"This city is crawling with fancy omakase experiences, from sushi counters tucked in mall hallways to quiet spots where you can watch chefs slice up scallops in relative silence. Despite the many options, our favorite place to spend serious cash on a night of flawless fish is Ken. The so-small-you-might-miss-it spot in the Lower Haight is an intimate dinner—there’s just a seven-seat counter that’s so snug you’ll probably end up exchanging dog walker recommendations with whoever’s sitting next to you. The host for the night is the eponymous chef Ken, who will break the ice with jokes about cod milt virgins while serving 15 courses of outstanding nigiri, glossy chawanmushi, and a bowl of ume and rock sugar broth filled with poached ikura that pop in your mouth like miniature water balloons. Dinner is $225 per person, so have Ken on deck for milestone birthdays or celebrations that call for sushi and expertly paired sake." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong
