Kotobuki
Japanese · Alameda
About Kotobuki
At Kotobuki, our warm and inviting atmosphere sets the tone for an exceptional dining experience in Alameda. Our expert chefs craft a range of delicious signature dishes that showcase local specialties, all made with the freshest ingredients possible. The staff are dedicated to providing outstanding...
At Kotobuki, our warm and inviting atmosphere sets the tone for an exceptional dining experience in Alameda. Our expert chefs craft a range of delicious signature dishes that showcase local specialties, all made with the freshest ingredients possible. The staff are dedicated to providing outstanding service, from friendly greetings to personalized attention. We're proud to offer fast service, wheelchair accessibility, and a variety of convenient options including takeout and delivery. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a great meal out, we invite you to experience the best of Japanese cuisine at Kotobuki.
What Customers Say About Kotobuki
Kotobuki is a Japanese restaurant known for its excellent food and service. Customers rave about the fresh fish, reasonable prices, and complimentary appetizers. Many reviewers highlight the friendly and accommodating staff, making it a great spot for families.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: The restaurant is very kid-friendly and willing to modify menu items. They also offer complimentary appetizers and are patient with those unfamiliar with Japanese customs.
Features
What to see nearby
Data from Wikidata
Explore the area around Kotobuki
Kotobuki is located in Alameda, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Parks & Gardens
- Montclair Playground (A 290m) — park in Alameda County, California, United States of America
- Shepherd Canyon Park (A 950m) — park in Alameda County, California, United States of America
- Piedmont Sports Field (A 979m) — park in Alameda County, California, United States of America
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Frequently asked questions about Kotobuki
Kotobuki Alameda Reviews
This might be one of our new spots in Montclair Village! To preface, when we first moved to the east bay we ordered delivery from this restaurant our first night in our new house and were a bit disappointed, so we effectively left it off our list of places to go… this was our mistake! The restaurant is no frills, but there’s seating for bigger parties and partitions between tables so it feels roomy. There’s a huge TV broadcasting sports events too. We happened to go on “customer appreciation night” and were thoroughly surprised by the amount of complimentary dishes they brought to our table. I was already close to full with all this free dishes! I ordered the cold soba dish and that was really good. It even comes with a full order of tempura… we ordered some other small dishes for the kids as well. Overall, we were really impressed by the food and the service; our waitress was so friendly. We’ll definitely be coming back here for meals!
Best customer service. They let their food and actions do all the talking. Right when we were seated, they provided us with complimentary spicy tuna & miso soup. We ordered the agedashi tofu, dragon roll, alaska roll, and uni. House wine and beer. Cute little spot with holiday decorations ❤️
The staff are incredible, in particular the sushi chefs, however my wife and I can confidently say, we have not found more fresh and delicious fish. We literally order 2 combination dinners (sushi + sashimi) at least twice per week. I’m writing this review as I’m here choosing to wait(with an Asahi and edamame) for my to go order because of how much appreciation we both have for the quality of their food. There is love, precision, and such a fresh nature of all their fish that makes it absolutely a must. We don’t take photos of our to go (because we enjoy it so much) but here is my plate as I am waiting and a hibiscus flower from our yard. The flower is unrelated to this post other than hoping it boosts visibility to Kotobuki Jr
Great food. Very reasonable pricing. Left full. My kid doesn't even like seafood and ate a raw shrimp and loved it.
This might be one of our new spots in Montclair Village! To preface, when we first moved to the east bay we ordered delivery from this restaurant our first night in our new house and were a bit disappointed, so we effectively left it off our list of places to go… this was our mistake! The restaurant is no frills, but there’s seating for bigger parties and partitions between tables so it feels roomy. There’s a huge TV broadcasting sports events too. We happened to go on “customer appreciation night” and were thoroughly surprised by the amount of complimentary dishes they brought to our table. I was already close to full with all this free dishes! I ordered the cold soba dish and that was really good. It even comes with a full order of tempura… we ordered some other small dishes for the kids as well. Overall, we were really impressed by the food and the service; our waitress was so friendly. We’ll definitely be coming back here for meals!
Best customer service. They let their food and actions do all the talking. Right when we were seated, they provided us with complimentary spicy tuna & miso soup. We ordered the agedashi tofu, dragon roll, alaska roll, and uni. House wine and beer. Cute little spot with holiday decorations ❤️
The staff are incredible, in particular the sushi chefs, however my wife and I can confidently say, we have not found more fresh and delicious fish. We literally order 2 combination dinners (sushi + sashimi) at least twice per week. I’m writing this review as I’m here choosing to wait(with an Asahi and edamame) for my to go order because of how much appreciation we both have for the quality of their food. There is love, precision, and such a fresh nature of all their fish that makes it absolutely a must. We don’t take photos of our to go (because we enjoy it so much) but here is my plate as I am waiting and a hibiscus flower from our yard. The flower is unrelated to this post other than hoping it boosts visibility to Kotobuki Jr
Great food. Very reasonable pricing. Left full. My kid doesn't even like seafood and ate a raw shrimp and loved it.
I take-out here once a week and the staff is amazing. My family’s orders are always correct and the food is consistently delicious. I’ve been coming here for over 5 years and I still look forward to weekly sushi night from Kotobuki.
This place is amazing. Some of the best Japanese food around. Favorite dishes: karage, blue Hawaii, and the caterpillar rolll. I'm definitely interested in trying their vegetable tempura. I kept seeing people order it, and it looks special.
I took my daughter out to dinner eat here for her 16th birthday. I mentioned it was her birthday and they brought us fried ice cream on the house. We are also not super familiar with Japanese customs and culture, and they were very patient as they explained how you are supposed to eat certain foods. I got the beef Ramen and my daughter got Udon, we shared some Gyoza and Tuna rolls! Excellent experience.
Had dinner here on several occasions and the quality of both food and services has been constantly 10/10. Also with very reasonable price on their fish and kitchen options this place
Unexpectedly great! Stopped by for takeout after a trail run so we were sweaty and dirty but they sat us down with edamame, spicy tuna amuse bouche, and a Sapporo to enjoy while we waited for our order. We got multiple small items on the house to try with our food - like wow! Super friendly and accommodating. And the rolls were excellent and fresh too. Will be back
This place is very kid friendly! We brought our two kids and were surprised on the service. They don’t have a kids menu but anything in their menu can be modifiable. They also have a changing table and a plate for my daughter to use. We found our new restaurant for our family!
One of the best sushi spot in the bay. The food just feels and tastes fresh. Portions are nice and flavors are there. The sashimi is amazing, the specialty rolls are all really well done. You can tell they care about their craft. Ive had delivery and the food is still amazing. You know delivery sometimes reduces the quality of the food.
Really enjoyed takeout from Kotobuki last night, definitely a new go-to for Japanese food! Could taste the craft and care they put into the dishes - quality ingredients prepared skillfully, it was delicious. Got a mix of staples - kaarage, tempura, maki, nigiri, and everything was delicious. Highlight was the Montclair roll - unique and soooo good!
Prices at restaurants have gone up dramatically over the last few years as everyone knows. This is one of the few where I still feel like I'm getting my money's worth. The service is very good, the food is better, and even the ambience, specifically the music, is excellent. Yes, they have recently raised prices, but even then, I know I'd pay the same amount for a lot less in most other restaurants, whether we're trying new ones or our old favorites. I don't feel like just a mark when I go in to Kotobuki. We will be coming back again and again and bringing friends whenever possible.
This place is very kid friendly! We brought our two kids and were surprised on the service. They don’t have a kids menu but anything in their menu can be modifiable. They also have a changing table and a plate for my daughter to use. We found our new restaurant for our family!
One of the best sushi spot in the bay. The food just feels and tastes fresh. Portions are nice and flavors are there. The sashimi is amazing, the specialty rolls are all really well done. You can tell they care about their craft. Ive had delivery and the food is still amazing. You know delivery sometimes reduces the quality of the food.
Really enjoyed takeout from Kotobuki last night, definitely a new go-to for Japanese food! Could taste the craft and care they put into the dishes - quality ingredients prepared skillfully, it was delicious. Got a mix of staples - kaarage, tempura, maki, nigiri, and everything was delicious. Highlight was the Montclair roll - unique and soooo good!
Had dinner here on several occasions and the quality of both food and services has been constantly 10/10. Also with very reasonable price on their fish and kitchen options this place
I take-out here once a week and the staff is amazing. My family’s orders are always correct and the food is consistently delicious. I’ve been coming here for over 5 years and I still look forward to weekly sushi night from Kotobuki.
This place is amazing. Some of the best Japanese food around. Favorite dishes: karage, blue Hawaii, and the caterpillar rolll. I'm definitely interested in trying their vegetable tempura. I kept seeing people order it, and it looks special.
I took my daughter out to dinner eat here for her 16th birthday. I mentioned it was her birthday and they brought us fried ice cream on the house. We are also not super familiar with Japanese customs and culture, and they were very patient as they explained how you are supposed to eat certain foods. I got the beef Ramen and my daughter got Udon, we shared some Gyoza and Tuna rolls! Excellent experience.
Prices at restaurants have gone up dramatically over the last few years as everyone knows. This is one of the few where I still feel like I'm getting my money's worth. The service is very good, the food is better, and even the ambience, specifically the music, is excellent. Yes, they have recently raised prices, but even then, I know I'd pay the same amount for a lot less in most other restaurants, whether we're trying new ones or our old favorites. I don't feel like just a mark when I go in to Kotobuki. We will be coming back again and again and bringing friends whenever possible.
Unexpectedly great! Stopped by for takeout after a trail run so we were sweaty and dirty but they sat us down with edamame, spicy tuna amuse bouche, and a Sapporo to enjoy while we waited for our order. We got multiple small items on the house to try with our food - like wow! Super friendly and accommodating. And the rolls were excellent and fresh too. Will be back
Been going to Kotobuki since it was on Piedmont Ave. The food is always good and reliable. We like the restaurant because its good for families and are able to accommodate our family dinners of 8.
Sushi is good. Pork katsu in Doubri is soggy with egg.
Been going to Kotobuki since it was on Piedmont Ave. The food is always good and reliable. We like the restaurant because its good for families and are able to accommodate our family dinners of 8.
Sushi is good. Pork katsu in Doubri is soggy with egg.
Very good first experience! Sashimi set for two was of excellent quality and variety, add-ons like amaebi took the dinner to another level. Rice accompanying the sashimi was regular medium grain rather than seasoned sushi rice, but a relatively small miss when the seafood is the star!
This neighborhood sushi spot has upped its game. We were delighted to see some new dishes on the menu. The “happy spoons” and thinly sliced albacore were great and the sushi rolls generous yummy and satisfying.
Very good first experience! Sashimi set for two was of excellent quality and variety, add-ons like amaebi took the dinner to another level. Rice accompanying the sashimi was regular medium grain rather than seasoned sushi rice, but a relatively small miss when the seafood is the star!
This neighborhood sushi spot has upped its game. We were delighted to see some new dishes on the menu. The “happy spoons” and thinly sliced albacore were great and the sushi rolls generous yummy and satisfying.
I believe that this restaurant has the potential to greatly improve with a makeover. While the interior decor is outdated, the atmosphere and vibe are appealing. On the positive side, the food was delicious except the endamame. The appetizer came out so cold I stopped eating it. The service provided was outstanding. With a refreshed interior decor, this restaurant could become vibrant and potentially even justify higher prices. Overall, my experience was satisfactory, but there is room for improvement.
Found this place a few months back and loved it. Unfortunately last number of times the service has been awful. Once I had to walk up to the waiter 3 times to get their attention. They are too busy with pickup orders
Found this place a few months back and loved it. Unfortunately last number of times the service has been awful. Once I had to walk up to the waiter 3 times to get their attention. They are too busy with pickup orders
I believe that this restaurant has the potential to greatly improve with a makeover. While the interior decor is outdated, the atmosphere and vibe are appealing. On the positive side, the food was delicious except the endamame. The appetizer came out so cold I stopped eating it. The service provided was outstanding. With a refreshed interior decor, this restaurant could become vibrant and potentially even justify higher prices. Overall, my experience was satisfactory, but there is room for improvement.
We waited 45 minutes for 3 rolls when it was fairly empty- I think they just forgot about us? The food is decent but not worth the 15% markup compared to other similar spots. Most places around here combo rolls cost $16-$18… almost every roll on this menu is $20
We waited 45 minutes for 3 rolls when it was fairly empty- I think they just forgot about us? The food is decent but not worth the 15% markup compared to other similar spots. Most places around here combo rolls cost $16-$18… almost every roll on this menu is $20
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6111 La Salle Ave, Oakland, CA 94611
Alameda, CA 94611
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