Fairly good sushi, efficient service, easy to get in, no BS added fees My roll was fairly small for $20, left kind of hungry read more

Takara Sushi - Rainbow roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Friends and I were walking around the area and decided to stop in. We were seated right away since there was no wait. It took so long for the waitress or someone to take our order and then took forever to get our food. Total time waiting was at least an hour when it was simply not that busy inside. When we were handed the menus, we needed some time to take a look but she never came back until we yelled out for her after 30 minutes. It was ridiculous, we attempted to make eye contact with the waitress multiple times. The restaurant is not that big for her or other staff to not notice. She took other table orders first who came after us and so they obviously got their food before us too. Then after we got our food she never checked on us once --only when she told us it was final call. We witnessed her checking on other tables multiple times smiling, hugging customers on their way out, but gave completely different service towards us. Don't know if it's because we looked younger than the other customers or because we weren't regulars, but it felt like we weren't taken seriously or given the same treatment. It was an unenjoyable experience. Mid sushi, definitely would never come back. read more

Good sushi spot near the Castro. If you are craving sushi away from the busy street, this is the place to go. I ordered the double red dragon with fatty tuna that is torched on top, and it was delicious. The rainbow roll is a good staple and the fish portion is adequate and the fish is fresh. They have good vegetarian options as well including sour plum roll and sweet potato rolls. I ventured into siu mai territory and it was ok, but it's best to stick to Japanese specialties while at Takara. Would give 4 1/2 starts if Yelp allowed. Will definitely be back. Service is charming and they treat you like a regular even if it's your first time visiting. read more

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Nice local spot that's not too pricey with quality food. Not empty, but also not too busy for an early Sunday dinner. Look forward to a return visit! read more

Takara Sushi - Chirashi Donburi $38 - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

It a really cute cozy Japanese spot in Castro. I really enjoyed the sushi rolls we got and the karaage chicken appetizer. However, for the portion and the freshness of the fish it was a little pricey. But overall the service was good but felt rushed at the end of our dinner since the server for our table got our check before we asked. read more

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such a cute cozy sushi spot in the castro! sushi quality was great, even the sweet potato sushi. really enjoyed the sushi with the yuzu (non alcoholic) drink. the edamame with butter, edamame, and soy sauce was amazing. will def be back. read more

Takara Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great food, beautiful presentation, and a wonderful atmosphere in this local restaurant. But the real highlight was Betty! She took such great care of us, was incredibly friendly, and made the whole experience feel special. If you're lucky enough to Betty, you're in for a treat. Can't wait to come back! read more

Takara Sushi - Salmon testing, Uni and sashimi platter are the best!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a lovely neighborhood spot! This is solid for weeknight sushi if you're looking for a cozy homey vibe. The service was friendly, it's no wonder there are so many regulars who eat here. The rolls may not have been the most beautiful or tightly rolled but everything tasted great. My favorite was the shrimp tempura roll, the summer roll was also very refreshing! The grilled asparagus was incredible both with and without the spicy daikon and dipping sauce. We ended on the matcha cheesecake, which was exactly what I wanted but just not enough of it -- I thought was a small portion, as a dessert fiend I did not enjoy having to share with one other person. The only thing I didn't like was the music (it was covers of 2010s electronic pop music...) Anyway overall it was a speedy and reliable meal and I imagine it will go into the regular rotation of weeknight sushi restaurants! read more

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Really enjoyed my time and meal at Takara. Walked in shortly after they opened and were immediately seated by the window overlooking the busy area. This made it a great people watching spot. We ordered the karaage, veggie gyoza, and the SF roll. Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious. The karaage was some of the best I have had with a unique and light crispness. It was served with just a lemon which was fine but would have liked a nice sauce to dip it into. Service was pleasant, music was fun and prices were fair. I def recommend if you're looking for sushi in the Castro area. read more

Takara Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow. I have to say this is one of the worst sushi experiences ever. Waitress, if you read this, you know exactly what you and your sushi chef had done. Ordered two toro pieces. Worst and disgusting, each as small as a baby pinky. At $13 each. I was polite and did not complain. Have been here for years but did not lately. Will not come back. This latest experience reminded me of why I did not want to be here. Very disappointing to have a neighborhood sushi joint like this one. read more

Love it. Good sushi. Good service. I frequent this place as a regular. Not five stars because the environment is not as comfortable as I would like it to be. But overall, it's good. It can be loud at times. read more

Authentic sushi spot with a solid menu. The restaurant is quite small and can have a waitlist so come early to put your name down.

Really nice service, really high quality sushi, but I cannot emphasize this enough: way overpriced. Two items cost over $40 with tip. It's a nice ambiance, though very small. I enjoyed the flavor of these items - but sticker shock smacked me hard here. read more

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3.5/5 went at ~8 PM on Friday for a party of 2 and we got seated right away. It was a cute place and had a very attentive staff. Sushi was pretty good, but thought it was expensive for the portion size. We got the rock n roll, salmon & avocado roll, the negi hamachi maki, and the rainbow roll. read more

Honestly we didn't even get to taste the food. We stay in the Castro often, but will not be visiting this place again. We walked in when it said on the sign that it was open, 4pm. They said, "oh sorry, we aren't open yet. 15 minutes." So we walked around the block and came back at 4:20. They said, "we don't have rice yet, it will be 15 minutes." I asked, "another 15 minutes?!" We didn't even want anything with rice. My husband figured out it was an excuse. But I thought it would be nice to have a snack of sashimi without rice. They said we could sit and wait (2 others were sitting inside) so we thought, ok. But my husband started reading some of the reviews, and although the guy came by and out soy sauce on the table, he didn't bother with menus or asking us if we wanted any water. Seriously, just adjust your hours, don't make excuses for not being open. Lame. But we took it as a sign from the universe and went to Gyro Express and it was delicious. And they were super nice. read more

Good service and even better food! I loved coming here, it was super nice inside and just a good place for have a nice talk with friends, I loved it! read more

Takara Sushi - Spicy Salmon Hand Roll, Spicy Tuna Hand Roll and Chicken Katsu - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

First off, AMAZING service. The hostess and chefs were very kind and cordial so that was great. The restaurant was very nice and has an awesome tiered dining floor plan so each table feels somewhat private. However, this time I went I had a weird experience with the food. I have been probably 5 times since moving to San Francisco, and they switched up a couple of their rolls to a more bowl style, which made the actual roll somewhat difficult to locate under a mound of fried tempura. That being said, my friend ordered a sashimi platter that smelled like a literal fish market. There was an entire flying fish just hanging out as garnish in what seemed to be a sea of ice and ocean brine. He voiced his concern and they did graciously remove our new marine friend from the platter, but it made next to no difference in the aroma. Everyone at the table tried some, and the salmon, tuna, and mahi mahi seemed to be fine. However, there was a white fish that had been in the brine that we each tried a bit of and it did taste quite off. A couple of people in the party (myself included) felt off for the rest of the evening. Unfortunately, I woke up this morning and vomited and have been having persistent GI issues/pain. I strongly believe it was related to this spread. That being said, I think Takara deserves three stars for their stellar service and ambiance; and while being food poisoned wasn't listed on their menu, a little waist-slimming diarrhea and non-ipecac induced vomiting never hurt anybody during pride month. read more

Note: Contrary to what Yelp has listed as of May 2023, there is NO outdoor or rooftop seating here anymore. Very friendly staff. Loud, very upbeat music playing when we visited. This was decent take-out sushi, we were not blown away but we'd certainly get it again for take-out. I'm curious what dine-in is like. Really Yummy: - Walu Nigiri (topping is delicious!) - Salmon, Avocado & Cucumber Roll - Spicy Scallop Hand Roll - Saba Nigiri OK: - Hamachi Nigiri - Sake Nigiri - Rock'n Roll Wouldn't order again: - Negi Hamachi roll - Ikura (very strange tasting to me.) read more

Typically people do takeout from the restaurant they had good in person dining experiences. Surprisingly this time it's the opposite, the first takeout makes me want to try it in person next time. We did takeout for a small gathering. The sushi's and rolls are very fresh! Check!! I am pleased by the look and amazed by the taste. These sushi's are worth trying, I made sure I had at least one piece of everything. Five star! Last but not least, Betty, the owner called to check if everything was good. Oh wow, that's a new level of service quality for takeout! read more

Takara Sushi - Sushi platter... Rainbow Roll, dragon roll ... many more - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place is a Castro Neighborhood staple. From the moment we entered, Betty greeted us with a smile & makes us feel very welcome. The ambiance is very inviting & the decor harmonizes with the Japanese cuisine. We ordered seaweed salad & carpaccio ponzu to start. Then we finished with the Volcano roll & the X roll. The fish was fresh & the rolls were both super tasty. We will definitely be back soon. read more

Takara Sushi - X Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Fast, helpful service. Friendly staff. A regular sushi joint with reasonable pricing compared to other spots in the area. They even do omakase if you're into that. We ordered the Volcano Roll, Summer Roll, and Tempura. I thought it was a bit comical they made a literal volcano out of crunchy flakes atop my sushi. I dug the rolls out and used whatever part of the "volcano" I wanted, haha. The Summer Roll and Tempura were good too. But we liked the volcano best. We got full from the sushi alone, so we kind of wasted the tempura which they brought to our table last. We still had a good nibble at everything: shrimp, carrot, broccoli, etc. Maybe if we were hungrier, we'd finish everything. All in all, I'd say this is a solid place for a quick sushi lunch. It is a small space inside, but they still had a couple of good spots for privacy, and only one other couple was dining here when we came in on a Saturday mid-afternoon. read more

Takara Sushi - Volcano Roll (rolls hiding in the "volcano") & Summer Roll in the background. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Popped in for the first time. The place is really small, so it's good for couples or small groups. We were greeted and sat immediately. The staff were friendly and attentive. As for food, I had the chicken karaage and the Fire Cracker Roll (spicy tuna, tobiko, and jalapeño served on a rice cracker.) The karaage was good and I'll order that again. The Fire Cracker Roll was not stellar. It wasn't spicy, and the shape and size made it awkward to eat. It wasn't bad or terrible - I ate it all - but was just underwhelmed with it. Next time, I'll order something different. I had a good experience, and my friends ate up everything they ordered, so I think I just need to come back and try a different roll. If you don't know the area, street parking is available and is only like a block - block and a half from Castro Muni. read more

Takara Sushi - Chicken Karaage - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A Japanese restaurant run by Cantonese folk. We came for dinner and as a party of 6 they seated us pretty fast even though the restaurant was pretty full. It was also pretty small, so not many tables and a small bar in front of the sushi chef. I ordered the chicken tonkatsu which came with miso soup and salad and the breading was kinda falling off the chicken. The pork tonkatsu that my partner got was a lot better quality of breading. I also got a bowl of rice but it wasn't that much food and I still felt hungry after. My friend got the salmon sashimi which he said was pretty good! My other friend also got the unagi donburi which had pretty good unagi and was actually a decent portion. Nothing too special, but might not come again due to food quality not being too great. read more

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The fish is fresh of the boat. The service is great, they greet you as soon as you walk in. They are a little pricy but I would say is well worthy. The chef is very informative about their fish too. I come in for a little bite and ending getting more and more. I even order more Togo for my son as well. That's how good it is. I also will recommend to sit on the sushi bar if you want to be more authentic. read more

This place is absolutely terrible! Please don't take the risk. The sushi was not fresh and everything was very cheap in terms of quality. The picture is the himatchi, which I have ordered and enjoyed at many other Japanese restaurants. It's typically served very finely and fresh. That was not the case at Tamara Sushi. The fish looked like ham and had an awful texture and taste - plus an interesting and unusual garnish of cherry tomatoes. The owner tried to fight us when we shared very politely that we didn't like the dish and weren't interested in eating it. She suggested that she chops it into dicey pieces and we eat it with rice? Finally, she removed the plate from our table and we received the rest of our meal, which we couldn't even eat. I instantly felt nauseous and sick from the food. The worst part? When the bill came, the owner/waitress refused to comp the himatchi that we returned since it "wasn't their fault we didn't like it." I was sincerely shocked by the lack of customer service and would highly recommend trying a different spot in this neighborhood. read more

Takara Sushi - Himatchi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great food with an amazing service!!! Got seated right away didn't have to wait that long !! The food was very fresh! Overall had an amazing time there. Would recommend trying out the place. read more

Hiding in plain sight, I've easily walked past Takara Sushi 150 times and finally just learned that they're open for lunch. People are constantly asking me where to go for lunch in the Castro and now that I know that Takara serves it, I've added it to my list of suggestions. If you're in the Castro, seeking well-priced Japanese food for lunch, here's your place. I understand that Takara does a bustling business at night which might account for the tired look of it during mid-day. The tables were worn and the place looked bleak enough that I had a moment of hesitation on whether I really wanted to try their raw fish. The moment passed, I overlooked the interior, ordered, and crossed my fingers. Trust. I was rewarded. For around $10.50, the lunch menu offers a Bento box as well as a combination sushi lunch which I opted for. Miso Soup, and my choice of two maki (Hamachi Nega Maki, Spicy Tuna Roll), brought out well crafted fare that was light, fresh, and satisfying. A steaming cup of green tea reinvigorated me almost enough to step back out into a day of rain. It's nothing fancy during the daytime but their offering is satisfying and I've no doubt I'll return. Takara Sushi? Nice to finally see you. read more

Takara Sushi - A nice and satisfying light lunch can be had here for the reasonable price of about $10. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nice restaurant which really felt authentic due all the Japanese customers there. Situated at the back, next to Miyako hotel, a quiet area away from the hustle and bustle of the mall. I had moments when I felt I was in Japan and we were the only non Japanese customers there. The waitress was super hospitable. The food was good....the miso ramen was simple and a little on the salty side for me. The tempura roll was on par and really crispy on the inside. The Chirashi bowl was simple and satisfying. A great place for authentic Japanese food and atmosphere. read more

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Really enjoy this place so much. The staff are so kind and the food is delicious. The ratings on here are clearly skewed to people who had a bad experience with a delivery service (which is not the restaurants problem). A true honest rating of this place would be between a 4 and 5 star. You rate these places on where they are, not because you've been to SooooOO many Sushi Restaurants and you'd NEVER cut the fish that thick... or whatever these sad humans are complaining about. Naoise M, you're a monster, and your comment cracks me up that you went to a small mom/pop sushi restaurant and torture them with your antics. Fiona B. 1 Star because uber messed up your order? 1 STAR? FOR THE RESTAURANT? What kind of entitled snobbery is that? Tim G. - GRUB HUB Messes up your order so you give THE RESTAURANT 1 star? DID YOU EVEN EAT THE FOOD? read more

Ordered takeout at 6:00pm and the lady said they would call us when the food is ready (expect a 45 min wait). ordered the Volcano Roll, Takara Special (platter of sushi roll, sashimi and nigiri), and a miso soup. Volcano Roll (5/5): crunchy and delicious, if you can only get one roll, get this one Takara Special (3/5): really looking forward to this as it had the holy trinity (roll, sashimi, and nigiri). By the time it got home, the fish had been slightly heated up, due to being in a plastic bag next to hot miso soup. The result was slightly warmed raw fish, making the whole platter a little ~too~ fishy for us. The Dragon roll that it came with was delicious though. Miso Soup (3/5): ehh.... not much to say about the miso soup. Needed salt imo, but we finished it nonetheless. Overall, the food was good and I'll definitely dine in once COVID is done read more

Takara Sushi - Volcano Roll Takara Special Miso Soup - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've ordered from here twice now -- each time absolutely amazing! Ordered on Yelp for pickup and got a nice call letting me know that my order was ready. Once I arrived, the ambiance inside of the restaurant was so nice that I decided to stay to eat. The food was delicious, an overall great experience each time! Philadelphia roll - 10/10 Chicken Karaage - 10/10 Tsunami roll - 11/10 read more

Always solid. Always delicious. Friendly staff. 10% discount if you pick up your food & dont use abysmally greedy Door Dash. Tonight's chirashi sushi was one of the nicest Ive ever had. read more

Takara Sushi - Chirashi sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been here a few time and the sushi has always been good. But I came in this time and they have a 10% discount for to go orders... I said don't apply the discount as they need the $ more than I do.. they refused.. was I about to get in a fight over my insisting I pay more?? Respect your local restaurants!!! I will definitely be back as I love how they approach the customer experience! read more

Tried to place an order on Uber eats but such a fail. When a restaurant isn't open yet, it doesn't show up or it is faded black and white color on the search. As it shows on my search with full color I assumed it's open! I was interested. Places an order, and it says it's being prepared and person is picking up my order and then they canceled cuz my order was taking too long. Another person picked up my order and canceled again. So I try to cancel my order, to which Uber informed me I won't be getting my refund as there is nothing wrong. Until I reached out to customer service and explained to them their restaurant isn't even open even tho it showed up in my search and took my order. Got my cancellation and refund back. read more

Soooo worth the 1hr bus ride. The service, food and the place is amazing. Both our waitresses (the trainee and the trainer) were so attentive and quick even though it was rather packed. Next time we're in town we know where to come to - new favorite spot! read more

Takara Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

The staff are friendly when dining in (although service can be quite slow), but things turn sour quickly when ordering takeout or delivery. They seem to "bait" you by advertising a much faster delivery time - and then when confirming, they triple the time to an hour+ later than originally promised. Then when you call, they refuse to take any accountability, leaving you hanging. Plus their prices have increased significantly without a corresponding increase in quality. This place has lost my trust, which is sad. I used to enjoy them. read more

I like that Takara is open for lunch at least until 3pm - do you know how hard it is to find a sushi joint that stays open between lunch and dinner in the Bay Area?! It was a nice, rainy afternoon when we came to Takara. There are several seating tiers, including up at the sushi bar, and next to the bar, and it had an intimate feel. I had a giant plate of nigiri, which is why two people ended up spending $60 for a late lunch. read more

Even though I had a passing curiosity about its previous identity as an intimate Asian fusion restaurant, I never made it here when Sumi ran this spot. It looked attractive, but I heard mixed notices about the food. When she retired six years ago, it completely fell off my radar, and when it changed names, it might as well have entered the witness protection program. Then one night, I was at Curry Boyz right across the street and glanced over. Suddenly it looked inviting to me. It only took ten years. Par for the course for me. Anyway, Jamie W. and I finally made it here after checking out the new rainbow crosswalks at 18th and Castro. They just opened for the evening, so they were just setting up for dinner. Naming the place Takara didn't help me remember me since it's a pretty common Japanese name. There's even a restaurant in J-Town with the same name. It's kinda like naming a place Sam's. Anyhow, it's mainly sushi though they have standard Japanese fare if you prefer something that's been near a stove. Our meal began with a $5.95 plate of Gyoza which were pretty well grilled and provided a satisfying start (photo: http://bit.ly/1xyaZmn). We segued into a $4.95 plate of Grilled Eggplant slices sprinkled with chopped scallions and accompanied by a ponzu dipping sauce (photo: http://bit.ly/1tL62XB). Good, not mushy though a tad lukewarm. The sight of Ankimo on a menu always makes me excited like a little girl wearing her first training bra. So for $8.50, a plateful was in order, and it was just as fresh a piece of monkfish liver as I could hope for, nicely sliced and also accompanied by ponzu sauce (photo: http://bit.ly/1IjkSpm). That was gone so quickly I'm surprised Jamie still has fingers. Then our main sushi order arrived on one plate. To accommodate Jamie's taste, we had the $5.95 King California Roll which contains real versus imitation crab, a worthwhile dollar surcharge for the real thing (photo: http://bit.ly/1xzGk7N). Nothing really to say about the roll except that it was put together as expected and tasted fine for a California roll, I suppose. I ordered the $12.95 X-Roll, an elaborate creation with yellowtail, avocado, tuna and salmon, drizzled with an aioli-like spicy sauce and topped with tobiko (photo: http://bit.ly/1s0bMM3). It was a bit like a rainbow roll with mayo. Not a bad thing if you ask me. The last was the $14 O-Toro Nigiri, fatty tuna wrapped around rice with tiny shrimp in another sauce (photo: http://bit.ly/1xzGqfP). That was quite good but I was finding it hard to justify the price in my head, just my belly. They do sushi well here, and it's well worth a try if you're in the mood. FOOD - 4 stars...sushi well executed...and they have ankimo...score! AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...tiny spot crowds easily so come earlier to avoid claustrophobia SERVICE - 3.5 stars...attentive enough but a bit aloof TOTAL - 4 stars...probably your best sushi option in the Castro read more

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Sushi can be found in every city these days. I remember about 17 years ago when I had my first sushi roll. I fell in love. The powerful taste and simplicity of the ingredients is what keeps me coming back for more. Being from Alabama, you wouldn't think I know much about it. Actually I don't. However, I do know what I like and this was delicious. read more

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Excellent food, excellent service and we had a perfect pretty private table for two. Hot tea was excellent! Ordered the volcano roll, Walu nigiri and Takara special, really enough food for 3 so did take some home. Very cool little button on table that press for service. Would definitely go back. read more