Good fish, great roll — I got the golden gate. A few stars off due to service. I ordered in advance over the phone, was told order would take 30 minutes to be ready. OK, no problem I can find something else to occupy my time. But when I get there 40 minutes later it’s still not ready. Finally, it comes out and its to go bag, but it feels kind a light… They forgot a few of my order items. Thankfully I checked! They were good about getting me my correct items, and I appreciate that. But the service is subpar.
Judy L.
Évaluation du lieu : 2 Berkeley, CA
Bought a groupon(2 ramen + hot sake) and the waitress was nice enough to give us Sapporo instead. The eggs were done perfectly tho a little under marinated. The spicy miso and tonkatsu soup was rich but was one note and salty(salty with noodles is good tho). The place is really pretty and has great ambiance. It’s not the quietest place for a romantic date tho. The biggest downside to this place is the service is crap for the type of restaurant they’re going for. I asked 2 different waitresses for some chili for my ramen and it never came. I’m not surprised because the place was filled on a Monday night but it could because service is slow. We saw the waitress 3 times — once to order(I had to signal her over), once when dropping off food, and once to pay. None of that checking up on you shenanigans because it just isn’t the type of upscale Japanese place it’s trying to be. So if you don’t mind the wait, got some nice eye candy across the table, and prefer your waiters not to interrupt you ever, then come here.
Just R.
Évaluation du lieu : 2 San Francisco, CA
The sushi was not very good. It was rubbery and had no flavor. I was hoping this would be a good go-to neighborhood sushi spot for us, but definitely won’t be going back. The non-sushi items(ramen and okonomiyaki) were better, but it ended up being expensive overall for the quality/experience. Service wasn’t friendly either.
Paige C.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 San Francisco, CA
This is a great sushi place in Berkeley! Probably the best sushi I’ve had in the city. The lunch menu has a really good deal with big portions and quality food.
Amber N.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Vallejo, CA
I’ve been here twice now, and I absolutely love this resturant. The atmosphere is wonderful, I have gotten two sushi dishes and spicey miso ramen, and they were all delicious each time. The wasbai is real and fresh as well as the fish with perfectly sticky rice. They can get busy though! That just shows how good a resturant it is.
Norwin E.
Évaluation du lieu : 2 Oakland, CA
My wife and I came here because of a Groupon deal(2 bowls of ramen + house hot sake). The modern, wooden décor was impressive. But unfortunately the food and service was not great. Despite there only being about a dozen patrons in the restaurant(including 3 at the sushi bar), service was really slow. I heard other diners nearby complaining having to wait a long time to get the servers’ attention. We had to ask a second time for a couple glasses of water. We order a small roll, but it came after the ramen-we usually expect sushi rolls to come quickly before hot orders. The ramen we ordered were terrible. We ordered the tonkotsu and spicy miso ramen. They were sooo bland. The spicy miso broth tasted like hot water with a finish of spicy oil. The tonkotsu broth was only slightly better, but still tasted watered down. The spicy miso came with bland, boiled chicken. At least the tonkotsu came with decent and thick cuts of pork. I also overheard the guys next to us complaining about a cooked salmon dish that they asked to return. I think the quality of this restaurant suffers from offering too much on their menu coupled with poor execution. The wait staff can also do a better job of being more attentive, especially with a low number of patrons in the restaurant.
Rebekah T.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 El Cerrito, CA
We found Akemi through a groupon deal, we had past by the restaurant several times before; but could not pass up this deal. We got the groupon for an appetizer, salad, roll and sake for two. The place is really nice and takes reservations, but we prefer to sit at the sushi bar and watch the action. We enjoyed the food so much, we have been back quite a few times to try other dishes like the ramen and udon soups. Everything we have tried from Akemi, keeps us coming back for more. It’s a great local date night spot for us, we like to sit at the sushi bar and see the rolls coming out. I love the attention to detail that they take and it shows in the quality of food and the service.
S K.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 El Sobrante, CA
I had the octopus, scallop, red snapper and halibut nigiri– great quality. No need to fear off-tasting sushi here. Everything was delicious and fresh. The yuzu panna cotta was the perfect ending to the meal. It was the perfect amount of tart citrus and sweetness, and was a great way to cleanse the palate. My server was Shirley and she was fantastic. Not only was she super knowledgeable and helpful, but very sweet! The space here is on the smaller side, but still very roomy; there is even a private dining space for parties. Love the stylish interior design with the uni-inspired light fixtures, it definitely added to the overall dining experience. Can’t wait to come back and try the Evil Roll, which I absolutely drooled over when I saw it going out to another table, and the lobster ramen!
Pearl B.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Pinole, CA
Delicious Japanese food and good lunch specials as well as Bento box. Fresh and tasty food, nice service I will definitely recommend to family and friends. Salmon lunch special isn’t favorite along with the mixed tempura and gyoza.
Christina M.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Hercules, CA
This place is a hidden gem! As many times as I’ve been on Solano Ave to eat at restaurants this place is definitely hidden especially since there is really no sign on top of the building but more like on the side entrance. The restaurant is really beautiful inside with the décor and how they have the tables set up so it makes it seem like the restaurant is more open. My fiancé and I almost felt underdressed because it seemed like the décor made it really fancy but that wasn’t the case at all. The server was really nice and gave us plenty time for us to go over the menu. We ordered a couple of rolls of sushi and also a ramen bowl and both were delicious!!! The 2 sushi chefs are very talented and you can tell they take pride on how they cut their fish and display their rolls on the plates. Overall this place is a must go to if you’re in the area. Great service and delicious food.
Brittany N.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Renton, WA
Akemi surprised me last night with their vibrant dishes. Maybe the first time around, we ordered the wrong items, because this time, we were seriously impressed. Akemi’s décor still gives off the tasteful, upscale vibe that the former Miyuki lacked. Dark, repurposed woods line the walls, door, and recessed ceiling. Petite blue pots filled with soy sauce sit atop handsome, dark wood tables. The chirashi(served with a side of miso soup) was beautifully presented with fresh cuts of colorful sashimi over a bed of rice, finely grated white radish, wakame salad, and a shiso leaf. Among the cuts were two sake(salmon), two maguro(tuna), two seared-edge tuna I’m not sure of, one saba(mackerel), two tamago(sweet egg), two ebi(shrimp), and one tako(octopus). In addition to the plentiful variety of fish, there was a sharp knife-edge wasabi streak on the rim of the porcelain white plate. This immaculate presentation stirred memories of Trevor Corson’s novel, «The Story of Sushi,» where he describes the difference between Japanese and American plates. Part of the appeal of a Japanese plate is that the display of food must take up, at most, 2⁄3 of the plate and that white space should occupy the remainder of the dish. My chirashi followed this rule very well, but still filled a hungry belly. I was impressed. In addition to the chirashi, I was able to sample the incredibly tasty and chewy okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory seafood pancake with a thick, sweet sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise sauce drizzled on top. For extra garnish, Akemi adds bonito flakes, those fish flakes that wave in the air with the slightest breeze. Akemi’s okonomiyaki was thicker and chewier than most. It reminded me a little of a thick and fancy green onion pancake(for those Chinese food lovers out there!)
Kailin H.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 San Jose, CA
I came here for lunch with a large party. The restaurant has nice décor and looks classy and clean. The food was also great. We ordered several appetizers to share: –edamame: pretty standard, nothing special –brussel sprouts: really yummy. They were sliced into smaller chunks and tossed in a tangy, sweet sauce so they packed a bunch of flavor. For my entrée, I ordered the tonkotsu ramen. This place’s main focus isn’t really ramen so I wasn’t expecting much, but it was really good! The broth was rich and the noodles(they’re the normal wiggly kind) were good quality. The ramen comes with half a soft boiled egg, bamboo, and a generous amount of pork. The pork slices were super tender, the only thing was they had huge blobs of fat in them. Overall the food was great. The reason I give only 3 stars is that the service definitely needs improvement. Not once during our two-hour lunch here did we get our water refilled, and it was very difficult to get a waiter because we were in a side room and no one came in to check on us. Our entrees also took almost an hour to come out, even though half of us just ordered ramen. When we asked when the food would be here, the waitress kept saying they have too many customers so it’ll take a while. However, I’ve been to busier restaurants with much faster/better service.
Sonya C.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Oakland, CA
The Evil Roll and fried chicken appetizer are both delicious! The ambience of the restaurant is great, with a dim-light woody interior that is perfect for dates, friends, and family. The rolls are reasonably priced and we enjoyed everything we ordered(which included the Kamikaze Roll, Tonkatsu, and an appetizer salad with Yuzu dressing). The one knock is that the service, though friendly, is quite slow – it didn’t help that our waiter forgot to enter one of our orders, but even returning our check to us took 10 minutes.
Cynthia H.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Berkeley, CA
Wow, this place far surpassed my expectations! We ordered: –Midori Salad: This was awesome! Little gem lettuce with carrots, radishes, cucumbers in a yuzu dressing. The dressing was super refreshing because of the yuzu yet still had a hint of creaminess. It was perfect! –Chicken Karaage: They totally kill the karaage. Not your typical chunks of chicken but they fry the chicken with the skin on! I personally love the crunch the skin gives so this was awesome. The plating was beautiful too! –Miso Cod: This was a hit as usual. Super fatty cod with a good miso marinade. Not sure if it’s worth the $ 19 though… maybe if they gave another 1 – 2 more pieces of cod. It came with only two small pieces. –Evil roll: This blew my mind! First off it’s SO cute, the plating is awesome! The roll was full of flavor, some spice from the jalapeño, creamy sweetness from the lobster sauce, soft fresh tuna overlaying the top, and a great crunch from the asparagus and again creaminess from the avocado. Totally melts in your mouth. I could eat two rolls myself, I swear! –Tonkatsu Ramen: Meh… I’d skip on this. First off, where’s the typical tonkatsu? All we got were two thick pork bellies which no one can complain about since it’s tasty too but just not the tonkatsu we were expecting. Ramen noodles were on point but the broth was a bit too salty. –Warm Sake: warm makes it easier to down but honestly not a fan. Would highly recommend the midori salad, chicken karaage and evil roll! The service was mediocre which is why –½ star: they had too few waiters running the place so the waitress seemed very rushed/busy and quite unattentive, but she was really nice when she was present helping us. Another –½ star because the food took quite a long time to come out. Other than that, I highly recommend and will def be coming back!
John L.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Berkeley, CA
We actually came to Akemi twice. We had trouble finding the door the first time since it was dark and there wasn’t visible«welcome» sign. I had to peek in the window to see that it is open(people eating). I had their miso salmon and it was pretty good, but vegi sushi rolls was so-so. The service was slow and one of the supervisor staff seemed unfriendly and told us that we had to wait for the waitress. The waitress disappeared for quite a while, that’s why we had to call the supervisor staff, so we were in a «limbo». The waitress finally came back and quietly told us that she was the only person working(felt like there was some tension within the wait staff). The second time we came we used one of the Groupon ramen deal. The ramen was just okay. Nothing really stood out. Maybe it’s because we had really great ramen in San Mateo, so our expectation was high(especially for the price they are charging). The service was better the second time(we did not see that unfriendly supervisor this time) and we had no trouble getting help from any of the staff. I recommend the miso salmon if you want to eat here.
Craig G.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 East Bay, CA
We had a groupon for ramen 2 for 1 including Sake for 2. Totally loved the vibe of the place, very cool looking, but once in(I’m not officially an architect, but can tell Sub par materials and finishes. It was obvious this was a take over for sop thing prior. Maybe my hoodies can fill in the blanks here(Hoodies=neighborhood folk) Was rather empty up front, nobody at the bar the entire meal. Poor Sushi chefs looked totally bored. Layout was not feng shui got antsy sitting there. Even tho we were in a booth on far wall. Perhaps I am spoiled by others Ramen, this was meh, not bad nothing earth shaking. Sake was nice and warm and kept my innards toasty. One of the little cups was chipped. We used it to help the heat in the decanter. The so called spicy edamame, was oily and soggy, lacking that spicy hot garlicky punch. Too many other good sushi on solan or alone. Would come back with a groupon, otherwise still seeking the next great Japanese place.
Maria a.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 San Francisco, CA
We paid a visit to what used to be Miyuki on Solano last weekend. Turns out Akemi has been around for about a year now, and I’m sorry it took us so long to try it. The restaurant is sleek and elegant, more intimate, with romantic lighting, reclaimed wood, lovely, rustic stone tableware — overall, a badly needed remodel on the rundown, garishly lit Miyuki space. I’m still not sure who owns the place — Akemi’s website calls it «the latest incarnation of Miyuki.» A server told me they were the same owners, but a manager-looking-type on Saturday said no, they were new owners. Three of us ordered the hamachi«salad» — yellowtail, avocado, edamame jalapeño, and ponzu; miso-marinated black cod; okonomiyaki seafood pancake with cabbage, bonito, nori, aioli, tonkatsu sauce; a 49rs Roll; spicy scallop handroll; nigiri of toro, shiro maguro, and sake. Everything was wonderful. The hamachi was a bit hard to eat with chopsticks, as the other elements sat on top of the sashimi. But otherwise, a beautiful dish. The cod was perfectly cooked, nice and moist, with a little bit of charring and a bit of arugula salad on the side. The okonomiyaki was my favorite, and did its bonito-shavings-dance-thing as it was brought to the sushi bar, and was delicious — very fresh tasting, great texture. I’d be very hard-pressed not to order it again. All the fish was fresh though, and nicely cut. I’m dying to try their lobster ramen, tonkotsu ramen, the grilled kurabuta pork belly, and the momiji braised spare ribs. Their wine list is really interesting — all Italians! I can’t remember the name of the producer, but it seems they’re only using one, and they’ll be switching up the wines intermittently. The manager-type said that they picked Italians as they go very well with Japanese food, and sushi in particular. I had a really lovely, extremely floral sauvignon blanc; wish I’d remembered to get the name of it as the wine list isn’t on the website. Service was great — efficient, warm and friendly. We’re really happy with this change.
Mayana P.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Bay Area
Really nice servers. You know they’ll take care of you. They’re warm, friendly, professional, a team and they communicate well. The hostess(older Asian woman… owner?) that greeted us at the door was nice but seemed frazzled and overwhelmed. Didn’t seem like she knew what was really going on. First impression walking in was, wow. Nice digs. Looks very nice but then being greeted by her, I didn’t really have much hope for a better experience but… the servers were spectacular. Got a deal that I wish stated that the two appetizers(midori salad & chicken kara-age), sushi roll(lion king), and sake were all going to be picked for you. I understand that the hot sake, of course was going to be probably their cheapest or house, which was fine but I guess I shouldn’t have assumed that there were options to pick the 2 appetizers and a sushi roll. Midori salad — Really good! Expensive for how little you get but it was refreshing & a flavor explosion. Kara-age — ew. EW. Too salty, not crispy, what kind of batter is that? Soggy and lots of fat bits in there. * Mekabetsu — Get this! These are probably one of my favorite brussel sprouts that I’ve ever tried! The smoky fish flakes on top really makes this dish too. Yum! * Mixed tempura — Get this too! I do not recall another tempura place beating this one on the lightness & crispiness of the batter. So yummy! Spicy garlic edamame — Half of the table liked it. I expected more, like bits of garlic bits in there to really accentuate that it’s what the name suggests. I didn’t get enough garlic flavor in there. * futo maki roll — This is the best one we’ve had since Banzai shut their doors for retirement. Nothing will ever compare to his but this one, this one surprised us. In a good way. Lion King — wasn’t very good. I asked for baked well-done with less sweet mayo on top. It came with a TON of mayo. Ew. When you bite into a cool in middle(CA roll) warmish salmon roll of mayo it definitely disappointed. I was kinda grossed out. Ya know what though, those are my preferences and what I may describe may sound absolutely perfect for someone else BUT, me no likey. I might be the only one that didn’t like their Lion King. kappa maki(cucumber) — was good, fresh, crunchy cucumber avocado roll — good too Come try this place for their hip scene. You get greeted when you get there and leave by the sushi chefs behind the counter. Servers were awesome. Will definitely go there again!
Grace C.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Richmond, CA
The ingredients are very fresh and taste delicious. Atmosphere is great. We were here on a crowded Friday night, the food had been sat on the counter for quite some time before delivering to us. The hostess was not very friendly who cancelled our reservation after we were late for 13 mins, although bar seats wasn’t so bad, she could really be more welcoming as a hostess.
Elle O.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 Charlotte, NC
Service is bad as a lot of people have stated here. My experience was not any different… slow, had to ask for water twice before actually getting it, no refills on water during entire dinner, appetizer came out last, after we finished our main course and had to flag down two different servers just to get our check. But the cherry on top for me was… a «service charge» of $ 8.47 to our bill of $ 27. When asked what the service charged was for. The front manager told us, since we used a certificate, there is an automatic charge 18% to our bill before the discount. I did the math. It was NOT18%, more like 20% charge. I informed the manager of the discrepancy. She told me, that it is 18%. And the restaurant had an agreement with to automatically add a service charge. So I whipped out my calculator and calculated it in front her. It definitely was not 18%. She apologized and said she’ll refund us. Thinking she’ll take off the service charge. Instead, she comes back to our table, and hand us .75 cents; refund the 2% difference. Seriously?! And why a 20% service charge, for a below par to nonexistent service? So check your bill and the service charge carefully. I told her there is no jargon anywhere on the certificate that states an automatic service charge to the bill. And that they need to make it clear to their customers before they use the certificates. Her response was, «we have an agreement with . You can call them. You want to call them now?» Again, SERIOUSLY?! Final words, it’s not worth getting the certificate to this restaurant and having to deal with bad service and management. There are a lot more sushi restaurants around the area that you can enjoy without the hassle.
Victor C.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 El Sobrante, CA
Don’t recommend, sitting here for over 15 minutes and have not ordered yet and didn’t get help what so ever. Way better places with better service. Do not come hungry or else you WILL starve to death. PS. Took around 10 minutes to receive my bill after I requested it. The restaurant had 4 other tables that day and there were 3 servers.
Jun H.
Évaluation du lieu : 2 Overland Park, KS
Pro: Presentation was decent. Miso soup was decent. Cons: Menus were a bit stained. Under staffed servers, took forever on getting stuff or ordering. Fish was subpar quality. I rated them 3 stars but definitely lose one for service. Seriously, you have to hail someone for anything. The atmosphere and the environment was very nice. The tables were decently lit and everything else is well dimmed so there isn’t as much distraction. I got the hamachi and poke nigiri along with the red dragon roll. My girlfriend go the 10 piece assortment sashimi. The hamachi was decent, it was not great or bad. Poke, which I always believe is easy to prepare well, was decent and had a bit of freshness to it. The red dragon roll had a nice crispy tempura and decent tuna, but their spicy sauce that they topped it with was way to overpowering, causing you to only taste the spicy sauce. Also service was far and few. There was literally only three servers and our waters were never filled until we specifically hailed down one guy to fill it for us. I personally feel like service is a huge factor to a great restaurant and sadly I don’t think this restaurant does. Overall I would say this place is a good environment but not good for its sushi. If I come here next time I will definitely try their ramen because man it smelled really nice when one came out for a customer sitting next to us.
Irene P.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Yorba Linda, CA
Main message: not worth the money. I lists in detail what I ordered and my thoughts on them below. I am a sashimi — loving girl who appreciates fresh and good quality fish. The sashimi combo here was nowhere near $$. The tuna tasted better than it looked(color faded due to poorly thawing) and the other fish were good. I just don’t like seeing a faded piece of tuna on my $ 20+ plate of sashimi. Unagi was unagi. can’t really get unagi wrong. The red dragon roll wqs also part of our dinner montage today. Pros: perfectly fried tempura and good quality ingredients Con: bad sauce and too much of it on top(tip: scrape some off!)
Jean K.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 San Francisco, CA
This place is average — C to be precise. I came here after the raving reviews and looking upon the pre-fixe restaurant week menu. Service 3⁄5 — workers are overwhelmed and place is busy, while it takes even longer to get seated. BF ordered two rolls — Kamikaze and titanic role… We tried it together to be surprised at how average the roll tasted; no tang, no unique flavors or very fresh fish for the matter… Wasn’t a fan of the sauces drizzled on the sushi either. Pre-fixe — first off, my spinach salad was tough, cold and the sauce drizzled over was too sweet for my taste 2.5÷5, the Gyoza was nothing special and I did not appreciate that the dish came out lukewarm… 3⁄5; my akemi roll is a low carb roll however it tasted completely bland that I could not bear to finish 2⁄5; finally the dessert was weird but that may be that I’m not a fan of panna cotta — the yuzu did grow on to me after a few bites but would never order again 3⁄5. The venue is nice, modern, however if you’re expecting authentic Japanese and fresh sashimi — I’d rec other places in the bay.
Silvestre B.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Civic Center/Tenderloin, San Francisco, CA
This has been one of my most favorite restaurants on the Solano strip. Their ramen was amazing and their sushi was fresh and fulfilling. The ambiance is real relaxed playing contemporary electronic indie music. The lighting allows your you to really take in the experience which is Akemi. The friendly staff is quick to cater to customers and secure that you have a pleasant time and meal throughout your experience here. Personally I fell in love with their ramen and would return.
Andy B.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 Oakland, CA
Akemi was delicious, we came for restaurant week and had the Prix Fixe menu as well as Tonkatsu ramen. The Akemi roll was on point and the ramen was super tasty with delicious pork belly. Will definitely be back
Vic C.
Évaluation du lieu : 1 South San Francisco, CA
BADSERVICE!!! It’s a terrible experience!!! Waiting for almost 1& half hour for simple ramen because they missing our order.
Josephine C.
Évaluation du lieu : 5 El Cerrito, CA
Akemi is by far one of the best Japanese restaurants that I’ve ever been to(Came here two nights in a row because I couldn’t get enough!). The ambiance is amazing, and the décor is super modern and chic. The best part is, the food is just as good as the décor! Ordered: Seaweed Salad-Not your average seaweed salad. It’s the perfect balance of dressing, seaweed, and vegetables, and it’s light enough to allow room for more food. Akemi Roll-I was really impressed. I love that it was wrapped in thinly sliced cucumber rather than rice. Perfect for those who want something a little lighter Toro Toro Roll-Fatty tuna was really fresh and flavorful. SOGOOD. Himachi Kama-The perfect amount of crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside Titanic Roll-probably one of the best rolls I’ve ever had. The salmon was fresh as well and it’s a pretty decent size. Deluxe Sushi
Service: the hostess and waitresses were all really friendly and accommodating. Even on busy nights they really move as quickly as they can while maintaining a positive attitude and smile which makes the whole experience more enjoyable. I will definitely come back soon for more!(Hopefully to try their new ramen lunch specials!)
Nique F.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Berkeley, CA
There are myriad sushi spots in the East Bay, but Akemi is a cut above, ideal when you want more of an upscale experience. The ambiance is super tasteful and stylish, with perfectly low lighting, reclaimed wood, and a unique V-shaped sushi bar. Plus, the service is always hospitable — you can feel the passion they put into the place. We typically go for ramen — they offer 2 types: Tonkotsu or Spicy Miso(both $ 14). I can’t comment on the level of authenticity, but it always hits the spot on a cold night, and the portions are generous. Only strange thing is that they don’t cut the egg in half, so it’s slippery and awkward to eat. I’ve also ordered sushi rolls(super fresh), grilled whole squid appetizer(slightly on the chewy side, but good flavor), and the spider roll(more appetizer size, with 5 pieces). Akemi is definitely worthy of your date night rotation, especially in the winter when ramen is crucial!
Janessa M.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 Hayward, CA
The ambiance was so nice, I really like everything about this place including the lighting and the music was trance like. Loved it! I ordered the sushi combo with 5 pieces of nigiri and 1 sushi roll. It was the godzilla roll, not that great… but it was ok. The nigiri was decent, not the best I’ve had, I felt like there was very little rice. My friend ordered the Spicy pork belly ramen… I should have ordered that one, It was honestly so delicious from what I tried, and I’m not a big fan of pork. The waitress Miya was so sweet! She said that they make the broth in house, and it tasted so fresh, the egg was cooked perfectly with yoke still inside! I gave an extra star because they had Red bean ice cream! which most Japanese restaurants don’t have. Also the service was excellent! I would come back here and order the ramen, and red bean ice cream! Thanks Miya for your excellent service!
Brittany N.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Berkeley, CA
Akemi is a revamped, upscale version of the former Miyuki. The décor is spacious, sparse, and dimly lit except for choice spotlights for each table. Dark, repurposed wood lines the walls and and recessed ceiling. Tastefully small pots of soy sauce sit on handsome dark wood tables. Service was very gracious and attentive. We ordered two rolls, both $ 12, the Akemi Roll and Spicy Tina Roll. Funny name for the spicy one. I thought the Akemi roll was very unique, as the avocado, hamachi, tuna, and salmon was wrapped in cucumber instead of rice. Talk about an excellent choice for diners trying to cut back on carbs! The Spicy Tina Roll was also yom. The tempura added a slight crunch to a tasty roll of eel, salmon, albacore, and cucumber. The fish itself did not strike me as particularly fresh, but the presentation of each roll was on point. Fortunately, we were not super hungry because we both felt that the portions were smaller than the former Miyuki rolls. I understand that you pay for the ambiance, too, but I’m certain that if I had not eaten prior to coming to Akemi, I would have left hungry. That’s not a good feeling. Overall: Excellent ambiance, superb service, unique Akemi namesake roll, average sushi freshness, on the expensive side, smaller portion sizes on the rolls. I’d come back again if on Solano, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come back.
Jenna T.
Évaluation du lieu : 4 East Bay, CA
Nice restaurant, dimly lit and great interior décor. Food was presented beautifully every time, even the chicken katsu. Service was extremely lacking and that was a disappointment for such a nice restaurant. Their edamame was smothered in sweet chili sauce which was different and tasty. Their evil roll was fireworks in your mouth! One bite and you can taste all the ingredients and the different textures in one roll! It was beyond perfect and ingredients were evenly distributed thoughout the roll. The Japanese pancake was another big hit. The presentation in itself was mesmerizing with the flakes moving and making the food come to life. It was not fishy at all and it was a seafood pancake. Whatever sauce they drizzle on top of the pancake was the cherry on top! Their ramen was better than what I tasted in the east bay so far. The broth was light. You still can’t beat ramen places in San Mateo. I’d definitely come here again and would recommend it to others. However, I’d warn everyone about the slow and poor service.