Yonsei Handrolls - Albany

Decent rolls. Good fish. The Aged tuna was great, Probably my favorite. I was let down by the crab roll, it was way too creamy. I regret not getting the Black Cod. The Yellowtail was diced, which I found weird, but the flavor was fine. There's not much to say about the Salmon, taste was good, texture was good. Spicy tuna with panko (not pictured) was an unexpected hit.

My wife and I visited here a few years back when we tried the Oakland location. We absolutely loved their OG omaka-set! I think the Zuke Maguro (soy-cured ahi tuna) and Negihama (yellowtail with green onions) were the absolute best. We’ve also had the Yonsei set before, and if you’re new to it, I’d suggest adding the Black Cod to the OG for a truly amazing experience.

The food is extremely salty and pretty much mediocre sushi rolls with mayonnaise and tons of rice. Way and beyond overpriced $440 for two people with nothing to eat! Menu is confusing and poorly written. Sake is sold by the weird jar without a name. If asked to show an original bottle the answer is “ it comes in a huge container”. Each roll is single and if there are two people and they share, it has to be bitten, and then pass on to another person. No ambiance, and no service, very slow, thin cheap paper napkins, and reusable ( single time use) wooden chapsticks. When our bill arrived, we noticed additional charges 4%, on top of tax and tip, they call it "operations fee". Please note it’s illegal in California and called “ junk fees”. At first we thought we will subtract it from a tip, and then we realized doing so it would be harmful for a waitress. Not coming back and won't recommend it to anyone

TLDR: Great food, great service, quality fish, and reasonable prices! - - - I’ve been twice now, both times without a reservation (for 2 people) on Saturday evenings. The first time, there was no wait. The second time, the wait was ~10 minutes. We were advised by the server to go next door to the wine bar while we wait (Best Friends) and we wouldn’t be charged corkage if we brought a bottle over - so that’s exactly what we did! Both times that I came to this restaurant, I had a really pleasant experience. The lighting is a good ambient level and perfect for an intimate dinner. The handrolls menu is either a set 5 courses (3 levels depending on how much you want to splurge) or you can order a la carte from the handrolls menu. The first time I ate here, I chose their classic OG 5- course menu ($36) and added on the black cod with truffle butter($10) - totaling 6 handrolls. It was a bit too much food for me, but everything was fantastic. The second time I came, I ordered 4 rolls a la carte, which was more reasonable for my appetite. They bring each roll one at a time, and with so much intention. They think about which roll would be better first versus last for the full palate experience.* My favorite rolls from the OG included the negihama, the zuke maguro, and the black cod with truffle butter. My favorites from the a la carte menu were the uni (which is absolutely worth the splurge) and the salmon belly. I haven’t had cocktails, appetizers, or dessert, but I really enjoyed every handroll that I ate! I will definitely be back to try more items from the menu. *Some of the mixed reviews mention the service being slow due to each hand roll arriving one at a time. To me, that was a plus! I do /not/ want my handrolls getting soggy, and I love enjoying each one as it is freshly made. Yonsei - please don’t ever stop bringing the rolls one at a time!

Great food and service with a nice environment to match. Solano Ave is truly a food haven for the best eats in the Bay Area. Yonsei is another bright spot and we’re so happy to have them here in Albany! Food was fantastic and the atmosphere was a perfect match! Highly recommended!

Awesome food, but the surprisingly bad service put a damper on what would otherwise be a special experience. The first roll came out before our beer and sake were brought to the table, and someone (not our server) brought us our check with a stiff “thank you for joining us today” before our dessert had even been served! The place wasn’t even full and it created a weird transactional vibe to pay before even finishing the nice meal we were splurging on together.

OMG the Black Cod and Truffle Butter hand roll. My mouth is still watering after a delicious dinner at Yonsei Handrolls in Albany. In the new location in Albany we tried almost everything. Some great Sake as well as a Hana G+T as a a friend had the paper crane. We tried every starter and my fav was the hamachi carpaccio and the beef. By the time the hand rolls came I was too busy eating to capture pictures of all the hand rolls we had but I got the OG, subbing the salmon for the salmon belly and it was one of the best choices. The Black cod, salmon belly, spicy tuna then Negihama were my favorites in order. I cannot wait to have them again. Just come prepared to fill your bellies!

Wife and i snuck out of the house for an impromptu snack and we happened upon Yoni. Not really a roll person as I don’t like the compact feeling of my ingredients. Doesn’t really let the ingredients shine, especially delicate ingredients. But hey this $100 quarterly resy credit was expiring so why not. However at yoni Handrolls it’s different the rice isn’t smashed in with the ingredients. Not only can the ingredients shine but the rice pellet itself still retains that soft texture like in a nigiri. Excellent. Will try again.

beautiful, intimate spot for generously portioned hand rolls! i stopped by after hearing great things about this spot and was definitely not disappointed. service was fast and super friendly - our server was incredible and so sweet! i'd recommend going to this location as it seems to have a shorter wait. parking was a bit tough though, so you may have to walk a bit from your parking spot. the dim lighting inside and cozy ambiance is perfect for a small group or a date night. this place is pricier than other hand roll spots i've seen, but it is a nice restaurant and the quality and creativity in their dishes seems to be worth the price. on to the food itself - we got the basic set and added on another salmon roll. the flavors are unique without being unapproachable, and the rolls come with a ton of fish! if you can't eat a lot i'd recommend splitting a set and adding extra rolls, since they fill you up pretty fast. my favorite roll was the salmon, sesame, and yuzu - the salmon was creamy and soft, complemented by the fragrant yet fresh sesame and yuzu. overall, will definitely be back again the next time i'm craving good hand rolls!

I made a reservation here to celebrate a birthday. The restaurant was completely packed on a Friday night, so I do recommend reserving a table in advance. We started with some appetizers, including the hamachi carpaccio and the agedashi tofu. The carpaccio was absolutely delicious, but the tofu was lacking in flavor and not fried well. For handrolls, we ordered the Yonsei omakase set. Some handrolls were really good, some were mid, and one was just awful. The octopus handroll had the texture of rubber and was difficult to chew. I was slightly disappointed at the food here considering the price. I might come back again, but there are certain things I would not reorder.

Started off with some cocktails: - Sailor by Moonlight: Iichiko Silhouette Shochu, Rum blend, Genmai, Brucato Chaparral, and Citrus. Quite a tasty drink, highly recommend. - High Roller Martini: Walter Collective Vodka, Dry Vermouth, Sushi Rice, Shiso, Nori, Pickled Ginger, Shoyu. Do not recommend unless you really want a Martini. I thought it would be a really cool drink with sushi rice, shiso, and nori etc in the drink, but the drink came with sliced ginger on a wooden pick; no nori, sushi rice, or shiso. I thought at least I'd taste the flavors, but not at all. Do not recommend getting the Omaka-sets because you don't save any $$$ from ordering the Omaka-set, it is the same price as individually ordering the same items. Just order each handroll that you want to try, unless the Omaka-set has all the handrolls you wanted. The handrool I wanted to try the MOST was the Toro & caviar handroll, but they ran out of caviar and it was only lunch time, around noon! Very sad I didn't get to try it. I really enjoyed all the handrolls I ordered, but I highly recommend the Black cod & truffle butter handroll. Cod was so tender and buttery with truffle butter on top! Also really enjoyed the Negihama yellowtail with green onions and the uni with ikura and wasabi stems. Hand rolls I tried: Seared Albacore with black garlic aioli Negihama yellowtail with green onions Salmon with sesame and lemon Spicy tua with tempura crunch Tako-wasa with nori aioli and micro wasabi Black cod with truffle butter Uni with ikura and wasabi stems Taro & takuan (pickled daikon) I really liked that they had infused soy sauce, added so much more flavor and depth to the taste.

Really great new spot in Albany. We went because of the 100.00 resey credit from AMX. The hand rolls are all interesting and different. My SO got the 2nd teir omakase with the plus one. It was a little pricey but very delicious. I got a couple of hand rolls and we got two appetizers. The hamachi collar was very good and the fried mushrooms were very filling.

Yonsei handrolls is a refine twist to a handroll bar which is a nice addition to the Albany area. The nori on all the handrolls were crisp and the rice was perfectly seasoned. The omakasets are nice if you want the menu decided for you but I would recommend choosing what you want. The set doesn't actually give you a discount pricing for ordering a preset menu. Our favorites were the salmon belly, black cod & truffle butter, scallop. The handrolls were tasty but the price is a bit steep. The cocktails sounded very delicious but it was a bit underwhelming. The high roller martini listed sushi rice, shiso, nori, pickled ginger and shoyu. The flavors sounded so interesting but when we got the drink there was no hint of any of the listed ingredients except for the big piece of pickled ginger (which is the same ginger that comes with the handrolls..). The sailor by moonlight was better though. Good restaurant for a date night or special occasion.

My little sister has been craving handrolls, so we came here on a random Tuesday. I have never tried this place nor the other locations, but she loves it! When we first got there, all tables were taken, but the bar was empty, so we decided to sit at the bar. Everyone was very nice, and the bartender was very informative as well. I am not a huge fan of raw fish, I can eat it, but sometimes the taste is just too fishy. You can order each hand roll individually or they have sets. I got the first set, and we also order a side of their cucumbers and carpaccio. Everything, and when I say everything was delicious. The cucumber, tasted so refreshing, the carpaccio with the jalapeños and the greens, tasted so well together. It's a little dim inside, so it feels very intimate. Which I enjoyed. I enjoyed my time there and food. I definitely would come back and try other handrolls.

Yonsei Handroll is the first restaurant I selected for our special occasion when American Express extended the Resy dining credit to their Platinum card holders. I made a reservation online for two for lunch and stated that it was for our anniversary. We arrived when the door opened. We informed the host of our reservation, and we were given the choice to sit anymore we like. We ordered one of the lunch sets and the OG set, for a total of 8 handrolls, plus the hamachi carpacio, and the chocolate torte for dessert. The handrolls were actually a bit larger than I expected, so 8 handrolls were plenty for the two of us. The lunch specials also came with a small salad, cucumber sunomono and edamame beans. The handrolls were quite good. The ingredients were high quality and the flavors delicate, so there's no need to use a lot of soy sauce or wasabi, and we enjoyed them all. The chocolate torte was a nice finish. The server was attentive. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, but we were disappointed that the host didn't acknowledge our anniversary, even though we noted on the reservation. It would have made our experience more special.

The food here is amazing!! It's pricey but if you enjoy great food!! Come and check it out!! They make their own soy and it is on the table in a dropper bottle fantastic presentation!! Definitely the best soy sauce I've ever had!! I had their take on a Negroni. It was good but not what I was expecting. It was a white Negroni which I've never had before. It was good but I probably wouldn't order it again. We ordered the duck appetizer. I would not order it again as it wasn't crispy like I like my duck. The 2 of us ordered the OG. Wow!! So spectacular!! Every roll was good... my least favorite was the snow crab which was the last roll. I really wish that would have been the 1st roll as I felt it was the least interesting. All the other rolls were fantastic!! I would order every one again! Make sure you get the black cod with the truffle butter. It was the surprise roll. It was so yummy! I think of cod as part of fish and chips. Battered and deep fried. This roll was nothing like that!! It had a buttery consistency and was wonderfully fresh!! Absolutely hands down fab!! I could have eaten a half dozen of them!! The service was spot on! They bring the rolls out one at a time so the seaweed stays crisp. I can honestly say that was the best experience. We ordered the olive oil cake with Yuzu. That was nice and tart with the lovely cake. It was my favorite. The chocolate torte was good but a bit too heavy for me after the dinner. But if you like chocolate... you should get it!! Cause it is CHOCOLATE!! Fantastic place!! You will not be disappointed!!

My wife and I visited here a few years back when we tried the Oakland location. We absolutely loved their OG omaka-set! I think the Zuke Maguro (soy-cured ahi tuna) and Negihama (yellowtail with green onions) were the absolute best. We've also had the Yonsei set before, and if you're new to it, I'd suggest adding the Black Cod to the OG for a truly amazing experience.

Yum! What a great addition to the neighborhood! The handrolls aren't huge, but they are fairly hefty. I decided to only order three, and that was the right number for me. I ordered the spicy tuna, black cod and truffle butter and the special fatty tuna handroll (which was pricey....and was very delicious). It's a little awkward if you order a different number of handrolls as other people you're dining, it throws off how they serve the handrolls (as they generally synchronize the delivery). When I went, I had a reservation which was a good call because the restaurant was packed...on a Sunday night! I can't wait to go back for the lunch special sometime!

Japanese temaki (hand rolls) spot in Albany, literally at the corner of San Pablo and Solano. Came here based on the reviews. I kept things simple and ordered the OG Omaka set, which is 5 different rolls. Also got the 6th roll, black cod with garlic/chive. As a bonus, I also ordered the salmon belly w/truffle salt. Each roll had a detailed, high quality to it. Very delicious and excellent quality of each fish. Definitely coming back.

I was pleasantly surprised when I happened upon their Oakland Uptown location for dinner one night, so was excited to try their Albany location. My first dinner there was another pleasant surprise, with maybe 2 or 3 rolls that stood out in their OG menu (yellowtail, black cod and snow crab). Upon returning recently, I was a little more underwhelmed for the price point. While their hand rolls are not skimpy, the ahi tuna, salmon, and spicy tuna were fresh but lacking in much flavor or oomph. The same three rolls I liked last time were still good but the black cod was a bit more of a greasy mess this time. Sigh.

Went on their first opening day for lunch as I was craving the lunch set. Nice portions and for what the lunch sets prices are, I would do it again. I think the rice portion in hand rolls is good. Granted there is 3 other japanese places in a 2 block radius but I like the modern handroll lunch set.

A server forgot my order for a beer. But the bartender did a proper Asahi pour and brought it to the table. He knew what he was doing.

It was crowded, seems like they take reservations mainly. I was able to get a seat at the bar though. The staff are very nice and friendly. Very quick and responsive. I had the carpaccio and the og set. The rolls were very flavorful and tasty. The rolls come out separately. I would say about 7-10 minutes apart from one another. The vibe is super chill and they have dim lighting which is great for a date!

Great new spot with high quality food. Went here for lunch and the interior is very light and modern. The lunch specials are a pretty good deal, not cheap but fair. Tried a variety of rolls and all of them were fresh and delicious. The black cod with truffle butter was a standout for me, a very luxurious bite. The tempura was also exceptional, well seasoned and the perfect amount of batter (no soggy bits). Tip for those who are slow to learn (like me): the soy sauce is in a dropper bottle so you can drop it onto your rolls as you eat them, instead of dipping it and having all the fish fall out. Small detail that made the eating experience just a little more elevated. Servers seemed a bit inexperienced but really friendly and helpful. One of our dishes was served to another table, they were very kind in correcting and comping one of our dishes for the small inconvenience. I will definitely come back here, especially for the lunch specials. Would be great for a date or any special occasion.

This is Yonsei Handroll's second location, and I was so excited to check it out in Albany. Parking was definitely tricky--there are a lot of restaurants and bars nearby, so the area gets pretty busy. Once we got inside, though, the experience was great. The staff were incredibly welcoming and engaging. For appetizers we ordered the yonsei oysters, we enjoyed the uni + ikura but each one had a piece of shell which made it a little less enjoyable to eat. We ordered the OG Set, which includes six hand rolls for $46. The rolls came out at a steady, consistent pace, and everything was super fresh. My favorite was the zuke maguro--packed with flavor and perfectly balanced. I also tried one of their mocktails, and it was so refreshing--light and well-crafted. Yonsei Handroll is easily one of my favorite handroll spots in the Bay. I'm already looking forward to going back!

I am, at this point, a regular here at least twice a month. Hand rolls are fresh and flavorful. The selection is diverse. And the cocktails are good. Service is good. Bartenders are friendly. Highly recommended.

Came on a sunday night and got seated right away, decent amount of people. Clean bathrooms and decent parking. Great service, decent sized handroll, great hamachi kama! Def would come back again!

I love this place. It has become the place to go when my mom and I need a catchup and a delicious light meal. The hamachi carpaccio is our favorite starter. Then, we each get 2-3 handrolls. I always try something new (jellyfish was interesting), but our standard order is always the Negihama, yellowtail with green onions, so simple and so delicious. I love their Yuzu lemonade and sometimes a sake. The service has gotten better and better as they have settled into their Albany location and last night we had a wonderful new waiter who expertly balanced several tables at once, including an 8 top. Everyone is friendly and helpful.

I came in during lunch for the five roll dinner set. I selected the OG set with the additional black cod hand roll. Upon arrival, virtually every table but maybe two were occupied. Because I came in by myself I was worried that I would be forced to sit at the nearly full bar given the amount of people there, but was happy to have had the choice to sit at a table, which I did, I was welcomed in, and thanked for coming when walking out which is always nice. The roles are served in the order listed on the menu and they come out one by one instead of altogether, and the rolls come out REALLY quickly. My favorites were the spicy tuna hand roll and the black cod with truffle butter - absolutely delicious and a great first experience with hand rolls for me! Light music in the background allowed me to bop while eating which is always nice for a music lover like me! Highly recommend a visit.

We had spent the entire day clearing out two storage rooms. We were tired. It was Sunday night and most places were closing in 20 minutes. This place was open just long enough for us to get our just desserts - incredible sushi and beer and even a fabulous dessert! First we started with the Asahi Nama Beer on tap. Oh my goodness - our first sip was followed by a sigh and a feeling of letting go of a stressful day. We ordered the Agedashi Tofu and Kakiage vegetable tempura. Flawlessly prepared. This may be called Yonsei (4th generation Japanese American) but it was Issei worthy delicious. Not too sweet (my pet peeve) and savory sauces with complex flavoring - balanced and no one ingredient sticks out. That is hard to do. The very very light tempura batter was perfect on the Kakiage. The vegetables used were high end shiitake, lotus root, and burdock among others. This was worthy of being served to my late father. He would have approved. Finally we also ordered the miso soup appetizer and again, this passed my dashi flavor test (beautifully balanced - not too salty!). Big chunks of vegetables. The only thing I might have done is to do what my dad did - he cut the daikon into matchsticks - they cook better. The veggies were a bit undercooked. But oh my it was so good. Then moving on to the temaki - we ordered the. Basic set (5 pieces). My son and I split each one. We were amazed by each one. My favorite was the crab. Son liked that one too. Ambience: elegant and pleasant without being too over the top chic to wear you feel guilty for not being dressed up. But nice enough for a casual date. And nice enough to bring your parents especially if they are picky Japanese parents. Crockery: very very appealing to my artistic sense. Soy sauce - high quality - comes in a dropper bottle. These people KNOW what's proper. Dishes - All ceramic with beautiful glazes. Tasteful shapes. Did not look commercial or cheap. I bet they cry in the back of the house when one is chipped. One of them was a glaze I know because my father made my platter using it. Service: excellent service - never intrusive but very attentive. Prices: might seem high but for the quality - you could go to Masa's and pay a ton more, and not be quite as enchanted as we were. It's not cheap sushi. Go somewhere else for that. This is sushi for those who appreciate a cut above.

All around phenomenal tastes and service and vibes. Support your local Albany business this is one of the best places to eat in Albany or anywhere in the Bay Area bar none.

Super delicious and great service! I was walking along the street and their hand roll sign caught my eye. Dropped in for their lunch special and it was super yummy. The servers were nice and the restaurant was clean and cozy. Highly recommend!!

Food was really good and staff is friendly! I think as a new restaurant, they're still getting through some kinks as it did take a little while for our food to come out, but they handled everything really well. I think we'll come back in a few months to try again because we really enjoyed the food (:

Fantastic restaurant with amazing service. The handroll trio lunch sets are an amazing value and everything that I tried here exceeded my expectations.

I met a friend for lunch here and was so excited to try it as I had never been to a handroll restaurant. The restaurant was clean and cute. I'm sure parking is tricky at times. My friend ordered the OG set with the black cod add-on and I ordered several singles to try the ones that sounded best to me. All of them were delicious but the standout was the black cod with truffle butter. We also ordered the cucumber sunomono which seemed too pricey for what you got. Service was good as well. I liked how they brought them out one at a time and tried to course them based on how fast we were eating them.

If you want a handroll this is the spot. Each one in the set was tasty and unique. Went for lunch. Cute atmosphere.

We loved having dinner at this new sushi spot! We didn't have a reservation, but thankfully got seats at the bar despite the restaurant being packed. We opted to order individual hand-rolls rather than the set. We thought each roll had well portioned fish and we loved the creative twist on the roll. Highly recommend the seared albacore, which not only had a black aioli but came with pickled onion that was a nice touch.

This was not your typical sushi as they specialize in hand rolls. You can order individually or as a group of 5 or 6 Handrolls that are brought out 1 at a time. The fish was fresh and portioned perfectly. In house created soy sauce is on the table and traditional ginger and wasabi are provided. The adult beverages are a limited number of cocktails and sake. Overall, a unique sushi offering that is high quality at an affordable price. The service was great and parking is pretty available. Give this local place a try and you won't regret trying a different style of sushi restaurant.

I have eaten lunch here twice. Flavors are well balanced. Fish treated with respect. Someone in the kitchen knows what they are doing. I will be returning.

Invited by great friends and admit was a bit skeptical. Had sushi at a sister restaurant and hadn't been pleased but this place was very good. I ordered the veggie special as I don't like spicy tuna. The salad was Delicious that arrived with a serving of edamame and a sunomono like salad with chunks of cucumbers vs thinly sliced veggies both tasty. The yasai (veggie) was served one at a time: Avacado and sesame seed Shiitake (mushroom), tamago (egg), cucumber and picked radish (takuan). Both were yum with wasabi Finally the nasubi (eggplant marinated in miso) with rice crackers; was so stuffed brought it home which was a mistake. The servers were very nice. There wasn't a crowd but we had lunch later. I'm sorry I didn't take pics. Since I was an invitee I didn't think. I'll go back and maybe ask if I can substitute for the spicy tuna The restaurant is very quiet and simply decorated

This was 4th time eating here in Albany. The three prior times I had the OG set so I tried the Yonsei set this time. I was not disappointed, it was delicious. Service was great as I kept asking for more ginger. Ambience was nice although a little noisy.... Reservations are recommended especially after 6... I will return many more times to my favorite sushi spot.

Yonsei is an amazing place! We got there around 12pm on a Saturday and did not need to wait for a table, though reservations are available! The wait staff was very attentive, and quickly brought us water and took our order. The two of us shared one OG Omakaset to start, and I highly recommend this to anyone coming for the first time! The food came out quickly and the fish tasted fresh. Later, we ordered 2 more rolls each of our favorites (personally the spicy tuna was my favorite!). If you are unsure about how many rolls to order, I think 4-5 is the perfect amount! I will definitely be coming back to Yonsei and recommend it to anyone looking for a great sushi experience :)

After having great times at the Oakland Uptown location multiple times over the years, I was excited to see Yonsei was opening a new location and was looking forward to the grand opening. Once it opened, I snagged the first available reservation that fits my schedule. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming and I am disappointed in the execution of the new location. When I walked in on Sunday at 7pm, I was surprised with how empty the restaurant is, there were multiple empty tables, for a brand new opening with so much fanfare, I can't believe that it wasn't packed! Then, I noticed that the place was very warm. I saw server looking at the thermostat on the wall and trying to fan themselves with their trays. This location has big windows facing west so in the early evening it was bound to warm up, maybe the AC needs to be adjusted and upgraded, but this make the experience less than stellar to begin with. Then come the food. It was meh, compared to the Oakland location with the same pricing, the portion was smaller, the quality also seems to be lower as well. First course, Zuke Maguro, fish were cut much thinner than the Oakland location and looked dry, the texture was unpleasant because of the thinness. See attached picture. Second course, Negihama, no problem. Third course, Salmon, no problem. Fourth course, black cod, no problem. Fifth course, Toro/Caviar, I don't remember having this at the Oakland location, so no comment on that. Sixth course, Uni, the pieces look shredded and small, and with edges missing and some melting already, so not fresh, they don't look like they should be served at all. See attached image for comparison vs Oakland. In general, the flavor of the fishes are excellent, but the presentation and the mouth feel were off. Lastly, the rice is also off, they didn't stick together well causing lots of spilling of rice instead of it holding its shape. Lastly, let's chat about the service. 1. The course by course structure of the philosophy means that everyone is getting a course at the same time and then the next course and continue. However, there is an issue with adding course in the middle of the meal. Apparently, if you were to add a course in the middle of the meal, that course gets served immediately possibly in between your courses or while you are still in the middle of your previous course. This causes the flow of the meal to be all over the place and it needs to be corrected. The FOH and BOH need to be in constant communication and make adjustments on the fly more effectively. 2. During ordering, the server offered to adjust the courses order based on flavor profile so that we aren't getting a course too rich before a milder course. However, because of this, we have no idea what's next considering that 2 of us in the party ordered the same 5 courses but 1 of us ordered an extra course which gets inserted in the middle. So when the food come out, the server needs to know which person is having what, but no, the courses just get dropped off and that's it, so we at the table ended up having to sort it out ourselves. This is definitively another training moment that needs to be fixed. Again, new restaurant going through some kinks, I understand. I will try again in several months and update my review as needed.

The hand rolls here are delicious. And I really like how if you order several of them they bring one out at a time after you finish the first one. They are made fresh just for you. I've been to the Oakland location several times, I'm so glad to see another location open up closer to where I live. This space is larger and also has a bar. I'm not a huge fan of the bar myself, but I know that some probably are.

Albany's first haute couture Japanese restaurant. Excellent atmosphere, service, presentation and flavor.

Food is amazing and service is great. Fish is very fresh and hand rolls are uniquely delicious. Great value with the lunch sets. Highly recommend!!

This spot totally exceeded our expectations. From the moment we walked in, the staff was welcoming and friendly, making us feel comfortable right away. The space had a cozy yet modern vibe, with soft lighting and clean, minimalistic decor that made it perfect for a casual night out or even a little date night. We kicked things off with the crispy tofu appetizer, which was absolutely delicious -- crispy on the outside, soft and silky inside, and paired with a light yet flavorful sauce that complemented it so well. It was one of those starters you wish you had ordered two of because it disappeared way too fast. For our main course, I went with the OG 5 hand roll set, while my fiancé chose the Yonsei 5 hand roll set. Every roll was so fresh -- you could really taste the quality of the fish and how well the ingredients were balanced. The nori was crisp, the rice warm and seasoned perfectly, and the fillings generous. It was honestly one of the better hand roll experiences we've had in a while. The cocktails were another highlight. I tried their signature house cocktail, which had a subtle citrusy note and wasn't too sweet -- exactly how I like it. My fiancé had a sake-based drink that paired beautifully with the rolls. By the end of the meal, we were both completely full and satisfied, but still tempted by the dessert menu (next time for sure). I love when a place leaves you content but also excited to come back and try the rest of the menu. Can't wait for our next visit -- already eyeing a few new dishes I want to try.

I came here with family after a long day in the city, and it was a pleasant surprise! The restaurant is small and intimate, all the food was fresh and tasty. The food came out in a very timely manner for our party and the server answered all our questions with the rolls. Definitely will return in the future!

The fish was fresh, the ambiance was also great for date night. Loved the agedashi tofu and spicy tuna. Dessert (chocolate torte( was mediocre, would skip that next time.

My friend and I came in and sat at the bar. There were quite a few choices on the menu. We decided to go with the $60 course meals. The handrolls were very good. The rice was done just right. Everything we had were flavorful without it being salty, kudos to that! Overall nice ambiance. You can see canvas photos on the walls shot by the owner. The canvas also indicates what roll of film were used for those who share a love for photography. The one who served us was very attentive and friendly despite how crowded and busy the place was. Very consistent service. Definitely a place I'd bring a date to, especially if the girl likes good quality sushi! I'll be back for that salmon belly handroll!

I just visited this restaurant with two friends. The food was good but not great. I really liked the black cod with truffle butter a lot, and one of my friends liked the uni, but most of the other rolls and appetizers were just ok. The tempura was mostly onions with almost no shiitake, and a bit greasy. The oshitashi wasn't as good as usual from other restaurants. The hamachi roll had too many onions. And the Futomaki wasn't nearly as good as elsewhere. (And the snow crab was disappointing too.) The service was very slow but good, but the ambience was very noisy. Very noisy. I don't use the word pretentious in my reviews but the menu here qualifies for that label. Many of the combinations are simply not that skillful. All in all, not worth returning. I much prefer Kuriya.

Absolutely horrible experience here today. I loved this new spot the first time I went. Their food was amazing. I was excited to share this new spot with my dad and I went 5 minutes before they opened. Not a single person sitting at a table. Initially we were sat at a table, a minute or two later someone else came by and said the restaurant was fully booked for the entire night. As I was leaving I asked if I could at least sit at the bar, to which another lady said we could sit at a table. So we went and sat back at the table. Then again later we were told they were fully booked for the entire night. Keep in mind not a single person sat at another table the entire time we were there. This is just a horrible policy for the restaurant. Why would they allow a reservation system that would entirely book the whole restaurant for the entire night? At least keep a table or two for walk ins. It's a terrible look, stupid policy, and horrible communication among staff. Absolutely ruined what was otherwise a nice restaurant. To top it all off the staff that told us they were fully booked had the audacity to say they would have a "talk" with the kind woman who said we could sit at the table. She was the nice and understanding one in the whole situation. She absolutely does NOT need a talking to and instead I think you need to think about how you should handled this situation and what you could have done better. If you want to lose guaranteed customers over potential no show reservations for the entire restaurant for a night that's on you guys, but know it will make me not ever come back. We ate delicious sushi across the street at Sakana & Yasai instead! Thank you for introducing us to this wonderful spot

The food was delicious and fresh. Well prepared and tasty. The staff is friendly and service was excellent. If you want some delicious hand rolls with a great variety of choices, I highly recommend Yonsei. Their starters are delicious. We had the hamachi, squid, beef, and tempura veggies. Also the oysters. All delicious. We will be back.

I've been to Yonsei Handrolls twice for dinner and both times were fantastic. Great ambiance and vibes. We sat with friends once and dined/sipped at the bar the other time. Cocktails are delicious, and the food was super fresh. Some favorites: * Hamachi Carpaccio * Agedashi Tofu * Black Cod & Truffle Butter * Saba Misoyaki with Myoga Ginger * Spicy Tuna with Tenpura Crunch The Omaka-Set handroll progression is a great way to explore the menu. Yonsei is a welcome addition to Albany - I'll definitely be back soon.

This place is spectacular! The Handrolls are just the start. The whole fish they do is also amazing!

Went with my wife and a couple of friends for dinner, service was on point as was the food. We will definitely be back.

Truly delicious Japanese fusion hand rolls served sequentially in courses, which extends and enriches the experience. Good cocktails and great service. Much nicer inside than you would expect from exterior.