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Amakara
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
7222 Regional St(between Amador Valley Blvd & Dublin Blvd)
Dublin, CA 94568
(925) 803-8485
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
502 reviews for Amakara
Review Highlights
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"I love their Fried Philadelphia and the Italian Dragon." In 9 reviews -
"The best tuna ceviche I have ever had." In 13 reviews -
"And the soft shell crab miso soup was perfect." In 13 reviews
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501 reviews in English
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Review from Christine T.
Pleasanton, CA
5/17/2012
Rounding up this time... *3.5 stars*
Hopping on a Saturday night. Food was pretty decent. Enjoyed the various rolls that we shared:
- Lime Scallop
- Cherry Blossom
- Jalapeno Hamachi
- Spicy Sesame Seared Tuna
For dinner I had the Chirashi bowl and was able to sample the Hamachi Kama, Tonkatsu, Ramen, Oyster Tempura.
It's fancier Japanese food... I thought it was strange to see the tonkatsu served on a plate to be eaten with a fork and knife... -
Review from Catherine C.
South San Francisco, CA
5/26/2012
The ambiance is great.
Based on what I tried, hence the three stars. I tried the toro sashimi and it was definitely not Grade A. I ordered some veggies and that was definitely a rip off. Though veggies can be boring and bland, you can get a bit creative with just normal ingredients such as salt and pepper; and this was not up to par. I had the hamachi jalepenos roll and the crunchy shrimp roll. The rolls were not bad since there wasn't too much rice and it was to the point. The house sake was mediocre too. -
Review from Lucy D.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I overed dinner take out from this place a couple of times and they have bomb food.
The uni is awesome. It's the creamiest uni I've ever had and it just melts in your mouth. I get it every time without fail. The sashimi is really fresh and they have creative rolls. Like someone else mentioned before, they go through so many orders on a daily basis that the fish must be fresh right? They also have some interesting miso soups like grilled eggplant miso and crab miso. The grilled edmame were delicious; salty and addicting. I would also recommend the Klondike roll. It's packed with fish!
I've seen large crowds waiting for tables around dinner time on various weekdays starting around 6-6:30, so if I were to sit down and eat there, I'd definitely make a reservation. If you show up around 7 without a reservation, have fun waiting. I can't say much about the atmosphere but they do have a full bar and the bartender is very nice. -
Review from Pammy j.
Pleasanton, CA
5/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here on a saturday night I think about 7pm. Wait was reasonably 20 minutes. Don't remember what we ordered but it was delectable!!! I'm glad it gets business considering the location is not exactly prime. I look forward to coming back & trying other things.
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Review from Charles T.
San Francisco, CA
5/25/2012
Nightmare! No longer taking reservations! WTF?! This is NOT the solution. Have been eating since they opened am not happy about the NO RESERVATIONS.
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Review from Christine H.
San Jose, CA
Spicy Crunchy Rainbow roll- it was good. just average to me
Hamachi Carpaccio- nice thick slices, melts in your mouth, very fresh, my favorite of the night
Tempura Udon- was one of the better ones I have ever had. The broth was light, yet flavorful.
Sweetart Martini- very very good. not too strong. it was fruity.
The food experience was average. But the whole atmosphere was just overwhelmingly loud and noisy. Atmosphere either makes or breaks a dinning experience; and unfortunately, this time, it didn't make a good impression -
Review from Lisa T.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2012
Just gave this place a try last week. Per several reviews, i ordered the grilled edimame, which was a good way to start things off. I've never had edimame cooked like this before. It was a bit salty, but overall i would definitely order again.
The overall sushi was just OK in my opinion. It took about 20 minutes to get our order after we placed it, and it wasn't really that crowded. I'd hate to see the times when this place was packed.
Overall, my favorite part of the night was when our waitress suggest we tried the fried ice cream. Definitely get the fried ice cream! This is by far the best I've had. Perfect amount of batter, perfect amount of crunch, just all around perfect. -
Review from Angel B.
San Jose, CA
4/12/2012
I made the trek to Dublin in order to celebrate Lora M's birthday. Believe or not, everyone here, with the exception of my boyfriend, all met through Yelp.
Looking at the place from the outside, it wasn't anything special. A strip mall appeal. This is to be expected of Dublin, where even their clubs are in strip malls. However, when you walk in the décor and atmosphere was right on point. With smiling hostess showing us to our reserved table. There, I saw Tram. She was totally early, I was right on time. Everyone else was running on Asian time, I would have been too, but my boyfriend (who is not Asian) drove.
The waitress was friendly, accommodating and beautiful! Baby Gavin would not blink in her presence. At that time he wished he was at least 18. Heck, I didn't blink when she was around. HA!
They were EXTREMELY ACCOMMODATING and attentive. Really excellent customer service. They even put the ice cream cake in the freezer and served it at the end of the meal. Even provided glasses for the birthday girl's drink of choice that Tram brought in.
As for the food, that was extremely delicious as well. Whatever you do, I don't care, HOWEVER, DO ORDER THE GRILLED EDIMAME. I dream about those mofos on a daily basis. I was eating them so fast, that I almost choked on a pea. I literally was inhaling them. They tasted 10x better than any edimame I have ever eaten in my life.
My boyfriend and I split the Tonkatsu (as you may know I stopped eating raw sushi after an incident in 2008) and he ordered the dragon roll. The tonkatsu was perfectly cooked. It had a nice crunch and was juicy in the middle. The dragon roll was really good too. Overall, I enjoyed both dishes. It was super tasty and cooked perfectly!
I can't wait to go back. Too bad it's a drive, but I made some friends in Dublin. Actually, for some odd reason, I have a lot of friends in that neck of the woods now. -
Review from Lora M.
We've been coming back here ever since I set foot on this place. Always an A+ experience.
I had my birthday dinner here last week and I had a good report from my wonderful friend who planned the dinner of how she was helped right away with the cake and all soon as she got there. Food and service is always excellent! Thank you!Listed in: Sushidiction!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/12/2012
Everything that night was a "Yay".
It was a busy evening. My man took me here for dinner. There was a… Read more »
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Review from Tram N.
4/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I made reservations for yesterday evening for one of my best friend's birthday and not only was the table ready, the nice girl at the front helped me w/ the cake, cupcakes, and other goodies to the table! The ice cream cake was put in the fridge w/o being asked! I was super impressed!
When everyone arrived, our server offered to chill and pour our champagne.
I did not enjoy dinner here since it is against my diet to be eating past 4:45pm and I'm currently a weekday lacto-ovo vegetarian so I enjoyed the conversations, laughter, the Sprout (the baby), and my diet soda.
I'm not sure what everyone ordered but their plates looked awesome (from size to presentation). I wanted to break my diet right then and there but then I remembered that I need to look good for this Saturday's dinner at Crab House in SF!
Anyway... I was first to arrive and how odd, I got off work, had to go home to change, gather the goodies and gift, pickup the Sprout, managed to weed through idiots on 680N, and still managed to get there 20 minutes early! Reservations: 7. I got off work: 5:30 and I had to commute from San Jose! That is true - I do not run on Asian time. I hate people that are late, BTW.
First to join me was Marie K.! I haven't seen her in almost 2 years! Glad to hear her current life situations (we'll double date soon) and then Els (Angel B.) and Paul were next. Paul is super cool and based on my best friend's reaction throughout the evening.. they fit very well together and I can't wait to double date w/ them, too! Vi's (Vi T.) pretty self joined and then the birthday girl (Lora M.) and her boyfriend... like a Yelp gathering! **Note, the birthday girl, Vi, and Els are my best friends.. my stories might be confusing!
Everyone ordered and seemed to enjoy their food! Again, service was AWESOME.
The whole entire time I was having a ball but missing a component: my babe.
Oh yeah, if you have a cake and forgot candles, Amakara has them!
I will be back to actually eat next time. This place rocks!
Next we should have a 5 couple date w/ everyone involved last night, haha. -
Review from angelo d.
Berkeley, CA
4/21/2012
Having a hankering for sushi, I couldn't bring myself to pass up Amakara after reading the great yelp reviews. The place is easy to find has a very young, hip atmosphere. Something you'd kind of expect when you think of a sushi bar. We didn't have a reservation, but it didn't take long for us to be seated for a Friday during dinner rush.
We got started off with the Fuji Apple Sake, grilled edamame and shrimp ceviche. HIGHLY recommend the Fuji Apple Sake. I'm not much of a sake purist, but it just tasted awesome. The grilled edamame and shrimp ceviche were also pretty delicious. I've been to tons of Japanese restaurants and none have ever offered grilled edamame. The shrimp ceviche looks like pretty standard fare until you get into the mango pieces hidden throughout the dish, amazing idea. I'm way into it.
To finish it off, we put an order in for tuna sashimi, salmon sashimi, udon, and the fried shrimp. As far as the udon and fried shrimp go, there was really nothing to complain about, but at the same time there was nothing to go bonkers for. Pretty standard taste, nothing too special, but good.
You might be thinking, "your review sounds like you loved the place, why 3 stars?" Oh yeah, forgot to mention we NEVER got our sashimi! Maybe I'm being hyper critical, but something REALLY irked me about how long it was taking for us to get our sashimi. It got to the point where we were done with our food and it still hadn't come out and we were to that point where you can't keep eating without hating yourself. We ended up just cancelling our order because of how long it was taking, which ended up being about an hour and 10 minutes after we initially ordered it. Jameson (who is awesome by the way) told us it was taking a while because there were a lot of sushi orders coming in, but seriously, it's sashimi! Unless I wasn't told that they go out and catch it once your order it... -
Review from Lisa R.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/21/2012
A group of co-workers and I went here to celebrate my birthday. From an earlier conversation about types of food my boss asked "how is sushi?" I said "Yes, let's go have sushi" and we ended up at Amakara.
When you drive up the restaurant is in a strip mall which may not be that appealing. Usually I lower my expectations one notch but everything in the area is probably in a strip mall.
When you walk in to Amakara the inside is quite nice. We were seated quickly at a table on in the middle of the dining area. The server was OK, and while fine was not especially attentive. To her credit she seemed busy and she didn't let us sit for unreasonable periods of time.
We ordered five of the special rolls for lunch and split them among four people. The special rolls were quite large, we could have done four instead. There were some interesting combinations in the bunch like a scallop and lime and one with mango and cilantro. Everything taste quite good, even the orders that were on the daring side. I'd go back to Amakara again. -
Review from Henna P.
Dublin, CA
The reason we continue coming back here year after year is because they have something for everyone, and they do it all well :) Whether you like generous cuts of fresh sashimi, creative and delicious rolls, or a hot bowl of yummy udon, Amakara is sure to satisfy your cravings!
This is our default Japanese food spot, and also the place we take our out-of-town visitors. Everything we've ever tried on the menu is good! Some of the things we regularly order are the sashimi (so fresh and delicious!), the Italian Dragon, Shrimp Mango, and Lime Scallop, and the grilled edamame. The edamame can be a little salty for my tastes, but you can just brush off the excess salt.
The wait time is hit-or-miss. Sometimes they get super busy and the service gets frustratingly slow. Making a reservations helps! The staff is always friendly, so don't hold the slow service against them. They are popular here in Dublin! :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/20/2010
The food is great, but slow! We really like the Italian Roll, Shrimp Mango Roll, and grilled… Read more »
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Review from Liz O.
Pleasanton, CA
4/16/2012
This place is amazing!
The atmosphere, people, the entire place as a while works very well.
The sushi is fresh everyday and the rolls leave you filled.. so ordering 2 - 3 is not needed.
The SCALLOPS PARADISE is DELICIOUS! Everyone should try at least once. The scallops are lightly deep fried (honestly very thin coat) served on rice with spicy sauces, fish eggs etc. These bite size pieces leave you wanting to order more! lol
The "G SPOT" is a secret roll they have. If you like mango def order.. ask them to make is spicy with cream cheese and you will be in heaven! -
Review from Kara V.
3/15/2012
I down here in the East Bay just for the day doing a quick business trip. I used to come to Dublin a lot when I lived in the East Bay, but now, a whole lot has changed. This restaurant was not here back then. Hey, but with a name like Ama - KARA...I just had to try it! I was here with one client so its more of a casual dinner. Wow, sushi sure is expensive down here, ordering by the piece it really adds up. Sorry, I'm just used to Reno's all you can order for $20 option. Quality is about the same as some of the better sushi bars in Reno. I'm glad this is on the expense account!
We started with some of the usual Nigiri orders of Maguro, Hamachi (my fav), Albacore, Unagi and my other fave Ikura. These were all around $5 for 2 pieces. The quality was good and the fish was properly cut. The rice was done right and not too much rice to fish. We ordered one roll, a Spicy Crunchy Rainbow ($16). It was a nice roll, but I'm not sure I'd ever want to pay $16 for one roll. The service was very nice, as it wasn't too crowded at the time...(its raining like hell outside!). It's a pretty modern place, good for business lunch or dinner. Our bill came to $120!! For 2!...drinks included with tax and tip. I suppose the only reason I agree to sushi in the Bay Area, is its on the expense account. I'm spoiled by Reno! Overall, a decent place, but I'm sorry the value is just not there. The other entrees seemed reasonably priced $12 to $14. -
Review from Paula H.
Pleasanton, CA
3/26/2012
YAY!! Yummy Sushi close by!!
First time eating here and will be back for more!
Sushi was well prepared and fresh! Great service & atmosphere too!!
We called ahead for reservations, so no problem getting a table. (would recommend doing the same, as they seem to be constantly busy)!
Prices were reasonable as well!
Looking forward to trying more on their menu! First impression was fab!! -
Review from daniel c.
San Ramon, CA
5/14/2012
Ok, i have been using Yelp for all these years and have been very reticent about actually writing a review. In an effort to be something other than just a user of the service, I thought I would actually contribute.
So we were looking for sushi on Mother's Day, and found this place with the highest reviews close to San Ramon. I lived for several years in San Francisco, and know what good sushi is ..... This place has good sushi.
Based on a yelp recommendation, we tried the grilled edamame (yep, they were a must do for a warmup) and fried oysters (wife loves them) for appetizers. For a main course, we had 4 rolls (California roll -for my son and daughter, Fried California Spicy Tuna, Spicy Crunchy Rainbow roll, Spider roll, and the Cherry Blossom roll. And for desert we had the Tempura Ice Cream.
The rolls were really fresh and not skimpy on the fish to rice ration. Also, they were nicely decorated and the plates looked really delicious. We inhaled the rolls, along with a Sapporo (or two) so cant really give a detailed analysis of the taste of the individual rolls other than to say they were as good as anything I have ever had. The rolls we had came with some sauce on top, and fish eggs, which really made the rolls look nice and taste great.
I would love to say "the food her was really bad and the service was very poor" but the only reason I could justify doing that would be to keep everyone away so I could have this place all to ourselves. In reality, this place is really good, moderately priced, and with a friendly staff that is accommodating and efficient. Our new go to for sushi in Dublin. -
Review from Christin Z.
Oakland, CA
4/9/2012
Came here on a Thursday night for dinner and it was packed which usually is a good sign. Service was great right off the bat. The waitress brought out drinks immediately after being seated and came back promptly for our order. Throughout the meal, she was on top of our refills. The food was pretty good in general. I ordered the jalapeno hamachi and the tropical punch. Both were very good. My friend ordered the three of a kind, Philly roll and some sort of scallop roll. These rolls were hefty. On top of all that, their fried ice cream was the best I've ever had. The tempera wasn't too thick and tasted like funnel cake.
Minus one start cuz their AC was blasting at us the whole time. -
Review from John B.
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sushi isn't usually something you order to go. It just seems to work better when dining in. Since I usually get takeout for lunch, I hadn't eaten sushi in awhile. Also it's sometimes difficult to find willing sushi partners. "Eeeww raw fish?" No douche, it's an art form and can be deliciously vegan! Obviously if it were only raw fish, I wouldn't be eating it. Thankfully a couple of sushi loving coworkers and I found an errand to run in the Dublin area that just so happened to coincide with lunch. We figured it must be good if the fairly large restaraunt was nearly full for lunchtime.
As a vegetarian the one thing I can count on at a sushi joint is a cucumber roll or some greasy, nasty, tempura vegetables. Thankfully with Amakara, these are not my only options. In fact their tempura that one of my friends ordered was some of the best I've had. Light n crisp with just the right amount of deep frying. You can actually taste the vegetables and not just the grease. Under their "traditional rolls" part of the menu 6 of the 8 rolls were veggie!
I had to Google what "shiso" was. It turns out it's a Japanese leaf, a pretty darn tasty one too! Almost tastes like mint but with a lighter flavor and a hint of anise. I could've asked the pretty waitress but I didn't wanna look like a total n00b. Besides, that's what technology is for... Aside from being attractive, she was attentive and quick with the refills. Which was especially necessary since I nearly killed myself with a huge gob of wasabi. Tragedy averted, I continued to savor my Pickled radish and shiso, & Avocado/Mango rolls, and an order of Inari.
Since I didn't get the chance to sample all of their available veg rolls, I'll be looking for the next excuse to 'work" in Dublin. -
Review from John Y.
San Ramon, CA
3/29/2012 4 Check-ins Here
We've been coming here since Amakara opened a few years back. Since they were a new restaurant and the economy just in the toilet, we wondered if this place would survive. We've always loved it here too. We didn't really have to worry much. This place ROCKS and knows how to ROLL (sushi that is!).
The wife and I came here for a sorta-late dinner (for us anyways) on Saturday night. The place was crowded! There was a 30 minute wait, so we ambled up to the bar and hung out for a bit. It was kind of fun to watch all the activity in this place. It took a while to get our drinks-just about everybody seemed to be ordering mixed drinks! Chatted with the bartender in between his pours. Very nice guy.
Sat at the sushi bar. Those guys were hopping! It was tough to get their attention to get your sushi order in. Maybe I was being too 'proper', so I just yelled out a few items and they got right on it. EVERYTHING was awesome. The service was friendly and prompt (even on a super busy night) and the fish was one of the best I've had in a LONG time. It was nice running into our buddy Michael who works there.
We left totally satisfied after a nice evening out. Sitting at the sushi bar, you get dinner AND a show!
If you dig sushi, you gotta make Amakara a destination spot for your culinary adventures! You will thank me after your very first bite!
Johnny -
Review from Emily Y.
San Luis Obispo, CA
3/25/2012
My favorite Sushi spot in the Tri-Valley!
I love sitting at the bar with a glass of wine and watching them work! We came here twice on weekend evenings and the place is always lively, which I love to see when I go restaurant hopping.
For starters, we ordered the hamachi kama which I've had twice and each time, I enjoyed it. I think the sauce is the winner on that dish, but the fish is cooked perfectly and falls right off the bone.
Next, spicy tuna is another yummy dish. I've had a lot of spicy tuna in other places but this place makes it on the spicier side but you can still taste the hint of sweetness in the tuna. It's delicious.
We had the dragon roll which wasn't amazing but I'd order it again.
I love raw fish so We had tuna and the albacore sushimi. Very fresh.
Also, their grilled edamame is good as an appetizer. A bit oily since they use olive oil but has the right amount of salt and good to munch on while you're waiting for your main dishes.
I don't recommend getting the scallop mayo. I love scallops and I thought scallops in mayo would be interesting to taste. It was interesting...in a bad way. I felt like I was eating a big tablespoon of fatty mayonnaise. I couldn't taste much of the scallops because it was overwhelmed by the mayo. If you love mayo, go for it but it's definitely on my Stay away list when I come here.
The servers and bartenders were very friendly and patient with us. Not disappointed with the service at all.
It's a bit on the pricey side but the quality of the food is worth the price.
Order the Hamachi Kama at least while you're there. I've never had it before until I came here and it's something I'll order straight away next time I'm here :) -
Review from Hana H.
3/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Food I recommend: Hamachi carpacio, oyster shooter, assorted sashimi.
Service: Fast and friendly.
Price: Pricey.
No complaint. I don't mind treating myself to dine here once in awhile. -
Review from Melika A.
Tracy, CA
5/11/2012
It was our first time, and because of all the high reviews, I was really looking forward to it. We ate here on a Thursday for lunch, and it was pretty busy. To be quick-grilled edamame was delicious. Nice smoky grilled flavor.The fried oysters were crunchy & I would order them again. However the other items, the agadashi tofu, ,(I forgot the actual names of the rollls) the scallop lime, & the chille spider roll were okay. Each bite was forgetable even while I ate it! Overall, I'm over the hype.
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Review from Peter K.
Pleasanton, CA
3/1/2012
Host told us wait time would be about 30mim, but waited an hour and yet still no tables available. We end up walking out. It was so irritating dealing with host...
Anyways the looks like one of those typical hyped restaurant. -
Review from Al C.
3/3/2012
I'll start with some of the good: I was seated within 30 minutes on a Monday night.
Then onto the bad: Poor service, unacceptable planning and logistics. This place gets packed frequently and of the four times I've been here they've continually demonstrated a sheer lack of competence when operating at or near capacity.
The final straw was the last time that I was here. It took a while to get seated (as normal, no problem) but then we waited for over an hour after ordering to get some pretty basic rolls that could easily have been whipped up in five minutes anywhere else. Tables next to us were in equally dire straits, everyone getting antsy while waiting for a seeming eternity. Weekday dinner taking over 1.5 hours? Wow...you best set your expectations accordingly. Here comes the one-course dinner that thinks it's a five-course set. Even Caligua would have blushed.
Waitress had to be flagged down from afar with upheld appendages to get simple things like a seaweed salad and tea refills. No apologies during the first hour, no estimates other than 'soon'. I'm a patient person normally (N.B. the three other times coming here), but this was too rough. Kitchen was so slow that a bunch of the waitstaff ended up mingling around a computer terminal multiple times trying to figure out their own chaos of order tickets.
To add insult on top of injury: I noticed that there was a VIP room in the back area: those patrons arrived about 30 minutes after we were seated at our table, but they started receiving plates of sushi quickly after arrival. Next time I guess I better remember to book VIP for this prominent establishment. Right, like I'll ever come back.
Recommend that they reduce 20% of their seated capacity and it might actually work out. -
Review from Jessica H.
Livermore, CA
3/21/2012
My fiancé and I have been coming here since we moved to Livermore a few years back. I constantly hear bad reviews about their service, but honestly, we have never had anything but exceptional service (and I'm picky...). I want to especially point out Eric, bartender/waiter: attentive, knowledgable, and fun! He puts up with my quirky sense of humor, knows when to leave us alone and when to "get involved".
Next the food: fresh fish! Hamachi Kama to die for! Oysters on the half shell that aren't on the menu but if you ask, they have the most exquisite presentation of oysters with tobiko, scallions and a little bit of hot sauce.
If you want good sushi in the Dublin/Pleasanton area, this is your place! -
Review from Lola S.
Danville, CA
4/4/2012
I love the sushi here...very fresh, and the rolls are always tasty! The sushi kitchen can get backed up on Friday & Saturday night- so fill up on their grilled edamame (so yummy!). However...
I would give it 5 stars except for two problems- it can take forever to flag down your server. And this is so gross...I have found a hair in my ginger not once, not twice BUT three times!!! Eww! I am thinking I won't be back for awhile!
Bummer! So hard to find great sushi in this area. -
Review from Hello K.
Fremont, CA
Updated - 3/9/2012 5 photos
Still one of my favorite Japanese restaurants!
They are always packed on weekend evenings (definitely call ahead to make a reservation early). Wait can be 30-45 min normally. This is my only peeve....the word is out that this place is good!
I've been here a few times in the past few months for dinner with family and friends. Service can be hit or miss, sometimes slow depending on if the kitchen or sushi chef is backed up but overall not bad and the food is good.
The ramen is delicious- the broth is so savory and the noodles are nice and firm. Definitely tasty. Also like the gyoza and still love the sesame chicken.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/27/2008
Just returned here tonight for dinner. This place is happening! We waited about 20 minutes to be… Read more »
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Review from Diana M.
Updated - 2/10/2012
It's gotten better. It's probably now the best sushi spot in Dublin in terms of ambiance and quality of food....and it's no longer bare and quiet! Be prepared to wait for at least an hour to be seated on Friday nights. And be prepared to wait another hour for your sushi because they are SUPER busy!
My favorites are:
-Grilled Edamame, still - I know you can buy these at Costco but I do love how it's grilled with olive oil and slightly seasoned with garlic salt.
-Agedashi Tofu - a good amount of tofu provided.
-Spicy Sesame Seared Tuna - HANDS DOWN, the bomb!
Now if they could deal with the long wait, I'd give it an extra star. Nonetheless, glad that there's a decent Asian restaurant located in the dub-world. Woot.Listed in: In My Hood
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/12/2010
Yah, this place is cool I guess but I wouldn't get all "HYPHEE" about it.
-The service is slow but… Read more »
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Review from Angel F.
Oakland, CA
5/18/2012
We were in the Bay Are for 4 years and visited this place quite a few times. After reading a lot of reviews I can say that we have always enjoyed our food and never had issues with it's freshness or authenticity. The edamame is one of our favorites since it's out very quick and is just awesome. However I can agree that on multiple occasions the service can be rather slow and food (entry's and rolls) take a long time to get out. But since we are never in a rush, always have great company and are enjoying the atmosphere with our edameme, it just never really seemed to bother us. I worked in a restaurant for 4 years so I'm usually very particular about service. So for the times I've been it was great. Just don't go if you're in a rush. It's definitely a sit, relax and enjoy experience. The only hang up for us is the price. On a family of 4 budget it's a bit pricey.
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Review from Kamry Z.
Davis, CA
2/21/2012
I came here last Friday night with three friends for dinner. The place was pretty packed at 5:40. The hostess told us that the wait would be about half an hour, which didn't matter too much because not all of our party was there yet. Moreover, the seats at the waiting area (also the same seats for dining) are super comfortable.
We were seated to a table by the window. Our waters and iced tea came quickly but the beer took a while. Refills were prompt though. We ordered soft shell crab as an appetizer with salmon and beef teriyaki for the entrees. For rolls, we ordered the chili spider salmon, the spicy sesame seared tuna, the Klondike express, the Italian dragon, and one other which I don't remember the name of.
The soft shell crab was really crisp and succulent. We just wished the hot sauce was drizzled on top instead of being on the bottom for the crab to really soak in the spiciness. Both the teriyakis came in good portions with a salad. The rolls were just amazingly fresh. I'm not too sure how I feel about the pesto in the Italian dragon but I didn't hate it. It just took a while to get used to. Otherwise, all the rolls were really good. I especially liked the Klondike express and the chili spider salmon.
I would come back when I want to splurge a little on sushi. -
Review from Steven P.
Pleasanton, CA
3/5/2012
Not a sushi eater? Me either...BUT there are so many other things you can get here. I love Japanese tempura and soups that are made. I mean come on, if my parents would have deep fried all those veggies in tempura, I would have eaten them!
Good size menu with lots of options for everyone. This place gets super busy, so call for reservations!
People who were with me had sushi and said it was really good. All the other items I had (non-sushi type) was excellent. Noodles, miso soup, tempura veggies, and a chicken dish with rice was really good. I found a new place to eat! The staff is very nice and helpful. Every time I go, it's consistently good. -
Review from Nia Q.
Dublin, CA
4/2/2012
I cant get enough of this place. It is one of the reasons why I moved back to Dublin :) My favorite rolls are: Spicy Seared sesame tuna,Rainbow roll, Klondike roll and the BESTTTTTTT tuna ceviche salad... oh and the grilled edamame! You cant go wrong with this place... but be prepared to spend a lot of $$$$! Not a cheap place :)
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Review from Bruce W.
San Ramon, CA
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Driving by and peering through the window, I thought to myself that this place was a classy higher end Sushi Bar that would serve only the finest and fresh fish. I loved the clean lines and the simple straight forwardness of its appearance and atmosphere. The restaurant was packed and busy. It must be good, I told myself. We were told that there was a 20min wait. No problem, we didn't have reservations, that was fine, I thought. I left my party to use the restroom. A couple of minutes later, when I returned to find them waiting at the front, they were gone and seated. Cool!!!! that's terrific!
The waitress arrived and took our drink and appetizer orders, which were pretty quick to arrive. Then she left, and we waited, and we waited. It was a long while before she returned. The restaurant was starting to empty, but no problem... we waited. Finally, she arrived to take our order. Food must be good, its crowded, every table was filled, and they were concentrating on their prior customers providing good service. That's fine.
She took our order, it wasn't too very long, before the food arrived, or at least half of the order. The sushi rolls looked incredibly delicious. But, for some reason two sushi rolls out of the four I ordered arrived after we practically finished the first 2. It was about a 20 minute wait for the other 2 rolls to even arrive. That's okay.
It just seemed like the longer I stayed in this place my expectation and enjoyment of this place was slowly deteriorating. The sushi rolls I ordered: Rainbow, Klondike, California, and Spicy Tuna left me wanting. What I was left exactly wanting was a tasty delicious sushi roll. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the sushi they served. The Rainbow roll smelled fishy and was not so fresh as there was no sweetness to the meat of the fish, and the fish looked and felt a little mushy. The Spicy Tuna was much too spicy and small. The Klondike had little to no flavor. Enough said, as one of the most critical importance to judging a sushi restaurant is the sushi.
Too bad, I finally thought I found a sushi restaurant in my neighborhood that I could frequent. I might give it a try again, but I would limit my sushi order. In fact, I would likely travel a little further and return to Yanagi in Dublin instead. -
Review from Tuan V.
Union City, CA
4/14/2012
Service was excellent, presentation was great, food was decent.
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Review from Vivien C.
San Ramon, CA
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
They seem very busy as it was full house inside. The server was nice but it was just ok service. The food was just average. The wait was way too long!
The waiter told me there is a back up in the sushi line. He can wait or bring me whatever that is ready first. My entree came after 30 mins. They have nothing for you to snack on while you wait. Usually Japanese restaurant give you like a soup and salad while you wait.
So my entree was here but where the hell is my sushi? I waited. Then my dinner was done and still no sushi. I told the waiter to cancel it because I already finished my dinner. He told me it was ready!
Again, food was average. Service was OK. Wait was too long. Probably will not go again. -
Review from Brian R.
2/8/2012
Wow. This is an amazing Japanese restaurant. I came in with a group of coworkers on a Tuesday night and the place was pretty busy. Fortunately, we had made reservations and were seated immediately. Not food related, but I want to point out their their chairs are pretty comfortable. Food wise, it's probably among the top 10 Japanese restaurants I've been too. I'm personally on a low-carb diet, so I did not partake in the sushi, but there were plenty of other options to choose from. Dishes I did dine on include:
Sashimi Salad
Hamachi Carpaccio
Tuna Ceviche
Tako Kimchee Salad
Grilled Edamame
Aspargus Beef Wrap
Of those items, I want to specifically call out the sashimi and tako kimchee salads as well as the asparagus beef wrap. The amount of fish included with the sashimi salad is impressive, and the flavors of the tako kimichee and beef wraps were amazing. I'll probably have to order them again when I return. Combine the three and you've got a pretty impressive, and healthy, dinner for two.
On the sushi side, while I did not have any myself, my coworkers ordered about 6-7 rolls and the artistic detail the chefs put into each roll exemplifies the pride they have in their work. And from the comments, it would seem that the flavor of each roll was equally excellent. -
Review from Arlynn A.
San Francisco, CA
Best jap spot in the dublin/pleasanton area.
been here a few times already for both lunch and dinner. you do get more bang for your buck during lunch since bento like meals are only available during 11:30-2pm (M-F)
2 item $10
3 item $14
Def get the tempura ice cream for dessert. YUM! -
Review from Cindy T.
2/5/2012 1 photo
We came here on a Saturday around 7:30pm and boy was this place busy! Luckily, my cousin made reservations, but they weren't able to seat us until 7:45pm. Overall, I think the sushi and sashimi was alright. Between the three of us, we shared:
Agedashi tofu - just okay. The dashi broth was bland. Not to brag, but I've made better?
Hamachi carpaccio - okay, fish could be fresher
Sake lomi lomi - I love salmon, but this was also just okay
Salmon skin roll - way too much filling, lacked the crunchy skin
Spider roll - I love soft shell crab, but this didn't leave an impression
Unakyu roll - simple, good
Dragon roll - huge roll, good
Spicy sesame seared tuna roll - light, spicy, one of my favorites of the night
*I love, love ginger, but the ginger served that night was dry, dry, dry. Boo. -
Review from Caitlin C.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012 4 photos
Screw coming here for the typical California rolls and chicken teriyaki entrees! Although I'm sure they're delish, I'd suggest going for amakara's special creations! After much difficulty, we ended up going for 3 of amakara's original rolls:
1. Italian dragon roll ($14 - eel, crab, tempura shrimp, avocado, tomato, and basil pesto)
2. Hawaiian Delight ($15 - salmon, pineapple, bacon, mustard sauce, Tabasco, red onion, tomato)
3. Tropical Punch ($15 - unagi, spicy tuna, cucumber, topped with mango slices with mango sauce)
All 3 of the rolls were on point. Even though they seem a little pricy, the rolls are HUGE (8-10 pieces each), taste amazing, and are made with such careful attention to detail that you immediately forget the prices once you pop that first piece of sushi into your mouth. Who would have thought pesto sauce, tomatoes, pineapples, and bacon would go well on sushi??? And who has 4 different types of miso soup (soft shell crab miso, grilled eggplant miso, wakame tofu miso, and spicy miso)!? Apparently amakara does, and for that they have stolen my heart. It doesn't help that every single thing on the entire menu sounded - and looked - amazing, since each dish brought to other tables looked like heaven on a plate. AMAKARA I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN. Just gotta wait for that next paycheck though cause I am def ballin on a budget here :p
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