I cannot give this place a 5 stars. Read to the end and you will see why. Went there recent with some friends. This place is a pre-fix menu, so make sure you you look through the list of food item they are serving before booking. Service: Great 10/10 Attentive and engaging. Staff was nice and accommodating. They willl man the grill and cook your omkase beef meal the entire time. Everyone will get the same portion, so no need to eye ball who's eaing all the meat. Ambiance: 8/10 High ceiling, good ventilation from the grill. Didn't really smell like bbq after. It's bar seating for 20 people, so you will be seated next to strangers. Best for party of 4 or less because it will be hard to talk to each other due to the distance. There are 2 or 3 seperate tables that looked like it can seat 4 facing each other. Food: 8/10 All the beef is high quality pieces. Very juicy, cooked to perfection almost. I give it a 8 because the meat were just too fatty for me and most of our friends. 3/4 of us had the run that night when we got home. We know it's not food pioson because our tummy didn't hurt, it's just the high fat ration to the meat. NOTED: I love to come back and support this bussiness, but having to fork out $225/head before tax, tip and alcohol, they need to do something about the brush they used to oil the grill between each pieces of meat. I noticed it is a plastic painter brush and couple of them melting to different size bristles. Seeing and knowing that, we are all consumming MICRO-PLASTIC in each of the piece of meat that we put into our mouth. The entire night, i was very wary and that made the meal unpleasant and not enjoyable. For that reason, I cannot recommending or will be coming back to this restaurant until they change the brush to something more nature or even silicon that can stay heat and not melted on to the grill. read more

There is enough said on the premium quality of the food at Shodai...I dream about eating there when I am back home in Los Angeles! Andy, Soko and Philip ! You guys make the experience so much more memorable! Thank you ! read more

Ambiance: bar seatings only, can dress casual or dressy Service: nice and attentive Food: They offer two different sets here $150pp and $225pp plus extra add-ons if you want to treat yourself a little It's definitely a splurge, but the service was amazing and every single cut of beef was incredibly tender!! My favorite favorites: *Beef Tongue w/seasoned onion & green onions (Australian Wagyu) *Zabuton w/ seasoned onion & lemon zest (American Wagyu) *Oyster Blade w/ bbq sauce & wasabi (Japanese A5 Wagyu) *Homemade frozen yogurt read more

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Beef is premium, it melts in your mouth... love the experience but don't come hungry lol... i think I need at least 2 sets :-) love the setting, we were seated & served at the bar, staff are nice except for the sloppy worker. Overall it was a good date night read more

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Yakiniku Shodai offers a great Japanese barbecue experience. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable, and they breeze you through the menu with a smile as they cook each (wagyu) dish to perfection right in front of you. We took the full menu without any pairing. Note that you'll be sitting down for 2.5-3 hours for the whole experience. The quality of the meat was excellent. Some of the pairings (eg with lemon zest) and the scallop dish did not add value to the menu. The wasabi-topped and soy-marinated dishes were great. If I had to give one recommendation: some courses could use some salt to enhance the flavours. As a group of 4 we collectively agreed on about 3 courses that could benefit from it. Maybe something to either consider, or to have some coarse salt at the table. Saw they have a (currently unused / under construction) private dining area as well, seems great to host business dinners at if it reopens. read more

Yakiniku Shodai - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It's not cheap to eat here, but I would say it's worth every single penny. Every dish is delicious, and you can tell they put great effort into the details. The service is also excellent, they grill it for you, so you only need to sit back and enjoy. If you like Japanese BBQ with a Taiwanese touch, I highly recommend it. We haven't seen many restaurants like this in the US, even in the Bay Area. It's a great place for celebrating special occasions. We'll definitely come again! read more

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One of my favorite eats in SF. The chef is so knowledgeable about the meats and the atmosphere is so nice as well. The service is spot on, with such great food. Come for the Wagyu! read more

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My parents often ask me why I pay so much for fine dining experiences when there's no guarantee of whether they'll live up to the price. Indeed, when I went to Yakiniku Shodai, I had just come off of a several week losing streak in what I'd consider to be my version of gambling (which my parents also unfortunately witnessed, as I'd brought them along to most of the restaurants). Fortunately, Yakiniku Shodai ended this pointless downwards spiral of my funds. (And, I'm pleased to say, impressed my parents as well!) My husband and I ordered the full tasting experience while my parents ordered the smaller tasting set. Since we had told them we were eating here to celebrate our upcoming wedding, they gave my parents some of the items off of the full tasting experience for free! Overall, the service was fantastic and very vibey, with what appears to be small, pretty close-knit staff. I had a great time chatting with our server as well as other staff who were there at the time. I don't typically care for service as part of the experience, but it was worth mentioning since I felt the vibe was fun and unique! In terms of the food, I would say this is the Japanese BBQ equivalent of Bōm in NYC (a wagyu steak tasting menu), which was one of my favorites after my 200+ restauarant NYC dining spree. I loved sampling all the unique cuts of beef from wagyu around the world, though money-wise I think it would definitely be more worth it if more of the wagyu was Japan-sourced/A5 Miyazaki or of similar prestige. My favorite by far was the oyster blade, but the ichibo, gyukatsu sando, and grilled fish were all standout! I ended up ordering an extra of each of the first three I mentioned, and was actually tempted to try ordering just the gyukatsu part of the gyukatsu sando LOL. I actually think just their pure gyukatsu, which had a wonderfully thin and crispy fry around a very juicy cut of wagyu, would have been better on its own as the preparation of the sandwich itself suffered a little bit from the quality of the bread and the saltiness of the sauce--but [meme voice] that's just my opinion. Some of the other cuts (and the kimchi, IMO) might have been a tad oversalted, but I did appreciate it bringing out the flavor of each cut. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would love to come back! I do see a lot of reviews mentioning that the price is way too much for the amount of meat received, and I do concur on this point if you're evaluating the price just on the actual monetary value of what you consume. However, to me and the gambling flavor-chaser that I am, the taste of the food was absolutely worth the price! read more

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Ngl the food was good but the price was outrageous I feel like I'm getting hoodwinked here for the amount of food I'm getting I could count the amount of bites it took me to finish the entire set course on 2 hands, and it ended up being like 250 a person. Not worth it overall read more

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I went to the pop-up at Berkley bowl. What was advertised was pretty different from what you get. The flavor was good but probably not worth the $20 they're asking. It looked too good to be true and sadly it was. read more

Yakiniku Shodai - advertised image. (not what you get) - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Celebrating the Christmas season with our party of 12 friends and family at Yakiniku Shodai was beyond great -- it was truly exceptional! It wasn't just the amazing food but really, it was an overall memorable experience provided through Chefs Andy and Chris and their awesome staff. Stepping into Yakiniku Shodai, it had a modern Japanese style with a main counter seating that included the embedded grills which Andy and Chris demonstrated their skills while educating everyone about the different beef and seafood delicacies that made up the Tasting Menu and Full Set. They also both had incredible senses of humor and played off each other throughout the evening -- it's hard to remember when I've that much fun or laughed that hard at a restaurant! The namuru of kimchi, pickled cucumbers and seasoned bean sprouts were fresh and delicious starters to whet our appetites as we started with a delicate cut of poached beef tongue (Australian wagyu) served in a comforting broth and topped with seasoned and green onion slices. The outer skirt steak (Australian wagyu) was beefy and grilled perfectly--as were all of the cuts that followed--and complemented by the homemade BBQ sauce that it was coated in before grilling. Dipping in the fresh lemon juice for the last piece cut through the richness but wasn't necessary. Some grilled fresh zucchini and sliced mushrooms served as a nice palate cleanser before enjoying the grilled slices of short rib (US wagyu) that were topped with dried, seasoned kelp strips or wasabi that provided unique textures and flavors. This was followed by rib fingers (Australian wagyu) which was meat in-between the ribs and they had a great texture and flavors from the BBQ sauce. Then came another highlight of a whole Hokkaido scallop that was seared and served on nori -- it was like butter from the sea. I didn't think this would be topped, but then we enjoyed the Japanese A5 olive wagyu served nigiri style and topped with caviar and truffle shaved right in front of us--an incredible combination of unique flavors. The tasting menu's last course was the oyster blade (Japanese A5 wagyu) that was very thinly sliced, kissed on the grill, and served with their BBQ sauce and topped with some wasabi--it was beautifully marbled and so rich! Some of our party added on the tenderloin (Japanese A5 wagyu) which was served a little thicker and bathed in a butter garlic sauce after being lightly grilled and placed on top of perfectly steamed white rice. Another remarkable bite that was challenged by another add-on of the yakishabu striploin (Japanese A5 wagyu) that was served with a mix of egg yolk and shaved truffle which melded together to form another unique creamy umami delight. Our meal was perfectly complemented by a dry yet slightly floral cold sake and Suntory beer, along with a less sweet frozen yogurt to end the meal on a refreshing note. This is a really long review because the food deserves it--it was that good--and because Andy and Chris deserve it for bringing Yakiniku Shodai to life after the pandemic and creating a truly unique and remarkable dining experience. We look forward to celebrating with them again hopefully in the near future! read more

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For wagyu lovers, this is the ultimate destination. My partner and I agree: it's the best wagyu place we've ever been to. They focus on premium cuts, including American, Australian, and top-tier Japanese A-5 wagyu. Each type is cooked to perfection with custom sauces designed to enhance its unique flavor. Service is top-notch. You get a dedicated chef preparing your meal right before your eyes, with palate-cleansing dishes like fresh veggies or sashimi served between wagyu courses. The atmosphere is fantastic. While there are both counter and table seats, the counter is definitely the way to go. Every group gets their own personal chef, plus complimentary small dishes and tea. Pro tip: Don't hesitate to ask your chef for off-menu items! Our absolute favorite is a wagyu-don they made for us by request - it's the most delicious wagyu over rice we've ever eaten. read more

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I don't mean to exaggerate, but when it comes to both the food and the service, exaggeration almost feels necessary. Chris was phenomenal, and the food exceeded anything I could have imagined. This place is truly unexpected in the best way, just trust the experience. There really aren't enough words to describe how amazing it is. read more

Do not make a reservation here. Its over priced and they have a ridiculously strict policy. Take your business elsewhere. Booked a Valentine's Day dinner but got sick from a work trip that same week. Called to cancel within 40 hrs and not 48 hrs. They said I can reschedule once or pay a $100 cancellation fee, per person = $200. Zero flexibility. Zero consideration of the customer experience. Zero chance of ever getting my business again. Also - their policy on OpenTable says they allow reservations to be rescheduled twice but they would not honor it. read more

Yakiniku Shodai - Reservation policy which the restaurant did not honor. - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for a weekday dinner and did the shodai tasting menu! You get to try a little of everything - liked all the meats they grilled and they were generally all very tender and flavorful. I think the ones there were thin sliced were the best including the beef tongue. It is quite pricey though so I wasn't completely full by the end. Still it was a nice experience overall and it was fun to watch them cook for you. The staff was very friendly and great in explaining all the dishes and answering all our questions read more

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Amazing Yakiniku place! All of the meat was super nice and mouth melting. We had a server who would explain to us all the dishes and where they came from which is also quite cool. read more

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This was my first Yakiniku experience so I'm really glad I was able to experience it here before my Japan trip! I came here last night at 7:30 pm with my partner and his father to celebrate a late Father's Day dinner. We arrived a bit early and got seated immediately. The restaurant was decorated with modern decor and aesthetically beautiful wall paintings. It made the ambiance look so clean and pristine. There were two set menu options, a tasting menu and a "full version" of the tasting menu. We all decided on the tasting menu and we were so satisfied at the end of our meal. The set came with some complimentary sides like kimchi, pickled cucumbers, and seasoned bean sprouts. Whenever our side dishes were empty, it would be replenished immediately by our chef without asking. Our chef would present each piece of meat, explain the pairing of ingredients it was combined with, and prepared it on the grill right in front of us before serving it to us. It was giving "Omakase" style which I absolutely love. All the Wagyu pieces we ate were all so delicious! There were multiple cuts of Australian, American, and Japanese Wagyu. My favorites would have to be the Australian Beef Tongue, American Short Ribs and the Japanese A5 Oyster Blade. Each of these had its own unique fatty flavor that melted amazingly in my mouth. I was so happy and full towards the end. The frozen yogurt was a nice refreshing finish for dessert. It was the perfect touch to end the night. read more

omg this was AMAZING. the food was soooo good and they have alcohol pairings that i enjoyed as well.

A hidden gem of a yakiniku restaurant in SF! Just so you know you're getting the real deal, the chefs/owner formerly worked at a 1 star Michelin yakiniku restaurant in Asia. Food: There are two set menu options, a tasting menu and a "full version" of the tasting menu. We opted for the full version because we came in hungry and really wanted to try the additional cuts of Japanese wagyu that's included with the full set. The set came with some complimentary sides and a soup. The wagyu was all delicious! There were multiple cuts of Australian, Japanese, and American wagyu. Our favorite was the oyster blade of the Japanese wagyu and the beef tongue. We also ordered two cups of sake recommended by the chef and a Suntory - it all paired pretty well with the meal. We were pretty stuffed by the end of the meal. Service: The service was fantastic. Everyone was very friendly. Our chef Chris in particular was very sociable and told us a bit about his background and how the restaurant opened. He even offered to give us some recommendations for yakiniku restaurants in Asia! Ambiance: Modern decor inside, nice ambiance. Most of the seating is counter seating where the chef will cook on a grill in front of you. Parking: If you're taking public transit, the F line or BART will get you pretty close to the restaurant, which is on market street. We parked less than a block away on a Friday night and it was easy to find parking. There are also several parking garages nearby. Overall, very enjoyable meal and would highly recommend if you want to eat high quality wagyu. read more

Such a delicious dinner! So much delicious wagyu and different parts of the cow. My partner said it was the best preparation of wagyu he's ever had which is probably not an overstatement. Everything was cooked perfectly right in front of us. Also cool seeing the raw meat and all the gorgeous marbling before it went on the grill. The counter seating works great for this style of restaurant, and our chef did a great job juggling the cook for us and the people kitty corner to us. The egg yolk for the rice dish at the end was such a beautiful color. We splurged on the set menu and think that was ultimately the right choice. I think if you're considering doing any add sort of add on to the shorter tasting menu, then you might as well just switch to the set since the add on cost can be pretty pricey and the set probably includes what you want. Definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

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I'm so glad that I celebrated my birthday at Shodai this year! We got the best service by Kareem who cooked our meats the whole night and had some great conversations of Egypt (where he was from and where we traveled to a year ago). Thanks to Kareem and also to Chris who called to check in on allergies and to convince me try the beef tongue. The food was amazing! We did the Shodai Tasting Menu $150/pp. The menu consisted of assorted namuru, beef tongue, harami, short rib, rib finger, seasonal seafood, ichibo, oyster blade and frozen yogurt. They source their meats from Australia, Japan and U.S. We had many cuts of wagyu. We also tried beef tongue for the first time (thin cut). The meats were all soooo delicious with textures ranging from marbled, soft, fatty and juicy. The seafood was a big, juicy scallop from Japan. They had 1 veggie dish in between the meats and a starter wagyu soup. I would have liked to have a bit more veggies in between the meats. To end it all, the Frozen yogurt was made in house and was a refreshing end to all the meats. Thanks Shodai for making my birthday special! read more

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Start off 2025 with one of my best meal in 2024 . My close friend bring me to his favorite restaurant in sf and I don't doubt it at all after an amazing experience I had. First I arrived on a weekday when they are slower which I would prefer because the chef here is really attentive and generous. So if possible you should come on a slower day and be seated with chef Chris The restaurant is spacious. They have both counter and table seating. Yakiniku Shodai is a omakase beef restaurant that will provide you variety of wagyu beef from US , AUS and of course Japan and cuts such as tongue , harami, short rib , sirloin etc. They offer you 2 menu the smaller one call shodai tasting menu and bigger one call shodai set. And yes you can order different menu . So , Me and my wife did that and the chef accommodate really well. But if you a beef lover I really recommend go with the shodai set. First they will serve you pickles and then start first bite with beef tongue and it probably the best beef tongue I ever had. All the beef was really tender juicy and flavorful with different topping that chef put on. In the middle of the course they actually serve you seasonal seafood to cut off the rich ness of the beef also. Which I think was a great move!!!!!! Speechless, to all the beef I had and so generous with truffle also. Finishing the corse with frozen yogurt. This is the first time for me to do beef omakase cooking piece by piece in front of me and I will definitely come back here. Thank you my friends who are the foodie and yakiniku shodai for give me one of the best experiences. read more

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Mouth watering, delicious Japanese style grill wagyu in San Francisco. I enjoyed the experience, the chef was great and cooked the pieces well. I got the shodai tasting set, the cut was pretty good. My favorite is the Australian wagyu thick cut. The only downside is that it's on the expensive side with tips and tax, the total came out to be $200. The meat quality is good, I wish the quantity is more. read more

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We went here to celebrate a birthday and had a great time enjoying the food! We went on a week night and the restaurant was fairly empty and felt a little quiet. There was one cook per two grills so there was very great attention to detail! We ordered 1 shodai set and a shodai tasting set. The meat quality and the flavors were really good. The meal ended with a homemade frozen yogurt which was delicious! read more

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I had my first A5 wagyu experience in Japan and it was amazing but this experience was amazing and so fun thanks to Mark and Chris! We had reservations for a Saturday night and we came on an off day cause half of the seating was empty but we were able to have an intimate dinner! We all came totally intending to do the tasting menu but we somehow convinced each other to do the Shodai set and honestly, no regrets at all! Chris and Mark introduced to us each item on the menu, let the camera eat first, cook each meat to perfection and give us tips on the best way to enjoy it. Everything on the set was so good but as we continued to progress down the menu, everything just kept getting better. They Dinner did cost us a pretty penny but Chris and Mark made our experience memorable! Will definitely be back for special occasions! read more

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I can't believe I let a year go by before finishing this review. Amazing food! Don't miss the mushrooms! Just watching the server cook each course was enticing. We loved the simplicity of the space, and it was pretty quiet the evening we went. Just all around total great experience, and we have recommended Yakiniku Shodai to anyone we know who likes fine dining and grilled meat. read more

What a great hidden Gem in San Francisco! I think our server's name was Marco. Marco and his team were so amazing. Attentive, rolled with our jokes, and amazing service. Like other yakiniku (Japanese bbq) restaurants, the servers will present the meat and cook it on a gas grill in front of you. We had such an amazing time as he was patient and kept cheersing with us. Highly recommend requesting for him! They have two set menus - Niku which consists of mainly meat or Shodai which has fish and veggies and you finish off with the yakishabu instead of seasoned rice. We went with the Niku but should have gone with the Shodai because we ended up ordering additional items. The quality of the meat was buttery, juicy, absolutely delicious. Marco cooked the meat well and watching him cook was like watching art being made. My favorite dish was the Parmesan eggplant. It was unexpected crispy on top, soft on the inside, and perfectly marinated. I'm glad Marco recommended this dish. My husband enjoyed the wagyu don because of the garlic seasoned rice. It was pretty good, but I enjoyed the eggplant more. The presentation of each dish was on point and instagramable. The decor of the restaurant is beautiful. Simple yet elegant wallpaper with a Japanese style. There's small tables and one main u shaped bar at the center of the restaurant. Parking can be difficult, but Marco recommended we park on Fell and Market. Bon appetit yelpers! read more

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A little annoyed with this place. When I booked a resy for 7 people, it was clear they would charge $100/person to cancel. When we get there right on time, they told us to wait because the other time slots were running late... so we waited patiently 20 minutes AFTER our reservation time. We should have charged them $100/person for going past the grace period. The food was really good and pretentious as can be. Sake list was overpriced. No surprise there. And here's the big surprise! The bill! The receipt they gave us was really misleading. It wasn't itemized. The top part was the tip suggestions. The total made it seem like it would be 2cents tip if we didn't add tip... but we realized the next day that we already paid for tip because of our big group. So we basically tipped them 50%??? Lol just be careful when you're going with a big group. But our server Chris was awesome! Thank you for the experience. read more

Yakiniku Shodai - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fun and unique tasting menus with beef tongue, and beef like wagu from multiple places including a local farm in California, Australia and Japan. They were served simply with a small dollop of wasabi, or BBQ sauce, because they really wanted the meat to shine. The scallop in the seafood course was the sweetest I have ever tasted all wrapped up in a little nori sheet. They also broke the meat options up with slices of trumpet mushrooms and zucchini also seared on the individual burners built into the bar. Saki flights were a nice offering too. Staff were lovely, accommodating and down to earth. read more

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Okay so my boyfriend and I have been wanting to go here ever since we moved nearby and today we finally did. Usually I like to do my research before going into restaurants but for some reason I didn't this time. I was honestly very surprised walking in since from the outside you can't really see the inside. The restaurant has high ceiling, beautiful decor and a very calm environment. Kareem was our server and helped us pick out what food we were going to get. There was pre-fixed menus and also a separate menu where you can pick a la carte/singular food items. Kareem did an amazing job describing and explaining each type of meat they served and how it is prepared. At first I though it was like Korean bbq where you cook it yourself but actually the servers cook for you. Kareem also do a wonderful job preparing each dish and made sure we were taken care of. He answered every question we had on where each meat came from, the ranking system, and any other random question. The food was breathe taking from the side dishes to the meat to the dessert. You can definitely tell that each item they serve all of it is chosen and prepared with the highest quality. The meats were so juicy and tender. It melted in your mouth. It was so flavorful and paired very nicely. I highly recommend coming here for a nice dinner or even to celebrate with friends as they also have a private room. This is very different to me from kbbq. Very upscale and can be pricey, but the price is so worth everything you get. I will definitely be back here very soon. read more

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I've been behind in my reading so new places are foreign to me these days. When a friend invited me to dinner, I was surprised when he emailed me the Open Table reservation and had no idea about this place. I would soon learn that it is indeed a pleasant surprise. Not being familiar with this part of Market Street after the numerous changes in the past decade, I allowed ample time to hopefully find street parking on a late Saturday afternoon. Not knowing how drastic the traffic situation changed, I found myself scrambling before parking in a parking lot across the street underneath the new apartment building. Literally just across the street, I walked in and the greeter led me to my already seated host. We had the last two seats of the horseshoe counter on the far right; we were also closest to the kitchen. My kind and generous host chose the Shodai set tasting menu (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=-dhNo2QEqGVb2_AQWotzXA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), the most complete of the three tasting options. After getting the three cold plate vegetables, we embarked on a dining journey. I will spare the full details and summarize the highlights for me: The Zabuton (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=LI5VfS_onDKTQL_siiNOMQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), described as a thick cut of U S. Wagyu that's topped with a plum paste, had a good bite to it. The house special salad (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=TfGzTRqjJ7UDLH3121fC3w&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) was a special cabbage like vegetable marinated in a tangy and sweet flavor, reminding me of an Asian take on cole slaw; the texture had a crunchy chew to it as the vegetable is native to Taiwan. The seasonal seafood course (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=CVJOo-w5P5lz5E4KYYRKeQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) was a Hokkaido scallop, plump and large, grilled perfectly with the nice; this was eaten in a hand roll fashion with the nori base and a shiso leaf garnish. The Ichibo (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=kH1kmMc_SHicaFuGe_tPWQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), described as thinly sliced, nigiri style, served with truffle (Japanese A5 olive Wagyu); the most decadent of the courses and fittingly near the meal conclusion. Yes, that's uni on top. The Yakishabu don (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=kFG7UrCFjlI58YSCnDH5bQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) is described as thinly sliced Striploin strip over rice, topped with raw egg yolk * & shaved truffle; it is more impressive as you watch the prep for this (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=stqQtsOgKK3R03ubc_2GVg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). This capped the savory portion of the meal which finished with frozen yogurt with strawberries (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=fj37QE14PQCM1fO73Nuo4A&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). We were fortunate, in dining early, to have the owner chef Andy explaining and preparing our food, almost all cooked on our provided grill. From the sourcing of the ingredients to the intricacies of the cooking, he described the uniqueness of each course and how he came up with the recipe. For a few of the latter courses as more customers dined, Kareem and Mark prepared and explained our food. The restaurant was about 40% full as we started our meal and was probably 70% by the time we left. Thanks again for my gracious host in introducing me to this sleeper of a spot. When leaving, I told Andy that I'd be back with friends while my host would likely return with his family. Meat eaters will appreciate this restaurant. read more

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This was easily on of the best meals and dining experiences I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Chris was fabulous and so knowledgeable and engaging. We cannot wait for our next visit to the city to dine in our new favorite spot. The ambiance and vibes were the perfect way to finish a Saturday night out. Until next time! This is Luxury! read more

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Wow... this is what you call top tier Japanese bbq. From the presentation, the quality of meats, & the dishes that pair well. Everything was a melt in your mouth moment. Shout out to Andy and the team for making my birthday memorable. I love how they cook your meats for you and recommend which sauce to use certain meats with. Yes, it's located in a not so pleasant area in SF, but when you enter it has a different vibe. 100% recommend to try if you haven't yet. read more

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Shodai! a carnivorous masterpiece. Melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and unparalleled flavor. A culinary indulgence worth savoring. read more

Yakiniku Shodai - Uni beef tongue - Japanese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Yakiniku Shodai is an upscale omakase experience with high quality ingredients used in all their dishes. I appreciate the elegant ambiance but wished they had a more comfortable "waiting area" to be seated. My group went with the Shodai and each bite was immaculate throughout the courses meal. Our chef Deejea was well educated on each aspect of the meal and spoke eloquently on each ingredient utilized per the dish presented. For the price point though, I am disheartened that I didn't leave as full as I would have liked to. Highlight of the meal, A5 wagyu with Hokkaido uni topped with Astrea caviar. This bite was just pure bliss and the way the richness of each ingredient just elevated each layer of the bite giving it maximal umami flavor. The A5 wagyu the was coated with the delicate egg yolk but topped with the aromatic black truffle was stupendous as well. Each cut was grilled to perfection and I couldn't have asked for a better cook than Deejae. Overall restaurant was immaculate and food and service was delightful. I definitely recommend requesting Deejae if you want an adept chef. read more

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Amazing food and incredible people behind it all. I celebrated my birthday here and it was perfect. We got the Niku set and also ordered Hokkaido scallops and shrimp a la carte. Everything was so good and there wasn't a single dish I didn't like. Standouts were the scallop, beef tongue, short rib, and wagyu don. I also loved the frozen yogurt at the very end for a refreshing taste! Definitely looking forward to returning soon and couldn't recommend more. read more

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My girlfriends and I decided to try Yakiniku Shodai on a Thursday evening. Here is what we got with the Shodai set ($225/pp): Australian Wagyu *Beef Tongue with seasoned onions and green onions *Picanha with salt and pepper *Sirloin topped with uni, caviar and gold flakes *King Oyster Mushroom with salt and pepper *Yamaimo with salt and pepper US Wagyu *Rib Finger seasoned with salt and pepper *Zabuton with salt, pepper and lemon zest *Short Rib with BBQ sauce *Eggplant with red and white miso: least fav dish *Zucchini with salt and pepper Japanese A5 *Chateaubriand with yuzu BBQ sauce *Wagyu over rice with garlic sauce and gold flakes: this was the only cut of meat that was tough *Striploin topped with egg yolk and shaved truffle *Honeydew frozen yogurt Service by Chris was amazing and he provided great recommendations for sake. I'll be back with friends who enjoy Wagyu! read more

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Delicious and high quality meal!! Came here for a friend's birthday and we each ordered a set. It came with a few courses of meat, cod, appetizers and dessert. Each course was cooked on stove top in front of you and the meat was so high quality and tender. I especially liked the two A5 wagyu cuts at the end. read more

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Date of Visit: 2/17/2023 Finally a premium and amazing yakiniku experience in San Francisco opened! Located on Market Street near Van Ness station, Yakiniku Shodai serve the best quality of meat with the most recommended ways of cooking and pairing sauces. The meat from Yakiniku Shodai are sourced from the sustainable farm, with various premium level including Australian Wagyu, U.S. Wagyu and Japanese A5 Wagyu. The chefs worked in the Michelin star yakiniku restaurant called Da-Wan in Taiwan, which won 4 Michelin 1 star award 4 years in a row. Dinner has two different time slots, 5pm and 7:30pm. There are two set menus to get, which are the Shodai Set and Niku Set. There is also a Kids Set for those who bring their kids with them. Masumi "Sanka" There are many options of sake and beer, and the chef said they are planning to have a list of handcrafted cocktail in the future. Salad & Assorted Namuru We were welcomed with some side dishes to pair throughout the menu. With Taiwanese cabbage and shiso in the center, and Korean Kimchi, pickled cucumbers and bean sprouts on the side. Beef Tongue Combo | Australian Wagyu Two different cuts of beef tongue! One is thinly sliced and only grilled on one side. The other is thick cut to pair with lemon juice and onions. Both were amazing. Oyster Blade | U.S. Wagyu The US Wagyu beef are sourced from a third generation family owned ranch in Corning, CA, called the Masami Cattle Ranch. Love the thinly sliced oyster blade with wasabi and onions. Zabuton | U.S. Wagyu Zabuton seasoned with salt and pepper and freshly shaved lemon zest. Vegetable Platter King oyster mushroom and zucchini were super juicy. Harami | Australian Wagyu Thick cut of the skirt steak with BBQ sauce were good too. Black Cod | Alaska Black cod from Alaska seasoned with salt and pepper. Ichibo | Japanese A5 Olive Wagyu This was my favorite dish of the night. Thinly sliced Japanese A5 Olive Wagyu served with Hokkaido uni and caviar and with gold flake on top. Wagyu Don | Japanese A5 Wagyu A5 Wagyu over rice with house garlic sauce. Yamaimo Japanese yam noodle with house dressing. With carrot, and okra on top. Yakishabu | Japanese A5 Wagyu Thinly sliced Striploin strip topped with raw egg yolk and shaved truffle, and with another huge piece of truffle on top. Frozen Yogurt Sweet and sour frozen yogurt topped with the chocolate toffee from the neighbor Littlejohn's Candies. Excellent food and service! Will definitely return. read more

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Fantastic dining experience. The selection of meats, the presentation and pairings were unforgettable. Highly recommend