Joshu-Ya Sushi

Four stars because the service could be better.
Not only that, but there are a few waitresses that aren’t very hospitable. When I’m taking my friends or family to your restaurant, I expect at least smiles. There’s this one Asian girl that’s rude every time I go, and that’s why I don’t go as often as I would. (There are nice workers there too though! I just never happen to get them.)
The price is a bit more than most sushi places around Berkeley, but the rolls are worth it. If you haven’t tried the Super Crunch, you haven’t lived. The Lion King is also good, but the Super Crunch is something I will never get tired of eating.
They also give you free miso soup and salad before your rolls come, so that’s a nice bonus.
I would save Joshu-​ya more for special occasions, and eat at Tako Sushi or CU Sushi for my regular sushi cravings.

This is considered a «nicer» sushi spot for Berkeley students and I was impressed the first couple of times I came here. Their rolls are more expensive compared to others near by but they give you complimentary miso soup and salad. The rolls are decent sizes and the sauces are pretty good. However, I’ve been disappointed the last two times I came here.
Bad experience #1: Found 2 huge bones in my salmon. Told the server and he gave me complimentary green tea ice cream. I could have choked!
Bad Experience #2: Ordered the Lion King Roll or their equivalent of and the salmon was super dry and overcooked! I couldn’t even eat the end pieces. I tried one of my boyfriend’s tuna rolls and the fish was so hard and chewy I couldn’t even swallow it.
I don’t think I’ll come back again.

celebration sushi
possibly the best place for sushi in berkeley! a bit pricey but when it’s time for a celebration this is the place to go. wether it’s a birthday, a promotion, a graduation (it’d great for that CAL grads!) or simply just because… this place is a great place to eat.
oh side note, watch out for the low ceiling at the entrance.
okay back to the point the sushi is amazing! i’m not very good with my japanese so i work with pictures so check out the one i posted! last time i went, i was kicking it with the roomies… i think CAL just won a football game and instead of having the usual wings and beer this is where we decided to celebrate. and though we didn’t order the boat– we did order enough to fill a chopping block.
until next time,
cheers!

Make sure to go here when it’s not that busy! The waiters (depending on what day you go) can be super nice and attentive but a few times I’ve been and the service sucked. Took forever! Especially sucked cause I was showing my friend from LA all the good spots and they were disappointed with this visit. Still, the food is always good. However, I have seen some not so fresh veggies in my salad once. Overall, one of the best sushi spots in Berkeley.

The salmon terriyaki steak was definitely one of the better salmons I have eaten. It was juicy, succulent, and large enough to be filling. The food arrived relatively fast and we were seated outside. The atmosphere is relatively loud, but sitting outside definitely helped the noise level.
TLDR; Salmon terriyaki steak is expensive (11.95), but filling. I would recommend sitting outside if it isn’t too cold.

Really giving a 3.5
I’ve been coming to Joshu-Ya’s ever since I first started at Cal, but I’ve frequented less because of the slow service.
Atmosphere: It’s spacious outside, but inside it’s cramped. And, on busy nights, it’s uncomfortable because when you’re getting out of your booth, you’re most likely intruding on someone else’s dinner at someone else’s table (that’s how close seating is).
Food: The sushi here is great! Their specialty rolls are awesome (although a little pricey, $ 10-​$ 15). If you like cream cheese in your roll, try the Zoolander, and if you like a zesty, light spice get the Lucky Danny. Their fish always tastes fresh, which is a great thing. Their hand rolls are also enjoyable. The other cooked stuff, like Teriyaki, is average tasting. Really, come here for the sushi.
Service: Meh. The people are nice and friendly, but goodness are they slow.
Overall: If you want good sushi and you have a decent amount of time to spare, I’d recommend you go to Joshu-​Ya.

I come here often because it is half a block from my apt. They have nice lunch specials. I like getting the garden brunch or the joshu-​ya special which both really fill you up.
The rolls are sort of pricey for the quality. Not that fresh. Mmy favorites are the lion king and the stanko. They also have a good variety of udon, bento boxes, don, tempura.
I am a big fan of their unagitenju, which is sort of like a don with tempura eel and vegetables. It’s 14.25 but is as filling as 2 – 3 rolls

MmmMmm. Finally, something that tastes like the amazing sushi that I get in San Francisco!
Joshu-​Ya is definitely one of my favorite sushi joints (with the other being Tako, where my wallet is feeling a little empty). It’s a very cute and homey place, and definitely unlike most restaurants around.
Service is super nice, and super efficient. But maybe because the manager was there helping out, so everyone was on their best behavior. Just saying.
Sad to say though, Joshu-​Ya takes a bit of a toll on my wallet. Ordered 2 rolls (Zoolander and Dragon) as well as a bento box for dinner. Came up to $ 50 after tip.

The only place in Berkeley to get a decent cut of fish, but like other reviewers have said, its definitely pricey considering the portion sizes.
I would say their strong fish is the albacore and salmon, and the weaker one is tuna and white tuna. Their cooked foods are decent, but any sort of teriyaki or grilled food should never be a concern at well established Japanese restaurants. I’ve never cared much for rolls, so I usually settle with nigiri or the chirashi. From what I’ve tasted and seen, the rolls probably give you a better bang for your buck that does sashimi, nigiri.
The service is mediocre; they usually hire students to work here, so tip generously! If you have access to a car, I would recommend: Coach Sushi in Oakland, Geta Sushi in Oakland, or Sushi House in Alameda all three of which have better value and higher quality.

Oh Joshu-​ya! How our love-​hate relationship changed!
So in the beginning, Joshu-​ya had poor service, but great food. But, today, great service, but poor food. Why, oh, why can’t you just be good at everything?
My friends and I walked in here with a
coupon, but sadly, they’re not accepting it anymore. The manager, however, offered to give us one free appetizer and dessert since we couldn’t feast out tonight. Aw, thank you! This would have never happened last year!
BUT, the calamari we ordered? BRUNT! The lion king rolled? COLD! When I asked the waiter to reheat it, the waiter is really adorable by the way!, the chef merely took a lighter of some sort and burnt the roll. Yea, uh, it’s still cold. My friend came back and asked why did the waiter add pepper to our lion king roll. Oh, Joshu-​ya, what have you become!
The rock n roll roll? Cold and not fresh. The Marylin Monroe was not bad – the best out of the three rolls that we ordered.
For our free dessert, we got tempura ice cream. Hm… I would say, the batter is too thick and not enough ice cream. Needs improve on the receipe, but not a bad concept.
You know, my biggest problem with our relationship Joshu-​ya? Its that you’re trying to be Japanese. Like all the other Japanese restaurants in Berkeley, you’re a Korean restaurant trying to be Japanese. Sigh. Please dont pretend anymore… and maybe, just maybe, I’ll trust in you again. Thank you.
Yay for the improved service.
Nay for the food.

Sushi here is very good, but just a little pricey. I recommend the dragon roll. I also like how they have an option for takeout.

I don’t come here unless someone else really wants to go (though I can’t imagine why).
I would better understand if the poor service we had on a Monday were on a busy Friday instead. We were seated immediately, but then 30 minutes later we flagged someone down to take our orders. They bring miso and water, and leave. Another 20 minutes later, the sake and edamame come. 20 more minutes for a water refill and the first of our orders. We eventually get everything, and it’s fine, but then wait another 20 minutes before we flag down someone for the check, put down 2 credit cards and wait 10 more minutes before flagging someone down again and explaining (twice) how to divide the charges.
The worst part of it all is that tables around us, some with larger parties, were being served efficiently and regularly. I don’t think we were especially demanding or loud or otherwise deserving to be forgotten, and it isn’t the first time this had happened. The food is fine, but the consistently abysmal service leaves me regretting coming every time.

I think this is the best sushi in the Berkeley area, especially this close to campus.
The rolls are decently priced and so are their bento boxes, etc.
I got their unagi-​don today for lunch and it was really great. Although there may not be an incredible amount of meat, I liked how it had a lot of sides with it: ginger, shittake mushrooms, shredded radish, tamago, seaweed.
My friends had uni. crispy roll, and bento boxes. They all liked their food, although i would say their miso soup is a bit lacking.

I’ve been going to Joshuya for quite some time now, and I finally decided to write a review after my most recent visit. I remember that Joshuya was always big for their big rolls, but it seems that the rolls size has been dwindling. It was the main thing that they had going for them too.
Quality wise, the fish is okay. I’d say a little above average. The wait staff is sometimes hit or miss. Sometimes they’re really friendly, other times they just seem really occupied. Seems like they are over worked.
It’s a small place, so you might feel a little claustrophobic if you decide to eat inside. But I guess you can only do so much with Berkeley rent. For Berkeley, it’s a good sushi place. Not the best, but still pretty decent.

No offense, but I have no intention of ever returning.
Cal students seem to love Joshu-​ya. I don’t get it. The food is not cheap. Atmosphere is lacking. And service, well, besides the friendly greeting at the door, there was nothing notable about it.
Some of the roll names are creative and the food is decent at best. Based on my Marilyn Monroe roll alone, despite it being drenched in sauce, I might’ve given this place 3 stars tops. However, adding everything together, it was a less than happy experience.
1) Our 2 friends specifically pointed out that they were ordering rolls to share. Not only did the rolls come out on separate platters, they were placed with our other friends’ rolls. This resulted in 4 friends crisscrossing and reaching over one another. Fail.
2) The BF ordered his favorite nigiri, ikura. The moment the server brought it out, even I knew it was doomsday. First, both pieces were on their side, spewing brown sauce. Then the roes were partly shriveled and cloudy. The BF tasted one roe and made a face and I tasted one just to see how bad it was. The roe was chewy like a tapioca ball. Ew! The BF told the server that it was inedible and to take it off the bill. Double fail.
3) Another friend ordered a roll but once again her order was placed with another roll. This time was a big deal since this friend is allergic to seafood. She felt bad about sending it back, but we insisted. We informed the server who took the platter to the sushi bar. But evidently, all they did was transferred the rolls onto separate plates because we can see traces of tobiko from the other roll on our friend’s ‘new’ roll. They didn’t even bother to remake a vegetable roll! Inexcusable!
Never again.

Easily the best sushi & sashimi I’ve had in Berkeley thus far. We tried an assortment of raw fish (sake, maguro, hamachi, shiro maguro, etc.) and all were mad fresh and absolutely delicious. The specialty rolls are also very good, though on the pricier side. This place would’ve gotten 5 stars if it weren’t for the rather shoddy service — the waiters were sluggish with tea/​water refills and one of the kids still has much to learn about basic etiquette in the service industry.
Food: 4.5
Service: 2

Finally after having this poor review waiting to be completed, is COMPLETE!!!
Joshu-​Ya is a good choice if you’re a Berkeley student and you miss the SF Valley Sushi spots of Ventura Blvd.
On my visit to SF, I visited friends @ Cal. We got hungry after walking on Telegraph St. and a former Cal grad, belonging to our group, suggested this interesting hidden place, that has good sushi.
We thought «Why not» and we went to try. Actually it was pretty good, this doesn’t make me a fan, but they had good sashimi, and sushi rolls. I didn’t like the Sumo roll, too sea-​weedy (the specific case didn’t match my palate’s moods)
I was so hungry and so into trying the different flavors, that I totally forgot to take the photos of before. But I have couple that will give you some idea about the goodness.
They had good cold sake. Very friendly service and pretty cozy small outside patio; good for groups.
I’d come here again if I’m around :)

Joshu-​Ya is one of those elusive restaurants where you’re not sure where you went wrong because their service is inattentive and they lose customers due to their negligence.
I’ve tried to eat here several times and waited around awkwardly while people shuffled around and ignored us. Each time has resulted in anger and walking out.
A couple of friends suggested Joshu-​Ya to satisfy our sushi craving and I didn’t place the name with the restaurant until we got here. Moaning and groaning ensued but we were able to get inside and seated. What a surprise!
We ordered several rolls, of which I liked the Lion King, which is a classic, and the «Spicy Hot Juicy Roll» which was delivered exactly as the title states. Their rolls are definitely huge and saucy, so if that’s how you like your sushi, you will do well here.
If you don’t mind getting poor service and waiting around for a long time, this may be your joint for sauce drenched rolls.

They have slow service and mediocre food for pricey prices. This is also one of those places that charges every entrée more for dinner though you can get the same thing for lunch. It’s not as if it’s a separate menu for lunch and dinner. It’s the same menu and same portion, but pricer because it’s a different time of day. Anyway, I know lots of restaurants do this, but I think this pricing scheme is a cheap tactic. They are also always understaffed here and I’ve been ignored multiple times. Good luck getting a table quick. You’ll probably not even get a glance from the servers. To top it off, tonight, the three of us got seated at a table only fit for two people.
The only good things they have going for them is that they are local, have a large menu selection, and a nice kitschy atmosphere. I do enjoy eating here on a cold night out because it feels extremely homey inside with all the cute decorations, pouring over their menu.

Once in a while I’ll crave for sushi rolls and this place has never let me down. I wanted to revisit them to remind myself what good service was all about, but also to put them against my sushi matrix with which was designed to keep my reviews honest about my Japanese food ventures. With all the Cal students gone, it was easy for me to grab a table without having to sit at the bar. I ordered the 1 Lucky Danny roll ($ 13.95), a pair of sawara ($ 4.25) and toro albacore ($ 5.25).
My Lucky Danny was a sizable roll with veggie and shrimp tempura, and spicy crab meat to fill the core to go with salmon, avocado, and tobiko at the top. It came beautifully presented and I thought the shrimp tempura was lightly fried to perfection with just enough kick from the spicy crab meat to give my palate a ride. The salmon pieces were fresh and buttery, and the light sauce drizzled atop was decorative and unintrusive. The crunchy, sweet and savory elements all played their parts in defining the taste of luck – as I need all the luck I can get these days. I only wished the fresh crab could be more generous and apparent.
I thought my pair of sawara was a little fishy but the toro albacore was really outstanding. The cuts were generous in equal sizes and together the meal was enough to fill me up. That toro albacore was memorable and was something I would love to have again.
All together, here is how my dinner fared:
1.) Quality and freshness: I thought the quality of fish was above average. It’s not ultra fresh or mind blowing but it was reliable and tasteful. I thought the side of salad was over-​dressed and the miso was decent: 3.5 stars.
2.) Creativity and presentation: They were really good at blending the colors of their sushi rolls to go with the décor: 5 stars.
3.) Quantity and substance: Portions were generous and usually I had to order another nigiri in order to get full: 4.5 stars.
4.) Accessibility and affordability: Price was high for the Lucky Danny and the nigiri pieces weren’t the cheapest when compared to the likes of Minami and Rumble Fish. I didn’t order their uni because they were charging $ 7 at market price: 2 stars.
5.) Service and ambiance: There were four young servers who were friendly and they checked on me frequently to make sure my needs were met: 5 stars.
Good roll, reliable fish, 4 stars for the overall experience.