The best Japanese places for my money are senseis of restraint. Eiji is a perfect example of meticulous subtlety that results in some mighty delicious meals. Blink and you might miss it, Eiji is a tiny place. Thankfully the flags outside proudly proclaim what they do best - sushi and tofu. Having been shunned twice before, we made reservations a couple of days in advance. I highly recommend calling ahead. We started with salmon sashimi (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=qzimN5mp6wHgBoLdjLIKjA) and wow! It's just up there in terms of the best fish I've put in my mouth. Incredibly fresh and perfectly sliced, it was almost a sin to dip it in soy and wasabi. So satisfying! Next up was the famous Oboro tofu. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=tTO9PgdiL0GtrCKVH-20nA) It reminds me of Chinese bean-curd but much lighter. It almost had an ethereal feel to it as the cloud-like tofu floated gently in the broth. Add some soy, sesame seeds, scallion, ginger, and other condiments, and it was a very soul-warming dish. I especially loved the hints of ginger after each mouthful. We split salmon and poke rolls plus some salmon, white tuna, yellow tail nigiri. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=sZnPI4Wf4Y0PKCicmalVyw) Just like the sashimi before, they were just perfect. Fresh fish well prepared combined with rice that was cooked to perfection. Now maybe I wasn't paying attention when other Yelpers raved about the strawberry mochi (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=hnnH-M0IZBc3fAgigxMwdw) but I thought, "how special can a mochi-wrapped strawberry be?" The surprising answer is with red bean paste sandwiched between, pretty darn good. It really is just the right amount of sweet to end the meal. Folks were right though, they run out of it quick. I think Eiji is my new favorite Japanese restaurant in the city. Quaint and unassuming, it will take your mind to some fabulous places... like a little warm nook during an Osaka winter where a husband and wife team just keep serving up delight after delight. read more

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i love this little place! my partner and i came in for a late lunch and there wasn't anyone in the shop. a couple people trickled in after us, but it was not crowded at this off hour (2pm). NABEYAKI UDON: this was the Best thing i've had in awhile. i had lingering cold symptoms and this was the perfect cozy meal. it had a substantial amount of seafood (two different types of fish, mussels, shrimp, etc.) and the noodles were so good. the broth was excellent. i have no complaints and i'm stoked to go back!! read more

We just ate here 4 days ago...and the only thing that was memorable was the strawberry mochi. No bueno. When a dessert is the highlight of a Japanese restaurant, it definitely won't bring upon a return visit. The food wasn't horrible...but, it wasn't great either. We started off with okra beef...it was rather salty and definitely something that could be put together at home...not much flavor. We then moved on to a large order of sashimi...the fish was fresh...but nothing wowed me. The cuts were nice...not extremely generous...but big enough that it was worth the price. Next, an order of uni. Ok, the uni was wham bam thank you ma'am. Super super fresh...and plentiful. It melted in my mouth and had to refrain myself from ordering more. Definitely the highlight of our dinner... And for our last item, we ordered the chirashi. Meh, I've had way better...nothing was special about it...it actually tasted a bit amateur...if that makes sense. And then dessert...we ordered the sweet yam thing with ice cream which really wasn't anything special either. I felt like I was eating purple jello with a scoop of ice cream on top. Eh...not so much. The strawberry mochi was all that and a bag of chips though...the red bean accented it perfectly. The mochi was soft...the strawberry was sweet. Too bad they don't allow their desserts to-go. The service was good...I watched her make the tofu dishes from scratch while testing it on her wrist. Overall, it was just a 3 star experience. There are so many great sushi places in the city...I probably won't find myself back at this restaurant again...unless they offer the mochi to-go! Haha. read more

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The presentation of the dishes were lacking. But the flavor was 100% there. The eggplant cake (vegan) with nuts is one of the yummiest things I've had. It's so good and the toasted nuts make it perfect. The Cold Tofu dish (vegan) was also amazing. I didn't expect it to be so good since it's just tofu but it was. The miso soup (not vegan) was good, and the vege and mushroom rolls were what you'd expect. The chef choice my boyfriend ordered, he said it was good and the fish was fresh and buttery. read more

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Kind of odd to go to a Japanese restaurant simply because we wanted their strawberry mochi dessert...but that's why we were there. Waiting, waiting, waiting for dessert. Not that their nigiri wasn't good, because their sashimi and nigiri are good, but nothing to drool over, if you know what I mean. They make homemade tofu...but since I'm not a big tofu fan...although we ordered it, it didn't impress me much. Wow, now I sound like that lame Shania Twain song. So like good little children...we were just waiting for dessert. Which is one person per mochi...or one kochi per person depending on how you want to look at it. Was the mochi worth it? It was okay. It wasn't like a religious experience or anything. The food and service are above average...hence the 4 stars. TIP: Come here early...seats fill up fast and there was a long wait after us... read more

Eiji - Was it worth the wait? No. But it is worth trying if you have time to kill and you like sushi to fill your time in-between... - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Eiji is hands down one of my favorite Japanese restuarants in SF. It has a cozy vibe and seats few people and definitely a cute mom-and-pop shop. I got the nabeyaki udon this time because it was freezing outside and I desparately wanted something warm. It came with ample amounts of a variety of seafood, the broth was warm and exactly what I needed, and the udon seemed housemade and had a great, soft texture. I'm definitely never disappointed when I come here. read more

Eiji - nabeyaki udon - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

The strawberry mochi definitely lives up to the hype. Thin layers of mochi and red bean gently covering a large, sweet strawberry. This dish will make you kick chocolate-covered strawberries to the curb. Order as many as you can (aka one per person). You will not want to share. Had a nice lunch date here. Called ahead for a reservation, but on a weekday, it was open enough for walk-ins. The sashimi lunch ($13) was very good. The fish was fresh and had perfect texture. The sushi lunch ($13) was also good, but I prefer sashimi because you can focus on the fish. The oboru tofu ($8.75) was yummy but a bit pricey. The texture reminded me a bit of Taiwanese xian do jang where the vinegar makes soy milk curdle, very tender. Oboru tofu doesn't have any vinegar in it so it is much milder. Loved the bonito flakes and ginger toppings. I have no idea what this dish is supposed to taste like, so it might be perfect and authentic. That said, I wished there was a tad bit more tofu flavor to it. Amaebi ($8) was expensive but usually is. Will probably just get the sashimi lunch next time for the best value. If only I could come here and order 5 strawberry mochis at $2.75 each. Now that would be an amazing value. read more

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The service was very nice and the food was very aesthetically pleasing! It's right next to Kitchen Story and may be hard to miss at first. The food was not amazing to be honest but it was decent and I did have a good time. I do recommend if you're in the area! read more

I will give 3+1/2 stars. Ordered sashimi lunch, yosenabe, unagi sushi and chirashi. Tastes average,plate presentation not there. Sashimi is very good potion and fresh. They should refuse serve yosenabe soup in summer. There were a lot ingredients missing like green vegetables Atemisia, carrot ,tofu and noodles. It's very disappointed. Chirashi missed bamboo shoot and one of the sushi fish has soft bone inside difficult to chew and eating it. Unagi sushi is very tasty! Their Green tea is fantastic and service is very good. It's still a nice place to hangout with friends. Forgot to mention their salad dressing is homemade ginger dressing. It's light and appétit! read more

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Was soooo delicious!!! The fish was fresh, the sake was hot, and the sushi was incredible! read more

Eiji - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

A solid 4 stars for sure. I was expecting something a little less traditional after having read reviews about a mochii strawberry. Although initially having been disappointed with the lack of innovation in rolls, I quickly recovered after inhaling a bowl of their hot tofu. I believe Eiji converted me into a tofu-lover because prior to this, I hated it. This was so tasty and smooth... nothing like the tofu I've ever eaten. Speaking of fresh, I found anago (freshwater eel)! It's prevalent in Japan and rare in the states. All in all, I appreciated the freshness, service, and authenticity - down to the server who looked like he came straight out of a Japanese manga. read more

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This restaurant was described to me as authentic and one of the best in SF, and because I was visiting my friend, I let him choose. Came here on a Saturday afternoon with my friend under a reservation -- turns out a reservation was not really necessary, but it was nice that we could sit where we wanted due to it. The place is really small, so you may want to make a reservation. The most raved item is the tofu. Personally, I do not like tofu, so I did not try it, but it looked fresh! I ordered the sashimi lunch special, which consisted of seven slices of fresh salmon, tuna and eel, a bowl of rice, miso soup and cucumber sunomono. The fishes were delicious, but it was not filling, so order more if you ever decide to get this! As for service, we were seated promptly and the waitress was very nice and catered to us when we needed it. Parking around the area can be really difficult to find, but other than that, not a bad place to eat at. read more

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Came here last night with a few friends and I absolutely loved this little restaurant! Located conveniently close to Bi-rite creamery (whoot!), this very homey, authentic, Japanese-speaking sushi restaurant/sushi bar is the perfect place to have dinner! Our waitress was very kind and seated us at the sushi bar area. 1. Oboro Tofu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=BZ5oif2bRwU5iN9HIKTCsQ From yelp, we heard that the Oboro tofu was a must. It's freshly made right after you order it, and it was heated on a little stove top right in front of us. The waitress served each of us some tofu and taught us which spices to put on it. The tofu was extremely fresh and delicious, and melts right into your mouth! 2. Sushi: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=3Apq6TMrVqeAQOW6-hdnxQ & http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=p1jW7ZP3ChBaiB0bvYxPTQ Next, we ordered the 7 piece nigri + 1 roll (small tuna roll, just tuna + rice), poke roll, unagi roll, and ceviche roll. The nigri was extremely fresh, and I usually am not a big fan of sashimi but it was great! The fish was very tender, very fresh, and not chewy at all. Out of the other rolls, all were great but my favorite was the poke roll (white tuna + spicy sauce). The only thing lacking from the rolls that could have made it better was if there was some CRUNCH to some of the rolls. 3. Strawberry mochi: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=dEeVAIc7HL8Cs2igaErTGA Last but not least, and definitely the best part of it, was the STRAWBERRY RED BEAN MOCHI. You MUST get this!! And if it's toward the end of the night, order it BEFORE HAND so they don't run out! We were lucky and got the last one. read more

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This is one of those elusive "hidden gems" that only local knows about. Eiji is a small piece of Japan close to Castro and Duboce. The sushi is phenomenal, tuna is top notch, and there are daily/weekly specials. You won't get a show as you might expect from top sushi restaurants or some other high-end places in San-Francisco, but it's one of the best in SF for sure. The restaurant is tiny (about ~15 seats), and as you can't make a reservation online, people will usually wait outside or in the tiny waiting area. But, as you are reading this review, here is a tip - You can easily reserve a seat if you just call (give them at least one hour in advance). Sake is great, sushi is fantastic, gyoza is tender - Keep this place a secret! The waiting line is already getting too long :) read more

Eiji - Deluxe combo - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Honestly, don't waste your time. When we arrived there were 3 people in the restaurant, and only one person was eating. No one greeted us. We stood there for a while, in a tiny space you could not miss the 2 of us, until one of the wait staff said we could sit. It was our first time here and we asked for a bottle of sake, and some appetizers and the waitress told us she would not take our order until we knew everything we wanted because you only get to order once. At this point we were the only people in here, but ok we agreed. Golden state was in the play offs and we had it on complete silent at our table, on our cell phone (privately) between the two of us. Keep in mind this was an empty restaurant at this point, also it was on complete silent, in the 4th quarter and we were quietly watching it. It bothered the waitress so much that she came over to scold us for having our phone out and I quote her saying "this is not the place for people like us." We had ordered, but hadn't even received our food yet. She had time to be rude, but not to provide any service. She brought our food in a togo container with our check and asked us to go. Food is MEDIOCRE at best. So many other better options in SF! The roll was mostly rice and the tuna had no flavor. Sunomono was also practically raw, no rice vinegar. Very unimpressed. read more

amazing sushi, our server was attentive while also juggling 4-5 other tables on her own. the interior made us feel like we were in japan. after ordering a full course we decided on 3 more rolls because it was just that good. the rice was perfect. read more

Eiji - alaska roll, rock n' roll, and dragon roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

They won't let an extra guest come late and sit down, even if they didn't order food. They actually ordered the guest to leave.

Came here with my bf about 9:30 when they close at 10. We called in advance and they said last call is 9:50. We arrived and no one was there. Plenty of parking. Seated and felt rushed. I understand they're closing soon but we just sat down and they said oh are you ready to order ? I barely opened the menu. Ordered a few dishes- 2 rolls, sashimi platter and tofu. So expensive. Didn't like the two rolls. Very small. Sashimi was good. Tofu was a bit too salty for me but my bf LOVED it. It was warm and had sauce on top. Free parking in the area, and it was not hard to find. I feel like this place is overrated and pricey, I wouldn't really go back again as nothing really caught my taste. read more

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If you are looking for a cozy Izakaya with Japanese good service, this isn't it. Quarters are cramped, servers have bad attitude, and will shove the payment machine in your face before you are finished eating. We have been here twice and have had bad service both times. There will not be a third time. Then, they will ask you to leave because "other customer are waiting" like its SF lady, we all wait for dinner. We were not even there for an hour. Plenty of good izakayas with better food and service: go to Mayumi, Rintaro, The Public, etc instead read more

Truly replicated a sushi shop in Japan with its authentic taste and ambiance. Quaint and tiny space, but we didn't have to wait thanks to our reservation! We ordered the chef's deluxe, soft tofu, yellowtail and white tuna. Portion was ok but probably could have eaten more. I guess that's the thing about sushi. The tofu was really interesting bc it came with toppings but in the end, it was still just tofu in disguise. I liked it as a nice palate cleanser before our main dish. Of the deluxe sushi, fatty tuna was definitely the best of them all but also the smallest. Try to eat them in order of flavor and fattiness. The shrimp was the most bleh. Hamachi was really good and I'm just a fan of eel and octopus, which aren't certainly the popular ones but still so very delightful. The waitress was super kind and explained a lot of the items. Loved it here. 10/10 would come again. read more

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Still amazing. The strawberry mochi is still so yummy (order it ahead because man they always run out otherwise). and the OBORO TOFU. Ahhhh I can eat like 2 pots of this myself! Oh and the ankake tofu isn't "cold". It comes out piping hot. Make reservations and don't be late. They get kind of upset at you since they are so small. Or eat enough to make up for it and leave a lot of tip ;-) I love the gyoza too. And note, I don't eat raw fish so I can't comment on the sushi but I hear it's good. I think because it's so small they're not the friendliest but they're friendly enough. I could eat here everyday. read more

Little places that take reservations are great. Request the strawberry mochi when you make your date. The tofu is so fresh and clean. Get it hot with toppings or cold with a starchy paste. Just let your senses take a taste Try the daily specials, some classic sushi or anything in between. The staff knows the menu from head to toe. It's easy to share even when you're not in the know. It's not my go to place, but it's worth a try. There are a lot of regulars as well as passersby. read more

We had house made tofu, toro, yellowtail cheek (hamachi) a couple sushi rolls and mochi ( homemade) for dessert Almost all of it was excellent An authetic Oasis near the Castro district read more

Tiny restaurant that I might have walked by if my family wasn't intent on visiting. It opened at 5:30 today, we were waiting outside before that, and we were not the only ones. Loved the oboro tofu! It was a treat for me (a tofu fan). read more

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My friend and I decided to have some comfort Japanese food so stopped by Eiji. It is a small Izakaya type of place serving sushi, soba, and some small plates. Lunch time options were pretty limited, so we shared the sushi lunch (including 7 pieces of sushi plus the tuna rolls), seafood soup, as well as the famous homemade tofu. Greatly enjoyed the tofu, very soft and flavorful. read more

Eiji - Seafood soup. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I actually thought Eiji's sushi was mediocre--the fish seemed dry, and the portions were really small. I would come back and try other dishes (I've heard the homemade tofu is great), but I'm not sure I'd try the sushi again. The menu was also not as expansive for sushi as I had hoped. However, the strawberry mochi/daifuku was amazing. It's almost as good as Japan! The mochi is super fresh, and the strawberry inside is deliciously juicy. I would come here just for the strawberry daifuku. read more

Went here awhile back but i wanted to write a review since it was a cool experience. I like sashimi however the wifey is not a big fan so I don't get to try venues like this very often. The sashimi deluxe was very tasty and something I enjoyed. Also had the hot tofu which was made in front of me which was neat but not something I think I'd order again. The highlight was the dessert options. I was feeling myself so I said why not try all three? Strawberry Mochi $4.50 fresh strawberry inside- While tasty and the "pre-season" favorite based on Yelp review was my third fave dessert option Purple Sweet Potato Yakari $4.50 sweet purple yam cake and vanilla ice cream on top - I never would have thought to order this but it was darn good. Unique flavor would reccomend Mochi Ice Cream Kyoto Style $6.50 Green tea and vanilla ice cream wrapped in Cinnamon Mochi decorated with red bean sauce- Also a dish that I would probably not have ordered but this was the winner winner chicken dinner. So so good, I'm salivating just thinking about this dessert. read more

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Verybest sushi I have ever had. Always fresh and wonderful I am very fortunate that I live 1 block from here , although I would drive from Sacramento for their amazing sushi !! For years this is my only choice for sushi. Nothing else compares and absolute best & freshest Tamago!!! Wonderful staff also read more

Just awfully rude service people. Left my family (including my 4 year old) out to wait in the rain while I parked. They couldn't even stand in the door way? Truly deserve 1 star. read more

Very rude and weird customer service. Food was good, but after they served our dessert, and right after I put the Daifuku into my mouth, they immediately told us to leave because someone is waiting for a table. We were not using cellphone or watching YouTube video, we were just enjoying our dinner and chatting. I was so shocked that I didn't have time to change my tipping amounts. Never received this kind of service in my life. Please be aware of their service. read more

Very small and quaint, calm ambiance and not meant for big groups bc the place is small. This was right next to a busy restaurant so we decided to give it a try. We were the only ones in there. They check vaccination and ask us to keep mask on until we got our food. we ordered the tuna steak belly, seafood udon, and salmon skin roll. I would say the best thing was the tuna belly; it was very moist, good flavor and good portion; Plating was lacking finesse and color but overall still good dish. I didn't personally like the seafood udon flavor (too fishy) and the egg too under but my hubby thought it was ok and they were generous with the meat and noodles were cooked perfect. Salmon skin roll tasted right but nothing special. Service was fast as it should since we were the only ones there) and food came out fairly quickly. Overall it was ok. A fly flew in and started to bother me and buzz around the window where we sat. They should really consider closing the door. read more

Eiji - Tuna Belly Steak - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Avoid raw items here. Also bring cash or be ready to pay 4% extra for "check-out" fee by using your credit card. Mediocre service, MSG enhanced food, and dangerously spoiled seafood. read more

I wish I could give this joint a better review. We came here after realizing the wait at Shizen was over an hour long. There were only two parties ahead of us, so we figured it would be a 30 minute wait max. After all, it was a Thursday night and pretty late for dinner (around 8:00). Well, we ended up waiting for almost an hour anyways. There wasn't any clear wait time or waitlist, so we had to keep looking to see which tables were finishing up. It doesn't help that the restaurant is tiny and poorly ventilated. After being seated, we proceeded to wait almost another 40 mins for our food, which was a bit ridiculous, seeing as half our dinner party only ordered the vegetarian rolls (so presumably not a ton of preparation). Not one, but two, other parties ordered, were served, finished their meals before we got our food. The sushi was good, but by no means worth the excessive wait and cramped quarters. read more

Last minute decision for sushi on a Friday night and after calling a few places, we were lucky to find out there wasn't much of a wait at Eiji. It definitely got busy just after we arrived so do make a reservation in advance since it's a fairly small place. Overall it's a solid spot for sushi. From the regular menu: ++ Cold tofu: homemade tofu was so silky & delicious! They have 2 other options for hot tofu but we opted for the cold one since it was a warm day. ++ Sashimi / Nigiri / Chirashi: very fresh seafood; all were good From the Daily Specials menu: ++ Eggplant with Walnut Miso: interesting take on eggplant but a bit too sweet for me; almost tasted like dessert ++ Tuna Belly Steak: had to order it based on all the yelp reviews. Glad I did because it was delicious -- a must order! ++ Negi Toro (fatty tuna w/ green onion): wouldn't recommend; you can barely taste the fatty tuna when it's all minced up & in a roll. read more

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Oh man. I had probably the best tofu I've ever had in my life here (and I've had a lot of tofu). The ankake is this silky, smooth, steamed tofu covered in a really savory sauce and eating it feels like pillows of flavor. We also saw the oboro tofu being made to order- it's a soy liquid heated to a certain temperature, then mixed with a liquid that makes the tofu curds. We didn't have it, but it looked really good. My friend and I also ordered the rock n roll and spicy tuna roll, which were pretty good, nothing outstanding, but good for the price. But definitely, order the tofu if you ever go here. You won't regret it!! read more

Eiji - Ankake tofu - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My fav sushi place in the city, very authentic, and me and my friends are always so satisfied! read more

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The waitress who works here is extremely rude and unaccommodating. We came for an early dinner around 4pm the restaurant had plenty of open tables but they would not seat myself and my 5 year old son while my husband was parking. There was a bench at the entrance that had a sign that said for guests only. My son wanted to sit at the bench while waiting and the waitress came over and said he couldn't sit there either.. I asked nicely if we could just wait at a table since my son was hot and tired and my husband would be right in and she curtly told us to go outside. Didn't even get to try the food but I am never coming back. read more

Really brusque, almost rude service. In the end, I remember how uncomfortable the atmosphere was rather than the food. We had a party of four plus one baby, but because the baby was going to be in someone's arms, I didn't reserve a fifth spot. I didn't know the restaurant required a reservation for a baby, but okay, that's on me. I should have asked. What was rude was the owner telling us very loudly and sternly (the restaurant is small so the whole place could hear what was going on) that we messed up by not reserving a fifth spot, and that he would "let us in this time, but in future" he has the right to turn us away. It's his restaurant so he can set the rules, sure, but there's absolutely no need to humiliate a customer for a mistake. Well don't worry, we won't be coming back, ever. read more

We had an excellent meal and service to match. We sat outside and the server brought us a heater to make sure that we were comfortable on a chilly night. read more

THis is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants. Not because it is especially fancy, but because it feels like a family run restaurant in Tokyo. Which is what it is, albeit in San Francisco. But the family is Japanese and while I am not normally a tofu eater - I really like theirs. TBH, I have not been since the pandemic started, but I wanted to post a review since they are one of the ones I look forward to going to once I feel comfortable eating inside again. I also like their specials. read more