Best. Sushi. Ever. fat ass nigiri pieces. BUTTAH! I've had sushi in japan and hong kong, and this place rivals some pretty top-notch spots in said locations. Granted, I was well-drunk at that point, but the experience was friggin awesome. Great service, excellent sushi, overall a great night. FRESH FISH is the deciding factor here. read more

Who knew??? I have lived in Richmond most if not all of my life. This place has surpassed my frame of vision for sometime now. All is not lost. My little brother took the mom and I here for our birthday. While she - stuck in her ways stuck to tempura and rice, sometimes venturing over to the sashimi we were having, my brother and I went for all things still alive and kicking. Their oyster was delicious - small compared to Sushi Tani, but still fresh and refreshing. My assorted sashimi of tuna, sake and hamachi were fresh and also refreshing, again quite small. At this point...still quite hungry. The rolls on the other hand were of good size. I have to say I left kinda hungry. I just couldn't justify ordering more though... But next time, I'll have to try the uni...it'll make or break the place for me.... read more

I saw some of the reviews and thought I should write about this place. For one, I don't understand why people let $ become a factor for the review. I get that price can be a big deal, but come on, you can check out the menu and know if you can afford to eat there or not. Duh. This shouldn't be factored into whether the food tastes good or not. Second, what's with factoring race? If Koreans made sushi, big deal. If it tastes good, I'm so there. You see non-Asians at Panda Express making Chinese food, but people still go there...just sayin'. OK. End Rant. Now onto the restaurant review... I've been coming here for at least the last 5 years. I haven't been disappointed and although the sushi could fluctuate once in a while (the new sushi chef behind the counter, not Jin, sometimes doesn't put the masago on top of my rolls), the taste is always the same. The restaurant is small, so sometimes you have to wait for a table. But if I had to rate the place solely on the space and the cost of the sushi, I would not give it 5 stars, maybe more like 3 or 4 on atmosphere. But I'm rating on the quality of the fish and service, so I give this place 5 stars. Sushi is pricey to begin with, but it doesn't mean this place costs an arm and a leg. It's about the same anywhere, but the fish is always fresh and my tea cup is always full. The waitresses are really nice and attentive, even when they are busy. My favorite rolls I order that I can't find elsewhere are: Moondog Roll Island Roll (Really like this roll because of the thinly sliced lemon they put on top of it really gives you a fresh burst of citrus that complements the salmon coupled with the crunch from the tempura shrimp). Hamachi Mango (Mango and fish?! Who knew the combo would be so noms!) Cliff House (although this is no longer on the menu, but they still make it for me :) ) If you get bored of regular rolls, this place has a few that you won't find anywhere else. And if you become a regular, JIn remembers you and will strike up a conversation with you if you sit at the bar. read more

This may be my new favorite sushi place. 3 of us ran up about $130 worth of sushi (no alcohol) yesterday and everything was amazing. The fish was fresh and the presentation was exceptional. It's kind of small, but we had no problems getting a seat. The toro was unbelievable. Buttery and decadent. The dragon rolls are the best in the city. The Cherry Blossom roll was almost as impressive to look at, as it was to eat. The Firefighter roll, with it's super spicy tuna and habanero peppers, was probably my favorite roll. It could be deemed on the pricy side, but you get what you pay for. The service is excellent, and we kept ordering additional rolls, because it was just so good. Definite recommendation. read more

Ariake has become our latest Japanese favorite in the city. The owner (who speaks both Japanese and Korean) is very friendly, and I think he actually remembers you after you've gone there a few times. My hubby and I tend to order all the fatty types of fish. Unfortunately, that also means we rack up the bill whenever we go out for quality sushi. But your money is always well spent here at Ariake. You leave feeling as though your mouth just finished a two-hour massage. The last time we went, we brought a Japanese friend who is a foody just like us. When the meal was over, she gave the restaurant her two thumbs up. Don't go to Ariake unless you're willing to get only the best. Some highlights were the toro, the uni (piled high) - sooo incredibly nutty, the amaebi heads (better than most places we've been to! You could taste all the yummy goods in those heads when we went in early March 2008), and the liver (appetizer)) and the agedashi tofu (let it bathe in sauce that they provide for you and you will not regret it the least)... and just try something different. Don't be afraid to ask the owner what he recommends! enjoy read more

One of my go-to Sushi places in the bay area! I've only ever sat at the bar and order Omakase from the chefs. Their fish is always fresh and I haven't been disappointed once! Getting seated is not difficult - there have been nights with the place half-empty, and other nights where we've had to wait a bit but it's not too bad. read more

Although this is my first yelp review don't be fooled. After 5 years with my lady what else can you do besides grub to get outta the house on a regular basis? I don't consider myself a pretentious sushi snob or anything, but I do like to eat good. With that said, I've eaten at most any Sushi places my little heart desires and there are great ones around, especially considering we live in SF. In my opinion (obviously) Ariake is the best. Now onto the things I won't go to Ariake without ordering. Moon Dog roll- prob one of the best rolls ive ever had. Yes it's that good. Godzilla roll- deep fried yellowtail roll Albacore tataki- to die for Hamachi Kama and Ike-jime Tai- Im sure I will ultimately regret even suggesting these items as they're only available in very limited quantities. So limited, I typically will call ahead simply to inquire whether it's even still available that day. I sincerely hope I'm not shooting myself In the foot with this one. The worst is when you order these only to be told they're sold out, then to realize your neighbor at the bar is your worst enemy because they got the last order (I'm sorry I'm still butthurt over this) Your not gonna have the nightclub ambiance here like other "supposed" great places. However, what you will have is a delectable dining experience that won't leave you unable to pay your rent. Chef Jin is always eager to welcome you into his humble eating establishment with a smile and even more eager to recommend what's the best of what he has to offer. Because of this I've become a regular here even despite the fact that I live only a few blocks from Ebisu (which isn't a bad place but nowhere near Ariake' s caliber) I've even been known to show up more than once a week depending on how bad my withdrawals are. Yes I order plenty of other things and they're all up to par. However I'm not gonna BS you, I'd be here all day if I reviewed them all....................... and I could be at Ariake instead. read more

Great place for sushi!! Service was extremely friendly and fast. I had the dragon roll and mixed tempura and their both were on point. The establishment was clean and busy. The staff carried friendly conversations with patrons, seems like this is a place for regulars. read more

Amazingly good sushi and super fresh. I wish that I knew of this place before and will definitely go again. Their rolls are simple, menu is simple, and it's like the most hidden Geary St sushi secret. Love it! read more

There's something about tobiko that makes me crave for it. The crunchiness of the tobiko as it pops with flavor is weirdly entertaining. With that being said, if you love tobiko, get the Hamachi Mango Roll. The tri-colored tobiko was soooo good. Spicy flavored goodness. The miso-marinated black cod and uni nigiri were great picks, too. Unfortunately, after I ordered the Hamachi Mango Roll, I wanted more tobiko but their tobiko nigiri was fishy and rubbery. Next up, Moon Dog! read more

We were cold and hungry and Ariake innocently offered open seats as we dropped in for an early dinner. Once inside and warmed with steaming green tea, we were prepared to eat. We started with rolls to share: - Hamachi Mango ($12): Alternating slices of sweet ripe mango and yellowtail striped across the back of rice, with more mango and asparagus rolled inside, with some tasty sauce and tri-colored roe in orange, green and black on top. The mango tended to overpower the fish but pretty presentation. - Double Albacore: This was one of the chalkboard specials. Fresh albacore sat on top and inside the roll for a creamy mouthful. - Firecracker ($7): You get 4 pieces of tempura shiso leaves which serve as the carrier for spicy tuna mix with a little seaweed wakame salad on top. This was my favorite with its various textures and heated flavors. We also shared some Nabeyaki Udon ($9.95) which had deliciously flavorful broth, chewy udon noodles, and the usual fixings of veggie, chicken, and tempura shrimp inside. Friendly service, frequented by regulars, and well priced to invite you back for more. (3.75 stars for hitting the spot and wallet.) read more

Came here last night for a quick-japanese-craving-type-bite-to-eat. It was already 11:15pm, so most of the places on Geary were closed. However, after a few drives back and forth between Clement and Geary, we discovered this jewel. It's somewhat hidden, and small. Nobody was in there, so it made me kind of skeptical. My parents always said watch out for the places with no customers. It was late which was considerable but my perception of the Sunset/Richmond neighborhood is that there are always late-diners around here. But WHATEVER.. we just wanted to get our hands on some sushi/japanese food already! Decided to order the dragon roll to split between the two of us. Now I know my review is based on just one item, but that has probably got to be one of the, if not best already, BEST dragon rolls I have ever tasted. It was extremely fresh and made with juicy goodness. The roll came with about 10-12 pieces for $12.00. Mmm, that was kind of pricey huh now that I think about it.. 1 dollar a pop! Dinner Bento Boxes were about something like $14.95 for two items, and $17.95 for 3. A bit on the expensive side compared to many of the other restaurants in the area. I also LOVED that the restaurant was owned by authentic Japanese people, not by Koreans or Chinese, haha. Definitely could be expecting a potential revisit from me in the future. read more

When the fiance and I are out and about w/o the kiddos, we always search for food that to us, is harder to eat w/kiddos around. Sushi is one of those meals. One, because you want to enjoy every little morsel of taste as it reaches your mouth w/o anyone swatting, screaming, or lunging at you and two, because I have a ginormous fear that I will poke above mentioned kiddos w/my chopsticks while attempting to tackle reason one. Not a pretty sight, folks. So sushi it was and w/a dash of citysearch and a serving of yelp we stumbled across Ariake. And why yes, fellow yelpers, you are on the mark w/this one. If I were to gauge the cost of the sushi against the taste my belly and wallet would say, yay, I'm a fan and pat me on the back for being financially savvy. The Moon Doggie and Bob are my favorite. The spot is a little tight, but you really won't care b/c they are quite friendly and it makes it easier to ask the table/person next to you what they're having and what they think of it. (Now, I didn't do that but I saw a couple strangers discussing their plates and I'd like to believe it's not due to Christmas spirit.) So go, Ariake, it's yummy, I wish you luck in finding a parking space. read more

Beef teriyaki dinner. Yum. They use rib eye and it was super tender. The quality of the sashimi is really good though. Very fresh. The prices are a bit high though.. And the waitress wasn't too attentive with refilling water/tea. And what's with no dessert options when you order a dinner entree? lol. read more

Sushi as a comfort food? Probably not. BUT Ariake definitely has that home like ambiance which imparts a comfort type feeling towards your dining experience there. So, in a way, sushi is a comfort food. It definitely doesn't hurt to have friendly sushi chefs and warm servers. The sushi is very good. As another yelper posted, they have escolar. I never noticed that it was so rare of a fish to offer.... it is good! So what makes Ariake really good? Great atmosphere, great service, tasty sushi (and rolls - the mango roll is my favorite) and at a really good price. read more

Korean owned Japanese restaurant with many Causasian patrons. Decent tonkatsu dish but on the pricier side $14 (normally it is $12?). Spider roll was decent but wished I could of eaten Tuna instead. Narrow space, the biggest table sat 8 people? read more

Awesome fish. Awesome service. Some of the best nigiri I've had in the Bay Area. Very generous pieces of fish for the price. The otoro is next level. read more

Amazing. Flawless. Sublime. Great atmosphere and incredible food. Two rolls I'd recommend: -The Lion King roll -The Josh roll The Josh Roll is something like you've never had. Born out of love and made to perfection every time, you're letting the best things in life pass you by every day you go without it. Give it a try. Treat yourself right. Go on a sushi journey for the soul. read more

Decent sushi, but that special something called "service" wasn't up to the task. Couple friends and I decided to break out of our usual Sunset based sushi routine and headed over to The Richmond to see if there was anything worth the trip plus the joy of finding Geary parking on a Saturday evening. We settled on Ariake after a slew of places couldn't seat us right away because boy were we hungry. Ariake, like most sushi joints, distinguishes itself on its rolls. Different variations on tried-and-true themes. I ordered the caterpillar roll -- avocado and eel -- complete with eyes out of salmon roe on top of octopus suckers and sprouts for antenna, it was the best presented caterpillar roll I've every had the pleasure of eating. Sadly, the amount of eel was poor and the avocado dominated the dish. Worse yet, no wasabi was provided! In fact, counting all the sushi dishes order by the entire table we received only two small "dollops" of wasabi. The other diners reported their sushi was better, and the few other pieces I stole were, in fact, decent. Food was also brought out in a very strange order, with some diners receiving their entire order before another even received their sushi (to say nothing of their main dish). We then waited nearly 15 minutes after our plates were cleared before someone thought it would be nice to give us a check, or even swing by so we could ask for a check. The tonkatsu I ordered was overly breaded, but the dipping sauce was more than sufficiently tangy, and the miso soup really hit the spot on a cold San Francisco evening. They also offer a reasonably wide selection of cold sakes and we all enjoyed our selected bottle quite a bit (but heck if I can remember what we actually ordered). But the truth is, between the poor service, the insufficient eel, and the over-breading, I wont' be in a rush to return... except maybe for a bowl of piping hot miso. read more

Yum. Seriously yum. Found this place looking for something that was open a bit later. Saw the reviews on Yelp. Once again, Dear Yelp, you have not steered me wrong. So good. We've been there several times now and I have to say that their fish has been very, very fresh each time we have gone. And their rolls - OMG!!! Of course there's the "Moon Dog", not to mention the "Ariake" and "Dragon" which play sensuous games on your palate. But then there are the less usual dishes, like the monk fish liver (which is like fish foie gras) - as well as the Hamachi cheek (which is pretty much half a grilled Hamachi jaw). It is seriously a little piece of Heaven on a plate. But, if you are lucky enough, sit at the sushi bar where the real entertainment is. Sometimes the owner and his other chef resemble the timing of Abbott and Costello with the witty banter being volleyed back and forth for the benefit of all those in ear shot. Moreover, if you sit at the bar and ask the chef what is fresh (which most things are), you may be lucky enough to receive an impromptu "chef's selection". Now, the price is something that may keep it from being a weekly visit, but when we are feeling a little luxurious and in the mood for fresh, great fish, we know where to head... read more

I ordered $75 Omakase and was pretty disappointed with the quality of the dish overall, you can find a much better Omakase at the same price or even much cheaper price. My wife ordered bento set which was ok, if you want an actual sushi, go somewhere else, if you just want to fill yourself up this place is A-OK. read more

Still my favorite Japanese restaurant in my hood. The fish is always so fresh, innovative rolls, sashimi excellent. I feel like I am in Tokyo when I eat at this gem of a restaurant. Service is always friendly and good. Do start with the firecracker, amazing combination of ingredients, so delicious. I always order beer or wine, their rolls deserve champagne!! read more

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Is Uni better when the sushi chef lays down tongue by tongue, the individual pieces piled high? Or is it better when the sushi chef gives you a thick slice of uni from his pile, then places the wedge on the gunken nirigir as usual? This place did the later. It was very generous and the uni was good quality. But I don't know how I feel about that. It was a cross section of uni. Reconstructed. Such the opposite of deconstructed. The Sashimi A lunch combo contains exactly the fish described in the sushi A lunch combo. In fact, the only thing different is the addition of shredded daikon, the rice is served in a bowl (instead of nigiri) and that's about it. The price of everything has changed from the website. The lunch combos all cost $13.95. For 7 pieces of sliced fish. And a salad and a soup. The slices of fish appeared to multitask as well and could have easily been made into nigiri. Except the maguro. That was the size a large postage stamp. The agedashi tofu was 5 smallish pieces of tofu (1.5 inches x 1.5 inches x 0.5 inches) for $4.95. It was served very very hot with shredded bonito on top. It tasted ok. I could have done without this. I am confused by this meal because it was such a reconstructed way of doing things. The servings of sashimi were small and the prices were high. The uni was sliced rather than the whole piece. The taste was nice and I am very very full but it was so different from...everything. The price was nothing like the website: Combination A - $9.95. The Uni was nothing like I'd ever seen. The portion of the lunch combo was smaller than the sashimi appetizer photo on Yelp. My world is falling apart? I need to go back to my safe place to center myself. I need to find that sushi mecca... read more

Since Midori lost their old chef I've been searching for a new neighborhood spot. I'm still looking unfortunately. I stopped in for lunch today and had a bento box. The salmon teriyaki was decent. The teriyaki sauce was better than average and the salmon wasn't too dry. The tempura was really good - crispy and light instead of what most places have. The California roll was just ok. I don't understand why places make a bento box California roll so different from the one you get if you order off the menu. That one looked much much better. The miso soup was the highlight of my meal. It's the best I've had in a while. My boyfriend ordered Chirashi B and said the fish was good, all the little pickled veggies were tasty too. Service was lovely, it seems like a really nice family runs the place. I'll be back, but with Amphawa across the street and Lou's a couple storefronts down I'm not sure when. read more

Delicious fresh fish! Everything was incredible. Good sized portions. I went here with my honey and we accidentally spent $92. Oops! That toro was almost worth it though, at $13 per order of nigiri. read more

So. good. Over the past half-decade of living in the Richmond and trolling Clement and Geary Streets for sushi, I have to say I've found "the one." Sometimes I pick by price, by "crowdedness" or by quality of food. This place has it all. The sushi was delish. People were nice. Small and quaint but not too crowded for a Friday night. read more

The best sushi I have ever had. Get the Toro, the Bluefin, the natural hamachi and salmon. I've had expensive-ass sushi in Japan. This tops everything though. Don't miss this place. Excellent service. read more

I have been to many many Japanese restaurant in San Francisco, I accidentally found the sushi in Ariake are very fresh, surprising they are not that busy. I definitely will come back again. read more

All the other reviews are such inside job... Fresh fish..? Seriously? I ate most of the decent sushi place and this isn't the worse I ever experienced but it certainly the most expensive for 3 roll... Place is small but it's fine cause some people like it cozy. However, the food and the price was definitely a major no. If you are dying and must eat as well as have butt load of cash to blow? Sure come here... If you want decent price and decent food... I definitely go somewhere else. I gave 2 star cause the staff were nice but that's it. read more

Amazing experience for my first time at Ariake! I've lived in the neighborhood for a year and have tried a handful of sushi spots in the Inner Richmond, and by far Ariake offers the freshest sushi and friendly, attentive service mixed with reasonable prices. Three of us came in at 6:00 pm on a Thursday night -- hardly rush hour. Within 15 minutes, though, nearly the "entire" restaurant (maybe 10 tables and a sushi bar) was packed, which we took to mean that we made the right choice. The staff checked in with us every few minutes, though, so service was consistently top notch throughout the meal. Every roll was delicious; we split one each of the Bob's Roll (best one for sure -- prawn tempura topped w/seared bonito & special sauce), Dragon Roll (standard eel/avocado -- but very fresh avocado made it stand out), Dynamite Roll (spicy yellowtail, salmon and tuna deep friend w/sauce -- yum) and Godzilla (fried yellowtail -- so so) roll. The nigiri rolls were especially good -- we recommend the white tuna and the salmon. Definitely could be a good quick date spot, or for a group of friends. And extra thanks for the extra effort on the part of the hostess -- I left my debit card behind, and she sprinted a block to catch up with us and reunite me with my one and only source of $$. A very fun night, thanks Ariake! read more

A solid 4.5 stars! Really fresh fish, great neighborhood find. I found that the price was great for the level of food, although the service was lacking. The place is tiny, so come early or on a week night. The best thing was the Tataki and anything with raw salmon. read more

Came here for lunch with the family right after I got back to CA last month and I was most impressed! VERY fresh fish at a great price and all the rolls we had were delicious. The ramen and tonkatsu were above average as well. Definitely give the sushi a try here if you're in the city. read more

Came here for lunch. Got a bento box. Small portions, left feeling hungry still.....maybe I should've gotten the rolls instead.

I love this place. My friend and I came for lunch, and it is cozy and the sashimi combo lunch was DELICIOUS. Super fresh. Definitely recommend! read more

Outstanding fresh sushi with wide variety to choose from along with creative rolls. Chefs are very skilled and fun to allow them to choose for you. Intimate atmosphere and attentive staff at the Inner Richmond neighborhood. Enjoyed the Shima Aji, Hon Maguro, Kanpachi, Hirame, Tasmania, ikejime Tai, Ju Toro and Yellow Tail. read more

Cousins saw this place on a commercial and wanted to come. Made a RSVP for 4 on Wednesday at 7:30. 3 of us arrived first at 7:10, a waitress greeted us, informed her we have a RSVP for 7:30 and she said oh okay, just sit there (gestured for the table we were standing next to) The place is small, so it looked pretty busy when we walked in (playoffs were on, so many Caucasians in the building) On our table had ONE menu, after 5 minutes of sitting there, no one came up to ask us what we would like to drink and waitress didn't bring us another menu until I requested for 2 more. We ordered after 10 mins of deciding what to eat ... waitress brought out my salad first but my entree soup dish didn't come out until the end of the meal. The rest of our order of sushi rolls came out one after another and we were impressed. It was good. Every flavorful, well blended, place nicely. But I was disappointed with one roll, Island roll (pic shows lots of avocado, but we only got bits) While eating, waitress came up to us a few times to ask how is our food, do we need any more tea? After our meal, we asked for the check and that was it. We plan on coming back later on to try the rest of the rolls and I hope they will bring us more menus without having to ask. read more

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Small, quaint little hole in the wall that served pretty decent chirashi don! They have different types; hope, love, & another one which, for the life of me, I can't remember. What surprised me about this place was they they served sea urchin! Quite rare for little jap places. Do try their rolls, it's not too bad! The waitresses were really cute; it was game night (the Warriors were playing), & they (both customers, and waitresses alike) were all crowding around the tv cheering! read more

We love sushi! We were greeted by the nice Japanese man who makes the sushi. We ordered 3 orders of crab sushi and an order of shrimp sushi - all this just for my son. I got the Bob's roll, Dynamite and 49er. I know, I always get excited, I don't even realize it's just me eating. But hey, I almost finished them all. I paid $62 for the meal. A little excessive but I left the place happy and satisfied. read more

We stopped by Ariake for dinner around 8:30 PM and were lucky to grab one of their last tables. This place is tiny which I loved and had a cozy vibe. All the ladies ordered Sapporo and we started with their seaweed salad which was cool and fresh. The rolls we split included the cherry blossom ($12.00), fire cracker ($7.00), dragon ($12.00), spider ($9.00) and one more other roll I couldn't remember and they were all decent. I wasn't wowed but enjoyed the good company I had and atmosphere more than anything. For a sushi place their prices are fairly decent but their rolls are also much smaller. read more

I can't say much more than what other reviews have already stated - and wholeheartedly agree. A small neighborhood joint with super fresh sashimi and a small selection of innovative (but not overstuffed) rolls....try the Bob's roll, created for and named after my old roommate's good friend (a regular obviously!) is *yummy*. Service at the sushi bar was good and better yet, they are open on Mondays (when many of the better sushi joints tend to be closed). Update: returned and weren't able to sit at the sushi bar. The waitresses are inept. Having waited tables in a Japanese restaurant in college, I know it can be tough to balance the inconsistent timing on food preparation between the kitchen and the sushi bar, especially when it's busy. But that's no excuse for not offering tea or water, ignoring us for 10 minutes after we've been seated, and for not checking on our sushi order until we had to ask - especially when the one person in our group had already *finished* his entire teriyaki and tempura bento from the kitchen. Inexcusable. Aside from that, the sushi still kicks booty. Just make sure you sit at the sushi bar! read more