Omakase

Simply put this is the best food we have ever tried. Can't recommend it enough. Get reservations a month ahead.

We made reservations through Resy so the booking experience was fairly seamless. This location is the exact same location of where Yume use to be. The decor inside has been updated to give off a whiskey lounge feel. I liked it. The whole experience was great. The sushi was great and on par with some of the best I've had in the bay area. What set Utzutzu apart was their miso soup, small bit sized ginger and dessert. Their miso soup consisted of a variety of mushrooms and was so good. The head chef changes the menu every month so hopefully he keeps that on the menu. I definitely recommend this for folks who frequents omakase restaurant.

Great fresh fish with an authentic feel of Japan.

+1

I would like to share my unique experience with this restaurant: I was thrilled to see this restaurant suddenly availability 2 weeks again for 2/5 at 8pm so I quickly took it since it's my husband’s bday weekend. It was only on the day of that I realized that I had actually only got one seat (yeah I know, it was my fault that I didn't recheck my reservation again for details). Since the restaurant had 48 hour cancellation policy, we knew it was too late to cancel/alter my reservation. We decided to call them to see if they could accommodate 2 people instead of 1. Unfortunately, no one answered the call for the entire day. We ended up deciding to drive up to the restaurant from south bay a little before 7pm, hoping 🙏 there's bit chance that the chef could still accomdenate us. We got to the restaurant promptly at 8pm. I told the waiter about the situation and below is whole conversation: Waiter: “let me check with chef to see if there's anything we can do. Normally we wouldn't be able to accommodate you if you have reservation for one.” Me: “ thank you!” 2 min later: Waiter: “sorry we might have enough fish, but not enough appetizers” Me: “thats completely fine! I can just skip appetizer” Another 2 min later Waiter: “sorry we still can't do that.” Me: “i understand. Can I then pack my food to go?” Waiter: “sorry we don't have to go containers” Me: “oh I can go get some containers” Waiter: “sorry we just can‘t pack your food to go” Me: “i will be just having it downstairs in the car” Waiter: “No.” Me: “Alright. Then can I have my food at the table and share it with my husband?” (pointing to their cozy little dining table by the window) Waiter: “no you can’t” At this point, I am clueless. It started pouring outside but we seemed to have ruled out all the options. The nice waiter finally said: “ I am really sorry this happened. What I can do for you is to cancel your entire reservation tonight and NOT charge you for the penalty (aka the entire meal’s $$$$).” He paused for a moment and continued: “but you are BANNED from our restaurant for the rest of your life. You will not be able to make any reservation with us.” I was so humbled and grateful by the generous offer. How dare I, someone so careless in making reservations in the first place, dine at such prestigious Japanese restaurant! We left. In the rain. My husband got me some pickled fish for dinner. It was not raw fish, but I think it was a good bday dinner anywayz.

This place is amazing. From the B-dama and Delage family. I out this up there with maruya and kenzo

You likely have never had sushi before, until you eat here. Life changing food. The food (really it's art you eat) is outrageous and the saki is amazing. You will spend $400 dollars on 2 people at least. You WILL NOT regret spending a single dollar. Go crazy, order extra sushi at the end, chef's choice. Or if George has Mackerel, you better get that, it's bonkers, especially if it's the brined Japanese one, oh my God, you will want to end your life on those flavors. Oh and just so you know, it is customary to buy George a beer at the end of the meal, be the people that buy him his beer. He is a very nice man, be respectful with your questions and appreciate his incredibly dry sense of humor. Otherwise, enjoy!!

A beautiful hidden gem and a omasake that made me feel so full! Lovely staff, delicious eats and a quiet and unique experience.

Best sushi experience I've had in my life. Looking for that next special occasion when we can go back.

Magnificent. Beautifully presented top grade sushi and dishes served in a great space. 8 seats only, intimate and delicious. A special place.

An expensive but worth it Omakase sushi experience. The next best thing to going to Japan.

Fantastic experience. There is a passion here for top quality (and delicious) ingredients, and it shows. Apparently the menu changes monthly... if only money were no object...

Excellent 7 seater sushi counter, the chef Jorji is clearly a master at what he does and gets in wonderful, unusual specialities for the omakase menu. Menu changes monthly.

Memorable experience with the best nigiri and sashimi ever.

Amazing fish, Bay Area needs more of these hidden gems. It’s all about the fish, and I love that!

Wonderful experience, personal, traditional, and so flavorful! Amazing attentive service! It's a special find! 🍣❤️

Wow - what a special place! The ambiance, atmosphere, service, and attention to detail crafted in each course is perfection. The sushi chef is so talented and does an excellent job at pacing each course / nigiri bites. The fish is mostly imported from Japan with a few pieces from the PNW. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun elevated sushi experience. Definitely worth the splurge in my opinion! Can't wait to go back again soon.

A very niched omakase place in alameda. Small but very nice atmosphere with quality plates. The Japanese chef was very friendly and humorous, and we were glad to try this place.

Probably the best fine dining experience in Alameda. Hidden away with no signs in a small space that only serves 8 people at a time with only two sittings a day. Ridiculously amazing sushi, most of it directly from Japan. The hand rolls are probably the best I’ve had state side. Highly recommend. Try to keep it a secret but it’s too good. Book far in advance. Spots go quickly. $110 fixed price excluding drinks and extra rounds.

best omakase in the bay! 🍣🌁 Chef was awesome and explained the origin of everything, and the sauces. Super small seatings - only 7 people per seating - so get on resy and reserve a month in advance! You can expect to pay ~$150/person, take about 2-2.5hrs, 15+ dishes, and they have an extensive sake menu too! Be prepared to taste amazing things you have never tasted before!!! Btw - Reservations open 30 days before at midnight! don't make the mistake I did and fall asleep lol... the person answering the phone is super nice and directs you to resy anyways 😅🍣🗓

Had a great Omakase dining experience with Chef Joji. I was surprised this little hidden gem is in Alameda bc we always drive past it but never noticed it. PROS -Incredibly fresh & melt in your mouth sushi -simple but beautiful presentation -enjoyed the menu and chef’s selection of fish -This is probably one of my favorite spots for Omakase -I liked the limited seating arrangement -great location -everything was perfectly balanced and didn’t feel heavy/rich tasting. It was just the right amount of food and I was content. :)

This was a beautiful delightful omakase experience. The service was peaceful and detailed. 2 super helpful servers and 1 amazing skilled Japanese chef, sits 8. We had a great time, the fish was super fresh, the chef explained everything accordingly. We were celebrating my husband's birthday and they even added a sweet candle on the delicious dessert. 100% recommended.

Where do I begin? This is the 1st official omakase I've had with my entire family. Prior to this night I've had some drinks with my boyfriend and also my cousin alongside Chef Joji. His dish with the "uni" like look of carrot puree is delightful! I'm so glad my family got to experience. I know I'll definitely be back!

Exceptional experience - great food, wonderful chef and very welcoming staff. If you are fan of shush/omakase this is a must visit place in the area.

Incredible sushi spot- 5 stars doesn’t do this place justice. It’s probably the best sushi I’ve ever had including on trips to Japan, and all around the world. This place is incredible. If you want the classic experience, this is the place.

A truly exception evening. Incredible service and even better food. A must try 💜

It was a really amazing meal. Thank you Chef and everyone. All together there was about 20 or 21 items handed to us to eat. About 14 nigiri + 7 other dishes. The first an impressive Oyster Shooter had real gold leaf in it. My personal favorites were the Scallop, Wagyu, and Shrimp Nigiri. Chef uses unique flavors like yuzu, lime, garlic chip, flavored salts, to really make this a 5 star meal. The value for the cost is amazing. I don't usually eat so much fish so I was struggling to finish it all. But it was really an amazing dinner. Uni has never appealed to me, until my time a Utzutzu. To finish we were given a Mango Sorbet with maple, coconut and shisho leaf. It was unique and refreshing and a wonderful finish to the meal. The "Happy Anniversary" signs in the sorbet were nice as I had forgotten I put it on the reservation. But they remembered. The menu changes often, monthly or even daily. Don't be picky here. Just sit back and try new things. If you have allergies let them know 2 days in advance ideally. But it was very nice that chef asked us if we had any allergies or items we didn't want to eat as we were seated. There is only 6 seats total (at the sushi bar). It is very intimate and you feel like you are dining as a group. Seatings are at 5:30 and 8pm and reservations book up 6 weeks in advance. Because of the small space it felt almost inappropriate to take photos. We just enjoyed the moment but here is 1 photo for memories sake. I always keep the Menu information.

Wonderful experience and everything was incredibly fresh and well-prepared. Will go back again and again. Worth the price, without question.

Gabby Paige

Wonderful experience, personal, traditional, and so flavorful! Amazing attentive service! It's a special find! 🍣❤️

Erica Borowski

Wow - what a special place! The ambiance, atmosphere, service, and attention to detail crafted in each course is perfection. The sushi chef is so talented and does an excellent job at pacing each course / nigiri bites. The fish is mostly imported from Japan with a few pieces from the PNW. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun elevated sushi experience. Definitely worth the splurge in my opinion! Can't wait to go back again soon.

Cool Being

A very niched omakase place in alameda. Small but very nice atmosphere with quality plates. The Japanese chef was very friendly and humorous, and we were glad to try this place.

Zac Bowling

Probably the best fine dining experience in Alameda. Hidden away with no signs in a small space that only serves 8 people at a time with only two sittings a day. Ridiculously amazing sushi, most of it directly from Japan. The hand rolls are probably the best I’ve had state side. Highly recommend. Try to keep it a secret but it’s too good. Book far in advance. Spots go quickly. $110 fixed price excluding drinks and extra rounds.

Shelley

best omakase in the bay! 🍣🌁 Chef was awesome and explained the origin of everything, and the sauces. Super small seatings - only 7 people per seating - so get on resy and reserve a month in advance! You can expect to pay ~$150/person, take about 2-2.5hrs, 15+ dishes, and they have an extensive sake menu too! Be prepared to taste amazing things you have never tasted before!!! Btw - Reservations open 30 days before at midnight! don't make the mistake I did and fall asleep lol... the person answering the phone is super nice and directs you to resy anyways 😅🍣🗓

Juniper Moon

Had a great Omakase dining experience with Chef Joji. I was surprised this little hidden gem is in Alameda bc we always drive past it but never noticed it. PROS -Incredibly fresh & melt in your mouth sushi -simple but beautiful presentation -enjoyed the menu and chef’s selection of fish -This is probably one of my favorite spots for Omakase -I liked the limited seating arrangement -great location -everything was perfectly balanced and didn’t feel heavy/rich tasting. It was just the right amount of food and I was content. :)

Rebeca Padilla

This was a beautiful delightful omakase experience. The service was peaceful and detailed. 2 super helpful servers and 1 amazing skilled Japanese chef, sits 8. We had a great time, the fish was super fresh, the chef explained everything accordingly. We were celebrating my husband's birthday and they even added a sweet candle on the delicious dessert. 100% recommended.

Merlinda Yu

Where do I begin? This is the 1st official omakase I've had with my entire family. Prior to this night I've had some drinks with my boyfriend and also my cousin alongside Chef Joji. His dish with the "uni" like look of carrot puree is delightful! I'm so glad my family got to experience. I know I'll definitely be back!

Valentina H

Exceptional experience - great food, wonderful chef and very welcoming staff. If you are fan of shush/omakase this is a must visit place in the area.

Kiely Faroe

Incredible sushi spot- 5 stars doesn’t do this place justice. It’s probably the best sushi I’ve ever had including on trips to Japan, and all around the world. This place is incredible. If you want the classic experience, this is the place.

Alyssa Kay

A truly exception evening. Incredible service and even better food. A must try 💜

J

It was a really amazing meal. Thank you Chef and everyone. All together there was about 20 or 21 items handed to us to eat. About 14 nigiri + 7 other dishes. The first an impressive Oyster Shooter had real gold leaf in it. My personal favorites were the Scallop, Wagyu, and Shrimp Nigiri. Chef uses unique flavors like yuzu, lime, garlic chip, flavored salts, to really make this a 5 star meal. The value for the cost is amazing. I don't usually eat so much fish so I was struggling to finish it all. But it was really an amazing dinner. Uni has never appealed to me, until my time a Utzutzu. To finish we were given a Mango Sorbet with maple, coconut and shisho leaf. It was unique and refreshing and a wonderful finish to the meal. The "Happy Anniversary" signs in the sorbet were nice as I had forgotten I put it on the reservation. But they remembered. The menu changes often, monthly or even daily. Don't be picky here. Just sit back and try new things. If you have allergies let them know 2 days in advance ideally. But it was very nice that chef asked us if we had any allergies or items we didn't want to eat as we were seated. There is only 6 seats total (at the sushi bar). It is very intimate and you feel like you are dining as a group. Seatings are at 5:30 and 8pm and reservations book up 6 weeks in advance. Because of the small space it felt almost inappropriate to take photos. We just enjoyed the moment but here is 1 photo for memories sake. I always keep the Menu information.

Christine Ferrelli

Wonderful experience and everything was incredibly fresh and well-prepared. Will go back again and again. Worth the price, without question.

Hard to reserve seats at this 8 seat only Omakase behind an unmarked door in Alameda. Led by a quality, experience, and diner education obsessed chef who personally selects and imports most of the seafood from Japan. It is a personally catered omakase bar service of very high quality. They also have a lovely sake selection. Pricey, but worth it.

Utmost delightful culinary experience...the detail and most importantly the amazing taste of fresh seafood was eye opening....and words can't describe the Wagyu nigiri.

Sheila Ramos

Utmost delightful culinary experience...the detail and most importantly the amazing taste of fresh seafood was eye opening....and words can't describe the Wagyu nigiri.

Nick Zeigler

Hard to reserve seats at this 8 seat only Omakase behind an unmarked door in Alameda. Led by a quality, experience, and diner education obsessed chef who personally selects and imports most of the seafood from Japan. It is a personally catered omakase bar service of very high quality. They also have a lovely sake selection. Pricey, but worth it.

I would think the food is just average in flavor. The ingredients are fresh and good quality. However the nigiris themselves are too boring for me. Most of them are dominated by soy sauce flavor, and I can’t taste more layers than that. When there is less sodium then I could get a sense of the taste, but basically are from the ingredients themselves. The ambiance is good and the service is good. Parking is very convenient compared to SF.

Very small space and I was almost hit to a customer sitting next to me. Nigiri was 14 pieces, shari was the right size, slightly cold, and a vinegar taste was not my taste. Fish is good to very good in quality. Kinmedai was excellent. I did not enjoy aged sardine (I rather prefer to have fresh sardine), and other fish were fresh. Some appetizers are just ok and akadashi miso was not well made. Nonetheless overall I enjoyed this omakase place as an edomae choice in SF area. I will try again.

The food was fresh and with high quality ingredient But I didn't enjoy the mango ice cream dessert. The place is a little bit hard to find. Also the price went up to $145 since this Dec. But overall I recommend this place If you want to try authentic omakase with reasonable price.

The Food I have only visited a handful of omakase places. But a friend was able to get a reservation at Utzutzu, so I wanted to give this place a try. Once we settled in our seats, the chef presented us with the fish that he will be preparing for the night. Few friends and I decided to try out their Sake of the day, which was the Nagurayama "Gekkyu". They presented the Sake in an aesthetic glass, it was not bad, though I prefer some of the sweeter sake. As the courses began, they were as follows... - Kinpira Gobo (braised burdock root), with asparagus topped with saffron - Nanbanzuke (marinated fish, with a slight citrus taste) Nigiri - Isaki (伊佐木 / Chicken Grunt, soft and have a slight crunch) - Shima-aji (縞鯵 / Striped Jack, hint of lime zest) - Ishigakidai (Knifejaw, smooth with a slight chew) - Horse Snake Mackerel - Golden Eye (Deep Sea) Snapper (hint of roast flavor, not overdone) - Black Seabream (almost melt in mouth) - Maguro (leaner cut but still fresh) - Amberjack (balanced with yuzu kosho) - Saba (topped with sweet kelp) - Ocean Trout - Sumiso-ae (miso and vinegar dressed with cucumber and octopus, sweet and refreshing, octopus have a slight chew, but not tough) - Uni Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard, topped with Hokkaido uni, along with shitake, spinach, and ginkgo nut) Nigiri - Scallop, Torched (slight burnt bitterness) - Shrimp From Canada (fresh, almost melt in mouth) - Otoro (delicious) - Toro Hand Roll - Tamagoyaki (the right sweetness) - Akadashi (miso soup with zucchini, mushroom, and tofu skin) - Peach Jelly (slight sweetness, not overpowering) The Miscellaneous The Utzutzu restaurant is a bit tucked away. There is no sign other than a door number, and you will know you are in the right place once you go up the stairs. The inside greets the guests with a small lounge area while they wait for their reservation. They have a sushi bar that just seats 7 people. It gives a more personal experience with the chef I believe. The service and staff were good. You know they put attention to detail when they fold the clean wipe so it is easy to use. The menu has a good variety of dishes to keep it interesting. Reservations open around 1 month in advance, it's still hard to get seating, so reserve early. All in all, the food was delicious, and quite the array of selections. Would recommend and would also want to return again.

Small intimate omakase spot. Good quality fish. Worth it.

Yan Kuang

The Food I have only visited a handful of omakase places. But a friend was able to get a reservation at Utzutzu, so I wanted to give this place a try. Once we settled in our seats, the chef presented us with the fish that he will be preparing for the night. Few friends and I decided to try out their Sake of the day, which was the Nagurayama "Gekkyu". They presented the Sake in an aesthetic glass, it was not bad, though I prefer some of the sweeter sake. As the courses began, they were as follows... - Kinpira Gobo (braised burdock root), with asparagus topped with saffron - Nanbanzuke (marinated fish, with a slight citrus taste) Nigiri - Isaki (伊佐木 / Chicken Grunt, soft and have a slight crunch) - Shima-aji (縞鯵 / Striped Jack, hint of lime zest) - Ishigakidai (Knifejaw, smooth with a slight chew) - Horse Snake Mackerel - Golden Eye (Deep Sea) Snapper (hint of roast flavor, not overdone) - Black Seabream (almost melt in mouth) - Maguro (leaner cut but still fresh) - Amberjack (balanced with yuzu kosho) - Saba (topped with sweet kelp) - Ocean Trout - Sumiso-ae (miso and vinegar dressed with cucumber and octopus, sweet and refreshing, octopus have a slight chew, but not tough) - Uni Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard, topped with Hokkaido uni, along with shitake, spinach, and ginkgo nut) Nigiri - Scallop, Torched (slight burnt bitterness) - Shrimp From Canada (fresh, almost melt in mouth) - Otoro (delicious) - Toro Hand Roll - Tamagoyaki (the right sweetness) - Akadashi (miso soup with zucchini, mushroom, and tofu skin) - Peach Jelly (slight sweetness, not overpowering) The Miscellaneous The Utzutzu restaurant is a bit tucked away. There is no sign other than a door number, and you will know you are in the right place once you go up the stairs. The inside greets the guests with a small lounge area while they wait for their reservation. They have a sushi bar that just seats 7 people. It gives a more personal experience with the chef I believe. The service and staff were good. You know they put attention to detail when they fold the clean wipe so it is easy to use. The menu has a good variety of dishes to keep it interesting. Reservations open around 1 month in advance, it's still hard to get seating, so reserve early. All in all, the food was delicious, and quite the array of selections. Would recommend and would also want to return again.

Huy H

Small intimate omakase spot. Good quality fish. Worth it.

portions are tiny! very thin, small pieces of fish. half were bland or very fishy. example, hotate nigiri was 1/4 slice of a whole scallop. chef was kind and service was great. but for the price i paid ($145 pp), not worth it.

This omakase spot is tucked upstairs in a small sushi bar with around 8 seats. The chef is Japanese, so the style feels more traditional, and the fish was fresh. But overall, the flavors were flat and leaned overly salty, especially the soy sauce, which masked a lot of the natural taste. The chef was working alone for the entire room, which made the pacing feel rushed, and the plating lacked detail. The side dishes were honestly forgettable. The service felt uneven. The hostess was friendly, but the guy at the front seemed untrained and didn’t leave the best impression. The chef also gave off a bit of a tense vibe. He kept smiling and talking, but it felt like he was quietly venting or muttering under his breath. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I later noticed other reviewers mentioned the same thing, so it might be a recurring issue. We paid about $450 for two people, with one drink each and a small add-on. For that price, I expected a more polished and balanced experience. If you’re new to omakase, it might be a decent intro but if you’ve had more refined ones, this may fall short.

The omakase itself was a nice experience, I really enjoy hearing about the meals and watching the skilled preparation. I feel like the presentation of the food and the preparation were amazing, very relaxing and full of a refined art. The nigiri was really good and I also enjoyed the fish soup, uni, squid, miso soup and the pudding. The chef responds really well to basic respect and makes it known. He is skilled in his craft and has years of experience. At one point he was pretty angry at another loud couple who had shown up late and were talking loudly as he introduced the meals, only to ask him to repeat himself. He seemed to have a lot on his mind. I want to start this complaint by saying that they apologized immediately when I brought it up, but it seems like I should mention it. In the reservation, I clearly stated that I had a minor mint allergy and my guest had a strong allergy to pine nuts. Again in the lounge (we showed up early), I was asked my allergies and I stated I have an allergy to mint. At the bar again the chef asked me what I was allergic to and I said mint. The preparation of one of the nigiri had a mint leaf in it, which gave me a very mild reaction compared to normal, just a buzzing of the inside of my mouth followed by a light itching of the inner mouth and throat and then an hour or so later a light gut paint/irritation, so nothing crazy. It was a Japanese mint leaf as well, so I got lucky. The only other thing to me that was a bit strange was that the sake is served in plastic glasses. The sake itself was delicious.

Olivia

This omakase spot is tucked upstairs in a small sushi bar with around 8 seats. The chef is Japanese, so the style feels more traditional, and the fish was fresh. But overall, the flavors were flat and leaned overly salty, especially the soy sauce, which masked a lot of the natural taste. The chef was working alone for the entire room, which made the pacing feel rushed, and the plating lacked detail. The side dishes were honestly forgettable. The service felt uneven. The hostess was friendly, but the guy at the front seemed untrained and didn’t leave the best impression. The chef also gave off a bit of a tense vibe. He kept smiling and talking, but it felt like he was quietly venting or muttering under his breath. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I later noticed other reviewers mentioned the same thing, so it might be a recurring issue. We paid about $450 for two people, with one drink each and a small add-on. For that price, I expected a more polished and balanced experience. If you’re new to omakase, it might be a decent intro but if you’ve had more refined ones, this may fall short.

Arjun C

The omakase itself was a nice experience, I really enjoy hearing about the meals and watching the skilled preparation. I feel like the presentation of the food and the preparation were amazing, very relaxing and full of a refined art. The nigiri was really good and I also enjoyed the fish soup, uni, squid, miso soup and the pudding. The chef responds really well to basic respect and makes it known. He is skilled in his craft and has years of experience. At one point he was pretty angry at another loud couple who had shown up late and were talking loudly as he introduced the meals, only to ask him to repeat himself. He seemed to have a lot on his mind. I want to start this complaint by saying that they apologized immediately when I brought it up, but it seems like I should mention it. In the reservation, I clearly stated that I had a minor mint allergy and my guest had a strong allergy to pine nuts. Again in the lounge (we showed up early), I was asked my allergies and I stated I have an allergy to mint. At the bar again the chef asked me what I was allergic to and I said mint. The preparation of one of the nigiri had a mint leaf in it, which gave me a very mild reaction compared to normal, just a buzzing of the inside of my mouth followed by a light itching of the inner mouth and throat and then an hour or so later a light gut paint/irritation, so nothing crazy. It was a Japanese mint leaf as well, so I got lucky. The only other thing to me that was a bit strange was that the sake is served in plastic glasses. The sake itself was delicious.

Food was just average and definitely not worth the $145. The chef’s hand was injured and I could actually see blood, but he continued preparing the food. It made the experience very uncomfortable.

Vicky Pan

Food was just average and definitely not worth the $145. The chef’s hand was injured and I could actually see blood, but he continued preparing the food. It made the experience very uncomfortable.

The server and the chef were very rude and mean. The restaurant is hard to find at the second floor of the building with no sign. Food was ok. The attitude of the chef made the whole dining experience very unpleasant

We had a wonderful, reserved birthday dinner, but the chef lambasted us after service, on the street, for bringing a newborn child to the venue. If you do not want a child at your restaurant, refuse to serve us, or post proper signage. Don't wait until after we have paid you! Complete lack of respect.