Yoshi’s in Oakland
If you’re a jazz fan, it’s likely that you’ve heard about Yoshi’s, the legendary Bay Area jazz club that has showcased top-tier jazz artists for over forty years. When Yoshi’s opened its doors in 1972, it was a small 25-seat sushi bar in North Berkeley owned by three college students named Yoshie Akiba, Kaz Kajimura and Hiroyuki Hori. The business was quite popular with UC-Berkeley students and other Bay Area residents with adventurous palates and by 1977, the restaurateurs moved their operation to a much larger venue on Claremont Avenue in Oakland. The new place also allowed the owners to indulge their love for live jazz music and the stage quickly became one of the best places in the Bay Area to see and hear world-class jazz musicians.
In 1997, the owners were approached by Oakland officials, who invited them to move their club to Jack London Square. They thought that the club would be an excellent anchor business for their planned revitalization of the area. The owners agreed and today, Yoshi’s has a worldwide reputation for excellent food and excellent jazz in a spacious 17,000-square foot building that comfortably seats 330 music fans in the jazz club and 220 diners in the restaurant and lounge. In addition to top-tier jazz talent, Yoshi’s stage and music calendar also feature many other types of music. On any evening except Mondays, when the club is closed, you’re likely to find touring bands playing the blues, soul, world music, afro-Cuban beats, Latin jazz fusion and many other musical styles, including rock music from all over the world.
Although the live jazz music portion of the business has helped Yoshi’s gain an international reputation, the Japanese cuisine has made this Bay Area landmark a local favorite for discriminating diners. In addition to a superb selection of sushi, Yoshi’s features an eclectic and varied menu of contemporary Japanese cuisine with California flair. The service is great, the prices on the food and drinks are affordable and the ambiance of the dining room and lounge are conducive to a memorable dining experience.
If you love live music, cutting-edge Japanese cuisine or both, you really should set aside an evening and experience Yoshi’s Oakland. This remarkable Bay Area landmark is located at 510 Embarcadero West in Jack London Square. To browse the menu, the performance calendar, hours of operation and other useful information, visit the Yoshio’s Oakland website at http://www.yoshis.com/oakland.