It was good but I was a little disappointed because it looked better than it tasted. I would say good (3+/4-) but not memorable. We had the wagyu beef don, the yose nabe (beef & pork hot pot), kaarage chicken, and the soft shell crab. The soft shell crab was nice. Good texture and flavor. The kaarage chicken was good. The hot pot soup was notably good. It had a strong dashi flavor that I liked. The shrimp were also very good size and sweet. The meats were good but also not memorable. Speaking of meats, the wagyu beef bowl was surprisingly tough. The flavor was just ok, but it was not the typical wagyu tenderness. That was probably the most disappointing. We also had the mango shaved ice, which was like the dinner. It was good but not special. Overall, solid place. I'm generally all about the food. But, I did like the decor and ambiance. It was a quaint, cute, and stylish place. And, the meal presentations were likewise very nice. read more

What an absolute gem in the Castro! We were drawn in by the Japandi-style interior - such a calm, elegant space. We ordered the Sukiyaki Nabe and the Spicy Miso Nabe, and both tasted SO good! The broth were rich and flavorful and paired with such beautifully marbled wagyu and fresh veggies. You can tell that the staff really care about their food and the experience. Potto is perfect for a casual date night or cozy dinner with friends or even a solo comfort meal. Cannot wait to be back!! read more

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New restaurant alert! Potto recently opened and my neighbor and I stopped by to try it. I originally thought this was a sushi spot and quickly realized it's a shabu-shabu spot. We ordered the Sukiyaki Nabe and split one pot. We really loved the flavors of the broth. The staff were attentive and friendly. The chef even came around and spoke to us about the menu and egg that is used for coating the meat. He was really friendly and we appreciated his insight. The restaurant is bright and airy and is easy to navigate. It feels very cozy and comfortable. In the end, the lunch and experience was lovely and we'll definitely return! read more

Potto - Chicken karaage - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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possibly one of my new go to spots as this place was quaint, clean, and the quality of the meat is great with a lot of different udon, appetizer, and broth options! the nabe broth is so flavorful and good to add one extra meat between two people. this was the perfect sized hot pot though where it wasn't too filling for a smaller party of 2 & shared an udon as well. which we got the meat udon rather than the seafood/ crab one but still pretty good! need to go back to try the matcha bingsoo! read more

Great hot pot, and worth the wait! I like the individual table burners, so everyone can get the base they want and mix n match the meat.

If you want a completely different dining experience with a distinctly Japanese flair, specializing in hot pots (nabe), try Potto. We did the cod with seafood broth and it tasted amazing. This is a cook-it-yourself experience so you're in charge of pacing, including being aware of not overcooking your delicious fish (but the server gave us guidance -- 1 min max). You have control over the induction heat level so it's again up to you to cook your veggies and monitor what's cooking -- so if you want everything done for you this is *not* your restaurant...but if you're adventuresome and want a super-unique experience with superb seafood then I highly recommend Potto. Service was always with a smile, but when they get busy, you'll need to get their attention. We found that sharing one pot was enough food for two, but we did order an appetizer. We got to Potto right when it opened (a good idea). read more

Potto - Mid-meal. Note the induction (keeps cool) adjustable ranges on both sides of the table. - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Oishi for sure. The fries could use a bit more meat since it's $15. We got the sukiyaki nabe and yakiniku Don, both were delicious 8/10. Staff was nice. Wait for food a bit long since very busy. Come as a date or alone because not very big seating here. Kimochi! Well deserve Jade Status read more

Potto - Sukiyaki nabe - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Very good Good service Love it so much Food is so good 5 star recommend Recommend to ppl read more

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I've been waiting for an excellent neighborhood Japanese restaurant for a long time. It's a cook-your-own Nabe, which is a Japanese stew, so it has the shabu-shabu vibe but with different broth flavors (which you can drink at the end). We ordered the Sukiyaki and Yose Nabe and both are excellent. Yose has some seafood in it while the Sukiyaki has premium quality meat. It was a good thing we made reservations because even at 5:30 on a Sunday, the place was packed. Our server was friendly and helpful when we asked a couple of questions. Food quality is beyond excellent... they take pride in serving the best quality including pasteurizing their own eggs. While the price reflects that obsession, it definitely is worth it! It's only double what you'd pay to get a generic burger somewhere. There are many pics of the place settings so I won't include any here. You definitely must experience the induction burner! read more

We were excited to try this new spot, but unfortunately the service made the experience fall short. A couple of moments stood out: * When we had questions about the menu, the server seemed rushed and said verbally "I don't have a lot of time" instead of giving us space or offering to come back. A simple "do you need a few more minutes?" would have gone a long way. * Later, after clearing some of our plates, the server brought the payment terminal to close out the bill, even though we hadn't asked for it and still had our bottle of wine left to finish. Throughout the meal, we also noticed there were no check-ins on how we were doing or if we needed anything else. Overall, the staff felt overwhelmed and not trained in providing a welcoming dining experience and came across rude and dismissive. We left feeling very rushed and uncared for, which really dampened the meal. read more

Amazing flavor! This new Japanese restaurant is just what the Castro neighborhood needed. The ingredients are great quality. I've gotten the wagyu udon and the spicy miso sabe (hot pot) and both were rich with flavor and came with so many ingredients and sides. The owner and the chef are very helpful and accommodating. Fun restaurant for lunch or dinner. Will be coming back! read more

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Came as a party of 2 and waited about 45 minutes. The place was cozy and had a nice ambience. We ordered the sukiyaki nabe and yakiniku don. The yakiniku don was really good but the sukiyaki was definitely the star of the show! Meat was really tender and the garlic sauce and egg dip went really well with it. Definitely one of the better sukiyaki places we've been to so far. read more

Potto - sukiyaki nabe - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Situated on the corner of 16th & Sanchez, Potto seems a little inconspicuous with its simple exterior. It has a very mellow ambiance, accentuated by the rustic, tasteful decor, which brings back memories of trendy restaurants in Tokyo. We went in around 1pm on a Saturday for a late lunch and were promptly seated. Service was very attentive and the server gave great recommendations. Based on the good reviews, I was expecting really good food, but I didn't anticipate how good it really was going to be! We had the Sukiyaki Nabe and the Yakiniku Don, along with the Chicken Karaage. The Sukiyaki Nabe was prepared beautifully and the broth was so flavorful! My fiancé said that the meat was the best he'd ever had for a hotpot/shabu style dish. It was tremendously tender and essentially melted in the mouth. The Yakiniku Don was also beautifully plated with flavorful cuts of boneless short rib-- and the miso butter was perfection over the rice! The Chicken Karaage was also delicious, served alongside a fried shishito pepper and the must-try aioli. We absolutely loved everything we had and are so excited to come back next time. The trouble is deciding if we want to try something new or do we go for these amazing dishes again....? read more

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One dinner was all it took for me to fall absolutely in love with Potto! I loved everything from the food, the service, the ambiance. Felt like I was in a little hot pot cafe in Japan with the cute Japanese pop music going! We got seated at a table by the window so we could people watch a bit. We both ordered the Sukiyaki Nabe (comes with American wagyu, side of veggies includes tofu, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms & seasonal greens). You also get a choice of rice, udon, or vermicelli. We went with 1 rice and 1 udon. We ordered the chicken karaage to share as well. Loved the nabe set, the colors of the veggies were popping and fresh! The meat presentation was neat, with curled up wagyu slices. The dipping egg is something I have not seen in previous nabe places but I like my egg cooked so I dropped it into the broth for more flavor even before I started cooking. The food is delicious that I'm already planning a lunch date here soon! read more

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Food arrived 9 minutes after my partner's did. They didn't seem that apologetic or understanding. It wasn't very good.

Small new nabe restaurant with great food and ambience. Don't go with large groups. Seating is limited. The sets are great read more

Potto - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great meat quality, nice ambiance and services. Egg dipping is the main reason I decided to try this place, it was a right decision! Perfect spot for lunch and dinner with good amount of food. Highly recommended read more

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Small but nice place. In the set you get soup, veggies, noodles/rice, and meat. What else do you need in a set? The sukiyaki had the right amount of sweetness and with your egg a creamy texture is added to all your ingredients. read more

Potto - Yose Nabe - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I went here with a group of friends and the ambiance is just amazing. I've been here a couple times already, and the food they serve here is always fresh with top notch quality and excellent service. I cannot emphasize how worthy it is to try because it's something you need to try for yourself. I ordered the Yakiniku Don and Matcha Latte and all I can say is it went beyond my expectations. Ceremonial grade matcha along with American wagyu short ribs was a perfect combo to end my night. 100% coming back to this spot. read more

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Have been now to this spot three times. Always solid and consistent, fresh vegetables with high quality meat. I would say the focus is more on the meat as the broth is much lighter than what you get at AYCE spots. If you get the dashi broth, it starts off light but the flavor builds up the longer it cooks. Highly recommend eating here. read more

Cool new spot in the Castro. I read about it in the Hoodline (thanks, Steve!) and decided to check it out. Loved the decor, really high-end, unlike many establishments in the Castro, cozy and minimalistic at the same time. Exactly what'd expect from a Japanese place. Interesting menu, I tried just one dish, but will come to try others. I chatted with the owner, and she was super nice. A lot of restaurants in the Castro are average/below-average, Potto raises the bar. read more

Potto - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a little hard to find parking space since the area have lots of apartments. We ordered the following: (Sukitaki Nabe w/ Udon) -American Wagyu Short Ribs & Udon were good but wish they can give more Udon cus too little (Kyushu Nabe) -Everything were OK *The portion is good for ladies cus its not too much! read more

The yakiniku don and fries were spectacular. The hot pots (nabe) were all ok. Go to an all you can eat hotpot place for more and tastier food at cheaper prices Service was very slow. We waited 30 min after eating for a wait staff to come by and ask for the check. read more

Potto was a super fun dining experience - hot pot but a bit more refined than all you can eat. Jo, the owner, was super friendly and welcoming and we enjoyed chatting with her! We ordered a few different nabes and dons and had a great time - the hamachi was especially delicious! read more

Potto - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Checked out this new spot in the Castro called Potto after work the other day--it's a cozy Japanese place that specializes in shabu shabu. I walked in thinking I'd get the sukiyaki, but ended up ordering edamame and their Yakiniku Don instead--and wow, no regrets. The meat was so tender, the vibes were immaculate, and everyone there was super kind. Honestly, after a stressful week at work, this little food moment was exactly what I needed. Definitely coming back! read more

Potto - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Gosh, Potto knocked it out of the park! The ceremonial grade matcha was perfection. We had the spicy pork udon and the American wagyu udon - both were delicious in their own right! The service also was handheld with so much care and intention. The ambiance was inviting and also cute enough for a first date that's not too stuffy yet still special and memorable! read more

Potto - American wagyu udon and matcha - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Potto is currently having their soft opening. We've invited a few of our friends. The owner has completely transformed the space to a high end Japanese Shabu Shabu experience. She even designed the furniture herself. Excellent Food and ambiance and great service. 5/5 stars!! Totally Recommend this new addition to The Castro. I will be inviting more friends. read more

Delicious addition to the neighborhood. I'm pretty sure we had most of the menu and loved everything. The service was quick and efficient. The ambience is bare but not sad. read more

The food is amazing, the service was very attentive and we enjoyed the ambiance and fun experience.

Would definitely come back. Food was incredibly fresh and delicious. Everything is decorated super cozy to make you feel welcomed. Staff and service were top notch. I got the spicy miso pot and the matcha latte and they were both yummy. Would recommend both of these items for sure. This is my third time coming, and definitely not my last. read more

Potto - spicy miso and matcha latte - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Everything was so flavorful. Anything below 5 stars is criminal. Every broth I've tried so far has been delicious. You can't go wrong with anything. read more

I cannot believe this place exist, for its quality the price was incredibly worth it man the flavor of the meat melt right into your tongue. The soup taste homemade in a good way.The interior is really cute with nice display. The matcha drink were great, they even make it in a ceremonial bowl and you can definitely taste it. The service was great and welcoming, it feel just like home the moment you step in. If you thinking about trying this place don't question it just experience it yourself. read more

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broth tasted like watered-down miso, meat portions were skimpy, host + server weren't friendly. disappointing we really wanted to like the place since it is local read more

Where to start? It's a great addition to the neighborhood and feels like home. Menu is solid. Service feels very nice and the ambiance is warm. Also. Broth is incredible! read more

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Potto is nothing but feel good vibes. The restaurant space: the attention to detail from the light fixtures to the table scape and music is unmistakable, adding to its charm. The staff was so welcoming and friendly. The service was impeccable. We ordered the Yakiniki Don and the Nikutama Udon which had all the unami you would want. Both were delicious! A bonus (not on the menu yet) was a dessert of finely shaved ice with fresh strawberries/syrup with notes of lemon zest. It was a refreshing and a tasty way to end the meal. I would definitely return. It was advised to make reservations for dinner as there can be a line. read more

Potto - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing taste, very clean, and pleasant service. They might need to hire more people. Those 2 girls seem to get so busy in the evening!

Great service and the food was delicious. Definitely a fun place to bring a date or have a great conversation as you cook ;)

Small space so gets busy, but worth the wait. They do take reservations thankfully. Meats are fresh and tasty.

Amazing food and service. Udon had incredible broth and flavor, will definitely come back!

Very nice place ! Fresh meat and soup is very delicious! Will come with friends again soon