Kiraku - Berkeley

Kiraku is lively, crowded, fun, and totally delicious. From the vibe of the website and the reservation process, I expected to be seated on time in a spacious dining room. This was not the case, but it was worth the wait. Our server was enthusiastic and helpful, and delectable small dishes arrived quickly. One serving of most small plates was enough for six people to have a taste. I want to go back if only to have more of the unusual crispy corn on the cob.

So good! I would recommend trying the items from Today's Nigiri Sushi Menu. There is a minimum spending requirement, and people typically make a reservation on Yelp or join the waitlist at the door. I ordered 5 things at Kiraku. The Salmon Belly from the Daily Menu was so yummy and the 3 dishes I tried from the Nigiri Sushi Menu were amazing. The dishes had layers of flavors, which was surprising to experience. This is possibly the best sushi place in NorCal that I've been to so far!

We got the mini kaisen donburi, ankimo mouse with sweet potato chips, corn tempura, and uni carbonara. Highly recommend everything! The wait for this place on a Friday night at 9pm was 50 mins. It's a pretty small space and tables are crammed close together. Ideally not a place you sit around for hours with a group. They provide you with hot towels before your meal. Really quality ingredients and beautiful presentation!

Intimate and cozy, no-frills izakaya with both traditional and fusion dishes, high quality ingredients, and japan-level service (says my Japanese partner). Homemade tofu—so silky smooth. Pig ear(okinawan style) so refreshing and well seasoned with shiso. Anago tempura?. Finished with deluxe chazuke(amazing with umeboshi and real dashi) and sweet potato creme brulee(a highlight). Wanted to try the omakase but didn't have enough belly room (people next to us ordered and it looked fantastic)

The best izakaya in the East Bay. The flavors are exquisite and flawless.I love their attention to detail—the quality is comparable to high-end Japanese cuisine, but at affordable prices.The portions are small and cheap, perfect for a date. This way, you can try a variety of dishes.?A must-order is the shashimi natto tartar. You can barely taste the natto, but it’s well-matched and flavorful. The seaweed wraps around the onion and yam, creating a smooth texture, while the Korean seaweed is crispy, striking the right balance. The small bamboo tube holds just the right amount for the seaweed.?Mini Kaisen Don is ideal if you love chirashi but want to try other dishes too. This small bowl is just right, satisfying my craving without filling me up, so I can enjoy other dishes.?Yuba uni spoon features large fish roe and sweet uni—such a satisfaction.?Grilled beef tongue is tender and crispy, and even the cabbage underneath is delicious.?Wagyu tataki is tender and smooth with a hint of grilled flavor. Perfect for a hearty meat bite.?Tako wasabi, marinated octopus sashimi, is one of my favorite—crispy, spicy, and appetizing.?The grilled pork belly skewers are delicious, paired with tasty miso sauce.?The sashimi is fresh—chef's special of 4 slices x 2 tastes good, but not extraordinary.?They also offer a variety of A5 wagyu and beef sashimi, all excellent.No dish has ever been a miss.Compared to Dan and Gochi, I prefer this place for a date. Dan and Gochi have larger portions suitable for 3-4 people, and although the prices are similar, their dishes aren’t as refined.Kiraku requires reservations many days in advance. I recommend joining the waitlist right when they open. You can queue online via Yelp, but if you book around 6 pm on weekends, the next available slot might be 9 pm.