had live music, a nice jazz duo played by 2 Japanese musicians which was perfect atmosphere for this place. Really pleased with our experience. Will recommend to my friends for sure.

The food was really nice! The owner was so kind to offer us a free roll after a big order. There were lots of customers tonight. Very good experience overall!

Amazon Sushi place! The food was fantastic. Reasonably priced and has good Japanese style options. The highlight was white tuna nigiri. Twice a month, on the second and fourth Tuesdays, theres live music which we really enjoyed. Would definitely come again.

A bit shy but super kind owner, friendly atmosphere, cozy space. Bathroom was clean. There are many Okinawan menus available too. Authentic taste. You gotta try Orion beer too.

Amazing！Great quality, good value and good service. This was my first time here, and I will definitely be back when Im in the area.

Loved the flavor and quality of the meal! The atmosphere is always perfect and honestly Ive been going here for second and its still my favorite sushi spot!

Ive been to and frequented this store over decades (yes, really). And in my opinion its quality has not changed. Its still a great place.

Tasty little sushi spot off Addison and University! Had hot 🍶, sashimi, and 🍣! Great service as well!!

Consistently high quality, good value, and friendly service. I love that they have Okinawan specialties too- not a lot of Japanese restaurants do Okinawa Soba. Takeout service during SIP has been speedy too. Call in an order and pick up in 20 minutes.

The fish was good quality & the atmosphere was much more romantic & intimate than any other sushi restaurant Ive been to. There was a live guitarist playing mood music which was a nice surprise. I dont really have a complaint about the restaurant except that I prefer rolls that have some sort of sauce or drizzle. The nigiri had garnish but the rolls were dry & I like having some sort of sauce to dip in...personal preference otherwise great sushi place for a date!

This place is a good find. Nice relaxing atmosphere with live jazz music. Food was perfect. As others have noted it isnt a trendy place, it is a traditional Japanese sushi bar. Thanks to the chef, the staff, and the musician who was playing when I visited, it was great.

I am not an expert in sushi but I found this place belongs to the top 10% of its class. Service was fast, friendly and efficient. Price is not bad: I got quite full with 20 dollars plus tip. Overall, a good place to check if you are around.

I had the sushi for the first time. Experience was really awesome

Probably one of the best sushi in the Bay area. If you up for a different experience, just let great chef choose the dinner for you and just enjoy.After coming here for almost 20 years one can only feel at home with Chef Ryoji Arakaki.

An absolutely amazing dining experience. The staff is very warm and welcoming. And I think that my cooking days are over. The quality of food is amazing here. And the Ambiance is impeccable. I have found a real Jewel when I found this place.

Awesome cozy little sushi place thats only really known well by locals. Live performances every Monday and Friday that really amp up the ambience. Our waitress was really sweet and I loved chatting with her in Japanese about family and Natto haha(which, by the way, this is the only place I know that has natto, and its awesome!)We went on a packed Thursday night (only about 8-12 tables in the place) and it took a little longer than usual to get our food, but it was all worth the wait. (To clarify, the wait was not really the restaurants fault, we ordered a lot of food on an unexpectedly crowded night)

Amazing, friendly, and attentive staff, great service, good prices and a variety of dishes (some you wont find at other sushi restaurants).The quality is above average, nothing too fancy, and the price is very reasonable. Portions are good and you can fill up on delicious authentic Japanese dishes without breaking the bank. Would definitely recommend, even to my slightly more food-snobby friends.Sidenote: The shiro maguro nigiri is absolutely amazing, and nothing beats a big bowl of their udon on a rainy day.

This place is great, they have a wide choice of sashimi and stuff but you can also just get a menu and they will serve you great chefs choice mixed sushi!Its really great if you love variety but takes you ages to decide what to order :)Also they had lots of vegetarian options!

Excellent sushi, especially when you consider price. Simple atmosphere, but has the feel of a place that doesnt need anything more because the food is on point. Not a place for a first date, but definitely a place for the regular rotation.

Great local Japanese restaurant a main stay with delicious izakaya style dishes. The Okinawan ramen is amazing and unique. They feature local live jazz on some evenings... Great relaxed, non-pretentious atmosphere.

I had high hopes because of all the reviews. I ordered a variety of food to taste test their menu. The Tuna, salmon, and yellowtail sashimi was not fresh and had a slimy after taste. The fish in the all the rolls I ordered tasted that way as well. The miso soup was salty. There salad vinaigrette was watery and had no flavor. The reason I gave one star because the salmon teriyaki, Saba sashimi and salted mackerel had a good flavor. But the salted mackerel had so many bones and barely any meat. I was very disappointed with my meal. They have such high prices but very low quality food.

Small spot and they didnt have takeout available when we came by so we dined in. You can tell everything is made fresh. Got four different rolls and they were all yummy!

This is a small short ceiling restaurant. The big window open to the street side does make it less small. The sushi was not as fresh as I anticipated based on the reviews. The vinegar salad dressing was watery. The ebi tasted like vinegar. The pricey amaebi was bland and lack of the sweetness, otherwise the rest is as expected from any decent Japanese restaurants.

Solid 3 stars. Nothin special. I got all nigiri and amaebi sweet shrimp comes with 2 for 10 bux and they fry the heads. And seaweed salad$5.50. The quality was a notch above gas stre bought sushi, the uni was bland and flavorless, a bit pasty and dry. It was bright in color which might indicate freshness, which was odd $4.50 one piece. Salmon and ikura were mid grade quality but pricey at $6 two pieces.

I absolutely adore this place. I used to live upstairs during my masters degree study. The owner was so awesome. He let my support campanion dog in after hours and always had a smile and laugh to share!

With the special Okinawan sushi chef behind the bar the daily specials are the best.No bar program here but youre really here for the fish anyways. Trust the Chef and youll be rewarded.

You don’t write about your favorites. Why make getting a table harder. But after 36 years of great sushi I guess it’s time. And the staff is ok!!!

Decent Japanese sushiVery traditional but above average. Service was excellent consider it only has one waitress on a Saturday.

Astmosphere, food, and staff make me feel like like Im back in Japan, but with an American cultural warmth. Start off with the Hokkaido roll, you wont regret it.😉

The sushi here seemed pretty average to me. The service was good. The space is intimate (aka cramped). But I did really enjoy the live musicians.

This restaurant discriminates against disabled people!!!If you have a certified service dog for any disability other than blindness they literally will NOT SERVE you.This is ILLEGAL, not to mention extremely rude and unethical.The Americans with Disabilities Act is very clear about federal requirements:“Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go. ” (ada.gov)Relevantly, it also states precisely that“Establishments that sell or prepare food must allow service animals in public areas even if state or local health codes prohibit animals on the premises.” (ada.gov)The fact that the owner of this business refused to serve me because of my service dog is a blatant act of discrimination and a display of abhorring customer service.Ignorance of the law or inability to understand it are not an acceptable justification for this type of behavior.

Ive lived in Berkeley for 8 years and this is the best sushi Ive had for regular price sushi. The udon and cali roll for 12 dollars is great

Awesome food and ambiance! Great sushi, amazing service and good music.. what more can you ask for!

Sorry not to be rude just trying to be truthfuli would say 2 stars but i like the setting and is very friendly but the food preparation is a bit sloppy and rolls tend to be not so well done to the point mine fell apart :/ tasty but sloppy made

It was so delicious, I almost dont want to post this because I dont want it to become over crowded. Best sushi in Berkeley for sure!!!!!

Favorite sushi spot in Berkeley so far. It’s a strange location but food is delicious and I love the small environment.

This is the only sushi restaurant Im looking forward to coming to again, any time Im in Berkeley. Amazing sushi quality and very a nice staff.

Really good sushi at reasonable prices. Excellent Saki menu. Live music on Fridays

This place was unexpectedly upscale (my partner and I were surprised to walk in and see musicians performing live around 9pm) and reasonably priced.

The sushi was amazing and reasonably priced. The staff was very friendly. 5/5 would repeat

This really was amazing sushi and a friendly environment. I highly recommend it.

Simply the best Ive tried in Berkeley.

Really awesome Sushi bar and restaurant. Our favorite in the SF Bay Area.

Its very average sushi at a slightly above average price.

Small and inviting sushi place with fantastic unagi nigiri and assorted California rolls. Try the Mexican and the Dragon...

Perfect date spot and below ground level so you can make as many underground jokes as you want.

I absolutely adore this place. Best Sushi in Berkeley.

Super friendly service, excellent, affordable sushi. And live music!

...Good food. Cozy place. Theres live music on Fridays.

The sushi is a good price and is absolutely delicious!

49er roll was amazing! Nice service too.

Cozy setup, but a bit pricey and sushi are not the best around.

High quality sushi at a pretty reasonable price.

Excellent sushi! Try the ocean role:)

One of the top 5 restaurants in Berkeley

Very good food. Reasonable price

Good sushi but a little expensive for what you get

I used to be working here. Amazing restaurant

Great California roll with real crab meat!

Amazing food. Great service.

Really good, not over priced.

By far The best Sushi in Berkeley.

Great little spot with an amusing kitchen staff!!!

Neighborhood institution. Very fresh & imaginative.

Wonderful!

Overall id give this place a thumbs up!

Great hole-in-the-wall sushi shop

Great sushi, great service

Takoyaki was very yummy

The best all the time

Overpriced. Otherwise ok.

Excellent Sushi!

Awesome

Simple and delicious.

Love this place!

Crazy is amazing

Great restaurant

A beloved Japanese restaurant in Berkeley is about to close its doors after 36 years. According to the owner, Mr. Aragaki, he is thinking of retiring in May. The pickled tuna and cucumber in vinegar or simmered dishes are full of flavor and delicious. Scallops, squid and mentaiko, whelk nigiri, salmon roe gunkanmaki, mackerel rolls, mountain beef burdock rolls, natto rolls and sashimi, as well as yakitori, fried chicken, lemon chicken, croquettes, fried horse mackerel, etc. all have a stable taste. Beer and a wide selection of sake are also available. A live performance will begin by Mr. Date, a local guitarist and close friend of Peter Barakan, a well-known music critic in Japan. They performed familiar songs from various genres. From what I hear, they perform at Sushi Cal every Friday.

I cant forget the taste of California rolls! Sushi California is far away from Okinawa, but I definitely want to go eat there again♪