Ambiance: Open spaces, there's a bar area and seating. The…read morerestaurant isn't too large and the tables are separated by wooden slats, so it feels very inviting and not cramped, while also offering some privacy and space between tables. I've been here twice and have not noticed the noise levels of the restaurant. I'm not sure if the way the restaurant is laid out absorbs the overall noise levels, but it's a wonderful place to take a date - I noticed a lot of couples seated at the bar. I've sat at both the bar and the table area and both were very lovely. Service: We were seated right away both times. The first time we got there, there was only one reservation available at the bar right when they opened and I snagged it immediately. I would highly recommend getting reservations online. They were very busy by the time we left. At the bar the first time we went, we got lucky and sat right in front of one of the owners Ryo. He was so lovely and had wonderful sake recommendations, which we loved. The second time we went, we got a table because Ryo wasn't working that day. Our server was also super knowledgeable and we got a couple of dry sakes based on her recommendation, since the two I was looking at were out. Food/Drinks: Ultra Suijin - dry and crisp and not super sweet. Recommended by Ryo. (Great recommendation) Seaweed salad - fresh, light, ample. Not overly dressed and had great, snappy texture. Shishito - blistered and topped with a generous amount of bonito - lightly salted Chirashi - delicious slices of fresh fish on top of a bed of purple rice with surprise crunchy bits of inari?? and fresh snap peas. Perfect burst of salt with the ikura mixed in. I didn't try the other items pictured, but my friend enjoyed the salmon and hamachi nigiri, as well as the spicy tuna. Sesame mochi - perfectly chewy without any residual stickiness on the teeth, light sesame flavor Overall, would come again with all my friends and bring everyone here.

Came here for a girls' night yap session and we had a great time! Kuma is perfect for a small group…read moreof friends looking to share some delicious fresh fish. What we ordered: + Assorted Rolls [4.5/5]: These rolls were so unique! I loved them a lot! We ordered the Kuma Roll and the Jackalope Roll along with one other that I forgot. I love that Kuma changes up their menu a bunch. I would definitely recommend theirs rolls-- they're quite talented at incorporating fresh, spicy, & crunchy elements for an explosion of flavor. My only complaint was that the slices of fish were very thin and poorly cut. + Chu-Toro Nigiri [3/5]: Pretty good chu-toro, relatively fatty. Temperature was a bit warm. Unfortunately, we actually ordered sashimi (not nigiri) but didn't want to send it back. I don't think it's worth the price. :/ + Local Tofu [6/5 - would recommend]: Amazing texture of tofu! Somehow crunchy and pudding-like at the same time. The fried elements on top were sooo yummy. + Seaweed Salad [4/5]: A good seaweed salad. Great portion size! Overall a good experience. Service was really friendly. Some things could be improved, but dining at Kuma was still a pleasant experience.

I want to Give this place 5 stars because the sushi chef was…read moreamazing. And what looked like an another possible owner came over and was the sweetest. Our waitress seemed irritated. Anything, I asked her she seemed annoyed and irritated. I'm The type of person to be kind anyways , which I was. But not happy that someone like that gets 20%. when I'm spending close to 500 Bucks on a meal with a party of 2. I honestly would have given a higher tip if it was to just the sushi chef. I would expect some genuine politeness, because I was was surely nice and polite. I want to put less stars because of the waitress but I feel like it would be a disservice to the amazing sushi chef.

My friend and I came on a Friday night at 8:30 pm and made a reservation in case it was busy. The…read morerestaurant was very modern and vibey with the lighting and the dark wooden fixtures. They had a range of items on their menu from Japanese small plates to oysters to fresh sashimi and sushi. Gindara Misoyaki (Miso Cod) - The main item we came for, this is my friend's favorite miso cod in the city and it was made very well. Everything was balanced from the light cod with a richer umami miso sauce and the sides of mushroom and radish that cut through the richness. Beef Sukiyaki - I expected the dish to be a little bigger but it was sweet and had a comforting flavor. Everything had the best textures from the meat to mushroom and noodles. It had a lot of flavor depth that paired well with the sushi rice we got on the side. Mochi Trio - This came with an assortment of 3 traditional Japanese mochis. There was a flat one that had a cinnamon flavor with red bean filling, warabi mochi that was nicely chewy and nutty and a classic strawberry with red bean flavor. All were a good amount of sweetness and the best textures. The dishes were a little on the pricier side but the quality and flavors really showed through each one. A very nice place to get dinner with a friend or have a date night.

Came again since they had an all-day happy hour this Wednesday! Great advertising on Instagram!…read more Love coming here since the food is fresh and the restaurant ambiance is cute and well decorated. On a Wednesday at 6:30, there was a short 5-minute wait outside and the restaurant was full. We ordered the following from the HH menu: - Goma Asparagus (3/5) - dish was tiny and the asparagus just tasted steamed with sauce on top - crispy salmon bites (4/5) - good portion and kinda tasted like the salmon skin chips from the store - corn ribs (6/5?) these are delicious and must get - brussel yakitori (4/5) good Brussels and way better than the balsamic Brussels that are too saucy - oysters (5/5) fresh and well seasoned with fresh wasabi - choo choo toro (5/5) - hamachi tataki (5/5) - sashimi sampler (5/5) Winners are the fresh fish, whcih comes with fresh wasabi! Yum!

We were in the mood for an izakaya and Chome seemed like the perfect spot to try near us. We loved…read morethe ambiance and atmosphere, but unfortunately the food was just okay.. especially for the steeper prices. The complimentary potato salad was honestly my favorite dish. Everything had great presentation and looked great aesthetically. They were just somewhat lacking flavor I was hoping for.

Got the prettiest and most delicious sushi to-go bento box, had a picnic at the park, enjoyed the…read moresunshine, and listened to live music. Absolutely amazing meal! Can't wait to go back to try some other sushi combos~

A super fancy sushi box you take togo to enjoy at the comfort of your own home.. or in front of the…read moreGolden Gate Bridge! this is pretty pricy, but the experience and the presentation of these boxes made it worth while. Decided to plan a picnic date and bring these out to enjoy the view of the Golden Gate Bridge! 10 piece sushi & maki - 8.5/10 loved the toro this was my favorite cut! Also the yellow tail was soo good and none of the nigiri's were fishy! It was fresh and they even give you a little soy sauce packet to enjoy your sushi with. The sushi rice they make here actually made the bites better than your normal sushi spots. The rice was marinated well and had its own unique flavor that you can't really find anywhere else Hand roll 8.5/10 - this was fun to make! I would just make a hand roll with all the fish and eat it in one bite LOL, however my fav was the toro (again) it was so buttery and it just melts in your mouth. Tip: order ahead online so you can just come In and pick up especially if you have a specific box you really want. I wasn't able to get a Tekka Don online since I ordered too late, so just picked up a hand roll when I came to pick up my 10 piece box

Wako is one of my favorite omakase places in the city. I've dined in twice and ordered their sets…read morefor takeout during Covid 2021. They're consistent, ambiance is simple yet welcoming, and the chefs and waitstaff/host are very friendly. Omakase itself it can get quite expensive and is a luxury, and I believe Wako is one of the more reasonably-priced ones in SF. The menu rotates, but generally you get starters/appetizers, a warm dish, sashimi, a variety of sushi served individually, miso soup, and a dessert. Everything's always presented beautifully and thoroughly explained to diners once served. I believe since Covid, Wako started offering some affordable sushi to-go options, which can satisfy your sushi cravings without costing you too much.

Fun omakase experience…read more Casual, yet intimate - focused squarely on the food. I greatly enjoyed most the dishes. I appreciated the variety in terms of presentation, textures, and preparations. Best maguro I've had in a while. I also like when they offer the opportunity to add a bit more if you are still hungry. The add-on uni and handroll made sure I left fully satisfied. Wait staff service could have been a little bit warmer. It felt harsh and rough at times. Great place for a date. Try to sit at the bar!

So fresh so yummy. On the pricier side but that's what you pay for high quality sushi…read more We got two rolls and the hamachi crudo. Next time want to try the omakase nigiri. Went for lunch on a Friday and a line was forming at 11:50am (they open at 12pm) we didn't have to wait so I'd suggest getting there ten or so minutes before open. I'm sure it's much busier at dinner though.

Finally got to try this spot after living in Noe valley for a couple years and it's definitely…read moreworth the hype! They serve good quality sushi and sashimi but the omakase and nigiri's are definitely the stand out. The rolls are good but I don't know if I would get them again here. Torched mackerel was also one of my favorites here and didn't read any reviews about it so highly recommend trying that one! Service is very attentive and the food comes quick too. Great place for a special occasion. One thing to note is the no reservation policy so I lined up at 5PM for dinner on a Thursday and was 3rd in line. Might be different for weekends.

Hands down best Japanese bento place and really nicely presented for to go orders. Their restaurant…read moreis tiny and I would recommend ordering as take out. They give you more options during take out, however it takes awhile for the food. We first wanted to eat in, but it was tiny and intimate and we have 2 as$hole toddlers. So we decided to spare everyone and order takeout instead. We got the makunouchi bento gozen, sashimi bento gozen and the wash beef steak bento gozen, about $50 ish and the deluxe chirashi. I can tell you it's worth it. Even the to go containers they put it in is worth it. It's so pretty! And yes the food tastes just as beautiful and delicious as it looks. So much food with so much side dishes. Fresh sashimi and lots of variety. We loved it and cannot wait until we come back to visit my sister in SF to eat here again!

I was excited to try the set meals at Akari after hearing great reviews and came by for Saturday…read morelunch. We walked in around 1:30pm but were able to get seated quickly and opted to share the Sukiyaki (hot pot only) and Makunouchi Bento. Since we got the bento as well, for the sukiyaki we just got the hot pot without the apps and sashimi. Overall it was a solid meal and the family running the restaurant is so kind. We did think the sukiyaki was a bit sweet for our taste and the bento while a great portion didn't feel that special. I love Japanese food as its homey and comforting but it did feel like it was a meal I could have made myself and it is quite pricey. It is very similar to the meals you can get in Japan and nice enough for a special occasion but I'd probably opt for other places for something that feels more unique for the price point.

On a whim, I booked an 8pm reservation for the omakase menu. It was an intimate dinner and one of…read morethe most memorable sushi meals that I've had to this day. Ken is also an incredible chef and personality. He was engaging, talked to us throughout the meal and was in great spirits - sharing his story. His passion shone through, and he even poked a few jokes/was light hearted. I tried to not be on my phone too much throughout the meal, but captured a few photos. I would highly recommend!

Ken is a Japanese restaurant specializing in omakase. That's Japanese for "I leave it up to you."…read moreIn this style of fine dining, you will be asked on arrival if you have food allergies or dietary concerns, and if there are any particular foods you really don't like. Aside from that, it's the chef's choice. What is served is based on the season and what fish and ingredients are available and at their peak. The price--at this writing, $225 per person plus an automatic 20% gratuity--is the only specific you'll know in advance. Their website and a card at your seat give an outline of the types of courses to be served. You will get to watch the chef prepare each course and explain what it is, where it comes from, and what's unique about how he makes it. The interplay between the chef and diners is as much a part of the experience as the food itself. There is a drinks menu with a nice selection of sakes and limited options for wine and beer. Green tea and water are the non-alcoholic choices. You can also choose a tasting of 3 sakes, which is what I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and the experience and will definitely be back. As a parting gift, the chef gave each of us a sticker as a little remembrance of our evening. I think it beautifully expresses Ken's energy, so I'm sharing it. IMPORTANT NOTES: Consider omakase dining like dinner and a show. Arrive promptly so that service can begin on time. Everyone is served the same course at the same time, and if you arrive late, you may have to miss something and join the meal at the current stage. It's not formal, but I'd suggest smart casual attire. A T-shirt and shorts would feel awkward. Reservations open 21 days in advance and are accepted solely via the Resy app. It's a good idea to indicate any allergies, dietary concerns, or strong feelings about certain foods when you book, so that they can be considered when the chef plans your meal. Because the venue is so small, and ingredients are purchased specially for each day's service, if you no-show or fail to cancel 48 hours in advance, you'll be charged a ***$150 no-show fee***. This is emphasized at the time of booking. You will get a text message 2 days out asking you to reconfirm. That will be your last chance to change your mind without being charged.