Aburaya
Lakeside, California
(803)
Lakeside, California
(803)
803 customer reviews
Carrie Z.
Great Japanese fried chicken. Go get some.On a rainy afternoon in Oakland, I wandered into their take out location, a few blocks from the actual sit down restaurant. But I wanted the full experience for my first visit, so I walked over to the sit down restaurant.Crispy and juicy chicken, though it didn't seem like a proper kaarage. The exterior was crisp but not crunchy. Still, that's just nitpicking. I thoroughly enjoyed my fried chicken rice plate. It comes with salad and cabbage, though the cabbage is just one big hunk. Not shredded, not cooked, just a big raw piece.I enjoyed the dusting of curry powder. My friend tried the miso, and he was less happy with it.I'll be back for sure! More...
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David K.
They need a robot chicken that goes around collecting dirty dishes and large pieces of cabbage for the compost. Smaller pieces of chicken would make it crunchier plus proper seasonings would lessen the need for those cover up sauces. Definitely popular with the taste deficient millennials, but for those of us who' ve been around it needs more work. More...
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Victoria Cheng
What hasn't been said about this place? It's a great local spot serving up Japanese fried chicken and other great shareable plate. Don't skip out on the fish tacos!
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Molly L.
I came here after I thought it was another Japanese fried chicken place that I'd passed on another day, but realized was wrong about when I got there. I was in for a great treat regardless of the mistake.I was pleasantly surprised to try some of the chicken and be delighted with its taste. The garlic and miso went well together (it was like a powdery seasoning in the marinated chicken). There was also a sauce on the side that came with it and salad dressing on the salad that all paired well together. There was so much chicken though and easily for two meals (however the chicken was much better the first time around). The chicken was very salty but still very satisfying and not as heavy as most fried chicken because the batter is so thin. But overall for $12 it wasn't a bad deal since the bowl could be two meals. I want to come back in the evening, since it's the only time you can order their roasted beets. More...
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Christine G.
This place is so yummy, I can't stop thinking about our meal last night. We got a 8-piece chicken wings with teriyaki and the dry garlic rub. Definitely would recommend the dry garlic rub. Super fun vibe in there, perfect for date night or in our case, stop by before a show at the Fox Theatre. Can be slightly challenging to find a table in this small place, but be patient, the tables turn over quickly. Worth a little wait. Or get take out! More...
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David K.
Pretty decent tasting chicken but would taste better if the pieces were smaller. The same goes for the ginormous pieces of cabbage that most people don't know what to do with but leave for the staff to throw in the compost. Did you know the creamy sauce is meant for the humongous cabbage slices and not the chicken? I didn't until the staff told me. So if they could maybe use a food processor and shred the cabbage thinly and chop the darn chicken smaller, they'd have me going back monthly if not weekly, but then others would also go in troves and I'd have no where to sit. Love the decor and ambiance otherwise, especially the chicken/ rooster themes and printed signs alerting folks to bus our own tables. Umm, maybe attach a square wash bucket to a rooster and have it roam the place so customers can drop their dirty plates or at least utensils? J/k. More...
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James Mccoy
Great tacos didn't try nothing else
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Richard Elliott
One of a kind flavor and huge surprise. Aburaya is absolutely the best find of the year. After reading the menu online describing the place as punk rock Japanese food i had to try it. The specialty is fried chicken but you would never guess the amazing tender moist boneless perfectly cooked dish surrounded with slaw and rice.For $15 you get 8 pieces and the sides but 2 pieces is enough for one serving. Match it up with a wide selection of Japanese beers and Aburaya will become your new fave for 2020. 5 stars. Just great!! More...
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Ray B.
I give Aburaya a solid 4 for the food, but it could easily be a 5 if they got they logistics in order.Forget the name calling, just give everyone who orders a number. Only the people with a number can sit down. It makes no sense to have people standing around with their food in hand waiting for a table, while people who haven't even placed an order are squatting at tables chit-chatting. That goes double for people who are done with their meal. If you're finished with your food, then LEAVE! There are plenty of restaurants that welcome chatty people who've finished eating. This place is way too small for that.Aburaya, this advice is free for you because I like your chicken so much More...
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Melissa M.
YUM.MY. If this place was in my neighborhood, I would be here all the time. I ordered the umami dry rub chicken and it was amazing. I gave a little to a friend who was sick of eating chicken all week...and when she tasted it she pretty much said nevermind and scarfed a bunch down. We did go on a Saturday night and it was a little nerve wracking how few tables there were. However, we had no problem finding a table for 4 well before our food came. More...
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Catherine M.
My boyfriend and I did not read the menu properly so when our mouths began to tingle we momentarily freaked thinking we had been poisoned. Nope. We are dumb. We ordered the dry rub with tingling pepper.Anyways, I love this place. The have yummy gluten free fried chicken. More...
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Robert H.
Crunchy, tasty chicken that's served in a large portion. Get a good sized bit of steamed rice and side salad and its a great meal. You can get a four piece or eight piece chicken thigh with your choice of dry rub or sauced chicken. The sauces are house made. Beer and wine is also offered as well as soft drinks. Every 4 pieces of chicken comes with a different sauce or rub if you choose. We got the garlic miso and the bbq sauce. Both were good. There was a grilled hamachi special which was nice and briney with a good sauce but a very small portion around 3 oz. The crushed carrots were also tasty. The dish is raw but the sweetness of the carrot and the savory dressing really made a nice compliment to the chicken. The only downside to this place is the small footprint of the restaurant. It's always busy here so you'll have to wait for a table or share one. Make sure you don't take up more space than you need to. Also as in Japan get your food, eat it, and leave. We all need some of this delicious grub. They have opened a new to-go spot a la Homeroom so you don't have to grapple for a table. Gabba Gabba Hey this chicken is dope! More...
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caleb jarzemkoski
Eat here if you get a chance. Some of the best food in town. Organic too!!
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Emile F.
Man this spot is fire fried chicken on point the special sun chokes I had was amazing the steak app was tender and cooked to perfection . My only problem was no diet soda and I can't drink sugar I was content with water but fried food and soda for me is the combo. More...
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James Ware
Great food, great location, great atmosphere
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Brentley Beerline
If you like perfect fried chicken. You must visit and try both the mins and the well executed sides. The tater tots were amazing and a must order. And the staff is super cool as well. More...
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Angela Imrie
The pollo is crack!!! Sooooo addicting... off the chain!!⛓
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lynn ht
Delicious food. Limited but good beer options
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Eric S.
They have chicken. Lots of it. Different rubs and sauces. Something for everybody. But they close early on weekends. They should stay open later.
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K L.
I went for a weekday lunch. It was really busy. All the tables were full including the counter space for standing. The service was great though. The ordering line moved fast and the orders came out quick. Because it was crowded I took my food back to the office. I got the fried chicken rice bowl with the garlic miso rub. Portion was large and delicious. They serve it with a creamy sauce on the side which was a good complement. Definitely recommend. More...
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Al L.
From positives on a TV show review, a story on East Bay fried chicken destinations and Yelpers reviews, I had Aburaya down on my "to check out" list. With a concert nearby on a Saturday evening, we decided to stop by here beforehand for dinner. It's a small, hip, casual place with about seven table with chicken karaage/fried chicken the star of the show. Boneless and skinless chicken thighs are marinated in shio-koji, then battered with in potato starch and fried in soybean oil. Orders come in four or eight, with a choice of seasoning for each four-piece order in five choices of dry spices in garlic miso, curry, shichimi, umami salt and sansho or four choices of sauces in BBQ, teriyaki, karashi honey and orange honey aioli. Each order includes cabbage and miso ranch dressing.If you're not into fried chicken, they offer other meats like tonkatsu, skirt steak, poke, tuna tataki and fish tacos. For non-meat diners, there are vegan and vegetarian choices and veggie izakayas. You can add rice and mixed greens to any selection for $2.We ordered 8 pieces and garlic miso and umami salt with rice and mixed greens. The chicken pieces were good sized, tender and moist with a nice crispy batter. The garlic miso, listed as "a favorite", was flavorful, but I preferred the umami salt. It was very flavorful with the konbu, black garlic and shitake spices. With the rice and mixed green addition, it was more than enough food for two. There are many people that take-out here, hence the large crowd waiting for their food at pick-up counter. But if you do dine-in, finding a seat in the dining area can be challenging. Initially with all the tables full, we were going to stand and dine at the bar counter next to the pick-up counter. But before our order was called out, a table opened up. It's self-service here, so you get your napkins, utensils and water cups and hot sauces at the condiments table.It's a simple counter service place that serves delicious fried chicken served nine ways at reasonable prices. Looking forward to coming back and trying the other seasonings. More...
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Celia Z.
I came here on a Saturday around 530PM with a friend for an early dinner. Upon arrival, I realized this was a fast casual restaurant (order at the counter, call your number/name, bus your own table). It was also very busy but the service was fast and friendly. My friend and I ordered fried chicken (curry and miso garlic) to share as well as a poke bowl and 2 veggie sides. The portions are huge here but we ate every last bite. Their coating on the chicken is so light and not greasy and it has the perfect crunch. The salad had a very tasty dressing on it. The poke was pretty standard but still good. I would probably skip on the corn if I went back but everything else I would definitely order again. Would definitely come back !Also pro tip - their spicy sauce is awesome, definitely dip the chicken in it. More...
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Keith Mulligan
The most amazing chicken in the world.
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Daniel Moy
The chicken is really good
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Julie Janes
I like the variety of sides and changing options to be a delight. However the Miso original dry rub chicken is the best! Also why do I crave cabbage? They make it so good when it's got the dipping dressing they put with every order. I really like the food here. Usually I take my food to go but if there's a seat available I'll stay. However it's a pretty busy place and sometimes seating is scarce. More...
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Alizabeth McGowan
Get the tots!
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Paul Schroeder
Amazing fried chicken, I'm in town visiting and I don't have anything like this back home. rip me
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Lisa H.
Solid Japanese fried chicken and was a real treat. On a week night, this place was packed. Limited indoor seating, but Lake Merritt is a close walk if you get it to go! The line to order moves quickly, but there is a wait for the food to come out. Order: -8 piece chicken ($15): You get to pick two sauces with it. We got the teriyaki and karashi honey. This could fill 2-3 people easily. The pieces of chicken are huge. I loved the small kick from the karashi honey. The teriyaki blend is a classic. Also comes with a chunk of lettuce to help cleanse your palate. -Aburaya Tator Tots ($5): Yummy side with a great kick from the orange aioli. Big portions and loaded with the katsuobushi. They could have been a bit crispier. Make sure you pick up a sticker and a pin to display your love for Aburaya! More...
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Andrew Bradbury
Great food and great prices
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Marlo Stanfield
Great chicken
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Fabian Coffey
I often take my friends to this restaurant with my warmest recommendations. I visit this restaurant often. This recommendation is always successful. The dishes they serve are yummy and the team is very friendly and cooperative. always when we go to this place we pass a gorgeous time. warmly recommended. More...
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Ryan Coryell
Great chicken! Only downside is not enough room in the place to sit. I had to stand next to a bar on the wall to eat. But well worth it.
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Dianna H.
There was no wait for a table when my friend and I came on a Tuesday evening around 6 pm.You order at the counter and then find yourself a table to sit at. I wish they made it more obvious that you're expected to bus your own table. I gave tip when I paid and then subsequently saw the sign about cleaning up after yourself when we sat down.We shared 8 pieces of fried chicken ($15), half garlic miso and half curry. The chicken itself was fried perfectly and delicious, though we both agreed the garlic miso was better than the curry. I personally couldn't really taste the garlic or the miso and was surprised by the salty flavors rather than sweet. The curry flavor got old real fast, and after a piece I was already tired of the flavor.I also tried the okonomiyaki ($7) which was super disappointing. It was too thin and the mayo looked it was vomited on there instead of being finely drizzled.I do appreciate that they make their menu vegetarian friendly. Half the menu is clearly labelled for vegans and vegetarians. More...
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Jeremy H.
This has quickly become one of my favorite spots in East Bay. The chicken is EXCELLENT and making your order a rice bowl is a great value. The vegan option is delicious as well! Highly recommend if you're looking for a spot to eat around the Fox Theater, New Parish or if you're just in the mood for some GOOD chicken. More...
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Mary L.
Had dinner with a friend here on a Tuesday night shortly after it opened at 5pm. Within minutes of ordering at the counter, a line started forming and then it was busy ever since. People love Aburaya. This was my first time here and I had no idea the portion sizes were going to be so big. It's enough to last two meals, but I ate the entire thing by myself because it was just that good. I got the 4 piece chicken rice plate. On a large square plate you get tons of rice, 4 large pieces of crispy chicken, salad, fresh cabbage, and dipping sauce. I love that they have an assortment of hot sauces to choose from at the utensils station. The restaurant was bustling and for good reason. A good hearty, well balanced meal with locally sourced food at an affordable price. Who wouldn't love Aburaya? More...
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Lea S.
This place is so so good!! I live down the street and come here all the time, it's definitely in my heavy rotation. The fried chicken is the obvious choice of what to get here but my roommates have gotten other items like the tacos and also enjoyed them! The chicken is perfectly fried and crispy without being oily or fatty! I definitely recommend getting it with rice and salad because the salad is a nice mixed greens and has a delicious light gingery soy dressing. The different dry seasonings and sauces you can get on your chicken are good but nothing beats their Japanese bbq sauce. Every time I get a dry seasoning I am disappointed, I've tried the garlic miso and the Sansho which is their version of a lemon pepper type seasoning. The dry seasonings in general just don't pack as much flavor as and the sansho is kinda strange... they describe it as having a tingly sensation and they are not wrong, your mouth feels weird after eating it and I'm not sure if I liked it. The fried tofu is a great vegetarian alternative, basically a crispy vehicle for their sauces! Both chicken and tofu come with cabbage and their delicious miso ranch dressing which is great for dipping the chicken or cabbage into! If you're getting food for one you definitely don't need more than the 4 piece because the pieces of chicken are BIG! I sometimes will order the 8 piece and then get about 3 meals out of it! More...
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Sara A.
Super delicious chicken! We came in on Halloween night and it wasn't super busy. If it was more crowded it would have taken forever to sit, but we got lucky and didn't have to wait for a table for long after we ordered. We both got the plates- the bbq chicken and the curry rub chicken. Absolutely delicious! The chicken was cooked perfectly. The four piece was more than enough for one person so we definitely had some to take home for later. I really liked the add on ability of the salad and rice as well as the cabbage with mayo. Definitely will be returning to try some of the specials! More...
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Erika Guzman
Excellent food, choices for all eating choices. Limited drink selection and seating. Be prepared to share a table. The food is quick in coming out. You can get the fried food to go, but why would you risk losing the crunch to your meal. More...
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מיכל גולדמינץ
טעים, טעים ומיוחד, משהו אחר במגוון המסעדות
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Hicks Reece
I absolutely liked the dishes and customer service, awesome location right next to my apartment. The staff members are always friendly. I highly recommend this place.
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May Bresler Herzog
Great fried chicken! We LOVED the spicy mustard chicken, it packs a great punch from the wasabi. We also took the orange-mustard (our least favorite), the dashi (great) and the bbq (meh). Overall a great dinner in a cool space. Fun! More...
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Jeanne Ernst
Addicted to their Chicken and Green Tea Cake. My boyfriend Greg takes me here once a week.
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Harry Palatucci
5 stars. This place was on point. Delicious fried chicken with big flavor. Busy so plan accordingly.
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Eddie Garcia
Excellent!
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Andrew Wiedlea
Domo arrigato punky chicken-san. Very tasty fried goodness, ね?
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Monish Gupta
The shano wings tingle your mouth!
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Wade Staab
I am not usually a fan of fried food but went there for lunch with some co-workers and I have to say it was pretty good. Could see myself going back.
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Bobby Johnson
Amazing Fried chicken great atmosphere
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marco casasola
This place is incredible... Deviled avocadoes!!! Miso garlic dry rub chicken!!! Just make sure you take Bart or park right in front where you can keep on eye on your car. . That corner spot on Webster is car window smash central smh More...
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Natsuko Konishi
Such a cool spot to get some delicious karaage- the only downside is that it's so crowded!
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