Kiku Sushi
Overview
As a professional food reviewer for Eatery Ex, I had the pleasure of dining at Kiku Sushi, located at 1316 Gilman St in Berkeley, CA. This cozy Japanese sushi bar offers a variety of vegetarian and vegan options, making it a standout choice for those looking for plant-based sushi dishes.
- Vegetarian Delight: Kiku Sushi has recently undergone a transformation, introducing an extensive and creative array of new vegetarian and vegan menu options. With over two dozen vegetarian or vegan Maki rolls, customers can enjoy unique combinations of ingredients such as avocado, eggplant, sweet potato, and crunchy potato. The restaurant also offers salads, soups, noodles, vegetarian teriyaki, and even a vegetarian Chirashi bowl, making it a haven for non-fish eaters looking for a sushi fix.
- Fresh Sashimi: Despite the focus on vegetarian options, Kiku Sushi continues to impress with their fresh and delicious fish offerings. Customers can expect consistently fresh sashimi and sushi, with multiple specials available to tantalize the taste buds. The miso black cod and toro special come highly recommended by satisfied diners.
- Comfortable Dining Experience: With a small yet warm and aesthetically pleasing ambiance, Kiku Sushi provides a comfortable dining experience for families and individuals alike. The welcoming service adds to the overall charm of the restaurant, making it a favorite spot for many.
Whether you're a sushi aficionado or a plant-based eater looking for tasty options, Kiku Sushi offers a diverse menu that caters to all tastes. From the creative vegetarian rolls to the fresh sashimi selections, this Asian-owned and women-owned establishment is sure to leave a lasting impression on your culinary journey.
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FAQ's
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What can I expect from the vegetarian options at Kiku Sushi?
You can expect an extensive and creative array of vegetarian and vegan menu options at Kiku Sushi, including over two-dozen vegetarian or vegan Maki rolls, salads, soups, noodles, vegetarian teriyaki, and even a vegetarian Chirashi bowl.
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Has Kiku Sushi improved its service?
While service at Kiku Sushi has improved and become more attentive, there is still room for improvement according to customer reviews.
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What are some of the changes at the newly reopened Kiku Sushi?
Some of the changes include cosmetic upgrades, an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu, and new prices reflective of the current dining landscape.
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What sets Kiku Sushi apart from other sushi restaurants?
Kiku Sushi stands out due to its fresh and delicious sashimi, creative vegetarian options, and welcoming atmosphere.
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What are the highlights of the dining experience at Kiku Sushi?
The highlights include excellent Japanese cuisine, extensive vegetarian options, reasonable prices, friendly service, and a great selection of sushi rolls.
Visitors' opinions on Kiku Sushi
/ 596
Vivien S. 27/04/2024
Me and my family's very fav sushi place!! it's small and very comfortable and warm feeling, while also being pretty aesthetically pleasing. Sushi is so delicious and the service is great. highly recommend!!
Susanne M. 09/02/2024
The sushi here was incredibly fresh, generously portioned and absolutely delicious! It is the best sushi I have experienced outside of Japan.
Patricia H. 07/02/2024
I've got to share my latest discovery with you! So, I've always avoided sushi because of my fish allergy, but my husband found this amazing place with vegan options and we decided to give it a try. And let me tell you, it was a game-changer! Not your average avocado roll I had this delicious sunshine roll with sweet mango and a spicy kick that was out of this world. And the vegan options were just as good as the sushi! I couldn't believe it wasn't a trick. The saké we had was just so delicious! The area is lovely, and even though it's small with tricky parking, the friendly employees made it all worth it. I'm definitely going back for more!
Aaron M. 02/02/2024
Kiku Sushi on Gilman has just re-opened, with a new owner. We're still fans, but with new prices we'll reserve Kiku for special occasions. WHAT'S NEW? ***Cosmetic Upgrades*** The space looks very similar, but more upscale and less cluttered. There's nice new wood paneling in back and over the bar. The most noticeable difference is the much brighter modern lighting, which I liked at first, but found to be a little harsh. ***Vegetarian Delight!*** The biggest change at the newly reopened Kiku is an extensive and creative array of new vegetarian and vegan menu options! This is easily the most extensive and diverse fish-free sushi menu I've ever seen. There are over two-dozen vegetarian or vegan Maki rolls, each filled with various combinations of avocado, eggplant, sweet potato, crunchy potato, spicy tofu, and some even have ginger carrots, or pumpkin seeds, and multiple types of mushrooms. All were quite tempting, we tried two and they were both delicious. They have multiple other vegetarian options as well, including salads, soups, noodles (hot and cold), vegetarian teriyaki, they even offer a vegetarian Chirashi bowl, which is something I've never seen anywhere else. We were surprised when we ordered seaweed salad and found it was made from fresh seaweed with homemade sauce -- totally different from the fluorescent-green seaweed salad we're used to, and also delicious. ***Service Improved*** Service still wasn't perfect, but much more attentive than in the past. OLD KIKU: As more or less monthly regulars for 15 years, we'd grown to expect poor service, and we repeatedly chose to forgive amateur mistakes from waitstaff because the sushi was consistently cheap and delicious. KIKU NOW: In a dining room this small, we were generally able to get somebody's attention after only a minute or two, but when my daughter (of course) knocked over her full water glass, the three of us were quick to jump up and begin strategic napkin placement, but even with our whole party standing up and performing flood-control, nobody noticed, and after getting the spill under control we eventually had to ask our waitress for more napkins. For a meal of this price, I would expect a higher level of attentiveness. That brings me to the last thing that's changed, which is: ***New Prices*** Welcome to 2024. We ended up spending almost $300 for dinner for two adults and one child. This includes a surprisingly expensive Otoro nigiri from the specials menu (my fault, I should have asked), and also a $35 bottle of sake. Even with those indulgences, we were a little surprised by the total. I understand there's often a premium for good fresh sashimi and sushi, but at this price we'll reserve Kiku for special occasions. WHAT'S UNCHANGED? ***Fresh Sashimi*** As always, the fish is consistently fresh and delicious, with multiple specials available. They didn't have the chalkboard set up yet, so our hostess recited the various offerings verbally (and quickly). When we got the bill I regretted not inquiring about pricing before we ordered. ***Accessibility*** Generally excellent. There's limited parking in this neighborhood, we sometimes end up a block away, on narrow residential streets. Outside, there's no covered waiting area nor seating. Inside, there's again no waiting space, the small dining room is packed with tables, leaving very limited standing room. The small space could make it tricky to maneuver a wheelchair to your table. There are no stairs to enter the restaurant, but there's a single significant step up to access the restroom, which also requires walking outside and around back. The dining chairs are comfortable and supportive, and there's also a padded bench along one wall, and four tall stools at the chef's bar.
Nir L. 24/09/2023
Excellent Japanese, very creative and special. Lots of vegetarian options. Great miso black code
Evan C. 12/07/2022
Local neighborhood sushi place. Maybe 12 tables inside and 6 outside. Reasonable prices and nice selection. Extensive vegan and vegetarian menu which my wife explored. The toro special was excellent.
Closed Opens at 11:30 AMOpens at 5:00 PM
Features
Takes Reservations 
Offers Delivery 
Offers Takeout 
Pescatarian Options 
Vegan Options Accepts Credit Cards 
Accepts Android Pay Accepts Apple Pay Accepts Cryptocurrency 
Outdoor Seating 
Casual 
Moderate Noise Casual Dress Offers Catering 
Good For Kids Good for Dinner 
Street Parking 
Waiter Service Beer & Wine Only 
Wheelchair Accessible 
Gender-neutral restrooms Asian-owned 
Women-owned Not Good For Groups Wi-Fi Happy Hour Drive-Thru Dogs Not Allowed TV Heated Outdoor Seating Covered Outdoor Seating Private Dining 
Bike Parking 
Update on: Mar 12, 2024