Sushi Zone
Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Hayes Valley, Mission1815 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 621-1114
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
65 reviews
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
"Easily the BEST IZAKAYA IN SF. O izakaya is good, and hime is ok, but this is the least pretentious, and MOST tasty of all of them.…" read more »
321 Reviews for Sushi Zone
Good unagi but the sushi gave my baby a tummy ache. You Bastards! The spicy scallop and spicy hamachi rolls had too much mayo and not enough fish and they weren't spicy at all.
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This is my favorite sushi place. I give this place 5 stars for the sushi, but minus 1 star for the long wait. Unfortunately, they only have 2 tables and some counter space. My advice get here early or be prepared to wait. If you can hold on, it'll be worth the wait.
I'm upgrading you. I just wasn't happy with a 4-star. Yeah, I've eaten it about 20 literal times, and I even managed to get it to go for a flight once (everyone was jealous). Sushi zone, with its aloha fusion, has got to be one of my favorite memories of San Francisco. The mango addition is something that hasn't hit the streets of Japan yet, but I have a feeling that it may one day, because most anyone that eats here agrees (other than the wait): Its some of the best.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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07/13/2008
I love it too. The wait is insane, and gosh only knows how many hours I've spent doing it over the… Read more »
Sushi Zone has 2 small tables, a sushi bar, and a great reputation. So you're gonna wait, but you're gonna love it.
Thorough some magic stroke of luck (I like to call it karma), we arrived at 6:15 on a Thursday night, and there was no wait. Soooo happy!
We knew that the masses were probably on their way, so we got our order in quickly. Luckily, my very savvy friend knew exactly what to order. Soooo happy!
We had: Spicy Hamachi Roll, Spicy Scallop Roll, Hawaii Roll #2, Hot Stuffed Mushrooms, Hot Stuffed Mussels. All were fantastic!! I especially loved the Hawaii Roll with the chopped macadamia nuts on top - very unusual. Soooo happy!
There is one guy who makes the sushi, and one guy who makes the hot dishes. One woman serves all customers including the sushi bar. You can imagine how easily things can get bottlenecked. We got our order in just at the right time, before any of the larger parties ordered and after the other customers had finished. So everything came out quickly and we scarfed it down gleefully, with me making lots of nummy noises. Everything was so fresh and perfectly seasoned. Sooooo happy!
With drinks, we made it out of there for about $25pp, and in less than 30 minutes, so within plenty of time to see our 7:30 movie in Japantown.
Soooo happy!
This is what I looked like upon leaving, as I made my way past the now-growing line:
:)
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The wait. wow... so, in case you haven't gathered this yet from the 300 plus other reviews, this place takes a REALLY long time to eat at. Check it; we arrived at 5:02pm and somehow managed to miss the entire first seating. It took them until 6:40pm to seat our group of 4.
Given that it took them over an hour and a half to seat us, that gave me plenty of time to peruse Yelp Mobile and read the billion reviews on this place... We were ready to rock when we sat down. Unfortunately for us, they weren't quite as ready. It took another hour and 15 minutes to get the food. All in, we're going on three hours here.
Now the good news; the sushi is really freakin good. The baked striped bass app is awesome. The spicy scallop roll, spicy hamachi, and hawaiian roll are all delicious and highly recommended. The nigiri is fresh and well prepared, with the yellow tail being the standout for me.
The sushi is really good, but given the wait, im not sure I'd be in a hurry to go back.
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If it wasn't for the truly ridiculously long wait, this place would get five stars.
Actually, I might even break out a sharpie and draw a sixth star on my monitor in that instance - but since the demand for greatness always outweighs its supply, I feel confident that this place will always have a ridiculous wait to be seated.
Having said that, I've never waited for more than 40 minutes to sit down here. Not to say that I haven't had the opportunity to wait for more than 40 minutes, but I'm a slave to my tummy and it's not that patient. If the wait is too long, I just don't stick around.
If you're really smart, you can go when they're not busy. I'd tell you when that was - but then, they'd be busy then too.
Yes, it's cash only!
Yes, it's very small!
Yes, you wait FOREVER to get seated!
YES, YES, YES...it's worth the wait!
If you're starving and impatient, stop complaining and go somewhere else...you're in San Francisco after all. You're smart...you'll find another restaurant. EVERYONE who goes here knows what it's about.
I've been going for 10 years - as a resident of SF and a visitor and I've eaten sushi around the world. This place is the best and the sushi is prepared with heart. I've taken clients and friends here and they've admitted the same.
Diehards will always be back and ready to buy the hard working chef a beer! Get to know him and you'll know why it's the best gem on Market and Pearl!
There are so many things right about this place - it's unpretentious and let's the quality and preparation of the food speak for itself. I had been read multiple reviews about Sushi Zone and was most notably warned that lines start to form outside before the restaurant opens. Molly and I arrived at 4:45pm on Saturday evening and got in line behind the 5 people who were already there. By the time the doors opened at 5:02pm, there were at least 10 people in line eager to get a seat. The restaurant is small and simply, but tastefully, decorated with a background of classic rock playing. I think the sushi chef was singing along to most of the songs. There are two small booths in the window (that can each seat 4) and a sushi counter with 8 or 9 barstools. We were seated at the bar and quickly scanned the specials board and menu. The kitchen is minimal and consists of a small hot plate and toaster oven just to the side of the suhsi counter. There is one man who makes the hot dishes (soup and a couple baked items, etc.), one waitress and one sushi chef.
We placed our order and were glad to be towards the front of the line-up. Since one sushi chef makes everything, you can't be in a huge rush to get your food. We started with a miso soup, sunomono salad w/ octopus, hot tea and a large unfiltered sake. Slowly our food began to arrive. We started with baked sea bass with mango. It isn't something I would normally be drawn to order, but we overheard a woman outside while we were in line talking about it. The sea bass, mango, butter and some creamy topping are all placed in a large mussel shell and baked in the toaster oven until the top is lightly browned. This dish is amazingly delicious and if i didn't think it would eventually clog my arteries, I would want to eat it everyday. We ordered two rolls; a spicy hamachi roll with avocado, jalapeno and lime, and a soft shelled crab w/ avocado roll (spider roll). I have to say that the spicy hamachi roll may be the best roll I've ever had. The hamachi was left in pretty large chunks lightly covered in a spicy mayo, the jalapeno was flavorful but not too spicy, the avocado fatty and sweet and the lime brightened all of the flavors. We also ordered 2 orders of maguro, 1 hamachi & 1 sake. Everything was superb. The fish was fresh and buttery and the sushi chef cut and prepared everything perfectly. Our meal took and hour and a half and there were a steady stream of people coming in and waiting. I will definitely be back, but do fear the lines a little bit.
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The wait is ridiculous. No. Really ridiculous. And I was already annoyed, as I was tagging along a friend of mine who spoke highly of their 'mango-riden rolls.' I waited an hour and a half for mango madness that I was sure to hate, run back home and bitch about on Yelp. Instead what I got was quite possibly the best maguro and sake nigiri that I've had in SF. Really. But honestly, the wait? It's ridiculous. 5 stars less 1 star for the wait.
I think i agree with most people that have Yelped that the wait here is Ridiculous. Either get there early so you can skip the wait (they open at 530 i think) or sign up on their wait list and grab a drink around the corner.
The place is small. There are two tables that seat 4 and seating around the sushi bar. While you're waiting for a spot, I highly recommend the Nigiri Sake, a chilled sake with about 4 servings in it for 6 or 7 dollars. We went as a group of four and consumed probably 7 of these.
The sushi is divine, we had both types of Mango Sushi, Baked Scallops, some Sashimi and we let the waitress make suggestions. Everything we had was delicious. If you can endure the wait, I highly recommend this place.
I was told the baked mussels is the specialty dish here so I tried it and it was delicious! I do not really like mussels, but the ones here were the best I've ever had. They melt in your mouth.
The sushi was interesting too since they add mango and macadamia nuts to some of them. The quality is fresh.
The place is small (only 2 tables and a bar) so the wait can get really long. Personally I would not wait again (should go early around 5ish) but there were many people lined inside and outside the restaurant who didn't seem to mind.
Really fresh fish... really great sushi. Everything was super delicious except for our Spider Roll. Everything else, our salmon sashimi, our various loads of nigiri, was great. My only gripe was the incredibly long wait... but with a great friend to wait with and fresh fish it was worth it!!
I've been here a few times, all when I was unemployed. How else are you supposed to get here before 5PM to make sure you're one of the first 10 people to avoid a long wait? (2 or 3 tables and then sushi bar seats) If you're not in the first seating, expect to be seated sometime around 6:30. Maybe longer since it takes awhile to service the customers with the minimal staff (chef, 1 waitress, and 1 grunt guy . . . mostly doing menial tasks?!? come on. get this guy making more food!).
That said, I really enjoy eating here. Always good fish and always at the sushi bar. The chef is a funny guy who likes to chat with the customers. The last time I went, my friend and I were talking about jam bands and the show we were going to see at the Warfield later that night. We were regaled with a story about when he saw Phil Lesh at the Warfield and got to go back-stage to meet the band just a couple weeks earlier.
Maybe that's why the time between ordering and receiving your food is so long? Well, that and the fact that the other dude doesn't seem to make any food except the simplest of rolls.
Solid 4 stars. Remember. First seating or go elsewhere . . . IMO, of course! :)
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double over the top whammy yum yum garble garble...BURP!
Finally...finally, my bf took me here last weekend. He's always telling me this is the best place to get sushi. I admit I can't really argue with him on that point because I don't eat fish. Yes, I'm a vegetarian. So, we were lucky enough to be seated at the sushi bar after about an hour wait (yes, expect a long wait time to get seated). Overall, the experience was good but I'm still partial to my fave sushi place in my hood. Ummm...so I would tell you what we ordered but after a few large sake's, I can't really remember what we ate, except that we had a lot of food!
this place is the best. I'm dropping a one-star rating because enough fools clearly know about the place, and we don't need to attract any more folks who are going to huff and puff over the leisurely pace.
to some of us, this is the temple of fish. you either believe or you don't. you get it or you don't.
to those who don't, I wish you every happiness at some other sushi restaurant. to me, baked stripe bass with mango is worth any wait.
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The fish was really fresh and delicious. Absolutely no complaints.
However, what kind of place is this? Who has min 2 hour to waist in the line for food?
Waiting over two hours for food is ridiculous. We got there at 7:00 and didn't get seated until 8:30... the wait took forever cause this spot is so tiny. Once we were seated, the waitress took our order and then it took another 45min for our food to arrive. Definitely won't be back, I have better things to do with my time.
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A. I work from home
B. I live well within walking distance
C. I have some cash
Therefore - I'm already ahead of you.
I love this place. Yes, there is a huge wait - try to be within the first dozen getting in the door (that means you showed up a half hour before they open - give or take). If you do not pull this feat off, please do not complain - you have been warned. Also - try to snatch a stool at the bar - as they usually start serving at the bar and then the 2 booths. We made the mistake one time of being first in line and sat at the booth (stupid stupid stupid). Three hours later we were out of there.
There is one main guy at the sushi bar, a younger gentleman doing some stuff behind him with a toaster oven (you'll see his back a lot), and one petite waitress - that is all you get. Expect to wait some more to get your food.
They have awesome food - fresh fish - and cash only...and don't expect take out - if they had that - no one would ever get served.
The line...the line is my favorite. You have been standing outside for 25 minutes, and from Market St. some skank ho decides to come from the other side and make her own line. When you are entering the door - skank ho will say, "Oh, I thought I was next". Just remind said skank ho that she thought wrong and go about your business. Most everyone that is there has been there before and will back you on your place in line.
I treat this place as a novelty. There are plenty of places to go in SF that has great sushi and good prices, accept credit cards, and no fights in line at the door that rival Extreme Fighting cage matches. However, if you live or are visiting SF - please go there at least once - savor the experience and eat some really good sushi at a really good price.
P.S. Skank ho - we are all on to you...get in line like the rest of us.
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best sushi place.awesome spicy hamachi and sashimi! do NOT go there famished though, the wait would seem eternal....
Waiting two hours for sushi is fucking stupid. The fish was fresh but didn't knock me out. I can't believe the line people will put up with for some rather pedestrian fish. If you want to love this place go ahead, but bring a snack and a bottle of water so you can replenish while you starve in line. After being seated finally, the service was extremely slow and almost to the point of making me and my date walk out pissed. Friendly waitresses are good but not if you make me wait for almost an hour for my order. Bitching about the wait was fun for about ten minutes but then after an hour it pretty much ruined the night.
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The whole time I was waiting in that fucking hilarious line of people in front of this place I was thinking, you wait in line and then they finally seat you after nearly three hours? And then they make you wait another two hours to have dinner? I call bullshit. No way am I going to be able to enjoy a meal after waiting that long. And there's no way sushi is that good, no matter how cheap it is.
Too bad I was totally right,
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eat before going. parties of 2 only. Good once (if ever) getting a seat, but only good because you are so hungry anything tastes delicious.
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The wait is nuts but the sushi is lovely...I rarely can get a seat so I'm knocking off a star.
You've got to have plenty of patience for Sushi Zone. And for those of us who do, this place is well-worth it! And you've got to have a plan.
After walking by this place and ALWAYS seeing it crowded inside with people (eating and/or waiting), and a crowd outside (waiting), we finally made the plunge and worked our way inside to get our names on to "the list." And that's the key thing to a successful dinner here, GET YOUR NAME ON TO "THE LIST." Do not be shy, do not be intimidated, don't hesitate and then let any more people get listed before you.
Then for "the wait," try to get to some of the "waiting stools," or there is also a small bench by the door. Plant yourself and ask the friendly waitress for an ice-cold Japanese beer (I am loving Sapporo) and a bowl of Edamame. A nice way to make that wait not so painful (also a nice time to catch up on reading that novel or gossip rag). And you may have to wait outside, and if it's cold outside you gotta have something comfy and warm to wrap around you and your date.
Once we got to one of the 2 booths, we knew exactly what we wanted and got the order in lickety-split (that means quickly). We also got some recommendations from the waitress for the appetizers, and she dazzled us with some delicious dishes.
And then once the Sushi and Sashimi arrived, all was well with the world. All fresh, all delicious, can't say enough about how much we all enjoyed the meal.
And now I that I've got the hang of it....I will let my inner Sushi-Warrior take me again to Sushi Zone.
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Sushi Zone in my opinion is the best sushi place I've been to. Everything is so fresh and the taste is so flavorful. The restaurant is real small and they only serve sushi and no bento boxes or dinner combo specials or watever youre used to at other japanese restaurants. If good sushi is what you crave this is the place for you. The only thing is that the wait is long and unless youre a veteran you know what times are good to go. Make sure you get your name on that little white board! My recommendation is the Hawaiian #2 and the striped sea bass mango for an appetizer. Everything else you really cant go wrong because its so fresh. Patience is key!
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My hotate, ankimo, and toro were expertly prepared and delicious, but I have to swim against the current on this one with *only* 3 stars.
We took every precaution:
Arrive early, cash in hand, knowing what to order ahead of time. We were seated immediately, with high hopes and great expectations.
It took over 45 minutes to get our food from the time we ordered. The fish likely took less time to get there from the ocean than it took to get from the cutting board to my plate. For nigiri.
Waiting 45 minutes for seating is fine. You can bail if your patience runs out. Waiting that long after ordering, with no attempt to refill water or tea, is inexcusable.
I can't wait to taste what must be phenomenal when fresh. Literally. I can't wait.
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AMAZING.
Well worth the two hour wait every time.
There are two types of people in this world:
#1 - Those who already know (or immediately recognize) that "The Zone" is unrivaled in it's class. Pants Down.
and
#2 Those who just don't get it, don't care to get it, and probably never will get it. The rest of us hope you never get it. The line is long enough as is.
The fish tastes so fresh here that it's almost like it just swam to your plate. And where else can you actually afford to eat yourself into a sushi coma?
While waiting to eat at "The Zone", veterans experience a certain zen-like weightlessness, detachment, and freedom from expectation, seldom found in a dining experience. They are also usually happily getting drunk over at the Orbit Room or Martuni's while they patiently wait for their name to come up on the "list". There are rules to follow. There are things you must know. This is true.
Which reminds me. It's about time for another pilgrimage.
This is one of the rare places that will get my 5 stars. My friend Eric introduced me to it about 5 years ago and even then the line would go out the door and the wait would be forever. The place is run by one awesome sushi chef who makes everything in a kitchen the size of most people's bathrooms. BUT, the cuts of fish he has are always fresh. I love sitting at the bar and chatting with him and getting recommendations on what to get that day--he knows his fish!
I know I've bitched about the lines at Kirala and Ebisu, but that's because the food at those places isn't worth the wait like it is here. I know my sushi, people. Try Sushi Zone and you'll be kicking yourselves for ever having wasted a minute in line at either of those places. At Sushi Zone, you can expect an hour wait (minimum) unless you get there before 5 pm if you really don't want to wait. Otherwise, I suggest putting your name on the list and either visiting Martuni's, The Orbit Room, or Zeitgeist for a drink first, perhaps singing a song at The Mint, or shop at nearby Rare Device in the meantime! Just give yourself options for entertainment and the time will go by quickly.
So let's talk about the food, shall we? I always like to start with the hamachi--it's the most subtly flavored of all the fish, which is why I like to eat this while my palate is still fresh. Then go ahead and order whatever else you want. :) Items on the menu that I highly recommend are the baked mussels, the toro, the salmon skin roll, and anything the chef says is super-fresh that day. Oh, and when you're drinking your sake, please don't forget to ask for an extra sake cup so you can pour some for the chef.
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I can't believe all of the stupid haters on here. Yes, the Zone is a long wait. You have to factor that in when you are deciding to go here. Yes, the Zone only takes cash. Don't be an idiot douche-bag and just bring actual paper money.
The Zone is a completely perfect place to bring a date you are trying to impress, a friend you haven't caught up with in a long time, or just about any other one to two people you want to spend a good amount of time with while you are waiting. Sit on the stools or on the bench and start ordering beer and sake, and you'll be surprised how quickly the time will fly once you are here. Plus, I've actually met people sitting at the sushi bar and had great conversations with strangers. Try it, you'll like it!
BAKED STRIPED BASS. I am going to come here one day and try to eat nothing but the Baked Striped Bass appetizer. Once you've had it, you'll know what I am talking about. Also, the hamachi here has ruined me from ordering it from other sushi places. As well as the stuffed jalapeno and the spicy tuna.
Listen, if you are starving, don't bother coming here, or eat a snack beforehand like people have suggested. I promise that if you give Sushi Zone a chance and you aren't an egotistical ass who thinks the world should revolve all around you, you'll find it doesn't get much better than The Zone.
I had an amazing date here recently.
The first week of spring, on a clear calm evening.
I was surprised to see 1(yes one)sushi chef handling it all.
This tiny restaurant was PACKED-we waited for about an hour but that provided ample time for witty conversation. Oh, and bottle after bottle of sake kept us satiated. Trust me, sit at the bar and let the chef present you with his favorites, talk to the strangers around you, relax and have a great experience. The night I visited baked mussels were one of specials YUM. . . .
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This is a good place to come to with a couple good friends whose company you enjoy, because you will be spending a lot of quality time with them while you wait to be seated. We waited about 2 hours and then spent about 2 hours eating, so you better like the people you're coming with. Fortunately I liked the company I was with, so I had a great time at Sushi Zone.
We had a pretty even balance of nigiri and rolls, but I think I was most impressed with the Spicy Mango Salmon roll. Many of the rolls have mango, and there was even a unagi+papaya roll on the menu. I would recommend the rolls here, and leave the nigiri to other places that have higher-quality fish that you can really enjoy as nigiri (I've been so spoiled by Kitsho). Things I hadn't had before: Hawaiian rolls had macadamia nuts on top and sake nigiri had lime on top.
I've uploaded some poor-quality photos of my food.
It's a tiny establishment, with 2 tables seating 4 each, and about 9 seats at the bar, where you can watch the chef prepare the food. The price wasn't too bad, I don't remember how much it was a person, but I remembered thinking it was pretty reasonable after 2 carafes of sake plus a ton of sushi. I was definitely stuffed afterwards, which is hard to do cheaply at a sushi place. Cash only, though!
Oh my gaaaawwwd Muriel, the wait! The wait! It's sooo looooowwwng :)
Despite my complaining inner Jewish grandma and the hour and a half wait for dead fish, I really enjoyed this place and it was by far one of the better sushi experiences I've had in "The City." The fish was super fresh. I mean, really really super duper fresh. Like when he was slicing the fish it almost looked sexy and erotic, it was that fresh. And once the pieces arrived on our little plates and made fast friends with our mouths, oh yes, that is some damn good sushi!
Highlights were definitely the scallops and the hamachi and the cooked sea bass and mango dealios on the shells. Yum! Wasn't all too impressed with the albacore and mango roll as it had waaaaay too much wasabi on it. Yikes, burnin my mouth!
As for the rest, the place is a shoe box and the only thing I'd like to put out to the masses who come here is, if you are two people sitting at a table for four, why not look around and invite another two some to share the table. It's tiny, the wait is forever and haven't you ever heard of a little thing called family style? Sheesh!
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I came here pretty late one weekend evening and maybe it was that my friend stayed there for a while but there was no line out the door; so if my instinct serves me, why not be flexible about when you eat, rather than wait in line? I'm no expert, I've been here only once, and I'll make the pilgrimage back...
The sushi was amazing, the chef apparently is the only chef and my friend tells me stands the entire day; and from the counter you can watch him scoop the rice out of the large metal pot and arrange the food in this brightly lit place. The lady was cute in that she apologized profusely for forgetting my tea, the vibe was comfortable; like a diner, where only the personalities and the servers stand out as mind candy, but with excellent food. Mango with my light fish was fantastic. The people around me were in a fantastic mood and the bar was cozy, but it's not difficult when the food is that fresh and the environment is unintimidatingly calm.
I've been wanting to try this place for several months because my friends say it's good and because my boyfriend lives across the street. I heard about the wait and that it's always busy but i figured it wouldn't be too bad on a Tuesday night. WELL, yes the wait was long and of course there was that one group of people who were SO loud and SO annoying. Once we did get seated and ordered some sake everything was fine. The place has a good atmosphere and the guy making the sushi was fun to watch. He was nonstop and looked like he was having a lot of fun. There are some interesting specials on the menu and everything looked fresh and tasted wonderful!
I can't wait to go back!
Aside from fresh fish, the rice is what defines good sushi. It's an art form. Sushi Zone has PERFECT sushi rice. I get mesmerized as I watch them, not roll the sushi, but prepare the rice. It's delicious.
Baked mussels are a necessity. Go early or late so the wait isn't an issue. If not, bring snacks cuz it's gonna be a damn long time.
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Next Muni? This place needs Next Table!
A 2 hour wait, 2 tables and no take out option?
What kind of business is this? What kind of customers have such a lack of self-respect that they put themselves through this?
Sorry Sushi Zone, I have better things to do with my time than wait and watch others eat while unintentionally glaring, (I'm sorry guys, I was hungry!), and then feel that same unintentional glare of those who are unfortunate enough to be on the list after me. There isn't a food on this earth that is worth waiting 2 hours for when you're hungry, especially when you are forced to helplessly witness the efficiency deficiency right before your eyes .
If you're a party of two and want an intimate dining experience, do yourself a favor: cross your name off that list yourself, get on the F market for a few blocks, get off at Noe St, and have yourself a romantical evening at Sushi Time. You'll find about 7 times more seating in half the space with 100% more charm and great sushi to boot.
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If you don't get there the moment this place opens then you will be waiting, at least, an hour. If you get there an hour after it opens then you will be waiting, at least, 2 hours.
Be patient and wait. It's f%#@ing worth it.
Fish is remarkably fresh, rolls and specialty items are unique - you'll be hard pressed to find another sushi place in SF to this standard without having to sell your family to pay for the meal. You can walk out of sushi zone with such little wallet damage that you feel guilty and want to go back and give them more money - b/c the sushi was sooo worth it.
If you can't wait in line (like some other reviewers) then don't get the sushi. But I'm just saying, if someone said "Wait in this line for 2 hours and then I will give you a million dollars," I would wait.
The most terrible thing about Sushi Zone: this restaurant will *completely ruin* all other sushi experiences for you. I cannot go to any other sushi place, as I already know it will never measure up to the luminous and infinite goodness that is The Zone. Truly the apotheosis of sushi, the Platonic pinnacle of raw (and in the case of that mango hamachi mussel shell niblet of heaven, cooked) fish.
So it is freakin tragedy that the establishment that would so render all other sushi establishments superfluous (if not an affront) basically makes you a zombie slave to its infrastructural limitations. Like everyone else has said: it's TEEN-EINTSY (two tables for four and maybe 6 or 7 at the bar), has a staff of three (one waitress, a chef, and a diswasher/rice maker/mussel baker/and more), and a waitlist system that causes endless amounts of anxiety ('course, that could just be the hunger talking).
I understand the frustration that others have expressed about the wait--which is utterly ridiculous and entirely unavoidable--but we regulars put ourselves through this bcs, again: zombie slaves. It is the best fucking sushi EVER, and some of us love sushi that much. So here are some rules we've come up with to better manage the experience:
1. Eat something before you go. Seriously. It will be two hours before you eat again, so pick an appropriate meal for your digestive pace.
2. SZ opens at 5 pm. You need to show up sometime around 4:40 pm to secure a place in line that will assure you seating among that first batch of diners. Do not be surprised if there is already a queue when you get there. Use that information to assess how much earlier you have to arrive next time.
NB: if you miss first seating (this is not an actual term, it's just how I think of it), you *might* be able to pare down your wait time if you arrive some time around 6:45 and get your name on that list pronto. I've never tried this strategy, but it's one I've thought about after watching the ebb and flow of the dinner crowd.
3. If you got seated at 5 pm, you will eat around 6:30. Yup. Hope you had that suggested meal.
4. Although you may not be able to help the hunger-induced cross-eyed grimace on your face, try not to glare at those seated. Likewise, I *completely* understand the urge to linger at your table--finally getting seated feels like a darwinian victory--but just try not to be too gloaty about it. Someone might eat you, and you could hardly blame them.
I disagree with the reviewer who said SZ becomes more and more inefficient as the night wears on. On the contrary, given their staff and space constraints, I constantly marvel at the well-honed efficiency of the organization. The three of them NEVER STOP WORKING, and working HARD, and yet they are always pleasant and courteous and the food and drink come out just as fast as they can. (90 minutes?!? Um, again, remember the constraints.)
It's true that The Zone is not for everyone, and you really have to be ready to take in ALL aspects of that dining experience. But if you know what you're getting into, and can prepare for it, you will be rewarded with sushi nirvana. Get the spicy tuna, mango hamachi, and the Hawaiian #1 (oh god yess, the Hawaiian #1) and tell yourself your evening would have been a boring one anyway.
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Being out of the country for a month puts you into a sushi fix, and Lorna D. had just the place to take me to during a visit back to The City. Arriving around nine in the evening, she's surprised to see it's so packed for a Tuesday night. Sure, it's been a year since her last visit and we get on the long list of waiting hopefuls. With only two tables for four and about 10 counter seats, our wait extends out for about an hour.
Diners are in no rush as they linger over sake and Sapporo. With only one sushi chef, one waitress, and another assistant who manages the fryer and washes the dishes, the pace of food coming out is far from a hurried state. We get seated a little after ten despite the CLOSED sign being put out a quarter to that hour.
The waitress takes our drink orders, which is simple with water and tea. We also throw in some edamame since we're starving and we know the sushi is going to take awhile. Their menu is brief, one laminated page and their specials board.
The first item to arrive is the Spicy Tuna Roll (Tuna, avocado & scallion w/ a mayonnaise base $5.50) and I am reminded of why I first started enjoying the spicy tuna roll...the mayonnaise based spicy sauce. (I hate it when they use that Sriracha sauce. Blah!) It comes in six pieces and the roll isn't wrapped very tightly, so you definitely have to make it in one bite.
Number two is the Spider Roll (Softshell crab, avocado, and shiso $9.00), also cut into six pieces. The crab is still very hot as it just emerged from the fryer. The shiso adds a nice finish