On the Bridge

Went many years ago and thought it was good. Now the quality might have gone down and it’s a little pricey. Service was just meh, the Japanese chef was the most polite person there, there were several waitresses but they weren’t very attentive. Crammed seatings.

I went for a late dinner with a friend, and they let us in despite being somewhat close to closing time. I had the fried chicken curry, and it was quite good. The curry was flavourful with a mild spice and what seemed like pulled pork in it. The fried chicken was tender and the outside was pleasantly crispy. Wouldn't say it's the best out there, but I didn't have any complaints about my visit, so it gets 5 stars after bonus points for having Ghibli playing

Disneyland attracts millions and millions by claiming to be “The Happiest Place on Earth”, but Walt Disney was never fortunate enough to visit On the Bridge. OTB is my favorite restaurant in the world, and I found myself always thinking about them . . . just like being in love. Their menu reflects creativity and a willingness to enlighten customers about what Japanese food can be. Their yoshoku style food will transform your life, and you will become an official ambassador for their restaurant. Chef Nakumura said that they were the first Yōshoku-style restaurant in San Francisco. You will not see Chicken Teriyaki or Tempura on the menu. Luckily, I had an opportunity to speak with Yolanda who is a co-owner of On the Bridge in San Francisco’s historic Japantown. She said that the food they serve is what people in Japan eat while sushi is for businessmen. (Gotta keep it real, ya’ll). She is also a very proud mom of three cats. My three entrées were so memorable that my socks rolled up and down plus my mind was blown all the way to the surfers at Ocean Beach. The three oishii (delicious) meals were: Chicken Rice Gratin: Super flavorful, tender, and juicy chicken with at least two kinds of melted cheese, onions, over a specially flavored Japanese rice. This stayed hot for 20+ minutes which is ethereal. Chicken Katsu Curry Over Rice with a Sunny Side Up Egg: Yolanda and a KQED Food Japan Town video on YouTube confirm that making the curry takes 3 to 4 days. The chicken was the lightest katsu I have ever had and was equally as tender. Unagi: Broiled eel was so buttery and almost the size of a brick sliced in half lengthwise. Their restaurant is located a stone’s throw from Kinokunya Bookstore on the 2nd floor West. On the Bridge has been designated as a San Francisco Legacy Business for being in business for more than 30 years (opened in 1992) and contributing to the neighborhood’s history like Yasukochi’s Sweet Stop (Coffee Crunch Cake), Cinderella Bakery & Cafe, Tadich Grill, and House of Prime Rib which adds to their rich history. The icing on the cake, which was definitely a sign for me to go, was that my favorite movie Kiki’s Delivery Service was on. What a truly perfect day!!!

- we did not receive the physical menu that customers both before and after us got. - although there was a qr code menu, no one informed us of this, so we sat for 10~ minutes twiddling our thumbs for a menu, t trying to give the servers the benefit of the doubt (looking back: we sat at the front of the restaurant, at the bar area, where the servers could see us and our lack of menu very clearly). - after finding the qr code menu (by ourselves, mind you) and mentally choosing our items, we waited for an additional 10–15 minutes for a waiter to take our order. - afterwards we decided to raise our hands to order, but it took about 3~ minutes of them passing by us for them to take our order—which they only did because we spoke up. - in the 3~ minutes (it’s a very small store, and we had been waiting for 10-20 minutes for someone to come by), both servers passed by us several times, and made eye contact with us and our raised hands 4-5 times, but did nothing to signal their acknowledgement that they would come back to us. - this would not have been a problem, but in the 10-20 minutes we waited for someone to come by, we watched the servers go to other tables that didn’t raise their hands to take their order, go to tables that did raise their hands to see their concern, clean a few tables, and otherwise. - so, after 3~ minutes of watching them avoid our hands, we finally spoke up and asked if we could order. -we ordered a miso ramen to split. we asked for an extra bowl, and she said there would be a sharing fee—we eventually found out that this sharing fee was $4.00 for our $19.90 (pre-tax) ramen. (note to self: always ask for the sharing fee before you decide to share) - our singular ramen came out to a total of $26.92, for, i kid you not—the most mid, horendous, disgusting, and expensive ramen i ever had. the broth was very oily—and not in a good, yummy, chasu ramen way—and had a weird flavor that was somehow flavorless and overwhelmingly disgusting at the same time. i am usually a huge soup lover (even when the soup is just average), but i did not want more than 2 spoonfuls of this broth. the soup made me feel sick in the stomach and had a icky, slimy feel going down my throat. the noodles were very clearly overcooked. the texture was sinilar to instant ramen noodles that had bren left on the counter overnight. - also, our food took 15~ minutes to arrive, which is reasonable. however, in that time, several people who came into the store after we ordered received their meals before us (within 5~ minutes). - although i personally believe this place deserves -800,000,000 stars, i must give it a lowly 1 star. please never come here, or if you do, leave before falling into the sunk coat fallacy that my friend and i fell into (that since we already waited for so lonf, what’s a little longer? YOU FOOL, you’re waiting for the worst experience of your life). - thank you for coming to my ted talk, and i hope you enjoyed the rant.

Really cool little spot - favorite part about it was atmosphere. The vibe really does remind me of a place you’d stumble upon in Japan. Had Loco Moco and Kawaba Pilsner. Would recommend both. Really enjoyed my time here!

Decent spot for Japanese food omurice was descent. Service was ok.. but all in all reasonable place for some fried Japanese cuisine.

My partner loves this place and would rave about it all the time. He finally brought me here and I can see why he enjoys it so much. The staff are very welcoming and it seems like their regulars love them based on the interactions I've seen. They somehow provide great table service while talking with each customer too. The food is amazing - the curry is one of the best in the city (if not the absolute best). I love the vibes here too - a nice chill spot in the middle of a bustling Japantown shopping center.

I found the food here disappointing. The curry was bland and the chicken felt over-salted, as if soaked in salt rather than seasoned. I was very disappointed with the meal.

Very quaint restaurant in Japantown! Anime on the tv monitors, manga on the shelves lining the windows and a Japanese Italian menu! Decided to try their sizzling seafood plate and Seafood Japanese style pasta! We were pleasantly surprised that both were definitely delicious!! So glad that we stopped in!

We picked this place mostly because we didn't want to wait in the long lines of other restaurants. Came in around 1PM with only a couple tables left available, but they were able to seat 4 adults. It was a bit of a squeeze because of how small the place is, but it was no problem. Chef-san came and got our orders and chatted us up for a little bit. He was super charming and probably made it all the more enjoyable to eat there. The food itself was okay. I thought my pasta dish could've used a little bit more seasoning, but was packed with a lot of chicken thigh meat. The rest of my party ordered hamburger steak, a Loco moco, and a mentaiko pasta. They all enjoyed their dishes, so mine was probably just the only lackluster dish. The other servers would also help with tables and was super quick, so it was honestly a nice place to try out. Just don't expect it to knock your socks off.

I've always passed by this place and was told it was a really good spot so I finally got to check it out myself. I was a bit disappointed with the dishes my friend and I got, plus the service was a bit slower considering how there were only two people that seemed to be working that night. If there were most workers it would probably be more helpful for those who were working there. I was starting to feel bad by the workload they had but they did as best as they could so can appreciate that. It took a really long time to have our food ordered and made so I had lost my appetite by the time the food came out. It was also super stuffy inside and fanned myself with the menu, so it was a little uncomfortable for me. The layout of the place is really cool and I liked seeing all the mangas around, but I probably wouldn't come back. The food itself was a great portion but unfortunately sooooo mid. I got the curry udon although it tasted super watered down, and my friend who got the curry katsu udon expressed the same but with the saying "tasted like water with oil"

Stopped in this cozy little cafe/diner spot while in search of some quick bites while we were in town to see a show at the Fillmore music hall. We were craving Japanese food, so why not go to Japantown for the best selection & experience? After walking through the Japan Center mall, we chose this spot due to its central location, interesting menu, cute decor, and homey feeling. I think that it was a good decision and here's my review. First of all, I like the layout. More of a diner than a restaurant, this place only has a couple of small tables. The majority of the space is taken by the large & long bar and huge! array of alcohol, including imported Japanese beers, whiskeys, sakes, and non-alcoholic beverages. The selection is pretty incredible, and not unlike going to a bar or diner in Japan. Hard to decide what to even try given the over abundance of choices, the drink menu is seriously long, extensive, and varied. Prices are very fair and along the lines of s simple diner. Service was tough, given there was only one worker to serve, bus, and attend to a full room of diners, families, and solo drinkers & eaters. But, he did the best that he could, and he was nice, efficient, and attentive (while he could). Since we were going to a show that would last late into the night, we wanted quick, simple, and light bites rather than a heavy, big, and complex meal. We chose salad, agedashi tofu, and my favorite okonomiyaki. Washed it all down with some nice & light Japanese domestic beer which tasted great and was served ice cold. The agedashi tofu was well-seasoned and draped with a gravy consisting of green onions, sautéed mushrooms, and garlic. It was a bit heavier than I had expected due to the thick and abundant gravy that was drowning the simple taste of cold tofu. The salad was huge! but the dressing was more of a strange gravy than balsamic or vinegrette and kind of a miss for me due to its tangy lumpy tomato flavor and consistency that was more like a gravy or pasta sauce than a dressing. The okonomiyake was less of a savory pancake than im used to in Osaka, it came out in the form of a pizza. They were really heavy with the sweet okonomiyaki sauce and it over-powered the dish, as well as became messy while eating with our hands... had to make a few trips to wash my hands between slices because everything became sticky & messy while holding the slices. The bonito flakes were very generous and tasty, but the crust became soggy due to the excessive sweet sauce. The mayonnaise was good and not overly dumped on like other okonomiyaki dishes that I've tried. I did not like the presence of cheese in a dish that was supposed to taste like Japanese seafood, it was weird. So, this okonomiyaki is more like a true pizza than a savory pancake. It also had more crust & dough than toppings, so that dominated most of the dish as well as overpowered the taste. The menu is extensive, ranging from Donburis, to curry rice plates, some noodles & entrees, and some bento boxes. I think that next time I come here, I'll try more appetizers and stay away from the plates & entrees, they just seem too heavy and saucy for someone trying to eat light to stay awake for a late night concert. Takoyaki, edamame, Musubi, seaweed salad, and a donburi or soba noodle bowl will be my next adventure when I come back here. So, the food tastes more like Japanese diner food, which is what this place is supposed to be. It's heavy, saucy, messy, and very filling. I think it's best to come here to try out some varietal beer or sake, and sample appetizers if you're trying to eat light, quick, and cheap. The decor is quirky, with a lot of things like toys, magazines, plushies, and signage to look at. It's just fascinating & interesting to look at the bar selection and pick from there. Each drink has pictures, details, descriptions, and prices on a separate drink menu. Good place to come to try out some drinks and sample some appetizers, but maybe not for a light dinner or authentic Japanese entree. Good place to come if you are really hungry, drunk, or hungover and need to eat greasy, saucy, and messy food to soak up all of that alcohol. If it was open 24-hrs, this place would make a killing! File under: Japanese bar/diner serving heavy comfort food & appetizers/snacks to soak up all of the alcohol.

food came out fast but they were just okay. the gyudon was so soggy at the bottom--there was too much liquid so the rice was just swimming in gravy. the beef was alright but a little salty. the menchi katsu was presented nicely and I liked the crispness of the fried hamburg steak but I wasn't a fan of the inside texture and flavor, it was mushy and a bit too peppery for my liking. the curry was kind of chunky

Still so good. Took take out earlier last week. More fun to eat in, but had to grab on the run. My oldest (grown up ) daughter has loved this place since she was really young. Not sure if they are the same owners all these years, but the consistency in the food quality and the cuteness has always remained unchanged.

I hate to negatively review restaurants that look like they're an institution but this place just really missed the mark on my visit. Nothing tasted good and the chicken in the pasta dish tasted old and on the verge of going bad (as someone who has frequently tasted too-old chicken while learning to cook in college, I would know what bad tastes like). Tuna salad was ok. Place is mostly non-Asian weebs but that is to be expected in Japantown on a weekend. It was also a huge pain to flag anyone down, even just to get a seat. Will not be back!

First, I'll mention some of the positive aspects of our visit. I really enjoyed the decor with manga all around, photos, and drawings on the wall. They have a unique menu with many interesting options. The service was nice and overall my group had an enjoyable experience here. Something that we could not quite understand was the portion sizes. For the base price of around $19, for example, I was given a meager amount of spaghetti, which was lightly dressed/topped. My friends who ordered the mentaiko pasta felt similarly. Unfortunately, we left hungry.

If ever you are in Japan Town, there's this little cute place that's literally on a bridge. I've gone to On the Bridge at least 4 times and I love food and hospitality each and every time. This place is what I would call Japanese version of comfort food. The meals are so hearty and filling. Their curry dishes are so rich and delicious and they have their spin on spaghetti dishes as well. I tried the Chicken Rice Au Gratin which was a cheesy mouthwatering experience and my partner had the Okonomiyaki which was a little different from the ones we used to get but it was also very tasty as well. If you decide to come here for the first time, I would recommend getting the LocoMoco Curry which was by far one of the best I've ever tried.

I always passed by this place and wanted to try it so finally and coincidentally, on cherry blossom weekend I made plans with a friend to eat here. They use a queing system for open seats so you literally have to just wait in line to be seated. I'm not sure how busy it usually is but we waited maybe 30 mins as it's a small restaurant. My friend and I both ordered curry and a corn cream croquette! The flavor of the croquette was quite good! It had a hint of curry and I believe its dairy free which is pretty unique. My only complaint/comment is the outside breading was a bit thick and heavy which ends up being my comment for all their fried things... I ordered the menchi curry (breaded and fried beef patty) and my friend ordered shrimp. I personally was not a really big fan of the curry sauce, it was very thick and so vegetabley instead of smooth. and as I had mentioned for the croquette, the breading was too thick and overly crispy for my liking. I really wish i tried the pasta instead, I feel like I would've enjoyed that much more, but for the curry there are other better places in the area.

Like many others, we've passed by this spot many times and it always intrigued me. We decided to stop by on a Saturday for a few small bites. It was 2 of us and we got seats quickly at the cute bar area. The staff was welcoming and the older Japanese man was so kind and funny. We ordered beer, wings, and shrimp pops. Everything was really good! I would return to try their other menu items!

One of those places I've walked past countless times growing up and still hadn't been to until last weekend. And in the end, it was just alright. Went on a Sunday afternoon and got seated right away. We decided to sit at the counter, which is visually interesting with all of the anime collectibles set up, but it could also use a good dusting and refresh. Staff were friendly enough but a little cool. The older man (going to assume he's the owner) was very friendly, however, and chatted with us for a short while when he came out from the back. Food here is really expensive for what you get. Big prices, small portions. My brother and I split the croquettes, which were very good and pretty standard size. Crispy on the outside, soft and creamy inside. But my portion of curry don was really small and I was still pretty hungry at the end of my meal. I'm also confused by the menu's spice levels. It can go all the way up to some insane level of heat, according to what's written, but for the curry I was just asked if I wanted mild, medium, or spicy. I went with spicy and my dish had zero detectable levels of heat. That was the mildest, most un-spicy curry (Japanese or otherwise) I've ever had. I'll give the curry this much: it had a flavor that felt very homey and definitely wasn't a cubed or packaged curry. It claims to be homemade on the menu and I think that's accurate. True comfort food. Just not a whole lot of it. My husband liked his okonomiyaki and mentaiko pasta, but the pasta was an especially small serving, too. He easily finished both. Not sure I'll be back here again. On the Bridge is an institution and I love supporting our local, longtime businesses. But this wasn't a great first impression.

Our group was looking for a restaurant in Japantown that didn't have a long wait and would be able to seat a group of 7. We ended up at this cute restaurant with nostalgic posters, manga volumes, and Japanese decor. Our server was chill and got us food and drink menus, and also took our order pretty efficiently. The food was okay for the price - more like comfort food vibes at decent portion sizes? We ordered a variety of dishes like locomoco and katsu don and mentaiko pasta (the creamy pasta dishes ended up being my favorite) and overall still had a good time at this place

The food is amazing. I got the Chicken Katsu Curry Don and it was delicious. The service was super quick. The employee who served us was very lovely. It's really cute inside. They play anime movies and have manga that you can read. Be aware that they don't split checks.

This restaurant has been opened for many years. Inside, you can see a little bar but has a lot of drinks that they're decorated. I enjoyed watching the Japanese cartoon :) while I was waiting for my food. The food was okay for the price. The service was okay!

I have eaten at this restaurant several times in the past, but will not be coming anymore due to ill treatment from the servers. The previous time I was there, I was with a group of friends, three of whom are transgender women. When we sat down at two separate tables, the server that day kept going on about various rules that felt arbitrarily pushed upon us. The server continued to give us attitude until my trans friends decided to leave to eat elsewhere. I would have left with them, but On The Bridge is one of the only places in the Japan Center that my Type-1 diabetic friend can safely and consistently eat. After my trans friends left, the waiter was kinder and more courteous, even being amenable to catering to my diabetic friend on a day when they didn't have any of the wings for the chicken he orders. It felt like targeted transphobia, but I didn't think it was more than just *that* server on *that* specific day. Today, I went in with my friend who is Pakistani. The one waiter who was working looked rather busy, so we were patient with him and we sat at the bar when directed to sit anywhere. I ordered for both of us, and asked for two of the same dish (chicken katsu curry), a yuzu soda, and just a cup of water for my friend. The yuzu soda came with a glass full of ice, the water was lukewarm. The waiter brought us one of the two dishes I ordered for us. At first I thought the second one was coming out shortly, but it never came. Eventually, we flagged him down and he told us to our faces "I thought she said she was just getting water". At this point, my friend is extremely unhappy. After he left us, we heard him being friendly and chatting up the East Asian couple sitting next to us, so clearly he knows how to do his job and treat people properly. It makes me incredibly sad to see this place changing for the worse, and it's of no fault of the owner, who has always been friendly, courteous, and accepting every time I've talked to him. I will not be coming back, and sincerely hope that there will be something done about these racist, transphobic, and bigoted people on staff.

Japanese people in Japan eat a lot of food that does not get served to Americans in Japanese restaurants. The "product mix of Japanese restaurants" is based on what a set of Korean restaurant entrepreneurs thought that they could sell to Americans in the 1960s and 1970s. A lot of the choices were based on dishes that both Japanese and Koreans like to eat - such as sushi and chicken teriyaki. a) Even in the 1960s and 1970s there were Japanese dishes that did not show up in this standardized product mix. Fancy alternative forms of tofu and hot pots were conspicuous examples of what was a long list of omissions. One of the biggest omissions is curry. Curry is not just an Indian and Thai thing. Curry is as Japanese as cherry blossoms and kabuki theater. Japanese curry is mild and typically sticks to a relatively constrained range of spicing and flavors. It is often a convenience food served by busy moms when they don't have time for a fancy cook. There is store-bought factory-made instant-curry and there is pride-of-the-kitchen artisanal chef restaurant curry. A good locally made restaurant Japanese curry is great great eating. b) Japanese food changed over time just as American food has changed over time. The "original menu" Korean-Japanese restaurant menus ossified in time never taking any of these new developments into account. In particular, the standard American Japanese restaurant menu ignored the fact that Japanese food globalized. Asian adaptations of Western dishes are not empty imitations of Western recipes. Virtually every Western dish they experimented with got a rethink. The food you get in a "Western" Japanese restaurant is unlike anything you could get at home. You get unique and distinctive Japanese dishes. ********* On the Bridge specializes is these two great omissions of the American Japanese standardized restaurant menu. They do curries. They do globalized dishes - as they are served in Japan. I am sure somewhere someplace in the US there are other restaurants that do this. But On The Bridge is the only establishment that I know of that specifically speaks to this niche. User Alert: Just because a dish is rarely served in the United States does not mean that dish will be an amazing taste sensation that will change your life forever. Both Japanese curries and Japanese globalized food tend to be comfort dishes. They would go in the same category with America's macaroni and cheese or Britain's scotch eggs. You are always happy when you eat them - But you would not go out specifically to treat yourself to these if you just got a major promotion at work. This is simple hearty everyday fare. * * * I had a typical dish off of their menu. Chicken and mushroom spaghetti. It was just what it sounds like. Spaghetti with stir-fried chicken, sauteed mushrooms, scallions and some diced tomatoes. It was not "red saucy" by any stretch of the imagination. It tasted like a chicken and mushroom omelet where someone swapped out the eggs for cooked spaghetti. I was perfectly happy to eat it. But the sky did not open up revealing Mount Fuji and Mount Rushmore melding in a cosmic transubstantiation while John Philip Sousa hoisted the Rising Sun. The sky did not even open up to reveal Sailor Moon. It was a nice lunch of chicken, mushrooms and spaghetti. Later that day in Japantown, I WOULD have a coffee croissant that opened up the universe to reveal divine visions. (Anderson's Bakery if you really want to know.) * * * Still lunch is lunch and comfort is comfort. If On the Bridge were anywhere near my house, I would eat there all the time.

Every time my bf and I go to Japantown, there's always a long line outside the door for this restaurant and one day we were lucky to have snagged a table. The waiter/host warned us that they had a table available but there would be about a 15-20 min wait for food, which we were ok with. They have a vast menu with different options like pizza, pasta, ramen and curry. We were curious about the Japanese pasta and pizza but we decided on the loco moco and chicken katsu curry don. We also ordered the takoyaki and a couple of alcoholic beverages. I enjoyed my chicken katsu curry don and liked that it came with an egg. My bf liked his loco moco. We both left our plates clean! The takoyaki was good also. I ordered a melon soju cocktail, which was really sweet but still good. The interior has a homey bar vibe to it and we were able to greet and thank the owner (I think it was the owner). They also have old Japanese manga books lining the walls and they play anime on the TV's. I will definitely be back to try their other food items!

Been wanting to try this spot. We always pass it by. So happy we did this time. The food was great! The staff was friendly and fast. I think the owner even took our orders. Older gentlemen. So cute. Will be coming back to try other dishes.

I was looking forward to trying out this curry spot in SF japantown, but the curry was really lacking in flavor. Not only the katsu was bland, but the curry itself as well which was disappointing. On the other hand, the takoyaki was flavorful with a nice crisp. Don't expect too much service as they do the bare minimum and you go up to pay. Something that stood out was that they have book shelves next to the tables lined with old manga books which was cool.

I love coming here for years and it is still a great place! Very nostalgic. The place hasn't changed but I mean that in a good way. I like that it stays true to their originality when there are so many new restaurants opening up. This place is known for their curry and their spaghetti, so that's what I usually order. I ordered the garlic butter fries, which was so fresh! You can tell they didn't just popped open a bag of frozen fries and air fried it or something. And to top it off with the curry sauce really hit the spot. Also ordered the vegetable curry, which really hit the spot. For something so simple made it that much better. I really enjoyed that curry, and each of the vegetables really complement that. The curry wasn't overwhelming or anything. It was just right! Also ordered the Menchi katsu which is a fried meat cake and it had a ton of spices! It was really good. I would say go for the curry's and katsu and you won't be disappointed! That is what they are known for! As for service, it may be a tad slow, but once you wave them down then it's fine. There were only two servers and a full house at the time. But not too bad!

Rare find of Yoshoku in US :) Love their comfy staple food! Food to me is more unique than taste. Ambiance is great if you like Ghibli, anime, and cool japanese sake bottles!

I recently went to On the Bridge with my beloved. On the Bridge was made famous when punk poetess Goddess Patti Smith went here & raved about it. I am a longtime Patti Smith fan & was curious to check it out with my beloved. On the Bridge is literally on the bridge of the second floor of a mall in Japantown. We loved the vibe here with anime on the wall & heaps of anime books on the shelves. It is a nice vibe & that is one of the best parts of dining here. Service was just fine. While the menu wasn't too veg-friendly our server recommended the Udon for the best choice of a vegan option for us so we each ordered an Udon including Sansai Udon & Oroshi Daikon both customized to be fully & completely vegan. We added tofu We got two separate bowls to share a bit of each. Overall it was quite alright aka tasty & nourishing. Wish there was more vegan options to be had yet the few vegan options that were available aka namely the recommended ones that we had were quite alright. Arigato

I have tried many of the places in Japantown and hadn't tried On The Bridge. It's totally adorable and feels like you're dining in Japan. There's bar seating and about 8 tables for two or four. We were seated right away. We ordered beer and when it came, ordered edamame, vegetable curry, and sizzling vegetable platter. It said the entrees came with salad. The edamame came and then the curry for one of the three of us came. We waited and got water. The very kind owner/chef came over with my vegetable plate and told me it was too hot to touch. Don't touch. It was a large platter that was generous with vegetables including a slice of eggplant, some onions, a couple mushrooms, and lots of cabbage. It had big chunks of tofu, and I think the platter must have still been cooking the tofu because it was really burned. It was too burned to eat and our server wasn't present to know until she dropped the check. There are more details that will be helpful deciding if this is the place for you out of all the choices in Japantown. One thing to note is that the bill had a $1.00 charge for the box and bag to pack up the charred tofu. Also, the bill said there's a $3.00 service charge for credit cards. Overall, it's a cute restaurant that serves pizza, spaghetti, udon, and ramen. If you're not in a hurry and don't mind the extra charges then fine. We asked for an extra plate to share, but it never arrived and I wonder if that's for the better because we could have been charged for that, too.

I'd rank it a 3.5 I had a delicious salad, relatively pricey, but understandable given it in the Japan town center. The ambience is nice. They have a TV they played spirited away and there's really cute decor. The reason I gave it a 3.5 was because the service wasn't the best. I was waiting at the front for a while when there were some tables open, and I had to ask to sit down, but they told me to wait a little bit more. Once we order the food, it also took quite a while for the main dish to come, which was the Katsu curry. I understand they wanna make it fresh, but there is no warning that it would take at least 20 minutes for the food to come out. my friend end up eating their meal before mine came out.

Just got a small app while I was here and it was really tasty! I've been wanting to come here after seeing that Patti Smith had stopped by a couple of years ago. They seated us even though they were about to close. The owner/chef has such a fun, vibrant personality and the ambiance is really fun too. Nice staff too!

Restaurant in the West Mall [Japantown, San Francisco CA] It was a full house. Seating was limited when we arrived but there was some space at the long bar area so we said okay. S-L-O-W! Took a while for everything! Took awhile for someone to take our orders, took awhile to serve our food (like a long while), took awhile for someone to hand us our check even after we were long done eating, took awhile when I requested for a receipt... and no one checked on us. The bar is facing where employees go back and forth from the kitchen to the cash register so they can clearly see and can easily check on us. I had to exercise patience. Poor customer service on their part. They seem to specialize in Japanese-style pasta and Katsu but my daughter was set on trying their Locomoco which she enjoyed very much. I ordered the Shrimp Tempura Udon. It was okay. I ate a little bit of it but daughter finished the rest. LoL she was hungry. This restaurant is located at Japan Center's West Mall in San Francisco. Instagram: @sfonthebridge Review #3376

This is a decent spot to go to in Japantown, especially when all the more popular places have super long lines during peak dinnertime. I've always been able to get seated immediately. I recently got the pork katsu curry don, which was fairly tasty. However, I wish it was spicier. I ordered the curry with medium spice, and it tasted more mild than medium. I also got the matcha IPA beer, which I really enjoyed even though I don't usually like IPAs. Service was friendly, although it took a while for some of the food to arrive. The inside of the restaurant is also uniquely decorated. This isn't my first choice restaurant in Japantown, but it's a decent backup choice on a busy weekend evening.

The food won't blow your mind, but it hits the exact spot of comfort food and binder menu hominess that I always want when I go to Japantown. It's mall food court food, but in a cozier space with stuffies and manga and Miyazaki playing on a nearby screen. The staff were friendly, and food was delivered quickly. I ordered the seafood gratin - bit heavy on the cheese, but pretty generous with the seafood, and seasoned well. My partner ordered the katsu curry, which was also delicious. Wonderful, homey place.

I was craving Katsudon so I visited this place, and I'd say the way they made this dish is okay, but not special enough for its price really. Flavored, but not flavorful. It's somewhat okay enough. Service isn't much to talk about, but they do get the job done, which is all that matters.

I was so intrigued by the menu here that I had to give it a try. I loved the decor and ambiance, cute and cozy with manga lining the walls. The menu was kind of confusing, I wish it was more descriptive because I couldn't really understand what the fusion-y dishes really entailed. For this reason I ended up playing it safe and just ordered the tofu curry. The curry was okay, far from the best I've had but not bad either. The vegetarian curry sauce is mild by default, and it was a little too bland for me until I requested hot sauce. I tried a bite of my friend's vegetable spaghetti and it actually seemed pretty good. If I were to return, I'd give that a try.

I've been coming to Japan Town for a long time and have seen this spot a million times, but always passed it up. Well today we tried it out and was actually impressed. Their alcohol selection is huge and menu is pretty diverse. It's like eating a nice home cooked meal in Japan. I always forget how popular curry is in Japan. Overall great food and would come again.

The ambiance is typically always nice here but this time the food was just bleugh. I got the pork katsu with rice with a fried egg on top. The price was like 19$ and there was not a lot on the plate. The pork had little to no flavor as well. :( the only good part about it was the curry sauce and they give like 10%

Disappointed first time having a cold soba with no wasabi and there is no variety of tempura

Came on a Friday night and waited for 15 minutes before getting seated. We ordered the Agedashi tofu (3/5 - very soupy), udon with shrimp tempura (3/5 - there was way too much random vegetables and greens) and a mango cocktail (4/5). The udon took a long time to come because the kitchen forgot my dish. My friend basically finished her entree by the time by dish came. As a result, service is mid.

My go to place for Japanese comfort food. Situated literally in the bridge of Japantown, this is a tiny restaurant serving hearty western-style Japanese food. My favorite is the hamburger steak with a side of korokke (croquettes).

This place was ridiculous. My partner and I came in before the dinner rush. We sat down, and our server forgot about us 20 mins into sitting, finally a different server came and took our order, but yet again we waited an hour for our food. No one was attentive enough to even check up on us. I got the Katsu curry dish, and my partner got udon cold noodles. Just a few things to point out that was completely absurd during this visit: 1. My katsu came out before my partner's COLD udon noodles? How long does it take to make something cold... We were waiting an hour. 2. When we told our server, they only offered 50% off instead of comping our whole meal so we just declined to even have the udon noodles because that's cheap and ridiculous 3. The egg on my Katsu.. was like cut in half or something? lol It's unfortunate that the service we got from the kitchen and staff was 0/100 because the food was decent and the place is cute. They could have easily apologized and comped our food to make up for the lack of service. Never going back again!

I recently visited On the Bridge and was extremely disappointed by their service. Ive been here once before and the food was decent, but what ruined this experience was the attitude of the older female waitress working that day. From the moment I walked in, the staff member was dismissive making it unwelcoming, and I can be understanding if its a busy time and overwhelming but only 1 other party of two people were present. This experience became more out of pocket when the waitress had the nerve to rudely tell us to give her back the menus we left on the table when my friend and I decided to leave. Ending it with a "dont ever come back." Restaurants in SF are a dime a dozen so dont waste your cash here. Anyone going to Japantown, save yourself from this place and go to any other spot for curry. If anything, go to Kui Shin Bo on the opposite side.

Everything was so good! We shared gyoza, chicken karage, fries with curry dip, and takoyaki (not pictured but just as delicious). Nice, quiet ambiance and good vibes. Definitely will be back!

Walked around japantown and came here for a late lunch on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant is mainly bar seating on the left side with a couple tables on the right. They have studio ghibli movies playing on the TV so my friend and I watched the end of howls moving castle and requested kikis delivery service. The service was incredibly nice!! I ordered sweet potato fries, tuna poke salad, and fried tofu. The tuna was super fresh and the overall meal was good. This is a great casual lunch spot especially if you've been walking around the stores nearby.

Loved the ambience and the staff. My veggie noodle dish was fresh and delicious. My husband's burger and curry dish was surprisingly not heavy and had great flavor. Don't know why we waited so long to try this spot!

Honestly a really good find for me! We were all tired from driving around SF and had some time to kill, so we stopped by and it was definitely a great experience! The moment you step in, it screams nice casual outing (have no rizz so I went with siblings instead). As a closet weeb, the tight-spaced, manga-filled diner like setting definitely has a nice ring to it. It feels cozy and they always play some nice music to go with the ambiance. There wasn't a lot of people around either so service came in pretty fast. As for the food, they had a great selection of food and beers! Since I always seem to have great taste, my unagi don did not disappoint. It was very soft and had that nice smoky, fishy flavor I look for in unagi. My siblings, on the other hand, did not have the same amount of luck. My brother's chicken katsu don wasn't too bad. The curry was pretty good and the chicken was krispy, but could use some flavor. As for my sister, yea she definitely missed. Wish the curry udon was thicker and the chicken was soggy. At the very least, that miso soup really healed my broken soul. My food was really good, but what really caught my eye was the beer selection. I was taking a look at their wall and they had a pretty impressive selection of drinks. As a self-proclaimed beer connoisseur, I jumped and giggled like a little girl when I saw the Kyoto White Yuzu bottle on the menu. I can probably talk all day about why I love Japanese and German craft beers, but let's just leave it at that and say this restaurant is pretty good. The Kawaba beer is also one of my new favorites (shameless plug)

I have been to Japantown many times and I guess I have never explored it. This place is a gem and yes I highly recommend it. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is welcoming. Please understand there can be a wait. But I found it is worth the wait.

One of our favorite restaurants in the mall. Friendly staff and great food. I recommend their pastas, my favorite the Napoli

My favorite item on the menu is the garlic locomoco! The texture of the meat is easy to eat, soft, chewy, and garlicky. It is perfect and comforting to eat with the rice and egg. The food takes awhile to be ready after you order, so make sure you have enough time to sit and wait. It's a casual spot, good for small groups, and prices are not bad compared to other places in San Francisco. I enjoy watching tv and looking at the stuffed animal while I eat. The location is also great!! Since it's inside of Japantown, you can walk around or get dessert at another spot after your meal.

It was okay food. Great spot if you want a lot of sake and beer options! We had the Locomoco and the Tofu Don and while it was okay, it wasn't awe inspiring and need to go back. It was good and we were hungry so it worked out fine. The service was good. He didn't hover and was friendly enough when he interacted with us, but he didn't go out of his way to be bubble all that much.

Decent spot for Japanese comfort food located in the Japantown mall! I got the pork katsu curry. It's not the most flavorful curry I've had and wish it came with some pickled veggies, but it got the job done. I do like that it comes with a perfectly cooked runny egg. I've tried the mentaiko spaghetti and would definitely opt to get that instead. The location is very convenient and there is a certain novelty of literally eating on a bridge. Note that the tables are pretty small, so not the best place for large groups.

I cannot tell you how many times I've gone here but I've come to visit by myself just to go to Japantown and make sure that I go with an empty stomach so I can stop to grab my favorite Creamy Mentaiko Pasta from On The Bridge! It's got such a "feel-at-home" vibe when you step in. If you're a fan of manga or anime they've got it all around the restaurant. It's not a huge place but it's just right! The Nakamuras have been such amazing hosts at their yoshoku restaurant. They always make sure all those who sit at their tables are taken care of and leave satisfied by the delicious food and drinks! This is a spot I'd recommend to all who have a chance to visit Japantown in SF! There's so much more to recommend. Menu has a variety to choose from food to beverages! Love it here! Gochisousama deshita!

This place is a heaven for anime lovers! Their focus is definitely the decoration and ambiance. The army of figurines, bookshelves of manga, and not one but TWO TVs playing Miyazaki films all scream otaku. I ordered the mentaiko (cod roe) spaghetti, and I'm glad I did. The pasta had a good bite, and the sauce was simple but well executed. A delicate balance of salty, creamy and a hint of sweetness typical of Japanese style spaghetti. I felt luxurious eating it! My boyfriend ordered the unagi don. It was a solid, comforting bowl of grilled eel over rice, exactly what he wanted. Service was good, our server was prompt with taking our orders. We came a little before the lunch rush, by the time we left (~1pm on a sunday) the cozy restaurant was full. Next time I really want to try something from their extensive menu of craft Japanese beer. I only deducted a star because the portions were smaller than I'm used to, but the price didn't really reflect that. Also, because the storage shelving spilled into our corner of the bar. Normally I wouldn't care about things like putting a storage shelf in the dining room, but between the price and the fact that the decor is their schtick, it did take away from the overall experience.