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Img - Akemi Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Akemi Berkeley

4.6 (522)
$30 and under
Japanese
1695 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707

Make a reservation

A photo of Akemi Berkeley restaurant

Akemi Berkeley

4.6
$30 and under
Japanese
Berkeley

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 9 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Healthy
  • Good for special occasions
Opened in February 2015, AKEMI is the latest incarnation of miyuki on 1695 Solano Avenue in North Berkeley (Albany border) in the San Francisco Bay Area.


Along with a revamped interior and exterior that includes salvaged wood and upgraded kitchen equipment, AKEMI features an updated menu spotlighting fresh ingredients and well-crafted flavors while retaining customer classics such as our sushi rolls.


AKEMI is the new name we bestow upon the beauty that is good food with good people in a good place.

For outdoor reservations please call the restaurant.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Japanese
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:30 pm Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Dennis Imazumi
  • Neighborhood
    Berkeley
  • Cross street
    Tacoma Ave
  • Parking details
    Two-hour, pay-to-park street parking on Solano Avenue from 9:00am - 6:00pm.
  • Public transit
    (BY BUS)AC Transit Local Line 18 runs along Solano Avenue, with Albany-bound stops on both sides of Akemi at Ensenada Avenue and Tacoma Avenue, and Montclair. (BY BART)We are equidistant (about 1.6 miles) from both North Berkeley and El Cerrito BART stations. Walk or bike the last 1.6 miles through the lovely neighborhoods.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Akemi Berkeley.

4.6

4.6
(522)
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • East Bay

    Healthy

  • East Bay

    Japanese

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Akemi in Berkeley offers "outstanding" food and a "great selection of sake." The restaurant provides attentive service, accommodating requests, and boasts popular dishes like the brussels sprouts and salmon collar. While some diners experienced delays, the menu's variety and quality, including "delicious" sushi and ramen, make it a local favorite.
522 Reviews
  1. Susan Gold

    San Francisco47 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 24, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Early dinner with my daughter. Several families with children but mostly empty. The place filled up by 6;00. Service was good and the food outstanding!! The avocado roll was fresh and so good I craved another but I was full after my entree. My daughter had salmon beautifully plated. I will definitely return.

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  2. Andoni

    San Francisco1 review

    3.0

    Dined on October 10, 2026

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Friday night dinner, took us 40 minutes Jo even put an order in for drinks. Waitress was rude, maybe they were understaffed, so she was stressed out, but no need to be rude

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  3. Maia

    Denver22 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on September 25, 2026

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We met for lunch and ordered appetizer, sushi and salmon dishes.. brussels sprouts are very good, the gyoza filling did not have good flavor , and the octopus was not good at all. Rice was a little dry and was not flavored correctly for being sushi rice. The rice with the salmon was fine. Next time I want more authentic Japanese food, I will go elsewhere.  they did do a good job with Service 

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  4. Cheryl

    San Francisco2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 13, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Celebrating my move to Berkeley with family and wanted a local spot with a great reputation. We all love Japanese food - this place was amazing and lived up to the reviews.

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  5. michael Gold

    San Francisco69 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 4, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything great on the menu but my favorite is spicy garlic edamame

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  6. Susan Gold

    San Francisco68 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 15, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had not been to Akemi for awhile and decided to go at the last minute. The food did not disappoint. We had a wonderful server who was very attentive. They made accommodations for our hearing challenges by ensuring we had an appropriate table. A particular standout was the salmon collar and a very nice bottle of sake. Great evening, great food!

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  7. Elena

    Denver3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 26, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This was our first time here. We enjoyed the food and selection for GF dining experience. The waitress was very helpful in selecting and confirming with chef which items were safe for us. We had three rolls double hamachi, 49er, and spicy tuna - all delicious. We tried the panacotta desert too- very good. Great selection of sake! We will be back.

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  8. Gabrielle Gold

    San Francisco97 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 27, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We have eaten many times here and it is always great

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  9. Wyn Gold

    Unspecified4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 17, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    The black salted cod was worth coming in for all on its own!

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  10. Judi

    San Francisco90 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 14, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service are consistently excellent. It a city with lots of great restaurants, Akemi is one of our favorites.

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Japanese
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:30 pm Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Dennis Imazumi
  • Neighborhood
    Berkeley
  • Cross street
    Tacoma Ave
  • Parking details
    Two-hour, pay-to-park street parking on Solano Avenue from 9:00am - 6:00pm.
  • Public transit
    (BY BUS)AC Transit Local Line 18 runs along Solano Avenue, with Albany-bound stops on both sides of Akemi at Ensenada Avenue and Tacoma Avenue, and Montclair. (BY BART)We are equidistant (about 1.6 miles) from both North Berkeley and El Cerrito BART stations. Walk or bike the last 1.6 miles through the lovely neighborhoods.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access

FAQs

For a calmer visit, go at lunch (Mon–Fri 11:30–2:30, Sat–Sun 12–3); if you want a livelier dinner, guests note Sunday evenings fill up by about 6:15 p.m.

Yes, families dine here: reviewers mention family celebrations and even call Akemi a nephew’s favorite, with service described as sweet and attentive for those visits.

Sunday is a great choice, guests describe pleasant Sunday lunches and note Sunday evenings often fill up (several reviews mention the restaurant was already full by early evening).

Portions at Akemi are generous, guests frequently report combination plates and bento boxes as plentiful, with some diners leaving with leftovers to take home.

Yes, Akemi’s intimate, moody atmosphere and multiple guests’ positive date-night and anniversary visits make it well suited for a special evening out.

Yes, Akemi offers outdoor seating: the owners note, “For outdoor reservations please call the restaurant, ” and guests have reserved and dined at outside/sidewalk tables.

Akemi has a stylish, intimate vibe, a revamped interior with salvaged wood creates a warm, moody room, they often play soft jazz, and there’s a lovely side room that’s a bit quieter for conversation.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. East Bay
  5. Berkeley

Make a reservation

A photo of Akemi Berkeley restaurant

Akemi Berkeley

4.6
$30 and under
Japanese
Berkeley

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 9 times today
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