I'll caveat this review by saying I came here for a private event, so this is not taking price into…read moreconsideration! The food though was amazing. Everything felt very fresh and flavorful, with my favorite courses being the tonkatsu, sashimi, chicken skewers, and hojicha panna cotta. The roasted duck chrysanthemum greens salad was a surprisingly good combo! Waiters were very attentive, checking in with dietary restrictions and drinks a lot.

Rintaro is a beautiful restaurant with gorgeous wood accents and thoughtful Japanese-inspired décor…read morethat makes the experience feel special from the moment you walk inside. As for the food, it was unfortunately just okay. We ordered the yellowtail appetizer, gyoza, chicken katsu, grilled mushrooms, and the tuna rice bowl. While everything was well presented, the flavors were fairly average and didn't stand out. The chicken katsu was a bit dry, and overall we expected more given the restaurant's reputation. Nothing was bad, but nothing really wowed us either. We made a reservation and ate quite quickly but we felt a bit rushed towards the end (understanding they probably needed our table). I'd still recommend visiting for the ambiance, but I was surprised that the food didn't quite live up to the beautiful setting.

I booked this place for my dad's birthday, the day before and I am surprised they even had an…read moreopening. The whole experience was great and the food was amazing! The servers were super attentive and kept our tables clean through the whole night. There's not that many seats inside maybe 18? but I do like how each table has a good amount of space and feels more private. Now the food. Honestly, I expected a lot more Tonkatsu and we really only had maybe two dishes of tonkatsu. I was a bit concerned that all the dishes were going to be a type of tonkatsu which is why I was a bit hesitant on trying this place in the first place, but to my pleasant surprise, there was a lot more than just tonkatsu. My favorite dish was the fried fish. The exterior was extremely crunchy/crispy and this dish was so flakey and juicy. It went perfectly with the sauce. I'm surprised they don't have a Michelin star yet but I feel like it won't be long until they do. Book this place while you still can!!! Also, you have to check out the bathroom while you're here! It's an experience

SHOWA is easily one of my favorite restaurants we've tried this year. From beginning to end, it had…read moreme grinning ear to ear. My husband booked it for my birthday, and my goodness, the presentation, the plates, the ambiance... the bathroom!!! Yes, their famous bathroom. Everything we had was so carefully curated and prepared. You can really tell how much effort and attention to detail Chef Endo puts into his food. Joe, the co-owner and GM, personally served each table, and it's really nice to see owners putting in that kind of work and genuinely enjoying what they do. Would I come back? Hell yeah! They made us feel so welcome, and the food was fantastic. I normally dislike beef tongue, but here?! Life changing! Couldn't even sleep that night because of all the excitement from dinner lol!

We came in to celebrate our anniversary on a slow Wednesday night. The staff were very attentive…read moreand kind. Because it was such a slow night, they even offered us a fried organic tofu appetizer on the house! Their sushi was delicious. Their rolls contain less rice and more fish. They also don't drown their fish in sauces and mayo which I really appreciate. I would definitely return to eat again and try their donburis and curry dishes!

We came here at 11:00 AM, but the storefront gate was closed. A worker showed up a few minutes…read morelater and told us they actually open at 11:30 AM, which didn't match the hours listed on Yelp or the sign posted outside. When they finally opened, the owner told us the sushi rice wasn't ready yet. At that point we had already waited 30 minutes, so we decided to try other items instead. I asked again what time they actually open, and he said 12:00 PM. I suggested they update Yelp and the store sign so customers aren't misled, and the response was just "ok." No apology or acknowledgment. We tried to stay unbiased about the food. The strawberry karaage was unique, and the katsu was okay, but nothing memorable enough to return for. The server was good and attentive, which was probably the best part of the experience. Overall the place felt disorganized and not very customer-focused. Between the confusing hours and the attitude, it's hard to recommend. 2 stars.

All the food was so delicious! We came to celebrate our friend's birthday and the service was…read moreamazing!! The environment was so perfect to celebrate. We got sake and it was so clear and went down so smoothly. They even gave us a dessert on the house Will def be back

Service: incredible. Our server was great and brought us sake shots as a kind way to say thank you…read morefor dining with us. The restaurant itself was beautiful and simple in design which I love! Less is more. The rolls were super unique and the fish were so fresh. It was a perfect evening

This place just opened a few months ago and I know it's gonna be a star!! We got to speak to the…read moreowner and chef and he was the kindest man, which shows in how delicious and fresh the food is. We ordered - Kaisen chirashi don: loaded with fresh fish and uni over sushi rice and comes with a side of nori and pickled vegetables in case you want to make hand rolls or you can eat it straight - Toro lover nigiri: 4 pieces of melt in your mouth salmon topped with truffle (umami bomb) and 4 pieces fatty tuna topped with cavier (silky smooth) - miso soup: warm soup for the soul on a cold summer night - a strawberry and hojicha daifuku (sp?) which was a thin layer of mochi wrapped around sponge cake, cream, and either a fresh strawberry or ball of hojia mixed bean paste. Literally worlds better than that Trader Joe's frozen mochi. You could tell it was freshly made. And the different textures complement each other so beautifully. Served with a shot of matcha/green tea that's so fresh and almost sweet and citrusy with only a tiny hint of bitterness for balance. If all matcha tasted like that I'd be wired of caffiene and antioxidants up the ying yang. The interior design is gorgeous as well - rich blues softened by warm copper and leather and hand made art. Event the bathroom had a fun mural! Logistics: - indoor seating only - limited street parking nearby. Transit or rideshare is best - a few vegetarian options

The husband wife team in this newly opened Japanese spot serves up fresh fish and Hokkaido Uni, my…read moregawd!! This is a no frills spot, they put so much effort and though on preparation of their food it almost looks too beautiful to eat. Although I think because its only a husband and wife spot their service could use a bit more attention. Would i come back? Definitely yes. I have some go to spots in SF for japanese and this will be Definitely one of them.

TBD lives up to the hype! I managed to score a reservation for me and my partner at prime dinner…read moretime while browsing opentable on a random Friday night LOL. The restaurant is small and intimate, but well lit and not too noisy. We sat at the counter, which is my favorite so we could watch the chef preparing food. - Potato salada: I'm a sucker for Japanese potato salad, but I was impressed that the lobster chunks were so fresh and actually decently sized for the portion. Would definitely order again. - Kakuni mochi: This was not what I was expecting, but it was tasty! The pork belly was well flavored, and the mochi donut was crispy on the outside and chewy inside. The presentation on the pig plate was also amazing hahaha. - Okonomiyaki: One of my favorite dishes of the night! This doesn't look like a traditional okonomiyaki, but it was SO GOOD and the crab was so fresh and sweet. I could've eaten this by myself but I guess sharing is caring LOL. - Hot karaage: The dish that made them go viral on social media, and it did not disappoint. The chicken was so tender and juicy with a crispy exterior, and I loved the flavors from the honey butter chili glaze and the furikake. I also liked that they brought out pickled radish as a palate cleanser. Make sure you try the hot yuzu honey on the side too! - Kawa set: I don't know much about chicken skin, but I liked how crispy these were, and they each had a slightly different flavor. If you're hungry though, I would pick a different set because this wasn't a lot of protein. - Tsukune: The chicken meatball basically was turned into a cute slider LOL I liked the flavor, especially balanced with the shiso leaf, but the wafer got stuck to my teeth which was annoying to get unstuck. - Chazuke: This was a nice, light way to end the meal! The madai fish plated on top is raw, just FYI (my stomach has not been letting me eat raw fish lately, so I gave all of it to my partner). - Hojicha tiramisu: Don't skip this!! The hojicha flavor was light and not too sweet. We decided to share one, which was honestly a good portion for us. - Sake: I don't know much about sake, but their in-house sake expert recommended a few options to us after we described what flavor profiles we liked, and she gave us a sample of one that was off-menu too (and told us the price so we wouldn't be blindsided at the end). We ordered two glasses to try different flavors - both dry but one more fruity and one more floral - and liked them both! Service was very attentive - they came by a few times to see if we were ready to order (though we were also yapping and not reading the menu as we should've been), and they checked on us and refilled our waters regularly throughout the meal. I was decently full by the end of the meal, which I often don't expect at fine dining type restaurants. This was a fun new spot with good quality food, and I'd definitely come back to try the rest of the menu.

Came here to celebrate my anniversary and it was good but nothing to rave about, especially at the…read moreprice point: Service: This was the most disappointing part. Our server dove straight into what we wanted to order upon getting seated and never asked if we are celebrating anything, want to drink anything or walk us through the menu. She was clueless every time we asked a question and for a relatively upscale restaurant, it diluted the overall experience. Ambiance: Vibey and nice! Food: We got the crudo which was phenomenal, tuna wellington and chicken three ways were also very good. The karaage was disappointing unfortunately - it was overcooked and had an unpleasant rice flour after taste. They were trying to do too much with it and it missed the mark. Overall, I'd be back for bites at the bar only but I don't think the experience lived up to my expectations.

Ambiance: Open spaces, there's a bar area and seating. The…read morerestaurant isn't too large and the tables are separated by wooden slats, so it feels very inviting and not cramped, while also offering some privacy and space between tables. I've been here twice and have not noticed the noise levels of the restaurant. I'm not sure if the way the restaurant is laid out absorbs the overall noise levels, but it's a wonderful place to take a date - I noticed a lot of couples seated at the bar. I've sat at both the bar and the table area and both were very lovely. Service: We were seated right away both times. The first time we got there, there was only one reservation available at the bar right when they opened and I snagged it immediately. I would highly recommend getting reservations online. They were very busy by the time we left. At the bar the first time we went, we got lucky and sat right in front of one of the owners Ryo. He was so lovely and had wonderful sake recommendations, which we loved. The second time we went, we got a table because Ryo wasn't working that day. Our server was also super knowledgeable and we got a couple of dry sakes based on her recommendation, since the two I was looking at were out. Food/Drinks: Ultra Suijin - dry and crisp and not super sweet. Recommended by Ryo. (Great recommendation) Seaweed salad - fresh, light, ample. Not overly dressed and had great, snappy texture. Shishito - blistered and topped with a generous amount of bonito - lightly salted Chirashi - delicious slices of fresh fish on top of a bed of purple rice with surprise crunchy bits of inari?? and fresh snap peas. Perfect burst of salt with the ikura mixed in. I didn't try the other items pictured, but my friend enjoyed the salmon and hamachi nigiri, as well as the spicy tuna. Sesame mochi - perfectly chewy without any residual stickiness on the teeth, light sesame flavor Overall, would come again with all my friends and bring everyone here.

Came here for a girls' night yap session and we had a great time! Kuma is perfect for a small group…read moreof friends looking to share some delicious fresh fish. What we ordered: + Assorted Rolls [4.5/5]: These rolls were so unique! I loved them a lot! We ordered the Kuma Roll and the Jackalope Roll along with one other that I forgot. I love that Kuma changes up their menu a bunch. I would definitely recommend theirs rolls-- they're quite talented at incorporating fresh, spicy, & crunchy elements for an explosion of flavor. My only complaint was that the slices of fish were very thin and poorly cut. + Chu-Toro Nigiri [3/5]: Pretty good chu-toro, relatively fatty. Temperature was a bit warm. Unfortunately, we actually ordered sashimi (not nigiri) but didn't want to send it back. I don't think it's worth the price. :/ + Local Tofu [6/5 - would recommend]: Amazing texture of tofu! Somehow crunchy and pudding-like at the same time. The fried elements on top were sooo yummy. + Seaweed Salad [4/5]: A good seaweed salad. Great portion size! Overall a good experience. Service was really friendly. Some things could be improved, but dining at Kuma was still a pleasant experience.

Very solid ramen spot for very reasonable prices per portion. Came here on a weekday after work,…read morewhich was a good time - no wait, but by the time we left, all the tables were full. We ordered takoyaki, an unagi bowl, and a deluxe pork ramen. This was plenty food for 2 people. We were pretty stuffed by the end. The food itself was great! The toppings played for the deluxe ramen was huge - so much meat, definitely worth the price upgrade. The broth was rich and creamy, which I love for ramen. The takoyaki was nice and crisp, and the unagi was delicious and flavorful. Overall I would recommend stopping by here for a meal! Hope they keep the quality and proportions the same as time goes on, because we'll be back for more.

New ramen spot that opened up on Polk. I was super excited to try because I rarely see such creamy…read morebroth for ramen! I like how they have so many customizable options so it feels like even if you came back, you could try something new. I got the black garlic and pork broth, and deluxe toppings (comes with extra meat and veggies). The broth was too salty & rich for me (would try chicken next time) but I loved the chew of the noodles. The toppings were great; loved the tender and flavorful pork and the fresh green onions. For $5 extra, deluxe is definitely worth the extra pieces meat you get. Service was friendly and seating inside is cozy. We didn't have to wait too long around 7:30pm on a Friday.