Tanuki Japanese Restaurant

This is a magical place. An unassuming, local place, the sushi prepared by Tom is elegant and delicate. There is a comforting local atmosphere, and if you let yourself be guided by Tom, he will take you on an unforgettable sushi journey, coupled with a great sense of humor. We stumbled randomly into this restaurant and became the highlight of our trip. Thank you from Argentina, Tom!

I'm never going anywhere else for sushi in San Francisco. PHENOMENAL. There was no wait, service was amazing, and the sushi melted in our mouths. It was so delicious and the chef was so kind and available for questions at any time.

I made a reservation at Tanuki after walking by many times and loving the cozy atmosphere. The chef greets everyone as they enter and was so warm. My parents were visiting, and none of us had much experience with sushi. His wife was our waitress and very kindly guided us through the menu. We ordered what she suggested, and ate every morsel. Food was so fresh and delicious. My parents talked about that meal the rest the trip. Will definitely be back.

Tanuki is simply the best sushi spot in town. The quality is unmatched—every piece is incredibly fresh, perfectly prepared, and full of flavor. The attention to detail and craftsmanship in every dish make it clear that this is top-tier sushi. But what truly sets Tanuki apart is Tommy, the owner and chef. He’s not only a master at what he does but also the most fun and welcoming host. His passion for sushi and hospitality creates an unforgettable experience every time. Sitting at the bar is a must—you’ll get to enjoy amazing food while watching a true artist at work. Five stars isn’t enough. If you appreciate great sushi and an incredible dining experience, Tanuki is the place to be.

I walked in at 6:22pm (they close at 8pm), and guy working the sushi bar says "Got reservation?" I said, No. He shakes his head and refuses to serve me. I'm a Woman who can pay for herself, but was refused service at this restaurant where only 4 people were sitting. They lost my business.

Came from middle America with no ocean. Was served an array of fish that was incredible. Something special in my mouth. The real thing. Perfect.

No Sushi restaurant in The City can beat it for comfort, welcoming atmosphere, and excellent sushi.

I went for dinner early on a Saturday. We arrived when they opened and we were warmly greeted by the chef/waiter. I really liked the more old fashioned approach with no super expensive Omakase options. There were 3 of us and we ordered all our favorite nigiris and rolls accompanied by hot sake. All the fish selections were very fresh and generously cut. We ate until fully satiated and finished off dinner with a refreshing orange and another carafe of sake on the house. If I lived in the neighborhood I would be here weekly. They also have an extensive selection of cooked dishes which I am looking forward to trying

Went there for dinner on a Thursday night and it was about half full. The quality of the food is typical for a local sushi spot, not bad but also not the best you've had. The owner and the service were amazing! We had a great time chatting with her and she was very accommodating. The restaurant had very strong "family dinner" vibes so great for that, not very exciting for dates etc. Would recommend!

Too many good cheaper sushi restaurants in San Francisco why come here for expensive bad food and insignificant service? My food was served 15 minutes after everyone else. They shoved the cold miso soup in front of my tablemate last as if it were for him. I felt completely ignored and insulted. The soup was watered down and flavorless as if they forgot about me and rushed my food. The teriyaki chicken was a very small dark meat cut into haphazard slivers portion. It was chewy, overcooked and tasteless. The tempura barely battered with small small cuts of vegetables and tiny prawns. Tasted ok, probably because I was so hungry! Just praying not to get sick. Everyone else in my party had raw fish options or something fried. Maybe its better if you don't order cooked food. The hot sake was nice and hot. Online menu is not same as service menu. Its a very small place with adequate seating for small parties. Clean restroom. Candy on table as you exit tasted like garlic. I'll never go there again, the waitress was rude and insignificant. Too many restaurants in San Francisco they need to treat everyone equally.

Husband and I were In the neighborhood recently and decided to eat at Tanuki to bring back the nostalgic feeling of our dating days. This was an old stomping ground for us as we used to frequently eat here. We were surprised to see it is still around and the reviews on Yelp were positive so we decided to go back. The inside of Tanuki is just like how we remembered it. There is a couple that now runs the restaurant. The wife is the only server for the entire place. For a Friday night, the restaurant was about 2/3 full. The wife did a fantastic job handling all the tables and making sure we were all taken care of. The husband is the sushi chef. We got a tempura appetizer which was pretty good. Husband got the beef teriyaki and rock n roll. I got the nigiri combo that came with 10 pcs and a tekka maki. The food was average. The sushi was fresh but not the best quality. Husband enjoyed his beef teriyaki and the roll. We also got a small bottle of sake. We were disappointed to not get the noodle salad that we used remember so well here. It used to come as a complimentary starter but we didn't realize it is now something that needs to be ordered off the menu. The total with tip was $180. That is way too expensive for average Japanese food for two people. I'm happy Tanuki has stayed in business all these years. It seems to be a regular place for many locals in the area. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the trip down memory lane, but will not be coming back.

A tasty decently priced pop-in spot. The available choices for Japanese food in the area have become costly and Tanunki offers a great selection for a decent price. The appetizers are amazing by the way. Hits for starters include fried oysters that are crispy and battered on the outside but tender, hot and juicy on the inside. The soft shell crab app is a delicious addon. The signature Tanuki roll is also a definite must try. The low light vides at the table and sushi bar keeps the mood intimate and helpful staff keeps the pace of food coming. A gripe is that on some rolls there can be a bit too much rice, and the price has increased but still significantly cheaper than other options nearby.

Great little spot! The staff were very nice and welcoming. Cleaned up the empty dishes very quickly! Food came out at a moderate speed. Sushi and karage came out quick but Udon took a long time. Food was very tasty, standard Japanese food you'll find at any other restaurant! Portions was okay, but could be much more. Otherwise, everything else was great! I recommend going here, great restaurant forb cozy dinner!

This is a neighborhood family style restaurant with about 25-30 seats including the sushi bar. I have been here a few times with my close friends and their relatives, here with a few friends, and also here with the kids, etc. This is the kind of place that you go to, if you want a Japanese restaurant to yourselves, if you are the largest party. We had a table of 10 today, and aside from regulars at the sushi bar and take out, we were the main people in the restaurant. Some tables came and out, but the restaurant was 'ours' for the night. What does this mean? It means, if you are friends of the staff, you will be taken care of and people stop by to support their friend's restaurant, etc. Hence the 3 stars from me, since I want to be truthful for a Yelp reviews, but also not knock down a family owned spot for my friends. If you have a large group and wanted a restaurant to yourselves, come here. You will have a chill restaurant experience. Read all the other reviews and they are spot on.

I've been coming to Tanuki since I was a young girl. My parents used to go on dates here before they were married, so this place has been a staple in my neighborhood long before I was even born. I absolutely adore this place, the owner is such a kind man, and I've never had a bad meal here. The service is always friendly and attentive, and the sushi quality is amazing! Do yourself a favor and do a chef's choice option on the menu and the chef's skills shine and try some unique and tasty nigiri! Another one of my favorite things to order here is a combo meal. I often enjoy having a little surf and turf with the beef teriyaki and sashimi combo. I also really enjoy the appetizers that come before the meal too, the miso soup and the noodle salad are very nostalgic for me and remind me of my childhood. The tempura is always hot, crispy and tasty, never soggy. The restaurant itself is small, but intimate and warm. There's usually sports on the small tv by the sushi bar and I have to say this is one of the only restaurants that I love enough to come eat at by myself. That's a big statement for me, as I usually just order to-go if I plan to eat alone, but I love the owner and staff so much I will often opt to eat here by myself.

The restaurant is smaller in size and has around 10 tables and a sushi bar. We always sit at the bar so we can talk to the owner. He learned his skills from Japan so the food is really authentic. Must order (all 5/5) - California handroll with salmon skin (not on the menu, need to special order) - o toro - chu-toro - hamachi toro - monkfish liver - clam soup - tonkatsu - noodle salad - live scallop - Kobe beef

The restaurant is clean and neatly organized. We had dinner at around 6pm and they started to fill up after 6:30 with many reservations. The sushi was fresh and the cooked food was well made. The price was acceptable but on the higher end of the spectrum.

They have the best tempura donburi with one of the best teriyaki sauce that I've ever had. I'm always asking for extra sauce because it's good on everything including their teriyaki beef, though my go to is their tempura with that killer sauce because man, it's the bomb. On weekends they have this mayonnaise noodle salad that I just can't get enough of. I'm always ordering 3 to-go regardless of the $5 each price tag. It's my favorite Japanese comfort food. Their sashimi is fresh, they pack things to go well, and they're always super friendly and on it. If it wasn't for the incredibly difficult parking I'd be here twice a week!

Tanuki remains as consistent and delicious as ever. I got the yam noodle salad and the beef teriyaki donburi to go. They were both fantastic and taste the same every time. The portions are very reasonable and the cost is quite affordable ($50 for 2 noodle salads and 2 donburi). The staff are so friendly and kind. Love you, Tanuki! Thank you for the excellent service and tasty meals. Highly recommend.

Really fresh sushi and great ambiance! I love this place because their sushi and nigiri hits the spot. they also have amazing service, making me feel like I am well fed and taken care of!

We've been coming to Tanuki for a couple of years now and it is our absolute favorite sushi spot in the city. The service is top notch and the food is always delicious. The fish is fresh and Tommy, the sushi chef, is a master. We always leave full and happy. We love Tanuki!

Hello people, I just want to start by saying the service at this restaurant is absolutely impeccable, every single time I go; everyone is always so nice and welcoming, I love that. The restaurant itself is clean, smells good, while small, it has a great cozy feeling to it. The bathroom is also always super clean, which is very important to me when it comes to restraunts. For the food, they really do not disappoint, the sushi and sashimi is super delicious and really fresh. Now for the reason I come here, my most favorite thing is the oyster shooters. They are soooooooooooo good, even addictive; the shooter is made up of, ponzu, sake, quail egg, caviar and ofcourse the oyster. The combination of this shooter, is so sweet, spicy, has a great kick and the caviar pops in your mouth when you bite into the oyster, it is the best taste; CAN YOU SAY UMAMI, after this shooter that's all you will be saying.

Had a great time the food was delicious the service was great everyone was so friendly and personable. you have to try the brussle sprouts and the sushi boat.

Amazing sushi! I've been coming to Tanuki since 2017! Tommy is an amazing sushi chef who will always greet you with a smile and make sure you have a great time. The fish is fresh of very, very high quality.

Wonderful neighborhood restaurant. Great food and good friendly service . Lots of great fresh fish and wonderful sushi rolls .

PSA: This place isn't it if you're expecting a hidden gem or a good deal. I don't think I've skipped out on taking pictures of sushi for a while. I wish I knew that from the start, but the reviews here skewed my expectations. Fish wasn't very fresh - sashimi and nigiri was expensive and forgettable. Best things I liked was the hot tempura soba and the mushroom soup. While good, that does say a lot about a sushi restaurant. This place is an unassuming neighborhood Japanese restaurant that serves pretty decent cooked foods. It doesn't make sense to go here unless you're in the area already. There are tons of neighborhood sushi restaurants in SF, go to the one in your neighborhood, it will most likely be similar.

Good food, excelllent service and a real treat to eat there! Love Tanuki's food and ambiance, Love Tanuki!

How in the world did this place get 4 stars? My boyfriends friend is a regular here and recommended us over. The restaurant was pretty empty for a Saturday night. That should've been a sign but since we heard such glowing reviews, we decided to try this place. Waitresses were very friendly and pretty attentive. Now on to the food. Uni: vibrant colors and very creamy texture. Not the best I've ever had but definitely pretty good. It's funny cause I heard one of the chefs say in honest "Uni is very fresh but I'm not too sure about everything else" Oyster shooters: oyster wasn't very fresh. Even with all the sauce, I could still taste the funky after taste. California roll: $8.50 for 6 pieces? They used real crab which was well blended with the mayo, but I still can't justify that pricing. Beef teriyaki: we order medium rare and they gave us rare. My boyfriend was ecstatic about the rare steak but I definitely would've done without this dish. Toro: it had that melt in your mouth texture which was great. Lobster tempura: saltiest tempura I've ever had in my entire life. It felt like the chef accidentally knocked over a salt shaker on to the batter and just decided it wasn't worth his time to start over. My boyfriend and I aren't ones to waste but we only had one piece each and couldn't bring ourselves to finish it. Really wanted to like this place but it's a no go for me.

Been going to Tanuki since 1994. Absolutely fantastic in every way. The family feel, the warm caring kind service, the INCREDIBLE Japanese food AND sushi. Top notch. 10/10.

Great Japanese restaurant. The service is wonderful as is the sushi. Ate here regularly when we lived in SF. Went back recently and it was just as tasty as when we lived in SF. Reservations helpful. Good service, fresh sushi and tasty plates

Tommy is a Richmond District legend. His practice in the art is 2nd to none, and in the chance you have time for him to feed you, take it.

Girlfriend and I waited over 40 minutes when tables were clearly open. Waitress told us to wait a minute, then never got back us.

Every time we visit, we always say it has been way too long since our last visit. Tommy is an excellent host, his sashimi is always fresh and the variety is excellent. If you can get a seat at the bar, just ask Tommy to pick a selection for you. The fish is delicious, the atmosphere cozy and we've enjoyed sitting at the bar with the other regulars. One of a kind!

Small restaurant with great food choices. The fried teriyaki chicken dinner is my favorite.

Open for dinner - takeout! Yes, our favorite Chef Tommy is still open and continues to serve up all of our favorites. Teriyaki beef, sashimi, sushi, edamame...it was so nice to get our Japanese food fix. Takeout service is seamless and well thought out. Parking was easy! Try to do pickup and tip well! Keep this great place alive and well.

Maybe it's just me, but I've always thought of Tanuki as an institution - it's been around since forever, and it looks mostly the same as it did years ago (other than periodic touch-ups). It's small and quaint, but it just feels like a legit Japanese restaurant. Plus, as far back as I can remember, Tanuki was my first experience with Japanese food. Maybe that's why I love the stuff so much...or maybe it's just because it's good. Growing up, I mostly stuck with Tanuki's combinations, but I usually go with their sashimi/sushi nowadays. You can't really go wrong either way - the food is generally solid regardless. The rolls are reasonably priced for the most part, though a few top out around $15 or so. When I dropped in with my friend last night, we ordered four between us and they were all pretty decent. None were fantastic, but the Tanuki (shrimp tempura topped with unagi, marinated eggplant and avocado) and Scallop Lover (spicy tuna topped with hotate and spicy tobiko) could have been with a tweak here or there (like using raw spicy tuna instead of cooked). To get the best out of Tanuki though, the sashimi and their more "authentic" dishes are the route to go. The sashimi is generally really fresh, and the cuts are tasty. I haven't tried everything they have to offer, but their hamachi has been my favorite. Also, the Uni and Oyster shots (with raw quail egg, lemon, and ponzu sauce) were awesome, and the Chawan Mushi we tried was terrific (though a little different since they use chicken instead of shrimp/seafood). Depending on what you order, parts of their menu can be relatively pricey...but you also pretty much get what you pay for. And considering they've maintained the same level of quality after all these years, it's not a terrible difference to get that type of consistency.

I am a fan! Even my Japanese friend recommends it!! That's gotta count for big points. Ok, to be fair, I've only been there 3 times. 2/3 times my experience there was great, the 1 time... well, i'll call it a tempura tantrum.. keep reading.. Let's start with the positive experiences shall we? (Check out my close up pics of the fish and oysters. YUM) First of all, I've got a majorly weak stomach. So, I'm really picky about my sushi because sometimes I can get really sick. That being said, I was fine after my trips here :) Tanuki has great fresh fresh seafood. Their portions on the fish are pretty good and meaty which doesn't make you cry when you order a sashimi combo. Their flavors are overall very clean and fresh. GOOD EATS - various sushi/sashimi (hamachi, uni, saba, hirame) - soft shell crab - oysters on half shell - seared tuna something - gyoza (fresh handmade) and that's all I've had because why get anything else?? the sushi is really good here. japanese owner, japanese friends thinks it's great and so do i! OK, want to know my bad experience? one time we got a tempura order. I swear, one of my 2 tempura prawns had no prawn in it. i love shrimp, so no, i am NOT going to let this slip. It was like just a crispy long piece of batter. Brought the waiter over and he looked at it and asked, "did you eat the shrimp?" I laughed and so of course, I was immediately deemed guilty. GUILTY. I said "uh.. no.. there was no shrimp". After he gave me a dirty look and I gave him a "you gotta be kidding me" look we were given new tempura. Forreals though, did I eat it?? No!! NOTE: easy to miss this place as it's at the "triangle" meaning it's off the main road. The sign is a simple blue sign and the store front is a bit lacking. Makes you kind of wonder if good sushi can come out of this place but it does! Overall, very small place but good food and good service... unless you have a tempura tantrum that is...

Small, cozy Japanese restaurant that has great oyster shots! I went here for a birthday dinner and rest assured, we ordered plenty. The oyster shots were the highlight! Went down zesty, smoothly well! The yellow tuna, hamachi and salmon sashimi was fresh! Their unagi eel was cut thick with generous portions and hamachi Kama was grilled with moistness and great flavor! Service was good - dishes were rolled out in a good amount of time! A great place to enjoy Japanese food!

If you've never had a California Roll with REAL crab meat, you should check out this place. When you dine in, they bring you a complimentary cup of tea. You'll also receive some pickled cucumber and daikon to munch on while you wait for your food. This place isn't very big and wasn't too busy when I went there around 2 PM on a Wednesday. While I was glancing over the menu, I noticed that they didn't have a crunchy California Roll available. I thought that I may have missed it on the menu, but the waitress told me they didn't have it. Even though they didn't have it on the menu, the waitress said they could make it for me. The California Roll was $6 and I was charged a $1 extra for my special request. I think that was a pretty good deal for 8 pieces. My friend ordered a lunch special for under $11 and she got a lot of items. I found it a little odd that her lunch special didn't come with rice. Anyhow, the service was wonderful and I would probably come back here again to try something new. FYI they don't stay open all day so make sure you call them to see if they're open.

This place is a gem. Great quality food. Went here for takeout due to covid. Very surprised with the quality of food! The Hamachi Kama was cooked to perfection. Not too dry and the sauce was yum! The tempura was really fresh and crispy. Nothing to complain about. we even enjoyed the California rolls. 10/10 would return and support this place

I love this place. Not only is it a block away from my boyfriends apartment, but the staff is incredibly friendly and they remember the rolls we order every time. I come atleast once a week now and every time the fish is fresh and the Asahi ice cold... which is pretty much all you need when it comes to a good local sushi spot!

You MUST get their cold noodle salad. If it doesn't come with your meal, you should definitely order it as a side. It is my favorite thing here. I usually get the beef teriyaki or an udon bowl. They put a lot of teriyaki sauce and also make the beef pretty tender. Their noodles are not too chewy and the soup is delicious. It is nice that some of their entrees come with the cold noodle salad and the miso soup. It's definitely a good deal. Their unagi is so soft and just melts in your mouth. I would definitely recommend trying this place.

Every dish is so fresh. You can order full or half portion to try more variety. Tommy is the main sushi chef. He is the best. Wendy is the head of wait staff, and she remembers every customer, what they drink, eat etc. little gem in the avenue! Must try!!!!!

Great neighborhood sushi for lunch. We wanted a walking distance sushi bar open for early lunch. This place for that bill. Luckily, the fish was also fresh and the service was fast. They have lunch specials and a lunch menu. I had the sushi and salmon kama combo. The salmon kama was very good. I liked that they gave salmon skin roll instead of California roll with the sushi. We ordered the chicken karaage for my son. It was so good that my husband kept stealing it. Perfectly fried tender meat. My husband had the tempura and said it was very good.

They used really bad cuts of fish on my roll. Probably on the verge of being thrown out. You would think they would stuff just the bad pieces inside the roll, but the bad pieces were on top too. Got a stomachache after.

Like a few others, I have NO clue how this place has such high reviews. I now realize the 5 stars goes back many years, probably to a better time and mgmt. Fast forward to 2022, service is rude. Food is not fresh nor good. Just go and take a closer look at the fish at the bar. Save your money.

Had various kinds of sushi from this spot at an event tonight. California, salmon, tempura, avocado...all good.

Good friendly, fast service. The chefs are Chinese and not Japanese. The nigiri is decent and not the best. Good selection of hot and cold food on the menu. Good selection of sake. A little pricey for what it is. They have a TV and usually some sport/game is playing. The ankimo was a bit old. Masked by the sauce but without the sauce there was an odd odor. The tempura was the was freshest thing here. We ordered the noodle salad and it came out less than a minute later. Overall it's a good family place, not so much date night type, you hear everyone in here.

A tasty egg yolk from a quail A delicate piece of uni Went on a date with a drop of ponzu and hand squeeze of lime The rush of the uni shot was sweet, sensuous and sour. Divinely intertwined, worthy of contemplation in the midst of a charming ambiance by the sushi bar. Encore, hit me with the uni shot again as my palate rolled, jolted and awakened. Looking for the chase, the chef's choice of colorful sashimi teased and unpacked my most discriminatory imaginations. Some fresh, others not, hamachi super, impressed and impressed again. Intrigued and wanting more, the added uni nigiri and ikura were dreamy and extravagant. As I whisper to spill all the secrets, it was the torpedo lobster and tobiko handroll that was my fave of the night. Soup-wise, miso heaping, clams unrevealing. Finally too much salt as I waved to the chef and call it the night. The end had me one eyebrow raised. Chef outstanding, food decent, service waned. Thanks to Yelper B.B, the walking bookmark who always has a place in mind. Was the experience worthy and super fresh? Some sparks, few sigh, it was excitable enough as I look to return time after time. *3.5 stars*

Have you ever felt like dancing as hard as possible and finishing it with moon-walk because the food is good? I have here at Tanuki Restaurant. I have sushi at least twice a week for the nutrition. I love Tanuki Restaurant since they serve fresh raw fish. Just one block from the busy Clement Street, this restaurant sits quietly. I visited this restaurant by myself for the 5th time the other day. Sushi on a chilly day? I must be crazy. I order the combination of nigiri sushi which cost around 18 dollars. I am not against sushi rolls, the great American sushi invention but I want to enjoy the original flavor of fish and that is all. Still I never order anything with spicy sauce since the sauce was originally invented to hide the bad color and the taste of old tuna. Have you ever wondered why we always see "spicy" and "tuna" side by side and not "spicy yellowtail or "spicy eel????" At this restaurant, you can enjoy anything with spicy sauce without worries because the chefs are sincere and the fish is fresh. They serve a pot of green tea and pickles first and I like that. Green tea and sushi match very well. My nigiri sushi was beautiful on the white plate. Here comes my "zen" moment. I closed my eyes and prepared for my eating sushi with the calmest mind. I usually have sushi in the order of "from subtle flavors to bold rich flavors" but there is no formal order to eat sushi. I usually turn nigiri 90 degrees so one of the chopsticks holds fish and the other holds the rice, and then dip it in soy sauce lightly. If you see something on your sushi, like mackerel here, you can't turn your sushi 90 degrees. The best way is to use your ginger piece as a soy sauce brush. It is a good sushi manner which doesn't cause a mess. I may look cool to others but when I have sushi, I am very excited. Here was what I was thinking. Geoduck......(Hmmm, the subtle flavor of oceans as if I were sitting by the seashore) Octopus.......(Hello, Taurine. Go ahead, control my cholesterol!) Tuna............(The beauty in red, lower my blood pressure, please.) Salmon Roes..(Oh boy, they are dancing in my mouth. Delicious! ) Sea Urchin....(I can see the grain! This must be fresh. No bitter taste so this must be from Santa Barbara, not from the East Coast.) Salmon & Yellowtail...(Gosh, they are so buttery and delicious!) Mackerel......(O-M-G! They were cured very well and very fatty. No hint of fishiness. Hello, Omega 3, improve my blood circulation.) So I ended up ordering extra mackerel. Some Japanese people order egg sushi first to see how sushi is good at a restaurant but at some restaurants, they buy the egg omelet from stores so it always doesn't work. To judge the skill of sushi chefs, I recommend you order mackerel. Do they make home-made omelet here? Yes. When I was there, they were making it for dinner time and I received the sampler. It was good as well. I haven't tried many hot dishes here but if you like sushi, I highly recommend this restaurant. This restaurant is often visited by Japanese celebrities from Japan so if you see them, please get me their autographs! It is a little bit hard to find a parking space, but it is worth while visiting.

Looking for a laid-back neighborhood restaurant? This is the right place. Located on a quiet block in the Richmond District, this is my sleeper pick for a nice, quiet (perhaps romantic) dinner. The menu is pretty extensive with its appetizers, sushi/sashimi choices, dinners (solo or combinations), and noodles (udon, soba, and ramen). The daily specials are located on a chalkboard behind the sushi chefs and many sounded very tempting, especially the Lobster Handroll. We shared the following: Appetizers Agedashi tofu - Deep fried tofu pillows topped with diced green onion and shredded nori strips; a small bowl of tempura sauce is served for dipping (like that it's separate so that the tofu is not soggy). Crab salad - A mixture of some spinach and wild greens with shredded snow or king crab. Again, the salad dressing is served in separate small dishes, one with a vinegar soy and the other a sesame dressing. Sushi Northern Roll - Eel, avocado, and snow or king crab. (6 pcs.) Space Roll - Tuna (Maguro), Hamachi (yellowtail), and eel ( 6 pcs.) Nigiri Unagi - Eel ( 2 pcs.) Dinner Combination Tempura and Beef Sukiyaki - My favorite entree here is the Beef Sukiyaki which feature thinly sliced beef in a sweet soy based broth with tofu, clear rice noodles, fresh mushrooms, bamboo shoot slices, and shredded green onion. The tempura includes two prawns, one yam, one zucchini, one eggplant, one mushroom, and one Japanese pumpkin, I believe. The complete dinners come with a salad of rice noodles, ham, and cucumber in a light mayonnaise and bowl of miso soup. Dinner came to $57.00 before tip, pretty reasonable the amount of food we ordered. Having a light lunch, I was not shy in making the food mysteriously disappear. The customers varied from singles on the sushi bar, young couples and large families (bumped into a Chinatown restaurant-owning family tonight here) dining at the tables. Normally, I wouldn't encourage eating here because of the notorious Richmond District parking reputation, but the trick is arriving shortly before 8 pm and finding a designated bus stop. For a late dinner, this is definitely one find to tuck in your pocket. Also, remember to try the wrapped chocolate that comes with the bill. This will add to the sweet taste in your mouth after you've eaten here.

Best sushi around. Great portion sizes and amazing quality. Highly recommend. Such great combination meals and sushi. Servers are very attentive and nice.

Recently I came back to tanuki and was really disappointed. The Uni shot wasn't as good as I remembered. The sushi are not that great - Mediocre rice and the fish didn't taste fresh. Will not come back any more.

This was my go to Japanese restaurant for many years when I lived in the neighborhood. I hadn't been in several years so I suggested to hubby we come for dinner tonight. Menu sticker price shock at dinner time. $21.50 for combo sashimi and beef sukiyaki was steep for the portions served. I attributed it to doing business in San Francisco. Miso soup, noodle salad, rice, and the dinner combo. The noodle salad was ice cold and too peppery. Not like how it used to be. And a soup spoon in the soup bowl. We both thought that was a first for us in a Japanese restaurant. Hubby also had the dinner combo- sashimi with tonkatsu. The tonkatsu was like a thin sheet of paper. The sashimi was fresh. It came on a plate. But no ginger. And a tiny dollop of wasabi. My sukiyaki lacked yam noodles. I might have had a few threads. And where's my fish cake? And not authentic looking or in taste. In the middle of our meal, a customer came in for take out order. The waitstaff started speaking Cantonese to him. Is the kitchen non Japanese. That might have explained the change in the taste, the ingredients, and overall appearance of the food. I'm not like that with other types of cuisine. It's just something about Japanese food for me. A disappointing meal, both food wise and price wise. We left still wanting something more to eat. We went home and reached into the freezer for ice cream.

Whenever I'm in her hood, I report in advance, not because I needed her endorsement, more like I did not want her to feel that I did not want to see her. I was often with other people and I don't do well in a larger group. This is in her hood, and she's eaten Christmas eve dinner here just recently and liked it. My companion also suggested it after learning our original place was closed. I walked a few blocks to get here, on foot. It was a quiet early evening, the moon was hanging low, the air was warm and I was in a calm, contemplative mood. There were a few options on Clement, but I'm under strict order by another friend to avoid being on Clement between 5th and 9th, in case I might run into him and his family, and some awkward pleasantry and greeting might be contemplated. I don't do well with fake pleasantries either. So here we are. Seemly like a perfect dining choice for all the reasons listed. But from the get go, there were a few issues with the ambience. Bright lights, like you are under interrogation. Not romantic nor stylish. It's obviously popular, the bar was filled so were the tables. This particular night there were a group of 4 and 5 occupying the entire bar and they were drunk and exceptionally loud. I pulled out the sound meter to measure, if any louder, my ears would go deaf. A popular restaurant like this should tell patrons to lower their volume, this would never ever be tolerated in a better managed restaurant. Sadly it was the loud mouth drunk bully night and it was clear we were not the only ones who were annoyed, other people did not like it too, but being this was a pleasant society we live in, no one said a thing. As the evening went on, they were becoming even more obnoxious, doing shots at the bar and thoroughly forgetting this is not their own living room, others were trying to have a conversation and enjoying their meals too. It felt like that we were stuck in an insane asylum with the inmates running it. Food was decent. The hamachi was palatable. The monk fish liver was relatively fresh. The rolls were good but not great. It's your stereotypical American style sushi joint with a lot of California style sushi, lots of mayo, lots of sauces to cover the less than best quality sushi. It lacked authenticity to say the least. I understand this is a crowd pleaser from other reviews, but it's not outstanding. and the other obnoxious drunken loud diners really made the experience less than pleasant. In the morning when we woke up we said to each other in unison, "last night those diners were really loud." It might not be good, it was certainly a memorable experience. The walk from 7th and Fulton was nice and leisurely. The food was decent... But I had expected more. They say Yelp reviews can be a hit or miss. For me, this is a miss. And I shall not return.

After not coming back here for years, the quality of food and service is really bad. First the service. Walked in and the menus, plates and utensils were just tossed on the table. The plates were wet too. After tossing the stuff on the table and asked 3 minutes later and when we said not yet, just turns around and continue watching the game. The food was pricey for low quality. We went and got a few sushi rolls and the fish had water coming out (old fish being aged in fridge effect). The sushi were around $2 a piece, so quality should had been a lot better. Even my uni shot tasted aged. The place was fairly empty when we walked in and a couple tables that sat down after us, left before us. So this is what kind of quality this place has.

Upon entrance, the friendly staff seated us at a table and brought us hot tea as we skimmed through our menu. I gazed over to the sushi bar and saw SO many delicious and fresh-looking fish! That's when I knew I had to order sashimi. Then I gazed upon their chalkboards showing their specials which sound delicious as well. Then we ordered... Miso soup - hot and steamy miso soup with big chunks of soft tofu and wakame (seaweed). Mildly salted. Soft shell crab - tempura-battered fried and served with lemon and tempura sauce. Really good. Chicken Karaage - small plate of bite-sized fried chicken that is not too heavy for the stomach leaving you room to try other dishes. Spicy Hamachi Roll - not spicy at all in my opinion, but I liked it regardless! Sashimi Combo - choose between 14 or 20 pieces. Like I mentioned, it was really fresh and the pieces slide right off itself. not frozen! Steamed clams in sake broth - clams were a bit small and was put inside a huge bowl of broth. decent. Uni shot - This was served with a quail egg over sake along with the uni. Delicious!!!! Sukiyaki - this dish was pretty big if you are ordering a lot of other dishes. This can serve 4 bowls. The beef was tender. Hot Sake - you can order a small or large size. Perfect addition to the meal. I was full to an extent, and left satisfied for the night!