Washoku Guide
Cities/San Francisco/Izakaya/Iyasare
San Francisco · Izakaya · casual

Iyasare

JapaneseIzakayaTohoku CuisineContemporary JapaneseSF Chronicle Top 100

A perennial SF Chronicle Top 100 restaurant since 2013, Iyasare is Berkeley's most acclaimed contemporary Japanese kitchen, where Sendai-born chef Shotaro Kamio translates the rustic comfort flavors of Japan's Tohoku region into seasonal small plates and izakaya-style sharing dishes.

Price
¥¥¥
Area
Berkeley
Since
2013
Chef
Shotaro Kamio
Iyasare — authentic japanese restaurant in San Francisco, Berkeley
Plate № 25
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About
Iyasare — the Japanese word for 'to be healed' or 'comforted' — captures the culinary philosophy of its founder, Sendai-born Chef Shotaro Kamio. Raised in Japan's Tohoku region and shaped by the long winters, coastal ingredients, and communal traditions of his mother's ramen shop, Kamio developed a style that is simultaneously deeply Japanese and rooted in the hyper-local Northern California ethos of Berkeley's 4th Street restaurant corridor. Named an SF Chronicle Rising Star Chef and featured in the Chronicle's Top 100 Restaurants every year since Iyasare opened in 2013, the restaurant serves dishes like kakiage tempura, ocean umami plates, Sendai miso ramen, and seasonal sashimi that express Tohoku's culinary DNA with local produce. The 4th Street location — with indoor and outdoor patio garden seating — has made it a destination for both Japanese community diners and Berkeley food enthusiasts seeking something more personal and regionalized than typical izakaya menus.
Neighborhood & visiting

Iyasare sits in Berkeley, one of San Francisco's neighborhoods where authentic Japanese kitchens have taken root. Reservations are available online — for a focused izakaya counter this is strongly recommended. Check the posted hours before you go — traditional izakaya restaurants often close between service periods.

Why it's on Washoku Guide
  • An SF Chronicle Top 100 restaurant every year since 2013, recognizing over a decade of consistent excellence that has made it one of Berkeley's most important Japanese restaurants.
  • Chef Kamio is one of the only Bay Area chefs explicitly cooking through the lens of Tohoku regional cuisine — a relatively unexplored Japanese culinary tradition that focuses on umami-rich preserved and fermented flavors.
  • The outdoor heated patio garden on Berkeley's 4th Street provides one of the most pleasant Japanese dining atmospheres in the entire Bay Area.
  • The menu bridges Japanese culinary tradition with seasonal California produce in a way that feels both rigorously authentic and uniquely of its place — a combination that defines Berkeley's best restaurants.

Reservations strongly recommended; book via OpenTable or phone. Free parking is available in the lot behind the restaurant. Lunch is also served daily. — Format: Casual Japanese restaurant. Authenticity: Chef-owner Shotaro 'Sho' Kamio is from Sendai in Japan's Tohoku region; raised in his mother's ramen shop; named SF Chronicle Rising Star Chef; Iyasare has appeared on the SF Chronicle Top 100 Restaurants list every year since 2013, anchoring its reputation as one of the Bay Area's most respected Japanese kitchens.

Links
Reserve →Website →Map →Yelp →Tripadvisor →

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Frequently asked

About Iyasare

Is Iyasare an authentic japanese restaurant in San Francisco?
Yes — Iyasare is featured in Washoku Guide because it meets our authenticity standard for japanese in San Francisco: a kitchen grounded in Japanese technique, ingredients and preparation consistent with Japanese practice, and a focused izakaya format.
Where is Iyasare located?
Iyasare is located at 1830 4th St, Berkeley, CA 94710, San Francisco, USA in the Berkeley neighborhood.
Do I need a reservation at Iyasare?
Iyasare accepts reservations online. For an authentic izakaya experience, especially at a focused counter, booking ahead is strongly recommended.
What is the price range at Iyasare?
Iyasare sits in the ¥¥¥ price range — typical for japanese of this format in San Francisco.
Keep exploring
All Japanese restaurants in San Francisco →Izakaya in San Francisco →Authentic izakaya worldwide →All cities →