The Public Izakaya

Great atmosphere with really great food! We just tried this place for the first time and it did not disappoint! We had various ramens and they were all good. We also had the Flaming Toro roll, which was sublime. We are definitely coming back!

Came here to try their skewers only to find that they have happy hour everyday at a certain time even on a Sunday. Unexpected and surprisingly affordable. We got a few items on the appetizer lists like the Saba and salmon nigiri and they’re surprisingly fresh without any weird taste or smell. Finished it off with a wagyu naba hotpot which was marbly and tender. Love the attentive service all around. Would come back here again

I want to share my impressions of visiting this establishment. I love Asian cuisine, and after seeing the rave reviews, I decided to go in. It was late evening, which was good, since the establishment was still open at that time. The cafe was completely full. We had to wait a long time for someone from the staff to approach us. Then I had to wait the same amount of time until they took my order. I'll say right away that the prices are high, the portions are small. The dishes looked so-so. I didn't like the soup, it's the first time I've seen Asian soup with American chips🤦🏼‍♀️ I've never seen such a mix. The rolls were made terribly, all different sizes, and fell apart immediately. tempura it was three shrimps. We never received the receipt, so we had to go to the cashier ourselves. The staff was disgusting. Our waiter had a dissatisfied face. I visited this cafe again, but the service was just as terrible. The cafe is not very clean, the shelves with decor are all dusty. I was left with a terrible impression after visiting this establishment.

A pleasant surprise!! We found this place online and decided to check them out. The outside appearances could use drastic improvements. We decided we were going in and we were glad we did. The staff were awesome, friendly, and attentive. They seated us right away. The place was full to capacity. We ordered the Millionares Tonkatsu Ramen, Honey Garlic chicken wings, a Bento Box 🍱, kimchi fried rice, Tuna Roll, and a Shrimp Tempura 🍤 roll. Everything was well prepared and delicious. Be aware that 5% surcharge is added to the check to make sure the employees are taken care of. So be sure to tip. Its deserved. Stop in and try them out, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised!!

Now THIS is about to be one of my go-tos on SF trips. A 10pm happy hour??? Hello!!??? Everything slapped. The wait was ~10min for 1 person which wasn’t too bad. The chicken and mushroom skewers were perfectly seasoned. Perfect! The albacore and hamachi nights were pretty standard. The spicy miso salmon kama was decent, a little fatty for my liking but still solid. The karaage and gyoza barely got a pic I chewed it up so fast. It was so good. I washed it all down with a Okinawa breeze cocktail inside of a pineapple. Finished off with the mango Sanyo. Chefs kiss. These prices are hard to match. I’ll be back.

Coming from San Diego, I had high expectation. The Public Izakaya did NOT disappoint, and if fact, raised the bar. I see myself coming back tomorrow and every time I find myself in the Bay Area. Was feeling sashimi, so went with the best of the best. Staff was as great as the food, and I was lucky enough to be immediately seated. I would recommend this to the most discerning Izakaya fans. Cheers, Public Izakaya.

Not a good experience overall. The wooden spoon smelled like fresh from the soap water and its wet. Nabe was too salty, I suspect they put too much soy sauce in it. Not much service either. The only good ones are the skewers. Not worth the price definitely.

I usually don't comment, but this is some really SHITTY food...the fried oysters were super, super aged and (when you bite the outer shell the oyster inside literally drips white gunk). The avocado eel rice is so bad as in the sticky gooey texture and there's bones that will literally prick your throat..the skewers are okay, honestly a 4/10, could eat, but won't recommend. The wagyu (i doubt this part) ramen is salty sweet and greasy at the same time lol it smelled so unauthentic with a taste of premade sauce. The water tastes like dish soap. I told the waiter the food is really bad, she said she'll tell the chef, she spoke to him in cantonese about the situation, no apologies, and did nothing else. Ts some bad service lol. Came with an empty stomach, left with it full of anger..this restaurant ruined my sunday night Overall a 2/10, if you're here for the food, RUN!

Came here on a Saturday afternoon at around 4p. At most places, lunch has ended and dinner hasn't started, but luckily, this izakaya was open. I ordered just a small dish, the 5pc salmon belly sashimi and it was seriously good! I've only had salmon belly once before, and the previous cut was fattier. However, this was regardless a delicious, quality cut of salmon, and extra torch and salt was a nice touch. No over the top sauces here, just quality sashimi. This particular dish nets a 5-star from me. In my opinion, the foods quality warrants a higher rating than what you currently see here, especially given it's in SF. Service is decent and straightforward, nothing fancy and the one member of waitstaff is busy. The shop is super cute inside, with a cozy corner in the back. Will be coming back for the salmon belly in the near future!

Went to Public Izakaya for the robata yaki since they use real charcoal grills. We got the skewer sampler, which was a nice spread of protein, all delicious and well seasoned. The pork belly was a little salty, but it paired nicely with cold beer and hot sake. The shishito peppers had just the right amount of char. The karaage was more like fried chicken than classic karaage, but still tasty. The agedashi tofu was good. I tried the baby ama ebi for the first time, and as an ama ebi fan, I loved it. Service was solid, and the ambiance felt like a Japanese izakaya.

Came here to try their skewers only to find that they have happy hour everyday at a certain time even on a Sunday. Unexpected and surprisingly affordable. We got a few items on the appetizer lists like the Saba and salmon nigiri and they're surprisingly fresh without any weird taste or smell. Finished it off with a wagyu naba hotpot which was marbly and tender. Love the attentive service all around. Would come back here again

Came for happy hour on a Wednesday. Staff is friendly. Restaurant is a little warm inside. We ordered primarily on the happy hour menu. The drinks were okay, can't complain for happy hour pricing in the city. The only solid drinks we liked and would order again were the coco bomb served in a coconut and the lychee mojito. The baked mussels were good, just a little overcooked so they were a bit chewy. The salmon nigiris weren't great, didn't taste fresh. Shrimp taco was okay, wouldn't order again. Purple potato fries (not on HH menu) were solid but didn't like the sauce it came with. We loved all the skewers we tried, chicken skin, chicken thigh, and pineapple. Mango sago was okay, sago was overcooked so a little mushy.

Loved getting a late night dinner at public izakaya! The flavors are amazing, portions are large, and the ambiance is very cozy and inviting. The staff is very engaging and the food came out quickly and steaming! Great skewers and the salmon don was a hit. Can't wait to come back and try some more of the menu!

I used to come here all the time back when they had a yelp check in offer for a free sapporo. Unfortunately they ended that. Sometimes the service is fast and helpful. Other times, servers don't have answers or respond with rude and short grunts. The food is good, pretty greasy for some of the rolls, such as the flaming toro. Definitely worth the price for the happy hour nigiris. The place is cute inside, and usually there isn't much of a wait. There is also an overspill room decorated plainly with emply bottles of dassai 23 on the walls. This room isn't so cute. Ultimately I can't pass up their late night happy hour and will be coming back.

Standard izakaya , nothing really stood out to me but was still good. Really disappointed in the chicken skin.

First time at The Public Izakaya, and it was a hit! I ordered the Fiery Wagyu Ramen Bowl, which was packed with flavor, rich broth, and melt-in-your-mouth beef -- easily one of the best ramen bowls I've had in the city. To go with it, I had a fresh-squeezed pineapple juice that was refreshing and perfectly balanced. The prices were surprisingly reasonable for the quality, and the portions were generous. On top of that, the staff was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. Delicious food, great value, and a welcoming vibe -- I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu!

Came here on a Tuesday night around 11:45 pm and got seated around 20 minutes later. We were 4 guys and 1 girl so 3 of us did have to squish together on one side of the bench. It was a full house, not really great for groups bigger than 4-5 unless you get seated next to each other. It's very spacious inside though, lots of seating. And I love their decorations. It kinda feels like I stepped in an izakaya in Japan. The menu is huge. I ordered the hamachi kama, truffle hamachi carpaccio, king 49er roll, mango sago and lemon sour. The rest of my group got the crunchy tempura fried rice, calamari, bento box, and seafood okonomiyaki. I think the best ones were the ones I got lol the hamachi Kama was so good and it came with ponzu. The fish was tender and flavorful. I'm always a big fan of hamachi carpaccio so this one was also really good. It only comes with 5 pieces, I could eat 2 orders by myself!! The roll was not bad, nothing special though. I enjoyed the calamari sauce, and it was crunch. The mango sago was also a nice dessert to end the night. It's like blended mango with sago and mango chunks on top. The mango was sweet and not sour. My friends didn't like okonomiyaki and thought the rice was okay and agreed the fish might've been the best tasting dish. Wish I could've tried the skewers though. I also didn't like the lemon sour that much. It had an interesting presentation with frozen stacked lemon sours. Just took up a lot of drink volume. It tasted similar to ones I had from Japan, but very watered down. Also they have happy hour from 10-11 pm, we missed it but will try to come back here during that time.

Nice atmosphere and big menu with plenty of options! - Sashimi assortment: fish quality was surprisingly good! Thick cuts and fresh - Unagi don: highly recommend, the rice texture was al dente in the best way. The avocado gave a freshness countering the sweet unagi sauce. - Skewer assortment: chicken was a little dry as well as the salmon. Would recommend the wagyu beef though! - Salmon kama: juicy and meaty, nice miso seasoning

This was a convenient stop for food near my hotel. I enjoyed udon tempura. The portion was more than enough. It's a great place to come and share a couple of small plates.

Good atmosphere, good food. This izakaya is located in the heart of the Tenderloin. They offer happy hour menus, but we were never early enough to have happy hours there. We went several times and did not have to wait at all every time. Usually, we get the skewers, the nigiri, and some dishes on the raw menu. The skewers in my opinion are pretty worth it. The nigiri is decent. I got the pork belly fried rice two times but I am not a big fan of the fried rice. This is because the fried rice kinda taste soggy. The tempura bits in the fried rice is pretty tasty though. With two people, the bill usually came out to be around $100 and we would have leftovers.

Good late night spot but a little on the expensive side for late night dining. Their sashimi is a hit or miss on freshness depending on the day of the week. I love the kimchi fried rice remix. Usually a wait on the weekend past 7pm but no longer than 20min. Food comes out quick. Interior is fun and adds to a fun date night spot.

The Public Izakaya is just okay. While I appreciate that it's an izakaya and open late by SF standards, the experience overall was underwhelming. Food: I ordered the bluefin tuna o-toro nigiri and the tonkotsu ramen. The nigiri was decent but not mind-blowing -- $15 for the quality of the two pieces I received (mid) was not worth it to me, especially since I've had better elsewhere. The tonkotsu ramen came with fatty, rich meat, but the broth lacked that deep, fatty, oily richness I usually associate with tonkotsu. The noodles were cooked well, the broth was seasoned well aside from the sorely missed fat, and the meat itself didn't seem spiced or marinated -- it was just fatty and meaty without much else. We also tried the spicy miso chicken ramen, which was disappointingly watery, and the caterpillar roll, which was more avocado and rice than unagi in ratio. Ambiance: The vibe inside is cute and whimsical, with fun decor touches like a little Godzilla statuette by our table, which I thought was charming. The space has a nice energy, and I appreciated the effort put into creating a playful atmosphere. Service: The servers were pleasant and attentive -- no complaints here. Overall: I have pretty high standards for Japanese food, and this place just didn't meet them. I wouldn't return on my own, BUT the only reason I'd see myself coming back is for their happy hour! I'm a sucker for discount nigiri and cocktails, what can I say? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This place was very busy even at 11:30 pm. The food was definitely delicious. The place is very casual with some music as background noise. But not too loud so that you couldn't have a conversation. A definite good late night option for us.

Visiting SF so I had to try this place recommended to me. Some friends that live in the area joined as well. It's a tiny restaurant but I'm assuming many places in SF are tiny cause of the space. Service was great and the servers were attentive towards us the whole time. Great recommendations and very friendly. Food was really good too! We got the classic skewer sampler and I think it's so worth it! Every skewer on that sampler was immaculate. The ramen was like any ramen I've had. Nothing special but it tasted great. Their cocktails are also great tasting and reasonably priced. I think the only downside was the tank we were sat at. It was a bit tight and uncomfortable but we made the most out of it! There was a faucet? next to me I think lol I thought that was weird but it's fine. If I come to the area, I would definitely come back!

Came to The Public Izakaya for some late night bites off their happy hour menu & got a bunch of food. Some of my favorites were the skewers, garlic noodles, salt & pepper fish, dynamite shrimp, & this delicious pineapple cocktail. Had mussels for the first time & they were fine but I'll probably never order that again. Also thought the baked salmon roll was cool but nothing special. Definitely recommend coming here for late night munchies!

Such an amazing happy hour in the city, especially if you like skewers! My party of 3 arrived for happy hour on a Tuesday evening around 5:30, and the restaurant was maybe half full. We were seated immediately. Happy hour happens everyday 5-6 pm as well as late night between 10-11 pm and includes a bunch of food and drink specials. The happy hour food is such a great deal, since most items are either $5 or $10, including a bunch of chicken and vegetable skewer options. As there were 3 of us, we tried a bunch of items from the happy hour menu. My personal favorites were the karaage + gyoza platter, the grilled salmon kama / collar, chicken wing skewers, and the chicken tsukune (meatball) skewer. Portions were very generous for happy hour. For example, the $5 karaage + gyoza platter comes with 3 pieces of karaage and 3 pieces of gyoza. And for the skewers, each $5 order comes with two skewers of generously sized meat. We definitely over ordered as we didn't expect the portions to be so large, but somehow we managed to finish everything. We were just super stuffed afterwards. I ended the meal with their $5 mango sago dessert, which was also very good. It was a bit more watery than I expected but had a delicious mango taste.

The difficulty of finding parking was 10/10. Be prepared for crazy SF parking and meters. Plenty of space inside the restaurant. Lots of fun alcoholic drinks and only a handful of non alcoholic drinks. Went with the yuzu peach and thought it was really good. The mango sago dessert was fresh and 10/10 good. The skewers were a mixed bag. We didn't like the chicken or the American beef one. The American beef was super tough and chewy. For a few dollars more get their A5 waygu with griller pineapple. That one is delicious. Their pork was also a miss. I thought the rolls were 3/5 to 4/5 good. Everything was fresh and came out super quickly. The gyoza karagge appetizer was 3/5. Just fried foods with their curry dressing. This place is good for just chilling with skewers and small bites. Was 3.5 rounded to 4 for the service and good desserts and decent prices and really good A5 waygu skewers.

Came here with a party of five on a Friday night before a show at Bill Graham, so the dining area was decently busy but not packed. I was not a fan of their uni flight, which offered three different types of uni (from Hokkaido, Santa Barbara, and another location that I forget- this has to be seasonal, since I don't see it on their website menu!) It was so pricy and the uni quality was not fresh at all. It left a really bitter and fishy taste in my mouth, I'd highly recommend skipping on anything sea urchin related from this spot. There were no issues with the salmon sashimi on my end! Pretty thick cuts that were yummy and fatty. Andy's Fries were really good. They had a decent mix of bulgogi and cheese, and the fries were battered and had a great texture/didn't get soggy under the weight of all the toppings. Granted, it is harder to mess up than uni since it doesn't use any ingredients that spoil easily. Pretty unique dish for them to offer, I would get this again. This place has a lot of cute Japanese decor and is welcoming enough for parties of all ages.

Alive going here during their late night happy hour. They've got some great choices on their menu and all fairly priced. It can feel a little tight in restaurant because it is a little smaller. But this should t be an issue if you fill up on the beers and good food.

First time here after bar hopping. It did not disappoint me ! First of all, they open late which is a plus for me already since my friends and I hang out in the city late & always trying to find place to eat after drinking. My friend took me to this place and we've ordered few small dishes since it's late & we don't want to stuffed ourselves. Everything was wonderful and delicious ! The Snow Crab Yuzu Cucumber salad was delightful & very refreshing. The only thing I didn't really care for was the seaweed salad underneath it. The Hamachi Kama is always my favorite ! It was grilled to perfection and delicious ! The Sant Barbara Uni melts in my mouth. Overall, all the dishes were delicious and tasty!! Will definitely go back & try other dishes.

Solid late-night food spot, good for groups to share some drinks and bites. Decor and ambiance were fitting for an izakaya. I especially enjoyed the posters and Japanese figurines. A bit overpriced in my opinion, came out to be around 50pp. Food was decent. I think our favorite was the shishito peppers and the kyoto beers. Huge fan of the kyoto yuzu beer, although it was a bit pricey for a beer bottle but I guess that's the tariffs ruining everything good. Couldn't really taste the spicy scallop as much over the sauce they put on top. Hamachi tasted great. Forgot to grab a picture of the motsunabe but we shared that between two people. It's nice they have the hotpot setup for the table, just wish it was less pricey. Our waitress was not very knowledgeable about the menu unfortunately. I asked if noodles and other veggies came with the nabe other than what was listed in the menu, and she said noodles definitely come and other veggies like broccoli and carrot. But in reality none of that was true. We ended up having to order a side of ramen noodles for the soup. The service was still accommodating and nice but we would have ordered something else if we had known.

TLDR : Amazing place, great beer, lovely cozy ambience, quick service and good food. Such an amazing cozy spot which we chanced upon. Loved everything we ordered. Must try lychee infused beer

Happy hour specials are worthy checking out. But their extensive dinner menu is better option for food. I wanted try the hot pot thing so def will be back for that The sushi was so fresh.

Came here at night around 10pm, they have some specials that are cheaper at this hour, but if they were busy before it is common for them to run out of fish for the specials such as the salmon and tuna nigiri, etc. Ordered the Flaming Toro, Lion King Remix, Baked Mussels, A5 Wagyu Skewer, and the Sesame Mucho for dessert. The A5 skewer was good with its fatty and very flavorful parts but very expensive for what you get. My favorites were the baked mussels and lion king remix, the baked mussels were fresh and juicy and the flavor was fantastic with the savory sauces. The lion king tasted like a very classic california roll with salmon on top. Overall highly recommended to anyone, they have a variety of options to choose from and very fresh seafood. If you come at this hour I would highly recommend to order more from the Happy Hour menu to get more bang for your buck!

My hubby and I stopped by here on a Sunday night around 9:30P and was seated right away It was busy but we luckily got a nice table near the back Their walls were decorated with cute animated flyers Music was a nice plus, they had Japanese alt playing Service was quick and attentive We got a green grape Chamisul soju for refreshment Super cute because it came in a traditional Japanese teapot Food was delicious! We ordered: Takoyaki, Shrimp Garlic noodles , Lion King and the Rocking Crab roll My favorite was the flavorful, garlicky egg noodles with the juicy shrimp They have two very clean gender neutral bathrooms Very great choice for late night with good food and good vibes Definitely coming back here!!

Great food, cozy ambience, awesome staff. My kids and I loved the variety of selections of nigiri, skewers, noodles and desserts. Gets a little loud when packed but still a great place to eat late. Happy hours are exactly an hour: 5-6pm and 10-11pm!

Solid 3 stars on foods. Not too much selections on their menu and husband finally just picked the sizzling beef intestines. Service was just simple and quick. Ambiance was quite old inside, maybe need some remodeling soon.

This place feels more like a 3.5, but I'll give it a 4 given that the pricing felt pretty good given the amount we ordered Came here before a concert on a weekday night and was not packed at all! Was a bit worried but there was still a decent number of seats left Aside from the photos, we also got an unagi don. Some highlights: - calamari: very crispy and yummy! Decent portion size too and came with a nice spicy mayo sauce - American wagyu skewers: soooo juicy and perfectly seasoned, would def order this again The sukiyaki was great as well, along with the unagi don, I thought they were too salty for me. The shishito peppers were nice too! But the sauce was like all at the bottom and it also felt heavier as I got to the bottom of the bowl lol Overall, I don't think I'd come back all the way to the edge of tenderloin for this. But it's a spot that I don't hate, but don't love.

I haven't dined in but recently I ordered take out for ramen and skewers! I ordered the classic skewer set and it was really good. The meats are so tender and soft and super flavorful. The service was quick and fast but inside looks like a nice place to go and socialize! They also have happy hour from 10-11 and the menu looks good! Parking there is hard to find

I've been here twice and really enjoyed coming whenever I'm in the city. Great place to eat and drink with friends and actually made me feel like I was back in Japan again. It definitely has a great Japanese vibe. I really enjoyed their fried foods much more than their sushi. It might've been a bad day for the sushi rice. Every item crispy perfection and arguably one of the best fat juicy chicken wings I've ever had. Their wings is a must! This will always been one of my go-to spots when I'm in the city with friends.

Menu keeps changing and the dishes. Quality is currently hit or miss. Maybe... it was just a bad night. Ordered 3 dishes..only 1 was ok. Millionaire Ramen was the only ok dish. Calamari was over cooked and not enjoyable. Mango & shrimp salad... was a small plate of seaweed.... very unimpressive meal.

Really yummy food. My best friend and I came here before a show at the regency. The inside is super cute and they sat us right away (it was a Tuesday night). We ordered a bottle of rose but they didn't have it (minus one star). I had a cocktail instead and it was just ok (very sweet Mai tai). We ordered the truffle carpaccio, toro nigiri, tobiko nigiri, tofu agadashi, and 2 sushi rolls - the food all came out REALLY fast and it was super tasty and fresh. I took off one more star because our waiter seemed really annoyed with us all night and never wanted to actually come take our order (we called him over to order a few more things, I said one item, and he said ok and started walking away. we had to ask him to come back multiple times). Overall the service could be better but the food was good.

Cute izakaya in the tender nob area. The interiors are fun with a lot of authentic (and some homemade) Japanese decor. There were a lot of people there but we got lucky and got seated within 15 ish mins of getting there. I will say their menu is a bit all over the place. They seem to be catering to a lot of Asian cuisines like some Korean and Chinese inspiration on top of their Japanese stuff. And to be honest, I don't think they're doing the other stuff that well. We got the kimchi fried rice-esque dish. And it was barely any kimchi and very sweet Japanese bbq flavoured and eggy. I think had they had not emphasized the kimchi, it would've been fine as a dish. The skewers were good here. We got a bunch of chicken thigh and they were very tender with a good amount of char. The sukiyaki was also very yummy. We went on a chilly day and it really warmed me up. It was the perfect amount of sweet and salty. I love the glass noodles inside and it was a fair amount of meat. The shishito peppers we got for starters were also pretty yummy. It came with katsuobushi on top.

This is the closest thing I have to Japan in SF. Sometimes I come here and whisper to myself "Nihon ni kaette kimashita" and close my eyes for a second to experience the zen ambiance, before a wave of drunk teens flood in and bring me back to reality

You found it, a good izakaya place. I typically think izakaya is a little hyped. Skewers are pricey for 1 piece of veg or a couple slices of meat. When you think about it, it's just a charcoal grilled skewer. This place is no different but everything tasted good and there is a wide variety on the menu. A good spot before a show at the masonic.

Fair price, good vibes, aesthetic interior, and good food! This place is warm and intimate and was super cute. Not crowded. Not wait time. Good for ramen and tempura! And sake! If the food had been a little more jaw dropping it would have gotten 5 stars.

So worth going for happy hour. Drinks were delicious and easy to drink w your meal. Go for the skewers and noodles. Karaage and dumplings were MID but had to try it. Sashimi super fresh and the salmon roll we got was FIRE We went after 5pm on a Saturday and there was no wait :)

A warm (temp) restaurant with lots cool decor throughout. Saw a few Ghibli characters towards the back that put a smile on my face. When we got there on a Sunday night around 8p there were a few tables occupied. We got seated shortly thereafter, little to no wait time (no reservations made prior). The menu is very extensive! It took a little bit for us to decide on what we wanted. But everything that we ordered was tasty! From a couple of skewers to the sukiyaki to a katsu + teriyaki salmon set. And the servers that touched our table were polite and accommodating. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience here!

Such delicious food and such a cool interior! Located in Lower Nob, The Public Izakaya not only offers izakaya/small bites, but also rolls, ramen, and more. The inside is cozy and decorated with Japanese trinkets and posters, transporting one to Japan. The menu is quite expansive and you can't go wrong with anything. I have had their rice bowls, ramen, and most recently their rolls and izakaya. There is something for everyone and dishes are easily shareable. A great option if you're in the area!

love the vibes in here for dinner. food is decent i liked the skewer sampler specifically the pork belly or chicken thigh. the salmon katsu katsu reminded me of giant fish sticks. i also liked the hamachi jalapeño crudo dish. overall i would probably skip the chirashi bowl as the big chunks of fish were too much for me. service is always really nice here i would check it out!

Such a good deal if you come for happy hour! My bf and I got salmon sashimi, the chicken skin, and a few skewers. The pork belly skewers were nice and tender. The sashimi was good for the quality and price too. The food came out kind of slow, I was irritated at the fact that there wasn't any ventilation in the restaurant and it was getting warm. The restaurant had nice homey vibes. The cute Japanese decorations really brightens up the area.

The public izakaya is one of my favorite spots to go to! Located in lower nob hill this izakaya transports you to feel like you have entered a beautiful tavern with dim lighting and tons of knick knacks all around. Often times the wait is not too bad ranging around 5-10 minutes but there have been some times where the wait was more than half an hour. One of my favorite things to get include the Sakae Toro Oyako Don which is perfectly buttered seared salmon atop a bed of sweet rice with fish roe atop. Others I have also really enjoyed include the Sashimi, Karaage which comes with a lovely spicy aioli, and the pork bell skewer which is very tender and buttery. Definitely recommend checking out The Public Izakaya for spectacular japanese food and vibes!

Great atmosphere. Grilled collar bone was the best! I can taste the delicious chat and there was tons of protein. Other things were all right. Grilled chicken kebab was good. Grilled mushrooms were meh, they added sesame salad dressing on top. There was too much tempura for two people! Fast service!

THE WINGS. ARE. DELICIOUS. Food: Beef tongue curry rice: 3/5 Curry is more saucy than thick. Lots of meat. Only meat is present. It is slightly spicy! Kimchi remix: 3/5 Slightly sweet- there's thin slices of meat mixed in as well. Pretty enjoyable but not outstanding like the wings. Wings: 5/5 CRISPY. CRUNCHY. JUICY. GOODNESS . Service: Fast, friendly and attentive! Ambiance: heavily decorated with Japanese posters, lanterns and figurines. Perfect izakaya spot to have wings and beers

One of my favorite Japanese places in San Francisco! I love their skewers and service the best. What brings me back to this place more so is the warm decorative ambience and Japanese trinkets and figurines---my favorite part is the baskets of candies offered as petite dessert.

This place is just the cutest! I came here with a couple of co-workers and I didn't really have high hopes but loved the place! I had just come back from a trip to Japan and the vibes were definitely there with the decor and all of the little figurines they have in the shop. I had ordered the Spicy Miso ramen and it was delicious! I would definitely come back to try the other food on the menu. Service was the right amount of attentiveness.

Open late night Very tasty food specifically get the garlic noodles with chicken and the yellowtail truffle hamachi sashimi dish with the jalapeño on it OMG! service, no frills no thrills Atmosphere is like a bar Super loud parking was easy as we went late (midweek 11pm) but I imagine normally it's tough I'll be back simply for the two food items I listed!