I have been eating at this restaurant for 20 years. I must've spent thousands of dollars there. Tonight I went in and asked to sit at the sushi bar. They told me that there was a minimum $125 fee to sit about the counter. I asked them why and they said it was only Omakase. I said that that made absolutely no sense. I could not understand why they were trying to would turn away loyal customer who wants to sit at a sushi bar in a Japanese restaurant. I will never ever go to this restaurant again. So much for loyalty read more

I love this restaurant, especially since the Noe valley moms and dads haven't been swarming it as usual. I've had some really bad parents in this restaurant letting their kids scream and yell and run around, so that always sucks. The entitlement is staggering. Nonetheless, thanks to Covid, they aren't around as much! Woo hoo! The food here is excellent, especially the sushi. Remarkable nigiri and the rolls! But, if you can, try the karage and the tempura, some of the best I've ever had, and I've been around. I give it three stars only because of the chairs. I'm serious, no back support chairs and I have a disk issue, so every time I eat here, I take a chance and the last time, I had a back ache for days. Just get regular chairs already, please? read more

The quality of fish was incredible. They had fish directly from Japan that was the most flavorful I've ever tasted. The service was first rate - the owner himself came and asked how we were enjoying our meal. I would highly recommend Hamano. There are a lot of sushi choices in SF and this is by far one of the best !! read more

Amazing sushi and amazing service. I definitely recommend their Noe roll and their house made cheesecake. 10/10 would recommend

For 15 years, Hamano Sushi has placed in our top 5 sushi spots in SF & we ate here every 2 weeks, at least; not anymore. The quality of the fish has gone down, WAY DOWN, the service has gone down & the prices have gone up. The "new" Hamano is just a sad echo of the great place it used to be. Did the chefs change when they recently renovated to the fancy new decor? Or WHAT HAPPENED? This used to be a seriously delicious sushi place with excellent service. Now it stinks. Last week, we ordered salmon sashimi; it was served swimming in a bowl of some sort of sauce! Good sashimi doesn't need sauce as you order sashimi to taste the fish; sauce should always be optional, for the customer to decide. The salmon toro nigiri we ordered was served with soy sauce already added to the RICE of the nigiri, a huge "no no" for anyone who knows anything about nigiri- first of all, sauce with raw fish should be the customer's choice, to add or not to add...If you have confidence in the flavor of your fish, you don't add soy sauce to nigiri before you serve it. 2nd, when you put soy on the RICE side of the nigiri, the rice falls apart. As my 7 yr old asked, "why is my sushi melting?" Well, because they dunked your nigiri rice in soy... Sushi 101, hello...If adding soy to nigiri, dip the fish side to the soy. (And again, this should be left to the customer) Goodbye Hamano...breaking up with you is sad, but you don't taste good anymore, and you don't treat me right...plenty of other great fish in the City. read more

The tempura I ordered was very, very good. The sushi was okay, sufficient. But they do have a very interesting menu so I expect to try them again soon. read more

Unfortunately, I have nothing but negative to say about the quality of sashimi here. The service was kind and polite, and maybe the more typical rolls are average, but the sashimi quality was extremely disappointing/truly awful. Not fresh, and now I can't even imagine having sashimi for a month or two... read more

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE: This is EXCELLENT quality. I was just blown away. They have totally changed since when I use to come here because the food use to be average. So it's expensive as heck, but now that I know we have one reliably excellent sushi restaurant, I can choose to come here and splurge. This is how sushi should taste. (Old review below) TOO EXPENSIVE. Unless something changed and you now serve above average food (in which case I will revise my review upward when the food comes), this is too much money. 7 dollars per ONE nigiri? 44 dollars for the 8 nigiri set. Nine dollars for a CALIFORNIA ROLL? I was so excited to get stuffed on Japanese food, but I will be leaving here hungry and not returning. I want to know why you think you should be charging twice as much as every other Japanese restaurant that serves good but average Japanese food. read more

About a year ago they fancified the place - mostly the same food, much higher prices, nicer decor. They removed most of the family friendly options on the menu. And tonight, when I called to order takeout- like we do every Friday night, they said they weren't taking orders to go, they were too busy. Higher prices, removed kid friendly options, and now don't take orders from highly loyal customers= no more Hamano for our family unless we're in some sort of sushi emergency. Bummer Hamano- good luck with the hipster crowd, we're out. read more

They're back! Place is good as ever. And they've spruces yo the interior a bit too. read more

Hamano is the best sushi in San Francisco. From his incredibly nigiri to creative, yet straightforward rolls, Chef Jiro and his team have great fish and know how to prepare it well. The cooked items from hamachi kama to chicken karage are on point, too! But what takes things to the next level are Jiro's omakase selections. Pre-Covid we had our best ever sushi meal anywhere in the world at his counter and he had done amazing take-out omakase predations for us in the past six months. read more

I ate a vegetarian quinoa roll from here last night - with apple, jalapeno, and other magical flavors, tightly bound together by rice and seaweed. A truly sweet end to the relaxing night. We ended up getting our food to go and taking it over to The Peaks next door, so I can't speak too much about ambiance or service here. That being said - it was evident in my brief time here - that the place to be - within this quaint neighborhood spot - is the sushi bar. The sushi chefs were cracking jokes with the patrons - eagerly assembled around the bar. And all of the rolls and sashimi being served up - looked ridiculously tasty. One of my favorite aspects about this place - was that that many of the people sitting around the sushi bar - seemed to be by themselves. It is - I believe a strong positive testament about a place - when people feel comfortable enough to come to a restaurant and dine alone. The smiling laid-back sushi-chefs behind the sushi counter, looked to be genuinely enjoying their night and the jovial characters around them. The lady who took our take-out order was also exceptionally helpful and friendly and even got us all water - as we waited. Hamano is not what I call a destination spot, but if you live in the neighborhood or are looking for a good sushi gem around the Castro, Hamano is an intimate and welcoming spot. read more

This place is legit Fresh Fish. Ignore comments about their Teriyaki. This bespoke Japanese Sushi. The Toro is as good as it gets. Japanese cuisine is about fresh fish and presentation NOT Teriyaki!!! read more

Hamano Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've only eaten Hamano Sushi during workday lunch hours, once as take out and once in the restaurant. During my recent visit to the restaurant, I shared Edamame Dumplings with my friends which were tasty & I ordered the Salmon Teriyahi with rice, salad & tempura which was perfect portion satisfying and flavors were pretty good. It's a nice neighborhood sushi spot, with no wait during lunch, friendly service, food served quickly (important for work lunch) and the restaurant is casual for everyone kids included! read more

See all

Omakase here is legit. True hidden gem among all the boring sushi set dinner spots in SF. They have those too if that's your thing. read more

See all

This laid-back iteration of sushi counters can be found in Noe Valley, and it is highly recommended for those who have the preconceived notion that all sushi counters are stuffy and unabashedly expensive. The well-trodden counter is a favorite among Chef Jiro Lin's loyal fan base. Each of Chef Jiro Lin's loyal fan base members enjoys quality nigiri at prices that are remarkably reasonable. While the dining room is ideal for larger groups looking for casual à la carte items like maki, tempura, and sashimi, the dining room is ideal for larger groups. The inventiveness of Chef Lin is put to the test when he pairs salt-cured tile fish, aged hamachi, and sea-perch with a potent dose of wasabi, Japanese chili pepper, and fish liver. This allows the chef to flex his creative muscles. Calling ahead for reservations is strongly recommended for first-timers to this counter, which boasts a large number of weekly regulars, including wine nerds who are particularly enamored of their carefully curated list. read more

8/1/13 Dinner Never thought a Japanese in such a neighborhood as Noe Valley would serve authentic food, just I wanted to try nonetheless. It was amazing. After two recommendations, including a Japanese lady and a fellow blogger, I bit the bullet and went for dinner. Restaurant decor is uninspiring but very clean and pristine. It reminds me of a typical hotel lobby restaurant. We were promptly seated and genmaicha served. A great beginning. In Japan most restaurants are specialty, meaning they only serve one or two types of food. There's a tempura specialty restaurant, a ramen restaurant, etc. Hamano, like almost every of its counterparts here has a big menu. I'm impressed they offer traditional dishes in addition the Americanized rolls. *Gyozas: A bit overdone but the flavor is very good. The bottom very crispy. *Buta Kakuni: Slow braised pork belly is nothing to be faulted at. The meat comes off as I picked it up with chopsticks. Served with an egg. *Assorted tempura: Batter is very light and thin. Tempura is a tricky item, very difficult to master but Hamano's is above average. *Chirashi: One of the best in terms of flavor and freshness. Ikura, mackerel, tuna, albacore tuna, yellowtail, shrimp, octopus, and eel over very tasty vinegary rice. It's also the best value in the entire Castro, Noe, and Mission area. *Tempura Roll: The usual makimono roll with a shrimp tempura cut. It's worthy of a try if you're into rolls. A most pleasant surprise. Service is very attentive and cordial. Hamano is now my to-go Japanese restaurant if I crave a chirashi and some traditional appetizers dishes. Fish is fresh and is of higher grade than most Japanese restaurants in town. Atmosphere is quiet and cozy. read more

See all

This place is a neighborhood gem! I hope it stays a secret. Been coming here for years and the sushi is always fresh and clean tasting. Some of the best in the city and I've tried quite a few. The ambiance is also very cute and homey. You will often find locals here who know the chefs by name. read more

So I've been coming here for at least 25 years. Always loved it and was my go to for quality, friendship and freshness. Was really bummed they no longer do lunch, as it was a way for locals to get their sushi fix without spending $50.00/person as required for dinner. Neighborhood is going upscale, new decor and pricer menu attests to that. Won't be dining there nearly as much for dinner due to price point and added formality. Sushi is still very good, however, I miss the casualness, value and overall ambience of the old Hamano. Such is the sign of the times in what used to be an upper middle class SF neighborhood. Too bad even the old places feel like they have to cash in. read more

My husband and I walked into Hamano because we were both craving sushi and Saru happened to be closed for Golden Week holiday. What a blessing that turned out to be. We sat at the counter (always the best seat in the house) and were immediately impressed by the wide selection of fresh seasonal seafood and attentive service. The head chef served us directly. Just watching him artfully prepare each sushi with such care and fluid skill was mesmerizing. We ordered a la cart primarily from the special seasonal menu and every bite was like heaven. Our favorites were the Hokkaido scallops, akamutsu, ma saba, kinmedai, amaebi, and salt water trout. If we had room for more, I would have ordered the hotaru ika, uni, and chutoro. We look forward to coming back! read more

See all

Fishing around in Noe Valley, my friend who lives in the area brought me to his local sushi place - Hamano Sushi. Since I don't frequent this area very much, I was excited to try out this restaurant I've never heard before. Thursday evening - walking in past the sushi bar to the hostess stand, we were seated immediately. I took a quick detour to the restroom to wash up before my meal and noted the speakers built inside. How cute. My dining companion usually focuses on the rolls when he eats there, so I figure I better follow suit. (When sitting at the sushi bar, I usually tend to only get nigiri and sashimi. But since this meal was more for catching up and not so much for enjoying culinary delights, rolls would work out better.) We ordered the Poke roll (spicy white tuna w/ garlic, onion, lemon juice and ooba leaf, $6.95), Spider roll (Fried soft-shell crab & assorted vegetables, $6.95), Rock N' Roll roll (Eel & avocado, $6.50), Tempura roll (Shrimp tempura & assorted vegetables, $7.50), Dragon roll (California roll topped with unagi, $13.95), and Edamame ($3.95). The Poke roll was different because of the white tuna and the ooba leaf added a nice contrast in taste. The Spider roll was standard, except that it fell apart the moment I picked it up. The roll wasn't tight enough and that's never fun when you have little vegetable pieces all over your little plate. The Rock N' Roll and Dragon roll had large chunks of unagi on it, which was a nice plus. And the Tempura roll was pretty basic too. Service - the girl who seated us and took our order was nice. When we commented that our Tempura roll hadn't come yet, she said we didn't order it. (I definitely know we did.) So, we just ordered it again. One of the waiters came by asking if we were done and we actually had just finished putting in another order, so I felt rushed when he came by. I had to ask for my tea to be refilled, and waited a little bit for that to happen. And then the check was plopped on our table without so much as asking if we wanted any dessert or anything. Overall, I felt a bit rushed eating there. They didn't rush us after the bill was put down, but rather I felt it when the waiter came by. My friend comes all the time and I felt like the rolls were a bit overpriced for what I paid. (Over $14 for a CA roll with some unagi?) Total bill: $60, tax and tip included. I would go back again, but sit at the sushi bar and go for the nigiri and sashimi instead. read more

Great casual spot for sushi. Pretty kid friendly too. We like sitting at the sushi bar up front and watching the chefs prepare all the food. It's usually possible to get a table here without a reservation. Very occasionally there might be a wait but otherwise a great drop in spot. read more

we came in sunday for drinks and small bites. the wings and gyoza were excellent - both well cooked, seasoned, and came out hot. the hot sake and miso were a good compliment. the only thing i would say is the service felt rushed even though the restaurant wasn't close to full. all that said, we will be back again to try the sushi. pro tip - call ahead to reserve seats at the sushi bar! read more

See all

We decided on a whim to get two identical teriyaki chicken meals for take out. The food tasted decent, nothing outstanding, but good flavors and decent quality. The reason for 3 stars is that it was overpriced. At $22 per meal, it was just a little much. The thing that put me over was the stingy small scoop of rice. If they would have just given me twice the rice I probably wouldn't have been so bothered. read more

Hamano Sushi - Teriyaki Chicken Meal - served with side salad and small miso soup (soup not pictured, sorry) - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great neighbourhood sushi, this is our go to place during weekends. Sushi made right, from the consistency of the rice to freshness of fish. Hamano always delivers! read more

Their lunch specials are of good value for the quality of fish that they serve. I enjoyed my sushi combo with a salmon roll and assortment of chef's choice sushi. I like their house dressing on the salad they serve at the beginning of the meal to get your taste buds going. It's tangy and the salad fresh. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

Hamano Sushi - Sushi lunch combo - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

We have been faithful customers of Hamano Sushi since we moved to the neighborhood in 2012. And I mean faithful. We've ordered sushi from there nearly every Friday night. About a month or two ago, things dramatically changed. 1. The salmon dramatically decreased in quality. The nigiri is so-so, and the salmon in the rolls has this mealy quality, that is deeply unappetizing. The salmon teriyaki we get for the kids was regularly was fishy. 2. The hamachi went from pretty good to barely passable. 3. The prices went up dramatically. Now instead of $6-7 for a pair of nigiri it is $4.50 for one! Over two years, our costs have gone from $90 for our family of four (two young kids) to $125 for the same meal. 4. The portions are smaller for things like salmon and chicken teriyaki. 5. The edamame (yes a small thing, but the kids love it) is frequently so salty that it is inedible. How hard is it to consistently salt edamame... or at least taste it before serving??? I think that was our last time eating at Hamano Sushi. It sucked all the joy out of sushi night. Sad times. read more

Yum! Went here for dinner tonight, and had: Miso soup Age Dashi Tofu Bunch of rolls Black sesame creme brûlée Service was really good, and I especially enjoyed the 2 vegetarian rolls ('Elizabeth' and 'Midori') as well as the Mission roll, and the dessert. A word about dessert, though; it looks kind of like mud, but it tastes fantastic. read more

Hamano Sushi - Remains of delicious but ugly black sesame creme brulee - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

My boyfriend and I use to order to-go from Hamano's quite often. Recently however we have taken our business elsewhere. We would usually order Chicken Teriyaki and salmon Teriyaki, and it was delicious. But as of late it seems as if they've decreased their portions but the price has remained the same(if not its gone up). Its pretty disappointing when you pay almost $40 for 2 meals, then see how much vacant space is left inside your container. Whether its a lack of meat, rice, sauce, etc. read more

Amazing sushi and amazing service! I sampled a few rolls, and everything was fresh and delicious. The cuts were pretty generous too. Try the Dolores if you like white tuna, it's especially flavorful with a hint of garlic. The wait staff is especially accommodating. My group was a bit difficult. We came late, sat down, and then we had a last minute add-on. The staff shuffled around our tables to make everyone fit and didn't seem annoyed at all. They were extremely attentive and friendly the entire night. read more

Nothing spectacular stood out to me, but there was nothing really bad about it either. I went for lunch around 12:30, the place was empty except for another couple that was already seated. I was greetly promptly when I came in, and was told to choose any table I would like. I ordered quickly, received my food, and took the rest To-Go. Tthe decor was simple, but it's very clean with a comfortable ambiance. A good spot for a business lunch, or even a casual first date. Cons: My miso soup was cold! It was barely even warm. Since you have to pay for the miso soup separately, I would expect it to be HOT! By the way- Miso soup cost you $3.00, but if you purchase it with a meal it is only $0.75 extra. Still, miso soup is almost always included at any other Japanese restaurant! The lunch specials are served on ONE plate, unlike other places that serve your food in a BENTO (box) with compartments to keep your food separate. I didnt really like the fact that my salad greens were mixing with the sauce from my chicken teriyaki, or my california roll was getting salad dressing on it, and my wasabi was touching my chicken, etc, you get the point... It cost me $15.00 for my 2-item lunch, with miso soup & tip. But the service was pretty good, they were really nice, never neglected me, always refilled my water, and the food was all right, nothing bad, but nothing exceptionally good either. I would go here again since it's the only place within walking distance that serves chicken teriyaki but wouldn't go crazy for it. read more

Hamano Sushi - 2-item lunch - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Horrible mix-up by the restaurant, left a very bad taste in my mouth; make sure you speak with staff who knows how their own tasting menu reservation works restaurant took a reservation for tasting menu by phone, they even called me later after 'confirming w/ chef' and took my name/phone #; when we showed up, we were told one week advance notice is needed, restaurant refused to even seat us at a regular table at the reserved time and wanted us to put name down on the wait list. They could've at least seated us at our reserved time without getting on the wait list as a way to make up for their mix-up; what an example of horrendous customer service in combo with poor staff training read more

Fish is always fresh, Sake is always flowing and your just can't beat the local crew that frequents this village sushi bar. Bottom line: Omakase or die! read more

See all

I don't want to post this review because I don't want to have to wait in line when more people start coming here to eat. Sushi is always fresh. Their presentation beautiful. Their sushi creations spectacular. See you again super soon Hamano Sushi xo read more

Always a treat! Restaurant where several of California's best sushi chefs have learned to sling slices of fish (aka sushi). Sit at the bar. Order the sake sushi. Get the buckwheat tea. One of the true hidden gems in SF. Still feels like neighborhood place but probably the best sushi in all of SF. read more

Prices were reasonable, sushi was good, pork belly ramen was tasty, butter fish sashimi my favorite! The only think I wasn't a fan of was the salad, it was over dressed with a not so tasty dressing. read more

See all

I've been living in Noe Valley for 12 years now, and I've been to Hamano every year at least two times per year for take out or sit in. I went in a month ago and the prices had gone up and the quality is down. The front of the house staff seemed attentive and nice as always, but this place has succumbed to the gentrified prices in the new money in the hood. Quality hasn't always been up to my standards but acceptable but now with inflated prices no worth even considering any more. Sorry, Hamano. read more

Love this place. I usually get the Liberty Rolls and a combination dinner that consists of teriyaki salmon (or chicken) and California Rolls. This comes with a salad with miso dressing and rice.( I always ask for brown rice.) This all gets washed down with a few Asahi's or Sapporo's. The service is great--friendly, genuine and unhurried. The guys making the sushi always say "hi" and "bye" on the way in and out. I'm glad that this restaurant is around and from the looks of it, so are many other people. It's packed by 7pm all of the time. They do a great takeout as well. I recently bought a friend a gift card for Hamano. She used to live in Noe and loves/misses this place too. read more

Oh my god - this place is amazing. I still can't believe how affordable it is, despite its upscale location and vibe in Noe Valley. Of course, whats most important, is the very high quality of the food: Delicious miso soup (which is harder and harder to accomplish nowadays), and incredibly fresh Sashimi. I had a beautiful Ahi spread, and everyone I ate with was equally impressed and pleased. Fast, freiendly service ; a very queer-friendly atmousphere in Noe. This place is fantastic all around and I'd recommend it for any occasion, from a casual get together to a formal birthday dinner. read more

See all

Stumbled upon Hamano while searching for a place to eat dinner with a friend. I'm typically always in the mood for sushi so it was great to find. We ordered the puffy scallops which were amazing. We also ordered the Dolores roll and Sunset roll. We shared everything and it was the perfect amount of food. Nice ambiance and friendly staff, we had a really good evening here. read more

Hamano Sushi - Puffy Scallops! Yumm - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California