We made a reservation well in advance and got seated fairly soon after arrival. A busy place but such an aesthetic and beautiful spot to have dinner! Shisito peppers - 10/10, well blistered with just the right amount of bite and we even got blessed with some spicy ones! Ceviche - the best dish!!! Great tomato-y flavor and there were pieces that really tasted like squid/octopus! Gyoza - it's got that gummy/chewy texture that meat normally has. Boddy & Soul - this tasted just like a tempura roll, they've got the right breading and you wouldn't really guess that this wasn't regular fish sushi! Missing piece - this looks so much like sushi! They've done a fantastic job on the presentation and it tastes very fresh and light too Also had the shizen margarita- not super strong with a nice Asian twist of flavor! Overall a good eat and a good time! I do actually like vegetarian sushi and would come back to have it again. read more

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Such a hot spot for a reason! It's an all-vegan menu that's DELICIOUS. My vegan partner was overwhelmed by choice. We got tea (small), shishito peppers (ok), green mango nigiri (amazing), three speciality rolls (yummm), and dessert (would pass on this and get another roll next time). Our entire order ended up a little over $100. And just FYI the habanero sauce is no joke. Very sweet staff and clean bathrooms. Would go back and would recommend. read more

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This is some of the most creative vegan sushi we have ever had. The only thing I wish was that they had a sampler platter of a bunch of their favorites or even a mystery items. It would be nice to try a bunch of their offerings without needing a tone of people. This time we ended up getting the body and soul, the young mango, and phillipelphia role. The body and soul was complex with each part (minus the Safran like strands) adding a nice unique flavor. The mango role was purposefully unripe so it had a bitterness thay worked well with the sauce on top. The phillidelphia role had a creamy and smoky from the chewy smoked tofu. All of them were very different and stood out from the normal sushi you get elsewhere. The service was great as well. She gave great recommendations, was quick with anything we needed and was really friendly. The atmosphere was also pretty incredible. It was sleek modern wood design that looked like there was a great central vision. Overall a great place to treat yourself too. read more

Shizen - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Just another absolutely fabulous meal!! This is our go to place when visiting SF and we had a wonderful birthday celebration this visit. Service is always wonderful and food just beyond. read more

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One of my favorite sushi places in the city! As a vegetarian it's so nice to be able to have so many options to choose from. Each roll has unique flavors and they are so carefully chosen to work together. The waiters are also super friendly and helpful when you are ordering. The restaurant is really nice, it's small but they have created a great atmosphere. Definitely a must try if you haven't been before, even if you aren't vegetarian/vegan! read more

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Vegan sushi? Vegan sushi!!!! This place is hard to get into but oh so worth it. All of the dishes are delicious...and this is coming from someone who isn't vegan!! We showed up for a reservation and waited online outside for ~10 minutes. We were seated promptly and the food was delivered in waves. It's a bit loud and crowded inside. You can definitely feel a wee bit rushed if you have any kind of restaurant anxiety. But all things considered, it's worth visiting. Would be a great casual date spot if you're vegan! read more

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A really popular vegan sushi restaurant and with good reason! There was something for every taste. They have rotating 90 minute spots and they are usually booked. They do seat a few people at the bar. But if it's your first time, Highly recommend reservations for the full experience. We needed the full 90 minutes and enjoyed every minute of it. Between 2 people, we ordered shishito peppers, 2 Nigiri and 3 specialty rolls. I think 2 nigiri and 2 specialty rolls would have been the perfect amount! Highly highly highly recommend the boddy and soul. Probably one of the best on the menu! The fine balance between textures and tastes is amazing. read more

Great Vegan sushi! Expensive but worth it! Ambience 10/10. Service was good too. There's always a line and wait time, good to reserve in prior. But the wait is worth it! Tried multiple items here! read more

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Body and soul roll is mouthwatering. I love love eating here. My partner took us here for our anniversary. The staff overheard and brought us a dessert on the house. The staff made our day feel extra special. The food here is incredible! The ambiance is great for anniversaries or celebrations! I can't wait to be back for more goodness. read more

Great vegan experience! Modern concept of a fully vegan menu in a sushi restaurant. I was skeptical at first but im gonna try vegan sushi anywhere then it might as well be in SF. Wait wasnt bad at 7pm on a thursday. Interior is very nice, dim lighting and minimalistic design. Got 3 specialty rolls and 2 drinks. The margarita and mojito were mid (soju cocktail vibes) but all the rolls were amazing. The hidden agenda and proud peacock tasted like real sushi rolls. The surprise ending had one piece with a lot of wasabi in it and I really liked the beats in it. Also got the dessert which was a mochi donut with strawberry ice cream -- freshly made and high quality read more

Shizen - Mochi dessert - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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*3.5 stars My boyfriend and I were in SF for our anniversary and chose Shizen as our anniversary dinner. I'm vegan, he's not, but regularly eats vegan with me! The good: -the sushi, duh! This place is known for their sushi rolls and I also enjoyed their tomato nigiri! -cool interior -bf's mango mojito drink! The not-so-good: -everything besides the sushi! I would recommend steering clear of the appetizers. We both got miso soup that was completely flavorless. We both added soy sauce to it just so it had some flavor. The brussel sprouts were ridiculously under seasoned. Even the sauce they put on top couldn't save it. The bean curd katsu was okay, but nothing special and lacking in flavor. -the service. very weird vibes in there from the staff. Our waiter was off-putting and not professional. It took about 15 minutes for our order to get taken and our drinks didn't arrive until almost 40 minutes into our reservation after several of our appetizers had arrived. Glad I tried Shizen but I definitely wouldn't go back if I was back in SF. Tables are super cramped together and the place is very loud, so keep that in mind! I've had much, much better vegan sushi. read more

Shizen - Tomato nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is an amazing vegan sushi spot and I feel like it will be a part of my staple restaurants when I visit SF. It was pretty crowded and I would recommend coming here with a reservation but even if you don't they seem to be pretty accommodating of walk-ins. The food comes out lightning fast- within putting in an order, it will maybe take 5 minutes for your order to come out? I love tofu and veggies and I am amazed how they can change the flavor profile to mimic sushi but there doesn't really need to be a comparison to "real" sushi because their specialty rolls stand out on their own. I got the open invitation as well as the missing piece and both rolls were great. I wish that I could have tried more rolls and the nigiri as well. The rolls are interesting through their texture and the flavors and the waitress was very nice and enthusiastic. I also tried their mochi doughnut dessert with strawberry ice cream and even though I don't like red bean, it was still a pretty good dessert. My favorite part about this place was that even though I felt full, I still felt like the food was pretty clean and healthy. read more

Shizen - Mochi doughnut - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went to Shizen last night and honestly, it lives up to the hype. The vegan sushi is not just "good for vegan" , it's just really good sushi. The textures and flavor combos are creative without trying too hard. We tried so many rolls and all were standouts. The rice was perfectly seasoned, the sauces layered, and it never felt heavy. The space itself feels warm and buzzy, but not chaotic (you can still actually talk at your table) Service was easygoing and kind, even though the place was packed. It's one of those spots where you forget you're eating vegan until halfway through the meal, and then it makes you rethink what sushi can be. Definitely coming back to work through more of the menu! read more

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Very creative sushi options. I took my sister here for her bday since she is vegetarian. Made a reservation for 4:30pm on a Sunday. We enjoyed the rolls and particularly enjoyed the vegan karaage. We also got a lychee cocktail which was rlly sweet. The only thing would be the items feel slightly overpriced - great to try once! read more

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Amazing food and service! We didn't have very high expectations from vegan sushi but this place definitely blew our mind. The sushis are so unique and perfect. The service is very quick. It is quite hard to find a table though but we were lucky to walk-in and find seats at the bar. read more

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Listen, I know vegan sushi sounds like an oxymoron but hear me out... you don't miss the fish! Crazy right? Ahí en does such a good job of bringing in multiple textures and flavors. Worth the visit for a cute vibe. (They will ask you to get up if you sit for too long though. We were catching up before a show and talking a bit long.) read more

Who would have thought that vegan sushi would be a thing?!?! Well, I'm not vegan but this place is definitely delicious. From the customer service at the door, the waitresses, the Itamae, this place is definitely worth a splurge! We started with the Brussel sprouts, gyoza and the bean curd katsu which was amazing. We then ordered several rolls from the open invitation, the Philadelphia to boddy & soul. I guarantee you will want to try every roll on the menu but feel free to ask your waitress as they were very helpful when we were making decisions. When you arrive, don't forget to take a picture of the decor and table setting as this place definitely pays attention to detail. If you try out this place, don't be afraid to invite me but also try a little bit of everything as you WILL BE BACK. read more

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Loved the speciality rolls! 10/10. Ramen was good, but i have had better at other places 7/10 read more

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In my book Shizen is a solid 3 star restaurant. It has good vibes, it's not overly loud where you can't hold a conversation, our server was very friendly and bubbly, and the food was okay. There wasn't a single dish where I was blown away, so I likely won't be returning for the food. What was off putting though was the host--Asian guy with a RBF. My partner told me he wasn't greeted after standing there a while. Then was asked very curtly whether he had a reservation, and was later waved over to his table. As we were leaving and I was heading for the restroom, I got similar vibes from that guy. No smile, no thank you for coming, and it just seemed like he was generally irked that we were there. read more

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Shizen is one of the best Japanese Restaurants in SF. Great food, Great service and Great ambiance. We have been there dozen of times and it is always five star. read more

I love that there's a sushi place that celebrates flavors with vegan ingredients. Everything we got was so flavorful and packed with surprising tastes! We loved every single thing we got! The ambiance is very chill, light and airy. It is quite small so definitely make reservations if you want to come here!! They have so many options and they all sound so good that it was hard to choose which ones to get! Just means I need to go back to try the rest! I can't wait to go back and try the other sushi! read more

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The food is simply fantastic. Great vibe, wonderful staff. We had a smashing time And will certainly return.

This place is so special. Food is amazing, super fun presentation and concept. One our favorite places on mission district! Hard to get in unless you have reservation. Great team! read more

Finding vegetarian/vegan sushi that is more than just bland veggies and rice is really hard. But somehow, Shizen has gotten it right with every single one of their dishes. Boddy and soul/Hidden agenda: my favorite rolls in terms of flavors! Amazing ingredient combinations. Candlestick: This one comes out on fire (literally), and tastes great too. Surprise ending: This is such a fun idea, to be eaten as a game of roulette with one of the rolls filled with a spicy sauce (and a shot of sake or milk for whoever picks that roll). I'd recommend making a reservation beforehand as the restaurant is generally pretty busy. The restaurant is simply decorated with wooden tables and chairs. The food did take a while to arrive, but we saw it as an opportunity to digest and try more rolls. My non-vegetarian, (fish) sushi loving partner was a huge fan, which says a lot! I'll definitely be back. read more

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Shizen...how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...one, two, three, four...you get the idea! Everything is so good! The food, the service, the atmosphere! Can't wait to come back! read more

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Fresh ingredients, novel inventions. Shizen is a vegan sushi restaurant situated in the mission district. They're quite popular and only allow reservations of max up to 4 people. We got several dishes. The ingredients are fresh. My favorite is the surprise ending. The beets are juicy and tasty (There's an added surprise to the dish which made the dish fun). Overall, the food was a bit under flavor for my liking. The price doesn't justify for the quality of the dishes. There wasn't much service. The place was quite busy and it felt like they were rushing for us to pay the bill by clearing our dishes super fast and handing the bill immediately afterward. read more

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This place lives up to the hype. The shiitake mushroom tempura appetizer was out of this world. Enjoyed everything on the menu - specialty rolls, seaweed salad, soba noodles, etc.... and especially to the dessert! Very unique, with two donuts, some strawberry sorbet, fresh strawberries... plate dotted with flowers. A wonderful way to end the evening. The service was perfect, lovely ambience. One minor comment, early seating lasts 1 1/2 hours before they seat the next reservation... Not something I knew going in or we would've been a little more time efficient. read more

One of the best vegan/veg sushi's in the bay that I have tried! I came here for a birthday dinner and was able to get seated even though it was veryyyy crowded. The staff was really helpful in accomodating us but it's a very small place with limited seating. Loved all the rolls esp "body and soul"and the tempura was great Very cute place with nice ambiance for a date read more

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This vegan sushi restaurant is so delicious. We ordered five rolls, and each one tasted so different. The ingredients are not too overpowering, and my favorite roll was the one where one piece has wasabi and everyone has to try it not knowing who will get the wasabi piece. The waiter even substituted our sake with soy milk instead. Each roll has its one flavor set, which I appreciated since I'm tired of the avocado cucumber rolls everywhere else. The ambiance is very chic and clean with the wooden panel roofing and wooden plates. It feels very earthy and mindful. This place is always packed, and also difficult to get reservations. I just wish there was a way to make reservations for more than four people at a time. read more

Shizen - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Everything on the menu was delicious, it was one of my first vegan restaurants in the city, and really a great unique spot. The price are similar to sushi with raw fish, but it makes sense given the uniqueness of each plate. It's a really small place so I'd recommend making a reservation ahead of time. A lot of their dishes are a little bit, but still not too salty which I appreciated. in one of the dishes, they're supposed to be one sushi piece that is spicy with a shot of sake in the middle of the bowl but for some reason, none of us felt like we got the spicy one so they're spice level here is pretty mild IMO. I'd still prefer raw fish in sushi, but a great spot for anytime I want to eat sushi with a vegan friend. read more

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TLDR : Wonderful ambiance, good vegetarian food, quick service - but wait times to get a table can be long. Been visiting Shizen with friends who love Sushi and want to try vegetarian options. Shizen provides an wonderful experience while accommodating dietary preferences which is amazing. They have a great selection of Sake and the cocktails are good as well. Highly recommended. read more

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This is my go-to spot for sushi that never disappoints. Every visit leaves me feeling perfectly satisfied. I've made my way through most of their specialty rolls, and each one is a masterpiece--beautifully balanced and expertly crafted. The atmosphere is wonderfully welcoming, and the sushi chefs are a true pleasure to talk with. They're clearly passionate about their work. A meal here is the perfect excuse for a day out, and I love that it's just a short trip from the ocean for a post-meal walk. Don't be afraid to explore the menu; you really can't go wrong! read more

Yes yes yes! Love the creativity at shizen, I would recommend this spot to everyone and not just vegetarians and vegans. I really love the pumpkin roll that we got and the concept of surprise ending could be a fun roll to enjoy with your friends. Basically there's one piece of sushi that is extremely spicy and of course I got it and it was the first piece lol read more

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Amazing food, best vegan sushi! Great service! Very nice and cozy ambience! Must try and recommend their top sushi read more

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Incredibly unique restaurant with delicious vegan sushi! Ambiance & Service: The interior is modern, clean, and trendy. However, the service was a bit disappointing. I understand they are super busy, but we felt overly rushed and the servers weren't very attentive. Food: - Miso Soup: Very light and tasty, but I wished for more tofu--I only got two tiny pieces. - Boddy and Soul Roll: Absolutely delicious! Loved the spicy tofu and aioli paired with the fresh saffron. - Candlestick Roll: Also a winner! It's like a vegan California roll. Would order again! - Yuzu Cheesecake: Super soft, creamy, and not too sweet! Loved the balance between the yuzu and fresh blueberry compote. TL;DR: The food is fantastic, but we felt a bit rushed, and the servers could be more attentive. Definitely order the Boddy and Soul and Candlestick rolls! read more

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Has always been fantastic. Been coming here for years. Wish the menu switched up every now and then but love it.

Shizen serves the best vegan sushi in SF--innovative, delicious, and surprisingly satisfying every visit.

Had a reservation but went early and got sat at the bar. Their fryer was not working that day so my favorite rolls were not available. I got the grilled mushroom starter where the enoki mushrooms were phenomenal. The prime suspect roll was good but the sauce was too sweet for a gochujang aioli. Both the inari and okra nigiris were great. I got the spicy miso ramen but did not think the broth was salty or umami enough. The dessert was fun though with mochi donuts, strawberry ice cream, and chocolate covered strawberries. It's a cute date night spot and I will be going back but no ramen next time! read more

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Don't be turned off by the idea of vegan sushi - this place is incredible! Honestly one of my favorite sushi spots in the city and I'm not vegan. Absolutely everything I have ordered has been delicious. My favorites include: the surprise ending, which is pictured here, eggplant nigiri (also pictured), and the gyoza. I have yet to try the ramen but it is next on my list and I'll update this review when I have! Service is always great, very attentive without being over the top. As an FYI, you do need a reservation, even on a week day. I've been lucky enough to score same day rezzies but normally have to plan a week+ in advance. read more

Shizen - Eggplant Nigiri, asparagus Nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Wait what? A vegan sushi place?! My friends who are not vegan also love the place. Shizen is a unique experience. Speciality rolls are out of the world! Boddy and soul is a must try. The service is fairly quick which I appreciate. The place is cozy. read more