Japanese restaurants in San Francisco
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A
Benkyodo
Everything you really need in life is within reach of your stool at Benkyodo. The perfect retro lunch counter cheerfully serves an old-school egg-salad sandwich or pastrami for $3.50. Across the aisle are glass cases featuring teriyaki-flavored pretzels and $1 mochi made in-house daily – come early for popular green tea and chocolate-filled strawberry varieties, but don’t be deterred by the savory, nutty lima bean paste.
reviewed
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B
Koo
Sushi traditionalists flirt with this fusion Japanese joint, with sidelong glances at the scrumptious cream and dark wood interior with mid-century lamps. Surely this place must be getting by on looks alone? But Koo has smarts too: tuna with wild mushrooms and raspberry reduction, mint-miso spare ribs with potato noodles. Then there's the Spoonful of Happiness: uni and quail egg with truffle oil… uh-oh, this could be serious.
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C
Ebisu
Lines of people wait to get into Ebisu, a Japanese restaurant that offers a choice of three dining experiences. At the energetic front sushi bar, the chefs perform their tasks with dramatic flair; in the traditional Japanese dining room, diners remove their shoes and sit on tatami mats; and, finally, there are some tables and chairs to accommodate patrons who are too American or too stiff-kneed to sit on the floor.
reviewed
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D
Katana-ya
A glorified closet of a restaurant, Katana-ya is the late-night place for a bite after a show at ACT across the street, or anytime you’re willing to brave a couple of sketchy Tenderloin blocks for steaming bowls of udon and ramen with broth so savory it’s almost dense. Avoid the bland sushi, but if you’re coming here after Tenderloin dive bars, the curries seem to have curative properties.
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E
Muracci’s Curry
On blustery days when the fog barrels down Kearny, warm up from the inside out with a steaming curry-topped katsu (breaded cutlet) or grilled chicken atop rice or noodles. Chipper counter staff take your order, and within minutes call you to pick up classic Japanese comfort-food curry – not spicy or sharp, but gently tingling, only faintly sweet, and powerfully savory.
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F
Genki
Life is always sweet at Genki, with aisles of packaged Japanese gummy candies nonsensically boasting of flavors ‘shining in the cheeks of a snow-country child, ’ a dozen tropical fruit variations on tapioca bubble tea, and French crepes by way of Tokyo with green-tea ice cream and Nutella. Stock up in the beauty supply and Pocky aisle to satisfy sudden snack or hair-dye whims.
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G
Halu
Entering Halu is like wandering into a scene from Yellow Submarine: rare Beatles memorabilia plasters this five-table yakitori joint, where the ramen is reliably toothsome and your choice of chicken parts comes skewered on a stick.
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