Elephant Sushi

One of the best sushi places I’ve been to! The service is excellent, and everything we ordered was delicious, nothing disappointed. The cocktails were great too. Overall, zero complaints. We had a really good experience, and this was actually our second time visiting. Highly recommend!

Walked in on a busy night without a reservation and they worked hard to get us a seat. Ordered 3 rolls, including the Flaming Sea Bass (see videos). All were fresh, flavorful, unique, and delicious! Flaming Sea Bass was exceptional and well worth the cost.

Elephant Sushi is our favorite neighborhood spot. The interior is clean and modern with just the right touch of Japanese style, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The staff are always friendly and welcoming, and the waitresses strike the perfect balance—attentive without being intrusive. The food is consistently delicious, and the quality never disappoints. Our go-to dishes are the salmon miso soup and the soft shell crabs—which we honestly think are the best in the city. (If you know somewhere that does them better, we’re all ears!) For the quality of both the food and service, the prices are incredibly reasonable. Highly recommend.

This is a solid spot for fresh, creative sushi in a modern and clean setting. Parking was surprisingly easy, which is always a plus. They offer a happy hour from 5-6 pm, but the selection felt limited--just four drinks and about four food items. The sushi we ordered was definitely fresh, but it could've used more seasoning. The spicy tuna and spicy hamachi had plenty of heat, but lacked depth in flavor. The salmon kama was juicy but a bit bland, and the "Couple of Babes" hand rolls we tried also needed more seasoning to really stand out. Mocktails were okay--the spritzes were refreshing, but nothing too memorable. Prices are on the higher side, but the service was friendly and efficient, which helped round out the experience. Don’t forget to follow @Only1Christinelu for more foodie stops in the Bay Area

FyI my sushi ratings are tough as I've been to Japan 120+ times. Reservation recommended during weekend. Had omakase here. Fish grade is 4 with thicker cuts. While some toppings make sense on the nigiri, there are two out of 8 I didn't quite find it matching. Hokkaido Uni (not part of omakase) is fresh though. Nigiri Rice, HOWEVER, was worse than expected rating at 3. The vinegar was a bit too much and really destroyed the nigiri omakase experience as a result Also, while it's not fresh wasabi (as I don't expect in US do so no worries), the wasabi paste was dry and old. Ginger is mid, just the regular ones you can find from packages Atmosphere and cocktails are fabulous and the ambiance and atmosphere matches. All in all 3.7 for the world, and 4.1 for North America only.

Amazing sushi at an amazing price. Great place to go before a night at Bill Graham or the symphony. The Chips N Dip, Spicy Hamachi, and Ya Man are not to be missed. Great atmosphere without being fussy.

I don’t think I’ve ever had as many delicious and interesting sushi rolls as I did at Elephant Sushi! Every bite was bursting with flavor and creativity. The variety was incredible—each roll felt like a unique experience. The quality of the fish was top-notch, and the presentation was stunning. If you love sushi or just want to try something special, this place is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be back!

Never disappoints… always a great spot to bring folks from out of town for some good sushi.

Why was everything so good here? Came on a Thursday evening with no reservation and got seated pretty much immediately. It took a bit for someone to come to the front desk but once they took our name down it was pretty instant. Maybe less than 5 minutes overall. Elephant Sushi was packed. Everyone was dressed in nice clothes too, I felt underdressed. Not sure if people were going to a show nearby or if Hayes Valley just has well dressed people. Chip N Dip was HUGE. Definitely gets you your money worth. The pita chips were dry but paired well with the tuna. There is probably too many pita chips but fun to munch on. The toro and caviar was insanely good. I loved the fatty toro and how it tastes. The Ya Man roll was my absolute favorite. It was so refreshing with every bite. I gobbled it down. I also got a passionfruit mojito that was refreshing. I enjoyed every sip.

Clean industrial modern space, parking lot across the street. Good service. Friendly and attentive staff but I would go elsewhere for food unless you were coming for the ambiance and you were already in the neighborhood. Disclaimer though that our large group didn't have any sashimi that day, so this review is for other items. I had some of the salmon collar (dry), chicken karaage (tasted like boba shop popcorn chicken), and flaming seabass roll (rice was hard and I couldn't really taste anything but that and sour and spicy sauce). The tempura was pretty good though. More like 3.5ish I think for food. 5 stars for service.

This was our 1st time visiting the Hayes Valley location, we usually go to the Hyde St restaurant. It is very difficult to find parking in this neighborhood, ESP on a Saturday night! Finally found parking after about 20 minutes of circling. The ambiance is fabulous at this location, LOVED it. However, I didn't care for the staff, nor the food. Staff was cold and unfriendly. The only items that stood out were the Seaweed Salad and the Hamachi Truffle appetizer. We had 3 Omakase entrees, unfortunately all of them were just mediocre. All dishes were plated beautifully but we won't be returning to this location due to the tasteless food and cold service.

One of my favorite places to grab sushi in the Hayes Valley area. The staff is always friendly and knowledgeable about the dishes and the food is consistently good when I come.

Found this sushi spot when we were visiting SF! So glad we made a ressy for here. Vibe was tight; staff were great, and food was delicious. This is random, but I like the bathroom set up. Having the sink outside but only two bathrooms for this place is small, but also learning that's a SF thing, even an overall Cali thing. Okay for the food and drinks. Drinks were pretty and good! We all started with some miso soup because it was chilly at night. The pickled vegetables were really good! Nice flavor and crunch. The hamachi truffle was amazing I love a good truffle moment. I really enjoyed the Himalayan trout, the presentation on the slab of Himalayan rock salt was dope and added an extra layer of salt. The omakase was really delicious, can never go wrong with chef's choice. Our favorite roll was Chef Ochko, we ended up ordering a second one. Definitely recommend getting that one!! Overall we had a great time at Elephant Sushi and definitely recommend you checking it out!

Celebrated a birthday here with a large group of 9. Service was top notch and so were the cocktails! They were able to make an unagi roll for us that was off menu. My favorite piece was the ocean trout sashimi on the salt block. I would skip the roll that lights on fire next time. While it is a great show, the roll itself tasted over sauced. The waiters gave our birthday boy a complimentary Hojicha cheesecake and blew bubbles while we sang happy birthday. Overall a great spot to celebrate with a large group. It was really hard finding parking around here and they only have one bathroom stall. You will likely spend over $100 pp but the quality of the fish is pretty good! Cute ambiance and nice restaurant to celebrate a special occasion!

Great sushi and awesome location. They kept the saki coming all night! Price is a little high, but likely on par for the area.

Poor service and style over substance. Friends and I went to get sushi and drinks here - we were there for 2 hours even though we only got one round of drinks and one sushi roll each because the service was soooooo slow. We were basically still hungry when we left but didn't have time to order more food as we were going out after lol. We got the melon highball, strawberry mule, jasmine lemon drop, and hello kitty martini. All but the martini were good. For food we got the chef ochko roll, negi-toro (kind of flavorless and did not look appetizing), and the flaming sea bass roll (big presentation but again flavorless and was unsure if fish was completely cooked). This place is definitely style over substance as everything looks pretty including the restaurant itself and there are some IG worthy moments but overall flavor was lacking and horrible service would make me not want to visit again.

I love this sushi spot! It's such a well decorated space, the lights and set up work so well. It's also in a great area, lots of street parking/lots nearby. The service is always amazing and I always leave feeling great. The Ya Man roll is my absolute favorite, I didn't know I needed fried onions in a roll til now! The poke & shrimp chips is a great shareable appetizer that is so so addicting. But the matcha basque cheesecake..?!! It was so delicious and the perfect balance of everything. Highly recommend getting that as your dessert. Love this spot and it will be at the top of my list when thinking of places to go!

We came to Elephant Sushi for a quick bite during happy hour (5-6 on weekdays!) and it was so worth it. I walked past here quite frequently and notice huge coolers postmarked from Japan all the time - this is proof that they source fish locally but also directly from Toyosu Market in Japan! We tried the Yukimasu which is Japanese Ocean trout from Toyosu, which was the first time I've ever had this! It was very mild in flavor, so I thought the burnt garlic chip drowned out the taste a bit. The toro and caviar was a perfect bite with creamy kaluga caviar and buttery toro. From the happy hour specials, we got sake nigiri and salmon skin handrolls, which are a great value at $8 a piece! The salmon Kama was also HUGE with some fixings of pickled vegetables and rice with avocado. It was a little awkward to sit at the bar and witness the FOH staff arguing and fighting to get out take out orders. However, the best part of sitting at the bar was the chef sent us a plate of hamachi belly nigiri on the house! It was so tender with the perfect sear on top! Even if we ignore the great prices, I can't wait to come back to try more of the nigiri specials they have to offer!

Came here for my birthday dinner! I loved the sparklers on the birthday dessert, but the strawberry was a bit too sweet (also the little animal is not edible...I wish they had told us this cuz I bit into it and it was icky) We tired the nigiri and sashimi omakase and both were affordable and large portions. I didn't love the choice of fish, but they were good. Also got uni and unagi on the side cuz they're delicious , and both of them were amazing! The uni was clean flavor with no after fishy taste and the unagi was warm and buttery!

Delicious sushi, hospitality that makes you feel like family, and consistency that makes you appreciate the high bar the restaurant holds itself to. I've had the pleasure of dining here many times and have gotten to know a lot of the friendly staff. Nanza, Brian, and Elena are all such gracious people and always look forward to seeing them when I visit.

If you like sushi and cocktails, this place is a great Hayes Valley option for a fun date night or outing with group of friends. That being said it's not the best quality sushi in town so I would not go if you're looking for an authentic or omakase experience, but it's the most creative of the options! My favorite cocktail is the shiitake old fashion for some umami flavor and I love starting with the assortment of pickles for some saltiness. It's easy, and suggested, to make a reservation before coming because they can get packed. They have high top and bar seating at the front and standard seating in the back. Service is always friendly, but can get a little slow if the place is full. They gave suggestions for dietary restrictions as well, so I was easily able to avoid gluten.

I had been a loyal customer to the old Geary location, was my fav sushi spot in the city, and when they closed I was definitely bummed. I noticed they opened this location in Hayes Valley and made it a date night with the gf. We ordered a bunch. Hamachi Truffle, White Out, Ya Man, O-toro, house pickles, spicy hamachi, I think that was everything. I remember when I first had the white out roll, it was umami flavor to the max, this time it was bland. And that's honestly how I felt about most of the sushi we ordered. The fish wasn't as fresh tasting as I had remembered and it really felt/tasted average. There was no standout, flavors which was disappointing. For drinks we ordered a couple cocktails and they are both really good. Before tip, we spent $158, which was pricey considering we were still hungry. My gf hadn't been before and enjoyed it but I guess my expectations/bar the old Geary location set was probably too high. Who knows, maybe it was just an off day. I was able to make a reservation same day, which I highly recommend bc you'll most likely end up at the bar or high top tables if it's busy. They mentioned they might be reopening Geary with an new concept, which id be more open to trying.

Great sushi, and fun ambiance! I'd return with my boo. It was cute and they left us for hours while we hung out. They have many locations s between SF and Oakland. Want to try the oakland location sometime.

We got here before they opened and the hostess was super nice and friendly. I was definitely surprised she greeted us before they opened. I truly appreciated her allowing us to sit and chat a bit before they officially opened doors. We got seated right away and ordered a few things of the happy hour. Everything was amazing! Good portions, tasty, temperature was just right, service was good, the restaurant was cute and filled up quickly! Definitely a must try if you're in the area! Sad I didn't get any pictures but will definitely be back!

FIREEEE jazz playlist.. it's a pretty small space so the tables are CLOSE close lol. Because of this, we opted for the bar but nonetheless a great experience. Great place for a cute semi fancy date night.. it was also pretty exp as well, though we got 2 drinks, 2 apps, 2 rolls, ANDDD dessert on top of the omakase sashimi platter for 2 ppl.. so, to be expected haha. Food was delicious and I lovvvved their sashimi platter. Food came out quickly, and honestly sitting at the bar with the music going made it feel like we didn't have to wait for anything at all..

We made a reservation at 6:30 but had no problem getting seated early at 6. Although we made a reservation for a birthday celebration, we were given a table all the way in the back corner lol. And the tables are SO tiny. Not to mention each table already has condiments + utensils. The vibe here is dressy casual. Interior design by the bar is really eye-pleasing but too bad we couldn't enjoy the entire view of the restaurant since we were all the way in the back corner lol. Service: 10/10. Our waiter was attentive, quick, and efficient. We were really appreciative of how fast our items came out! Food: SMALL servings. Don't let these pictures fool you because most of the items we got except spicy hamachi roll were small. Himalayan trout - Didn't like this. Skip this item if you don't like your sashimi salty. Sea-bass sashimi - Tangy vinaigrette made such a subtle yet an immense difference in flavor here. Fish was so light and refreshing to eat. Yummy pockets- Spicy but the flavor was verrryyyyy light and not overpowering. Generous amount of scallops as well Hamachi truffle - Garlic chips (fried garlic) + ponzu sauce = yes Walu nigiri - Just your average flavor and texture of walu Basil salmon nigiri - Could not taste the basil at all even though it was right on top of salmon. Toro ankimo - Very unique flavor because of soy marinated ankimo! It also had a drop of spicy sauce (sriracha?) so it was such a refreshing bite Toro sashimi - Get this! Literally melts in your mouth Flying sea bass - They put a cool show for this item! The roll itself was sweet and spicy and sooooo saucy. We loved this one!

The best ever. The relaxed ambiance of this place makes you feel very comfortable and cool at the same time. Very SF style. Personal very friendly and always happy to see you. I would rate CS 10 out of 5!!! Top quality of products. Considering that SF has sushi restaurants almost on every block, this one is very special and has very fresh and high-quality fish. Chefs are super talented. This is our always #1 choice in the city for sushi. Great selection of drinks and desert, out of this world. Especially if you have a sweet tooth and on the diet at the same time!!!!! Outstanding service!!

My friend and I arrived here around 7:10 pm for our 8 pm reservation. Love places that take reservations, but there was a miscommunication issue when we checked in at the front. The hostess thought it was a party of 4 but we are a party of 3. You won't be able to sit down until your entire party was here, so we ended up waiting 20 minutes... Nonetheless, it was nice to admire the atmosphere and talk to the bartenders on what they recommend. Elena, the business owner, cleared things up and gave one of us a free mocktail to sort out the issue. AMBIENCE: The sushi restaurant is classy with its bright lights and welcoming atmosphere. The inclusion of Japanese aesthetic to modern charm made the place an absolute vibe for the group. SERVICE: Busy on a Thursday night, but our server, Julian, provided us with the best customer service in reassuring us on the delivery of our orders and consistently checked in on us about the quality of our food. Elena also provides support on the restaurant floor and checks in with diners frequently. What a great team united to ensure an awesome dining experience. ORDERS: We ordered 3 speciality rolls, two alcoholic drinks, and one appetizer. For myself, I ordered a strawberry mule which was great because I didn't taste the alcohol since it was masked by strawberry and seltzer. Great refreshing aperitif to start off the meal. -Chips and Dip: Japanese take on chips but with variety of sauces from soy and mustard with shrimp chips as the start. We loved this dish since it was nostalgic to bring a childhood snack. We ate it up with the albacore and paired well with the soy sauce and ginger. We ordered 3 rolls: Chef Okcho, White Out, and Ya Man. All of them were delicious and unique in flavor that it was so difficult as a group to rank them. They all had nuanced flavors of fatiness, creaminess, umami, and crunch. All were favorites for me. RATING: Amazing and I would definitely come here again for the great sushi and professional customer service.

Came here for a quick dinner with some friends because we were in Hayes Valley! We were able to easily walk in on a Thursday night. Between the three of us, we split three rolls and the negi toro one was by far my favorite. Service was really slow though, which was surprising given it wasn't a full house.

Delicious sushi with very unique rolls. The restaurant is spacious and beautiful. Service was good. We ordered two nigiris from the Tokyo Market specials, carrot ginger miso soup, and Chips N Dip, as well as the Green Machine and Chef Ochko rolls. Everything was great. Highly recommend for high quality, delicious sushi.

Is it just me or does Elephant Sushi open and close locations with some frequency? I used to go the compact spot on Golden Gate Avenue and the popular one on Geary, but I think both are gone. Now to my amazement, they've taken over the premium Grove/Gough corner location formerly occupied by Little Gem and turned into quite a stylish Hayes Valley eatery. Jamie W. and I walked over after wetting our whistles at the tiki hideout, Smuggler's Cove, up the block. Even with the requisite Japanese decorating touches, the restaurant still feels like Little Gem with its open spaces. Not a bad thing at all. I started with one of my go-to plates, the $13 Hamachi Kama. While a good size collar, it was overcooked and marred by the lacquered texture of the unagi sauce. I prefer mine naked and barely grilled though I like the mini-sides of pickled veggies and avocado (photo: https://bit.ly/3phXOJH). Jamie ordered the more Italianate $25 Hon Maguro, a carpaccio-like dish of sea salted ahi tuna sashimi with capers, their house vinaigrette, olive and sesame oil, and slivers of mango (photo: https://bit.ly/42iEcDW). Now that was unexpected for a Japanese restaurant and quite tasty. We shared a couple of rolls, the first the more modest $11 Negi Hama, yellowtail with chopped scallions (photo: https://bit.ly/3peEtZK). Standard but good. The second was the $17 Rainbow Roll, which eschewed the predictable California roll interior for a fresher salmon cucumber combination wrapped in the expected variety of fish (photo: https://bit.ly/3LNbTGG). That was as fine an execution from Elephant Sushi as I was hoping. FOOD - 4 stars...one miss with the kama but the rest delivered AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...retained Little Gem's bones SERVICE - 4 stars...attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...the elephant blows its trunk again RELATED - Exploring Hayes Valley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2vdx1yO

I went to Elephant Sushi for the first time with three girlfriends on Friday evening. I have heard so much about this restaurant, it was important to me to try it before we all leave San Francisco. We shared 2 appetizers and 3 rolls, and it was more than enough food for our party! We greatly enjoyed everything we tried, the Yellowtail Roll was especially a hit among the group. One member of our party was surprised by a cocktail she ordered, and asked if it could be swapped out. The service was very friendly and understanding of the request. I would love to return for a date night and spend more time walking around Hayes Valley in the near future!

This is the best sushi I have had in San Francisco! Super yummy selections. Even have a roll that they set on fire, it's quite the sight. Can't wait to come back here! The vibe inside is very cool would be great for a date night. The servers were nice and accommodating

Great happy hour and friendly service. Ordered the lotus root chips which were a surprise as they were covered in tempura. Still tasty but did not seem like a chip. Food took a very long time to come out, staff seemed a bit flustered. Might have been an off night.

I came here on a Monday night with a friend and we loved it. The ambiance is modern and well-decorated, and the staff were all welcoming and friendly. We ordered: - Chip N Dip - Himalayan Trout - White Out Roll - Ya Man Roll Everything was delicious; the fish was fresh and the flavors were great. My favorite was the Himalayan Trout (salmon served on a Himalayan rock salt slab) and the White Out Roll (hamachi and butterfish). Four dishes were perfect for two people; we were more than satisfied afterward.

We came here on a random Friday night and were seated instantly at the bar. The interior of the restaurant is cute for date night. We both got drinks and tried the omakase nigiri. My favorite pieces were the various types of tuna toro. There was one piece of tuna toro with truffle that was delicious! For drinks, I got the passion fruit mojito-- just tasted like a sweeter mojito and my friend got a Kyoto sour.

We came here tonight to have dinner and it was an amazing experience. The food was wonderful and so was the service. Tiffany, the manager, was amazing. She really made us feel welcomed and gave us the best experience. I definitely recommend elephant sushi!!

So glad Elephant Sushi took over the old Little Gem space in Hayes Valley. It's always been such an unique space in the center of the neighborhood and located close to the best culture hotspots (SF Symphony, Ballet, SOUNDBOX....) and I think Elephant Sushi is worthy of the location. Some folks say that Elephant Sushi is the best sushi in San Francisco: that's a loaded statement, but I would say confidently that Elephant Sushi is superior and incomparable for the price point. The fish here is like melt-in-your-mouth. My favorite was probably the Sake Nigiri, the fish was so so so good. This is also an excellent impress-your-friends spot, especially for the Flaming Sea Bass roll that is literally on fire at your table. Not like a covered fire, like a real fire. Like something for my dreams.... Service here was incredible -- our server was the nicest ever, they made the 2-piece nigiris 3-piece for our party of 3! Also, they even gave us a complimentary sashimi platter (thank you!!!). Other servers waiting the table were also lovely, like so kind. The best part: after we paid the check, we sat with our water for 15-20 extra minutes. They did not kick us out ;)

Great place for a date night! Confused why our nigiri took a long while to come out, but otherwise, the fish was super fresh. I was surprised by the sea bass sashimi because I haven't tried that before, but it was delicious.

So glad there's an Elephant Sushi in Hayes Valley! I split a couple of dishes between my friend and I, including the Chef Ochko roll, Ya Man roll, and Toro nigiri. The toro was superrrr buttery and melted in my mouth, but I wish the cut was slightly thicker - it wasn't very substantial at $16 for 2 pieces. The rolls are pretty worth it - you can actually taste the freshness of the fish. The Chef Ochko roll is more subdued in flavor, while the Ya Man has a bit more bite and crunchy texture from fried onion chips. The interior is tastefully decorated, and the restaurant was packed by around 7pm on a Monday night. Overall, a solid sushi spot and a great addition to the Hayes Valley restaurant scene.

Elephant sushi is a solid sushi spot and a great addition to Hayes Valley! I used to go a lot more when they first opened - have been meaning to go back to try their new HH menu! It's a great place to grab dinner and drinks. I've tried a lot of their rolls & cocktails and they're all solid. Hot take - I'm not the biggest fan of the specialty roll that they light on fire, just cause the fish gets cooked and I prefer the raw sushi rolls, but I think it's definitely worth a try. Ambiance is nice and service has always been great. I recommend making reservations ahead of time.

Came here with a couple of friends and really enjoyed it. Normally struggle with sushi as a vegetarian but their green machine roll was unique and really tasty! Everyone else enjoyed their food as well. Very cute spot and service was okay. Priced a little high but what do you expect in SF.

Cute trendy restaurant, I liked the ambiance and decor. Went on a Saturday and it was a bit busy but for a table of two we were able to be seated within a few minutes. Service was okay, it's a small restaurant and maybe 1-2 servers for the whole place. We ordered Chicken Karaage and 2 Omakase Sets. Chicken Karaage was average, didn't blow my mind Omakase set- the fish was quality was great, but we weren't expecting the many toppings on top of the nigiri. I understand that this may be the point to change up flavors for a traditional Omakase nigiri set, but we didn't love some of them. If you are looking for something different than a traditional Omakase nigiri set I recommend, but if not you may be disappointed.

A lovely date night spot for sushi in Hayes Valley SF! - Toro sashimi: so yum, we even ordered another one!! the toro topped with truffle literally melts in your mouth and paired so well with the peppery citrus sauce - Flaming seabass: highly recommend if you love unagi sauce! fun presentation because they light it up infront of you as the roll marinates in all of the unagi and spicy mayo sauce. you're given a spoon and was fun scooping the perfect bite and eating the caramelized scorched rice at bottom - Ya man roll: i love salmon so obv loved this - the crunchy onion bits added nice texture and flavor - Chef ochko roll: hamachi belly was super tender, but thought this roll itself was a bit bland - Walu carpaccio: beautiful presentation but wished the fish was more buttery and not dry - Ankimo nigiri: my first time trying monkfish liver, and it was interesting. was velvetly and rich, kinda similar to foie gras (guess they're both liver) with a slight crab roe taste - Drinks: guava spritz and melon highball were both refreshing Overall, is slightly pricey for what it is, but love the modern twist on sushi and elevated ambiance!

Came to elephant sushi before the opera and it was a wonderful experience. Nice ambiance with open space and bright windows for people watching. Delicious and fresh sushi and great drinks!

A great new sushi spot in San Francisco: Location: I absolutely love Hayes valley. It's a super cute neighborhood with tons of shopping boutiques and places to eat. We walked around the area before coming to Elephant Sushi on a friday night. I would recommend a reservation. It was packed with people so we waited about 40 minutes for a table. The service was quick and efficient and we got our drinks and food very quickly. Their interior is so adorable and I really loved their wallpaper. The rolls were all good and fresh but definitely on the smaller side. Id recommend at least two rolls a person (if you don't get apps) meaning it can get expensive quickly. This is a great location to catch up with friends or a date night.

My favorite things here were the Hamachi Kama and the Negitoro Roll. I liked that the hamachi kama came with rice because it paired well with the teriyaki sauce. There was also a side of pickled vegetables that came with it to add more variety to the dish. The Negitoro Roll was delicious because the uni was so flavorful even though there was a small piece of it on top.

This spot is definitely for the vibes and makes a great date night. It has a cool atmosphere and it's located in Hayes Valley so there's so much to eat and walk around in the area. I made a reservation for 2 on a Friday night, which I highly recommend bc the wait is about 30-45 min around 7pm. This spot has table and bar seating, but you'll still need a reservation to sit at the bar. For food, the HAMACHI TRUFFLE and BEASTIE BOYS were my top faves. Super flavorful and filling! I loved how the Beastie Boys had an egg yolk on top. It really added to the taste, we actually got two orders of these bc we loved it so much. The hamachi truffle was nice and light, not too overpowering with the truffle. Everything else was pretty whatever to me, but I love sushi so I'll eat it anyway! For drinks, I can't remember the names of all of them, but the ones that were worth it and memorable are the Lychee, Melon, and Yuzu cocktails! I honestly feel like I enjoyed their cocktails more than the food, however they were paired well together and I was satisfied after my meal!

The happy hour here, although very short (only M-Th 5-6pm), is very worth it. We got a very large & generous portion of salmon collar for $8 served with a scoop of rice & side salad. We also got 2 $8 salmon skin handrolls which were good & the seaweed was not chewy at all (so great texture) & 1 order of 2 pieces of sake nigiri for $8 as well. On the Toyosu Market nigiri menu, the toro & caviar was good but not worth it in my opinion because the caviar wasn't very tasty. The Japanese sea trout was just something I had never tried before & it was good but nothing special. The Santa Barbara uni was very sweet & buttery, & the Hokkaido scallop was pillowy - these 2 were worth my money. The negi toro roll was just alright, but it was nice to have a bit more uni for dinner! Finally, the sushi chef gave us yellowtail belly nigiri on the house - this was the best nigiri of the night! I would say the food is great & the ambiance is very nice - however during our dinner we were watching the staff argue with the front hostess & there seemed to be a lot of chaos in the back for to go orders.

I've been here many times now, and it's one of my favorite sushi spots in the city. For a mid tier price point, you don't find much other sushi of this quality in the city. Everything here is high quality and delicious. Portions are fairly generous. The sushi itself comes very close in flavor and quality to high tier omakase sushi restaurants that charge 2-3x the price for a fine dining experience. The nigiri rolls are incredibly fresh and perfectly seasoned. I highly recommend the O toru zuke nirigiri. My favorite appetizers on the menu are the fish and chips appetizer, carrot ginger miso, and chicken karaage. The o toro nigiri is heavenly, and my favorite rolls are the negi toro and the flaming sea bass roll. The negi toro is super fresh, cool, and light, topped with delicious uni. The flaming sea bass roll is the opposite, warm and heavy with oil. It's delicious and a fun experience - they cook it in a flame at your table. Compared to the sister restaurant in russian hill - this location has a much better ambience, more space to sit, and better service.

Updated review! Got a ton more this time and I think I discovered some favorites :) -complimentary starter (3/5): 3 pieces of white fish sashimi on the house! white fish is not my favorite but I really loved the gesture -hamachi truffle (4/5): perfect amount of truffle flavor with great seasoning -toro sashimi (5/5): melt in your mouth! highly recommend, topped with truffle -negi hana (3/5): very basic maki; not what they're known for, but a solid basic. nothing too special -negi toro roll (5/5): this one was my favorite! they did not skimp on the toro! the diced fish was so so soft and topped with some delicious uni. also not too much rice so I was really able to savor all the flavors of this roll. -ya man roll (4.5/5): the salmon was really fresh and I thought it was really unique and surprisingly delicious that there was fried onions in the roll. really nice crunch and texture -chef ochko roll (5/5): my second favorite roll of the night! The hamachi belly was really standout for me since it was so soft and buttery -red dragon (2/5): not my fav. the shrimp tempura felt a little bit soggy and overall not a huge fan of fish in spicy sauce -spicy hamachi (3/5): decent and fresh, but not too special. nice cuts of fish in a roll, but pretty average the service here was also super quick which I really appreciated! We ordered 2 rounds of food and the second round came out really really fast. Great place to try a ton of different rolls and fun apps

A FANTASTIC evening. Didn't have to wait for a table 8pm on a Monday night. Service was so friendly and helpful. Food was to die for! Favorite sushi in SF (and we live in Japantown)! Got a ton of amazing food. Everything was good. Nothing negative to say here. Prices matched quality.

Must-try: their kara age Why? I feel their signature flaming sushi is a little gimmicky but the interior is nicely decorated and the staff are kind, overall pretty good Protip: this place generally isn't busy, show anytime!

One of the prettiest sushi restaurants I've been to in sf! It's not super cramped, but still feels nice and intimate! The style is like industrial/modern with hints of Japanese decor here and there. I came here for a birthday and the hostess was super accommodating! We had some people in our party running late but despite initially telling us we had to wait until everyone was here to get seated she let us sit which we really really appreciated!! The food was also super good! The rolls were a good size and the fish was super fresh! Presentation, flavor, and price were all what I would expect from a nicer sushi restaurant. The two rolls that stood out were the negi toro roll and the chef ochko roll! Definitely recommend those two!! As for cocktails the melon highball and the Asian pear daiquiri are really nice and aren't too sweet! Would most definitely come here again! 10/10!

Food: - Walu Capaccio (4/5): good but didn't stand out. I liked the truffle taste Chef Ochre Roll (3.5/5): the crab was a bit more subtle in flavor than I hoped. Overall, the roll was okay - Flaming Seabass (5/5): my favorite item of the night - really fun presentation and moreover if you're a fan of unagi sauce, you'll love this. My favorite parts were the caramelized bits at the bottom - Ya Man Roll (4/5): tasty roll in which the standout was the fried red onion chips since they added a nice crunchy texture to the roll. - Toro Sashimi (5/5): so so so good. The truffle shavings along with the ponzu pepper sauce complemented the melt in your mouth pieces of toro so well. - Melon and Guava Mocktails (3/5): more dry and bitter than I expected. I'm not sure I got much elderberry from the melon mocktail. I've heard really good things about this place, and I'm really glad I got the chance to finally try it. The service was good (very attentive regarding water, ginger, and wasabi) and there's plenty of seating at the Hayes location (reserve via opentable). The inside decor was nice too.

Some of the best sushi in the city and the service was top notch. We had symphony tickets and the staff went out of there way to get us our food as quickly as possible.

Trendy more fusion-y sushi spot. Come here for the vibes. I wasn't super impressed by the dishes we got: Karaage - Very mediocre karaage. Get this only if you're looking for something to fill you up before the rolls. White out roll - I found this quite bland, the butterfish itself doesn't have much flavor. Ya Man Roll - This one was also a bit bland for me and the avocado wasn't quite ripe enough. Didn't really taste the truffle oil. Negi Toro - Definitely the best of the rolls, the uni added a nice kick of flavor. All in all, not a spot I'd be dying to go back to, but I can see the niche it fills - food is fun + approachable, cocktails are interesting, and ambiance is modern + trendy.