Zaoh

Stopped in before a show and was not disappointed. It was a rainy night and we were served with hot tea right away to warm up with. Service was great and sushi was delicious!!

First time visiting in August and did not dissapoint. Such great food and the service was very thoughtful and speedy. Will be returning for sure. Update: Returned and totally worth it. Such excellent sashimi. Wonderful service and so wonderful to sit at the bar this time to watch some masters work! Looking forward to next visit.

Had a large party of 8, they gave us a perfectly cute back room and table area. Our waitress was phenomenal, the sushi was incredible, and look at the presentation!! Highly recommend. Kept the drinks flowing for a great time. (Yes we did finish all of it)

I love this little place. It's one of my favorites in this city. Happy hour prices are wonderful. Service is friendly, and sushi rolls are great. Definitely recommend.

We have come to Zaoh about 4 times, and the food never disappoints. You can tell by the way every sushi roll is constructed with such care and love. Me and my girl always go during dinner time, and we like the service. The waitress is quick on her feet and does not interrupt our dinner experience with unnecessary talk like other establishments. My go-to dishes are the dragon roll, the edamame, I love the chicken karaage!! and the salmon sashimi!! Everything is so fresh and delicious. Cannot forget to.pair your dinner with a nice hot sake! This is our go-to place for sushi cravings, and I highly recommend anyone visiting SF to go to Zaoh. They are truly a hidden gem.

Really friendly and good quality fish. A hidden gem in SF. I came twice but both times they didn’t have grilled hamachi kama. I’d love to try theirs one day.

...Beginning of update... The amount of food they serve has decreased to a noticeable extent. What's worse: the service has really gone downhill: with the restaurant being half empty, I was refused a seat even in a 2-person table. I had to wait for a space at the bar. After much consideration, I left the restaurant. Service is really essential to a dining experience. ...End of update... I must admit that I found it difficult to review this restaurant. This is because I have never spent so little money (less than $20, pre-tip) and felt so full at a Japanese restaurant: the amount they gave was truly surprising. Yet, Japanese restaurants are quite different from, say, Chinese restaurants, in that Japanese restaurants typically serve minute amounts of food, that which is highly delicate (sometimes it's the taste of the food, and sometimes it's the arrangement of the foods, and sometimes it's both, such as kaiseki, a traditional Japanse multi-course dinner). Therefore, if I were to judge the food they serve by the standard of being delicate, I would have to deduct a star or two, as the food here have no connection to either meaning of delicate, as aforementioned. With that said, I do think this place gives good, or even great, value if you don't judge its food by how delicate the food is. As is evident from my photo, although the salmon was on the smaller side, the amount of tempura was ample, as was the amount of salad and rice on the side. I don't want to reiterate, but I was truly astonished to barely being able to finish my plate. In all due fairness, it is possible that their sushi or sashimi are delicate, but as I didn't order any, I can't comment on those. Speaking of which, they offer combination plates known as A+A, A+B, and B+B, where A is some cooked item, and B is some raw item, and the more B there is, the more expensive the combination plate is. Although the place is quite small, and I don't like the divider at the entrance, service was good and prompt. What I like the most about the service, however, is how the waitress chose to look away while I was signing the credit card charge slip, and deciding how much to tip. At some restaurants, the servers literally stare at you and react based on how much you are tipping. I know how some servers depend on tips to make a living wage, but I really appreciate that this waitress wasn't giving me any pressure to tip: because I felt so comfortable, I tipped even more than I usually would.

Everything was exceptional. Particularly loved the grilled quid/calamari and the avocado stuffed with tuna. You also get free tea and miso soup to start

Our server was so sweet and attentive! I definitely recommend this place for happy hour sushi. There was no wait time and it's also bogo free sake bottle. We got a bunch of rolls and apps, along with handrolls.

This is a solid little Japanese spot in a pretty downtown feeling neighborhood if you know what I mean. Parking is found in some nearby streets but may be difficult during the business / week day hours. The restaurant is small, and the food was tasty and expected. Service was nice and we came in on a chilly night so don't recommend sitting near their door. Mostly people were picking up to go orders.

Is it rude to call this place a hole in the wall? I stumbled across it accidentally and was intrigued by the happy hour before 8pm so I ran in to make it before time runs out. Small shop, very neighborhood feel, a couple people dining in on a Friday night. Service was great, the restaurant was cozy and cute. Well-priced food given that it's 2024. Spider roll was delicious, fish was fresh. I enjoyed my chicken teriyaki as well - they didn't skimp. Very juicy! Loved the huge amount of green salad I got too. We all got complimentary(?) miso soup as well. I would definitely come back here!

Came here for lunch yesterday and have to say, this little restaurant is cozy, have great food and service. We arrived when they opened at 11am and offered hot tea. Miso soup was bought out shortly. They are the only restaurant I have had miso soup from that included squash as an ingredient in addition to the seaweed and tofu. Loved it! We ordered the chicken teriyaki bento box and the salmon teriyaki bento Box (added avocado rolls). For $18 a bento box, there is a good amount of food (we both had left overs). Good flavor, fresh food. I did not care for the side salad though which was shredded thin lettuce almost like dried shredded coconut. I would prefer a non shredded side salad.

They added cucumber into rolls that didn't have cucumber in the description on DoorDash. The spicy tuna had 19 tiny sticks of cucumber wahh. I can't eat cucumber, I had to pick them all out. There was a roll topped with torched salmon. The fish inside the roll tasted cooked :(

Great happy hour til 8! Very small and a solid spot. Nice mix of appetizers, rolls, and sashimi. Will definitely come again for happy hour. Also buy one get one free house sake and beers FTW. Rolls were MASSIVE, almost two biters. Knocked a star because two parties with children came in and were seated on either side of us while there were other open tables. This just didn't seem very observant to the space of the restaurant. The kinds were very loud too.

There should be more restaurants like this in San Francisco. The freshest fish you can possibly find. You have no idea how delicious their food is. And this small, charming restaurant fits perfectly into the atmosphere of San Francisco, where Japanese cuisine is simply top-notch. They serve beer with chilled glasses, and it's just so cool.

Lunch is great. Combo A &B. So many choices. Beef teriyaki would be backup choice for next time. Vegetable tempura and salmon sashimi (about 4-5 chunky slices). Comes with miso soup (tiny tofu and carrots, seaweed). Placed in bento box with salad (shredded cabbage) and rice. Tiny plate of marinated bean sprouts. Mug of green tea. This meal made my day. The number of veggies was great. Sprig of broccoli, Japanese squash, zucchini, sweet potato. Seems like a lot. Great coating, not too thick. It's a small place. Kudos to the single waitress who hustled and worked the whole crowd. Too hungry to take pictures. Very reasonable lunch, $25 per person.

12/14/23 at around 1:34PM. Zaoh! Where have you been all my life?! How come I haven't found you until now lol. Livin the bum life lately, so I ordered from DoorDash. Did my research. Clicked dashpass, offers and sushi icon. I checked all sushi restaurants and most bento's are $20+, tempura's are $14+ and 6 piece sushi roll's are $10-$12+!!! Damn!!! Until I clicked on Zaoh. Wow!!! PHENOMENAL. 5/5. Spicy Tuna Roll $8.50+ - 6 huge pieces! Comes with lettuce, cucumber, wasabi, ginger and 1 soy sauce packet. Simple! Refreshing! Bang for your buck! 5/5. Vegetable Tempura $7.95+ - 8 huge pieces of veggies! 2 broccoli, 2 sweet potatoes, 2 zucchini, 1 onion ring and 1 squash. Crispy veggies and flavorful tempura sauce! 5/5. Chicken Teriyaki Bento $13.95+!!! - HOLY SH*T!!! Where can you get a bento box that comes with miso soup and salad for this price? Where?! The chicken was juicy and the chicken skin was slightly crispy! Salad dressing and chicken teriyaki was flavorful. Cheap and QUALITY is superb!!! Miso soup had bits of veggies and tofu in it. Simple! Flavorful! Phenomenal! I'll have to come into the restaurant one of these days to comment on their service and ambiance. I think if they can make cheap but awesome quality Japanese food, I'm sure they're service in person is exceptional! Happy Eat's Ya'll =)

In the area recently and a colleague recommended lunch at Zaoh. The location is near a number of offices so serves a steady stream of office workers. We arrived around 11:15 a.m. and were seated immediately as the first table. The restaurant is really small, about 10 tables plus a sushi counter. Within 15-20 minutes, the place was more than half full. Service was quick and seamless. Scan menu, place order with server and tea or water is served. We shared a few rolls, Mexican roll (my favorite), double hamachi and double salmon (this one was a bit fishy but still fresh and tasty). Zaoh is a solid, no frills Japanese restaurant.

A friend put me onto her fav happy hour sushi spot and if I lived in SOMA this spot would be mine, too! They have decent quality sushi with beautiful presentation. We got three rolls, two appetizers, and 2 large orders of drinks that came out to about ~$30/person including tax. Service was nice, and they have a beautiful dining area!

I've ordered in once and been in for happy hour twice and can honestly say this has become a favorite happy hour spot. The quality of the fish- and rest of the food- for the low price point is incredible and you'll be hard pressed to find a better quality to price ratio in the city. Go only to see their happy hour menu- rolls and sashimi $11, BOGO large hot and cold sake for $9, apps for $6/$7. It's a great spot for both a fun sake and sushi date or a group of friends looking to enjoy a bunch of food and sake. When I ordered in the food, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste. The nigiri was a good size and the rolls were nice and filling. Will definitely get takeout from here again. The service is fine. Sometimes they might be slow to get your next order or refill your water, but otherwise, I had no issue. They are overall very friendly! Will be back.

Had lunch today at Zaoh and was pleasantly surprised. It's a compact restaurant but they're able to fit a decent amount of people for the lunch time crowd. The server was very friendly and super efficient for being the only one serving all the restaurant patrons. We received tea and sprouts immediately upon being seated. The miso, salmon nigiri, and rolls were delicious and creative. Prices are reasonable. They also have a good lunch deal with a variety of options. Overall recommend for a great sushi meal.

This was the one of the best sushi spots I've ever had in my entire life! The quality of food, service, and everything was above expectation. If you want a sushi spot this is it, I cannot rave about it more. Sushi was absolutely amazing. All the rolls came out so beautiful and the taste matches. Our server was hilarious, friendly and honest, she even stopped us from ordering too much food (which I'm grateful for) because leftover sushi is definitely not good. We got here just before happy hour ended but I would still come here regardless of that. I will pay full price because this place is just that amazing. This place is small so I can imagine when you go at rush hour so plan accordingly!

This visit is for a last fall. I actually googled a sushi restaurant in San Francisco and came across this one which was close to us and accessible with transportation. And it did not disappoint. They do have a happy hour till I believe 6 PM, which discounts some of their sushi, drinks, and appetizers. Everything is unbelievably fresh and beautifully prepared. It's a small dining room with a Sushi counter. The service is very fast and efficient but be patient because things are made by hand. This has been our go to sushi place when we visit. Our kid is at Berkeley and she makes it out to visit this with her friends. They are not open super late so always double check. Street parking available.

Came here with a group of friends on a Friday night and I think this is one of the best group dinner sushi spots! The BOGO drinks deal/happy hour deal is so good! I think what separates this place from other group sushi spots is the quality of the sushi, the rolls are actually really good and the quality of the fish is really good and fresh! The servers are also super sweet and funny we ended up staying until closing but they were all super accommodating till the end. Will definitely be back here again!

Zaoh has been one of my go to hole in the wall sushi spots in the city! My go to appetizer is the chicken karrage, the light breading on the chicken with a squeeze of lemon is simple yet addicting to munch on before your main course! For the main course during happy hour, I ordered the 49er roll, Double Hamachi and Rainbow roll!! The hint of lemon on each bite of the 49er roll made is a winner for me! Hamachi is one of my favorite fish so that was a no brainer and the rainbow roll is always a safe pick for variety! The waitress Miss Ruby was such a doll and provided us tea as well as excellent customer service, she was the only one working the floor so I commend how much time and effort she put to each table! This is definitely one of the best spots I recommend to my friends due to their food, customer service and happy hour deal for a quick bite!

Love this place been eating here since the 90's. We used to use them to cater our In-house luncheons. The sushi is always fresh and delicious. My personal favorite meal is to start with Unagi, and a large Sapporo, followed by a triple combo Beef & Chicken Teriyaki, Shrimp Tempura, comes with a side of rice, Napa Cabbage Slaw , and a bowl of Miso Soup. Who has room for dessert after all that!

The restaurant itself is very small but very intimate, perfect for date nights in my opinion. This was my second time eating here, the first time was during happy hour and no disappointment over here. First off the staff is super friendly and they give great service, they serve you hot tea and a side of bean sprouts when you first get seated. You then go and scan the barcode on the table to look at the menu & order away. Besides the great vibe the restaurant gives and the great service, the food is AMAZING. The presentation is on point, ALL of the rolls I've tried don't lack anything whatsoever, the only thing this restaurant needs to do is implement "All you can eat." That would be awesome. Overall this restaurant is an experience, a good one. The service in awesome and the food is perfect. One of my favorite/go to sushi restaurants.

Amazing food, spot on service, great portions. The regulars know of which I speak. Rarely empty. Conveniently located next to Van Ness and Mission. Sashimi always fresh. Endless green tea.

Rambling around the area for a new lunch spot and popped into Zaoh. As we entered, my co-worker and I were greeted and had a pick of a few tables for seating. We chose a corner window table that could seat 3, but awkwardly, so thankfully we were only two. There were other patrons dining at a few other tables and at the counter. Service was friendly and quick. Menu is accessible by QR code taped to the tables. You may have to ask for a paper menu if needed. We were served complimentary warm mugs of hot tea and small bowls of bean sprouts in a sesame oil dressing while we looked over the menu. I ordered the chicken teriyaki ramen (I really wanted a warm bowl of soup) and we didn't have to wait long after putting our orders in for the food to come. The chicken teriyaki (thigh, crispy skin on!) was good. The broth's flavor was indiscernible. Was it pork? Chicken? Maybe. The noodles felt good and vegetables were cooked nice but altogether, it still all added up to just okay. I will probably come back, skip the ramen, and try other dishes.

Little gem on Mission. I swear food tastes better when it comes out of a hole in the wall. Lol I come here for lunch sometimes and generally keep it very simple. A basic roll, miso soup, veggie gyoza. It's good every time and gets me through the rest of my work day. So, no complaints from me.

Good weekday lunch spot. Seems kind of unassuming from the outside but was pretty packed inside. I got two rolls for lunch and they were both pretty generous. Pretty normal roll spot with some bento type combos too.

if you're looking for high quality, fresh, and consistent sushi, this is it !! luckily for me i live down the street, but i'd come from anywhere in the city for it! the sushi is always is on point and their karaage is some of the best i've had. The restaurant is a bit small but the service from Ruby is always great! come during happy hour and try the karaage, double hamachi, or 49er roll!

MY GO TO JAPANESE RESTAURANT. Been coming here all my life as a native and never disappoints. Everything is amazing but the salmon.... Reminds me of 808. That salmon is different. Amazing every time

Hours are wrong on Yelp. They are closed now at 9:07 despite saying that they'd be open until 10PM

Happy #HumpDay Y'all, #sushi always poppin at Zaoh. This is my go to spot whenever I want sushi during lunch time. My tip is always ask for unagi sauce, because it makes any roll you eat (that isn't already too saucy) taste extra bangin. Francisco Roll Rainbow Roll California Roll (a tribute to bae) To an amazing New Years ahead of us. Be safe and stay blessed. Thanks for joining me on my food journey.

The rolls look good and are diversified. I liked the presentation a lot. It is rare to find nice rolls like this at an affordable price. There was a bit too much imitation crab for my liking but for the price it is more than fair. Ambiance was cosy and warm. Good vibes.

Super busy lunch hour means it's good. Digital menu requires asking questions. I love this place. Good value. Solid food. Convenient.

Excellent and fast service, large portions. Place is decorated nice. Good rice to filling ratio in the rolls. Will come back when I'm back in this area.

This restaurant is highly under rated. We have never been disappointed. And the quality of fresh fish is stellar. The sushi sashimi combo is our favorite. So it's hard to branch out. Start there and go to town!

This spot had the fire sushi. I ordered the tempura Main Dish and it was very yummy crispy and fresh taste. I also had the Mexican sushi roll which was an amazing taste. The service was quick and polite. The spot is small but great decor and comfortable.

I love coming to Zaoh for lunch when I crave sushi. They are a small hole in the wall that may be easy to miss. Their fish is really fresh and they make beautiful rolls. I usually start with miso soup and order salmon roll or the rainbow roll. They also offer a complimentary tea. I highly recommend !

My friends and I came in during happy hour (5-8pm dine in only) around 7pm and were seated immediately. We noticed that it was a rather small establishment with dim lighting. They had a few tables, which were separated by clear partitions, and bar seating available. They also offer a large bottle of hand sanitizer on your table, which was really nice - just be careful not to spray it into your water cups like we did...twice... We ordered the following: Appetizers: -Vegetable tempura (4/5) - Pretty solid, good crunchy texture for the tempura, but the veggies were a bit mushy on the inside. -Shishito Peppers (5/5) - Perfectly seasoned and cooked exactly the way we wanted!! They were not soggy or burnt, which I've experienced at other places. -Seaweed Salad (5/5) - Sweet flavor! SO good and a cute presentation too! Loved the raspberry on top :) -Salmon Sashimi (4.5/5) - Good flavor and texture with no fishy taste! Main: - Chef's roll (5/5) - The portion size of this roll was SO worth, especially with happy hour prices, and it was so yummy! - Double hamachi roll (3.5/5) - Tastes okay, but there was a strong fishy taste that the onions on top tried to help mask but wasn't enough.

First time ordering from Zaoh. I ordered the chicken katsu plate. It came with rice and a side of cabbage salad. The chicken came crunchy and the meat was tender and moist. The katsu sauce was a bit tangy for me, but it was still good. Portion is plenty. I'm stuffed and about to fall asleep at my desk. Would I order again, hell yes! Looking forward to trying out their other dishes.

This place is so good. They have a KILLER happy hour that is a must. Everything I have ordered here (I've been 4-5x) has always been great - no complaints at all. The portions are huge too - I always have leftovers. The sashimi pieces are more like filets (was shocked at how big they were compared to other sushi restaurants) and the staff are always fun and polite.

Unfortunately lightning did not strike twice here, at least with the eel steak entree. It was cooked perfectly last time but unfortunately overcooked this time. The takoyaki was excellent though. I know the question will be a bit insulting but next time I'll ask them to not overcook the eel. I'm not trying to be insulting, though. They really cooked it perfectly last time, so I know they can do it again.

This place is just simple but AMAZING! The waitress is lovely the food is great quiet place, good prices

Terrible service, they were busy but the waitress helped several other people before she finally decided to come to our table. Someone in the back brought us soup before she even approached us. Ordered food to go but still had 4 other people there sitting to order in she proceeds to tell me I can't sit and eat my food with my party cause I ordered to go and they need the space cause it's reserved for indoor dining. They need the space to sit someone else with my party which wasnt going to happen. I then told her you know what then cancel the tip I addsd to my order. Her attitude changed real quick and then she said she would cancel it and I could just place the same order with them so I could eat at the table with the people I came with. Some racist bs if you ask me. And not to mention she never cancelled the other order so I was charged twice and now have to dispute it with my bank! Guarantee she wouldn't have told any of them non minorities that or anyone else that looked like her. Was looking to book a meeting there to with some city employees for a holiday get together. That absolutely will NOT be happening now and I will never give them a dime. And they could've gotten plenty more cause my office is on the same street, never again! Do not waste your time if your a black or brown individual. The service giving to me, my group, and others says they do not want you there!

Came here with my boyfriend during happy hour 5-8pm and ordered the chef's roll, mexican roll, flame roll, and double salmon roll. Chef's roll was *chefs kiss* (5/5) Mexican roll was good and did its job (4.5/5) Flame roll was not memorable but not bad, the seared salmon on top was a nice touch (4/5) Double salmon roll had potential but the salmon inside the roll was cooked and I prefer raw salmon (3.5/5). But that's my bad because I didn't read the menu carefully before ordering. Service was amazing and the food came pretty quickly. Plus the free bean sprouts at the beginning were a nice touch and the tea was amazing. Overall would be back to get the chef's roll again and try some nigiri & other menu items!

Service: 5/5 Food: 3.5/5 Worth the price? No Each dish was about $11-13, even off the happy hour menu. The dishes were too pricey for the quality of the meal, but the location is downtown sf. The service was amazing though. I RSVP for 7 people and they provided us free edamame and miso soup with speedy service!

Good Service, good food, nice restaurant, not too big nor small, but I wish the music will be different, It's quite annoying the whole time we were there.

It's a Friday night and I had major cravings for sushi and sashimi out of nowhere. I spent a good hour of being indecisive on whether I should order takeout through Yelp/GrubHub as it is normally something I do not do since it gets pretty pricey.... BUT HERE WE ARE! Zaoh Restaurant is still open even during the second shelter in place order implemented around the Bay. I ordered at 8:05 PM and received my order around 8:55 PM. Their packaging was very nice and organized, also double bagged! The restaurant packed it in a paper bag with a note to remember to wash your hands, which is pretty nice even though it is simple. **What I ordered: -6 pc Salmon Sashimi (7/10 rating) -Fried Dynamite Roll (7/10 rating) Total: a whopping $37. (2 items+Delivery Fee+Service Fee+15% Tip) Review of the food: **Salmon sashimi: It was okay, it was not fishy, it melted in my mouth and tasted fresh. I found a huge salmon bone which kind of threw me off but eh. **Fried Dynamite Roll: Was fried but not oily, the fixings inside the sushi was soft and yummy, the special sauce they used paired perfectly with the sushi. If I had sushi cravings again and wanted something to order near by the area, then yeah sure I would give this place a try again.

Covid-19 delivery eats by Uber review! Sashimi and nigiri were all nicely packaged and of the standard presentation and taste. Clean. I was craving sashimi and it helped during lunch when I couldn't be away from my work laptop on a weekday! I wanted sushi during the warm, sunny weather of SF! Amaebi, sweet shrimp, nigiri, they fry up the heads and provide a side miso soup with it as a complimentary soup starter! I was satisfied!

Came here on a weekday night for dinner and was pleasantly surprised! Their happy hour goes until 8pm every day and the rolls are beautiful. The happy hour prices are super fair and make this place one of my favorite places for a sushi dinner in the city.

So, I finally checked out this Japanese place everyone's been raving about, and let me tell you, it was pretty much a journey to Tokyo right here in downtown! The vibe? Totally Instagram-worthy with its chic Japanese décor - think modern meets traditional, a total aesthetic! I kicked off with their sushi because, hello, that's why we go to a Japanese restaurant, right? I tried the dragon roll, and guys, it was like a flavor party in my mouth - the perfect blend of spicy and savory. And the sushi rice? Just the right kind of sticky. But what really got me were the fresh, melt-in-your-mouth tuna pieces. Absolute heaven! Then, I dove into the chicken teriyaki because I'm all about that chicken life. It was good, like really good, but the tempura veggies on the side were kinda oily. Still yum, but I ended up leaving some on my plate. Dessert was a tough choice, but I settled on mochi ice cream. Super cute and tasty, but I wish they had more options. A girl needs choices, right? Service was on point - the staff was super friendly, and I never had to do the awkward 'water-glass wave.' But not, like, overly there, y'know? Overall, this place is a solid 4 stars. The sushi game is strong, the ambience is on fleek, and I'm definitely coming back. Maybe next time, they'll have more desserts

It's hard to find a reasonably priced, bang for your buck sushi place in sf. Zaoh strikes a fine balance between reasonable prices and great sushi! Presentation of the rolls we got were great and the fish tastes fresh. Highlights for me were the tuna poke salad, rainbow roll, and the salmon salmon roll

The food. The service. PERFECT. The sushi is fresh. The service is so friendly!!! A neighborhood secret!!!

I ordered the Salmon Teriyaki. The fish was cooked perfectly, moist but not undercooked. The meal came with some miso soup as well. The prices were reasonable compared to other Japanese restaurants.