Toyo Japanese Restaurant, Berkeley

With exceptional service in a comfortable setting, this eatery has been serving Berkeley's sushi needs since the 1990s. Sit beneath the large paper lanterns at one of the few tables and enjoy your seafood in a mellow, relaxed atmosphere. The nigiri is relatively inexpensive, and includes the usual suspects like octopus, eel, maguro and sea urchin. There is also a nice selection of bamboo rolls, like avocado, crab and tobiko. If raw fish is not your thing, try the many teriyaki dishes, including steak, chicken and salmon.