Umi

I had such a lovely dining experience at Umi! It is cozy and low-lit, would be a great date spot. The wait staff was very attentive, the food was very fast, and it wasn't overly crowded (can't speak for the weekend). The fish was fresh & buttery, and the rice was just decadent!

Ive been to Umi twice now, once with family and once with a friend. Both times was super happy with the friendly staff, but also loved the fish! The nigiri was really nice (good ratio of fish to rice) and the fish is super fresh. Overall feels like a great deal and a great local sushi spot, would recommend:)

Small neighborhood sushi place that hits the spot and doesn't drain the wallet. Sure the rice could use a bit of work but the fish is fresh and tasty, I can always get a table, and service is friendly. There's usually enough parking in the area so it is rarely a problem but you could also take the Muni and hike up the hill. I've tried a variety of items here including the sushi combination and sashimi combination. They also have specials of the day that change with the season. The sashimi combination set comes with rice and miso soup and is good value for the amount of fish they include! Since the sushi selection changes with the season, it's hard to say what will be available but I've found that hamachi is always a good bet. I also like their gari-saba roll (Saba with sushi ginger) which is very refreshing and has a good texture to the sushi. The rice they use is long grain rather than short grain sushi rice so it's a little underwhelming in that regard. Or they might mix in long grain as well to keep costs down. They also don't use fresh wasabi but I wouldn't expect that for the prices. There is a decent selection of sake if that's your thing, and offer them in different sizes as well so you can consume as much or as little as you like.

Great place for a high-quality Japanese food. They have semi-outdoor seating area, so could seat with the dog. Loved the service too.

One of my fav spots for sushi! Their handrolls are especially good. I got the golden dragon roll and misoyaki cod as well. The cod was so buttery omg. Friendly staff

We got takeouts so the review is about the food only. Overall everything was quite tasty. We especially enjoyed the beef rolls. The portions were definitely on the small side for the price.

We had a great experience. They had a really nice separate gluten free menu including miso soup which you don’t always get! They were also super fast and accommodating. Highly recommend.

I came here on a Wednesday night for dinner. Seating was very easy and they have the option of indoor or a cute covered patio. We ordered a few rolls and the miso butterfish. The rolls were good, and the butterfish was nicely baked with sweet miso sauce. This is a great no fuss dinner spot with tasty Japanese food and kind service. The restaurant is on the cozier side and good for date nights or a small gathering. Vibes are casual and could be cute for a casual date night or grabbing a quick meal. I will definitely be back to try other things!

Came with my friend to try out a new sushi restaurant before trivia! We ordered two rolls to share, and it was very good! The pieces were on the smaller side though. The fish was very fresh, and the rolls were both quite delicious - a solid 8/10! I would definitely come back for a quick bite in the future! The service was very fast and the servers were attentive! Moreover, I also enjoyed the ambiance. The seating area is a bit on the smaller side, but I enjoyed the decor and the vibes :)

We came hungry... The seaweed salad is standard. The agedashi tofu is cut in large pieces that fall apart and is barely fried. The underwhelming Golden Dragon and Potrero rolls were similar and not particularly tasty, just average. The grilled Japanese butterfish was exquisite and worth trying! The server was kind and efficient. The place is a bit drab, nothing special, but ok.

Ordered as a to go pick up order. I don't live too far so the quality of the food, like temperatures, texture, etc didn't go down as it sometimes does with some to go orders from other restaurants that might take 20-30 min to deliver. Pick up service was friendly and quick. Tuna poke - personally wasn't a huge fan of the poke. For the price, the portion seemed a bit small. Weighed it out to about 3oz. Smaller and a bit pricier than a couple other spots I know for a similar dish. Tuna tasted fresh though which was good. A sauce or shoyu I think might complement nicely. Agedashi tofu - well made, classic agedashi tofu. Definitely recommend having this order in house vs to go because of the soup container. All the bonito is at the top, due to the narrowness of the container, so my first bite was just a big clump of bonito. I should have mixed it (but I didn't want to break the tofu). Not on the restaurant but just my observation that it's a tasty dish that would be better enjoyed in house.

Came during a weekday lunch for their lunch special. I got the beef teriyaki and salmon avocado roll for $17! The price is pretty good and the food comes fast so I can get back to work! The lunch special comes with miso soup, salad and rice.

Came here on a date and it was a pleasant experience! The place was not packed at all on a Sunday night at 6 pm and we got seated right away. Good: - Super nice servers and the food comes out really fast - The prices are great here - The sushi rolls were all solid - I had the dragon roll and the portreo roll - it was pretty filling as well - Nice clean simple aesthetic Bad: - The sushi wasn't the best I've had, but for the price, it was a great steal! Overall, a great bang for buck place, I'd recommend it for a fast date activity!

Umi is a terrific hidden Japanese restaurant. I've passed it by a few times and I finally got to try it. We were greeted warmly and were shown to a table outside in their covered patio. They had a lot of lunch special options. My friend got the bento box with beef teriyaki, salmon and white tuna sashimi. It also came with miso soup, rice and a little salad. I had the hamachi kama on a bed of salad with soup and rice on the side. What a good deal! I got three nice pieces of grilled hamachi. I was surprised at the large amount given. It was beautifully charred and delicious. My friend enjoyed his bento. The sashimi were fresh and the beef was tender and juicy. We saw the chef pull out whole fish from their refrigerator to prepare, which I felt was a very good sign of freshness. What a great meal at a great price. Will be back!

In contrast to the crowds lining outside popular neighboring restaurants, Umi seems like a quiet place at a quick glance but upon entering it has a lively and bustling atmosphere. The kitchen is immediately to the right of the entrance and the staff greet you warmly. Their menu isn't extensive but it feels curated to focus on quality, not quantity. I ordered the nigiri sampler which was one serving each of their special nigiri that night. I will definitely order this again, whatever they list as a special I will get next time. The quality was excellent and the fish was exceptional. I also ordered uni, which - for the price point, was a reasonably generous size and was a luscious burst of delicate brininess tinged with sweetness. For our small group of 3 people we ordered a couple of small plates to share: Katsu Asparagus Maki and Beef Enoki Maki. Don't miss out on these. The katsu was a perfect blend of texture and flavor combination with the crunchy breading outside and tender asparagus rolled inside. The beef was served in nine bite-size pieces that almost melt in your mouth. I love that they also had two of my favorite Japanese beers on their menu - Coedo and Echigo - along with a third beer option (Orion) and a couple of sakes. Although they have a covered patio, it's part of the restaurant itself and not one of the sidewalk structures. I don't think dogs are allowed here and that's okay. The tables are a decent size that we didn't feel cramped and it looks like a group of 6 or 8 could probably be accommodated in the main dining room. Good place for happy hour and casual dinner. I'll be back soon.

Small neighborhood sushi place that hits the spot and doesn't drain the wallet. Sure the rice could use a bit of work but the fish is fresh and tasty, I can always get a table, and service is friendly. There's usually enough parking in the area so it is rarely a problem but you could also take the Muni and hike up the hill. I've tried a variety of items here including the sushi combination and sashimi combination. They also have specials of the day that change with the season. The sashimi combination set comes with rice and miso soup and is good value for the amount of fish they include! Since the sushi selection changes with the season, it's hard to say what will be available but I've found that hamachi is always a good bet. I also like their gari-saba roll (Saba with sushi ginger) which is very refreshing and has a good texture to the sushi. The rice they use is long grain rather than short grain sushi rice so it's a little underwhelming in that regard. Or they might mix in long grain as well to keep costs down. They also don't use fresh wasabi but I wouldn't expect that for the prices. There is a decent selection of sake if that's your thing, and offer them in different sizes as well so you can consume as much or as little as you like.

Small & quiet restaurant in Potrero Hill! I came in on a Wednesday night and got seated immediately. We ordered Golden Dragon, Crunchy Spider, and Hamachi Sashimi. I liked how all of the rolls were a set price ($17) but each piece was definitely smaller than I expected. I feel like it wasn't the worst I've ever had or the best especially since there's so many sushi restaurants in SF. For the average value and quality, I probably wouldn't come here again.

Nice little Japanese food joint with plenty of table in two rooms. Street parking is ok. Relatively quiet since I have dinner early at 6 pm. Hostesses are good and attentive. Food is quick and tasty and fresh. Portion is small. They have many house special. Life is a box of chocolate or in this case a chef special combination, you get whatever available at the chef's hands wish for the best. Give them a try.

We ordered takeout tonight and truly hoped it would be one of our new favorite places in the neighborhood, but it was so so disappointing. To start, we ordered a Caterpillar roll for 17 dollars and it was tiny. The entire roll fit inside a 6x6 takeout box and it was only slightly bigger than the size of my iPhone. Moreover, the roll had barely any eel, wasn't completely cut through, and fell apart when we tried to pick it up. The flavor was mediocre at best. We also had the 41 dollar Sashimi Deluxe. The sashimi was tough, dull, and bland. Although the slices weren't tiny, it was still on the small side. The miso soup and rice that came with the set were completely uninspiring. And lastly, the shiso leafs had black spots on it. For over 70 dollars (including tip), we ended up so hungry that we had to supplement our dinner with leftovers. Take your money somewhere else.

Really delicious! Great quality food. Restaurant is a small and cozy hole in the wall. Friendly staff but slow service-there was only one person working. Also gets busy, but for good reason! Highly recommend!

We stumbled upon this cute little Japanese restaurant and decided to give it a try since it looks pretty authentic. We were seated right away on an early Sunday evening, street parking wasn't too bad either. They have indoor seating and also a semi-outdoor seating area. They have a separate menu for the specials. The uni and ikura Don was from the specials menu. Uni was very fresh but portion was on the smaller/delicate end. We also tried crunchy spider and Potrero rolls. Rolls were decent with fresh fish. Overall, we had a great experience with the place and would come back again.

The sashimi combo I ordered was amazing! The cuts of fish were thick and fresh. The rice was warm and had good texture. The service was great and very friendly, kept refilling our waters. :) 10/10!!

Their sushi is a cut above, and i really appreciate their dedicated vegan and gf menus! The specialty rolls could be a little bigger for the price. Even though I'm surrounded by sushi places in the Mission, I make the pilgrimage to Umi for the quality and creativity of their food.

Delicious fresh sushi; the / Beef Enoki & Asparagus Maki is a must try for lovers of a balanced taste between beef and Vegetables. Their Sake selection is sure to welcome Sake connoisseurs

Our absolute favorite neighborhood sushi spot and hidden local gem! Delicious, fresh sushi with many other excellent dishes. We especially love the impeccably prepared agedashi tofu and butterfish among others. The service is attentive, and the ambiance is cozy and quaint. There is both an indoor and enclosed outdoor patio area for seating that is dog friendly.

Quaint and cozy -- everything that I look for during a night out for sushi. The agedashi tofu was delicate, with a subtle smokiness from the bonito flakes. The sashimi deluxe platter was fresh and the natural flavors of the fish shined through. One of the things that I find compelling about Umi is that you can completely walk past it, which I have unfortunately done on several occasions. This, however, allows the quality of the food and the experience to speak for themselves rather than being reliant on "the hype." This understated nature of Umi also helps maintain the local, neighborhood vibes of a homey, go-to sushi spot.

Went here just before Christmas at lunchtime. What a treat this place is. The food is delicious and the service is excellent. I felt a lot of love by the people that run this place. Plus it's on wonderful 18th in Potrero Hill.

I've been here multiple times with my partner as we live in the neighborhood, and it's easily walkable. The place is easy to miss as the sign isn't very large, but I appreciate the pared back aesthetic along with the choice of either indoor seating or open-air patio dining. The chirashi and nigiri samplers are quite fairly priced, and they also have a variety of seasonal offerings depending on the time of year. The garlic edamame is also wonderful (yes, garlic isn't very traditionally Japanese, but it makes the appetizer much heartier), and I appreciate that they also offer fresh horseradish and sometimes actual grated wasabi root. All in all, it's a nice place to come for a casual weekend or weekday dinner if you're in the mood for something a little more refined.

Omg, sooo yummy. Umi hit the spot. All of their dishes tasted very fresh, yummy, and well considered. We ordered the tofu and poke appetizer, spider crab, and the Potrero roll. They have an option for people to sit inside or at the semi-outdoor patio space. We sat inside, but I'm open to sitting outside when it's a bit warmer! The restaurant's ambiance during the evening was relaxed, somewhat romantic, but also could be considered platonic. Also, bonus! The service was very speedy. The staff was attentive and we got seated on a Friday night right away. I would recommend Umi if you're in the Potrero Hill area for sushi!

Puzzled at the other bad reviews. Maybe the chefs changed? Or maybe I lucked out on my choices? This is a hidden gem in my neighborhood. - Bincho otoro: fresh, "creamy" but holy cow it was $25. I'd probably skip it tbh. - Salmon sashimi: fresh, the cut was just the right size. Good! - Dragon roll: I'm a fan of uni so I got this roll. The tempura was well done, combined with the uni on top. It's so good. 5/5 - Golden Dragon roll: I like this too. They put a tiny slide of yuzu on top of I'm not wrong. - Hotate nigiri: very good - Hotate maki: it's spicy in the middle, gave the dish a good kick. 4.5/5 - California maki: I like how they use fresh crab meat instead of fake one here. Love it. The rolls were quite "skinny" on the rice but it's totally fine by me. I actually love it since I don't need so much carbs. Even though this isn't the most value for money sushi spot, I love the food & vibe here and will definitely come back for other dishes :)

This is well beyond a neighborhood gem. It is one of the best Japanese restaurants I have been for quite some time. Not only great for the excellent sushi but also for all the other dishes they serve. Staff really nice and friendly, place cozy and intimate. We brought some friends from out of town and they were really happy of the whole experience.

such a small and intimate sushi spot in potrero hill, i went here with my friend but definitely want to come back, it has a pretty interior and definitely date-vibes. the sushi was good quality, and i will be back

Got this item on Too Good to go from Umi, thought it would be something I could it in the office. Turn out it's some dead fish head and skin.

Ordered for takeout! The shop is small and easy to miss. It also has a tiny outdoor dining area embedded next to the restaurant. I got the nigiri deluxe, which comes with eight pieces of nigiri, six pieces of their California roll, and miso soup. The slices of fish for each piece of nigiri was comically longer than the rice underneath it, but hey I'm not complaining about getting more fish! Some of the nigiri were hit or miss as some slices of fish were cut thicker or were more fresh than others. There was one piece that didn't really do it for me, it was oddly sweet? The miso soup was powdery with a few slices of seafood and tofu, and the California rolls looked a bit sad. The rice could've been packed better for each of the sushi pieces. Overall it was good, slightly overpriced, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again.

We went to Umi for diner. We wanted to seat outside to enjoy the warm weather, unfortunately, their patio was full. We were about to leave for another restaurant, the owner quickly offered to seat us on the sidewalk by bringing a table and chairs - we loved the idea! A friend of ours had described Umi as an expensive place with small portions. We did not think so. Items were reasonably priced and the quality was on point. It is no the best sushi I ever had but I definitely enjoyed my meal! The service was very friendly and fast. The waitress made sure we had everything we needed, promptly refilling my partner's glass of water before she could finish it. I had the Sashimi Deluxe, 18 pieces of chef's choice raw fish with a side of rice. My partner had the Potrero rolls, spicy tuna topped with salmon, and avocado served with spicy garlic chili sauce. Everything was tasty. I had a Japanese beer, Coedo "Shiro" beer, a first-time for me, it was a nice discovery. Umi is a solid Sushi place, not something to cross San Francisco for, but definitely a place to go if you are around.

We ordered the bento lunch special and it's not great. They give you white rice, salad, miso soup, and two choices of very select items. I got California roll and tuna roll. The California roll had a few really cold imitation crab which I feel like didn't defrost properly maybe? The salad was okay, the miso soup is good and my two rolls were just okay as well. I wish I could have substituted my white rice for something else. My fiancé got the same but with California roll and chicken teriyaki. He said his chicken teriyaki was ok as well. The miso soup is the only good part of this bento box I believe

Small cute sushi restaurant in Potrero hill with fresh sushi. This would be a cute date spot. Everything was good but I wasn't a fan of one roll, I think it was the Union. The other two were good. But the stand outs were the sweet scallop and the seared red snapper nigiris! Those were soo good!!!

Tasty, fresh fish in a cozy, cute spot in Potrero Hill with pretty fast service. Love that they try to source locally and sustainably, although I'd love to know more about what "sustainable" means to them. The miso was rich, warming, and salty, with bits of seaweed and tofu. Loved how tender and flaky the gindara misoyaki was. They also have fresh wasabi for $1!

I was definitely very impressed with this place. I've been meaning to come here for some time and I was so happy that I finally got to try it. I went on a Sunday night and we were seated right away. They were a little slow to take our order but, since there was only one waitress taking all the orders, I understood. Their menu is pretty standard for a sushi restaurant - rolls, nigiri, hot entrees, etc. What was unique was there additional menu listing a selection of fish that they imported from Japan. Definitely pricier than the regular menu but it looked more affordable than some other places I've been to. I ended up ordering only from the regular menu but I definitely do want to come back to try their Japanese selection. We started with agedashi tofu. It came out fresh and it was delicious. I liked that there was still a nice crispy texture on the outside of the tofu. The sauce was very flavorful. Definitely a great start. For sushi, we ordered the sashimi deluxe (18 piece sashimi), the portrero roll, the shrimp tempura rainbow, the rock n roll, and a spicy tuna hand roll. The sashimi cuts were generous and all the cuts were very fresh. The rolls were great. They were the perfect size to eat in one bit. I also liked their fish to rice ratio. The only downside to the portrero roll, which isn't a fault to how it was made, was that they ran out of salmon for the top. It was still good, it just wasn't exactly what was described on the menu. The rock n roll was great - good flavor to the eel. The spicy tuna hand roll was spicier than all the other places I've ordered this hand roll from. They don't play with the spice which I don't mind but other people in my party thought it was unexpectedly too spicy.

Ambiance was great. Hole in the wall type of restaurant but very nice inside. Service was solid. And food tasted great. Got a couple rolls and a nigiri special. Everything was tasty and decently priced!

This is our neighborhood sushi spot, and it's great! Umi is super cozy & quaint, and we have never had to wait to be seated. All of their fish is super fresh, and we have never had a bad food experience here. My husband is gluten free, and they actually have a separate printed gluten free menu (and gluten free soy sauce), which is amazing! If you're in Potrero Hill, this is a great option for dinner!

Mostly very fresh and tasty sushi, and very nice staff. However, the size of their rolls appear to have noticeably shrunk over the past couple of years. Given the menu prices, one would expect more food -- "shrinkflation" seems to be impacting some restaurants as well as grocery stores. In any event, they seem to be cutting costs with smaller portions compared to other sushi spots in SF. Not the best value relative to prices.

Some pretty amazing sushi. We got the dragon roll, Potrero, rock n roll and California. All were good but the dragon roll was the best one and it was amazing! The restaurant was small and quiet and the service was fast. I would recommend this place. The only downside is that it is expensive but it is San Francisco.

Umi became my go to sushi place during the pandemic. I appreciate the high quality fish, the family owned vibe, and now that things are reopened, I love their heated and cozy outdoor patio. Because I enjoy their sushi so much, I opted to ask them if they'd prepare some sushi trays for me for a party I had. Stewart was very easy to work with, gave me great suggestions, and stayed within my budget. The platters were beautifully prepared and definitely elevated my little shindig at home to a higher level. It's nice to have such a reliable spot so close to home.

Delicious fresh sushi with friendly amazing staff. I order Togo from here often and the food is always amazing. I always get the same thing--cucumber avocado roll and agadashi tofu no bonito flakes. My family members get shrimp tempura roll, tuna rolls and salmon rolls, sometimes California rolls. Everything is so delicious! I almost always order to go but the service is great when I eat in too. They're so accommodating with my being vegan and always get it right when I ask for no bonito flakes or other modifications. Best sushi in sf. I recommend this restaurant so much!!

Cute little neighborhood place. Very fresh and delicious sushi and great appetizers as well. A friend of mine got the normal sushi platter and I got the extra special sushi platter. I didn't end up loving the two extra types of sushi on the extra special sushi platter (one was sardines, which I particularly did not like) but the sushi I did like tasted very fresh and one of the fish options was super rich and buttery, which was great.

Quaint sushi place with decent sushi. == Ambience == The place is pretty small, I came on a Sunday evening and there wasn't a wait at all. Sitting outside was pretty nice but can get a little chilly. The service was nice and pretty quick. == Food == I ordered the nigiri regular set and the nigiri special set. Nigiri Regular Set - It came with the miso soup which was a little flavorless, usually the miso soup broths I drink have a little more flavor. The nigiri set came out and the fish tasted a little dry and not as fresh as I would've hoped. The rice was plain rice as well, not the standard vinegar rice. The set came with some tuna rolls which I usually don't like, but this one was pretty good because the fish was really creamy. The Nigiri Special Set - highlight was the dungeness crab. == Overall == Wasn't really satisfied with the quality or value of the meal. It's a cute and intimate place though!

Pleasant, attentive servers. Tons of seating over two rooms; plenty of tables early-ish on a Friday night. Got the nigiri sampler which had some good pieces. Item ratings (all from Japan except the hirame): 7 - Hirame (halibut) 7 - Kanpachi (amberjack) 7 - Mejina (opaleye) 7 - Suzuki (seabass) 8 - Inada (young yellowtail) 8 - Hon Hamachi (yellowtail) 9 - Nama Hotate (Hokkaido scallop) 8 - Sagoshi (king mackerel) 9 - Ma Saba (mackerel) Friends were happy with their dishes. Doesn't quite rise to Saru level but not bad and certainly more affordable.

Thank you yelpers ! Was craving sushi with the BF and read all the good reviews. Came on a Thursday night at 6 and no wait. Small and cozy place. When you walk in you see all the sushi chef and then you are lead to the back where all the seatings are. Order: Miso soup California roll Regular sashimi Potrero Fire Dragon Everything was amazing! One of the best sushi's I've had in the bay area, especially for the price point! The sashimi is cut on the thicker side, not complaining and it's really fresh you can taste it. BF and I can't wait to go back!

Delicious fresh sushi in a no-frills setting. Came here for dinner with some friends. Restaurant is small but had some seats open so we were easily able to get a table. I got the chirashi bowl, which came with a miso soup. Overall the fish was fresh and delicious. One thing to look out for is my friends ordered the maki and they did seem to be a bit on the smaller side.

Coveted sushi and katsudon contemporary place! Their katsudon is homely and yummy. I was surprised or maybe I was just hungry. Their katsudon was of perfect crisp pork and sweet sauce over slurry egg and rice, was delicious! Sushi and sashimi was fresh and delightful with the whole meal. Rounds of bottle beers, were refreshing and warmed up the palate. It made of great and cherry fun! Service was attentive. Semi-outdoors and airy dining area with the quaintness ambiance that is adorned. My dining partner was of entertainment and enlightening. It was a good hidden spot!

Had high hopes for a neighborhood sushi spot but the hamachi kama was over cooked and dry with no side of ponzu sauce (even though they said it was marinated in it, it didn't taste like it) and the tuna tempura roll was served in a plate of sweet and sour sauce that had drowned the roll and made it soggy. It was so underwhelming that we forced ourselves to finish the food and went next door to order a burger instead. I likely won't be coming back.

In Potrero Hill, there are several big gems such as Plow and Chez Maman, but there are also some less shiny gems which stand out for being the only ones around. Umi is such a place. If crammed into any other busy SF district, I probably would have never stepped foot in here. But for potrero hill, it's definitely a nice find. The vibe is rather intimate with limited seating and dim lighting. Service felt a bit slow as the waitresses took their time doing their tasks. The food was pricey for what you get but not as americanized as I expected (except for the fact that most of the sushi rolls came with avacado). The shrimp tempura rainbow had very decent shrimp tempura and was lightly seasoned, true to a more japanese palate. Sampler plate was small but served with miso and a bowl of rice. Miso was way too salty and I did not enjoy it, but the fish in the sampler was not bad--very tender.

This is probably THE WORST place I've ever eaten sushi. I am no sushi fan, so I can't really tell between great or good sushi, but i can definitely tell you when it's: 1. Expensive! 2. Inedible 3. Burnt old oil for frying 4. Small 5. Disgusting I think it sums it up. I got 6 tiniest pieces of burnt shrimp sushi roll i've seen in my life for 15$!

Umi was great. It had this cute little patio that was both outdoors and shielded from the San Francisco wind/cold. All the raw fish was incredibly fresh, the Agedashi Tofu was exactly what I wanted on a cold day and the specialty beers were A+. Would definitely visit again.

Had an impromptu date night and was fortunate to have found seats at Umi on a Saturday night! Servers were very attentive and we were very comfortable during our meal. If you're into beer, please try out "Shiro"! Absolutely amazing :)