Ryoko's Japanese Restaurant & Bar

Cool atmosphere and a unique vibe, but the sushi itself was pretty average. We ordered a variety, and the only one we really enjoyed was the soy wrap. The special hot sake with lemon sounded fun, but the flavor didn’t stand out either. On the plus side, the service was friendly and attentive. Overall, not bad, but definitely not a top sushi pick in SF.

I've read that Royko's was a hole-in-the-wall Japanese bar with great vibes and sushi. Missing izakaya vibes in Japan, I had to stop by, and I did not regret it. Because Ryoko's was just that. Small, cozy, dark, lively. Great food and drinks. The sushi was top notch. The beers were good. And I had a few other items on the menu like the Shoyu Ramen and Chicken Teriyaki. All pretty good. I loved Ryoko's. The vibe was definitely reminiscent of izakayas in Japan. Good service. Id say come here for the vibes, the drinks, and the sushi! The sushi was more on the pricey side (around $12 - 15 for 2 nigiris). However, it was so good I couldnt stop ordering for more 😅.

Super cool and happening Japanese Sushi and Sashimi restaurant with an amazing original decoration, a large menu of super high quality seafood, a DJ who blends the right atmosphere and a truly friendly service team. Loved the O Toro, awesome real crab California roll, excellent sashimi platter and really good spicy scallop roll. The place is a real experience!!

Sashimi is smaller and I didn't get my fried shrimp head… $110 for sashimi and 2 rolls. Got a better experience last year.

My daughter and I went Sunday night at 9pm as it was only one of a handful of restaurants open at the time around our hotel. Great restaurant only a short 6min walk from the Westin St Frances Hotel. Ordered two sushi rolls, spicy garlic edamame, and a tempura basket. Restaurant was cozy but not small. Sushi was fresh. Staff were friendly and knowledgable. Service was spot on. Will return.

came on a thursday night with some friends. ryokos loses a bit of the vibes without the DJ so need to come back for that but still enjoyed the atmosphere overall. food was decent but forgettable.

This place's decor options confuse me. It has dark wooden paneling, but also cement shiny blue walls. There's mirrors from the 70s, but also an Irish looking bar. The tables and chairs seem like they're from the standard Chinese restaurant, but the ceiling fans are British? Is it a dive Japanese bar? We went here after the show at 1130pm, so we didn't have high expectations. My shoyu ramen was one level above $3 packet ramen, but not worth $19. Beers were good. I guess I'd come here for that late night cap. People seemed friendly enough.

If I could leave 10 stars for the service, I would! It’s terrific. Everyone is so friendly. Food is amazing, even though I stepped for a quick bite. Highly recommend! 10/10

If you're looking for a great spot in San Francisco that goes beyond sushi, Ryoko's is a fantastic choice. While they are known for their sushi, I was blown away by the other offerings, especially the appetizers and grilled beef teriyaki (with rib-eye steak). It was cooked perfectly, with a tender texture and just the right amount of glaze. The specialty alcoholic drinks were also fantastic. They had unique options that complemented the meal beautifully, and the flavors were refreshing and bold without being overpowering. The atmosphere at Ryoko's is cozy and welcoming, and the service is friendly and attentive. Whether you're there for a casual dinner or something a bit more special, this place offers a great experience. Highly recommend checking it out, even if you're not into sushi. You won't be disappointed!

This was an interesting dining experience. The food was hands down delightful. We had ramen and shared some sushi. Everything was impeccable and some of the better sushi I have ever had. However, I am taking this place down two stars down because the service was just a struggle. We got additional food we didn't ask for and had our order done wrong. When I tried to bring up the issue to the staff, they just seemed confused, and I let it go. The acoustics of this place is also off. Certain points of the restaurant has music power projecting to the point that its difficult to hear a conversation. In other parts, it's hard to hear a conversation.

We haven't been here for five years and was excited to eat here again but the food quality went down a bit since we visited last - used to love their soft shell crab. This one we got was not fresh - miso soup and salad was both too seaweed heavy and the seaweed fishy taste was not good - got the nigiri dinner for $58. Should have some speciality sushi. Again had seaweed on top of two of the fish. Overall quality was underwhelming. Might as well order separately instead. They still have a dj and cool music but given the food was not good and pricey, we won't be back anytime soon

Warning: I'm reviewing purely off of vibes and sake lol. Bouncer started off the experience strong by stating ladies first when he let my fiancée and me inside lol. Points for chivalry. This was really cute place for friends to meet up for a drink and some mochi! It's super cozy, intimate and vibey. It's as off a friend had a really awesome dinner party at their house! There was a dj playing on Saturday which just added to the ambiance. Service was really nice and attentive. The sushi looked appetizing when I saw others order and I want to come back for meal!

Came for a late night bite and drink, and loved the vibes here. We ordered some sake and a cocktail to share - all of which were pretty good. We also split some sushi, dumplings, and chicken karaage. The dumplings were amazing, but the chicken karaage was wayyy too fatty and didn't have the best flavor, and the sushi pieces were WAYYY too big, and didn't taste the freshest. I would definitely come back, but would pass on the food.

I personally really like this spot! Came here on a weeknight around 7 and it wasn't too crowded! Had a couple of drinks and they're pretty tasty. Also got 5 different rolls to share between 2 people plus chicken karraage and it was the perfect amount! The Rolls were really delicious but most of the ones we got had shiso in them so beware if you're not a fan! We asked if they could leave it out and they did (: Service is great! They're super nice, fast, and attentive! Food came out pretty fast as well. I like the price for the size of the sushi and quality! Will definitely be back

I'm really not sure about this. But I wasn't that fully impressed with the rolls I ordered. Been here before Covid, and it just didn't hit it like it used to. But anyways I ordered the volcano roll, and the salmon toro which was fine. Friendly servers though!

Delicious cocktails, live DJ, and high quality sushi. What more can I ask for? It's an unsuspecting spot, but is really cozy when you walk in. Dive bar vibes, and plenty of seating, we were sat upon walking in on a Friday night around 6:30. Not too bad. I enjoyed the Chirashi bowl since it gave me a great taste of the variety of fish they offered and I was not disappointed. Next time, I'd love to get the Tekka bowl because I was in love with the tunaz Got a few cocktails, then switched to Sapporos and sake. Cocktails were strong, and so pretty! Pass on the chicken karaage. I would return tho!

Great service and great quality sushi and fish and rolls and nigiri. Feels a bit like a speakeasy because you have to go down the stairs and it's dark, but it's actually very warm and welcoming. They have a large sake menu as well. Will be back for more!

pretty solid japanese spot! i came here with 2 friends on a saturday night after doing some shopping in the union square area. once we got there, we added ourselves to the yelp waitlist and was quoted a 30 minute wait. there wasn't much room inside to wait so we had to wait outside. i think the wait ended up being a little longer than quoted. there was a security guard outside. for food, we ordered the wakame-su, soft shell crab, chicken karaage, and 4 rolls. the rolls all came with 5-6 pieces so we thought we'd get a few more non-rolls to round it out, but it ended up being slightly too much food. i liked the non-rolls better than the rolls. the ambiance feels more like a bar than a restaurant - it's pretty dark. definitely not a casual place, it's great for a longer catch-up with friends over a nicer meal. i liked it overall but i'm not sure if i would go out of my way to come here.

Food: 3.5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 3.5/5 Overall: A solid option for downtown. The extended review... Food: Chicken Karaage - 3/5 - Got a few pieces. Taste was standard fare. Caterpillar Roll - 3.5/5 - Tasty rolls with cucumber, eel, and avocado. Standard fare. Service: 4/5 - Friendly and attentive service. Ambiance: 3.5/5 - It's an interesting spot. You go down to a basement level and there is sometimes someone at the piano.

Not worth it & felt sick afterwards. Would skip this restaurant. Dishes: best to worst -Scallops: the only thing good here -2 piece salmon toro Nigri ($16): good amt of fish and they torched the skin. Taste pretty good. -Chirashi bowl ($43): large variety of fish and gives 2 of each kind, great for sharing. However, the unagi was overcooked, the flavor wasn't that good, and they left ALL the bones does come with 1 bowl of miso soup that has 2 different types of seaweed though -soup wasn't the best tasting either. -House Speciality Roll (Spicy Golden Gate) ($13): comes in 6 pieces but the sauce was not good. Does have a spicy kick at the end. -2 piece tuna nigiri ($15): the fish looked old and dried. It tasted like it was aged fish... absolutely skip this. I think this is what got us sick... Logistics: -super hard to find parking. Everything is street, metered spots -restaurant is a hole-in-the-wall with a unique vibe/decor -they have live music on Fri/sat/sun -accepts cards

Once again, this place is amazing. The specials on the board, while pricy, are my favorite. I keep going back.

I've been to a lot of Japanese Sushi places and this is in the lower middle of my list. The service with the waiters is great. As far as my sushi experience with chef Matsuda, the cuts of fish were very thin for the price, tasty but thin. When I was finished at the end chef Matsuda made me a couple of things without asking him to do (Japanese mackerel & needle fish) in which he charged me for! lol, crazy never before had I have some sushi chef make something for me to try and then charge me for it! So if you come here don't surprised to be charged for these items you didn't order. The ambiance here is nice and casual .

A charming neighborhood gem in San Francisco, offering fresh sushi and sashimi. With reasonable prices and an extensive menu, it's a must-visit for sushi lovers.

Softshell crab 5 warm, dipping sauce, lemon Jumping unagi roll 5 deep fried roll Hamachi Toro 5+ fatty, melt Salmon Toro 5+ fatty, melt Scallop 5 refreshing Sweet shrimp 5 refreshing Masaba / Mackerel 4 slightly salty, not fishy White fish 4 chewy Edamame 3 normal Seaweed salad 3 normal

It's almost an underground sushi spot and the vibes are immaculate. I sat at the bar and the service was amazing. The drinks were so cute and delicious. The waiters and waitresses were super attentive. The sushi was super fresh, I'd definitely recommend this place!

Sushi open late! The service was great as well as the sushi! definitely will be back for the late night sushi!

This place is phenomenal, The sushi was incredible the service and vibes were amazing. It's very dim in there and it was a little warm in there. Our server Katie was the best and very attentive for how busy it was. We got the san francisco roll and a fried california roll and My bf and I can say that was the best sushi we've ever had! We got a blue drink and some sake and a dry beer and it was pretty good, no real complaints about it at all! We got tempura and it was pretty delicious the broccoli was the best and my bf loved the shrimp. I get miso most places that have it available and It wasn't my favorite but it wasn't bad. Overall our favorite dinner we've had our trip in SF and we might come back for our last dinner of the trip!

Ryoko's offers solid sushi at a reasonable price. I tried a few of their raw and fried rolls, as well as the takoyaki appetizer. The fish is fresh, and the rolls are thick and nicely rolled. The scallop was my favorite - tender and sweet. The takoyaki was fine, though I'll stick to sushi next time. They also have daily specials. The restaurant itself is below ground and dimly lit, with an open layout and full bar that make the establishment feel cozy yet not too crowded. There's a live DJ which lends to a casual, almost nightclub-y atmosphere. Service was quick, friendly, and attentive. Ryoko's my current pick for any late-night sushi cravings.

Above and beyond!!! We are in town for a few days and wanted a new experience and sushi. Yelp didn't disappoint when they recommended RYOKOS! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by multiple staff including the owner! The vibe was amazing with the DJ playing all the hit songs, then the service. The service was so fast, friendly and way above our expectations! Then our food started coming out and talk about FLAVOR! From the rolls to the sashimi, nothing was disappointing. There was multiple sushi specials and asked for a few recommendations in which were delicious and fresh! We will be returning soon! Thank you for the amazing service and food!

It was a miss for us. We only tried the gyoza (homemade, fine but I've had better at chains like yanagi kitchen), Pokémon roll (no rice and soy paper, which I usually love but this was so bland) and volcano roll (recommended, has pb). I feel like this place was made for people that want to go to sushi but don't really like it? Like for kids? I didn't think the music was anything special either. I saw the tips and reviews and was ready for some decent sushi. A lot of the other places I saw were omakase and $150/pp. I'm most recently from la area (Long Beach) and we just have way more decent sushi options. I read Torrance has most population of Japanese outside Japan. Anyways, not so excited to try more sushi joints in sf. I've had better in Philadelphia... I don't even know if there was any fish in the rolls I ordered, but I'm sure I ordered wrong... So $25/pitcher of beer isn't bad. One server did not want to be there yet know anything about the menu. Other server was nice. We were seated w no wait on a Wednesday night like 7pm. Cool to hear it's women owned but the good reviews seem to be from years ago and seem to be for the nightlife/ music. I haven't lived in sf in 15 years but the music scene was def a thing back then and this wasn't it. Maybe it's different on the weekends.

Ryoko's has become our SF tradition and an absolute must. Such a cool atmosphere, has a cool old school bar vibes to it and a total party with the DJ playing at night. The sushi is out of this world. Some of the best quality rolls I've had and the price us ridiculously affordable. The tempura fried cheese is also a must for the appetizers. Im sad I don't get to go to this place all the time since I don't live in SF. Weekend nights can get pretty packed but totally worth it.

What a fun hidden gem. Perfect for date nights! Super friendly service, reasonably priced food, and decent quality. The space is small-ish, vibey and cute, it feels like the setting of an indie movie. Definitely would come back to enjoy the DJ & live music.

Ryoko's is my go to for sushi whenever I'm in San Francisco! I've preferred it to some other options in Japantown for years and I keep coming back! When you enter the door and walk down the stairs you're transported to what feels like a cool "underground" Japanese bar. It's got a cool grungy vibe to it. The tables are pretty close together in this small space, so don't go expecting privacy, though there are some nooks in the restaurant that would be ideal for a date night. However this place can get very busy, so you'd be very lucky to have your pick of tables. I recently stopped in with friends on a Wednesday night and was happy to find there was no wait ! The food here is so delicious, that's what really keeps me coming back. I've had a fair amount of the starters and rolls throughout the years and I've never been disappointed! If you are looking at apps, just know they fry everything to perfection every time. The fried cheese is so random for a Japanese spot but soooo delicious. The karaage is juicy and tender. My favorite rolls are the deep fried ones, I can't lie, they are just so tasty, but so is everything else. I've never left unsatisfied. As if all this isn't enough reason to visit, I also love the vibe set by the music. They sometimes have a live Dj which really sets the atmosphere, and there's a piano on the floor as well though I've never heard it played. This place is known for having excellent (bay area) centric hip hop and R&B playing and it really feels like a fun spot to come with friends when you're in the mood for some good food and fun vibes.

We walk by here constantly and there is always a security doorman and a line. That's when you know it's great. We finally planned to arrive right before opening to ensure we got a seat before a show at the Curran. It was a rainy Friday and we weren't the only ones waiting outside in the rain to get in. I'd do it all over a million times to have the sushi here. This will for sure be our go to sushi spot from now on. Yay for living 3 blocks away. Service was super quick, friendly and attentive. The ambiance here is so comforting to me in a divey, established neighborly kind of way. You step down into the restaurant and it's deeper and has more tables than you'd expect, but they all filled instantly upon opening. The sushi- so fresh and flavorful! The Tahoe roll is my absolute fave, but we loved it all. Genmaicha, Miso Soup, Fried Cheese (if you love cheese, do not skip this!), a couple of Tahoe Rolls, Crunchy Crab roll, some Tiger rolls and an Avocado cucumber Roll. Plus some nigiri of Unagi and Toro- divine! We were stuffed and happily walked a couple blocks to the Curran. Join the waitlist or arrive early, but the wait will for sure be worth it!

Service: Very friendly, efficient, and accommodating service. Our server was very knowledgeable, patient, and delivered our food and bill quickly. Ambiance: Upbeat, modern, and dynamic atmosphere with upbeat EDM/house music, low lighting with colored bulbs, and a variety of seating options according to party size. Seats at the bar are also available. Some aspects of the restaurant (louder music, unusually low lighting, tight seating, and stairs/ramps between tables) may be important for some to consider with sensory considerations or physical limitations. Food: All of the food I have tried here (sushi, karaage, miso soup, agedashi tofu, and seaweed salad) has been absolutely amazing. Truly one of the best Japanese sushi bars I've been to; the food is always so fresh, beautifully prepared, and flavorful. Overall, this place is absolutely a must-go for anyone looking for a fun Japanese dinner or late night bite in downtown SF. Highly recommend and will be back!

The rolls here are so good! We had the hot tuna, spicy scallop, spicy golden gate, jumping salmon, and crunchy crab. Our favorites were the crunchy crab and spicy tuna. I usually don't like soft shell crab much but this one was made really well. Each roll has the perfect portion of rice to fish too. The best part of our meal was the spicy chicken teriyaki though, I didn't expect it to be spicy but it had a good kick and the chicken was juicy. Definitely would order again. They also had a DJ when we were there Friday night!

Best sushi, best service ever. Highly recommended the dj nights - the guy know what he is doing - In terms of sushi : tahoe, salmon delight and shrimp symphony are our favorites, besides sushi, you should also try the croquette - the sauce is amazing. It is a very good place to go with friends. The place might be a bit louder, but that is a must if you are having fun, dont you think?

Love Ryoko! It's such a vibe~ $5 sake and fair priced sushi! Grab a more intimate table, or sit at the bar and strike a convo with the chef/seat neighbor; I've done both! The staff are all attentive and charming. There's a reason I'm a regular here; good for dates, happy hours, any vibe to be frank! Ps. Sometimes they have a DJ play on the weekend nights

Super fast service, fun atmosphere and great hospitality from the servers! Sushi was delicious as well.

Came back because the fish quality is unparalleled and they have really picked up their service! Still a bit odd that they don't tell you the specials, but you can just go up to the bar to take a picture of the specials on the whiteboard. Food and water now came at normal times and the waitress was quick to take our order. I got the amaebi, spicy scallop roll and the chirashi. The first two were as amazing as I remembered it with huge chunks of scallop/ shrimp. The chirashi was also fresh with a variety of toppings, BUT for some reason had a lot of cooked toppings which I didn't like as much. I would probably get more nigiris or other types of rolls in the future. In terms of ambiance, it's still downstairs in a little dark bar type environment. There's sushi bar seating and tables and it wasn't too crowded on a Friday evening for some reason. We had no wait for a table of 6 at around 7:30pm.

The vibes are absolutely immaculate in this place!! went for a bite and drinks with a friend and it was such a great place to spend a friday night. Service was also great, we requested for a table with more privacy and even though they had reservations, the staff made sure to accommodate to our request and also was very fast! food-wise, we got: * pokemon roll - super yummy, the sweetness of the mango cut through the fatty salmon and it was so yummy! * crunchy crab - i've never had a soft shell fried crab in a roll before it was so delicious and even though it was fried, it felt very light and crunchy * umeshiso - the ume in this packs a punch of sourness and i love sour foods so it was such a treat * caterpillar - the pricier one of the rolls but was so delicious!! it is all the best sushi rolls in one

3.5 stars I have stopped by this spot a couple of times, and it's pretty decent sushi. I deducted 1.5 stars for finding a hair in my sushi :( so I was disappointed. I gave it 3.5 for the other times I have been here where the sushi was great. Good customer service, they apologized for the hair. Inside is a bit dark but cozy ambiance. There is security at the gate and the location is a bit of the basement. Parking: it's SF street parking

This place is a vibe! What a great place to chill and have delicious sushi! The service was quick and attentive. The food was fresh and delicious. The menu was expansive. Will definitely come back here. We ordered a lot for a great price. They also play great music!

Been here before! It was good. Sometimes line was long. I need to come back to eat again.

The food has definitely changed over the last 9 yeaes, but the atmosphere is still nice. The server was attentive and professional, but a little rushed until we pointed out that we wanted to take our time. I was there most recently with my fiance. Had the special which was a California roll with real crab and smelt. Smelt is not our favorite. We tend to stick to basic rolls when we go. The edamame and the spicy tuna roll were good.

I like how the food just come in so fast. Taste is good! I suggest spicy scallops! Prices are a little on higher side, but its reasonable in area. Vibe... music is too loud for me. I get that its a bar too, but i like to enjoy my sushi without feeling like in a club. The feel in this restaurant is good tho. Other than loud music, I like the vibe.

Wow! We drove by this restaurant around 7 and saw that there were so many people waiting to go inside, so we came back around 930 and was seated immediately. The security guard in front was funny and nice. Then we get in and the whole staff warmly greeted us. It was our servers first day, and he was amazing. We split a Sapporo. And then shared a few things. My boyfriend said the hot tail roll was one of the best he has ever had. He said it was spicy, and the fish was fresh. The tempura was perfectly crispy and airy. The deep fried oysters were very good too, but a little too heavy for me. My boyfriend ate the whole plate. The seaweed salad and edamame were perfect for balancing out the fried foods. I actually loved the seaweed salad so much that I wanted to take one home lol The place is cute and small, you have to walk down stairs as you go in. We said we will definitely be back again soon!! Thank you for amazing food and service!

Love love love this place!!! The music/dj is always great! It's a lot of 90s-10s hip hop and pop but sometimes they play more recent artists. The service can be great, just depends who you have. We've had waiters really take care of us: bring out some mochi for the birthday girl, pour our beers for us, give suggestions on their favorite items. Other times they just take your order and that's it. All in all the food always arrives hot (or cold) in a timely manner. Sushi is solid - fresh and tasty. We get a mix of rolls and nigiri. I usually go with two friends and they always make enough nigiri for each of us (vs the set of 2). Appetizers like chicken karage, togadashi and takoyaki are delicious!! Prices are reasonable. Parking around the corner ($20) but comes with an attendant so your car is safe. Ryoko's is a hidden gem in San Francisco!!

Amazing sushi! One of my favorite sushi places! The sushi was fresh and well flavored. The vibes are really there! I brought my parents here, not knowing that this was an underground bar type of joint. The music was kind of loud and it was pretty dark. Understandable, because it helps set that kind of atmosphere. I didn't think my parents, who are in their late 40s, to enjoy this place. But they did! Well sorta. They really enjoy the sushi! They thought it was a bit loud and dark, but that's no problem since I usually do all the ordering anyways. Unexpectedly, they made me bring them here again! Next time, I definitely want to bring my friends!

Best in SF for cheap sushi. If you want to be wowed, go to kibatsu, trust me. This place is a vibe! So fun and full of character. The sushi is amazing, as close to Japan as you can get. If there's a fire, you're all dying down there though lol

Great hole in the wall sushi spot, the spicy yellowtail and tuna rolls were as prescribed but the sake helped cool everyone off

Ryoko's was a fun and interesting experience! The restaurant has an underground bar type vibe, so I would recommend checking it out if that's what you're going for. Upon entering, you immediately go down a flight of stairs. There is an iPad at the bottom for the waitlist, and even though there was no wait when we got there, we still had to check in on the iPad. We then waited about 15 minutes for a table (party of 6 on a Saturday night), since there isn't too much seating. We got a couple rolls to share and it ended up being around $30 per person. All the rolls were pretty good, but nothing to write home about in my opinion. My favorite by far was the jumping unagi - would recommend trying it if you like unagi! They also had daily specials up on the board behind the bar, but again, the roll didn't necessarily stand out to me. Service was good, our waiter was willing to explain a lot of the rolls to us including how many pieces each one came with. Overall, definitely wouldn't mind coming back but I don't think I would crave it or go out of my way to come again.

I eat here once a week. it's always packed and full of energy. Best sushi outside of Japan! highly recommend.

+points for having Yelp waitlist Came on a Friday evening. Street parking was tough. We eventually found a parking garage about 3 blocks away for $20 (worth it for the peace of mind of your car not getting bipped). Right when you walk down those stairs, the vibes were already right. Live DJ. Dim lights. Simple menu. We opted to sit at the bar as the table area looked tight. Service was friendly and food came out at appropriate times. For the 2 of us, we ordered Agedashi Tofu (5/5), Salmon Kama (4/5), Ika Maruyaki (5/5), Jumping Unagi (3/5), Philladelphia (5/5) and Soft Crab (4/5) rolls. I enjoyed all of it! Our bill was a little under $100. Their ladies room was really small though - think airplane lavatory small.

Ryoko's is the kind of sushi spot that I would order delivery from if I lived close by. The price point is reasonable and the quality is decent. I wouldn't suggest going out of your way to come here if you aren't already close by.

We went with three delicious rolls, Big Mama, The Spicy Golden Gate, and the Checkerboard! Started with a hot sake, miso soup, and seaweed salad. Each was as good as the other. Really cool and loud atmosphere and excellent quick service. Lightning speed!

Tl;Dr - This east-coast style sushi spot nestled off Nob Hill is best known for the creative menu, incredibly fresh fish, and club-vibes. Not many spots better to get a group of 3-5 together to kick back with drinks and fantastic food. I reviewed this years ago before the pandemic and admittedly this place has changed a bit, so I felt I should update. Gone are the mile-long wait times, they suffered a bit during the pandemic due to the very tight space they have underground. Was not ideal during that period. Despite the shift in crowds, it still gets busy just not obnoxiously busy, so I've been able to get in within 15 minutes most times I go. The food thankfully hasn't changed, everything is top notch from the rolls to the still (very!) good nigiri. I will say though, admittedly, they changed the way they cut the nigiri so it's no longer the chefs kiss perfection it used to be. They used to do it in very petite cuts with lemon wedges between each nigiri, they've gone more typical now, which kinda sucks BUT I am really not sweating it, everything is still really good. The drinks also deserve a special shout out because they have a great selection of sake and cocktails. I haven't seen a DJ here in awhile, not sure if they still do that but they used to do live music from time to time. These days I find myself here on a weekday evening splurging on their fantastic weekly menus. If you are looking for a nightlife type vibe, tuck yourself into a dark corner of this sushi temple and lose a couple hours with friends, no regrets ever.