Jo's Sushi Bar
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
89 reviews
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
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32 Reviews for Jo's Sushi Bar
This is like my second favorite restaurant of all time. The sushi is totally meant for sharing. And you can't order just one or two things you sriously have to get one or two of each hing. The best part is watching all of your friends ry to eat the big pieces f sushi all by themselves in one bite.
Can't be too slow on the chopsticks because sometimes the sushi will fall apart. Also, beware of the higher prices that sometimes come with the tastier rolls.
This place is super tasty. Their sushi is great! I like to look at the fish tank while I eat my sushi!
This USED To be my favorite sushi place. Not any more because of one very rude server and an episode of my sickness.
If you wanna spend $$$ for mediocre sushi AND RUDE SERVICE,
then this is yours.
We've been frequenting this restaurant since it moved from Ellinwood (near JFKU and Chevy's) . The new location is close to home and better parking. Yes, the sushi is a bit pricey, however, you pay more for a really fresh sushi. Jo, the owner has a lot of regulars who sit at their sushi bar weekly and when we go, we are always welcomed as part of the neighborhood group. Everything here is great except for the price, however, I am willing to spend a few more bucks for special occasions without any hesitation.
Jo's was good last night. Jo's was authentic. Jo's was a bit pricey. Jo's had fresh fish. Jo's service (didn't sit at the sushi bar) was very good.
Another surprise dinner I was debating on this place or Jo's Honda Sushi and next time we'll go to that one to compare. We each had a two item combo, mine had tonkatsu and a volcano roll and hers had maguro sashimi and a volcano roll. Each combo came with a three piece California Roll, big salad with ginger dressing and miso soup. Great pineapple and cantelope slices included too! The sashimi was high grade and the crab in the roll was real and fresh, but a little too much mayo. I've had tonkatsu where they give you two huge slabs and this place gave one medium sized one. The price was a tad bit high overall, but the quality was excellent.
The neon shark in the window was over the top, but fun. Jo really knows how to brand with the sake bottles, soy sauce dishes and even carpet as you enter had the shark and Jo's logo.
Will definitely go back.
...I go to this restaurant from time to time with my boyfriend, who likes to go with his favorite cousin....Well its ok, its just ok for me. The rolls are small for the price, the tempura shrimp are too crispy and the bento boxes and meat dinners are too pricey (compared to other japanese place I have gone to!)
We love to eat oysters, if I ruled the world I would only eat oysters with lime (not lemon a no-no) and chopped fresh jalapeno, but here they served the oysters with either a soy sauce or some other sauce and scallions, I ask for no sauce no garnish but they dont have lime only lemon : (
My boyfriend likes the volcano roll and I forgot what else...
The service is good, but oh yea dont order the creme brulee..its blah!
The best Sushi restaurant in Contra Costa County!
The owner wakes up early to get fresh fish and prepares well.
If you are not Sushi expert and prefer quantity than quality, this may not be a right place for you.
If you can distinguish super fresh sushi, this is it!!
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I go here when I'm out at my girlfriend's place in the Creek.
Definitely the best sushi I've had in the area. Fish has always been fresh and the spider roll is overstuffed. They often give extra soft-shelled crab with the roll that couldn't fit!!
I think it's comparable to some of the good SF places. It's no Sushi Ran, though.
I'll have to try Aoi Umi to see if it's all that Lisa M is talking about.
It was an OK neighborhood sushi joint...until I got sick. Once that happens...it's pretty tough to ever go back.
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Jo's Sushi Bar is the "total package". It's a great neighborhood restaurant with the quality & service of it's big city competitors. I don't know how he does it but Joe seems to remember everybody's name. He's friendly, interesting, interested and a masterful sushi chef. For fun, check out Jo's Golf Roll. This one's price changes with each round of golf Joe plays. (Joe shoots a 92, price is $9.20, Jo shoots a 102, price goes to $10.02) Patrons therefore, always ask about his golf game and hope for improvement! Jo's is a great spot for the family...my kids insist on coming along and love the mocci balls with mango puree...yummy! Fresh, fresh fish....I've never had a yucky item and when it comes to sushi, this is very important. This one's worth the $$.
Bland is the best way to describe everything I had here. The only good part of the meal was the green tea ice cream. Other than that I would say you can get anything here at any other sushi restaurant. Weak.
The only Japanese place around the area that serves katsu kare (pork cutlets curry). Just for that, Jo's gets 4 stars from me.
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Tucked away in a nondescript strip mall, Jo's Sushi Bar doesn't look like anything special from the outside, but, even after trying out its flashier local competitors (and there is literally a sushi bar on every corner in the Walnut Creek area), I keep coming back to Jo's. The fish is always fresh and tasty, the service is always friendly and Jo keeps the atmosphere lively by periodically sending out complimentary sake shots.
I especially love the salmon handroll with the perfect amount of tobiko and green onion.
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Went here for the first time on Friday and just loved it. I've been looking for a great sushi place close to home and I think I found it. The service was amazing and the food excellent. We had a spicy tuna roll, the ANA roll, Hamachi sashimi and a fantastic asparagus roll that had tempura in it ... I could have had more. I have a feeling that this is going to become my local favorite. There is a lot more sushi to come back and try.
If I could give 1/2 a star I would. I am surprised by the reviews here for this place. Why would anyone go here, when less than 5 minutes away, you could go to Aoi Umi on Pleasant Hill Road (near Safeway) and have REAL sushi for the same price (on some nights, it is the best sushi I've had in my life including sushi restaurants in Japantown)?
The base for good sushi is the rice. I swear to you, the sushi at Jo's Sushi is made with overcooked, LONG GRAIN rice paste. Yuck!
Not very many creative special rolls. Fish was fresh from what we could tell. Tempura rolls were like eating Long John Silver all you can eat shrimp stuffed into said long grain rice paste. Very strange.
Nice atmosphere and service, but what's the point if the food is terrible? I just kept looking around at the people thinking, "you have no idea what you are missing at Aoi Umi."
Sadly disappointed on sister in law's recommendation.
Very good sushi at a very good price. Recently moved to Walnut Creek and wanted to find a new Sushi place to go to. The first thing I noticed when I sat down was the prices. I'm so used to paying 12-14 dollars for a roll but here you pay much less. The service was outstanding, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was nice.
The only thing I disliked was they didn't really have all the crazy and creative "Americanized" sushi rolls that I love (hey, some people love them, some people hate them). They are much more traditional here. For every day traditional Sushi, this is the place to go. The bar is very comfortable.
The booth seating is tight here. All I can recall of my meal was the chick at the table next to us who was practically shouting at her table mates about her various drunken escapades. Anyway I also remember paying something absurd like $14 for a bowl of udon. I only paid that price because I had a cold, and was craving a bowl of hot steamy soup. I may go back to Jo's but I doubt I'll order udon again, seeing that I can buy the same thing at 99 Ranch for $1.49.
Great fresh fish..great service
Ordered chirashi don and the fish wasn't too fresh and they were sliced too thin. Too much rice and too little fish. I don't think I will go back there again. Overrated in my opinion.
This place is the bomb! If you like creative rolls and super fresh fish, this is the place. Ask for Miguro tar tar...
Well prepared sushi and a nice sake selection is the attraction of this strip mall Japanese restaurant. Overall I was not wowed for some reason, but I'm not 100% sure why. Maybe it was the interior setting or lighting, which made it feel more like a cafeteria. The service was OK. A tad inattentive. They were quite busy for a Monday night with only a few open tables at 7:00PM. The place definitely has a solid following of fans. The prawn tempura appetizer had a nice breading that was not greasy at all and my sushi was surprisingly good and fresh. They have quite a few sake options, and they also have a sake sampler, which gives you a chance to explore the subtle nuances and flavors of different sakes. That part was fun. Like most sushi restaurants, the prices are not cheap, and this place is no exception. Not a bad value, but not a bargain by any means.
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Best Sushi in the East Bay!!
There are many Japanese in the area but this place beats everybody else. Like many people say, this place is not cheap. But fish is fresh and they serve you with Joe-san's unique plating. They have this authentic counter right in front of Sushi chef and it is usually taken by repeaters.
Because of combination of its price and location, you will always be able to sit and be served right away. So this is somewhat an exclusive Japanese restaurant.
Selection of alcohol is also good as they have sake from different regions of Japan and also they have some Shochu, which is Japanese spirits.
Here's some tips. Make sure to sit at the counter, stick with sushi, and enjoy your conversation with Joe-san. And ask for recommendations as he might have something special for the day.
Pretty good sushi, but not "the best". The place certainly gets crowded quickly, so try n go early and grab a seat at the sushi bar.
We visited Jo's Sushi earlier tonight and had a great experience. We did get to sit at the sushi bar and had a good view of the sushi chefs working their magic. We had 2 types of rolls, 1 of which was from the specialty list and they were both incredible. Very fresh ingredients. The service was spectacular. It was not overly crowded although there were some waiting after we had arrived and been seated. As mentioned in one of the other reviews, we did both check out the cool toilet in the bathroom. Really great, somewhat hidden place.
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I crave Jo's most of the time and make trips from SF just for them, oh yea and to see my parents who live around the corner. I am in love with the Jo's Roll#1 (chicken, avocado, cream cheese) made by Jo himself. Their Agedashi tofu is the best out of the many I have sampled. It is not the best place for entrees, although some are excellent, like the salmon teriyaki and the beef. I usually don't go for the entrees anyway. Their rice texture and flavor is perfect, the tea is awesome, the service is very friendly. Try the sake sampler, it's a great deal!
I have been going to Jo's since he was at another Pleasant Hill location and I have to say this is the BEST sushi I've had anywhere. I go to all of the top sushi places in San Francisco (where I live) and nothing is quite as good as Jo's at the little touches... I love the meyer lemon that is served with salmon nigiri or the garlic albacore that I can't find anywhere else. The tempura rolls are done to perfection and always come out warm and melt in your mouth. The friendly service is a huge plus too as well as a friendly and welcoming crowd if you sit at the sushi bar. This place is a must try- you will NOT be disappointed!
If you love sushi & appreciate a friendly atmosphere you must pay a visit to Jo's Sushi Bar. Rest assured you will always be greeted w/ a smile while Jo creates his magic behind the bar. My fiance lived in Japan & he appreciates how authentic the sushi is here, not disguised w/ heavy sauces, batter or over packed rice. Just delicious! We have been going to Jo's for over 5 years and the sushi is ALWAYS fresh & just melts in your mouth. In addition the prices are more than reasonable.
Whenever we introduce a friend to Jo's they become a loyal fan too. FYI...all the food is phenomenal for you non-sushi lovers.
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Very nice. Fresh, different fish. Nice staff, nice sake. Can be very, very crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. And also VERY PRI-C. To everyone who loves Jo's, remember, its still only a 4 star place. DAMO Sushi, Jo's Honda Sushi, AOIUMI Japan Restaurant= 5 stars.
There are just certain things a 5 star does for customers that mean they have gone the extra mile. I'm not cheap, heck I wouldn't eat sushi if I was. But having a sushi place give Miso and edamame, a small salad, or maybe even a treat, without asking for them are ways a 5 star place tries to make one happy.
I do like Jo's though, and even though its the most expensive sushi place around with the least to give (nothing), I go back at least every 3 or 4 months.
I found out about Jo's Sushi about two years ago, and i can't stop dining there. I have tryed all the Sushi places around the Bay Area and nothing compares to Jo's Sushi Bar. I love it that at the last moment you can go on a Friday night and you will have a spot for you without waiting in a line. The service there is great and i love the fact that they are Kid friendly there, they even have monkey plates for the kids to eat. try it and you will see for yourself.
i've been here once, and i want to go back to try the rest of they rolls. i tried the albacore roll topped with roasted sea weed sprinkles: delicious. the albacore with avocado and garlic was tasty, and their spicy tuna was right on. i love nigiri sushi, but rolls this interesting can't be ignored especially when they're well prepared and not oversized.
Disappointing!
My boyfriend and I went to Jo's Honda sushi last night because we wanted to try something new. According to the other reviews, we thought it would be great. Wrong. We had 3 rolls and a blue fin appetizer. The blue fin was so cold in the middle it seemed frozen, however, the flavor after it thawed was delicious. It was about 8 pieces of small/medium size sashimi. The other 3 rolls were the dynamite, the baked scallop and the volcano roll. The volcano roll looked like it was a once the equivalent of a grape roll, but had been left out in the sun and become a raisin roll. It was not nice looking and inside the fish was so overcooked it tasted like canned tuna. The dynamite roll would have been ok if it wasn't overdressed with hot sauce. We both like spicy rolls, but this was overpowering and ruined the flavor. The baked scallop roll wasn't bad...it kept falling apart, and I have had better. The best part was that when we got the bill the blue fin APPETIZER was $20 for 8 pieces of sashimi. That was my fault for not asking, but wow.
One thing I will say for this place (hence the 2nd star) is the service was excellent. The waitress was very nice and fast. The chef even sent us a complimentary appetizer (I am guessing because he knew that the bill for the blue fin was coming) which was a potato croquette....which was mushy and gross, but it was a nice thought. If you want great sushi in this area, go to Damo or Nama in Walnut Creek. Don't waste your money at Jo's.
The rolls were very good but kind of small for the price. The fish is very fresh. Service was friendly and prompt.
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