We love this place. The fish is very fresh, the service friendly and the sake is cold! What else can you wish for

Impressed by my experience here. I visited on a Friday night, and every table was full. There was a short wait, and my party of three was seated quickly. The interior is minimally decorated, and there's a pleasant chatter. It's a nice and peaceful spot, good for a chill dinner. The service was really slow - there were only a couple employees serving dishes, so it took awhile to order and get water refills. The food was delectable. I'm especially a fan of their kakiage udon. It's one of the most unique udon dishes I've tried. The udon noodles are a little bit thinner than others I've had and have a lovely chew to them. The broth is so umami and savory. My favorite part of this dish is the interlaced tempura pieces, featuring vegetables and seafood. I've never seen another restaurant serve this web of tempura, and it made for a truly one-of-a-kind udon. The tempura had a perfect crisp and softened in the warm broth. I would come back here for the kakiage udon alone. However, everything else we tried was also good. The agedashi tofu, karaage, sashimi, and mission roll were all great options. The tofu dish was served in a perfectly savory dashi. The karaage was a little too salty, but a spicy, refreshing sauce helped cut through it. I remember the sashimi being really fresh. I was surprised by how small the mission roll was given its price, but the yellowtail featured was delicious. It felt like there was a lot of care given to every dish, and it made for a lovely dining experience. read more

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Super fresh high quality fish and friendly staff! We usually get takeout from here but I have eaten at the sushi bar in the past. High quality service is a clear priority. Ambiance is perfectly fine, little outdated. The sashimi/nigiri is fabulous. Highly recommend!! read more

Hamano Sushi - Rock N' Roll, Spicy Scallop, Mission, Noe Nigiri - Yellow Tail (hamachi), Scallop (hotate), Salmon Roe (ikura) - all bomb! - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I don't often leave bad reviews but I have to be honest about my experience here -- the positive reviews were what lead me to try Hamano in the first place. A little context, this was a special experience for me and my parents. We were celebrating my graduation. As they had never had omakase and I had several amazing ones, I wanted to take them out. The bill was $657 and some of the dishes were so unpleasant we ended up sending them back after tasting them. Nothing tasted fresh, instead every course was stale and flavorless. Some were just bad. The fish had no differentiation in seasoning as you'd expect in an omakase. The chef was dropping the nigiri on each plate down like an assembly line and saying the name of it without saying much else, to everyone at the counter. Again, just like an overpriced dinner-set. Luckily my parents, who are from a small town, were impressed just to sit at the counter. The atmosphere was loud, with cheap seeming uncomfortable stools, disposable dinnerware, pop music, no ambient light. I wanted to leave a star for service, but again, this was not what you'd expect from a nearly $700 bill in terms of attentiveness, and we're no divas. Also I gave up 75% through my meal trying to enjoy it and just asked for the rest to go, chef asked if I wanted my last roll to be a hand roll (as on the menu) or cut roll. I said "hand" twice and opened the box later to find a cut roll. Cool. I've been lucky enough to enjoy fine dining, but this is the most I've ever paid for sushi, for an experience that doesn't even crack my top 20.. When we got the bill my parents thought there was a mistake and I quietly let them believe that and paid it. There probably is good sushi no in SF, but after the raves I heard for this place, I'll stick to LA, LV and NYC. read more

Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Honestly a cute and cozy sushi restaurant in Noe Valley. This place is so cute. I love the decor of the space and their lighting is very moody. I I would say they have a pretty small menu, but the food doesn't disappoint. I would like to go back someday for omakase. Service was alright, I feel like we were tucked away from everything that we didn't get much service. Gyusuji: 5/5 LOVEEE IT. Tofu and Tendon was perfectly cooked. I would love to come back and order this again along with the udon. DELICOOUSSSS! Noe: 5/5 Simple but delicious! The shiso gave it a little kick! Dolores: 5/5 YUM! Rock'n'Roll: 5/5 This is a classic, simple but they made it perfectly! Pannaccotta Soba: 5/5 Loveee love loveeeee. Not to sweet, super soft, excellent flavor :3 Negi Udon: 4/5 the norm. Calamari: 4/5 I've had better but was still good! Nigiri: 4/5 Amaebi: alright, was not that fresh. Hotate: alright, was not that fresh. Miso Soup: 3/5 ehhhh... read more

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Hamano is such a treat and great restaurant in the neighborhood. I've been here multiple times in the past and have always loved the experience. The fish is absolutely delicious - not only fresh but prepared in a way that their flavors are somehow even better emphasized. We came with a party of 4 after making a reservation and chef Jiro led a wonderful omakase with great progression and perfect timing (even going so far as to add extra treats). The interior was beautifully designed, modern yet warm. Service was prompt and everyone was wonderful. read more

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had high hopes but just ok. most fish save for salmon were bland, rice needed more seasoning and bite, unagi was rubbery. tempura was probably the best dish. service was nice, we didn't have a reservation and they seated us at a table further inside the restaurant. quite cozy. read more

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The sushi was very good. The assorted sushi pieces were a generous size and very fresh tasting. The rolls were also tasty; the rice was seasoned well. The California roll, Dragon roll, Sunset roll and Spider roll were all top notch. I didn't care too much for the ceviche, however. The gyoza and Kara-age were pretty good. Both were not covered in a thick batter, which I really appreciated. I didn't try it, but the tempura my mom had looked pretty good as well. She seemed to enjoy all of it. Our 2 servers were very attentive, refilling our waters and checking in on us periodically. The place is pretty small, so it doesn't seem good for large groups. The interior was clean and well kept. I did not get a chance to see how the bathrooms looked. All in all, this is a solid place for fresh sushi. My only ding would be that their POS machine appears to calculate the 18/20/22% preset tip selections to include the tax as part the tip calculation. That bugs me enough that I'll likely not be back. They need to fix that. read more

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This spot was an unexpected gem. While it wasn't a formal omakase, I curated my own nigiri lineup from the à la carte menu -- and it turned out to be a genuinely lovely experience. The chū toro was outstanding -- buttery, fresh, and well-cut. I also really enjoyed the amberjack, which had just the right balance of richness and firmness. What truly elevated the meal, though, was the chef's willingness to sear a few pieces on request -- thoughtful, warm, and responsive service. I can't speak to the rolls or sashimi, but for a DIY nigiri-focused dinner, especially at the bar, it was delicious, easygoing, and surprisingly refined. Would absolutely return when I'm craving quality fish without the omakase formality. read more

I agree with the other yelper's comment about Hamano being an good old fashioned American sushi place. The fish is fresh and service is fast. But I would not call it authentic Japanese. The ambiance is casual. Parking is pretty easy to find on the street most of the time. A solid neighborhood lunch and dinner spot. read more

Went out for VALENTINES dinner at Hamano Sushi on 24th and Castro The food is excellent and the service is amazing! Must definitely stop by & experience. 5 star read more

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Hamano has been our go to sushi place for years. High-quality sushi and other Japanese dishes. Reasonable prices for the quality.

Great customer service. Average sushi. Had the rainbow and dragon roll to go for ~$40. Appropriate pricing for sushi, especially in Noe Valley. Date night ambiance. Street parking. Thanks! read more

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Casual neighborhood sushi place. Lots of families with kids come in the early hours. Friendly staff. We love - miso soup, tamago egg, karaage chicken, salmon sunset roll, eel dragon roll. Fresh food, friendly ambience. read more

Hamano Sushi - Tofu miso soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Perfectly fine :) Good old fashioned American sushi kind of place. I find that the spider roll is pretty soggy but the tempura veggies are crunchy and tasty. The sushi is solid. Plenty of tables and can typically sit right away. The service is quick. We've been back several times. Really, really wish they did delivery (eg DoorDash). read more

Had an outstanding first experience at Hamano Sushi recently. I am very particular when it comes to sushi and what satisfies most does not typically cut it for me. I am definitely a purist when it comes to sushi and am someone who values truly outstanding fish and nigiri over a bunch of "wacky" rolls covered in mayo. In this department Hamano Sushi delivered exceptionally! The assortment and offerings of fish from Toyosu that they had was extensive (always a good sign of a truly proper sushi establishment), and all the fish we tried was handled with care. The rice was proportioned well, had excellent seasoning to it and did an excellent job of highlighting the freshness and flavor of the fish. Everything we tried (which was quite a bit of food) was excellent. All of the nigiri was outstanding, the few rolls we tried were delicious and tasteful, the gyoza was some of the best I've had, the tempura was fried well with a light batter, and I was thrilled that they were one of a few places I've been to that has Japanese Suntory on draft (best beer ever!). The service was excellent as well, everyone was very helpful and the head sushi chef/owner was attentive and engaged and you could tell really has a passion for his work. I also felt the pricing was very fair for what you were getting and quality of the fish. I would absolutely go back to Hamano again, without question and I would certainly recommend to others as well. read more

Nagiri is delicious, staff is wonderful! This is my go to weeknight sushi place. Love these guys!

The staff was friendly and the service was timely. We really enjoyed our shrimp and root vegetable udon, the broth was excellent. The spider roll was also delicious. read more

A cute neighborhood sushi spot. I've come to visit my sister several times since she lived in the area and this was one of our go to spots. They do omakase at the bar and regular menu at the tables. We usually get several appetizers like chicken karrage(which is one of the best ones I've had) it's super crispy and tasty with lemon and aioli. Agedashi tofu is also another fave appetizer, the dash broth and the perfectly fried tofu is always good. I've gotten toro and salmon nigiri previously and it was pretty fresh and had a good fish to rice ratio. We've gotten several rolls in the past and they have all been pretty good. Service is really fast and we haven't had to wait super long times once we order. One of the best things is usually their dessert, one time we had a hojicha panna cotta and it was so tasty and not too sweet. Had a really good tea flavor and it was super smooth . Definitely will come back here if I'm in the neighborhood! read more

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Went here earlier in the month to celebrate a birthday. The ambiance and service is fantastic. The food was even better. That salmon belly is so good it melts in your mouth. read more

Very delicious meal! I'm actually surprised by how low the current yelp rating is because I had a great time. All the food was very fresh and tasty. I imagine it can get busy so I got there on the early side around 6/6:30 and got in without a wait and service was perfect. Highly recommend getting the yellowtail collar, it was so tender and melted in my mouth. read more

Hamano Sushi - Age - dashi Tofu - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I live just a few blocks away and have been wanting to try this place as it's so close and looked decent. I was definitely let down. The inside is cute but the food portions along with the prices are just not worth it. The chirashi bowl was $35 but the cuts of fish were smaller than poke squares. I've never seen a chirashi cut up like this before. Talk about skimping as well as VERY hard to eat with chopsticks. I feel like the whole bowl was mackerel...I was very let down. Most places charge less and you get way bigger cuts and variety. I was surprised to find out how much they charge for TEA as well. $6-$10 depending on what kind you want? That is ridiculous. Not to mention the green tea I chose had almost no flavor. The tea came out almost clear color and barely looked green. The rolls were okay, probably the best part of the meal. Would I come back? Probably not. Bummer. read more

Hamano Sushi - Chirashi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing fresh, high quality sushi and variety of fish that you don't see elsewhere. Eating at the sushi bar and watching the chefs was a treat! Great sake selection, fun ambiance and service. read more

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I'm going to let you in on a little secret... Hamano is one of the best Japanese restaurants in San Francisco! Don't be fooled by its nondescript decor, because the menu here offers so much good food you won't mind. The nigiri is always fresh and changes daily as they have fresh fish flown in daily from Japan. The produce and ingredients used are high end, and you can taste it. I ordered the Curry Udon and it was perfect; the noodles were fresh and the curry base had just enough "kick" to it. The service here is highly attentive and top notch! I know I'll regret posting this review, because it'll make it more difficult to get a table, but this place is one of the best, period! read more

Hamano Sushi - Curry Udon - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Lisa was my server at the bar. They were very friendly and had a great sense of humor. They spoke Japanese and English to other customers which is pretty cool for a Japanese restaurant!! They took great care of us during our visit. Very attentive, I don't remember ever having to ask for a refill. Lisa also recommended we try the beef tongue appetizer, which was amazing! It even comes with a little grill, so cute! We also ordered the sake toro nigiri which I highly recommend. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. Great service, great food, and great atmosphere!! Will definitely be back! :) read more

Hamano Sushi - beef tongue appetizer :) - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Gf and I love this place, it's our neighborhood sushi spot. Staff is nice, and the place is always clean. Some of our favorites are: the grilled hamachi kama - it's a pretty big piece, Noe roll, and Mission roll. As well as various nigiris, depending on our mood. The fish is always fresh and excellent. The sushi rice is perfect. And there's a good fish/rice ratio. read more

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A Noe Valley neighborhood sushi spot that is packed on a Friday evening. If you're looking for a casual place to catch up with friends or be on a date, Hamano is a great choice. There's no shortage of food options to choose from, and it's very easy to share the dishes. Ask your server for the dessert selections, as there isn't a menu for them! The service was quite slow, and dishes came out at different times rather than all at once or in sprints. There are two gender neutral restrooms in the middle of the restaurant that were clean. There are a few stairs to access the back half of the restaurant, but before the restrooms. read more

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Good food and very good service. We came here on a whim and we got seated outside and it was quite warm despite being outside. Cute little place to get Japanese food! read more

Hamano Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was jonesing for some sushi and this popped up on my Yelp radar. I think I've eaten here once before, sometime in 2010's, but I wasn't an avid yelper back then. I trust the sushi is going to be good because the sushi chef is from Japan. I ate a bunch of stuff here but the uni here is really delicious. It's brought in from Hokkaido and it is so creamy and decadent. A bit pricey, but so delicious. The ootoro just melts in your mouth here too. I also had the chuutoro which is a little more fishier and more firm than the ootoro. I enjoyed both. If you come here for just rolls, I say you're wasting a good experience if you don't have their nigiri sushi. read more

Look, they actually have gluten-free soy sauce. Listen to me, they had it. Big sigh of relief. Fave rolls: Shisito tempura with Japanese eggplant roll + California roll Service was great, and I was in and out quickly. read more

Nope. Do NOT order take out. I've eaten there in person. It was decent, the farmers market tempura was fresh and very lightly fried...no oil taste at all. Not so with the take out. The tempura was saturated in oil and completely ruined the taste. The edamame was old as if they reserved the old pieces for take out. The only saving grace was the miso soup, however, who wants to pay $40 including a tip for miso soup? Not me. Never again. Come on people! You want success? Up your game. read more

The food was good, I would recommend getting the rolls here! We also got assorted sashimi and udon. They were also p good (udon broth had a nice smoky flavor), but the Mission roll stood out. The nigiri we got (black seaperch) was disappointing. Some drawbacks are the price (too much for the sashimi and nigiri). The service was also very very slow. read more

Hamano Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

amaebi and sea urchins are always my favorite must try akagai nigiri;!!! so good. crunchy and crispy. read more

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I am back to being underwhelmed. The avocado was not fresh. The greens were not fresh. No one even bother ed to put any asparagus in the tempura roll, as usually done. (Probably would've been wilted anyway.) Even the accompanying ginger and wasabi seemed old. If I had not been pressed for time, this would've been a return. Hopefully I'm not going to get a bellyache. Next time I'll just go to Whole Foods for a snack. read more

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Sat at the sushi bar, and ordered the Alaska, sunset, rainbow, noe, and poke roll. All were delicious!! The staff were very friendly, and the fish was fresh! Ambiance was busy but relaxing overall. Will definitely be going again!! read more

I am a regular, at least 2-3 times a month. The food is amazing and the service is usually great. The last three times have been horrendous. 1. Understaffed 2. Food takes forever; they will bring dinner entrees 10-20mins in between! The owner needs to really evaluate what is going on. read more

Used to go here all the time 25 years ago. Not sure if the owners have changed, but the sushi bar brought back memories. Ordered both nigiri and their rolls and they are all good. Very fresh and well appointed with small accents. The size of the nigiri and rolls are very small compared to some other sushi restaurants, so be aware. Taste was A but fish serving size was C. read more

Although I live in the Outer Richmond, I am always happy to take two buses to have dinner at Hamano. The nigri sushi, especially the 8 or 9 on the daily special list, is absolutely top notch. So fresh, with a texture like butter. It's a little hard to pull yourself away and order anything else but there is much more good stuff on the menu. Many of the rolls are unique to Hamano. This time we loved the Dolores and the Sunset both full of interesting vegetable and fish combinations with a visual wow factor thrown in. The tofu appetizer is as silky, and as good as the fish. Luckily, the meal is light so there is always room for some Japanese cheesecake, not too sweet with an amazing texture. All this served in a friendly unpretentious atmosphere with knowledgable and friendly waitstaff. If you love sushi but don't want to hit the fancy omakase places, try Hamano for some of the best sushi in San Francisco. read more

1 pc of tobiko 4$ 1pc mackeral4$ 1appetizer + 1 roll = 38.27. Bought it cause I ordered it but will Never go there again. They charge this because we let them. NOPE. read more

Hamano Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Hands down, Hamano is our favorite omakase spot ever. Great service, fresh & house made ingredients, and fair pricing makes this cozy neighborhood joint one of our go-to spots whenever we want to celebrate something special, treat friends/family that haven't experienced it before, or fulfill our nigiri cravings. Chef and owner Jiro-San's omakase experience is always unforgettable. Seating: there are cozy booths equipped with heat lamps outside during COVID, and small group tables and counter seating inside. I definitely recommend doing omakase at the counter, nothing quite like it! Nigiri: our favorite nigiris include the salmon belly, salmon roe (ikura), sea urchin (uni), scallop (hotate), and sweet shrimp (amaebi). The rice is perfectly seasoned and at the right temperature to contrast with the chilled fish - not a lot of places can get this right, but Hamano's always does. Rolls: at the end of omakase, we always order a few rolls to either eat at the counter or take to go to snack on later that day. Even if I'm stuffed, I can't leave without ordering my favorites. The California roll is made with real crab, so we always get at least 2. Other favorites include the pickled vegetable roll with mushrooms, pickles, avocado, and shisho, and the Elizabeth roll with tempera shishito pepper and eggplant. Other dishes: the tempura veggies, monk fish liver (ankimo), firefly squids, and house made udon noodles are *chefs kiss*. We've had ankimo at many other restaurants, but it is so buttery, melt-in-your moth sweet at Hamano. Nowhere else can compare! Drinks: great sake, wine, and Japanese draft beer options! We haven't dined indoors at a restaurant for over a year, so when indoor dining opened up at limited capacity, we had only one place in mind. Dine in or take out - I recommend both either way! read more

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