KAIYŌ Restaurant

In town for a Giants game and stopped in for some food and drinks here. All the staff were exceptionally friendly and efficient. The bartender gave us some excellent recommendations for biking before the game to see some of the local attractions. All the food we ordered was excellent. The shishito peppers are a must. Can’t go wrong with the sushi rolls either. Highly recommend!!

June 2024: Enjoyed a tasty dinner here on a Saturday night. Was very pleased with the sushi roll. Had the lima roll (one with shrimp 🦐 tempura and yellow tail tuna). Would order that roll again. The octopus was very tasty too. Came with some Kabocha squash tempura which was a good combination. Flavors were good. Also shared the pork chop and lomo soltado. The mains were tasty but the beef was a bit overly salted. Drink menu was good. My Henhouse hazy IPA was surprisingly small. Service was okay. Not unfriendly but also not welcoming nor warm. Overall, was pleasant but not sure if it will be a fav of mine.

This place is has the best food and the best vibes! I was blown away by how delicious all the food and drinks were. We got to try every cocktail on the menu. The hospitality was outstanding. Every bite I wanted more. The atmosphere is incredible. Whether it’s a date night with your significant other or a night out with friends, you don’t want to miss this place!

We visited Kaiya to explore their new happy hour menu. The coconut pisco sour was delightful, featuring a balanced blend of egg white and coconut flavors. The ceviche mixto was fresh, although a side of plantain or ube chips would have complemented it well. The beef empanadas with aioli were tasty, and the salmon and avocado roll, along with the blue fin tuna and avocado roll, were decent. Overall, while everything was enjoyable, nothing particularly wowed us. The service was attentive, and the decor in emerald green with gold accents was charming. We look forward to returning to try the other items on their menu!

We had a wonderful evening at the new Kaiyo Restaurant! The food was beyond amazing!!!! I can still taste the wagyu beef sandwich melting in my mouth. And I can’t say enough about how outstanding the service was. Such a fun atmosphere too! Highly recommend for any occasion, you can’t get an experience like this anywhere else! You’ll feel right at home here!

Loved the oysters with rocoto ponzo sauce, fried ebi, and the whole branzino. Flor de Guisante cocktail was okay. Service was very good

I love KAIYŌ! The creativity, quality and service is unmatched. So happy to see this newest location open up, great addition to the rooftop! Def recommend. Also my fave oysters in the city.

Experience was truly exceptional along with the cuisine and unique assortment of cocktails. Make sure to visit the rooftop bar upstairs of Kaiyo for a beautiful view of the city and enjoy a cocktail!

I had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant twice and had a fantastic experience. However, my most recent visit was marred by a disruptive incident involving a patron who had consumed alcohol and didn't know how to handle themselves. This individual began making false accusations against other customers and the bartenders, claiming they were all scammers. It was pretty shocking to witness such behavior. I must commend Amy, the manager on duty, for her exceptional situation handling. She remained calm and composed throughout the ordeal, de-escalating the situation with patience and professionalism. Despite the patron's baseless accusations, Amy handled the situation gracefully and tactfully, ensuring all customers felt safe and comfortable. It was evident that Amy's experience and expertise in customer service played a pivotal role in resolving the conflict. Her swift and effective response exemplified her commitment to maintaining a positive and welcoming environment for all patrons. I applaud Amy for her outstanding leadership skills and exceptional handling of challenging situations. She is a true asset to the restaurant and deserves recognition for her excellent customer service skills.

Hands down my favorite date night spot in SF. Flew in town during Memorial Day weekend and I had to check this place out. The ambiance was modern yet cozy, and the attention to detail in both presentation and flavor was impeccable. My girlfriend and I started at Kaiyo Rooftop and then came down here; instant regret. We should've started the experience at the ground floor restaurant and then make our way up to the rooftop, which oversees all of SOMA. For apps, i had the Shishito Peppers and the Miso-Butter Corn followed by oysters and Uni, but the true mouthwatering item was the A5 Waygu Sando with Caviar! So bomb!! Each bite-sized piece was perfectly toasted, stuffed with succulent beef, and topped with a generous dollop of caviar. The delicate balance of flavors and textures was a testament to the chef's expertise. This dish alone is worth the visit! The exceptional cocktails and food were matched by the outstanding service. The staff was incredibly attentive and friendly, making sure that every detail of our dining experience was perfect. Special mention goes to Aaron, who was so fun to talk to and incredibly helpful. His recommendations and enthusiasm added an extra layer of enjoyment to our meal.

TL;DR: Food and ambiance are similar to kaiyo rooftop, but drink menu is completely different. I loved the food at Kaiyo Rooftop and I was really excited about the new restaurant opening. We came to check it out on a weekday. For some reason Resy showed that the earliest reservation was at 8pm when I checked it before the day, but in reality the restaurant was not full and they had earlier spots available when I checked Resy again just hours prior. I would say to expect similar food and vibes as Kaiyo Rooftop. The restaurant is meant to be a more elevated and upscale experience but the ambiance and interior designs are similar. If you didn't like the food at Kaiyo Rooftop, you probably wouldn't like the food here. They have two sets of menus, one is the general menu and the other one is a sushi menu. The general menu have "warm shareables", "cold shareables", "large shareables" and "pasta and rice", and it's obvious that they're catering to a shared dining experience, which is similar to the rooftop. You can find more "real food" (rather than finger bites) at the restaurant for sure. We ordered 3 small dishes and 1 entree to share among 3 people, and I think it was just a little under enough. 2 small dishes and 2 entrees would've been a good amount. Out of the items that we ordered, there wasn't anything that I didn't like. I'm a huge fan of the grilled octopus, absolutely delicious and super tender. My first bite was mind blowing. Did not feel rubbery at all. Well seasoned and cooked. I would note that the hot dishes tasted better warm. We were chatting and some of the last bites were cold, and they tasted significantly saltier. In terms of drinks, the restaurant has a completely different drink menu than the rooftop. The drinks at the restaurant are definitely more unique and different; I find that the drinks at the rooftop are good but quite generic. So depending on the type of person you are, you may love or hate the drinks. I would definitely say that they split the crowd. One thing that was a bit annoying was the fact that we were seated at a table set up against the floor-to-ceiling window. Their window is two-sided and it's a busy street so people kept coming up and stare at our table...

We visited Kaiyo to explore their new happy hour menu. The coconut pisco sour was delightful, featuring a balanced blend of egg white and coconut flavors. The ceviche mixto was fresh, although a side of plantain or ube chips would have complemented it well. The beef empanadas with aioli were tasty, and the salmon and avocado roll, along with the blue fin tuna and avocado roll, were decent. Overall, while everything was enjoyable, nothing particularly wowed us. The service was attentive, and the decor in emerald green with gold accents was charming. We look forward to returning to try the other items on their menu!

The ambiance is great and so are the workers. Interior design is all good to make you feel like you're in a different area not in sf. However the food portions are small while served on huge plates, they are all shareables. Not sure if they planned to have such huge time gaps between food items but I had to wait 45 minutes for the pasta dish we ordered which made us just want to leave. We had to ask different waiters if our food was coming and same response, on the way... it definitely wasn't. The service looked disorganized because how many workers were moving around but people who sat after us were getting food first and people before us were waiting longer. No servers were checking on us after orders, simply get your order and only see you when they had food. I understand the place is relatively new so I can get past the inattentive service, but wouldn't that make them want to make sure food is on time and that nothing was wrong while being there? It's almost as if we ordered off a kiosk and then just sat and waited because how little interaction there was.

Wow I have found an incredible restaurant with the strangest fusion of twxed into ethically different cultures mixed into one. When my friend said it's a Japanese/Peruvian fusion I was weirded out a little. But since she was flying back to NYC the next afternoon I said why not. Since the restaurant was across the street from the ballpark please be aware that parking can be quite a problem. So plan ahead and keep and eye on the SF Giants schedule. I believe I did see a lot of full parking garages and one advertising $50 to park there. Even street parking (which we were fortunate to find one) was $10 even after 6 pm. We did not have a reservation but we were able to get a seat at the bar counter which was a little more fun interacting with the bar staff. This restaurant is quite small with about 10 tables and 10 bar seats available. It wasn't until I looked at the menu that I understood why. The dishes averaged the mid $20 per dish and with drinks it can get quite expensive. My friend and I decided on getting shareable dishes so we could try many of them and share our opinions on the food. So here is our order: Otoro sashimi, Botan Ebi Huicaina, Himachi Tiradito and Modern Sashimi. Since the dishes were of the colder variety, it didn't take long for them to show up. Service was prompt and professional as it should be. Bottom line, the food we ordered was super delicious. The Peruvian sauces and influences did enhance the flavor of the fish. The sashimi was super fresh and delicate to the palate. The one dish that stood out was the Hamachi Tiradito. It had this sweet mustardy sauce that you want to scoop up with your hamachi which totally blew my mind. It was so good we ordered a second helping with a side of extra sauce and all I can say is DAMN!!! As I said the final bill with tax and tip came to slightly under $200 but it was worth every penny. I don't think I will be visiting there frequently (though I should) but I will make it a special place to eat end truly enjoy good food. A couple of tips, if you sit by the bay, the front door is right behind you and it can get a little chilly, and always get a bar seat as the bartenders are really a fun bunch. PS: Bartender Aaron (hope I spelled your name right), I will bring the flourless chocolate cake for you and your crew in exchange for a free appetizer which will be soon. Cheers!

Kaiyo's newest addition is a vibrant gem showcasing the best of Nikkei cuisine. Located in South Beach just around the corner from the Ballpark, it's a full-service restaurant with a more sophisticated and expensive food menu than their rooftop upstairs. The menu is a delightful exploration of Japanese and Peruvian flavors. We started off with the bluefin poke tower, which was beautifully presented and incredibly fresh, with creative combinations that went beyond a standard poke appetizer. For our main course, we shared the scallop mentaiko udon and sulado de pescado (branzino), both unique and exciting fusion dishes. Don't skip on their cocktails - I recommend trying one of their Pisco-based drinks for a true taste of Peru. Even though it was a busy opening day, the service was friendly and knowledgeable, and our server provided excellent recommendations and made us feel right at home. It's perfect for a date night, a special occasion with friends, or a happy hour after work. Overall, Kaiyo is a great choice if you're looking for a memorable experience with delicious food and creative drinks. Would highly recommend!

Very contemporary Peruvian Nikkei ambiance spacious dinning with an inviting front bar. Very friendly and professional service. Very fresh and selective fish prepared in both traditional and Peruvian style. I ordered a half dozen oyster with rocoto ponzu and leche de Tigre sauce; enjoyed the emulsified leche de Tigre sauce which make oyster milky texture accentuate and umami comes out more. And ordered three sets of Nigiri sushi, Toyosu Market set (5pcs), Tuna 3 ways (Akami, Chutoro and Ootoro) and Nikkkei (Peruvian style) set (5 pcs); enjoyed all of them. Texture is full of discoveries, crunchy, creamy and satisfying balance, and flavors are calculated to retain flavors of fish and display Peruvian flavors. I recommend this restaurant to everyone, from sushi beginner to sushi connoisseur. Sure they will enjoy the experience here. And please talk to Sake Sommelier Amy on choosing sake or other drinks!!!

The drinks were good and the rooftop view was spectacular. However, the staff were pretty disorganized as the downstairs restaurant had newly opened and there was a lot of miscommunication with drinks and food. Some said we were allowed to take our drinks from the roof downstairs to the restaurant, only to be stopped by the servers at the restaurant and had to take the elevator back upstairs. Even when they made the mistake, the staff got upset with us. The food also took over an hour to come out. Overall, I am sad to say I won't be coming back again.

We came in for dinner on a Friday night , with no reservations it was of course busy and they didn't have a table for us but the sweet host offered for us to sit at the bar. And my oh my great decision. Aron and Saul were the bartender that night they were so helpful when deciding our entrées and drinks. They were so interactive with everyone at the bar while at the same time making drinks for the rest of the restaurant. It was such a refreshing great experience. We also met Danny who checked up on us regularly to made sure we enjoyed our food. He very nice , Honestly everything from the ambiance / food/ welcoming service. We will definitely be back when we are in town!

My first time in San Francisco and I chose Kaiyo Restaurant because it's kinda new here too. The one week old restaurant is steps away from Kaiyo's Rooftop at the Hyatt Place. Resy reservations got us 2 of the 4 seats at the chefs' sushi counter at this Peruvian Japanese spot. We were a little early, but the hostess promptly addressed & seated us with the friendly bartenders at the bar for drinks - once our dinner seats were ready, the drinks & bill transferred over . The inside of the restaurant, in contrast to Kaiyo Rooftop, is more intimate and great for a date night spot. It's L shaped inside and the decor makes you feel like you just stepped into another world as the baseball crowd walks by from Oracle Park. **What we ordered*** miso soup w/chili oil, hamachi tiradito, miso black cod, blue fin nigiri set (3 pcs), wagyu sando with caviar (needed a tiny bit more salt on the meat or just more caviar!), and pac heights roll with uni & bluefin tuna. **What we would order on repeat*** hamachi (melted in your mouth!), miso black cod (perfectly cooked and flavored), blue fin nigiri set (based on this I would also try the toyosu set next time), miso soup (I loved the chili oil, but just needed a tiny bit more salt) ***What we would try next time*** Avoid the rolls (unless you're new to sushi), and add individual sashimi & sushi or the sets off the sushi menu. Try the octopus and match fettuccini. Service was amazing- our server was right on time to ask for what else we wanted to order, the service staff cleared plates & glasses immediately after we finished. Everyone was friendly-- we loved sitting with the sushi chefs! Giving 5 stars because-- they're just open one week and we had a great experience! Great job!