Mujiri

"Mujiri is the best sushi deal in Oakland. The $25 nigiri and maki combo is their bread and butter and what draws us to this low-key Japanese spot on San Pablo Ave. It comes with seven pieces and a chef’s choice maki roll, and they all star high-quality fish and plump, well-seasoned rice. If you’re in the mood to round out the meal with more (you should, since this is some of the best sushi in town), add on the well-stuffed negi toro handrolls, or the nigiri and sashimi specials presented to you on a beach ball-sized tray like a gift." - lani conway, julia chen 1

"This North Oakland spot opened in the middle of the pandemic, but made a name for itself for its very handsome wooden sushi bentos. In particular, the $25 seven-piece nigiri box caught on with customers, loved for being customizable and including high-end options like toro and uni for no additional charge. Customers also now dine in at the popular restaurant to sample the a la carte nigiri menu and partake in the restaurant’s sake menu, and the restaurant has since expanded into a second location set in Hayward." - Dianne de Guzman, Luke Tsai

"Mujiri is the best sushi deal in Oakland. The $25 nigiri and maki combo is their bread and butter, and what draws us to this low-key Japanese spot on San Pablo Ave. It comes with seven pieces and a chef’s choice maki roll, and they all star high-quality fish and plump, well-seasoned rice. If you’re in the mood to round out the meal with more (you should, since this is some of the best sushi in town), add on the well-stuffed negi toro handrolls, or the nigiri and sashimi specials presented to you on a beach ball-sized tray like a gift." - Julia Chen

"The Japanese restaurant has built up a loyal following since it opened fall 2020—I attribute that to the stunning, high-quality nigiri, sashimi, and sushi rolls which are tightly packaged in attractive wooden bento boxes. The North Oakland spot is predominantly a takeout operation, and coming here for a meal is great if you want fresh fish without having to put much thought into what to get. Their omakase-style combos are 16 pieces of sashimi for $35 or $25 for 7 pieces of nigiri. The control freak in me prefers to customize my box, and choose from a menu of things like arctic char nigiri, inari, and spicy tuna maki. - LC" - Julia Chen 1, Lani Conway

"Let me count all the ways I love the nijiri bentos at Mujiri, the buzziest sushi spot to open in the East Bay during the pandemic. First, the price: $25 for seven nigiri and a chef’s choice daily maki roll — the equivalent of a short, high-quality omakase meal for less than I’d spend on a plate of pasta. Second, the selection: Mujiri’s point of distinction is that instead of offering a preset lineup of nigiri for its boxes, it allows customers to choose what they want — and there’s no upcharge for premium picks like uni and toro. On weekends, in particular, the range of options is vast — my most recent bento included kurodai (blackhead sea bream), chikame kintoki dai (red big eye snapper), and hobo (sea robin). No need to stick to boring old salmon and hamachi unless you want to! Finally, there’s something to be said for cute packaging, and Mujiri’s wood bento boxes add a sense of celebration to the meal, making it that much easier to pretend you’re sitting down to eat at your favorite sushi counter instead of at your own kitchen table or, just as likely, the inside of your car." - Eater Staff