Party Sushi

Horrible service. Menu stated service charge for party of six or more. We only have 5 people and the waitress still charged us 18% service charge. Owner argued even 1 person they still charged 18% service charge. Totally ridiculous. Never go back again. Be careful when you go there.

I stopped in here for a quick take-​out lunch yesterday. I noticed that the chef had all of the sushi fish crammed into a small box that did not look hygienic, but didn’t think much of it. I’ve been violently ill for the last several hours, and I’m pretty sure that I got salmonella from this place.
I scanned the other reviews trying to identify a trend and it looks like others got sick several years back. Definitely definitely definitely will not be coming here again.

This review is ONLY regarding the service.
I used to love Party Sushi because it is close to home and the quality of the food never flailing.
However, there is one waitress in particular who has turned me off from this place.
On the first occasion, the sign at the entrance said to please wait to be seated. The restaurant was less than half full but we obliged. After 20 mins, this waitress acknowledged our presence and asked us to give her five mins while she cleared a table. (Mind you, half the tables were clean and unoccupied.) She finally seated us and gave us a chance to look through the menu. After 20 mins of everyone sitting at the table twiddling their thumbs, she came over and took our order. The food came out after another 30 mins but as usual, was amazing.
While we ate, not once did she check in to see how everything was or refill our water glasses even after we asked her on three occasions. Again, this was a weekday and the restaurant was not even half full. When we got the check, we left 10% tip, however it was not 18% as we did not feel she had been very attentive. This lady then followed us outside the restaurant to point out we had not tipped adequately despite her subpar service.
Second occasion, we got there right at 5 PM for the dinner hour. She let us seat ourselves and we chose a window seat. It was only two of us and we sat at a 4 person table. The lady told — not asked — told us to move over. We kindly asked if we could sit there as we had somewhere to be at 5:45 and would gladly move if she needed the table. (There were no other guests and absolutely no line) She was very short, refused and walked away.
I realize she has to be mindful of large parties but there was no reasoning with her. (After having dinner somewhere else, we passed by the restaurant on the way to BART and the table we wanted to sit at was still empty.)
As a paying customer, I have a choice. And I’d much rather support a business that is kind and values their customers. I will not be back so long as she is there.

Was not able to do take out order?! Wtf!!! Lame! They don’t even close for another hour, so it don’t make sense! And then I walked in to make my order, and the same woman who refused my order on the phone, took the order in person? She told me on the phone that they couldn’t take my order because the restaurant is full, but when I arrived they where only half full, and everyone already had food on their table. Am I in crazy land!!! Wtf? I wish this place would step into 2016 and figure out how to take online orders. Sushi is good, but I don’t eat here as often as I could because their ordering system seems to be stuck in 1996… Ironically enough, I walked out with my order about 15 mins after placing it, so the waitress who takes the orders probably turns down lots of to go business by not understanding her sushi chefs queue…

*I’ll need to update this review later on because I just stopped by today for the first time to pick up a to-​go order*
I went with the salmon lovers roll, and I really really liked it! I love salmon so of course I had to go with this one — it has salmon and avocado inside, salmon on top, with masago and green onion on top of that. It’s also shaped like a flower which was adorable!
My only gripe is that the roll came out to be around $ 15. I feel like for the size, it’s definitely not worth it. The rainbow roll, for example, is only $ 9! I so much would have rather gotten that one, but the sushi actually is very good. The quality was great, and the fish was so soft.
I’ll be back to try more, but now I’ll be more wary of the cost.

We came here on a Sunday night. It’s a quite small restaurant with ~10 tables, but luckily we didn’t have to wait. They have a variety of sushi and also teriyaki bowls and udon noodles.
We ordered three types of rolls and one sashimi. The King Kong roll was terrific! and the sashimi was also very fresh. I really like their sushi in general.
(Their party size sushi plate looks awesome :))

The Beef Teriyaki meal is very very good. The combination of sweet and smokey sauce with asian salad and rice. Service was also good, and the hot tea was nice on a rainy night.

I’ve been trying to find a good sushi restaurant in Berkeley and FINALLY found the go-​to place where I plan on spending at least once a week chowing down on mondo sushi to satisfy my cravings of the food.
First off, I passed by Party Sushi many times before while driving but never bothered to stop by. There’s Tako Sushi on Telegraph Avenue and then there’s a new sushi restaurant in North Berkeley by Safeway but neither restaurant seems to want to put enough flavor in their sushi.
This is not what Party Sushi seems to be about. Quite the contrary, I’ve been very impressed with the taste of sushi served here. In the two times I’ve been to this place, I’ve ordered both the Godzilla and Lion King rolls every time. So if you didn’t feel satisfied with the food or want a better choice next time you go here, try these rolls. They are delicious.

Tried a lot of popular local spots including Joshu-​ya, Ozumo, etc. and this place is unlike any other. I have never had a roll like the Betty Boop before, and every time we try a new one it does not disappoint. Note we always do carry out.

I’ve been here quite a few times – I think this has become my new favorite sushi spot in Berkeley. A great variety of rolls at a decent price. I recommend the King Kong Roll, the Super Roll, the House Roll, the Tootsie Roll, and the Rainbow Roll. I’m sure others are good, but those are my favorites.

To Chistina T.
I have been coming to Party Sushi for many years because their food is amazing. I know the owners very well and I know they would never respond that way to their customers. They’re very kind and respectful people. This is clearly somebody else posing as the owner.
This person is hurting a good business, owned by hard-​working, nice people. What a terrible thing to do!

A group of went here for a friends birthday. We all got specials and while they did Sake Bombs … I had the house white wine.
The food was yummy and the servings were HUGE, the pricing was very reasonable and the atmosphere was calm.
The bathroom is thru the kitchen — which I felt odd invading their space but the kitchen was clean and while busy, not crazy.
I would def go back.

A few days after I posted my initial review for this restaurant, the owner of this place reached out to me via Unilocal’s comment-​on-​review function and it has furthermore demonstrated the mediocrity of this place.
«Comment from Party S. of Party Sushi
Business Owner
9÷7÷2015
Hi Christina,
Thank you for being a whiner and cowardly writing a one-​star review on Unilocal for such a minor incident, when the right thing to do would have been to alert the waiter of the problem. He would have gladly given you a new bowl of soup.
If you wanted larger portion sizes, you could have ordered one of our special rolls, such as the Titanic or Lion King Roll. But alas, it may be impossible to please bratty self-​entitled Unilocalers.
We look forward to your never coming back again. No one likes to serve whiners.
Peace out.»
And my response for him to see (I also sent this via a message), as well as you all (if anyone cares), is as follows:
«Hi there!
There are countless negative reviews on your Unilocal page, but it seems I have successfully hit the nail on the right spot to warrant a response from the one and only owner of the restaurant itself, and a nasty and utterly unprofessional one at that!
I’d like to address a couple things:
1) The whole purpose of Unilocal is for people to do what I did. Unilocalers who are satisfied by a business’s service and product reward it with a high rating, and those who are dissatisfied bring light to a weakness in the business by giving a poor rating. Poor ratings and the issues addressed in these reviews prove good purposes — to warn other customers and/​or aid in one’s decision of whether to visit this business. So it’s not „whining“ and an act of cowardice. :)
2) Glad to know you think a dead ass fly in a customer’s soup is a „minor incident“ and that you place the blame on me for not requesting a replacement bowl. Have you no regard for the sanitation and cleanliness of your business and food, and do you not agree that it is your responsibility, from the get-​go, to uphold all measures to ensure top quality in and out of the place? If not, I am appalled that you even have a RESTAURANT open and running.
I’m no business management expert, but perhaps you could obtain some enlightenment from my piece of advice. My two cents: maybe if you gathered all the (angry) passion and energy you used into writing this sarcastic and rather laughable response to me and channeled it towards improving the problematic areas of your restaurant that all the dissatisfied Unilocalers have pointed out, Party Sushi would, without a doubt, have more than this 3.5 star rating. Constructive criticism is gold, my friend.
Peace out.»
TLDR? Restaurant is mediocre with lacking quality control measures, and the owner is incapable of receiving constructive criticism and would rather rudely respond to any dissatisfied customers than try and improve areas that need attention. My final verdict? Don’t waste your time on this place.

After driving for hours from Yosemite national park back to the city of San Francisco, all we needed was a decent Japanese restaurant for a quick lunch break.
This Berkeley area Sushi joint offers wide variety of bento and sushi lunch box specials. I decided to try the Salmon Teriyaki served with Miso Soup, Veggies and California Roll. For $ 8, the portion was filling and it was freshly made. It was also delicious together with a chilled bottle of Sapporo.
My only qualm with this restaurant is that, they seem to lack the imagination to name this place anything other than «Party Sushi».

Party Sushi. A former co-​worker gave me the 411 on getting sushi without straining and stressing out the wallet. I used to come here back in the 1990s when it had tons of very colourful party décor and the sushi was very, very inexpensive. And the staff was pretty, cool, hip, and attuned to the Berkeley scene. A lot of Cal students used to come to Party Sushi a lot in those good old days. .. aptly fitting for both sushi and a party.
Spring 2010. I was feeling sentimental and decided to chow down at Party Sushi. I was surprised to walk into a renovated and remodeled restaurant. And there was a change in ownership/​management. Gone were the colourful party decorations and environment. The restaurant makeover was bright and minimalist, a traditional Japanese restaurant inspiring peace and tranquillity. I wrote a review for Party Sushi before, I see it has been removed.
At the time I wrote the review, I stopped by before heading to a film studies class at Berkeley City College. Unfortunately, time was of the essence and a crunch. I could not eat my pork tonkatsu at Party Sushi. I had to ask them to covert my lunch order to as a takeaway aka «to go» order. They were very understanding and cool about my request. I hope to go return to Party Sushi for a leisurely lunch when I have more time and not rushing off to classes. ..

The price here are pretty reasonable and the sushi is decent. You get what you pay for. I have had various rolls and the tekka don (tuna over rice, served with miso soup and salad) and have yet to be disappointed. If you’re craving sushi but don’t want to dish out too much cash, this is a great option. The sushi is fresh and the rice isn’t mushy or sticky. Hot tea is served upon arrival.
The only downside is that the service can be quite slow. I have had to wait on water and the bill for far too long.

I really like this place. It’s small and quiet, so you can hear the person your having lunch or dinner with.
The server who I believe is the owner was very nice. She came to check up on us several times and made sure we were doing good.
Their prices are reasonable. And their sushi is pretty good. They have a lot to choose from.
Lots of street parking.

This is by far the best sushi I’ve tried here in the East Bay! Prices are great, and the size portions are just perfect!
I’m always inclined to order the same stuff but I try to mix it up once in a while.
For instance, last time I was here I ordered a bento box (with salmon teriyaki, miso, rice, salad and 4 pieces of a california roll). Anyways, I was starving and I decided to get an extra roll (you know, you want to really enjoy the wasabi, and four pieces isn’t enough) so I got all that and for some crazy reason I was NOT able to finish my extra california roll. What a shame, but guess what? I took the leftovers home and an hour later I killed it.
Been a frequent flyer of this place for the past 3 years and I have never been disappointed.
P. S. Service is amazing, sometimes they’re super busy and might take them a couple extra minutes to take your order but if you’re patient enough that shouldn’t matter!

My bf grew up in Berkeley and was telling me how he’s been wanting to try this place out because he has always seen it on Shattuck since he was a kid. He figured it must be good since it’s been around for 20+ years. He decided to check this place out, taking me along as well. I can never say no to sushi. Especially, when it’s a date night with the bf.
It’s on the edge of the «gourmet ghetto» on Shattuck so expect street parking to be a bit difficult. There is no designated parking lot. My first thought after parking is, «that sign is weird,» referring to the Party Sushi sign outside. It’s noticeable, I guess. When you enter, there are only 10 tables and a small sushi bar. There was 1 waitress and 2 chefs behind the bar. I’m sure there are chefs in the back kitchen as well, but I didn’t hear much noise from back there. It was small, cozy, and nice. I would expect to see a small family having dinner here. The interior was clean and simple with photos from Japan, but who knows if they were just photos purchased online to make the sushi restaurant appear more Japanese.
For an itty bitty location, the place was 85% filled the entire time I was there. The discerning thing I noticed was even though the place was small, the 1 waitress was unable to keep up with the demand of customers. I like to play diner dash, and the waitress looked like she was on a really hard level and could really do with those shoes-​with-​wings booster so she can move a lot faster. What the game does not reflect was that the waitress also had to calculate the checks for all the customers. It seems like there should be 1 person taking orders, serving, and cleaning up. Then another person should seat, accept the take-​out orders, and work on the receipts. It must have been just this one night that we went because it looked really tough on her. I didn’t reduce any stars because of the poor service. The poor lady was struggling with just herself running the front. I wanted to get up several times to help her out. (I mean, I got really damn far in diner dash, like, up until those freaking robots kept making my customers mad.)
I gave this place 3 stars because the food was ok. The price was really good and probably the main reason why I would come back. If I were desperate to take my family to a sushi restaurant and I was in the area, I would take them here to fill them up and go. We ordered the Pokki Salad (I thought it was supposed to be spelled with 1 k), House Roll (dragon roll without the shrimp tempura), Sushi Dinner Combo #2 (cali rolls, nigiri pieces, and tuna roll), and Saba dinner entrée.
The salad was good, seasoned well, but it was doused in sauce which I didn’t appreciate. The House Roll again was doused in sauce. The sushi dinner combo was ok. The fish was fresh, the rice was good, but there was something off with the tuna roll they put on the plate. It also bothered me a little that they didn’t do the little dab of wasabi on the underside of the fish on the nigiri. Maybe they were making it kid friendly? I really like mackerel and when I ordered the saba dinner entrée, I wasn’t expecting amazing, but I also wasn’t expecting a dry overcooked piece of mackerel. The flavor was there, but it needed the lemon wedge on the side to get me through.
Overall, the food is ok. I’d take a friend here if we were craving sushi. Otherwise, I’d just go to Kirala 2 and picking up a lunch box to go. I can see why this place has been around for so long and people keep coming.

I went for lunch. There were 3 – 4 other parties dining. They were located on Shattuck Ave/​Virginia St in Berkeley. The sushi bar had 6 bar stools. There were about 8 tables, but could seat more if you separated the tables. They used real wooden chopstick, not disposable. There is a sign on the door and on the cash register that they accept credit cards for $ 10 minimum.
I was offered the lunch menu and the picture menu of sushi rolls.
I ordered a Shattuck Roll (Shrimp Tempura, Avocado, Cream Cheese) and a Salmon Skin with Green Onion Roll. The Shrimp Tempura was freshly fried with the tails on.
Both rolls had sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
The prices were reasonable and the sushi was decent.