Saru Handroll Bar
Japanese restaurant · Polk Gulch ·
Fresh fish handrolls with warm rice and crispy seaweed
Fresh fish handrolls with warm rice and crispy seaweed
"Saru Sushi Bar's sister spot is laser-focused on one thing: simple yet flawless handrolls. The operation at this Russian Hill counter is pretty straightforward. Just slide up to the bar, mark your order on the paper menu, and wait for a sushi chef to hand you neatly rolled pockets of fish and vinegared rice. There are sets of three, four, or five, and they all include high-quality, uncomplicated fillings like fatty tuna or crispy green onion-topped yellowtail. It’s walk-in only, but things move quickly. You’ll be in and out faster than it takes to find parking on Polk." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong
"Saru has been serving top-notch sushi in Noe Valley for more than a decade, so you can be sure there’s plenty of skill behind this handroll-focused spinoff. The Russian Hill restaurant doesn’t take reservations (though there is an online waitlist) and offers its rolls either by the set or a la carte, along with a small selection of appetizers. Add on a caviar supplement, but overall, hand rolls come in under $12 with a set of five costing just $52." - Dianne de Guzman
"This sister spot to Saru in the Mission differs from its sibling in that the sole focus here is the mighty handroll. The menu keeps things simple and straightforward: just a few small plates and a wide array of temaki. Sets come with three, four, or five rolls — no substitutions — but the a la carte list includes tempting options such as red crab, lobster, sea urchin, and cucumber with plum." - Eater Staff
"The takeout sushi from this Russian Hill handroll bar is the city’s closest thing to a Sugarfish dupe. Your choice of maki (the only sushi option on the to-go menu) are lined up like little soldiers in a partitioned cardboard box, ready to be dunked in house soy and popped back like Tic Tacs. You can pick however many rolls you want—each comes with eight pieces—but if you’re facing decision paralysis, go for the buttery tuna and yellowtail with a smattering of crunchy green onions." - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Everyone sits at the counter at Saru Handroll Bar, and since you’re presumably here with just one other person, you can comfortably do the whole leaned-in flirty whisper thing in between bites. Plus, the Russian Hill restaurant fits 23 at most, so it also never gets cave rave-levels of loud. Most people are too focused on the crunch of their temaki to chat much, anyway." - patrick wong, julia chen 1
