Came in on a Friday evening around 7 PM and was warmly greeted at the door and seated right away. The tea was warm and comforting, which set a great tone for the meal. I ordered a few nigiri from their wall menu and was pleasantly surprised by the generous portion sizes. I also enjoyed a Japanese beer and had a really relaxing solo meal. I never felt rushed, and the overall atmosphere made me feel like I was dining in Japan. I'll definitely be back to try their lunch specials next time! read more

Sushi Kei - Toro Special Set. Dining alone is pretty nice. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California

Came here for dinner and had a great time! It's a quaint traditional spot that has lots of great nigiri and seasonal options, like this time they had firefly squid. The food is always fresh and I've always had a great meal here. read more

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Forget those blind box Labubu's, this is a mystery that you can definitely get behind that won't disappoint! Okay, so here's the fun Christmas to New Year's deal....$50, only $50 will get you soup, 2 appetizers, sashimi, sushi, dessert, and a main entree! Say what?!? I am so here for this! Happy holidays to me LOL So check out the pictures amazing fresh sashimi and sushi and look at that amazing salmon with teriyaki sauce! I'm posting the pictures so you can see the dates! The best Omakase I've had in 2025 for the price---legit amazing food! Also, if you ever want bento boxes for lunch, come here, this is your 5 star recommendation from me right here! read more

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Excellent sushi. Fast service. Very friendly. Authentic Japanese. Nice low key jazz playing. Best real sushi I've had in ages. Very enjoyable experience! read more

The $16 lunch bento price was hard not to pass up on. It definitely filled me up, but my tonkatsu was on the dryer side. I ended up still eating everything though, so it was good enough lol! The salmon sashimi was fresh and my favorite part was the salad. It came with a light vinaigrette dressing. This spot is cute and cozy. I'd come back to try other sushi dishes. read more

Sushi Kei - Lunch Bento with tonkatsu and sake sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California

Smallest sushi on earth. Comparable to the pieces you get at an all you can eat buffet. Very limited selection and variety of rolls. Poke salad was good and a decent sized portion. The waiter was pleasant and the place was clean and quiet. I felt kind of ripped off though. read more

Good service. Tasty food. I wish the menu offers more choices and more types of sashimi or rolls. I also like to try Neck of the fish if the menu has it listed. I forgot the name. Will definitely go back to try more items. read more

Apparently Sushi Kei doesn't bribe Yelp enough because a search for "sushi millbrae" turned up sushi everywhere BUT millbrae. And this place not to be found in Yelp Yelp sucks This sushi place is a 10/10. Fresh, affordable, great selection!!! Delicious tuna yellowtail shrimp crab mackerel and Asahi beer large only $9. Good miso soup too. Will be back. Soon!!! read more

Great first time experience. Dinner with the hubs. Ordered the 2 person special. Everything was great. Exceptional miso soup (a telltale sign of a great Japanese restaurant); sleeper hit was the edamame generously topped with maldon flakes (what's not to love?). Meal even included ice cream for a not too sweet end to a delicious dinner. Saved to my favorites and making a a point to come back every time we're in town. Super fresh fish!!! Nigiri and sashimi slices were perfectly portioned too :) read more

Located in downtown Millbrae and unassuming from the outside, but fish freshness inside! Came here for a weekday dinner so it wasn't crowded and the servers were very polite. Miso soup was good but no tofu, and salad could've used more dressing. The Negitoro (fatty tuna, green onion) roll and there was wasabi inside, I enjoyed this. The Deluxe Sushi which included 8 pieces total - 2 pc tuna, yellowtail, halibut, salmon, shrimp, salmon roe, egg/tamago. The egg had a hint of sweetness. The yellowtail sashimi entree came with 10 pieces and soup & salad. Each piece of fish was fresh and delicious! I left feeling satisfied with, would come again to try their other dishes and specials. read more

Sushi Kei - Miso soup, salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California

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This is a small Japanese sushi bar with about eight seated tables The restaurant is so small it could be overlooked. The restaurant has very decent prices and a variety of ala cart items to choose from like Tonkatsu, Tempura, Salmon Teriyaki, Hamachi kama and other raw options. The sushi is fresh but the fish used is like mediocre grade. It lacks the fresh oily taste and pop from other Omakase style sushi restaurants. The food was solid but nothing to brag about. The wait staff are very friendly and attentive. We like the family and friendly dining experience that doesn't break your pocket book. read more

The sushi here definitely emphasized quality over quantity. The freshness and flavor of the fish was so good, even the soft shell crab was a burst of flavor. We enjoyed the simplicity of the rolls. Other sushi places have over packed rolls where you can't really taste the individual flavors. This place seemed to value the ingredients. The servers were very polite and checked in frequently. The outside is very unassuming, we've passed by it many times but only tried it just now. Once you enter it has a very authentic Japanese aesthetic. We found it very cute and pleasant. (For 21+ the plum wine is a must try) read more

Sushi Kei - Too Much Coleste Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California

Super fresh sushi and the atmosphere cozy. Everything tasted great and the service was awesome. Definitely coming back

Sashimi and other Japanese specialists are fresh and delicious . Not hard to find parking

The food is very good, and the service is great. It has a lowfi Japanese vibe to it. If you go during lunch you get a great deal on the lunch specials. read more

Amazing sushi restaurant and a true gem of millbrae. So unexpected to find such a great little spot. Cozy vibes and deliciously fresh sushi makes this one of my favorite spots for dinner! read more

My husband and I had a very BAD experience. We got charged $240 for a bottle of wine labeled at $24. We brought it to the attention of the owner but he didn't care to correct the mistake and he even had a bad attitude, saying he didn't care. We will not be coming back. read more

Very overpriced for the portions. Expect 50$ average at least per person which was just barely enough for us and we don't have big appetites. Food quality is shameful, we ordered a couple of rolls and it was falling apart, I've never seen that at any other Japanese restaurant. Almost false advertising based on what the menu says and what you get, for example, a roll would say it had uni or ikura and then you'd get it on a SINGLE piece in a roll, technically true, but despicable. We should've looked at pictures before ordering. Will not return, do not recommend. read more

Sushi kei is a staple on Millbrae's Broadway st. Having moved to this side of the bay more recently, I discovered Sushi Kei during the pandemic being that they had their omakase to go and at a fairly reasonable price. When you first step in, you are immediately greeted by the hostess and shortly after by the Chef/owner. While not the largest place around, Sushi Kei is very cozy and home-y feeling. We've learned to always get a seat at the sushi bar and to engage with the chef to get the best idea on what to order. One thing we enjoy here the most is the amaebi. Being that I enjoy my sushi with a little more wasabi, the chef was always very thoughtful to ask before making the sushi, a minor detail they don't do at lots of other places as well. If you haven't seen my other reviews, one thing that I find hard not to pair with sushi is sake and sushi kei is no exception. Thankfully they have a decent amount of sale pairings at various prices. We usually go mid range and have yet to be disappointed as they have paid close attention to their offerings here. When factoring in the quality with the price sushi kei is a winner and sure to satisfy a sushi lovers cravings without soul-crushing prices that are all too common now especially in the bay. Just be sure you make an effort to go earlier, especially on weekends. read more

The food was good. It's in a convenient location if you're looking for a quiet place and standard sushi.

Whoa, this place is pretty much in my back yard and though I've been here for decades, never set foot in it, that's just how inconspicuous and hole in the wall tucked away it is. But step inside and it's the farthest cry from "dive" or hole in a wall type of place. This is a beautiful, refined, little restaurant with a sushi counter and little tables when though it was early on Friday evening, it was jam packed and bustling, we barely snagged a seat, without a reservation. This is hands down the place sushi place here in Millbrae, especially now that Zen is gone. We got their salmon toro nigiri, rainbow roll, gyoza, salmon/avocado roll, another salmon roll (needed to get in my Omega 3's lol :-) Super fresh and pristine fish, little embellishment needed, and man oh man their wasabi packs a punch, the strongest I've ever had. The gyoza not deep fried, but lightly sautéed with crispy shell and tender meat with a lively tangy dipping sauce, that's not soy-heavy. Their toro buttery and excellent quality rice. The seaweed salad needs more acid, not as citrusy or vinegary as I'd like. The service is amazing: super friendly and caring, attentive and even though they were busy, didn't miss a beat, very hard-working on top of oall the tables. It's a charming and quaint little place, authentic to the hilt. It's cute that instead of a consolidated paper menu or additional specials on a single board, they have papers clipped to the all, disparate and separate, detailing various chef's specials, daily specials, etc. It's like getting a prize every time you turn your head and bam: there's yet another special, and another ... the prices are very reasonable. But beyond the food, it's the service and warmth of the staff that's remarkable. Every single person went out of their way to make us feel cared for. It's extraordinary. read more

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Good solid, not great sushi place. I've been going here for several years, mainly for their combination lunch specials. The sushi is solid, and it has always tasted fresh. Tempura is good as well. read more

This spot is a modest Japanese joint in downtown Millbrae. I've had takeout a few times in the past year and am always satisfied with the quality of sushi! Today, I ordered takeout again! I really appreciate that for takeout items, they include a tamper sticker when they package everything. It provides some reassurance. I ordered the Deluxe Sushi and the Chicken Katsu today. The Deluxe sushi came with 10 pieces of sushi variety (i.e. salmon, tamago, tuna, shrimp, roe, etc). The fish was fresh and juicy. A check for quality! As for the the chicken katsu, I was pleasantly surprised. My past experience with chicken katsu hadn't been a pleasant one. It was usually dry and overly coated. However, this chicken katsu was tender and had a nice outer crunch. Perfectly cooked! In addition, the precut oranges were sweet and nice touch! Overall, the food is quite good in terms of quality. However, the price is a little steep for the amount of food. My partner and I ordered two different entrees, but still felt hungry afterward! Despite that, it's still definitely worth trying to support a local business! read more

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Love this local hole in the wall. Fair prices for fresh sushi. I've only ordered to go so I can't say how service is inside. I ordered a bunch of nigiris which are ordered in pairs. My bf did get the pork katsu curry which wasn't the best, so I say stick to getting the sushi and rolls. read more

Sushi Kei - two trays of different types of sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California

Great quality sushi. On the pricey end and small portioned. My biggest complaint is after ordering $60+ of sushi from door dash they only provided one portion of ginger. Giving them 4/5 stars overall based on the quality and the more traditional menu options. But I doubt I'll be a returning customer. If my wife wasn't so pleased I'd give 3 stars. Salmon sashimi dinner $19.5- seemed like a good deal for a 10 piece sashimi but was overall disappointed. Size of each piece made me think it was just the sushi pieces used for nigiri. This is more like 5 piece sashimi cut in two. Shrimp tempura roll $9.5 - good but small for the price of ten bucks Spicy hotate roll $9 - absolutely love they use hotate for their scallop roll! Negihama roll $9 a good but small for the price Negitoro roll $11.50 amazing but small for the price Posted pics. read more

Sushi Kei - Salmon sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California

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Super great takeout experience... quick preparation of our large order and everything was perfect. Fresh fish, good selection and friendly folks. Had ankimo which was super luscious and awesome. Also hamachi Kama was excellent. Sashimi came in 8-piece orders so we had several and even the rolls were above average. Overall great meal at great value. Awesome. read more

Chief are good servicer are friendly food are fresh better then those around boat sushi

A hole in the wall family business always serve the freshest sushi and sashimi. I have been going there for decades and they always offer the highest quality food. read more

What a disappointment... $60 for 6 gyoza, a kids size "vegetable" curry with chicken katsu (minus the vegetables), 6 pieces of chicken kara'age nuggets, a bowl of edamame, and a can of Diet Coke (they forgot that I ordered two)...what a joke. I wanted to love this simply because I love Japanese food; however, buyer beware... the portion sizes are significantly less than the price you pay. Simply not worth it, ever again! read more

Sushi Kei - 6 gyoza, a kids size "vegetable" curry with chicken katsu (minus the vegatetables), 6 chicken nuggets, and a bowl of edamame. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California

Food here is amazing. To me its the best sushi in the Bay. Has a traditional restaurant feel. Sushi rice is perfect, compared to others that have strong vinegar taste. Master chef is from Hokkaido too. If you're in the area worth a try. Currently open for dinner hours only. Closed Sunday and Monday. read more

Quiet, authentic sushi joint in downtown Millbrae. Everything we got was so good, including the small plates / apps (get the Gindara Misozuki). Our kids ate so much sushi and asked for more. read more

Great authentic sushi in Millbrae. The portion sizes here are a bit on the smaller side, but the food is always good. Everything tastes better than Zen Bistro across the street. I used to come here often and just order the daily special. It can range from chirashi, to sashimi, to chicken karage, agadashi tofu, and a bunch of other things. It's a good option if you can't decide what to eat. I like their curry. It has beef cubes in it. Their Katayama are beautifully fried. Not greasy and good texture and super juicy. I'd say my go to order is a 3 item bento with tempura, chicken katsu and combination sushi. Can't go wrong with a little bit of everything. read more

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salmon skin salad - would order again agedashi tofu - would order again ebi fry curry - curry was naturally sweet from having tons of vegetables, nicely spicy, it was a little different from Japanese curry at most other places, curry portion was kinda small, would skip next time nabeyaki udon - came in a clay bowl, looked good combo dinner set w/ teriyaki beef & tempura - the teriyaki beef was good read more

I really wanted to like this place, but I left feeling unimpressed. Let's blame the boyfriend for choosing on date night. Only saving grace was the friendly service & uni souffle next door for desert. Given that it was Millbrae, I wasn't expecting the best, but just a little better than what we received. I rather drive down to San Mateo or up into the city We had an order of grilled saba, amaebi, deluxe chirashi, and omakase. The saba was cooked nicely and amaebi was sweet. However, there was nothing deluxe about the chirashi. Just thin, small, warm slices of sashimi over decent sushi rice. The omakase was not what I was expecting at all. Very basic. Nothing special. Maybe I'm just spoiled from other places or ordered the wrong things? Definitely won't be coming back again. read more

Great sushi spot in Millbrae. Nigiri quality is very good, however the pieces are quite small. Katsu curry is very filling, good comfort food. read more

So my New Year's Resolution this year is to make NO resolution(s) at all. What's the point? I mean damn, I still have my Weslo Cardio Glide from my 1999 New Year's Resolution and I still look like the Michelin Man's beezie. Instead, I decided to "challenge" myself. Challenge myself to eat healthier (that starts Monday, again). Challenge myself to go back to the gym on the regular (that starts next week too, again). Most importantly, challenge myself to save more money; at least 10-20% from each paycheck. Sadly, no more fancy schmancy restaurants unless it's a special occasion. Just as pricey as a fine dining restaurants are sushi restaurants. There's no such thing as good, cheap sushi. Or is there? Recommended by Ken K., we decided to trek to Sushi Kei for a Saturday night Omakase dinner. Sushi Kei is also approved by Nobu K. so you know it's legit. Japanese owned and operated, Sushi Kei is part sushi bar and part izakaya joint with an extensive and overwhelming menu with an additional "whiteboard specials" posted in the dining room area. The izakaya items are in Japanese so ask your waitress for translations. Please don't come here and order a Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box or CA rolls. You have "iLove Teriyaki" at the mall food court for that. There's a sushi bar and 8 tables. Making reservations at the sushi bar is recommended ($25 minimum per a person). As with any sushi restaurant, the only way to go is Omakase, a tasting of the Chef's freshest catches of the day. Sushi Kei's Omakase is not the best quality I've had but it's the BEST VALUE I've found. No where will you find an 18-piece Omakase for $40. Yes, ONLY $40! As a basis for comparison, Sushi Sam's Omakase is $38 for 8 pieces (my review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-sams-edomata-san-mateo#hrid:aUDSBvkJ_cQb13HlCXvyoQ). Normally, I spend $80-$110 for Omakase and leave hungry. By piece 12, I was forcing myself to finish everything. Sushi chef-owner, Ryo-San is a very quiet fella but if you talk about the 49ers, he will get all giddy. He works very quickly but his nigiri is near flawless. Although smaller than most other sushi restaurants, each slice of fish was laid atop perfectly seasoned shari that didn't fall apart upon picking up. Everything was amazingly fresh and buttery; not Grade A but very fresh. The Ocean Trout, Sake, Toros, Amaebi, and Uni were my absolute faves. For the Amaebi head, you have a choice of using it for a miso soup or eating it fried. I love devouring heads especially hard, crunchy ones so I like it fried. Omakase Part 1: http://bit.ly/10EJgBo Omakase Part 2: http://bit.ly/SerpfS We also ordered one izakaya dish and good thing we only ordered one because the Omakase was super filling. The Gyu Suji Nikomi, Stewed Beef w/ Tendons ($5.50): http://bit.ly/VONVg6 was rich and satisfying. The beef chunks and tendons are stewed in savory sweet shoyu until it's uber tender and gelatinous. Service was pleasant, though I wish our waitress knew what the "whiteboard specials" were so we wouldn't have to leave our seats to look at. We didn't because we're lazy f*cks so I just referred to Ken K.'s review on my Yelp app. Parking is super easy so the 18 minute drive to Millbrae is worth it and saves the headache of looking for parking in the Sets or Richmond. If you're looking to get a sushi fix on a budget, Sushi Kei is the best place to go. Just make sure to floss your 49ers gear (like the kiss ass I was with did) and Ryo-San will take care of you. read more

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In a way, going to Sushi Kei is like punishing myself. I've long wanted to finish my review, but I get discouraged whenever I think of all the dishes I'd have to cover (and how many photos I'd have to find). While I could simply go elsewhere until I'm done, it's hard because they're the best Japanese restaurant in the area! First world problems, I know. Actually, more like anal Yelper problems... Given how many things I've tried here (for better or worse), I'll skip the details to try to keep this short(er). Plus, I honestly think how they look reflect how they tasted for the most part, so the photos almost speak for themselves. - CHICKEN KATSU BEEF CURRY RICE PLATE (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA) A lot of beef curry, but not as much katsu. Grill Aka Fuji (around the corner) gives you more katsu, but the overall taste is comparable (although these tables aren't nearly as sticky). - NIGIRI COMBO PLATE (8 Pieces) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#Dakx2rsMmhDBj1-rvTYnUQ) It featured the usual mix (shrimp, tuna, salmon, hamachi, etc.) and the cuts were fair. However, every piece was very fresh, so kudos for that. - HAMACHI NIGIRI (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#onHVcOmnKGSg81P1NTowDw) Fresh and tasty, but the cuts aren't consistent in size. - SPIDER ROLL (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#MPz2IqZQvAlNl1LbQg0Mzg) Not too shabby and a good rice to crab ratio. Honestly though, I find soft shell crab innately good, so it's more imporant that places just not screw it up. - SPICY SCALLOP ROLL (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#DxdI1bqhTv9jkoDKkwo53A) The scallop was really fresh, but it wasn't all that spicy or notable. - SALMON SKIN ROLL (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#8B2d5BHjrN7H2koRCBv6tQ) I only ordered it because I was curious to see how they do theirs. I was mildly surprised - not only was the skin nicely crisp, it included some meat too. - TEMPURA SOBA (Hot) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#Xmz7iPJv3bdhrPwAJOKfxQ) The texture of the soba was perfect, but the broth and overall taste was pretty standard. Not great, but not bad. - TEMPURA SOBA (Cold) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#H1lL-KB8lAcUKdVfznwXcQ) I don't normally go for cold soba, but this one (and the whiteboard version) has converted me. The tempura batter did turn out a little soggy though. - LUNCH BENTO BOX - Chicken Teriyaki, Tempura, Tuna Sashimi (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#HxdHRW-MoUnWcmCAMMRJpA) Pretty standard overall. The tuna was really good, but the teriyaki was rather pedestrian. The mixed tempura was pretty typical. - KATSU DONBOURI (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#2mKlodmyv4kIq-Rj7HY-Sg) Really flavorful, but I wish it included more pieces of katsu! - WHITEBOARD SPECIALS (price averages about $10.00) It's written in Japanese on the wall towards the front. It changes daily, but the offerings are pretty varied: ***Chicken and Vegetable Stew with mini-Chiraishi Bowl (no picture unfortunately) ***Fried Squid, Hamachi Sashimi, and Chicken and Vegetable Stew (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#KX39fNC6psUU5m1yrLphrQ) ***Cold Soba with Mini-Tuna Donbouri (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/sushi-kei-millbrae?select=JbhyLsRL6_R3I-2jgwW6rA#8tiMvCgttJXZ75C3UmUj2w) The one knock I would have about Sushi Kei is that while the workers are all pretty nice, service can be slow even when the restaurant isn't that busy. Plus, while nothing missed the mark, a lot of what I've tried wasn't exceptional (although the stew was awesome). Still, if you stick with their whiteboard specialties and the sushi/sashimi, you just might be as pleasantly surprised by this neighborhood gem as I am. read more

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Two of us arrived to an empty restaurant and were seated by the door. Service was non-existent since we had to get up and walk to the other end of the restaurant to grab someone. I ordered a nigiri deluxe combo after reading all the rave reviews about their sashimi. The combo arrived looking lackluster and the quality was average with the exception of the uni. We left the restaurant unsatisfied and underwhelmed. read more

Sushi Kei - nigiri dinner - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California

I'm so happy I just found my new "neighborhood" sushi spot that I can hit up once a week. Sushi Kei is located in "downtown" Millbrae, which I didn't know existed until now. It's basically a couple of blocks of Broadway that's lined with shops and restaurants, complete with public parking lots, like Mountain View. Cute. Thanks to the public lots, parking was a cinch. The restaurant was quite empty at 6pm on a Thursday. Fine by me. Seating at the sushi bar is only for people that spend more than $25 per person. That's not too hard if you get the sushi omakase, which is what I recommend if you like fresh and authentic sushi. My omakase was 10 pieces of sushi, 1 mini uni-ikura donburi, one tuna roll, and a couple of pieces of tamagoyaki. For $35, this is a great deal. The sushi was so so so fresh and the portion for the entire thing is pretty insane. I don't think the mini donburi is always included so maybe you get 12 pieces total if the mini donburi is not included. But if you look at my pictures, you'll see the size of it. The entire meal is pretty filling. And this is coming from someone who can eat 15-20 pieces of sushi in one sitting. Variety was pretty good - the chef started me off with 4 different cuts of tuna: yellowfin, bluefin, bluefin chutoro, bluefin ootoro. My favorite was the chutoro. The yellowfin is passable but it's really there to make sure the bluefin is really the highlight. There was also halibut, snapper, scallop, and shrimp. The scallop and shrimp were amazing. I think the shrimp was seasonal. The chef called it amaebi but judging by the size, it's a specific kind. It had a very red shell so I think it's akaebi. In any case, it was damn good. Definitely come to Sushi Kei for sushi if you're in the SFO area. Don't go to Amami, come here instead. read more

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My favorite lunch place. This place serves very authentic lunches. I cane here for the tomago sushi and the bento box. Excellent dragon rolls. read more

Sushi Kei - Teriyaki Beef and Salmon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Millbrae, California