Thanks to iTunes I've been listening to The Alchemist on my iPod. And one of the things I've picked-up on was signs (or omens). And now I think my life is too inundated with too many signs. Case in point: We found parking less than a block away from Koo. Not only a sign but a miracle. We didn't make reservations but a party didn't show up and we were seated almost immediately. Yet another sign. While leering over at the sushi bar to see what was being served up, I caught the eye of one the sushi's chef's and we slightly bowed to each other. I know its customary to bow but I still took it as sign since I maybe a little sign crazy. Regardless, I couldn't help but think that all signs were pointing to a good meal. And it was a good meal, but I was hoping for something that I could yelp about. I ordered the chef's sushi special and a Yebisu. The special came with tuna, salmon, yellow tail, and white fish sashimi. The tuna was fresh and firm and the white fish was outstanding. The salmon and yellow tail were only average. Maybe I should've explained to the sushi chef I wanted to try something more exotic. And why I drank a beer instead of sake is still kind of a mystery right now. I guess I'd be willing to go back for more fish and to drink sake, but for right now, I'd need a pretty big sign for that to happen. read more

I have to give this place 5 stars simply because of the amazing food that they serve here. I felt a little bit misguided by Yelp at first because when I arrived here, it looked very little like the picturesque first view on Yelp but I settled in anyway and figured this many people can't be wrong. I suppose I was expecting it to be a little nicer, or a little shabbier because usually really great sushi places are either fancy or really hole in the wall. This place was sort of an inbetween. The crowd definitely threw me off as well since most of the very excellent sushi spots I've been to you seldom see folks of non-Asian descent. (I hope this doesn't offend anyone :) it's just an observation). I had similar negative feelings as nobu k. had mentioned due to the decor as well. Either way, I was wrong on so many accounts on this place because it was absolutely delicious! Before I walked in, I told the bf I was so hungry I wanted to order everything on the menu. I actually did! The spoonful of happiness was definitely well worth it, even at $11 bucks a serving because they were well made and the flavors coordinated with one another very well. We ordered all of their fresh catches of the day and snuck in a few favorites of ours like the marinated sea bass and some hand rolls. It was all so fresh, delicious and good! The bill reflected our gluttony but I don't think we regretted it at all. I actually think I like this place a bit better than Sushi Sam's in San Mateo because they don't sauce everything, in fact they don't really sauce anything so you can truly taste what the fish is supposed to be like. Love love love, love. Cannot say enough good things about this place if you're a raw fish lover! read more

Came here with a friend for dinner on Thursday night. We had reservations but it wasn't too busy. We shared the kamikaze roll and my friend got the crispy tofu and best roll. I got the hamachi carpaccio w/ jalapeño and ponzu. It was amazing very tasty and spicy!! I'll definitely come back. You probably need reservations on Friday and Saturday nights. read more

I'm particularly fond of Koo because it holds my childhood familial nickname, although we spelled mine "Cu". Their spoonfuls of happiness have made me happy for many years. A spoon of Uni and a spoon of Ankimo melt together into velvety scrumptiousness. read more

Okay quick, think, if you had 5 minutes left to live and had to choose only one sushi dish what would it be? I would choose as many Spoonful of Happiness dishes that I could wolf down in those 5 minutes. I mean, that's not against the rules right? Since, it's the same dish. The Spoonful of Happiness for anyone who doesn't know is a spoonful of uni with a quail egg, and a spoonful of ankimo wrapped with whitefish, white truffle-oil ponzu and a shot of chilled sake... and it's just mouthwateringly delicious. I've been coming here for years, and I usually order 2 or 3 of these, no kidding. I'm also a huge fan of their california rolls, which are so much more flavorful than other places that use real crab. I don't know, maybe they mix rainbows in it or something. Their sashimi is always fresh. They also have, for an additional cost, fresh wasabi. So when World War Z is occurring, you can find me here. read more

I've had Koo on my list of places to try for a while now. Last night, I got my chance. A friend of mine who lives in the Sunset but had never been to or even heard of Koo joined me. We ordered the: Tuna and salmon tartar Japanese eggplant Chicken teriyaki Spicy tuna roll Best roll Kappa maki We didn't quite finish everything but I was really impressed with both the quality and the presentation. The chicken teriyaki came with two types of grilled squash. The tartar was accompanied by guacamole. Koo pays attention to the details, I like that. Service is quick and friendly and the prices are reasonable. read more

Wonderful place! Many friends have told me about Izakaya Koo and we finally checked it out. We walked in just after 7pm on a weeknight and it was nearly full, but we found seats at the sushi bar. I am so glad we did. Service was on point, and the Itamae were warm and welcoming. We tried the marinated black cod which was very special; quite unlike any version we have had. It was grilled, and came in a luxurious dashi. Warming and incredibly complex. The Goma Ae was an elevated version - refined and restrained. The sushi was excellent - perfect proportion of fish to rice. We will definitively be returning to explore the extensive menu and daily specials. Parking was easy! read more

First time at Koo and we enjoyed our meal, overall 3.5 stars. Some of the reviews on Yelp were helpful. We made reservations for Sun 11/30, slow night I guess, it wasn't necessary. We picked the sushi bar since that's where the sushi chefs are so you can talk to your chef if you want. That was cool. The bar only fits 6 people so I recommend it. We got: Spoonful of Happiness $10 - comes w/ two spoons: One Spoonful of Uni, Quall Egg, Tobiko, other Ponzu & Ankimo wrapped with whitefish, Truffle-Oil - Plus a shot of chilled Sake. It was all good. We got two orders, one for ea of us. Marinated artichoke w/ shichimi soy mayo $6 - it was nice though wish it was a full artichoke. It was only half & small. Where are they getting artichoke in Nov? Albacore tataki $13 - tiny slices, thought it was good not great. Kamasu sushi -Japan, Barracuda) $5.5 - it was 2 pc of nigiri. Thought the fish was fine, rice fell apart while eating. Ma Dai Sushi - Japan, Sea Bream $5 - 2 pc nigiri. Fish good, rice just ok. Azteca Roll $14 - recommended by chef. It was tasty, 8 pcs. Crab, avocado, gobo & cucumber wrapped in white fish topped w/ thin slice of jalepeno, spicy mayo, tobiko & ponzu lightly baked. Dynamite roll $5 - Baked scallop w/ wasabi-tobiko $5 - handroll, tasty. Mt Fuji dessert $4 + ginger gelato $2 = $6. Small tasty homemade cake, very chocolately & rich. Ginger gelato - no ginger taste at all, from Ciao Bella gelato. Total w/ tax, not tip was $79.75. Not cheap, but tasty. Bathroom: One unisex had toilet & urinal. Sink is outside. read more

Look, I don't know what's wrong with the other six people that I was with, but my dad was the only other person that was game to try the Spoonful of Happiness. It was about $11, and it comes in a spoon. Believe me, it isn't often that Happiness is as easily obtained. When it is, you take it. That's my advice to you. Other things I'd advise you eat while at Koo: The Godzilla Tofu. The Kamikaze and Tokyo Crunch rolls. The Sour Green Beans. The Miso Marinated Black Cod (I would drink this broth). Everything was served with a smile. I'm assuming because they dipped into the Happiness in the back. read more

Really good! I came here on a Wednesday night and got seated at a table without a reservation. The bar also looked great, but it was packed. I ordered green tea, miso soup, and edamame to start. The miso soup wasn't as good as others I've had; it had a bit too much seaweed. I would recommend the green tea though! It's bottomless and only $1. For sushi, my boyfriend and I shared the J&L and the Azteca. Both were incredible! I highly recommend them if you enjoy the "complicated" rolls with a lot going on. We also got "Fish of the Day" Nigiri - we chose salmon. Those are delicious - very simple and really makes you appreciate the fish. Overall, great experience. read more

I really really wanted to love this place because it is so close to my house. But I Zushi Puzzle wins out for omakase. The girlfriend and I had reservations for a Saturday night and were seated immediately. Even though the omakase let me down, the service was excellent. The waiters were attentive, cleared out plates quickly, and filled out glasses but the place was relatively empty. We ate the famous Spoonful of Happiness as our first dish. After reading the reviews I expected the spoons to blow my mind but they were just average. But the sushi chef was right that the sake paired with the spoons accentuated the food and vice versa. Next, up the sashimi plate, which only had 4 different kinds of fish. I was expected a lot more variety. But I was still trying to keep an open mind. Up next was a trio of cooked bit-sized snacks -- Stuffed Jalapeno, Eggplant Dengaku, and Hawaiian Seared Albacore Wrapped. All three were good but nothing special. Nigiri and fried shrimp head followed. All were mediocre. But the best dish was the Miso Marinated Black Cod. I wish there were more than three pieces. After all that food, I was still hungry so I settled and ordered the Azteca Roll because the chef was all out of ideas. For the cost, I would have rather gone to Zushi Puzzle. The hot food was mostly salty, not savory. Although the fish was fresh, the texture and flavor were too similar. I felt like I was eating the same fish over and over again. Even the Azteca fell short of my expectations. The couple next to us also ordered omakase but got very different dishes, all of them were cooked. What I recommend: Miso Marinated Black Cod Spoonful of Happiness (have to try their most popular dish) read more

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I don't know which had more variety - the food or the clientele. Check out what I ate: (^_^) Tokyo Crunch Roll (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/koo-san-francisco?select=VTEfOc2XAi_Cbi-gE9puKw) (^_^) Azteca Roll (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/koo-san-francisco?select=F4zagHC6hBRNGTySmJAmCA) (^_^) Barracuda (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/koo-san-francisco?select=esMPEJLwHJXiEU3z_-RSUA) (^_^) Unsweetened Iced Tea (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/koo-san-francisco?select=BgVr9vjMxFQ5A50XJKhjCQ) (-_-) Soft Shell Crawfish (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/koo-san-francisco?select=6rkVlpR7ltjLo0--Eavyjw) (-_-) Sea Bream (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/koo-san-francisco?select=fJkKtvXbrnx1LslnFucbpA) (v_v) Crab Leg (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/koo-san-francisco?select=kR1b-avUnzqeHB0aDCecjA) But check out who I saw: (9_9) Salaryman (-_-) Nearly-Stood-Up Woman (-_-) Collegiate Hoodie Grampas (-_-) Fedex Delivery BF (-_-) Sweatsuit White Couple (#_#) Plaid Shirt x Dunks Late Date (#_#) Loud Sports Asian Twinsies read more

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Overpriced. Overrated. I had a great time because I came for Valentine's Day. However, the food is nothing to talk about. I'm getting tired of going to expensive sushi spots that like to hike up prices because they think they can. read more

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I treated this as a "YOLO" night and was determined to eat a bunch of things I've never had before. (while I was there, someone YOLO-ed too hard and lit their menu on fire) We started with the "Spoonful of Happiness" -- fyi the quail eggs are raw...but it was a super pretty and interesting dish. I would say the one with the quail egg in it was really mushy and to soft for my liking (honestly, it was probably a mental thing, since I knew there was a raw egg in my mouth). All in all though, definitely worth a taste -- and honestly I actually liked it. Then we got the "Kumamoto Oysters On The Half Shell" -- really tasty. Loved this dish, but keep in mind its only two -- so it's just a taste (not filling). We also tried the "Tuna And Salmon Tartar," which was delicious. Its tuna and salmon tartar on avocado with shrimp chips -- it can do no wrong. Loved it. Then we also got the "Tempura Wakasagi Curry-salt" which was basically super salty fried fish. I thought it was good, but my friend LOVED it and basically ate the whole thing. The "Dynamite" Temaki/hand roll was pretty interesting -- as I'd never had one before. It was really good, just a little difficult to eat. All in all, I got to taste a bunch of new things I've never had before -- and I had a great time! I would definitely recommend this place and I'll probably return as well. read more

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http://www.sushikoo.com/ I went koo koo for Koo. DK found this place and sushi was the perfect meal prior to a weekend of dragon boating. He had reservations and we were seated immediately. Took a while for someone to bring us drinks and a menu, but once we got it, the party started. We had to order the "Spoonful of Happiness," because even if you're a mean SOB and you hate the world, you can't really hate anything with a name like that. It's really two spoonfuls with a shot of chilled sake. One was fish and the other was uni and boy, was it a lot of uni. Might be intimidating to someone who's never had sushi, or who can't hang, but it's definitely an accomplishment to just throw back those two spoonfuls. I'm not a fan of uni and have only had it once before, but really enjoyed both spoons (AK was going to go with the fish one first and I was like, "Are you crazy? You want to end with the uni??"). It helped to have the sake to wash everything down though (eat one, sip the sake, eat the other, shoot the rest of the sake). The sake was smooth and a perfect complement to the fish. We ordered a few things between us and each item had the familiarity of what you would expect from a roll with those respective ingredients, but had just enough of a twist to it to make it unique: (Rolls vary between 5-8 pieces) Awesome: Catch of the Day - Tempura crab with a garlic ponzu dipping sauce. (not a roll, just an appetizer) Great: Tokyo Crunch - Spicy Tenkasu, Hamachi, Unagi, Cucumber and Tobiko Great: Spicy Tuna - Spicy Tuna, Cucumber and Lettuce Okay (my least favorite): Azteca - Crab, Avocado, Gobo and Cucumber Wrapped in White Fish, topped w/ a thin slice of Jalepeno, Spicy Mayo, Tobiko & Ponzu then lightly baked Awesome: Best Roll - Tempura Asparagus, Avocado, wrapped in Fresh Salmon & thin slice of Lemon Great: Flying Kamikaze - Spicy Tuna and Asparagus wrapped with Albacore and topped with Garlic Ponzu and Scallions Service was good, food came out in a timely manner, and it got really crowded, especially around 9 pm. With all that, the bill came out to $107 or so and we were all stuffed with happiness. Will definitely be back. Good date place, if you like your date. If you hate your date, take them to Little Star Pizza and you won't have to talk to them (http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-star-pizza-san-francisco#hrid:m7ffc1s3jT8X-1K58OvyBw) read more

Came here with my bf for my bday. We got: Spoon Full of Happiness: yes! It comes with a sake Beef Tataki : This is not worth getting, very dry, wasn't that tasty. Rolls (Koo Roll, UCSF Roll): Loved the rolls, must gets Nigiri (Kurodai, Shima ji Japan, Iwana): Love the fresh fish, super tasty, melts in your mouth The owner there was so sweet and surprised me with a sweet green tea ice cream with candles for my birthday and sang for me. Great service. Location isn't too big. I usually don't like unni that much but this place was pretty good. I liked that they give you a shot of sake to sip eat sip eat sip. read more

Getting a reservation was ironically much easier than I thought. I just called a few days before, and my time and party size request was met exactly. I've heard so much about this place but this was utterly disappointing. Tried all the big things: Spoonful of happiness, best roll, tokyo roll, and black rod. Nothing was impressive. My brother and I were struggling to even eat everything. We left full, but not the good kind. It's the kind where you ate everything cause it was so expensive, but you wished you didn't and saved your stomach for all the good eateries next door or down the block. The only thing memorable was the sake that came with the spoonful of happiness. That was the best sake I've had in the my life thus far. I would only come back for a sake shot if they let ppl do that. I know my 1-star review stands out, but it's honest. I'm glad I tried this at least ONCE, but not coming back anytime soon.... read more

Koo was delicious! We were able to get a table for 7 by calling at 5pm on a Saturday night before they officially opened. The fish was so fresh, and their rolls were all delicious. The Spoonfuls of Happiness were 100% worth it as you can see in all the reviews. They have a list of the fresh fish they get every day, so you can tell they take the quality of their fish very seriously. I want to go back with a smaller group to try their omakase! read more

Amazing service and high quality sushi. When I came Koo was very packed, so you should put a reservation ahead of time. I got an assortment of nigiri and each was delicious! The toro was the standout here. read more

I had 2 days in the city in my very first time visiting California and was looking for a special place to do omakase. It would've been our first experience and we chose Koo based on a recommendation from a friend and all the great yelp reviews. Unfortunately out experience at Koo was truly an awful one. I had emailed to RSVP in advance for omakase at the bar. We were confirmed for Saturday at 8pm. We showed up last night at 8pm and were escorted to a table. We asked the waiter why we couldn't get bar seats after being confirmed for omakase at the bar through email and she said you can do omakase at the table, everything would come out at once instead of one by one. We offered to wait until they were done and she condescendingly stated, those are frequent customers and they will be here until closing. We ultimately decided NOT to do omakase because we didn't want both of our first omakase experience to be at a table and not in true omakase fashion - everything would've come out at once instead of one at a time. We put our order in for other food there. By 8:30 (30 minutes later), all the people sitting at the bar left. The waiter had clearly not even asked or even bothered to try and accommodate us. She didn't even offer us the seats after they left. This was my first time traveling to California, and my first time in San Francisco. Also this would've been my first time doing omakase. The customer service here was terrible and stands out as the single most disappointing thing that happened during my short weekend in California. Thanks Koo, for being awful. read more

My new favorite sushi place in all of SF! When the catch-of-the-day list is longer than the regular menu, you know it's the real-fresh-sushi-deal :). As a starter we tried the Spoonful of Happiness people rave about ($10.00 per person, can't share). Basically comes as two spoons (one of uni and quail egg, the other of ankimo (monk fish liver) and whitefish) and a shot of sake to sip before and after (see my pic!) Not sure I'd order this every time, but it's a must-try experience for first timers!! The uni is quality stuff -- so you can prob do with half the amount of ponzu. My suggestion is to skip the rolls (except the black cod), and stick with the fresh nigiri. We tried quite a few, but our top 3 favs are below. All nigiris are about $6.50 for 2 pieces, which I think its affortable for this type of quality: --blue shrimp ...so so sweet. people usually think i'm nuts for eating raw shrimp, but pretty sure they'd change their mind if they only tried this. --Moi (Sea Bass) --Haramasa (aussie yellowtail) Other items I tried that were decent, but not o-em-gee: Grilled Baby Octopus ($5) -- more like a octopus spinach salad...octopus was a bit bland. Wild Salmon nigiri ($6.50) -- not the traditional buttery salmon -- texture was more rough like smoked salmon crossed with tuna...so i'm not a fan. For those that don't like sashimi, the menu has lots of good cooked options too. Black cod ($15.00) was the only one i tried but OH MY COD ..i mean GOD :P..was it amazing. I thought buttery reside only with sea bass, but Koo's cod literally melts in your mouth. Dish comes in a light soy soup with baby bak choy...which is a good contrast to the grilled cod. I know I had sworn that The House's Sea Bass dish (North Beach fusion restaurant) was the best fish I've had..but now i think it's a close tie. Will be back again for sure! P.s the beer and sake is good here too. Ladie friends -- try the the fuji apple sake if you like green jolly ranchers :) read more

Koo - Spoonful of Happiness ($10) - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

ITADADKIMASU!!! My friend and I showed up here because I've been meaning to check this place out for awhile. We walked in around 8pm and to our surprise, we SO weren't dressed for the occasion. The hostess was nice and let us sit at the bar since the tables were full of patrons. F O O D: My friend had the Tokyo Crunch Roll and Saba nigiri, while we both shared the Two Way Scallops and Miso Marinated Black Cod. I went with an 6-piece Omakase, which included Kinme Dai, Mirugai, Takabe, Kamasu, Shimaaji, and Sanma. Never had deep sea red snapper and barracuda nigiri before, so it was an awesome texture to remember! The quality of the fresh fish and ingredients used for the making of the orders were mind blowing!!! Pricing for quality fresh caught fish was worth the price. If you're expecting a cheap roll here, you'd better go elsewhere because Koo doesn't offer many rolls on the menu. Don't expect a beef teriyaki in the menu either. You come to Koo for the fish, fxxk the land animal! S E R V I C E: While the sushi gurus behind the counter were very attentive with replenishing my pickled ginger and served our orders in a timely manner, my only complaint is that the waiters who replenished our water glasses came only when we requested it. Boohoo, I go through water pretty quickly when eating good food. Both the sushi chefs and the wait staff spoke great English and Japanese. I was almost dreading that I would be walking into a Chinese owned place again (and the first thing I see on the menu would be cha-siu won ton noodles). EXPERIENCE: Very Satisfied! :) read more

Koo - 6 piece omakase - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is just an OK restaurant. Maybe a $$ restaurant at best by SF standards. The Unagi nigiri was served dead cold. The other nigiris were made with little attention. The Ume Shiso was very overwhelming. Their toro was very very cheap looking. There are so many better places to get Sushi in. read more

It's one of my family's go-to spots for sushi in the neighborhood, usually when we're craving rolls. We've also tried the nigiri and a number of appetizers like hamachi Kama and agedashi tofu. The sushi rice for the nigiri has been inconsistent (last time there were a few dryer kernels of rice) but the rolls have always been great. The fish itself is always fresh. The dashi broth in the agedashi tofu was oddly sweet last time we had it, but I think this may have been an anomaly. The service is always great, and we'll be back! read more

I suggest trying out Koo only if you have some appreciation of izakaya style cuisine. I came here a few years ago and it was naïve and cynical because I was frustrated at all small portions, overpricedness, and general fuss and frills of fine dining--3 stars. Then I came back for happy hour after living in SF for a few years and becoming accustomed to/spoiled by all the good food so I was finally able to pick up on some of the subtleties instead of complaining about paying so much and still being hungry--4 stars. Maybe one day I will be a professional diner and be able to taste things at Koo that normal people can't detect, and I will give 5 stars. [THE SIGNATURE] A Spoonful of Happiness (a spoonful of uni, quail egg, tobiko ponzu & a spoonful of ankimo wrapped with whitefish, white truffle-oil ponzu & a shot of chilled sake):This is the highlight of many reviews and after seeing all the pretty photos you feel inclined to order it because it looks so photogenic. I'm not even a fan of sea urchin or monkfish liver or truffle oil (too fancy for me) and $13 is expensive but includes alcohol. So I decided to be adventurous and deviated from my friends' orders. The conversation went like this: Friends order appetizers and drinks. Me: Can I get the Spoonful of Happiness? Server: Just one order? Me: Yes, I'll be happy by myself...! Although my palate is not culinarily cultured to all these exotic ingredients (raw quail egg made me squirm a little), I did enjoy the unique flavors and complex layers. The sake definitely made it tastier; if a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, a shotful of sake makes the spoonfuls go down. It's among the craftiest things I've ever eaten--spoonfuls of happiness indeed. (And, of course, I maximized my $13 by essentially taking multiple 360-degree panoramic shots of my spoons) [THE HAPPY HOUR] Godzilla Tofu (crispy tofu with spicy garlic miso): Surprisingly tasty for tofu! The crispy exterior is nicely balanced by a soft silky interior. While I liked the simplicity, I think it could be even better with a ponzu dipping sauce of sorts. Stuffed Jalapeno (with hamachi, with lime aioli): Before you get scared by the jalapeno pepper, let me tell you this is not spicy at all (nor is most Japanese food). Decent appetizer especially if you like strong, bold flavors. [THE KITCHEN] Miso Marinated Black Cod (served with dashi branched baby bok choy and fried tofu): Pricey, but the cod melts in your mouth! Flying Kamikaze (spicy tuna and asparagus wrapped with albacore and topped with garlic ponzu and scallions): For once, gimmicky toppings are a nice addition to the sushi roll and not just used to mask funky fish--the sashimi quality is good, and overall it's tasty (this is one of their more popular rolls). [THE VERDICT] I browsed around their website and read up on the chef and the restaurant name: Koo is a masculine, informal way of saying eat (I guess it's somewhat the Japanese equivalent of omnomnom except less cutesy). In my opinion it's quite the opposite because it's dainty and the portions are too small to be something that guys would be happy with. Koo is a level up from the rest of the Inner Sunset in terms of food and ambiance fanciness, but the price is also leveled up accordingly. Worth a try if you think spoonfuls and happiness and the like will make you happy! read more

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We've been back to Koo several times and have to say that we definitely feel exceptionally lucky to live 2 minutes away. We've also been able to sit at the chef's counter and it's definitely our favourite spot. Sometimes we're extremely lucky to be seated right away if we arrive around 7:45 (without a reservation); on our last visit we were happy to wait a bit (1 hour) for a spot at the counter. Make sure to ask for the chef's recommendation of what's awesome for that day. read more

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I came here unplanned on a Tuesday night with my boyfriend and our friend. It was one of the Tuesday nights where I had such a long day at work, I wanted to go out and have a nice drink with my meal. The plan was to have omakase at Ichi Sushi but because of the newly finished remodel, the place has been pre-reserved for the past few weeks. I saw the reviews for Koo via Yelp in the past and decided to finally it out. While on the way, the boys mentioned that they both had heavy lunches and that they didn't plan on eating much. They agreed on following my lead with ordering Omakase but cutting after the 2nd or 3rd sushi/dish. With that said, I of course, offered to pay with the idea that the bill would be around $100. Omakase, why haven't I learned my lesson yet? Koo is absolutely delicious and by far has blew me out of the water. I didn't expect the sushi chef to be so innovative and variety of fish that night was out of this world. Several orders that stood out that night: The Char, we all asked for a second round. One of the freshest chars that I have ever tasted. A Spoonful of Happiness (a spoonful of uni, quail egg, tobiko ponzu & a spoonful of ankimo wrapped with whitefish, white truffle-oil ponzu & a shot of chilled sake) You cannot leave this place without trying it. We were told that it was their staple dish. ...2 bottles of saki later (between only the 2 of us) and countless rounds of fish specials, we get our bill of $350. The boys ended up stopping when I stopped. I came there with an empty stomach and with the alcohol, I was in a mission to continue my tasting until I was fully satisfied. Plus, the sushi chefs were very engaging and it was hard not to say no to them. The staff here are so personable and very attentive in refilling your drinks and taking your plates, something pretty rare. Will I come back? Most definitely and I plan on ordering a long round of omakase just like the last time. The only difference is that I will be paying for myself. read more

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Came here to celebrate my birthday expecting wonderful things and got a mediocre sushi and dining experience for $$$! Going on everyone's recommendations, ordered as a starter the Spoonful of Happiness and it was really good. The name describes it to a T. Delightful! I wished I had just had three orders of the Spoonful of Happiness then left! We then had a large number or sashimi/sushi orders, and was really disappointed by Koo. Dessert was bad, the Mt. Fuji is apparently "Made fresh in our kitchen" but it seemed like a microwaved desert, and the Mochi, well I've tasted better. It is overpriced for the quality of fish and dishes here. By all means stop by, try the Spoonful of Happiness, then if you wish to remain happy.... leave and hit up another sushi joint to maintain that smile!! :) read more

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I don't like sake (unless it comes with beer, chopsticks and obnoxious pounding on tables). I don't like uni. But somehow, I love the spoonful of happiness which is 2 spoonfuls of random, awesome raw ingredients, chased with sake. And to repeat 50 other Yelpers... DAMN that miso cod was good. I drank the sauce when no one was looking. Shh!! read more

A decent, no-frills, bare-bones sushi restaurant with rolls that skew toward the simple stuff rather than the fried/creamy/baked stuff. Even though it wasn't on the menu, the chef was able to make me salmon avocado maki and hamachi avocado maki per my request. The fish wasn't the freshest and had that too-soft, squishy texture that often happens to fish that's been sitting at room temperature for too long. The rice was pretty good, though. The other thing we got was the tai (sea bream) sushi, which was one of the day's specials. It was pretty fresh and tasted delicious. The seaweed salad was nice and que que (or however you transliterate the Mandarin word for chewy) if a tad under-seasoned. Service was friendly when it happened but there were long, looong gaps in which we thought our food or server was never going to appear. read more

I've been agreeing with naysayers rather frequently lately for a number of hyped spots and Koo was no exception. -The spoonfuls of happiness were very good and offered unique flavors and textures in each one. -Sashimi Combo was pretty good, but not exceptional. I've had fresher, less expensive fish elsewhere. Loved the use of fresh wasabi though! -Dynamite hand roll was average...not even worth the happy hour price. -Delicious blue shrimp sushi and would consider coming back to sample their other catches of the day. I'd definitely recommend the sushi specials and spoonfuls of happiness, but the traditional sushi/sashimi offerings were not quite worth the cost. I'm more than willing to pay for high quality sushi...it just needs to actually be worth the money. read more

This past Tuesday, my friends and I came here for dinner (on a whim). Fortunately, they took reservations at the last minute for 3 of us. We were seated immediately once we arrived - it didnt look like there were that many people there that evening for some reason. Perhaps it's early in the week and we were in the Sunset district? Not sure... Either way, we quickly decided on the following items: (1) Azteca $14 - this was a sushi roll; I ordered it (crab, avocado, gobo and cucumber wrapped in white fish, topped with a thin slice of jalapeno, spicy mayo, tobiko & ponzu then lightly baked) (2) Flying Kamikaze $14 - my friend ordered this item ( spicy tuna and asparagus wrapped with albacore and topped with garlic ponzu and scallions) (3) Tokyo Crunch $9.50 - my friend ordered this item ( spicy tenkasu, hamachi, unagi, cucumber and wasabi tobiko) (4) 2 orders of Uni sushi (2 pcs) $9 - i love uni!!! had to order this since this restaurant is suppose to have very fresh sushi! :) (5) A spoonful of happiness - a spoonful of Uni, quail egg, tobiko ponzu & a spoonful of ankimo wrapped with whitefish, white truffle oil ponzu & a shot of chilled sake $12 - there were rave reviews re: this appetizer so we all ordered one to try. I gobbled it up so fast, almost forgot to savor it. it was definitely a spoonful of happiness and bursting with great flavor and freshness from uni + quail egg! :) yum, why is it so expensive though for just 2 spoonfuls? can't afford to eat more than one order, that's for sure. We had fun eating here for dinner and so glad they were able to seat us immediately upon arrival at 7:15 pm! read more

Koo - Razor clam sashimi, Uni sushi, Tokyo Crunch roll - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I'm a bit late on this review, but I most definitely had to write one for Koo. Better late than never, am I right? My boyfriend brought me here three weeks ago for my birthday. When I checked Yelp, the ambience said "casual" but my boy wanted us to look good for our date so good we looked ( he looked spiffy spiffy...just the way I like c: ). When we arrived, I noticed that even though most customers were dressed casually, the atmosphere still felt intimate, fancy, and romantic due to the dim lighting. My boy ordered the following for us: - Tuna and Salmon Tartar: (http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=wL-rbTpV95GI7Y5iiPjXig&userid=VNXuiSVAOdpm5n5gKqs5xw) SO GOOD. Oh my gosh. It is the perfect appetizer. It came with six big circular shrimp chips and spicy guacamole. It was super refreshing and the pieces of fish were fresh. I didn't know guacamole went so well with sashimi...but then again, guacamole goes well with anything. Hehe - Spoonful of Happiness: (http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Jbun8pVKY1oaNHUdHE0dIQ&userid=VNXuiSVAOdpm5n5gKqs5xw) Goodness gracious....as delicious as everything was that night, this selection was definitely the highlight. One order comes with two spoons: the first one has uni, quail egg, and tobiko ponzu, the second one has ankimo (monkfish liver), whitefish, and white truffle oil ponzu. These two spoons also come with a shot of cold sake. We each got an order and oh gosh...no regrets. This dish is a must-get, must-try, must-eat!! - Toro nigiri & hamachi toro nigiri: Both were yummy. Fresh fish :3 - Chef's selection sashimi plate: (http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=vNM_qMBwfUy2dGzIueD0QQ&userid=VNXuiSVAOdpm5n5gKqs5xw) Orgasm in my mouth. - Spider roll: (http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=gFCTkQ595FeAUTdHA3IZiA&userid=VNXuiSVAOdpm5n5gKqs5xw) Didn't make too much of an impression compared to the other dishes. It was good but you can get the same quality of the spider roll at other sushi restaurants. - Mt. Fuji: (http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=oR7biTa1zflTy9nXX3TBAQ&userid=VNXuiSVAOdpm5n5gKqs5xw) Chocolate cake stuffed with white chocolate mousse with a side of green tea ice cream. I wasn't expecting anything but when the boy made reservations, he told them it was my birthday so the chocolate cake came with a birthday candle ^^ The dessert was yummy; smooth and creamy, not too sweet, and it went perfectly with the green tea ice cream. Every time I reminisce about this night, I want to go back right away. Japanese is my favorite cuisine so I've tried a million sushi restaurants, but Koo is one of the top places on my list. It is pricey so it's not a restaurant to go on the daily. Save it for the special occasions and remember to order all the yummy fresh fish! Mmm... read more

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I really wanted to fall in love with this place, especially when I saw pictures of the spoonful of happiness. But it wasn't meant to be. I would really give Koo more of a 3.5 stars but opted to give it the 4 because the spoonful of happiness was really good. It's pretty awesome. I mean, its wasn't orgasmic like the 1849 oysters at kabuto but it's pretty close. Initially, I felt like the Ponzu sauce was a bit overwhelming that it masked the natural and complex flavors of the uni, but this spoon was all about textures. Once you get over the excess Ponzu sauce, it really was delightful with all the tobiko and quail egg popping in your mouth. The second spoon was yellow tail wrapped around ankimo. The crisp crunchy hamachi really complimented the creamy ankimo well. As a palate cleanser, smooth sake went in between spoons. It was an innovative and exciting culinary adventure, so thrilling, I ordered 2 helpings. In addition, we ordered the uni + tobiko ($5.50), hamachi and avocado, and dynamite handroll, all for $4 each. They were ok. The uni was creamy, slightly bitter though. Another honorable mention was the salmon/tuna tartare on shrimp chips, it was flavorful and aesthetically reminded me of salsa, but the taste and texture was much more sophisticated than your typical salsa ($13.00). All and all, the spoonful of happiness was the star player at Koo, everything else fell a bit short. Servers were pretty nice as were the chefs, but I felt like we were rushed with the bill and our orders when the place wasn't full. So that was a little obnoxious. Otherwise, i think Koo is worth a try to at least test out the spoonful of happiness. It will leave you in a blissful state. read more

Koo - Spoonful of Happiness - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I LOVE KOO! It has become the neighborhood go-to restaurant when my bf & I are in the mood for some good sushi :) Kind of on the expensive side to go often, so try to take advantage of the happy hour specials ($4 handrolls, $5 small plates). Favorites include: *spicy tuna handroll *salmon & avocado handroll *best roll (basically can't go wrong with any roll they have) *sake sashimi (and if you ask for recommendations, they are very knowledgeable!) read more

Koo - Spicy tuna handrolls - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great experience! Our first time trying omakase. It was life changing. Really got to appreciate the flavor and texture of the fish without so many sauces and ingredients overpowering it. Hamachi Toro is my faaaaaaav. The chef was great! Would come back to try other items on their menu. read more

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Has a meal ever made me coo with delight? Perhaps, but none stands out in my mind more than Koo. I loved walking in and see simply dark, and sleek wooden tables. The settings caught my eye with a mellow yellow napkin that popped against the dark wood. Our waitress was great, she was always there when we needed her, and never there when we didn't. Glasses of water always full. Upon Yelper's suggestions, I ordered the Spoonful of Happiness, and oh boy it definitely was! You get two spoonfuls and a shot of sake in the set. One is ankimo wrapped in hamachi with white truffle oil ponzu. Take a shot of sake after the first one to cleanse the palette if you wish. The second spoonful is uni, quail egg, and tobiko ponzu. Both spoonfuls were delicious, but my favorite was the uni, quail egg, and tobiko ponzu, absolutely creamy and delicious! I also had a fresh order of the shashimi combo, which included about 4 selections of their freshest fish, and an order of unagi ngiri. I was completely satisfied after this meal. I hear happy hour is something to try, as well. I'll definitely be back read more

Koo - Spoonful of happiness and a shot of sake to cleanse your palette - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place never fail to make me happy. It is definitely the best in the city! This is the only place i give 5 stars for Japanese/sushi restaurant. Of course you must order spoonful of happiness PER Person. You don't wanna share this happiness with someone. One order per person is a must. Their sushi chef is very professional that they'll adjust sushi rice portion depends on how much you order. If you order tons of sishi(not rolls, but nigiris), they'll give you small portion of rice beneath the fish so you can enjoy all of them. Their Uni is always good, high quality! When they had white king salmon nigiri, oh my god, it is soooo goood. But they don't always have them;( I like to order nigiri from catch of the day :) Oyster spoon was a little bit small, but it was delicious kumamoto oysters:) If you don't give this place 5stars, then you don't have good taste buds! read more

Koo - Spoon - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Made a reservation here about 3 days before hand. Walked in about 10 minutes early...no issues. I had the Koo omakase. I did like the Spoonful of happiness...but just like quite of few people, I do admit the egg was somewhat over powerful. The sushi was good quality and the size/cut were good. I sat at the sushi bar. However...the bar itself was super SUPER sticky. The service was good. Only one bathroom (ladies..be prepared..not always cleaned up) Staff was friendly. read more

ordered from the catch of the day menu and added a miso soup and came out to be $90. it was a little unpleasant dinning when I am constantly swapping the fly away from landing on my food. I had to eat the sushi quick. I don't know why there is a fly in there and I can't imagine where this fly goes.... The miso soup was too salty. It had spinach, tofu, and seaweed in it. need to cut down on the salt and I love salty food. the chef can spruce up his skills on plating. presentation helps and shows the care of what you're putting out to the customers. it took a bit for the sushi to come out but I didn't mind. it was a Friday night around 6pm and plenty of table open. All the sushi tasted average in terms of freshness. nothing wow'd me. Wished it was colder. Green tea is not for free. They charge $1. I got 3 refill. tea is a bit weak. I can't say I would patron here again. I have been here many times and finally got around to writing a review for this place. After paying with credit card, the staff came over before I signed it to pick it up. I had to tell her I didn't sign it yet. it is like they are rushing me. I wanted to finish my tea before leaving. after 5 mins and I finally signed it, the same lady came over and picked it up. I don't understand the rush. it is not like you're closing your register. it wouldn't hurt to wait till the customer leaves before clearing the table and picking up the check. that irked me a little. read more

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