It was so GREAT to celebrate our son's 19th bday here since we frequented since he was a baby when we lived in SF. The owner & staff are always so kind & attentive which always makes it a memorable event. The staples--ceviche (think we had 5 orders or more) & hamachi jalapeño were on point and has been for nearly 2 decades which really speaks to the quality Kabuto prides themselves in. Every dish raw or cooked, worth every penny. It makes us so happy this restaurant is still around & hope it does for many more decades & beyond. read more

Hmmm... the last time I visited was over ten years ago, and back then it was more than delicious. My very first time, I sat at the sushi bar staring at the four Chinese characters on the wall: 起死回生. I had no clue how that phrase related to a sushi restaurant... until I took the first bite. Suddenly it made sense -- the fish tasted so good it felt like it had come back to life. That's how good it was. I loved it so much I went back several times after. Today, I finally returned and brought my old buddy, who had always wanted to try it but never made it in because of the long lines. We ordered one omakase and a bunch of my old time favorite fusion sushi pieces.... Unfortunately, it was quite disappointing. Maybe I've changed, or maybe the restaurant has. Each piece just didn't taste the way I remembered. I used to order their fusion creations -- like the thin slice of pear topped with sashimi -- exquisite combinations where flavors collided beautifully with the texture of the fish. It's like a piece of art! Picasso! This time, we ordered a grilled lamb sushi also, and that was the biggest disappointment. It was cold. I expected at least warm, so it was a shock. I think this might be my last visit. But I'm still grateful for those moments ten years ago -- every bite back then felt heavenly. read more

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I've been going to kabuto for years now, definitely one of my favorites for a quick bite. We recently went back on 3/13 around noon and it was empty. No wait! I love the chefs creativity for the special nigiri's. We always get crunchy sushi, hot apple, ceviche, hamachi pear, and salsa de escolar. The hamachi pear is my favorite, so simple but so much flavor. We also occasionally order the sunomono with tako but this time around I feel like the tako was really skimped. It was an additional $3 or so more than just plain sunomono and there were only 3 pieces!! Barely had cucumbers either so that was disappointing. Service is standard. We also tried the king salmon crispy rice this time around and I'll skip that next time. The "crispy rice" was more like a cracker versus your typical crispy rice app. read more

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Kabuki has been an institution in the Richmond district for many years and is always a dependable choice for high quality sushi if you are in the area. The place isn't huge with about 5-6 tables and a sushi bar but intimate. They offer a variety of nigiri options in addition to the usual sushi rolls. We ordered the Aburi Toro, Salmon Skill Roll, Chirashi Bowl, and Kama Hamachi. All were fresh and tasty. The Aburi Toro is a seared toro with green onion, probably our favorite sushi dish of the night. The Salmon Skin Roll was solid and crunchy and reasonably priced at $10. The Chirashi Bowl was OK. The fish was fresh but wish there were more unique varieties of fish. The Kama Hamachi was nicely grilled and a generous portion of fish with ponzu sauce. I recommend trying this. read more

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Kabuto is equal parts iconic and understated. Despite a location on busy Geary Street, the interior is calm and quiet, with professional, hard working staff. We started with a pot of nutty genmatcha and a warm mushroom miso. The special sushi menu at Kabuto delivered some standout bites: a bright ceviche nigiri with crisp nori, a light pear hamachi nigiri with a pop of grain mustard, and a tart Tao grape nigiri with red snapper, grapefruit, and dill. We found the aburi toro seared fatty tuna topped with green onion to be rich and creamy. The agadashi tofu is among the best I've had. Portions are on the smaller side, but high in quality. We noticed regulars receiving extra treats from the kitchen: Kabuto appears to be generous to their special customers. Kabuto delivers fresh and innovative sushi combinations in a lowkey setting. Recommended. read more

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someone on tiktok recommended this to me for omakase last year but i was never in the area til now. we did a nice trail walk nearby and decided to come here for dinner. we ordered a la carte. nigiri are fusion though not in a bad way, we liked the hotapple most (we ordered a second one). hamachi pear, toro caviar truffle, crunchy sushi, negi toro, and tempura were ok. shari was good but a tad cold for the warmer pieces. restaurant was a little awkward, we were the only ones there at 6pm til more ppl started filing in at 6:30pm. not bad but very much not what i was expecting. read more

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the more simplistic dishes with great quality fish were my favorites but if you did want to branch out and try different sushis such as grapes on sushi or mustard or grapefruit or salsa???? this place is your spot. their matcha crème brûlée for a birthday treat was THE best. such friendly staff! quaint spot. great plating that made food into art :-) read more

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Amazing place! Came here for valentines and we were treated so well! Valentines omakase was amazing. All the courses were evenly distributed and highly recommend getting sake with your meal! The staff were all so friendly to us during our visit (especially Kate and chef Eric). High quality fish and beautiful plating. Came here off online recommendations and it did not disappoint. Will be coming back soon! read more

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Literally speechless. We came into this place for my birthday dinner not expecting much and had our minds absolutely blown. The 8-course omakase got better with each course. This is better than sushi i've had in Japan. The service was amazing with such kind servers. I will 100% be back. read more

Kabuto Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Celebrated Valentine's Day dinner at Kabuto and was pretty impressed with the omakase experience! It's a small, no frills space serving up an inventive menu of a la carte signature sushi and omakase options. The omakase was $140 a person, which was more than I expected since I had heard it was an affordable $99 a person, but it might have been inflated for Valentine's day? We enjoyed our dinner with a bottle of junmai daiginjo sake, which was crisp and clean with nice floral notes. It was 18 courses, with our favorite bites being the wagyu dumpling, baby maine lobster nigiri, and the toro truffle caviar nigiri. I liked that each piece of nigiri had its own unique pairing and topping, it felt well thought out and intentional. Out of the 8 pieces of their chef selection nigiri, none of them stood out too much besides the fatty tuna. I will definitely try more of their signature sushi offerings, like the hamachi pear and scallop apple I've seen in so many other reviews the next time I come here. If the omakase was $99 I would get it again, but I think the first couple courses and the nigiri were nothing spectacular at $140 a person. My only other complaint is the seating at the bar was a little cramped, my boyfriend said the servers kept leaning into him when delivering and clearing plates and my chair was constantly getting bumped. Saw lots of regulars in here, so I know this is a solid spot with loyal customers. I'll definitely be back to try the a la carte options! read more

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Wonderful service, excellent presentation of delicious and super fresh sushi. I appreciate the cozy atmosphere and not feeling crowded in spite of the modest size of the space. The tea we had was perfectly made, and every dish was excellent. read more

Price value was not there. Limited menu, kinda a cold atmosphere, food was ok, nothing special.

I ordered the omakase set and it was absolutely amazing. You can definitely tell that the quality of the food is great. The staff especially Kate were very attentive, accommodating, and helpful when explaining every dish. I love the ambience as well. A quaint yet welcoming spot. Highly recommend and will definitely return! read more

Kabuto Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Absolutely amazing sushi! This has easily become one of my favorite sushi spots in San Francisco. The space is pretty small, so I definitely recommend making a reservation and arriving a little early. It truly feels like a hidden gem! The sushi is outstanding, especially for the price. Everything is creative, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. The service is quick and friendly, which makes the whole experience even better. So happy to have discovered this place--highly recommend checking it out! read more

You simply cannot beat the value at Kabuto. The price top quality ratio is insane as the fish is so fresh, beautifully/thoughtfully presented. It's definitely an authentic experience through and through. It's a small mom and pop shop, so best to make reservations! They are so sweet and kind here. read more

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I've been going to Kabuto for over 30 years. I first went when it was across the street. I thought the chef was Mr. Kabuto. His wife got sick and moved up to Redding., I like the various Nigiri and sitting at the counter. There are special items that are particularly good. read more

Very small, intimate place in The Outer Sunset with exceptional Omakase. Service is personal and attentive. My only criticism is that courses were not adequately paced for ultimate savoring of each one - they came out too fast. That could be adjusted with some fine tunung between kitchen and servers. read more

Some of the best sushi in the Richmond District. Authentic and creative dishes with warm and welcoming staff

AMBIANCE: not the best "classy" dining experience as they're an older restaurant but it gives a very home-y, small older business feel SERVICE: outstanding, the waitresses made sure to tell us what we were eating and point it out on the menu before serving us (we did omakase) FOOD: delicious, none of the combinations were too out there like other more contemporary omakase places which i enjoyed! dessert is underrated PLEASE order it! read more

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Was taken here for my birthday and sat at the bar. It was such an amazing experience. We didn't have the omakase set, but we got a dragon roll and a couple nigiri. The dragon roll was very fresh and tasty the unagi was so good! The nigiri was amazing. We ordered a seasonal special- cherry blossom trout or sakura masu- and it was so delicious, very delicate in flavor and super fresh. All the fish was so tasty and fresh and they had a lot of unique combinations for their nigiri that I haven't seen at other restaurants before. I really enjoyed the food. The service was incredible and took the dinner to the next level. The wait staff was very quick and efficient and the owner was super friendly. Seeing him make sushi and talking to him made dining at Kabuto feel like an incredible experience. We can't wait to come back! read more

Most unique and tasty sushi I've ever had. Never touched the tamari. Service was impeccable. Loved sitting at the bar and letting the chef work his wonders. Will definitely be back. read more

Kabuto Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I've passed by this place so many times and I'm glad I finally got myself there. Quality sushi, really unique flavors. They are so nice, the quality of the tuna was so good it melted in my mouth. Try the small appetizers like the hamachi pear... it's like nothing you've had before! They were very friendly and chill and offered suggestions when we were overwhelmed with choices. Definitely gonna go back for their omakase. read more

Kabuto Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

3.5 stars. We came for dinner to celebrate a birthday. On rainy weekday, it wasn't crowded. A regular who moved to the East Bay made a return to dine at the sushi bar, recognized by the sushi chef. I ordered the $99 omakase which was really nice with many pieces and different items to try. If I were to return, I would order again even though I was quite full. After a while, the nigiri pieces, beautifully presented, tasted about the same. My fav was the wagyu beef dumpling. It was the most flavorful in the omakase set. The seaweed dish was very good too. There's daily specials posted on the chalk board. Hubby tried the teriyaki chicken and didn't like it. Rice and miso soup are extra charge with the dish. Our friends thought the Nabeyaki udon was too sweet. BFF liked her sea bass entree but the potato croquettes were too mushy. We shared the grilled eggplant with miso and thought that was good. My clam miso arrived at the end of the omakase set. I didn't care much for it compared to regular miso. It didn't have enough Unami. BFF raved about the chawanmushi stating to was cooked perfectly. For dessert, the set came with a delicious poached pear. We also ordered tempura green tea ice cream but the batter was disappointing. The matcha creme Brulee was good, but very small. BFF got a strawberry mochi which is the kind you can buy at the supermarket. The Bananas foster was delicious. Service was very quick. As soon as your dishes were finished, they cleared the tables. I did have a hard time understanding some of the explanations given when each dish arrived to the table. read more

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TLDR: WOW. For $99 omakase the dishes that were served were so good. The quality of the fish was phenomenal and we were so impressed by every dish. Even with an omakase the dishes came so timely and the servers were so attentive to our needs. I will dream about the A5 Wagyu. Definitely a place I would come again. read more

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Came for the Omakase and priced for $99 per person, there's a large variety of dishes. There's nigiri, soup, salad, and a few speciality dishes - which were fantastic. The nigiri wasn't special, I think they just served us regular salmon nigiri vs a speciality item such as salmon toro, or a nicer cut/fish. Service is decent, not over the top. read more

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Been to Kabuto twice, I enjoy it every time. Kabuto is actually the restaurant that made me enjoy raw fish a 4 years ago! Everything is always so fresh and delicious! The service was impeccable! We had a male waiter and he was incredible, he gave us complimentary appetizer as well as dessert and it was amazing! Kabuto has been around awhile and it is traditional Japanese vibes inside, nothing extremely fancy, but it is home-y and always so delicious! read more

Kabuto Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went here for a casual dinner after Valentine's Day. We did not opt for their Valentine's Day omakase menu, but ordered a la carte items instead. We personally felt like that was more worth it. Fish tasted super fresh. Service was impeccable. They were so friendly. Bar seating was a bit cramped, but we did it for the view of the sushi making. They gave us an item on the house that was super delicious, which was a bonus! read more

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*** Don't listen to the 3 star reviewers who ordered chicken teriyaki and a CA Roll smh. *** I love this place so much. I don't understand why they're not busier. Owners are awesome, service is fantastic, and they've been around for over 40 years--they're legit. Food: Their rice is the main reason why they're so good. Well seasoned and cooked perfectly (in terms of texture). Tastes just like any place in Tokyo. Okay other than the rice, the specialty nigiris are incredibly unique and done so well. Way way better than most omakases in the city. Very reasonably priced considering the high quality you get. Oh and they also just got new floors and decor so go check them out! read more

New favorite sushi spot. I walked in and got the omakase for $99. For the incredible quality, full belly and service that I got, I think they could charge more! This place definitely wowed the socks off of me and I'm definitely planning on bringing back friends and family to support this place. What an absolute gem. Thank you, Kabuto, for making my lunch something truly fantastic. read more

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Service was great welcoming was warm Small place but is the best and the food was incredible and tasty read more

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It was okay for our Valentine's Day dinner. We expected the omakase area to be more private, but it was on the counter with non-omakase orders. If the place were more crowded, we wouldn't have heard the presentation due to the closeness of other tables. The omakase experience and cost were not as satisfying because of the restaurant's structure, which was not separate from the menu orders. It made me feel I should have just ordered the regular menu because the food and experience looked similar and cheaper than what we paid for. read more

Godlike food and you will never eat anything even similar anywhere else. You have to try this place, specifically the signature sushi. Spend money be happy read more

Kabuto Restaurant - The menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

tldr; intimate date night spot with high quality seafood and reasonable pricing I have very few restaurants where I remember a specific bite of food, but Kabuto is now added to that list. Working backward from the night, we ended on the perfect high - the caviar truffle sushi. I swear, I didn't want to swallow because the flavors were so decadent! Shoutout to our server who recommended this one. But prior to this, we had ordered a second round of the hamachi pear roll - talk about a perfect pear-ing Other favorites from the night included the ceviche sushi, spicy tuna tartare, and a few specials. This spot is perfect for two. With more sushi and sashimi on the menu than rolls, the pricing was more than reasonable, but would rack up if more people were around the table. A great hidden gem in Inner Richmond! read more

Kabuto Restaurant - Toro Truffle Caviar Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

The ORIGINAL omakase spot in San Francisco - for 40+ years! O R D E R E D - Omakase Set - Toro Truffle Caviar - Ceviche - 1849 Oyster - Tai Grape - Hamachi Pear - Sauteed Abalone - Bananas Foster - Matcha Creme Brulee V E R D I C T Such a deal and a gem in San Francisco - truly! The whole team is so friendly and what I enjoyed most, aside from the taste and quality in the food, was the service. They explained all the items in such detail and you can tell how passionate the team is about Kabuto and the items they create. It's perfect for date night or even lunch with friends and family or coworkers. You can even order the omakase for lunch, what's not to love about Kabuto! I was blown away when the chef brough out nigiri piece topped with fruit, this was honestly the first time i had sushi with friend pieces and it was delicious. Nothing fell short, as the quality was great from every piece of sushi we had, the atmosphere didn't make you feel rush - it was a very relaxed dining experience and parking wasn't horrible. Would I come back? I sure would because I love omakase and i love Kabuto! read more

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HOLY SHIT the best sushi I've had in SF in a minute. Highly recommend the salmon crispy rice, hamachi with fried seaweeed & the salmon tempura roll, seared toro read more

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The service was efficient but the wait staff was not friendly, very short w us and we were the only party there at a 6pm on Saturday.

Simply amazing sushi. Peaceful space. Great service. Wonderful fish selection. Excellent food. Go!

I'm a native San Franciscan and this place used to be my favorite. For $99, you definitely can't find this price anywhere for Omakase. Sadly, it's "you pay for what you get". I got the runs, badly afterwards. Yes, you'll be full after the 10 courses, but was not the OMGGGG soooo good and I can't wait to come here again. Sadly, will be my last. The first dish looked great, the rest of the fish, didn't feel fresh. The uni was delish -- for $13, very affordable. Amazing Staff. Clean Bathroom. Wonderful Chefs. I wish you all the best. Sayo-nara. read more

I went to Kabuto for my birthday and had their three course omakase and I say it was a decent omakase. For $99/pp, you get to try some of their signature sushi, soup & salad, and eight pieces of nigiri. I would come back to Kabuto for their speciality sushi (1849 Oyster, Escolar w/ Salsa, Toro Uni Caviar Sushi, and Baby Maine Lobster Sushi) rather than their nigiri. Their speciality sushi were delicious and made me contemplate ordering them separately from the omakase; however, the nigiri was rather lacking. I would continue eating and it would slowly start tasting less and less...good. To the point where I didn't really want to finish the nigiri, because each piece weren't very distinguishable from one another and just tasted like rice and fish. I wouldn't go to Kabuto for omakase and I would rather try other places; however, their signature sushi was something I would go back for. read more

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Food is great, service is good, ambiance is loud but good. Overall I give it as many stars as is possible. However, there was a long delay in the last 2 dishes we ordered. We should have ordered everything at once, but we were still hungry!! read more