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Amberjack Sushi - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
1497 Church St(between 27th St & Cesar Chavez St)
San Francisco, CA 94131
Neighborhood: Noe Valley
(415) 920-1797
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
95 reviews for Amberjack Sushi
Review Highlights
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"Convenience + fresh fish + relaxing." In 9 reviews -
"they do a great job at take-out." In 9 reviews -
"Great neighborhood sushi joint." In 4 reviews
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95 reviews in English
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Review from monica m.
San Francisco, CA
This establishment has been a part of our community for so long and I am sad to see it go. Always top quality, decent prices and friendly service. The people that work here are always welcoming and treat us like family.
I will truly miss this place, as it is one of the last remaining authentic Noe Valley businesses in my opinion. As gentrification and overly priced fanciness become the new norm in my neighborhood, this was a place we could count on to be genuine and delicious.
The owner is a humble man who treats his customers with respect and dignity, a hard to fine attribute these days.
During a rough period in my life, I was on doctor's orders to consume more omegas. Coming to Amberjack always brightened my day and my mood!
Thanks for all the great meals and conversation! We will miss you! -
Review from forest r.
San Francisco, CA
7/9/2011
FYI, Amberjack Sushi is closed.
There's a sign saying Kama Sushi will be there soon. -
Review from Lacee K.
4/13/2009
Went here last night and I was pleasantly surprised! Something about Amberjack had turned me off ever since moving to Noe. Not sure if it was the dismal outside appearance, lack of overwhelmingly positive yelp reviews or maybe I was just lamenting the fact I never had a chance to experience the "Deep sushi era." (It was closed as we moved in the 'hood.)
Yesterday we wanted to get a bite and didn't want to drive to Hamano or Mochi in Bernal (sp?- even though I really, really want to try Mochi.) I ordered the salmon and seared ahi sashimi. I figure you can tell quite a bit about a sushi joint base don the quality and freshness of their sashimi. It was SO GOOD! Fresh!! The salmon sashimi melted in my mouth!!
When we entered Amberjack we were the only people in there (see why it made me nervous before?!) Shortly after however a few other parties arrived. Our waitress was very nice. She apologized profusely when she forgot my green tea at the end of the meal. Our bill was really reasonable too!!
While I was eating dinner I realized I liked the fact it was so quiet there. This could easily be the type of restaurant that is a real neighborhood hangout. I pictured myself walking in and the sushi chef knowing exactly what I wanted for the night. All in all a really good dinner!
I'd add a star if the decor was just a bit..more. I felt a little bit like I was in a cafeteria. -
Review from Christine M.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2007
If you're already this close, just head over to Hamano. Much, much better.
I would say the best thing they serve is the gomaae. Other than that, the sushi is boring. Not bad, not great. Just dull.Listed in: SUSHI: Good and Bad, North and…
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Review from Dan M.
San Francisco, CA
9/2/2006
I wouldn't recommend eating Japanese food, esp. sushi made my Chinese folks; eat Chinese food made by Chinese folks. Everyone in this place was speaking Chinese as far as I could tell.
The sushi isn't that great either - it should really fall into to Godzilla Sushi in Lower Pac Heights category: cheap and sub-part. Yet, it's not cheap enough. -
Review from Shawn S.
San Francisco, CA
4/20/2007
Nothing fancy here. Just good fresh fish, which is why I go to Amberjack as often as I do. The cuts aren't as generous as those at Sushi Zone. The selections aren't as outside-the-box inspired as those at Kabuto. The scene is...well...nonexistent unlike, say, Blowfish.
But it's more parking friendly than other places I like, and there's never a wait for a table or counter spot.
For a basic sushi meal, my main requirement is freshness. I also tend toward places run and staffed by (if not exclusively then at least a quorum of) Japanese people, but it's not a hard and fast rule. In the Bay Area, I've just had better experiences on average with sushi prepared under the auspices of nihon-jin.
On the downside, the rice is inconsistent. The miso soup and other accompaniments are just so-so.
So, I wouldn't travel across the city to eat at Amberjack, but for convenience and super fresh fish, it's my regular sushi stop. -
Review from Laura G.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2009
Prologue:
Wow-- just read a review of this place from a few years ago that warns, "Don't eat Japanese food prepared by Chinese people." Apparently the fact that a few of the people that work here are Chinese is an issue? Does that mean Thomas Keller can't prepare French food because he's American? WHO ARE YOU????
Moving right along! I had ZERO expectations of this place being any good, merely choosing to eat here because it is two blocks from our new place. First time we tried it about a month ago, we were in the company of a rather discerning sushi-brat friend who agreed: it's good! I mean, we're not talking Zushi Puzzle/Nobu/Waterbar good--it's not transcendent or anything--but fresh, tasty, satisfying.
Take two a few weeks later: It was kicked up from good to delicious--sashimi for 6 of us to share: wonderfully fresh, great textures, flavorful in all the right ways. Clearly I can't speak for everything on the menu, but I'm sold on the sashimi, nigiri, and maki.
So the atmosphere is a little blah... it doesn't bother me.
Also? It's totally reasonably priced--our party of 6 shared enough sake, beer, and dinner-yummies to render us all tipsy and full, and the tab was less than $40 per person--can't complain about that, can you? -
Review from Paul K.
San Francisco, CA
9/6/2009
I don't understand the mediocre reviews. First off, this place is CHEAP. We're talking $14 for chirashi versus $20 somewhere else. Does this place compete with Kiss or Eno? Nope. However, you are also paying 1/2 or 1/3 the price. In contrast to other reviewers, I have consistently found my fish to be fresh.
This place is such a good value that I would be inclined to give it five stars, except that the ambience is---well---blah. Wedding and baby pictures on the wall, like the stock photos you throw away when you buy picture frames. Odd. And no music.
Nonetheless, the main sushi chef (i.e. owner) is a kind man who tried to point out the best selections of the day. Four stars. -
Review from Yanny S.
San Francisco, CA
7/14/2009
3.5 stars actually. Better than average but nothing memorable. Good quality. Average pricing for sushi. The total bill was $120 for 6 people, but only 4 of us (me included, of course) really ate. The only food I remember is the calamari, its presentation reminded me of fish sticks and tasted meh. Decent service.
Caveat for all my sushi reviews: I'm not a big sushi fan. Indifferent would be the best word. -
Review from Benjy W.
San Francisco, CA
10/25/2006
Great fish. Good service. No atmosphere. One block from my house. What more could you ask for? Assuming you live on my block, that is...
This is a fine place for meat'n'potatoes sushi (not literally, that would be disgusting) . You know, the old standbys - Sake, Maguro, Hamachi, California rolls and so on. If you're looking for adventure, try Kabuto. If you want good neighborhood sushi and Asahi in a frosty glass, look no further than Amberjack. -
Review from Jennifer C.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2008
3 words: fuji apple sake. Yum!
I love this place because it is close to my pad, the fish is always amazing, and the staff is quite friendly. -
Review from Jackie A.
San Francisco, CA
It seems to me, they bumped up their sushi here. We've been ordering take out couple of times now and I gotta say, I am glad their sushi taste superb!
Couple of my favorites to order:
- Asari Miso
- Red Dragon & Rainbow Maki
- Salmon Combo Maki
- Hamachi & Maguro Shashimi
My mouth waters while typing these favorites and now, I'm craving for sushi! Eeeeeehhhhhh!!! LOL ;-)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/23/2010
My beau introduced me to this place and always like their sushi. But lately, it's been just okay for… Read more »
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Review from Eugene F.
San Francisco, CA
6/24/2008
Pretty average. Nothing stuck out as particularly bad, but nothing spectacularly good either. Service was quick and friendly. The food was adequate and fresh. Not much creativity or variety though.
Some oddities:
-Even though the place is named Amberjack, they don't actually have kanpachi. You'd think they'd make an effort to find a supplier to at least keep the namesake fish in stock.
-The tako and ikura had a weird dark reddish tint to it. Tasted fine with no gastrointestinal repercussions, but it just looked odd.
I'd come back here if I lived within a few blocks...otherwise, not worth going out of my way. -
Review from Lisa L.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 7/3/2008
I'm sad I need to lower my review on this place because we eat there so often....damn! But, when I called tonight I just couldn't take it any longer.
We call every week for a pick up order. We order the same thing every week. The same girl answers the phone. She's never recognized me by voice, by name, by number. Nothing. (We miss Ryan...he knew us and called us by name).
Tonight Amberjack left an item out of our order. When I called I was disappointed. She DID NOT say: "Sorry, we'd be happy to give you a $5 roll for free because you've spent over $1,500 here, please just come pick it up." INSTEAD, she said that I did not order that roll. God help me. How hard can this s*** be, people?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/23/2007
This place saved my boyfriend and I when we moved into the neighborhood. We usually get take out,… Read more »
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Review from Aaron V.
10/29/2007
My favorite sushi place in Noe Valley. The nigiri has big, thick slices of fresh fish and the tempura is always cooked to perfection. It's a bit pricey but all good sushi is so that doesn't bother me much.
Try the dragon roll and definitely some of the salmon and tuna nigiri. Yeah nigiri is more expensive than the rolls but it's worth it. Also, I don't care if the people making/serving the stuff are Chinese. As long as it's good I'll eat it. -
Review from Sara G.
CA
5/9/2007
IIIII say if you like sushi that has been sitting out on a hot day in Dolores Park, this is your place. I have no proof that they transport sushi FROM the picnic table at Dolores Park back TO Amberjack, but I cant imagine why else sushi should taste tired, limp, and warm. Yucky. No no.
Love,
Sara -
Review from Lisa R.
8/23/2009
My boyfriend and I had a hankering for sushi, and since we just moved to the 'hood, we thought we would try some places within walking distance. I yelped the local fare and we took off walking. Our first sushi choice was closed, and our second in the other direction. As we were walking, we spied Amberjack. I remembered it from yelp, so we went in.
Pleasant surprise! This place is great! We were a little hesitant because there was only one family dining, but by the time we left the tables were packed with an eclectic group of folks. My man ordered the bento box with 3-piece sushi and teriyaki salmon, salad, rice and miso (he ate every morsel). I ordered the Philly Phil (smoked salmon, cream cheese, and some eel I think), a tuna roll (with two types of tuna) and tako nigiri (octopus). Everything was fresh and delicious. The tea was good and it was served in cute ceramic cups. Our water glasses and tea cups were never empty. The bill came to $31!
It may not be a destination location for dinner, but if you are in the neighborhood and craving sushi, I highly recommend it. -
Review from Kyle F.
San Francisco, CA
10/10/2010
We live in Noe Valley & wanted to try a different sushi place other than our beloved Hamano on Castro St. The menu was pretty standard, nothing special. We ordered 2 bento's (two choices, $11.50) & an order of nigiri sake & albacore. The nigiri sushi came first & was oddly room temperature. We then had to wait a half an hour to get our bento's. Two items of which were raw! Safe to say, we'll be sticking to Hamano where the service & food are always stellar.
Sidenote: If you want a deal on sushi, check out Sushi Raw on Haight St. It's pretty good and you can't beat their prices & service. -
Review from brooke S.
Washington, DC
2/13/2008
this place is totally disgusting. I ate here 3 years ago and am still upset by the experience that I had.
Last time I checked, tuna is supposed to be dark reddish not BLACK like the crap the served me. I had two bites and have never looked back.
The cooked fare isn't much better. You think you'd be safe with stir fried noodles and veggies. BARF. Not even close. I would have rather eaten top ramen. -
Review from Chad W.
San Francisco, CA
8/9/2010
Not a huge fan, the fish is just okay. Bummed since it's just a block or so from our new place.
There are much better sushi places in SF... -
Review from Nissa A.
San Francisco, CA
10/7/2009
Amberjack is consistently at the top of my list of best sushi in SF. It's also conveniently located a mere five blocks from my house, so I find myself there often. The fish is top-notch (even on Mondays it's fresh), the service is fast and friendly, and the menu has plenty of choices for the fish lover (or the squeamish teriyaki eater).
Recently I have been back to a couple of my favorite "higher-end" sushi joints (Blowfish, Tokyo Go Go) and I have concluded that the sushi at Amberjack is just better.
No frills, but top-notch!! -
Review from Crystal C.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2007
This one is tough.
Food? 3 stars.
Atmosphere? 2 stars
Service? 2 stars.
Butterfish appetizer? 4 million stars. -
Review from Eric S.
San Francisco, CA
6/6/2007
Amberjack is more traditional in its menu than its competitor down the street (won't mention their name). I like their menu. Their service is wonderful. AND...they do a great job at take-out. It seems that they are very friendly with the local neighborhood too.
Unfortunately they don't do lunch anymore, but I still go back often for dinner. -
Review from hillary h.
San Francisco, CA
3/3/2008
Amberjack is probably a 3-star restaurant, but it gets a fourth for consistency, fresh fish, and a good beer/wine/sake selection.
I eat here pretty regularly since it's close to my apt, and have sampled a lot of the menu. The sashimi selection is fresh, and the rolls are good. Not as creative as Deep Sushi (just a few blocks away) but consistently good.
I recently discovered their udon, and it always hits the spot. -
Review from Ki K.
San Mateo, CA
2/8/2009
Went here last night with some friends and really enjoyed the food. The restaurant was a bit cold, and looks like they do not have proper heating as they had an outdoor patio heater in the middle of the room. But after a few bottles of very good unfiltered sake I wasn't so chilled.
The sashimi is very good here and possibly the largest cuts of fish I have seen in SF. Also very fresh. I'll definitely come back again.
I -
Review from J.J H.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2010
F- dont even set foot in this rip off.. fish is old
!youll probably get food poisoning. owner is trying to sell.this joint & all of his other places..
i used to come here a few years back it was decent. not anymore small stale portions. lousy service. everyone that works there looks bored and annoyed (even the owner)
we had tuna , hamachi., yellowtail , edamame & tempura beer & sake bill was over 65$
. all was shiny looking & stale we didnt finish hardly any of it
. the waitress was rushing me like always.. & there were two tables other than us. i finally said "fuck" i eat slow is that ok.. w you??
walk up to the castro and get fresh sushi elsewhere....... this place will drain your wallet!!!! -
Review from Juan Camilo R.
San Francisco, CA
2/16/2010
I moved close by the Amberjack and decided to try it with my girlfriend - we didn't have the best experience.
There was nothing wrong with the food or service though the overall quality of Sushi rolls is not the best from what you can get in S.F. I'm removing this one from my list. Perhaps other dishes might be better but definitely a no-no for Sushi. -
Review from Marjorie P.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2010
I've been meaning to write a review on this place for a long time. I live in Noe Valley and this place is my go-to when we have a craving for good, quick, cheaper sushi.
I'll admit, we've only taken out from this place because (and this is where the -1 star is explained) the atmosphere is a little dry. They don't play any music so it's really quite. I.E. this is NOT the place you would go to break up with someone or talk about an embarrassing STD. You can hear EVERYTHING.
Other than that, the staff is very nice and always offers us hot tea while we wait. They have a large and extensive menu of creative choices. My favorite roll is the one that has sweet potato tempura in it YUM!
I almost hate to alert everyone to this gem as I don't want it getting too busy but I feel like they deserve a better review than what some have given them. -
Review from Tara T.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2011
I love Amberjack!!! And here's why...
1. Really good sushi and a good variety
2. Super nice people and awesome service. I have never had to ask for another cup of tea or a water refill. They are always on top of things.
3. Best price around! Seriously, my boyfriend and I can stuff ourselves full plus sake for less then 40 bucks. Tell me another good sushi place where you can do that?!?! -
Review from David S.
2/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Quiet...almost too quiet. Like its mostly empty every time I come here; so much that I feel a little weird sitting in the place. The fish is good, the rolls are nice, people are friendly, prices are good. But really, the Scallop (Hotate) Nigiri here is fabulous - like always fabulous...it will bring you back.
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Review from germaine n.
San Francisco, CA
8/5/2009
I was with a friend and was craving for sushi and didn't want to go far.
We started with Hamachi Sashimi, when it arrived to the table, it did not look fresh, kinda gray actually. It tasted like it looked.
We also ordered the Muni, the Highway and the baked scallops. We were very disappointed with the quality, freshness and presentation. I think I've had better sushi at the Mall or Safeway.
No recommendation here. -
Review from Max S.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2011
My family has been coming here for years and it's a great neighborhood place to eat. I wouldn't come here on a first date- it's not very romantic. It's more of a neighborhoody, family-friendly type place. They love kids and the prices are very reasonable. It's very quiet- they don't play music, so it's relaxing. Our kids are 8 and 10 and we just started letting them have the raw items on the menu. We've never had a problem in the all the years we've been coming here. It's always been very fresh and delicious!
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Review from Nucnuc M.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2007
I've given this place a couple of tries, but it's always been the same.
Bland, boring, flavorless, disappointing.
The fish seemed fresh enough, but the taste was lacking. Mostly I think it's the rice that has no flavor. I guess there is a reason why in some sushi restaurants in Japan there is a chef designated to only cooking the rice. -
Review from don d.
San Francisco, CA
3/9/2008
Don't make a production out of going to Amberjack.
It's a clean little neighborhood stop and they have decent lighting so you can linger over your tea w/ zero fluorescent over kill. An earlier review said they had fluorescents... huh? They don't.
The chef is a serious guy w/ creative streak. The other night I had a little trouble communicating my final maki (to go, cell phone) so I just asked for "whatever the chef wanted to throw in." I wasn't sure what to expect but along w/ my spicy tuna, rock'nroll, Yellowtail and 49er came a "squeeshy" roll.
I said, "squeeshy?"
He wanted to me to try a bite right there but I took a pass to hurry back to my double parked car. The squeeshy was a maki w/ squid, ponzu and a big shot of lemon and all of it fried. Look, the squeeshy's not my thing but I appreciated the effort very much.
Four stars. -
Review from Casey K.
San Francisco, CA
7/17/2009
Amberjack is always very fresh and enjoyable. The sushi is very well priced.
It's not among the top tier sushi restaurants in the city, but I have never been disappointed after a meal there. -
Review from Britt C.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2010
In my experience Amberjack consistently has fresh sushi, although you won't find a huge selection of fish. That doesn't bother me though as I usually stick with sake, hamachi, maguro, sawara (Spanish) and unagi, all nigiri or handrolls / special rolls anyway. Amberjack can be very quiet (they could use some music) but don't let that stop you from going for a nice meal.
Occasionally I'll have chicken teriyake (really good), and their tempura is pretty good too. The staff is on it - everyone from the waitresses to Chef Raymond and his assistant, kitchen staff as well. Parking is difficult (I'm lucky as I live close by) so the easiest way to get there is the J-Chuch to 27th Street. -
Review from Evan S.
Los Angeles, CA
5/12/2011
My girlfriend and I ate here towards the end of the night, and we appreciated that they let us in very close to their cutoff time. Unfortunately as sushi goes it was a pretty middling experience. I guess I expected better sushi being in a town like Mill Valley, not to mention being so close to a big body of water where I imagine it's much easier to get fresh fish quicker. I'd recommend going here if you just want some quick convenient sushi, but if you're searching for better than average sushi I'd keep looking.
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Review from Ruth I.
Boone, NC
6/5/2010
This is our neighborhood sushi place. It is relatively inexpensive, the fish is fresh, the service is good and it is quiet and relaxing. This is not a impressive date place, but a comfortable, easy place to go after work. We probably would not go across town to come here, but since we can walk, we come here fairly often. Convenience + fresh fish + relaxing.
It is quiet enough that you can have a conversation and the absence of music can be a good thing. Most restaurant music only serves to raise the general noise level. If you are one of those 'super talkers' that enjoys noisy places, this is not for you. -
Review from Namio S.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2010
I'm really glad to hear that other people had fresh fish and sushi here---because I didn't. The one time that I was here I ordered many different nigiri and some rolls. I had maguro, albacore, salmon, and hamachi. I say this because I've been eating sushi for the past 10 years so I know what those fish that I ordered supposed to taste like, but what I had was a sushi lover's worst nightmare. The fish were not fresh at all. When I ate the hamachi I even tasted "uh oh," so I had to politely and discreetly spit it out on my napkin.
In my opinion, serving just one customer out of 1000 with bad quality food may be insignificant to the restaurant, but to that one customer it meant a world to him/her.
What was good was that their waitress was attentive and nice. Also good prices. So that brings to a 1.5-star.
Maybe when I'm in the neighborhood next time visiting my old work place in Noe Valley I'll give Amberjack one more chance to turn this review hopefully to 5 stars. -
Review from Jason A.
San Bruno, CA
11/1/2006
Something was fishy when the sushi rice wasn't flavored! Amberjack Sushi offers a pretty straight forward menu without items that will induce a risk taking decision. Prices are slightly above average and the food caters to the Western palate. Sashimi slices are inconsistent and I wouldn't say the freshest I've had. Positives are the Ama Ebi with the deep fried heads, the eggplant appetizer and the ice cream choices for dessert (red bean & green tea). In San Francisco where Japanese restaurants are a dime a dozen, I look for innovation and freshness both were missing here!
