We stumbled upon this cute little restaurant on a holiday weekend and it was a super pleasant dining experience. Ordered 3 rolls and some kaarage. Kaarage was very juicy and well flavored. Each roll was very unique and fish tasted fresh. Everything felt very homey and flavors well balanced (not very strong). Our favorite was the salmon skin roll. Ambiance was quiet and intimate and service was very kind. read more

Sushi Kazu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Higher end sushi place in this neighborhood. Not many tables, high quality sushi and Sashimi at medium/high prices. About $50-head if you don't drink. Runned by an older couple. read more

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This is an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant, owned by a Japanese (couple?) who have a taste in jazz music, simple attire and clean environment. It is not a big space but extremely enjoyable and relaxing. The most important of all, at Kazu the fish is highlighted. Their nigiri is soft with balanced umami, the fish portion is so generous with just the perfect sushi rice and shape. Everything was authentically good. I truly enjoy my first time here and I am so glad I stopped by despite the confusing reviews! (enjoyed first and the picture became secondary, this is how you respect food). the price point is super reasonable. I will be a regular. read more

Sushi Kazu - Nigiri, King Kong roll. - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Salmon nigiri and CA rolls are still great but the last couple times the hamachi was lacking --awkwardly cut and kind of mushy. Want to order it again but a bit hesitant. Still wish the rice was a bit more seasoned. read more

You can tell that the rice is cooked and seasoned properly. The rolls are not too saucy. They use good rice, good ginger. Anything fried in the rolls were actually crunchy & light. Go on a weekday. Service and food comes slowly but it's fresh. The wasabi on the scallop nigiri was a bit strong. Way better than the other popular "E" sushi restaurant on 9th. Unfortunately they are not open for lunch on the weekend. read more

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We love the food here. So authentic and relatively affordable prices. It's old school with just a couple running the place. So if there are a lot of customers prepare yourself for a leisurely dinner. But this is where I take all of my Japanese family members and friends. read more

Some of the best and fresh sushi I've had in SF!! I came in twice in one week for dinner and didn't have to wait to get seated either time. The first time I went I had the yellowtail nigiri and the yamakake roll and it was sooo good! I saw the menu and it had a bunch of vegetarian options for a very reasonable price! - I brought my husband who is vegetarian and he loved the nigiri and rolls he got as well! read more

It's been a while since I've eaten at an authentic Japanese restaurant. My friends and I came for the sushi, and were extremely pleased. The fish is of such high quality, and the preparation so exquisite, that every bite is a gentle balance of delicate flavors. The food matches the peaceful ambiance, as does the slow service (the service is friendly and efficient; it's just that the whole staff consists of 1 chef and 1 server). This is the place to enjoy a leisurely meal when you can take the time to savor each morsel and leave feeling content not just from the good, but the entire experience. This is one of the few restaurants that actually made me reminisce about Japan. I came on a weekday and would recommend the same. read more

Went here for Valentine's Day and I loved the food here it was filling and some of the softest and most fresh sushi I've had in SF. Food(5/5): The white tuna tataki was amazing. It's the best roll I've had, they don't skimp on the fish for the rolls here which I loved and I can't wait to try this roll again. I had their sushi combo A as well, it was good too. Service(3/5): Honestly service was very slow.. it took quite some time for them to take our order, bring us water and get our bill. But the service was still friendly. It did take some time to get our sushi I think we waited around 25 minutes after ordering, but the food was amazing so I didn't mind. Ambiance(4/5): it was lively but it can be a bit crowded and hard to get out of our table due to how close together the seats are. read more

Sushi Kazu - Sushi Combo A - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Nigiri was great. Rolls were messy and not very good. Service was slow, there should really be a second server. The restaurant itself was cute, not too special. read more

We were in the mood for sushi and so stopped in Sushi Kazu for dinner, which was our first time visiting the establishment. There were pluses and minuses of the place, but let's begin with the positives. There was a broad selection of sushi, especially with respect to specials, and everything we ordered was good (poke bowl appetizer, rainbow roll, crunchy roll, and sushi combo B). Service was also very friendly. Many more of our observations were negative. First, the service, while friendly, was very slow. I'm sure this was a in part a function of having only a single server, but despite the food preparation crew seeming robust, dishes still appeared to be prepared slowly and not in order (e.g., my miso soup came out with my meal rather than with or even before the appetizer). Second, some of the dishes, although tasty, lacked structural integrity. For example, the crunchy roll was a mess and therefore difficult to eat (and the people at the table next to us had similar issues with their orders). This was not the case for the more straightforward nigiri and maki. Third and finally are some small observations: we did not receive enough wasabi for all the sushi we ordered (i.e., we only received a small dab with one of the first rolls, which my gf and I had to share) and I never received a spoon with my miso soup (the server did not check in with us often, so I just drank it, which was fine). read more

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After over 13 years, I'm updating my review. I recently dined at a sushi restaurant that boasts 1 Michelin star. The meal was excellent, and while eating I was carefully comparing the food to what I'm used to from Sushi Kazu's specials board. Only 4 out of the 11 nigiri pieces were noticeably better than Sushi Kazu. I say this not to criticize the Michelin star restaurant, but rather to point out how exceptional Kazu is. I'm convinced Sushi Kazu is often providing nigiri on par with the starred restaurant, and at less than half the price, without reservations. Perhaps I'm biased after being a regular for over a decade, but this place is truly exceptional, and as a result there are very few other sushi restaurants I can even bear to eat at in SF. Like, they exist, but they are much more expensive, and less convenient. read more

I consider this place a hidden gem on Irving Street - for the quality of the food, service, and prices, I don't often see this restaurant being appreciated enough! The restaurant has a cozy ambiance and the waitress (I think is the only worker other than the chef) was very efficient and friendly. The sushi is fresh and well-prepared - you can see the amount of effort that is put into making each dish - not to mention, the prices are very reasonable. Definitely recommend this place if you're craving sushi and I think they definitely deserve more support! read more

Sushi Kazu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Best most authentic sushi in the City. Ask for the grilled unagi served simply with sea salt. This is a small, charming, family owned and operated spot and I almost hate telling anyone about it, but they deserve the attention and the business. read more

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Been here twice and I'd give it 3.5 stars. The service is great and the people are friendly, and prices are decent. Besides miso soup, I have only ordered nigiri here. The miso soup always comes out piping hot - I love it. The nigiri is made with generous cuts of fish, but there is way too much rice so it's not a good balance. Sometimes there is also too much wasabi added which takes away from the flavor of the fish. A memorable choice was the Japanese scallop - it had too much wasabi and a lot of salt sprinkled on top. Can't forget that horrid salty taste in my mouth paired with my nostrils burning from the wasabi haha. Overall, not my spot for sushi but I'm glad I tried this place out more than once. read more

Sushi Kazu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went on a Tuesday night with my partner and sitted pretty quickly. The restaurant was near full capacity. Unfortunately, the sushi chef couldn't handle the volume of orders for that night. It took 1.5 hrs for 3 rolls to come out. Might be better service on another night. The food was good. But pretty small portions for the price. We got the following: - King Kong - Dragon - Hamachi read more

Under the radar establishment. Easy access in Inner Sunset and open late. Sushi is wonderful at an incredibly reasonable price. Low key and unassuming. Everyone is so kind. My wife is always ecstatic to eat through a "Crunchy" roll. They also have a nice variety of interesting vegetarian rolls if there are parts of your party who need this. read more

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This is my go to sushi spot in the inner sunset. The interior is quaint and simple. There is only one sushi chef and one waitress. During popular hours (weekend dinners), if you show up at 7:30/8:00pm and there is an empty table that needs to be turned over/cleaned, she may kindly turn you away simply because they are busy and perpetually short on staff, which may sound like a bad thing, but I find it to be quite charming (feeling of a mom and pop restaurant). In terms of the sushi, the fish is super fresh. Rolls are more traditional and simple (not covered in an assortment of overwhelming sauces). My favorite rolls are the hamachi dragon, the spicy hamachi tataki, and negihama. The agedashi tofu is also delicious. It is lightly fried and does not taste like oil. The sauce is light and refreshing (pairs very nicely). read more

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We're still coming here, and it's still fantastic, but we never have to wait. Because this place is hugely underrated. read more

Sushi Kazu - Hamachi Toro (chopsticks for scale). - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Sushi kazu has become our neighborhood spot. First off, I'd like to highlight the server, she is typically the only one and is so kind, attentive, and is constantly working really hard. The service can be a tad slow but it's nice to sit back and enjoy the experience. The rolls are always fresh and delicious packed with fresh ingredients. I only take the time to review really yummy restaurants, so here it is! read more

Deeeeeelicious, fresh, and unique! I ordered by phone, walked by 20 minutes later, and was delighted at how delicious the Crunchy Supreme and the Double Double (toil and trouble) roll were! They are very friendly. I also like that they don't close so early, it helps when you want a later-than-usual-dinner-time sushi roll. I've had the privilege of also dining in pre-Pandemic. They are super nice, and the wasabi and ginger is good too. I know that's a weird thing to comment on but often times you get wasabi that isn't hot at all or ginger that is a little jank but this place actually cares. read more

Came here with a group of friends to hangout and the food was pretty good. We got two combo Ds in the picture. Nowadays when you eat sushi in SF, something about it does not feel right. However, when the food came, presentation was nice, and we saw that the quality of fish was there. I don't like to use the word fresh, because it's a term that gets thrown out a lot with out actually knowing what it really is. But the food was good! The hamachi was really nice and overall would come again. I would definitely come back 5/5 :) read more

Sushi Kazu - 2x Combo D - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

My boyfriend and I love Kazu.. with all of the amazing sushi in SF we are always delighted and impressed by the quality of the food and the amazing staff. Definitely a must in the Sunset! read more

Sushi Kazu - a person holding a plate of sushi - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have reviewed Sushi Kazu twice before. I thought I'd revise the review, post pandemic. This is our neighborhood place. There are two others nearby, Ebisu and Koo, which are better known and perhaps more suitable for a first date. My wife and I have been married twenty five years, however, and we are highly likely to remain so; that is an apt framing of this review because it is the sort of place where you want to be a regular. It also is run by a husband and wife team who are the small business owners you want to support, just working so hard to make a living, in a manner which is obvious -- I saw her run out to the supermarket to buy more vegetables in order for him to make a dish. They always seem a bit harried, but in the best sense of so much business and not enough hands. The prices also are just terrific. They could charge twice as much in a fancier venue. But that's why it is so good to patronize them. They are down to earth and just have excellent quality ingredients, prepared with skill, and served with a positive attitude. Mostly since the pandemic, we have been getting takeout. Dine in is fine too. The space is small. They fixed the front door; it used to require so much force to open, you'd think it was broken or you were weak. That means there sometimes is a gust of San Francisco wind that blows in, and it's impossible to avoid if you unless you're at the tables to the side, due to the configuration of the single room. They play jazz in the DAT format -- when is the last time you saw a DAT player in operation? I almost always have sashimi moriwase. I typically have enough for another meal. It comes with a couple of types of seaweed, a shisho leaf or two, and miso soup. I pair that with a starter of ankimo (monk fish liver) or ikura oroshi. My wife has various dishes such as the chicken, the cod, the agedashi tofu, or shrimp tempura roll. We have tried almost all, probably all, the vegetable dishes, whether the hijiki or the gomae. Everything is great. The tempura is good. They have hot and cold sake, wine, and beer. They have regulars besides us. They can fill up, but it is worth the wait. read more

Some of the best sushi in the Inner Sunset. Some of the slowest sushi in the Inner Sunset. My husband and I have lived in the neighborhood for 17+ years. If we crave sushi, we crave Sushi Kazu. But we have never spent less than 2 hours at the restaurant. And tonight, our experience prompted us to write a review. Over 2 1/2 hours for a simple Friday night dinner for two people. And by the end, we were one of only three tables. In our first hour, we received our sake and a tofu appetizer. We didn't receive our entrees until somewhere in hour two. And our final two rolls came after 2+ hours. We love the food. And we love supporting local business. So tonight we made a pact that will come back only when we're not starving and when we have no where else to be. read more

This is one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants in SF. I've been to Japan many times over the last 40 years and this restaurant has the same ambience, service and food quality of the best local places in Tokyo. Food is fresh and thoughtfully prepared. This is our go to when missing Japan! read more

I passed by this place hundreds of times but never made the effort to stop by. There are lots of sushi places in the Inner Sunset. I was always curious about Kazu and finally made an entrance inside. This place does not have bento boxes or dinner plates. The sushi here is good. I am impressed by the different sushi they have here. read more

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Honestly, I hesitated in writing this review because I fear that reviewing Kazu will bring ruin it as a "secret" destination. We dipped into Kazu on a Monday night where they were having a VERY slow night. However, their lack of customers was our benefit since we were able to receive a private VIP experience! The sushi was ridiculously fresh and each item was plated as a true work of art. The chef sincerely knows what he's doing here! The waitress was beyond friendly and took painful care to details. Both the chef and waitress took time to talk to us not only about the food we were enjoying, but about how we were doing and asked about us. The dining room is a bit small here, and may not be great for large groups. However, the small dining room and peaceful, quiet ambiance is perfect for a date or small group dinner. Kazu has promptly been bookmarked and will certainly be one of my "special" sushi destinations! read more

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I walk by here everyday and finally tried it. I called in a combo d and a spider roll for takeout and they said it would be ready in about 30 min. The quantity was decent for what I paid and quality was pretty good too. My order was definitely ready before the 30 min bc the nigiri was a bit warmer than I would have liked. Will order again soon! read more

Sushi Kazu - Combo and spider roll - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

EVENT: I'm OFF! It's Friday night and I'm ready to eatttttt something!!!! SERVICE: it's such a small cute little place... I walk pass here all of the time and always see a bunch of people waiting. Now, I can see why cause it's such a small place.. very home-y. I came here at 5pm and got seated right away! It was fast! Come at 5pm! lol FOOD: (1) Salmon Maki: love how they put a big chunk of salmon in a little baby roll! I love maki rolls cause I can eat it with one bite! Mm! (2) Crispy Spicy Tuna Roll: this is soo unique! So, I had to try! It was an excellent choice!! Crispy crunchies... had the spice of the tuna roll! So good! **recommended** OVERALL: love the spicy tuna roll... the crispy one... nice crunch to it! read more

Sushi Kazu - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Our favorite sushi restaurant for many years. Excellent sushi and the spicy tuna rolls are the best ones I ever had in 34 years living in SF. A cozy family-run place where you always feel welcome. read more

A recent visit didn't disappoint. * Spicy Hamachi "Yellowtail with spicy sauce" ($5) * Spicy Salmon "Salmon with spicy sauce" ($5) * Spicy Hotate "Scallop with spicy sauce" ($5) Ultimately, I like their spicy sauce here. Simple as that. It's good and yummy, and just has me wanting more! Their spicy scallop was exceptionally good! * Crunchy Roll "Spicy tuna, avocado, and cucumber wrapped with tempura specks topped with tobiko, and spicy sauce" ($8.75) - Enjoyed it the first time and it didn't disappoint this time either. It's a great roll - with great sauce! * King Kong Roll "Grilled ginger soy marinated yellowtail, avocado, cucumber, shiso leaf, onion, and burdock topped with yuzu miso sauce" ($7) - It only came with four pieces, which isn't a whole lot. My friend's BF really liked this roll, so we gave him the extra piece. * Agedashi Tofu "Deep fried tofu topped with grated Japanese radish" ($5.50) - About five pieces of tofu with bonito shavings, freshly grated ginger, and Japanese radish sprinkled all over. Good, but I appreciate a lighter fry on there. * Chicken Karaage "Deep fried boneless chicken" ($6) - Five pieces of chicken sitting on a simple salad with seaweed sprinkled on top. It's not something I usually order, but it was good. Service was really good on a Friday night. There was one waitress when we came in, but noticed there was two by the time we left. Our waitress was great with refilling our tea and clearing plates. Definitely a step up from previous complaints from others. Has anyone else noticed how gorgeous their orchids are? The one sitting in the bathroom is really exceptional! 4.5 stars. (Pics posted!) read more

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Small sushi spot with great service and delicious food! We started out with the chicken karaage which was a good size portion and fried really nicely. My friend got Sushi Combo B and I ordered a roll and some nigiri. The prices are really reasonable and it was nice to go to sushi and not have to take out a second mortgage. We came on a Friday night at about 8pm and it was packed but our waitress was still so attentive and kind. Would definitely return! read more

Sushi Kazu - Sushi Combo B - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Pretty decent sushi for good prices. It's at a higher level than your regular rolls place, but at a better price than most omakase places. The dining room is small so either come early or make a reservation! The chef and assistant are very nice. Service can be slow (especially on a Monday) because they're kind of short handed. But they're very gracious and not pretentious at all. Sit at the bar (duh) and get the omakase. The pieces are really big so I guess it counter balances the long wait between each piece. Plus you can chat up the chef. He's nice! read more

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Five stars because the food is always good here. The fish always taste very fresh and yummy. My wife and I dine at Kazu Sushi at least once a week. We like the fact that you don't get all of your order at once. Each order takes some time to prepare which give us opportunity to conversate (and digest) in between. Tonight's order; Hawaiian Roll (4/5) Spicy Scallop Roll (5/5) Saba Shoyaki and side order of rice (5/5) I order this dish every time Spicy Salmon Nabe (soup) (5/5) A small mom and pop real Japanese restaurant (one of the few left in SF). Definitely a neighborhood gem. A must try if you don't mind waiting between each of your order for some great food! read more

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Super sweet restaurant and they have a GREAT vegan spread!! The eggplant nigiri melts in your mouth!!! Highly recommend

I've been here three times and had a pretty good experience two of those times. But tonight, it'll be my last. The food and service is usually good, but tonight was totally unacceptable. I ordered several items -- a bottle of sake, a couple of hot plates and sushi. Ten minutes later, two other parties walk in, start speaking to the server in Japanese, and are seated. My sake arrives and then the server takes the other party's orders. Ten more minutes pass and my first dish--a really small piece of cod with hardly any miso flavor--arrives. It was my first time ordering it, so I was very surprised that they charged $13 for a piece of cod that was the size of my thumb. I ate it in two bites and was waiting for everything else to arrive. Another ten minutes pass and I then received the other hot plate (tempura), but nothing else. I looked towards the sushi bar and realized that the owner was the only sushi maker for the entire restaurant. Considering that there were nine tables to serve, I knew it was going to be a while and decided to show respect by waiting patiently for my sushi. But here's what really took me by surprise: instead of receiving the rest of my order (sushi), the other two parties got their sushi dishes before me. I stared at the server, hoping to grab her attention and let her know that I knew what was going on. She just walked past me and I sat there fed up. After waiting this long and seeing how they had favored these other tables of Japanese guests, I cancelled the rest of my order, paid for what little I did eat, and left completely shocked, disrespected and hungry af. It's really disappointing to learn how this establishment favors certain customers. Definitely won't be back. And whatever you do: don't get the miso cod -- you'll be very unhappy if you do. Oh, and expect to wait a looooong time for your sushi on busy nights because the owner is the only one making sushi for everyone. read more

Great neighborhood sushi place. The best nigiri and sashimi. Friendly and great service but go early because it's too crowded and noisy at peak times. read more

Cute little sushi house on Irving. Parking is KILLER. The hamachi kama is cooked perfectly, seasoned right and as big as my head. Note: my head is BIG. Great sashimi salad, but instead of iceburg, who uses that anymore, try mixed greens like everyone else. Passable nigiri. Firm for my taste. Great rice. The one roll we had was quite good, very clean, no sauces and it was cooked, King Kong. read more

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My go to sushi place! I am never disappointed by the quality of fish from Kazu! Out favorites are the salmon sashimi, chefs choice sahimi dinner, caterpillar roll, yu tofu and the sake kama. The service is also great! read more