Friends Only
Japanese restaurant · Polk Gulch ·
Dry-aged fish tasting menus & sake in intimate setting
Dry-aged fish tasting menus & sake in intimate setting
"A 10-seat sushi counter in Nob Hill from Ray Lee, it opened in November 2022 and has doubled as the test bed for the new Bush Street project, hosting two dinners where Lee and Tommy Cleary workshopped dishes including tsukune, kawa with ikura, grilled tako, okonomiyaki with king crab and smoked trout roe, chawanmushi with shrimp and truffles, and nigiri." - Dianne de Guzman
"Although reservations are now open to the public, an air of exclusivity still pervades this hot-ticket counter, not least of all because of the Olympian price point. What that pretty penny buys, however, is one of the most engaging and indulgent omakase experiences in town, replete with enough luxury to sate even the most committed of sybarites. Sip on delightfully unique cocktails with the likes of black truffle amaro or sesame orgeat, and enjoy a parade of bites highlighting seafood of impeccable quality, much of it painstakingly dry-aged in house. Traditional nigiri and sashimi are served alongside cooked dishes, as in cherrywood-smoked unagi brightened with the prickle of sansho pepper, or binchotan-grilled spot prawn with ramp butter." - Michelin Inspector
"This unmarked Nob Hill omakase spot (by the Akikos team) is a 10-people dinner party that you won’t want to end. You can’t logistically hunker down at this minimalist bar forever, but you can enjoy the 18-course, three-hour extravaganza of dry-aged nigiri and small, decadent seafood plates, like butter-poached lobster and seared tilefish, which really set this place apart. Come here when you want to feel 10 degrees more relaxed than you would at other high-level omakase spots. Keep the sake coming and maybe you’ll start to sing along to the Lupe Fiasco tunes bumping through the wood-filled space. Cost: $325 per person. Beverage pairing available." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong
"Friends Only is the even more exclusive omakase counter from the team behind Akikos at Avery Lane. With just 10 seats, it’s not just the $330 starting price that makes this a hard reservation to score. But should you snag a stool at this L-shaped counter, you’ll be in for a multi-course meal that’s intended to flaunt a long list of premium ingredients, including golden Kaluga caviar, black truffle, bluefin tuna, and a hell of a lot of uni. During the back half of the dinner, chef and owner Ray Lee showcases his unique approach to aging fish through a colorful parade of nigiri, which might include keiji sake, a hard-to-find dwarf salmon, and single-line-caught deep-sea perch. Thanks to the small team and communal dining format, expect a lively meal with lots of opportunities to chat with both the chefs and your dining companions at the counter." - Flora Tsapovsky
"Friends Only is an extremely exclusive 10-seat omakase counter that doubles as an R+D kitchen of sorts for chef Ray Lee and the team behind Akikos. Diners indulge in a multi-course omakase meal that’s absolutely overflowing with premium ingredients including caviar, uni, Hokkaido scallops, and other hard-to-find fish. Cocktails, wine, and sake make for thoughtful pairings at this dinner spot that feels somewhat like a super fancy dinner party. Reservations are required." - Eater Staff
