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Kushi Tsuru

3.6 (1.4k reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

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KUSHI TSURU ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Happy hour specials
Good for kids

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Croquette Curry
Madison B.

Ambiance: Kushi Tsuru is one of the Japanese restaurants located within the Japantown mall. It has both booth and table seating available without being too crowded. There is no bathroom located in the restaurant but one close by in the mall that can be used. Service: The service was okay with the waiters filling the drinks once through the service but did not check munch in on how the food was upon serving it at the table. Wait time. Hardly any wait time to get into the restaurant and to be seated. After ordering food it didn't take long for it to arrive, though there were some people around us who seemed to have to wait longer for the same food despite ordering before us. Food: Croquette Curry was good with a decent serving of rice to curry ratio with a croquette served on top. Despite the food tasting good, the food is extremely overpriced for what is being provided likely because it is a touristy location.

Yer T.

First time here. Stopped for ramen since the other place we originally wanted to go was too busy. Service was quick. We were seated right away. Place was fairly warm inside. No AC or fan. We were seated by the window but that did no justice as there's no breeze in a inclose building. Was told the ice machine was down when asked for ice water. Food came out shortly after we ordered. Ramen was alright. Flavor was there but the spice was not. We ordered the spicy ramen and it definitely was not spicy. We also had the combo tempura. Portion size for both was fairly small for the price we paid but we had to remember we're in the Bay Area. Overall, it's an okay place. Would come back during cooler weather as it was too stuffy and hot for us to enjoy our ramen.

Takumi A.

Kushi Tsuru is one of those places I keep coming back to whenever I'm in Japantown and simply want something reliable, comforting, and quietly competent. It's not trying to be trendy, and that's exactly why it works. This visit, the order stayed close to my usual rotation: Cold soba with tempura - The soba is properly rinsed and chilled, which matters more than people realize. Clean finish, no residual starch, and a firm but not brittle bite. The accompanying tempura is light and well-controlled - no excess oil, no soggy batter. This is textbook execution. Pork katsu curry - The curry base carries a gentle sweetness with a noticeable spicy edge, not just a lazy sweetness masked by chili powder. The katsu itself is juicy inside with a clean crust, showing good temperature control during frying. This is comfort food done with discipline. Monkey Brain - This dish deserves specific credit. The outer crust is extremely crisp, while the interior remains soft and structurally intact, not collapsed or greasy. When it arrives, it's hot inside and crisp outside, which only happens when oil temperature, timing, and moisture control are dialed in. This must be eaten immediately - wait too long and you lose the contrast. Properly executed, it's a strong example of Japanese-American frying technique done right. Sushi rolls - Solid, consistent, and predictable in a good way. Rice texture is stable, fillings are balanced, and nothing feels rushed or sloppy. This isn't a place chasing novelty - it's about execution. What I appreciate most is the overall reliability. Service is friendly and efficient, food comes out quickly, and the kitchen clearly understands its limits and strengths. In Japantown, this matters. When you're hungry and don't want to gamble, Kushi Tsuru is a safe and satisfying choice. It's not a destination restaurant - and it doesn't need to be. It's a place you return to, again and again, because it delivers. Dr. C Consistency over gimmicks. Execution over noise.

Spicy Ramen
Rosting A.

How an entire experience can completely fall apart! We arrived at the place and it was quite clean. They had good music. Everything seemed fine at the beginning. It was our first time at the restaurant, and when we ordered a glass with ice, they told us the ice machine was broken. That's understandable, that's fine. The good part is that at least my Coke wasn't warm! Our food arrived on time, and I was able to try everything we ordered--it honestly had good flavor. I even mentioned that I could see myself coming back; we were having a good time. But when we went to pay, one of my friends took a sip of water from her glass and suddenly started making strange choking sounds. We asked her what was wrong, and she spit out a piece of glass. Then she said she felt another small one in her mouth--and she pulled that one out too. We notified the waitresses, and all they said was: "sorry." WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE IS THAT?! This is about the safety of your customers! This is food and drinks we are consuming! No one came to check if we were okay, no sincere apology, no expression of real concern... ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! If you're going to run a restaurant, customer safety must come first, and here it clearly did not.

Skipp E.

Took my daughter and her friends here today for lunch. They sat our party fast. The prices aren't bad, and portion sizes are nice too. My only gripe is my beef teriyaki was super, super fatty. Like 60% of my portion was fat. The deep fried California roll was really good, and the curry fish my daughter got was very good as well. Staff was friendly and attentive

soba
Natalie Y.

cant really mess up soba! no complaints here. i finished it all! service was a little lackluster. pretty casual spot for a lunch or dinner.

Marie B.

Had to get a Japanese curry fix, so ordered the katsu curry for lunch at Kushi Tsuru. It was really tasty and delicious. Mr B ordered a bento of shrimp tempura, California rolls and gyoza. Meh... The gyoza had no flavor, probably store bought frozen. The shrimp tempura were a joke. Measly dried up shrimp. It looked nothing like the food display in the window. The California rolls were OK, but the salad didn't have any dressing. Ambiance is fine, service OK, but the food needs improvement. I did see a sign asking for an experienced chef, so maybe that's the problem?

Steffie P.

Ordered the curry and the spicy ramen and both were really good, flavorful and comforting. The service was a little slow, but the staff was friendly and welcoming, which made up for it. Overall, a solid spot for Japanese comfort food.

Just saw they were giving out soda or miso soup for a yelp or Google review so thought I might give it a go.
Tomohisa W.

The katsu curry is nostalgic and so yummy. Although it came in a donburi rather than a large plate like it is done in traditional Japanese restaurants, the flavors were just like a home cooked meal with big soft chunks of meat, carrots and potatoes. The tonkatsu was perfectly crunchy breading around juicy and an almost sweet and tender pork cutlet. I asked for some fukujinzuke, a red pickled vegetable which I was informed was. Underneath the tonkatsu that almost covered the whole bowl. When I got there, a little before noon, the place was empty but by the time I was leaving, there were a couple of customers also enjoying the curry rice and a couple of tourist families had come in. I noticed the katsu curry took about 10-15 minutes to serve whereas the curry by itself was almost instantaneous so I'm guessing they have it heating in a huge pot ready to plate up if you're in a hurry and can't wait for them to freshly fry up some katsu.

Jeannie Y.

I was very disappointed with this restaurant, especially considering that this area used to be known for consistently good Japanese food. Unfortunately, that standard no longer seems to be the case. The atmosphere felt far from a Japanese dining experience. Staff members spoke very loudly across the restaurant, creating a chaotic environment that was more reminiscent of a busy non-Japanese eatery than a place serving Japanese cuisine. Service also lacked professionalism and attentiveness. As for the food, it was the biggest letdown. Nothing tasted fresh, and several dishes were overly salty and soggy, lacking the clean and delicate flavors expected from Japanese food. We barely ate and ended up having to get another meal afterward. It appears that ownership may have changed, as not only this restaurant but others on the same side seem to have declined significantly in quality. Overall, this was not an authentic or enjoyable experience, and I'm leaving this review mainly as a reminder to myself not to return.

tonkotsu ramen
Char V.

no line at 12pm on a sunday and was seated in the back dining area. it gets more ambiance points since it feels like you're in a nicer establishment and not in a strip of restaurants. was echo-y though, especially with multiple large groups in this small area. servers were fine, but nothing special stood out. fried gyoza: 7/10. good crunch, wrapper not too thick, good pork flavor. just wish there were veggies or greens to add flavor contrast and color. dipping sauce was good and complimented the gyoza flavors well. tonkotsu ramen: 4/10. broth not overly (but still) salty and oily; i like that it isn't too heavy slightly lacking in flavor (compared to marufuku, my gold standard). the pork was very thin and fatty, nearly no meat. tbh just suck up the line and go to marufuku bc the extra $2 makes a huge difference. would only go here IF your party is split on what they want to eat and you all want the convenience of going to one place together (hence what happened at this meal).

Katsu curry
Oleg H.

Japanese curry is woefully under represented in the American Japanese restaurants -- but KT is working hard to be the exception. The katsu curry is delicious and hearty and I highly recommend it

Miso soup and salad
Bob K.

This is in Japan Center mall, and was a cozy little nook. We had no trouble getting seated, and orders were taken promptly. It took a while to get water. I was with Blondie and The Wife, and together we ordered veggie tempura, a couple house salads and miso soup, one salmon lover roll, one CA roll, and an avocado roll, with a large hot sake and a Sprite. It seemed pretty expensive for not much food. The tempura was a small plate. $20.95 for the salmon lover, which is basically a salmon roll with an extra piece of fish on top with some sauce, seemed excessive. At least everything was tasty.

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Ask the Community - Kushi Tsuru

Which sushi bar in Japantown Center San Francisco has a river or water trough delivering sushi plates around and in front of you?

Izumi Kaiten Sushi

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Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill - Katsu Curry

Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill

4.0(1.8k reviews)
1.5 mi•Chinatown
•$$

Stopped by when I was in SF only a couple minutes walk from BART and ordering online was super…read moreconvenient since their website accepts Apple Pay. I ordered the vegetarian curry with tofu and broccoli at the medium spice level (~$17). The spice level was exactly as described and the curry itself was flavorful. My only small complaint is that I wish the vegetarian curry came with a wider variety of vegetables. I was surprised it didn't include potatoes which were an additional charge. The portion size felt fair for one person I had enough to have leftovers for dinner. I do wish the price was a little lower since it's a takeout-only spot, but considering the area, it seems pretty in line with what you'd expect to pay in downtown SF. My partner ordered the chicken katsu curry and really enjoyed it as well. Definitely worth checking out.

I tried Muracci's Katsu-Curry and I'd say their Katsu is a 4 and curry is a 3, rounding out closer…read moreto 3. I appreciate the fact that they have a more authentic style of pork katsu instead of a chicken katsu that's more common in the US. They do have chicken too for those that wants one. The Katsu was fried right. Crisp, fresh, tad juicy and good. For the curry, it's been few weeks since I actually had it and I can't quite remember the flavor details. But, that's not much different from what I felt back when on the day I had it. Good, yes. But, didn't have a striking memorable flavor profile. Not much to say about ambiance since it's a take out only spot. The service was nice and pretty fast though. Excellent place for a quick takeout when you want to grab and go!

Photos
Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill - Inside, takeout with a small area on the right to eat

Inside, takeout with a small area on the right to eat

Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill - Katsu curry with rice and pickles 9/14/23! Yum

Katsu curry with rice and pickles 9/14/23! Yum

Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill - Cute art wall

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Cute art wall

Nippon Curry San Francisco - Pork Katsu Curry

Nippon Curry San Francisco

4.5(469 reviews)
1.1 mi•Marina/Cow Hollow
•$$

Dining out during these inflationary times ain't easy, especially in San Francisco! Thankfully…read moreNippon Curry offers a hearty, tasty, and hot meal for under $20...WOW! Ambience is non-descript, soulless, artless, modern, and clean. Service was efficient and robotic, I think the AI-Robots at Google Gemini and Grok have more personality. All good... $17 Tonkatsu Curry...the plate was huge! A thick, wide, juicy, tender, pork cutlet with that signature Japanese crispy crunchy batter embracing each other like a romantic couple on their 3rd date. The lovely fragrant hot, rich, mild brown curry sauce covers it all. Underneath it all is generous mound of steaming hot white rice. +3 Steamed Vegetables...get your vitamins and fiber, and let your bowel movements flow smoothly like Willy Wonka's chocolate waterfalls. The fresh veggies blend in nicely with all that flavorful curry sauce.

Still so good, to go and hits the spot! Ebi (Shrimp) Fry is my fave and Chicken to go was with tip…read more$40+. Different staff but still chill friendly people. I would like to eat in person one day as it looks amazing to eat there. When the winter time rolls around definitely. The interior tables and chairs seems more comfortable and nice than I recall from 3? Years ago. They also have all day happy hour here. lol is anyone doing this- what a great hangover cure if you needed it! This delicious anchor food and cheap beers!

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Nippon Curry San Francisco - Very clean- and very almost closed!

Very clean- and very almost closed!

Nippon Curry San Francisco - Pork Katsu Curry

Pork Katsu Curry

Nippon Curry San Francisco - Organized

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Organized

Torraku Ramen

Torraku Ramen

4.0(243 reviews)
2.1 mi•Potrero Hill
•$$

This place has rapidly become one of my favorite ramen spots in the city. At Torraku, cozy,…read moreno-frills dining meets ridiculously fast service and delicious bites. Hole-in-the-wall doesn't quite capture the wild disparity between the unassuming storefront with a Square card reader taped to a folding table and the immensely rich flavors bursting out of each dish. With that in mind, the important stuff: What to get: It's hard to go wrong with the tonkotsu ramen with black garlic. I like spicy, so I prefer to order it spicy, but it's still great even at mild. In terms of meat, the kakuni (pork belly) is my top pick, but the chasu is also fantastic. If you're still hungry, grab a plate of the chicken karaage. Those suckers are juicy. When to go: This place is pretty informal, so it's great for a lunch or casual dinner date. It can get crowded weekends, but the line moves fairly quickly. This spot used to be a food truck, and it maintains those down-to-earth vibes.

Food: 3-4/5 Service: Basic…read moreAmbiance: Casual Value: 3/5 Got Tonkotsu ramen and Oyakodon. The Tonkotsu broth was nice and the pork belly was soft. The Oyakodon I thought was just okay. Good in the fact it's simple, but left me wanting more. We went for lunch. When I say the service is basic, it's that we got seated, they brought out waters and that was the only service we received during the meal. The reason for my 3 star rating is that I wasn't really wowed by anything and the value. I understand rent and overhead is expensive but $17 for that Oyakodon is bit high. I understand Unagi being priced what it is. With that being said the ramen is comparable to other ramen shops in SF.

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Torraku Ramen
Torraku Ramen
Torraku Ramen

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Delica - Ginger beef rice ball

Delica

3.8(1.1k reviews)
2.2 mi•Embarcadero, SoMa
•$$

This place is modern Japanese food with bentos, soups, and lots of snacks. We tried a variety of…read moreitems: - bento: picture pretty and had a ton of variety, but not very filling - tuna roll and salmon roll: so good and such big pieces! - katsu chicken: crispy, delicious - potato croquette and shrimp croquette: possibly our favorite from the batch! - salmon chowder: so so good, perfect for a cold foggy day - rice balls: just okay, felt like they were missing something and the packaging wasn't great, making the seaweed soggy Overall, this place has good food, but the prices are really high compared to other spots.

Extremely disappointing. I ordered the regular beef curry and it was basically a container of salty…read morecurry sauce and rice with three small pieces of beef. I genuinely thought there had been a mistake, so I asked the owner about it. Apparently, three pieces of beef is the normal portion for a regular size. That's honestly ridiculous for something being sold as "beef curry." The curry itself was also overly salty, so there wasn't much redeeming the meal. If I'm paying for beef curry, I expect an actual reasonable serving of beef--not mostly rice and sauce with three token pieces of meat. Terrible value and an incredibly stingy portion. I would not come back.

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Delica - Outside

Outside

Delica - 2 salad plus 1 main: Eggplant salad, hijiki soy bean salad, plus tonkatsu combo.

2 salad plus 1 main: Eggplant salad, hijiki soy bean salad, plus tonkatsu combo.

Delica - 9-item Bento Box. Assorted Sushi Bento. $16.50.

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9-item Bento Box. Assorted Sushi Bento. $16.50.

Kushi Tsuru - sushi - Updated October 2026

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