Came here to celebrate my husband's birthday and thoroughly enjoyed our Bar Kappo experience! This has definitely made my top 3 omakases I've tried in the Bay Area so far. The restaurant can be a little hidden, but it's pretty easy to find with the instructions they send before your reservation. It's located above Fermentation Lab. Just head up the stairs and you'll find it inside the old Ichi Pub space. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is small and intimate, with only 9 seats at the counter.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] When you arrive, walk through the Yuji curtain and check in directly with the chef since there is no host. My biggest concern with set menus is always whether I'll feel satisfied and full afterward, but that was definitely not an issue here. My husband and I were both very satisfied after the meal. Every dish was delicious, and you could really taste the quality of each ingredient. Highlights for me were the bluefin sashimi, which was so buttery and soft that it literally melted in your mouth. The skillfish was rich and decadent, and the citrus and ginger balanced the flavors. The fried fish was another favorite as it reminded me of the savory Japanese rice crackers I loved growing up. Since it's located in Japantown, parking can be challenging. We had to loop around several times looking for street parking and even had two cars take spots we were waiting for, so definitely give yourself extra time before your reservation. I would highly recommend this place! The chef changes the menu periodically based on what's in season, so it's a great excuse to come back and try something new in the future. Total spent for 2: $462 read more

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Really hidden spot with no signage -- we had to ask neighboring restaurants for directions, but it was absolutely worth finding. The chef was incredibly warm, smiley, welcoming, and attentive throughout the meal. Every ingredient tasted exceptionally fresh, with careful selection of only the best cuts and portions. Highlights included the otoro, wagyu beef, spot shrimp, caviar, green eye fish, and hotaru ika. The omakase was perfectly portioned and thoughtfully paced from start to finish. A truly memorable experience. read more

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Food 5/5 You can't ask for the level of quality of the dishes served. Out of the entire course, we love everything, except for the grilled fish. It is because of the type of fish selected. Everything else is spectacular. Service 5/5 [[HIGHLIGHT]]Only 9 seats are available at the restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is attentive. Ambiance 4/5 [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is presented like a speakeasy, hidden on top of the Fermentation Bar[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The staircase walking up to the restaurant is a bit worn out.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]However, we love the ambiance and music inside the restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Note: No dishes can be replaced in this omakase menu, even of allergies or dietary restrictions. Beware! read more

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I wanted to treat myself to something nice so booked an omakase dinner at Yuji. It was easy to book on Tock, you'll need to prepay for the dinner. They also include tip which is 20%. I booked the Bar Kappo experience which has 10 courses. The restaurant is in Japantown, up the stairs from the Fermentation lab. It's an intimate space with 10 counter seats. You get to see the chef cook and plate in front of you. He takes great care with every dish. He also explains all the dishes while serving. All the dishes were beautifully presented and tasty! Very clean flavors. I thoroughly enjoyed all 10 courses. All the seafood was fresh and high quality. The chawanmushi was perfectly cooked. The Wagyu was melt in your mouth delicious. The matcha panna cotta at the end of the meal was decadent and luscious like a pudding. Great meal overall, it's a nice restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or to treat yourself to a great meal/experience. read more

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This was long overdue review but I needed to put it here so I would remember not.to go back. Perhaps it was fairly new when we visited. It was a small 10 seats restaurant served by chef/owner husband and wife team. Very intimate and attentive service. It was a slow night so there were only another couple next to us. Perhaps that made our experience a bit less exciting. It was our anniversary celebration so we thought we try a new highly recommended by fellow Yelp community. I had high hopes for this place and was somewhat disappointed. Everything felt short, other than the presentations, the entire meal was not balance, seems like it was an off night! Nothing hit the mark! Oh well, now that time passed I feel better about giving it an ok review, didn't want to do that to new business, but feel it is necessary for me to remember and keep track of all the places I have visited, and especially one that I would not want to revisit...lol since I had made mistakes of forgotten where we ate came back, and not until we had the food again that I would remember how bad some places were. Sorry! read more

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I'm a vegetarian, and I should know better than to visit a restaurant like this, which has no vegetarian dishes but can substitute tofu for meat in the original recipe. I asked the cashier to recommend the most popular dish and to make it vegetarian. She brought me a plate that was mostly rice and cold mashed potatoes, plus a little tub of white sauce and a bit of broccoli. Rice and mashed potatoes on the same plate? Please, never again! The tofu had very little flavor, and did not go well with the sauce. As a whole, the meal was very disappointing. I would give it one star for the food alone, but the service and atmosphere raised my rating slightly. read more

Very intimate setting (sushi bar style seating only of about 10 chairs), a few seatings available per night & pretty strict menu (no substitutions unless you inform them several days in advance). I overheard another diner sitting next to me inquire with the chef about substitutions & heard the response. Most items are prepared in advance & the meal is paced accordingly. They have a sake pairing available but we did not partake. The meal & tip are paid in advance via Tock. Everything that we were served was delicately prepared & delicious! Our favorites were the uni & ikura over Chawanmushi & Wagyu beef, which was melt in your mouth buttery texture. Service & descriptions of each item were very good. There's some street parking & the garage lot across the street, if you don't take an Uber. read more

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Location is top floor. Bit hard to find as there's no signage on the street level and no host to greet us. Hokkaido Uni from the appetizer was average. The mehikari tempura was not fried twice which resulted in a very oily texture. Other than those two gripes, everything else was excellent. Exceptional to the point where it is a hidden gem. Some highlights were the clam soup served in a one of a kind tea pot where the soup cup is also the tea pot cover. Also waygu sukiyaki was great. Never had this style were the beef was cooked briefly in a pan with broth. Usually it is with soy sauce. Egg was just regular . Matcha tiramisu was also executed perfectly. Not sweet and very light. This keiseki place beats out many other bay area keiseki places for it's execution and simplicity. Chef owner was also very nice and kind. read more

Great omakase experience!! We visited Yuji on a whim, with little to expect since it was a last-minute plan. Overall, it was a nice experience, from the food to the service. It was a little difficult to find initially - I think it'd be useful if they had some info about how to find their restaurant on their Tock reservation page. I learned after scrolling through Yelp a bit to look for signage directing you to IchiPub - they're on the second floor! They're open only from Thursdays to Mondays, and their seating times are at 5 PM / 8 PM. Bookings are on Tock, only up to parties of 5. Inside, they only had about 9 seats overall. Total per person came out to $218.60 per person, after 20% service charge, taxes, and $5 order fee for their omakase experience. ~/ F O O D /~ Some standouts: the assorted sashimi, chawanmushi, wagyu, and matcha pudding! Every single piece of seafood we had tasted fresh. I loved how well all of the flavors for each item paired together. The chawanmushi had a lot of depth, and the wagyu literally melted in my mouth especially. Honorable mention for the crab miso cream sauce that comes with the spring roll, too! :) I wasn't the biggest fan of the clay pot rice or the monkfish liver at the beginning. The monkfish had a pretty strong taste that left a lingering flavor in my mouth even after we left. The clay pot rice was good and it was cool watching it be made in front of us, but once mixed together we didn't taste much of the crab that was put in. All in all, it was a pleasant, intimate experience! You could tell that the chef was really passionate about his work, and the server that worked alongside him was super friendly too. read more

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Visited on 22 August 2025 (Friday) Food = Good Service = Good Ambiance = Some patrons were disrespectful and rude, spent a long time in the toilet and kept the rest waiting. Others were snobs and too reserved for a cosy fine dining setting. What a pity... Chef and server were courteous and professional. Thank goodness. read more

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One of my favorite dining experiences in the city that has flown below the radar for far too long. Kappo yuji is an intimate traditional Japanese restaurant that serves an array of dishes cooked in different ways: raw, fried, grilled, etc. If you like omakase but want to take a detour and still have that same quality of ingredients, this is a great place to go to. I've been here around 3x and the menu has changed seasonally. Some of my favorite dishes that I've had include the seiko kani, which is a delicacy basically a female Japanese snow crab with a lot of roe, their grilled sea bass, and an uni soba dish. Yuji has never failed to impress me, and get me rather full. Every time I've underestimated the set menu and always order extras and end up stuffed. It is also a set menu worth the price at around $160, quite comparable to most set menus in sf, but in my opinion more worth it due to the intimate small seating setting and quality ingredients used. Conveniently located in Japantown but easily missed in a humble no sign entryway. Parking is easy in the japantown plaza lot. read more

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Food was good but with this price I expect at least one amazing dish, which I didn't find... Yuji is a super small Omakase place in Japantown with just 9 seats. The menu composed of mostly cooked dishes with 1 sashimi course (was hoping for more). My favorite was the chawanmushi (super soft egg, blends so well with fish roe) and wagyu (perfectly cooked). The spring roll (?) with mabo sauce is very creative. Didn't like the sashimi as much, fish are rather on the leaner side. The steamed fish tastes good but is a little overcooked imo. So overall pretty good, but probably won't visit again. read more

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Visit to Yuki in early May. Yuki is an omakase of kappo style. The experience is not focused on nigiri like many omakase in SF but on various cooking techniques. It's different and very good. The restaurant is in Japantown but not easy to find. It's upstairs from another restaurant with little signage. The restaurant is tiny. A counter, no tables, and no room to move around. I usually like intimate Japanese restaurants, but this one is really small. Maybe because of this, all the guests tended to whisper around the bar. When I went, there were 10 dishes on the menu: * appetizers: marinated baby eels / uni tofu / goma-ae / firefly squid with mustard miso vinegar * dobin mushi * sashimi moriawase: sayori, kinmedai, bluefin tuna (chutoro, I think) * grilled Chilean sea bass with sansho leaves sauce * tai shabu-shabu * chawanmushi * Japanese wagyu sukiyaki * shirauo tempura * truffle zosui with blue crab * matcha creme brulee It's a nice and well-balanced menu. Lovely appetizer platter to start. Different textures between the baby eels, uni tofu, and the refreshing crunch of goma-ae (green beans here). The Chilean sea bass was very good but slightly overcooked. The tai shabu-shabu was a pleasant surprise. The chawanmushi is topped with ikura and also has some mushrooms in the custard, which was nice. The Japanese wagyu is very good, but the sauce (egg yolk-based) should be lighter and in smaller quantity so it doesn't overpower the wagyu. The dish is sprinkled with truffles, but they had little flavor, unfortunately. Shirauo (young sweetfish) tempura was good and delicate. The truffle zosui, a kind of rice soup, is the last dish before dessert. Surprised to see a second dish with truffle. The dish is made with crab, but the amount used for all the guests is too small to really give flavor. The dish was a bit bland and ultimately disappointing. Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 read more

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A uniquely authentic tasting experience, Yuji is a lovely showcase of Japanese flavors and dishes. The food is well cooked and extremely fresh. Everything was tasty, with the highlights being all the cooked dishes, which had the perfect balance of texture and flavor. I will say you should be careful if you are looking for something mindblowing - this menu is more of a slow burn, with a focus on ingredients and careful preparation. Flavors are generally subtle, sometimes complex. It's also not a sushi forward tasting, with only one sashimi dish, so don't expect standard omakase. If I had to say one strange thing to me was that the hot soup came first and we ended with cold noodles.. feel like I've been trained to end with the soup in other kaiseki/ omakase menus anyway I'll definitely be back when the menu changes read more

We had the pleasure of dining at Yuji two months ago for my birthday dinner. The overall dining experience, food quality and presentation, ambiance, and service were excellent. The tiny, intimate restaurant seats nine patrons along a curved chef's table. Chef Yuji was a delight to meet; a real funny and nice guy. The menu rotates, but each course showcases a different style of cooking, such as cold appetizer, soup, sashimi, grilled fish, simmered dish, fried dish, meat dish, rice/soup, and dessert. My personal favorites were the grilled sea bass with yuzu miso sauce (meaty, flavorful), chawanmushi (velvety smooth with a play on different textures from ikura and shrimp), and wagyu steak (tender, fatty, and delicious). The omakase course was $158 per person, which is reasonably priced for a quality Japanese restaurant in San Francisco. Online reservation via Tock was an easy process, and you prepay the meal by credit card with 20% service charge. Any add-ons you have on day-of such as supplementals or drinks, you would pay separately in person. Cancellations with full refund allowed up to 3 days in advance. read more

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Delicious absolutely amazing! Perfect portion size and all the food was great. It's located above the pagoda bar and the outside still says the old pubs name Food: we had the 10 course and my favorites was the fresh fish (the toro here hits different) and the wagyu here wasn't as greasy and great! Normally I'm super full halfway through a kaiseki but this place has the perfect portion size where I'm not overly stuffed and can still enjoy the food. The shabu shabu part is also super unique and fun. The absolute best was dessert, the matcha crème brûlée just wow Ambience: I think it's a 9 seater and very cozy and cute and love the knife display! Service: amazing and it was such a fun experience read more

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most romantic dinner! only nine seat omakase! everything so yummy & service so detailed. perfect meal. bf took me here for our anniversary. a meal ill dream of...each bite is so yummy read more

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Since I've last visited in 2022, Yuji has really improved quite a lot, and it shows great value and an unbeatable experience locally. Located at the top floor on the corner where Ichi-pub was, Kappo Yuji is a very hidden and snug bar with only bar seats and (possibly a private room, which I saw out the corner of my eye). Upon entering, you'll be greeted by your host and seated at the bar where the chef will serve you from. - Assorted appetizers - Marinated baby eel - very tasty, slightly larger than the noresore I'm used to, so it was quite more substantial of a bite. Served with a tasty sauce and grated ginger Uni tofu - soft, slightly subtle flavor of uni Gomaae - green beans with sesame sauce, slightly crunchy vegetables with a plain sesame sauce. Refreshing, subtle, and balanced. Not as sweet or salty as some of the others I've had -- usually spinach. Firefly squid - One of my favorite seasonal fish is firefly squid, its always served with a sort of mustard miso vinegar sauce, which combines the perfect balance of savory, sweet, spicy, and sour. spot prawns w/ caviar - I personally am not the biggest fan of prawns, so this being a small bite really helped quite a bit, and it was surprisingly good. Similar milky/creamy texture you'd get from ika. Also quite sweet. - Soup - Claypot in Soup (Dobin mushi) - I really liked the presentation and flavors of the soup. There was a couple clams inside that you could eat if you prefer. I really enjoy dobin mushi with a few mushrooms inside, perhaps when it's the season. - Assorted sashimi - Today's fresh fish - saury, otoro, and kinmedai (?) were all very fresh and tasty. The saury had a bit of a crunch to it, like a satisfying snap. The otoro melted like butter. The kinmedai with a little bit of wasabi was just a perfect bite-- second only to the otoro wrapped in shiso leaf, flowers, and the rest of the fresh wasabi. The Shiso leaf, shiso flowers, and fresh wasabi were all presented very well with the sashimi. - Grilled Fish - Grilled Chilean sea bass - very tender and juicy fish the sansho leaves sauce didn't really give me any sansho flavor, just a sort of miso glaze. Served with half a pickled lotus root (not my favorite), and a roasted and chilled shishito pepper. - Warm dish - Tai shabu, red snapper shabushabu - this was a new dish to me at Yuji, definitely one of the more inventive presentations, with a sort of tea candle below what I assume to be an essential oil burner. It definitely worked as intended, and the fish quickly cooked was nice and tender with a little bit of a tangy flavor. - Warm dish - Chawanmushi - I always love a good chawanmushi, and this definitely hit the mark. Topped with a good amount of cold ikura, making the chawanmushi just the perfect balance of temperatures -- the hot and cold contrasting with each other was appealing to me. I also love that it had a good amount of ingredients inside, not just an 'egg custard' as most others will make. - Chef's special - Japanese Wagyu Sukiyaki - This has to be the thing that will have me coming back again and again. Chef's use of a whipped cream canister to aerate his sukiyaki sauce & egg yolk creates such an intriguing texture and flavor to this dish. I wrapped the meat around a small bundle of green onions, a few bits of truffle, and dip it in the sauce - the PERFECT bite. Absolutely my new favorite sukiyaki in the west. Supplemental wagyu nikuzushi - Equally as delicious, the wagyu nigiri with a little bit of truffle. If I ever win the lottery, I'll be having a whole tray of these. - Deep fried dish - Chiayu Tempura - young sweetfish, wrapped in a shiso leaf, battered, and fried. The fish itself was quite tasty, you can eat the whole fish without worrying about bones -- although, its head is quite bitter. Perhaps just not to my taste, I think it's perfect otherwise, with a dash of lemon and matcha salt. - Rice and Soup - Truffle zousui -- Truffle porridge with a bit of crab. Also quite tasty, and filling. It's a nice and simple way to end the meal. A bit of a twist from the usual ochazuke I've normally seen, especially after a tempura course. - Dessert - Matcha creme brulee - simple. Tasty. read more

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Yuji is an absolute hidden gem and one of the most special dining experiences in the city. The intimate 10-seat setup creates a warm, personal atmosphere that immediately makes you feel welcome. This isn't just dinner -- it feels like being invited into a chef's home. The chef is incredibly friendly, generous, and clearly passionate about what he's serving. The food is outstanding. Creative, thoughtful, and delicious across the board -- and there is a LOT of it. Course after course comes out, beautifully prepared and deeply satisfying. The quality and care put into each dish is obvious, and the value for what you get is exceptional. The sake menu deserves its own shout-out. Fantastic selection, and the recommendations were spot-on -- perfectly paired and explained in a way that made it accessible and fun, whether you're a sake expert or just curious. Everything about Yuji feels intentional: the food, the pacing, the hospitality, and the overall experience. If you're looking for an intimate, memorable meal with incredible food and heart, this place is a must. Easily one of the best hidden gems in San Francisco. read more

It was a beautiful Friday in the peak of spring. A friend from college had invited me to Kappo Yuji to experience his favorite omakase, and boy did it live up to the expectations. Though it was a little hard to find(you have to go upstairs with minimal signage outside), however once seated you find yourself in a super cozy setting with only 8 seats available. Then we began our meal. Chef Yuji started us out with the first of a number of dishes and his recommended sake. Throughout the courses, I was blown away by how simple, but balanced everything was. According to my party, this place is the most authentic to Japanese in the US, so with my limited knowledge, I took absolutely everything in. We were taken on a journey of flavor and technique which culminated in a fantastic dessert. The whole place was a complete vibe and Chef Yuji is definitely the X factor in this restaurant. His energy guides you and helps you understand everything. I really enjoyed my time here, and though I may not have left completely full in my stomach, my heart and brain were full nonetheless. read more

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The $158 tasting menu is soooooo worth it, even just solely in the ingredients that were used. The chef literally took a whole truffle and shaved it onto our fried rice. This was a first Kappo experience, and we really enjoyed how balanced it was. There was a mix of sashimi and cooked foods. Some of the dishes were quite creative such as the abalone shabu shabu with liver sauce where the sauce was later reused with an uni nigiri. I also loved the personal touch and story of how the head chef incorporated snow crab from a friend from his hometown. Ingredients were alllllllllll very fresh. Atmosphere-wise, it is a 9-seater counter - quite typical of omakase. It is small so you do end up sitting quite close to other people, and there is not much space for intimate conversations but it didn't bother us. By the way, the restaurant doesn't have a sign. Think it adds another cool factor to it!! WOULD I COME BACK AGAIN? Yes. The tasting menu is worth it and has a lot of charm to it!! And it's worth it based on the ingredients that were used. We will be back :D read more

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We went for my birthday dinner and I have been spreading the word about Yuji nonstop when anyone asks about omakase experiences. I believe chef Yuji has set a great standard of reasonably priced omakase in a cozy setting with expertly prepared foods. The restaurant exterior is not the most glamorous, but don't let that deter you from a great experience. The inside is nicely decorated, and gives you a personal experience with the chef and friendly server. The food was exceptional, notably the squid and the pressed sushi, and of course the wagyu. We also supplemented a course with uni caviar, which was a very decadent bite. Our experience was quite unique as they texted us asking if we would like to be seated earlier, which we accepted. We were the only people in the restaurant, it felt amazing since we were able to connect with the chef and enjoy his food. We cant wait to come back soon. read more

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The meal flowed so nicely from start to finish--every dish felt intentional and balanced. The appetizers were super fresh, especially the bluefin tuna with mustard miso vinegar (perfect mix of tangy and savory). The goma tofu and braised turban shell were unique but so tasty. The clay pot soup (Dobin Mushi) was warm and comforting, and the sashimi course was super fresh. The grilled unagi was one of my favorites--smoky, tender, and just the right amount of sweetness. The chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) was smooth and delicate, while the wagyu sukiyaki with soft boiled egg was melt-in-your-mouth delicious--definitely a standout. The tempura with matcha salt was light and crunchy, and the wagyu dandan noodles were hearty without being too heavy. Ended the night with matcha tiramisu, which was the perfect dessert--creamy, not too sweet, and such a fun twist. Overall, everything was beautifully presented and tasted amazing. read more

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-Omakase course $235 per person- Booked through tock only. My friend and I love fine dining and we decided to treat ourselves for galentines weekend. We absolutely loved everything. Yuji who is the chef was so nice and let us take photos of the meals. Everything was curated so eloquently. I was mind blown and felt like I was in a good tour back in Japan. Definitely recommend going for any occasion. Yuji is located in japan town next to dimples bar where parking can be limited. My favorite part of the meal was wagyu and uni dish. read more

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took my boyfriend here for our anniversary and it was worth every penny! the portions were great and each dish was so fresh, tasty, and beautiful. The wagyu was some of the best wagyu i've ever had, cooked to perfection and left me wanting more! I really enjoyed the miso sea bass as well; flaky and juicy. we had the whole restaurant to ourselves but it was nice being able to watch the chef cook and prep in front of us. we left feeling full and satisfied! read more

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A beautiful and delicious meal that is thoughtfully executed. This small restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of the strip mall, right above Fermentation Lab (across the street from Peace Plaza). We came here with no expectations. The tasting menu is incredibly affordable, given how much others charge. The great thing about the menu is that Chef Yuji makes all the dishes himself. It feels personal and warm. We also got the sake pairing and it was phenomenal ($78 per person). The menu our night was really tasty and felt perfect for a cold winter night. It's simple but elegant, and filling for me. Some highlights were the smoked duck. We also got wild hamachi, which was buttery (you usually get farm raised at other places). the egg custard was super good and warm, with a surprise fish. The home made truffle salt was incredible. He happen to have a bit of extra white truffle and decided to use it. The Japanese wagyu was mouth watering. The crab rice was delicious. And the matcha dessert was perfect! You can tell Chef Yuji really cares about his craft and puts a lot of thought and care into everything. We paid about $500 for 2 tastings and 2 sake pairings, plus extra gratuity. We loved it and plan to go back since the menu changes. read more

Kappo style Omakase 12/10 - Baby broccoli was surprisingly good! - All the sashimi fish were very fresh and presentation is amazing - Fav dish: tempura white fish wrapped in shizo leaf and matcha salt, very tender and flavorful - Highly recommend the sake pairing as they go so well with the dishes Chef was fantastic and answered all the questions I had Overall the experience is amazing! Make sure to make a reservation as they don't take walkins! 2 rounds per night: 5 and 8pm. 5pm definitely better cuz less people read more

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Another perfect night at from Chef Yuji. Amazing cuisine as usual. The menu has expanded with the number of supplements to the prix fixé menu taking up a full page. I had three supplements, the shirako tempura, the seikogani, and the Wagyu tartare. All were fantastic and I especially recommend the shirako tempura! Just heavenly. Also recommended is the Wagyu tartare which includes caviar, uni, and truffles! The shirako comes from Chef Yuji's hometown and is supplied personally to him from a fisherman friend! The supplements are reason enough to go, but the standard menu is fantastic as well. Special note for awabi shabushabu which turned out so tender and was the first time I had awabi this style, the cooked Kagoshima Wagyu, and the ika in the sashimi course. read more

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Hidden gem. We stumbled across Yuji on Tock and we're super happy. The cooked dishes and meats were especially good - waygu was my favorite along with uni, ikura, truffle soba, and delicious tempura. It was an intimate dining experience and we enjoyed speaking with the chef / owner. Definitely recommend for a unique and delicious experience in Japantown. read more

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My second time, first time was Oct'22. Meal was incredible and so thoughtfully executed, excellent service. Photos don't do the beauty of the presentation and taste justice. Highlights for me were the baby eel appetiser, the black cod with truffle, the wagyu and the clay pot rice. Incredible flavors! read more

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We came to Yuji for Mother's Day. It was our second time to this Kappo restaurant. We like Yuji for the subtle flavors (my mother is allergic to certain strong spices), top-quality ingredients from Japan, and meticulous preparation. The restaurant's elegant decor and welcoming service by the chef and his wife are also a draw for us. Although it's not quite a "wow" experience, I always leave feeling deeply satisfied. Standouts were the Firefly Squid, which had a fresh, crisp mouthfeel. The Mustard Miso Vinegar sauce was subtle and refreshing. The Toro from the Assorted Sashimi was to die for. Its rich aftertaste lingered for a long time. The Wagyu steak was equally memorable, enhanced by an understated sauce and truffle flakes. The Shiraouo tempura was fried to perfection. The Truffle Zousui was a comforting way to end the meal, though it wasn't particularly distinctive. A lovely evening indeed. read more

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Celebrated my birthday here at Yuji and it was such a delicious experience. I was super excited about this place since it's not your typical nigiri omakase experience. It was $158 per a person with optional add ons. There's only 9 seats available with two sessions per a day. There was a total of 13 items and each dish was different/special. From small appetizers to abalone shabu shabu to uni chawinmushi to A5 wagyu. Everything was delicious and unique. The chef was super friendly and detailed with each dish as well. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back :) read more

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Chef yuji has never missed. I've been here 3 (or 4 times now?) and it's slapped every time. If you're tired of always eating raw fish omakase, give this place a shot. Kappo encompasses many more techniques than just raw fish. read more

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I had a chance to dine at Yuji this past Sunday with my wife after booking a reservation a month in advance on Tock. The meal was fully paid for ahead of time online, so the only thing you need to take care of after the meal is any drinks you might choose to order during your meal. Yuji was a bit difficult to find location-wise. There's no visible signage for the restaurant until you get to the top of the stairs and enter the building. Once you find Yuji, it's a very small and intimate space with only 8 or so seats at the bar. Overall, I had a wonderful experience. The pacing of the meal felt really good as well. From start to finish, our meal ended up being about 2.5 hours. Twelve courses is a lot of food, so come hungry. The highlight of the menu for me was the Japanese wagyu beef that came about halfway through the meal. For my wife, the tempura tile fish was her favorite. Saucing and seasoning is very delicate on each dish. This is probably one of the few times in my life I've had seasoned salt and now I can't get enough of it: truffle salt and matcha salt are incredible. Many dishes feature generous amounts of uni so if you're a fan of uni, you're in for a treat. My least favorite dish was probably the amuse bouche -- the monkfish liver. I did not particularly care for the texture or flavor of the dish. Looking around at some of the other guests dining with us, I could tell this was also not their favorite dish. I think Yuji definitely has the potential for a Michelin star. Come check it out before it becomes impossible to grab a reservation. read more

Terrible morning followed by a delicious & thoughtful dinner with great friends laughing for about two hours straight. Yuji's opened in 2022. Chef's Counter seats 9 in a cozy setting & each party was able to freely converse & immerse themselves in their own world. Service was amazing, absolutely no complaints. Dinner consists of 10 courses. There's an add-on menu filled with uni, cod milt (shirako), & wagyu tartar options. I chose the shirako tempura & loved the tempura dashi accompanied by the dish. The crunchiness of the tempura in combination with the warm & soft texture of the shirako works but maybe a bit less of the shirako to balance out the bite (the restaurant still gave us a better problem to have for sure). Thoroughly enjoyed all dishes & variety the chef curated. My favorite dishes were the: 1) golden eye snapper/chutoro (all time favorites) 2) Japanese wagyu steak (leanest cut I've ever had) 3) grilled Chilean sea bass Dishes are ranked in order of my own personal enjoyment: 4) buri shabu in radish broth 5) chuwanmushi (Japanese style egg custard) 6) snow crab croquette (really gravitated toward the tomato marinara) 7) matcha crème brulee (a little heavy on sugar glaze but happily ate it all) 8) dobin mushi (fish & mushroom soup had lots of umami & felt like a hug) 9) crab porridge (extremely temperature hot & generous serving) 10) assorted appetizers either shirako tofu, green beans, daikon radish, omelette, & eggplant Parking is street or you can park in the Japantown garage. Location is at the corner of Post & Buchanan right across the street from the Japantown Center. Take those wooden stairs all the way up! read more

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This tiny nine-seats-at-the-counter restaurant is practically impossible to find, but the meal itself flows gracefully over the course of two expertly-curated hours at the hands of a brilliant chef. The Michelin guide will definitely notice this place; it might have opened too late for Michelin stars later this year though. Practically every dish brings joy. Highlights included wagyu (because, of course) that was seared so perfectly that I'm still ashamed I occasionally try to cook my own wagyu at home. The biggest surprise was a deep-fried tilefish, a sweet and buttery fish rarely seen on menus. But my favorite might have been a simple marinated asparagus; I didn't know a vegetable could do that! The only disappointment was a grilled Spanish mackerel; it was good, just not great, and probably suffered from being surrounded by overwhelmingly-impressive food. read more

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Wow... this place will definitely get a Michelin star. It's only been open for 3 months now. There are only 9 seats per seating so get on it fast. Okay so here's all the details... Located in Japan town there's parking either on street or a parking lot nearby. Inside the pagoda, you walk up all the stairs. There's some construction going on, but it's there! You'll see the pub sign, but then you'll see the white curtains that'll show you the restaurant sign. Upon arrival, you check in. You pick your seating. You are then greeted by the chef, himself... YUJI! I asked him for recommendations for sake by the glass since it was just me drinking and he offered me an off the shelf sake. It paired perfectly well with the dishes. Out of the 12 courses, I wasn't fond of two, but everything else was a 5/5! Some of the dishes were surprising and awed my mind how perfectly cooked some ingredients were delivered. The chef was so kind and it made the experience 1000x better. The diners were also friendly due to the intimate setting. Definitely recommend to everyone. read more

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Amazing experience at Yuji. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Somehow we were the only people at the 5 o'clock seating. We felt very special[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Yuji does everything himself and you can tell he takes great pride in his work. The items were delicious and perfectly prepared and presented. The menu was perfect with plenty of food. We did the sake pairing which enhanced our omakase experience greatly. read more

This was our first omakase experience and a great one at that ! We got to enjoy unique and fresh flavors. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The space is a 9 seat restaurant with a countertop right in front of you to watch the chef prepare your dishes.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The experience is very interactive and intimate.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] You get to talk with the chef who is super kind and informative. The service is very attentive and they make sure your area stays clean. We can't wait to visit again next time we're in the bay ! Thank you Yuji !! :) read more