Utzutzu

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.

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.

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. :)

We had a really special evening here. Much like many spots in Japan, this is tucked away up some nondescript stairs with no signage; you're not going to end up here by accident. It's very small, with room for 8 diners at the sushi bar. The decor is minimalist and tasteful. The sushi chef showed us all the fish we would eat and provided its provenance. Each bite was perfect. If you've declined to head into the city for a fancy omakase meal because of cost, this may be able to fit your budget. Plus, it was 80's music the whole time. I really want everyone to go here because it's clearly a labor of love and I want to see this spot and places like it succeed. Get a reso. You won't regret it.

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.