Nara

Japanese restaurant · Polk Gulch

Nara

Japanese restaurant · Polk Gulch

1515 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Highlights

Simple storefront with a sushi bar & table seating serving raw fish & a small menu of cooked dishes.

1515 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109 Get directions

narasushisf.com

Reserve

@eater

"Nara, with locations on Haight Street and Polk Street, represents a whole other side of the octopus game. The Japanese restaurant’s Haight location offers four panko-fried tako balls for $13. The octopus cooks sous-vide for six hours and is then combined in a ball with truffle mashed potato, diced onions, mushrooms, and jalapeno before being deep-fried. The crunchy, fried snack gets a sprinkling of bonito flakes on top. (The Polk Street outpost offers a similar dish for just $8.)" - Paolo Bicchieri

Ask Eater: Where Can I Find Excellent Octopus at San Francisco Restaurants? - Eater SF

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@infatuation

"Order the uni nigiri. Besides that, the dragon ball (avocado wrapped around crab and tuna) and the spicy lambada rolls are excellent. And no one has ever complained about $1 nigiri pieces at happy hour (until 6). This spot is 100% worth your time." - Taylor Abrams, Will Kamensky

SF’s Best Casual Neighborhood Sushi Spots - San Francisco - The Infatuation

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@infatuation

Nara Sushi Review - Nob Hill - San Francisco - The Infatuation

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Popobee Nguyen

Google

We had family visiting from Texas, and after a day of hiking, we were craving sushi in the city. We stumbled upon Nara Sushi, and it turned out to be perfect for our group of six, especially since many other spots were too small to accommodate us comfortably. We were thrilled to get a same-day reservation. The ambiance was modern, clean, and inviting. Our server, Jenny, was incredibly friendly and guided us through the menu, making sure we ordered the best dishes. The fish was so fresh—it really stood out. A special shoutout to Chef Kevin! His sashimi platter, topped with a delicious truffle sauce, was a game-changer. Definitely a must-try! To top it all off, we were celebrating one of the girl’s birthdays, and they surprised us with mochi ice cream, which made the evening even more memorable. And if you’re into sake, make sure to order the one with a whale on the label—it was excellent! Nara Sushi truly impressed our guests and made our trip extra special. Highly recommend for anyone looking for great sushi in San Francisco!

J S

Google

Updated: I definitely wanted to go back to Nara Sushi for their amazing gimbap, but the idea hit me on Monday morning while I was busy at the office. Overwhelmed by the usual Monday hassles, I decided to order a pickup instead of visiting the restaurant in person. And guess what? It was fantastic! The colorful, juicy gimbap brightened up my Monday at work. My coworkers couldn’t resist and rushed over to my lunch box, eager to take a bite, almost begging. I felt so proud of my local restaurant and my Asian identity. Nara Sushi is even developing more options—how can they be so good? I absolutely love Nara!

Ryan Fernandez

Google

Very enjoyable dining experiences with high quality sushi, sashimi, and other items to choose from. Customer service is friendly and attentive and the atmosphere is quit and relaxing allowing you to fully enjoy the dining experience. A nice wine selection and sake is a perfect compliment to the menu. Highly recommended.

Sachin Patel

Google

Incredible little place. Prices are competitive, chefs attention to detail and precision is incredible, and the highest quality, fresh ingredients. We were visiting SF for 2 nights and liked it so much the first night that we came back the second night.

Patrick Cavins

Google

Would have liked to see more than one veggie roll option. The single option was not great. The carrot & sweet potato under the roll totally overpowered any other flavor. Bummer. Agedashi tofu was deep fried in panko which was unexpected, sauce was quite good. Sake bomb roll was a standout for us. The flame broiled salmon on top made it a standout. Staff was really nice. The vibe is very cabin in the woods.

John Pobursky

Google

An exceptional place to enjoy sushi in San Francisco. The service was excellent and the staff were friendly. The food was excellent and well put together. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is comfortable. Parking is hit or miss, but that's the city for you... The Sake Bomb and Big Boss rolls were outstanding. I highly recommend!

Yiwei Ling

Google

What a gem! Unassuming small restaurant. Popped in on a random weekday for their happy hour hand rolls. They were carefully made and composed, very culinary and thoughtful flavor combinations. Fresh ingredients and delicious. So happy to have found this! Staff was very attentive and kind. Come! You won’t regret it. Can’t wait to go back.

Daniel G

Google

Nora being a sushi restaurant open till midnight is an A+ in my book, The service was great even after arriving 10 before closing which I understand can be annoying for kitchen staff but was met with excellent service and food. Spoon tastings were amazing and rolls were filled with a lot of flavor.