Yakiniku Shodai

I’m honestly speechless after our incredible meal at Yakiniku Shodai. Every dish was cooked to absolute perfection, and you can truly taste the exceptional quality of their meat selection. The attention to detail in their cooking process is remarkable. Chris, who expertly cooked for us, took his time to ensure that every piece of meat was prepared flawlessly. My favorite was the oyster blade—it just melted in my mouth. Andy, the chef, also recommended some outstanding sake pairings that elevated the entire experience. We left already thinking about when we can come back for another meal. Highly recommend! Here are some photos from our unforgettable dining experience.

This place was nice and a great place to relax and chat. Not too loud or too quiet. The service here is phenomenal and all the staff are super kind and attentive. The food was phenomenal! Absolutely some of the best beef I've ever had and the servers took care to explain everything. Each course was delightful and this place was a good refuge from the streets of SF. ,

My husband & I wanted a nice Japanese dinner and this absolutely met that. While it's not a cheap meal, the quality of the food makes it worth it - the wasabi is real in-house wasabi, the meat is flown in from Japan, and the servers really know how to cook the meats just right. The service was also great and the servers really knew a lot about meats, which we could tell from their detailed responses to our many questions. They knew we were celebrating an occasion and even upgraded one of our meals for free and gave us a round of sake on the house. If you enjoy BBQ, this place is highly recommended!

Nestled in the heart of San Francisco on Market Street, Shodai Yakiniku offers a delightful escape into the world of Japanese BBQ. The menu is a meat lover’s paradise, featuring two tasting sets of high quality cuts ranging from American wagyu, Australian wagyu, to Japanese A5 wagyu, or you can go with the a la carte option. The staff is extremely attentive as they do all the grilling for you tableside. Overall, Shodai delivers an authentic and interactive dining experience that showcases the best of Japanese yakiniku. Whether you’re a yakiniku veteran or trying it for the first time, this restaurant is sure to impress.

It was a last-minute booking with a friend, and we didn't expect to find a hidden gem! Arguably one of the best places to have meat in SF. The wagyu was good, and the set menu was carefully curated. Chris and Andy were knowledgeable and sincere about food; you can feel their passion for their business. Will definitely come back again.

This is definitely the best high end barbeque you can find in the bay area!! Every single piece of meat is premium. So fresh and juicy and yummy. You'll feel like this is authentic Japanese high-end barbeque.

The beef are well prepared, tender, juicy and grilled perfectly by the chef in front of the table. The sake selections on the menu are excellent to pair with the meal. All the chefs, waiters and waitresses are friendly to provide the service as expected.

3.5-ish. Came here with a reservation on a weeknight and the first thing we noticed was the very strong meat grilling smell and bright fluorescent lighting. Naturally the smell would be a given with this type of restaurant but it took away from the upscale ambience a bit. Our bill came out to over $500 for two people. The meat was good and our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable, but we left wondering if we could have had a similar meal down the street at Gyu-Kaku for less than half the price.

Start off 2025 with one of my best meal in 2024 . My close friend bring me to his favorite restaurant in sf and I don't doubt it at all after an amazing experience I had. First I arrived on a weekday when they are slower which I would prefer because the chef here is really attentive and generous. So if possible you should come on a slower day and be seated with chef Chris The restaurant is spacious. They have both counter and table seating. Yakiniku Shodai is a omakase beef restaurant that will provide you variety of wagyu beef from US , AUS and of course Japan and cuts such as tongue , harami, short rib , sirloin etc. They offer you 2 menu the smaller one call shodai tasting menu and bigger one call shodai set. And yes you can order different menu . So , Me and my wife did that and the chef accommodate really well. But if you a beef lover I really recommend go with the shodai set. First they will serve you pickles and then start first bite with beef tongue and it probably the best beef tongue I ever had. All the beef was really tender juicy and flavorful with different topping that chef put on. In the middle of the course they actually serve you seasonal seafood to cut off the rich ness of the beef also. Which I think was a great move!!!!!! Speechless, to all the beef I had and so generous with truffle also. Finishing the corse with frozen yogurt. This is the first time for me to do beef omakase cooking piece by piece in front of me and I will definitely come back here. Thank you my friends who are the foodie and yakiniku shodai for give me one of the best experiences.

Do not make a reservation here. Its over priced and they have a ridiculously strict policy. Take your business elsewhere. Booked a Valentine's Day dinner but got sick from a work trip that same week. Called to cancel within 40 hrs and not 48 hrs. They said I can reschedule once or pay a $100 cancellation fee, per person = $200. Zero flexibility. Zero consideration of the customer experience. Zero chance of ever getting my business again. Also - their policy on OpenTable says they allow reservations to be rescheduled twice but they would not honor it.

Celebrating the Christmas season with our party of 12 friends and family at Yakiniku Shodai was beyond great -- it was truly exceptional! It wasn't just the amazing food but really, it was an overall memorable experience provided through Chefs Andy and Chris and their awesome staff. Stepping into Yakiniku Shodai, it had a modern Japanese style with a main counter seating that included the embedded grills which Andy and Chris demonstrated their skills while educating everyone about the different beef and seafood delicacies that made up the Tasting Menu and Full Set. They also both had incredible senses of humor and played off each other throughout the evening -- it's hard to remember when I've that much fun or laughed that hard at a restaurant! The namuru of kimchi, pickled cucumbers and seasoned bean sprouts were fresh and delicious starters to whet our appetites as we started with a delicate cut of poached beef tongue (Australian wagyu) served in a comforting broth and topped with seasoned and green onion slices. The outer skirt steak (Australian wagyu) was beefy and grilled perfectly--as were all of the cuts that followed--and complemented by the homemade BBQ sauce that it was coated in before grilling. Dipping in the fresh lemon juice for the last piece cut through the richness but wasn't necessary. Some grilled fresh zucchini and sliced mushrooms served as a nice palate cleanser before enjoying the grilled slices of short rib (US wagyu) that were topped with dried, seasoned kelp strips or wasabi that provided unique textures and flavors. This was followed by rib fingers (Australian wagyu) which was meat in-between the ribs and they had a great texture and flavors from the BBQ sauce. Then came another highlight of a whole Hokkaido scallop that was seared and served on nori -- it was like butter from the sea. I didn't think this would be topped, but then we enjoyed the Japanese A5 olive wagyu served nigiri style and topped with caviar and truffle shaved right in front of us--an incredible combination of unique flavors. The tasting menu's last course was the oyster blade (Japanese A5 wagyu) that was very thinly sliced, kissed on the grill, and served with their BBQ sauce and topped with some wasabi--it was beautifully marbled and so rich! Some of our party added on the tenderloin (Japanese A5 wagyu) which was served a little thicker and bathed in a butter garlic sauce after being lightly grilled and placed on top of perfectly steamed white rice. Another remarkable bite that was challenged by another add-on of the yakishabu striploin (Japanese A5 wagyu) that was served with a mix of egg yolk and shaved truffle which melded together to form another unique creamy umami delight. Our meal was perfectly complemented by a dry yet slightly floral cold sake and Suntory beer, along with a less sweet frozen yogurt to end the meal on a refreshing note. This is a really long review because the food deserves it--it was that good--and because Andy and Chris deserve it for bringing Yakiniku Shodai to life after the pandemic and creating a truly unique and remarkable dining experience. We look forward to celebrating with them again hopefully in the near future!

Amazing Yakiniku place! All of the meat was super nice and mouth melting. We had a server who would explain to us all the dishes and where they came from which is also quite cool.

This was easily on of the best meals and dining experiences I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Chris was fabulous and so knowledgeable and engaging. We cannot wait for our next visit to the city to dine in our new favorite spot. The ambiance and vibes were the perfect way to finish a Saturday night out. Until next time! This is Luxury!

Such a delicious dinner! So much delicious wagyu and different parts of the cow. My partner said it was the best preparation of wagyu he's ever had which is probably not an overstatement. Everything was cooked perfectly right in front of us. Also cool seeing the raw meat and all the gorgeous marbling before it went on the grill. The counter seating works great for this style of restaurant, and our chef did a great job juggling the cook for us and the people kitty corner to us. The egg yolk for the rice dish at the end was such a beautiful color. We splurged on the set menu and think that was ultimately the right choice. I think if you're considering doing any add sort of add on to the shorter tasting menu, then you might as well just switch to the set since the add on cost can be pretty pricey and the set probably includes what you want. Definitely recommend this restaurant.

Mouth watering, delicious Japanese style grill wagyu in San Francisco. I enjoyed the experience, the chef was great and cooked the pieces well. I got the shodai tasting set, the cut was pretty good. My favorite is the Australian wagyu thick cut. The only downside is that it's on the expensive side with tips and tax, the total came out to be $200. The meat quality is good, I wish the quantity is more.

Amazing. Words can't describe the attention to detail in this meal. Each course is crafted and cooked in front of you. The amount of wagyu we got to taste including how they tell you where each cut of meat comes from is amazing. The price is well worth it. It's intimate and you get to have a private chef in front of you.

This was my first Yakiniku experience so I'm really glad I was able to experience it here before my Japan trip! I came here last night at 7:30 pm with my partner and his father to celebrate a late Father's Day dinner. We arrived a bit early and got seated immediately. The restaurant was decorated with modern decor and aesthetically beautiful wall paintings. It made the ambiance look so clean and pristine. There were two set menu options, a tasting menu and a "full version" of the tasting menu. We all decided on the tasting menu and we were so satisfied at the end of our meal. The set came with some complimentary sides like kimchi, pickled cucumbers, and seasoned bean sprouts. Whenever our side dishes were empty, it would be replenished immediately by our chef without asking. Our chef would present each piece of meat, explain the pairing of ingredients it was combined with, and prepared it on the grill right in front of us before serving it to us. It was giving "Omakase" style which I absolutely love. All the Wagyu pieces we ate were all so delicious! There were multiple cuts of Australian, American, and Japanese Wagyu. My favorites would have to be the Australian Beef Tongue, American Short Ribs and the Japanese A5 Oyster Blade. Each of these had its own unique fatty flavor that melted amazingly in my mouth. I was so happy and full towards the end. The frozen yogurt was a nice refreshing finish for dessert. It was the perfect touch to end the night.

Came here for a weekday dinner and did the shodai tasting menu! You get to try a little of everything - liked all the meats they grilled and they were generally all very tender and flavorful. I think the ones there were thin sliced were the best including the beef tongue. It is quite pricey though so I wasn't completely full by the end. Still it was a nice experience overall and it was fun to watch them cook for you. The staff was very friendly and great in explaining all the dishes and answering all our questions

I'm so glad that I celebrated my birthday at Shodai this year! We got the best service by Kareem who cooked our meats the whole night and had some great conversations of Egypt (where he was from and where we traveled to a year ago). Thanks to Kareem and also to Chris who called to check in on allergies and to convince me try the beef tongue. The food was amazing! We did the Shodai Tasting Menu $150/pp. The menu consisted of assorted namuru, beef tongue, harami, short rib, rib finger, seasonal seafood, ichibo, oyster blade and frozen yogurt. They source their meats from Australia, Japan and U.S. We had many cuts of wagyu. We also tried beef tongue for the first time (thin cut). The meats were all soooo delicious with textures ranging from marbled, soft, fatty and juicy. The seafood was a big, juicy scallop from Japan. They had 1 veggie dish in between the meats and a starter wagyu soup. I would have liked to have a bit more veggies in between the meats. To end it all, the Frozen yogurt was made in house and was a refreshing end to all the meats. Thanks Shodai for making my birthday special!

We went here to celebrate a birthday and had a great time enjoying the food! We went on a week night and the restaurant was fairly empty and felt a little quiet. There was one cook per two grills so there was very great attention to detail! We ordered 1 shodai set and a shodai tasting set. The meat quality and the flavors were really good. The meal ended with a homemade frozen yogurt which was delicious!

The food was mediocre. Not the tasty yakitori I am used to, even basic things like tori negi.

I had my first A5 wagyu experience in Japan and it was amazing but this experience was amazing and so fun thanks to Mark and Chris! We had reservations for a Saturday night and we came on an off day cause half of the seating was empty but we were able to have an intimate dinner! We all came totally intending to do the tasting menu but we somehow convinced each other to do the Shodai set and honestly, no regrets at all! Chris and Mark introduced to us each item on the menu, let the camera eat first, cook each meat to perfection and give us tips on the best way to enjoy it. Everything on the set was so good but as we continued to progress down the menu, everything just kept getting better. They Dinner did cost us a pretty penny but Chris and Mark made our experience memorable! Will definitely be back for special occasions!

We ordered the Shodai Tasting Menu set, it included various cuts of meat as well as some veggies, seasonal seafood, and frozen yogurt at dessert. The restaurant is very beautiful on the inside and the chefs cook every round right in front of you. It is served omakase style.

Fun and unique tasting menus with beef tongue, and beef like wagu from multiple places including a local farm in California, Australia and Japan. They were served simply with a small dollop of wasabi, or BBQ sauce, because they really wanted the meat to shine. The scallop in the seafood course was the sweetest I have ever tasted all wrapped up in a little nori sheet. They also broke the meat options up with slices of trumpet mushrooms and zucchini also seared on the individual burners built into the bar. Saki flights were a nice offering too. Staff were lovely, accommodating and down to earth.

A hidden gem of a yakiniku restaurant in SF! Just so you know you're getting the real deal, the chefs/owner formerly worked at a 1 star Michelin yakiniku restaurant in Asia. Food: There are two set menu options, a tasting menu and a "full version" of the tasting menu. We opted for the full version because we came in hungry and really wanted to try the additional cuts of Japanese wagyu that's included with the full set. The set came with some complimentary sides and a soup. The wagyu was all delicious! There were multiple cuts of Australian, Japanese, and American wagyu. Our favorite was the oyster blade of the Japanese wagyu and the beef tongue. We also ordered two cups of sake recommended by the chef and a Suntory - it all paired pretty well with the meal. We were pretty stuffed by the end of the meal. Service: The service was fantastic. Everyone was very friendly. Our chef Chris in particular was very sociable and told us a bit about his background and how the restaurant opened. He even offered to give us some recommendations for yakiniku restaurants in Asia! Ambiance: Modern decor inside, nice ambiance. Most of the seating is counter seating where the chef will cook on a grill in front of you. Parking: If you're taking public transit, the F line or BART will get you pretty close to the restaurant, which is on market street. We parked less than a block away on a Friday night and it was easy to find parking. There are also several parking garages nearby. Overall, very enjoyable meal and would highly recommend if you want to eat high quality wagyu.

Great service by Chris. My friend took me here for my birthday and we got their full tasting menu. Ever dish was cooked to perfection right in front of us. Amazing taste to every bite we took. We paired it with a sake and had an amazing time with their personal cook at the counter. Chris explained how he recommended how to pair each dish before we took out bites. Ambiance is this restaurant was nicely done. Big space for a Yakiniku in my opinion especially for SF but I'm not complaining!

I've been behind in my reading so new places are foreign to me these days. When a friend invited me to dinner, I was surprised when he emailed me the Open Table reservation and had no idea about this place. I would soon learn that it is indeed a pleasant surprise. Not being familiar with this part of Market Street after the numerous changes in the past decade, I allowed ample time to hopefully find street parking on a late Saturday afternoon. Not knowing how drastic the traffic situation changed, I found myself scrambling before parking in a parking lot across the street underneath the new apartment building. Literally just across the street, I walked in and the greeter led me to my already seated host. We had the last two seats of the horseshoe counter on the far right; we were also closest to the kitchen. My kind and generous host chose the Shodai set tasting menu (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=-dhNo2QEqGVb2_AQWotzXA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), the most complete of the three tasting options. After getting the three cold plate vegetables, we embarked on a dining journey. I will spare the full details and summarize the highlights for me: The Zabuton (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=LI5VfS_onDKTQL_siiNOMQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), described as a thick cut of U S. Wagyu that's topped with a plum paste, had a good bite to it. The house special salad (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=TfGzTRqjJ7UDLH3121fC3w&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) was a special cabbage like vegetable marinated in a tangy and sweet flavor, reminding me of an Asian take on cole slaw; the texture had a crunchy chew to it as the vegetable is native to Taiwan. The seasonal seafood course (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=CVJOo-w5P5lz5E4KYYRKeQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) was a Hokkaido scallop, plump and large, grilled perfectly with the nice; this was eaten in a hand roll fashion with the nori base and a shiso leaf garnish. The Ichibo (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=kH1kmMc_SHicaFuGe_tPWQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), described as thinly sliced, nigiri style, served with truffle (Japanese A5 olive Wagyu); the most decadent of the courses and fittingly near the meal conclusion. Yes, that's uni on top. The Yakishabu don (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=kFG7UrCFjlI58YSCnDH5bQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) is described as thinly sliced Striploin strip over rice, topped with raw egg yolk * & shaved truffle; it is more impressive as you watch the prep for this (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=stqQtsOgKK3R03ubc_2GVg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). This capped the savory portion of the meal which finished with frozen yogurt with strawberries (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=fj37QE14PQCM1fO73Nuo4A&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). We were fortunate, in dining early, to have the owner chef Andy explaining and preparing our food, almost all cooked on our provided grill. From the sourcing of the ingredients to the intricacies of the cooking, he described the uniqueness of each course and how he came up with the recipe. For a few of the latter courses as more customers dined, Kareem and Mark prepared and explained our food. The restaurant was about 40% full as we started our meal and was probably 70% by the time we left. Thanks again for my gracious host in introducing me to this sleeper of a spot. When leaving, I told Andy that I'd be back with friends while my host would likely return with his family. Meat eaters will appreciate this restaurant.

Wow... this is what you call top tier Japanese bbq. From the presentation, the quality of meats, & the dishes that pair well. Everything was a melt in your mouth moment. Shout out to Andy and the team for making my birthday memorable. I love how they cook your meats for you and recommend which sauce to use certain meats with. Yes, it's located in a not so pleasant area in SF, but when you enter it has a different vibe. 100% recommend to try if you haven't yet.

Shodai! a carnivorous masterpiece. Melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and unparalleled flavor. A culinary indulgence worth savoring.

Very tasty food and an experience as they cook right in front of you . But be warned. It's pricey, don't expect to be full, just satisfied, and they charged 20% tip. I would recommend to budget $200-300/person

Delicious and high quality meal!! Came here for a friend's birthday and we each ordered a set. It came with a few courses of meat, cod, appetizers and dessert. Each course was cooked on stove top in front of you and the meat was so high quality and tender. I especially liked the two A5 wagyu cuts at the end.

The dining experience was good but food was average for the price we paid ($250 per person)

The courses were a journey of pure delight. My wife and I enjoyed the service and education of the many meats we devoured during our visit. Our Chef Kareem was awesome. He cooked the meats beautifully and was very insightful in his explanations of the many questions we asked him. It is nice to know that these luxuries still exist in SF and we hope to return soon.

What a great hidden Gem in San Francisco! I think our server's name was Marco. Marco and his team were so amazing. Attentive, rolled with our jokes, and amazing service. Like other yakiniku (Japanese bbq) restaurants, the servers will present the meat and cook it on a gas grill in front of you. We had such an amazing time as he was patient and kept cheersing with us. Highly recommend requesting for him! They have two set menus - Niku which consists of mainly meat or Shodai which has fish and veggies and you finish off with the yakishabu instead of seasoned rice. We went with the Niku but should have gone with the Shodai because we ended up ordering additional items. The quality of the meat was buttery, juicy, absolutely delicious. Marco cooked the meat well and watching him cook was like watching art being made. My favorite dish was the Parmesan eggplant. It was unexpected crispy on top, soft on the inside, and perfectly marinated. I'm glad Marco recommended this dish. My husband enjoyed the wagyu don because of the garlic seasoned rice. It was pretty good, but I enjoyed the eggplant more. The presentation of each dish was on point and instagramable. The decor of the restaurant is beautiful. Simple yet elegant wallpaper with a Japanese style. There's small tables and one main u shaped bar at the center of the restaurant. Parking can be difficult, but Marco recommended we park on Fell and Market. Bon appetit yelpers!

Y'all know my reviews are all 100% honest. So let me start off by saying that towards the end our dining experience, I found MOLD, yes MOLD covering my boyfriend's cucumbers....at that point, I was ready to call the health department. My boyfriend and I have recently become "wagyu connoisseurs." After stumbling upon this Japanese experience on Yelp, I knew I had to snag a rezzy for my boyfriend's 30th birthday...oh boy how this spot left a bad taste in our mouth...literally. Pros: Meats were delectable, prepared very well. Ambiance was decent. Cons: My boyfriend getting moldy, stale and concerning side dishes. Us getting sick. The most frustrating part of all of this is how I asked the head host/chef was "that" was (already knowing it was mold) and it took 10 minutes and me asking him directly and sternly what it was for him to finally admit it was mold! So disappointed. So rude. This place is NOT CHEAP to be having stale and harmful food. Worst part of it all: my boyfriend and I got extremely sick afterwards. DO NOT GO HERE. Save your $$

Top quality US and Japanese wagyu in San Francisco. Excellent food, ambience and service.

Most excellent beef, treated perfectly. We shared tasting flights of sake- they don't do pairings here, but flights worked fine. The seafood course was as sweet a scallop as I have ever tasted. Staff were all friendly and outgoing. Interior design was upscale but, well ...calm. dishes and other service ware all had style. Tremendous experience!

If you're looking for a yakiniku place to celebrate a special occasion, Shodai is the perfect spot! This restaurant offers a 12-course meal that will leave your taste buds feeling like they're in heaven. Each course is served right in front of you, adding to the overall experience. The meat at Shodai is undoubtedly the star of the show. It's so good that I found myself savoring every bite. The meat is cooked to perfection and melts in your mouth, making it an unforgettable dining experience. It's definitely a splurge, but if you're looking for a place to go all-out, Shodai is the perfect choice. It's worth it for the quality of food and the overall experience.

Yakiniku Shodai is an upscale omakase experience with high quality ingredients used in all their dishes. I appreciate the elegant ambiance but wished they had a more comfortable "waiting area" to be seated. My group went with the Shodai and each bite was immaculate throughout the courses meal. Our chef Deejea was well educated on each aspect of the meal and spoke eloquently on each ingredient utilized per the dish presented. For the price point though, I am disheartened that I didn't leave as full as I would have liked to. Highlight of the meal, A5 wagyu with Hokkaido uni topped with Astrea caviar. This bite was just pure bliss and the way the richness of each ingredient just elevated each layer of the bite giving it maximal umami flavor. The A5 wagyu the was coated with the delicate egg yolk but topped with the aromatic black truffle was stupendous as well. Each cut was grilled to perfection and I couldn't have asked for a better cook than Deejae. Overall restaurant was immaculate and food and service was delightful. I definitely recommend requesting Deejae if you want an adept chef.

My girlfriends and I decided to try Yakiniku Shodai on a Thursday evening. Here is what we got with the Shodai set ($225/pp): Australian Wagyu *Beef Tongue with seasoned onions and green onions *Picanha with salt and pepper *Sirloin topped with uni, caviar and gold flakes *King Oyster Mushroom with salt and pepper *Yamaimo with salt and pepper US Wagyu *Rib Finger seasoned with salt and pepper *Zabuton with salt, pepper and lemon zest *Short Rib with BBQ sauce *Eggplant with red and white miso: least fav dish *Zucchini with salt and pepper Japanese A5 *Chateaubriand with yuzu BBQ sauce *Wagyu over rice with garlic sauce and gold flakes: this was the only cut of meat that was tough *Striploin topped with egg yolk and shaved truffle *Honeydew frozen yogurt Service by Chris was amazing and he provided great recommendations for sake. I'll be back with friends who enjoy Wagyu!

Ok absolutely yum! Of course the Japanese cuts were a class above all else! Best value is probably going for the set menu and we will probably do that next time. Staff were really knowledgeable and friendly. Service was great. Some really unique sakes while exp so smooth. Minus the price point I would be a regular here. I was worried about the area tbh but it was pretty alright no complaints. It doesn't have a super fancy ambiance or anything but pleasent enough for date n

Michelin-like focus on quality, preparation and presentation of top wagyu. Come here for the tasting menu. Don't know of any other Yakiniku-style wagyu grills in the Bay Area that genuinely focus on small quality bites of beef above all else. Niku Steakhouse, Gozu and others are nice for what they are - but they're "fusion" cuisine without nearly as much of a pure, simple QUALITY BEEF focus. That's not to say that Shodai doesn't have other delights. The palate cleansers between cuts of cow are creative and delightful. The scallops were a nice dish too. Service was comfortable, knowledgeable, personal. Your meal is cooked in front of you by a dedicated team of one or two people. As us and another party got into the meal (and some drinks) we felt both Kareem and Marco were able to slide from "top chef" professional to personable, interested and genuine people who do great culinary work and enjoy doing it. Total hidden gem that would be PACKED if it were in a more popular location. Fingers crossed Shodai will help bring more foot traffic to the Market St area.

yakiniku shodai in sf rating: 8.5/10 pricing: $150 pp, $200 after tax hehe cyrus took me here for our anniversary meal & it was super yummy! we got the shodai tasting menu ($150) this was my first time having real japanese yakiniku and i really enjoyed it! they gave so much food ‍ and we were so full... my favorite was the harami (4th slide) which is australian wagyu and i really enjoyed the whole experience! their meat was so facking fatty :D if u wanna try wagyu u should def come here!! and they gave us a palette cleanser of toro belly + uni and the uni was sooo yummm

Date of Visit: 2/17/2023 Finally a premium and amazing yakiniku experience in San Francisco opened! Located on Market Street near Van Ness station, Yakiniku Shodai serve the best quality of meat with the most recommended ways of cooking and pairing sauces. The meat from Yakiniku Shodai are sourced from the sustainable farm, with various premium level including Australian Wagyu, U.S. Wagyu and Japanese A5 Wagyu. The chefs worked in the Michelin star yakiniku restaurant called Da-Wan in Taiwan, which won 4 Michelin 1 star award 4 years in a row. Dinner has two different time slots, 5pm and 7:30pm. There are two set menus to get, which are the Shodai Set and Niku Set. There is also a Kids Set for those who bring their kids with them. Masumi "Sanka" There are many options of sake and beer, and the chef said they are planning to have a list of handcrafted cocktail in the future. Salad & Assorted Namuru We were welcomed with some side dishes to pair throughout the menu. With Taiwanese cabbage and shiso in the center, and Korean Kimchi, pickled cucumbers and bean sprouts on the side. Beef Tongue Combo | Australian Wagyu Two different cuts of beef tongue! One is thinly sliced and only grilled on one side. The other is thick cut to pair with lemon juice and onions. Both were amazing. Oyster Blade | U.S. Wagyu The US Wagyu beef are sourced from a third generation family owned ranch in Corning, CA, called the Masami Cattle Ranch. Love the thinly sliced oyster blade with wasabi and onions. Zabuton | U.S. Wagyu Zabuton seasoned with salt and pepper and freshly shaved lemon zest. Vegetable Platter King oyster mushroom and zucchini were super juicy. Harami | Australian Wagyu Thick cut of the skirt steak with BBQ sauce were good too. Black Cod | Alaska Black cod from Alaska seasoned with salt and pepper. Ichibo | Japanese A5 Olive Wagyu This was my favorite dish of the night. Thinly sliced Japanese A5 Olive Wagyu served with Hokkaido uni and caviar and with gold flake on top. Wagyu Don | Japanese A5 Wagyu A5 Wagyu over rice with house garlic sauce. Yamaimo Japanese yam noodle with house dressing. With carrot, and okra on top. Yakishabu | Japanese A5 Wagyu Thinly sliced Striploin strip topped with raw egg yolk and shaved truffle, and with another huge piece of truffle on top. Frozen Yogurt Sweet and sour frozen yogurt topped with the chocolate toffee from the neighbor Littlejohn's Candies. Excellent food and service! Will definitely return.

Made a reservation for 2, we were seated and served at the same time as the other people who had reservations. One of the menu items were changed because they ran out? They replaced it with something similar. The quality of the food was great. One star off cause while I was getting pretty detailed servings from the person who served us the food didn't seem to show any care to my partners plate and just dumped it while making only mine nice didn't bother me though. The other lady was super nice and let us sample some of the alcohol. Overall I enjoyed the experience.

About a month ago my friend made a birthday reservation for 8, and I'm glad they did because I had a great experience here (albeit at a very high price point). When you walk by, it can be easy to miss because it looks like a hole-in-the-wall. We chose to come on a night where you could get either the Shodai set ($225 per guest) or the Niku set ($165 per guest and only available on certain days of the week). Whatever you choose, your entire party gets that same set. We ended up choosing the Shodai set because it sounded like the Niku set might not be enough for dinner. The flavors of the meat started off light and got heavier as we went down the menu, and all of them tasted great. The palate cleansers in between ranged from an almost bland zucchini to an amazingly crisp mountain yam (though honestly, you're not really there for the vegetables). The dessert at the end was a nice finishing touch (without being too sweet). The servers were friendly and fun to talk to. One of them described the items we were eating in more detail. All of them had masks on. All in all, if you're interested in eating meat, I think it's worth it to come to this place for a special occasion (assuming you're comfortable with the price point). ECO NOTES (Dine-In) Dine-In Dishware and Utensils: All were reusable. They seemed to switch out the small plate every time we ate something new. I thought it was a tad excessive, but they probably did it to minimize flavor contamination. I can't remember if they also switched it when we ate the vegetarian palate cleansers. If they did, I think they could skip the switch for the palate cleansers and save on washing a few plates. Napkins: Single-use disposable napkins (the fancy kind that feel like cotton or some kind of cloth). Given the decor and the ambience, this might be a great place to have reusable cloth napkins instead.

I was treated to a wonderful dinner for my birthday at Yakiniku Shodai in San Francisco. A friend of ours told us about this place because they had eaten in the one in Taiwan. The location is in the outer Market Street area. Parking is not an option as there is no place to park without walking to the location. Better use ride share. Once inside the restaurant, you'll notice that the seating is not for the large parties. It's very intimate. On the night we went for dinner, we were the only customers. It felt like we had the whole restaurant to ourselves. The staff were very friendly and walked us through the dinner menu. We chose the Shodai tasting menu. Our server and cook, Kareem was awesome! He waked us through the entire dinner explaining what we were eating and even showed us how to eat the food (trust me, I needed the help). The dinner was definitely an experience if you love good quality food. It definitely deserves a Michelin star. The service was impeccable. A must try.

An absolute hidden gem in SF, don't know why this place hasn't blown up yet! Took my bf here for his birthday and we were in wow with everything. Chris took care of us the entire night and his service was superior. If you're looking to experience Japanese BBQ on another level this is the place to go. Every meat that was cooked and served to us was one of the best meats that we have ever had. I mean with the price point you're going to pay, it is worth it. It's an experience that I would forsure recommend if you want to splurge or looking to go eat at somewhere to celebrate a special occasion. The highlight of the night was the Wagyu nigiri topped off with truffle and caviar (three of my favorites in one bite). I had made reservations online and wanted to change my time, called in and they were super accommodating to let me change it, which I appreciate a lot. The restaurant itself wasn't too big, but the vibes and atmosphere were all there regardless. Only thing was that finding parking was quite hard so make sure you guys head there early to find street parking , if not there is a parking garage a block away!

We had our first A5 wagyu experience on a recent trip to Japan, it left us wanting more. A friend recommended this hidden gem in SF. The restaurant was clean and inviting and Chris was very welcoming. We had the full tasting menu and experienced wagyu from Japan, the U.S., and Australia. All the meats had their own distinct character, which was such a fun experience! They had an extensive sake collection and some wines too. Not only did we enjoy all the varieties of wagyu, Chris was super attentive and provided us superior service throughout, which made our dinner even more enjoyable. I highly recommend Yakiniku Shodai as a special treat to celebrate any occasion.

Was able to make reservations here on day of so it doesn't seem like too many people know about this place yet which is unfortunate. This has definitely become one of my favorite high end restaurants, something that I would come back to. Had the pleasure of being served by Marco. Not much to say other than all the meats were extremely delicious. Every bite was nearly melt in your mouth with that slight hint of necessary salt or topping which left me gushing for the next bite of the item on the menu ! I just have to say, I'm the type of the guy to never order fish anywhere I go but that wild cod was straight up the best fish I've ever eaten. They definite saved the best for last. The yakishabu was incredible. The texture and taste of the Japanese wagyu NY strip of meat was perfection with the toppings as well. Don't be shy and stop on by for a wonderful experience !

Amazing wagyu tasting experience. Starting with the beef tongue broth and ending with the most delicious strawberry yogurt! Every course was unique and special and price point of only 150 for a 10 course tasting can't be beat. The best was the a5 wagyu of course but great umami flavors throughout. Have a fun night out if you are a meat lover.

One of the best beef meals I ever had. I'm not a huge wagyu connoisseur, like some people act like it's crack, but this place can definitely get you hooked. I've tried the wagyu sampler at Alexanders before and can say this place is definitely better - how the meat is prepared, the quality and the service. We tried many different types of wagyu and our chef, Andy was very knowledgeable and gave the best recommendations. The combinations of just plain meat and it being pair with caviler, truffles, uni and more was masterful. I would highly recommend this place for the best steak dinner you will ever have. Also just being able to speak with the chef and learn new things in gastronomy was worth the experience alone.

Okay so my boyfriend and I have been wanting to go here ever since we moved nearby and today we finally did. Usually I like to do my research before going into restaurants but for some reason I didn't this time. I was honestly very surprised walking in since from the outside you can't really see the inside. The restaurant has high ceiling, beautiful decor and a very calm environment. Kareem was our server and helped us pick out what food we were going to get. There was pre-fixed menus and also a separate menu where you can pick a la carte/singular food items. Kareem did an amazing job describing and explaining each type of meat they served and how it is prepared. At first I though it was like Korean bbq where you cook it yourself but actually the servers cook for you. Kareem also do a wonderful job preparing each dish and made sure we were taken care of. He answered every question we had on where each meat came from, the ranking system, and any other random question. The food was breathe taking from the side dishes to the meat to the dessert. You can definitely tell that each item they serve all of it is chosen and prepared with the highest quality. The meats were so juicy and tender. It melted in your mouth. It was so flavorful and paired very nicely. I highly recommend coming here for a nice dinner or even to celebrate with friends as they also have a private room. This is very different to me from kbbq. Very upscale and can be pricey, but the price is so worth everything you get. I will definitely be back here very soon.

A little annoyed with this place. When I booked a resy for 7 people, it was clear they would charge $100/person to cancel. When we get there right on time, they told us to wait because the other time slots were running late... so we waited patiently 20 minutes AFTER our reservation time. We should have charged them $100/person for going past the grace period. The food was really good and pretentious as can be. Sake list was overpriced. No surprise there. And here's the big surprise! The bill! The receipt they gave us was really misleading. It wasn't itemized. The top part was the tip suggestions. The total made it seem like it would be 2cents tip if we didn't add tip... but we realized the next day that we already paid for tip because of our big group. So we basically tipped them 50%??? Lol just be careful when you're going with a big group. But our server Chris was awesome! Thank you for the experience.

Came here for hubbys 30th bday and it did not disappoint. The ambience, staff (Chris you're awesome), and food was incredible. We did the shodai set tasting menu which came with about 14 small dishes and left very satisfied. The staff cooks for you so you don't have to lift a finger. The explain every dish and bite, feels like you're at a wine tasting but for meat and that of the highest quality. It's expensive but you get what you pay for-- a perfect place to celebrate a special occasion!

One of the best Japanese yakiniku in SF! Gotta try Miyazaki wagyu beef and every kind of meat parts! You'll love the authenticity, juicy, tender texture.

Another new gem opened in SF. It's rare to find a high end Japanese bbq restaurant. Yakiniku Shodai opened recently across from Nema SF by Twitter and Uber HQ. The founders ran the restaurant in Taiwan and decided to bring it over to SF. The quality of the meat and the experience is superb. We walked over to Davies Hall after the meal and the chef made sure that we were in and out before the concert time. Everything on the menu felt bit over the Top, so if you are in the mood to spoil yourself or your friend for a special occasion, I'd highly recommend this restaurant.