Berkeley has no shortage of restaurants, but some places carry a different kind of weight. They become date-night spots, neighborhood recommendations, quiet celebration rooms, and the places locals mention when they want food that feels thoughtful without feeling stiff.
Fish & Bird Sousaku Izakaya was one of those places for many East Bay diners. The modern Japanese restaurant at 2451 Shattuck Avenue closed after service on Sunday, June 14, 2026, ending a six-and-a-half-year run that began just before one of the hardest periods the restaurant industry has ever faced.
The closing hurts because the restaurant was not a forgettable storefront. It had a clear identity, a creative menu, a downtown Berkeley address, and the kind of local following that makes a closure feel personal.
A Shattuck Avenue Farewell
Fish & Bird’s last service was Sunday, June 14, at its downtown Berkeley space on Shattuck Avenue. The closure had been announced weeks earlier, giving regulars a final window to visit before the doors closed…