50 Best Japanese Restaurants in San Francisco

“I went to KEN for my birthday and it was absolutely phenomenal. The fish was delicious; so many new flavors and combinations; the chef was superb - talented and entertaining, with great attention to detail. The service was impeccable. I cannot say enough good things!“

“What a treat! Highly recommend“

“We've been here twice and enjoyed it both times. The sushi was fresh and well made, and the Hey Girl roll was our favorite. We'd order it again in a heartbeat. The flavors were balanced, the presentation was beautiful, and the portions felt just right.

The staff were friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was welcoming, which made it a great spot for a relaxed dinner. One thing we really loved: they offer free ice cream if you're celebrating your birthday. It's a thoughtful touch that makes the visit feel special.

Highly recommended, and we'll definitely be back!“

“Best authentic Japanese restaurant in town.“

“I love Yoma cafe, the food is amazing, great price, the owner is always so welcoming and nice to everyone.“

“The best omakase and multi-course dinner I’ve ever had. We came to celebrate our anniversary here and a great time. The atmosphere was perfect and the food/fish were literally hands down the best I’ve ever had. If you want high quality omakase where every bite is the perfect blend and diversity of textures and flavors you must go here.“

“Best Japanese Curry in town !“

“My favorite sushi spot in the city, and the service is fast and friendly!“

“Taniku is our favorite izakaya spot in the city. There can be a bit of a wait, but they do sometimes let you make a reservation if you call well ahead.

The small dishes don't disappoint, especially the kinoko nimono and the agedashi tofu. Their ramen and handrolls are delicious too.

Skewers have been just okay. Perhaps we didn't order the right items.

Nothing hits the spot better than the first chug of cold beer in front of a table covered with appetizers.“

“awesome a must try, this is a hidden gem“

“We had Omakase last night. 2 of us. The food was sooo good, and lots of it. Several times during the omakase, we had multiple portions per round, with one even having 6 pieces. The scallop was my absolute favorite. Lots of great flavors to think through.

Unfortunately I don't think the service and delivery matched the omakase experience or price point ($500 for 2). The 2 staff that served the dishes were very busy elsewhere which meant that every dish was delivered with a 5 second turnaround. They were already running to the next table by the time our plates were down and barely gave us any description or overview of what we were actually eating. Most of the time their back was turned to me when telling what we were served as they were already on their way somewhere else. That's totally fine for an a la carte experience but for an omakaze, the entire point is that the chef chooses your adventure and the chef/server explains to you what you're eating. So while the food was great, the delivery of an omakaze experience is definitely not worth the price point. I'd advise to sit at the bar and if full like last night, just do a la carte.“

“I cannot say I had a bad experience. Everything was my favorite“

“Some of the most delicious and creative food I've had. The omakase experience was well worth it for how thoughtful the menu planning was, and I highly recommend trusting the chefs judgement. Staff were kind and helpful, the building was cozy and clean, and the chef was clearly skilled and passionate in his craft. Watching him work was a highlight of the night, next to the wagyu and tuna belly. My only regret is that the food was so good, I barely remembered to take pictures.“

“Eating is a kind of happiness, taste is a kind of interest“

“FUN. We had a great date night here. Delicious flavorful food, nice ambiance - I wanna say laid back, with sexy divey vibes. Love their music choice, good volume level. We walked in and got seated at the bar. I felt comfortable, people were having fun around us. Shout out to Phillip for the great service!“

“Best non-traditional sushi that I've ever eaten“

“We had a great time at Yakitori Edomasa! The food was delicious, and our server, Oggy, made the experience even better. He was incredibly friendly, helpful, and attentive throughout our meal. He took the time to explain everything to us, answered all our questions, and made sure we had everything we needed. Really appreciated his hospitality. Would definitely recommend!“

“Quality is key with any meal. Roger-San is all about quality. Sit at the bar if you can!“

“The ingredients, the flavors, they're all top-notch.“

“Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful“

“If you want the freshest fish downtown has to offer.... go to Sanraku“

“Best Omakase in town.“

“friendly service and tasty food“

“The ramen tastes very good, the soup base is rich and the noodles taste great“

“Simply the best. The staff were incredibly friendly and made the whole experience feel so special. My friend and I had such a great night here. You can really tell they care about the quality of the meat, and they shared so much knowledge about how everything is grilled and prepared. Amazing food, amazing service, and such a memorable experience.“

“This is definitely an insiders’ spot in San Francisco. It’s usually pretty busy from the street view so I decided to try it on a Friday and it was still busy. I don’t want to talk the place up. There’s no need for that at a five star restaurant. The proprietors of the establishment have their photo up with the Mayor. Word on the street is that this place is like a religion. The food was good. Changed my mind about a few things. Made me ask, what is food in San Francisco today? Would I go there again? Yeah maybe if I had 30 minutes on a Friday, but no and not because the experience was terrible, but because they had already mastered the art of business in San Francisco if not the world.“

“Service feels a bit chaotic and the tables are a little too close together but the food is good! Prices are a bit higher than some menu photos here - $40 per nabe now. Good portion size though, would come back. Make a reservation if coming on a weekend night“

“Thank you Kevin! Came from out of town on a cloudy day, was craving something warm, this place hit the spot. Had the AYCE option, meat quality was great, sauce was super yummy, service was excellent. Kevin was so patient with all our first timer questions, brought all our food out quickly. Highly recommend and will be back when we’re in the area. If undecided on ice cream flavor, try lychee, was SO GOOD!“

“Hidden gem in SF. I had the sashimi omakasei, it’s technically 14 pcs, 7 set and 2 for each person, but I think chief give us 1 more for each. It’s amazing and super fresh, the otoro and the wagyu are unbeatable. The house selection sake is tasty and very good value too, highly recommend it!“

“Good fresh comfort food, warm friendly family business“

“Ordered the spicy tuna roll, oh my god roll, Hawaiian roll, fried calamari, sunomono, and the dragon roll. The food seemed to be relatively fresh but nothing fancy. The Hawaiian roll was the best and the dragon roll was the worst. The fried calamari was well prepared but it was big rings instead of small ones so the texture was a bit different. Would have been nice to have some spicy mayo on the side to dip it in. Prices were okay for the quality. It was busy on the Thursday night we picked up food. Waited a long time without being helped by any staff, eventually saw our order on the counter, grabbed it and walked out.“

“Omg! The Ribs are amazing!“

“We celebrated my brother’s birthday here, and it was our first time dining at Akikos. We had one of the best omakase experiences and would highly recommend it!

The atmosphere feels luxurious and perfect for a special occasion or fine dining experience. I loved seeing how the entire staff worked together as a team, and the chefs were very detailed in explaining each dish and how it was prepared. The nigiri was exceptional, with noticeably high-quality fish and ingredients.

We also met one of their hostesses, Shaina, who was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and made our experience even better.

Overall, it was definitely worth the price. We had such a great experience celebrating my brother’s birthday here, and we would absolutely come back!“

“Blown away! Sitting at the chef’s bar was an outstanding experience. The chef made recommendations; he is a true artist of his craft - what a delight to watch. The nigiri/sushi is classic with no frills, relying completely on the quality of the fish and the expertise of the chef. What a local gem!“

“Great food and great ambience � � love it so much“

“We had a great experience here! The tuna was fresh and buttery and everything we ordered was delicious. Prices were very good for the quality.

We also tried the chef’s Japanese sushi set. Not every type of fish was our favorite but it was a great way to try a variety of unique fish we hadn’t had before!

The eel hand rolls were another highlight absolutely delicious!

We came during Happy Hour so it was an even better value. The food came out quickly!
We made a reservation in advance. When we arrived there was a tablet to check in but we were seated before we even had a chance to use it haha. Fantastic experience and we’d definitely come back!“

“This place is amazing!!! What a gem! I have never been to a bath house before and after this I’m addicted. The food was incredible and I loved the cocktails. Service was wonderful as well! Definitely going back a bunch.“

“Delicious sushi, friendly service, and cozy atmosphere. Felt like stepping into a sushi spot in Japan. I had the rainbow roll, a bowl of miso soup, sake, green tea cheesecake, and a cup of green tea to finish off the meal. I enjoyed every bite!“

“Emma ,Julio and staff great!“

“Jo's awesome. We had a great experience. Highly recommended for birthdays or just being together 👯‍♀️💯👍“

“That AAA uni though! 🤤

Great meal out. Food was fantastic and the staff was so gregarious. Nice to eat out and enjoy a social atmosphere with the customers and staff as if we were at a dinner party.

Wear floral patterns if you go. We missed the memo, but everyone had their finest florals out tonight!“

“awesome service and amazingly fresh sushi! open from 4:30 to 9:30. on Geary near masonic“

“It has a very interesting menu, I really enjoy the food.“

“Great place food is super salty tho.“

“The food smacks and the music they play always slaps.“

“Wonderful sushi thoughtfully prepared by a very nice man who is always there working hard. I love this place and go a lot to get fresh delicious sushi as I’m always craving it! Highly recommend! Its a tiny little carryout type place but there’s a little area to sit right outside the door if you like, otherwise he will pack your food carefully for you!“

“Egg sando is mid. I’ve had the og convenient store egg sando in japan and it is similar in texture but not with the bread and the flavor. It needs more salt.

I did like the house made yuzu soda. I am coming back to try other dishes like curry.

I do wonder tho, how come the korroke curry is more expensive than just curry & rice + korroke addon? It doesn’t add up lol“

“Delicious food and friendly staff“

“ALWAYS a fantastic and tasty dinner. ☺️“

“1000/10. This place is hard to get a table at because it only seats 20 people. They only do one serving, but this was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in all of San Francisco. The menu constantly changes so you get a new experience every time you would come. We’ll be going back.“