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B-Dama
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
4301A Piedmont Ave(between John St & Gleneden Ave)
Oakland, CA 94611
Neighborhoods: Piedmont Ave, North Oakland
(510) 420-1578
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
81 reviews for B-Dama
Review Highlights
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"kawa-crispy rosie chicken skin skewer(2.25." In 6 reviews -
"...very good as well such as the black cod and the pork belly." In 8 reviews -
"Mushrooms, Miso short ribs, tomato salad, and the scallops..." In 5 reviews
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81 reviews in English
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Review from Jason R.
Oakland, CA
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome. Just awesome.
Weird but, the chicken hearts were delicious. A light smoky... -
Review from Cynthia C.
Alameda, CA
5/2/2012 6 photos
Fabulous sushi and killer toro steak, loved the organic Japanese greens and FREEBIES!
You never see freebies when dining Japanese. An amuse, pickled vegetarian gluten free rolls and an extra with our sushi, maki w/egg.
Yakitori, good, but have had better, the charcoal flavors were on point:
-Chicken & scallion
-Duck
-Pork belly, I like fat, but there was barely any meat
On the fence:
-Crab omelette, liked the omelette and sweetness of the crab, but the gelatinous goop it was sitting in was kinda gross, I have a thing against really thick liquids.
Service:
Very courteous and polite, they need to step up the tea and water refills.
YAY:
Excellent ventilation, we didn't smell like the food after our meal.
Skip:
-Oxtail soup, not really soup more like the cooked down concentrated drippings.
-Saba was not so good, kind of fishy
-Junmai daiginjo large carafe, about 4 oz for $29, next time I will go with the sake flight
We were completely stuffed at the end of the meal, had it not been for the overpriced sake, we would have been well under $100 for two. Very happy to have BD in this neck of the woods. -
Review from Nique F.
4/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
After peeping those crazy photos of the chicken heart, pork belly, and cheese-drenched skewers, I couldn't get B-Dama out of my head. I'm no crazy carnivore, but something about those trendy, gourmet sticks had me meat-curious...
In case it's not obvious, you need more than a hint of gastronomic adventurousness to appreciate the menu here. There are all sorts of mammal, fish and crustacean items that might irk those with pansy palates or vegetarian leanings. But if you're up for something completely out of the ordinary, prepare for a thrill.
It's a tiny little space, very traditional Japanese style with no frills to speak of, besides the expertly executed menu. It could make a nice casual date spot, or a small group dinner, 4-6 max.
Tragically, my group had already ordered and gobbled up the famous B-Dama skewers before I arrived, so I moved on with them to the octopus & seaweed salad - a real work of art, but sadly just not my style. The octopus was a bit too tough and rubbery, with very little flavor. They may have just hacked those tentacles off and threw them in a bowl, which is totally legit, but I need a bit more flavor manipulation - some char perhaps, or a fancy sauce - when it comes to tentacles. Moving on...
They have a simple but interesting list of nigiri and rolls, along with a specials menu that definitely deserves a look. I had the kelp wrapped halibut nigiri: super fresh and healthy tasting. B-Dama is clearly staying true to it's roots and shunning the Americanized, mayo-laden sushi experience, which is something to be commended in our culture of fast-changing foodie trends.
They've got beer, wine, and sake - as you would hope. Service is demure, kind and unhurried. We felt we could just chat and eat as fast or slow as we liked, without any pressure to turn tables. While there's no sushi bar to sit at, you can easily see into the tiny chef's kitchen where the samurai magic happens. The chefs will wave and thank you when you arrive and leave. It's a reminder that B-Dama is a down-to-earth, labor of love kinda place. Respect. -
Review from Bella G.
Berkeley, CA
5/25/2012
I didn't have anything from the kitchen, but the sushi is really impressive. All the nigiri, from the hamachi to the suzuki were fresh, prepared really well, and some of the best I've had in a while. The chef service was friendly and helpful. The rest of the staff seemed lost in the clouds - just coming and going and then milling around in the corner. What lured me in was the sake sampler, but as it turned out, the three types of sake weren't particularly interesting...they were just sweet. Other than that, this sushi-ya was a good experience.
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Review from Eugene L.
I have been wanting to try B-Dama for a while . Ive been a fan of Geta for a long time.
I jumped into my Weekend Whip and rolled to B-Dama . I had to park a block away because Piedmont Ave is such a Yuppie Spot on the Weekends. I street hiked to B Dama . Its a SMALL place .
I was waiting to be Acknowledged by a server for while . So I stopped one and asked about the 1 Vacant table I saw. She told me it was reserved and to wait for a while. After about a 20 minute wait more folks came in asking for a table they where told to wait also. Hey at least there Consistent. 10 minutes later a spot at the Sushi bar opened up.
The Sushi Chef at the Sushi Bar remembered me from Geta. I ordered the Sashimi Special, The Raw Oysters, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Pork Belly Skewer,Dried Shrimp Skewers,Kushi Katsu Special 7 Skewers, Uni and the Soy Chicken Skewer, The Waitress gave me a Crazy look and rolled off to input my order into the system.
The Sashimi was very fresh and well prepared nice size cuts of fish.
Next up 3 Raw Oysters Dressed and ready for consumption . Yummy!!! Very Earthy !!
Bacon wrapped Asparagus Umm who doesn't like Bacon wrapped anything.
Pork Belly Skewer -Lean and very Tasty !!!
Dried Shrimp Skewers -Tasty treats from the Sea.
Kushi Katsu Special 7 Skewers - Great pairing with the 4 Dipping Sauces supplied..
Uni - Soft ,Buttery and oh so Sweet . Just Heavenly.
The Soy Chicken Skewer was very tasty end to the meal I thought.
The Sushi Chef gave me a scoop of Yuzen Homemade Ice Cream. I was very tasty.
I paid By Discover Card. B-Dama reminds me of a Japanese Tapas Place.
Small Tasty plates of goodness.
Random thought I'm watching the Movie Bridesmaids Hilarious !!! Wilson Phillips can still wail and their still Hot!!!Listed in: Asian food, Oakland Joints, Sushi, Seafood Joints, Japanese Food
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Review from Savier M.
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
"B-Dama is more like a Shokudo than an Izakaya
The original idea of opening B-dama is to bring back the 60s Japanese Shokudo (Japanese style dining hall / cafeteria) to the Bay Area. The main concept and belief of ours is to provide a healthy, authentic, and traditional Japanese cuisine to whom would love to enjoy delectable meals and spend some delightful time with their families and friends. B-Dama is not only a "sake place" for adults but it is also a warm, friendly and welcoming place to everyone."
- B-Dama website.
So can we agree to stop referring to B-Dama as an izakaya. I just don't see the izakayaness as I munch on Kamo Nabe, dine on a decent salad, and dig in on oxtail stew. This place is total fatness, I can't see myself getting plump at a glorified snack bar.
And B-Dama is most definitely not snack-bar status. More like a nomnomnom paradise. The fatty savor of butabara yakitori still lingers in my mouth, slightly tangled with the snappy spice of ginger in the garisaba. Leave it to Kamo Nabe to overwhelm the entire experience with its dense broth and perfectly fatty duck slices. It was so disgustingly good I took a few bites and stopped eating as punishment for spoiling myself so well. If you are looking for another standout dish then look no further than the Oxtail Stew. Baby Jesus literally wept on this plate to create the most tender oxtail cut on planet earth. Never has meat literally leaped off the bone and into my mouth. I kid you not, it said "Eat me."
So obviously 5 supernovas to the team that used to man Geta Sushi. I knew you guys were winners the first time I walked into Geta, I just didn't know how hard you'd win.Listed in: The Nom Nom Dynasty
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Review from Kevin H.
Oakland, CA
4/16/2012
The best Japanese in Oakland, hands down, and would probably be in my top ten list of restaurants in the east bay. Authentic and delicious, with beautiful presentation. Fresh fish, and not a Philly or CA roll in sight. I once even got some freebies of sushi and sashimi.
Careful though! don't make the same mistake I made of going to B-dama on a friday night without reservations. You will not get a table very quickly, even with two people, as a consequence of the restaurant being so small. -
Review from Emma L.
San Francisco, CA
4/20/2012
Love this place. Great presentation of dishes, high quality ingredients, good service, and a variety of dishes!
We went with a friend from Japan who was very impressed with the authentic Japanese dishes. -
Review from Paolo M.
3/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is not your typical sushi, donburi, bento box, or ramen kind of a joint. Instead, think if you will, of an orgy between a German hofbräuhaus, Spanish tapas, and Japanese gastro-sensibilities. Then, picture a modest Japanese woman who coyly hides behind the sleeve of her kimono in public. But on stage, she blows the bejeezus out of her gents like the defining dance scene of Memoirs of a Geisha. The product of those kinds of hedonism and hidden talent is B-Dama. Unassuming and humble, B-Dama exudes Japanese hospitality and modesty in it's intimate setting. But, what it lacks in pretention, it certainly makes up for in jolly drinks accompanied by subtle, yet mind-blowing punches from its highly inspired dishes.
STARTERS:
* Sake: Akitabare Koshiki Junzukuri: crisp, a strong hot (read: alcohol) start, but a mellow, and lightly nutty finish.
* Green salad with sesame dressing: very simple, but the arugula in the mix certainly takes it up a notch, the sesame soy dressing was light with good sesame flavor, topped with puffy-fried mung bean noodles.
YAKITORI:
* Negima (chicken with scallion): Soo tender and juicy, lightly charred, slight pleasant pungency from the scallion complemented it's beautiful smokiness.
* Butabara (pork belly): like no other pork belly I've had--not fatty at all, pure juicy tender meat with a nice char and smokiness
* Bacon wrapped asparagus: Where did they get such thinly sliced bacon? The bacon gingerly wraps around short pieces of asparagus stalks. Not too fatty, the bacon doesn't crumble on the skewer. A great accompaniment to more substantial plates.
* Gyutan (beef tongue): very lean flat chunks of beef. If you're used to slow-cooked tender tongue like I am, you may be surprised by this dish. It has a great grilled flavor like the other yakitori items, but it's kind of tough and chewy. For those of you who like something substantial to gnaw on, this one's it!
NOT-SO-SMALL, BUT NOT-TOO-LARGE PLATES:
* Agedashi (fried tofu in fish broth): not fishy at all, but full of savory and just slightly sweet broth. Not so much broth to be a soup, but just enough to drape thick slices of breaded and fried silken tofu. A really creamy experience.
* Kaori Age (tuna sandwiched between shiso leaves and then deep fried): Oh my e'ffing lord, this was good! Who would have thought that large shiso leaves sandwiching a filling of super fresh, non-fishy tuna would be such a delight?! Very delicate crispiness and sublte, but present flavor from the fish. This was probably my favorite for the evening.
* Mino Age (salmon and white fish encased in toothpick thin julienne potatoes and deepfried): When the board listed this dish as salmon, white fish and potatoes, I thought I'd get something like a croquette. What a novel (and pleasant) surprise to find cannelloni-shaped cones of deep-fried julienned potatoes encasing the salmon and white fish. Visually stunning, a strong crispy start in your mouth, followed by a smooth explosion of savory fish.
DESSERT:
* Vanilla Ice Cream over red beans and dusted with matcha (green tea powder): Guys, I don't know what kind of vanilla ice cream this was, but it was a little more brown in color than other vanilla ice creams I've seen. Not too sweet, but creamy. It gently covered a few table spoons of sweet, slightly mashed, juicy read beans and dusted with green tea power. This dessert experience was much more than I expected.
WARNING
You need to know that one can easily pass this place up as it's hidden in a short strip near the top of Piedmont Ave. You also need to know that the place is small and seating is tight and limited..and the bar is not very long. Hey it's Asian. It gets more relaxed toward the later hours; so consider making this an after-movie dinner date spot if you don't want to deal with jabbing elbows with your neighbor or fighting for the ideal window seat.Listed in: 5 Star Eliteness: You Eff'n…
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Review from Petri Y.
San Francisco, CA
3/21/2012
Oh B-Dama, you kinda sound like a foriegn cus word, but your sushi and izakaya is so divine!! I wish they had one of these in SF. After I went with the hubby, he said he would happily take the bart over from sf after work to go eat here every friday. Yes that good!!
The boss recommended Kiraku, but after looking at their menu, we thought it was a bit limited. Then I found B-dama. Oh man I'm glad I did!
We braved terrible heavy rain and wind and found parking right in front on a Friday at 630pm.
We snagged a table in the very small dining room.
by 7pm there was already a wait.
We had:
Nigiri-
Uni,- one of the better ones we've had, overflowing with Uni, and superfresh
kampachi- really good
salmon belly- so buttery and melt in ur mouth
que- some kind of bass fish- good
maguro- blood red and so fresh.
the nigiri was a highlight. the rice was seasoned well, and the fish was cut very well and the fish was longer than the size of the fish- how nigiri is supposed to be. I like!
Yakitori-
chicken skin- so crispy. My fav. almost as good as the place in oahu we went to, betteer than ipukku.
cartildge- good, but there were bits of meat there, a pet peeve of mine. The place in oahu has 100% pure cartildge and nothing else. so crunchy yum.
chicken hearts- good, a tiny bit gamey but good
beef tongue- good, but they cut the beef tongue a bit too thick.
cod nabe soup- good nabe soup in a smal iron pot, with tofu, clear noodles, cabbage and fresh cuts of cod fish
the sashimi plate our neighbors got looked SO fresh. that will be our next hit. Will be back soon!
Service is fast and prompt- note they run out of things during the night so get there early! -
Review from Lisa W.
Oakland, CA
4/7/2012 6 Check-ins Here
Firstly, it's not too often that you find a good Japanese restaurant that is not based on the usual sushi, teriyaki (ugh!) and bentos. This place is different, kinda like the lovechild of a tapas bar and a sushi place. As a tip, get to know the staff and the chef, you will get stellar service.
My personal favourites are:
The Oxtail Soup
Buta Kakuni
Kawa
Gyutan
As a note, usually I come here alone, and I get a small portion. However, the few times I came here with friends the portions seem to double, so be careful not to order too much! Plus the fact that I usually get freebies and delicious bites on the house, so pace yourselves well!!! -
Review from Andrew C.
Oakland, CA
5/18/2012
This is a solid four. Tiny place and we were in the one table in the middle of the room, all other tables have walls at least on one side. So, it was a bit cramped; and the table is not large so we had to juggle the various small plates they brought. However, the food is wonderful. The only "sushi" we had was some Hamachi, two beautifully cut pieces, a small amount of rice, very fresh. The chicken skin was so good; scallops, mushrooms, bacon wrapped tomato, OMG, awesome. Their yakitori grill keeps popping out lots of great food. And its quite diverse. Duck soup was a bit fatty and didn't compare to rest of meal. Sake flight was 3 2oz pours in little glasses that are asymmetric. Cute and fun. Great place for a date; not "romantic" but fun. Make a reservation.
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Review from Jasmin L.
San Francisco, CA
DINNER DATE: 03.3.2012 @ 7PM
HIDDEN GEM REVIEW
Japan is one country I have not been to yet eventhough my Filipino-Japanese loveones have been calling Japan "home" for decades. Hoping to entice me to visit them soon, they always regal me with stories of fun drunken nights at many izakaya in their hometown of Nagoya. Very tempting.
An izakaya is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. They are popular, casual places for after-work drinking.
DECOR/AMBIANCE:
Despite my very limited experience with authentic izakaya, B-Dama gave me a sense that it is the real thing. The chefs are Japanese. Being housed in a newly built commercial building does not diminish its feel of authenticity. As soon as you walk in you will be facing a "messy" kitchen where the grilling is being done. A step down is a the tiny dining room with sushi counter that sits about 10. Dining tables are tightly packed. B-Dama is how I imagine the izakaya in Japan to be like--casual, unpretentious, homey and relaxed. Little hand-made cutout menus are on board in addition to separate grill, sushi, soup and drink menus at the table.
MENU:
Honestly, my man and I felt "lost" while perusing the menu. This is not a typical sushi place which we can navigate without having to look at the menu.
I am more familiar with the concept of izakaya than he was so I took care of ordering the yakitori (grilled items). Most of these grilled items can be ordered prepared with sauce or salted. He took care of the sushi/sashimi part.
We were welcomed with complimentary pickled cucumber and radishes which were very nice palate cleansers:
For the YAKITORI, we had the:
SHORT RIB AND QUAIL EGG $3.5
*Very nice and flavorful. Slightly chewy but tasty. The beef and quail complimented each other texture-wise.
CHICKEN HEARTS $2.5
*I tried one and it was fresh, not chewy and with just the right amount of gaminess. However, now I remember that I really do not like chicken heart even when I used to eat them as street food in the Philippines. Nostalgic!
SOFT-SHELL SHRIMP $3.5
*3 fresh shrimp with shell and head still attached. You bet I ate the whole thing--head, shell and "feet" and all!
CHEF'S CHOICE 10 DEEP FRIED SKEWERS $10
*My man was slightly disappointed because he said it was mostly veggies with some seafood. I tasted what seemed to be "fake" crab leg. It was good but I was really there for the yakitori.
We also ordered nabemono (soup), sushi and sashimi:
TARA NABE (Black Cod Soup) $12
*Arrived in a traditional cast iron pot, this soup was one of the best fish soups I have ever had in a while. The soup came with generous slices of very fresh black cod, tofu and veggies. The broth was not salty at all. I did not get the temporary dehydration syndrome I usually suffer from whenever I eat MSG-laden Asian soups. This soup at B-Dama was so delicate and divine. The pot looked small compared to the big bowls of ramen we are used to but it was more than enough to truly satisfy me for the evening. A wonderful soup that I will definitely get again and again!
SASHIMI PLATE $17
*My man was still slightly hungry and decided to order a sashimi plate. It came with about 10 pieces of assorted fish. We did not pay attention to what kind they were but we recognized tuna, salmon, halibut, etc. They were fresh but not "melt in your mouth" sashimi that we have had at our favorite Japanese restaurants. It came with grated radish which speaks to the authentic presentation of a traditional sashimi.
TAKO SUSHI $4.5
*This is how we test the freshness of the sushi at a Japanese restaurant. We order tako or tuna sushi. The tako has to taste fresh, not rubbery or previously frozen. B-Dama's was definitely the fresh kind!
CHECK: $65 including tax before tip and 1 Japanese soda.
SERVICE:
Service was friendly but hurried. We absolutely loved our server that my man tipped her more than the usual. She was nice and very attentive. Be ready to patiently wait for drink refills as the staff are very busy.
VERDICT:
I love the casual, non-pretentious vibe of B-Dama while feasting on delicious small grilled dishes. It is a fun place to bring your friends and order everything on the menu. Overall quality is remarkably high. The black cod soup was exceptional. Even the green tea (another factor I use in judging the quality of a Japanese restaurant) was very nice--not bitter and appropriately hot.
Now that we are familiar with the menu, we will have a better time navigating and enjoying the dishes. A sense of adventure is a big part of izakaya dining.
And lastly, izakaya are sometimes called akachōchin (red lantern) in daily conversation, because these paper lanterns are traditionally found in front of an izakaya. B-Dama has one which convinced me of the BD's authenticity and integrity of its owners: http://www.yelp.com/bi... -
Review from Amy C.
2/17/2012
One of the most comforting and memorable meals that I have had in some time. Their soups are especially impressive. Both the broth for the udon and the oxtail soup were piping hot, extremely soothing and flavorful, yet light and not overly salty. I am not usually a broth drinker, but I drank every last drop and still wanted more. Lots more. The baby hamachi sushi was sublime - very generous cuts of fish that were melt in your mouth fresh. The soft shell shrimp skewers were also a treat.
I'm glad that I'll never have to wait in Kirala's line again. B-Dama's food is just as good, if not better, and it is a much more pleasant dining experience because the restaurant is all around homier - less crowded, quieter and smells better. It even has original Pixar art decorating its walls, I'm guessing from Pixar employees who have dined at B-Dama and just wanted to say, Arigato! for a splendid meal. On top of that, street parking is a lot easier.
I can't wait to come back for the Ozeki one cup and to try literally everything on the menu. I knew I could count on the owners of Geta to do a good job!Listed in: Impressive Bay Area Eats and…
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Review from Hilary A.
Oakland, CA
4/19/2012
I really enjoyed the food. The service on the other hand left me feeling cheated and ripped off. I understand the want for an owner/chef to want to lavish special customers with free items and excellent service. I personally do not appreciate being left to wait longer than it took me to eat; all the while watching a table seated after me receive dish after dish, a couple complimentary(the restaurant is very small). Im not typically a whiner but I left there feeling like a fussy toddler! Please B-Dama do not leave your customers sitting long enough unattended to second guess and negate any possible pleasant out come to a meal.
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Review from Marck N.
2/26/2012
A welcome addition to the East Bay. I found the taste of the food to be very authentic. Seated at the bar, my partner and I ordered the chicken hearts and chicken liver skewers, the skewers setm oxtail dish, and the duck nabe.
The chicken hearts and chicken livers were very tasty. Not gamey or irony as one would expect. We chose the sauce option to the salt option. The skewer set, which was a set of 6 deep fried items. Deep fried, so all tasty. I believe it was salmon, avocado, zucchini, some other white fish, and two more that I cannot remember. Served with 4 different dipping sauces, all were good.
The duck nabe was tasty, as the soup broth was soothing. It also went well with the Ebisu beer that we were drinking. The oxtail was just delicious. After scraping off all the meat, I sucked on the bone, removing all the cartilage. And that's how you clean the bone.
Small and crowded at dinner, it really is a good local find. Shhh, let's keep it between us. -
Review from George D.
Berkeley, CA
3/11/2012 10 photos
Great service, great food, and great ambience. B-Dama ranks in as one of the more memorable first-time dining experiences in a while. Piedmont Avenue never ceases to amaze me.
B-Dama, sits nestled behind a vined overhang and next to Messob Ethiopian Restaurant. We ordered nearly everything on the menu to get a taste of real "Japanese" styled tapas. What does that mean? A nice selection of skewers, terrific soups, and good quality slices of sushi. The servers were extra helpful in helping us decide what to get on the menu and the chef was even kind enough to give us two dishes on the house!
Got the: stuffed shiitake with tuna, sashimi with kampachi (baby hamachi) and sake, agedashi tofu, katsu sampler, chicken hearts and livers, mashed chicken and egg donburi, and ended with the matcha zenzai ice cream (yum!).
I must try in my book, especially if Get-A (owned by the same company) down the street is packed. But get there at a reasonable time because although there is a bit more room than the 4 tables at Get-A, there isn't much more. -
Review from Kenson K.
2/26/2012
Pretty authentic Japanese flavors, probably because the chefs, cooks and servers are all Japanese. Everything we ordered was delicious. This place serves izayakaya type food, and some varieties of sushi. Ippuku has a lot more variety as far as their kushiyaki (skewers) but this place won't put as much of a dent in your wallet as Ippuku.
For the skeweres we had the fried skewer set which consisted of 10 deep fried skewers of vegetables and fish. Also ordered some side skewers of chicken hearts, chicken liver, and beef tongue. All very tasty. I wasn't too impressed with the chicken karaage - I usually like it with a bit more spices in the batter.
The duck soup and the oxtail soup was heavenly though. The broth of the duck soup, though simple, was very savory and made my umami taste buds happy. All of the little goodies in the soup was typical stuff you find in Japanese hotpots. The flavor was good but I think the dish would be absolutely perfect if maybe they marinated the duck in something before putting it in the dish. The oxtail soup - divine! The meat fell off the bones and it had such robust flavor. -
Review from Eugene H.
Bay Area, CA
Updated - 4/21/2012
They came a long way and definitely improved on their craft in food. The wait was moderate about 10 mins. We especially liked the ox tailed soup it was so good I brought the sauce home to have it mixed with the rice for tomorrow. The yakitori across the board were pretty solid. Highlights were the pork belly which could be slightly heavy with the sauce. The asparagus with bacon and tomatoes are recommended. The sake clams are passable soup was too salty, Tuna Tataki was average. Overall enjoyed the food and especially appreciated the amuse by the chef which was Tuna Kama I believe was great and huge in portion. Honestly service was the only thing that could be improved on. It was disorganized 2 or 3 times they delivered stuff to us that weren't ours. It's forgivable for the quality of food they provide for the price we pay. I would recommend B Dama without a second thought
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/9/2011
Came here after finding out about the place @ Geta Japanese Restaurant. This sister restaurant is a… Read more »
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Review from Coron D.
Oakland, CA
1/28/2012
I went to this joint last night, and MAAAAAAAAAN, it's AWESOME. My Brother and I spent a good amount of money, but well worth it. My advice is just try EVERYTHING. My Brother and I did. When you hear the word, Pork Belly Fat, it sounds fattening and greasy. MY GOD, the Pork Belly Fat on a skewer is just power packed full of flavor and meat. Lets just put it like this, if you like bacon, it's thick smoked bacon on Steroids. Whether you get it salted or sauced, you can't lose, trust me. Anybody that reviewed B-Dama, and gave it less than 3 stars WITHOUT trying the Pork Belly Fat, does not equal a real review to me.
Next on the list, never in a million years, would I have guessed CHICKEN SKIN would taste this good!!!!! It sounds nasty doesn't it?? Chicken skin, WTF??? But I'm telling you, it tastes like you're have a party in your mouth. You also got to try the beef with Quail egg Skewer, Chicken Hearts.
Keep the drinks flowing too. I had 2 pints of Beer, and then got a little full. My advice to you is drink Sake with it. We started drinking Sake at the end of the night with our food, and I think it burned right through the food, so you can sit there and eat more. It was like a having a second stomach :D The owner even let us go out for a smoke and come back, and he gave us 3 entree on the house. Mind you, this was my first time here! I tried other stuff too, like Uni, chicken with cheese, oysters, scallops, all skewers, but those pieces weren't anything I haven't tasted before. Still tasted good though, don't get me wrong.
I'll never forget my first time here. We planned on eating and getting out, but I ended up staying there for 3 hours with food and drinks just keep coming out. My for sure winners are Pork Belly Fat, Chicken Skin, Chicken Hearts, and the beef with Quail Egg. You can't lose with those 4! Now go out there and try your own and tell me what you think is good. Also make a reservation, this place knows they have the good stuff, cause I had a reservation at 7 and there were barely any sitting place on a Friday. Excellent Excellent place..... going home full without feeling nasty, and drunk is never wrong in my world ^_^ Before I go, if you're scared of anything on the skewers, just get it sauced, it will help you over come your fears, hehe. -
Review from Michael D.
Oakland, CA
4/4/2012
Yeah izakaya.... what is it about the Japanese aesthetic that is so damn beautiful.....ill tell what......SIMPLICITY.....and it was really complicated making it that simple... (oxymoron) i think not!!!!! Thats why it take's a sushi apprentice at least 5 years just to learn how make rice the right way........ and why you can never get it that good at home. But i digress. Something about little pieces of animal perfectly cooked over Japanese charcoal, with only a little salt or a simple soy and sugar sauce that gives you the primal feeling of eating barbeque that has been refined into eloquence...God here I go with the paradox...sorry folks..
Started with the sashimi, which was nice and fresh, makeral, yellow-tail, bluefin, sea bass. moved on to the wakame salad..another must have for me. But the real stars here
are the skewers.. Definitely get the black pork belly, and the chicken hearts and livers (if you roll like that) but seriously dont miss the chicken skin....perfectly cooked to crunchy, sticky, fatty awesomeness ...... I ate like 4 skewers of that. Moved on to the black cod with noodles and some sort of dashi....really nice but i would have rather just eaten more meaty bits on sticks...
Good place to go... though its gonna take you like 30 bucks to get full here so dont try and dip in here hungry and broke telling yourself that your only gonna get 1 chicken skin skewer and a beer and then wind up putting like 40 bucks on your debit card ....because i definitely never did that...... just a PSA for all you people out there with a lack of discipline around pork and chicken fat. -
Review from Lauren G.
Oakland, CA
1/16/2012
Worst service I have had at any restaurant in recent memory. Good food but i will never return because:
-Waited 15 minutes for first contact with server
-Server forgot to bring half the food we ordered...how hard is it to dish out and serve miso soup before bringing the sushi (which took a loooooong time to bring)...and a bowl of rice??
-Water glasses were emptied quickly and had to remind twice for refill, which took 10 minutes.
-Check arrived not totaled - just each item and cost listed
I have never not tipped in my life but could just not bring myself to do so, so bad was the service.
Please hire more servers...I understand that the one server was busy with a lot of customers, but I still expect half-decent (if not awesome) service at these prices! -
Review from Kitty S.
Berkeley, CA
2/7/2012
My girlfriend and I are huge fans of japanese street food, so when I heard of a place she hadn't been to I was pretty chuffed. We decided to check it out before going out to a party.
I was pretty disappointed, to be honest. Our chicken skin was burnt, as was the tongue- and not in a "grilled nicely" tasty way, just a "yep, this was on heat for too long" way. You only get one skewer per order, which was a little disappointing too. It was all right, mind... just not as nice as other places we had gone.
The sake was great, though, and it wasn't crazy crowded. -
Review from Bayarea K.
Berkeley, CA
1/8/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Very good izakaya place.
Service was friendly but kind of slow.
Food was very good but slightly pricey. -
Review from My C.
Oakland, CA
YAY! An Izakaya joint on this side of the bay! Located pretty much at the end of Piedmont Ave., this tiny spot offers all sorts of very VERY yummy izakaya dishes. We walked in at a little after 8:30pm to find they had a pretty packed house still.
The yakitori menu allows you to order with "salt" or "sauce". Choose the "sauce" option. I can't imagine it without it. Well, for most of the items.
Hotate - 3 scallops on skewers with a sweet sauce... mmm... love scallops
Kakuni pork - This will make you full all on its own. 3 big chunks of fatty pork WITH an egg that is just like ones from the ramen that is runny on the outside, swimming in this brothy sauce, omgahhh!!!! gimme more now!
Corn - this was interesting.. why did i think it was only going to be the kernel? no, it's a small cob with some sweet sauce.. very interesting.. left a little crunchy
Momo/shiso/cheese - a chicken kabob basically but with melted cheese on top.. oh man, perfectly cooked juicy chicken, and cheese???? get this!
Bacon wrapped asparagus - ok, get this as salt. just deliciously perfect the way it is. cooked, but crunchy still asparagus with crispy bacon. :)
We also ordered the Chicken Udon. holy smokes their broth is so creamy! not in a chowdering way, just creamy tasting. so great.
And to top the night, they gave us ice cream on the house.. i wonder if it's house made because it's so refreshing! light, lemony.. zang! -
Review from cas c.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 3/31/2012
Art on a Platter
This is where I go for my sushi-fix. And for my sake-fix, and yakitori-fix, and soup-fix. Actually, it's also just so artistic and pretty - so I go for that too.
Beautiful luscious slices of kampachi dabbed w/ yuzu and finely sliced spring onions, fresh local sea urchin sweet and custardy with shiso leaf, ....the seafood is already sublime but the combinations make it even more amazing.
The prices are awesome, the slices are generous, and there are lots of gems always on the menu. The crunchy grilled rice patties - so toasted rice-fragrant - worth those carbs, the daikon salad which has such fresh sesame oil in the dressing, the finely sliced small cucumbers - art in a bowl.
It tastes great, it looks beautiful, and you come away really happy for coming here. The folks who work here are very patient and welcoming. And the Sushi-guru is #$@! good at what he does.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/15/2011
What a GEM - Total yumminess in every bite.
I had been a fan of GETA and appreciated its generous… Read more »
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Review from maryrose d.
Oakland, CA
3/18/2012
More like B-DAMN! What an awesome little gem on Piedmont. I live in the area and must have walked past this place a hundred times before discovering it on yelp when looking at Oakland restaurant reviews.
We went on a Saturday night and the place was crowed, but we were seated right away and service was generally very friendly & attentive. There were numerous small children seated around us - so definitely a family friendly place.
We didn't have sushi but we did gorge ourselves on everything else on the menu. We started with the daikon salad which was lovely. Everything from grill (yakitori) was superb. The skewers are very small (but also inexpensive) so order a bunch. I wish we had ordered more, only because everything was so incredible and I would have loved to try it all. We had the crispy chicken skin (f-ing genius. tender, salty, fatty and just a tiny bit charred to give that smokey flavor), pork belly (I could have eaten 10 of these) and the quail egg & shortrib - my favorite. May sound strange to some, but those two flavors blend perfectly. We also had a shabu shabu special which was tastey - but probably my least favorite thing of the night. It was frankly just a little tiny bit too bland for me. We also had the Japanese fried chicken (balls of incredibly flakey almost powdery crust surrounding delightfully moist chicken).
We probably wouldn't have ordered dessert except I read a few yelp reviews were people raved about the ice cream - so we got the vanilla ice cream with rice dumplings & red bean and matcha (green tea) dust. It was almost like a deconstructed mochi ice cream - but better.
Looking forward to going back and trying the rest of the yakitori menu & sushi! -
Review from Andrew C.
Been here a few times now and each time seems better than the last.
Chicken skin (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) now crispy and delicious!
Board special Grilled squid on skewers ($3.25 http://www.yelp.com/bi...) was a generous portion and were tender with nice grill flavor and a flavorful sauce.
Couple of freebies of small Tomato salad (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), a piece of shiro maguro (albacore) wrapped in a sheet of diakon (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and some sardine & shikai-maki sushi (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
They had 3 servers last night, but was a little slow, possible from World Series Game 7 competition.Listed in: Izakaya
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/1/2011
Couple month old Izakaya opened by the Geta folks down the street. Small with seating for maybe 30… Read more »
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Review from R W.
Oakland, CA
1/20/2012
Almost don't want to give a five star review because I want to keep this place to myself. Went as a party of two on a rainy Friday night and was seated immediately. They were happy to let the two of us sit at a four-top, which I like. We experienced none of the service issues that other yelpers have noted. The grilled skewers were uniformly delicious (opt for sauce over salt when available) and we had the Kara-age and the fried soft-shell crab to follow, along with a pitcher of Sapporo (15$).
We really enjoyed our time and will be back. Parking is difficult so walk there if you can, reservations are accepted so no need to wait for a table.
P.S. The grilled Shisito peppers are like Russian roulette. 2 of the 6 we had were spicy, like a Japanese pimentos de padron. -
Review from Farah S.
3/7/2012
For quality Japanese food other than sushi, try this place. Not super pricey. So many different offerings on the menu. I went with a group of four so it made for a great way to try several dishes. The blackened cod and the udon soup were the standouts. The cod had incredible flavor and delicate texture. The udon soup had a wonderfully rich but not too rich broth. The salty chicken skin was a tasty treat as well as the pork belly. Probably the best pork belly I've ever tasted. Melt in your mouth good. Small space, nice lighting, friendly sushi chefs. Straight forward service. I will come back.
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Review from A. M.
Richmond, CA
2/18/2012
I'm a huge fan of B-Dama! I come here almost every week. Their sushi is always fresh and delicious . Don't forget to check out their "Today's Specials" menu as well. It's always updated with new dishes.
By the way, one of the waitresses told me that B-Dama is now on facebook. If you are also a big fan, go check it out!
Search by : B-Dama (the one which is followed by the Japanese words for B-Dama. This is their only official page and this is the only one they will keep updating and maintaining.) -
Review from Su K.
Oakland, CA
2/19/2012
Great Izakaya. Chikara-san at Geta handed over Geta to his brother and opened B-dama. Same great sushi and more sake, authentic food and seating options. Unlike Geta, you cannot order take-out. :(
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Review from Samir K.
Alameda, CA
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
After reading about this place in EBE, decided to go here with the fam to celebrate my sister getting a new job. I had never been to an Izakaya before but read all about it from Anthony Bourdain.
We ordered the maguro skin in vinegar, beef tataki, deep fried tofu as main dishes. The maguro skin was good, I hadn't had it before and it was a perfect blend of fresh salty sea flavor and acidic vinegar. The beef tataki was amazing, perfectly seared on the outside but still red in the middle, with white fat swirls throughuout. Mmm. The fried tofu was... tofu. The broth it was in was tasty, but it's still tofu. Also had japanese fried chicken, which was bursting with juicy goodness.
As for the skewers... this is what I came here for, bwahah. Just an fyi, "salt" means SALT and sauce is a teriyaki type sauce.
Chicken skin, chicken heart, chicken wing, pork belly (FUCK YEAH), duck, shrimp, scallops, and mushroom. The skin was perfect, each part reacted to the heat of the grill in a different way. The heart was good, I'm glad I got sauce on it. The chicken wings were... wings, they were tasty but nothing really special. The pork belly was, as pork belly is, the best fucking thing evar. There was a nice crisp on the outside, and melting on the inside.. The duck was tasty, nice and fatty with a gamey overtone. The shrimp was excellent, perfectly crisp on the outside and creamy and fucking awesome on the inside. The scallops were also great, nicely sweetened from the grill. The mushrooms were mushrooms, well cooked but well they were mushrooms.
Service was slow, but at a restaurant like this, you don't go for service. Bathroom was clean, beer was 15 for a pitcher. The dessert selection was OK, but hey, Fenton's is right down the street. -
Review from Becky L.
Oakland, CA
11/5/2011
This is the first time I've been really disappointed with a restaurant in the bay that has more than 4 stars.
We had the chicken hearts, chicken skin, tuna skin with ponzu sauce in vinegar, sardines wrapped with cheese and shiso leaf, uni, sockeye salmon nigiri, beef tongue stew, grilled pork miso soup...
We tried to order the deep fried black cod and chicken gizzards but both were sold out (we got there at 8:15).
The uni and the beef tongue stew were pretty good but the other things were really disappointing. I thought the menu was going to be more interesting and exciting but it had a lot of things like "bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms", "bacon wrapped asparagus"...
Maybe we ordered the wrong things or maybe I thought I'd like Izakaya more and I actually don't.
Don't think we'll be back -- -
Review from Grace C.
Oakland, CA
10/14/2011
I was very excited that the owners of Geta were opening up another restaurant but was bummed to find out that they weren't offering the same menu. I'm a pretty picky eater but my boyfriend loves izakaya's so we tried out this place.
The food is phenomenal and although not a sushi restaurant they offer a limited sushi menu. I ordered mostly chicken and pork dishes as well as an order of tamago. The chicken dishes were tasteful and smoky, pork is always good, and the tamago was presented so beautifully. Seriously! I wish I took a picture!
Service was fantastic and the people there were very knowledgeable. We were the last table to leave one evening and they offered us to try taste some sake with them which was really good. I can't wait to go back! -
Review from petrooshka r.
Oakland, CA
2/27/2012
Fresh, traditional food that arrives bit by bit at a relaxed pace. Good prices, looking forward to going again. And again. But not when I'm in a hurry.
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Review from LuX P.
Oakland, CA
8/9/2011
WOW!
Went to this place last night and couldn't have asked for a better meal.
Very small, but satisfying portions. Good sake and beer selection and all served in some really nice stoneware. This is a place I would picture wandering into somewhere in Japan. Excellent service and some kind generosity from the owner.
All of the grilled items we got salted instead of sauced. It just made more sense to taste the full flavor of each dish. I get a side of rice to stretch the value and flavor.
Grilled Duck- tasty and nicely salty
Grilled Chicken- clean chickeny flavor when it's salted.
Grilled Chicken Skin- YES!
Grilled Pork Belly!
Pitchers of Sapporo
Fried Chicken Gizzards- they marinate the gizzards so they are tender, the perfect thing to eat with beer and sake.
There is something very different about their sashimi/nigiri than other places I've been to. I can only muster the word "rustic" to try to capture the sincerity and warmth of cut and arrangement. Sounds strange, I know, but it is really unique in the most subtle way. It might make sense to you if you eat it?
Salmon nigiri- looked strange with the skin still on, but oh so good
Sardine nigiri- had that pickled tang like saba, which is a good thing because I like saba. Try it!
Shiro Maguro- delicious
Blue Shrimp nigiri- very fresh tasting and served with the heads separately deep fried.
I want this place to be successful, but I know as soon as people find out about it, it will be difficult for me to get a seat. So yeah, keep this place a secret between just you and me.Listed in: OAKLAND? Hell YEAH!
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Review from Joshua C.
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
While the food was good for the most part, the service really lacked. I won't even write about the food I had because I can't get over the service. I'm pretty understanding when it comes to service, but if you leave me waiting for 20 minutes for a dish, we will have a problem. Especially if I notice that the same dish I was waiting for, was given to a table who sat down and ordered AFTER me. That is where they screwed up. I grew noticeably irritable as I waited for the last dish to come out, and when I left, the sushi chef came out and apologized and said that some food takes long to prepare. That, I can understand. Yet that wasn't the problem. The problem was the servers weren't organized and gave my order to a table that was seated 10+ minutes after us. I was so frustrated that it ruined my whole dining experience. I just wanted to get the hell out of the restaurant.
I know about izakaya style dining and how orders come out as they are cooked. Yet, tables that ordered after me got their food first, while I waited and waited and grew impatient. Not okay!
B-Dama, please reevaluate the efficiency of your servers and staff. -
Review from Carolyn S.
Oakland, CA
8/26/2011
We are huge fans of Geta and finally were able to dine at B-Dama tonight. We arrived right at 5pm when they open and sat at the small counter. There are a lot of menu items from which to choose. I don't recall all the dish names but we tried the fried chicken gizzards (yum!), the salmon tataki (very yum!), the tuna skin appetizer (acquired taste?), and a few sushi items: sardines (yum!), maguro (yum!), and salmon (also yum!).
The owner was working behind the counter and kindly gifted us a few things: a cold "salad" of various sashimi in a sort of sesame dressing, grilled pork belly on a skewer, and a cold spinach "salad". All were absolutely delicious and will be on our go-to list for next time. There was also a specials board, but we were too full to partake in anything from it. Again, next time.
There's a great selection of sake, but we'll have to delve into that on our next visit.
Service was extremely friendly---just like at Geta. We'll be back! -
Review from Melissa M.
Berkeley, CA
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
B-Dama is probably one of the best izakayas this side of the bay! It is affordable, ridiculously tasty, owned and staffed by really, really nice people. SO GOOD!
We ordered chicken with scallions, pork belly, heart, momo (thigh) with shiso and cheese, bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms, beef tongue with miso marinade, and an onsen tamago, for me and the boyfriend (I KNOW, I KNOW, BUT HOW COULD I SAY NO??). We also got complimentary dishes.
Everything was delicious. If you wanted a hit list, I would definitely include the pork belly and the beef tongue. We ordered the pork belly with sauce, and it was perfectly smoky and just the right amount of grease. The tongue is ridiculously tender; if you order it, be sure to eat it with a bit of the miso they give you and some of the onion slices that you might have mistaken for garnish.
When the lady accidentally gave our order to the table next door, they gave us a complimentary small plate of the salmon tataki (which i will definitely order the full size of next time). The salmon skin, which was slightly grilled, paired with the raw salmon meat itself is absolutely out of this WORLD.
My recommendations: order some sake or some beer, order one of each of the skewers you want to try. If you'd like more, order bigger menu items such as the tataki or the beef tongue (yum yum yum yum). Save the carbs for last, when you still have room. We had complimentary plates of fried rice (gohan) because our added order of grilled rice balls were gonna take too long to come out, and they were quite good. However, I would've been upset if I ate a whole bowl of the rice and couldn't fit in any skewers.
Now go try it before it gets more crowded than it already is!
