Ace Wasabi San Francisco
Sushi restaurant · Marina District
3339 Steiner St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Highlights
Modern Japanese dishes, sushi, happy hour, and bingo
Modern Japanese dishes, sushi, happy hour, and bingo
"Ace Wasabi is delivering donated meals to local responders. You can donate a take-out box on their website." - team infatuation
"It’s been a long week at work and now your birthday Happy Hour has evolved into the kickoff of an all-office bar crawl. Start the night at Ace Wasabi in the Marina, where you can still celebrate with some good food while your co-workers take advantage of their Happy Hour. The sushi and small plates are way better than you’d expect from a place that does Happy Hour bingo each day. Plus, they do reservations for groups of five or more." - taylor abrams
"Casual yet kind of trendy, Ace Wasabi is where we go for birthday dinners or any occasion that calls for a loud, energetic scene. They have a big back room ideal for large groups, a daily Happy Hour that includes $9 wine and half-off sashimi, and, of course, plenty of sushi rolls to eat. Our go-to is the Rocket Man with snow crab, tempura shrimp, and seared hamachi—and for the appetizers, the brussels sprouts are always foolproof." - Team Infatuation
"Hanging near the front door of Ace Wasabi is a sign in all caps proclaiming, “HOT CHICKS LOVE SUSHI.” The sign is a pretty good indicator of what you’re walking into: an energetic place where you can throw back sake bombs and Myoko Mules and eat shrimp tempura rolls with the embroidered vest crowd. If you’re in the market for a meal that’s also an always-happening scene, this Marina spot is as good as any. As for the food, it’s solid across the board. The sashimi plates and Aburi-style (torched) toro, scallop, and hamachi nigiri melt in your mouth, and are a great way to start things off. And the signature rolls with music-inspired names (Spice Girls, Post Malone, Rocket Man) mainly feature tempura shrimp. They likely won't disappoint, primarily because it's impossible to mess up anything that ends up fried or doused in spicy aioli anyway. (You can also order a sampler of four of Ace Wasabi’s most popular rolls, which, like the rest of the menu, is ideal for sharing with a lot of people.) But skip the small plates, like the wagyu gyoza and chicken karaage, which are lacking in flavor and generally underwhelming. photo credit: Krescent Carasso The private back room that’s great for groups and daily Happy Hour with a $10 shot and roll combo make Ace Wasabi a consistent option for birthday celebrations or filling up and pre-gaming before a Friday night bull ride at Westwood. You’re not coming here for the best sushi in the city. You’re here to have a fun time, feed off of the energy of a constantly-packed dining room, and probably get f*cking drunk. And on those fronts—especially when it comes to the drinks—Ace Wasabi delivers. Food Rundown Chicken Karaage These are made with chicken breast and, unfortunately, are more reminiscent of chicken tenders than karaage. You can skip this. Aburi-Style Nigiri You have a bunch of options here, but whatever fish you go with will get seared to create a melty flavor bomb. Getting at least one per person is a great way to start things off. Rocket Man The Rocket Man comes with snow crab, seared hamachi, jalapeño, and, like most other rolls on the menu, tempura shrimp and spicy aioli. It’s balanced and ends with a pleasant kick. Get at least one to share. Shinjuku This roll with a rainbow of crab, salmon, avocado, and tuna is on the sweeter side thanks to the freshwater eel and soy glaze, and is a nice palate cleanser after the saltier appetizers and small plates." - Julia Chen
"If you can get past the fact that this Marina sushi place sounds like it was named by a Guy Fieri acolyte, you will become a convert and come here all the damn time. Our favorite things here are the sake roll with crispy kale (just go with it) and the Flying Kamikaze with spicy tuna and asparagus. They do excellent sashimi and nigiri, too, and the fish tastes absurdly fresh for a place that does 50% off wine most nights. The staff and owner are super friendly, and it’s a fun enough spot for a kind-of-rowdy Saturday night. Also, they have bingo." - Taylor Abrams, Will Kamensky
