Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar

Restaurant · Inner Sunset

Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar

Restaurant · Inner Sunset

4

1380 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122

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Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null
Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar by null

Highlights

Fresh sushi, sake pairings, and unique rolls with exceptional service  

Featured in The Infatuation
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1380 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122 Get directions

zentarousf.com
@zentarou.sf

$50–100 · Menu

Reserve

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1380 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122 Get directions

+1 659 246 9635
zentarousf.com
@zentarou.sf

$50–100 · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Aug 18, 2025

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The 19 Best Sushi Restaurants In San Francisco - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"At Zentarou, a sushi bar in the Inner Sunset, you’ll eat pristine nigiri in quiet. The space is hushed with spa-like music and a perfect backdrop for a peaceful omakase showcasing buttery toro, red snapper with smoky mentaiko, and an A5 wagyu with a showy sprinkle of 24-carat gold and caviar. Everything is precisely seasoned, so there’s no need to reach for the soy sauce. Come here when you want great sushi and a few blood pressure–lowering hours to yourself." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/best-sushi-restaurants-san-francisco
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The 14 Best Sushi Omakase Restaurants In SF - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"The Sunset spot serves twelve perfect bites—like charred white tuna, red snapper with smoky mentaiko, and A5 wagyu topped with 24-carat gold and caviar. The non-sushi dishes are just as successful, including a velvety chawanmushi that you can slurp up like a Jell-o shot. Go for the $136 nine-course Supreme Omakase that shows Zentarou’s full range. Just note that the sushi bar has a raised counter that blocks a view of the sushi-making process and limits interactions with the chef." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/best-sushi-omakase-restaurants-sf
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Zentarou serves top-tier sushi in a spa-like setting - Review - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"Zentarou in the Sunset is a sushi bar that feels like a spa. A trickling mini-fountain welcomes diners at the entrance, the room is dark and hushed, and electronic music hums at a meditative volume. You’re here to relax—and to eat some excellent sushi. The best way to experience said sushi is through the $136 nine-course omakase that comes with a dozen nigiri (there’s also a six-course $92 option). It’s how you’ll get to see Zentarou’s full range of fish, from a simple amberjack sprinkled with lemon zest to a zuke toro that’s been marinated for at least 24 hours. Whether at the bar or a table, your experience is largely the same. Chats with the chef are limited, and the sushi-making process is shielded from view, though you’ll hear the quiet sizzle of blowtorches and knives clapping against a cutting board. video credit: Patrick Wong The nigiri that emerge from behind the counter are dialed in so precisely that no detours to a pool of soy sauce and wasabi are necessary. Toro and shiro magura are buttery and charred until the edge of being burnt. The red snapper topped with smoky mentaiko is one of the best bites in the lineup. Non-sushi dishes also have a strong showing: chawanmushi is so smooth you could take it like a Jell-O shot, and the ice cream is as good as any scoop from Hometown Creamery down the street. Aside from a few playful touches like clumps of 24-carat gold and gold leaf dustings, Zentarou skips the theatrics. It doesn’t need them. video credit: Patrick Wong video credit: Patrick Wong video credit: Patrick Wong Pause Unmute Food Rundown Omakase While there are bento sets, the omakase is what Zentarou does best. The dozen pieces of nigiri are perfectly balanced and churned out quickly. With the Supreme Omakase, you’ll get a piece of Hokkaido uni, otoro, and A5 Wagyu. The entire experience takes close to two hours, so for something shorter, try the six-course regular Omakase—the uni, otoro, and wagyu can be added on for $30. photo credit: Patrick Wong" - Patrick Wong

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/zentarou
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San Francisco’s New Restaurant Openings

"The Inner Sunset has gained a sushi and sake bar with a cozy all-wooden interior that’s open for lunch and dinner every day of the week. They’re serving a long menu of hot dishes like takoyaki and agedashi tofu, cold dishes like salmon crudo, and sushi served only in a tasting menu format." - ricky rodriguez

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/new-san-francisco-restaurant-openings
View Postcard for Zentarou Sushi and Sake Bar

Amanda Bridge

Google
Best bang for your buck for an omakase in SF. $92 for a 6-course meal that was absolutely delicious. We looked around town and other omakases were $250+ per seat, and while I’m sure those places are delicious, I was so excited to find this place. We were “wow-ing” with every bite! Came here 2x during my 5-day stay in SF. For my gluten free and food allergy people, they were super accommodating and made the omakase to my needs without questioning it. 10/10 would go back a 3rd time next time in town.

Avadawab Wabavada

Google
I’ve gotta say WOW for this spot! My husband and I felt welcomed at the first step from the door of Zentarou. All staffs are energetically attentive and greeting us like one of their family. We were seated at the bar which is one of the best spot to see what chef preparing our dishes. We ordered several dishes. Zero disappointment!! We gotta say that the special kinmedai yuzu dish was totally spot on of tonight. Beef Oroshi was amazing , we ordered a few nigiris. Kyoto style nigiris provided on our plates , no extra soy sauce or wasabi needed, because they are all seasoned !! rare seasonal items are the secret (ask chef) One of the secrets is asking the server for Sake pairing!! They will provide you best sakes to pair with your dishes. (Beachy was one of the best Sake sommelier) ask him to set your Sake pairing with your food! Not just delicious food, but We got the best experience for the whole night! We will definitely come back and shout out!!. Honestly This restaurant should certainly be one of the Michelin stars

JamieQ

Google
If you’re on the hunt for premium sushi that will blow your mind, look no further than Zentarou Sushi & Sake Bar this hidden gem in San Francisco is next-level and truly one of the city’s best-kept secrets. From the moment you step in, the vibe is elevated yet welcoming, and every dish is a masterpiece. I seriously cannot recommend this spot enough if you’re a sushi lover (or even if you’re just sushi-curious), because the quality here is unmatched, the flavors are rich, and the freshness? Insane. Now let’s talk about the showstopper: the KIN DON. This signature bowl is an absolute luxury dream stacked with buttery Hokkaido Uni, rich caviar, briny Ikura, melt-in-your-mouth toro tartare, delicate hotate, flavorful salmon tartare, and perfectly grilled unagi. Every bite is like a flavor explosion that just melts in your mouth and makes you wonder where this has been all your life. 😍🔥 Pair it with their incredible selection of authentic Japanese sake, and you’ve got yourself a whole vibe this isn’t just dinner, it’s an experience. Whether you’re out on a foodie adventure or just looking for your new go-to spot for quality Japanese cuisine, Zentarou is where it’s at. Trust me, you’ll fall in love, become a regular, and probably tell all your friends about this spot that feels like a secret but deserves to be known.

Secret Society

Google
I had the supreme omakase, oysters, tempura, salmon collar and the lychee sherbet. The sushi was decent, it was good but nothing special. The wasabi was a bit too much on the nigiri. For the most part everything was not bad, but the toro and truffle nigiri was way too chewy and I couldn’t eat it. The salmon collar was a little bland, but the desserts were delicious!!

Bank J

Google
We are order chawanmushi and crispy bites for starter , caraxes roll, Dora-Gon roll and Kaiho Don for main course. Every thing if yummy. Good atmosphere and good service.

Emily Yim

Google
I really wanted to love Zentarou, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me and my partner. We visited during Valentine's weekend (though not on the actual day) and opted for the Valentine's omakase special (which seemed to be the equivalent of their premium omakase, but dressed up for the occasion). At $280 for two people, we had high expectations but felt that the quality and service didn’t quite justify the price. Our favorites were the Miyazaki A5 wagyu, Otoro, and Hokkaido uni. These were included in the Valentine's special (and also appear to be part of the premium omakase set on a regular night). For the regular omakase, these items are available as supplements. The second round of nigiri was probably the best part of the meal. However, beyond those highlights, the rest of the experience fell short. The rice ratio and flavor on the first round of nigiri were inconsistent, and the hamachi tasted slightly overcooked. When asked about allergies and food restrictions, I specifically requested no cucumber, yet the first dish included it. The eggplant in that same dish was also tougher than expected. While we tried to keep an open mind, we couldn’t help but feel that the overall quality didn’t match the price tag. That said, we appreciated the presentation of the dishes and the effort of the team. While the staff was friendly, they seemed a bit rushed (likely due to the busy weekend), which made the service feel less personal than we had hoped for. Perhaps it was just an off night due to the occasion, but given our experience, we’d be hesitant to return. At this price point, I believe there are better omakase experiences to be found.

Sabrina Cismas

Google
I've been to a good chunk of high-end sushi places in SF (Robin, Kusakabe, Ju-Ni, etc.) but Zentarou is the best place for sushi and omakase in the city. I think this place is still under the radar as they only opened last year, but it could easily have a Michelin star. Every single piece on their premium omakase menu was superb. Each fish was of the highest quality, and carefully crafted with complimentary seasoning, garnish, and temperature. The menu came with appetizers and hot food as well, which were equally beautifully and deliciously prepared. I appreciated that they specified the region each fish was from, and that they integrated local fresh fish selections into the nigiri rotation. For salmon lovers, adding on the salmon tasting is a must. Their sake selection is also extensive, and our waiter did a fantastic job of recommending a bottle for us and giving us samples to hone in on it given our taste preferences. 10/10

John McCartney

Google
Zentarou Sushi in the Inner Sunset is a gem! Their menu is exciting and stands out from other sushi spots, offering a variety of options, including two types of Omakase. We went with the more affordable Omakase option, which still delivered an incredible experience with two sets of five pieces of Nigiri, a flavorful fish bone broth, and the option to add a $30 upgrade. The upgrade was totally worth it, including A5 Wagyu, uni from Hokkaido, and Otoro—absolutely delicious! We also tried some side dishes, and they exceeded expectations. The portions were surprisingly generous for the price, like the grilled yellowtail collar for just $16 and the soft-shell crab for $15. Both were flavorful and satisfying. The service was fantastic! Our server was friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience enjoyable. Zentarou Sushi is definitely a place we’ll be coming back to for great food, generous portions, and amazing service. Highly recommend!
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Adrian H.

Yelp
Oh my gosh, this is one of those meals that just left me buzzing all over and feeling grateful for life on earth. I got the chef's choice sushi tasting for lunch and it was for sure one of the best I have ever had in SF, some of the best sushi I've had anywhere without paying the eye watering prices very high end places will run. It's a beautiful space inside with wood slat details and misty mountain ink paintings on the walls, and the folks working were so friendly - the hostess gave me some great advice on choosing from their excellent sake menu! The fish is indeed as others say - so fresh, cut masterfully, and presented in sushi that was just delightful. The tasting spread was a wonderful sequence of flavors and contrasts and I will be thinking about it and smiling all week long. I don't have any photos to share because I put my phone away and focused 100% on enjoying the experience - come here, and do the same. Like any great omakase this place is a celebration of the bounty of the seas and the craftsmanship of great sushi chefs. Come celebrate it all, delight in life, feel the joy instilled by a truly splendid meal...and do it all for under a hundred bucks!
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Jose C.

Yelp
Disappointing Experience at Zentarou Sushi & Sake Bar My family and I visited Zentarou Sushi & Sake Bar after a hike near Golden Gate Park, hoping for a satisfying meal. While the hostess greeted us warmly and we were seated promptly, the experience quickly went downhill. Our server gave off an unwelcoming vibe, making us feel judged rather than valued as customers. The atmosphere turned sour, and it felt like serving us was a burden. I'm not a sushi fan, so I opted for the chicken katsu--it was a letdown. Plain, breaded chicken with zero flavor, it was the worst I've ever had. My mom's homemade katsu puts it to shame. I asked for sriracha to salvage it, but the server gave me the cold shoulder. My family, who ordered sushi, noted the portions were smaller than what they're used to elsewhere. Even simple requests--like a spoon for my miso soup--went ignored, and the server never checked on us. We spent a decent amount on our meal, but neither the food nor the service justified it. You're better off at L&L for tastier, cheaper chicken and friendlier vibes. Better off going to a different Sushi spot . Service: 4/10. Food: 6/10. Save your money and skip this spot.
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Skylar R.

Yelp
This is for DELIVERY ONLY! We have eaten at the restaurant before and had a great experience, nice staff and ambiance, with a great selection of our favorite Japanese sushi and sashimi -- see photos below. It's pricy for what you get but very fresh. HOWEVER we just ordered the Yume No Don ($69.00) -- Supreme Chirashi -- and the menu says it has amaebi, Japanese hotate, hokkaido uni, ikura, salmon toro, toro, negitoro, and unagi. What we got was a sliver of uni, a tiny raw shrimp and fried head, a few ikura (salmon eggs), a small piece of salmon toro, NO hotate, NO toro, NO unagi, NO negitoro. They substituted some other basic fish that was so-so. I called the restaurant and they refunded half the price on that dish, which we appreciated, but we would rather have had what the menu promised.
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Hanna T.

Yelp
I ordered 2 rolls for pick up, the snow on the beach and doragon roll. Honestly really underwhelming. Total of 16 pieces of sushi (8 per roll) and paid $40+ for it. In the takeout bag, there was no soy sauce or wasabi provided. Felt ripped off... Only the snow on the beach roll had some flavor. They torched the hamachi so you can taste the smokiness but honestly couldn't tell it was hamachi. The shrimp tempura in the doragon roll was not crunchy and covered in sauce so thats all you could taste.
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Priscilla W.

Yelp
I'm happy to see a new, quality Japanese restaurant in the inner sunset. They have an extensive menu with lots of different tasting menu and lunch sets options. We visited for lunch on a Monday during the Christmas holiday break. The restaurant was about one third full, and we were seated immediately. We ordered the Zentarou box (9 mini chirashi bowls) and chawanmushi. The Zentarou box was great, beautifully presented, though a little bulky/large so it was awkward to eat. But food was delicious, fresh, and flavorful. My favorites were albacore, ankimo in a yuzu soy sauce, and tempura eel. The chawanmushi was delicious and smooth and had a piece of meaty lobster, some tender mushrooms, and salty ikura. Service was very friendly and the restaurant was very clean and spacious with minimalistic decor. Located on 9th Ave between Irving and Judah, it's a convenient location but also terrible parking and traffic flow.
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Ryan T.

Yelp
I think overall this place is great. I just get spoiled from the other omakase spots that have more quantity while maintaining the same high caliber quality and all for an affordable omakase. We ordered the supreme omakase because it was a screw lets treat ourselves kind of night. If you have allergies, just try to be vocal about it. I mentioned it 3 times and they asked 3 times and I clearly told them it was only 2 things and nothing else, and they still served an item that I was allergic to. Which is fine and totally not demoting this place for that - just trying to relay to y'all to be crystal clear as much as you can. The entire staff is friendly and service is on point. This place is also nice for if you wana have an adult hang out but you can bring the kids too. And let them be rambunctious but in their seat lol. It can be loud in here in a good way. Just trying to paint the picture. To go over the omakase, it was ALL very delicious. I can't emphasize that enough. But for $136 a person? I just can't give it a 5-star rating. It reminded me of another sushi spot in the City because they had a similar omakase (Sasa Japanese). Like they had a similar sakizuke and chawan-mushi. Recapping - I wouldn't say $136 is worth it here and you can get that same value elsewhere and also be full. I will say that it was delicious! If y'all wana do omakase and don't wana drive into the city, I'd say maybe its worth it? But Japantown and other spots that have this same caliber is less than 15min away and you can save like $40-50. It just wasn't filling for me but again - prefacing that I'm completely spoiled from my regular sushi/sashimi spot.
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Megan P.

Yelp
Lovely meal and experience at Zentarou! We walked right in on a Friday night around 545pm and the restaurant slowly filled up over the course of our meal. The staff was so kind to my one year old, immediately brought out training chopsticks and water in a plastic cup for him, but was very sweet engaging with my boy! We weren't super hungry so we got the crispy rice with tuna (crispy bites), an order of medai (butterfish) nigiri and tamago nigiri, and the crispy unagi roll to share. Everything was fantastic although I probably wouldn't have gotten the crispy unagi roll in hindsight had I known it was also crispy rice like the appetizer! We were seriously blown away by the crispy bites app and nigiri's! So tasty! This is not a cheap sushi restaurant... The fish was very high quality, with amazing texture and flavor, so the value is definitely there. The sashimi/nigiri menu was impressive and I can't wait to return to try more- will likely do an omakase!
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Sirikanya p.

Yelp
Love it !!!!!! First time visiting here on Christmas Day and I can't wait to go back :) Zentarou roll was amazing as well as the protein which had no rice and I love that. Aloha was great but I'm not a big fan of fried food so I probably opt out from this one next time. Talking about all the nigiri we ordered,,, so fresh! Last but not least, Uni flight OMG to die for Service was prompted and all the decorations looked so nice. Parking could be challenging so give yourself extra time for that.
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Julia S.

Yelp
Great lunch sushi place! Their lunch specials are reasonably priced and I really enjoyed the 7 piece nigiri lunch. It also came with salad and miso soup! The ambiance is also nice and the service was great. We walked in at last call (around 2:35 pm) and were able to stay a bit past closing time. I'll try out their rolls and more dishes next time as well!
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Heide K.

Yelp
What a splendid omakase experience! My husband and I randomly decided to stop by one day and it was definitely worth it! The regular omakase was finely crafted, each piece of fish massaged just right and the nigiri was seasoned lightly such that no addition soy sauce was necessary. Everything was fresh. The chawanmushi (steamed egg) and first broth, seaweed appetizer were also top notch and each had the authentic original flavor of the natural ingredients. Service was very attentive and prompt. The decor was unpretentious and comfortable. Love this place and highly recommend dining in!
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Nina S.

Yelp
Food: 4.5/5 Delicious and super fresh. Wouldn't recommend the miracle roll if you are sharing (only came with 5 pieces and wasn't super filling). The snow on the beach roll was delicious - the only thing was that there was a bone in one of the pieces, I didn't tell them but I'm sure they would've been nice about it. We also got the hamachi nigiri and at the beginning of our meal they brought out a cold tofu amuse bouche! Service: 5/5 Server was super sweet and attentive with tea, water and anything else we needed. Ambiance: 5/5 We went on a Thursday afternoon at 5:30 so it was pretty empty but it was beautiful inside and loved all the serveware
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Sharine d.

Yelp
You will still be hungry . Prices are extremely high for a few pieces of fish. Sorry... future pass.
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Catherine N.

Yelp
Our service at Zentarou was impeccable. We came right at the change over shift ending between lunch and dinner (understandingly annoying to do). But, the sushi chef at the bar made us feel welcome and allowed us to order everything we wanted without feeling rushed, even if we were late for last call. The food quality matches the excellent service as well! Everything was super fresh and carefully prepared. The hotate and chu toro nigiri were a highlight for us! The lion king roll is also a classic that's worth a try if you like American style rolls. It came with generous slices of baked salmon! We profusely apologized for coming close to close, but the chef assured us that he will always prioritize quality food and service over everything! He stayed after service staff left to attend to our order - I really felt so welcome and am so excited to return and eat at the bar! It was a wonderful experience to talk to the chef and his vision for the restaurant over our meal.
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Anastasia N.

Yelp
Obsessed with this sushi spot! So many different Japanese restaurants in the area, but this is the one!!! As soon as my mom and I walked in, we were greeted by a very friendly person, Pump! Pump, thank you for making the experience from the beginning to the end. The food was incredible. You have to try to the truffle hamachi and the crispy rice spicy tuna. The flavor, the presentation and the taste: incredible!!! The pricing was very reasonable. Love the ambiance here. Super cozy. Can't wait to come back and taste more items from the menu. Hopefully they'll begin doing happy hours in the future.
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Caitlyn M.

Yelp
Cute new Japanese spot in the Inner Sunset with a beautiful interior! This is a great spot for a nice dinner or if you've been craving high quality sushi. It's not cheap but fish was very fresh and worth the price. We got the hamachi truffle and 3 rolls - the zentarou, pride and miracle. All were delicious! My favorite were the miracle and zentarou rolls. They came with lots of fish. They also gave us a fried cheese appetizer on the house. Would definitely come back, the service was also stellar!
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Anh T.

Yelp
I came here with a group of friends on a weekday night, where we were seated immediately. It wasn't packed for a weekday, but there were still several groups of people around us. The restaurant was decorated with modern Japanese art, and I enjoyed the aesthetics. For our group of several friends, it took a while for our food to come out. My friend and I shared Agedashi Tofu and the Pride Roll. The portions for the Agedashi Tofu and Pride Roll were small, yet expensive. For its price, I did not find anything unique about the tofu or sushi roll. The staff was friendly and accommodating, but I am unsure whether the Japanese food is worth its price point, comparing to the other Japanese restuarants in the area and SF. I would put this rating around 3.5 stars if possible.
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Ed U.

Yelp
You can eat like a stylish Ginza hostess subsidized by a wealthy but unavailably married man. No, I'm not summarizing the premise of a Yasujiro Ozu movie. I'm talking about the newish Japanese sushi spot on 9th Avenue that sits right next to Ushi Taro, a ramen house with another location in SoMa. Blink real fast and you may think you landed in Ginza. They've done a nice subtle job on providing a serene decor in here. I walked in during the lunch hour, and it was as still as a tomb. They seated me, and I perused a pretty lengthy lunch menu. I decided on three items, all of them in line with my expectations. I started with the $13 Ankimo because I had a hankering for monkfish liver. The ponzu added a nice depth of flavor to the foie gras-like consistency (photo: https://yelp.to/nZmbUCA6lK). Next came the $17 Mini Una Don, a smaller version of their Unagi Don (and $9 cheaper). There was still an abundant amount of grilled fresh water eel with a couple of pieces of tamagoyaki (egg). all over rice with fukikake (photo: https://yelp.to/UWqf6525sr). That was simply delicious with the eel just the right texture to make it savory rather than fishy. The last item was the $16 Protein Sushi Roll, which despite its unglamorous name, appealed to me. That's because there was no rice in it. The roll was a combination of snow crab, spicy tuna, salmon, avocado, and ponzu sauce wrapped in soy paper (photo: https://yelp.to/L0gTi2Zq5n). It was quite satisfying and quite similar to a stellar no-rice option at Mainichi Sushi in Berkeley, the Ninja Roll (photo: https://yelp.to/q9K4cLqi_d). I liked how fresh the Protein Roll was without the carbs. I plan to come back, though it worried me to see the lack of business during the week, Fingers crossed. FOOD - 5 stars...just judging from the three dishes, I think it's superb AMBIANCE - 4 stars...very serene except for lookie-loos who don't patronize SERVICE - 4.5 stars...very polite and never intrusive TOTAL - 5 stars...give them some business pronto! RELATED - Exploring the Sunset? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2El8elJ

Ty H.

Yelp
Food was amazing! Fresh sushi - we loved everything you the chefs added to the Zentarou Box. It's a must try. The server was super busy but still made sure to check on us. It's a beautiful hole in the wall place with great ambiance. Still dreaming about how the Nigiri just melted in your mouth. Will be our new go to spot in the city for a nice date night.
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Chu O.

Yelp
I visited on February 15th to celebrate and treated both of us with the Valentine Omakase. Everything was absolutely delightful, and I was pleasantly surprised by the price! While other places might charge over $200 per person, my experience here was just over $160 per person, which felt like such a great deal. I can't wait to come back again soon!
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Frank H.

Yelp
Best quality sushi and sashimi I had in the Bay Area! Good value and good quality ingredients'
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Lizeth V.

Yelp
My family and I came after a small hike near by at stow Lake and strawberry hill loop. We were really hungry and were craving sushi. We looked at near by sushi places and this one had a good rating. We were greeted and everything was great. They sat us down and we ordered. We started out with three rolls, a chicken katsu and spicy edamame. The issues started after we got our food. We asked for soy sauce at first. Which usually is brought out with the food at most places or you're asked which the waitress did not do. Why have small soy sauce plates with each plate presentation if you're not planning on offering or bringing it out. The waitress seemed a little bothered when we asked but brought it promptly. We then asked for chili sauce since the chicken katsu we ordered was a little bland. Once again she looked bothered. She brought a small soy sauce plate with siracha enough for one or two people. We were a family of 5. The portions of the sushi's were a little small normally places serve 8 pieces or 6/4 for big rolls. The California rolls were so small and were only 6 pieces. Not worth the price. Since we didn't want more sushi because of the quantity and quality we then ordered another chicken katsu to share to somewhat fill ourselves up more. I did forget to ask for more chilly so when she came out with the chicken I asked for more chili. Again with an attitude she went and brought us another small plate so we left it at that. I kindly asked for more spicy edamame as well. Again she seemed bothered that we were even asking for more food. We started to feel very uncomfortable and decided to just hurry up and leave. Towards the end my sister isn't really a fan of sipping soup (miso soup) which came with the first chicken katsu so she kindly asked for a spoon the waitress proceeded to say "you want a spoon??" With a lot of attitude. She never brought the spoon... I proceeded to drink it instead of my sister since there was no spoon. We also never got our waters refilled or asked if we wanted a refill. We then asked for the check. We paid cash and she asked if we wanted the change back and my sister said yes. Once again she looked at us like we were weird for asking for change and asked "You really want your change baaack" and this time my sister did gave her back attitude and said yes we want it back. Even if it was two dollars and some cents we didn't feel like we needed to leave it. She took so long to give us our change back and seemed really bothered. She also only brought back the two dollars and not the cents lol. We didn't say anything. We grabbed the two dollars and left. It truly was not a good experience at all. They were not busy. There were at least two or three more tables apart from us. We felt judged the whole time and we didn't feel like the money was worth this horrible experience that my whole family went through. The kind guy who works there was so nice. I honestly wouldn't recommend this place at all. We were never rude and we were really polite to the waitress and in return she treated us like we didn't belong there and we were a bother. If you want to try out sushi for the first time don't come here. The gratuity was already included so we did leave tips hence the reason why my sister asked for the change back because we did not feel like it was fair to leave more that what was there which was about $20. The price of the food would have been overlooked if the service was better but definitely wasn't worth it at all. I would truly just skip this place and try somewhere else.
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Robin W.

Yelp
Wow. We have gone to many of the top sushi places in San Francisco and this would be our favorite even if the prices were equal (this is a bargain for the level of food). Generous portions of some of the best we've ever had. My partner said that the eggplant in our starter was the best eggplant he's ever tasted. Special salute to the Hokkaido uni but I even enjoyed mackerel which I usually skip. Gracious service. Just stellar.
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Rose P.

Yelp
Wow, we ordered a lot of food and unfortunately I could not get a picture of all of them. Every dish was delicious. I loved the crispy bites, the A5 on surf roll was good and had a smokey essence, takoyaki (I liked this version more than the one I had in Osaka), soft shell crab, salmon Kama cooked perfectly with crisp skin, mini uni and okra don so good and the rice was rich in flavor, the protein roll was packed and you definitely won't miss the rice. The sashimi was fresh and buttery. Service was great and our server was very friendly and genuinely happy. The decor is beautiful! Even the bathroom looked like it belongs in a spa! Just go try it...now!!!
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Suntaree W.

Yelp
While working in San Francisco, I stopped off for dinner on a friend's recommendation and I'm so glad I did. The food, staff, and atmosphere were all amazing. The 12 piece sashimi, Kisetsu, and scallops were all delicious. The Uni is imported from Hokkaido, Japan and was so fresh and sweet after every bite. My taste buds thought I was back in Japan again. I found my new favorite sushi restaurant!
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Taylor C.

Yelp
We had lunch here on a Friday when we visited the Golden Gate Park. The inside of the restaurant was spacious but a bit dark. The menu listed many items, so we wondered whether the extensive menu would limit the restaurant's ability to create quality food, but this concern was not justified. One of us ordered grilled mackerel (Saba Shioyaki), and the other ordered a sushi bowl (Chirashi) with Hokkaido uni and Ikura. The grilled mackerel was quite flavorful and tasted fresh, and the raw fish in the Chirashi was also very good. Even though it does not compare with the best sushi we've had, the quality is admirable given the price level of the restaurant.
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Sophia W.

Yelp
We came on Saturday around 1 and were seated right away. They had a lunch menu that's definitely a better deal! We got their sushi combo set, chirashi bowl, and zentarou roll. The lunch combo came with miso soup and house salad. The zentarou roll had uni and scallops and was my favorite. Took out a star because a bug was crawling on the plate
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Fabien-Pierre N.

Yelp
Amazing service, Omakaze and Sake. I warmly recommend this place for a romantic dinner.

Jean X.

Yelp
Excellent omakase with great value. Fresh, huge variety of fish. Impressive sake selection!
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Kitty T.

Yelp
Checking out New Japanese restaurant! I went with my boyfriend on Wednesday, ordered the supreme Omakase and some cocktails. Everything is fantastic! Great service! We'll be back again soon!
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Lilizhu Bo L.

Yelp
We went for their Soft Opening! It was our first time trying this place. I am gonna go through all the points in order :) Food We ordered 8 dishes including dessert. They are all delicious, to be honest!!! My husband and I LOVE Sushi and Japanese food. Most places that we go to have some good dishes and some that we don't really like. But at this place, I have to say...We say yes for all the dishes!!! The ingredients they use are all in good quality. You can tell it is clean throughout the process and even the taste of it! It tastes clean! My husband is a personal trainer and he is very careful of his intake. He said they are all made with good quality products! They made their own soy sauce too! It tastes so good!!! We had Yuzu Sorbet as our Dessert. Their frozen lemon peel on top was amazing!!!! It is crispy and chewy! Go so well with the ice cream sorbet! as Please see some photo attached to this review! Service Service was awesome! We were lucky to have one of the owners as our server for the night! He was super friendly and attentive. He would suggest most dishes that he loves it himself and when we tried, we loved them too!!! He also suggested drinks like Sake but I have a very sensitive stomach that I can't intake alcohol anymore. We love his service!!! Atmosphere The design and decoration of the restaurant is beautiful! They use a very good material for their tables, chairs, walls, chopsticks and etc. The lighting in the restaurant is great! You don't really need any filter for your photo! The music is good but we think it would be perfect with Japanese tones and styles for us! :)) Thank you so much for serving such good food and giving us such good service!!! We'll be back for more!!!!! :))
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Christina M.

Yelp
Had a transcendent sushi experience here last night. Perfectly sequenced chef's choice of fresh and flavorful fish. Best Hokkaido hotate ever, so buttery! I also recommend the unique Hirame! Mille crepe for dessert was perfect. Service was the friendliest I've ever had at a sushi restaurant. Decor is lovely with great paintings-- the owner loves cranes. I can't wait to return to try the rare sake and for lunch! One bit of feedback-- the crowd noise levels inside on a Saturday night were deafening. I wish there were some more acoustical treatments on the walls, some padding and fabrics to absorb noise, and softer more zen-like music. I needed to wear earplugs.
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Mariah M.

Yelp
A perfect spot for date night or when you'd like a nice, casual vibe with a group. The staff was friendly and efficient, though we never felt rushed. The food was incredible and most importantly, the fish tasted high-quality and fresh. They have a lot of unique dishes in addition to some classics. I'd recommend a hot pot of tea with your meal!
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Diane L.

Yelp
New sushi spot in the sunset! Very nice and clean restaurant. We got the oysters, uni, toro nigiri, snow on the beach roll, and burnin up roll. I loved both rolls they were tasty! The toro is good too. The uni was decent but didn't melt in my mouth. I would pass on the oysters they're ok. The restaurant gave us complimentary fried cheese which I thought was a nice gesture but it's a random item. It tasted average. People don't usually eat fried cheese at a sushi restaurant. I would have preferred to get complimentary edamame or miso soup instead. It took a while to get our food though and it wasn't a full house. Overall I would want to come back and try their other rolls.
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r. f.

Yelp
Delicious! The rolls are all outstanding. The fish is smoked. We will be coming back. Sushi and sashimi was amazing, fresh, buttery, so delicious.
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Jackie T.

Yelp
Came for lunch on a random Tuesday. Modern/chill vibes inside. The staff was friendly and attentive. It's definitely a pricier experience ($70 for lunch for two with no drinks), but the fish quality was delightful. Everything was buttery and fresh-tasting. The menu was more oriented towards having a good variety of high-quality fish instead of westernized sushi rolls, which was refreshing to see.
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Erin F.

Yelp
Great service and amazing food. We had a reservation but it was Thanksgiving so we didn't get seated right away, but the staff was extremely accommodating and even offered us several appetizers on the house. They checked on us regularly but not so much that it was intrusive, and handled the room very well. The selections are unique and flavorful. I liked everything we ordered. Looking forward to trying their omakase on my next visit!
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David N.

Yelp
There was a good variety of sushi and fish, such as the butterfish. As good as an omakase and affordable.

Andrew W.

Yelp
An outstanding new addition to the Inner Sunset Japanese restaurant scene! We had the Omakase and were thoroughly impressed with every dish and sushi. Service was prompt, interior decor modern and stylish. All fish was fresh, savory and at the end of 6 courses, felt just right to be pleasantly satisfied. Will definitely add it to the Inner Sunset restaurant mix, highly recommend checking this place out!
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VooZa A.

Yelp
My first time visiting Zentarou. I would like to say that their vibes are really good. Love their beautiful decoration, nice and clean which really welcome me in. Server sat us right away which is great! We ordered some hot dishes and cold dishes. Foods are great! I love their ankimo (monkfish livers) so yummy! Love their sauces! Nigiris are the must! Lets a chef pick best fish of the day. The best roll is Zentaruo (really recommended! Refreshing with yuzu on top. Love it!). Mini uni bowl is tasty too if you are uni fan! Service is really great too. Big smile with warm welcomed. Thank you for great service! I would come back for sure. Its such a nice place for Japanese foods. I would like to try more stuff over there. There are a lot more yummy dishes to try! I would recommend all my friends to visit Zentarou as well. 5/5 for sure!
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Sharon W.

Yelp
I was very interested in trying this place because of the 5 star reviews and now that I've tried it... I'm flummoxed! I don't understand how every single review is 5/5 Came here for an early dinner on a Friday. We were the only table. Server was attentive and very proud of the establishment, but not subtle in upselling (I've served in a variety of restaurants from casual to white tablecloth so I've learned a lot about this), which was kind of a turn off. One of my dining buddies ordered the $60 Kisetsu Tasting - chef's choice of 9 pieces of nigiri. This was the first dish to arrive. While we waited for the other dishes, the server asked if it would be ok to take this one to the photographer (they had one there taking photos of their food) and bring another one of these at the same time as the other entrees? We agreed. When they brought out the 2nd Kisetsu Tasting, it was completely different from the first - it was still 9 pieces, BUT they took out the Toro :( The pieces of nigiri were small - from the rice to the thinly cut sashimi. I cannot believe they charged $60 for that. My mini chirashi don was aptly named. Mini indeed. The size of an orange. I couldn't even use the spoon that came with it because it was too large, despite it being a small spoon. You can see from the photo that the fish were cut into tiny pieces, not much bigger than ikura. There was nothing wrong with the quality of the dish, but it was not worth $34. I have never paid so much for such a small chirashi bowl. My other dinner buddy also ordered the mini chirashi don, but was up sold to the $58 Zentarou's Box - 9 mini chirashi bowls. Impressive looking and once again, nothing wrong with the quality, but O-M-G that price tag! Not sure how they plan to survive amongst all the other sushi restaurants in the area...
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Jonathan C.

Yelp
I've been wanting to try this place out during soft opening. I ordered two items for lunch: the onigiri ( salmon x 2, mayo) and salmon don - salmon don was good and there was a nice taste to the rice. - onigiri, have to say it felt like there was hardly any fish in there. I get I ordered rice meals but it felt like less than a spoonful of protein so that was a bummer (not pictured) - the meals came with miso soup, salad, and a complimentary crunchy rice ball (not pictured) Service was fine, and attentive to my water refill. The tables and bathrooms were very clean. I'm not in a rush to come back, but check them out for yourself!
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Hoyden W.

Yelp
I never post here, but really wanted to give a shout out to Zentarou. It's our favorite sushi spot in the neighborhood, and one of our favorites in the city, especially at the price point. The owner Bee is super nice, and I feel like we always get little extras. Today we got a donburi bowl, and he gave us 2 salads and miso soups instead of one. I personally love the Zentarou roll, with the super fresh uni, and if you like tuna, Flaming tuna roll is the bomb (my boyfriend and I always get it when we go). The decoration is tasteful and the music isn't too loud. One thing to note, their crunchy rolls are fried and I didn't like it as take out but otherwise I've enjoyed everything single meal there. 10/10 would recommend

A J.

Yelp
Solid dinner, excellent quality rolls and nice presentation. Inviting and warm date-night vibe - also seemed to be a good spot for groups to visit. Will definitely come again. Service was excellent and you can tell they care a lot about a good customer experience. Nice to see a great and reliable sushi spot in the neighborhood like this.
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James J.

Yelp
Wow. Just wow. We'd walked by this spot a few weeks before as we were heading to the Ramen spot next door and made a mental note to check it out later as the ambiance inside looked really nice. Tonight we were craving sushi and decided to give it a shot and man oh man are we glad we did. I have tried just about every sushi spot in the city in the last 12 years but this might be my new favorite. The menu was meticulously curated and the variety was perfect. Enough to be picky but not overwhelming. This has be some of the freshest fish and ingredients around. The Lion King roll melted in mouth. Cheers to Bee (spelling?) and the sushi chef for the incredible service to boot. We have found our new neighborhood sushi spot!
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Kirsten S.

Yelp
So happy we have this AMAZING new sushi place in the Inner Sunset! I was extremely impressed by Zentarou. They really put in the effort to create a memorable dining experience: The service is outstanding, the drink list is great, and the food and presentation pretty much blew me away. Well done, Zentarou, well done!
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Jackie S.

Yelp
Such a fantastic gem of a place. Everything was good ... very very good service. Fresh ingredients. I highly recommend
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Nic F.

Yelp
Had higher hopes for this spot but our food was just ok. May try again but given the competition in the area, I wouldn't make this my first choice spot.

K.J. N.

Yelp
Food is exceptional and creative! Service is warm and friendly. Ambiance is very comfortable and perfect for romantic dinners and celebrations.
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Meg K.

Yelp
Service was beautiful; lots of attention to detail and to our dietary needs and restrictions. Food tasted like safeway sushi from the counter, which is not something I'd pay $205 for. Convenient location, kind staff, but the food ain't hittin.