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Miyozen Sushi & Roll

3.5 star rating
based on 217 reviews

Category: Sushi Bars  [Edit]

1147 40th St.
(between Emery St & San Pablo Ave)
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 923-0311
Hours:

Mon-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Mon-Sat. 4:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Garage
Price Range:
$$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Good for:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar

217 reviews for Miyozen Sushi & Roll

Review Highlights   

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"For my dinner entrees, I ordered the Spider Roll and Drunken Fish Roll." (in 15 reviews)
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"I ended my meal by trying the green tea ice cream." (in 5 reviews)
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"Crazy Monkey Roll, Titanic, Shrek, TNT and Double Tuna I'd recommend." (in 4 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of kim-van t.

Elite '09

48

186

kim-van t.

San Pablo, CA

3 star rating
11/30/2009

I met up with some friends for dinner one night and we were hankering for some sushi before we caught a movie at Bay Street.  For that reason Miyozen seemed like the most logical choice (it being in Emeryville and all).

The menu is exactly the same as Drunken Sushi's (sister sushi restaurants).  However Miyozen is probably twice the size, has a pretty nice lounge/bar in the front area, and hello?? conveyer belt of sushi!?!  Unfortunately, all the sushi on the conveyer belt didn't look fresh or appetizing.  We ended up splitting the Shrek Roll, Fiona Roll, Pink Lady Roll, and Poki Roll.  Everything was really tasty.  The spicy tuna at Miyozen is not as spicy as at Drunken Fish.  The rolls are also smaller - both in size and in size of the actual piece.

Overall I would say Miyozen is decent...
I would probably come back...

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Photo of Heather C.

Elite '09

773

610

Heather C.

Oakland, CA

4 star rating
11/13/2009

Tempted by the rolls on the menu but I'm still holding out on raw fish until the baby comes...  Til then, California rolls it is!  Hubs and I each ordered a bento box and enjoyed the plentiful offering.  Also, the bentos came super quick, which we appreciated since we were catching a movie afterward.

I was tempted to try the all-you-can-eat but didn't know that they offered it seven days a week until after we had ordered...  Next time!

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Photo of Kristen C.

Elite '09

59

74

Kristen C.

East Bay, CA

3 star rating
11/8/2009

Hi, do you have a sushi boat?  No, a sushi belt.  

My boyfriend and I dined here to introduce me to the world of sushi on-the-move.  Along the sushi bar is a moving conveyor belt that carries various Japanese delights, like edamame and seaweed salad, and of course, your favorite sushi rolls around the restaurant.  At a place like this you basically take what you want off the belt and voila, it's yours.  No waitress necessary to fill your belly.  Each plate is color coded so you can keep tabs on what you're spending.  But take it from me, it's a lot more enjoyable if you just save your final tab for the end, kind of like a surprise. haha.  On each circling plate you are offered two pieces of sushi.  Now the size of each piece is bigger than a mouth full, so don't feel like you're getting gipped.  

We also both ordered a mango mojito.  The drinks here are mixed with soju - delicious!  But be warned, soju is dangerous.  Why?  Well, it masks any flavor of "alcohol" so you can keep ordering without ever feeling tipsy..and then BOOM it hits you.  

The restaurant is donned with modern furniture and you get a very "chill" vibe.  It was a great way to celebrate the end to another work week.  However, the sushi chefs may have been feeling this relaxing vibe as well because the sushi belt was hardly replenished!  Several times my boyfriend and I saw the same items going around and around.  This also made it difficult to satisfy our sushi cravings because we yearned for variety and we got was the complete opposite.  With three sushi chefs, I'd expect a better selection.  

Bottom Line:  The experience of taking desired sushi off of the conveyor belt is exciting, but do not expect a vast selection to satisfy your sushi needs.

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Photo of Robert A.

 

2

32

Robert A.

Oakland, CA

5 star rating
11/1/2009

This place has it all: great atmosphere and decor as-well-as good food. There is an all-you-can-eat lunch for $19.99 and the same deal on Saturdays. I believe they have a full bar but have never made use of it.

I would recommend sitting by the conveyor belt. The offerings are not necessarily what one would find on the menu. I sense that depending upon who is doing the cooking, one can get various artistic interpretations. Thus, (as I have experienced) what one might get one day, can be diferent another.

If one sits by the conveyor belt, the cooks are apt to see you and may make you a special dish just for you. Or take one you are liking and present you with a specially made interpretation of that dish.

Eating here is fun. It is good for going on a date. Probably not a first date - not necessarly romantic atmosphere, but one that is stylish and yet relaxed.

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Photo of Tito Y.

Elite '09

165

284

Tito Y.

Emeryville, CA

4 star rating
Updated - 10/12/2009

My daughter needed some lunch, and like most vegetarian daughters, require the best from Dad.  I am kind of glad that I can drop over to an Emeryville regular, and pretty much be happen that you can get sushi favorites.  Avoiding the belt selection, I felt after a super white tuna, sea urchin, and lastly spider roll, I was pretty much full.  Of course I then had to go for the salmon roe, mackerel, soy beans, sesame balls and a whole bunch of tea.   I was also happy that after more than a year, they still had my chopsticks on file.    
Fresh, very nice.. i had a great lunch.
OH. if you have a car and need to park, cruise inward from the behind the building and pull into their lot.  Believe me.. .its  plus- especially if its raining.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 4 star rating
    5/7/2008

    Miyozen is a family sushi place with the surprise of both traditional, westernized and exotics food… Read more »

Photo of Lupe M.

Elite '09

23

131

Lupe M.

Oakland, CA

4 star rating
9/27/2009

Upon entering Miyozen, I was impressed with the welcoming modern style décor of the restaurant and its relaxed ambiance.  It was also hard to ignore the fresh sushi, sashimi, udon, teriyaki, and tempura gliding along on a conveyor belt.  Indeed this sushi restaurant offers a great menu selection.  

Considering all my options, I ended up ordering the chicken katsu served with steamed rice, miso soup and cabbage salad.  The miso soup was flavorful and just the right portion size so as not to get too full.  Next, the chicken katsu was delicious - incredibly tender and juicy.  For approximately $15, the portion size for this dish was certainly generous.  I ended my meal by trying the green tea ice cream.  To my surprise, it was refreshing, creamy and not too sweet.  Overall, a very satisfying dining experience!

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Photo of Chelsea V.

 

2

12

Chelsea V.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
11/19/2009

I dig this place, great sushi, open relatively late (who doesn't get those sushi cravings...). Haven't had a roll there I didn't like, and this was the first place I tried seaweed salad and tobiko with quail egg, good stuff haha. Oooh and they have this jalapeno business, I forget what they're called but they are delicious and a good find for people who enjoy a good kick in the mouth!

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Photo of Jimmy J.

 

0

88

Jimmy J.

Alameda, CA

3 star rating
9/28/2009

This place is so clean you can eat off the floor.  Literally.  I did anyway. Dropped a hunk of unagi on the tiles and didn't think twice about scooping it up and popping it down my sushi hole.  That's how clean it is.

Not the greatest sushi in the world, but not all that bad either.  (It's probably better before it hits the deck.) The $19.99 all you can eat lunchtime special works for me, as I can easily eat way more than twenty bucks worth of sushi (or anything else for that matter) in one sitting.  It may sound a little pricey, but it's actually quite cost effective for me, as I won't have to eat for a couple of days afterward, like some kinda reticulated python or sumthin'.

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Photo of Iggi P.

 

1

15

Iggi P.

Hayward, CA

3 star rating
10/14/2009

I really wanted to like Miyozen, really I did. I was so looking forward to the $20 all you can eat sushi for lunch. Well, I was very disappointed.

The all you can eat sushi is only from the conveyor belt and as I sat there and watched the same few, sad looking rolls go round and round, I realized that if I wanted something tasty for lunch, I was going to have to order off the menu. This completely defeats the whole purpose of the lunch special! It was clear that they lure people in by advertising the special, but don't provide a decent, fresh, varied selection to force people to order off the menu.

What I saw on the conveyor belt (for 45 minutes) was seaweed salad, two California rolls, which tasted oddly sweet, some fried disk non-seafood thing, a California roll topped with salmon, fried sesame balls, tempura shrimp that had a bizarre mustard sauce on top. That's it! This was at noon on a Wednesday, so prime time for the lunch crowd.  One would think that a selection of nigiri would also be on the belt, or at least the offerings would be freshened up once in awhile. Nope, same few selections, despite 3 sushi chef's standing around looking bored.

To be fair, the nigiri I did order off of the menu was delicious, fresh and generously sized. The items I saw other people order also looked delicious and the bento boxes were huge.

So, if I go back (and this is a very big if), I'll skip the belt selections and just order off the menu. Pretty much their whole intention to begin with, which is probably why I won't be back.

Oh..and what's up with the non stop Michael Jackson music??

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Photo of Layla Z.

 

0

5

Layla Z.

El Cerrito, CA

4 star rating
11/9/2009

Sushi, all you can eat lunch Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays! WOO HOO! For $19.99 I can get a big sushi fix in a new, clean, comfortably stylish place. Convenient free garage parking in the back, enter from Adeleine.

A sushi habit can be an expensive one and normally to feel full, we'd have to shell out well over $60 for two at a regular sushi place. At $40 for two, we are stuffed, satiated and happy. Oh, luscious little plates circling us on a conveyor belt of joy.

The quality and type of sushi varyings. On a GREAT day, there's a lot of salmon nigiri, unagi eel and spicy tuna rolls. On a ho hum day, there's way too much imitation crab roll combos swimming in mayonaise drowned in even more orange mayonaisy sauce. The more people participating in the all you can eat, the better the selection and freshness (so go closer to 12 rather than later) as they roll 'em right there to keep up with supply and demand.

Freshly fried tempura is included and brought to you, as is green tea which is refilled quickly by the friendly, casual staff. I have to admit that it's hard to go to regular sushi restaurants and paying menu prices after finding this great deal.

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Photo of Alex H.

 

35

64

Alex H.

SOMA, San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
9/16/2009

Seriously!? I just got back to my desk and sitting in front of me is a Spicy Tuna roll so spicy that I can't eat it. I'm starving. Wtf.

I can't even comment on anything else. Other than the fact that I will never be going back to this place unless my sushi cravings outweigh my pride, which is pretty likely, and only because this is the only sushi place within miles of my office. But still... Ugh!

What an appropriate FML moment.

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Photo of Will A.

Elite '09

31

252

Will A.

Alameda, CA

3 star rating
7/27/2009

Came here with a friend for lunch.  I hand the bento lunch box and it was really good.  I wasn't knocked over with their rolls.  I had the spicy crunch roll which was great, but seemed like there should have been six pieces, not four.

The other rolls just seem to be lacking, but maybe I was too stuffed from the bento.

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Photo of Anna T.

 

4

72

Anna T.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
6/27/2009

Okay let me clear some things up for everyone.  The $19.99 buffet is only for the conveyor belt.  It sucks.  I went during LUNCH and I saw the same stuff coming around the entire time.  Also, who can even eat $20 worth of conveyor belt food to make it worth it?  The $29.99 buffet is for sashimi and sushi.  I don't know about you, but that's really pricey.  

It pisses me off that even though we called them about these buffets, the person who picked up the phone did not tell us the details about pricing.

Their food was mediocre.  I don't even remember what I ordered because it wasn't anything special.  Why would you go to such an expensive place if there are cheaper better places elsewhere?!

Go to Davis Sushi for unlimited sushi buffet.

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Photo of cheryll t.

 

35

96

cheryll t.

Emeryville, CA

4 star rating
8/31/2009

At first it was pannini's I was craving now it's sushi.  Ok so I finally tried out this Sushi place about  2 weeks ago.  We went during lunch hour on the weekend and at first the waitress sat us at a table until we told her we wanted to try the ALL YOU CAN EAT...so we were seated at the sushi bar.  I was convinced that I would try at least one of every kind, cooked or not cooked sushi.  But in the end I backed out.   The service here was great!  They asked us if there was any particular sushi we wanted and I didn't know they were already serving the drunken fish, but they made more...I have never been so full in my life and it was worth the $20.  I had the eel, california roll, tempura, drunken fish, and other sushi rolls, and two kinds of desert.   I never felt so full in my life!!!!

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Photo of dis C.

 

0

24

dis C.

Castro Valley, CA

3 star rating
10/9/2009

One of our favorite sushi place in Oaktown area.  Convenient parking in structure but neighborhood is sketchy.  

What we like about Miyozen is that it is very kid friendly.  Our sitting area had a big screen playing kids movies and also they have kids play area.  Note: The play area is behind wall so can't keep eye on kids.

Now for the food. The menu is extensive from raw sushi to noodles and rolls.  The hamachi and salmon nigiri is fresh. We like the Shrek roll which is mix of raw fish rolled with sweet kiwi sauce.  Also, the cha-soba with tempura is good as well as korean bbq ribs; owner is korean. The only reason its not 4stars is sushi rice could be seasoned a little more and little bland.

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Photo of Will T.

 

3

17

Will T.

Berkeley, CA

5 star rating
5/5/2009

I ate here last weekend with my friend and it was the best sushi buffet i've ever experienced. I've been to Todai, the "famous" place in Davis, and a few other places. This place beats those other places both in taste and style, hands down.

You can either pick the sushi conveyer belt buffet or the sashimi buffet. I ordered one, my friend ordered the other, and they let us SHARE! They won't let you share 1 buffet between 2 people... in case you were wondering... =)

It's kind of pricey, but "you get what you pay for". With plates being $3-$7 dollars a plate, my friend and I easily ate more then what we paid. The sushi was well made and there was excellent variety. When some plates came by, my eyes just lit up because of how delicious the pieces looked. If you can stomach it, try every single plate of sushi that comes your way.

The chef was super nice. He would set down freshly made plates of sushi right in front of us! Throughout the meal, he would check in with us to see how we were doing. At the end of our meal, he asked us how it was and thanked us for coming. Then, he set down a plate of juicy red strawberries (with the stems cut off) and a "surprise" item right in front of us! You'll have to eat here to find out what the item is ;) We wound up tipping the chef ten times more then we would have ever considered tipping an ordinary sushi chef.

Our empty plates were cleared quickly and our waters were never empty. The sushi had a great ratio of rice to fish and there were always plates of food available on the conveyer belt.

There were also plates of cake, but we didn't have enough room for those.

Our waitress was very nice, friendly, and helpful. She listened when we needed something and was quick to help us.

My "WOW" moment: on their menu, they have a picture of a plate of buttery-looking salmon sushi where the salmon is easily 3 times as large as the piece of rice it rides on. I joked with my friend that we'd probably be served a piece of salmon on top of a rice 3 times as large as the salmon. Let's just say that when the sushi arrived, the salmon was doing a Jabba the Hutt on a rice Princess Leia.

To say the least, i'm using this place as a positive reward for myself whenever I do something good or accomplish a goal... hahaha. If things go well, you'll find me here this Saturday.

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Photo of Lilly L.

 

6

58

Lilly L.

Oakland, CA

4 star rating
6/26/2009

[edit] Bento boxes are only $7.95 - $9.95 before 2PM! [/edit]

The owners put on a Michael Jackson mix, so I got to listen to Thriller (Rest in Power, King of Pop) while enjoying the best California rolls I've ever had. Needless to say, I AM SOLD!

Btw, trust me, I know my imitation crab meat. I'm allergic to fish so this is all I eat whenever I go to sushi restaurants :P.

This restaurant is SO damn pretty. Mahogany walls, marbled tables, whoever was the interior designer deserves major kudos! Definitely a nice place to bring a date or have a dinner party. I noticed there were multiple areas of the restaurant that are semi-sectioned off, so it feels like you're in your own private area.

Miso soup, gyoza, teriyaki chicken, everything was SUPER delish. I even liked the green tea ice cream that comes with bento boxes, and I HATE green tea!

Service was great, nothing to complain about there. The only thing stopping me from giving this place 5 stars is how expensive it was ($28+ for a bento box and Dragon roll), but it's sushi and I'm just a cheap thrifty, wheeeeeee~! So if you don't mind paying for the KICK-ASS ambiance, totally go for it :).

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Photo of Nikki B.

 

31

148

Nikki B.

San Ramon, CA

2 star rating
8/26/2009

This place is just OK for me... I've had better.  With so many other amazing sushi spots in the Bay Area I don't think I would re-visit unless I just happened to be in the area.  Sorry Miyozen.

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Photo of dan c.

 

1

10

dan c.

Oakland, CA

1 star rating
9/15/2009

Gross.

I'm a sushi snob. Lets establish that right off the bat.

The muck they serve here is not sushi. Its sugared mayonaise packed rice goo. The fish is of very low quality, when fish is included. There is no creativity.

Sushi should make you feel great. Like you've just eaten a bunch of vitamins. Miyozen makes you feel sick, like you've just eaten a rotten candy bar.

Filling and cheap does not make this worth it. Its just nasty.

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Photo of Damian S.

 

3

51

Damian S.

Oakland, CA

4 star rating
9/1/2009

Good is pretty good, the service is friendly though sometimes flighty, but for me the real selling point is that I can eat decent sushi at a place that has convenient, free parking and is EXTREMELY Kid Friendly.  If the food wasn't decent, none of the other things would matter, but the sushi, the udon, the other stuff is solid.  If I were on a date or wanted top end sushi, I'd probably skip this place, but for a weekday dinner with the family or an all-you-can-eat bonanza with the guys, it's great.  Also, they have some TV's to either watch sports or kids movies, depending on who you're with.  Been here about 10 times and the fish seems reliably fresh and the rolls well prepared.  Nothing's been amazing, but everything's been better than okay.  Prices are reasonable also.
At the end of the day, I'm giving Miyozen 4 Stars because it's a great place to go with kids or for a casual Japanese meal.  The food alone, I'd probably give 3 Stars.

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Photo of Hadley Y.

 

8

109

Hadley Y.

Berkeley, CA

4 star rating
3/17/2009

I like this place. Tried one of their bento boxes with the mackarel and california rolls as well as a few other rolls like the Shrek one and their hamachi sashimi. All was fresh and tasty. Their miso soup is really salty though; can never finish it. Also wish there were more tofu pieces inside.

Kid-friendly environment though, which has become an important aspect for me.

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Photo of Laura Y.

 

8

14

Laura Y.

Castro Valley, CA

2 star rating
2/7/2009

My first time being here, I made a reservation for a large group of 34 for a birthday party. The area reserved for us was very private and I appreciated that very much. However, right when we got there, it took us about 30 minutes for the waiter to come around and finally take our orders. After ordering some hot sake for the birthday boy, that took about about another 20 minutes to get to us. The food came out for different people and because it was taking so long for everyone's food to come out, we just decided to start eating or else we would've starved waiting.

The most disappointing part: Three people in my party ordered about six rolls together. Not one single roll came out until an hour later after the first people who started eating had got up to leave. It was like the simple rolls too, not that fancy dragon roll but more of like the seaweed, rice and raw fish. I was so angry that none of their food came out that I requested to speak with the manager.

Their excuse? It was a really busy night and they were understaffed. I couldn't understand how not even one of their rolls had come out. So while 31 of my other party were done eating, these 3 gentleman had not taken a single bite. I've worked at a sushi restaurant before for over a year and I refuse to be treated like this. I politely asked what the manager could do for us and he said, what would you guys like, it's on the house. Well, I think at this point, the guys weren't hungry anymore so we just wanted a refund on some of the rolls. The manager was more kind that we agreed but only took off the cheap $5-6 rolls.

I called this reservation well over a week before the actual dinner. If they knew they had a party of 34 on a Saturday night, I would have guessed that they would have at least asked some of their staff to work that night. I definitely need to try this place with a smaller group but I say no way jose for large parties. They basically knew they were getting the automatic gratuity and therefore neglected us the entire time.

I've definitely experienced better. Oh yea, the food was moderate/good but nothing exceptional.

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Photo of Nori S.

 

0

42

Nori S.

Alhambra, CA

2 star rating
8/26/2009

This is my first time here but it's safe to say I probably will not be back unless someone really really reallllllllly wants to go here.

The Pros: The decor is really nice.  Very modern design with Black Granite floors and counters.  Bar is in the front blocked off from the restaurants.  They also have a kid's play/rest area so it's definitly family friendy.  Overall looks clean inside and out. ( but with everything black inside I can't really say for certain)  The wait staff was great and attentative but it may be because I was the only one there.

The Cons:  Fish is not fresh it's mostly frozen.  Ordered the "Special" Nigiri Sushi.  Cost is $29.95.  Got about 8 pcs. Included Uni (Sea Urchin, Chu Toro (or semi fatty tuna), Albacore, Smoked Salmon, Ama Ebi, Ankimo (Monk Fish Liver), Mirugai (Geoduck Clam), Halibut and Engawa (Halibut fin muscle).  Must admit that the portions were huge.  May be too huge in some cases.  Most of my nigiri didn't have enough Sushi rice so I couldn't enjoy the combined harmony of Sushi Rice with the Fish.  Most of the fish had either a grated ginger or garlic garnish on top which took away from the flavor of the fish.  Which was probably a good thing because as soon as I popped it in my mouth I just wanted to spit most of it out.  The Ama Ebi had a garnish of Kaiware Sprouts which took away the sweetness of the shrimp.  The Monkfish liver was still frozen when served to me because as I bit in to it still had bits of unfrozen parts in it.  Uni was bitter as hell so didn't enjoy at all.  Some of the rolls were not wrapped properly because as they circled the conveyer belt the Nori started to seperate and the inside spilled out.  

Other facts to consider:
Lunch Buffet available for 19.99  It also said on the board for dinner at $29.99.  Rolls available are pretty standard but you really can't go wrong there.  Parking is limited but free in the back.

Of course it could have been an off night because I did come in on Wednesday around 5 PM.  But again it's safe to say I probably won't go here again especially since I can tell my breath smells very fishy 2 hours after my meal.

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Photo of Brian M.

 

16

38

Brian M.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
2/3/2009

Okay, I became a pescatarian because I have a humongous appetite that i cannot control for the most part and eating a hella a lot of meat was not good for me. I changed my diet but not my appetite, so.....SUSHI BUFFET!!

Hehe. The only thing I have had here amongst the many times i've been to Miyozen is the lunchtime buffet. Taking things off the conveyor belts, anticipating something good coming but slowly taking its time, and taking everything good off the conveyor belt preventing the next table from getting anything are many of my favorite pastimes for sushi buffeting.

The wait-service treats their customers very well and I have never had an issue. The sushi chefs are pretty social and I enjoy that they don't mind checking up on their customers every once and a while. The last time me and my friends were there, we told the chef that everything was pretty good and we were having a pretty good time. I think he liked us as customers, so he gave us some free salmon nigiri (not from the conveyor belt menu) to go with our buffet lunch. awesome!!

In all honesty, the sushi is pretty good for a sushi buffet. Oh, and did i mention that the buffet comes with tempura. yay! They do try to stuff you with sushi rolls that has a lot of rice and a lot of things top with "crab meat", but hey, they're just trying to get their customers full. i know their strategies - they have to do it or else they lose money.

anyways, the conveyor belt isnt just sushi, but there's desserts, salads, teriyaki, etc. depending upon what they feel like cooking that day. i like that there's new stuff every time i go, but i wish that more nigiri was on the conveyor belt. That's my only gripe.

4 stars!!!

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0

47

Jeremy S.

Berkeley, CA

2 star rating
8/23/2009

I only ate here once, but once is enough for me.
The most important reason I will never be back is the unprofessionalism of the entire staff, from the servers to the sushi chefs.  I sat at the convener belt where I could see the chefs, and what I saw horrified me.  The chefs were actually playing with the food and throwing it around right in front of me.  They were slicing cucumbers paper thin and sticking the slices to their faces.  They were also throwing lemons across the room and slicing them in the air their with knives.  They would pick the lemons up off the floor and do it again, with the same knives they made the sushi with.  
The servers were openly harassing another server because it was her first day on the job, and one of the sushi chefs was hitting on her right in front of me.  
The food was overpriced and the convener belt lacked variety.

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Photo of Miriam W.

 

3

24

Miriam W.

Oakland, CA

1 star rating
5/22/2009

I tried Miyozen thinking that it would be great since a few friends of mine love it, but my husband and I both hated it. The rolls were big alright...big chunks of flavorless fish, some still with bones and scales intact. The rice was hard, and the price was right, but still so wrong, considering for the same price you could pick up some great rolls at Get A on piedmont ave.

The service was slow and and after watching some of the items go round and round the conveyor belt, sweating in their little plastic domes, we were ready to leave, and not come back.

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Photo of jon y.

 

13

25

jon y.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
2/11/2009

Tbh I've only been here for their conveyor belt sushi buffet...so that's what this is based on.

When we went, it was probably past 1, but they stilled served fresh rolls.  Maybe I'm just biased, but I think they deliberately put them on the conveyor belt right in front of us.  Yeah most of the time the rolls consists of a lot of rice, but for some reason one of the chefs gave us a plate of salmon nigiri!  It may have been because the establishment is Korean (I think), and so is one of my friends (kind of), or maybe because it was empty that day (relatively).

The meal also comes with tempura and miso soup.  I think it's a great deal for $25/person including tax+tip.

In summary, they gave us free nigiri and I love them for it.

p.s. they have this thing that comes in a plate with a cover over it.  Through the cover it's very intriguing and potentially-lobster-looking.  But it's not.  It's rice.  With sauce over it.  In this aluminum container thing.  Don't get it.

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Photo of Pilar D.

Elite '09

270

157

Pilar D.

Emeryville, CA

4 star rating
12/26/2008

So who goes to sushi on Christmas Eve? I do! Took my mom here for her birthday dinner. The rolls were excellent. The service was great. The rolls are plentiful in their portions. The Sake sampler is great (although I am not a fan of the Raspberry Sake. It's just a little too sweet for me.)...perfect for trying to make up your mind on which bottle to order. The pricing reasonable. The waiters oh...how they come around just often enough to make sure everything is to your liking and making you feel special. They even struck up conversation on the different sakes and let us know which ones were their favorites. They even brought us a taste of a premium one that we will for sure be getting on our next visit...

It looked like they had plates for sale and I must admit I am a little confused by that...

And did I mention that all the waiters are cutie pies? They are! And I personally love having eye candy to look at while I dine...

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Photo of carlo m.

Elite '09

194

198

carlo m.

Emeryville, CA

4 star rating
3/23/2009

Wife calls and says: guess what.. all the food i was gonna cook with is moldy and need you get some takeout..

Driving home from the hospital, I see Miyozen on the corner..  I wasn't expecting to go there.. But hey.. I was so hungry..

From the outside the place looked like .99 cent sushi place but the inside was a different story..

Nice lighting and design.. It was cozy and comfy.. I only ordered takeout but the rolls were fresh, and tasty.. The rice was nicely cooked.. And the Udon was flavorful. and savory..

Looking forward to actually eating here...

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4

9

Sarah D.

TX

4 star rating
1/11/2009

This restaurant has a special place in my heart because on Monday nights, they let my boyfriend and me watch football on the big screen in the bar while we feast on dynamite rice and beer. I know it's a skeezy thing for us to do, but they enable us, and for that I'm thankful.

Also, the sushi is pretty solid. Other pluses include a nice-looking kids area, and they're really amenable to families in general. Basically, Miyozen isn't going to give you the tastiest fish you've ever had, but it'll deliver enough to sate you and keep all of your party entertained at once. I wouldn't hit up the all-you-can-eat nights, but that just isn't my thing.

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Photo of Natalie G.

 

37

105

Natalie G.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
2/15/2009

This is for the all-you-can-eat special.

Meh. It's ok, I mean it's good if you love sashimi so that you can eat unlimited sashimi, but if you want sushi, don't go for the all you can eat because the choices are the ones only available on the belt, which aren't really good.  

Service is nice though but the sushi definitely needs work.  It won't be worth it if you don't like sashimi.  I don't recommend the all you can eat unless you're starving and maybe for lunch. Dinner is too expensive for my taste, and they don' t even give you free soda with it.

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Photo of Bella B.

 

0

47

Bella B.

Bay Area

3 star rating
Updated - 8/9/2009

Last week we went here for a work lunch -- party of 10.

Service was quick, attentive, and friendly.

I'll add my favorite rolls as soon as I can.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 2 star rating
    5/30/2009

    In the past i've gone in a small group of 2-4 people, and the service was always good.

    Recently I… Read more »

Photo of Andrew L.

 

14

207

Andrew L.

Oakland, CA

3 star rating
3/20/2009

As you walk into this place, you think, "wow, this place has a good Asian clientele and lots of marble, that must mean it's gonna be good." It was *just* alright.

What I liked: Tea: nice flavor, not too strong. Nice and hot. Nice, big tables; this is a big restaurant. The sushi boat plates looked pretty tasty, including the desserts. The hot sake was very very smooth with great flavor. I couldn't argue with the flavor of the miso soup, either!

What I thought was so-so: The tuna nigiri: freshly prepared, but the fish isn't nearly as fresh as it is at Uzen or Kirala. Still better than many cheaper places, though. The size of the portions: too large. You have to eat the nigiri in two bites if you don't want to look like a pig, and the same is absolutely true of the specialty rolls. Everything, including the chopsticks, felt super-sized here.

What I didn't like:
The consistency of the fish and crab: The crab was too creamy and the Tuna a bit watery/soft. The service timing for the sushi versus hot plates. We had finished eating our sushi by the time my brother's chicken teriyaki came! We had to ask for our check.

The nigiri plates were just about on the mark for price, so I can't say much bad about that. However, due to the quality, the value may be diminished a bit. I don't know whether I'll be taking my girlfriend here or not....

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Photo of debora l.

Elite '09

58

126

debora l.

Albany, CA

3 star rating
1/5/2009

Three stars earned for:
Acceptable sushi
Large portions
Accepting reservations for large parties (30+ people)
Free parking
2 and 3-item bento boxes - a great deal!

Two stars deducted for:
EXTREMELY slow and poor service (for both small and large groups)
Standard fare sushi and Japanese
All you can eat sushi buffet for $20 - only eligible if everyone in your party orders it
Botching up my order about 40% of the time

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Photo of Tatyana S.

 

28

110

Tatyana S.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
12/5/2008

I have stopped eating sushi for one reason only - raw fish freshness was frequently second grade. However as we all know there can't be a second grade freshness, there is only one grade - and that is FRESH.

I was skeptical of this place at first. After all, what good can we find next to Pak n' Save? However, MiYozen turned out to be great. Great variety, great prices, great taste, and great service.  I loved it the first time and I have gone there several times since. Yes to SUSHI!

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Photo of Virginia L.

Elite '09

76

155

Virginia L.

Emeryville, CA

4 star rating
2/27/2009

I think I might be a little biased because I'm a local but I honestly think this is a good roll spot.  The space is spacious with plenty of options (standard  bar, sushi bar, table, booth, kiddie play corner, even a table in front of a movie screen if you're so inclined).  

The rolls here are at the very least creative, if maybe a tad too big.  For some people this is ideal but the sizing is a little too massive for my mouth.  Crazy Monkey Roll, Titanic, Shrek, TNT and Double Tuna I'd recommend.  Stick with the rolls as the traditional Japanese fare is just average.  

The staff is really young, friendly and unpretentious for a sushi restaurant.  And they have sake flights here.  Awesome.

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Photo of Ken F.

Elite '09

32

92

Ken F.

Berkeley, CA

3 star rating
6/9/2009

Miyozen is your typical sushi house with a constantly revolving sushi-train.  The sushi itself is competent but the roll selection focuses mostly on americanized, fancy, inside-out rolls (which most people enjoy, but I don't).  The overall quality is good, but not outstanding or praiseworthy.  There is an all you can eat sushi-buffet operating on Friday through Sunday, at $20 for lunch, with an expanded menu for $30 at dinner.  Both of these options are far too expensive to be worth it unless you are a human vacuum cleaner.  In typical fashion, prices go up for dinner, to the point where it isn't worth my patronage.  The real draw is the affordable lunches, particularly the bento combinations.  The portions are large, even for lunch, and at $8 for two items, and $10 for three, constitutes a pleasurable deal for pleasurable food.

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Photo of Ayrrion B.

 

4

8

Ayrrion B.

Los Angeles, CA

3 star rating
6/20/2009

Sushi was very good.  The T.N.T. Roll was 'DYNO-MITE!!!"  Very clean establishment and nice decor!

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Photo of G E.

 

2

6

G E.

Berkeley, CA

2 star rating
1/3/2009

All-You-Can-Eat California Rolls...

My husband and I have tried Miyozen a few times for dinner (not great, but not bad either) and thought, now is the time for All-You-Can-Eat conveyor belt sushi. Why not, it looks cool, we're hungry and it's Saturday?

Here are a couple of reasons:

* The fun part of this plan was to have a bunch of different rolls, nigiri, salads, etc., but pretty much all the fare was basic California roll plus something else (like sauce or shrimp on top).

* While the place was crowded, there were apparently not a lot of takers for the AYCE deal, so most of the rolls that were there when we walked in were still there after we left.

* Got there at 1pm but they seem to stop putting out new dishes at 1:30. So after watching the same few rolls go by for awhile and getting excited when three or four more dishes were put out, there was nothing else put out for the next 40 minutes. Nothing. So we took what we could get for a little while until we asked and were told that they stopped serving because they were about to close (at 2:30). So go early if you want to get much.

To add to the feeling of being suckered out of our $19.99 per and over an hour of watching and waiting, when we asked the server if we could get something (anything) else, she asked us what we'd want she said she'd check with the sushi chef and then disappeared. She never came back, we never got our sushi.  Twenty minutes later we asked another server for the check and left.

It's OK for dinner but not as good a bunch of other sushi places. The All-You-Can-Eat deal is the Sham-Wow of sushi -- great pitch but not much  payoff.

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Photo of Janice F.

 

0

21

Janice F.

Hercules, CA

4 star rating
8/4/2009

Did someone say, all you can eat sushi!  Cuz I'm there!  Don't stop me.  $20 for all you can eat sushi on their conveyor belt, is a hell yeah, but that's the price at lunch time.   The best part is, its a variety when you go during prime time.  They basically take rolls ordered at tables and make extra, so you get to sample some of them and not have to pay the full price.  Its so fun and always great.  Then you get dessert samples, appetizers and salads to sample too off the belt.  I mean, that's luxury to me with how much you pay.  Definitely check it out and make sure to skip breakfast.

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