They have 1 Michelin star and they are worthy of it. We had an excellent dinner. We chose the chef's counter seating which was fun to be right next to the action. Everything was excellent: service, food, ambiance. The entire experience was 10/10 from start to finish. Each dish was perfect but the agnolotti pasta dish was 12/10 for me. It's been days since I had it and I can't stop thinking about it!! Maybe the best pasta of my life so far? Get the wagyu brownie. I highly recommend this spot. read more

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I thought this would be the best steak ever at this price but it was too fatty for me. We got the new York steak and another steak that looked delicious. Size of one steak is enough to share between two. We also ordered the salad which was delicious and the best salad I've eaten this year. I was not impressed with the non-alcoholic spritzer, just tastes like Izzy. Our neighbors were pleasant and the vibe was really nice. It was fun getting to choose my steak knife. We really enjoyed the bar seating and watching the chefs plate the dishes. Outside the bathroom has sink area. There were two restrooms that I saw. read more

Beef tartare continues to be incredible. The parker house rolls were really good too, I liked that they were soft but not too buttery. Tsukune was better than expected - largely because the sauce it comes with is delicious. On its own it's a bit dry. The wagyu bone in short rib is smoked and reminds me a lot of brisket - if you like that flavor this might be for you but we preferred the ribeye to the short rib. Ribeye is excellent- tender and rich. read more

Everything here was delicious, especially the appetizers. The tartare was my favourite in particular, the combination of textures and flavors worked so well. I got the short rib, which was absurdly rich, but that's as expected. My one complaint is that between the appetizers and the mains, my table waited over an hour without much update. The food was good, but the service makes me hesitant to come back. read more

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Came here for a special occasion and ordered a couple of things: market vegetables, Parker rolls, beef tartare, crispy potatoes, flat iron, and the A3 wagyu. Market vegetables were too sour for my taste. Ordered it to pair with all the meat to offset but it ended up being too fermented to enjoy. Parker rolls were good but nothing extraordinary. Unfortunately the beef tartare tasted too gamey for me. The A3 wagyu was not worth its price tag. It was quite hard to chew and didn't stand out at all. At the rate of this review, I should've given it two or three stars but what's saving it and pushing it to four stars are the crispy potatoes and the flat iron. I will never forget those potatoes. I never had anything like it, and it completely blew my mind. The texture, flavor, and balance of the sauce was really out of this world. If you come, you must order this dish. Also, the flat iron was amazing. We ordered it medium rare, and it was cooked pristinely. Very soft and buttery texture with just the right amount of salt. Overall, I had a fine experience. Probably wouldn't come back just because I don't think the price tag is worth it. Definitely an upscale restaurant with attentive service, but I'd probably put my money somewhere else. read more

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2nd times a charm Counter seat was an adventure- made a friend. New item on the menu: broiled Shigoku oysters were creamy and bright with a lemony finish. So tiny and delicious. The A3 melted with every bite. Crispy pig ears-delish- are more thick cut bacon edges than chicharron. It's a lot of fried sharing highly rec. Can't wait for the 3rd round. read more

Nike Steakhouse is a bustling restaurant with elevated decor and a cool ambiance. Service was attentive and friendly and despite how busy it was, we had no trouble connecting with our server and the manager was very hands on and did a great job assisting the staff. Food was amazing, definitely recommend the pig ears and chawanmushi read more

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Made a reservation for counter seating on OpenTable a couple weeks before to celebrate my husband's birthday. We specifically chose this restaurant since they were on inKind. They are a 1 star Michelin restaurant and right next to the Butcher Shop, which we have been there twice for their delicious smash burger. I'm glad we made a reservation because it was packed on a Monday at 6:30 PM. I really like the ambience inside. My husband specifically wanted counter seating because he wanted to watch the chefs cook. We ordered different dishes, such as Pig Ears, Tsukune (Japanese chicken meatballs), Potatoes, Parker Rolls, and a New York steak. My favorite was definitely the Pig Ears as it was chewy and extremely savory. The other sides didn't wow me since the flavors tasted very average. We really enjoyed the steak because it melted like butter after each bite. We order drinks, and I did enjoy my Yuzu Shiso. I'm glad we were able to stop by and check this off our list. I wished I liked the food more but it is what it is. Our server was nice and friendly, which made our experience enjoyable. read more

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I have to start with one frustration, which was that we had to wait far too long to be visited by our server, BUT...the moment that was resolved, the rest of the evening was pure perfection. In fact, I even shook hands with the chef cooking the steaks and told him that I had the best steak of my life thus far. And that's a fact. Not only did we have incredible seats at the bar watching the steaks get cooked, but they gave my husband a note for his birthday (which it was) and our experience was amazing. From the cocktails to the steak itself, everything was unique and delicious. It's a beautiful space and we felt very much taken care of. The Tomahawk we had was worth every penny, and we can't wait to come back and try something else. Highly recommend. PS. They even let you pick your own knife!!!! How cool is that?!?! read more

Niku Steakhouse - Tomahawk - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Parking is AMAZING due to a very strategic location of being in the design district (mostly furniture stores). You will not have any issues with parking or crazy hills here whatsoever. Just so note that there is a 2 hour limit so move your cars. Staff were amazing. They are extremely knowledgeable and welcoming. The pricing does seem high for many but you have to keep in mind of all the import fees of getting the meat to America. The quality of the meat is also next level and the cook's perfection is insane during preparation until before serving. Always make a reservation beforehand. Getting a seat at the counter is way better than a private table as you are expected to wait 30-40 minutes before getting any steak. You'll get a free show and watch how meticulous the cooks are. Do note that there is a 6% SF health and living fee, I would just deduct this from your tips in the end. So instead of tipping 18%, tip 12% - that is the fairest option for all parties. One great thing was the tipping culture here did not felt any pressure, nobody breathing down your back and there isn't a default automated percentage, you pick and choose which made it felt more authentic. The menu is extremely straight forward and very easy. No gimmicks and no frills. Buckwheat house rolls ($12): 2/5, honestly nothing fantastic. Crispy potato's ($20): 5/5, MUST TRY Australian Wagyu flat iron ($70): 4/5, a more tougher than the ribeye, not as tender as most but very flavorful Westholme rib eye ($125): 4.5/5, very very juicy and fatty, a bit too fatty for my preference but amazing overall. I don't think it's better than other prime grade ribeyes being at $125, possibly due to it being grass fed. Not much yellowing on the fat so there definitely was corn in the cow's diet. Easily one of the best steakhouses in California, top 3. read more

We came here for our anniversary on a Sunday evening at 6pm. Reservations for the restaurant come out 30 days in advance on open table and we were able to book our reservation pretty easily. Walking in, the restaurant is designed a warm ambiance. You feel a little cozy in the restaurant. Plenty of seating and bar seating options. We got the crispy pig ears, short rib Wagyu, bone marrow, and the crispy potatoes. We really were not expecting the portions to be so big. We were left full and satiated and didn't have enough room for dessert! My favorite dishes were all of them to be honest. The potatoes were perfectly crispy and the sauce it came with helped balance the heaviness. The Wagyu was cooked to perfection, it melted in your mouth! The pig ears were a nice snack- very crispy and the sauce it was coated with balanced well. The bone marrow was balanced with some mustard seeds and fresh grapes with offset the heaviness from the marrow. Overall, we had a great experience! Do note though- the dishes were a little more on the saltier side read more

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I highly recommend! It was a great experience. They are known for their steaks but I was definitely more impressed by the various "side" dishes. My favorite dish was the bone borrow dish. The tartare was very unique and worth trying as well. We also had the flat iron, potatoes and pound cake - all tasty. They also gave us a small mini app before the dishes we actually ordered. The interior feels very classy - you can see the chefs grilling the steak and they have a wall of wines on display. The staff were very friendly. My partner and I celebrated an anniversary and they wrote a cute note for us so we appreciate the thoughtfulness. read more

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I came here with my boyfriend and had a great dining experience at Niku Steakhouse, made even better by the excellent service from Kelvin. He was attentive, friendly, and really helped make the meal feel special. We ordered the mushroom, pig ear and potato, and the iron steak. The mushroom dish wasn't quite to our taste, but everything else was absolutely amazing. The pig ear and potato had great texture and flavor, and the iron steak was cooked perfectly. read more

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To start off, I was very pleased with how accommodating they were with our 2 year old. We were hesitant on doing date night here at first, but we didn't feel uncomfortable in anyway. I enjoyed the elegance of the restaurant yet still being casual enough with music in the background and lots of conversations flowing around us, so if my daughter dropped a fork or something, all heads would not turn and look at us. My overall favorite dish was the crispy potato Wagyu fat with chickpea miso. It was absolutely perfect. The crispy layers of the potato and the smooth chickpea miso were delicious. I even ended up smothering the chickpea miso on our ribeye. Overall great experience, attentive service and ample parking, which is a huge plus in the city. read more

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Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. We had reservations and were seated at a hightop table near the bar right when you walk in. The potatoes were honestly the best thing of the meal, and the pig ears were good at first but...after a few bites, they became a bit overwhelming. The tomahawk steak was disappointing. It was chewy, and to make matters worse, all of our knives were dull, which made it very difficult to cut through the meat. Since we were seated near the entrance by the bar, it was hard to get a sense of how large the restaurant actually is. Overall, the tomahawk felt overpriced and not worth it. read more

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We came here for Valentine's Day and our anniversary, and the experience truly felt special from start to finish. The service was the standout of the night. We were seated at a high-top table, and the staff went out of their way to make the evening memorable. They brought us complimentary champagne to celebrate. For cocktails, I ordered the Shiro Negroni ($24) and my partner had the A5 Guyana ($24). Both were creative and balanced. For appetizers, we kept it simple and ordered the pig ears. They were super crunchy, saucy, and flavorful, with a generous portion size. A great start. For mains, we split the wagyu bone-in short rib and the ribeye, along with crispy potatoes and broccolini on the side. The short rib had a deep, smoky flavor and was served with the bone on the side. It was excellent overall, but we both agreed that the meat around the bone itself might have been the best part of the dish. The ribeye was easily the best ribeye I have ever had. It was unbelievably soft and tender, noticeably better than what you typically get at standard steakhouses. I was genuinely surprised, in the best way. The broccolini was solid and well prepared. The crispy potatoes, however, were outstanding, especially with the sauce that accompanied them. The only thing that I didn't enjoy as much was the dessert. The pandan honeycomb cake ($18) had a guava sorbet on the side, which I didn't enjoy paired together. Still thought it was a creative dish! I understand why this place has a Michelin star. The service and food were both 10 out of 10. If I could afford to come here all the time, I would. They made our Valentine's Day and anniversary feel truly special. read more

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Came here on Valentine's Day (Saturday), and reservations were no joke--you have to book exactly one month and one minute in advance. We arrived at 7 pm, about 30 minutes early since we needed to use the restroom, and they were able to seat us right away, which was a nice surprise. We ordered quite a few items from the menu. We started with the chicory salad, which was my favorite dish of the night. I honestly wish I could eat it every day--it was so fresh and refreshing. The crispy potato with wagyu fat and chickpea miso was absolutely delicious. The buckwheat Parker House rolls with cultured butter were good, nothing over-the-top but still enjoyable. The grilled broccolini, unfortunately, was too charred--most of it tasted burnt. I wish it had spent less time on the grill. For the main, we got the grass-fed New York strip. My fiancé ordered it medium-rare, but about halfway through, it was clearly rare. They were able to grill it some more. But for a $125 steak, we expected it to come out correctly the first time. The local ling cod was amazing--definitely a standout. The rice grits were packed with umami flavor, and everything about the dish worked. For dessert, the wagyu fat brownie was my fiancé's favorite. Super rich and delicious, paired with Okinawa brown sugar ice cream. The staff were all very kind and attentive--service overall was excellent. There was some flooding in the restrooms during our visit, but the staff handled it well and worked hard to keep it under control. By the time we finished our meal, it had been resolved. Thank you to the person that chased us down to bring us our Togo bag. Will definitely be back often to try out other items. read more

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Honestly, I came here without high expectations as comments online were pretty negative. We had a reservation at the counter, which was extremely cool, you get to see how they prepare the food and talk to the chef. Made it a completely different experience. Complimentary Small Bite - interesting take on avocado toast, not quite showing theme of the restaurant though Beef Tartare - actually pretty good, the size of the chunks of meat shows quality of their ingredients, also attention to detail, egg was marinated Crispy Pig Ears - definitely unique way of cooking pig ears, slightly salty, recommended to share for a big table Ribeye - it is a good steak, not over seasoned, crispy on the outside, nice and pink inside, generous portion too Sides - very soft house rolls with a little bit of salt on top, crispy potatoes itself is good but the sauce wasn't doing much. Pickles are highly recommended, so need that acidity to tone down the oiliness of the meal. Sorbet - guava sorbet, thick and cold! Overall a very cute place for date nights, counter seating highly recommended. Servers are very attentive too. read more

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Overpriced and incredibly slow service and food pacing. Overall, I don't think this is worth the price tag at all. There's just too many good asian fusion places now for this to stand out or even compete. For the steak quality and price, I'd rather go to Alexander's Steakhouse. The steak came out room temperature, on the borderline of cold. I liked the filet mignon more than the NY strip; it was more tender and soft. The NY strip had some fatty bits in it though. Best dish was the beef tartare. I really enjoyed the flavor combo and the chips it came with. I also enjoyed the bread roll. Did not like the oysters, bone marrow, or lobster dumpling. The sauce was off putting on the oyster and bone marrow; too salty and American I think. The bone marrow sauce tasted like straight BBQ sauce. Lobster dumpling tasted like a ball of potato. My family liked the fried rice but I personally didn't like how it was seasoned. It reminded me of kimchi fried rice though; not too bad. Wagyu fat brownie was good but it just tastes like a brownie with ice cream. It won't change your life. Temper your expectations. read more

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I was seated at the counter, which turned out to be the best possible vantage point. From there, I could watch the chefs as they worked their magic on the steaks-- laser-focused on the steaks while still chatting effortlessly with the guests around them. The chef's snacks arrived first: avocado toast, egg salad, lamb tartare on a fried shiso leaf, and a warm bone broth. The avocado toast topped with caviar was delicious--simple, clean, elevated by that little pop of texture from the caviar. The egg salad, tucked into a perfectly crisp pastry, was a standout in its own right. But the lamb tartare on fried shiso leaf? That was the winner. The lamb was beautifully seasoned, but the fried shiso leaf stole the show with its unexpected crunch and flavor. For appetizers, I went with the crispy pig ears and the bone marrow. The pig ears were fantastic, thanks in large part to the incredible fish caramel sauce. But the bone marrow was on another level--easily the best marrow I've ever had. It came loaded with little cubes of short rib, chanterelle mushrooms, grapes, pickled spring onion, and horseradish. I thought I detected mustard seed, though it might've just been the horseradish doing its thing. Whatever it was, the whole combination was unforgettable. I added a side of confit maitake mushrooms, which were smoky, meaty, and absolutely delicious. For the grand finale, I ordered 3 ounces of the A4 wagyu beef. It was flawless--tender, buttery, and cooked perfectly. Truly a 10 out of 10. From the first snack to the last bite of steak, this meal was exceptional from start to finish. read more

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Upscale interior, with beautiful decor in the inside. Black out tinted window, which keeps it private. Quite lively crowd despite classy ambiance. Waiter greeted us instantly with even a hook for my partner's bag. Kitchen/Grill has an open fire with no walls, and you see the meat grilling in front of you if you chose the kitchen seats. Off to the food review!! 3.8/5 - Bone Marrow - Smokey, fatty, with some slight acidity from the garnishes on top. Two crunchy warmed bread to spread the marrow on. Only wished maybe there was either more bread or smaller pieces. As hard to use up the entire marrow on two pieces of bread without feeling over indulge. As one huge bite of bone marrow is a bit much for one mouthful. 4.6/5 - Crispy Pig Ears - One of the surprising things on the menu, as its rare for a restaurant in this caliber to be serving a non-regular meat item. Esp. ears, so I was curious about how they done this, as I've had it in Chinese restaurants before. Overall great texture and very crispy due to how its cooked and the cartilidge in it. Crunchy, sweet, sticky a little bit too salty if you non-stop eat it, but might go well with a carb of your choice 3.8/5 - Wagyu Hybrid Bone-in Short Rib, elderberry jus - The main star of the dinner. Sadly its the one that was disappointing. I should of went for maybe a sirloin cut, but feel it just didn't match well. The elderberry flavor doesn't really match well with the super tender short rib. The meat is definitely good, with high marbling, and not as fatty as wagyu. Just didn't feel worth the month compare to a good prime/aged new york cut steak but maybe that's my palate. It was already cut for which is a slight plus . 3.9/5 - koshihikari rice, dungeness crab, salsa macha xo, fried shallot - A very tasty rice dish, works well with the meats or other salty goodness. Pairs well, especially if you are used to eating rice with all your food. You can really taste the grab in this, and each grain of rice doesn't stick to each other. 3.5/5 - Crispy potato wagyu fat - I really thought this would be better. These are cubes of layered potatos, the crunch is nice, but so much potato with not much flavor outside of that. A little bit of butter flavoring. 4.2/5 - Toki Whisky - Tea really hides the alc well surprisingly and tasted great. Recommend this drink to anyone who likes tea and a hint of sweetness Overall great place, but i should of chose other things that maybe would of made the food better fit my taste buds. The ambiance was good, service was great, and still a good place to spend date night. Parking was surprisingly easy to find as its in a secluded spot in SF. read more

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Made a reservation and got seated right away. We we seated just inside the bar so didn't really see the interior of the restaurant. The ambiance was dimly lit and bar area was great. We ordered the salad chicory salad, oysters, and beef tartare to start. We had the dry aged New York and Waygu ribeye as mains. The sides we tried were the crispy potatoes, broccolini, and Parker house rolls. For dessert the ordered the Waygu fat brownie and shortcake. Everything was amazing between balance of flavors, texture, freshness, and presentation. Entrees were melt in your mouth, loved the crispy potatoes, the fresh oysters, the beef tartare and everything about that dish was decadent. Desserts had a unique spin on familiar desserts. The cocktails were also well balanced and smooth. Service was on top of everything and timely. I'd definitely come back again and recommend! read more

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I was never a big fan of steakhouses because they all tasted the same but I decided to come here to celebrate a special day. Let me just say, my expectations were exceeded and I was blown away by the service and food. They seated us in front of the chef so we can see him and his team cooking up the steaks. I ordered the flat iron, brussels sprouts, and bone marrow. While I waited, they offered a glass of non-alcoholic sparkling beverage and a mini avocado toast to start the evening to celebrate our special occasion. They also gave us a handwritten card! When all of the food came out, I was blown away by the insane amount of flavors each bite packed. The bone marrow was not too heavy, paired with bread and beef chunks on top. The brussels were seasoned to perfection, and the steak was perfectly juicy and flavorful. I would definitely recommend this place if you are celebrating something special! read more

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An amazing restaurant and use your chase reserve benefits on! There's plenty of parking outside. I was surprised at how massive the restaurant is! When you walk in, you're greeted by the hostess and walk past the bar on the right into a dining area with plenty of tables for all types of party sizes. Then there's the chefs counter that seats probably about 14-16 around the grills where you see the chefs cooking all the meats & veggies! My favorites of the night were the bone marrow, broccolini and bread! The short rib meat in the bone marrow oils on top of the slice of bread was just chefs kiss! There was something tangy tossed with the broccolini and I couldn't quite put my finger on it but it added a nice brightness to the dish. And you can never go wrong with bread! Super soft and nutty. I wasn't super impressed with the short rib or the a5 bushu-gyu, but it was worth trying once. The short rib had a really good smokey flavor and the elderberry sauce went well with it. I was expecting the a5 to be a little fattier, but it was surprisingly quite lean. I would probably go back and just get a flat iron next time and try more appetizers/sides! read more

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An anniversary night with plans to impress, Niku Steakhouse delivered, mostly, I confess. This is definitely the place to get fancy and dressed, Modern yet warm, the ambiance feels like its trying to impress. We sat at the chef's counter, front row to the show, An amazing experience watching everything flow. All the action up close, questions welcomed with ease, A true behind the scenes moment food lovers will please. The full experience stretched about two hours just right, Unrushed, intentional, a memorable night. If you're on the fence, here's my honest review, Definitely upgrade to the Wagyu, it's the star of the menu. Service was excellent, attentive and smooth, Parking wasn't bad, which helped set the mood. Every bite was delicious, beautifully done, But here's where my praise and critique must both run: While the food and setting were elegant and clear, The very high price point felt slightly off balance here. Amazing? Yes. Unforgettable? Almost, but not quite-- The experience didn't fully match the cost of the night. Still, for a special occasion, it's polished and prime, Dress up, enjoy the show, savor Wagyu done right. A luxe celebration spot with plenty of flair, Just go in knowing what you're paying for there. read more

This review is soooo long over due. Truthfully I wrote the managers a while ago to let them know the experience and although they did get back to me when I followed up they didn't take interest in engaging with me. The place is beautiful and the menu looks beyond gorgeous! We went for my bday as a party of four and sat at the bar where they prepare the apps. The person preparing the beef tartar would mix the beef then taste it which was fine but use the same utensils for the next one even tho it had already been in his mouth. First couple times I thought I was seeing things but my eyes were not playing tricks on me. I kept thinking how thankful I was to not order that dish. The steak we ordered was very tough. I was so disappointed. I will say our favorite items were the apps that we did order. I'm very sad to be so disappointed with my bday dinner. read more

I've been to Niku Steakhouse a few times before and always loved it, so this visit was a bit disappointing. First off, the ambience is still 5/5 beautiful, cozy, and perfect for a special occasion. They also gave us a cute slice of cake for my friend's birthday, which was a really nice touch. But the food this time was just... okay (3/5). We ordered a few wagyu cuts, and surprisingly, they all tasted pretty similar not much distinction in flavor and not as fresh or memorable as previous visits. Other dishes were decent, but nothing really stood out like before. Overall, it felt pretty standard for a place that's supposed to be more special. Service was the biggest letdown (3/5, honestly closer to 2/5). Our waiter didn't feel attentive or polished like you'd expect here. At one point, we asked if we could get the same large knife for photos (it was really cute), and he just said "no" with no explanation came off a bit rude. He also kept interrupting us while we were taking pictures, telling us multiple times to eat the steak before it gets cold. I get the intention, but being reminded once is enough, doing it 3 times felt pushy and kind of killed the vibe, especially since we were celebrating a birthday. Overall, still a nice place visually, but between the average food and disappointing service, it didn't feel like the same Niku experience this time. read more

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This is a spot that I've been wanting to go to for a while. Now I'm here with my family to celebrate my birthday. :) We ordered a lot of items lol. We started off with some crispy pig ears, Wagyu tartare, and their amuse bouch which I believe is their take on avocado toast. I also got the espresso martini which was very smooth. The pig ears were nice and crispy, the Wagyu tartare just melts in your mouth, and I really liked the roe on the bouch. Next they brought out the Tomohawk along with our ordered sides of crispy potato Wagyu fat w/chickpeas miso, grilled broccolini, Koshihikari rice, and the buckwheat Parker house rolls. The Tomohawk was soo good. It was soo tender, perfect mid rare, and the seasoning was on point. Best Tomohawk I've tasted. I really enjoyed eating all the meat off the bone. What's really cool is they let you pick your own knife which is a cool touch. The crispy potato was good and the chickpea miso was a nice add on to it. The house rolls were nice and warm. The grilled broccolini and Koshihikari rice was good to. For dessert, we got the Wagyu fat brownie. This was soo good. Every component goes so well together. From the Okinawan brown sugar ice cream, to the meringue, and then the gooey brownie on the bottom. Chef's kiss. They also gave us homemade black sesame oreo cookies on the house, as well as a mini cake for my birthday. :) Both were very enjoyable. All of the food was excellent, but the standouts were the Tomohawk and the Wagyu fat brownie. The service here was excellent. Our waiter gave really good recommendations and had very in depth knowledge of their menu. The staff here is also very friendly. The ambiance is very modern, upscale, and intimate. It's very aesthetically appealing. Perfect for special occasions. Their bathroom is also very nice. I'm happy to say that this place was everything that I was hoping for. From the food, the service, the ambiance. Everything was top notch. I can definitely say steak won't be the same for a while haha. Try it out if you like. :) read more

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If you just won the lotto and are looking for a high end steakhouse, look no further. Niku Steakhouse is a special spot that will impress the most sophisticated foodie. The dining room is quaint but offers plenty of space between other diners. As for the star of the show, the steak is about as awesome as you will find anywhere in the world. Everything from local top quality prime to A5 Japanese wagyu. It's all right here under one roof. The wine list is extensive and includes excellent bottles at every price point. The service is refined, but not stuffy. The staff here move about the room making sure you are well taken care of. I d have to stress that Niku will put a severe dent in your wallet. But it's worth every last cent. read more

The A5 shimane was the star of this meal, albeit the most expensive part. Both the A5 shimane and A5 sendai were solid, but there is a clear quality difference between the two. The filet is a good choice and very tender. I didn't care for their New York, even though that's what I'd usually get from a steakhouse. Overall, a great dining experience. read more

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Food and service were incredible! Highly recommend the sides. The crispy pig ears were some of the best pig ears I've ever tasted. Definitely my favorite dish of the night. The potatoes were pillowy and crispy (also a must). The bone marrow with sourdough was delicious as well. We had a lot of heavier items so the oysters though also delicious were a bit heavy for me. The service was amazing. Very attentive, informative and kind. I recommend being close up to the fire. It's only possible for a reservation of two but it's really cool to see them grilling everything on the open fire! read more

Came for our Anniversary and everyone and everything was Outstanding. They sure know how to do things right, the highlight was the tomahawk steak followed by the bone marrow appetizer. Such a small warm and friendly restaurant we will be back. read more

This restaurant makes me sad. With its beautiful set up and our seats at the counter overlooking the live hearth cooking, its butcher shop next door and access to the best meats in the world, why was I disappointed in our meal? Was our New York strip or A5 Wagyu cooked poorly? No, perfectly medium rare. They even offered to warm up our steaks after they noticed I was pulled away for a couple minutes and the chefs wanted the temp to be perfect (which it was). Was our service inattentive or rude? No, very polite and on point. They even provided a selection of different steak knives to choose from giving major style points. But the food and service was just missing...soul. I don't know how to describe it but after spending over $500 for a two person dinner, we took half of our total of 15oz of steak and Parker house rolls home to be eaten later. The star of the night was the fried pig ear appetizer which were crisp yet had beautiful texture and were sauced strongly. In general dishes were on the saltier side. I really wanted to like Niku but just left unsatisfied. read more

Niku Steakhouse - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The food and service here was great. But my one issue that really was slightly disturbing was cleanliness. I sat at the counter so I had a nice view of the cooking area and towards the end of my meal, I saw one of the food prep guys drop the lid to some container, pick it up, and use it again. As a restaurant, I feel like they can certainly do better and switch out the lid. Small things like this are what can make or break a restaurant. For the price point, I expect perfection and they missed the mark on this. Given they serve beef tartar, you can potentially get sick if that's the container they had dropped. We came here for an anniversary celebration and we're given a celebratory drink. We continued the night with a few more glasses of wine. The pours were a bit light and definitely inconsistent. Some glasses had more vs others had less. We didn't even need to put our glasses side by side to see the inconsistency. For the food: The potatoes were light and crispy, I certainly recommend it! The bone marrow has chunks of short rib which when eaten all together with bread was very delicious. If you like bone marrow, this is something to try. The tomahawk was a huge portion, great for sharing and cooked really well. Nothing was chewy and we enjoyed every bite. We're even got to choose our own knife, the selection is huge and can vary based on availability. The bay laurel posset dessert was ok. It was light which was nice but I probably wouldn't get it again, as for the price vs output I was disappointed. read more

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I fear I shall think about this meal for a long time. The experience was lovely and the food was so delicious. Experience -- We made reservations same-day for 7:45pm (you can specify if you're attending for a special occasion). When we arrived, our table was immediately ready. As a warm welcome, they gave us a little "happy anniversary" card with a handwritten note. We also got a free hojicha ice cream dessert at the end of the meal. Once we sat down, the waiter greeted us, let us look at the menu for 10 minutes, then came back to take our order. He had great suggestions. A different waiter later explained each dish that was brought out, though I will say it was a hit hard to hear him sometimes. We had fun choosing our knives to cut our steak. The interior is nicely decorated. There's low lighting, which is nice for a chill, intimate mood. I saw some people sitting where the chefs were cooking - it woulda been fun to be there! Food -- Bone marrow: so so delicious, my fav of the night. This is my first time having bone marrow at all, so who am I to say... but dare I say it anyways(!!): it's the best bone marrow in the city. Every bite was so savory and full of meaty flavor, but also well-balanced with sweetness (grapes) and sourness/acidy (pickled spring onions). It also comes with a perfectly crisped, buttery bread. I found myself trying to soak the rest of the bone marrow juice in the breadafter the short ribs were cleared out. Beef tartare: very yummy and creative! Similar to the bone marrow, the savory meat was balanced with sweet pears and spicy pepper. I had a fun time spreading the tartare around on the crispy beef tendon. Crispy potatoes: my second favorite of the night! I don't know how they made the potatoes so soft, but the outside so crispy! When I cut my fork through it, the potato almost seemed flaky, like a fish. The chickpea miso was so good too. Incredibly light, and almost tasted like sour cream to me. Australian wagyu flat iron: pretty tasty, though to be quite honest, I think this part of the meal was actually what stood out to me the least. I'm not very well versed in good meat to be fair, but it sorta tasted like most other steaks to me? Still very yummy though. Buckwheat pound cake: I liked it! Honestly, I was surprised because I don't usually like either buckwheat or fig, but it all came together really well. The pound cake was very soft, the figs were a little tangy, the ice cream had a nice rice flavor. read more

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Was in SF for a friend's birthday, and she wanted dinner at Niku, so Niku we went. And, with a Michelin star to their street cred, expectations were high. First, service is impeccable. We had a reservation but the table was late to get us seated, but it was very busy so that was understandable. Once seated, everyone coming by, delivering drinks, food, water, etc, we're very friendly and personable, makes you feel like family. So A+ on the service. We started with drinks, I got a Mai Tai, but they created a sitter Mai Tai with ingredients in season: mango and persimmon. Very flavorful drink, loved the creativity, added a new twist on the common Mai Tai. The mesh started with an amuse Bouch consisting of their take on an avocado toast. Just a delicious little bite. For starters, we tried multiple items as there were six of us at the table. The broccolini was good but not very memorable. The buckwheat House rolls with cultured butter were tasty, the buckwheat set them apart. Next was the steak tartare, crispy pie ears and bone marrow. The tartare had a perfectly cooked egg in the center and came with crispy beef tendon , like a chichirone, to use as a delivery been to your mouth. Very yummy. The crispy pigs eats were also delicious, great flavor on the outside and great flavor to the bite. The bone marrow was another story and absolutely perfect with chanterelle mushrooms on top. Perfect. And the entrees.... we got the short rib and the tomahawk. The short rib was... short rib, really don't feel it stood out against other quality short ribs. It was good but, for the price point, felt it should have stood out more somehow. And the tomahawk, while cooked well, nice crust on the outside, just was not memorable to out group. Finally was dessert, which they brought us one of each dessert as an apology for our long wait to be seated. The strawberry shortcake was delicious and the Wagyu brownie was very interesting as well. Overall, great restaurant with impeccable service, great small plate items, interesting desserts, but the tomahawk and short rib just didn't hit for us like we were hoping. If you're visiting, definitely try the small plates. For the proteins, maybe try something else other than the tomahawk and the short rib. read more

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Realistically I would rate it 3/3.5 but because of the service I bumped it up to 4 stars. Came here for a late valentines dinner. It was nearly impossible to get a reservation. We were on the waitlist and any time one opened up, it got snatched up super quickly. We initially only ordered mains and a side, but were informed that the steak takes about 45 minutes to cook, so we ended up also ordering the rolls. They started us off with their complimentary "avocado toast" and a little handwritten card. They were good and literally bite sized but a nice gesture nonetheless. The rolls were very good. Freshly baked and soft, although there were some seeds and salt on top which was not our favorite. We ordered the potatoes, ribeye, and cod. The potatoes were very good and surprisingly a generous portion. The ribeye was bland but also too salty at the same time, and it was also not even hot. It was warm at best, and the cod almost tasted fishy which was off-putting to me. For being a pricier restaurant with a Michelin star and being so difficult to book, I had pretty high expectations. Even the reviews rave about the food. I wish that we had the same experience. We skipped on dessert because we were so full but they gave us a crème fraiche gelato with their take on a black sesame oreo, which again, was very kind. At first we were really confused by the gelato because it tasted like sour cream but it grew on me quite a bit. Just for our 4 items, it was ~$250 without tax. Thankfully, we were able to use our Chase benefits, otherwise I don't think I'd justify going back. Also big thanks to our waiter, Chris who was extremely kind and made our experience! read more

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I took my parents to Niku Steakhouse and we were able to grab seats at the bar as walk-ins. The bar service was okay, a bit stretched since the staff were busy with drink orders. We ordered the 44 Farms 16oz ribeye ($125), crispy potatoes with wagyu fat and chickpea miso ($20), and the koshihikari rice with matsutake mushrooms, roasted squash, and pumpkin seed crumble ($24). The standout for us was the crispy potatoes. For those with a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, Niku is part of the dining credit program, so you can use the $150 dining credit here, which is a nice perk. read more

I was excited for the A5 Wagyu here but it was a bit lackluster. Food: Beef tartare - good with the crackers Scallop crudo - good Potato dumpling - decent Bone marrow - delicious Flat iron - we asked for medium rare but it came out more rare Wagyu tasting of A3, A4, and A5 - overcooked; this came out more well than medium rare; the meats were a little tougher than expected Crispy potato - delicious Maiitake mushrooms - very good Shortcake with strawberries - delicious Wagyu fat brownie - delicious read more

Niku Steakhouse - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Sat at the counter for the first time and really enjoyed watching the cooking staff do their thing. Tending the fire, preparing starters, prepping and cleaning. All interesting to watch and an enhancement to ambiance and the meal experience overall. Opted out of starters as none really spoke to me. Tried two mains and two sides. The mains were the lingcod and flat iron steak. The sides were the crispy potatoes and crab chawanmushi. Unsurprisingly, the steak was the star of the show. They have many different options (and sky's the limit in terms of price) but I was using a dining credit and wanted to try a few things so went with what I thought would be a lower quality steak. It actually blew me away with how delicious this steak was. Perfectly cooked and charred to perfection. Each bite totally sublime. Between the sides, the crispy potatoes were the clear winner. Potato slices are thinly mandolinned into a cube, crisped and garnished with chives and a dollop of a miso cream sauce. Absolutely delicious. I also enjoyed the crab chawanmushi but it felt overpriced at $32 for what is basically an individual portion of rice with a tiny piece of crab meat on top. I didn't care much for the lingcod but I'm glad I got a chance to try something a little different for my taste on the menu. The preparation is very simple with salt and fire. This works great for steaks but not as effective for fish in this instance. Service was great overall. They do add a 6% employee mandate charge. One thing to be prepared for is that the steaks may take a bit long time to be ready but they will be well worth it when they arrive. Niku is not cheap, but it is a great option if you're looking to splurge at a high-end steakhouse. read more

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