Recently re-visited this established and well regarded spot in Fairfax. For those not "in the know" -- this a true go-to spot for a fantastic sushi experience. It is very true that it is difficult to get in this spot during peak hours. A waitlist will have you on point, but you will still have to wait a little bit to get in. Trust me - it's all worth it. The team of hosts and wait staff treats you kindly, even though there's the "stress" of a wait. Once seated in the dimly lit space, everything happens more quickly. Your order is taken and it's not long before you get some plates coming your way. The food. Amazing. Simply delicious. Well thought out, fresh and well presented. I had the black sesame asparagus - the sauce so incredible. Then the sake sashimi was melt in your mouth quality. And a couple well equipped rolls satisfied every desire. Wine by the glass on the list, besides beers and sake. A must-go sushi place for the Bay Area. Along with Sake 107 in Petaluma, Kirala in Berkeley and Ebisu in SF -- this is a place you need to visit. read more

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Visited this place while I was in the area, and it was pretty good! The restaurant is pretty small so there was a fairly long wait, so I'd recommend getting a reservation ahead of time if possible! The fish tasted fresh, and the sushi was really good. I think the miso cod could've been really good too but it was a bit cold by the time it arrived. The flavor was amazing though so perhaps it just took some time to make its way to our table. The food came out slowly but luckily we weren't too hungry. The staff was super friendly though and the place was super charming and cozy! read more

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Amazing dinner. The green beans were stellar. The donut holes divine. The service was excellent. And our evening was perfect - chefs kiss! read more

Village Sake - Village - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, California

This place is beginning to give 1988 NYC "it's so popular, no one goes there anymore," vibes. We ordered takeout and arrived on time to pick up our food. First, the takeout menu is a shadow of its former self. It's so simple that deciding what to order is a challenge, but not in a good way. The restaurant was mostly empty except for throngs of people at the bar. Also, lines were waiting for pickup orders. I wanted a bottle of sake. Had I known how long outer wait would be and the price for the sake, I would have walked to the liquor store in Fairfax and back. Finally, 39 minutes later our order was ready. We didn't get chop sticks, but the food was there. The sushi was okay, the sashimi was fine but not special. The rice, which I had raved about before, was not around. We got plain rice that I could have made at home. I get that every place has an off day, but this was extremely expensive and frustrating for us. Judging by the frantic rush of servers and disgruntled customers, no one was enjoying the experience. read more

What a great little gem of a Sushi restaurant. The food is wonderful and the service is great. But beware, if you are trying to go there when they open, you'll be standing in a line that usually wraps around the block. Yes, they are that popular! Unfortunately, they don't take reservations, but if you try eating a little later in the evening to miss the 5-6 pm surge, you'll likely to encounter a shorter wait time for a table. One night we arrived at about 7:30 and were seated right away. A different night we arrived about the same time and had a 20 minute wait which was just enough time to walk around the corner and have a glass of wine at Fradelizio's. We ordered the wagyu beef tataki and the hanger steak skewers and they were both delicious! We followed that up with some Hamachi and Hon Maguro nigiri which melted in our mouths. We finished the evening with a Village roll which burst with flavor! We asked if they could add a shiso leaf to the roll and they happily complied. Ying, one of the owners who fills in when they are shorthand, was our server and she was fabulous! Obviously she is very knowledgeable, but is also very engaging and funny! I can't think of a better place in Marin to grab sushi, and judging by the lines at 5pm when they open, I'm not alone... read more

We experienced bias. My wife and I went there for our anniversary. It was my second time there. We got in line very early to make sure we would get in and have a nice seat. We were second in line. The doors opened, and the hostess seated a couple, a man and woman, in a booth. My wife and I, two women, were second. The hostess pointed us to a table with chairs up front. We told her we would like a booth. She said they save booths for parties of four. I pointed out the couple that had just been seated in a booth. She looked irritated and just pointed to the table with chairs. I politely asked for a booth again. She looked more irritated, and pointed to the worst booth. It was a booth on one side and chairs on the other, right behind the greeting podium. She walked away, and we sat ourselves in a normal booth. I was actually wondering if someone was going to ask us to move. The whole experience really put a damper on our night although we tried to pretend it didn't happen so we could enjoy ourselves. In addition, my hamachi was not good at all, and I have eaten a lot of hamachi in my time. read more

Best place for sushi in the area but worst reservation system on the planet! Never had something that I did not enjoy. I would love to have more options for rolls. read more

Original and delicious sushi. Great end of the day experience. Enjoyed the atmosphere.

Arrived 20 minutes before closing and was told needed to order immediately fine. It's Easter and we're happy be be seated. Ask for the most popular role - it's the "village" something. Food arrives quickly but one bite of the most popular role left me convinced the cooks didn't appreciate having to work until closing and served me the fishiest whatever they could find. It was awful and I returned it - something I haven't done in years. I also rarely leave a negative review but this place is supposed to be awesome and tonight it definitely wasn't. read more

overall A: atmosphere and service great for a fast-seated supper, fabulous nigiri sushi, tuna cevice, chicken karaage, sake. Good prices; excellent recommendation by a local; highly recommend. read more

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This was my second visit to Village Sake. We were seated for dinner on the outside, covered patio. The plates are small so our group of 9 people ordered several of the same dishes so everyone could try everything. I loved just about every dish (sadly didn't photograph this time). I highly suggest ordering the specials off of the menu. We tried them all and enjoyed every bite. The service is outstanding! With a group of 9 ordering dish offer dish plus continual drink orders; they did not disappoint. read more

No-nonsense popular spot Village Sake is the downtown Fairfax's spot for sushi rolls and Japanese classics but if you take the time to explore more deeply beyond the deep fried or flame torched sushi rolls, there are some surprising gems. I loved the Kabocha tempura mixed with deep fried shishito peppers and green beans and the Wagyu beef tartare is a steal at $24 for such flavorful and quality beef. The omakase nigiri at $60 for 7 pieces is on the pricier side but the selection is solid and it's cheaper than ordering a la carte. Overall, tasty and satisfying Japanese meal in a part of town where there are less options. Dining is indoor only and there are no reservations. All credit cards including Amex are accepted. read more

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Oh my god this place is AMAZING! Super friendly staff, lovely ambiance, and delicious food. Everything I ordered was absolutely delicious but their miso cod has become a near constant craving for me. If you have the funds and opportunity to splurge, definitely come here and you wont be disappointed! read more

Excellent sushi, friendly staff, would definitely come back-- the star dish was the amazing mouthwatering fresh local uni nigiri which made this 5 stars. We joined the waitlist around 5:05 pm on a weekday evening via their website and received a text telling us our number in line and an estimate of the timing. The text provided a time estimate based on our place on the list. We were promptly texted before the estimated time that a table was ready and we let them know when we could arrive which worked out. Some of the food highlights: - Sunomono Salad- fresh seaweed salad with a nicely textured variety of seaweed, avocado slices and crunchy cucumbers -- this seaweed salad was phenomenal and bright. - uni (sea urchin) nigiri- highly recommend it - came in super fresh from Fort Bragg- melt in your mouth delicious with an uplifting taste of the ocean. - fatty tuna spicy daikon radish roll We also enjoyed: - The Village roll was excellent. - King salmon nigiri - Agedashi tofu was flavorful (has a medium firmness). The ambience was pretty relaxed outdoor atmosphere with fun 2000s indie pop music. read more

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The service the staff, the food is all excellent. I highly recommend coming here. Also, they have a great beer Mother Earth BooKoo IPA. Definitely recommend recommended and fun to try new things. read more

Really, really good fish, especially for Marin. I think the nigiri can be more seasoned, though. The scallop roll is standout. I almost never order rolls. read more

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This has been an enjoyable spot for years, however last night should be a wake up call for them. The food was good - comparable to the many gazillions of small restaurants in Japan. The sake selection was a bit limited. Unfortunately the waiter, who was cast from the Fast and Furious franchise, lavished all his attentions on the table of women 3 feet away from my table and showed me none. Disappointed. With excellent Japanese restaurants to the north, south, and east of Fairfax, one should not be swayed by their Michelin designation. read more

We went to Village Sake with high hopes and those hopes were met. Getting a reservation can be tough at Village Sake as you have to wait on a waitlist to get in but they were very accommodating and our table was immediately ready upon arrival. To start, we had the miso soup which was good but one of them was rather luke warm. Overall pretty good but not the best thing we had on the night. We then got ordered the Hamachi nigiri that was very fresh and a great first bite. We then went into our rolls, the Village Roll, the Salmon Citrus roll and the Crab Avocado Roll. All of them were very good especially the Salmon Citrus and Village Roll. Crab Avocado was basic but still tasty. All of our food came out in a very quick and timely manner and we were appreciative of the amazing service. We sat outside and was a lively Fairfax experience on a Friday night. We wish we could give this a 4.5ish star because although it wasn't a 5 it was very good. The price was also very good as we paid $100 including tip for all the food. Great food, great service and great prices. Highly recommend. 4.7/5 N&D read more

Still great service and good quality but the prices are now insane. $18 for 3 very small pieces of salmon?? That's nuts guys. See photo read more

Village Sake - 1.5" x 0.5". $18 - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, California

Ok... so it's been a long time since I have last checked this establishment out and wow has it blossomed! I am happy to report that this is the best sushi thus far I have experienced in Marin. The sushi is balanced, the cookery of proteins is executed perfectly and the flavor profiles are pops of joy! Def check it out. read more

Village Sake in Fairfax gets one star for Service and 4 stars for food. If you want to wait a long time for yummy sushi served by really unhappy, stressed out staff who haven't yet been taught (or maybe are not allowed) to manage a table service as well as a general manager who says she can't promise you a second beer during your meal because they're too busy, check out village sake! We were there for dinner on Sunday night 2/16 after work. About an hour and 15 minutes into it we decided to check out and go elsewhere to finish our evening . The most disappointing part of the whole evening was the general manager, also looking very stressed out and unhappy, who basically said there was nothing she could do to help a beer arrive in a more timely way because they were just too busy to serve guests. (All she needed to say was apologies! And that she'd be right back with our beer. ) Like I said, miso soup amazing, sushi was great. For dumplings I think I'll stick to buying the fresh/frozen ones on Irving Street in SF from Yummy Dumpling because the ones at Village sake were not cooked well and we're cold by the time they were delivered to us by the frenzied and very unfriendly runner. I would love to say that I love Village sake because it's the only sushi game in town. I've been there on a night when it was slow/quiet/calm and had a great time and good service. Sunday 2/16 at Village Sake was perhaps the worst service experience I've ever had in a restaurant. read more

Hidden gem?..... no the word got out. Worth the wait in line outside? Rain or shine? Always. And we spent time in SF. The chefs are amazing, the fish is FRESH. The service is very perceptive and intuitive read more

I've been living in Fairfax for five years and yesterday was my first time at village sake..... WONT be the last. Had hangar steak skewers, agedashi tofu, miso soup, toro roll, and a lychee martini. Our server was super sweet and the service was super quick! The inside is traditional sushi vibes which is always cozy in my opinion. We sat outside which was perfect! I finally understand why there's always a line to get into this place. And yes. It's worth the wait! read more

Lovely sushi joint. High end, well done exceptionally fresh sushi. Flavors well balanced and worth the price. Ambiance and service excellent. read more

Thanks to Soleil Ho's SF Chronicle recommendation (and Yelp reviews), we timed our visit to Village Sake well -- getting in line 30 minutes before opening to ensure first seating and outdoor dining on a Friday afternoon. Drop by Fairfax Scoop half a block away to get a sweet cold treat while your party waits for a table. The reviews were right. This place is a treat for the taste buds. Each dish is lovingly prepared and uniquely tasty. We loved the squid, scallop chive dumplings, chilled asparagus covered with black sesame paste, perfectly tempura-ed green beans with kabocha and shishito peppers, pork belly skewers, and hamachi collar. Next time, we'll get the waygu beef tataki. read more

Village Sake - Squid is lovely, got the sauce on the side. - Japanese Near Me - Fairfax, California

This is a 6 star spot. Of course the food is awesome. It stands toe to toe with the best Japanese spots in SF. Someone compared to Akikos recently which is great - very high quality of ingredients and superior attention to details. What really stands apart for me is the experience. Tranquil Perfection. The service is warm, friendly, and attentive in the right amount. They notice the little things, which is a mark of someone that has passion for what they are doing. The environment (outdoors only right now) is welcoming and you can tell someone has put care into crafting it, down to the littlest of details. There is even strong community support - I saw an un-housed person come by asking to borrow the phone and the hostess was supportive and patient to help out. Come often and tip heavily. This is THE gem that deserves all our support. P.S. - don't forget the donuts!! read more

Excellent, excellent, excellent! I have never waited, that I can recall, two hours at 6pm for a meal. But one of the young people in our group was determined to eat here, so we figured out a plan. We went to the Thai place within walking distance and had appetizers to appease our hunger, and had great conversation. I don't need to describe the food, as everything we ordered was so incredibly fresh and delicious. I would go back in a heartbeat! And I live in Novato. The service was excellent as well. read more

I can't stop thinking about their chili hamachi roll. It's on the pricy side but, for a treat, it's well worth it. Every other roll we've tried has been delicious and they come out quick. The pork belly skewers are a biiiiit on the salty side but I love them regardless. Miso soup is rich and perfectly hot when served. We've sat outside and in the bar room - they are the more quiet options to the main dining room. Staff had always been friendly and efficient. I'm sure we'll be back whenever we crave sushi. Definitely recommend!! read more

Best sushi around, very talented chef and quality ingredients. Deservedly popular spot, usually a wait for a table

I love this place so much! It has the best tofu ever and there miso soup is to die for! The service there is amazing there are so kind and get your food fast. read more

In general the food was very good and reasonably priced. Critique: Not as much fish varieties as at other high end sushi restaurants. Our miso soup arrived towards the end of the meal and at that point should have been comped. read more

Village Sake perfected every dish. I can see why they are on the Michelin guide! I would highly recommend dining here. What you need to know : there is indoor and outdoor seating as well as seating by the bar. They don't take reservations ahead of time . Only same day reservations; and they do have a waitlist. The area is busy so give your self some extra time to park. The ambiance is casual and relaxed. We ordered the Wagyu Beef , hamachi Kama and shrimp dumplings from the small plates menu . I loved them all equally. We also did the chefs choice sashimi and ended our meal with the donut holes . The donut holes just melt in your mouth !!! read more

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I love this place, the food and atmosphere are perfect to bring a date. The guy server that is there most of the time is awesome, he very good at recommending new things and also very funny. read more

I LOVE Village Sake! The staff is amazing and very very welcoming and nice. The food is even better - the sashimi melts in your mouth. Also personally I don't mind the waitlist - they are very accommodating and will wait for you to arrive! Overall couldn't recommend this place more! read more

Maybe I should not write this at the moment because I'm pretty frustrated. But I don't care how good the food is. I ordered for pick up online over an hour before my allotted time of between 8 and 815pm. I arrived at 8pm and waited for several minutes then was told to come back in 5 minutes. I was asked my name probably seven or eight times by different staff. I waited over a half an hour total, most of it standing there, starving, hoping my food would appear any minute. I will never order from here again. I don't like sounding disgruntled, but what a shit show. I'm adding to my review. The fish was excellent but I still stand, no pun, by my initial review because of the experience of waiting around so long. read more

Make sure you get on the waitlist at 5:05pm. Then check in at the restaurant about an hour after that. Probably the best way to get seated as quickly as possible. The place is small, but does offer outdoor seating, indoor seating, and a bar area. The staff is very friendly and attentive. We ordered the pork belly skewers(delicious), dumplings(very good), and chefs choice nigiri(very good), Village roll(very good). Don't forget to try the donut holes which were a lovely dessert. The food was very fresh and properly prepped. Definitely proving it's Michelin rating. Ambiance was nice and low lit. They had some mainstream electronic music playlist which worked surprisingly well with the environment. Overall a great experience, one of the best sushi spots i've ever been to. That all made up for the interesting waitlist process. Would definitely come back again! read more

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Delicious food and awesome service. Highly recommend it. Exceeded my expectations. Vibe and ambience great. read more

The food was unbelievable. Every bite was perfection. All of the classics done with simplicity with ingredients that shine. I love that there waitlist system means you can wait at home or near by without worrying about losing your table. They were super accommodating and helpful with food allergy concerns. read more

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Decent sushi, unfortunately horrible service. Seems like a trend in the Fairfax area. Took my Dad here for a belated Father's Day dinner. My girlfriend and I got are food, finished the food then was asked to move tables prior to my father getting his. They stated a party thought they made a reservation and want a table now. Not my problem as the customer. Disappointing decent food ruined by horrible service. No sorry or discount, I would have taken free beer or something. Unacceptable dining experience. read more

I waited years to try this neighborhood favorite in Fairfax...definitely not worth the hype. Horrible service. Food is fine, but the service was so disappointing and disrespectful. I was very shocked at the low level of customer care. Definitely do not recommend. read more