KEN
Japanese restaurant · Lower Haight
252 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
"This Lower Haight spot stands out from the city’s many omakase spots because of their intimate dining room with only six seats, flawlessly prepared nigiri, and more creative small plates. The 14 courses are a feast of sticky poached ikura that pop like water balloons in your mouth, cod milt buried in silky chawanmushi, and aged otoro and striped jack nigiri. Dinner here is an unmissable experience for anyone who's serious about fish and is looking for a big night out. Reservations are released 21 days in advance at 11pm on Resy. Since there are only seven seats inside and two seatings per night, this spot books up pretty fast. Another option is to keep an eye on their Instagram stories for last-minute (and usually day-of) openings." - lani conway, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong
"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. Reservations are released 21 days in advance at 11pm on Resy. Since there are only seven seats inside and two seatings per night, this spot books up pretty fast. Another option is to keep an eye on their Instagram stories for last-minute (and usually day-of) openings." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong, ricky rodriguez
"Note: This restaurant is temporarily closed.The city has its share of intimate omakase counters, but few offer quite as much cozy charm as this six-seat gem in the Lower Haight. Walking through the unmarked door on Divisadero puts diners in the experienced hands of Chef Ken Ngai, a native of Hong Kong who mastered his craft at respected sushi spots here in the Bay Area. The menu’s approach straddles tradition and creativity, spanning a moderate selection of skillfully prepared nigiri, featuring unconventional toppings like cured egg yolk and preserved plum. Apart from the sushi, a variety of small composed plates shine especially bright, as in a silky chawanmushi luxuriously flavored with crab and dried scallop, or an intriguingly sweet-savory dish of poached ikura in a refreshing ume broth." - Michelin Inspector
"Dinner at Ken on Divisadero feels like an exclusive dinner party—and one filled with flawless nigiri, silky chawanmushi, and dashi-soaked tomatoes that burst like water balloons in your mouth. The omakase counter is only six seats, so you'll easily have a conversation with the person on the opposite side of the bar, or crack jokes and exchange stories with the eponymous chef. As you move through the seamless 14-course meal, you'll fall into a comfortable silence as Ken precisely scores pieces of butterfish, torches a set of neatly lined up nigiri, and explains the process of poaching the house-cured ikura to its sticky, delicate consistency. A meal here is an unforgettable experience, and one you should get to for your next special occasion. Reservations are released 21 days in advance at 11pm on Resy. Since there are only seven seats inside and two seatings per night, this spot books up pretty fast. Another option is to keep an eye on their Instagram stories for last-minute (and usually day-of) openings." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong
"Dinner at Ken on Divisadero feels like an exclusive dinner party—and one filled with flawless nigiri, silky chawanmushi, and dashi-soaked tomatoes that burst like water balloons in your mouth. The omakase counter is only seven seats, so you'll easily have a conversation with the person on the opposite side of the bar, or crack jokes and exchange stories with the eponymous chef. As you move through the seamless 15-course meal, you'll fall into a comfortable silence as Ken precisely scores pieces of butterfish, torches a set of neatly lined-up nigiri, and explains the process of poaching the house-cured ikura to its sticky, delicate consistency. A meal here is an unforgettable experience, and one you should get to for your next special occasion. Reservations are released 21 days in advance at 11pm on Resy. Since there are only seven seats inside and two seatings per night, this spot books up pretty fast. Another option is to keep an eye on their Instagram stories for last-minute (and usually day-of) openings." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong
