On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: MissionTue-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"The upcoming analogy is for all my east coast homies (Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in the houuuuuuuuseeeeeeeee): Remember basements? Yeah,…" read more »
Loading...
Oh man, i will really miss this place!
If you liked country station sushi, check out Tamasei Sushi on 24th street in Noe Valley. Same owners.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Fantastic first date spot for hipsters. I know this because it's the only place I've ever been on a date and ran into one of my friends who was ALSO on a date. I had the nerdy hipster boy (of course, the glasses gets them in every single time) and she had the just got home from Williamsburg and would not shut up about it hipster boy who had like, 40 pairs of Adidas in his apartment and thought he was black (no, seriously, he really thought that he had a deep kinship with the brothers) (to which most of them responded -- "nigga, please!").
Anyway, On that same date, I traded the last piece of sushi for some cunnilingus. I have mighty fine negotiation skills, people. Also: I am full of class.
ALSO: please feel free to mark this review as useful. Very, very useful. I've been in Laura B's van so I can copy her at will.
My friend asked what I thought of Country Station when we were there for his birthday last week. I replied, "I would be pretty damn sad to pack this place up and think about how long it would take to organically decorate a new spot." And that's what really makes Country Station for me: the cluttered walls of memories, the crazy knick knacks and decorations, the makeshift instruments, the grimy floors, the small tables that is supposed to fit 10, and oh! the fantastic mix of music from og punk to theme songs from vintage Japanese dramas. All these quirky details remind me that sometimes dining out is not just about eating.
Along with the friendly servers and sushi chefs you will also find a handful of serious hipsters to laugh at who are too cool to let the feather (literally) out of their hair and loosen up. Add a fun mariachi to the mix, all these components that make up an unique experience points to a 5-star review, despite the sometimes mediocre food.
And if you care about the food, the chipboard menu is the best way to do it and the shiro maguro and clam nigiri *are* killlleer.
I been saddling up for sushi here since Willie Nelson's first do-si-do with the IRS. Did you know Willie wrote Patsy Cline's #1 hit, 'Crazy'?
The chef did, and propped me up with an extra salmon belly hand-roll for bringing it up. The fish is as fresh and delicious as any in the city, and the special rolls truly are. Behaviorism works on me in a sushi restaurant, so we exchanged some more Q&A between verses of 'The Gambler.'
Hey, who gave Dolly Parton get her big break? Porter Wagoner, 'Satisfied Mind'! Here's inari-no charge. The bar is great, but the room is chocked full of ephemera to entertain the most advanced states of sushi loving ADD.
He conceded defeat with a delicious spider roll when I finally got him: "What #1 country singer do folks call 'Ol' Possum'?
*cue Petty Booka's album, Fujiyama Mama for full effect*
An interesting place to experience sushi, I guess, though not necessarily the best place to eat it. I was positive that we must have gotten stuck in the restaurant blackhole last night (you know the one--everyone else around you gets their food, eats and drinks merrily, then gets their checks and leaves with happy, smiling faces... and hours later, you're still holding the menu). Now, I know this must happen at least once or twice even in the finest of dining establishments... but it's especially unforgivable when you're starving and before you have even placed your order, you notice the distinct smell of ganja wafting over you from the kitchen in back.
Anyway, we sat... we pondered the the hand-written menu... we ordered... and then TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER we got our first course. TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER!!!!! Now, the kitsch of this place is something special... but loud music, wandering mariachis and home-made instruments are only cute if you're fed and drunk... but if you're hungry and grouchy (and not high or wasted)... well, then they're just offensive. C'mon now, people--we ordered raw fish! In my mind, the only possible explanation for the marathon wait we endured is that the chef was so stoned that he must have been eating what we ordered and having to make it again.
One star for the Japanese Sun-Ra factor and for the kitsch. And because Yelp made me.
Sure, you can't flush your toilet paper, but the food is fucking fantastic.
After listening to people read dirty stories publicly at Good Vibrations, my friend and I decided that all that sex talk had made us hungry. Walking down Mission Street, we happened to pass by this gem of a restaurant, and since she assured me that she'd only heard good things about the place, I figured what the hell, lets give it a shot. Walking inside, I was a little sketched out by the dingy atmosphere at first, but after we made our reservations, my fears were soon laid to rest.
Arriving once again after we met up with another friend and waited the half-hour or so for our reservations to kick in, we were sent out back. To get out back, we had to walk through the kitchen area, down a hall-way and during this walk, I was instantly reminded of the infamous shot in Goodfellas. So, we Scorsesed our way out back with a pitcher of sake in tow. This outside area was set up like my back yard: filled with half-used and unused crap. I think I saw some bicycles, and I'm positive there was broken couch as well. So far, the atmosphere wasn't doing much to excite me about the food to come.
Finally, our name was called, and all three of us sat down at a small table right near a speaker that was pumping out music that was a bit too loud for the small room we were in. Then, we ordered. And drank. We're Yelpers, folks, that's what we do. After we drank a few bottles of beer and chatted for a little while, the food finally arrived.
Now, I'm no sushi connoisseur, but let me assure you that this... this folks, was some fantastic god damned sushi. The fish was of perfect temperature and extremely tender in just about every single piece of sushi and sashimi we ate. The artistry that went into each individual morsel was just incredible, and the wonderful layering evident in each serving was consistent throughout the awesome journey that was our meal. As I've said before, I'm no sushi expert. But, I know good sushi when I taste it, and Country Station Sushi certainly has it.
Don't come here for a nice environment, since the place needs to get its shit together in that regard. The bathrooms are downright disgusting; they need to get their (pardon the pun) shit together in that regard, and the outside lounge, while it does have a certain homey feel to it, really needs to get cleaned, but people, look past all that, and go here for the food. Normally I'd be taking off more than one star for bathrooms and outside area, but not this time. That's how damned tasty the food is.
Four stars. Keep your eyes on this place.
Not having visited Japan, this is the first time I've ever been welcomed with a hearty yell from the entire restaurant staff. Couple that greeting with Os Mutantes (Brazilian psychedelia) playing as I opened the door and lifted the curtain: I was in love with the place from the start.
Country Station might be less about the food than the ambiance (the mood is relaxed and the people are all friendly and cute as heck). But the rolls were decent and I can't think of a lovelier place to cozy in for a long night of sushi and sake.
I cannot, in good conscience, recommend a restaurant with a bathroom where you Cannot Flush Your Toilet Paper, but instead have to throw it in a trash can alongside the toilet. Sushi and beer make me have to defecate, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Am I painting a picture here?
One generous star for the good sushi/whimsical atmosphere.
Normally, I would not give 4 stars for a place where, although I've eaten there numerous times, I cannot describe a single item of food in detail. So, I'm not gonna lie. The sushi is just OK. But, there's something about Country Station Sushi. Trust me, I'm not one to be taken in by the "boho" craptacular frenzy that's been going on the last few years. This place isn't posing. This place is crazy, but in a fun way.
So, here is a Guide for How to Enjoy Dining at Country Station Sushi.
1) Don't go if you're starved.
There will be a wait. Even if you are seated quickly, you may still wait for your food. Snack before you go. (Have a little "nosh" first, as my aunts would say...)
2) Have an open mind.
This place is wacky. The customers tend to be hipsters that drifted over from Valencia, but most of the time everyone is pretty much attitude-free. The sushi chefs look more like Japanese hippies fresh from a commune. (Actually they and the rest of the staff are sometimes dressed in Japanese "country" attire with headscarves and robes.)
3) Don't come expecting to have a deep, meaningful conversation with your friends/date/mom/whoever.
The music and other distractions can be loud and incongruous to what you may have come to expect in a San Francisco sushi place (neither Muzak (tm) versions of Born Free nor uber-I'm-so-much-cooler-than-you electronica; note: there is no DJ).
4) Drink.
They have sake. They have beer. Have some. Relax. Enjoy. Look around at the cool decorations and wacky photo collages on the walls. Watch the sushi chefs singing along to the Rolling Stones, or whatever other rocking music they're playing.
5) Remember, you are in the Mission.
When the mariachis come, grab yourself a tambourine or maraca and play along. Get lost in the fact you are clapping along to a Mexican or Guatemalan folk song while waiting for your gyoza and sushi. Have a dollar or two ready when they pass the hat around. It's only right to show appreciation for our local musicians.
6) Ask for recommendations from the sushi chefs.
As stated earlier, the sushi here is not the greatest. So, it's safest to go with any specials or recommended items. These tend to not disappoint. However, if you are looking for the "best sushi ever," go to any of the many well-known options in this small city of vast foodie goodness. The Country Station Sushi experience is really more about the path than the destination. Their regular menu rolls are interesting, and they're OK, but there hasn't been anything that wow-ed me. I do like the vegetarian gyoza.
7) Don't have time-sensitive plans scheduled for after your dinner.
If you are planning to be somewhere at a particular time after your dinner, either get to Country Station Sushi very early, or go somewhere else. This place is far more enjoyable if you're not stressing out about time (see numbers 2 and 4).
So, let's see: loud, occasionally rowdy atmosphere, mediocre sushi, and sometimes exceptionally slow service. Why *am* I giving this place 4 stars? Well, I'll tell ya: it's fun! Country Station Sushi is just a very fun place to go for some sake and/or beer and where they also happen to make sushi.
"I'm totally stoked on Country Station! It holds a special place in my heart since the first time I ever went there was on a really excellent first date, but aside from that, it has a lot going for it.
I mean, just upon walking in, you start to get a sense of the funky, fun scene that IS Country Station: all kinds of weirdo memorabilia and photos covering the walls and ceiling, folks sitting cross-legged on pillows eating sushi, a mariachi band or two standing up front, often blocking the doorway, and a cute little patio in the rear that feels more like someone's backyard. You can sit out with some sake while you wait for a table, which just know, you may have to, esp. on a weekend, but it is SOOOO worth it for the experience. C'mon, the place is called COUNTRY STATION! I mean, what!?!? What the hell does that refer to? The whole thing is just so rad.
Seriously, though, you step into Country Station and you feel like you just stepped into a house party! The vibe is right on in there...very warm and convivial. About the sushi, I think it's quite good, namely the tempura rolls, like the cobra twist...really, really yummy! You can have a great meal in there, if you order carefully. In the end, though, it's the food taken in combination with the atmosphere that makes this spot highly memorable.
Prices and service are moderate, not outstanding, but really, who cares? You'll be too thrilled with everything else to notice. If you are hoping to show someone a good time, a date, or a group of out-of-towners, or hell, even your buddies in the mission, take them here! They WILL be impressed that you knew about Country Station.
One warning (well two actually): It is not particularly easy to find from the outside; there is no sign, and no writing on the actual building, however, they do have a portable sign that they stick outside on the sidewalk, which is fine if you are walking down mission, but not so much if you are driving. Look for a faded rainbow painting over the establishment, and that's your place.
The other heads-up is that it is located on a shady-ass block, so I would suggest planning carefully if you are meeting up with someone there, because it can get very crowded inside (no real waiting spot) and you will NOT want to wait outside in this area, so make plans ahead of time to meet up in the back patio, or meet up somewhere else first, and then go in together. One time there were a bunch of street people hanging right outside, drinking and stuff, and I was very uncomfortable.
If you can handle a shifty stretch of Mission Street, however, this place is NOT TO BE MISSED!"
With the exception of airline mechanics, bus drivers, and sushi chefs, I don't care if someone is high at work, but trust me, the cooks at Country Station are high. Not just a little high, but B-L-A-Z-E-D, and sadly it shows.
Maybe I was there when the hydro-chronic had just been picked and cured. Who knows, but the cooks were f**ing up all night, and sadly the friendly waitresses had to bear the brunt of the cooks' mistakes. Too bad.
After waiting for hours, sitting there drinking Saporo we were told that they had "run out of food" and that none of what we had ordered was coming.
It was midnight. We were starving, and accidentally drunk because of the endless wait. Not a good combo.
So we asked for the check and again waited....and waited. Finally we just left some money for the drinks we had, and left to go get slices of pizza at Cable Car, which by that time was the only place still open.
My advice: if you don't think it's charming when your sushi chef is too stoned to make your dinner, go somewhere else.
The sushi here is pretty good, and the rolls are the real deal and un-frou-frou. The sushi chefs obviously know what they are doing, and the staff is friendly. The atmosphere reminded me of the hippy-vegan cafes at college, in a really great way: colorful, super relaxed, lots of bodies in a small place, random decor, a lesbian couple next to a gay couple, awesome music, "hipsters" (whatever, we even had hipsters back in college in 1997), etc.
Anyway, I didn't get my beer. I really wanted my beer. Our water was never refilled, not once, not ever during the meal, and my friend and I had just come from our respective work-outs. I didn't mind the dirty carpet or the bar stools with the cracked vinyl (in one of these cracks we found a soy bean hiding). I didn't even mind so much that we waited forever for our total sushi order to arrive. But they really really should hire someone else so that the service can be improved - from the other Yelp reviews, I gather that this place is always busy and one waitress just doesn't cut it.
The first time I enter a sushi restaurant, there is one thing that I look for immediately: the cleanliness of the kitchen. And let me tell you I was shocked the first (and only) time I came here. And while the food here is genuinely-inspired Japanese worthy of a couple of stars, the clintele was mostly an uninitiated party crowd looking for a quirky place to drink and eat makimono.
Add to that the service is about as fast as an Okinawan restaurant during Golden Week.
So if you feel good about eating raw fish in a filthy environment, I recommend this place, at least until the health department shows up. Otherwise, I recommend turning the dial to another station.
I go to sushi bars to catch a hot sake buzz and eat tasty fish. If that mission is accomplished in a comfortable atmosphere, I'm cool with it.
At country station, you're there to chill and enjoy the company you're with, not rush through your meal. The place is run by what looks like a group of young Japanese rock'n'roll groupies who ran out of money when their favorite band ran through San Francisco, and were left, stranded.
So, being the plucky bunch that they are, opened up a sushi restaurant and never stopped rocking.
Ode to country station
What a spot...So sad to hear they have closed! On the darkest corner of mission street there was a real family spreading some light. I mean a bunch of dreadlocked Japanese kids making sushi with a country western theme, with pictures of Willie Nelson on the wall. The sushi was good not great but it was inexpensive and just soo fun to be there! Anyone know what happened or if they moved?
I had heard so many good things about this place, which is unfortunate, since it got me all excited to go, just to be disappointed. Last night was my first visit to Country Station Sushi, and it kind of sucked since their service was s-l-o-w, to say the least. Yes, the place was pretty packed, but it's also really small, and they had several waiters hanging around.
One of the waiters asked my friends and I if we wanted some tea. We said yes. 10 minutes later, he still hasn't brought us our tea, so I have to flag down another guy and ask for tea again! Wtf? After looking around the restaurant, we noticed that the guy who had originally asked us if we wanted tea was busy setting a table - he had totally forgotten that he was supposed to get us tea! I was begininng to think the waiters had memories similar to that of goldfish.
Maybe that's just how the guys at Country Station roll, but any place that forgets to bring tea (*especialy* when THEY asked US if we wanted some), takes 20+ minutes to take our order, and doesn't pay attention to their custumers' cues (e.g. customer putting their menu down and looking around for a waiter) doesn't sit well with me. At all.
I will say that the sushi itself was fresh and yummy, which is good for them, because I would've gotten ghetto on their ass and stolen the bitchin' "Beverly Hills, 90210" poster they had hanging on their wall had they made me wait 40 minutes for shitty sushi.
I suppose I'd go there again...if someone else were payin'.
Mmmhmmmm.
This place is great. The sushi is fresh and there are some really interesting rolls - try the "eye scream" if you like it super spicy.
Even better than the sushi is the place itself. All the sushi chefs scream hello in Japanese when you walk through the door, there are fun and random things covering every inch of the walls, and who doesnt like an imprompto jam with the mariachi band??
Ever see the movie PCU? Remember Marsh, the hippie guy who doesn't even realize George Clinton is playing at the pit? And Jon Favreau says "Marsh, you gotta lay off the pipe!"
Well, imagine Marsh didn't lay off the pipe, and opened a sushi restaurant instead. It would be Country Station Sushi. The food is hit and miss, the service depends on how stoned the people who work there are, and you can watch petty criminals ply their trade just outside the windows on Mission St.
So I heard good things about this place for a while now but somehow never quite made it in. I ended up taking a very good friend here for her pre-birthday recently. I wanted a fun, lively place full of energy to go to. Her fear of clowns and large mechanically controlled creatures with blinking eyes shut down a few options. Ok very few, like uh, McDonalds, Clown Alley, Chuck E Cheese, Country Bear Jamboree and other such fine establishments with animatronics, flashing lights & ball crawls. So how can we have fun without robotic rats, maniacally grinning clowns or video games? Then it struck me, sushi right in the grimy heart of the mission.
Yells and howls as we entered quickly dispelled any myths I may have had about this not being a lively b-day atmosphere. A crazy, jumbled room full of posters, mismatched furniture and Japanese noise rock greeted us. The place reminded me a lot of my pre-teen bedroom circa the late 80's. Well the sushi ended up being excellent and several "big beers" (as she likes to say) had us in quite the festive mood. So throw in the mariachis that wandered in off the street combined with the tub of noisemakers that got handed out and we were having a very happy birthday, Frisco style baybee.
I have dubbed this restaurant "that punk rock sushi place." I didn't know the name until I sat down and read the menu. They were playing DMBQ when i went. The sushi chef's yell at you when you come it. Its quite sweetly awesome.
The sushi is good, but a little pricey. The edemame is really good.
I liked the decor and wait staff. It's hard to get their attention when it gets busy.
The fish is fresh and grade A. The rolls include the traditional and some non-traditional. Country station is comfortable, colorful, and has great, youthful energy.
The waitstaff were friendly and recommended unprompted the best fish of the day...and they were right. The japanese sushi chefs were having fun and giving the place a good vibe, and most of the bar joined in clanging spoons and drum-beating tables to a pair of mariachis that were making the rounds.
Ok, so I'm not a hipster. But this is the only place that took me back to the eikawa days in good ol' Shimokitazawa. It encapsulated the wackiness and sheer goodness of my 1.5 years of experience of Tokyo. Most Izakayas there are like this, and god, do I miss the food and the atmosphere that only can be created by gaudy-kitschy ornamentals.
I remember that most of the staff were from all over Japan, and I even made a Kansai-jin make me a natto roll! I know! Unbelievable, huh? I wish I could've been at the soubetsukai to bid them my farewell . *Tear*
The place is an EXPERIENCE just to look at it. Sushi is not great, but it's good enough. Go for the ecclectic ambiance instead. By ecclectic, I mean:
a hippie on a 30 year acid-trip designed and decorated the place;
they yell at you in Japanese when you enter and sporadically while you're sitting (as a greeting?);
I'm not sure my server spoke English AT ALL;
the menu is written in cardboard.
It would really be a shame to miss out on this place before it closes and goes "yuppie" in Noe Valley.
Amazingly good sushi (although, it takes so long to get to you, you'd probably eat anything). and you're pretty drunk since they have the ability to serve about 25 people at a time and their patio in the back requires you to be a little "flexible".
All that being said, a great deal for amazing sushi and one really unique experience. I'd even go so far as to say better than (and as creative as) Ebisu. Five stars. (they'd get six i fit was possible just for blasting 80's punk)
So I just found out about this place last week and went with a friend to check it out. Never noticed it on the mission before, but when we walked in was just like that old simpson's episode when the family walks in to the sushi place and the chefs all yell hello. The place was packed, and we waited in the back patio (funny, everyone who asked how long we were waiting for reassured us that we really haven't begun to wait after we gave them the answer of 20-30 min - that's usually the pre-wait to waiting).
The food was pretty damn good and exceeded my expectations. Yummy Cobra roll/Tornado roll/ and the insider's tip from the waitress: Dragon roll. Pretty pricey for the mission. I easily dropped 60+ for me and my friend (Im used to $3 meals at El Farolito). But atmosphere kicked ass and so did the people -minus the 40+ yr old hipsters with the large mop haircuts and unzipped flyz - hehe good for a laugh.
Overall, pretty killah - kind of bummed that I just found out about it and its gonna close at the end of this month - especially since the hot Japanese men behind the counter will probably be-relocated . . .tear.
Im gonna go back Friday the 29th - they might have a big sendoff for their last night or somethin.
My recommendation - GO - but go early - so I can get a seat later :)
This place is fun to take non-sushi afficianados (since some of them are too elitist to have fun here). It's a great experience to eat, survive the walk without walking through a zone of stinkiness, and drinking lots of sake with your fish.
It's dirty but then again if you have a nice little group, it's quite cozy and I love the real Japanese staff!
Good Sushi in a semi-psychedelic fucked-up atmosphere. My dining companion ordered green tea, to which the waitress replied, "No green tea! Brown tea!"
I downed a couple of Asahis (big ones), some edamame and a lot of delicious sushi. The Thunder Roll was the big hit--eel, prawn, some sort of red tangy roe, and something very spicy. The whitefish and salmon nigiri were sublime.
Interesting veggie gyoza rounded out the meal. My companions were embarrassed by my insistence on using my fingers, but, uh, come on, sushi IS a finger food, isn't it?
Country Station is cramped, loud, and crowded. And Awesome. It has a great atmosphere and the sushi "dudes" are very good at what they do. We had the sushi combo and the smattering of nigiri and maki rolls was really good.
The mariachi style men that come in to play guitar while the waitresses hit blocks and sing along really add to the whole experience.
Downsides to CS include: really bad neighborhood - do not wear your pearls. Cramped meaning very few tables, so either get there early or be prepared to experience the wonder that is the "patio" while you wait. read: scary.
I would totally go back.
I have heard about this place for a long time. I happened to be in the neighborhood for Litquake. Strolled in and put my name on the list and my cell phone number at 7PM on a Saturday night. 30 to 40minute wait. No problem. Plenty of places in the hood to grab a drink. Grab a glass a wine a few blocks down. Met up with another friend. Called Country Sushi to add another person to our party.
Normally, I am not the type of person to wait. However, I have heard so much about this place from my foodie friends I had to try it. The fish was really fresh. Innovative rolls. Great service. It is definately a funky homestyle atmosphere. But very cool.
A little bit Country, a little bit Rock N Roll.
This place is a funky sushi bar in the heart of the Mission. Not your run of the mill, but that is what gives it charm.
Check it out and have a blast....
Only in the Mission will you find a sushi restaurant that hands out empty sriracha bottles with pebbles that you can pound to the beat of the mariachis playing Guantamanera.
whew-that was a run-on sentance for which my 9th grade English teachers would gladly flog me.
oh the sushi is just ok. There are better places in the City. I recommend the inari and the potstickers for you veggies out there.
While some might find the place to be unkept, I see if far from any health code violations. I frequent this place, and have had no problems other than spending too much, a common problem at a good sushi restaurant. Expect to have a great little show while you're there. It's cozy, the ambience is great, and everyone is happy.
A great date spot, and the fish is fresh. The biggest drawback: the daily specials don't change too often.
This place is nuts! I admit I was a little wary at first...I wondered how clean their countertops were, given that nick-nacks cover every available surface...I'm a little picky about where I eat raw fish.
BUT....the experience definitely picked up. We were served by a really mellow old dude in leather pants with a scraggly beard. The fish was really fresh and soon put to rest my doubts about the place. I'll definitely go back. It's great to find sushi in a unique atmosphere.
Odd decor. Oddness abounds from the poorly-placed curtain that drags over your head when you walk in to the little blue TV to the random nonsense everywhere and anywhere.
Our waitress was adorable. Just saying. We had a party of 11 and they sat us on a raised platform with a huge table in the middle. I hate not sitting on chairs---my legs are too long.
Anyway, our orders arrived very randomly and very spread out. I didn't really mind it. We were a large group and were having a great time.
The food was good and I'd say the experience is worth the effort.
Pluses:
- Great, premium-quality sushi
- Awesome decor (Japanese masks, kites, Christmas lights, random stuff on the wall)
- Friendly chefs; cute waitress who should go out with me
- OK mariachi performances
- A great place to bring visiting friends for a bizarre SF experience
Minuses:
- Long waits (for a table if the place is busy and also for your food)
- A little expensive for the amount of food you get ($10 for a small roll; $15 for a medium-sized one). Then again, I am a pig.
Note: I would give this place 4 1/2 stars if we were able to give half stars. (Hint to David: tell your higher-ups to incorporate this!)
A review dedicated to David Lee, who insisted I not create an account for the sole purpose of flaming a chiropractor.
Should I be concerned that the many times I've passed -- all right, stumbled away from the Uptown in a delirious'y refreshing haze -- this place, I assumed it was some kind of tiki torch bearing society comprised of mostly affluent Marina clones slumming in the Mission? And that any second, a sad little Japanese Elvis wannabe circa Blue Hawaii would try to get the bums outside to twist and shout.
As far as the service goes, that Gertrude Stein quote comes to mind. Not that the very polite boys were anything less than helpful, but we waited for quite a while. And there were no taiko drums, only Mexican troubadours. Still, much like that one boy at the meat market in the Soma -- no really, he works at the butcher counter -- they can spice up my tuna anytime.
Did I really just write that?!? Time to skedaddle!
Honestly, my experience with the food hasn't been that bad it's the staff.
The place is a constant clattering of noise and drama.
This seems like a family drama gone wrong.
One time the mama of the restaurant just sat down in the middle of the floor and stared vacantly, the other staff just walked over her.The last time I was there, angry fighting broke out between the staff and they never apologized for the ridiculousness of it all. We were among the last in the restaurant wondering, are we gonna get our check, should we run for our lives, what has gone on here?
The soap opera, mostly in Japanese without subtitles, may be the only reason to go and the main reason not to go back.
Excellent food and great music. The only deal is, the Sushi is a bit pricey. Only plan to go their if your friends / the other half is not tight asss else u wont be able to enjoy it.
I would strongly recommend it.
I came here with two (relatively) old friends tonight and had a great time.
A mariachi singer came in and we were handed percussion instruments (I was given a gourd-like object covered in a beaded net), and our fun, fobby hipster waitresses clapped along with what I can only imagine is unadulterated glee.
The three of us each had 6 sake bombs (2 Asahis and 2 orders of sake total) and each ordered 2 items, and it came out to the perfect amount of food, but the bill was $84. Oh well, it was a real treat.
I imagine this is the kind of thing that is the most enjoyable for people who are easily put on the spot and probably best for groups of 3-5.
PS the edemame was warm and the complimentary orange slices were cold -- usually the other way around elsewhere. Fantastic.
Happy Hour Draft Beer $1.75!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
99 cents beer & hot sake
Neighborhood: Excelsior
Neighborhood: Noe Valley
Category: Japanese
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
best local grocery store, dry cleaner, cafe,…
My favorite places to eat in Yelp cities and their…
I must have tried every single sushi restaurant…
Usually not me, but sometimes they do and…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
