Social Profile: 
✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out
… View more
Yonsei is all about open-faced Japanese temaki (sushi handrolls). Think top-notch seafood, seasoned sushi rice, all wrapped in properly crisp nori. A selection of starters, sake, and Japanese-inspired cocktails round out the menu. Located across from the iconic Fox Theater, Yonsei is the fourth restaurant from Chef Kyle Itani in Uptown Oakland.
Hours
| Friday | 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5–9:30 PM |
| Saturday | 5–9:30 PM |
| Sunday | 5–9:30 PM |
| Monday | 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5–9:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5–9:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5–9:30 PM |
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–3 PM, 5–9:30 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1738 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 588-6924
Website: https://www.yonseihandrolls.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: resy.com
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Yonsei Handrolls
Yonsei Handrolls is the fourth restaurant from fourth generation Japanese American Chef Kyle Itani. With locations in Uptown Oakland & Albany, Yonsei Handrolls …
Restaurants — Yonsei Handrolls
With a location in Uptown Oakland (across from The Fox) and a second location in nearby Albany, Yonsei serves open-faced Japanese sushi handrolls made of crisp …
Our Food Menu — Yonsei Handrolls
Choose your own handroll adventure. Trust in Itani and order a curated … Locations. Yonsei Handrolls – Oakland 1738 Telegraph Avenue Oakland, CA 94612
Reviews
Alison Yeo
Had the baller set and loved it. They were so generous with the tuna caviar and uni hand rolls (unlike other hand roll bars). The price is so much better than similar hand roll bars in sf. Will be coming back!
… moreSarah Rebello
Delicious handrolls, no pretentiousness, and well timed service. Perfect spot for date night with the lover or friends. Very decently priced for the quality and presentation. Didn’t try any of the cocktails, but the yuzu lemonade was so fresh!
… moreChristine Uyemura
Yonsei makes really tasty handrolls and they have a ton of varieties to choose from. The black cod and salmon belly are especially nice. I love the sets and they even have a lunch special. The service is super friendly and quick, and I’ve never had any complaint here. It’s super conveniently located and I’ll definitely continue to come back!
… moreGwen
I had a reservation for one and was seated at the hightop window corner. The website stated they were booked up, but I was able to call and get a seat. It’s an intimate cozy place. My server was attentive and kind, and my favorite item ended up being her recommendation, the negihama (yellowtail & green onion) The rest of the rolls were just okay. The scallop and shiso leaf roll was decent. Salmon belly/yuzu/truffle salt and spicy tuna tempura roll weren’t bad, but weren’t memorable. I got about 4 rolls and a drink for about $50 and left satisfied, but not overly full.
Restrooms are attached to the ramen restaurant next door.
… moreRestrooms are attached to the ramen restaurant next door.
Tam Lun
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
… moreWay 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
Vincent Zhang
I don’t get the hype. Overpriced. Service was extremely slow.
Sushi rolls are perfect for take out. I was excited to order for my group but they said their takeout system has been broken since the beginning of the month. Excuse me? Ok fine I sat down and ordered their signature omaka set. The food was just ok. You can’t really taste the freshness since most of them are marinated with a mix. The portion was pretty small for $39 after tax I left still feeling hungry. Each roll could be finished in two bites, which was about 30 seconds, but it took them at least 10 minutes to serve the next roll. I didn’t get water until about 25 minutes in. The poor girl working there it wasn’t her fault she’s all on her own serving 20 tables. They need more staff. With this shitty service they have the audacity to put 22% as their starting rate of tipping. Yeah no thanks. Plenty of better sushi spots nearby.
… moreSushi rolls are perfect for take out. I was excited to order for my group but they said their takeout system has been broken since the beginning of the month. Excuse me? Ok fine I sat down and ordered their signature omaka set. The food was just ok. You can’t really taste the freshness since most of them are marinated with a mix. The portion was pretty small for $39 after tax I left still feeling hungry. Each roll could be finished in two bites, which was about 30 seconds, but it took them at least 10 minutes to serve the next roll. I didn’t get water until about 25 minutes in. The poor girl working there it wasn’t her fault she’s all on her own serving 20 tables. They need more staff. With this shitty service they have the audacity to put 22% as their starting rate of tipping. Yeah no thanks. Plenty of better sushi spots nearby.
Viktoriya Wise
The concept is great and I prefer the 2-3 bite size to sushi rolls. All food was fresh and the presentation well executed. Some of the items, especially the Salmon ones, were delicious!! Some were just okay. Service was cordial and mostly attentive. The drink was excellent. I would come back if I happen to be in Oakland again.
… moreCorey Strock
Some really good Sushi here. I enjoyed the presentation and flavor on pretty much all of our rolls. There were a few I wasn’t a fan of, but that’s a preference thing, I could still appreciate them and they were fresh and flavorful. We did end up ordering pretty much 1 of every roll, so it wasn’t cheap, but it was a great night out. Standout for us was the Black Cod and the Snow Crab. Drink menu was decent, my wife liked both her cocktails and I was happy with the Fieldwork IPA on draft.
… moreVicky T
-The quality of the fish is very good and tasty. They know how to combine and play with the ingredients
– the price is too expensive for what you get
– the service is average. Our server is very friendly. However, we arrived a bit early for our appointment, the server told us to wait for 10-15 min for them to get a table ready since the customers at that table about to pay.We waited for more than 30 min outside, watching new customers came in and out. The server knew we were waiting outside at the door. Then we went inside just to see why they took new customers and saw there were multiple empty tables. It’s quite weird when they have available tables and still let us wait outside. It took us a while to get the server attention at the door and also at dining.
… more– the price is too expensive for what you get
– the service is average. Our server is very friendly. However, we arrived a bit early for our appointment, the server told us to wait for 10-15 min for them to get a table ready since the customers at that table about to pay.We waited for more than 30 min outside, watching new customers came in and out. The server knew we were waiting outside at the door. Then we went inside just to see why they took new customers and saw there were multiple empty tables. It’s quite weird when they have available tables and still let us wait outside. It took us a while to get the server attention at the door and also at dining.
Leo
I made a reservation for Yonsei Handrolls at 6:30 PM. It’s crucial to book in advance as getting a seat without a reservation is extremely difficult. The restaurant is located in an area that might be considered somewhat rundown, so it’s important to park in a safe spot.
Upon arrival, I noticed that there were two servers working inside, which was great because they were quite attentive and responsive throughout our meal. The restaurant has a dark and cozy ambiance, which creates a unique dining atmosphere. The setup is simple yet effective, contributing to an intimate dining experience.
For our meal, we opted for the BALLER set, which offered a variety of rolls. We decided to swap out the uni due to its high cost—an additional $8 on top of the $57 set price. Instead, we chose two different rolls from the menu. Among the rolls we tried, the toro roll was the standout, offering a delicious and memorable taste.
Overall, Yonsei Handrolls met my expectations. The attentive service, unique ambiance, and quality of the food made for a satisfying dining experience. If you’re planning to visit, I highly recommend making a reservation and being mindful of parking in a safe area.
… moreUpon arrival, I noticed that there were two servers working inside, which was great because they were quite attentive and responsive throughout our meal. The restaurant has a dark and cozy ambiance, which creates a unique dining atmosphere. The setup is simple yet effective, contributing to an intimate dining experience.
For our meal, we opted for the BALLER set, which offered a variety of rolls. We decided to swap out the uni due to its high cost—an additional $8 on top of the $57 set price. Instead, we chose two different rolls from the menu. Among the rolls we tried, the toro roll was the standout, offering a delicious and memorable taste.
Overall, Yonsei Handrolls met my expectations. The attentive service, unique ambiance, and quality of the food made for a satisfying dining experience. If you’re planning to visit, I highly recommend making a reservation and being mindful of parking in a safe area.