4. Restaurants

Ichiro

412 15th St, Oakland, CA, 94612
  • (510) 452-1994
  • Store is closed

Ichiro Menu

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  • Jerry W.

    Opens at 1100...place fills up quick so I would get there early I ordered 1 order of Saba Nigri ($5) Not bad, the saba was soft with a hint of fishiness and not sour at all. I just found it a bit overpriced. For the main course I selected more homey dish...OyakoDonburi ($9.25) Teriyaki is Americanize and overly sweet that I don't even use it to gauge how well a Japanese restaurant is. Over at Ichiro, the OyakoDon was OK. The chicken tasted grilled and then added to the egg instead of being cooked with the egg. It was a filling dish, remember its a BIG bowl of rice with stuff on top. The dish overall is good with a well balanced sweet and savory sauce that coated the rice. There was plenty of pickled daikon in my bowl. The salad that came with meal was a typical bagged mixed greens with red cabbage mixture with a nice soy sesame dressing. The soup that came with meal was the typical miso, but they included some rice noodles to it...good touch. The table that I sat it needed the wall cleaned. The bathroom is a coed single seater with a standup shower stall...I guess you can shower before eating. The floor tiles needed to be clean or replaced. The place was clean, but if just felt not so clean. Could be from a slight smell that seemed to be everywhere in the bathroom.

    (3)

  • Jane H.

    Get the Titanic Roll. It is huge and you can have it for lunch and dinner! If you need further evidence, my chopstick snapped while eating it. So cheap too!!

    (5)

  • Blake R.

    Some told me this was a decent spot for rolls and we were in the area so it was our best option to cure the sushi fix. The sever was quick to seat Us and take out order. It's a decent size and very clean. We ordered : Rock and roll - was ok, nothing special Bay scallop roll - wasn't cooked thoroughly, was kinda fishy tasting (not fresh) and was very disappointing. Crazy horse - not what I expected, it was four rolls that were huge. This is the first time I've had lettuce hanging out almost like a spring roll. Our total came out to less than $30 which was good. Overall the experience was ok. I plan on coming back to at least give them another chance. Hopefully it was just an off night for them

    (3)

  • Nancy L.

    Two words...Titanic Roll. The biggest fattest sushi roll you will probably ever see. So big and heavy with fish and crab meat that it toppled over. It was pretty good! I would say that roll alone can feed two people just because the portion size is bigger than normal. The salmon and the tuna that was on the roll was really smooth and fresh, and they topped it with some crab meat tossed in some kind of sauce. It's also filled with the usually fried tempura shrimp. I've only been here once and it seems like it gets pretty busy during lunch hour. I would call in your order ahead of time if you can! Or else it'll take about 10 minutes, maybe more, for you to get your food.

    (3)

  • Autumn M.

    I love the tempura, sushi and veggie options they have here. The wait is usually long though, but well worth it!

    (4)

  • Samantha L.

    Yuk! Never again.

    (2)

  • Michael L.

    The Titanic Roll, Ichiro's flagship roll is quite a spectacle when seen in person. It's size is comparable to a super burrito and when eaten, you'll sink into a sushi bliss leaving you sushi wasted. But I'll go in the Titanic Roll more later. We arrived at Ichiro around 7pm and it was already a full house. Fortunately there were two seats at the sushi bar so we didn't have to wait but during the time we were there the waiting line to be seated got to be 10 people deep or more. Looking at the menu it has all the basic sushi bar options but what we weren't prepared for was the portion sizes here. Usually for sushi for two we end up in the $80 range so as I began to order the waitress stopped me (only after about $40 of sushi) and said that was already too much food. Here's what we ordered: Nigiri Deluxe: a bowl of miso soup served with a nice assortment of 8 pieces of nigiri. No bite sizes pieces served here, each piece was two or three bites per piece. It was fresh and delicious. Dragon Roll: I sent a photo of the dragon roll to Janetto L's husband, who is a sushi professional. My question was: "Japanese or Chinese?" He said based on how it was rolled and looked his guess was it was made by Japanese. But whoever made the roll, even if his name was Juan Carlos, is was really good. Titanic Roll: ShrimpTempura wrapped with Tuna, Salmon topped with Spicy Crab Masafo Green Onion. This roll alone would fill even people with large appetites. It's a great combination of flavors, my wife loved the spicy crab it's topped with. The greatest challenge is trying to fit the roll in your mouth, each piece requires three bites minimum. Loved it. The service was good taking into consideration how busy it was. The price for our meal was a lot less than I usually spend at sushi joints. Best sushi I've had thus far in the Eastbay.

    (5)

  • Cindy L.

    I was actually pretty excited to eat at Ichiro, one part sushi craving, one part starving, one part having heard good things about Ichiro from friends. Got in about 630PM on a Wednesday evening. It's all street parking, free after 6, this street isn't the most well lit, but I'm sure you'll manage. The two of us were seated right away and there seemed to be a good number of people already dining on a Wednesday evening. Once seated we were brought water right away, but it did take the waitress a while to come and take our orders, I didn't really see her out at all, so not sure how busy she was. But once she came by, we ended up ordering a combination plate of salmon teriyaki & sashimi, seaweed salad, baked mussels and an order of sashimi. I felt like it took a really long time for things to come out, especially the raw stuff. And our appetizer, the baked mussel, came out after we finished our meal. I'm not sure what was going on that night, but that really didn't sit well with me. But for the food that actually arrived. The seaweed salad was described as a bit salty, the combo was okay, not too bad, and the salmon teriyaki was a bit salty for my taste. The sashimi that comes with the combination plate were albacore and salmon. I don't think I had albacore before, but it definitely wasn't for me. The salmon on the other hand was delicious, nice melt in your mouth salmon! But there were only two pieces, would have definitely liked to have more. The sashimi order we ordered was pretty nice, it came with a good amount of sashimi. I wouldn't say that I was disappointed in my meal, I think if I were to return, I'd definitely go for the sashimi than anything else. And I've heard good things about the titanic roll (size & value), so maybe I'll lean towards that way. Service could be improved though.

    (3)

  • Miguel J.

    The one time I went here was with two of my friends. The restaurant was uncomfortably silent and the sushi itself was nothing spectacular. What was most annoying was that they had no beer. None! They said they ran out. The cherry on top was that they didn't accept credit cards even though there was a window decal that said they accept American Express... Will not be going back.

    (2)

  • Andrew L.

    I go to school just around the block from here and usually drop by for lunch once a week or so. With that said I've waited a couple months since first eating here to leave a review. The prices are affordable compared to most sushi places these days, and the portions are quite nice, especially their nigiri deluxe which has ridiculously large pieces of fish. and of course there is the titanic which is maybe a little too large... it is sort of uncomfortable to eat it, however the tuna and salmon on top are huge, very worth the price of 13.25 The sushi men are very hard working and nice. The servers are just okay, they aren't mean, but don't make much effort to be nice or smile, but that doesn't bother me much as I go there for the food but it may put off others. There may be better places for rolls (although this place is still pretty good) but I don't think you will find a higher quality raw fish of this size. Its hard to get full off of REAL sushi and not just rolls, this place gets pretty close at a reasonable price.

    (5)

  • Eva B.

    Im not a happy camper. Ive been here once before tried to call in order no one answered..once arrived explained to lady no one answered phne , she explained short staff so ok i'll give you that this time......but today hell no. I ordered combo beef teriyaki, calif rolls, salad etc. anywho my beef came out cold and dry looking. Ooops Ichiro send this back. Customer service is not good. So guess whos not returning???? This lady!!! Thats who

    (2)

  • Julie K.

    I've been here quite a few times. This is my sushi joint if I have a craving and I'm not necessarily looking for an "experience." It's a decently sized place and decently priced. I rarely had to wait, but most times I've gotten take out. The rolls are pretty good here and the fish is ok. The bad thing about their sushi is the sushi rice - it's not the most delicious sushi rice and they pack a LOT. You will be getting a mouth full of thick rice. I don't exactly know the art of making sushi rice, but I feel like Ichiro's doesn't have enough ingredients to make it the right consistency or they just pack it too tight. I usually cut half the rice off the sushi pieces. Their uni is pretty good too. If I have a craving, I pick up some here on the way home. The pieces are huge, and so good and creamy on the rice. Not the greatest sushi, but sufficient to get you by.

    (3)

  • David D.

    Came back for dinner after going to the gym. The gf and I got the sashimi special, nigiri deluxe, and a lion king roll. The place is small with room for only 20 or so customers. We were seated at the counter which was fine since it was pretty busy. The fish here is pretty fresh. Our sashimi and nigiri had what I thought to be, "hella big slides!". My chefs choice nigiri deluxe was delicious! Everything tasted amazing. The same goes for the sashimi, nice generous portions of fresh tasting fish. And this place has the best lion king roll, not overly sweet and doused in teriyaki and mayo. Although the service can be a bit slow, the food is worth the wait. The staff are all friendly. Just don't come if you're starving c you may have to wait a bit.

    (5)

  • Nora S.

    This place has gone majorly down hill in the past few months. I've been coming here for years and the last few times were so disappointing I probably won't be going back. What was once very fresh fish is now just mediocre (and covered with an abundance of sauce to hide this fact in many of the rolls). The last time I went, I ordered a basic roll of avocado and eel..... and they forgot the eel. Yes, it was avocado...on rice.... They give you A LOT of food for cheap, but if you are looking for quality sushi and fresh fish, I recommend going elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Parker T.

    Ichiro, I ruv you! Best damn sushi spot in downtown Oakland. Hit the Chirashi for a massive and delicious assortment of fish. And you have to try the Titanic roll at least once! Huge selection of sake if that's your bag.

    (5)

  • Elaine S.

    This place is the best place I have ever been to outside of Japan for sushi. I am seriously in head over heels in love with Ichiro-San and his amazing sushi skills. His servings are more than generous and is super nice too! I have never had ama-ebi so fresh and yummy including in Japan. The titanic is awesome, huge and definitely a challenge even to split between 3 people. Not to mention the prices are so good for the freshest fish you will ever had. Beautiful presentation, check. Thick servings on sashimi and nigiri, check. Cute and lovable sushi chef, check. Looks like I am addicted and will make the drive up just for this place sometime in the near future. Ichiro-San, if you ever see this thank you for the amazing food for my friends from LA!

    (5)

  • K Y.

    If you don't care for the service then it's ok to dine here. The food is decent，I came here twice, the waitress never come over to refill our empty glass of water or tea, they seem not too happy to work there. We are not the type that eat and leave without tips, we feel like they don't deserve any tips with these type of service. In the end we've still left them the tips, instead of 15%, we left them with 10%. I am not sure if I do want to come back here, they really should get some training with customer service.

    (2)

  • Xteethx B.

    Chirashi combo (comes with miso soup) is now $21.75. It is so much food for one person. Quality was good. I saw a newspaper review of this place back in 2007 that was plastered on the wall. It was branded as a bargain place when the chirashi was $13. Chirashi combo for lunch with tax and 20% tip will now cost you $28.06

    (4)

  • Sarina M.

    Really not impressed, the food was way too pricey for the quality. Customer service was good.

    (3)

  • Sai K.

    The service was awful. We weren't checked on at all through our lunch except to seat us and take the order. We had to ask several times for straws and even had to flag the waitress down to get our check. The tempura fried green tea ice cream was yummy, except that it was extremely greasy. I doubt I will be heading back here.

    (2)

  • Joe M.

    My girlfriend and I were camping out in Oakland before meeting up with some of her friends for drinks at The Trappist and wanted to grab some dinner first. Another friend had recommended a dozen places in the area, and after checking out some of the local offerings, decided to get some sushi at Ichiro. I was excited to try some of their popular items. They're known for their chirashi bowl and titanic roll, so we ordered one of each or those, along with their Okinawa roll (eel with skipjack). We were also served stewed fish fins which had plenty of delicious fish oils and meat on them. The miso soup was a little salty if I'm honest. The chirashi bowl is a great bargain at about $18, and is loaded to the brim with slices of fish. The titanic roll is about $11, and is novelty-sized. Most of the girth really is just the extra rice, but the fish slices were also huge. It was really difficult to eat and I'm not quite sure I'd get it again because it was difficult to enjoy. The Okinawa roll had a great fish to rice ratio, and I actually liked it more than the titanic. Overall however, I really enjoyed the sushi and value here. Service was friendly and it's a nice place to be, even in downtown Oakland. I would definitely go back for the chirashi bowl and might even consider sharing it with a friend. Definitely a good recommendation. Food: 8/10 Service: 7/10 Price: $$ Atmosphere: 7/10

    (4)

  • Dennis L.

    Came here for lunch and was told the sushi restaurant would not be able to serve sushi for 30 minutes...at a sushi restaurant. They were only serving COOKED food...at the sushi restaurant. Another group came in after us and they received sushi in under 30 minutes as you would expect....at a sushi restaurant. This place needs to get their act together.

    (1)

  • Matthew H.

    Good fresh sushi. Next time I will try the blue fish tuna

    (5)

  • Tamara S.

    This is a great japanese restaurant to make as your go-to default. I like this place because the price is good for the portion and quality. They give huge pieces and big portions, but quality is OK. It's not bad and it's not the best, but that's why it's a good default for sushi. Things that stand out at this restaurant are the Salmon skin hand roll, this is one of my favorites. I like the ingredients they put into it. And if you are looking for a variety of raw fish, I'd recommend the chirashi, it's so huge I can never finish it and I like everything they put in it. We never order rolls, usually just get sashimi, but one time we did order the katsu and that was pretty good. So far I haven't had a bad experience here. The only thing that is a con for this restaurant is that they never have fatty tuna (toro). It's on the menu but every time we go and we ask if they have it, they never do. They should just take it off the menu cause we have been asking since about 6 months ago.

    (4)

  • James T.

    Went Monday 10/6 at 11am. I think there was something wrong with the sake (salmon). It was chewy and not fresh. Unfortunately we ordered a Titanic and Rainbow roll which both had it. Pretty good size portions with decent service. Just awful food.

    (1)

  • Bob S.

    Yikes, this place is awful. No real decor or identity to this place... I know it's very popular with the local business lunch crowd but I don't understand why. Yes, the food is filling but no, it's not tasty or appealing. The service staff isn't very welcoming either and menu could use a serious update. The wooden "plates" they use to serve the sushi are very old, worn out and crumbling at the edges - I hate to think of the bacteria encrusted there over time. Went for lunch: the tempura was dry and hard so the batter they are using is not very good; the Titanic roll is a monstrosity visually and cannot be consumed by any fish aficionado - just the color of the tuna and salmon alone should give one pause. I could go on... but the bottom line is, if you really like sushi, don't go here or you will be disappointed.

    (1)

  • Ash P.

    I came here for lunch and was informed that the kitchen would be closing around 2:30pm, so we quickly ordered our lunch. I didn't want to anger the waitress, she seemed a little irritated that we showed up at the last minute. I order the New York roll and the Lion King roll. I am not a sushi expert, but I thought both rolls were both delicious. Also, the prices were reasonable. I'd definitely come back here again and do so during the hours the kitchen is open ;)

    (4)

  • Cameron D.

    These rolls are huge! Probably the biggest I've ever seen. The food is fresh and fast. Service is good. I thought it was pricey when i looked at the menu, but then was corrected upon seeing the vast quantities of sushi dedicated to my gluttony.

    (4)

  • Mai L.

    Amazing chirashi! The bowl was overflowing with an array of fresh, flavorful fish. I had to put some on a side plate in order to get down to the rice. The presentation was also very thoughtful, with lemon slices and shiso leaves tucked between fish. It's expensive at $21, but there it is a lot of food and it's great quality.

    (5)

  • Sarah L.

    Every time I've tried to do business here they turn me away because "they're too busy" and are rude about it. Oooook, your a Resturant, work it out and be nice to people that would like to be your customer because they live in the neighborhood. I would eat here twice a week and tip great if they ever provided me with service. Must be nice to be on such a high horse you feel the need to be rude to polite people that would just like to grab a to-go order. Good luck with that.

    (1)

  • Jake Z.

    Only sushi place in California that has traditionally cut sashimi and nigiri! Only places in japan rival their work. Don't listen to the reviews on the California rolls lol... This place is a gold mine! Too bad I moved to Seattle!

    (5)

  • Christy L.

    Had sushi here a few weeks ago. Pros: You get a lot of sushi for your money here. It was good, but some of the rolls were so large that they were difficult to eat. There were a lot of people here, which I take as a good sign on a Friday night. Con: The dining room is a bit dingy and could use a deep clean (walls, display pieces, etc..).

    (3)

  • Jean L.

    Had their chirashi about a year ago and wanted to try it again. I had a small order of chow mein at lunch and saved my appetite for my chirashi dinner. Walked in to check out the fish. Some looked a little dry and not very fresh. While waiting for my order, I saw them make several sushi and nigiri orders, a titanic roll, etc... and they looked great so I thought maybe I'm just being picky. When I got my chirashi, I was impressed with the variety and quantity of fish. Not everything looked fresh--some looked a little dry but it didn't smell so I thought it would be okay. Picked up takeout dinner around 7 PM and devoured it in 90 min. By 10 PM I was having painful stomach cramps and diarrhea. Enough said! The moral of the story--pay attention to your senses; especially, as it relates to raw fish. If you suspect it's not fresh, trust your first instincts and go to another restaurant. Thank goodness the symptoms stopped after a few hours. I kept myself hydrated and replenished my electrolytes with coconut water, had a good night's sleep and was almost back to normal by morning. Some might think my symptoms had nothing to do with Ichiro, but it had been six hours since my last meal so the raw fish had to be the cause. The last time I experienced such pain, I had consumed OJ mixed with tap water at a McDonald's in a third world country and became violently ill in a matter of hours. Even though I got food poisoning, I don't think all their fish was bad. The varieties with high turnover like salmon, tuna, yellow tail, squid, clams, etc... were fresh but some less popular items looked dated. I should have asked them to limit my chirashi to the fish that looked the most fresh in their dispay case. I'm not willing to give up on Ichiro but it might be awhile before I'll try them again. Also if the fish doesn't look absolutely fresh, I won't be shy about turning around and taking my business elsewhere in the future.

    (2)

  • Shelly U.

    When we first stepped in, we were greeted by the very amiable sushi chefs. We sat down and ordered a bunch of rolls and their sashimi plate. Half the sashimi was not fresh - I'm immediately turned off. The rolls come and they all have a ton of rice and vegatables, but nowhere near the same proportion of fish. The titanic roll - we knew it was gonna be huge and we just ordered it to see how big it was, but it lacked all flavor and the fish on top was so thin. Way to cheap out...Service was great and it had an authentic japanese feel, but if you don't serve fresh fish, I'm not coming back.

    (2)

  • JoAnne Y.

    Super fresh sushi. Cherry blossom roll was gorgeous and bright. I've definitely had better rock-n-rolls, but still tasty. Service can be slow on busy nights but if you're not in a gigantic hurry, no problem. I watched other dishes go out to other customers, and the presentation on everything was artful. Decor is simple, basic. Not a hole in the wall and definitely not upscale. Cash only for less than $15.00; doesn't accept AmEx.

    (4)

  • Ferdie L.

    Hands down the best sushi place in the bay area! They don't do any of that Asian/sushi fusion style crap, just the best old school freshest, thickest cut sushi you'll find anywhere. Everytime my friends crave sushi I bring them here no where else. But do try to park close to the restaurant :)

    (5)

  • Marck N.

    OMG! Ichiro is my favorite new sashimi/sushi restaurant. We ordered the nigiri of unagi, tako, uni, and amaebi. So delicious! The amebi was just plain damn GOOD! Sweet and succulent. I could have eaten 100. The fried head was the piece de resistance. Crunchy and savory. Yum factor 1000%! My dinner was the sashimi dinner while my partners the chirashi. My sashimi dinner came with large cuts of sashimi I choose from the menu. Twelve pieces total. All fresh and tasty. But the chirashi is really the way to go. There must have been over 20 pieces of fish in the crammed bowl. My honey was full after eating half of it. I had to help him finish the delicious bowl off. It's been a long time to find you Ichiro, but I am in love with you. I will return every week to taste your greatness!

    (5)

  • Che K.

    Used to love this place. The roll is big. Fish was fresh, but quality went down. Tuna is really dark and not fresh now. Price is good. The only thing is one of the waitress (older lady) is very mean. No smile and look angry ALL THE TIME. Thats the only reason I dont go often. Beside that, the younger waitress is nice and the chef is very friendly too. The other thing is kitchen food is not so good, so not recommended to dragon roll and spider roll.

    (3)

  • Margaret R.

    We came on a Saturday, and there were a few tables available. I got the Titanic roll. It was huge. I liked it, but I thought there was too much rice in it. It made it hard to eat. However, I got full quickly. The bf got the chirashi bowl. He was very happy with it. There was a good variety of fresh fish. Also, the quantities were generous. He couldn't even finish the bowl, despite the fact that he is always craving sashimi. Nice vibe.

    (4)

  • Lorelei M.

    Do not order on the phone during lunch hours. I repeat, DO NOT order on the phone during lunch hours. I've been a fan of Ichiro for 3 years now. I like Ichiro himself, but their waitresses are just incompetent, if not rude or condescending! On the phone I was ordering Chicken curry, then the waitress asked me if I meant chix donburi. I made it clear I wanted chicken curry, but guess what I got when I picked it up - chix donburi. This is not the first time. I used to order on the phone with no problem before but I get this rude attitude telling me that they are very busy and it felt like they're discouraging me from ordering. This is the last straw, I will not order on the phone ever again. I'll take my lunch from other restaurants.

    (2)

  • Tuwie N.

    Oh man, if I lived closer to Oakland, I would become a regular at Ichiro. I am so impressed!!! :D :D The portions are huge. I ordered a simple spicy hamachi roll, and it came out topped with tons of extra spicy hamachi on top. I did not expect that! :P Fish tasted fresh and light, though I can't speak for the sashimi. My friend's chirashi bowl was filled to the brim with goodies. Seemed like a really good deal.

    (4)

  • Louisa L.

    3.5 stars round down to 3. Round down because of service. I asked for hot water at least 3 times before I got it. Food was average. Portion was huge, but the raw fish quality was alright. My friend ordered the chirashi. It was a huge bowl loaded with sashimi, but at the same time, I felt like they were just throwing everything in the bowl. It's not that appealing actually.... Will I be back? Probably not...unless friends decide to visit again.

    (3)

  • Ray C.

    I've eaten dinner here twice. The first experience was a good one. The fish was fresh and the portions hearty. I left feeling happy that I found a new spot to cure my sushi cravings. My second experience was the complete opposite. Stopped in one night after happy hour. We were seated right away, which is always good, but at a dirty table. Not a huge deal for me- I wiped it off. A waiter realized what was happening and quickly came over to finish. Once the food came out we immediately noticed a bug in one of the dishes. The waitress didn't even pretend to be surprised. All she said was, "Oh..I'll bring it back". The fish didn't taste very fresh and service was terrible after telling the waitress about the bug. It almost seemed like she was avoiding us. I'll give this place the benefit of the doubt (since my first experience was so great) and say that it was an off night (very off), and that the bug completely killed my appetite making everything taste bland and old. It'll be a long time before I give this place another chance.

    (2)

  • Tam S.

    For the very reasonable price, I think you get what you pay for at this place. The fish was decent (not uni). I wouldn't suggest ordering Uni unless it was a high end place or one where you know that it was very fresh. Anyhow, the fish was all decent. No frills. Service was fast, nice and friendly.

    (3)

  • Bonnie S.

    My dad was the first one to take me here as he comes here all the time for his lunch break. - Good food quantity and quality. It's not too pricey, the fish is fresh and the portions are more than enough for one person! - Service is prompt and friendly. I love being greeted by everyone when I walk into an establishment. Bonus that they give each person free salmon kama when we went for dinner. The things we usually like to order are the Titanic Roll, Sashimi combo plate, chirashi and curry chicken katsu plate. The restaurant isn't too big or too small, there's always a good steady amount of people coming in. Can't wait to return!

    (4)

  • Vanessa K.

    This place had so many great reviews and had a good number of average stars, nevertheless it was underwhelming and depressing. Service was bad. Waitress gave us the menu to walk over to the table, instead of waiting for us to be seated and presenting us menu. It was difficult to get the waitress' attention throughout the meal, which also signifies that we were forgotten. This including constantly requesting for water. Sushi was okay, but given what the price was, the quality decreased. Ordered the sashimi combo, two rolls and amaebi. I was annoyed that we couldn't order a half order of nigiri...how difficult is it to just split the order in half - make only one piece, and divide the price. I won't return.

    (2)

  • Chau N.

    What a find! Delicious. Crafted. Filling. Coming back and bringing friends. In the area there's a cool row of galleries on 15th street. Check out mary weather gallery. Every Thursday evening they have the Oakland mind spitting rhymes. Lots of street art to see in this area. Service was prompt. Bumped into one of my friends from college there, so it draws a cool crowd. Thumbs up.

    (5)

  • Albertino M.

    Time: 12:26pm Purpose: Walk-in picking up order that was place earlier. Ambiance: Small little joint no more than 10 tables on either side of the place. Weird set-up as the chef disappear from wall to wall underneath those curtains. Vibrant place loud in the evening sound will be at it's highest decibel. Japanese decos surrounding the place as here it's real Japanese owners. Staff: A lady and man runs the front with couple of chefs in the kitchen poping in/out at times to bring dishes to counter. The guy spoke good English as we were talking about how the tsunami has effected the region of Japan two years ago. Really great guy to chat up with while waiting for order. Lady even gave me extra sushi roll that someone had cancel. Cleanliness: Nothing out of the ordinary just your basic sushi joint. Counters and tables are well kept workers in attires groom to the public. Eats: #78 on menu caterpillar roll $9.00 (8pcs) and order of vegi croquette $5 both items for me only as other bag was for coworkers. I like my roll I'm telling you there was no slimy or fishy smell to it. Roll was as fresh as it can be provided that I was standing there chatting it up with chef. Croquette was tasty as I probably will be back any day just for the not oily as some places. For a total of $15.33 plus an extra roll it was worth it, if not for free roll pricey. Now thinking back tempura ice cream??? Products: Temaki,making rolls,sushi combos,donburi,nabemono,curry (japanese style),sashimi, apps,desserts and drinks. Catering is offer too but a minimum must be met as I over heard lady on phone. Punch Line: Quick easy orders,friendly chef, vibrant atmosphere, fresh fish of all kinds, nice portions. Final Thoughts: I can easily see myself here everyday or night if I was an millionaire. Located in the heart of downtown oakland within steps of city hall no thrills just good fresh sushi on the mind.

    (4)

  • Rene L.

    I've only had bad sushi twice and this place counts as one of the times. My friends and I decided to yelp a spot in Oakland and found this place with 4 stars.... To say the least, this place had the worst food ever. The edamame was squishy like it was old and rotting. One sushi roll was a monster and had to be broken down into 3 or 4 bites. The previous yelp reviews really let me down on this restaurant.

    (1)

  • Jaime S.

    This place has GREAT sushi! My husband And I have ordered from here I have to say the owner is pretty great! Very attentive and cares a lot about what is served. We really like the Lion king roll Cherry blossom A's roll They are sooo good! Such a great place definitely our new go to sushi in Oakland!

    (5)

  • Flesh G.

    When they first opened many years ago I thought it was the best in downtown Oakland for the amount, quality and price. I finally got the opportunity to take my parents here for weekday lunch. They were amazed at the amount of sashimi Ichiro packs into the chirashi bowl. But the verdict from my father: their fish is NOT fresh. If it's anyone in this world I would listen to when it comes to fish or seafood, it is my father. He was a 3rd generation fisherman that was raised in a fishing village in southern Japan. Sometimes I think he's part penguin at the amount of fish he eats on a weekly basis. 75+ yrs of "google search" like knowledge on ocean fish. Gomen Ichiro-san, but I have to heed my father's advice & find another sushi restaurant. Hope the fish quality improves.

    (2)

  • Gloria F.

    I can't comment on the food because they NEVER TOOK MY ORDER. Red flags: 1) Their website domain is expired ichioakland.com 2) The phone number listed just goes to an automated voicemail box Despite these red flags, I still drove over there because I want to support local businesses in Oakland, and I was hoping to find another good sushi place in Oakland. I walked in, and there was one larger party and a few tables with people at them, and a few people at the sushi bar, but it was FAR from packed. I stood there for a minute or 2, and no one said anything to me. No greeting. No question about if I was eating there or ordering to go. Fine. Fair enough. I asked the sushi chefs if I could order something to go. They pointed at the end of the sushi bar, but I couldn't understand what they were telling me with their gesture, so I asked the waitress, and she pointed to the end of the sushi bar and said "wait there, I will take your order," but in a tone that said, "What is wrong with you? How do you not know you wait at the end of the sushi bar?!" Mind you, again, this was my first time. So far, not so good. I just stood there, quietly and patiently, at the end of the sushi bar, waiting for her to take my order. She walked by a few times, to serve people some food. Again, fair enough. Then she started stacking plates. Then she walked by me a few more times, and avoided making eye contact with me. Then she did make eye contact with me, and looked at me like I was a burglar that had broken into her personal home, and had the nerve to stand there in the middle of her personal kitchen. I have never felt so uncomfortable at a restaurant! I still wanted to try the food, so i waited a few more minutes. The waitress walked by me a few more times, and never took my order. I started feeling weird standing there, so I just walked out. Mind you, I have never seen this woman in my life, and definitely don't have any sort of beef with her. If you want GOOD JAPANESE FOOD and GOOD SERVICE, definitely go to GETA SUSHI on Piedmont Ave. Yelp it, you will see their reviews are much better than Ichiro. Do not waste your time with this place. It makes me so sad to leave this review because I really wanted to support this place. But I learned that you should just stick with what is good. And Geta Sushi is good. They are a million times busier than this place and always greet people, take their orders within minutes, while still serving the dine-in people quickly, and with great customer service.

    (1)

  • augustine x.

    Dont be fooled by the posts saying that this place is the best sushi outside of Japan. There's no such thing as buying a Ferrari for the price of a Corolla. If you want large portion of low quality fish then this is the spot. I say this not with a tone of judgement, I say this to make sure you know what you are getting into. Sometimes you want some high quality, melt in mouth like butter, fish. Then sometimes you want rolls that are bigger than your arm and you want to save money. This is one of those latter places.

    (2)

  • Christy L.

    Decent price and fish is fresh. Rolls are okay. I was pretty impressed with the titanic roll as it looks like a bang for your buck but look closer...50 percent of it is RICE. Tooo much rice. Not a place I would go out of my way for.

    (3)

  • Lena L.

    We gave it a try & were not impressed. Our dinner tasted much like lunchtime leftovers. There are too many superior Japanese establishments to go there again.

    (2)

  • L T.

    Great chirashi for the price/portion ratio, minus the MSG in the sushi rice.

    (4)

  • Valerie P.

    Was in this area for training, needed my sushi fix. Sushi fix was an understatement because I ordered the Titanic Roll. That roll was a glutton's paradise. The pieces fell apart on me as I tried stuffing it in my mouth, the fish was fresh so it melted as I chewed. Too much rice in the roll though, ended up just picking at the fish, crab, cucumber and tempura, still ended up way full even after the big mound of leftover rice.

    (4)

  • Vincent K.

    It gets busy during lunch so if they don't take your order quick enough or serve it quick enough, there's a reason. But be careful what you order, as some people already said it, they come in big portions. The Katsu curry was definitely more than enough for a simple meal. A bento box was plenty to give. My friend and I actually ordered both those and also a Titanic roll.....it was not a good decision, it was a great decision (with some necessary consequences). Although, now I'm back at work and feeling the heaviness in the eyes and wishing I hadn't been so greedy. Dammit. However, the Titanic Roll aside from the extra sashimi isn't very worth it. Loads of imitation crab, heavy dabs of rice, extra cucumber and 2 tempura shrimps wrapped in some tuna and salmon. That's your titanic. It's not all that very amazing when you break it down like that of course, but tis the truth. As for my bento box, I went with Tempura which you can't go wrong, and the sashimi is indeed quite fresh with a great texture and all. Katsu Curry was also very tasty but still nothing to brag home about. In the end, its good to have a decent sushi lunch spot that isn't too hefty on the wallet either.

    (4)

  • Ryan H.

    Terrific sashimi at a great price. My boyfriend is Japanese and said, "eat here". He was absolutely right. When a Japanese person tells you to flock to the sushi joint, you flock. And it was great. No bells and whistles, just great cuts and good service.

    (5)

  • Mike H.

    this is one of the BEST roll place in the Oakland restaurant area..hands down!! Their japanese plates are good too, but when it comes to ichiro.. its all about their ROLLS..get thir rolls and you will be full with your wallet still full too.. Their rolls are HUGE japanese fingers of food on a wooden block.. BEAST MASTER... thats wat we call those things.. Other japanese restaurants around here do not compare and they are not worth it.. dont go to those places.. Price here? MUCH cheaper.. other places average $10 per roll.. Here, your average is from $5 to $8 for a BEAST FINGER.. This is a hole in the wall place and when you look inside from the outside.. it may look ghetto nasty SF china town asian dirty, but ITS NOT..seriously. no ninja joke here.. If it wasnt for Yelp, i would have never found this place though because its off to the side and not close to the major food block.. Also, they do not have huge signs hanging out telling you to come in. Parking: street. its ghetto Oakland. The only problem is that this place doesnt have enough sushi chefs working so it takes some time if you order a lot.. I would say 30min on avg. At first i thought WTF, its taking so long, but after I got my BEAST MASTER.. all good! I have to say that they need to hire more chefs.. not waitresses cuz they have plenty of that.

    (4)

  • Sonya A.

    Had lunch with friends. They loved their sushi, but I wanted to try their teriyake chicken bowl...it comes with egg on the top and rice on the bottom...I wasn't a big fan and wouldn't order it again. I liked the soup and salad. Would like to try their sushi in the future.

    (3)

  • Shafaq C.

    Read the yelp reviews and decided to go in and give the Titanic roll a try. When they say it's a huge roll thats no exaggeration...it's unnaturally big. I mean so big that I don't think you're meant to put a whole piece in your mouth at once...which is oddly big. The taste of it was.. okay. Not the most amazing sushi i've ever had, but not the worst. I might go back to give it another try or try something else. I'm pretty picky about sushi and this place appeared to be safe...they serve pretty fresh ingredients.

    (3)

  • Kali B.

    If you like sushi on steroids and rolls that look like burritos, then this is your place. But I don't, and am still in shock after the ridiculousness of our meal last night. We just wanted a light meal, some fresh nigiri and maybe a nice roll, and after a personal recommendation we decided to go with Ichiro. We ordered two nigiri sushi, tombo and the Titanic roll for the two of us - to start. We thought we may want more food, but I guess with a name like "Titanic" we should have known better. Suddenly, I heard a gasp escape from my friend's lips. "Oh my God! Look!" As she pointed to the sushi chef on the other side of the bar. He was making a Japanese burrito. It was obscene. The roll was as big around as a pint glass and twice as long. It was incredible, laughable, but most of all it gave us an instant feeling of fullness. Just looking at it made us feel queasy. The rest of our meal was of similar stature. Fish cut way too thick, a platter of tombo that was over seared and could have fed five, not to mention reeked of garlic. It was the biggest waste of food I have ever seen and we felt incredibly guilty. We couldn't believe the waitress didn't let us know how much we had over ordered. It was pretty appalling on their part actually. Another observation, this is a Chinese run establishment, not Japanese, so if you want something fresh, traditional, beautiful, elegant and proportionate, steer clear.... Needless to say, we won't be going back. So much for a lovely and light sushi meal.

    (1)

  • Matthew S.

    *I LOWERED THIS TO A 4.5---ITS NOT THAT THERE FOOD QUALITY WENT DOWN, ITS JUST THAT I THINK 5 STAR QUALITY SUSHI IS A BIT BETTER THAN WHAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE* I think I've only tried 3 things here (Dragon Roll, Spicy Tuna and Gyoza), but all were excellent and insanely cheap. If you want simple, classic sushi and Japanese fast food, this place will rock your socks. For the price, this has to be the best sushi and gyoza ever. It makes nearby places like Yoshi's seem silly. Finish it with a cold Kirin and you may have the best lunch ever. p.s. Jason G., If you order lame ass things like Cali rolls and ANYTHING with cream cheese, you don't belong in a proper sushi restaurant...

    (4)

  • Natalie T.

    Went here for lunch w/ some coworkers. Ordered Hamachi Kama (which was HUGE!! Definitely larger than usual), a bunch of rolls (Spider, rock n roll, spicy tuna, and dynamite) which were decent, and a bunch of nirigi (white tuna, albacore, hotate, sake). Didn't order any amaebi, toro, mirugai or uni, but they had them available if you wanted. Fairly good value, and dependable. Their rolls definitely seem bigger than usual. Good service, even for small groups. We all left with our hands around our belly screaming "NO MORE, PLEASE!" and we paid $20 a head. Will have to come again to try their more unique dishes. Curious about the Katsu curry especially since I've never ordered curry from a Japanese restaurant before.

    (4)

  • Constance C.

    Titanic Roll. Shrimp Tempura and Cucumber wrapped with Tuna and Salmon, topped with Spicy Crab, Masago and Green Onion. First off, I must say that this was a HUGE roll! Like two pieces of this roll would be an equivalent to my friend's roll order. Taste-wise it was alright, the fish was definitely fresh, hearty pieces. The crab was imitation crab though, so don't expect the real thing and it wasn't all that spicy. The tempura shrimp in it was alright, though I've definitely had better. Bay Scallop Roll. With Crab, Avocado, and Scallop. Two words: SUPER SALTY! And also SUPER SMALL! My friend was super disappointed since one of my rolls was so many times larger than hers. Green Tea Tempura Ice Cream. More like a cake filled with green tea ice cream and then fried in tempura batter. SO STRANGE! I've never had tempura ice cream like this, usually it's just the ice cream itself that's fried and I'm definitely not a fan. For me, coming here and getting the Titanic Roll was more of a gimmick that I gave into and since I gave into it once I don't think I'll be back since the food just isn't THAT great.

    (1)

  • William H.

    Where do you go for a good plate of Japanese curry rice when you're in Oakland? That's what I pondered one Friday night after work. The essence of good curry rice is its simplicity - well mixed curry with a hint of spice, soft potatoes, daikon, and just a hint of apple. I doubt I'd find that here in the states, but I always try. It's especially hard because most Japanese restaurants here treat it as a side dish of some kind, like the vegetarian portion of the menu at a steak joint. So I decide to go to Ichiro through Yelp mobile and I can not believe that it's near Oak Tree arcade, a place where I visited frequently as a teen. I never knew of the Ichiro, but the many four star reviews warranted it a try. I go in and glance down at the menu, they have 3 types of curry rice: plain, chicken katsu, and tonkatsu. I vouch for the chicken katsu. My girlfriend goes for the rolls. She orders the rainbow, a cherry blossom, and a mixed ika roll. We compliment the meal with a tall bottle of Orion beer, from Sapporo it says. Everything was pretty good. No complaints from either dishes, and the rolls were fresh. The portions were really big, so we took our time in finishing the meal. With our food, we took the time to look around the restaurant. The store is actually made of two stores connected together. They blocked one of the doors and put their counter in the middle of the two store fronts. I wonder what stores they used to be. But before long, we finished our food and needed to be on our way. Like many of the other 3-star reviewers here, I'm just holding out on the second visit. Hopefully they'll be consistent.

    (3)

  • Priscilla H.

    Hands-down the best Japanese food in Downtown Oakland. There's not much ambiance and the storefront is humble, but the food is good, lunch or dinner. I love their sashimi - generous portions of fresh fish, seaweed salad is yum, my friend is in love with their funky roll, and my cousin thinks it's the best tempura he's had in the Bay. On my last visit, I had the best salmon sashimi, and usually salmon is nowhere near my favorite. I got something like 10 pieces in a sampler of maguro, albacore, hamachi, and salmon for $11. My cousin got a bento of miso soup, salad, rice, chicken katsu, and like 5 large pieces of tempura for about the same price. They also have a sake sampler that's pretty good.

    (4)

  • June L.

    Everytime I've been to Ichiro's, its been solid. Sometimes service is a bit slow, but the food more than compensates for it. I usually get the chirashi (SO MUCH FISH!!) and a bento or two among my friends, sometimes an udon. The area isn't the best, but there is usually parking within one block of the restaurant, so thats a plus. Minus: usually gotta pay for metered parking. =\

    (5)

  • Trish T.

    Came here again....rushed us out because they close at 2:30. The experience was not as gr8 as the first. Also if you go up front to where they make the sushi, you will notice a lot of dirt on their counter. Very dirty!

    (2)

  • Kim L.

    40 mins into an hour lunch: "Umm, can you check on our food?" Ignored. The tables all around us (seated AFTER us) were asking for their checks. 45 mins into an hour lunch: We get our food. 1 hour into an hour lunch: "Umm, we ordered the lion king roll as well" Nope. 15 mins past our lunch hour: "Just give us our checks." Check comes out with the damn lion king roll listed on it. Me: "Excuse me, we never got this roll" Ass-hat Waitress: "Oh, we must've forgot it in the oven." Me: "It's ok, just take it off our bill, we have to go." Out comes the charred lion king roll. No joke. And you dare charge me for that piece of shit roll? OH HELL NO. We decided a phone order this time. Here's how this crap went: 11:15am - Us: "Can I place a phone order to pick up?" Ass hat: "We don't do phone orders until 11:30." 11:30am (according to our clock) - Us: "We'd like to place a phone order." Ass hat: "It's 11:29, we don't do phone orders until 11:30." Us: "What?! It's 11:30" (seriously?!) Ass hat: "Call back at 11:30...(dial tone)" F-you, I will never ever EVER go eat there again. Their food wasn't even good enough to make me want to come back. The sheer hatred I feel for this restaurant gives me high blood pressure just writing this review.

    (1)

  • Joshua C.

    Why it took me so long to eat here, I'll never know. I'm just happy to have discovered it. One of the standout things about Ichiro is the salad dressing. Yes, the dressing on the little salad that comes with your combination meal. They should offer a large salad with grilled chicken. That would be awesome! Vegetable tempura roll was great. Overall, I was pleased with the food. Finally glad to find a Japanese place open late in my hood.

    (3)

  • Caitlin R.

    Amazing Sushi! Great Donburi too. Fairly priced.

    (5)

  • Nathan W.

    I don't know if the taste or portions justify the price here. I ordered a sushi lunch here recently, and don't know if I got my $14 worth. I received three pieces of maki, along with a salmon (sakemaki) and California roll. A bowl of miso was included in this... The California roll was bland and the salmon was very fatty. I don't recall ever having salmon that fatty before. I understand that fatty tuna is a delicacy, but I don't believe the same can be said for fatty salmon. The miso had noodles in it, which was different. Most Japanese places offer a three-item bento for what Ichiro sells their two-item box for. Maybe that Downtown rent is high... On the flip side, the restaurant is very clean. The service is quite efficient and friendly enough. It was a joy watching the men behind the counter work their craft. Sometimes watching a sushi chef in their element is like watching an artist hard at work. I left feeling somewhat entertained, but disappointed...

    (3)

  • Joyce C.

    A nice authentic Japanese restaurant that gets pretty busy during the lunch hours. Unlike a lot of other places, they don't have lunch specials so if you've got the appetite of a bear, this may not be the spot for you unless you're willing to drop some cash. The joint looks relatively clean and safe to eat raw fish from. Most people tend to order their Sashimi, while it looks enticing I'd rather not pay the $20 price tag on lunch. I knocked off a star because the waitresses provide slow service and don't seem too receptive to customers.

    (4)

  • Jason S.

    I have been slaying business' on yelp so I though I would reflect back to the last time I was seriously impressed. Ichiro. I lived in Okinawa Japan for 2 years while in the Marines and this is as good as it gets. The fish is awesome!!! Don't expect overly traditional, just great sushi and large servings. I dare you to try the Titanic roll.

    (5)

  • Geneve V.

    Affordable and decent sushi. Came here after a YEE at Somar. Ichiro is small and hardly spacious. I really is a mom and pops kinda vibe. Sushi is ok. Yes, I do agree with some yelpers that the food does taste fishy. A friend ordered a miso soup aka fish stew! LOL I ordered a poki roll and philly roll. They were ok. I liked the seaweed on top of the poki roll. The tuna was ok. Nothing to grand or special about the sushi. They do come in big portions so I hardly finished my two rolls. FYI: they do not serve real crab meat. Only imitation. Overall I would not come back to this place. Its ok if you are in the area and craving for sushi. You get what you pay for.

    (2)

  • Zack O.

    Walked to Ichiro for lunch and it was pretty damned good for an out of the way sushi joint in downtown Oakland! The fatty tuna roll was great and the spicy California roll really hit the spot. I also had the spicy tuna handroll which was very nice and spicy!! The best of the meal was the Okinawa!! Amberjack, avocado and eel on top!!!! Just wow! I will definitely be stopping in again when I need a good and fast sushi fix for lunch. Working in downtown Oakland just got a bit more bearable!!

    (4)

  • mona p.

    Just went there for my belated birthday lunch. So glad that I saw the review on Yelp and picked this place. Since I saw the review about HUGE Titanic Roll (Shrimp Tempura wrapped with Tuna, Salmon, topped with Spicy Crab, Masago Green Onion) , we have ordered that $11.25 + Combo Sashimi $11.25(Tuuna, Salmon, Albacore, yellowtail - 8pcs) + Crab Cream Croquette $5.75 for 3 of us. YES, just these for 3 of us. The HUGE HUGE Titanic Roll is the biggest I have every seen in my life, not even Joy Sushi @ San Mateo (another favorite Japanese restaurant) can compete with. To more clear to describe the size.... the cross section of each piece is about 2.5", just like the size of my palm. Definitely can't eat with one bite. The sashimi was fresh and thick cut!!! Crab Cream Croquette is so creamy... I think i will try the fried oyster next time. So good, finally found a GREAT Japanese restaurant around my office!!!! so happy. Oh, we went there right @11:30. Fast service!

    (5)

  • Cooper J.

    I have only been here once but I walked away thoroughly impressed. The sushi was some of the better that I've had in the Bay Area, which is good because this place is not the cheapest you will find out there. The staff was very friendly and were always there when we needed to make and order, refill water, or get our check. They have a decent beer/saki collection but the real treat are some of the crazy rolls they have here! Not only are they a nice size but they are so yummy! I always try to order extra to take home so I can have some for later. Definitely the best sushi spot in downtown Oakland.

    (4)

  • Kim C.

    It's a perpetual love affair between me and ichiro's chirashi. I just can't stop thinking about how good the fish is, how much they give you and how affordable it is. It's such a good deal that I almost want to keep it a secret! Chirashi in itself gets 4.5 stars! I'd rate the rest of ichiro's food a 3 stars. Their rolls are hearty and HUGE but not necessarily that tasty. But you know what, sometimes you just want to eat a lot of food and there is no shame in that. NO SHAME--you hear me! They serve really excellent sake sashimi--some of the best i've had. YUM APPROVED!

    (3)

  • Allie B.

    I use to come here a lot. But the food has gone downhill and prices went up. The sabashio is a tiny piece of fish that is on the dry side. The beef is cheewy. Came here for dinner once - but would not do that again. This neighborhood is a bit scary at night.

    (3)

  • A. C.

    An update to my first review as that one got filtered, most likely because I gave this place 1 star. Of course, the 1 star is for the waitress and not for the actual food, which garnered no stars in my eating experience. I am seeing if this one will make it through. I'm someone who likes leftovers, and I figured, even if I were to get rid of the majority of the sukiyaki, I could possibly salvage the sauce when I made my own sukiyaki at home. So I took the mess home and tossed it in my refrigerator, and I never took it out except to chuck it away. Which I almost never do because I hate wasting food. So why did I never try to save Ichiro's badly cooked sukiyaki? Because when I did make my own, I made the sauce from scratch with shiitake dashi (which I also made from scratch) and added in large chunks of freshly prepped veggies and tofu. All during this, I kept wondering how Ichiro could have messed up their sauce and dish so badly when it's SO VERY EASY. Prep is virtually non-existent, other than washing and cutting up the ingredients properly, with the majority of your time spent getting ingredients and making the shiitake mushroom stock (or kelp, if you prefer). Things I did not touch upon in my initial review include the decor/ambiance (very bland and sort of school/hospital cafeteria like), the guy at the counter (who just stared at me when I walked in through the door instead of greeting me like one should a customer - it was muy creepy! I almost turned around and left, but the waitress stepped over instead), location (convenient to 12th Street BART but not the best being off of Broadway, so come with others if it gets dark). Also, I'm also a robot with functioning taste receptors and a gastrointestinal tract. Maybe that's why I got stared at instead of properly waited upon in the beginning?

    (1)

  • Kenny L.

    Going to Ichiro somewhat reminds me of my childhood. In Ichiro, I find a no-frills Japanese restaurant that serves no-frills sushi. When I was a kid, before sushi became cool, I think almost all of the Japanese restaurants were like this. Back then, we go in and all we'd eat would be teriyaki, sukiyaki, udon and tempura. The thought of raw fish would make me go ewww. Well, the sushi didn't make me go ewww, it was quite good. their menu was pretty much nothing but sushi, I think they only devoted a half page to donburi as their non-sushi menu items. The sushi was no-frills, no super duper special rolls slathered in sauce, just the basics. But those basics were done well and it was cheap. A filling dinner for two ended up being around $30. Try the Oakland Roll, I never knew the combo of Unagi and cream cheese would taste so good.

    (4)

  • Claire Y.

    Decent sushi but horrible service... We waited 15 mins before we got our tea/water. Everyone raved about their Titanic Roll but i thought it was only ok.. the whole thing is pretty much wrapped around half inch thick of rice. I do however, like the location of the place since it's close to my friend's condo. : ) 3 start for their udon!

    (2)

  • Matvei L.

    Best sushi in downtown Oakland.

    (4)

  • Katelyn D.

    Super cheap sushi, but you get what you pay for. Our rolls were INTENSELY fishy. I couldn't get them down. I did, however, enjoy the beer :) I won't be going back here. Also, the location is creepy...but I'm just a girl getting "used" to downtown Oakland.

    (2)

  • Jason M.

    Ichiro's is an Oakland Gem. I've been coming here (and Ichi's previous location) for the last 10 years. The food is always tasty, the staff is always friendly and the price is always right. Japanese food done right by the master himself Ichiro (owner/operator and honest to goodness Japanese...no kidding...really..ask him.) I'll be back this week, next week and for as long as Ichi is around.

    (5)

  • Tony C.

    EXCELLENT sushi place for lunch here in Oakland. It doesn't look like much outside, but the food is high quality authentic Japanese food. The miso soup is piping hot and made from scratch. It has some soba in it, which I've never had before...not even at home. The rolls are made from fresh ingredients, are the correct temperature, and have all the distinct flavors that they should have. I had some salmon teriyaki that was very well done as well. The crown jewel though, of course, is its sushi. The nigiri sushi come with HUGE servings of fish on top of just-right rice and a little wasabi. The value is good...I got the salmon teriyaki, rice, a small salad, california rolls and miso soup for $10 at lunch.

    (4)

  • kira s.

    I love coming here for lunch. The bento box is a great deal. I usually get the salmon teriyaki and veggie tempura, which are always delicious. Their miso soup is good, and the salad has a peanut dressing that they are generous with - which I appreciate. Sometimes I'll get a Philly roll as well - obviously I'm not sushi snob. The staff has always been nice. They do get REALLY busy during weekday lunch time, so plan to wait if you get there around 12:30pm.

    (4)

  • Taek Y.

    I've been a fond fan of Ichiro's amazing culinary talent for over a decade now. I first met Ichi when he was working at Ichi-Japon a couple of blocks away from his current diggs. This was not the best environment for Ichi, something about the place (shall we say ownership) was not conducive to his thriving talent, service and hospitality. So what did Ichi do? He went back to the motherland and came back better than ever. Ichi opened up his own shop and now his craft was even more refined. Ichi the man himself is a wonder to behold. He's quite possibly the most jolly man I have ever met. If there were a Japanese Santa Claus I would nominate Ichi to be him. If he's not laughing or trying to memorize your name he's knocking down a glass of sake, which results in laughing or forgetting your name. He's just a great guy and a true artiste when it comes to making your sushi. I can't remember if Mutsu was on his menu before but it is now and I have to recommend you all should try it. This is the only place I've been to that carries this particular fish and it's simply delectable. It tastes a little like hamachi but milder and has the consistency of Toro. Usually if you order the Chirashi, which is an absolute value at $15, (so big you can actually split it with someone else, good luck finding the rice) Ichi puts in a couple of pieces of Mutsu for your enjoyment. The rolls are all fantastic and the pieces of Nigiri literally have the pieces of fish completely overlapping the rice and touching the Sushi plate. Ichi is all I need when it comes to Sushi, I just wish he would move to the Peninsula now that I moved here. I still make it a point to venture out there and say hi to him and down a bowl of Chirashi though. How could I pass up getting a gift of great sushi from the Japanese Santa Claus.

    (5)

  • Elguero s.

    Great option for sushi in Uptown. Delicious, inexpensive, nice people, big portions. The food here is simple and unpretentious; perfect if that happens to be your mood.

    (4)

  • Danny S.

    Seriously some of the freshest fish I've tasted. I came here to eat last night and the food took FOREVER. I would have been more inclined to give this place 4 stars if the service wasn't so slow but it is what it is. Food: I ordered 3 rolls: Dragon roll, Golden Gate roll, and TITANIC ROLL The sushi was really good. I really wished they had a larger roll menu because their fish was so fresh. I started out with the Golden Gate and Dragon and they were overall pretty plain in terms of ingredients but I was not disappointed by the taste. After I had finished the first two rolls, they brought out the behemoth TITANIC ROLL. Holy cow this thing is at least 2.5x bigger than the average roll. It took me 3 bits to eat one piece of the roll. The pictures that are shown do not do the TITANIC ROLL justice. If you ever end up visiting Ichiro Sushi, I highly recommend the TITANIC if you're really hungry or share it with a friend if you're not. By the time that the TITANIC came out, I ate 2 pieces and took the rest home. I'm looking forward to eating the rest for lunch today. RECOMMENDATION: TITANIC ROLL Good food, good friends, ENJOY!

    (3)

  • Taeil K.

    Love their katsu-don and spicy scallop rolls

    (5)

  • Numrin T.

    Ok folks, here's what I can say, or rather what came to my mind when thinking about my experiences at Ichiro: Monstrous rolls/ delicious/ bring more than one friend or an eating monster/ a piece that does not fit in your mouth/ cheap/ even cheaper in price per gram or ounce of food/ fresh fish// slow service (but is that a problem when you can't finish your food in time anyways?)/ food coma/ wear stretchy clothes/ best chirashi in town (more like in the east bay)/ ghetto Oakland area/ check if they're open before coming/ they're closed = big disappointment/ gain at least 2 lbs in less than 2 hours...immediate results guaranteed/ did I get the wrong bill? Because I kinda ate a LOT of food/ Alright, as you can see...please come here prepared (or at least fast beforehand). Beware, the amount of food you will have can easily impair your speech and judgement because all of your energy will literally have to be channeled to your stomach.

    (4)

  • Matthew F.

    Friendly staff... Fat cuts of very fresh fish...insanely busy during lunch

    (4)

  • Andy B.

    Ichiro is an awesome traditional sushi place in the heart of Oakland. The fish is super fresh and the ratio of fish to rice is what it should be. There are some really good inexpensive sake finds as well. My sexy girl loves this place too. fresh oysters are awesome sushi awesome deep fried roll we had - not so good. stick to the basics and you will be impressed super value for the price!

    (4)

  • sir r.

    I'm a huge fan of supporting my city. So I was juiced when my girlfriend pulled up at Ichiro's in downtown Oakland. To get me prepared for what I was about to eat, weeks prior, she took me to two other sushi places in Alameda. Both were quite good. "Ichiro's is waaay better" she would say... And boy was she right! I've learned that a California Roll says so much about a sushi place lol. The best I've ever had! We also had an altered Philadelphia Roll (because my girlfriend always has to have unique stuff... smh). Both were Big rolls! I think it came out to like $13 Plus they keep the TV on ESPN... Especially during the playoffs (Brownie points)! Great value, Great sushi, Great people, Go there!

    (5)

  • Ada T.

    Want to eat dinner in the Downtown Oakland area without spending a lot? You may be out of luck, because the area is filled with lunch-only places that close by 4pm or new upscale places. Luckily, Ichiro is available. The reasonably-sized restaurant was busy but not crowded on a recent Friday evening. Very friendly service. We were sitting by the drink fridge, so the atmosphere wasn't great, but no big deal. Both my friend and I ordered bento boxes, which were huge. Soup, salad, choice of two entrees, rice, etc....wonderful for only about $10. I had the chicken katsu and croquettes. Neither were spectacular, but good and comforting. I have a small obsession with croquettes, so I'm always excited to see them on a menu.

    (4)

  • Kuang C.

    Good! Wouldn't come out of my way, but good food for the price. Nice service. Fish was generally fresh and well portioned. Karage chicken was a bit salty. Jolly sushi chef.

    (4)

  • Alan T.

    Ichiro needs a tagline with their name..something like "Ichiro........Where Everything is Huge." I felt like I was Alice in the Wonderland. Everything was supersized and thats not even an understatement. It's true that the Titanic Roll is as ginormous as it sounds. You could pretty much mold a boat from the amount of rice and filling it has. But if that's all you think they got, you're going to be thoroughly overwhelmed. I came with a bunch of co-workers for lunch and we ordered an entrée for each of us and some appetizers to share. We got Chirashi, Alaska Don (Me), Spicy Hamachi Hand Roll (Me), Chicken Katsu Curry, and Titanic Roll, Dragon Roll, and Fried Oyster. The Katsu Curry was pretty good. The portion was ginormous (expect a two serving entree), and the Katsu was crispy and flavorful. The chicken wasn't overcooked or dry. The titanic roll and dragon roll are recommended as well. The fish was fresh and each piece of the sushi roll was almost the size of a tennis ball. The rice to filling ratio was balanced, so you weren't just eating rice. At the end, we were too full. We ended up picking off the rice to finish the sashimi and the whatnots inside the roll. Fried Oysters were alright. I didn't try the Chirashi, but I'd say it probably tasted close to the Alaska Don. The spicy hamachi was freaking awesome. I love eating hamachi so I was very happy when I found out how much fish they had stuffed into the hand roll. As for the Alaska Don, you're pretty much looking at a fish tank full of salmon swimming in your bowl. Imagine a 5 inch diameter ball. I can fill up the entire ball with all the salmon I got. For the first half of the meal, the fish tasted really goooooooood. But at the end, I was in Salmon OD. I also found a few slices of salmon which weren't on par with the other pieces in terms of quality. However, I was still satisfied with the food I got. I would definitely come here again!

    (4)

  • Cory K.

    I had the chirashi here and it was just not good. The pieces of hamachi were really fishy, the tuna had little flavor, and the dish included escolar, which isn't even legal for human consumption in Japan. Even the rice had a weird, mildewy funk which I'm guessing was picked up from something that should not have been involved in its preparation. I couldn't finish it.

    (1)

  • Edward Y.

    To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of rolls in general, but sometimes they're a neccessary evil considering I know trying to get full off of nigiri/sashimi alone means I'm either going to break my wallet or I'm leaving hungry. With that being said, Ichiro strikes a great balance in regards to feeding my raw fish addiction and leaving full, all on a budget. The Titanic roll... is well... titanic. Hands down, the largest roll I've ever encountered. Far from the best roll I've had, but like I mentioned earlier - I only order rolls to fill me up and this does the trick like no other. Chirashi bowl is filled with a wide variety of fresh fish. Probably one of the best chirashi bowls I've had in terms of bang for your buck. These two dishes alone will easily fill up a party of three. The sushi chef (owner?) is very friendly which is always nice.

    (4)

  • Darryl P.

    I was craving some sushi today and figured I should go to Ichiro. One thing I figured out is that they no longer are closed at 9:30 on the weekdays any more. They close at 9:00 now. Luckily for me I arrived at 8:55 and was able to order something to go! I probably would have cried if I couldn't get my sushi fix! Okay, I wouldn't have cried. I would have Yelped a place that was open. LOL! I browsed through the menu and I remembered how their titanic roll is one of their specialties. I ordered the roll and the name for it is fitting! That thing was bigger than a child's arm holding an apple! It was shrimp tempura and cucumber rolled up and topped tuna and salmon sashimi, spicy crab, scallions, sesame seeds and some unagi sauce. It was pretty darn good! I am full and happy now! =)

    (4)

  • Jen L.

    Melt in your mouth sashimi. A stellar eatery for my 90th. A friend and I dropped in for an early dinner. It's interesting how downtown Oakland is so empty after 5. Anyway, we got down to the business of eating. We had: appetizer: fried spicy tuna meal: shared assorted sashimi over seaweed/sesame rice I'm not a big raw food eater, but the sashimi was...heavenly. Melt in your mouth hamachi and so many other tasty slivers to try. And prices are pretty moderate for so much food! Since it's a stone's throw from work, I'll definitely be making a repeat visit, maybe for lunch this time.

    (5)

  • Ken F.

    Wow! As deceitful as the dollar rating is for this place, it really is the best deal in Japanese food that I've had in a long time. Note how I said "Japanese food," instead of, "sushi"? That's because of another longtime first: this Japanese restaurant does more than play lip service to the rest of items on the menu (don't worry, the quality of the sushi doesn't take a hit just because it isn't the sole focus). Everything I've had here has been topnotch. The sukiyaki is paradoxically the cheapest and most delicious I've ever had at a restaurant, sparing no expense by being loaded with beef and little filler. The tempura was crisp, light, and so fresh off the stove that it burnt my tongue when first served - aka: perfect. They've recently taken it off the menu (undoubtedly due to low demand) but they once served some delicious and authentic Osaka-style okonomiyaki. The menu is loaded with so many options that there's beer imported from Okinawa! The food has care and love for the customer wrapped up in each and every dish, and nothing exemplifies this more than the chirashi sushi. I don't know how they can stay in business loading such copious amounts of diverse and fresh sashimi onto one giant bowl for less than $15 dollars. You likely won't see the rice underneath unless you employ a friend for help. The quality, the relative affordability, the portions, and the variety are all merits that other "Japanese" restaurants would do well to take notes from.

    (5)

  • Pauline S.

    There seem to be a dearth of good sushi places in downtown Oakland...at least within a few blocks from my work. I'm really glad i found this place. Please don't be fooled by the worn down exterior! This place is GOOD! The portions are generous and the service is quick. I try to get here at 11:30 AM for lunch because by noon this place gets packed. The fish is fresh and delicious. The bento box is always a good deal for those that want to try a bit of everything. I like that they have a variety of teriyaki dishes to choose from along with sashimi (5 pieces), cali rolls, katsu, etc to pick from. This is by far one of the better Japanese restaurants in the area.

    (4)

  • Gina W.

    I needed a cheap yet good sushi fix and considering I'm a huge sushi fan and can eat it everyday regardless of mercury poisoning, I'm always on the hunt for a new local favorite spot. My friend and I ordered the Chirashi, rainbow roll, spicy scallop and one order of sake nigiri. The chirashi was overfilled with fish and for $15 it was way better than other places I've been to. The other rolls were also very fresh and tasty as well but we could have been full with just the chirashi. We had to try the tempura ice-cream for dessert and we definitely fell in love. It's basically almost like a twinkie made of pound cake and filled with green tea ice-cream fried... yummm! We saw the next table ordering this massive titanic roll which looked like a small fish burrito, must try for next time. I think I might have found my new favorite spot.

    (4)

  • Tony F.

    Great spot for lunch. Excellent food and prices are comparable to other Japanese restaurants Downtown. Service is great at the beginning of the meal, but sometimes it takes a while to get your check when the place fills up and the two or three servers are slammed. Still, worth a try if you're in the area.

    (4)

  • Aria S.

    I'm sorry, but the people giving Ichiro 5 stars are the reason I can't ever trust yelp. The hamachi was acceptable. The kampachi was ok. The toro wasn't toro. You know you have a problem when the toughest, driest, fishiest thing on your plate is supposed to be toro. The kara-age was decent, thus the 2 stars. note: I was not turned off by the location or the interior, as sketchy or shabby (respectively) as they may have been. I was turned off by paying for crap fish.

    (2)

  • Bernadette A.

    I picked this restaurant since it's in close proximity to Fox Theater. We were attending a concert there. The reviews for this place were all over the board but based on the 4-star rating it still appeared promising. 1 star for the prompt service, another for the appetizers. That is where it ends though. I'm not sure about the rolls our friends ordered but the chirashi sushi was fishy to say the least. The hubby noticed this as well. Very disappointing considering the price was reasonable and the portions were generous. I say go for the hot food, not the sashimi but then what is a sushi bar for?

    (2)

  • Tiffany K.

    I love this place!! I go here pretty often and usually order the Crazy Horse and Titanic Roll. The quality of food is consistent with large portions. The service is alright, not the best, but good enough to keep me coming back!

    (5)

  • fish i.

    The one sushi chef that faces the front door is friendly. Usually greets the customers. Although, it something sounds like a grunt, I'm sure he is saying hi and good bye with a smile. The other sushi chef doesn't want to talk so don't bother him. He's super focused on making beautiful sushi. The waitresses are there for their paychecks. They know they get business and its just another day at work. They will serve, but don't expect them to chit chat with you as it feels they are NOT entering into good customer service contest. I like the Chirashi and Alaska Donburi. You should try the Funky, deep fried sushi. YUMMM.

    (4)

  • Thomas J.

    Ichiro is our regular sushi place. I learned about this inconspicuous, unassuming little sushi bar through a review in the East Bay Express when I first moved to Oakland six years ago. I love sushi and I've been to plenty other places, but this is the one I keep coming back to. We usually go for the Ngiri sushi and one or a couple of rolls. Ichiro-san prepares all the ngiri sushi and his colleague Bogo (?) makes all the rolls. Among our current favorites here are uni, sake hand rolls, and the unagi. All the nigiri sushi and rolls are top quality and consistently delicious. The sushi here is not pricey and the servings are generous. The only issue we know of is that during dinner rush it can take a while for our order to make it to the top of the queue. But the top quality sushi is always well worth waiting for. This is a great, neighborhood style sushi place. We look forward to coming back many times!

    (5)

  • Nhung T.

    My b/f came here for a late night dinner and ordered the sashimi combination and spicy scallop roll. The fishes were horrible, not that fresh at all. It consisted of hamachi, tuna, and sake. Man sitting at the bar, I can see why the fishes weren't fresh. They look so old. The spicy scallop roll was pretty decent.

    (2)

  • Crystal C.

    Of all the places I've been to for sushi so far in the East Bay, I'd say this is probably my second favorite place! I had a combo box that came with miso, salad, rice, tempura and beef teriyaki. The combos have a ton of options too that I can't even remember them all. It was a TON of food and under 10 bucks. The miso was delicious, and had noodles in it! I have never experience miso with a bit of noodles so I was surprised and it was pretty good. The salad and rice were standard. The tempura was pretty good and there was one item that I didn't even recognize! But it still tasted great, although I admit I was a bit sad not to see any broccoli since I love broccoli. The beef was pretty tender and tasty. My boyfriend got the dragon rolls and the titanic rolls. The dragon rolls I picked at and enjoyed them. The titanic rolls I didn't bother with but those things are HUGE. I'm talking "WTF how do you even go about shoving those things in your mouth" huge. I think I once called the sushi roll at another place horse cock huge... this is twice the size of that. Seriously. He said it was good though. The service was extremely friendly too. I like this place, and I'll be back to get a sushi fix when I'm close by.

    (4)

  • Mark E.

    Their Chirashi bowl is filling. Great for lunch too.

    (5)

  • Gravity S.

    The first night I went, it was pretty good (it was right before closing). Not the best, but I would have given 4.5 stars if that were it, simply because of the portions. However, craving this place again led me back in two days when the sushi was quite sub-par. Portions are great, sushi is hit or miss.

    (3)

  • Carol O.

    I work in Downtown Oakland and usually never walk towards 15th street for lunch, but because of Yelp's Neighborhood Spotlight newsletter I received I thought I'd try it. It was out of this world. The sashimi was so good and fresh it practically "melts in your mouth." I ordered the Dragon Roll and it was excellent. You can bet I'll be back to try other items on the menu. Ichiro is my number one spot for sushi in downtown Oakland.

    (5)

  • Diana W.

    I'm probably not going to add anything that anyone else here hasn't added, but I will echo that this place is cheap for a sushi place with LARGE portions. The waitress seemed used to customers gasping at the size of the Titanic Roll when it reached their tables. Everything is quite tasty too. It's businesses like this one that are helping Downtown Oakland as well. I've not been around that long but I can tell in such a short time there has been a great change and development. It wouldn't be possible without restaurants like Ichiro to give people a reason to walk up and down the streets besides business hours and I'm glad a very affordable sushi place is in this neighborhood!

    (5)

  • Leily P.

    The first few times I've come here, I've usually just stuck with the simple rolls, the soups, and the cooked foods. I got the Chirashi before and remember it being huge, but what it makes up for in quantity, it definitely suffers in quality. This last time I came here for lunch we got the Chirashi and Titanic roll (as seen in at least 3 of the uploaded Yelp photos). Both were just blah. We couldn't finish the Chirashi because it literally is packed full of sub-par fish (some of which is cooked). The Titanic roll is 60% rice, 15% shrimp tempura, 15% fake crab (on top), 10% cucumber. If you really want rice, I'd say order that roll but I think you're better off ordering the more normal ones... It's always the same waitress every time I come here. She's bitter and unhappy and there's zero service. I do enjoy the tea though.

    (3)

  • Matthew H.

    Worst sushi I've tried anywhere (this includes sushi from Ohio as well as the numerous places in the Bay Area). Ok, so some of the rolls we had were good (read: 2 1/2 stars, 3 if I'm feeling generous). Nothing was spectacular. The seaweed salad on the other hand tasted soapy and terrible. The california roll and rock n' roll were bland. You know how after a particularly bad experience you can shun an entire cuisine for a long period of time just because of that one pretty bad experience? We've gone from having sushi once a week for two straight years to avoiding it all together after this place. Sure, we'll eventually get over it and have sushi again - but never at Ichiro. To my surprise, this place has excellent reviews. Maybe we just got unlucky that one day. Still I can't recommend this place since I'd never go there again.

    (1)

  • T A.

    It's sushi...what do you want? raw fish seaweed sticky rice I don't eat weird shit so, I had the boring california roll. Mmm, yes, just like Costco's. Nothing special but it wasn't disgusting. On the plus side, they have really cool T-shirts. I won't be coming back... Shit, I didn't even want to go in the first place.

    (3)

  • Maurice C.

    To learn about the Ichiro/Ichi Japon/Ichi saga, read one of the earlier reviews. Just wanted to add a 4-star review to the pile - this place isn't the freshest sushi I've ever had, but it's always pretty consistent in good-quality fish. And the chirashi-don is a killer deal, with one of almost every kind of fish they have (including hamachi, saba, and ika - ooh, yum!). Some of the other rolls are more in the mid to pricey range, but (a) Ichi, the namesake and head sushi-man (and owner), actually works there every day, and recognizes you - so you know there's a certain level of professionalism and quality that you can expect fromthe place, and (b) it's clean and has great, swift service. Highly recommended, and if you're a corporate type in downtown Oakland, it's good for lunch meetings too (it was 2 blocks from my office and we'd go there for lunch pow-wows sometimes).

    (4)

  • Neil C.

    I'm confused by some of the reviews for this place, because the sushi was AWFUL when I went for dinner a few weeks ago. I mean, really bad -- definitely among the worst sushi I've had. The tempura was particularly bad -- very heavily breaded, and gross veggies / shrimp once you got through the batter. I've made tempura myself and it's easy to get good results -- I don't know what they did wrong, but it was just foul. The sushi itself wasn't much better. The prices were pretty low, but even at the price point, the food was not worth the money. The titanic roll was big, but gross -- the fish was not fresh and tasted cheap, and the crab was obviously fake. The rest of the rolls were similar -- two of the rolls were decent (i.e. 2.5/5 stars at best), but the rest were just as bad as the titanic roll. I'm not sure why this place has gotten good reviews from others -- maybe it is better for lunch, or you need to get the chirashi or sashimi? I'm not sure, but I can tell you I don't plan to go back.

    (1)

  • Dustin G.

    I am a fan! Fresh fish and outstanding gigantic titanic roll! Friendly service and quick. The free "on the house" teriyaki salmon appetizer was a nice touch. A new favorite in the east bay. Kudos and well done staff! Keep being creative! 4/5 judochops !

    (4)

  • Jerry K.

    Even though I was pretty wasted from bar hoppin' earlier, the food here was out of this world. The sushi was not just fresh, but had really good clean flavors. The hamachi was sweet and tasted like it just came off the boat! After the sake started poring; everything else was a blur.

    (5)

  • Jeff P.

    I break down my sushi spots into 3 categories: 1. Super high quality fish that costs bank $$$ and burns a whole in your wallet, but worth every penny because the fish is so buttery it melts in your mouth. Think omakase style where you eat what they give you. 2. AYCE (all you can eat) joints like Todai and Komei that don't necessarily have the best fish but do the job to satiate your cravings and make you not want to eat sushi for another month. 3. Your neighborhood go to spot with that offers a little bit of everything from rolls and sashimi to your bento boxes and udon noodles. Ichiro is the neighborhood go to spot that wins for several reasons. They don't skimp on portions. The fish quality is good. The sushi rice is good, which is so so important. The prices are great for the quality. The service is friendly. The restaurant is surprisingly large enough to seat groups. I recommend Ichiro for their rolls and generous portions. Try the chirashi bowl and you'll see what I'm talking about.

    (4)

  • Sarah F.

    Wow, wow, wow! My fiance and I found great reviews for this place on Yelp and you guys did not let us down. Starting off the miso soup was out of this world. Noodles on top of the usual seaweed and soy cubes was great and the actual broth was wonderful. We ordered a sashimi plater, a spicy tuna handroll and a few rolls which were all great. The sashimi was extremely fresh and the piece sizes are great (not small and measly like most places, but nice thick chunks!) The rolls were great as well - lots of fish inside and beautiful presentation. One of the best things about the meal? The bill! For all the food we ate, our total was very reasonable and considerably cheaper to many other sushi restaurants we have eaten at in the San Jose area.

    (5)

  • Jay N.

    As a sushi traditionalist, I originally scoffed at the funky roll. Well after a couple sake samplers, i said fuck it and decided to try. Since then, I've ordered it every time I go. It is the bomb! On the sushi side though, you can't mess with the mutsu. It's better than the fattyest toro you've ever had. And the fried ice cream is a badass way to complete the meal. 5 stars for a better than most selection, an authentic sushi chef and a damn good sake selection at a decent price. Top That!

    (5)

  • Alyssa G.

    I keep comparing sushi bars to Ichiro, because so far, this place has been the best. They have an amazing Alaska Don (salmon sashimi over rice). The fish is ALWAYS so fresh and never smells fishy (in the way that day-old fish can smell).

    (5)

  • Rich W.

    The food was good, nice caterpillar roll and combo box, but service was not. Maybe they were busy with the lunch crowd, but no one came by to take the empty bowls nor did my colleague and I get tea refills until we asked at the end of our meal. The waitstaff was nice, but just no service. I'm coming again tomorrow with a group to celebrate someone's birthday and sure hope the service is better. If it weren't for the food, Ichiro would've received only two-stars for the nonexistent service and for the "recommended tip" amount at the bottom of the receipt...tacky. By the way, why do restaurant owners feel the need to list "recommended" amounts? Don't you know by putting a, say, 15% amount, you're penalizing your waitstaff because many of us tip more?

    (3)

  • Daniel K.

    The subtlety of flavor, portioning, cuts, and presentation are what make Japanese food so amazing. To say the Ichiro lacked subtlety is quite an understatement. I ordered off of an unimaginative menu (with somewhat reasonable prices). After ordering, I waited, watching the food that was going out and being quite overwhelmed by the idiotic conversation taking place next to me. I could see that the cuts were choppy and amateur and the fish itself looked like it had been frozen and then improperly thawed out where the fish was breaking apart but extremely firm. I noticed that they had inefficiently placed their busing trays on the floor behind the counter which aside from not being the most pleasing for the ambiance, had the bussers bending over and adding time to the work pace. When my food came out I wanted to start laughing, because it had to be a joke. Generally, maki rolls should be between 5-8 pieces (spider rolls at 5 because the crab is not as long). Both my spider roll and my originally exciting sounding crazy horse roll were cut into 4 gigantic pieces as fat as burritos. I could not possible fit a single piece in my mouth and had to ruin the integrity of the rolls by taking bites out of it. (the point of most sushi dishes is for it to be eaten in one bite). I realized that the only "vegis" in my rolls were radish sprouts and when I took most of it out, what ended up being a small salads worth of lettuce. The rice and the fish seemed old, although the lettuce was fresh and crisp. The nigiri was in a very obvious post-frozen state and was still too large to fit into my mouth. Nearing the end of my meal I felt like instead of a delicate meal of balance, i had received a beating by a dirty sumo wrestler. The group next to me was raving about the exact dishes that I had just found to be extremely under-par and how they would soon return where as I was contemplating just getting up and leaving as the waitresses were taking quite a while writing up the bills. If you don't know anything about sushi or japanese food in general, go for it, otherwise you might as well just go stand in front of a BART train because I feel like I just got run over by my lunch.

    (2)

  • Lane W.

    The Titanic roll should win an academy award....or 11. I only wish I had an iceberg at my disposal to help defeat it -- each piece took at least two separate bites to finish. Consisting of shrimp and cucumber topped with tuna/salmon sashimi, scallions, sesame, spicy crab, and unagi sauce, you can see why. The chirashi sushi bowl is similarly formidable, so make sure you bring a partner---or a bear--- to help you tackle this beast. For under $15, this can serve as a good meal for two -- its P/E ratio is low, low, low, low, low (lyrics c/o Flo Rida). How do they keep their prices low? Clearly, its the "choice" real-estate and scant furnishings -- but upgrades in those categories are only necessary if you're dining with boring people. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • bill h.

    basic lower-middle of the road sushi. gigantic slab of maguro nigiri on rice which i cut into three smaller bites was pretty soft and tasty. spicy hamachi rolls, spicy scallop rolls were spicy and creamy. nothing was really bad (except for maybe the ginger which was pretty tasteless and colored red.) seaweed salad was huge and not delicious. miso soup just meh. and it contained vermicelli noodles which was something different. so if you care more about quantity than taste, this is you place! (hey, it rhymes!)

    (2)

  • Lee H.

    If I'd written this review last week, I probably would've given Ichiro 4 stars. I will say that the food here is generally good. The fish is cut in generous portions and fresh. I'd stick with the sushi and rolls though (4 stars). The dishes out of the kitchen are just okay, and frankly not terrific (2 stars). The oyakodon is overcooked, a bit dry, and overly salty. The katsu is a bit greasy and not really as crispy as it should be. If I'd written this review a week ago, I would've said that the service is efficient but impersonal, and you constantly have to prompt the staff to refill your tea. However, with my recent experience, I rate service as zero. Maybe negative one. I showed up at the restaurant around 2:20 PM for lunch. I'm immediately greeted by the lead waitress, and she says, "we're closing in 10 minutes". In retrospect, I probably should have asked "Are you telling me that you're closed for business?" Instead, I said that "I can order quickly". So they seated me. Immediately after another waitress puts down a menu (I didn't even have a chance to pick it up), she asked "are you ready to order?" Of course I wasn't. Exasperated, waitress walks away. I ordered maybe less than a minute later. Everything came very quickly. Salad, sushi, and check. Actually, the waitress asked if I could pay immediately since they're closing. I'm fine with the concept in general, except that I think she said this to rush me out. At some point during my meal, they turn the lights off and on to again remind me that they wanted me out. Finally, another guy at the restaurant came to my table to drop off dishes and chopsticks to "set up" the table for dinner service. Another reminder that they wanted me out. All said and told, I was there for maybe 40 minutes before I was out. I'll admit that it's a pet peeve of mine, but if your restaurant says that you're open until 2:30 PM, to me, it means that you're accepting customers until 2:30 PM. If you really want all customers out by 2:30 PM, then make your closing time 1:30 PM or 2:00 PM. I know that a lot of service industry people will disagree with me, but think about it from the customer's perspective. Before anyone decides to trash my comments, know that I grew up in the service industry. I've never felt so rushed and unwelcome. Will not be going back to this place.

    (2)

  • Jeff W.

    Had the Alaska Don, which is all salmon. Have also tried the Chirashi, which was excellent. This is the one sushi place where I can go to, and not leave hungry. The portions are huge (for a sushi place). Food quality is excellent, presentation is good, and service was prompt. Will be back again soon.

    (5)

  • Genevieve S.

    Fresh sushi, great cold saki recommendation, delicious green tea tempura ice cream, hot tea, & friendly service. This will be our go-to sushi spot.

    (4)

  • Melissa D.

    Very pleasantly surprised by this place. A little hole in the wall but the sushi was excellent.. Especially the garlic tuna :) also the service was pretty good despite going on a busy Friday night. Also, I think it's really reasonably priced. My boyfriend and I had miso soup, gyoza,green tea, beer and three big rolls for under $40 :)

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    Well I came, I saw and I conquered the legendary Titanic Roll. Such deliciousness... such vastness ... a beautiful experience. My girlfriends and I all had a great time.The service was very warm and nice too. The only thing keeping me from giving them 5 stars was that later that night I came down with an excruciating headache, dizziness and red cheeks. The headache lasted all the next day, too. What on earth could cause that? Well I googled it and discovered those are symptoms of mercury poisoning. Tuna is a culprit. So all I can say is, talk about large portions! The portion of tuna is so large that it'll give you mercury poisoning! :-P Still I'm giving them 4 stars and I'll happily come back for salmon or something else, anything except tuna.

    (4)

  • Elaine L.

    Titanic Roll is worth the trip to try this place but anything else I ordered wasnt memorable enough for me to remember or want to come back. The titanic roll was HUGE; I have never seen anything like it. (yeah sushirrito is bigger but I've never seen one of those so pooh) We came at night so parking only a few businesses down from Ichiro was already kind of sketch.... but there were a group of people just standing in the street close to where we were parked. Strange. Come in the day to avoid the anxiety of possibly not finding your car after dinner...

    (2)

  • Yann B.

    Quantity is there, and quality is really not bad. That's a great place to have sushis for a good price.

    (4)

  • Nicole A.

    Ewww, maybe I really am a sushi snob. I've always thought of myself as one, but thought maybe my perception isn't spot-on because I'm not that adventurous. I've still never tried uni. But, if I'm gonna eat raw fish I want it to be served from a clean environment. When I walked in, I thought I should walk out. When I sat down, I knew I should walk out, but I ignored my gut. My husband was craving sushi for lunch so I Yelped real quick. I've worked in this area for 10 years and only have I found Yoshi's to fit my sushi snob ways. We didn't have time for Yoshis, though. I quickly decided there was no way I was gonna consume raw fish from this place. I went safe (or so I thought) and ordered miso soup and the gyoza. My husband ordered a Funky roll and some hamachi and sake (salmon). Both pieces of his sushi were huge. I prefer smaller bites of sushi, but that's just me. He said the sake was ok, but nothing great. He said the hamachi was "ocean-y," then later admitted it was more like "fish-y". Um, that to me, means nasty sushi. The miso soup was like no miso I have seen or tasted. The seaweed was mush and gross and they were thin spaghetti-like noodles in the soup; no tofu. As my husband finished off the gyoza (oily on one side, crispy on the other) that I surely wasn't gonna finish, we noticed how filthy the place is. Dusty bottles lined the wall in front of the counter we sat at. The fan had thick layers of dust. There was a counter that was lined with that stuff you put in your cabinets at home or use to line your kitchen drawers, littered with what was probably food crumbs and no doubt dust, with glasses on it to serve wine and Sake. Let me back track a minute and point out that when we walked in we were not greeted. It was a moment or two of confusion. We walked over to sit at a counter, but then a woman told us not to sit there. She pointed us to go around to the other side of the restaurant where we stood for a few minutes and were then seated at the counter. Sorry about the ramble of a review, but I just needed to get this one out. Save your money, peeps.

    (1)

  • J W.

    We are regulars here. We come about once a week. If it were up to my husband, it'd probably be 2-3x per week but I like variety in my meals. The Titanic roll and their Chirashi are probably their signatures. Hands down, the chirashi is the best we've seen in terms of quality and quantity for the value. It's a LOT of food though. If you're going with people who aren't into sashimi or sushi, there are plenty of options as well. Their combo dinner is solid. Closed on Sundays unfortunately. The service is fine. Usually I reserve 5 star ratings for places that really win out on food, value AND service, but this place does so well in the first two that I don't really mind that the service isn't wonderful. It's not BAD, it's just not very friendly. But you get what you want when you ask for it, so that's okay with me.

    (5)

  • Jennifer L.

    After a change of plans, we decided to stay in Oakland to celebrate a birthday. Of course, it was a Friday night, AND there was a show at the Fox, so nowhere was really taking walk ins. After a quick look at my Yelp bookmarks, I saw I had flagged this place to check out, and birthday boy confirmed that sushi sounded good. The space isn't particularly remarkable looking - it's like any quick, strip mall type establishment, but the service was fast and the sushi was great actually. We had the tempura appetizer, which was a bit too doughy for me, but bday boy liked it. We also started with a selection of sashimi, and each fish was super fresh tasting, super buttery, super good. We shared a couple of rolls as well, and both of those were delicious, if a little overfilled (the avocado/cucumber roll had a tendency to expel its innards as soon as you tried to pick it up since everything started sliding around in the middle when pressure was applied). Eating with our fingers helped to solve that. We were a little nervous at first - we walked in at 7pm to a nearly empty restaurant, but by the time we were being served, it had filled almost completely. A bit further out of the way than our current "go to" sushi spots, but well worth the trek. We will certainly eat here again!

    (4)

  • Allison L.

    One word: chirashi. When it comes to Ichiro, that's really all you need to know. Packed full and delicious, it's really quite amazing. Absolutely no atmosphere, kind of iffy service, who cares? Chirashi.

    (5)

  • Kevin B.

    We had the fresh 8 piece sushi assortment and it was great. Large portion sizes (cuts of sushi) and reasonable prices. We also enjoyed an assortment of rolls.The only down fall is the area of the restaurant and the restaurant is not fancy. You go here just for the sushi not so much the ambiance.

    (4)

  • Nancy T.

    Over-rated. Not so fresh. Will not be back.

    (3)

  • David M.

    I love sushi. I am not pretentious. I've worked in more than a few restaurants so I understand the business. If the food is excellent -- and the portions and service are reasonable -- it's a hit with me. This place is a hit. Those who complain about waiting 10 minutes should stick to fast food.

    (4)

  • James K.

    price-portion-taste proportion is very good. Chirashi is very good deal, way too much sashimi for one person though.

    (4)

  • Tanya B.

    The food is decent. I wouldn't mind coming here more often but the service is just so bad. The servers always have an attitude. Also, I don't believe it's good business to turn away people 15 minutes before closing. I understand you have set hours, but business is business, so what if you have to stay an extra 15 after closing?

    (3)

  • Ryan G.

    This place was really good! We got a sashimi spread that we really liked. Fish tasted real fresh and melted in your mouth. Service was great and the food came out really quickly. Seemed like a great place to go for a relaxed meal...not one for a night out on the town kind of feel.

    (4)

  • W. T.

    The Titanic is indeed huge. The fish isn't going to win awards for "fresh". What's up with the horrendous "spicy crab" which looks like shavings of fluro-orange Daiya vegan cheese and tastes like mayonnaise? The Titanic roll would be a solid repeat order if the tobiko eggs were massaged into the rice and the fake crab was omitted. On a quiet weekday night, the customer service was great and the waitress was attentive with the water refill. The sushi maker was friendly and from Japan but has been clearly repeat trained into making Californian style grocery store sushi. Please stop dumping the soy sauce glaze atop my sushi! All, please help reverse the Westerner California sushi joint staples of fake crab and taste masking sauces by omitting all "imitation crab" and "sauces" from your maki roll orders. I value the location in city center Oakland as its nearby city hall, 12th and 19th st BART stations, and has a bike friendly patio and lock ups and this alone bumps the 3 star rating to a 4 star. FYI: The chirashi bowl is listed at $18 in previous reviews and is now $21.50. Also, does any one else know of a local sushi joint that serves wasabi that isn't in powder green food coloring format but fresh ground from wasabi stems ($$$)?

    (4)

  • Matt C.

    This spot is... as Justin Timberlake impersonating Jimmy Fallon would say, "SO GREAT, SO GREAT, FANTASTIC!" Great food, fresh fish. So great!

    (5)

  • Kayla S.

    I am definitely going here again. Their menu offers a great selection of Japanese food to satisfy any craving whether it be sushi, sashimi, curry, or noodles. Prices are very reasonable and they have a side room to accommodate several customers. Our food came out fast and was very fresh. The rolls were very big and they don't skimp on the fish on top. I had the golden gate roll and i would definitely get it again. It was like having a tempura roll with a bonus of sashimi on top. Conveniently located close to bart, this spot is worth trying out!

    (5)

  • Giovanie R.

    I only had 20 bucks and ended up not only spending only 16 bucks, and got soooo much food. Super yummy too.

    (4)

  • Steakmasterrrr X.

    9 dollars tonkatsu curry so good! nice people, run by japanese speaking people. done right, fish is well kept. sushi bar and some tables, medium sized, street parking. excellent balance of price and taste. portion of curry/tonkatsu big. they also have oyako donburi, some other donburi (rice bowls with stuff on top-very traditional) very happy friendly people running this place. i will be back...great for lunch! sushi about 4-5 dollars per 2 piece order. they have supa white tuna.

    (4)

  • Sunny S.

    Just ordered the lion king roll, philadalphia roll, and dragon roll to go it was good and tasty but it wasn't all that. I decided to give Ichiro a try based on the yelp reviews and also the yummy looking pictures I seen on yelp, plus I was having a hell of a craving for sushi and needed my fill, but didn't feel like dining out tonight. So got my food I was sort of disaapointed and was expecting it to be large portion rolls just like the titanic rolls I've seen in the pictures. But nope it wasn't, I guess its only the titanic roll that come super large, plus the lion king was really tiny compared to all the other sushi restaurant I've eaten at. But hey the price wasn't so bad I paid like $30.38 for all the 3 rolls, so I got what I paid for I guess. Well the good part is that I called and ordered and they told it'll be ready 20-25 min. Got there in 25 min and it was ready! So that was FAST! So you guys are alright in my book! See you next time Ichiro!

    (4)

  • P K.

    3.5-4 stars, but I rounded up. Large sized rolls are a good value for the price, but some rolls are mostly rice...and more rice. Had the titanic (seriously huge), poke/poki roll, and one other....not the most flavorful sushi I've had, but definitely solid.

    (4)

  • Vince L.

    I moved to the Bay Area a few months ago and can absolutely say Ichiro is the best sushi I've experienced not only here, but ever. The prices are great too. If you go, order the Titanic roll... it's unreal. I routinely get cravings for Ichiro; go and you will see why.

    (5)

  • Elli C.

    HUGE portion!!! Wow the Chirashi for $18.95 comes with layers and layers of sashimi including chu-toro or maybe it was toro, can't exactly tell. Usually when I get chirashii else where it's not enough food. But this one I could not finish, halfway thru I was stuffed! That's where a hubby comes in handy :) Their dinner combo (choose 2 items) is only $10.50.. A friend ordered the titanic roll and it was Ginormous! I think we are sushi snobs because we went to Japan last year . The sushi here is not super good or anything, but this place I would totally come back for decent sushi and the value.

    (4)

  • Ivy G.

    The food is pretty good. I don't know why miso soup here doesnt have tofu though but that's alright. The waitress could be a little more friendly. When we finished ordering, she looked at us funny like "that's it?". Price is ok. I would hesitate to go back because of customer service though.

    (3)

  • Kenson K.

    A very good value. I ordered the chirashi, and boy was it plenty. They cram so much fish in there, and the price! It was under $20. Very good deal. Eat here and your tummy will be happy.

    (4)

  • Yin Y.

    only if you're desperately craving Japanese food should you go here, esp. for sushi. I had better sushi rolls at the airport. I ordered my fav dragon roll and though it looked pretty tasty when it came out, my first bite revealed dry and chewy seaweed I was unable to bite through and rice grains that were not sticky enough and started spilling all over the plate. Bad ingredients and bad craftsmanship perhaps? The combo portions are quite large, so a good value. The udon noodles were pretty good, but didn't make up for the dragon roll. I wouldn't recommend this place.

    (2)

  • Marti L.

    I've been craving Ichiro ever since my last review. Dragging the BF along, I knew exactly what I wanted. THE CHIRASHI! My order arrived and the BF commented on how small it was. I told him to just wait and see. The bowl was tiny, but the sashimi and everything else was piled on high. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/CI2M… ) I asked for extra plates and began to disassemble the dish. 1: just to show the BF all the hidden goodies. 2: to get to the rice. And the result of my careful effort: ( yelp.com/biz_photos/CI2M… ) If you're not in awe after seeing the picture, then something must be wrong with you. Most chirashis give you a variety of sashimi, but never in such a generous amount like this one. Plus everything was so fresh and delicious! Oh man...I feel an Ichiro craving coming on again!

    (4)

  • Joco F.

    This will be a quick little review but simply put Oakland is very weak in the sushi area. My favorite spots are in Alameda, Concord/Walnut Creek, and SF. Working in Oakland I wish there were good options there simply aren't but if you are in the area this might be the best aside from Ozumo's which is more for the high end dining experience. Best sushi lunch spot in downtown that's for sure. Fish is solid and the kitchen is quick and efficient. I haven't tried any of the nigiri I get as a basis for my other reviews but bento boxes and chirashi bowls are great lunch options if you like those. Hopefully I'll try more things in the next couple months and add on to this review in detail.

    (4)

  • Briget P.

    The Lion King roll is amazing every time! Baked and wrapped in foil, it's always good whenever I order for take out. The spicy tuna seaweed roll is delicious too, quality seaweed.

    (4)

  • Matt L.

    Cannot say I've had much sushi in Oakland however this place was good. Went here with a large group of 7 and we ordered nigiri, maki rolls, miso soup, and fresh edamame. Did I say we did not hold back? Each of us ordered a nigiri and maki roll to share. Between the 7 of us, we almost ordered half the menu. What seemed odd was we were served the maki rolls before the nigiri. Small detail in which I would think it would be easier to present us the nigiri first. First time ever ordering a green tea iced. Might be a Bay area thing to have on the menu of drinks however it didn't taste right. After that experience, green tea should be served hot. Service was good and attentive. I've had better in the Bay area overall but I'll still go back when I'm in Oakland. Food - 4 Décor - 5 Service - 5

    (4)

  • Jenn B.

    No meat Fridays means an excuse for sushi dinners. I scooped up the boyfriend from the 12th street bart station (this place is located in between the 12th and 19th street stations) and we grabbed dinner here. Parking was a breeze and the restaurant was fairly full by the time we arrived around 6:30. We both ordered the combination dinner for $11 a piece. I got the teriyaki salmon and sashimi and he picked tempura and sashimi. The tea was complimentary, which is always appreciated. The miso soup had noodles. I think we did this wrong, though, because everyone was ordering rolls or those rice bowls. The rolls looked gigantic and the bowls looked very elaborate and colorful. Still, the combination is definitely a great value and we both didn't finish our dinners. If you love sake, you'll have many to choose from here. The sake fridges were filled to the brim, and there were shelves above the sushi bar with bottles on bottles on bottles. This place isn't hip in any way, but the sushi chef was Japanese and that made up for the shabbiness.

    (3)

  • Rudi A.

    Most people who recommend Sushi to me who are either not Japanese, haven't lived in Japan and ate Sushi there, or just don't have a lot of experience in Sushi I usually don't take their recommendation seriously, but I'll still try it just in case they might be right. At work my manager was telling me that he used to always order cheap sashimi from Ichiro-san when he used to work at Ichi Japon, and that he's from Japan, and the sashimi was good and cheap. After he found out that he opened a new restaurant (at the time new) called Ichiro that we should go there and check it out. I said yes just in case he was right, and I was thinking to myself ehhh It probably just seems like a good sushi restaurant, and ehhh Ichiro probably just looks Japanese and gave himself a Japanese name (only because I hardly ever see Japanese sushi chefs in Downtown Oakland). I ADMIT IT! I WAS WRONG! Sushi Chef Ichiro Kazato is from Japan, and comes off to me as a well trained Sushi Chef with his knife work, his cleanliness of the bar, the freshness of his fish, etc. along with his side kick Bogo who I believe is from Korea, just like the rest of the staff, but that's okay because their service seemed very pleasant. Ichiro-san offers large nigiri, and large portions of sashimi for a very reasonable price, Besides their good Sushi they not only have a large Sake selection with sake samplers, but even a large Shochu selection with Shochu samplers, but just to let you know I had to ask for the Shochu menu separately for some reason, I'm not sure if that was a mistake on their part, or if they do that purposely. I even like the way they serve it which is in a glass, and the glass itself is inside a masu cup, that way you can either drink from the glass, or pour it into the masu cup and drink it the old fashioned way, or even pour it into several masu cups and then share it with others. So when you're in Downtown Oakland looking for some good sushi then ICHIRO IS THE WAY TO GO!

    (5)

  • Jennifer Y.

    I come here all the time so I felt I should raise my rating a bit! The fish is consistent and fresh and the portions are still bigger than most sushi places. I've learned to order just a couple rolls and I'm stuffed. The chirashi bowl is a great deal but it's just way too much food -- who would've ever thought anybody would say that about a sushi dish?! Their miso soup isn't just any ol' miso soup either. It's got noodles, daikon, and sometimes chicken if you're lucky! By now, everyone recognizes me and the boyfriend the second we walk in and sometimes we even get a salmon appetizer because we're such regulars ;) But seriously, we're here at least once a week. They're closed on Occupy Oakland protest nights -__- the police apparently use 15th St. to prep. How dare these protests get between me and my Ichiro! It's not THE BEST SUSHI EVER but it's better than average and I enjoy the food every time I go.

    (4)

  • Giancarlo S.

    Quality. During one occasion the sushi chef actually stopped serving because the rice was not up to par in his opinion, I respect that. They do have some popular rolls but I come here for the fish, the sashimi. Very large sake selection.

    (4)

  • Allen L.

    THE JAPANESE restaurant I go to in downtown Oakland. Why? 5 stars for the portions.Gotta try their salmon or tuna sashimi don (alaska or tekka on the menu) - packed to the rim with sashimi. Reasonable prices for the portions. I'm not sure about highest quality ... but the portion and pricing makes up for it. Note that this place gets packed during lunch - so get there early.

    (4)

  • John Z.

    Eight of us came for lunch last week. Promptly seated, but the ordering and food delivery took a while -- not a big deal as it was packed and there were eight of us. The miso soup starter was flavorable, but what's up with the added wheat noodles? I like my miso plain with maybe a bit of tofu or seaweed. The main eats (shared varied rolls and sashimi) were fresh, and tasty, but not stellar. The star of the show was the Titanic roll, which lives up to its name. I mean, it's HUGE. Remember the first half of the Mothra movie? Meet that caterpillar's twin cousin. The waitress was considerate enough to mention that given we were a party of 8, a 15% tip was included in the bill. More like 3.5 stars, but while it has better seating, Geta Sushi off Piedmont IMO offers better fare at even lower prices. But if I'm downtown and want a sushi fix, I'd be happy to return.

    (3)

  • Ron G.

    What can you add to a great Yelp rating? How about a name... We call her Surly Girl. But I digress. All I have to do is say the word CHIRASHI to a coworker of mine, who is actually from Japan, and he all but falls out of his chair with anticipation. In his words, Ichiro has a skilled sushi chef that knows how to bring out the best flavors in the cuts of fish he works with. The Chirashi, for example, is a cornucopia of seafood delights that virtually requires disassembly before it can be consumed because the Chirashi bowl is brimming over with fish and pickled veggies. And that statement of quality holds true for most, if not all of the items that one will find on the Ichiro menu. The only thing lacking here is the tight quarters and the (lack of) service. We call her Surly Girl, and by now we know what to expect after sitting down. Hers is not the disgruntled norm that one encounters when usually confronted by an unfriendly waiter or waitress. Surly Girl is just Surly Girl. She isn't rude exactly, and is just friendly enough not to drive you crazy -- not quite friendly, but rather she tolerates your presence and will bring you things, if you ask nicely. However, be warned, asking Surly Girl for something outside of the confines of the initial order and the paying of the check requires not only speed and timing, but tact and phrasing. TIP: know what you want ASAP, order it all at once, and expect to be ignored until the food and the check come. To a new-comer, Surly Girl's less than enthusiastic demeanor can be quite a turn off.

    (4)

  • Rachel W.

    The best sushi I've had yet in the bay area. Salmon is soft, buttery, and fresh! The chefs greet you when you walk in the door, the cooked menu is great as well, and they are nice enough to accommodate my avocado allergy and make me special sushi!

    (5)

  • Robert W.

    the fish is abundant. However, the meal contains MSG or Hondashi that could be in the rice or soy sauce. If this issue is resolved, I would give a 4 star.

    (3)

  • Shirley W.

    The food here is okay. The titanic roll is huge. Friend and I ordered a few rolls so we thought another one was it because most of the special rolls are large, but wow the titanic roll is a monster. Great food portions, mediocre quality, okay service. Oh! the sake samplers are not worth the price.. but you can judge for yourself.

    (3)

  • Cindy T.

    Based on the Yelp photos and 4 star overall review, I was really expecting something good. Yes, the sushi rolls are big but it's all rice. Fish did not taste fresh. Would rather go to Alameda for better sushi and sashimi.

    (2)

  • Katrina L.

    First impression, not so good. Walked in, and there were a few open tables in the breezy front area, and one table in the dark corner. Of course we were seated at that one table, after I had to ASK the waitress to seat us. Of course I move us to the breezy table in the front area. Now, I understand there's basically one waitress, but there's no excuse for us to be seated for 15 minutes or so, without a look, peep, or WATER served to us. Had to again, ASK the waitress if we could order. 5 more minutes before we got to order, another 10 minutes for our drinks. The Food (took 25 minutes): - Chicken Katsu/Tempura Combo - the tempura sucked, I've had WAY better. Chicken katsu, standard, can't go wrong there. And the salad & miso soup were pretty good. - Philly Roll - Cream cheese, avocado, and smoked salmon. If you can't get this right, you don't need to serve sushi. In other words, it was good. - Tuna Sashimi - I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED!! I wanted to be in awe with this dish, instead it left me high & dry. SO BLAND, PLAIN, one thing though, it was fresh. - Dragon Roll - not bad, not a huge fan of this roll to begin with, so I won't leave a biased opinion on this guy. - LION KING ROLL - THIS ROLL WAS SO TERRIBLE, I literally wanted to cry. This has got to be my all time fave type of roll, not only was the salmon chunk thin and ghastly looking (grey & limp), the sauce for it was almost gross. The rice was toooooo sticky, no flavor there whatsoever, even after dipping into soy sauce/wasabi & munching on tons of pickled ginger. At the end, I had to hunt the waitress down with my eyes (and to be honest, it was not busy enough for her to not even look our way) to pay for our "meh" food. End price: $50.65. Ok, that's not bad for what we ordered, but it is NOT okay for her to take an additional 20 or so minutes, to take our MONEY! We were changed with a $5 bill and some dollars. Ummm, were you expecting a tip?! I would've came back, even with that type of service if the sushi wowed me, it didn't. The server made it worse. Am I being too hard? I think not, I'm a polite customer, but also very observant. Wouldn't recommend this place. 2 stars, since it was our first time, but I won't be returning to give it another chance.

    (2)

  • L K.

    Freshest sushi in town! Friendly staff, great chefs, and decent prices. I don't like sushi anywhere else since I've been coming here.

    (5)

  • Amanda W.

    Decent sushi, great service and even better prices! I ordered from Ichiro for a special birthday dinner at home. I called in the afternoon to pick up later that night. I ordered the seaweed salad (standard), unagi, spicy hamachi hand rolls, super california roll, and caterpillar roll. The lady who helped me was gracious. The food was ready for pick up and my dinner guest LOVED the super california roll (unagi on top of california roll). Everything came out to $45... amazing!

    (4)

  • James B.

    One star reviews? Please...go back to wherever you had "sushi" before. This place rocks. Yes...the amount of food and high quality more than warrants the prices (which are pretty average for the East Bay, VERY cheap compared to San Francisco). The sushi masters welcome you upon entering; the waitstaff are very nice and accommodating. There is a big fridge full of sake (cheap and pricey). I've never tried their cooked food (other than the eel) so can't comment on it.The rolls are HUGE, and not because of the rice. Anyone that complains about having too much fish in their rolls need to get their head examined. I'll be going there tonight.

    (5)

  • Deana I.

    So my co-workers and I decided to be adventurous and venture out further than our usual lunch places. We ended up here after I mentioned that this place had a 4 star rating. And after Claudia O.'s bad sushi experience at Ichi Japon, we were in desperate need of a different, good Japanese restaurant. The restaurant is nicely located in Downtown Oakland and the outside looks very inviting. Claudia O. got the Bento Box (Chicken Terikayi and Tempura), Yao Y. ordered the Funky Roll (salmon and veggies), while I ordered the Tempura Roll and Miso Soup. We then all shared a Tempura Ice Cream. The miso soup tasted and smelled fishy. I can instantly smell it as the server were barely handing them to us. It smelled like a fish market. I don't know about everyone else, but I never had any miso soup taste and smell like fish. The Tempura Roll was pretty small but taste pretty good. Yao said that her Funky Roll was just basically a fried salmon roll. She also said that it was very spicy due to the sauce - there was "like 4 kinds of sauce: hot sauce, creamy hot sauce, terikayi sauce and green mint sauce." She didn't like it very much... it was so funky, she had to use the bathroom afterwards. Claudia's bento was huge. Even with the 2 of us helping her eat, we still had food leftover. Claudia did say that she enjoyed the Chicken Terikayi... "very good." The Tempura Ice Cream was really good. It had green tea ice cream and they used some time of pound cake around the ice cream so it's not just ice cream and tempura. Plus, one order came with 2 tempura ice cream... very yummy! Lesson we learned - this place might be a hit or miss. We like some of the food, but we don't like their other dishes. However, I think we might be back unless we find a better Japanese restaurant around the area. If anything, at least we were able to venture out and found other places to eat (and Yelp about).

    (3)

  • Lone E.

    ii loved this place-- funky sushi- was the bomb-goin back again-yyyyyaaaaaassssssss

    (5)

  • Madrone J.

    Hahah read another guys review and he called her surly girl hahahah Its true been 3x now and she is always surly, not rude, but probably too much work for one server on the floor. The service lacks because of it, service is slow and inattentive. The sushi rolls are massive so be careful what you order. tonight I ordered florida roll, with cucumber, unagi and some sauce.. It was huge 4 pieces. Not the chop stick type of sushi. Saba nigiri was meh, kinda dry not too fresh...Ive had amazing saba so I know how good it can be. 4 stars coz I like the sushi guys and if you are hungry its the place to go.. It does not have the freshest best fish, but hey its inexpensive and filling, mostly tasty.

    (4)

  • Frank L.

    This is my go to place for sushi in Oakland when downtown. For under $25 I can stuff myself silly on fresh nigiri, rolls and Sapporo. The staff is friendly and efficient and it's always a treat to sit at the bar and eat in peace. I also like the fact that I can take friends here who aren't fond of raw fish but can still order a cooked dish off the menu.

    (5)

  • Rosy K.

    This place is awful. I read a review below describing this place as the McDonalds of sushi and that is a perfect description. Service is terrible. We walk in there is no greeting from anyone. Wait around for about 10 minutes or so and still not a word, we see a couple people get up from the sushi bar so we take it upon ourselves to take a seat. We walk over and find that there were seats available all along. Would have been nice for someone to let us know. A few minutes later a server finally comes up to us and takes our order. Our drinks took forever, had to remind her and it was 1 beer! Food was okay surprisingly not bad. The cleanliness of this place does not look up to par. And although I am okay with little hole in the wall types of places I at least want where my fish is being stored and sliced up to be clean. Also a quick note if you don't get here at least 30 minutes prior to closing they will turn you away. I would stay away from this place and just walk over to Ozumo for some quick sushi at the bar.

    (1)

  • Vanessa S.

    I do not like coming here at all. The service is pretty bad and the sushi is just okay. I'd probably keep coming back, if the service wasn't so bad.

    (2)

  • Peter P.

    Amazing portions. After looking over the menu in this small but spotless restraint, the party I was with voiced concern about the prices. But when the food came we are all surprised. We had three dishes, Cherry Blossom (Salmon, Avo Tuna, Tobiko), Titanic (Shrimp Tempura wrapped with Tuna, Salmon and topped with Spicy Crab Masafo Green Onion), and Chirashi (Assortment of Sashimi over Sushi Rice). The Cherry Blossom was 8 or nice pieces in the shape of a flower. The Titanic must have had 2 or 3 Shrimp Tempura's laid end to end inside the roll which was so large it required several large bites to eat a single piece. Finally the Chirashi was served in a large bowl which was 1/3 full of rice and filled above the rim with thickly sliced Sashimi, that day it included nearly every fish on the menu. I've nothing bad to say about this restraint, plan to get some photos next time.

    (5)

  • Amy H.

    Ordered to go and regret that I did because when I got home, the food was awful. Should've dined in instead. It would probably taste better when it's just made. Titanic Roll & Chicken Curry - Both were not great, nor it isn't mesmerizing. Had better. The titanic roll is huge, but lacks taste. It needs the special drizzle sauce for more kick. It's kind of like a huge california roll with salmon & tuna slap on top of the roll. Had a hard time eating it and yes, had to cut in half to be able to eat the whole thing. Really expect it to be good when I ate it, but overall, I was not satisfied. The katsu chicken is better than the curry. I would not order these two dishes again. Pretty pricey. Paid about $23 altogether. Sorry, I won't be coming back Ichiro.

    (2)

  • ana d.

    We went in on a Wednesday. There was only one waitress who was serving the whole house so we decided to sit at the bar. We were served quickly. The titanic roll was amazing, I highly recommend it. We also had the Lion King roll and the tempura roll which which were both great. I highly recommend this place.

    (4)

  • Kenna T.

    Wonderful sushi . . . I start chemo Monday so this is my last time having sushi for awhile. You pay for atmosphere at Yoshi's and great sushi at Ichiro. The service is much better at Ichiro as well. There was no wait and the saki 101 course our waiter gave us was fab.

    (5)

  • Valerie F.

    Not bad...service is kinda slow and prices are really decent for a sushi place. Not the best sushi ever but you get what you pay for. I got the Dragon Roll which was under $10. It looked really good but the taste was average---not great, not bad. My boyfriend got the bento box. A lot of other yelpers raved about Ichiro's miso soup. I tried some of his and the few noodles that they added wasn't exactly what I would call "rave-able." He said the tempura was good but he didn't even want to touch the beef he ordered--nor did I. It looked bland, pale, and bleh. Would I come back here? If I were in the area and craving sushi, yes. I would try the Titanic Roll though---the couple behind us got it and it looked deelish.

    (3)

  • Greg H.

    Good sushi for a great price. Fish was fresh, food came fast, and the service was friendly. Yes, the titanic role is massive - but a higher proportion of rice than other rolls. We also enjoyed the cherry blossom roll and caterpillar roll, which, along with a few orders of nigiri, was more than we could eat. The only real complaint was the rice, which was gummy and bland - a warning sign for any sushi restaurant. Overall, a reliable place for decent sushi, but nothing to get excited about.

    (3)

  • Heather C.

    Not packed on a Saturday evening, SCORE! When we walked in, we were greeted kindly by the sushi chefs and then by the hostess and seated promptly. We ordered the hamachi (yellow tail, my FAVORITE) nigiri, spider roll, California roll and rock n roll. HAMACHI- was very fresh and generous slice (most places slap on a thinly small slice of hamachi). SPIDER ROLL (soft shell crab, masago, crab and vegi)- my god that thing was freakin' huge. When it came out, I sat there for a minute trying to figure out how the hell I was going to eat that thing. Spider rolls are my favorite but fell a little short here, I definitely had better elsewhere. The soft shell crab was soggy so the texture was not very appealing in the mouth, soft shell crab should be crispy to add a little crunch to the roll. =T CALIFORNIA ROLL (imitation crab, avocado) - tasted like how most California rolls taste like, nothing special here. ROCK N ROLL (eel and avocado)- my favorite roll of the night, the best roll out of the three we ordered. With eel, you can never go wrong! Overall, this place was just average so 3.5 STARS (.5 stars for giving such a generous slice of hamachi =P).

    (3)

  • Vinh N.

    I ordered some veggie rolls and pieces including the large veggie delight. They gave me a free fish collars even though it was clear from my order that I was vegetarian. I thought it was very nice although not thoughtful. Nigiri portions and rolls are large but I am not the typical diner to rely on in terms of judging quality of the food with this type of restaurant. Service was friendly and prices were reasonable compared to other comparable restaurants throughout the country.

    (3)

  • Katie P.

    The sake and sushi at this place were great and the staff were all so incredibly friendly. The atmosphere is super casual, but if you live in downtown oakland (like me!) and have a sushi craving, it's a great place to go.

    (4)

  • Leah E.

    Quality: 3.25 Stars Quantity: 4.5 Stars The first time I ate at Ichiro, I had a terrible cold. I could not taste my chirashi. Now did I mention that the CHIRASHI at Ichiro is so ginormous that it could sink a titanic-sized sushi boat? For real! yelp.com/biz_photos/CI2M… I was impressed with the size but I had to go back to taste the quality of the fish. I went back on Veterans Day at 2:20 pm for "me" time lunch. The restaurant was about to close but the servers were so friendly and told me that it was okay. I was the only customer, got my chirashi bowl within minutes and was told to take my time eating. yelp.com/biz_photos/CI2M… The servers themselves started eating their meals after tidying up the cash register and had their friendly banter in Japanese. So this place is legit. The chirashi bowl did not look so impressive until I started dissecting the contents. And one by one I started transferring generous pieces of the fish onto another bowl so I could taste all the fish. Among the ones I recognized were the following although there were more fish types I didn't list: 1. Plenty of ginger 2. Seaweed on top of rice 3. Perilla Leaf 4. 1 shrimp 5. Salmon 6. Saba (mackerel) 7. Cuttlefish 8. Ika (octopus) 9. Tamago (egg) There was more fish than sushi rice in terms of rice:sushi ratio. Quality-wise, it was not bad but not spectacular or great quality. The fish was fresh enough but I bit into a very fishy mackerel that I almost gagged. During our first visit, my fiance ordered a bunch of sushi rolls. He was not impressed. Yelpers mentioned $12 for the chirashi but I paid $17. 83 (tax already included.) My tab was $21 (with tip and hot green tea). Pricey for lunch. Unless your appetite is as big as a titanic sushi boat, I recommend sharing this with a friend. I took my leftover to go and ate it that evening. It was not good anymore. :( Sometimes bigger is not better......

    (3)

  • Jennifer W.

    This place might look tiny in photos, but it's actually great for groups. Plus, this place doesn't seem to ever fill up. The service is great and your tea is always refilled. The sushi was of good quality and pretty fresh. The udon was nice and chewy, but just standard overall. The veggie croquette and tonkatsu was great, but also just standard. The veggie tempura was fried very nicely and the tempura batter was light and flaky. The chirashi bowl was a monster, overflowing with all sorts of sashimi. The sushi is really the main feature here and I'd advise getting sushi instead of the other entree items. Some rolls come in such huge pieces that they were the diameter of a burrito. On another note, I was locked in the restroom for a good minute or more. There's something wrong with the lock that required me to jiggle the handle forcefully and pull back with all my weight before I was released out of it. I even pounded the door in hopes that someone would hear. Pretty scary really, because I didn't have my phone on me either.

    (4)

  • Charli T.

    pretty awesome sushi. The portions are great and it's fresh. One sushi piece is roughly a typical place's 3 pieces. To be honest, that's the way I always remember it back in Japan where I'm from. It's very traditional style, but if you like rolls then there's a lot of selections which are HUGE. Like the size of YOUR FIST. Man. How many times can you say you ate a sushi the size of your fist? This is a type of casual diner you would go to relax and eat pretty often. Not exactly the hipster's type of environment where you want to have something special. (although the HUGE rolls are pretty cool to look at) Eat here to feel satisfied.

    (5)

  • Anita W.

    I have been craving for sushi for a few days so i tried this place out, dinner time. Everything was good at first. The waitress was friendly. miso soup and salad was good. i never had miso soup that looked hearty, there were noodles in it! chicken katsu was pretty tasty, but when it came to the sushi itself..i was disappointed. I had pieces of shiso ika, saba nigiri, along with sashimi. Ginger on the side looked dry, sashimi didnt look the freshest, the titanic was freaking huge!! i was disappointed though because it was topped off with immitation crab..blech!! My sushi craving had not been satisfied that night =[

    (3)

  • Jessica T.

    I just found a EIGHT INCH long HAIR in a piece of my nigiri's rice. I understand that stuff like this happens, and that probably worse things happen behind the scene. However, the hair is BLACK lodged and wrapped around the WHITE rice- couldn't they at least pull it out before giving it to me?!? I got it to-go or else I would def have said something. But to finish reviewing the all the other times I have been here, the food and service is sub-par. Although they do give big chunks of fish in your nigiri, the quality is on the opposite side of the spectrum- it always seem to have that soft and mushy texture, definitely not something you want in raw fish. In the past I've overlooked this when I really needed to satisfy my sushi craving during lunch, but mark my words, I am never going back again.

    (1)

  • Eric S.

    I don't usually do this because I don't want all you suckahs to fill up my spots. Ichi-San is the real deal. I've been going to him for 15 years. I've never been disappointed. To me, it's the best sushi in Oakland. You can judge for yourself. My favorites are uni, bonito tataki, soft shell crab appetizer and kampachi. His udon is really good too. He's open for lunch and dinner and he can use your business.

    (5)

  • Jenny M.

    I came here for my friend's birthday party. It is slightly hard to find and there is not much seating inside, so if you are coming with a large group at a popular time, try to call ahead for reservations. Most of the people at my table ordered the bento box, which was a very good deal for the price. However, I really want to come back and try the Titanic roll that my friends got, because it looked HUGE and delicious! The owner and waitress were really friendly, so that definitely improved our dinner experience.

    (4)

  • Andy C.

    Hands down, this is one of the best sushi places in Oakland!

    (5)

  • Catherine W.

    I like this place a lot! It's close to my office so I've been here quite a few times. Portions: LARGE Service: GOOD Prices: AVERAGE (for a sushi joint) Quality of food: GOOD Some good dishes: -Chirashi (an insane amount of sashimi over rice) -Katsu curries -Bentos with any of the fish items -Nigiri combos Con: It's not in the best neighborhood. Not too noticeable in the daytime when I go for lunch. Dinner's a different story. Kinda shady area at night. I would come here more often if it were in a safer area. Quick Tip: They don't take AMEX.

    (4)

  • Maxim B.

    It's say that they open but they close at 4 pm I was driving there for 15 min for nothing !!!

    (1)

  • Hai Y.

    Maki rolls are off the hook, especially that garlic one. Never had anything so garlicky and so good. Also, I'm not typically a maki roll person, but this is so cheap and filling. Oh, and delicious.

    (4)

  • Kat V.

    Two stars is even generous. I have no idea how this place gets 4 stars on yelp. This place is no good. No good at all. But, the sashimi was good and both the miso and dressing on the salad were interesting. Everything else was quite bad. We got one combo and 4 rolls. The tempura in the combo tasted so bad and burned that we had to send it back - I've never sent back something at a sushi place before in my life. But, the new batch came out slightly less burned, but still burned. I think their oil is just old and tastes bad. The rolls were also poor. The fish in the hamachi roll (yellow tail and onion) was minced and did not taste fresh. I have I seen the fish in this roll minced before which makes me skeptical that the fish was of poor quality. The rock and roll (eel and avo) had more eel than avocado. And, the waitresses were just over it - and I hear that. The ambiance in that place was depressing. No music, no smiles, and the glaring fluorescent light from the sake fridge.

    (2)

  • Jennifer P.

    6pm on Friday night and we were among the first people there. It started off pretty empty, but did fill up. We first sat down near the front, but then moved due to a strong smell of paint or fresh stain that was nauseating. The rear location was much better, but a bit tougher to ger wait staff attention. SG and I, ordered combination plates chicken terriyaki/udon and chicken terriyaki/tempura. I am not a sushi eater and he eats only some. MJ got a combo plate with one sushi option and udon on her plate. K&T got sushi. Food arrived quickly, miso soups first then sushis. I am not a miso fan at all, so I should not judge that. The sushi items looked fresh and quite abundant for the price. The combos came with rice, salad, and the two items chosen, along with the soup. A lot for the price. The tempura was very good, but really anything deep fried is great! The chicken terriyaki was just ok. The udon was fresh and tasted good. Everyone seemed content with their food, no real raves. Overall, I think the prices were very reasonable and the quantity of the food was quite good, but it really was just ok. Hard for a non-fishy sushi eater to truly judge. I did rely on my sushi consuming pals to give me honest feedback... they agreed with my rating.

    (3)

  • Philip W.

    Top 5 sushi restaurant that I come to. Titanic roll is huge !! I usually get the bento box couple of sushi roll and Shasimi . Never been disappointed always good customer service greet you at the door.

    (4)

  • Sarah P.

    Fantastic place for quick sushi! Great price, nice people, big portions, and really fast service. The tempura at other sushi restaurants is sometimes too much on the breading, but it was excellent here. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Austin J. A.

    My visit to Ichiro left me feeling pleasantly surprised. My spouse and I were meeting our friend in one of the Beast Crawl neighborhoods this evening (so we could take part in the "literary pub crawl") and wanted to grab a bite before the festivities. So we consulted the experts, AKA Yelp, and I have to say, I'm glad I looked at the stars (4 at the time of writing this) and didn't focus so much on the reviews. I'm sorry for all the really bad times folks have had here, mostly because I had nothing but excellent food, good service, and patient staff all night long. And I do mean all night. They accommodated our presence for more than three hours. We shut the place down! Don't let the weird window font fool you: Ichiro is pleasant, modern, and welcoming inside. This place has been written up in several local papers and magazines, and I read a bunch of their press hanging up on the window outside before coming inside. Three staff members (chefs and our server) greeted us warmly when we came in; I learned later that one chef was the owner. Our server was really nice to us when we told her that we'd be having some rolls before our friend arrived in about half an hour, and that we'd all have more sushi when she arrived. Ichiro, like most places in the Bay Area, brings you a can of soda rather than fountain soda, as an unspoken hint that there are no free refills. For our first course, we had a tuna handroll, a salmon/avocado handroll, a shrimp tempura hand roll, and the nigiri special (8 pieces of nigiri and miso soup for somewhere around $13). As at least one other Yelper mentioned, there were thin soba (maybe?) noodles in the miso soup, and it was a hearty miso soup, with a variety of other things in it, too, nothing overwhelming, jarring, or weird, just tasty veggies and mushroom-type things. It's not what I think of when I think of miso soup, but it never said it was plain old miso soup, and it was great. The hand rolls were fat, eye-catching, funnels of marine happiness. I was really impressed by how delicious the salmon/avocado handroll was, to the point where I ordered one again when our friend arrived. I liked the selection of fish, and the fact that they differentiated between various kinds of yellowtail (skipjack, amberjack) on the menu (and I availed myself of several different kinds). I was really impressed with the nigiri special. These were eight beautiful pieces of sushi, including salmon, tuna, eel, yellowtail, mackerel, and shrimp, thickly cut, garnished variously with sauce or garlic and green onion, underspread with wasabi. For the second course, we ordered Lion King Roll (cooked salmon-wrapped California Roll), Okinawa (amberjack, avocado and eel), rainbow roll, and ten pieces of salmon nigiri (and of course the second salmon/avocado handroll). A word to the wise: don't order that much sushi unless there's at least one extra hungry person with you. It was all delicious, and my favorite was the Okinawa roll. This was among the very best sushi I've eaten in the Bay Area. So why the four stars? There was a little mold on the bottom (the bottom as in facing the table, not the bottom as in where the liquid goes) of my water glass, they let folks smoke right under the open window outside, and it took a super long time for us to get our check, so there was room for improvement...but not much. I'll certainly be back to chase that last star!

    (4)

  • Kat N.

    Honestly, even after they refused to give me chili paste/Sriracha sauce to go with my order, I would give them a high rating because their Sushi was amazing.

    (4)

  • Sadie G.

    We went here on Date Night b/c Cory looked it up and saw it had vegetarian rolls beyond the standard cucumber or avocado. We got the potato croquettes to start w/ and they tasted A-Okay...We ordered 3 rolls from the menu: thank goodness for not having to explain that we want a roll w/ tempura vegetables in it! We ordered the Natto roll and really didn't like it b/c it had a really strong fishy taste (which we later found out was due to the bonito perilla "leaves" aka fish flakes). Both of our actually vegetarian rolls were good: veggie-tempura roll and this huge "veggie delight" roll wrapped in pink soy-bean paper. One awesome thing about this place: They have a Sushi Reward Program! Not exactly sure what that entails, but awesome nonetheless. Overall, this place was good. I know that my opinion might be biased b/c of the fish-flake experience, but I didn't feel like this place would become a regular stop for sushi for us.

    (3)

  • Christopher L.

    The sushi was good here, solid variety with reasonable pricing. The immediate area around the restaurant isn't the best but that's downtown Oakland for you. I normally don't get too "hung up" on service but for some reason, the service was almost comically bad. I repeatedly had to flag down the waitress for water, edamame, get the check, etc... I'd give this place four stars but the lack of ambiance coupled with the utterly indifferent service knocks it down to 3 stars for me.

    (3)

  • Shamekia R.

    If you love sushi and are looking for more bang for your buck, then this IS the place. Fellas, if your girl loves sushi and you want to take your special lady out to an intimate place to get your mack and grub on...this is THE place. How can you not love fresh fish combined with huge portions, not crowded and a great value in a sushi place? My guy brought me here and for under $30 we left filling satisfied and stuffed! We had the titanic roll, which is HUGE, the lion king(oh so yummy), and the philly(pretty basic but good). This is the perfect low key spot to satisfy your sushi cravings. The titanic roll is enough to keep me and my boyfriend coming back for more.

    (4)

  • Ashleigh R.

    found this place on yelp, since another sushi place was closed. there's nothing special about the interior - was clean and basic. the chefs greeted us and a polite woman sat us down. we ordered the alaska roll, golden gate roll and spider roll. everything was yummy. the alaska roll had lots of fresh fish in the roll and also on top. delish. and the spider roll was humongo and had soft shell crab (i love me some soft shell crab!) i think it's the largest sushi roll i've ever eaten in my life. the golden gate roll was decent but nothing too memorable. i want to try the titanic roll that everyone raves about in their reviews. was really impressed with the price and quality of the food. our 3 rolls had my friend and i full. our total only came to $20. i'm used to paying around $10 per roll, so this was a definite plus. i'll be back here for more sushi and next time, sake!

    (4)

  • Kim-van T.

    Talk about getting your moneys' worth... Oh Ichiro! You are now my new favorite sushi spot! If it weren't for Yelp I probably would have never found this place. It's tucked away in a side street in downtown Oakland which can be pretty dead once business hours are over. Luckily that means that I never have trouble finding parking around here. The first time the bf and I came here we were FOOLED by the prices. We ended up over-ordering and ending up with TONS of food. Poki roll for $5.50?? That's got to be 4 pieces! Wrong! We ordered: Titanic Roll - They call it "titanic" for a reason! it's HUGE. It's probably 2-2.5 times bigger than your typical california roll. Delicious but impossible to eat in one bite! Poki Roll Shrimp Tempura Roll - Really yummy! California Roll Chicken Katsu Curry Uhh.... definately way too much food for just two of us. The katsu curry was delicious and comforting and the portion size was perfect for sharing especially since we were splitting rolls too. The one thing that is unique to Ichiro is their miso soup. They put more than just seaweed and tofu in it! We've seen it come with noodles, mushrooms, other veggies, and even salmon once! Super friendly service! The sushi chef always greets you when you enter and when you leave. Definately will be back.

    (4)

  • Pete K.

    Rating purely based on one order of chicken katsu don which was essentially soaked in soy sauce to a point the chicken meat was colored in brown. I had to stop eating half way through as all I could taste was sodium and I could not take one more bite. Too bad, I was really looking forward to a decent Japanese meal and this place is so close to work. Maybe I'll give them one mo chance and try their rolls next time based on fellow yelp reviews. I just don't trust them enough to try their nigiri at this point. I mean how difficult is it to make a decent donburi?? ---------- OK I'm updating my review after trying their rolls (since my coworkers raved about their rolls and sushi). They were not that bad. They are not great, but they offer reasonable quality rolls at reasonable price. I didn't like Tatanic roll though - rolls or sushi in general should be chopstick food in my opinion, but maybe I'm just old fashioned. Not sure if I trust them enough to try their nigiri sushi, and probably won't try their donburi again.

    (3)

  • Eric C.

    Amazing little place! Ichi is super rad and friendly. It's kid friendly here and the food is amazing. Service is great. The Chirashi bowl is a must and the tonkatsu is the best!

    (5)

  • Lauren J.

    Have been here twice, once with a group of coworkers and we split a bunch of rolls, and once alone and I got the bento combo with salmon sashimi and fried oysters. the rolls were great but I like having my own box, so I enjoyed the bento even more. Alone, I sat at the bar, ate waay too much food, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. the staff, including the sushi chefs were very courteous, making sure to greet me and address me with smiles. Recommend.

    (4)

  • Lydia M.

    Pretty solid sushi at very reasonable prices. Nigiri was fresh and there was a good selection. Not a fancy environment, but a great choice if you want sushi in downtown Oakland.

    (5)

  • Randy O.

    Got into town tonight for a quick business trip and wanted to grab some sushi. Yelp comes through once again with a reasonably priced, close location that has pretty good fare! Is it the best sushi I have ever partaken of? Absolutely not. Is it a good deal and good value for the price with quick service and pleasant staff? YES!! I ordered the Nigiri Deluxe Combo - 8 nicely cut pieces of nigiri with very generous services of fish. I'm from NC and I had forgotten how generous the cuts are when one dines in CA. You certainly don't get that in NC, although I wish you could! I also ordered the Poki roll. Not quite as impressive as the Nigiri Combo, but tasty in it's own right. Overall - a good meal. I may just try it again tomorrow night! Also - I posted a pic of the combo.

    (4)

  • Kristine W.

    Okay, I think an update is in order since for the past 6 months the boy and I grab take out from here on a weekly...literally. Why? 1) We're lazy pigs who don't want to cook (obviously). 2) It's on the way home from the gym (hmm...I wonder why we're not losing weight and broke???). 3) It's open everyday except Sunday. 4) It's cheap, good food. 5) Tonkatsu curry = daaa bomb! 6) "Old school" miso soup, according to bf--they add noodles and carrots to it! 7) Super fast take out service (always ready within 15-20 mins of ordering) 8) Super friendly staff! 9) They have a rewards card (even more reason to pig out here)! Loooooove you, Ichiro!!! Just a note: I no longer think your karaage is crack-tastic. It's kind of gross to me now. My taste buds are changing with my old age... :(

    (5)

  • Marie H.

    This place is pretty excellent. So far, I've eaten here twice and both times I've left here with a really full belly without my wallet getting hurt in the process. The serving sizes here are pretty impressive so do not underestimate the amount of food you will get. The fish quality is decent and actual Japanese people make your sushi. The prices are very fair and I've never regretted anything I've purchased (except maybe the Titanic roll just because I just did not comprehend what a monster it is). They have a large variety of sake and enough types of sushi to satisfy everyone. I am happy to say that this place is becoming a favorite!

    (4)

  • Mandy L.

    We got a selection of goodies to try here once before a show at the Fox Theater. Ordered the titanic, cherry blossom, lion king, seaweed salad and miso soup. The cherry blossom was light and fresh. It was a refreshing roll overall. I personally, was not impressed by the lion king, it seems to be the roll folks go bananas over but not me. I'm not a fan of heavy rolls though, so I could be biased. I found the restaurant quiet, clean and ready to serve. Nothing wrong with any of that. I didn't walk away feeling it was stellar though and should I get back that way any time soon for a show or whatever, I will probably hit up another place to try. Overall, not bad just not great.

    (3)

  • s t.

    Best chirashi bowl in Northern CA.: large portions, fabulous price. The sushi here is always fresh and good. Kare Age appetizer is also a favorite. Otherwise, we order simple hand rolls (not the American wacky dragon roll things) Good sake selection. This is our favorite casual Japanese restaurant. We usually bring our kids. Atmosphere--casual dive; nothing special Frequent buyer reward card

    (5)

  • James L.

    Came here again for a quick dinner before going to see the incomparable Asha Bhosle in concert at the Paramount. Agesdashi tofu: Crispy/hot/juicy tofu, generous portions, and the flavors and toppings were right on. Only bummer was that the broth was much saltier and darker this time, so instead of dunking my tofu in the broth and sipping the liquid repeatedly, I had to treat the broth like a dipping sauce instead. Hamachi sashimi: Nice, thick cuts and fresh-tasting. The pieces were narrower than usual, indicating to me that they were maybe cut closer to the tail end of the fish, but I was given six pieces instead of five apparently to compensate for that. There was a small piece of bone in the last piece I ate which was a turn-off; otherwise the quality of the fish was right on. Salad maki: Basically a California roll wrapped in soy paper and bulked up with cucumber and lettuce. Very fresh-tasting and good, but compared to all the more interesting rolls you could order it's kind of ho-hum and I probably wouldn't order it again. I only ordered it because I was craving the roughage to be quite honest. Uni nigiri: super fresh, with not too much rice underneath. $34 out the door with a generous tip; I was pretty full and I could have paid about $8 less had I been less of an oinker and skipped the uni. My experience with the food this time was closer to 3.5-stars than four, but I'm still rounding up because I like all the other factors/intangibles at work at this joint. P.S. To the Yelper who claims that this place is inauthentic because it's being run by Chinese people, I'd like him/her to explain why a "Chinese" sushi chef would be conversing with his "Chinese" assistants and waitresses in Japanese.

    (4)

  • Flix N.

    meh. ok sushi at reasonable prices. service is cold and indifferent.

    (3)

  • Chan L.

    I was hungry for Japanese food, but unfortunately my favorite Japanese restaurant, Kyoto Express closed down. I read the voluminous reviews for this place, so I thought I would give it a try. I ordered the combination which included Salmon and California rolls. I ordered take out, and when I went in to pick it up one of the staff members was very cold and rude. Initially, they were nice when I came in but their demeanor changed when I told them I was picking up. Aside from that the food wasn't great and they forgot my miso soup. The salmon was burnt, and the California rolls, although more than I usually get, was not fresh and I felt it that night.

    (1)

  • Linda W.

    They r the best sushi place in town , and I would give them a 6 star for that alone if it is an available option. However, the waitress works there doesn't have the best attitude. I am not a picky customer, but I still would like somebody talk back to me when I ask a simple question/request instead of they talk among themselves in their own language with a complain facial expression. I will still keep going back for the food, but maybe with a low expectation of their service.

    (3)

  • Jules K.

    Went there today for the first time after a co-worker recommended it & based on Yelp reviews. Did not disappoint! This place is not in thr greatest of areas & does not stand out, must really look for it! However, once inside it's a small family owned joint & it got pretty busy about 12. Pleased with my combo plate (sashimi & tonkatsu) $10.50 with miso soup (yummy) and salad. It's reasonably priced, employees were friendly & food came in record speed! Will definitely be back again, such a wonderful find. Worth trying if in the mood for Japanese in Oakland.

    (4)

  • Tiffany V.

    I love how they have pieces of noodles in their Miso soup. I don't really have any complains to this restaurant.

    (5)

  • Kitised U.

    Titanic Roll is HUGE and tasty! Chirashi is HUGE AGAIN and they gave you like 2 pounds of sushimi!!! omg! Fish is fresh, rice is perfectly cook. Great Portion and reasonable price! 5 stars hands down. Perfect sushi place for Lunch. The area is not a good place for dinner though.... Three of us spent 48$ bucks and we think we ordered too much food! don't by fooled by the price!

    (5)

  • Allie S.

    Oh NO it's affordable sushi that comes in HUGE PORTIONS with appropriately descriptive names!!! Did someone really complain that they were given too much food? Whatever. More for me. Glad my friend brought me here. It was awesome. I almost puked afterwards, but next time I'll try to exert some self control.

    (4)

  • Miranda E.

    This is cheap, huge portions, nice staff, great descriptions! And it's right around the corner from the Layover and super-close to BART. It's a bit well-lit for a romantic date, but if your date is good enough for you, they'll like you for bringing them here anyway.

    (5)

  • Zain K.

    Others have commented on - and generally sung the praises of - the chirashi bowl, and I concur that it's amazing. For $15 you get so much fish (of about eight varieties) that at first it's actually quite difficult to get to the rice underneath it (a wider bowl would probably be a good idea). It's easily enough for two healthy appetites. One tip: I find that the saba (lightly pickled mackerel) is a little strong here, and that in the tightly packed chirashi bowl it contaminates the flavors of the other fish. In the future I'll be ordering this dish without it.

    (5)

  • Brayden S.

    Really good sushi at excellent prices! Very friendly staff.

    (5)

  • Emma L.

    Great for the price. I had the combination deal, only $11 for a medium sized piece of saba shioyaki and 4 pieces of sashima (salmon and albacore) with miso soup, salad, and a bowl of rice. Amazing deal! My friend has Uni, Saba, Hamachi, and...something other fish nigiri. The pieces of fish were the biggest I have ever seen, and the uni was overflowing its confines. They have a really large sake selection also, we had some Nigori that was delightful and cheap. I am also happy because they gave us a free taste of some salmon they made, it was in a flavorful sauce. Even though it was clearly not the top shelf salmon, lots of bones and fat, it was still thoughtful and the kind of thing I like to see in a neighborhood restaurant.

    (5)

  • Jessica H.

    so good! i almost don't want to tell anyone! fresh fish with giant portions and excellent sushi. Awesome staff

    (5)

  • Nicole C.

    While in Oakland, I was craving sushi for dinner and found this place which, thankfully, was walking distance from my hotel. Thanks, Yelp. It was on a random street that didn't seem to have a whole lot on it. From the outside, it looks like a small and unassuming hole-in-the-wall. On the inside, it's larger than it looks and is a cute little spot. Here's what I can say, I pretty much loved everything that was ordered. They had different and interesting roll choices. Spicy tuna, philly roll, creamy albacore, and another that I can't remember. All were super good and tasted fresh. The prices were really good and the portions were huge. Totally worth going and stuffing yourself with tasty fish. I'd definitely come back here if I was in Oakland again.

    (4)

  • Jeromy G.

    The reason I give this place 5 stars is because I go to school at UC Santa Cruz and there is NO really good, cheap Asian food at all. At Ichiro I can get 5 rolls for 25 bucks and in Santa Cruz it'll cost that much for 2 rolls, it's pretty ridiculous so when I came back and ate here I sort of splurged. They have bomb rolls with great types of fish, real crab (not that imitation crap). It actually tastes how its suppose to, fresh. The fact that it is cheap makes it that much better and I give it bonus points. I went for a late lunch around 2pm and it wasn't that busy and we were seated quickly and immediately had menus in our hands. Servers are very nice and speedy. Since I go to sushi places a lot I know what the food is suppose to look like but If you bring a person who doesn't eat sushi that much they would be confused with the menu because there were no pictures of the items. So let me recap, cheap, tasty and fresh ingredients and great service. What more could you want from a restaurant? Try it, it may be in Oakland and there are a few crackheads running around but just throw a quarter the opposite direction and you'll be good.

    (5)

  • Joseph W.

    Would've given it 4 stars, but the service isn't great and the kastuo (bonito/skipjack) wasn't fresh. I normally go there for the Tekka or "Alaska" Don. For about $15, it's an incredible amount of food. The maguro and sake are always top shelf fresh. However, yesterday, I had the sashimi platter you get 12 pieces of sashimi. I had the maguro, sake and katsuo. The first two were great as always, but the katsuo was prety bad. VERY fishy, too chewy and the ends were translucent and "dry". But the worse was the 25 minute wait I had for a to go order. Those two ladies who are cashier/waitstaff aren't very pleasant. One customer ahead of me asked for some hot sauce for her to go order. One of the waitstaff ladies said, "Next time you as for it in advance, ok? We are very busy." I will definitely go there for the maguro, shiro maguro, sake, etc. but will pass on the katsuo. Also, for a to-go orders, strongly recommend that you call ahead.

    (3)

  • Sarah M.

    Went here for lunch for the first time. It is located around the corner from my office - dangerous! The miso was yum. The rolls were large - I could definitely make it out with miso and a roll and be satisfied. I had two rolls and had to take most of it back to the office with me. Super friendly and accommodating. I will be back!

    (4)

  • Lisa B.

    Holy crap! This place was like hamachi (sashimi) heaven. They gave me such a huge portion to begin with, and then gave me even more... And the titanic roll is no joke, I had to share it because I could possibly explode if I ate it on my own. The service was also very good and friendly. I will definitely be coming back again.

    (5)

  • Mariko J.

    This is what I'd like to call typical sushi that isn't actually made by a Japanese sushi maker. The rolls are ridiculously huge and consist of far too much rice. If you're eating sushi just to gorge out, I suppose this would be your spot; however, if you're looking for good, authentic, well made sushi, this will not be the place for you. I ordered take out and the bag was ridiculously heavy as if I had a 10lb bag of potatoes instead of sushi. Sushi made with rice on the outside usually means the sushi is going to suck. The staff was friendly enough, but I wasn't there to make friends. I wanted sushi and I got something very different instead. Don't do it.

    (1)

  • David Z.

    Simply put, some of the best sushi I have ever had. Came here after work with a few coworkers. We ordered nigiri only and all of it was extremely tender and really tasty.

    (5)

  • Rebecca G.

    Great sushi that's full of flavor and tastes very fresh. The prices were also very reasonable. For $30, my boyfriend and I ordered more than we could finish.

    (5)

  • Luna R.

    Its really more like 3 1/2 stars...we go for dinner, which is great, because I understand that it is not as a busy as lunch. The sushi is pretty good here, and the service has been good as well. The other night they gave us bbq salmon as a gratis app and it was fantastic! Definitely worth checking out, especially if you live in the neighborhood.

    (3)

  • James K.

    I ordered Chirashi sushi here and I thought I was in heaven. Chirashi is slices of fish (Sashimi) over Sushi rice. Fish slices were fresh and tasted good. Owner is Japanese and the food shows their authenticity. If you are a sushi lover and want to find a good place for traditional sushi without paying a fortune, you gotta give this place a try! You won't be sorry.

    (4)

  • Anthony B.

    It took me forever to review this place, probably because I was so busy going there. This restaurant became my "usual," through great food, nice location, OK prices and some of the best staff around. If you like going someplace where the people serving make you feel Really good and welcome, try this place out. Great, fresh sushi doesn't hurt either.

    (5)

  • Jill k.

    good sushi, decent prices, okay service.

    (4)

  • Stephen J.

    Pros: Good selection of sushi Ample portions Average prices Cons: Poor service from the waitresses Too much wasabi on the rolls (this could just be my preference, but I like to control how much, if any, wasabi goes on my sushi) If it's busy, prepare to wait for your rolls Overall, I'd go back but only because there are not many other sushi options nearby.

    (3)

  • Nathalie K.

    The food is not great, and not good enough to cover up the awful service. People who are accustomed to eat good sushi in Japan will probably not like it. 1. Had to wait about 10 min at the door with no one greeting or saying a word to us. 2. When we finally got seated, the table was dirty. 3. The tuna in the cherry blossom roll was not great, too chunky and didn't feel fresh. 4. Had to remind the waitress 4 times to bring me the tea I had ordered. And each time, all she was saying was "Yes, I know" with a condescending attitude. 5. The last straw, the waitress didn't even give back the change of the bill. She took it as a tip before we even gave it to her. SO rude!! Definitely not going back.

    (1)

  • Anthony L.

    He wondered, rather foolishly, whether "just one roll" would be enough.

    (5)

  • Linh L.

    This rating does not reflect how freaking delicious the uni is. If I could rate the uni alone, this place would get 5 stars. Unfortunately, that was not all we got. Our group of friends decided to order a series of hand rolls to share. We ordered the Lion King, Bay Scallop, Negi Toro, Spider Roll, and the Titanic Roll. While all the rolls were good, none of them struck me as being amazingly delicious; nothing really stood out flavor-wise. What did stand out was the ridiculous size of the Titanic Roll. The novelty of the huge size wore off pretty quickly, and the copious amounts of rice drowned out any taste of the salmon, tuna, and soft shell crab. Oh well. Ichiro is respectable, but not something I would go out of my way to eat.

    (3)

  • Camie K.

    Had a better experience 2nd time around. Chirashi is probably the best valued dish there! Really fresh sashimi and very generous portion.

    (4)

  • Aaron G.

    Best sushi we've found available in the bay area. Not too pricey and just good enough to scratch the sushi itch. Owner advised that their website has been removed and won't be renewed. You can still access their 2013 menu (which I believe hasn't changed) at archive.org here : web.archive.org/web/2013… Place is a serious downtown Oakland site to hit. Majority of people who eat there are regulars, others it's word of mouth. Recommendation is the Chirashi plate and to get it for eating in.

    (4)

  • charlotte s.

    went to dinner here tonight with my husband and some friends... they invited us to go since they had just found this place themselves... actually last night they went to dinner there for the first time and liked it so much they wanted to go back tonight. the sashimi was really fresh. their rolls are pretty big and filling so if you're eating anything else, just stick to one roll. they have quite a selection of them from the regular rolls you'll see to some other ones they've created. prices are fairly low considering the quality of the food. they have other non-fish dishes too from rice plates, combos, to noodle soups and japanese curries. their sake selection is pretty extensive as well. we had a nice bottle of crisp sake. we will definately be back again...

    (4)

  • Jason G.

    The best. The sushi is amazing and it is fresh, if not fresher the Kirala. I highly reccomend it. I eat at many sushi places in the bay area and this is great. The only issue would be the service when it is busy, it grinds to a snails pace.

    (5)

  • Anonymous V.

    awesome prices, fresh fish.

    (4)

  • Yelp M.

    This place is great. Their fish is fresh, they give you the most generous portions, and the prices are very reasonable. We love the chirashi. Their staff are usually helpful and friendly. It does get very busy during lunch, so calling ahead and doing take out is your best bet. Dinner doesn't seem to be busy at all.

    (5)

  • David H.

    Thanks Yelp! What a great find....The recommendations from other yelpers were great! The Titanic is huge. I must have went there more then any other Japanese Restaurant already, and its only been a month. If you love great food at good prices, this is it. I only been there for dinner and there's always plenty of seating, the chef is pretty nice, the servers are cool. And they usually give us some fish samples as appetizers. Last time I had a pouched salmon in some sweet spicy sauce, I wanted to order it as a dish, but the server said it just something they made that day and don't usually have...ahhh...how I'm drooling thinking about it....the bento is also very good and I like the way they present it, with good portions costing only 8 bucks....

    (4)

  • Trinity X.

    This place is awesome. They started in this tiny hole in the wall sort of sushi bar. It quickly caught on as they have some really tasty rolls. Glad to see they were able to expand the place and the sushi quality is still good. Try some of their sakes too. You wouldn't expect this kind of thing in downtown Oakland, the neighborhood is a bit shady. Parking might be a problem, but it's also close to a BART stop.

    (4)

  • ron c.

    i couldn't believe that 4 of us got stuffed there tonight and the bill was 66 bucks. we left a generous tip. the fish tasted very fresh, good portions, and beautiful presentation. two thumbs up from a sushi snob.

    (5)

  • Jac W.

    Ichiro's is a great place to get fresh fish that is so delicious! Ichi, the owner, is very friendly and so is his sweet, kind staff. It's just a comfortable place to sit, relax and have great food. The thing that sets his place beyond and apart from any competition, besides, the large, fresh quantities of fish he provides, is how he'll give you what you want. As in my situation, I can't eat certain foods/fish I'm allergic too. I am unable to choose off fixed menu's. I need flexibility and he allows for that. Ichi will make rolls, sasihmi, nigiri or whatever I want, but, how I want it. In fact he makes me a Jacson roll to suit my wishes and it's amazing, I just love it. In my experience, that is just unheard of in most sushi restaurants. He's genuine and cares about his customers...check him out! He may not be able to do that at lunch rush time but, go in on an evening some time and knock yourself out with what you want and how you want it, you'll see! Plus, I've had the Toro and it's so gooood, I don't know what the complainer on here/Yelp is talking about but, it wasn't the Toro at Ichi's place. Ichiro's is located in downtown Oakland on 15th between Franklin and Broadway Streets. Tell them, Jac sent ya. : ] I'll see you there!

    (5)

  • Gaby C.

    The rolls and sashimi there are good and are not too expensive. I also like the decor of this restaurant, especially with all the drinks that are on the wall.

    (4)

  • b b.

    We'll have to try again... we tried because the yelps were so great, but we thought it was good. Good enough that we'd go back, but not so good that we're in a rush. But maybe we'll have to... we seem to be in the minority on this. I'd truly give it a 3 1/2, we were just so underwhelmed. Like I said -- Good. And considering the neighborhood, that's a tough sell!

    (3)

  • Chris C.

    Ichiro is one of the first sushi places that I've visited in my short time here, and I have to say that it's set a high standard. Although I was at first disapointed with the hospital-waiting-room decore and the dry looking fish in the sushi bar-fridge, I was certainly wowed with the taste and price of Ichiro's food. Don't get me wrong - this isn't the freshest or tastiest sushi that I've had, but it's certainly very good sushi at a very good price. My girlfriend also had the Oyako Donburi, which was very good as well, and a number of other standard Japanese entres looked enticing as well. Overall, this is a great place to go if you need to get a sushi fix on a budget.

    (5)

  • Tarina T.

    Great sushi and nothing beats the sight of Ichiro laughing and hanging out with his guests - I love the social atmosphere here, and even though the sushi is nothing to write home about - After Sushi Sho there is no other - you can't beat the price. We've gone back and we'll continue visiting Ichiro's.

    (4)

  • Su Kyeong K.

    Crazy horse? What kind of sushi is this? Ichiro has some unique sushi combo I have never seen at other places. They even have some vegetable side orders that goes well with sushi.

    (4)

  • wendy p.

    try the sashimi platter where you can get at least 10 different kinds of fish in one go. it really is a treat to try and compare all the different flavors and textures of just plain fish. i loved the very fatty bluefish (or was it bluefin?? but not blowfish, which i thought the waitress said at first), mackeral, and hamachi. the waitresses were also very nice and wanted to tell me about the fish when i had questions. i also had the very nice benefit of going financially-guilt-free courtesy of a dear friend who believes everyone should be treated to vast amounts of sushi once in a while. but i believe this dish cost less than $20. pretty sweet all around.

    (4)

  • Kazoua T.

    You can't beat the cheap bento box at $8.75 and the cheap New York Roll and Spider Roll at $6/roll. The beef teriyaki was too tough. The chicken teriyaki seemed a bit weird. The seawood salad seemed to be good. The miso soup could be a bit saltier. The tea was good. The service was good for a table of 12. Gratuity is automatically added for a large group. I would recommend not ordering a bento box when you're there but just sushi. The sushi is fresh and everyone enjoyed their sashimi, Lion King Rolls, cherry blossom rolls and Spicy Tuna rolls. We had dinner there on a Saturday night. The restaurant isn't very busy for dinner. Definitely would go again for some cheap good sushi.

    (4)

  • athena x.

    wow, good fish, good prices, good casual vibe... pretty empty for dinner.. this place is now my all around top pick for sushi in the east bay...

    (5)

  • Jason L.

    My personal favorite sushi place in Oakland... Their chirashi bowl is the absolute best compared to anywhere else that offers it...You seriously get a ton of sashimi, and a really nice variety as well. Although not all the sashimi may be consistently good, most of it is, and it still tastes better than other sushi places in Oakland. My coworkers love the rolls that they offer here. This place isn't very big, so if you have more than 6 people with you, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. OH YEAH, their miso soup is OFF THE HOOK! ;)

    (4)

  • Barbara S.

    I have no hesitation in awarding Ichiro five stars. We went on a Tuesday night around 7pm and were seated immediately by the only waitress. It was pleasantly crowded, but there were still seats at the bar and a few tables. I had heard about a few of their specials, so we ordered the Titanic (perfectly named...a meal for 4, easily), and several other rolls. I thought the service was fine...it's not a fast food restaurant and each divine dish is exquisitely prepared and presented. All of the rolls are BIG, The fish is FRESH and plentiful!. We also had a large house hot sake. The three of us dined like queens for under $60 and even took a large portion home with us for a friend.

    (5)

  • Radha X.

    Food is ok. Generic..same ol same ol. Service...not good. They aren't rude, but are not attentive. The place was half full, and they had 2 waitresses. We had to wait to place our orders, wait to ask for our bill, wait for them to come back with it, and wait for them to pick it up...wait wait wait.

    (3)

  • Clara K.

    i've been wanting to try this place for months! after reading the yelp reviews, my friend and i got to ichiro right at 11:30 to beat the lunchtime rush. which we did. it was completely empty until 11:45 or so, when a few people started to trickle in. by the time we left around 12:15, it was considerably busier, but there were still a few tables open (no line out the door like i had expected!). so next time i'd probably get there around 12 or a little earlier. the sushi was good! fresh fish, and generous portions, yet the maki aren't crazily oversized like in other restaurants (which makes it difficult to eat in one bite and is sort of a pet peeve of mine). i highly recommend the spicy albacore hand roll (hmm i forget what it's called but it's in the hand roll section). the lion king roll (baked salmon atop california roll) was good too, and the basic CA roll was excellent - the mayo was especially tasty for some reason. albacore nigiri was fresh but i think there was a bit too much wasabi for my taste (had to scrape some off). it's a slightly sketchy area so i'd be nervous about going at night (but i'm kind of a scaredy cat when it comes to sketchy nabes!).

    (4)

  • Katie B.

    I visit Ichiro at least once a week. Number one reason is because it's a half block from my office. Number two reason is because they accept credit cards ($10 limit). Number three reason is that it's pretty good sushi! I can't speak for the fish - I just stick to the veggie rolls. They don't have a lot of veggie rolls (minus 1 star for that!) but the Avocado Roll or the Super Veggie Roll usually do the trick. Seaweed salad is also pretty good. This is one of those sushi restaurants where the chefs wave as you leave. I like that.

    (4)

  • Allie P.

    I would actually give this place a 2.5 star rating. I have had worse, but then again I have had waaaaay better. The food was just ok. There was nothing special that made this place stand out. They put all kinds of weird stuff in their Miso soup like noodles and carrots... I would not order their soup again. The restaurant smelled kind of strange too.. borderline smelling bad. It was also kind of small. Service was fine, and they didn't take too long. They don't give you a lot of sushi per roll though.. so even though it wasn't expensive it isn't very cost effective. All in all if I was invited to go with people here I would probably go, but if I was choosing I would most likely pick somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Gracie B.

    There's a dear dear man in my life - other than a certain someone. He's my grandfather even though he's not really related to me. He just happens to be an older man who plays that role. Yes, I realize that my ginormous family is confusing enough without adding members who aren't related to it. Deal. He's also visiting me for the next week, so get ready for another character in my reviews. He also lived in Japan for 17 years and was married to a Japanese woman. And he's a chef. So yeah, introducing him to my sushi restaurant was almost as nerve racking as introducing Mama Marie to a Certain Someone (almost). What if he didn't like it? What did that say about my gastronomical upbringing if I (gasp) liked a bad sushi restaurant. I was even more nervous when he sat down and said, "they're cheap compared to Indiana" Well, never fear. How could I possibly doubt Ichiro? He loved it. Well, love is a strong word, but Ichiro passed the test. As has been the case for the 2 years that I've been going to Ichiro - the fish was yummy, fresh and cut into large-ish, but perfect for savoring the flavor pieces. Granddad's only comment was that the ocha (tea) was weak. But apparently all ocha in the US is weak. He was thrilled to see that they had uni. His first piece was a little bitter, but the second was great. He was happy with everything else he ordered, and I, of course, was happy with my usual order. We left, bellies full, and ready for East Bay wine tasting. So there you have it. The Chef has spoken. Ichiro is goo-oood

    (5)

  • Lupe M.

    For satisfying, good quality, and affordable Japanese food, Ichiro Japanese Sushi Bar is the perfect restaurant to find it! Aside from sushi, this Japanese restaurant offers many other dishes such as vegetable tempura, beef teriyaki, and chicken katsu. As well, all the dishes listed on the menu are under $15 and serving portions are huge! Everything we ordered from the avocado maki rolls to the shrimp tempura was delicious and perfectly cooked. Ichiro also carries a great selection of sake and imported beer from Japan. The ambiance at Ichiro is quite nice and good for table conversation - it has a bar, plenty of tables, pictures of patrons on the wall, and a very friendly staff. Overall, a great restaurant to enjoy good Japanese food at reasonable prices with awesome friends!

    (4)

  • Tina W.

    Went for lunch one day... thanks to yelp. Yum! I will definitely be going back. Anyways, my experience at Ichiro... A few weeks ago, I stumbled in for a quick lunch after perusing yelp for a nearby eatery. They let me sit at their bar since I was alone, which was just what I wanted. I had the spicy tuna and one of their huge rolls (I can't remember the name). The spicy tuna held up to my expectations. And the huge roll..... wow. Wow because it was huge and really tasty too. Service was pleasant and timely. All around a great experience.

    (4)

  • C L.

    Good place! very generous for sushi. i'm not a big fan of their Udons, but their Nigiri Delux is just so simple and good! get some Unis while at it, and you're all set!

    (4)

  • Noah C.

    Pretty much the silliest thing I could do after nearly a month in Japan is to return to California and promptly go to a sushi bar. However, that is just what I did, accompanied by my fiance, her sister, and her mom. As I mentioned, I had spent nearly a month in Japan, in the city of Hakodate no less, which is renowned for the freshness of its seafood. Ichiro would have a lot to live up at this point, especially since the last meal I had before I left was at a sushi bar. Happily, Ichiro exceeded my expectations. The chef, who is familiar with my fiance's sister, since she works down the street from here, greeted us warmly and treated us to some special salmon with a spicy sauce. I'm not always a fan of cooked salmon, but this was tasty, even though I managed to drop it on my lap a couple times. For sushi, I eschewed most of the fancier rolls and went with tradition (aside from a spicy tuna hand roll, which is a must for me at American sushi bars). I had hamachi, negi toro, and sake as my sushi; all were fresh and delicious. I also ordered agedashi tofu, another favorite of mine, but was a bit underwhelmed by it. My fiance had tonkatsu, which I think she liked, and her mom had chirashi, which for the price is a steal, considering the amount of fresh sashimi piled on it. I also ordered ama ebi, my favorite sushi, and it was good, but nowhere near the quality I had savored a few nights before. The roe on top was flavored with wasabi, which caught me totally off guard and made me sniffle. All in all, very good, and I'd come back again to try more of their menu.

    (4)

  • mia s.

    When it comes to sushi, I am more Roger Ebert (the "yes" man) than Gene Siskel. In other words, I'm easy. I also have an iron stomach. I have never had food poisoning and I have eaten plenty of street foods in third world countries without so much as a bout of gas so I can't help those with wimpy digestive systems either. Having said that, I like it here. Duh. I think it's Japanese owned, if that means anything to anyone. They seem to carry a rather large selection of sake, if you're into that. My favorite part of their menu is the ability to select the fish you want on the sashimi dinner because as much as I love raw fish, there are some fish I prefer not to eat raw, like mackerel. We shared an order with yellowtail, salmon, smoked salmon and albacore and they were all good, especially the smoked salmon. And the sashimi pieces were huge. The combination bentos are enormous and feature a tray with about 5 pounds of food. I ordered mine with salmon teriyaki and tempura. The vegetable tempura pieces were crispy with just the right amount of batter and delicious! My salmon teriyaki was a big disappointment. The thin piece of fish was overcooked and this gooey teriyaki glaze overpowered it. I didn't care for it at all and didn't eat much of it. Chad ordered his bento with California roll (10 pieces) and tonkatsu. The rolls were tasty but the tonkatsu was just okay. Overall, I think this may please most sushi lovers. If you're Japanese and/or really particular, you'll have to ask nobu k. to review it.

    (4)

  • Amanda N.

    dudeee the titanic roll..... is HUGE! tooooooo tooo much rice! i had only 3 pieces and i was full already. it was eh... i had better... but the miso soup was delicious!! it had noodles, seaweed and tofu in it. one of the best miso soup i ever had! :)

    (3)

  • Victor G.

    it's 7ish thursday evening, ichiro is sitting at the sushi bar and there are ZERO customers in this place. he looked at me whilst i studied the menu. when i returned a few minutes later, he was happy to see me though he had a few customers at the sushi bar then. entree: nigiri hamachi (4.75) sake (4.50) hirame (4.50) maguro (4.50) sake kama(comped) sake:kirin koshi no takumi (14) pros -bigger portions commensurate with the relatively higher price of the nigiri -sushi is fresh but not the freshest i've had maguro ok, hamachi-the freshest, hirame-standard, sake-fresh. -comped sake kama had a nice chilish sauce. meat tender but not otherwise noticeable. -sake very smooth with a slight sweet followthru. (the highlight!) -got tea (nice taste!) and iced water without asking for it. -very large prem sake selection. cons -one extra nigiri was billed but quickly taken off when i notified them of the error. -parking is bad in the daytime, better in the evenings. -avoided the bento box, thus more stars! rating: food (2 stars) + large sake selection (1 star) + friendleness/comped food (1 star) = 4 stars

    (4)

  • Cynthia P.

    not very high quality sushi / japanese restaurant. ordered a combo sashimi and some kind of bento combo and they were all literally just average. given that the location isn't all that great either and overall feel of the restaurant is kind of ghetto, would not go there again. if you just want average sushi, i guess you can go. but it's not even all that cheap for that kind of quality.

    (2)

  • Jonathan P.

    I almost hate to write this review, because I don't want this place to be so packed w/ folks. Nevertheless, this place rocks. There has never really been a good sushi place Uptown for lunch. Now there is. Ok, first of all don't go for the service, it's nothing to write about, at least they say, "thank you" when you leave. The quality of sushi for the price is great. I usually get their rainbow, rock and roll and/or spider roll... all good. I just recently got their seared tuna salad and I felt it was really good. My friend got a 'baked like cube of tofu' and that was good too, I just don't remember the name of the dish. If you're uptown Oakland, at lunchtime and want some sushi-grub, this is the place.

    (4)

  • D G.

    Irchiro has some great food and that is what I really enjoy about it. But, please watch out when paying the bill. They add in a service charge, but don't indicate that they have done so by itemizing it, so you can easily double tip. Just be very careful. Bring your calculator. Enjoy the food. Also, they do not answer their phone, so they won't take reservations. food good: service not so good.

    (3)

  • unhei k.

    My friend told me about this sushi joint a while back, but I thought no way, it's in the middle of nowhere, how could their sushi be good? One day, I was working late, craving sushi, decided to check it out. I've been there twice now and happy to say that it's been consistently fresh, generous portion of fish, and reasonably priced. I checked out their nigiri sushi (hamachi, salmon, tuna, mackerel, and fresh prawn), chirashi sushi (crazy over-the-top loaded with goodness), and their spicy scallop rolls. The cuts may not have the finesse of Yume, but it's easy to get to, no line, it's fresh, and open daily. It'll be my regular go-to place. Yay.

    (4)

  • Ariana A.

    If I could give this place 0 stars, I would, as I recently got sick eating here. I've been wanting to try the famous Titanic Roll for weeks now, especially since I read so many rave review on here. Today I ordered it for lunch along with the Creamy Albacore Roll. When I opened the box, the Albacore Roll looked slimy and gross. A small taste proved the slimy glob of goo on top of the roll was old and warm, while the fish tasted equally old and like it had been fermenting in a petri dish. The Titanic Roll looked decent enough, though its about 3 times the size of any normal roll. I had to tear it apart, which changed the taste of the roll. I found it was nothing special. Its overstuffed with cucumbers, there's no sauce to give it flavor, and the shrimp tempura was stale. The most appalling part of this roll was when I bit into the thickly sliced fish. Just as with the Albacore Roll, the fish on this wasn't fresh either and had a strange smell. The texture was tough, like no other Sushi I've ever had before. Despite forking over $18, I threw both rolls in the trash. Three hours later my face began turning warm. I look in the mirror and I was completely red (not pink- but beet red). My head began pounding and the redness and heat extended to my ears. I ended up being sick for the rest of the day, unable to stomach anything. Do not eat here unless you're ok with getting sick over low-quality, bad tasting Sushi. There are plenty of clean places in the area that are more affordable than this petri dish called a restaurant.

    (1)

  • Lynnie P.

    I had lunch with a couple of colleagues today and this place was across the street from their office. I didn't know what to expect, but I know I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. I ordered a lunch special - sashimi and tempura. Both items were excellent and the staff was friendly and re-filled our tea and water often. I will def come back to try some of the sushi rolls mentioned in the other reviews.

    (4)

  • WhitePeach S.

    I've been here twice and was happy with the food both times, especially the fried oysters. This place is SO generous with the portions... no wonder it gets really crowded at lunch time. I had teriyaki salmon last time and it was too salty and dry. I recommend the fried oysters and sushi rolls here.

    (4)

  • Jason G.

    It's a serviceable sushi place in downtown Oakland. I've had better elsewhere, but I guess I've had worse, too. Service has generally been good, considering how busy they usually are. The miso is good. I had one bad experience with one piece of sashimi there. On subsequent visits, I took a friend's advice to order the chirashi bowl, and that has been a good value and reliably good every time. The first time I went there, the rolls were okay. California rolls, standard sushi filler, were middling. The Oakland roll was okay, but the unagi sauce completely overwhelmed the cream cheese. Last time I was there my tablemate devoured the Rock and Roll, so it must have been pretty good.

    (3)

  • Mortiche W.

    I've always been a "quality over quantity" gal. The only thing I would want in large quantities where the quality suffers is beer. That being said, my attitude towards sushi follows that principle, and after having been exposed to some of the best sushi recently, the bar has been set very high. Quick synopsis: Ichiro is geared towards the quantity crowd. The fish isn't unfresh per se, it just wasn't all that flavorful nor was it sliced/presented well. They seem to draw the "big roll" crowd. My man and I are not maki people. we are nigiri and sashimi people. Ichiro is in an area saved for mostly daylight business, on the edges of Downtown Oakland. The atmostphere felt welcoming enough, with the sushi chef greeting us immediately upon entering. We decided to forgo the mainly sushi dinner and ordered two bento boxes- tempura and sashimi, and teriyaki salmon and vegetable croquettes, plus some nigiri of sake, maguro and unagi. I liked the little appetizer of hamachi cooked with kelp, but the dark meat was very fishy and the kelp just made it all the more so. The tempura was a little on the greasy side but still edible. The sashimi was really unremarkable- I could have gone to any of the Japanese markets and made better cuts at home. I was really underimpressed with their unagi- I didn't even want to finish my bite. The teriyaki salmon was drowned in a gooey bath of teriyaki sauce- honestly they served a full cup on the somewhat thinnish slice of salmon. The tonkatsu sauce served with the croquette was extremely heavy on the vinegar so much that I had to put it on the other side of the table. Each bite I was taking (NOT of the tonkatsu sauce) tasted of it, it crept up my nostrils and permeated everything! Sorry Ichirio, you are just average to me. You could have given us less food, but made it so much better. Funny how you can't go the other way and have it work the same more- food and lesser quantity. Does not compute. Service 2.5 stars food 3 stars atmosphere 3 stars

    (3)

  • Ryan d.

    Second trip here. Place gets pretty packed around lunch, so try to come early. The rolls and sashimi are pretty fresh, and they're presented nicely. Decent prices as well. Only complaint is that service was a tad slow, but the restaurant was very busy. A pretty decent sushi option for downtown Oakland, it barely beats out Kai's. It's just a tad too far to make it any more than a weekly visit.

    (4)

  • Jessica G.

    Matsu makes me happy! It was a combo of fish plus California roll, which I'm very picky about and it was awesome. Loved the garlic on the albacore. Some of the food going by looked amazing, and big portions! Well worth it for $12.

    (4)

  • Tom A.

    The quality and reasonable prices are a great value. The fish is very fresh and the staff are very good. Ichi is the best! If you get a chance to chat with him at dinner time, when it is less crazy (lunch is packed with patrons), he is a happy person who puts a lot of love in his food! When he has the time, ask him to create something for you "a la Iron Chef". He has a creative genius with sushi that is fasntastic. It also will cost $$$, but is well worth it.

    (5)

  • eric w.

    Been here around 5 times, ordered the chirashi 4 of those times. Order it, gasp in awe at it's size, eat it, and go back to work.

    (4)

  • Brent T.

    This is a fairly decent Japanese restaurant in Downtown Oakland. Food was decent and the atmosphere was okay. Funky Roll, good. Sunrise Roll, not bad. Chicken Karage, good. Negi Toro Roll, eh... it was alright. Now, the last roll we had was the Titanic Roll. Let me tell you, it's definitely earned the name it holds. I've had a few Titanic Rolls at other places and I've decided that it's not allowed to be called a Titanic Roll unless most of the people say "WHOA... That's huge!" when it comes out. And this roll was HUGE. I mean it literally dwarfed all the rest of the rolls that we had. It was at least twice the size of a normal roll. I just can't get over how huge it was. I'd come back here to try some other stuff (probably the Japanese Curry that I saw on the menu), but I don't think I'll be having a craving for this place.

    (3)

  • David E.

    Very average sushi. 2.5* just gets tipped up to 3* instead of down to 2* because the portions are large.

    (3)

  • J P.

    yes! we found a great lil' find for sushi in oaktown!! our super fav is actually in the city (... domo in hayes valley) what more can i say... FRESH, super nice nigiri. The fish to rice ratio is key & they do it right here. UNBELIEVABLE prices for the quality AMAZING sake list! Me and my Man love trying all that they offer and whoa... that will probably take us a while ORION beer, our favorite Japanese beer, forget the Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, this is so refreshing with the sushi for those in the know. ;) WARNING... don't venture too far outside the relm of traditional sushi, i think they include some "creative" concoctions for the purpose of all you yankees. i.e. the rolls with funny names. well, they disappoint and you may get the wrong impression of this place that is actually more of a real sushi joint, so do it right, eat the real thing! :) enjoy & kumpai!

    (4)

  • RJ Q.

    Ichiro Suzuki bobbleheads line a shelf above the sushi bar. Photos of regular customers are displayed on a back wall, all smiles and peace signs. Continuous, catchy J-pop provides a mood that is less ceremonial than traditional sushi establishments, yet infers a certain degree of authenticity. Working in Oakland, Ichiro is less than a block away. I used to dedicate my lunchtime to exploring everything the area had to offer: Oakland City Center is just down Broadway, and Chinatown within walking distance. However, after I had a meal at Ichiro, I stopped looking. I don't consider myself a sushi aficionado. I order from the menu by the numbers. I primarily enjoy sake after it is hastily dropped into a mug full of beer. Perhaps I could do a little research and educate myself on all that is sushi, taking note of the intricacies of Japanese culture and etiquette, and then scour the globe for the perfect experience. However, I believe there comes a time in a man's life when he grows tired of searching for perfection, and all he needs to find is something consistent, something he can be himself with, something that makes him happy. Maybe I'm confusing libido with appetite, but every time I go to Ichiro for lunch, I always leave satisfied.

    (5)

  • Virginia L.

    I liked the sushi here. Decently fresh sashimi for the price. I really loved the Funky Roll. A few of the other rolls were not far departures from a standard California roll to be perfectly honest. Highlights are the extremely friendly staff, old school sushi chefs, affinity for baseball, and perfectly portioned rolls. I didn't deal with the crowd issues like the other reviewers, probably because I came here for dinner.

    (3)

  • Ken L.

    I absolutely loved this place when they first opened. Back then Ichi (the owner and chef) didn't have that many customers at night (much like the rest of the neighborhood), and he was very friendly to those who came in at that time. It was always nice when I walked in, and he'd yell out "KENNY-SAN! How are you?" Atmosphere is completely different during lunch times as the place is packed and the chefs are working constantly; no time for chit chat! so if you do go in for lunch, try to get there before 12 or you might have to wait quite a while. The sushi here is hit or miss. i've had some sushi that has been very good, and I've had some that's passable. Unfortunately, lately it's been more the latter. They have a great selection of sake, but it's a bit over priced in my opinion. They do have sampler sets though which is a good introduction to different sake brands/types. I've mostly had the sushi here because I frequented the place before they had the rest of the kitchen open. The prices are very reasonable, and it is still the best overall place to get sushi in downtown Oakland (although that's more a testament to the lack of good sushi in the area). I would rather go here more than the always packed Sushi House in Alameda though. In short, if you want try to sushi at a reasonable price in downtown Oakland, check out Ichiro's. If you want to have a nice conversation and get to know the owner, come by during dinner and sit at the bar. Ichi is even willing to experiment with your food if your up for it. He's made me special dishes just for fun. (the best sashimi salad I've ever had in my life was made by him with nice crisp greens, and perfectly lightly seared assorted fish topped with a light dressing). However, my favorite by far (I still get it EVERY TIME) is Shinobi Agi (sp?) It is an appetizer that's made of spicy tuna, wrapped in a leaf, and then deep fried and topped with bonito flakes and some sauce. EVERYONE of my friends that has tried it has really loved it. When he first made it for me a couple of years ago, I insisted that he add it to the menu, and now it's there! (I went back, it's called Shinobi Agi) Unfortunately, overall, the rest of the food quality varies. Okonomiyaki is pretty good, and their fish ranges from decent to good.

    (4)

  • Steve S.

    Good spot for lunch, always packed. It has really fresh fish, and the prices are moderate. Chicken teriyaki is also good as well as their miso soup.

    (4)

  • David L.

    Two of us ordered a few maki rolls to share on a recent Friday evening. The restaurant was not too busy at around 6:30 pm yet, but business picked up a bit shortly after. There were many kinds of rolls to choose from, and it took us more than a few minutes to choose four rolls that seem to complement each other well: * Titanic Roll (8 pieces, $11.50) - truly the kind of the rolls here, the size was true to its name and the presentation was so eye-catching that it caught the attention of a nearby patron. * Sunrise Roll (8 pieces, $6.50) - kinda like a California Roll but with tuna inside, very refreshing. * Spider Roll (4 pieces, $7.00) - contains some very big pieces of soft-shell crab but otherwise forgettable. * Crazy Horse Roll (4 pieces, $6.50) - I liked the variety of fish included in this roll, attractively presented. Portions were really good, especially since one of our rolls was the Titanic. There was even leftover after we were stuffed. Bottom Line: A fantastic place to have sushi in the Downtown Oakland area.

    (4)

  • Annalynn C.

    If I were writing this post after my first trip to Ichiro, I would have given this place at least 3 stars. I ate here for the first time almost 2.5 years ago, pre-Yelp days for me. I returned today, during a break from jury duty, and was very disappointed. I ordered maguro, shiro maguro, unagi, and a spider roll. None of the fish was fresh and I did not enjoy the mayo with my spider roll. I was so dissatisfied with my meal that i left one piece of the maguro and the unagi. Unagi. Can you believe that? It's cooked and I couldn't even eat it because it tasted so bad! So bad that I spat the first one out into a napkin. I decided that I was done with my meal and before I left, a couple of guys, who seemed like regulars, walked in. The guy next to me looked a little bothered because I didn't finish my food, as though I had no idea how to appreciate sushi. No, fella. It's not that I don't know how to appreciate sushi. I can only appreciate fresh fish.

    (1)

  • Sydni F.

    Not bad but not great sushi that is conveniently located near the webster tube (I'm convinced that Alameda has the worst sushi in the bay area). The spider roll was a standout for me; the thing has HUGE chunks of delicious soft shell crab. Their rice, however, tastes a little too much like the stuff you get at Safeway. Still, it's fresh sushi and the prices are great. What more do you want? Also, the atmosphere is like a hospital cafeteria. Please gents, no first dates here, unless the chick is a lunch lady.

    (3)

  • Helen L.

    Great standby for lunch in downtown Oakland. It doesn't look like much on the outside (or on the inside for that matter), but they serve fresh fish. Love the miso soup - nice and miso-y and fishy. Too many so-called Japanese restaurants serve brackish water with bits of tofu floating on top and call it miso soup. Blech. Not at Ichiro. It's also Japanese owned and managed, which is rare around here. The chirashi is one of the most expensive items on the menu, tipping in at almost 16 bucks, but I think it also holds the most value, considering how much fish they give you. Tips: the combo box is a good value, love the tonkatsu, and don't bother with the udon.

    (4)

  • Karsten M.

    We cruised Kai's the first time for sushi in oakland. after being severly underwhelmed yelp suggested Ichiro. Just did a full ordering of all the important things: gyoza, tea, maki, nigri, tempura and chiken teriyaki. All of it was fantastic. The fish cuts were bigger than I like, but the cuts were from skilled hands all the fish was fresh and great quality. I'm grateful to have found quality sushi finally in dowtown oakland. It doesn't look like much on the outside, but the inside is clean and decorated and when we went at lunch there was a line.

    (5)

  • Anh N.

    The lunch set combo option was hella good!

    (4)

  • Lila C.

    We went to this restaurant when we went to the all day screening of "Napoleon". We came on bart from SF in the rain and walked six blocks to the restaurant because it was the only 4 star in walking distance that wasn't sold out that day. Napoleon at the Paramount was a bid deal! It wasn't on their list. It should have been. It was the best Japanese food I have had outside of japan. The restaurant was spotless, the service wonderful. Being an American I would have liked a bit more ambience but then it wouldn't be Japanese. It's a different aesthetic. I will go again. A fine cuisine. The price so modest as to take me by surprise. My son said it was an equally fine part of the trip as the movie itself. The reviewers that put down the sushi don't know what they are talking about. It was fabulous!

    (4)

  • Cynthia B.

    went back a couple of week after my last review, had a seaweed salad (that smelled like ammonia) and a spicy tuna roll that seemed a little suspect. 3 days in the bathroom later I committed to NEVER attempting to like this place again. I'll save my sushi cravings for Samurai Sushi Boat or Coach Sushi on Grand Ave.

    (1)

  • Giancarlo G.

    I have been here two times. Each time I have had the sashimi dinner. 12 deliciously fresh slices of sashimi and rice/soup. Each piece was Delicious picky, and this was a great plate of fish. My buddy had the soft shell crab roll, it was tasty as well. From my experience with sushi restaurants in the East Bay this is by far the best sashimi plate that i have had (based on taste and freshness) . It was equally delicious the second time as well. The waitress is a bit awkward. So, if you are looking for a place that takes pride in fresh, great quality fish and not a place that puts an emphasis on good service, then this is the right place for you. Fish=Delicious. I would have given 5 stars for the great meal but i had to dock a star for the super duper not friendly waitress.

    (4)

  • George D.

    Ichi San is so friendly and makes a great atmosphere for lively conversation. After the expansion which added another room, Ichiro is able to fit about 2 times the amount of people. I always get the sake/hamachi sashimi, but his rolls are amazing too, namely: lion king, poki, dragon. His bento meals are also quite tasty.

    (5)

  • Jason W.

    Much like Ichiro from the Mariners, this place is always on a hitting streak. The streak of being really f'n good. Really I can not say much more other than you will leave happy and return often!

    (4)

  • K F.

    For the price, you will not find a better sushi joint on Earth. We had three fantastic rolls and a few small appetizers and the total was $31. Unreal. And the rolls were large, incredibly tasty and nicely prepared. I'm in SF but I'd even consider driving over just for this meal. Pretty nifty stuff.

    (5)

  • Zannie S.

    We picked up some sushi on Tuesday night to go. The owner is def. sweet and we totally got our money's worth. Based on everyone's rec. we did order the "Titanic". My hubby loved it. I am personally not a sushi fan but I did order the california rolls which were tasty. Overall, this is our new go to sushi place because they are fast, cheap, and pretty good!

    (4)

  • Mark B.

    We were fans of Ichi back at Ichi Japon on 17th, and we were really sad when we thought he had disappeared. So to find him again at Ichiro was a treat. He's a lot of fun to talk to and always makes us feel welcome. My partner lives for the funky roll while I'm more into classic nigiri. The fish is kind of unpredictable, though. Often I'd give it 4 or 5 stars (especially the mutsu and hamachi) but the couple of times we've done take-out, some pieces didn't smell so good and we skipped them. And occasionally the hamachi has been kind of stringy -- after reading other reviews now I'll have the courage to point it out. I wouldn't mind if Ichi needed to take up his prices a little in order to get more consistent. But still we like hanging out with him so much that we keep coming back.

    (3)

  • Rochelle G.

    Sushi here was extremely fresh. The Service sucked though! Will I come back? perhaps....

    (3)

  • Ross G.

    For ten dollars I was(n't) able to consume all of: a charming salad to stimulate the appetite, a charming bowl of miso soup to warm the soul, an avocado roll and a giant, shirt-splattering bowl of udon. This is one of the best in the amount of food to dollar paid ratio scheme of things.

    (4)

  • Kanseki T.

    Miso soup tastes like water. Green Tea is weak. Nabeyaki udon is okay. The sushi is great! Largest pieces I've seen in the bay area. The outside looks like a dive but the inside is nice.

    (3)

  • Ken S.

    My absolute favorite Japanese place in Oakland. Ichi will set you up with his large Sake selection and Sashimi artistry. He will introduce you to new fish like Mutsu. Try the Chirashi. Great value, high quality, friendly staff, park in front at night. Superb all around.

    (5)

  • Papasan P.

    The chirashi is a fantastic deal!!!!!

    (5)

  • Richard Y.

    Excellent sushi! I love coming here when my boss treats me out to lunch. The funky roll is awesome--crunchy, tangy, spicy--pleasure for the taste buds. Ichiro is so friendly, and so are his staff. Definitely has that authentic Japanese feel, and it's very clean inside. Always packed, though--a testament to the quality of food and service at this place!

    (5)

  • Jacqueline C.

    Went here for lunch with some people who work nearby. I had the 2-choice bento box (I think it was $9.95) and the portions were really quite large for a bento. My two choices were the fried oysters and the sashimi. The oysters were really good -- I am normally particular about where I order oysters, but I decided to be brave because they are fried -- I am glad I did. They were good and plenty. The slices of sashimi were also a bit larger than usual. I would definitely go here again and am interested in trying more of their dishes. Yum!

    (3)

  • Kat H.

    I almost drove by this place because it's so non-descript and the street looks empty. There were actually a couple of other restaurants but I think everyone was here. My stomach was acting up so I didn't have sushi. DON'T get the BEEF SUKIYAKI/SUIKISUCKY. Didn't look like the picture on the menu, hardly any veggies, beef was like jerkey. My friends had sashimi and sushi--they were very pleased. Generous with the fish and the rolls are HUGE. They ate them up like little goldfish crackers--maybe they just eat fast. I looked for something else on the menu because I was still hungry. Ta da! I found a Hamachi jowl listed, and that's never let me down. It came and it was about the size of a large porkchop or even bigger. I had never had one of that size! My friends and I agreed that it was probably the best thing that night--so tasty especially with the soy sauce mix. We liked the Sake samplers, too. That helped wash away any unhappiness with the food.

    (3)

  • David L.

    Good solid sushi - easy location. Cool service.

    (5)

  • Simi G.

    So all in all...i'm gonna say this was a pretty good japanese meal in downtown Oakland. I wouldn't compare it to Yoshi's like some reviewers, but it was fresh and yummy for a workday lunch. The food was presented nicely and came out fast. The service was so-so...the lady came and took my order hella fast, delivered the food at a good speed, but took forever coming back to see if I needed anything or give me my check. I had to flag her down twice, but in her defense I will say she seemed pretty busy with the lunch crowd. I'd recommend getting there about 10-15 minutes before the lunch crowd to get a good seat (or even get a seat! without waiting) and put in your order.

    (3)

  • Emahlee H.

    Limited veggie rolls and limited creativity with the veggie rolls. It's ridiculously cheap though, $3.50 for 8 pieces of the veggie tempura roll. Now, I'm sure all the other non vegetarian rolls are absolutely delicious (my boyfriend loved the Dragon roll) but I'm a vegetarian damn it! :)

    (3)

  • Matt W.

    Very decent food. Good friendly staff. I was here around diner time, and was the only customer at the time. They gave me a free dish to try. I'd definitely go back here.

    (4)

  • mamminger z.

    Most people I take here say that they'll definitely come back to Ichiro's for the Titanic roll alone... and even I will admit that the Titanic sushi itself is unforgettably phenomenal (without requiring a star-studded, overly-dramatic, super-cheesy Hollywood tragedy to immortalize it any further). The spicy crab-mix topping on the already gargantuan roll is, oh, so delicious! That being said, if you live in the Oakland area and like sushi, make sure you try Ichiro's titanic roll at least *once* in your life (if not more). This place gets fairly busy at lunch, so service can get pretty slow. Actually... it can get very, very, very slow, even while you're waiting at your table. However, the great food itself makes it worth the wait, especially at Ichiro's competitive prices.

    (4)

  • Megan L.

    My fav sushi place -- great food, cheap prices, very friendly staff & owner! I've been going here for over a year and never been disappointed. Ichi & Bogo always prepare such delicious and fresh rolls & nigiri I can't help but stuff myself. The creamy albacore roll is my favorite -- you must try it! Ichi also always has anago, which isn't so easy to find it seems. I've heard lunch is crazy busy, but I've never had to wait for dinner, although there do seem to be more & more people all the time. Ichi works hard and is a very good-natured and smiley guy -- it's fun to sit at the bar and chat with him & Bogo, his right-hand man.

    (5)

  • Lester L.

    Huge portions, affordable prices, overflow of sake and unique beers (Orion and Asahi Black) and fresh fish-- you just can't go wrong with Ichiro! If you're a chirashi or tekka don fan, you'll be in Heaven. They give you a boatload of fish over rice. Their sushi rice is the best, it's very well seasoned! I only wish their waitresses were more like the ever-so-friendly owner.

    (4)

  • Jenni B.

    i love ichiro!!!! he's my favorite restaurant owner of all time- always so full of genki cheerfulness, smiles, and genuine friendliness. the first time i came to his restaurant, he insisted on learning my name and wrote it on a piece of paper that he kept as a cheat sheet of his customers' names in a painstaking effort to remember them. the second time i came in, he busted out the piece of paper and greeted me by name! too cute. the funky and sunset rolls are my favorites, but mostly everything we order is really good. i've asked ichiro to surprise me with rolls not on the menu and he always manages to come up with different rolls that we love. it has a pretty sparse interior, extensive sake collection, great prices, and loads of photos of happy customers plastered on the walls, including me :) ichiro-san, you're the best!!

    (4)

  • Hadley K.

    I was hoping for good food since I read that the owner and sushi chef is Japanese, but this was our first and only visit. In my opinion, ordering California rolls (real crab meat) with tobiko and a few pieces of "standard" sushi and sashimi is always a good test as to whether a place is pretty good or not. The rolls tasted old (we went on a Friday for an early dinner) and as if they were sitting out for a long time. Then came the hamachi sushi pieces and they were even older. Stiff looking and tasting, bland, far from fresh. One bite and we had to send them back. They didn't apologize and returned with two new pieces of the belly, which, thankfully, looked and tasted a bit better. Still not fresh and appetizing but at least better. We really felt like they were trying to get rid of some older pieces, hoping the customer wouldn't notice since many are simply cluess anyway.... We then ordered the chicken katsu because we were far from satisfied. It was ok overall but then again, it's hard to screw up a curry dish with a fried cutlet. I usually wouldn't mind trying out some different dishes, esp. rolls, on another day to see if it was just a bad day, but this experience was just too blah.

    (1)

  • Elizabeth S.

    Ichi-san mistook me for a Japanese after ordering natto (highly recommended for those with an acquired taste for fermented soybean)! Very affordable and quintessentially Japanese, and tons of sake choices to boot. I adore the sushi display - genereous offerings of nigiris and "tightly-rolled" makis - make Mijori and other neighboring Japanese joints a crying shame for their sloppy, gooey rolls! Try these non-sushi offerings: - okonomiyaki - japanese 'pizza' - chawan mushi - egg custard in fish stock - croquettes - seared halibut - sukiyaki nabemono

    (4)

  • Anthony S.

    Simply the best value chirashi bowl around. Yes, as noted by some reviewers, the bowl is overflowing with a few selections that aren't worth eating, but even while sharing the bowl with one other person there is plenty of good fish to keep you satisfied to the point that there is no guilt in discarding a few unpleasant fishes.

    (3)

  • Michael C.

    For my out-of-towner sushi fix, this place was great. Good price, and plump fresh tasting sushi. I ended up ordering way too much with this sashimi combo and the Titanic roll. Both were delicious, but just one would have done for my week's sushi intact. Also, they have the stew-y miso - where they put a whole bunch of other stuff like noodles and fish bits in it.

    (4)

  • Erica S.

    Freshest Sushi Ever! Didn't even have to use soy sauce. You really have to know where it is to get to it, but once you do, you will enjoy yourself. The staff is very friendly and the prices are affordable, so check it out...

    (5)

  • LiveToEat F.

    After checking the previous reviews, we went to restaurant with high hopes. Were we disappointed! We ordered two orders each of Hamachi (Yellowtail), Sake (Salmon) and Salmon Skin Hand Roll. First, the waitress brought us the wrong order, Salmon Skin Sushi instead of Hand Roll. Second, the Salmon Skin Sushi was salty and fishy. Then Hamachi and Sake came, both were fish and stringy (vein-y). The ginger was dry and old. We were so disgusted with the "food" that we had to brush our teeth straight away and pray that we don't get food poisoning.

    (1)

  • Ellie L.

    Oh how I miss Ichiro Japanese Delight! and it's sake selection. I don't live near it anymore and I dream of it at night. Fresh fish and rolls and great service. Garlic Tuna is the best invention ever. Spicy Scallop roll. Such a deal for the quality... Must get back to wasteland sushi that is Chicago.... I think we waited for a table once, but I was actually happy to see the place thriving.

    (5)

  • Irene S.

    I am not yet a fan and I am willing to go to this place again, but I don't think that the fish was too fresh on the day that I went. Maybe it is better for lunch than dinner, and maybe it is just an off day, but I was not impressed neither by their sushi nor their udon. The udon's bland so I won't be having that there again, but hopefully the fish next time can measure up.

    (3)

  • Kendra L.

    Absolutely wonderful sushi. One other reviewer mentioned Kirala as being equal, and I disagree. What Ichiro lacks in variety, he makes up for in freshness, economy, and overall pleasantness. Ichiro has never presented a piece of fish to me that didn't make me mmmm a little bit. And I always start with sashimi, so I know the taste of the fish, unmasked. The rolls are all designed very well (fresh flavors, mostly very simple, no cream cheese); the presentation is spectacular, and the atmosphere is so incredibly friendly. It is my official sushi spot. I don't even consider other sushi. For the record, I'm a dinner customer, and I won't go for lunch based on Ichi-san himself describing exactly how busy it is. But dinner time is quiet and wonderful. Man, I want it right now.... Recommended by me: all sashimi -- taste the fish!! agedashi tofu spicy scallop roll - yum! "Hey, Iche, make me something yummy." [Warning: do not get the Titanic roll unless you either a) have at least 4 people in your group, b) have at least 2 people who don't want to eat anything else, or c) have multiple stomachs, and don't want to eat anything else. It's frickin' huge.]

    (5)

  • Chiaty S.

    We love this place. We always order Lion King roll, Spider roll, salmon sashimi, hamachi nigiri. The prices are right and the fish is fresh always. Hubby also loves that Ichiro is a baseball fan and always has it on the TV. What else can I say? Love Ichiro!

    (4)

  • Mollie C.

    So, the staff is lovely and smily, albeit a little slow on bringing the check (better than throwing it at you while youre still eating, I guess!). The ambience isn't as bad as yelpers made it seem, it's just not (insert umlaut here)uber-romantically lit and arranged. Sitting at the sushi bar might've helped -- the normal seating area looked a littttle sparse that night, in terms of people and decor. The fish was okay -- I felt like it was missing something, and that usually tells me it's not terribly fresh, but the fish looked okay so I don't know what was up. VERY inexpensive (less than twenty bucks for two w.out booze??), which is obviously a plus. It was a comfy place to eat though, and good conversation made it all the better. Spose I'd go again.

    (3)

  • Jeannette S.

    Another great find from yelp! We were looking for a place to eat around downtown Oakland/Lake Merritt. I remember seeing great reviews of this place, so I used google SMS on my phone to find it. When I saw this place, it was not at all what I expected. Based on the rave reviews, I thought this place would have much bigger signage, flashing lights, and the whole 9 yards. But it doesn't, which makes it such a great find! We were there on a Saturday night. All the other popular places in the area looked busy, so we were relieved to find a spot with no wait. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered a few makis, nigiris and temakis. Each order came separately which was a good thing because each one was greater than the last! The spider roll was enormous! Everything we had was fresh, with just the right amount of rice... not too much, not too little. We mentioned that this was our first time there, and one of the sushi makers asked where we heard about them. I told them we found them on yelp. He mentioned that another recent customer also found them on yelp. They've only been around for a year and a half, and they're enjoying their success. They are very busy at lunchtime he said, but at dinner the crowd is light. So if you want a relaxed dinner with great conversation, visit them at dinner. It looks like yelp is helping these great mom-n-pops in their success!

    (4)

  • Kerrigan M.

    I absolutely love this place. I've had some of the best sushi I've ever eaten here, and I've eaten LOTS. Fresher than fresh. And unbelievable prices! The chirashi bowl is *plenty* big for two and is about $15- usually I and whatever hungry guy I've gone with can't finish it. And it's a wonderful and mysterious assortment. The sake menu is staggering- I highly suggest getting a sake sampler your first time here. Or two. They even have a large assortment of shoju! The decor is clean and pleasant but no-frills. The food are friendly service more than make up for that. It's a family-run type of place, and everyone is pleasant and friendly. The owner/sushi chef is a hoot! My first and last choice for sushi in Oakland.

    (5)

  • J K L.

    Delish!!! What a great place! I went to try it because of all the great yelp reviews. We tried the sashimi (huge pieces!), titanic roll, spider roll, and funky roll. I really enjoyed their fresh sashimi and the spider roll was sooo yummy. The titanic roll is really HUGE!! And they are generous with the tuna and salmon on top. There is a little too much rice in the titanic roll for my taste, but it is still really really good. I really loved the funky roll. I love how it's FRIED sushi!! We will totally go back!! PS I tried their chirashi bowl. It was THE best thing on the menu. HUGE pieces of sashimi over delish sushi rice. I highly recommend it. And it's only 13 dollars! Trust me, you will be more than stuffed after this bowl.

    (5)

  • Nikki M.

    He's back! Ichi-san is the best! I loved going to Ichi-Japon, he always made me laugh and the food was delicious. I love the bento boxes and the sushi is fresh and surprising, I love the spider rolls, but ask him to make you something not on the menu...when iche sold his place and moved back to Japan I was very sad. So glad he is back in a new space all his own.

    (4)

  • Misha H.

    Went for lunch today and had one of the sushi combos. Half of it is still sitting on my desk for "later" meaning whenever I'm done being stuffed. I agree with other reviewers that it is good, not great, sushi; but it beats the snot out of the other two sorry Japanese restaurants in the near vicinity. Will undoubtedly return again with friends and definitely for dinner with my cheap date husband to try that cold sake sampler.

    (3)

  • John H.

    This isn't the place to find the freshest fish or most elaborate rolls, but is a great spot for yummy, big rolls for not a lot of cash.

    (4)

  • Julia Z.

    Right when you walk in, you're greeted with a smiling face of the owner/sushi chef. He always remembers his frequent and sometimes casual costumers. The sushi is good but I especially love coming here for the chirashi bowls. I always get the Alaska don since salmon is my favorite. For $12 you get A LOT of salmon slices. Sometimes you wish you had more sushi rice to go with all the fish! I don't know any other places that give you as much for your money (unless it's a sushi buffet up in Davis). The only thing I don't like is their miso soup which isn't what you normally expect with added things like noodles and onions. The location also isn't the most inviting but that hasn't stopped me from coming back.

    (5)

  • Nick D.

    A little pricey but consistently good quality

    (4)

  • a z.

    Previously for lunch I had the gigantic chirashi. Good value but not the best quality fish. I can't recommend this place when the chef himself when I asked what he recommended from the sushi bar said, "can't really recommend much tonight" and recommended the cooked items from the kitchen. Can't falt him for his honesty.... This is a place for those seeking spiced up rolls where you can't decipher the quality of the fish.

    (1)

  • Mary C.

    I LOVE this place. Luckily, I work close by so I can come for lunch. The main chef is sooooo friendly and cute in a grandpa kind of way. The first few times I was here, we got some free food too! The spicey scallops here are amazing. As well as the Alaska Don. The specials are a steal! The only bad thing is that you gotta get there early for the lunch! Oh and Sunomono with crab meat is awesome too!

    (5)

  • Robert A.

    If Ichiro ever leaves DT Oakland, I may pursue work elsewhere. Best Sushi for the price that I've experienced (What's up with Sushi that you can't fit in your mouth, BTW? See: Mi Yozen). I love a caterpillar roll with some cold unfiltered Sake. Great Staff, fills up for lunch so get there by noon.

    (5)

  • Michael A.

    The food is not 5 star quality. In fact, it's not even 4 star quality. I'd give it a solid 3 stars. But the value is outstanding - at how many places can you get a decent sushi dinner for $12/person, including tax and tip? So overall I give it 4 stars. Avoid the tempura (too much breading) and the heavily fried rolls. The spicy hamachi roll was pretty good, though.

    (4)

  • Lux P.

    Sake, Sapporo, and fresh fish can definitely make the world seem like a better place. Sake Sampler #2 with the nigori(unfiltered)- my new favorite style of sake. We sampled fish(some even on the house) that I had never experienced before- Kampachi, Marinated Mackeral(not saba), and a buttery yet meaty fish they called, Mutsu- which is not on the menu. We dropped some coin, but that is only because we are oinks and we are DRUNKS. A volatile and yet happy existence.

    (5)

  • Garth A.

    Honestly, just a solid place to eat good fish. No frills so if you are on a date and want a slick looking place, go somewhere else. However, if you want a place to go and hang, not feel to pressured, and enjoy a good find, Ichiro's is for you.

    (4)

  • Tak H.

    Simply the BEST!

    (5)

  • Maxx S.

    So what is not good about this place? Maybe I should mention that in my review as there's just too many items on the menu to list all that good stuff as well as the chef and his employees are making it a true enjoyment every single time going there. But then again ...what don't I like about it ? Fresh made sushin infront of your eyes with prices that are beyond what you expect for rolls, whether it is standard ones like California, Philli roll or if you go for the deep fried ones like Lion King, Crazy Roll. Whenever I feel like sushi..that's the place to go :)

    (5)

  • Ariel W.

    I love this place--I go once a week for lunch with a friend since we both work in downtown Oakland. The sushi is always so good, the service is great and I love the amount of choices on the menu. The Creamy Albacore handroll is by far my favorite, but they also make great sushi combinations and bento boxes. I love being a "regular" at sweet little restaurant like this one--and when the food is this good, there's nothing to complain about.

    (4)

  • Linh V.

    I've lived in Berkeley for years, and while I don't go hunting for good sushi all the time, this is my sushi joint. I've even come here after work hours (read: when Oak-town is DEAD). Everything we've ordered is good (limited to rolls and sashimi). The fish is fresh and you do not leave broke. The service is friendly but not intrusive. The ambiance is alright, clean, sufficient, not beautiful, but pleasant. Also, the fried green tea ice cream rocks. Even though it's probably not "authentic." The rest of it is.

    (4)

  • Eileen M.

    It's true. You never do have to wait for a table. You just wait AT your table. This has happened to me 3 times. The last time, we were quickly seated for lunch when the waitress told us, "it may take awhile - people seem to want sushi today." uh DUH. IT'S A SUSHI BAR!!!!! Props for the tasty sushi, minus one for making my stomach grumble. Next time, I will avoid the lunch hour when people actually want sushi.

    (4)

  • Lupe P.

    Ichiro was one of my first introductions to sushi, and it's spoiled me ever since. I went with a really good friend from Japan who said the sushi there was authentic. All I cared about was that it tasted good. I didn't know how to use chopsticks at the time so I ended up eating the food with my hands, which embarrassed my buddy. Since I didn't know what the hell I was doing, she did all the ordering; I did all the eating. Even to this day, I'd say this is the best sushi I've ever had!

    (4)

  • Ella c.

    Not a Sushi fan per se. Then why am I writing this? As a vegetarian who normally has to starve at traditional sushi places (no, I don't eat fish. Is fish a vegetable?!) I ate like a KING. Edamame, fried tofu, inari, vegetable rolls (even the kind with the pink soy paper, as the nori kind of freaks me out). It was delicious, didn't taste at all like an afterthought. Enjoy!

    (3)

  • Sharon M.

    Thanks, Yelpers -- I brought my S.O. here solely on your reviews, and we both were singing Ichiro's praises by the end of the meal. The guy next to us was eating a huge bowl-o-fish, which I'd vaguely remembered reading about in the reviews here. "I think I want THAT," I tell my boyfriend in a discreet whisper. "What IS it?" I'm think I'm talking quietly here, but apparently it's one of those stage whispers that everybody in the room can hear. "Chirashi," random stranger kindly informs me, and I immediately turn 15 shades of mauve. But he was cool with my ogling, so I got over it. We ordered it and a few standards (Tobiko and Saba, the latter being our "comparison" fish). And we seriously stuffed ourselves beyond belief -- I don't think I've ever been so full on sushi. But this fish was really, really good. Excellent, even. The saba basically reset my "best" standard, previously held by Kirala, and every piece of fish in the Chirasi was fresh and melt-in-your mouth tasty. I'm thinking I might have to go back again tonight, because this review is giving me an Ichiro craving...

    (5)

  • Alex C.

    Wow, I really wish I had found this place before I had moved away from the east bay. The fish was pretty fresh and sizable in nigiri and sashimi form. Of note: the Chirashi was ridiculously humongous, the tamago was huge and presented in a geometrically unique way, and there was a nice selection of rolls that were not drowned in sauce like so many rolls these days. And yes it was cheap as hell.

    (5)

  • Eric B.

    Am I taking crazy pills or something?!?! Okay I know that sushi spots in this area are in short supply, but come on people the fish here isn't anything spectacular. It's not that the food is dissapointing, it's just vanilla run-of-the-mill. A plus is that it's relatively cheap, but you get what you pay for. The best thing about meals here are the fruit gum you get afterwards with your check.

    (2)

  • nic t.

    Friendliest sushi in the East Bay. Ichi-san is my new best friend! Excellent variety of sake, fresh & thick chunks of sashimi, and prices that will keep you coming back for more. And I can *almost* guarantee that you'll be back for more. I know I'll be back soon!

    (5)

  • Lise L.

    GREAT sushi - the fish is so fresh and there are so many choices in rolls and saki all at an amazingly good price. The miso soup, always an essential, has cute little noodles in it instead of chunks of tofu which I liked a lot better. The desserts look great (green tea cheesecake!) but we were too full to try them - next time for sure! I would give Ichiro a five but the casual atmosphere and bright lights somehow seemed to speed up our dinner. It was clean, and nice and service was friendly, but it ended up feeling more like a quick bite than a dining experience. Of course, the end check was also only a third the price of a dining experience so maybe this is not fair criteria.

    (4)

  • tin l.

    this place is awesome.

    (5)

  • tracy d.

    Oh, hell yeah. Ichiro is my new favorite Japanese restaurant. I love that they're open for dinner (it's way too popular and busy to go at lunch) and they've never let me down. The portions are huge and the bill...teeny! Everything has been great so far. I've never had such lean tonkatsu or such consistently thick slices of sashimi. Never a disappointment. And owner Ichiro is a riot!

    (5)

  • James E.

    I love sushi. But where are the excellent sushi places? I find there are few, with a large number of fair to good sushi places, some acceptable in a pinch, and others that are downright criminal. So I was thrilled to visit Ichiro. The sushi is excellent. I'd wager it's the freshest I've had in some time. And the Maki are very generous. Ichiro also has a superb sake list. So the food is just nearly perfect. The prices are astounding as well. I think my gargantuan spider roll was $3.95. Our party of three spent about $20 per person on sake, combo plates, and three or four hand rolls and some nigiri. I agree with my colleague Lise L about the lighting and decor. It's clean but could be a bit more soft on the eyes. It's mostly the lighting and spartan walls. But hey, I'm not ready to suggest they actually do anyting about this. I don't want too many people flocking here for the ambience and jacking up the price of some of the greatest sushi in the East Bay and beyond.

    (5)

  • Justino C.

    "OAKLAND'S BEST KEPT SECRET" THE GOOD: -I'm finally letting out one of my most valued secret restaurant treasures. -Nigiri sushi. -Miso soup is real not instant & Tamago-Yaki is excellent (pride in the small stuff = great pride in the big stuff). THE BAD: -I've kept this restaurant a secret for a long time. Only because I didn't want the secret to get out. THE DECISION: I'm still not sure if I'm doing the right thing by writing this review. I don't want to find myself having to wait in line for the best sushi spot in the WHOLE SF BAY AREA. Yes, I said it, the WHOLE BAY AREA...and I challenge anyone to take the test! I'm confident you'll say the same. To be honest...I use to really like Ryoko's in SF but since the owners changed over. It doesn't seem like it has the same quality for sushi. The sushi rice is not even flavored the same. The other Japanese place is pretty far out but I rarely get sushi there when they have it. They specialize in other Japanese dishes i.e. "hamburg steak" "oyako-don" and other stuff. When they get good fish...they really get GOOD fish. But here at Ichiro's...the fish is ALWAYS GOOD. The sushi rice maker is awesome. I don't know how he does it...but the blend is fantastic...truly a place for great sushi.

    (5)

  • Gilbert D.

    Great little hole in the wall sushi bar in downtown Oakland. There were recently written up by the SF Chronicle. I was impressed by the large selection of saki's. They have my personal favorite Onikoroshi Junmai Ginjo, and Kanchiku Junmai Dia Ginjo saki's. The sushi was very fresh, and prices were very reasonable. The garlic albacore, nigi torro rolls were very tasty. The oyster were good sized, meaty, and sweet. I think they are famous for their chira sushi rice bowls. It seemed very popular there. My only complaint is that it is in a dodge part of Oakland.

    (5)

  • Patrícia R.

    Fresh! Fresh! Fresh! The Dragon roll was BOMB! Good place for lunch, fast and easily accessible.

    (5)

  • Angie C.

    Yummi sushi for downtown oakland. I've been here a few times over lunch and never had to wait even thou the place is usally pretty full. Fresh fish - sashmi combo was wonderful. Staff was very friendly and fast.

    (4)

  • Nancy F.

    This place is horrible. Sushi is not fresh, tastes weird, beef & salmon teriyaki is drowned in sauce, miso soup is not traditional kind....food does not taste "clean", "fresh" and flavor is OFF. I would avoid this place.

    (1)

  • Seri T.

    EDIT part III (dec 07): Try the MUTSU! It's a japanese blue fish. Super fatty and super delish! :D EDIT part II (aug 07): I keep coming back here and the more I do, the more I love this place. Adding to that is the fact that the other japanese places I try just don't measure up to Ichiro. Every time, the fish here is fresher and the total tab is consistently lower than at other places while eating the same amount of food (or more!). I don't have a reason to hold back that last star anymore. :) some items i recommend (besides "everything on the menu"): the chirashi (so much fresh fish!) the creamy albacore roll the spicy scallop roll (they're pretty spicy) the oyako don ========= Original review ========== I love this place and I've been going here for lunch more and more. However, I recently discovered that they no longer take phone orders during lunch (until 1:30pm) because they are too busy. The portions here are huge and you get great quality fish. Plus it's not that expensive! Waaay better than Ichi Japon a few blocks down, but Ichiro's wait time has kept me from avoiding Ichi Japon all together. The shortest wait time (I always get food to go) has been about 20 mins, the longest quoted wait time was 1:30!!! EDIT (part I): So I've come back here quite a few times after, but always after 1pm. I've been pretty successful getting my to-go orders within 15mins. The staff is much friendlier when they're not jam packed with customers, but that's a given. I will just have to starve myself until after 1pm to get their yummy sushi!

    (5)

  • Elvina L.

    Ichiro's rocks my socks off!! when i eat chirashi, i move the fish onto a second plate so i can sort the fish out. when i eat sorting my fish at Ichiro's i did not believe how much fish was piled in front of me!! so many kinds of fish!! the cuts were fresh and generous! good bye sushi house, i will take your abuse no more!!! this is hands down the best chirashi i have ever come across, not to mention priced at a whopping $13!! let me try to remember all the fish that was there-- salmon, tuna, white tuna, seared macarel, seared Hamachi, amberjack (my new fav!!), red snapper, squid/ika, octopus, surf clam, cooked shrimp, tamago and some more fix'ins like seasoned daikon, seasoned mushroom, and finally some wasabi flavored tobiko/masago (not sure which it was). that is a ton of food for $13. the rice was good, cooked and seasoned just right. we also ordered a roll that that was well made and priced reasonably. i am just so happy that we don't have to wait at Sushi House or drive to Nippon's or Ray's Sushi anymore. finally there is a sushi place in Oakland that deserves our business.

    (5)

  • E K.

    I love this place probably a little too much. I eat here once a week and it was becoming a 2 to 3 time thing but I had to stop myself. It is just so good and fresh and this term is overused but teh fish is like butter. My favorite is teh Spicy Scallop Hand Roll. Yummmm ! I ate here for 3 months before I realized it was the same guy who used to own Ichi Japon. No wonder I love this place. Ihave to update because I had the best dinner last night, me and my boyfriend all for under 30 bucks!! Cherry Blossom roll, Spicy Scallop, Garlic tuna and dragon roll I love this place!!

    (5)

  • Alex G.

    I tried Ichiro for the first time this week- I'm going back! I had the curry with chicken and it was delicious. This dish is hard to find and they did a very nice job with it and beat out my former go-to place for curry: Geta. My partner had a combo with Sashimi and Ton Katsu and all that was quite good too. It was also nice to be able to get a table to sit down and eat.

    (4)

  • Dickson S.

    great sushi place. fish is always high quality and portions are large. we had a combo meal - sashimi (3 thick slices of tuna and 2 thick slices of salmon) and teriyaki chicken, came w/ miso soup, salad, rice. the 8 piece assorted nigiri was nice too. nice portions and plating. tobiko nigiri was overloaded with tobiko and unagi nigiri had big slabs of bbq eel w/ a little sushi rice to balance.

    (4)

  • J. Q.

    Yummy Sushi in downtown Oakland. Many go here as a lunch spot, but we use it as an excuse to go downtown in the evening. The Trappist makes a great night cap afterwards. One of the few gems holding it down in Oakland these days. Ichiro is friendly and the fish is of excellent quality. Try the Mutsu- Japanese cold water Tuna, one of our favorites!

    (4)

  • Mike I.

    Food was good. Staff friendly and fun. Reasonable prices. While a friend and I were having an early dinner here we noticed all the pictures of patrons on the wall. A couple came and sat at the bar near us. Directly behind them, was their picture on the wall. I was amused. The Titanic roll is too big to eat gracefully (not a first date or impress your boss roll). I'll come back when I'm in the area.

    (4)

  • Mindy S.

    Needed a quick sushi fix last night and thanks to the help of my fellow yelpers, I found Ichiro. Sorta looks like your typical cheap sushi joint on the outside, but scores bonus points for being one of the only restaurants in this downtown area that is open for dinner. I normally head over here for Pho 84, but we decided to give Ichiro a try and are glad we did. Good quality sushi at totally affordable prices. We got three nice-sized rolls and two orders of nigiri plus miso for under 30 dollars. The funky roll was great with the yellowtail- deep fried with three or four different sauces on it, as was the garlic tuna- very garlicky and big pieces of fish, which makes me happy. A little heavy on the rice for me, but at least that makes all the food filling. Friendly staff- I think one more trip here will qualify me as a "regular." Very quick service, very clean, quick on the refills of tea and water, and even seemed to be fill the walk-in take out orders too. Not going to replace Mijori or Angelfish when I need a fancy fish fix, but it's nice to have a dependable place like this in the neighborhood.

    (4)

  • Jane D.

    This is a great neighborhood place. I've only been to one other sushi restaurant in Lake Merritt/Downtown and Ichiro beats it by a mile! The prices are great, and the quality of the fish surprisingly good. We really enjoyed the sashimi & maki. The chicken kara-age was really good too! (dark meat!) The service was ok, and I think it would have been better if we'd been seated in the main dining area with the sushi bar. The only sour note was really the tempura ice cream...fried in the same oil & with the same batter as the normal tempura, and though we could see the green tea ice cream the taste was really only of soggy batter.

    (4)

  • s k.

    My co-workers and I got our check for the lunch and the amount did not add up. When we tried to question the waitress, she just told us it was service charge and walked away. We tried to ask for more explanation since the menu said the 15% was charged for party of 8 or more, but we only had 3 people. She completely ignored us. We tried talking to the sushi chef (since we sat at the counter seats), but said he didn't know what it was for. The restaurant basically forced us to pay for the tip. Not only that, but the amount was taxed!

    (1)

  • Michael M.

    The prices were relatively cheap but I didn't really enjoy the food very much. The Lion King roll is much better at Sushi House in Alameda! Coach Sushi is still my favorite mid-prices sushi spot.

    (3)

  • C J.

    Back to back days having sushi for lunch, yes this place is that good.

    (5)

  • rosylen m.

    I used to eat here more often for lunch, but things change. I still really like this place. Good solid sushi. And I really enjoy the red bean ice cream (when they have it, they often don't). Anyhoo, I came for dinner with a friend recently and we had ordered a number of things one of which was the yellowtail jowl (collar?). It's on the appetizer menu. It was a meal unto itself. A giant hunk of fried fish flesh that was absolutely delicious and plentiful. It was the jowl/collar that kept on giving. Really a meal by itself.

    (4)

  • Rose E.

    It seems as if my co-workers & I tend to have a japanese food/sushi crave during the beginning of the week & when we do, we come here. The food is good and I always get the Okinawa roll. Other good ones, just to name a few, are chirasi, dragon roll, and fried tofu.

    (5)

  • I T.

    i find the variances between the bad reviews and the good reviews to be too large to ignore. how is it possible that scores of reviewers claim fresh, delicious fish and others claim floppy dead-too-long fish? my only conclusion is that Ichi doesn't like you. how else would i have been getting consistently delicious fish for 2 or so years of going here? there was a time (a span of 6 or 7 months) where I came weekly. i was never let down. the food here is delicious. the fish is fresh. a lot of it is pretty authentic. (i was born and raised in japan). to top it off, there is a fantastic sake selection. ichi is always super friendly and nice and the waitstaff is cool. ok, sometimes the service can be a bit slow...but just fucking chill out about it. in conclusion, if you're concerned about getting fresh fish, maybe you should try to get on ichi's good side. he obviously hates you, haters.

    (5)

  • Mei G.

    It's probably the best for the downtown area, but not the best in Oakland by any stretch. Like sitting at the bar and watching the sushi masters do their work. Not especially cheap either.

    (3)

  • Wayne Q.

    Went there with my wife and another couple for a pre-concert dinner. The dinner was definitely better than the concert! They had a decent selection of sakes, and the sushi, although not spectacular eyes-roll-back-in-the-head-while-lids-flutter sorta style, was very fresh and well-prepared.

    (4)

  • Christine C.

    A friend introduced me to Ichiro a year ago. I always order the Chirashi and am always pleased with the selection of fresh fish. The restaurant is located off the beaten path, but that's why it's so nice! Always get seated quickly and are able to get our food in a short period of time. The price range fits well into my budget.

    (4)

  • quan n.

    A little gem hidden in the shady area. I've been here a few times for dinner, and the foods were always great. The portions are generous, and the fish are fresh. Love their chirashi bowl and saba shioyaki.

    (5)

  • miriam b.

    Went in once because it was before the HUGE CROWD and long wait. Great teriyaki chicken and good for lunch, but really difficult to get in unless you get there early!!!!!!

    (4)

  • YUP K.

    The fish here is fucking hideous. If you like rolls covered in sauce maybe you'll enjoy yourself. If you appreciate fresh, well prepared fish, you won't. Blecch. I tried this place twice, after I'd heard a lot of people recommending it, figuring maybe it was just a bad night the first time. Same crap the second time. No thanks... Is there any great sushi in Oakland/Berkeley? I'm willing to pay. Halp. The best fix I've had in months is when a friend went ocean fishing and caught some yellowtail. Unfortunately, that's not a regular occurence.

    (1)

  • Matthew P.

    Wow...a friend of mine recommended Ichiro, which opened a few months ago in downtown Oakland. The decor inside is wonderfully done, nice seating and the prices at lunch are reasonable for sushi. I had the sushi/sashimi lunch box which came with miso soup...everything is fresh and delicious. My friend ordered rolls and was impressed. I rarely eat sushi, but I have been twice in 2 weeks. There is also a sake bar, but my job has "rules" about drinking at lunch...lousy corporations. When Nish i"nish"ially told me about Yelp, I was concerned that my reviews would lead people to places and ruin my dining experiences by making the places no one knew about wildly popular. This fear will most likely be realized with Ichiro.

    (5)

  • jen b.

    maybe my expectations were too high, but i was really looking forward to a delicious lion king roll. the picture looked so good that when my coworker and i saw it we immediately jumped up and went. the roll is so bad i couldn't eat it. i barely was able to finish the piece i tried. however, we also ordered the katsu curry. that was so good, but a little tempid in temperature. i'd go back for the curry, but i think i'm going to stay away from the rolls.

    (3)

  • JR M.

    A great sushi place to go if you happen to be in downtown Oakland for lunch. I go here at least once a week to get my "sushi fix". They serve your basic traditonal sushi. Friendly atmosphere. You are greeted the second you walk in. Seated and served with a nice cup of hot tea and water.

    (4)

  • Aldora K.

    I've been looking for an authentic small Japanese restaurant in the Bay Area. I've found it! I've eaten here twice already and it's the ONLY place where I don't have to dip any of the sushi/sashimi/rolls in soy sauce. The fish is just soo fresh & tasty that soy sauce would just ruin the whole experience. The prices are just right; totally affordable. The staff is really nice, no complaints from me. I definitely recommend the eel hand roll, spider roll, and spicy tuna. =) Don't just go for the California roll, be adventurous!

    (5)

  • Orie M.

    Yum! I had a great meal at Ichiro this weekend. The two of us shared the nigiri combo (9 different nigiris, all great tasting), a spider roll, a negi toro roll, and a titanic roll. We were stuffed and had to take home most of the titanic roll (HUGE, by the way). With all that and a large beer, our total with tip included was a little over $50.00. My friend recommends their chirashi, so I may be going back there soon to try that.

    (4)

  • Eryn S.

    Always an absolute delight for my belly and wallet. The fish itself is scond to none, never a moment past its prime. The Miso is fully loaded with onion, seaweed, noodles and so much savory goodness. The best deal in the house is the dinner Combo..choose 2 items w/ soup, rice, salad, tea $9.75. My man favors the Chicken Katsu & Sashmi (4 HUGE pieces, 2 kinds of fish). And I love the Spivy Scallop Roll! I wish I had something funny or acerbic to say about this place, but I just can't find it in me in my Sushi-induced bliss....

    (5)

  • Zen C.

    Love this place for sushi. You should go early though because they fill up quickly. Try the titanic roll if you are really hungry, and the Matsu sushi selection if you want a nice variety. They serve the combos with miso soup. I like the soup but it seems a bit untraditional with the rice noodles in it. Delicious and a great value. The staff is friendly and the sushi chef greets you and tells you goodbye when you leave. The waitresses seem a bit stressed when they get busy. I believe it is a family business as they close the restaurant for vacation occasionally. Very fresh, economical and tasty sushi. Wish there was a second restaurant where I live in Contra Costa County.

    (5)

  • Paul P.

    Awesome value for the money

    (5)

  • P B.

    The sushi was good overall - the fish was very fresh. Don't order the titantic roll unless you are very hungry - it does live up to it's name. Was disappointed with the miso soup - too much extra stuff. Would have preferred the original plain. They only open at 11:30 am so don't go too early.

    (4)

  • NaNa M.

    Yelpers, I have been let down-- can I ever trust you again? I went here expecting "melt in my mouth" sashimi and decadent rolls, but what I found was actually quite average. The sashimi was decent, but lacking in flavor, and the hamachi in particular was so chewy that it was rendered inedible. On the plus side, we had a great cold sake sampler that made it all much better...all-in-all, decent sushi, but not amazing.

    (3)

  • M M.

    I would make a special trip to Oakland for this place. Is the fish the best I've ever had? No. Is it even in my top 3 or 5 sushi joints? No. These things don't matter. The owner is one of the friendliest guys you'll ever meet. We went here once and became buddies. We spent an hour after our meal (and past closing time) chatting about our awesome recent trip to Japan. He freely admits that his fish isn't always the best but in order to keep prices down he doesn't bother with the top notch stuff. Plus, he says our top notch stuff has nothing on what he could get in Japan so why bother? Agreed. The fish is fresh, the portions are generous, the service is actually GOOD and the price is right. Score one for the East Bay!

    (5)

  • rachel a.

    i also picked ichiro from yelp and wow i was not disapointed... m husband and i have gone three times now and is very impressive. the portions are generous and the fish is awesome. the spicy hamachi roll is the best ive ever had, the sashimi is huge. its our regular sushi place now, great prices great fish... update : we are regulars now, every tuesday sushi night. still very very excellent fish, reasonable prices, tons of sake selection. its very consistent too. domo!

    (5)

  • Zulu Q.

    Well, the thing that this place has going for it is that it actually had a salmon chirashi-style dish on the menu. I've not seen many places that do that. As salmon is my favorite, I was all over it. It is also one of the few places in the financial district that is actually open for dinner. It was just OK though. And what the hell is going on with that miso soup?

    (3)

  • Noah C.

    such a great place! we recently moved to oakland from the city and have since been looking for a convenient east bay sushi joint. reading previous reviews on this place, we were very eager to give it a shot recently when we were attending a concert at the paramount. everything was super fresh and magnificiently delicious. we ordered our usual favorites and were not disappointed. prices are affordable, serving sizes are large & there is quite a selection of sake available, including a sampler which we may try next. the staff is super friendly, very smiley and seemed very appreciative of our attendance. we will definitely return. yum!

    (4)

  • John P.

    I've only been once, and admittedly had a tipple before coming, but the nigiri here was so fresh, fatty and delicious. The rolls are generously portioned, reasonably priced and delicious. A gem off the beaten path in Oakland

    (5)

  • Brian H.

    This is the best Sushi joint in the east bay by far, and maybe the whole bay area. Ichi and Bogo are a great pair behind the counter, the prices are low for the unbelievable quality of fish, they've got all the standards plus some creative ones, and since downtown Oakland is dead at night, you can usually get a seat no problem. Lunchtime, however, can be problematic. Either go early, or later than 1:30, because those of us who work down here religiously go there.

    (5)

  • Hode L.

    Ordered sashimi for lunch. Can't say it was the best I had. In fact, it was far from it. The cut was generous but the quality of the fish was poor. It was not fresh, almost a little scared that I might get food poisoning. Also had tempura which.. is tempura. Maybe I just had a bad experience, b/c all the other reviewers seemed to think otherwise

    (2)

  • Beth B.

    The first time I came here, the sushi was delicious (and the price made it even better). However, the second time, a few months ago, the quality of the fish was poor, and I feared I would get sick from it (I didn't). So... I'm quite hesitant to ever go back, and would just say... proceed with caution.

    (2)

  • Tom V.

    12/4/09, working late again as usual -no complain here, am glad that I still have a good job with good benefit - and the urge for raw food is bugging me. Wifey is not home and I am not in the mood to sit and wait in traffic so to Ichiro I goes. This is one of the few good restaurants around Kaiser Town with good service and food that's open after COB. Their sashimi are great and fresh -not like the semi frozen sashimi at Dai Ten Sushi. This day I wanted to see if they are still up to the challenge of taming my lust for "blood/raw" items such as sashimi portions of hamachi, mackerel, uni and so forth. Yep, they sure did! Ordering sashimi portions of mackerel and uni are my way of testing the "freshness" of the food at any Japanese restaurant, and this day they are very fresh -especially the uni that just melted in my mouth with lingering sweet flavor that lasted for about 30 seconds. Service here is also great -it as if the wait staff here somehow know when to approach you and when to stay away. Sitting by the window, reflecting life around me, and enjoying a great meal in a great and inexpensive restaurant reminded me how fortunate I am to be alive...definitely a good way to end a hard work week.

    (4)

  • Seth F.

    This is the first place that comes to mind when I'm in the mood for sushi. The portions are decent and I love to sit at the counter and watch them prepare it.

    (5)

  • Gary P.

    Wonderful fish, great folks. I've been going to see Ichi at this bar for a few years, and he has yet to disappoint me. Order the "Hula" roll, which is slabs of tuna (or yellow tail, if you want to pay a few buck more) stacked and shaped into and pineapple and drizzled with a wasabi sauce. You come for the fish and you get a work of art. Everything Ichi does is tasty. I would recommend his poorly-designed, badly lit restaurant to anyone who loves fresh fish.

    (5)

  • Len V.

    Great place for lunch in downtown Oakland, food-wise but both times we've gone as a group (6-8) the service has been a bit spotty. They need to hire 1 or 2 more servers because the place is hopping. A line usually forms at noon but I know they could have higher turnover if they'd just bring the bill faster. The food is incredible. It would be a 4 star but the inattentive service knocks one off. I bet it's fab during off hours.

    (3)

  • Ron U.

    What a great find in downtown Oakland. I have been looking for a decent Japanese restaurant in Oakland for the longest time. My search is finally over. Their location is not the best, but works out for me as it is within 5 minutes from my job. The sushi and sashimi are some of the best I've ever had. My family usually go Japanese at least twice a month. I loved the Chirashi. Oh and by the way, what a deal! I sure hope they keep their prices low.

    (5)

  • Kevin L.

    The sushi is very good at Ichiro. The staff is very freindly and when you look around they smile and laugh espically when you look at them. The owner is actually Japanese himself! I said my orders in Japanese the first time I came and they were suprised! Also it is very cheap to get. The food is always fresh when I come no matter what. Next time I am going to get sencha, okonomiyaki, and miso soup plus edamame!

    (5)

  • Gary M.

    Very good sunomono, hamachi-Kama and the sushi is always good here. And Ichi, the sushi chef is Japanese, knows exactly what he is doing and is very friendly and always appreciative.

    (5)

  • Laura C.

    My friends raved about this place, so I was excited to try it! The rolls and food were tasty, but they were really hard to eat. I expected the titanic roll to be hard to eat, but not the other basic rolls. I had a roll that was cooked and the rice stuck to the foil around it. It seemed like all of our rolls were falling apart. Even the nigiri was hard to eat! I'm not the most proficient in chopsticks so maybe it was just me, but my friends thought maybe it was a different chef in the kitchen because that isn't the usual. Four stars for now because our server was really sweet and the rolls tasted so good I want to go back!

    (4)

  • Tisha D.

    The sushi here was nothing to write home about. I like to try new places and this one was recommended. I don't regret trying but will probably not be back. In order for an establishment to get a return visit from me it has to have delicious food and/or great customer service, this had neither. The food was average I've had a lot better.

    (2)

  • Ashkan H.

    This place is very OK in terms of food quality. Nothing special. I feel like around this area of Oakland, they are the only place that you can get late sushi. I ordered the salmon sashimi, and the smoked salmon philly roll. Didn't like the salmon philly roll as the salmon in it was very mushy and tasted weird, but my salmon sashimi was OK. Why are they too thick? The taste of the fish was not fresh and definitely not the best quality, but hey you get what you pay for right? When we came here nobody was here! So the staff was very attentive, and we got our food quite fast, but I'm not sure how this place is handled when they have more customers. If you are really craving for sushi around 9 PM when you are nearby this area, I guess this place can help you with your sushi cravings. I would give them 2.5 star, but since yelp doesn't take decimal gonna be nice and round it up to 3.

    (3)

  • Patty C.

    I would not recommend this place to anyone. My friend went here for fried oysters and got food poisoning! I went here before with him and the cuts of fish that came with my dinner bento box was not fresh. It was clearly defrosted frozen fish. It's not worth spending your hard-earned money here!

    (1)

  • James H.

    This is the only sushi restaurant in the downtown Oakland area for the working folks. Unfortunately, it's not the freshest fish around or the best service and it gets busy during peak lunch hour. There are only 2 waitresses and they do not pride themselves on customer service so please do not expect any here. I usually get a nigiri mix when I come here but today I chose for the combination which comes with miso soup which they forgot to bring me and salad. The chicken katsu was very thin and dry and my second item was sashimi which was decent at best. Being the only sushi place in the close proximity to work. I will be returning but already know the deal with this place-1. Unfriendly service 2. Sub par fish 3. Busy at lunch This place can do way better but it's still 3.5 stars for me.

    (3)

  • Kristen F.

    If I'm being honest, my rating is based on only two menu items, the Titanic Roll and Chirashi (but they are just THAT good). These two items are not only delicious but they are incredibly filling too-- they can easily satisfy two people with a substantial appetite. If you are someone who doesn't love having tons of rice in their sushi rolls, the Titanic might be too much for you, but to me it's almost necessary given how much sashimi, imitation crab, and tempura you get in the roll. It's worth a try (or two or five)! The Chirashi is also very generous in its portions and the variety of items you get in it. But again, just be prepared and come hungry!

    (4)

  • Marc S.

    Titanic roll! Not your typical japanese sushi place. Portions are about double their size. So, if you're hungry, then you have to come here. Service was good. People there are nice.

    (5)

  • Harry T.

    VERDICT: Pretty much average sushi roll place QUALIFIER: Probably more of a quick lunch place, but we had dinner here. The decor was probably a second though. FOOD: The rolls are what people come for, and the Titanic roll seems to fit the glutinous American diet. The Chirashi bowl was very filling as well! SERVICE: The servers were nice, and very patient as we were trying to decide on what to eat.

    (3)

  • Rockne H.

    I love the different types of Asian cuisine in the Bay. Kind of disappointed to find a very limited amount of joints per cuisine in Oakland. In fact, when I searched for sushi, I swear only one or two places came up, this being one of them. The pictures looked good and since it was conveniently located, I really wanted to check it out. Nestled between Broadway and Franklin, this joint gives off the normal sushi joint vibe. You have table top seating throughout and a large sushi bar to watch the sushi makers make their masterpiece. They were nice and did the usual greeting and send offs for customers. The servers were a little duh in my opinion. Not really a warm greeting but at least checked back a lot for water and other things. After looking at all the pictures, there was only roll I wanted to try, the Titanic Roll for $13.25. Its basically a shrimp tempura roll stuffed with cucumbers, wrapped with tuna, salmon and topped with spicy crab and green onions along with ponzu sauce. I've been warned by all the comments online how big it was and you really don't realize how massive it is until you get it yourself. HOLY COW, this roll is gigantic like the Titanic! The cuts were thick as well, so it's hard to eat each piece together. I ended up dissecting each component so it was manageable to eat. I loved the flavors and textures: crispy tempura and cucumbers, creamy texture from the fish, LOVED the spicy crab meat and all tied in with the ponzu. My goodness, what an awesome roll. It's hard to finish this roll by yourself so naturally, the price was totally worth it! Come in and try that roll, you will be amazed. If not, the curry looked awesome as well as the sashimi plate. I'm going to return and try them all! Thanks for an awesome meal.

    (4)

  • Kim F.

    the price and portions alone are reason enough to check this place out. everyone I bring enjoyed their meals as well. I have experienced the slow service that others have mentioned but it was once out of my five visits. it's close to the fox theater and it's now my spot to grab a bite away from the crowd before a show.

    (5)

  • Noelle H.

    They've raised their prices =( boooo While it's only a few dollars, it's no longer the cheapest bang for your buck. And the $15 credit card minimum is annoying if you're trying to grab lunch. The quality of the fish doesn't really justify the higher prices. The hunt continues to find the best sushi in East Bay..

    (3)

  • Annie J.

    Very, very, very BAD service. No next time visit. Staff' s movement like 100 years old lady. BAD BAD, BAD

    (1)

  • Lyra C.

    The Titanic roll was definitely Titanic, they were not stingy with the fish at all. I think that the rice to fish ratio was definitely uneven though. Too much rice! Also it wasn't very fresh. I also got the Alaskan roll. I only gave 3 stars because, well.. The service was just not good. The lady waitress seemed very unpleasant and failed to mention that there's a $15 minimum if you pay with debit or credit. I was ordering to go and so I stood there for a while and was not offered a seat or a drink. The lady never smiled either like it was a bad day. She didn't give a crap about me, basically. She seemed a little snappy too. I also wish they'd update the time that they're open. They close and are not open from 11-9! Which is annoying because I drove here once from my work site because it says its open. Fix this and the waitresses attitude!

    (3)

  • Tiffany L.

    Came here during my lunch break with a coworker because I suggested we get some (cheap-ish) sushi. It was probably the worst meal we've had together in the downtown Oakland area. What first struck me though, and left a lasting impression, was the pretty bad vibe of this place, especially coming from the servers/waitstaff. It's not just the place is old/dingy and poorly lit. Bur rather, all of waitstaff stand around, intently staring at you from afar while you bite into your food (is there something wrong with it?? Hah), and sometimes seemingly glaring and smirking...and just overall being seemingly nervous anxious...just a bad vibe. I don't know what's up, but it was not comfortable for me to eat there. Not pleasant over lunch break. Anyway, onto the food itself. I got a bento box, which is less than $12 before tax. Not bad for price, but it didn't taste so great. The first bite of my salmon teriyaki tasted like mushy, microwaved eggs...and I wouldn't be surprised if they microwaved the food because it all came out really fast. My sashimi was okay, not particularly fresh, but a couple cuts didn't look so appetizing so I didn't finish all the pieces. Coworker got a simple roll, which was inexpensive and she had no complaints about it. However, she also ordered tempura ice cream because she was craving something sweet. Do not order this! Super doughy and filled with batter. Avoid. I would not come back, the general vibe just threw me off and to top it off, the food was not worth it.

    (2)

  • Audrey L.

    Wow, very thick cuts of sashimi in the chirashi bowl, and you get ~20 pcs for $18.75. Quite a bang for your buck. The quality is just average (not sure how fresh all the fish was), but no one got sick. The other sushi also comes in huge portions. One piece of the spider roll was about the size of my fist. All very tasty. There's plenty of seating inside, and also a wide selection of sake. The house sake is dispensed from a machine, but still pretty good from what I could tell. Definitely a whole in the wall restaurant that's located on a street with lots of closed shops. Wouldn't have looked to try it if I hadn't noticed it on Yelp first. Thanks, Yelp!

    (4)

  • Jenn L.

    Sashimi quality is real crap. They try to make up for it in big portions but it just makes for lots of crappy sashimi. Super disappointed. :(((

    (1)

  • Frank R.

    My go to spot here in uptown Oakland. The titanic and the soft shell crab spidor roll are what I usually get. Always fresh and delicious. Service is generally pretty fast and friendly. A definite recommend for good local sushi.

    (4)

  • Kat T.

    Hmm 15 dollar min on credit cards--a bit steep for lunch. Thankfully I had cash. But at the end of the day it came out to be about 15 dollars with tax and tip. I nicked a quarter from the change out of spite/annoyance. Mea culpa. The salmon sashimi was good, but the other fish (in the 11 dollar lunch combo) was not as fresh tasting and a bit stringy. The udon noodles were also overcooked and the broth too salty. I'll probably come back to try the curry/other rolls/nigiri but will stay away from the combo platters....

    (3)

  • Sheri W.

    I rediscovered Ichiro during my quest for the best sushi in Oakland. This was actually my 2nd visit. My 1st was about 8 months ago when I first moved to the Bay Area. I walked to Ichiro from work to sample their Titanic roll mentioned in so many Yelp reviews. The visit stuck in my head, but it had felt like a long walk and I wasn't sure about going back. Fast forward to now, and I'm actually living in Oakland. Furthermore, I've discovered that Ichiro is closer to my home than to the office. Worth another try... I decided to get the Titanic roll again and refresh my memory. This roll is insane. I think of it as a sushi Turducken. While a Turducken is a chicken stuffed inside a duck which is stuffed inside a turkey, a Titanic roll is kind of like a shrimp tempura roll inside a rainbow roll inside a spicy crab roll. It's unreal how big it is (bigger than I remembered). With that said, it's also impossible to eat. You can't get chopsticks around it, and if you manage to grab part of it, it falls apart. The best you can do is kind of scoop it. Taste wise, it's ok but could be better. Every component is just a little sub-par. The tempura isn't crisp, the raw fish doesn't melt in your mouth, the rice is under seasoned. I do want to mention two things: 1) Several reviews have mentioned poor or rude service. I thought the service was outstanding. I was greeted warmly on arrival and thanked when I left. I didn't wait for anything. Perfect. 2) On my 1st visit 8 months ago, I remember they brought me some baked salmon in a sweet, teriyaki-like sauce as a complimentary appetizer. It was delicious, but I figured it was something special that day. What a nice surprise when they did the same this visit, and the fish was just as amazing. I will be back to try other things at Ichiro, and perhaps upgrade my rating. Meanwhile, the quest for the best Oakland sushi bar continues.

    (3)

  • Joane B.

    I think this place is totally overrated. If you don't care about good service then this shouldn't be a problem for you. We sat at the bar so I was able to see what the chefs were putting out. The chef put out a hand roll and it was sitting there for a good 10 minutes. Next to me, the waitress placed a platter of sushi on top of all the menus where there was clearly room to place the dishes. It ended up sitting there for a good 10 minutes as well. Finally, I see the waitress grab the handroll and the sushi platter and bring it to the table behind me, but I'm thinking, what exactly was the hold up if it was just those two dishes? & I'm telling you, it wasn't busy. Our waitress never looked at us. They were looking away, not engaging, doing things non-chalant. The infamous Titanic roll is really an extra layer of rice, a big slice of fish and a butt load of cucumbers. See my pics. You can definitely find better. I would never come back here.

    (2)

  • Winnie X.

    I went for the Titanic roll. It was really satisfying and me and my friend each took 2 left overs home haha is was that big. We also tried the Chicken katsu combo. Very disappointed because there's so little and the tempura was not freshly fried. All in all, I'm pleased with the titanic roll and will go there again.

    (4)

  • Rachel B.

    I almost hate to tell other people about this place because it's sooooooo good, I don't want to have to share it! This is hands-down our favorite sushi place in the bay. Everything is delicious and the prices can't be beat. To top it off, they have the best customer service. Can't see how anyone could give this place less than 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Tao Tao W.

    OK I would go back here again and again for $18 chirashi which is worth so much more than $18 for the cuts of fish and the variety that you get. I finally got to try this place with a friend this past Friday and clearly they did not disappoint. She got the Titanic roll which is HUGE both in terms of height and width and like finished half of it. The one thing about this roll though is that yes there is a bunch of fish on top but then in the middle its a piece of shrimp tempura and some cucumber. The reason its so big is there is a LOT of rice. Otherwise taste is good. I got the chirashi which they were nice enough to do it without the rice. Very nice variety of fish and very fresh. Cuts were a good size too and it was enough that I made it dinner and lunch the next day...

    (5)

  • Jessica L.

    I am shocked at the positive reviews on this place and, boy, did they lead us astray. We decided to eat here before a show at The Fox, as it's one of the only sushi places in downtown Oakland that has even decent reviews. We ordered sashimi, handrolls, agedashi tofu, and nigiri. The sashimi pieces were huge, crude cuts of fish, which wasn't the worst thing. But, many of the pieces smelled odd and the Albacore tuna was the weirdest, beige color I've ever seen. The Maguro tuna had an odd texture, as well. The ikura smelled fishy and was a gluey consistency. The agedashi tofu was also gluey and sugary. At least the salmon in the handroll seemed ok, although it was a massive hand roll filled mostly with rice. It was one of the most disappointing sushi meals I've ever had. At least my fears of food poisoning weren't realized, but I will never step foot in here again.

    (2)

  • Melinda C.

    Time for a second chance. So at first glance this restaurant doesn't look great or even good. The mixed reviews I read didn't help with my first impression of this restaurant. However I am glad I decided to give it a try. I can see why they have some poor reviews on service. It's not that the servers here are rude it's that they need more of them they are busy and this place has one heck of a lunch rush. The chefs are going nonstop and some of the rolls they make are so complicated. It's absolutely amazing how well they do with that kind of pressure. Since I have been here watching them it looks like they are moving a hyperspeed. The servers are working just as hard. So on to the food.... The fish I tried was fresh and wonderful. It was truly nice to finally find a place that makes a correct and delicious salmon skin roll. The portions are huge, like ridiculously huge, but if splitting with a friend will be just right. Everything that I've seen that come out of the kitchen and everything I tried was great. It's nice to find a sushi restaurant near my work that I really do enjoy. All restaurants can slip, but in my opinion this place deserves a second chance because they have done the work and are continuing to do the work to to get back on top.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Ichiro

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