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    Umi

    4.0 (665 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Open 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM

    Umi Photos

    Business Info

    UMI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Umi

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    Reviews With Photos

    Bento with beef teriyaki and maguro
    Robert C.

    Came here for a work lunch and wanted to try something new and near the job site. This Potrero Hill area is quaint and varied in their restaurant choices. From the outside, Umi isn't much to look at; kinda drab and dark. Inside, there is a covered outdoor patio, where we sat, and a dining room to the right. I had the bento with beef teriyaki and maguro. Coworkers had the Saba bento and the chefs 9-piece sashimi. Our food came out and looked good but on the smaller side portion-wise. My beef had lots of flavor, miso soup was slightly salty. Tuna sashimi was fresh, but again, on the smaller size. Service was ok, not good, not bad. I asked for hot tea but was told they don't have it. I'd like to rate it as 3.5 but there's no option for it.

    sushi
    Melissa M.

    Came here on a Friday evening with no reservation and was quickly seated. There is tons of parking nearby and a great bar Nextdoor for a post dinner drink. Got 4 sushi rolls to share and bottle of cold sake. The fish here is easily the best quality on San Francisco, cannot recommend this enough!

    Outside
    Allison W.

    Cute neighborhood sushi spot! Came here around 6:00 PM for dinner, and there were plenty of seats available. We got seated in the little outdoor patio, which was lovely and still quiet despite being so close to the street. The staff were very fast with getting our food out too which was great. I got the nigiri combination meal, which came with miso soup and a tuna roll. It's not too big of a portion and a bit pricey, but the fish was great quality! Love how tender each piece of fish was, and the freshness was so apparent. The whole combination meal was a great light dinner, really enjoyed my meal here.

    eel don
    El B.

    Went in for lunch and was very impressed. Super cute place which actually hasn't changed that much since this space was occupied by Thai BBQ about a million years ago. Service was good (nobody else was there) and food came out pretty quickly. The food was all really good homestyle Japanese, and portions were large. Daughter liked the chirashi (combo A) a lot. Husband got the bento box with saba, teriyaki chicken and tempura. He scarfed it all down. He commented that the saba is better at Gombei in San Jose but nobody could verify that as it had already disappeared...lol. I had niku donburi-the portion was extra huge and the quality of the beef was better than I'm used to... I think next time we will order one less thing. I would expect that dinner is very good but for my family the draw is homestyle food which is only available at lunch T-F.

    Golden dragon  Shrimp tempura rainbow
    Christine W.

    Came with my friend to try out a new sushi restaurant before trivia! We ordered two rolls to share, and it was very good! The pieces were on the smaller side though. The fish was very fresh, and the rolls were both quite delicious - a solid 8/10! I would definitely come back for a quick bite in the future! The service was very fast and the servers were attentive! Moreover, I also enjoyed the ambiance. The seating area is a bit on the smaller side, but I enjoyed the decor and the vibes :)

    Tuna poke
    Dominic B.

    Ordered as a to go pick up order. I don't live too far so the quality of the food, like temperatures, texture, etc didn't go down as it sometimes does with some to go orders from other restaurants that might take 20-30 min to deliver. Pick up service was friendly and quick. Tuna poke - personally wasn't a huge fan of the poke. For the price, the portion seemed a bit small. Weighed it out to about 3oz. Smaller and a bit pricier than a couple other spots I know for a similar dish. Tuna tasted fresh though which was good. A sauce or shoyu I think might complement nicely. Agedashi tofu - well made, classic agedashi tofu. Definitely recommend having this order in house vs to go because of the soup container. All the bonito is at the top, due to the narrowness of the container, so my first bite was just a big clump of bonito. I should have mixed it (but I didn't want to break the tofu). Not on the restaurant but just my observation that it's a tasty dish that would be better enjoyed in house.

    nigiri sampler
    Rosella S.

    In contrast to the crowds lining outside popular neighboring restaurants, Umi seems like a quiet place at a quick glance but upon entering it has a lively and bustling atmosphere. The kitchen is immediately to the right of the entrance and the staff greet you warmly. Their menu isn't extensive but it feels curated to focus on quality, not quantity. I ordered the nigiri sampler which was one serving each of their special nigiri that night. I will definitely order this again, whatever they list as a special I will get next time. The quality was excellent and the fish was exceptional. I also ordered uni, which - for the price point, was a reasonably generous size and was a luscious burst of delicate brininess tinged with sweetness. For our small group of 3 people we ordered a couple of small plates to share: Katsu Asparagus Maki and Beef Enoki Maki. Don't miss out on these. The katsu was a perfect blend of texture and flavor combination with the crunchy breading outside and tender asparagus rolled inside. The beef was served in nine bite-size pieces that almost melt in your mouth. I love that they also had two of my favorite Japanese beers on their menu - Coedo and Echigo - along with a third beer option (Orion) and a couple of sakes. Although they have a covered patio, it's part of the restaurant itself and not one of the sidewalk structures. I don't think dogs are allowed here and that's okay. The tables are a decent size that we didn't feel cramped and it looks like a group of 6 or 8 could probably be accommodated in the main dining room. Good place for happy hour and casual dinner. I'll be back soon.

    Sushi roll
    Jenny X.

    Came here on a date and it was a pleasant experience! The place was not packed at all on a Sunday night at 6 pm and we got seated right away. Good: - Super nice servers and the food comes out really fast - The prices are great here - The sushi rolls were all solid - I had the dragon roll and the portreo roll - it was pretty filling as well - Nice clean simple aesthetic Bad: - The sushi wasn't the best I've had, but for the price, it was a great steal! Overall, a great bang for buck place, I'd recommend it for a fast date activity!

    Beef teriyaki lunch plate
    Florence K.

    Came during a weekday lunch for their lunch special. I got the beef teriyaki and salmon avocado roll for $17! The price is pretty good and the food comes fast so I can get back to work! The lunch special comes with miso soup, salad and rice.

    Sushi Moriawase

    The food was delicious and reasonably priced. I got the lunch sashimi. There seemed to be a lot of regulars there, which is a good sign I was mainly there to pick up my Too Good To Go order. There is one other person who gave this place 1 star for their TGTG order because it was all head and bones. And yeah. That's what it is. This is a delicacy, and it is a skill issue if you can't even make broth out of it. I got FOUR heads (generously packed with meat) and an entire backside of a fish! I'm gonna be eating grilled fish and soup for a week! I won't post a picture here cause I don't think most people looking in the reviews WANT to see it, but know that it was a generous amount and super fresh. I can see why it sells out so quickly

    Sashimi combination and sushi
    SY C.

    Small neighborhood sushi place that hits the spot and doesn't drain the wallet. Sure the rice could use a bit of work but the fish is fresh and tasty, I can always get a table, and service is friendly. There's usually enough parking in the area so it is rarely a problem but you could also take the Muni and hike up the hill. I've tried a variety of items here including the sushi combination and sashimi combination. They also have specials of the day that change with the season. The sashimi combination set comes with rice and miso soup and is good value for the amount of fish they include! Since the sushi selection changes with the season, it's hard to say what will be available but I've found that hamachi is always a good bet. I also like their gari-saba roll (Saba with sushi ginger) which is very refreshing and has a good texture to the sushi. The rice they use is long grain rather than short grain sushi rice so it's a little underwhelming in that regard. Or they might mix in long grain as well to keep costs down. They also don't use fresh wasabi but I wouldn't expect that for the prices. There is a decent selection of sake if that's your thing, and offer them in different sizes as well so you can consume as much or as little as you like.

    Hamachi Kama
    Oliver C.

    I really like this restaurant and was able to meet with my old high school friend for lunch. I had the Hamachi Kama Misoyaki lunch special. It was charred wonderfully: full of miso flavor. It came with miso soup, a small salad and rice. The service was very nice and the server was attentive. I really liked the fact that the fish and sushi served are fresh. Umi is my go to Japanese restaurant.

    Golden Dragon Roll, Hamachi Sashimi, and Crunchy Spider Roll
    Areeta W.

    Small & quiet restaurant in Potrero Hill! I came in on a Wednesday night and got seated immediately. We ordered Golden Dragon, Crunchy Spider, and Hamachi Sashimi. I liked how all of the rolls were a set price ($17) but each piece was definitely smaller than I expected. I feel like it wasn't the worst I've ever had or the best especially since there's so many sushi restaurants in SF. For the average value and quality, I probably wouldn't come here again.

    Special menu

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    4 years ago

    Came here with a group of 7 and they were kind enough to accept us. Sushi was very average. Nothing that will blow you out of the water.

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    Page 3 of 17

    Ask the Community - Umi

    How many locals eat here?

    I live in the neighborhood and eat here. I'd argue this venue sees more locals than tourists

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Kui Shin Bo

    3.8(1.1k reviews)
    2.4 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
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    This place is on the second floor of the Japantown mall. Went with someone in crutches, and there's…read morea lot of stairs. Elevator is on the other corner of the center, so you do have to go a little around to get there if you need an elevator. Not too bad though. Small restaurant. Most of their tables are great for a group of 4 but I'm guessing they could just push together tables if your group is a little larger. Service was good. All our dishes were great. The sushi wraps were good but they can be a bit messy. 2 sushi wraps, 1 ramen, 1 sushi roll, seaweed salad, 2 sodas, came out to about $90. We'll be back to try more.

    Small unassuming sushi spot on second floor of Japan Center Mall. The restaurant is on the inside…read morepart of the floor, so no windows, which made it a little dark. We were seated pretty quickly on a Sunday evening, and there were a couple of other parties there. They had a sign advertising a special where you can order two items from a list and it comes with soup, salad, and rice, but we ended up just splitting two house special rolls - the Salmon Mango roll and Rock N Roll roll (tuna, avocado, spicy mayo). Both were delicious. I particularly liked the Salmon Mango roll - it was a perfect mix of sweet and savory. The rolls came with 8 pieces each and each piece was a good size, so it was plenty for two of us. I also got a Sapporo beer (bottle) to sip on. Overall, good experience - quick, efficient service and satisfying meal.

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    Hikari Sushi & Bar - Fujis Roll

    Hikari Sushi & Bar

    3.9(560 reviews)
    2.5 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
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    It is such a fun place for the whole family. The restaurant itself is situated across the main…read moreJapan town mall. Once entered, you are greeted with a cute statue, great for little ones and adults. We got seated pretty quickly at a booth. Different from traditional sushi conveyor belt place, you don't see pre-made dishes around. Instead, each table/spot comes with a screen for placing orders. You can pick up to 4 dishes each time, then added to cart. When your dish is coming, you see the light flashing, then a nice train carries your happiness over. Once unloaded, you push a button and wave bye bye to the train departing. Yes. Super fun for kids. I ordered some sashimi, tofu salad and some sushi. They are super fresh! Service is fast, consistent and friendly. My kids enjoyed goyza, soup, onion rings and some cooked sushi's. We would love coming back again. I can see this to be our go to place in Japan town.

    I'm obsessed with this place. We came in starving, we were sat immediately and got our food shortly…read moreafter we ordered - via a sushi train. The pure novelty already sold me on this place, you tap a screen to order, then it's delivered on an electronic conveyor belt. Loved the miso soup. The rice in the nigiri was so good. I'd recommend the double spicy salmon, it was a little expensive but worth it. The flavor stayed in my mouth for so long after.

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    Hikari Sushi & Bar - A Shinkansen delivers your sushi a few minutes after you place your order! It even sounds a little like the real deal! :)

    A Shinkansen delivers your sushi a few minutes after you place your order! It even sounds a little like the real deal! :)

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    Tenroku Sushi

    Tenroku Sushi

    3.7(595 reviews)
    2.5 miLower Pacific Heights, Japantown
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    Fun, efficient, simple. Nothing to add…read more I've been to a few conveyor belt, boat-sushi type spots in Japantown and I always end up back at Tenroku! Is it the best sushi ever? Not quite. I think expectations are usually low when going to these types of spots but given the quality and price, it's actually pretty surprising. I usually stop by for dinner on weeknights. It can get busy sometimes but I've never waited more than 10-15 minutes. Service is quick and friendly. The goal is to get you seated and taken care of right away. Once you sit down, it's game on. Chefs are busting out all different kinds of dishes for you to try. They also take requests if there's something on the menu you'd like to try. I love not having to commit to a roll and being able to try a ton of different things. Admittedly, I keep coming back for the seared walu. The plate color lets you know the price of what you're getting. Most plates come with 2-4 pieces and run from $3 - $8. I can make this dinner as cheap or expensive as I'd like!

    First of all, this is a sushi boat spot in the Japantown Mall--so let's set expectations. You can't…read morecompare it to a Michelin-star Japanese restaurant. Sushi circles around on a conveyor belt, and some of it has clearly been riding for a while. There are also packaged, grocery-style items on the belt like cake and uni. That said, it's good and possibly fresh, and the chefs are clearly working hard. It's not creative or romantic--it is what it is. We had several solid items, left full, and that was the goal after seeing a movie. It was pretty quick, too.

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    Unagi Roll

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    Oma San Francisco Station

    Oma San Francisco Station

    4.3(351 reviews)
    2.5 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
    $$$$

    Actual rating: 4.5 stars…read more Definitely recommend making reservations as there are only eight seats available. It kind of makes me feel like I'm in a station since it's a counter space is right out in the open in a corner amongst all the cute little boutique shops and dessert places between Peace Plaza and the indoor bridge. $120 for the sixteen-item omakase set when we went back in February 2025. Courteous, polite service. They provided a wet towelette for us to wipe our fingers and instructed us to eat each sushi piece in one bite. The temperature of the fish was not too warm and not too cold. I loved the variety of sashimi offered, especially the charred ones! Out of all the dishes, the smoked trout with the egg yolk and the Hokkaido scallop stood out. Only dish I wasn't too crazy about was the squid and pickled lotus root/eggplant, which was shocking to me since I normally love all those things! The texture of the pickled lotus was starchy. Aside from that, we enjoyed our omakase experience at Oma San Francisco Station and would definitely recommend!

    We were in the area for the cherry blossoms and decided to try our luck with a walk-in. We knew…read morethis spot was tiny--tucked away in a corner with only 8 seats--so we weren't expecting much, but to our surprise, there were only two people inside when we walked by. We were able to snag seats right away. We ordered the Tsubame set, and it was a great experience from start to finish. It began with a cabbage salad topped with mentaiko dressing, snow crab, and a firefly squid--such a unique and flavorful opener. The first round of nigiri included iwana, miyabi tai, inada, and kanpachi, all incredibly fresh and well-balanced. Then came sashimi with three slices of umi masu, followed by another round of nigiri: itoyoridai, kurodai, hirame, and a rich, melt-in-your-mouth otoro. YUMMM Next was a standout chef's dish--grilled miso black cod--perfectly cooked and deeply flavorful. We also added Hokkaido uni and hotate as extras, which I'm having mixed feelings. Dessert wrapped things up nicely with green tea ice cream, a slice of strawberry, and a flaky cookie. Everything was so, so good. We'll definitely be back to try their other tiers.

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    Oma San Francisco Station
    Oma San Francisco Station - Starter

    Starter

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    Izumi Kaiten Sushi

    Izumi Kaiten Sushi

    3.6(270 reviews)
    2.4 miJapantown, Lower Pacific Heights
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    Been eating here when we are in Japantown, cute little spot- Conveyer Belt sushi place. Mostly bar…read moretype seating area, and three tables to sit. We were seated at the bar area since the tables were occupied. The waitress was very quick and fast, setting us up with waters and chopsticks. Sushi is plated and charged by the color of the plate- blue is their most pricier options, which I got a lot of so I had stop eating that option, and I went for yellow or orange! Sushi was fresh, I am a Saba fan so that's what I mostly ate. Uni was fresh, and Amaebi was good. Overall, if you want something fast, the wait wasn't long, (of course it'll change on the weekend) times would be long because of the seating, try this place out! We will be back!

    Came here on a Saturday evening for dinner. It was busy, loud, and lively. I've been to other…read moreconveyor belt sushi spots before, but this one really stood out. It was hard not to grab a bunch of plates since the sushi tasted very fresh and there was a ton of variety going around. I got a mix of rolls and a Sapporo, which paired perfectly. Staff was quick and efficient, even with how crowded it was. Prices were also very affordable for sushi, especially considering the quality. Solid spot if you want fresh conveyor belt sushi without paying too much.

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    Izumi Kaiten Sushi - Extra plates are seen in the background staked up on top of that fridge.   There were only 2 other groups.  Why leave more raw fish out!

    Extra plates are seen in the background staked up on top of that fridge. There were only 2 other groups. Why leave more raw fish out!

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    Umi - japanese - Updated May 2026

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