Kamakura Restaurant

Very good sushi, reasonable price, nice location.

Posted 06/29/09

This is one of the best places I have found in the bay area. They have a broad selection of super fresh sushi, a great selection of sake to compliment the meal, and a friendly professional staff that goes out of their way for the customer.

Posted 06/25/07

I'm Japanese and have eaten in many Japanese restaurants in both Northern and Southern California. Kamakura is one of the best overall. The prices are really low, especially compared to most Japanese establishments in L.A. or S.F, while their quality and freshness remain high. The service is pretty attentive and efficient and it's a busy place for a small town, family-oriented business. When you consider all the variables, Kamakura really is a great choice and bargain for family and singles alike.

Pros: Low Prices, Fast Service, Fresh Fish

Cons: Might Wait on Weekends, Limited Street Parking

Posted 05/10/07

I just moved to the area and I have to say that my favorite spot is Kamakura. Be warned that there is usually a bit of a wait on the weekends. The sushi is great, the staff is friendly and after every meal they give you a sample of some very tastey plum wine.

Pros: Price, sushi and staff

Cons: the wait, parking and small building

Posted 05/07/07

I'm asian and basically I love Japanese foods.
As I love travel around I could had a lot of chances to try lots of Japanese foods and other asian foods.
Since I moved to here from my country, I missed Asian foods especially Korean foods and Japanese foods I visited here several times cuz it is quite close to my place.
Whenever I visited to there, quite a lot of customers-mostly Americans- were there but I've never satistified with neither their foods nor their service.
Especially one day I visited there with my husband for having dinner, we ordered 'Katsudon' and 'Rolls' and it was terrible. 'Katsudon' was made by unfreshed pork and it even smelled and my husband who loves every kind of meats- didn't even eat after one bite and I tried a bit and I almost throw it up.
However, we left most of foods we ordered but no clerk asked us what happened and we just came out and decided not to go there again for my life.
I don't think it is the best Japanese sushi restaurant in bay area. Not at all............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I'd rather to go to 'TAKARA' or other restaurants in Japan town or other place. They serve much better foods with better price.)

Posted 12/29/06

I was exposed to Japanese food before I could walk. I've been to numerous Japanese restaurants and love Japanese food. My first and last visit. The wait wasn't an issue. I am a young professional. I look young and I brought my younger siblings. Although young, we?re very friendly & respectful.
I didn?t feel that they treated us very well. We waited a while before our orders were taken, even after asking. A Caucasian couple came in and was obviously not done looking through the menu but they were asked if they wanted to order. It wasn't until after their order was taken that they took our appetizer order. We also had to ask for refills when others? water were being refilled automatically w/o having to ask.
We ordered appetizer and inquired about the boat sampler. We were told that the same items in the picture came in the boat which cost $60. Our appetizer was good ? not the best but good.
We sat right next to the bar so we were able to see our boat being prepared. Our boat was done but it took another 10 minutes before the waitress brought it over and, only after we asked. The boat consisted of HALF the items shown in the picture. Two rolls came in our boat ? one of the rolls shown in the picture is a Spider Roll. We asked why it was missing a Spider Roll - we were told that it?s up to the chef. I always ask & they confirmed before we ordered! The rolls consisted mostly of rice. There were no sashimi on the boat, and only 5 pieces of sushi.
We are not big eaters, but, the boat did not fill us up plus 3 appetizers. The boat was not worth $60! I?ve had boats twice the size the one we got in Manhattan and SF for $35-40.
I am Asian and I?ve had similar experiences at other ?Asian? restaurants so I?m not totally surprise. But, I read all these great reviews and I can?t say I agree. The food is not the best in the bay area. There are a better Japanese/Sushi places in and about Oakland/Berkeley area that I can recommend.

Pros: Seating wasn't so bad on a Friday night

Cons: Not so friendly service if you are not the "target crowd" they wish to cater to

Posted 11/09/06

the service here is welcoming and the sushi chefs are attentive and quick. The sushi is reasonably priced and pretty tasty. At the end of my meal i was welcomed to a small glass of wine, compliments of the owner.

Pros: Good size portions, good service, fresh fish

Cons: Cramped sushi bar, rolls were on the small side

Posted 11/03/06

We used to go to Kirala, but the wait there is just oppressive. We tried Kamakura and it was every bit as good, maybe better, with no wait, friendlier service, and complementary appetizers and plum wine. This is the only place we've seen with lobster sushi, and the lobster roll is great, with large chunks of lobster.

Pros: good sushi, good price, good service

Cons: none

Posted 07/24/06

I've been going to Kamakura for 15 years and it is the example by which I judge all other Sushi places. The combination of sushi selection, quality and service is unmatched. Faith and her late husband Yama have always been excellent hosts. Faith never forgets to come by and talk and ask about my family. Whenever we sit at the sushi bar, the chefs always offer up some little tidbits of food to try and have great reccomendations of new items to try. They consistently have hard to find items at the sushi bar such as Toro, Hamachi Toro, Amaebi with the heads, Miragi and they even do a fresh Ikura that is the best I've ever had. My wife and I moved to Sacramento last year and have been unable to find a sushi bar that comes close to Kamakura. Whenever we're back in the Bay Area, we make sure we stop at Kamakura. My only suggestion for improvement would be to bring back the hot towels.

Pros: Sushi Selection, Faith Yamato

Cons: No more hot towels! Bring them back!!! Sometimes a long wait for the sushi bar

Posted 07/22/06

The first time I went there, I was pregnant with my first out of 4 children, 16 years ago...I was hooked. The owner is the most pleasant, friendly hostess I've ever met so it made the food even taste better than it already was. Through out all of my pregnacies...I had to go there every other week for their delicious teriyaki salmon and tempura. My children love it...especially when the owner brings them their little treat. I love when she brings me my little treat too...plum wine in a little port glass. If you like going to Alameda...you have to try Kamakuras

Pros: Great Food, Great Service

Cons: Small...but Cozy...weekends you will have to wait a while to be seated.

Posted 06/22/06

A cute place with very nice service. All the fish is good but not special. The staff is attractive and friendly. The sushi chef's did an excellent job of making a special order to perfection.

Pros: Good value, free appetizer, free dessert

Posted 07/02/05

My first visit was great. The sushi were fresh. I loved it. I visited the restaurant the second time a few days after that, and this time it wasn't so great. The sushi were average. The rice wasn't as good as the first time I visited there. The service was okay. Waiters and waitresses are very friendly to the people that they knew, but to me, they're okay. They weren't as friendly to me as to the people that they knew. The service wasn't as good as some of the reviews that I read from here. So far, I thought the restaurant is better than average. Worth a try. I gave it a 8 out of 10.

Pros: Fresh sushi, Free plum wine

Posted 05/22/05

Smiling and friendly proprietor Faith is almost ever-present at this quintessential Alameda location for sushi. A large selection of sushi is offered at excellent prices. However, the wait can be considerable if you decide to go on a weekday without a reservation. It is conveniently open late, and on multiple occasions a last-minute decision has been made to go there after everything else has closed. Service is absolutely wonderful; try celebrating your birthday here. A box of rice candy is given to every kid, delighting and intriguing them. Their chefs are experienced; they've been here almost as long as I can remember.

Pros: Service

Cons: Wait

Posted 03/11/05

The service was great. They close at 10pm.. when i got there was like 9:57, and still eventhou it was almost closed they treat me really good. They even got me the plum wine which was great, while i was waiting for my sushi to go.. The sushi is also verry good.. I love the atmosphere, the food, and the service makes you feel like at home.. I really recomend this place.. !!!!!!!

Pros: atmosphere, service, food

Posted 09/21/04

Kamakura is responsible for getting me hooked on Japanese food and it is still my favorite place to go. Why? Great food. Great atmosphere. Great service. Great prices. Friendly staff. The owner, Faith not "Grace", is there every nite to take care of the customers and mingle. Nice birthday treat. Complimentary plum wine after every meal. Where else do they give you more rice for your doggy bag? It's the little things like that make a big difference.

Pros: yummy food, unique service, relatively cheap

Posted 07/13/04

Anyone who has discovered this odd place has perhaps discovered the best sushi in the Bay Area. Caution: it's packed most of the time with weird locals who have turned into sushi fantatics. Their fish selection is unmatched..always fresh. And their odd rolls are worth trying too. All that is missing is a great sake selection..sigh.

Pros: sushi

Posted 06/21/04

This restaurant offers very authentic Japanese food. The entrees really tastes as if they take care in the preparation. This place gets busy but its well worth the wait.

Posted 09/02/02

If you haven't been to Mrs' Yamato's Kamakura restaurant in Alameda, you're missing out. As the owner at 70+ years old, she still works 12 hour days and is always dressed to impress. The service and attention to detail is unbelievable. The food is worth getting excited about and coming back often makes you a regular.

Plum wine is served as "compliments" of Mrs. Yamato and the Passion Roll is worth waiting for. Enjoy
And, if you're celebrating a birthday, you'll get a hande carved apple and a signed b-day card. Not found everywhere. Right?

Pros: Great Service, Family Feel, Warm Friendly

Cons: Busy on Friday Sat, You'll eat too much, Happy to spend $50

Posted 08/23/02

This is absolutely the best sushi I have EVER had, and it's consistent. The owner, Grace, has had this restaurant in Alameda for over 30 years and it has been 6 years since she adjusted her prices. She comes by to personally deliver your glass of plum wine after dinner and LOVES to get to know her clientele. Other dishes include an amazing tonkatsu as well as fabulous tempura combos. This is NOT a trendy 'japanese-like' restaurant, but rather an authentic experience of being welcomed into a gracious hostesses home and served the finest she can prepare for her honored guest.

Pros: Fresh fish daily, Tremendous variety, VERY affordable

Cons: Street parking only, Wait times to 30 min.

Posted 08/07/02

In search for some good japanese food found Kamakura from citysearch is its fairly good and priced within what most japanese restaurants charge. Its portions is fairly good and the sushi is tasty.

Posted 06/19/02