Well, I didn't see this one coming! The quirky so-called Flintstone House down on I-280 in Hillsborough is going to open to the public for the first time this month as a high-end omakase pop-up with a Michelin-credentialed chef.

Amusingly, it's called Stoneage Omakase, and as the Chronicle reports, it opens July 12 with a 15-course, $230 omakase menu served by acclaimed sushi chef Masa Sasaki — who earned a Michelin star while at Maruya in San Francisco, and then opened his own restaurant Sasaki, both of which are now closed.

Sasaki was also attached to that crazy, NFT-backed private club/restaurant project planned for Salesforce Park that has now fallen through.

The owner of the Flintstone House, Florence Fang, is a former publisher of the San Francisco Examiner and is well known in the Chinese American community in SF. She has not lived in the house since purchasing it in 2017 for $2.8 million, and lives in a different home in Hillborough. After buying it, she proceeded to double down on the home's longtime nickname by installing same fairly garish lawn ornaments featuring Flintstones characters and the phrase "Yabba Dabba Doo." For this reason she was sued in 2019 by the town of Hillsborough, for being a "public nuisence," and for creating a "highly visible eyesore" that was "out of keeping with community standards."

It seemed Fang had not sought any permits for the installation of her menagerie, and some railings, and this battle went on for two years, with Fang counter-suing, until Fang ultimately settled with the city in 2021. Fang agreed to seek proper permits, the town agreed to approve them, and the town even paid out $125,000 to Fang to cover her legal expenses. (Sidebar: Do we think she sought a permit for this restaurant? Sorry, pop-up, which is run by a catering company, says the Chron.)

Originally built as an experiment in materials — shotcrete and rebar framing over mesh and inflated balloons — the quirky, bulbous, three-bedroom house was designed and built by architect William Nicholson in 1977. According to a former owner, no two ceiling heights are the same between the various rooms. It became a local landmark for those driving on I-280, and kids who grew up in the area no doubt called attention to it every time they went by.

Fang said that the house was going to be for entertaining purposes only, and that it was her "happy place," and it seems she has also collected a lot of Flintsones figurines that are featured in a display inside the home.

Now, those with a taste for sushi and expensive omakase experiences will get to dine inside — if you can get a reservations. Those reservations go live at 6 pm today (July 3), and my guess is they will go fast.

It appears there was an invite-only dinner this week for influencers, to promote the highly Instagrammable Stoneage Omakase, and you can see video of that below from of those invited. The menu includes A5 Wagyu nigiri, uni, and lots of fresh fish flown in from Japan.

The cave-like dining room, complete with fake stalagtites, features a U-shaped chef's table set up for just 12 guests at a time. And the Stoneage Omakase experience will only be available Thursday to Sunday from 6 to 9 pm, with buyouts and private events available as well.

Previously: Florence Fang Lashes Back With Countersuit Over Hillsborough's Flintstones House 'Harassment'

It was maybe obvious for fans of Ju-Ni that the new, casual side project of chef Geoffrey Lee and partner Tan Truong in the Mission, Handroll Project, would be an instant winner. And they would be right.

The restaurant that recently took over the space abandoned at the start of the pandemic by AL's Deli, and that previously housed Japanese restaurant Yuzuki for a number of years, is a counter-service operation that can accommodate a few seatings per night, with just 16 total seats. For now it's a waitlist only situation, though that may change down the line — you check in, leave your number, and come back when seats open up, that is if you don't get there after they've already filled the waitlist for the night.

The airy space at 18th and Guerrero, across from Tartine Bakery, has been given a handsome makeover and a more black-and-white scheme, with a gray mural on one wall and a tile accent wall at the back. And Chef Lee and his team wait on just a couple of diners at a time, delivering an experience that can only be called "omakase light" — though it has many of the delights and rhythms of a traditional omakase experience, for a fraction of the price, with a la carte options.

The full experience is 10 different handrolls, served in succession — and for those familiar with cone-shaped temaki, these are a bit different, served in an open-topped boat shape, open at two ends, and each providing two or three bites of fish, seasoned rice, and nori.

And wow, this nori is good. Lee says that they source it specifically because of its delicacy, and he instructs diners to each roll as soon as its put in front of them, lest the seaweed become at all chewy. In its freshest state, this stuff barely crackles as it hits the teeth and proceeds to melt on the tongue, ever so subtly adding seaweed umami to each roll without ever standing in the way.

A full experience at Handroll Project should include a couple of cold appetizers — the cucumber salad and albacore tuna tataki are the only current options — followed by the full list of rolls (10 for $95), and finished with Ju-Ni's sweet miso soup, as they do at the more formal restaurant.

Highlights — and really every roll was a highlight — include their excellent version of spicy tuna accented with shiso and cucumber; the smoked hamachi roll, with scallion and shiso; the toro takuan, with the fatty tuna complimented by pickled radish; and the Ikura & Ankimo roll, which is a nod to a signature at Ju-Ni, featuring salmon roe that's topped with deep-frozen monkfish liver shaved over the top, for a subtle richness and unique texture.

I'd also highly recommend adding the $4 supplement of kizami wasabi, a condiment of pickled wasabi root that offers a layered, lightly acidic punch to many of the rolls.

The dine-in only special rolls, of which there are three, will not be available as takeout options once the restaurant launches their takeout operation in the coming weeks. (And while I'm not sure that delicate nori, in particular, will survive a takeout box, hopefully they're working this out.)

For lighter appetites or an evening snack, they offer five- and seven-roll options ($35 and $54 respectively), and the rolls are priced between $7 and $18 for a la carte, the most expensive being one of the current specials, featuring smoked Hokkaido uni with salmon roe.

Handroll Project - 598 Guerrero at 18th - open Wednesday to Sunday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., no reservations, menu not online yet

Top photo via Handroll Project/Instagram

A new sushi restaurant devoted entirely to handrolls — sort of like the open-faced-sandwich version of a maki roll — has opened in the prominent former AL's Deli/Yuzuki space at 18th and Guerrero, and it's bound to be a big hit.

We thought that Handroll Project would be opening last fall, but like so many things, the usual SF-related delays with opening a business were compounded by a new pandemic wave, and the place just quietly opened in the last week or so. A project of Michelin-starred Ju-Ni chef Geoffrey Lee and partner Tan Truong, Handroll Project ostensibly allows sushi-lovers the chance to feast on the high-quality fish and other ingredients used by Ju-Ni, but in a much more affordable, casual setting.

The value proposition comes because there are only 10 handroll options on a given night, and they're aiming for volume. These rustic creations are less rolls than they are folded pieces of seaweed served in custom wooden canoe-things, topped with rice, fish or urchin or roe, and then dressed with some accompaniments — without the fussiness of a neatly rolled and sliced maki roll. (Regular rolls are called maki or makizushi, and handrolls — which are traditionally served in a cone shape but not here — are called temaki, and are meant to be eaten by hand.)

Options last week included tuna and sesame, spicy tuna, spicy kani (imitation crab), smoked hamachi, uni, creamy scallop with avocado, toro takuan, chef's poke with salmon roe, and A5 Wagyu. There is also a combination of salmon roe (ikura) topped with grated ankimo (dried monkfish liver) that is based on the beloved signature dish at Ju-Ni.

Diners can order the rolls a la carte, or you can order five rolls for $35, seven rolls for $54, or all 10 available rolls for $95. The latter option includes three nightly special rolls that will be available for dine-in only when Handroll Project begins doing takeout.

There are also three appetizers currently on offer: miso soup, cucumber salad, and albacore tuna tataki. And the beverage list is equally concise, with just two wines, three beers, and three sakes currently available.

"The idea here is to come in and get a quick bite," Truong tells Eater, trying to distinguish this from the omakase experiences that the team is used to serving at Ju-Ni.

Handroll Project currently is waitlist only, with no reservations for now, and it's open Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. There are just 16 seats at two counters, and it's not hard to imagine that on the bustling corner of 18th and Guerrero, across the street from the Tartine Bakery line, there will soon be a constant Handroll Project line at dinnertime — at least until they decide to do reservations.

We'll update you once takeout becomes available, for Dolores Park or other purposes.

Handroll Project - 598 Guerrero Street - Open Wednesday to Sunday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. - No reservations

Photo via Handroll Project/Instagram

It looks like a high-end SF Japanese restaurant's attempt at preserving the fine dining experience via outdoor plastic domes — and preventing panhandlers or other wanderers from bothering diners — is a violation of local pandemic health orders.

Hashiri, the baller kaiseki/omakase restaurant that opened four years ago on Mint Plaza, snagged a slew of headlines two weeks ago — including on SFist — when they debuted a set of plastic geodesic domes for small-group dining outdoors on Mint Plaza. As one of the restaurant managers said at the time, the domes were about creating "safety and peace" in which to enjoy the restaurant's $200+ multi-course meals, and, "Mint Plaza is a phenomenal space, it’s just sometimes the crowd is not too favorable."

The domes, dubbed "garden igloos" by their manufacturer, are often seen on rooftops at Chicago restaurants and elsewhere where the weather can be more... inclement.

But now, as the Chronicle reports, the city has demanded Hashiri remove the domes because they don't allow for adequate air flow — which is the reason outdoor dining is being permitted over dining in the first place. City guidelines for such tent structures state that they must be open on all sides to allow for air flow — Hashiri manager Kenichiro Matsuura tells the Chronicle he believed the domes' small windows and door provided this.

Matsuura goes on to suggest that complainants who were more put off by the contrast of rich and poor displayed by the domes and the surrounding streets were to blame for tipping off the Department of Public Health — though the widespread news coverage of the funny little structures couldn't have helped.

"It’s good to see other people’s perspectives, but it’s sad to see so many people want to see us fail," Matsuura tells the Chronicle.

As Eater notes, the domes drew immediate criticism both from the city's Coalition on Homelessness and the Chronicle's own restaurant critic, Soleil Ho.

Jennifer Friedenbach, the longtime executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness, issued a statement to the Chronicle saying, "It’s often hard to tease out whether the restaurant is responding to legitimate issues or the restaurant is responding to affluent diners who feel guilty about eating expensive meals in the presence of destitute people."

And Ho called the tents "America’s problems in a plastic nutshell” and provocatively suggested that the domed structures' "shape and transparency are both a visual echo and rebuttal to the multicolored rows of dome-shape tents that line the streets of downtown San Francisco."

Like many business owners around San Francisco, Matsuura suggests that the city should be doing more about the homeless problem and less to crack down on struggling businesses trying to survive. But the plight of downtown restaurants, especially those that typically served downtown workers entertaining clients or colleagues on expense accounts, is especially grim and will remain so for months regardless of outdoor-dining rules.

As Matsuura tells the Chronicle, after several days of continuing to serve diners unprotected the elements or the homeless, "We’re not sure we’re going to be able to survive."

Also, the restaurant could be out the $4,000 that was spent on the three "garden igloos" — though the Department of Public Health inspector apparently left open the possibility that the domes could be allowed back with "modifications," as Eater notes.

Photo: Hashiri/Facebook

Here's a new and interesting way to deal with outdoor dining in a not very sunny or warm spot where you're likely to have homeless people passing by: plastic, geodesic domes.

That's what Hashiri, the ultra-luxe, Michelin-starred sushi restaurant from Tokyo with an outpost on Mint Plaza, has opted to do.

The $200-per-person kaiseki and omakase menu experience is possibly the most high-end dining option available in SF right now, and it's outside, but not completely.

"Starting Wednesday, August, 5th, Hashiri will offer a unique outdoor multi-course dining experience weaving through Kaiseki and Omakase Edomae Nigiri Sushi," the restaurant announced on Facebook. "Luring you into a world of tradition and refined skills showcasing the finest of the season."

As the Chronicle explains, these plastic "garden igloos" have been employed by rooftop restaurants in Chicago and New York to deal with inclement weather. In addition to the domes, the restaurant has added some wine barrels to act as temporary barriers, hopefully deterring anyone from bothering the diners mid-omakase.

"We wanted to continue offering the fine-dining experience — and safety and peace,” says bar manager Kenichiro Matsuura, speaking to the Chronicle. “Mint Plaza is a phenomenal space, it’s just sometimes the crowd is not too favorable."

The restaurant had tried offering to-go bento boxes, but they didn't take off — and for restaurants like Hashiri, they felt a bit off-brand. Matsuura adds that the dome thing is "our only option to survive" right now.

So, if you've been wanting a high-end sushi experience — this one is about two hours, with five courses, including a chef's selection of nigiri sushi — then book a table for two to four people with whom you share a household or quarantine bubble.

Seatings are at 5:00 and 7:30 nightly. Call 415-908-1919 for reservations, or grab one on OpenTable.

To most eaters in the Bay Area, sushi is as basic as tacos and pizza. And these days you can find sushi at $200-per-person restaurants as well as in gas station coolers, so it helps to know who's really serving the good stuff.

Given the history of Japanese immigrants coming to the Bay Area since the late 1800s, it should come as no surprise that here we have a massive selection of sushi restaurants, many with their own unique twists on beloved dishes that have evolved over the last century. SFist has already covered the stellar San Francisco sushi scene, so now it's time to survey the best of the best nigiri and sashimi over in the East Bay.

Photo credit: Ichiyu L. via Yelp!

Utzutzu

Considered to be the heir of the Yume Sushi crown, which shut its doors in 2017, Utzutzu seats only eight in a simple, somewhat stark and minimalist setting. All seating is at the sushi bar, and given how few seats are available, you will want to reserve your spot well in advance. Every piece of sushi is prepared and plated elegantly by Chef Joji. Once the omakase presentation is complete, you are able to order any items available from the omakase or other fresh fish they have for that day. It's an intimate experience all around: There are only two seatings per evening, and each seating takes roughly two hours.
1428 Park Street, Alameda

Photo credit: Katherine C. via Yelp!

Geta

This teeny Piedmont Avenue restaurant often has a line as soon as they open with few tables inside and a small counter. Despite the snug surroundings, the staff really moves fast without any sacrifice to quality — and takeout is available too. Melt-in-your-mouth, fresh sashimi is Geta's specialty — I highly recommend the sashimi combo. It’s hard not to try a little bit of everything here, and you can do it without breaking the bank; special rolls are priced under $10, entrees under $15, and a special “GetaMen” ramen menu that’s first-come, first-serve on Sundays only.
165 41st Street, Oakland

Photo credit: Christina L. via Yelp!

Yojimbo

This place is also very small and has no sushi bar so there can be a bit of a wait sometimes, but despite the small surroundings, Yojimbo makes up for it with reasonable prices and generous portions. This hole in the wall (said with affection) may not look like much from the outside, but the sleek anime art on the walls makes this place stand out in terms of atmosphere. A no frills menu with your traditional sushi menu options, alongside a customizable ramen menu. Personal favorites included the Sobber roll, the Peter Roll and the Mexican Roll. Fresh, yummy, great bang for your buck.
1221 Park Street, Alameda

Photo credit: Jason L. via Yelp!

Kirala

There is often a long wait at Kirala’s main dining room on Shattuck given this place's long reputation for good sushi (it opened here in 1989), so be prepared. It’s not always a bad thing though — having a strong appetite when you get here will serve you well. Start with an assortment of skewers from the robata grill. After that, head for the usual suspects of sashimi, nigiri, and maki rolls, and add udon, grilled meats, and teriyaki as you wish. If the long wait gives you pause, head on over to their takeout-only branch at Epicurious Garden for a slightly adjusted but still robust menu.
2100 Ward Street at Shattuck

Photo credit: Jana L. via Yelp!

Kiku Sushi

This cozy little North Berkeley café not only has all of your favorite classic sushi rolls, nigiri and sashimi covered, they also have an impressive selection of vegetarian/vegan sushi options which certainly helps Kiku Sushi stand out from the herd. Excellent lunch specials, affordable and generous portions also make this place noteworthy and worth your time. Personal favorites included the chirashi special, kaisen futo-maki, and the vegan baked “scallop” roll.
1316 Gilman Street, Berkeley

Photo credit: Vicky Z. via Yelp!

Kamado

Smack dab in the heart of Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto, Kamado Sushi really brings the flavor, freshness and variety without the pretension. Another small and popular establishment (sensing a trend?), especially on the weekends, so reservations are highly recommended. Omakase at the sushi bar is the baller option, or feel free to order a la carte. The sashimi here is out of this world. Just heavenly. Other highlights included the miso glazed black cod, grilled squid, and the miso eggplant.
1400 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley

Photo credit: Carl K. via Yelp!

Sushi Sho

To say that this is a unique dining experience is a major under-statement. Eating at Sushi Sho is a truly intimate, personal and educational meal, if you’re up for it. Brought to you by sushi master Aki Kawata, this spot is in keeping with the traditional Edo- and Kansai-style sushi. There are two key things to note: a reservation is required — the seating is all at the sushi bar and there are only two seatings per night — and there is a $60 minimum charge per diner which will be no problem if you choose one of the omakase options. Chef Aki not only prepares your sushi for you, but will patiently explain everything about the fish, the preparation and the proper manner in which to consume your sushi. As each patron gets this same level of interaction with Chef Aki, be prepared to stay for about 2 hours. You won’t be sorry as you linger and savor each delectable bite.
10749 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito

Photo credit: Con T. via Yelp!

Kansai

As any Bay Area resident is highly aware, late-night food options here are few and far between. Kansai, located in North Oakland on Telegraph Avenue, is a reasonably priced casual sushi choice that serves until (gasp) 1:30 a.m. Their menu is vast, so whether you’re in the mood for something spicy, fried, baked or grilled, you will find what you’ve been craving after a few drinks up the street at The Avenue. They also have a solid happy hour with some fantastic sushi and drink specials, so you will not be breaking the bank. Is this the fanciest sushi restaurant on this list? No. But does it deliver in terms of tastiness, variety and overall quality? Yes! Personal Favorite: The Tiger Woods roll.
4345 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland

Photo credit: Lydia C. via Yelp!

Delage

So you know you love sushi, you have a sophisticated palate, and you’re looking to elevate the whole experience a bit. Why not sit back, relax, and let a sushi chef make the selections for you? They are the experts after all. Enter Delage – an ever-changing omakase (aka prix fixe) menu inspired by seasonal ingredients and flavors, in a warm and rustic atmosphere. This place is perfect for celebrating a special occasion, impressing your date or just treating yourself to an eclectic and immensely satisfying 8 course tasting menu (add-on options available too). And at $70 per person, it’s a fine dining experience without that heavy-duty fine dining price tag. It’s another cozy place with limited seating and limited walk-in options, so to be sure to make a reservation ahead of time!
536 9th Street, Oakland

Photo credit: B R. via Yelp!

Uzen

This little Rockridge gem has a reputation for highly authentic and fresh sushi while still being moderately priced. Whether you choose to do the omakase option or just order a sampling of nigiri and rolls, coupled with the minimalist chic décor, Uzen is definitely a favorite with locals. This is another tiny one with limited seating and bar seating, so it is worth making a reservation. I personally find it impossible not to go nuts with the nigiri orders, specifically their unagi, amaebi, and the halibut with quail eggs — yowza! So decadent, but you’re worth it.
5415 College Avenue, Oakland

Photo credit: Neo A. via Yelp!

Sasa

Celebrating 10 years in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek, Sasa is an elegant affair, serving up inventive Japanese small plates alongside unique and fresh cocktails. Sasa boasts of fresh daily fish delivery straight from Tokyo’s own Tsukiji fish market and Oahu’s Fish Auction, so you know they are not playing around with quality. The dining room is bustling and high energy, and can get a little busy on the weekends so consider making a reservation. From the raw bar, I’d recommend ordering the tuna parfait, scallop ceviche, and the beautifully presented Hokkaido roll. And if that’s not speaking to you, their menu features an eclectic mix of fresh veggie, meat and cooked seafood dishes as well. Pair it with a colorful signature cocktail or sake flight, and you will be feeling no pain by the end of the night!
1432 North Main Street, Walnut Creek

Photo credit: Kristina S. via Yelp!

Ozora

In case you work up an appetite after shopping at the Trader Joe’s next door, Ozora boasts over 60 different sushi rolls on its menu. The portions are generous, so given the vast menu, it’s a great place to order a few items to share. Or don’t! Highly recommend the Chuck Norris roll, the savory sesame spinach salad, and the Asparagus Beef appetizer. The place also offers a solid happy hour, plenty of large TVs, a live DJ on Friday and Saturday nights, and if you check in on Yelp they even offer a free piece of mochi ice cream.
785 Oak Grove Road, Concord

Previously: The 24 Best Sushi Places In San Francisco, a Definitive List

Fans lamented the closure of 23-year-old Blowfish Sushi to Die For back in April, but the owners are bringing it back at one of their other locations, which has been a ramen spot for about eight months.

Hell's Ramen posted on its website on October 14th that it was closed for "renovations," but Capp Street Crap took notice this week that a new Blowfish Sushi "coming soon" sign has gone up in the windows at 2193 Mission Street — meaning it's more of a pivot than a renovation. The sign actually says it's "The resurrection of Blowfish Sushi by Hell's Ramen."

The space was once home to Dante's Weird Fish, as vegan fans of their friend "Buffalo girls" will recall, and then later, Tawara Sake Dining, which shuttered around the new year, reopening as Hell's Ramen in February.

It seems like the ramen thing wasn't taking off — and this is just around the corner from the former KenKen Ramen, now also closed — so the owners are reviving the Blowfish brand, with an opening scheduled for November 1. Hoodline spotted a Facebook post that says as much, featuring a photo of some salmon roe nigiri with quail egg.

Blowfish Sushi was founded in 1996 under chef Ritsuo Tsuchida, and later expanded to San Jose and West Hollywood. The original location at Bryant and 20th closed in April, and as the Chronicle reported last month, the space was snapped by Benu chef Corey Lee for the location of a new Korean restaurant that Lee has been talking about for the last six years.

The Blowfish team went on to open Iza Ramen, which has two locations currently open, in the Lower Haight and SoMa.

Related: The 24 Best Sushi Places In San Francisco, a Definitive List

What do millionaires eat when they don’t eat San Francisco alive? Chef Tomonori Nagai’s highly anticipated Sushi Nagai soft-opened last week, and presents a very tempting omakase option.

Chichi sushi is nothing new to San Francisco, as people (who can afford it) will happily drop $500 or more for a single meal at Mint Plaza’s Michelin-starred Hashiri. And now another astronomically high-end omakase sushi place has arrived, as the Chronicle reports $200-and-up prix fixe Sushi Nagai has opened at 125 Ellis Street. The omakase will be “just” $180 per person during the soft-open phase until June 4, at which point the Chron says the 15-course menu “will range from $200 and $250.” For those of us who could only dream of dropping so much on one night’s dinner, a few early photos show how spectacular this Edomae style sushi looks.

As Eater reminds us, the place was originally going to be Hashida Sushi, with Japanese chef  Kenjiro “Hatch” Hashida at the helm, and was scheduled to open last August. No word on what went sideways there, but new chef Tomonori Nagai has previously prepared sushi in Michelin-starred environs at Singapore’s Shinji by Kanasaka.

The Chronicle has a copy of the Sushi Nagai menu, though it’s from two weeks ago, and the menu does change weekly. That’s because the fish is imported from Japan’s famed Toyusu fish market.

The early Yelp reviews are unanimously five stars, though there are currently only four of them. Still, customers rave that it’s “one of the best experiences I've had eating omakase,” “a coaster ride that you never wish will come to an end,” and “2 hours, so make ample time.”

Also note the review that says, “Our bill was $830 which includes 20% automatic gratuity.”

Even when the prices goes up June 4, Sushi Nagai still won’t be the most expensive sushi place in town. That honor goes to the above-mentioned Hashiri, whose “Omakase at the Chef’s Table” does indeed run $500. But it will be the second most-expensive, ahead of Sasaki ($180 per person) and Michelin star holder Ju-Ni ($165 per person).

Sushi Nagai; 125 Ellis Street (at Powell Street), Tues. - Sun.,  6 p.m.- 11 p.m., 415-658-7371

Related: The 24 Best Sushi Places In San Francisco, a Definitive List [SFist]

While for decades it was a cliché to hear recent émigrés from the East Coast bemoaning San Francisco’s lack of decent pizza or bagels — both of which have arrived in recent years, btw — good sushi was something we were never starved for.

Japantown, for one, has been home to many renowned nigiri masters for decades. But as with everything in New San Francisco, the bar has been raised in the sushi realm thanks to high-rolling sushi lovers who don’t blink at dropping $200 or $300 on a high-quality, Tokyo-level omakase experience. With beverages and other add-ons, SF now boasts multiple Michelin-starred sushi spots where the bill can easily climb to $500 per person or more.

We are also a city that’s rife with humbler mom-and-pop sushi dens, many of which have been open for decades serving a fiercely loyal cadre of neighborhood regulars — most of them with prices that reflect long-term leases that were locked in years ago. And we’re now home to multiple excellent izakayas like Rintaro and Yuzuki where you’ll find beautiful sashimi alongside grilled and fried share plates. (In fairness, we’ve excluded them from this list because they don’t serve a menu of proper sushi.)

This updated list aims to give equal respect to both the extravagant and the modest. And let’s face it: Sometimes all you want is a maki roll and a couple pieces of unagi on a Tuesday night, and you’d rather that didn’t cost more than $30 after tip. Believe it or not, that is still possible in this fancy eating town.

Akiko’s
This high-end yet low-key, 23-year-old Union Square spot has been thriving under the leadership of chef Alex Orejana, and it’s remained a staple of best-of lists for years. The omakase menu will run you around $150 per person (it changes based on market prices), but a la carte sushi is reasonable for downtown, with nigiri coming in at $4 to $7 per piece, with a 12-piece nigiri tasting for $39. The nicer, specialty fish — things like kamasu (young barracuda) and tachiuo (ribbonfish) that you don’t see much outside Japan — is on a separate menu with prices starting at $12, or around $25 to $30 for a couple of sashimi slices. All the sushi is incredibly fresh, and there is also a regularly changing menu of grilled and fried items for the fish-averse. — Jay Barmann
431 Bush (at Claude Lane)

An Japanese Restaurant
Situated in a tiny 25-seat space upstairs in the upper building at the Japantown mall, An is one of those intimate, semi-secret, very high quality sushi experiences you want to take a connoisseur to, to impress them. Serving whatever is freshest and trending from Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market, An ups the ante a bit from its predecessor in this space (Ino) with omakase options, thoughtfully composed appetizer dishes, and a delicious, delicate seafood-dashi soup that closes out some meals. The word "an" means "modest cottage" in Japanese, and that's fitting for this space. There are no online reservations (phone only), and the single server is the sushi chef's wife, and you will feel very well taken care of even if it comes at a price. – Jay Barmann
22 Peace Plaza, Japan Center East Mall, #510

Cha-Ya
Those of us who'd rather not eat our finned friends can usually get by at any sushi joint — it's pretty tough to screw up a cucumber or avocado roll. But if you want a totally veggie sushi experience, there's no better place to go than Cha-Ya. Caveats apply: They're cash only, the wait can be long, and the fight to get to the "sign up to wait" clipboard can be arduous. But the food is inventive and delicious and the service is pleasant and capable of dealing with granular vegan/allergy questions. The Cha-Ya Roll alone (a tempura-battered asparagus, avocado, yam, and carrot roll with their special sauce) is worth the trip. — Eve Batey
762 Valencia between 18th and 19th Streets

Daigo Sushi
You want some excellently prepared, no-frills sushi in the Avenues that won’t break the bank? Daigo is just that unassuming, sleeper spot that’s gained a cult following, and pretty much always has a line outside — though they keep it moving fairly quickly. Go for the $45 10-piece omakase, which is always a solid choice and a way to see what the chef is highlighting. Also don’t miss the excellent and simple hamachi carpaccio, the $5 temaki (hand rolls), and the salmon citrus roll made with snow crab and lemon. – Jay Barmann
2450 Clement Street between 25^th and 26^th Avenues

Eiji
An absolute gem in the mom-and-pop category, this intimate Castro spot is tucked well enough down Sanchez Street that many who live in the neighborhood may not even know it’s there. But its regulars know well to put their trust in the sashimi, the daily specials on the white board, and the silken, made-to-order tofu — which can be made into a special meal all on its own. – Jay Barmann
317 Sanchez Street between 16th and 17th

Hashiri
This rarified, Michelin-starred Mint Plaza restaurant came along in 2016 amidst a mini boom of ultra-high-end omakase places, but Hashiri has the distinction of having a sister restaurant in Tokyo with whom it shares fish-seller contacts. The $250 sushi counter experience is arguably one of the best in town, and there is also a $500 chef's table option available for those not worried about paying a credit card bill. (Since opening, Hashiri has also added a beginner's level $175 omakase options Tues-Thurs, which skips the kaiseki courses but includes 4 small starters and 12 nigiri pieces.) Hashiri does a hybrid kaiseki and omakase meal, in which the chef serves both cold and warm dishes in a specific order, with a selection of special, seasonal nigiri to close out the meal, pre-dessert. Compositions are elaborate and thoughtful, and the fish is as fresh as if you’d caught it yourself. But with all the add-ons and the high-end sake and whiskey pairings, there’s an air of exclusivity and pretense hovering over the otherwise humble, traditional Japanese service style. – Jay Barmann
4 Mint Plaza at Fifth Street

ICHI Sushi
Chef/owner Tim Archuleta has been serving up top-notch sushi in this modest space at 3369 Mission for 9 years, with a brief detour in between to a larger space nearby. The place remains an unpretentious staple of the Mission/Bernal borderland that earned a spot on the Chronicle's Top 100 in 2016, and continues to keep prices extremely reasonable. A yellowtail roll will run you $5, and a plate of assorted sashimi is $24, with changing daily specials — and a full omakase experience is about $100 per person. – Jay Barmann
3369 Mission (at Valencia)

Ijji
Many sushi snobs have taken notice of this tiny Divisadero spot since it opened in 2016, even if it can’t yet boast the Michelin star to match nearby Ju-Ni. A 19-course omakase experiences starts at $135, and chefs Billy Kong and Kua Catuang emphasize traditional techniques and careful seasoning and manipulation of every piece of fish. (It should be noted that Kong and Catuang's other SF restuarant, Kinjo, has earned a Michelin star and is therefore a somewhat tougher table to get these days, but some will argue Ijji is just as good.) – Jay Barmann
252 Divisadero Street

Izakaya Sushi Ran
While Nomica earned a number of neighborhood fans in this space over the last two years, the owners of Sausalito’s famous Sushi Ran decided for business reasons to revert back to what they do best and rebrand the restaurant in December as a sushi and izakaya spot. Prices are lower than at Nomica, with an emphasis on hot and cold shared plates. Without having to travel to Sausalito, you can have some of Sushi Ran’s excellent sashimi and maki rolls here (rolls are $12-$18), as well as delicious, seasonal salads and heartier items like braised pork belly with karashi miso. Also, it’s one of the few restaurants on this list to boast a full bar and a top-notch cocktail menu. – Jay Barmann
2223 Market Street between Sanchez and Noe

Ju-Ni
This small and luxurious sushi den quickly earned a Michelin star and a spot on the Chronicle Top 100 its first 18 months of operation. With only 12 seats and two seatings per night (6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.), there’s an emphasis on perfection — and you can expect to pay the price for canceling at the last minute. There is never a set menu, but a constantly changing, 18-course omakase prix fixe for $165. Expect delicacies like monkfish liver, baby barracuda, and firefly squid. – Jay Barmann
1335 Fulton Street, between Broderick Street and Divisadero Street

Kinjo
Kinjo gained its Michelin star in the fall of 2017, only to have to close shortly thereafter due to an unfortunate flood. But the place reopened within about eight months, and proved its Michelin worthiness with a renewed Michelin star last fall, all with the help of “guest chef” Fujii Tahahiro from Japan. The $155 “sampler” menu served at the sushi bar includes six courses as well as 11 pieces of nigiri, and it’s as refined and memorable an experience as several spots where you might pay twice as much. – Jay Barmann
2206 Polk Street

Koo
This much loved spot in the Inner Sunset stands out as a perfect neighborhood date spot for when you don’t want to spend $100 per person. Prices are wildly reasonable with two pieces of nigiri starting around $6 and rolls that start at $8, with the priciest omakase option priced at $75. Sushi chef Kiyoshi Hayakawa trained ICHI Sushi’s Tim Archuleta back in the day, and he is still turning out world-class nigiri. Also, don’t miss weeknight happy hours before 7 p.m., when all hand rolls and appetizers are $5. – Jay Barmann
408 Irving Street

Kusakabe
Sushi Ran veteran Mitsunori Kusakabe prepares sushi in the non-traditional kaiseki style at this downtown spot, which to my philistine American taste means that you only get one piece of sushi per plate. But that one piece is insanely well-crafted and meticulously arranged, and the plates keep coming. You’ve got the options of a “petite” omakase ($98 per person) and a grand omakase ($168 per person), but an additional a la carte menu delves into such sushi exotica as Japanese barracuda, long neck clam, and Santa Barbara sea urchin. – Joe Kukura
584 Washington Street, between Columbus Avenue and Hotaling Street

Omakase
At nearly three years old, this SoMa spot has consistently delivered one of the most refined omakase experiences in town — as evidenced by the Michelin star it earned early, and has maintained. It got that star right out of the gate, and could be on its way to two, as chef Jackson Yu has already shown off some considerable talent in a short amount of time. The place has just over a dozen seats at the counter, and Yu offers just two options, at $150 or $200 per person, the second being slightly larger with a couple more pieces of sashimi and nigiri. Fine technique as well as carefully sourced, ultra-fresh fish and uni are all part of this luxe experience, which rivals Hashiri at a slightly lower price point. (And do note this place boasts a well curated and high-end list of French wine and Champagne, as well as sake.) – Jay Barmann
665 Townsend Street

Pabu
With locations in Boston and San Francisco, this collaboration between chef/restaurateur Michael Mina and Rohnert Park-based sushi chef Ken Tominaga, can feel a little bit corporate. The place does quadruple duty as a bustling lunchtime ramen spot, a FiDi happy hour destination, a Japanese steakhouse and robata grill, and a deeply serious sushi restaurant with both omakase($110) and kaiseki ($85) options. With the former, you're bound to be presented with things you may not find anywhere else, like a side-by-side tasting of four species of mackerel, each prepared slightly differently —a sprinkle of sea salt here, a drizzle of lemon there. Price- and experience-wise, it comes in below the opulence of Hashiri and Omakase, and just above places like Koo and ICHI. – Jay Barmann
101 California Street

Robin
Chef Adam Tortosa’s pristine yet playful Hayes Valley sushi spot is casual enough (if not necessarily cheap enough) for a mid-week meal, but refined enough in its service and offerings to qualify for special occasions. Tortosa has worked at Akiko's here in SF, and at Kiwami and Michael Voltaggio's ink in Los Angeles, and his take on omakase is contemporary and impressive from the start. He focuses on local seafood like Northern California steelhead trout, canary rockfish, Fort Bragg uni, and also offers an array of bluefin toro from Japan, all served on lovely handmade ceramic dishes. Each piece is dressed or garnished creatively, negating the need for soy dipping, which is as it should be — and Tortosa has some fun with it too, like with a piece of nigiri with caviar on top of a potato chip on top of rice. The sake selection, also, is interesting and thoughtfully curated. – Jay Barmann
620 Gough Street near McAllister

Ryoko’s
You need to not be too snobby about your sushi — and in the mood for a party — to enjoy Ryoko's. It's a Union Square-adjacent birthday place, and kind of a tourist place. And it’s been on TV shows like Midnight Munchies, because they serve until 1:30 a.m. Also it’s been around for over 30 years. On Fridays and Saturdays, there’s a DJ starting at 8 p.m. But for fun, underground, drunken craziness along with some wacky, non-traditional maki rolls (the Kentucky Roll has fried chicken in it, and one house favorite, the Volcano Roll, has fried shrimp, jalapeño, and peanut butter), this is the place to go. Also, the nigiri and sashimi are usually pretty fresh, since business here is always booming. — Jay Barmann
619 Taylor (at Sutter)

Saru Sushi Bar
Situated on the Noe Valley corner of 24th Street and Sanchez, Saru is teeny tiny and extremely popular. Fish is flown in from around the globe, they're super uptight about their three kinds of soy sauce, and the rice — oh, the rice — is seasoned with a red vinegar called akazu which prohibits the use of too much sugar. As a result of this obsession with ingredients, the sushi at Saru is serious indeed. Try the tasting spoons of chef's specialties to start, and the "White Out Roll," which is hamachi and avocado topped with seared escolar and garlic ponzi. – Beth Spotswood
3856 24th Street

Sushi Hon
This two-and-a-half-year-old Mission spot from Barnzu owner Min Choe opened with a relatively low-cost omakase menu as its selling point, though what began as a $65 tasting has gone up to $85, with a $108 option as well. Despite the value proposition, Choe has insisted from the start that all the fish served is line-caught and flown in from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market, and the restaurant continues to deliver a mid-range omakase experience that’s perfect for a date night, without breaking the bank. – Jay Barmann
2598 Harrison Street at 22nd

Sushi Time
Like a Shinjuku dive, Sushi Time's subterranean bubble crams a lot of character into a tiny space — and at 20+ years old, the space feels lived in and cozy. Rolls are reasonably priced, ranging from $5-7 for basics and veggie rolls, to $10-12 for their own creative takes on Californian sushi like the Barbie Roll (crab, avocado, salmon) and the Astro Boy Roll (spicy scallop, mango, cucumber, tobiko). They're perhaps best known for their happy hour, which offers cheap-to-fair deals on sake, sushi, and a host of other menu items. When I go I like to sit at the tiny, low bar, where the waiter will let you pick your own sake cup from their mismatched collection. —Eve Batey
2275 Market Street (at 16th Street, downstairs in that quirky little shopping center)

Sushi Zone
This may be the most representative example of an old-school SF sushi spot that dates back to the 90s where little has changed over the years except the prices — and those only barely. There are really zero frills (unless you count the delicious, mayo-laden baked mussels that come out of a toaster), the portions are generous, and the nigiri options are pretty basic with a few nightly specials thrown in. The rolls are large and well made, the single waitress won’t ignore you, but things don’t move at the speed of light in this cozy spot, and you will almost certainly wait a minimum of 45 minutes for a seat, given that there are only about 25 of them. Also, don’t arrive with a party of 6 or 8 because again, it’s tiny. – Jay Barmann
1815 Market Street near Octavia

Tekka Japanese Restaurant
Tekka is one of those formerly well kept secrets that got out years ago, and thus it’s become a place you have to arrive at really early if you don’t want to be waiting outside for an hour or more. In fact, if you miss the first seating at 7 p.m. (for which people often line up around 5), then you’ll be waiting until 9:30 or so, because there are only 11 seat total. But many, many people swear by this cozy Inner Richmond spot and its generous slices of ultra-fresh fish. It's run by a sometimes curt, elderly husband-and-wife team, it is cash only, and the must-orders are the sashimi combo, hamachi kama (grilled yellowtail collar), and/or the full omakase (tasting) menu. (Also, chef Nobu and his wife Yoshimi might not be around forever, so get it while you can.) — Jay Barmann
537 Balboa Street at 7th Avenue

Wako Japanese Restaurant
One of the small wave of sushi spots to gain recent respect from Michelin inspectors, Wako debuted five years ago in the Inner Richmond, catering to connoisseurs and neighborhood drop-ins alike. At $95 per person, the standard omakase feels like a steal compared to what many places on this list are charging. (There’s a $135 version too.) And given the location and the carefully cultivated atmosphere of this place, it feels like a special celebration to go there. – Jay Barmann
211 Clement Street between 3^rd and 4^th Avenues

Zushi Puzzle
Lest you think the name of this place is just some quirky American joke, I think only the "puzzle" part is the quirk of the owners. "Zushi" is, in addition to being a town in Japan, part of the original Japanese word for sushi, which is also called chirashizushi and nigiri-zushi, and various other things there, depending on its form. This place is serious about its fish, and counts a lot of fans in the Marina and beyond. Zushi Puzzle's ponytailed, Chinese-American sushi chef, Roger Chong, always makes friends with his diners and puts out an excellent omakase at his in-demand, 10-seat counter. And he boasts some of the freshest nigiri and Kobe beef around, as he will be the first to tell you. – Jay Barmann
1910 Lombard Street at Buchanan

You know how some people like to say that even bad pizza isn't that bad, because it's still pizza? The same can not be said of sushi. And you know what you're not likely to find a lot of, and nor should you? Cheap sushi. That is to say, outside of the sushi you find in the Mollie Stone's refrigerated case which barely qualifies as sushi, you probably should not be seeking out cheap sushi because by its very nature — raw fish — you need to be confident that it is extremely fresh, it's been kept cold, and has been handled very carefully. San Francisco has upped its sushi game considerably in the last two years with some very high-end, very expensive omakase and sushi counter experiences, a couple of which come straight to us from Tokyo. Ballers and tech bros now have places like Hashiri wherein to dump large sums on business dinners, and while there's a place for this, SF also needs its more modest, mom-and-pop operations, several of which serve some of the most stellar fish in town. Also, there's a place for the fun and easy-going, subterranean, California-ized sushi experience on the level of Ryoko's and Sushi Time, which don't take themselves too seriously. Here we bring you our favorites, some of which are brand new to the city, and a number of which have been around many years. — Jay Barmann

Akiko's
For a high-end, contemporary sushi experience on par with some of the Bay Area's best, check out this 21-year-old Union Square spot that was revamped a few years back under chef Ricky Yap, receiving the big Bauer three stars. The omakase menu will run you around $100 per person, but a la carte sushi is very reasonably priced here, with nigiri coming in pairs for $7 to $12, and five pieces of sashimi between $21 and $30. All the sushi is incredibly fresh, and there is also a regularly changing menu of special pieces and non-sushi items including ramen and teriyaki. — Jay Barmann
431 Bush (at Claude Lane)

An Japanese Restaurant
Situated upstairs in the upper building at the Japantown mall, in the tiny space formerly occupied by the legendary Ino Sushi, An has now taken up Ino's gauntlet as one of those intimate, semi-secret, very high quality sushi experiences you want to take a connoisseur to, to impress them. Serving whatever is freshest and trending from Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market — and I always get the feeling that the old guys in Japantown have a direct line to the best stuff there — An ups the ante a bit from its predecessor with omakase options, thoughtfully composed appetizer dishes, and a delicious, delicate seafood-dashi soup that closes out some meals. The word "an" means "modest cottage" in Japanese, and that's fitting for this space, with seats for only about 25 people, no online reservations (phone only), and a single server who's the sushi chef's wife. And no longer is this a place were novices can feel intimidated — some may remember that former proprietor Ino-san had a habit of scolding people for dipping their sushi wrong, or using their phones in his restaurant. They don't do that here. — Jay Barmann
22 Peace Plaza, Japan Center East Mall, #510,

Cha-Ya's Starlight Roll: Yelp/Lily A

Cha-Ya
Those of us who'd rather not eat our finned friends are usually fine at any sushi joint—it's pretty tough to screw up a cucumber or avocado roll (though it's been known to happen). But if you want a totally veggie sushi experience, there's no better place to go than Cha-Ya. Caveats apply: They're cash only, the wait can be long, and the fight to get to the "sign up to wait" clipboard can be arduous. But the food is inventive and delicious and the service is pleasant and capable of dealing with granular vegan/allergy questions. The Cha-Ya Roll (a tempura-battered asparagus, avocado, yam, and carrot roll with their special sauce) is worth the trip, alone. — Eve Batey
762 Valencia between 18th and 19th Streets

Eiji sushi (Image: Yelp's Solongo B.)

Eiji
Eiji, which your phone will automatically correct to Fiji when you text friends dinner plans, is a charming and rustic sushi haven tucked away in the Castro, right near Kitchen Story. Here it's all about the daily specials, scrawled on a white board above the counter. Trust Eiji's chef to hook you up with seriously fresh sashimi — but you should also sample the house-made tofu and clam miso soup. (Seriously. People come here just for the tofu.) Make sure to stick around for the house dessert: a strawberry covered in bean paste and wrapped in sweet mochi. — Beth Spotswood
317 Sanchez Street between 16th and 17th, lunch and dinner, closed Mondays

A kaseiki course of fluke sashimi with watermelon radish and other vegetables. Photo: Jay Barmann/SFist

Hashiri
Hashiri came along in 2016 amidst a mini boom here in SF of ultra-high-end omakase places, but Hashiri has the distinction of having a sister restaurant in Tokyo with whom it shares fish-seller contacts — and the $300 sushi counter experience is arguably one of the best in town. Hashiri does a hybrid kaiseki and omakase meal, in which the chef serves both cold and warm dishes in a specific order, with a selection of special, seasonal nigiri generally closing out the meal, pre-dessert. Compositions are elaborate and thoughtful, comparable to more Western fine dining, but one has to consider the price — much of what you're paying for, including the sake and wine selections, come with an air of exclusivity, lending this place a decidedly luxe vibe that isn't without pretense. It's possible, too, that you can get the quality of fish they're serving here for half the price at several other places on this list, but this is where to go when you're not paying. — Jay Barmann
4 Mint Plaza at Fifth Street

ICHI Sushi
After chef/owner Tim Archuleta suffered some serious health issues, the decision was made in late 2016 to move ICHI from its 3282 Mission location back to their old, smaller spot at 3369 Mission. The move, they say, enables them to return to their roots. A recent visit to their old yet new location did not disappoint. Seated at the bar we were swiftly served some of the most sharply prepared, freshest fish around. And yet, the experience didn't feel like we were being tiresomely "educated" or were the audience of some elaborate play. Instead, it's an unpretentious yet excellent dining experience with people who seem delighted to share their skills, knowledge, and food with you. — Eve Batey
3282 Mission (at Valencia), 415-525-4750

Image: Frank H. via Yelp

Ju-Ni
This epicurean new sushi joint has already earned a Michelin star and made Bauer’s Top 100 list in its first 18 months of operation — but you can’t just walk right in. Ju-Ni only has 12 seats, and only does two seatings per night (6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.). On top of that, there is no menu. There’s only a 12-course omakase prix fixe priced at $145 per person. But that’s great for people like me who are clueless at ordering anything except the most basic varieties of sushi, and will open you up to a new world of Japanese delights like baby squid, Wagyu beef, and monkfish liver. — Joe Kukura
1335 Fulton Street, between Broderick Street and Divisadero Street

Image: Cherylynn N. via Yelp

Kusakabe
Sushi Ran veteran Mitsunori Kusakabe prepares sushi in the non-traditional kaiseki style, which to my philistine American taste means that you only get one piece of sushi per plate. But that one piece is insanely well-crafted and meticulously arranged, and the plates keep coming. You’ve got the options of an omakase ($98 per person) and a grand omakase ($165 per person) that tend to favor daily chef’s selections, but an additional a la carte menu delves into such sushi exotica as Japanese barracuda, long neck clam, and Santa Barbara sea urchin. — Joe Kukura
584 Washington Street, between Columbus Avenue and Hotaling Street

Braided kohada at Omakase. Photo: Yelp

Omakase
Newly open as of 2016, this SoMa spot ranks among the least affordable sushi experiences in town, but also, definitely, one of the best. It got a Michelin star right out of the gate, and could be on its way to two, and chef Jackson Yu has already shown off some considerable talent in a short amount of time. The place has just over a dozen seats at the counter, and Yu offers just two options, at $150 or $200 per person, the second being slightly larger with a couple more pieces of sashimi and nigiri. Fine technique as well as carefully sourced, ultra-fresh fish and uni are all part of this luxe experience, which rivals Hashiri at a slightly lower price point. — Jay Barmann
665 Townsend Street

Photo courtesy of Pabu

Pabu
Pabu, which has locations in Boston as well as San Francisco, is a collaboration between chef/restaurateur Michael Mina and sushi chef Ken Tominaga of the well loved Hana Japanese Restaurant in Rohnert Park. The place does triple duty as a bustling Financial District happy hour spot, a Japanese steakhouse and robata grill, and a deeply serious sushi restaurant with both omakase ($110) and kaiseki ($85) options. With the former, you're bound to be presented with things you may not find anywhere else, like a side-by-side tasting of four species of mackerel, each prepared slightly differently — a sprinkle of sea salt here, a drizzle of lemon there. Price- and experience-wise, it comes in below the opulence of Hashiri and Omakase, and just above places like Ju-Ni, with a bit more austerity and precision than a Roka Akor. — Jay Barmann
101 California Street

The caviar nigiri at Robin. Photo: Jay Barmann/SFist

Robin
Open just a couple of weeks at this point in Hayes Valley, Robin is the newest entry on our list, and after one visit I think I can vouch for it. Chef Adam Tortosa comes here via a stint as opening chef at 1760, but prior to that he worked at Akiko's here in SF, and at Kiwami and Michael Voltaggio's ink in Los Angeles. Using some excellent, high-quality fish, Tortosa's omakase menu is impressive from the start, with a focus on local fish and items like Northern California steelhead trout and canary rockfish, Fort Bragg uni, and an array of bluefin toro from Japan, all served on handmade ceramic dishes. Each piece is dressed or garnished creatively, negating the need for soy dipping, which is as it should be — and Tortosa has some fun with it too, like with a piece of nigiri with caviar on top of a potato chip on top of rice. And the sake selection is thoughtfully curated too. — Jay Barmann
620 Gough Street near McAllister

Roka Akor
This downtown spot is another expense-account favorite, and a birthday favorite, and with good reason. It's fun and playful experience with an array of both raw and grilled items (to satisfy the seafood-averse), as well as a good cocktail selection, and a flair for the dramatic when it comes to presentation — sushi and sashimi come arrayed over ice platters that glow from beneath, etc. The restaurant has other locations in Chicago, Houston, and Scottsdale, AZ, and it's more "Japanese-inspired" than it is authentic. Chef Roman Patri says in the video above that "you can almost eat yourself drunk" on the variety of flavors and textures that you'll find among various dishes, and you are likely to encounter some combinations you've never seen or tasted before — hamachi serrano chili roll anyone? — Jay Barmann
801 Montgomery Street at Jackson

The salmon skin roll. Photo: Yelp

Ryoko's
You need to not be too snobby about your sushi and in the mood for a party to enjoy Ryoko's. It's a birthday place, and kind of a bridge-and-tunnel/tourist place. And it’s been on TV shows like Midnight Munchies because they serve until 1:30 a.m., and it’s been around for about 30 years. On Fridays and Saturdays, there’s a DJ starting at 8 p.m. But for fun, underground, drunken craziness along with some wacky, non-traditional maki rolls (the Kentucky Roll has fried chicken in it, and one house favorite, the Volcano Roll, has fried shrimp, jalapeño, and peanut butter), this is the place to go. Also, the nigiri and sashimi are usually pretty fresh, since business here is always booming. — Jay Barmann
619 Taylor (at Sutter)

Saru Sushi Bar (Image: Yelp's Tommy C.)

Saru Sushi Bar
Perfectly situated on the Noe Valley stretch of 24th Street at Sanchez, Saru is teeny tiny and extremely popular. Fish is flown in from around the globe, they're super uptight about their three kinds of soy sauce, and the rice — oh, the rice — is seasoned with a red vinegar called akazu which prohibits the use of too much sugar. As a result of this obsession with ingredients, the sushi at Saru is serious indeed. Try the tasting spoons of chef's specialties to start and the "White Out Roll," which is hamachi and avocado topped with seared escolar and garlic ponzi. Save room. Saru offers house-made ice cream for dessert. — Beth Spotswood
3856 24th Street, lunch and dinner, closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Sushi Ran, Sausalito (Image: sushiran.com)

Sushi Ran
This serene Sausalito sushi spot (yes, it's not SF proper, but we had to make the exception) has been wildly popular with sushi fans (and Michelin reviewers) for decades. It's got that airy, coastal, NorCal feel on a sweet little stretch of street away from the tourists and Crazy Shirt shops. The Chron's Michael Bauer recommends ordering the sushi combination ($24 for six pieces) or the sashimi plate ($38 for 10 piece,) but I've always been partial to the negitoro and the salmon avocado maki. The fish at Sushi Ran is either fresh and local or raced in from Tokyo and the menu has a surprising array of non-sushi items, including vegetarian and beef dishes. The space is just as much of a star as the sushi, with a slightly enclosed outdoor area and tea cups that are practically works of art. Sushi Ran is a multi-sensory experience worthy of a bridge and tunnel crossing. — Beth Spotswood
107 Caledonia Street, Sausalito, lunch Monday - Friday, dinner every night

(Photo: Sushi Time)

Sushi Time
Like a Shinjuku dive, Sushi Time's subterranean bubble crams a lot of character into a tiny space. Rolls are reasonably priced, ranging from $5-7 for basics and veggie rolls $10-12 for their own creative takes on Californian sushi like the Barbie Roll (crab, avocado, salmon) and the Astro Boy Roll (spicy scallop, mango, cucumber, tobiko). They're perhaps best known for their happy hour, which offers cheap-to-fair deals on sake, sushi, and a host of other menu items. When I go I like to sit at the tiny, low bar, where the waiter will let you pick your own sake cup from their mismatched collection. —Eve Batey
2275 Market Street (at 16th Street, downstairs in that quirky little shopping center)

Tekka Japanese Restaurant
Definitely one of the most cult-followed sushi spots in the city, Tekka is a place you have to arrive at really early if you don’t want to be waiting outside for an hour or more. In fact, if you miss the first seating at 7 p.m. (for which people line up around 5), then you’ll be waiting until 9:30 or so, and there are only 11 seat total. But many, many people swear by this cozy Inner Richmond spot and its generous slices of ultra-fresh fish. It's run by a sometimes curt, elderly husband-and-wife team, it is cash only, and the must-orders are the sashimi combo, hamachi kama (grilled yellowtail collar), and/or the full omakase (tasting) menu. (Also, chef Nobu and his wife Yoshimi might not be around forever, so get it while you can.) — Jay Barmann
537 Balboa Street at 7th Avenue

Chef Roger Chong blow-torching some Kobe beef sushi. Photo: Yelp

Zushi Puzzle
Lest you think the name of this place is just some quirky American joke, I think only the "puzzle" part is the quirk of the owners. "Zushi" is, in addition to being a town in Japan, part of the original Japanese word for sushi, which is also called chirashizushi and nigiri-zushi, and various other things there, depending on its form. This place is serious about its fish, if not its name, and counts a lot of fans in the Marina and beyond. Zushi Puzzle's ponytailed, Chinese-American sushi chef, Roger Chong, always makes friends with his diners and puts out an excellent omakase at his in-demand, 10-seat counter. And he boasts some of the freshest nigiri and Kobe beef around, as he will be the first to tell you. — Jay Barmann
1910 Lombard Street at Buchanan

The sushi chef and owner at Taraval Okazu Ya (1735 Taraval Street near 28th Avenue) in the Outer Sunset did not care back in 2016 if he alienated some customers by declaring his support for Donald Trump. Writing "Make America Great Again" and other messages on the top of his white-board menu, the chef-owner says he was trying to express his hope that Hillary Clinton would not continue the status quo of what he considered to be an out-of-control government. But now, as Hoodline tells us, he's backed off that, realizing that he disagrees with President Trump's stance on immigration, for one, and it seems like he wants those alienated customers to know this and stop giving him bad Yelp reviews.

Hoodline declines to identify him by name, strangely, but now the chef-owner, who's a Chinese-Japanese immigrant himself and became a US citizen 37 years ago, tells the site that Trump is an "unpredictable person, because he doesn’t know what he wants," and "He’s so stupid. He’s scary."

He says of most immigrants, "They are good people. Why do we send them away? They contribute a lot to this country. Donald Trump is harming people."

He says he "definitely" would not vote for Trump again, and he expects that Trump's tax reform plan will fail the same way his health care plan did.

As for the white board menu, it now says more neutral things at the top, like on Saturday it just said "April Fool's Day" on it.

Everyone is pretty much required to have a side-hustle these days, and V16, the latest sushi restaurant to occupy the northeast corner of 16th and Valencia, is no exception. With four stars on Yelp at a central intersection for which it's named, V16 replaced a previous sushi spot in the space last year, and now appears to be pivoting, opening a poke bar in what was recently the sushi bar area.

Caleb Pershan/SFist

Poke, which might still be San Francisco's hottest food trend, conveniently requires no heat whatsoever — okay, except for a rice cooker. These Hawaiian bowls of fish and fixings, served cold, are easy and quick to prepare, making them ideal for the fast-casual movement that's swept San Francisco. That trend, by turn, cuts down on wait times for customers and on costs for businesses, mostly by removing servers, at a moment when margins are particularly tight and workers are scarce.

Another plus: Not only are poke flavors already appealing to diners with a taste for sushi, but for sushi restaurants with existing ties to fish suppliers, expanding into the poke biz can't be too much of a departure. "I'm not surprised poke is becoming so popular in the continental US," Hawaii-based food writer Martha Cheng told Eater's national website. "[I'm] just surprised that it took so long.... "People already love sushi, raw fish, and ceviche; poke seems like a natural inclusion."

According to a sign, V16's poke offshoot, or POKI BOWL as its spelled on the door, will be open seven days a week in conjunction with the sushi lounge.

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Eater offhandedly called 2016 the year of poke, but the dish's popularity shows no signs of slowing into 2017. I, for one, welcome our new raw fish overlords, and to honor them I plan to dine exclusively on $200 omakase dinner menus and cheap, choose-your-own poke bowl lunches from now on.

The expensive Japanese trend continues with another early-in-the-year opener, Kinjo (2206 Polk Stret), which will be officially open on January 24 serving a $120 omakase menu designed nightly by former Sushi Ran head sushi chef, Takatoshi Toshi. Eater first had word on the spot's debut last week, noting that Toshi will be focusing on the Edomae style of sushi, which simply means the original, unadorned style of nigiri — raw fish over sushi rice — with no adornments or additives beside vinegar and salt.

Inside Scoop has a few more details, reporting that Toshi is partnering with Billy Kong and Kua Chuang, the owners of Ijji in the Lower Haight.

Can SF support yet another destination sushi spot with a price point north of $100 after a two-year period that brought such notable spots as Omakase, Ju-Ni, and Hashiri? Toshi obviously hopes so, and he brings to the table a lot of accolades, including first place in the World Sushi Cup in 2014, and third place in the 2015 Global Sushi Challenge, in addition to earning a Michelin star during his 10 years at Sushi Ran.

Kinjo - 2206 Polk Street between Vallejo and Green - 415-921-2222 - Opening January 24, and seatings will be at 5:30, 6:00, 8:00, and 8:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday

As Future rhapsodizes on his track "Jumpman" with Drake, "Nobu, Nobu, Nobu, Nobu, Nobu, Nobu." A status byword in hip-hop and popular culture generally, the New York-founded sushi chain from chef Nobu Matsuhisa has spread around the globe with more than 40 locations. Until now, it's evaded the Bay Area, but no longer: As initially speculated in March, Nobu will arrive in Palo Alto, where Eater confirms it's bound for the former Lure + Till space in Larry Ellison’s Epiphany Hotel.

The Oracle CEO, a billionaire yacht cheater and Hawaiian Island owner who bought the big-ass Palo Alto property for $71.6 million in September 2015, clearly enjoys the finer things in life, and sushi at Nobu likely counts among them. The move to install a Nobu in his hotel makes sense: Ellison is an investor in and partner in Nobu Ryokan, which Eater explains is a Nobu hotel property in Malibu.

Tragically, for the moment, billionaires will have to spend their money on fish elsewhere: The Nobu opening in Palo Alto won't happen until next summer. Inside Scoop reports that a significant overhaul of the restaurant space will occur after Lure +Till vacates on January 2. That restaurant opened in 2014 with chef Patrick Kelly, but he moved to Denver last year. Plans for the Nobu remodel show a renovated kitchen and maintained outdoor seating.

Related: Larry Ellison Buys Giant Palo Alto Hotel In Life-Size Monopoly Move

Divisadero's onward march toward becoming Valencia 2.0 continues with the news that a small nigiri-only sushi bar is coming to the former KK Cafe space at 252 Divisadero (at Haight). As Hoodline has it, it's going to be called Ijji, and it'll be headed up by chef-owner Billy Kong of Noe Valley's Saru.

It will just be a wee, 16- to 18-seat affair, and Kong says he wants to keep things really simple. "There's been so much sushi opening up in San Francisco the past few years, with very high-end omakase," Kong tells Hoodline. "Every time you go, it takes an hour and a half to three hours. I just wanted to do a simple, nigiri-only restaurant."

Ijji joins a list of new spots opening this year on the corridor, taking the trend of Divisadero's foodie-ness to new heights in the coming months. First up we'll be seeing a new second location for Hayes Valley's Souvla (531 Divisadero), a Namu Gaji spinoff tentatively called Namu Stonepot (553 Divisadero), Tsunami Sushi expanding next door at 1300 Fulton (at Divis), the new cocktail spot from those former Bourbon & Branch guys Horsefeather (528 Divisadero), the coming transformation of the Harding Theater (616 Divisadero) into an arcade bar called Emporium, and eventually a big Italian spot called Che Fico (838 Divisadero) from a pair of restaurateurs from New York and Chicago, moving into a space that was not previously a restaurant. Brace yourselves.