One, I wanted to take pictures for the review but I kept forgetting. If I had taken them, they would have looked really beautiful. Two, this place has a bit of a hole in the wall vibe, but the lady who served us was very prompt, attentive, and friendly. Everything came simply but beautifully plated and tasted amazing. We ordered the following. Kelp salad was really good. meticulously cut and presented, you can taste each type of kelp on the plate. great experience. Would order again. Oboro tofu was a great first time experience, I enjoyed the experience. Would probably not order again. Uni nigiri was really really good. Pricey, but really good. I could taste the sweetness of the uni, possibly the best I have eaten outside of these fancy omakase places. Sake nigiri was way better than the average sushi places, salmon tasted really good, just the right amount of rice and fish. Unagi nigiri was the same, just the right amount of fish and rice. Our daughter only eats sake, so they graciously made the rainbow roll with all salmon, I am not sure if they charged extra or not. It tasted great. We also had another roll, don't remember the name, it had unagi. It was pretty good as well. The best was the sushi rice, it was the best I have tasted, outside of the fancy omakase places. The proportion of rice to fish was spot on, and the presentation was simple but beautiful, you can see the effort. Loved this lunch, will be back again. read more

Parking didn't seem too tough - it's next to Kitchen Story though, so it could be harder to find parking during prime times. Service was great - our waitress was attentive and kept refilling our teas and water as needed. Food and drinks were served in a timely manner. Food: my friend and I both ordered the sashimi lunch - the salmon sashimi was smooth like silk butter. It was my favorite out of the sashimi & very delicious. The sashimi lunch came with 3 tuna, 2 salmon, & 2 amberjack. We also ordered the tamago, kampyo (squash) maki roll, and negi-hama (hamachi w/scallion) roll. The kampyo roll was interesting - the texture of the squash was chewy and tasted pretty sweet. The Negi-Hama roll was very light and you can't taste the hamachi really. Ambience: super small place so it can get pretty packed when the tables are filled. When there's less people, it can feel like you're shouting (if in a group) so at first, I felt like I had to whisper. Once the tables started to feel, I felt more comfortable to talk at a "normal" volume. Price wise: I thought it was pretty pricey overall, but you're paying for the quality here so I was A-OK with that! read more

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Nice place to eat. Very clean presentation. Staff is genuinely nice and quick to help explain menu.

Had two friends coming in town, and they requested sushi, but not the wallet-draining kind. I found Eiji on Yelp and had no problems making a reservation three days before. At first glance, Eiji is a warm bustling homey kind of place. The tables are pretty close together, and there was a huddle of people waiting in the small entrance waiting area. We started off with the gyoza, which was okay. Next was the Oboro Tofu, which is made to order and comes with a variety of toppings, such as scallions, yam, shiso. It was fresh, but it was pretty underwhelming and pales in comparison to the fresh tofu I had in Japan. We also got the Monkfish liver special, which was actually bad. We each had a bite and didn't want any more. In terms of fish, we got a selection of nigiri and two rolls. I had taken one of the friends to Pabu on a previous trip, and we both agreed the sushi quality is not up to par with Pabu. Also, the service was not great. They are super abrupt, bordering on unfriendly. We had three people at a four top and asked if we could add a last minute addition that was 5 minutes away, and they said no. The one highlight of the night was the dessert. Their fresh strawberry mochis are pretty great. Plump strawberries covered in red bean and then wrapped in a mochi skin. Limit 1 per person, and often sells out. read more

I'm handing out another 5 star to another sushi place in SF. Eiji is located right next to the popular brunch spot, Kitchen Story, & a very popular dessert spot, U Dessert. While these two might be your original target, let Eiji be your new destination. Very small and intimate- the focus here is on the revolving daily specials and fresh nigiri. This is not where you come to eat rolls. I repeat, this is not a rolls spot. No photos, but we had tried a large assortment of nigiri, some hot dishes, two of the three tofu, and ended with a mochi dessert. The tofu plates were surprisingly big/filling, not sure if I would get two away because it got a little repetitive eating that much tofu. All the nigiri was delicious- nice fatty pieces on top of well seasoned sushi rice. The mochi dessert, fried and coated with cinnamon, was the perfect ending to dinner. Overall, the bill (before tip) was under 200 for three individuals trying a LOT. The assortment and dishes we ordered made it feel like I had Omakase. Definitely another sushi spot with going to, that is on the cheaper side of the high end sushi spots in the city (lol, that under 200 is cheap in SF). read more

I remember coming here and was super excited. Coming out of it, I feel like it didn't meet my excitement. It's not quite a sushi place since they sell so many other dishes, not quite an izakaya, just no real focus other than japanese cuisine. You can get many dishes that are "solid" but it doesn't do any specific dish especially well. It's a jack of all trades, where jack is 3 stars given the price point. read more

I learned about this Japanese restaurant from fellow Yelper B.B. many years ago, and since then I have kept this place in mind whenever I visit the City. One evening Santi and I decided to stop by for dinner, and the overall experience was everything B.B. had described. By all measures, the restaurant was tiny, with a handful of small tables in a quiet surrounding parsimoniously decorated. The serene ambiance was what I expected in a traditional Japanese restaurant that takes their food seriously. Service was warm and mild mannered. From the restaurant's composition to the dishes that arrived at our table, each profile and finishing touch was illuminating and purposeful. The homemade Oboro Tofu ($9.75) was served in a pot filled with silken tofu slightly breaking from its light broth. The tofu was made to order, and we were given a set of garnishes that included sesame seeds, scallions, fresh and pickled ginger, shaved bonito flakes, shiso leaf and soy sauce to season at the table. I wished the consistency of the silken tofu was thicker, but it was still a delicious starter to warm the stomach and open the taste bud. The Yosenabe ($19.50) arrived boiling hot and filled with assorted seafood, shellfish, and vegetables in a broth lightly seasoned. The centrality of the seafood was influential and nuanced in the delicious broth. It had all the right profiles that left me wanting more. The Chirashi ($20.75) came in a small bowl layered with nine different kinds of seafood such as salmon, tuna, yellowtail, red snapper, salmon roe, octopus, white fish, cooked shrimp, mackerel, and steamed eggs served on sushi rice. The fish was fresh with great flavors and colors, and the sushi rice was memorable too. The homemade Kuri Daifuku ($3.50) came with a soft mochi with a good chew, and a layer of sweet azuki beans surrounding whole chestnut in the middle for a complete profile and texture. The kuri was easy to bite into and the composition was just sweet enough to accompany our hot tea. Despite the feast, we wished we had room to try their Strawberry Daifuku. The experience was worthwhile, and we were very pleased with the amount of delicate flavors to illustrate a different, and probably more traditional, vantage point on the cuisine. Interested diners should come early to avoid a wait. I hope to eventually return to try their Okra Beef, Ikura Oroshi, Misonabe, Aji, Uni, Negitoro, and Strawberry Daifuku. read more

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There wasn't that much selection on their menu, and it was pretty frustrating as they have a minimum that each person needs to order. We ended up spending more than we intended just to meet the minimum per person. I suppose bringing cash is the way to go since they charge you extra if you use a debit or credit card, and if you split the bill they add that charge to both transactions. Overall not the best experience, it was just frustrating as we wanted a smaller mean of just one roll each but ended up ordering 3 rolls and an appetizer. Food was alright, I probably won't go back. read more

Eiji - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Get the homemade oboro tofu as an appetizer. Also monkfish liver was really good too (a special on the wall). All the sushi here was very fresh and prepared well. I would go for the specials on the wall. However the portions were extremely small, especially for the price, hence the three stars. Desert: do not pass on the strawberry mochi. It's delicious. read more

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This place is legit. The most authentic Japanese restaurant is not in Japantown. (Sorry Japantown! I still love you but...) if you ever lived or had an extended stay in Japan, you probably remember those small six seat neighborhood restaurants that always served wonderful meals. Eiji has extremely fresh sushi and they will tell you what to try. The sushi is perfect and is sometimes flavored with different herbs other than just wasabi. The chef knows what hi is doing and is following a style that is hard to find outside of Japan. Eiji also makes their own tofu. I happen to have experience with this. (Tofu making was my grandmother's business) . Homemade tofu tastes different from mass produced tofu we buy at a store. Homemade tofu is more delicate and slightly sweet. If you never tried it, you should. I am surprised it took me such a long time to try this restaurant. It will be my "go to" place from now on. read more

Delish. Great fish. We walked from the Mish. Miso. And bonito. Better than anyplace you'll go. Tofu. Fresh dew. Oboro will rock you. Ceviche. Mouth play. I could eat it all day. Orgasmic. Quite fantastic. Tuna belly steak so climatic! read more

EVENT: It's Friday night day night with the Mr.! Can't wait! It's been a long, long week and a long, long day... *Sigh* PARKING: there's some empty spots here and there! Not too bad! But if you're planning to drink... maybe an Uber is good! SERVICE: excellent service! Server came right away and straight away! She was quick to get my drinks and placed my order right away. I trusted her recommendations (but, of course, I kinda knew what I wanted! Muhaha!) FOOD: (1) KELP SALAD - the pictures looks a bit bigger.. but smaller than I expected. This is a *MUST* there's different kinds of seaweed.. kelp... mix it all up in the sesame flavored sauce .. looks and taste delish! (2) Assorted Sashimi Deluxe - check the pic out! 13 pieces with 6 kinds of sashimi! All delish! The salmon melted in my mouth! Excellent! (3) Tekka Tuna - I had this for desert and delish! (4) Clam miso soup - I love this! It was something different. The soup came out hot. *MUST* (5) Fresh TOFU - WOW! This dish came out in a container with some dark sauce on the side, taste like sweet soy sauce. One the side there were some ginger and green onions... just sprinkle some on top and it's amazing! (6) Rainbow Roll - delish! Fresh fish and rolled up! And in my mouth! Mmm! (7) Dessert - *drum roll* mochiiii please! I love this .. there's fresh strawberries in mochhhiiiii!!! I hearts! DRINKS: had my bottle of BEER! Perfect! **MUST GET* I would come back for the kelp salad and clam miso soup, OMG... the TOFU! 4.5 stars! MmmM! read more

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After reading countless reviews of this place I HAD to take my sushi loving booty here. My other sushi loving friend accompanied me to enjoy this experience. I made reservations, yes I highly recommend this. We were running late thanks to SF traffic so I called and they cheerfully moved it 15 mins. later and told me to drive safely! When we arrived we were immediately greeted and seated at our table that had the "RESERVED" happily waiting for us. We ordered the salmon and maguro (tuna) sashimi. Ebi, tamago, ikura and hamachi nigiri sushi. Oshinko (pickled daikon), Rock'n Roll, Spicy tuna, Dragon and Poke (spicy white tuna) roll. With ginjo wakatake sake, beer and soda to wash it all down. When our server brought the the sashimi, I took one look at the fish and new it was fresh. A quick dip in the wasabi with soy sauce and into my mouth...it melted. OMG! As we devoured the sashimi I looked over and saw the infamous fresh strawberry mochis in a glass container. Something told me to tell our server to put some on my tab before they sold out. When our sushi was brought to us with 15 mins of us being seated. The server place a huge tray with a massive amount of sushi beautifully displayed. Glen and I looked at each other and knew we were about to get into trouble. All the rolls were nicely portioned. All the fish was butter soft and just melted away with each bite. The rice wasn't sticky it had the right amount of starchiness so that it would not take away from the fish. Oh and the sushi doesn't give you the bloated feeling which is awesome all the more reason to eat more! I noticed they make their own tofu before your very eyes! Im trying that next time I come here (who wants to come with me?) Oh and the strawberry daifuku! This alone can bring in 5 stars! Huge fresh strawberries covered with red bean paste and a layer of mochi...HEAVENLY! It's not too sweet so you can practically eat one after another without going into a sugar coma. The restaurant is tiny (hence why reservations are recommended). The décor is minimal which makes it feel like an actual sushi restaurant in Tokyo. P.S. Almost everywhere I go I see the "people love us on Yelp" sticker on their window, this place doesn't, what's the deal? This restaurant is almost at a perfect 5 star average rating! read more

Eiji - glen getting ready to tear it up! - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Friend and I were looking for sushi on a Friday night. We made a reservation. Come dinner time, I was 20 minutes late due to traffic (and starving- as usual). Lesson learned, your reservation will expire after 15 minutes and you're back to the end of the line. Be on time since they don't seat you until everyone in your party has arrived! Luckily friend and I were here around a time that there wasn't a massive line, so we only had to wait 30 minutes extra for a table. After rubber necking (politely), looking at everyone's delicious food and studying the menu for a bit, we got seated at the bar. We ordered/shared the nigiri chef's choice, seaweed salad, and an ichigo daifuku (strawberry mochi). We also ordered a spicy tuna roll and ume shiso (not on the menu but I always ask for it anyway)s. The sushi here is some of the best I've had in San Francisco. So good, that I came back Sunday night in the same week. I'm typically annoyed and disappointed when it comes to sushi in this city because it's so subpar. Eiji fills the void (of Shiro's/most sushi in Seattle, a baby step behind but delicious nonetheless). --- Second time around, ordered the oboro tofu, okra beef, ume shiso, and ichigo-daifuku (strawberry mochi). It's probably the BEST I've had in a very long time. The oboro tofu is a MUST try. It has a slight "nutty" flavor when eaten on its own which I really enjoyed but the full deliciousness was with all the extras and the tamari soy sauce. I could probably eat this dish all on my own, shamelessly. Well, all you need to know is: 1. Be on time with your full party 2. Order your OWN strawberry mochi Aaaand I didn't share the daifuku this time. Sllp! =D read more

Eiji - Strawberry, red bean, and handmade mochi. OHEMGEEE - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Fantastic homemade tofu, fresh strawberry mochi. Good selection of fresh fish! If you wanna talk about nigiri, I want to point out that their sushi rice is excellent! You can get good/fresh fish any day. But sushi rice is very technical. You don't judge a sushi restaurant from the different crazy named rolls which are drowned w/mayo or teriyaki sauce! If you want 49er rolls, go some place else! Simple, on point menu. I don't understand why people are all about quantity instead of quality? Too many super-sized McFatten meals?! I love quality, authentic, small sushi/Japanese restaurants because they care about your dining experience created by the sushi master, not by Mexican sushi sous chefs for the masses! With only so many seats in the restaurant, those who do not really know about sushi or tofu could seriously go somewhere else! You don't deserve this. Now, I crave for their tofu and delicate nigiris! Eji is authentic and I approve! read more

A pleasant neighborhood spot. With all the rave reviews it's fair to say that I came in with high expectations. The service was friendly and genuine, but was quite slow. Their homemade tofu was the highlight and was a new and delicious experience for me. I also tried their rolls and nigiri, the fish quality was high but the rice texture was off. Stick to the hot entrees and go light on the sushi and I'll think you'll get the best Eiji has to offer. Disclosure: Eiji is a Yelp advertiser and I'm a Yelp employee at the time of my review. read more

This place is adorable, it's a little on the smaller side so not good for big groups. I think they have only 1-2 tables that seat four people and the rest of the tables are for groups of 2. I came on a Thursday night at 7PM and there was no wait. Really enjoyed the tuna belly steak! I've never had anything like that before. It was so light yet filled with tuna flavor. You get an entire plate of it and easily is an entree on its own if you just order a side of rice. Also ordered +Ankake tofu: I really liked this! it was soft and silken and delicious. It comes with a sauce that I'm not sure what it is but similar to a thicker, sweet soy sauce, and it pairs well with the tofu. You gotta proportion it well though because sometimes I'd scoop too little tofu and too much sauce and that wasn't as enjoyable. +Sea bream: tasted fresh +Tuna belly w/green onion: initially thought it was going to be served like nigiri but got maki, so it was a bit of a let down +Uni: tasted fresh but it was a little watery. Uni is my favorite so this was a bit of a disappointment +Fresh strawberry in mochi: so good! loved it! Overall, loved this place! Probably will order their other specialty tofu next time, tuna belly steak, and try some of their rolls or sashimi. Also, huge surprise when the bill came out to a little over $60 for all this food. Oh they do this extra charge if you pay with credit card, so bring cash if you wanna avoid that minor charge. read more

E xceeded every expectation by a mile -- I'm a fan I t seemed a lot of care was put into every dish J ust as much care that went into the service I f only they had more Strawberry Daifuku available to serve... R ecommend coming here, even if it's just for the Daifuku E xquistely made mochi-wrapped strawberry with azuki paste S weet, rich and great texture -- like heaven in your mouth T he rest of the meal is a winner, too A ll cuts of fish in the Sashimi are top notch, especially the salmon U nique to see homemade tofu -- the Oboru Tofu is very fun to eat R eally nice sear and flavor to the Tuna Belly Steak A lways get the Uramaki rolls -- the Maki rolls are mini-size N egi-hama maki (hamachi w/ scallions) tasted very fresh T he pickled ginger is one of the best I've ever tasted read more

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4.5 stars based on 282 reviews--are you kidding me? Maybe if this was on a 10-star scale! My friends and I had the Broiled Sake-Miso Black Cod, Uni/Sea Urchin, Aji/Spanish Mackerel, Spicy Tuna Roll, Caterpillar Roll, Rainbow Roll, and mango and red bean mochi ice cream. Seems like a lot of food for three people, but I had to eat a second dinner when I got home--no joke. The black cod (butterfish) was palatable but not worth $11.50. I could've eaten it in three small bites. The sushi was nothing exceptional except exceptionally small--it was sushi I sleepwalked through eating. I liked the Spicy Tuna Roll best because it had flavor unlike the others. The piece of unagi/eel in the Caterpillar Roll was so tiny it went under the taste bud radar--same goes for the imitation crab in the Caterpillar Roll. This was the first time I've had uni/sea urchin and it was really unmemorable. The mochi ice cream was the best part of the meal, but when is it ever bad? I hate to dog on a beloved neighborhood sushi joint, but this place was a disappointment. To make matters worse, the waitress kicked us out immediately after we paid the bill because there was a party waiting for our table (which we had a reservation for). This is the fourth flop my friend and I have faced in San Francisco. Every place we've been to has been overrated and underwhelming--from Thai to chowder to Chinese to sushi. Where the good eats at? Should I be questioning my move to the Bay Area? read more

Eiji - Broiled Sake-Miso Black Cod - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It was my first time to eat Oboro Tofu since I came to the US. It reminded me of really good taste of simple tofu in Japan. read more

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Ah hem, can I blow my noise or is that a capital crime? Oh, what about going to the bathroom? Is that a complete nuisance? You'd think all of the above were at this snotty mc. snot snot sushi den. We ain't on a train in Tokyo you know! Women wearing strange outfits that look like they came out of the legend of Heiki stroll around almost militantly whispering so lowly they seem to only halfway ask what you'd like to order. Truth be told, they really seemed like they wanted nothing to do with us. You buy a forty dollar sake and people still treat you like a kid :( Thing is that forty dollar of sake was blah. We've definitely had better. Perhaps we ordered less than those near us but whatever. We got the gigantic tuna belly special of the day which neither of us could finish. It was sometimes tender, sometimes not. My friend had some unexceptional spicy tuna (she also has a knack for ordering unexceptional things mind you.). We also got a strange soup since they were out of miso soup. It had slimy things in it. My friend complained. I ate them, they were ok. They're favorite was the oboru tofu. They loved the texture and the seasonings. The sashimi was what I was really waiting for. I'm no roll girl. I got my hamachi like always, and shared it. It was not nearly what I expected. The only thing I can say is, get the strawberry mochi and PLEASE encourage them NOT to play cowboy music while you are there. If they are trying to impersonate a Japanese restaurant your ears should not be filled with the sounds of banjous and whiny white guys tired of the dust storms and their cheating wife. It's just common sense. read more

Eiji - Hamachi Sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I would give five stars for the food, but the service really put us off. We reserved a table for five and four of us arrived on time. we saw our table was set up, but it was a small table that could only sit four. they didn't sit us saying all five have to be there. We didn't feel that comfortable squeezing at the small entry. It was 10 min past our reservation, the waiter approached us. I thought we would be invited to sit, but he was saying we have to leave coz they cannot keep our reservation anymore. Our faces were burning at the moment, coz we reserved, we waited for a small table that couldn't sit for more than 4 and we were asked to leave......luckily at that moment the 5th person showed up and the waiter felt reluctant to seat us. An awkward night. But food wise, everting was perfect, the tofu was amazing!!! Cod was nice too. read more

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My thoughts on Eiji: -Pretty good selection of traditional dishes -Small, very cozy space -Lots of great nigiri options (ahh kanpachi!!) -Pretty fresh Verdict: Yummy but certainly not the best sushi I've ever had... but it was tasty. It's more of a 3.5 in my book. Oh and note: It must be a popular date restaurant because I swear to dog we were surrounded by first dates on either side. Because the restaurant is so small, I could literally hear every little word that they said. Slightly awkward but fun to listen to the painful chitchat that was occurring... Yes, I can be (slightly) evil. read more

I've been wanting to come to Eiji for a long long time and was finally able to on a Sunday night. We lucked out and snagged their last table for 2 at 6:45pm. Had we come in a few minutes later, we would have had to wait a while (at least 30 mins) for a table. So first off, make a reservation! There are two things you MUST order if you step foot into Eiji: 1) Oboro Tofu (homemade!!) 2) Strawberry Mochi (if they have it) Definitely reserve a strawberry mochi right when you sit down. This was the best part of my meal. The strawberry mochi is freshly made, the mochi part is chewy and sweet, and everything about it is TO DIE FOR. Sashimi here is fresh... Tuna Belly Steak is cooked perfectly... Poke Roll has a flowery aroma to it while being slightly spicy... Catepillar roll is standard... Spicy Tuna Roll wasn't very spicy... Service here is SUPER attentive. All in all, I'll be back at Eiji when I'm craving homemade tofu as well as fresh strawberry mochi. read more

Eiji - Strawberry mochi! TO DIE FOR. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Alright people, forget the haters because this place is one of the most underrated gems in San Francisco. If you know Japanese food, then you know this place has it right. If you're looking for big-portioned deep fried sushi rolls or I don't know... a place where the service is better than the food, then don't come here. Come here to satiate your delicate palate, fulfill your cravings for freshness. Oboro Tofu. It is not "just" tofu. Come on people, making tofu is a process. You gotta soak the soybeans, squeeze out the "milk", coagulate it... there is a difference between fresh tofu and tofu from the plastic containers. Here at Eiji, it is the former. Fresh as can be, made to order. No extra chemicals or preservatives, just freshly made tofu. The shoyu they give you to add to the tofu is not any old shoyu, it is lighter, more delicate and complimentary of the tofu and toppings. All of the fish served as either sushi or sashimi is fresh af. Enough said. The broiled miso black cod is to die for. To die for. Perfectly cooked. It is very easy to overcook this dish, and I've had many that were overcooked. The way they do it here is just flawless. Get the gyoza. This place is worth it. It's not cheap, but it's worth it. read more

Most japaneezy joint I've been to in San Francisco so far (e.g., "We have a $20 minimum for credit cards, so...................") Teeny tiny restaurant with dark wood, and partially open kitchen. We showed up a few minutes after they opened for dinner service on a Sunday evening, so we were seated immediately. and it stayed empty for at least half an hour. Calming place, and the hot hand towels were a nice touch. We started with the oboro tofu, which is basically tofu in cloud form that they make in a cute nabe on the side. It made me think of chawan mushi, but not eggtastic obviously. Light broken custard with pinches of condiments: shiso, negi, sesame seeds, daikon, ginger, and bonito flakes. Tamari isn't really necessary, but you're given a spoutlet to drizzle some on. Super fresh sashimi, and the regular set had a solid mix of fatty and hearty fishes. Will come back! read more

Very nice food. My vegetarian friend enjoyed the oboro tofu very much (except for the bonito flakes) and everyone seemed to really enjoy their food. I had the chirashi zushi and it was very nicely fresh, with good portion for the dish. Sometimes I feel like places overdo the sashimi cuts and make them awkward to eat. Then again, a lot of people probably love getting a crapload of sashimi on their chirashi (it's the extra value meal). Personally, I enjoy the aesthetics and like to see a dish that isn't overly crowded. Now if you want to talk about crowded, the restaurant itself was packed like goddamn sardines (on a Tuesday night, what the hell). It really reminded me of all those teeny tiny places in the North End in Boston that only have like 4 tables and a huge line waiting outside. Only this is SF and it doesn't completely suck to have to wait outside because there's no snow in the wintertime even though it gets kinda windy and stuff here, but it's really nothing to complain about come on people. I'm not gonna get into that though. Anyway... so the dessert here. Uh, it's good. We had the mochi wrapped strawberry (I keep wanting to call it the strawberry wrapped mochi, which would be pretty damned awesome if someone could make that without completely mangling the strawberry). It's a fresh strawberry rolled in azuki paste and then covered with a very thin mochi layer. Oh so good. They serve them cut in half with a teeny little bamboo (or is it wooden?) fork. The fork was a cute little touch and totally made me think of how the chinese mooncakes come with a little fork when you buy the tins. Yeah, that's the cutest touch ever. Uh... meandering review. Go here and try it. read more

Eiji - Mochi covered strawberry dessert - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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They have STRAWBERRY DAIFUKU and home made tofu!! Those are the two reasons why I LOVE this place! Just try it. You can thank me later. I love Eiji! Its actually one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in the city. Well, not my favorite but [another] one of my favorites. I absolutely LOVE their food! Their fish is ALWAYS very fresh and their cooked food is just as good. I think their Negi-hama is the best I've had by far. If you know of another place (with good Negi-hama), holler at yo girl! This place is very small, cozy and can get REALLY crowded after 6:30pm. So don't forget to make a reservation! We didn't have a reservation but we got there before 6pm. Luckily the place was still pretty empty and we were seated right away. So get there once they open or make a reservation! No joke. We ordered their assorted sashimi (9 pieces for $13.75) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=Yw5B_3CP8TK7AYZjoR52gg, Negi-hama ($4.25), Negi-toro, aji nigiri, cold tofu (around $5), unagi nigiri, strawberry daifuku, and purple sweet potato yokan. Our bill was around $50+. This place aint cheap. So expect to drop $50+ for 2 people. Don't forget to order from their special menu. They always have some interesting and yummy dishes on there. You gotta order their tofu! Otherwise, what's the point of coming here?! That's what they're known for, ya know! I've been here several times. My bf and I usually order their oboro tofu. They make it when once you order it. Its sooo delicious! Its served hot and comes with several condiments (like ginger, sesame seeds, green onions, bonito flakes, etc) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=dMSPhUEmdcJ5I4hFAPPImA We decided to order their cold tofu instead (since we've never tried it). It was just as good. The only difference: served cold with no condiments. Did I mention they have strawberry daifuku? http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=pszRQF_SwynOzfMkm4woAQ Its my favorite!! If I could order 100 of those for myself, I WOULD!! If you like mochi, then you will LOVE this! I also ordered their purple sweet potato yokan. Its like a pudding topped with vanilla ice cream. Not a soft pudding but it had the texture of gritty jello (if that makes any sense). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-zetzVfO4X0dpiiTmjdeKg?select=o1ZWl0Ku4wXX0LKRQOZtuw I LOVE ube and taro but this dessert was just okay. (Paging Daniel L. You might like this dessert! heheh) Can't wait to go back! read more

Eiji - sashimi. beautiful cuts of salmon, hamachi, maguro, and i think it was amber jack - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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In one word: outstanding. This is a very small restaurant with a lot of vibe, very friendly and accommodating service. Our party of three ordered a variety including the Oboro tofu which to a tofu aficionado like me is heaven, Yosenabe which was delicious and had a delectable broth, the Toro which was outstanding but expensive, the nigiri sushi plate which was all very good. Lastly, the Sake salmon is recommended. Overall, a great experience and we certainly will be back soon. read more

Surprisingly good Japanese food! I think this may be the first restaurant I've found in SF that has up-to-par sushi! So happy I get to fill my sushi craving now :) Highlights: 1) TOFU!! The Oboro Tofu is a must! They make it fresh from soy milk in a clay pot at your table(side). They give you a few garnishes and tamari soy sauce to accompany the tofu. But remember to take a bite sans any condiments first! The tofu is rich and flavorful. Anyone who doesn't like tofu should eat this and reconsider their decision! My favorite garnishes are shiso, scallion, ginger and a bit of bonito flakes, with of course the tamari. 2) Sake-miso Black Cod. This was on their special menu board but hopefully it's not a rare item! I've had really good and really bad preparations of this dish, thus I'm always suspicious. First, the fish has to be procured freshly. Second, it can't be overcooked! Overcooked black cod is not worth eating at all! Third, of course, the seasoning has to be just right. When it's done right, (and Eiji does a great job of it), it's buttery, flaky, and just slightly sweet! 3) Misonabe. December is the perfect time for nabe! The broth was slightly sweeter than I expected because it's a miso-based broth. The pot is chock full of veggies and seafood. Really hearty and good! 4) Sushi. I didn't expect a place like this to have fresh sushi, but I was checking out other people's plates. The fish looked really fresh and cut properly (there are certain ways to tell good sushi from bad by just looking at it). We ordered some kanpachi and uni to end the meal. They were on the special menu board so I assumed it meant they were really fresh. And indeed they were! Go to Eiji for a hearty Japanese meal that will make you feel like you're a washoku connoisseur, even if you aren't ;) read more

The waitress at Eiji rules the place with an iron fist. Seriously--try to make a reservation on the phone. Or better yet, try to get your table before the entire party is there. I dare you. Apparently this little restaurant is infamous for some not so accommodating policies. Honestly, who cares because I'll do anything to get my hands on the coveted strawberry mochi served at Eiji. Only one strawberry mochi is allowed per person, so savor it while it lasts. I had the caterpillar roll and the spicy tuna roll for my dinner here, but it wasn't anything spectacular. I'd rather go to Sushi Time down the street. Come to Eiji for the dessert though, you won't regret it. read more

Eiji - Strawberry mochi with redbean paste. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I would have given Eiji 4-stars except for the fact that they "lost" my reservation. On a past Thursday, I made a reservation for 4 for Saturday dinner. I even called back 15 minutes later to confirm my time just so I could inform my friends. On that Saturday, when I arrived with my bf and two friends, we were told that there was no reservation under my name. WHAT!? This has also happened to my friend. She once made a reservation only for them to not have it when she arrived. Now, whenever she dines in... she calls three times to confirm her reservation. So frustrating! Luckily, after waiting about 20 minutes, they had a table for us. Weirdly enough, the table had a "reserved" sign on it the whole time we were waiting outside and then they finally seated us at the table. Could this have been the table that I had made my reservation for? No one will ever know. After the reservation debacle, we were hungry bears. I needed to carbo load because I was going to run the Nike Women's Half Marathon the next day. We enjoyed their appetizers. I can't remember what we had exactly but I know it was tasty. The sushi was delicious. Loved the scallop, the uni, and the aji. We had ordered it initially and then we ordered another round of our faves. The four of us were stuffed and very happy. For dessert, we each wanted the strawberry mochi but they only had two left. They did have chestnut mochi so we all shared the strawberries and the chestnuts. Be sure to order the mochi with the rest of your food because they do sell out. The experience is very authentic and I loved the food. My friend, who grew up in Tokyo, has stated that Eiji is her favorite Japanese restaurant in the city. I can see why! The restaurant is easy to find and lots of Ubers around for easy accessibility. Tip: The person on the line told me that their tables cannot accommodate more than 5 people. I would highly recommend this place but just confirm your reservation several times so you don't end up disappointed when you show up! read more

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We had an excellent sushi meal and the strawberry mochi was yummy but not as great as the fish. Great: * Service * Grilled tuna belly steak * Homemade oboro tofu with toppings * All nigiri we tried including kohada, sayori, amaebi, hotate, uni, and hirame * Fish in ceviche roll Very Good: * Grilled cod cheek * Strawberry mochi (no ice cream) - I posted pics of it We were able to bring our own wine and the waitstaff accomodated us for a corkage fee. Next time I will taste the vanilla & green tea mochi, the bamboo shoot dish, and a few other ones that looked tasty. One thing I would recommend the restaurant to change is to move the flowers so that more people can sit down while waiting. read more

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i came here last night with lg to eat dinner and was super excited to come here because A) yelp reviews it as 4 stars B) pictures of the uni on yelp looks DELISH! C) everyone talks about their oboru tofu... so I have to try it right! the place is pretty easy to find... it's right next to Tangerine! and parking wasn't too bad... this is about 7pm on a Thursday night.... I ordered the Oboru tofu, special miso, miso cod and nigiri sushi (striped jack, hamachi, hotate, ika, and uni) and CA roll and Negi Hama roll. Okay, the oboru tofu wasn't THAT great... it's a great concept that they make the tofu right there on the spot... but the taste and the actual tofu... hmm... well, it's just alright... what it reminds me is shanghai salty soy milk... i'm not sure if you know what i mean... but it's a chinese dish that the soy milk is well, salty and not sweet, and you add condiments to it... so i prob actually prefer the chinese version vs the eiji versoion... the sushi wasn't AS fresh as the pictures posted... i mean it was decent, dont get me wrong... but the uni... hmm... i was disappointed. I"m not going to rag on them for that because sometimes its hard to get great uni consistently... but i was really hopeful. the striped jack and the hamachi was good! and the miso cod...oh a MUST if you eat here, it was really buttery and cooked perfectly! but the BEST part of the meal... is the Strawberry Mochi! it's really yummy... the mochi is soft and chewy and the azuki paste wasn't too sweet to overpower the taste of the strawberry... it actually balanced well with the strawberry's tartness... i think i could eat a Dozen of that and call it a meal! hahaha it's a place i would probably take friends to because it's a cute place with some cool food concepts... but i can't say it's my to go japanese place in the city... for sushi... i can find better sushi else where. read more

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So I had been meaning to check out Eiji for a while since it's so close to where I live and I had heard good things. I hadn't heard anything specific but the tofu looked intriguing since they make it themselves. Well the tofu was awesome! Definitely go for it! The sushi was pretty good too - not as good as Hamano Sushi's for my tastes, but still decent. The service is great and very authentic and the interior is nice and cozy. Definitely a place I want to return to! read more

Eiji - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Love this place for cozy atmosphere and feeling of Japanese home cooking. Great service too.

Terribly disappointed with the quality of the food, sashimi(salmon, hotate scallop) was not fresh. Neither was it sliced/cut in a way customary for a good sushi place. Special miso soup, hot tofu dish were below average. Won't be going back. read more

I came here for lunch with a friend over one weekend and had no problems getting seated immediately around 12ish. This is a small restaurant but it's luckily not one of those super crowded brunch places like kitchen story next door. They make high sought after strawberry mochis but do limit you to 1 per person dining in which is unfortunate. Overall, the taste was very simple and quite authentic but I did think the prices were a bit high. It's not a bad option if you're in the area! read more

Very cute and good. We went for lunch today and the place was not filled up. They had a sushi special for $12.50 which came with miso soup, cucumber salad, and sake. The plate had a lot of food! There are 6 rolls of tekka maki and 8 pieces of nigiri sushi with ebi, hamachi,maguro, tamago, salmon, toro, and tobiko (I forget the 8th item). The fish was VERY fresh and good (so I'm not sure what the other negative yelpers were talking about). Service was very good. Our green tea was filled 8 times the entire time I was there. Definitely will be back again. read more

Eiji - free salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Pros: friendly service Food takes awhile Best mackerel sushi Fresh tofu Cons: there can be a wait Street patking read more