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We ordered the Chef's 4-Piece Nigiri Tasting, Tango, Half Baked, and ikura nigiri. Everything tasted perfect and fresh. Our fav was the tango. Our server was attentive and the interior was clean wood design. Also, surprisingly affordable!
Came here with a friend for dinner. The place was so busy with almost all tables taken. Service is good and we got a few items. Chirashi Deluxe is a variety of fish with a brown rice on the bottom. Also got Kama hamachi, zeitgeist roll, hon chu toro. They have sake by the karate. The place is small and quaint. We sat at the sushi bar and got to see the chefs in action.!
Ambiance: Open spaces, there's a bar area and seating. The restaurant 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 of 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 made a last minute reservation for a late Friday night dinner here, which I recommend because this place was packed. I dined with two other people, so we decided to order a variety of dishes and shared several rolls. The fish here is so fresh! We absolutely loved the nigiri omakase. Each bite was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend ordering this. The rolls were pretty good too, although I ended up preferring the less saucy rolls because I thought the sauces masked the freshness and quality of the fish. As such, my favorite roll was actually a pretty basic one - the spicy tuna roll. Honestly, service here was an absolute rollercoaster. Our server wasn't the best and even double charged us for extras. And then she only refunded the extras she charged without adjusting the other fees that were based on % of total. However, the following day, I got a text from the restaurant apologizing for the error and even refunded us more. I was so surprised by Kuma's service and how they went above and beyond to fix their mistake.
Solid Japanese Sushi restaurant We sat at the bar and made reservations in advance on Resy. Our sushi chef was very knowledgeable about fish, sushi, sake and he's a pro!!! He made us feel right at home and even kept a conversation with us while he cut the fish and made elaborate dishes. I'm horrible with names and forgot his name but also leaned that he's an sf native, Japanese American and bi-lingual. I didn't pop out with my Japanese language speaking skills but I'm sure I could have conversed with him in Japanese if I tried. We ordered: Two 4 piece nigiri chef's choice (omakase) One 10 piece sashimi chefs choice (omakase) The purple mixed grain rice roll with eggplant and tuna Scallops nigiri Tamago Sequoia nigori sake Not only was the presentation amazing but so was the fish and the taste!
Shoutout to amex for the resy rec on this one because Kuma on Valencia completely delivered for date night. We grabbed seats at the bar, which ended up being the perfect choice. Intimate, warm, and a great way to take in the whole experience up close. We ordered a spread of nigiri, a few appetizers, and sake to round it all out. Everything was fresh, well crafted, and honestly some of the better sushi I have had in the city. What I appreciated most was the vibe. Just a genuinely warm, cozy spot that makes you want to slow down and enjoy the evening. And for the quality you are getting, the price point is surprisingly reasonable.
Nice sushi restaurant for lunch or dinner! The fish is fresh and service is friendly. Enjoyed their sushi rolls and nigiris. Their handrolls are huge and delicious!
Dropped by for lunch and had a lovely meal. Service was good and the food came out quickly. The sushi was good too. I ordered a chef special 10-piece sashimi and a toro hand roll. I enjoyed both! The only thing is the counter seats are low, meaning the table is oddly high for the height of the seat. I also wish they used pointier, metal chopsticks instead of fat wooden ones. It would make grabbing the sushi easier!
Cute little sushi spot my husband found through Resy. He made reservations for us on a Monday (MLK day) at 1:30pm. This restaurant is located on the corner of Valencia St and Duboce Ave. if you do make a reservation, be sure to factor in enough time to look for street parking since there is no dedicated lot. We found parking a street over and walked. There is no giant sign of the restaurant name, so look for a piece of paper at the top right of the entrance that says "Kuma". We arrived earlier than our reservation time and got seated right away - staff asked for our seating preference and we said the sushi bar instead of a table. Very casual atmosphere and the staff is so nice! To share, we ordered the shishito peppers and tango roll, 2 toro taku hand rolls, 8 piece nigiri tasing for me and chirashi deluxe for my husband. The fish is so fresh! My husband really enjoyed the scallop and uni from the chirashi deluxe. The 8 piece nigiri was delicious, they handed it to me and said what each piece was and my fish brain forgot as soon as I started eating. Our favorite item was the hand roll! All was good, just wasn't wow'd by anything in particular.
I came here cause I wanted to use my Amex plat resy credits and previously I grabbed a gift card for the last quarter. So between last quarter and now, I had $200 to spend. The food here is a bit on the pricier side so we ended up going a bit over $200 for the total bill. The restaurant got packed real quick so I recommend making a reservation. It's a nice place for date night with more unique rolls and large options of fish. They even have a daily special! We ordered the 10 pc sashimi tasting, hamachi Kama, chawanmushi, sake-masu chirashi, a roll, and ice cream. We also had some drinks to take us over the $200 threshold. I loved how the chawanmushi had cheese in it but it wasn't really smokey. The sashimi tasting had a beautiful presentation and it felt pretty standard but they gave fresh grated wasabi! That was my favorite thing for sure. In the sake-masu chirashi, it came with fried salmon skin but the bowl showed a puddle of oil. I wished I didn't look inside. But taste wise it was good. I will say the sake-masu chirashi is something I would reorder as salmon is one of our favorite fishes and overall this was well worth it. The hamachi Kama could have been more crispy but overall it was ok. I just found it a bit hard to rip the skin off sometimes. The roll was ok. It was a bit hard to find something we were interested in but luckily we found this. However, we certainly ordered too much so I'm not sure if I was just full by then caused this was just ok and I feel like I'm not giving it a fair chance. Lastly, the ice cream was standard. Of course we have a separate stomach for desserts so I can't complain.
The fish was fresh. A little pricey for what you get. The service is friendly. The place is clean. Accessible to public transportation.
Kuma on Valencia 198 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94103 To use up my Amex Platinum Q4 Resy credit, I went to this Japanese spot called Kuma on Valencia Street in San Francisco! I ordered the Chirashi Deluxe loaded with seafood. I'm usually not big on raw fish, but everything here was super fresh--the salmon wasn't oily at all, and the uni was sweet and fresh as hell. The 8-piece Nigiri Tasting was also really generous with the portions. Totally recommend hitting this place up if you're looking to burn your credit card dining credits too! 為了把Amex Platinum Q4的Resy Credit用掉找了舊金山Valencia street上的日式餐廳 Kuma! 點了有豐富海鮮的Chirashi Deluxe，我平常是不太吃生魚片的，但這家的非常新鮮，鮭魚完全不會油膩，海膽也很新鮮鮮甜～Nigiri Tasting的8顆壽司用料也很大方，推薦如果在找用掉信用卡優惠的人可以造訪看看這家！ Chirashi Deluxe $69.00 All the goodness of our house chirashi with the addition of a few more luxurious items for when you're feeling fancy. Includes local uni, toro, and assorted shellfish. Chef's 8 Piece Nigiri Tasting $48.00 Eight pieces of sushi selected by the chef. Types of fish may vary depending on season, but we generally like to start with lighter flavors and end with belly cuts #winnie_eat #winnie_bayarea #japanesefood #japaneserestaurant #japanese #sushi #bento #fish #sashimi #weekend #tuna #seafood #salmon #chirashi #chirashibowl #amex #platinum #resy #灣區 #灣區美食 #日式 #壽司 #生魚片 #omakase #yelpeats #bayareafood #bayareaeats #bayareafoodie #yelpbayarea
Ambiance 5/5: The place is simple yet elegant. No bothersome loud music and the loudness was not an issue at all. I also loved the lighting, the lights were blaring yet it was also not too dark. Service 5/5: We were seated right away on a Friday night and there were multiple servers that helped us. Food came quickly, especially the appetizers. Food 5/5 - Furikake edamame 4/5: unique, slight furikake flavor, slightly salty, delicious - Fresca roll 5/5: one of my favorite rolls I've had in a while, everything was so well balanced, from the spicy tuna to the sweet pineapple and the rich avocado, each roll was the perfect bite - Hey girl 4/5: a savory roll that had a great balance of textures and flavors, the fresh tuna paired with the crunch of the shrimp tempura was great read more
It was my first visit here today. There was no wait but some tables were sat and the bar top was full. A small but busy restaurant. The service is nice, polite, and attentive. Every dish we had was great! My friends and I started off with 3 Mozuku shots. Something very unique about this shot: Okinawa brown, seaweed, red crab, and ikura (salmon roe) all inside a sanbaisu vinaigrette. A taste of something different and delightful. I would get this share plate again. Another item we shared was the Great Balls of Fire. Tuna, hamachi, and the other ingredients in this small plate was very tasty. Plus, a hint of spice is always bonus for me. We also shared 3 specialty rolls: Kuma Roll, Barley Taps, and Half Baked. My favorite was the Barley Taps so obviously, I recommend this one. Fresh, light but filling. Lastly, a small bowl of Miso Soup to end the meal even though we wanted dessert, we were too full. I enjoyed eating here and again, all the food was delicious. I'd come back to this place again. read more
We ordered the Chef's 4-Piece Nigiri Tasting, Tango, Half Baked, and ikura nigiri. Everything tasted perfect and fresh. Our fav was the tango. Our server was attentive and the interior was clean wood design. Also, surprisingly affordable! read more
Came here with a friend for dinner. The place was so busy with almost all tables taken. Service is good and we got a few items. Chirashi Deluxe is a variety of fish with a brown rice on the bottom. Also got Kama hamachi, zeitgeist roll, hon chu toro. They have sake by the karate. The place is small and quaint. We sat at the sushi bar and got to see the chefs in action.! read more
Ambiance: Open spaces, there's a bar area and seating. The restaurant 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. read more
Came here for a girls' night yap session and we had a great time! Kuma is perfect for a small group of 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. read more
I made a last minute reservation for a late Friday night dinner here, which I recommend because this place was packed. I dined with two other people, so we decided to order a variety of dishes and shared several rolls. The fish here is so fresh! We absolutely loved the nigiri omakase. Each bite was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend ordering this. The rolls were pretty good too, although I ended up preferring the less saucy rolls because I thought the sauces masked the freshness and quality of the fish. As such, my favorite roll was actually a pretty basic one - the spicy tuna roll. Honestly, service here was an absolute rollercoaster. Our server wasn't the best and even double charged us for extras. And then she only refunded the extras she charged without adjusting the other fees that were based on % of total. However, the following day, I got a text from the restaurant apologizing for the error and even refunded us more. I was so surprised by Kuma's service and how they went above and beyond to fix their mistake. read more
6 months ago
Solid Japanese Sushi restaurant We sat at the bar and made reservations in advance on Resy. Our sushi chef was very knowledgeable about fish, sushi, sake and he's a pro!!! He made us feel right at home and even kept a conversation with us while he cut the fish and made elaborate dishes. I'm horrible with names and forgot his name but also leaned that he's an sf native, Japanese American and bi-lingual. I didn't pop out with my Japanese language speaking skills but I'm sure I could have conversed with him in Japanese if I tried. We ordered: Two 4 piece nigiri chef's choice (omakase) One 10 piece sashimi chefs choice (omakase) The purple mixed grain rice roll with eggplant and tuna Scallops nigiri Tamago Sequoia nigori sake Not only was the presentation amazing but so was the fish and the taste! read more
8 months ago
Shoutout to amex for the resy rec on this one because Kuma on Valencia completely delivered for date night. We grabbed seats at the bar, which ended up being the perfect choice. Intimate, warm, and a great way to take in the whole experience up close. We ordered a spread of nigiri, a few appetizers, and sake to round it all out. Everything was fresh, well crafted, and honestly some of the better sushi I have had in the city. What I appreciated most was the vibe. Just a genuinely warm, cozy spot that makes you want to slow down and enjoy the evening. And for the quality you are getting, the price point is surprisingly reasonable. read more
8 months ago
Dropped by for lunch and had a lovely meal. Service was good and the food came out quickly. The sushi was good too. I ordered a chef special 10-piece sashimi and a toro hand roll. I enjoyed both! The only thing is the counter seats are low, meaning the table is oddly high for the height of the seat. I also wish they used pointier, metal chopsticks instead of fat wooden ones. It would make grabbing the sushi easier! read more
Cute little sushi spot my husband found through Resy. He made reservations for us on a Monday (MLK day) at 1:30pm. This restaurant is located on the corner of Valencia St and Duboce Ave. if you do make a reservation, be sure to factor in enough time to look for street parking since there is no dedicated lot. We found parking a street over and walked. There is no giant sign of the restaurant name, so look for a piece of paper at the top right of the entrance that says "Kuma". We arrived earlier than our reservation time and got seated right away - staff asked for our seating preference and we said the sushi bar instead of a table. Very casual atmosphere and the staff is so nice! To share, we ordered the shishito peppers and tango roll, 2 toro taku hand rolls, 8 piece nigiri tasing for me and chirashi deluxe for my husband. The fish is so fresh! My husband really enjoyed the scallop and uni from the chirashi deluxe. The 8 piece nigiri was delicious, they handed it to me and said what each piece was and my fish brain forgot as soon as I started eating. Our favorite item was the hand roll! All was good, just wasn't wow'd by anything in particular. read more
10 months ago
I came here cause I wanted to use my Amex plat resy credits and previously I grabbed a gift card for the last quarter. So between last quarter and now, I had $200 to spend. The food here is a bit on the pricier side so we ended up going a bit over $200 for the total bill. The restaurant got packed real quick so I recommend making a reservation. It's a nice place for date night with more unique rolls and large options of fish. They even have a daily special! We ordered the 10 pc sashimi tasting, hamachi Kama, chawanmushi, sake-masu chirashi, a roll, and ice cream. We also had some drinks to take us over the $200 threshold. I loved how the chawanmushi had cheese in it but it wasn't really smokey. The sashimi tasting had a beautiful presentation and it felt pretty standard but they gave fresh grated wasabi! That was my favorite thing for sure. In the sake-masu chirashi, it came with fried salmon skin but the bowl showed a puddle of oil. I wished I didn't look inside. But taste wise it was good. I will say the sake-masu chirashi is something I would reorder as salmon is one of our favorite fishes and overall this was well worth it. The hamachi Kama could have been more crispy but overall it was ok. I just found it a bit hard to rip the skin off sometimes. The roll was ok. It was a bit hard to find something we were interested in but luckily we found this. However, we certainly ordered too much so I'm not sure if I was just full by then caused this was just ok and I feel like I'm not giving it a fair chance. Lastly, the ice cream was standard. Of course we have a separate stomach for desserts so I can't complain. read more
Kuma on Valencia 198 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94103 To use up my Amex Platinum Q4 Resy credit, I went to this Japanese spot called Kuma on Valencia Street in San Francisco! I ordered the Chirashi Deluxe loaded with seafood. I'm usually not big on raw fish, but everything here was super fresh--the salmon wasn't oily at all, and the uni was sweet and fresh as hell. The 8-piece Nigiri Tasting was also really generous with the portions. Totally recommend hitting this place up if you're looking to burn your credit card dining credits too! 為了把Amex Platinum Q4的Resy Credit用掉找了舊金山Valencia street上的日式餐廳 Kuma! 點了有豐富海鮮的Chirashi Deluxe，我平常是不太吃生魚片的，但這家的非常新鮮，鮭魚完全不會油膩，海膽也很新鮮鮮甜～Nigiri Tasting的8顆壽司用料也很大方，推薦如果在找用掉信用卡優惠的人可以造訪看看這家！ Chirashi Deluxe $69.00 All the goodness of our house chirashi with the addition of a few more luxurious items for when you're feeling fancy. Includes local uni, toro, and assorted shellfish. Chef's 8 Piece Nigiri Tasting $48.00 Eight pieces of sushi selected by the chef. Types of fish may vary depending on season, but we generally like to start with lighter flavors and end with belly cuts #winnie_eat #winnie_bayarea #japanesefood #japaneserestaurant #japanese #sushi #bento #fish #sashimi #weekend #tuna #seafood #salmon #chirashi #chirashibowl #amex #platinum #resy #灣區 #灣區美食 #日式 #壽司 #生魚片 #omakase #yelpeats #bayareafood #bayareaeats #bayareafoodie #yelpbayarea read more
The number of seats they have are a little limited. Walked in during lunch on a weekend and had to wait about 30-40min for a table so I would recommend a reservation here. They only had one server and it took a while to get water and order. I don't blame the server at all, there were a lot of tables to take care of and I think they were just short staffed. The chirashi deluxe was amazing and my favourite out of the 8pc nigiri and golden warrior roll. The pieces of sashimi tasted fresh and the portion was decent. Overall, a little pricier than I would've liked for the portion and quality of service but the sushi was great. read more
This was my second time at Kuma, my first visit was at their Polk location and we decided to swing by the Valencia spot for a late Sunday lunch. The vibes here were great: super chill, welcoming, and perfect for catching up with friends over sushi. We ordered the Chirashi Deluxe, Golden Roll (special of the day), Kuma Roll, and Jackalope. Overall, everything was delicious and fresh. The Golden Roll especially stood out and is definitely worth ordering if it's available. The only miss for us was the Jackalope. The pickled jalapeños kind of threw the flavors off balance, so I probably wouldn't get that one again. Also, maybe it's just my memory playing tricks on me, but I swear the Chirashi Deluxe used to be bigger at the Polk location. Given its current portion size, I'm not sure I'd order it again at that price point. Still, Kuma is a solid spot for quality sushi with a laid-back vibe. I'd come back again, just maybe skip the Jackalope next time. read more
Kuma on Valencia is the real deal. I'm picky about my sushi and this place keeps passing the test. I've been three times in person and even ordered delivery twice, and every time the fish has been fresh, generous, and just really good. If you want to splurge, go wild with their nigiri - so many cuts to choose from and all beautifully done. If you don't, the rolls are deliciousssss. My most memorable bite so far was their Zeitgeist roll with toro, eggplant tempura, and purple rice. Honestly a work of art. The sake menu is awesome, the staff is genuinely kind, and the sushi bar has that fun buzz without being too much. It's the kind of spot where you can go casual on a weeknight or post up for a longer dinner and just keep ordering "one more thing." read more
Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Kuma never fails to amaze me. Such a cute and cozy spot. Service was great, food came out efficiently and staff was able to seat us right away. Kuma House Salad: 5/5 If you like seaweed salad and mayo. This is the dish to get. Had cucumbers and kale, very refreshing and satisfying at the same time. Osulmono: 5/5 I love how clean and how much umami is in this broth! It's also served in a cup. Super easy to drink out of! Hamachi Ponzu: 5/5 Yummyyyyy!!! the ponzu they used for this dish elevated the taste of the hamachi! love it. Hey Girl: 5/5 No complaints. Loved it. Everything in this roll complemented each other. Barley Taps: 4/5 This roll is very refreshing. It had shiso, mango, cucumber. It also tasted very healthy at the same time. The 7-grain rice a was little hard. read more
3 months ago
Overall, I would rate Kuma a 3.5/5 stars. The interior is sleek, modern, and upscale which creates a nice date night vibe. We ordered two chirashi bowls, but it took over an hour for our food to come and the service was polite, but very slow. We noticed that they were mostly busy with packing up DoorDash orders and weren't prioritizing the in-person dining experience, so everyone else was also waiting for a long time before their food finally came. The chirashi bowls themselves were decent with fresh fish and beautiful presentation. However, nothing wow'd me at this restaurant and I don't think I would come again given the slow service and DoorDash priority here. read more
Nice relaxed ambiance and variety in menu options! Service was excellent. - hey girl roll: clean tasting with just right amount of sauce. The shrimp tempura was nice and crispy! - bluefin tuna collar: build your own handroll style platter - the collar meat was nicely cooked and so delicious! Would recommend having at least 3-4 people share as the collar has plenty of meat and is rich and fatty - 8pc nigiri tasting: didn't include top tier cuts, will opt for a la carte nigiri ordering next time. Fish itself was fresh read more
4 months ago
Came here to use our Amex/Resy credit. We came 10 mins earlier (our reservation was at 5:30 pm) but there was already a line outside. The fish was very fresh and their rolls were good. The Zeitgeist roll and hamachi kama are a must try. Would definitely come back. read more
2 years ago
Kuma on Valencia is very comparable to the Polk Street location, just with a larger bar and seating area! The food is, as always, perfect. From the rice to the nigiri adornments, everything is thoughtful and delicious. We fell in love with ocean trout (umi masu) from trying it here! The ama ebi are super sweet - the crispy fried head is my favorite part. We tried the octopus kaarage this time and it was perfectly crunchy and tender! If you sit at the bar, the chef sometimes will give a little bonus bite which is so generous. Kuma is by far my favorite sushi in the SF area - a perfect balance of quality and price. It's not my favorite place for maki/rolls, but anytime I want nigiri, this is my first stop! read more
16 days ago
We got a lot of rolls because I needed to use my Amex credit so it was a good chance to try different rolls. I don't eat raw fish so the only roll I was able to eat was the lion king (baked salmon) roll. It did not disappoint! I've never had lion king roll at all fancier sushi spot before and I could tell that the salmon and the roll overall was higher quality. I also really appreciated how well they packaged everything. Nothing leaked and each roll was wrapped with a cute wrapping paper. I did see the inside of the restaurant when I was picking up the food and it was pretty small and was very packed. I also tried to order over the phone and they didn't allow that because they were too busy so definitely order online if you want take out. We will definitely be back to try more things next time! read more
9 months ago
Priciest lunch I've had but no regrets spending money on it. The taste of the roll came together wonderfully and the chawanmushi was a lovely pot of warmth. However, the star was the bluefin nigiri, I have never had fish so tender and tasty before. Zero need for any soy sauce, just take the food as-is with some bites of ginger in between. The staff is excellent and unobtrusive, even asking about food allergies in case that was an issue. My sole complaint is the chairs at the bar feel a bit low, I prefer not to have my hands resting at chest-height but it's still comfortable. read more
I'm still dreaming about the incredible sushi I had at Kuma! The rolls were truly exceptional - creative combinations, fresh ingredients, and perfect execution. The chirashi was also a highlight, with a generous serving of sashimi-grade fish over a bed of flavorful nisihki rice and wild grains. I appreciated the hot tea refills as we enjoyed our meal. The restaurant had a warm and intimate atmosphere, perfect for a day / night out with friends or a date. Our server was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly, happily answering our questions about the menu and making great recommendations. Thanks, Kuma! Recommend: Chirashi Masu toro (we ordered more!) Fried mushrooms read more
1 year ago
I came in for lunch on a Sunday and will be back! This may become my favorite sushi spot in SF! We sat at the sushi bar and I the place had modern and upscale vibes -- even though the prices are very reasonable for what you're getting! I have developed a bunch of food sensitivities and have been struggling to find restaurants that are not fully gluten free or vegan restaurants that do a good job at not only accommodating allergies but are also nice about it. I made a reservation via Resy and noted my allergens: nuts, dairy and gluten. When we got to our table, we got special menus that very clearly indicated what I could or could not eat (with modifications too)! I was also given gluten free soy sauce and they made note of the need for no cross contamination. I just felt so well taken care of from the effort the restaurant put in to accommodating people with food sensitivities! We got the octopus salad, hamachi ponzu, a bunch of nigiri's and the golden warrior roll. Everything was delicious and well flavored. Fish was fresh! Beautiful presentation as well. Parking was a breeze even though the area is not the best. You may want to park south of the restaurant. read more
Gosh I really wanted to love this place. Everyone has been recommending it to me because I love Japanese food, but it just did not hit and it's so pricey for what it is. I came here to celebrate new years. We got two teas, deluxe chirashi bowl, hey girl roll (shrimp tempura), and great balls of fire. The pros: fish is so fresh, the ambiance is modern and super clean with lots of natural light, and food service is efficient. The cons: nothing really stands out. Everything tastes like what I can get at another great Japanese place but cheaper. I'd love if they could add plum to the rice, or perhaps use a flatter plate for the chirashi to spread the fish out and then recommend an order of enjoying the sashimi. The roll could have used some citrus like a lemon or yuzu too. The portions were super small and everything was priced high. We literally went to another restaurant down the road for a katsu sandwich to feel satisfied with our meal. The service was also lackluster; the waitress wasn't very friendly and unhelpful when I asked questions about the menu. I don't think I'll be back since there are so many Japanese places on Valencia. I'm ngl, don't be mad at me guys, but I'm not sure if this place is worth the hype. read more
30 days ago
2 years ago
Amazing quality sushi for a reasonable price! My review is for Kuma's takeout service as I ordered my food via their website. First off, the order experience was easy and seamless; you directly order off of the restaurant's Toast system. My order was fulfilled within the time promised in the website and was packaged beautifully -- see photos for proof! For my order, I got the chirashi bowl! For $59 you get various cuts of sashimi (I believe 8 types!) that are high quality. Each piece was buttery and fresh -- you could tell they put quality ingredients into their dishes as there was no fishy taste or smell from the fish. I highly recommend Kuma if you are looking for quality Japanese food for a decent price! read more
The vibe at Kuma on Valencia is definitely nice - good atmosphere and decent location. But the pricing vs. portion size really threw me off. I ordered the Chirashi Deluxe ($69 + tax) expecting something substantial since it's described as having "all the fixings of our regular chirashi PLUS extra delicacies like toro, uni and scallops." When it arrived, I was honestly shocked by how small it was. The "deluxe" and "plus" seemed to only apply to the price - the actual portions of toro, uni, and scallops were tiny. Even the fancy red rice underneath the fish was very small. It made me wonder what the regular chirashi must look like if this was the upgraded version! The Sake-Masu Chirashi was a better value since it clearly stated "12 pieces" on the menu, so at least we knew what to expect portion-wise. Also got the Ebi Tempura Roll and Rainbow Roll - both were okay, nothing special but decent quality. We sat at the bar hoping for some interaction with the sushi chefs, but they were pretty quiet the whole time. No real special service experience there. Bottom line: Nice atmosphere but overpriced for what you get. There are better value sushi spots in the area. read more
1 year ago
Stellar Service & Fresh Sushi--Be Prepared to Wait your appetite Reservations are made through the Resy app, and there's a $20 cancellation fee per person if you cancel -- fair warning. Doors open exactly on time, so if you have an evening reservation, plan to arrive early. It took us about 20 minutes to find parking, and safe, convenient spots are limited. We were seated immediately and the staff was friendly, professional, and very accommodating when we asked to move to a different table. Customer service was definitely a strong point here. We started with the Iidako Karaage (fried baby octopus), which was seasoned well and had a great texture, but was overly oily. The dipping sauce, a soy and aioli mix, needs to be stirred before using -- otherwise, it's just a mouthful of salty soy sauce. We also ordered the Nigiri Tasting with light rice. It took about 20-25 minutes to come out, which felt like a long wait for just four pieces. They did offer a complimentary small tofu bite while we waited (a nice gesture, but not useful if you don't eat tofu in this case the guest I was with did it touch it). To me it was really good- texture and flavor with a nice crunchy topping. It is called the Local Tofu if you decide to ask for it. The quality of the nigiri was solid -- fresh fish, well prepared -- but overall, not very memorable. A small bottle of sake rounded out the meal. The restaurant itself is clean and modern, with a playful background soundtrack of Gameboy Pokémon and Japanese anime music, which added a light, nostalgic touch without feeling too over the top. Overall, it was an okay experience: excellent customer service and good fish quality, but the slow pacing and lack of standout dishes made it feel like just another typical sushi spot. Worth trying if you're nearby. read more
I finally made it inside! Lol I'm only in the Bay a few times a year so it was my first time visiting the actual location. I immediately loved the bright ambiance with the huge windows bringing in natural light and the colorful decor plus the natural art (moss art) and I was telling the owner that not only is my tummy happy [I also have gone to their location in the Tenderloin] but the light playful nature of the decor makes me even happier to be here. Today I had a miso soup and two hand rolls as a light lunch. The presentation was perfect and the chefs were so friendly. I was eating alone but it felt like I was eating with friends read more
9 months ago
There is so much to say about this place , I would make it short, food is delicious and fresh, service was good and attentive our girl server was really nice, ambience and atmosphere is definitely familiar.and clean highly recommend one thing I forgot to right the names of the items read more
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198 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94103
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(415) 520-8621
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http://kumasf.com
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