This place was fantastic. Great atmosphere, great chef, and incredible food. Highly recommend if you can get a table; best sushi we've ever had read more

Food was good overall. Service was fine. There were definitely enough dishes to fill your stomach. Some dishes were more memorable than the rest. However, there was a long worm sticking out from the monk fish liver piece I had. I didnt take a photo after pulling it all out but showed it to the chef. He immediately took it away and made me a new piece. No apologies or any gesture. The whole handling was so smooth that I can't help but feel it has happened before. I had a great time because of the friend i dined with. But I think i would save the 500 and eat more sushi in japan instead. read more

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For starters...i went for my birthday and got forgotten at the end :( as the person next to me received a bouquet which was a little upsetting given the price point, but staff was still incredibly nice and apologetic about it. Regardless, this was a great omakase experience. Definitely no frills. Each piece was so delicious and intentional. Absolutely loved the different textures presented throughout all the dishes. Hospitality was also so sweet, had great explanations for all of the sake tastings. There was appx. 8 seatings. Probably one of my favorites in the bay. read more

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My third time here and I'm so sorry I neglected to write my review until now! Chef Yoshizumi never disappoints. It's a bit pricey but it's likely the best omakase experience in the Bay Area. Every course is well thought out and delicately prepared. Top quality on freshness and the flavors chef kiss. Chef Yoshizumi's calm demeanor transports you back to Japan. With quite a bit of omakase experience around the world, I can say that Sushi Yoshizumi's is truly a one of a kind experience with his attention to detail, the obvious expert cuts of top tier fresh fish, the private limited seating of the restaurant, and the front row viewing. If none or some of these things don't matter to you then maybe the price point may not be worth it. But it's definitely worth trying at least once if you love sashimi! As others have said before, booking reservations can be tricky and must be done a month in advance. Check website for specifics! read more

Sushi Yoshizumi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

SERENDIPITY Like many, I didn't truly start eating sushi until after college -- and even then, it was mostly rolls It wasn't until much later that I experienced traditional nigiri, and later still, my first omakase Then I stumbled upon a new sushiya opening in San Mateo with limited seating, true Edomae-style sushi from Japan, and an approachable, humble chef While those in metropolitan cities like New York, Tokyo, or Los Angeles might have access to such neighborhood sushiya of high repute, it was a rarity in the Bay Area -- and remains so today I was fortunate to dine there early and often, and Sushi Yoshizumi is more responsible for whatever sushi knowledge I have than any other establishment I've visited It's where a novice diner was welcomed with warmth, and where I learned that sushi isn't about fresh fish (it's often aged) or only about pricey cuts of toro and uni. It's where my naïve questions were always met with patience, and where I first encountered gizzard shad and rosy seabass -- discovering along the way a deep appreciation for white and silver-skinned fish It's where I learned the chef also enjoys bonito shuto (though he makes his own), and where I tasted the finest ankimo and my favorite ginger preparation I recently returned to Sushi Yoshizumi and was delighted to see that he had celebrated his tenth anniversary I've been fortunate to visit almost once a year since that initial experience, for many special occasions, including with my parents and family. Many accolades later, Sushi Yoshizumi remains my favorite sushiya. Its longevity stands as a testament to Yoshi-san's dedication, craftsmanship, and grace. Congratulations, Yoshi-san -- and thank you for your continued hospitality and devotion to your art Mozuku / Japanese snapper / Japanese conch / Ikura uni karasumi powder / Smoked buri / Shirako / Saba / Ankimo / Japanese belt fish / Aji ~ horse mackerel / Sawara ~ King mackerel / Chutoro ~ medium fatty tuna / Kohada ~ gizzard shad / Zuke ~ marinated blue fin tuna / Ika / Chawanmushi snow crab crab miso / Cherrystone clam / Akamatsu ~ Rosy seabass / Kuruma Ebi / Hokkaido Bafun Uni / Anago / Negitoro / Tamago Sushi Yoshizumi (San Mateo, CA) read more

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No huge sign outside so it's kind of hidden in downtown San Mateo. There's a parking lot right across, so parking wasn't too hard to find. Inside seats 8 people so it's pretty intimate. The chef is usually pretty concentrated during the dinner itself, but afterwards he talked and answered a couple questions for a bit. Probably my favorite sushi meal ever - each fish was delicious and the rice was perfect each time. Highlights: Uni, chutoro, kinmedai, aji, blue seabass, ootoro handroll It's on the pricier side for bay area sushi, but definitely worth it for a special occasion. read more

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Pro: Food is great, service is acceptable considering they charged you 22% of the bill. The restaurant decor is very simple. There are only 8 seats. Con: Reservation is almost impossible to get . There is no menu for us to take home or take a photo of like the other Michelin start restaurants. There is also no sign of the restaurant. So it was very hard for us to find. Portion is not big. We had to go somewhere else for dessert right after dinner read more

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OH MY GOD! What an experience! Every bite a journey in flavor ! Every flavor a trip to heaven. Looking the chef in the eye and bowing to him was an honor. You MUST come here and have this experience if you love sushi! We are giving 5 stars HOWEVER I was so saddened at the constant use of cell phones by every other patron in this establishment during our dinner. I almost cried. I almost yelled at them. Put your damned phone down! This is a special occasion! Respect the sushi chef! He is a man to be REVERED! You disrespect him when you look at your damned phones during your meal! Unbelievable disrespect! UNBELIEVABLE FOOD QUALITY AND FLAVOR COMBINATIONS! I wish they would post a NO PHONE ONLY CAMERA policy - SO DELICIOUS read more

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Not the best restaurant I have been to, but Michelin star-worthy. Some highlights: a lot of food, really good flavors, textures can be weird at times Some downside: dessert flan was subpar, tamago was underdone, no togo boxes (I stuffed myself to death) Store has no signs, so it look closed. In the end, I cherish the experience, but did not find one thing I want to splurge on there again. read more

Sushi Yoshizumi - Bara Chirashi Don - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

I was lucky enough to be able to grab reservations here for our anniversary, and just WOW. We got there super early so we can get first choice of seating. It's kind of subtle and you def need to look for signage to location Sushi Yoshizumi. My tea was never empty and I always had an abundance of ginger. The food was absolutely amazing. I dream of this place. Definitely on the pricier side, but you must experience it! No filler, no gold flakes, just straight delicious fresh amazing nigiris. They were also really sweet and gave me roses a the end of our meal. read more

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I used to come here a few times before the pandemic, but I eventually decided it wasn't my favorite. The service is excellent, and the ambiance is cozy. The sushi rice used to be a bit too strong with vinegar, and the same sauce was applied to most of the sushi. That said, they have the best ankimo in the entire Bay Area. After many years, I decided to give it another try. The ankimo was still incredible, and the rice and sauce were more balanced--definitely a better experience. That said, with so many new omakase spots around, it probably wouldn't be my top choice considering the price. read more

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I came here for my birthday! My husband took care of the booking (bless him!). From what he tells me, reservations are a little tricky as they are only open every Wednesday at 9pm for the next 2 weeks, and sometimes returning guests may get special privilege to be pre-reserved. We got a 5pm slot and arrived 10 minutes before, and we were greeted at 5pm right on the dot. Seating is first come first serve, and there are only 8 seats available in the restaurant at a time. For our experience we got the regular sake tasting (highly recommend, there's some fun tastey varieties that went great with the food, and apparently they are all very rare!) This was my first omakase experience, and honestly I had such a good time! The rest of our entourage were all returning customers and they all had great rapport with Chef Yoshizumi. He seems like a mindful and gracious host and takes his time to make sure everyone is comfortable and taken care of. It's a small operation, just chef and waitress that work all night to make sure guests were all accommodated. I thought they worked great as a team. I'm not much of a sushi aficionado, but all I can tell you as a fine dining enjoyer that for my first omakase experience, I had a wonderful time! I felt like the food quality was super high, the pacing was excellent (I left feeling just full enough), and despite being on the more shy side I didn't mind the intimate dining experience with just 8 people. At the end of the night I received a special surprise for my birthday and everyone wished me well. What a wonderful way to celebrate my special day! Thank you team Yoshizumi for creating this special memory for me, I would absolutely love to come back one day! read more

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Reservations are a bit easier to get now, but still recommend checking tock when they open up at 10pm. 8 person sushi bar with two seatings (5pm and 8pm). Dinner takes approximately 2.5 hrs. Make sure you have the address as there is no door sign with the name of the restaurant. They serve a variety of unique fish and preparations that I've never had before (cod stomach and half cooked ikura). Fish was super fresh and top notch quality. The main reason for 4 instead of 5*, is that the price is exceedingly expensive. After the mandatory service (20%)/reservation (2%) fees and taxes (9.625%), it will come out to about $440/pp as of 9/2023. Reservations are also NON-REFUNDABLE. They also have a menu of a variety of sake (https://sushi-yoshizumi.squarespace.com/beverage-menu). This amount gets close to 3* Michelin prices and I personally don't think the quality is worth it at the current price. Am I glad I tried it? Yes Would I come back? Probably not Would I recommend? Only if you are fine paying around $900-1000 for 2 people after drinks. read more

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This nondescript downtown San Mateo restaurant is unequivocally the best sushi restaurant in the Bay Area. It's a 20-plus-course, two-hour meditative experience that impresses with the subtlety of intricate flavors. Each piece builds upon the last. This was my second in-person visit (I also did takeout during the pandemic), and the quality of the meal has only improved. While the chef isn't as conversational as some other top Omakase spots, he doesn't need words to communicate what he is doing - transporting you to the best sushi counters in Tokyo. And he does it without the torches, caviar, and gold leaf common at other spots. That doesn't make those places bad, it just pushes you to a more serene new place. Service is handled by the chef and one assistant; there's also a dishwasher hidden in the back. There's none of the aggressive drink-pushing, but be aware you will be charged ($7) for water. The restaurant itself is sparse, with no reference to the multiple accolades (a Michelin star that really should be two, the continual raves from the restaurant industry) the restaurant has earned. Most notably, this is the sushi counter other sushi chefs want to visit. Reservations are difficult but worth the effort. read more

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Having went to a couple of top sushi omakase in Tokyo such as Harutaka, Yoshizumi would be ranked in the top 20 even in Tokyo. Loved the salt and vinegar balance in the Shari and how the rice breaks apart in your mouth, though as a personal preference I like the rice a little more al dente. Also they carry rare sake such as Juyondai you can't even find in Japan. This is the best sushi omakase you can get in Bay Area and possibly US. Any better you have to fly to Tokyo. read more

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When you make a rez here, the chef makes it known that there are no frills, and I love that! My fiancé and I are well versed in the omakase realm and we were very impressed by the fish selection and the chef's craft. I think it's important to note that fresh wasabi is integrated in a lot of his dishes. They grate it in front of you and each time it's incorporated, it unwrapped different flavors, which we were pleasantly surprised by. He started off with some dishes unique to the restaurant and each one exposed the freshness of the seafood without being too fishy. And once again-- no frills, so there were no unnecessary enhancements to the dishes, just the richness of the fish. It is pricey, but you leave unbelievably full and satisfied. Once the nigiri started coming out, it felt like a never ending, blissful dream. This is also the best time to go cause it's firefly squid season! Aside from that, my favorites were the monkfish liver, tuna trio, and roasted sea bass. Oh, and all the wasabi of course. Lastly, we were celebrating an anniversary and they presented us with a homemade bouquet which was a thoughtful touch. Would recommend this to anyone and everyone. read more

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Very traditional Japanese omakase each course carefully curated, prepared and served by Chef Yoshizumi - every item was super tasty fresh and unique. Mackerel is my absolute favorite type of fish and I was delighted with at least 3 mackerel items each served differently. Yum. Yelp won't let me order the collage but you essentially start with a super fresh shot of seaweed, make your way to monkfish liver, go through a bunch of nigiri then giant prawn, uni, negitoro... end with egg, hojicha and nice dessert. It was the most epic journey mouthful of Japanese goodness total 25 "courses" in 2.5 hrs watching Chef perform art in front of you. It can't get any better than this I promise. If you truly appreciate Japanese seafood and sushi without the gold flakes, flower petals truffle caviar frivolous nonsense, this place is for you. Service was top notch as expected, super attentive server who picked up on each diners cues/needs, my hot water was always flowing and ginger was never empty. If you had to take a washroom break , you would not miss your course alongside your cohort of diners; Chef will serve you when you come back to your seat. Bathroom was clean with air filter and toto if that will change your mind on this at all haha. In any case an overall pleasant dining experience. One thing out of your control - as is all omakase, you're stuck with your dining "cohort" of 6 other ppl (not counting your +1) in small space without music so if your cohort sucks then you're stuck listening to their babble. My cohort had too many young foodies with one that wouldn't shut up about omakase experience in other cities/restaurants in awkward non fluent Japanese, it almost diluted my own focus on this omakase but nonetheless, all 25 courses made it safely in my belly and photo album, and all is well. read more

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As someone who doesn't eat omakase that often, here's my honest review: there were things I loved and things I didn't like as much, but it's worth it for the overall experience. Reservations are released every Wednesday at 9pm for bookings two weeks out. They're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and have two seatings each day (5pm and 8:15pm) the rest of the week. It's an eight-seat counter with five seats on the longer side and three on the shorter side. They only offer omakase, and right now it's at $325 per person. With service, taxes, and fees, this comes out to $875 for two (plus an optional sake pairing, which you can order in person). They only take reservations for parties of 2 or 4. Reservations sold out quickly, within the first 20 minutes. I'm not sure if this was an outlier, because they told me in person that their reservations are not as popular as they used to be. Sometimes it takes a few days for them to sell out. You can get a sense of how opinionated they are about their omakase just from reading the description on Tock. I read a lot of reviews before coming, and people tend to crown Sushi Yoshizumi and Sushi Shin as the best omakase in California. I've had omakase with a similar or higher price before, but have never had a true edomae omakase experience or sat at the chef's counter. So I was really excited about coming. I don't eat omakase very often, and my honest confession is that I don't think I can really tell apart the finer intricacies that set $400 omakase apart from $200 omakase. That being said, I do think this was a very unique experience for me. It was intimate, lowkey, and almost heartwarming. It felt special in many ways. The doors opened a couple of minutes before 8:15. The seats are first come, first serve. If you want to be able to pick your seat, arrive 5-10 minutes early. We arrived around 8 for our 8:15 reservation and were the first group there. They do not seat you early. After everyone was seated, we had an option of ordering a sake pairing (there was a full-size option and a mini option). There were 5 sake in total. Chef Yoshizumi began by grating wasabi by hand and prepared everything by himself, in front of us. I was utterly impressed with how well seasoned everything was. I did not find anything too bland or too salty/overpowering. The progression of the courses were well thought out, so that, for example, leaner pieces followed fattier pieces. I did do some research beforehand & learned that kohada (gizzard shad) is one of best ways to judge the skills of a sushi chef. I would say that I loved how the kohada was prepared. This was one of my favorite pieces of the night. One of my other absolute favorites was the ankimo (monk fish liver). And shirako (fish sperm) was one of the courses. There were some pieces that I loved and some pieces that I didn't like as much, which I think was perfectly fine and normal. I didn't really expect everything to blow my mind. But I think the overall experience really came together and I walked away feeling happy and content. We didn't chat up with Chef Yoshizumi very much during service, because he seemed pretty focused. But the intimate atmosphere also made it a bonding experience for us and other guests. The meal took about 2-2.5 hours in total and we finished with hot tea and a soy pudding as dessert. We did notice that while preparing some courses, Chef Yoshizumi threw away some of the pieces he cut, presumably because they didn't reach his standards. It showed his rigor and strive for excellence. He also looked up to observe everyone's expression while we tasted each of the courses, which honestly made me a little nervous but was a sign that he cared about what he was delivering. The knife that he used seemed a little blunt and it wasn't cleaned after each course (this is just an observation). The second to last course (not including tea and dessert) was a sushi roll, and it looked a little sloppy (again, just an observation). Overall, this experience felt unique and so personal. It's honestly hard to separate the food from the rest of the experience like service and the interactions with Chef Yoshizumi. They came closely together as a package. Now the ultimate question: would I come back again? I think I would. It is very pricey (it's almost as expensive as most three-star restaurants), but the experience is worthwhile. That is, if you care about the experience. Omakase doesn't mean as much imo if you don't care about the rest of the experience. In that case, this may not be the best way to spend your $500. read more

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Sushi Yoshizumi is my favorite restaurant in the Bay Area. Akira Yoshizumi executes edomae sushi at a high level and it's just delicious. I really love tasting what's in season (from Japan). Watching chef prepare the dishes is a cool show, especially seeing the precision, skill, and care he exhibits. Lovely experience and I aspire to eat here more often. read more

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I finally got to experience omakase and edomae style and I wish I was able to afford this place when I was a lot younger. It was definitely worth the experience (although pricey). I'm going to write a different review than others to hopefully help people with their experience other than the food. 1.) Price At the time of writing, the experience cost is broken down below: $295 per person 20% automatic gratuity added upon booking 2% Service Fee (added by Tock, the reservation site) 9.625% tax For two people, the total added up to ~$790. So be prepared to drop some serious money on this. In my opinion, it was worth it but it still hurt when the credit card was charged. 2.) Location The restaurant is located on 4th street in San Mateo. Keep in mind, the restaurant is UNMARKED and has no sign indicating that it is Sushi Yoshizumi. It is located in between hair salons. I took a picture of Sushi Yoshizumi to hopefully help you guys find it in case you guys need it. It's also quite close to the Cal Train crossing so you can hear the loud train pretty frequently while you were dining. I think it was a rather harsh interruption each time it passed by but you get use to it. It's an odd location for such a nice dining place but it is here nonetheless. 3.) Be the first one there Our reservation was at 5pm and since we were the first people there, we were able to choose exactly where we wanted to sit (8 people dined at this time). This is a HUGE advantage in my opinion as we were able to choose the seat right in front of the chef. We got a front row seat on all the preparation of the food which was a great experience in itself. 4.) Food If you are dropping ~$790 for this meal, I'm guessing you appreciate having a great meal and you will not be disappointed. I'm not going to spoil the experience for you guys but the food was pretty amazing/fresh. All in all, we were served a total of 21 different dishes and we were both very full at the end of the meal. Great portion sizes and variety. I'll definitely come back again but my bank account needs time to recover. read more

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The Omasake is incredible: fresh and delicious taste some I never try before like Bonito but it's so great even the price is expensive but it's worth to try one in life time Why not ? Service is only two people : one Chef and one Server but I think that's enough for one time service at bar for 8 pax . I feel like in a privilege heavenly dinner The shop is small and it not looks like a restaurant but It's warm and quiet we can't see any sign outside, please don't miss it Thank Chef I enjoyed so much Thank to my son my life is fulfilled day by day like a dream. read more

Sushi Yoshizumi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

I went here with my SO in Oct 2021 for the Omakase. It was a tremendous and one-of-a-kind experience. The one thing I can say about Sushi Yoshizumi above all else is that it feels very traditional and authentic. It's not my place to say whether or not it is - I am merely a weeb in denial. But it felt like a very traditional, very Japanese experience. No music, no frills, no nonsense. It's just you, Yoshizumi san, and the sushi. It's a huge departure from other high end Omakase places that I've been to, and that's not a bad thing. But it was definitely the thing that stood out the most to me. We came in during the cold season, so the fish was delicious and oh-so-fatty. I'll let the other reviewers who are much better at writing tell you about how good the food is. Yoshizumi san's description on their website is a very accurate description of what to expect. Overall, it was a great and zen-like experience. We'll definitely be coming back again. I appreciate the niche of traditional, edomae style omakase that Yoshizumi san brings to the table. And yes, like other reviewers have said, this place is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to get reservations for. Camp out on tock, pay people to camp out with you, and get ready to wait and refresh and get disappointed again. read more

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don't need to doubt - the best sushi omakase place in the bay area, totally worth the price. This is so far the only one that I could feel the difference between $200 ish omakase vs. $300+. fish are very seasonal and fresh. each courses are well considered and delicate. I went to a lot other places, even though the portion is big, I kinda had the feeling in the middle that flavor was a bit repeated and heavy, a lot things came in mouth but lack of diversity. The flavor in the place is very refreshing, good combination of all the sauce and spice. even at the end I'm full, I still have the curiosity that I wanna keep eating! parking is easy across the street.! read more

Sushi Yoshizumi - Omakase 7.26 - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

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One of the most renowned omakase spots in California for sure and it was so hard to grab a reservation! but put your name down for the waitlist and you might just get lucky like me! We also opted for two mini sake pairings and that was plenty of alcohol for the meal. Everything from start to finish was phenomenal. The omakase is $250/pp and mini sake pairing (5 glasses) is $60/pp! The chef would decide on the sake depending on where in the course we were on and each of them was so unique and delicious! The restaurant only has 7 seats so it's definitely got this intimate vibe. The chef has this calm and quiet presence but was still very friendly and answered all the questions that we had Some highlights - nori wrapped hotate - Anago - Dashi marinaded ikura over rice - Ika: the chef thinly sliced it horizontally and then again vertically to make these thin strips and then made it into a nigiri - Kohada - Ishigaki gai: that slap to make it curl - Hokkaido bafun - Nodoguro: so fatty so good Everyone needs to go experience it once for sure. Fantastic meal! read more

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1 Michelin-Star Sushi, expensive but worth it for clean Nigiri and Chirashi where the fresh fish is highlighted and not overburdened or overworked with too much sauce or garnishing. Takeout opportunity during Covid but they sell out really fast so you have to be on top of it. I was not expecting it to be that good because of the timing and presentation changes when going from dine-in to takeout. Despite this, the sushi still had us closing our eyes with every bite to savor how good it was. Both dishes enjoyed about 25 minutes from pickup to in-mouth. Nigiri Sushi, everything was very high quality. Rice to fish ratio is perfect and the fish itself is stunning, different than the same fish you would get at other "nice" sushi places. A testament to their sourcing and high standards. Chu-toro Chirashi Don. My favorite cut of tuna complemented by uni and salmon eggs on a bed of perfectly cooked rice. This is like getting a piece of A5 wagyu, putting seared foie gras on it, and topping with caviar...but much healthier. read more

Sushi Yoshizumi - Nigiri Sushi, super fresh and mind-melting goodness. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Amazing amazing. Glad to be here. Selection of the wine was minimal but still matched well w sushi. Summer Akauni - never had that ever!!

Visited after it raises its price to $325 per person. However it is worth every cents after finish the meal. It is definitely one of the best sushi restaurants in whole west coast. The nigiri is simple yet delicate. The seasoning is on point for each nigiri and the fish is so fresh . All side dishes are super seasonal and are cooked to perfect. Ankimo is the star of the meal and it taste like foie gras . The full menu is as below: 10 side dishes: Kawahagi with liver Ikura with uni Hamachi Chawanmushi Bonito Shirako Ankimo Saba handroll Mehikari Mozuku Squid leg 10 nigiri: Squid Sanma Mebaru Maguro Chu-toro Aji Mirugai Kuromutsu Chu-toro roll Uni Unagi read more

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We made a reservation for dinner for two, 2 weeks in advance. The restaurant has intimate bar seating for only 10 people. We got the sake pairing and it was really great sake but I don't think it really enhanced the meal. Overall the meal was 2.5 hours long. Definitely on the pricier end but still a great experience! Female snow crab - filled with eggs Squid leg - so chewy Mackerel - so clean, not fishy, shiso leaf, interesting presentation Chawamushi- barracuda Bonito Monk fish liver - amazing with wasabi and sake pairing Twin cry fish - flakey and Smokey Nigiri Squid - not slimy, Razor fish - sooo good King mackarel - texture flavor, not too firm Horse mackerel aji - firmer texture, not creamy Japanese tuna - soft and thinner. More flavor that way. Marinated in sauce. Golden snapper - Mackarel - Fatty tuna - good as always Shrimp Uni and cooked ikura Sea bream - really tough and crunchy Fatty tuna roll - amazing. Great with shiso leaf Unagi Sake mousse read more

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What an incredible experience at Sushi Yoshizumi! I very luckily was able to make a reservation here for my fiancé's birthday. It is a very intimate seating, with a total of 8 customers per seating, two seatings per night. My fiancé opted in for the mini sake tasting, while I had the hot tea. The meal was amazing; we've had omakase before but we were blown away by the freshness and quality of the ingredients here. Some highlights for us were the monkfish liver, seasonal sea urchin, and the sea eel. Everything was super delicious! One of our favourite restaurants that we've been to. read more

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Had to cancel our reservation in 2020 due to covid but we got to try their takeout menu earlier this year on Valentine's Day and loved it a lot, especially the Saba bou zushi! So fresh and so good. They are now reopened and we were excited to finally try their omakase. It wasn't easy to make reservations since they only have 7 seats right now but we managed to get a reservation within two weeks by waitlisting. The dinner experience was very intimate and the omakase was the traditional edomae style. It started with a variety of sashimis and cooked dishes, then some nigiris, hand roll, and ended with a mini strawberry dessert. The chef brought out the freshness in all the ingredients by seasoning/marinating them perfectly. My favourite of the night was the monkfish liver with tobiko wrapped in piece of seaweed. It was flavourful with a mix of creamy and crunchy texture (mmm still thinking about it and makes me want another piece right now). In terms of value, $250pp plus 18% added gratuity was not cheap but I felt like the amount of courses along with the delicate flavours and freshness of the ingredients justified the price. I would definitely recommend this place to my friends and any sushi lovers. read more

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Some of the best sushi in the bay for sure!! The sushi style is very classic with nothing too fancy. The food was amazing but im giving this place 4 stars because of the reservation system, the price and the overall ambiance. The reservation system is pretty difficult with reservations coming out every wednesday at 9pm on Tok. I refreshed my page right when the clock turned 9 and the saturday reservations were gone instantly. I took what I could and booked two seats for a Thursday at 5pm. With such a difficult system it's frustrating you have to pay full price for the meal when you make the reservation so you need to make sure you have a range of dates and times that will work for you. for 2 people with the sake sampler our meal ended up being $1000. I've had better omakase meals in other cities for a fraction of the price so i'm not sure this meal is worth coming back for For the ambiance, there was no decor on any of the walls and the weirdest part was there was no music. With only 8 customers, one chef and one server the entire room was so quiet. Some other people didn't talk so it felt like everyone around us was listening to all our conversations. Overall amazing food, so if you're down to spend the money i think it's worth it. i just don't think it'd be worth it to return. read more

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I had been to Yoshizumi in the pre-covid days and thought while it was good, for the comparable price, there were better places in SF. During this covid era, I initially avoided getting take out from them because their bentos were more expensive than most other places, or less food than the few places that were more expensive. However, this one IG account I followed extolled the masterful way Yoshizumi brings out the flavor of the fattier fish in the winter. I bit the bullet and got a chirashi box for me and a nigiri box for the hubby. You get a bit more variety with the chirashi box but you get a couple pieces of futomaki and bigger pieces of fish with the nigiri. Almost every piece was a delight. The toro was melt in your mouth. The tamago was masterfully made with a wonderful texture. Ankimo was buttery and smooth. The katsuo had been lightly smoked to add a bit of dimension. The various fish all had great umami - I think some might have been aged a little but not to the point where they're fishy. The only piece that I was a bit disappointed with was the eel where the texture didn't do it for me. I also really enjoy the ginger that comes with the boxes. While it's presented in chunks, the flavor is delicate. read more

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COVID-19 takeout ordering: - Highly recommend following them on IG since that's when they post when they update their takeout items (usually it's Saturday at around 8pm). They usually sell out pretty quickly in the summer times! - Place order & pay online - mention date & time of pick up. - Super simple and quick order pick up! - Eat and enjoy! :) We've ordered: - Futomaki ($40) - Saba Bou Sushi ($55) - one of my fav and love saba! - Kaisen Futomaki with Uni & Ikura ($70) - my fav! - Maguro Futomaki ($70) - Anago Box ($70) - Nigiri Sushi ($85) - Toro Uni Ikura Box ($85) - this is another fav! - Chirashi Don ($125) - very tasty, but kinda pricey - Kubota Seppou Summer Special (Jyunmai Daiginjyo) ($85) - white tube box sake. it's hard to find in the bay area for that price and it's great with fish! Everything we've ordered from Sushi Yoshizumi was delicious and super fresh! It is a bit pricey, but for the quality it's great! Each nigiri was so unique in taste! A lot of thought and time was put into making these takeouts. Definitely enjoyed our meal! We can't wait for Sushi Yoshizumi to reopen indoor dining in the future when it's safe again! We miss dining there! Happy to support Sushi Yoshizumi and do takeout! :) read more

Ugh I was in desperate need of good, quality fish! I saw some recent reviews and photos from other yelpers and it looked super delectable and fresh..so I had to order take-out from Sushi Yoshizumi! I ordered online through their website under "Take Out Order." Their specials ranged from $40-$95. All the specials looked soo delicious and most were Sold Out but thankfully the one I wanted to try was still available! After selecting my special, I had to select a day for pick-up and what time. Tuesday's-Saturday's, you can only pick up in the evening between 5pm-6:30pm (no lunch pick-up). Sunday's, you can only pick up during lunch, 12pm-1pm (no evening pick-up). I selected a Saturday pick-up @5pm. It's a MUST to pick a specific time otherwise the order would not be accepted. I made my payment online and received my confirmation email soon after. I ordered.. CHUTORO UNI IKURA DONBURI (SUMMER SPECIAL) $95 -the priciest of the bunch! So fresh and delicious. The toro was buttery and melted in my mouth. The little pops of ikura was light and sweet. The uni was creamy. Everything about this was amazing..from the seasoned sushi rice to the fresh, nutty wasabi to the little bits of pickled ginger. I arrived right at 5pm and there was metered street parking and a small 'pay when you park' lot available right across the street. Sushi Yoshizumi has no visible signage..but it's located right next door to V & C Salon -so look for that. I was 3rd in line and it grew pretty quickly afterwards. I walked up to the door and they asked for my name. They located my bag with ease and asked if I needed chopsticks or soy sauce. Easy peasy. I'm already droolinggg thinking about my next visit. Nothing compares once you have their chirashi bowl. Once I decide to splurge again and make the drive from San Jose, I definitely want to try their Kaisen Futomaki, Bara Chirashi Don and Anago Donburi. Love it! read more

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It can be difficult to get a reservation but it's worth the wait! Great service and everything was delicious. The restaurant seats 8 people max and seating is a bar top so you see the chef prepare everything right in front of you. We ordered sake and Japanese beer which was an additional charge. I highly recommend this for the unique omakase experience and quality fish. read more

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Covid bento takeout review. I ordered 3 boxes: Toro uni ikura box, Kaisen chirashi box, and Sashimi set. Everything was delicious. Toro uni ikura box was my favorite. A must try. I was planning to place an order 2 weeks ago on Thursday for Saturday pickup. However, Toro uni ikura box became sold out. I waited another week and placed an order one week in advance for Saturday pickup. Sushi rice was too salty for me. 3 boxes were good for 2 hungry humans. read more

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A chef who cares about his food and customers. I had one of this tasting menus and he served two different uni's and they both tasted different. Everything was perfect read more

Overall (3.5/5). This was very borderline for me. Kind of pains me to give this a 3.5 because this restaurant was one of the places that I was most hyped about. I was referred here by sushi sho in hawaii (which is amazing by the way) near waikiki beach. After reading through the reviews, I was convinced that this may potentially be the best traditional omakase in California. Unfortunately I was let down. I felt like it was not worth $395 - should be closer to $200-$250 range even with the new 2022 inflation adjusted price. My 3.5 rating reflects price to taste ratio. Would've been easily a 5 if it was half the price. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Food (4/5): Most dishes were solid. In my opinion, their rice was leaning towards the acidic side compared to others, however, I thought it was fine and the cooking/molding technique of the nigiri was on point. Standouts: - Monk Fish Liver: This one was simply amazing. The creamy richness is one of a kind. I like to call this KING of all liver because in my opinion, it is superior to any foie gras even the finest of restaurants. - Amaebi (Sweet Shrimp): One of the sweetest shrimp I've had with exceptionally nice texture. Seems to have been cooked slightly which is great. - Smoked tuna 3 different pieces each with different flavor toppings. My favorite was the medium fatty cut. The smoked aroma on that one was amazing. Could be better: - Toro (Fatty Tuna): Unfortunately this one was not as incredible/rich as other toro I've had in other Omakase places. - It was interesting to me that some fishes placed on nigiri were not cut as cleanly as it should be. If you look at the pictures, you can see that a few fishes were cut where pieces of meat started flaking off. This almost never happens in most Omakase I've been to because the knife is usually razor sharp. - Hokkaido uni could've been higher quality. The taste profile of the Hokkaido uni wasn't as clean and sweet as what you'll usually find at other high end places. Other comments: - REALLY surprise that they put Shirako (Fish Semen) as the first dish. It was a great dish, however, I can see the worry in my less omakase experienced friends when they were served this dish. Would usually expect something easier/comforting to start the journey. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Service/Ambience (3/5): Service was definitely on the lower end in terms of Michelin star dining. Most likely it was a language barrier. Waitress didn't do much other than fill up water when asked. Honestly not a big deal, because I'm here for Traditional Omakase. Keep in mind that it can get a bit loud with trains coming and going. Again, not a big deal for me, just putting it out there. Also, you'll be asked to stand outside until reservation time. No waiting inside if you show up early. At the end of the day, for almost $400, I expect some sort of specialty that would blow me away. Unfortunately nothing made it truly memorable. They state explicitly to not expect anything out of the ordinary because it is pure traditional omakase, however, I felt like the quality of the pieces were not incredibly outstanding either. The standard fishes (golden eye snapper, toro, flounder etc) at Juni, kusakabe etc was easily comparable for half the price. If you charge super high with no extraordinary highlights, the quality better be the very best, which is was not. Ultimately, I would not recommend this place. P.S Reservations are incredibly hard to get. You would need to camp out on tock and wait for reservations to open to try to secure any open spot asap. read more

Sushi Yoshizumi - Omakase $395 with tip and tax already included - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is definitely the best and most authentic sushi we have had outside of Japan. The omakase was amazing. We were served 20+ items. The service was perfect. All staff were friendly. Ingredients were extremely fresh. The chef had everything prepared efficiently and well paced. The restaurant was small and cozy. Just a sushi bar with 8 seats. Everything was neat and tidy and extremely clean. Each piece was precisely and meticulously prepared in front of us. I love this place and this will be our go to for sushi. We can't go anywhere else now. Highly recommend the restaurant. However, note that reservations need to be done online and cannot be obtained easily. The prices are high but for this quality and number of items, it is worth it. Must try. read more

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Wow. The boyfriend spent weeks trying to get a rezzie at Sushi Yoshizumi for my birthday and we lucked out and were able to score one for tonight. We were the first party to arrive and we chose the end of the row as we wanted to have a good view of Chef Yoshizumi and his craft. The Bay Area is not short of delicious omakase dining experiences (in fact, we really are quite spoiled here!). With that said, Sushi Yoshizumi brings it back to the basics in regards to the quality of fish, traditional flavors, and simple yet beautiful presentation. When you dine here, it's not just for the food, it's an experience. Watching Chef Yoshi was captivating - the room is quiet and all eyes are on the Chef while he meticulously prepares each dish with his nimble fingers. This was a good reminder that if it's quality ingredients, you don't need anything else. Forget the truffle, the fancy flowers, put the torch away. The flavor of fresh ingredients speak for themselves. Chef Yoshi is knowledgeable and it is evident that he has great respect and pride for the food he creates. A and I really enjoyed our entire time and left with happy and filled tummies. Sushi Yoshizumi will definitely be a staple for celebrations moving forward. read more

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