Iyasare
Alice Waters calls this one of her best meals in the Bay Area in a year, and her instruction is short: take the omakase nigiri and let the counter decide.
Why go
Her full line: I recently had the most luxurious meal at Iyasare in Berkeley, it was probably one of my best meals in the Bay Area this past year. Get the omakase nigiri and put your trust in the chefs.
The MICHELIN inspector fills in what she does not name. The menu changes regularly, the wine list is local and the sake list is long, and the dish the guide stops on is called ocean umami, a sashimi of Hokkaido scallop, uni and ikura, dressed with nori and ume puree.
1 Japanese method, Californian produce, on Fourth Street with a heated patio for the nights Berkeley turns cold at eight.
Order this / avoid
- Order: the omakase nigiri, on Waters' instruction. Then the ocean umami, the miso-glazed eggplant with ginger and cauliflower puree, and the pan-fried black cod, which the guide describes with
local mushrooms and a savory mushroom dashi is both rich and aromatic.
1 - Avoid: planning your order before you get there. The small-plates list moves, which is the point of it.
What locals & experts say
- Alice Waters, The Relisher (Bay Area edition, 2026): "Get the omakase nigiri and put your trust in the chefs." She has no stake in this room.
- MICHELIN Guide California:
Japanese techniques and Californian ingredients blend harmoniously at this charming getaway.
In the guide with a full write-up and no star or Bib printed on the page as at 21 August 2026.1
Good to know
- Booking: recommended. The patio is heated and it is the table people ask for.
- Timing: dinner. Small plates for sharing, so go with somebody who orders fast.
- Getting there: Fourth Street in West Berkeley, ten minutes down from downtown Berkeley BART.
Verdict
should-visit — Alice Waters ate here in the last year and called it one of her best meals in the Bay Area, and her instruction is to hand the counter the decision and take the omakase nigiri. That is a specific order from a specific person with no stake in the room. The MICHELIN inspector reports a menu that changes regularly, and the dish the guide stops on is a sashimi of Hokkaido scallop, uni and ikura dressed with nori and ume puree. Two voices, no critic's verdict and no chef named yet, which is what keeps it a rung below must-visit.