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Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
Neighborhood: CastroTue-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tue-Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Sushi is my favorite food and I can't stop the urge to eat at more and more sushi restaurants. Eiji has a very authentic Japanese feel--from its humble little setting all the way to the sushi chefs and waiters/waitresses.
If you are looking for super exotic, creative sushi rolls, sorry this is not the place for you (I would try Sushi Bistro on Balboa Street for that), BUT this is THE PLACE for delicious fresh sashimi AND DEFINITELY their HOMEMADE Tofu and HOMEMADE Mochi.
If you come to this place, you MUST get:
*the big TOFU soup thing (Borgoro Tofu sp? I am totally forgetting what it was called on the menu)
*Chestnut Mochi = MUST!
*Strawberry Mochi
The homemade mochi and tofu soup gets a *FIVE STAR* for sure.
There isn't much else that is super exciting. I mean, their rolls are definitely good but overall, pretty simple.
One of the rolls that were a bit unique was the CEVICHE ROLL. I thought this was absolutely delicious and flavorful--ANOTHER MUST TRY!
And I never imagine cod to be able to taste so smooth and succulent... but ANOTHER MUST TRY is their SOY-SAUCE (I think) BLACK COD! If you like sea bass or ROY'S butterfish, you'll LOVE THIS! It's NOT your typical fried cod as fish and chips... no it's not... IT'S DELICIOUS!
Oh and the prices are super reasonable. I just took my parents out to eat here and this is what we ordered:
*2 Soy-Sauce Black Cod (12.00 ea, which does seem steep for a not-so-big-piece of fish but the flavor/texture/deliciousness makes up for it--in my opinion)
*1 Tofu soup (just enough for 4 people to enjoy)--LOVE the "toppings" too!
*1 Deluxe Sashimi (9 varieties of fish, about 13 pieces-- 26.95)
*2 Ceviche Roll (YUMMY!)
*1 Avocado Roll
*1 Vegetable Roll
*1 Rainbow Roll
*1 Caterpillar Roll
*2 Strawberry Mochi (literally 2 pieces)
*1 Chestnut Mochi (literally 1 pieces)
*1 Large Hot Sake
The bill w/ tax was $132 =) for 4 people. I thought it was totally worth it. And yes, I ordered like a monster because that's just how I usually am with sushi and Japanese goodness...
OH YEA... I ordered very few pieces of Mochi only because they sold out! Yes, they make it in-house and it gets sold out!
I wanted to try their Hamachi Kama, but that was sold out too which is when I was able to discover their Black Cod.
*5 STAR* for everything I tried... *4 STAR* because overall, it wasn't too much variety of actual sushi rolls... but really the uniqueness of the homemade tofu and mochi would really make this an overall *4.5 STARS*.
My wife loves to find all the Japanese restaurants in San Francisco, and we tried this one recently. I enjoyed the small space this restaurant occupied, and the staff was very friendly and warm. Being that my wife is also Japanese, its good to see all Japanese folks working there.
One trick I use is to never look at the menu, but to ask for the chef to simply take care of you. I do this for sushi, and I do this as much as I can. I simply say, that I would like an appetizer, main, and dessert that you wish more people would try as its awesome. Never disappointed yet.
The fresh tofu is ungodly good, and the freshness of the sashimi we had matched it well. My favorite dessert is still the strawberry dango.
Damn good place,. just dont be made if there is limited seats available as its pretty small. The food and people make up for it 100% thou.
Atmosphere totally cool b/c it was so small - but we didn't have to wait long at all so not an issue. Hot tofu was very interesting, different and unique.
Sushi was just okay, not bad but nothing to write home about. Wish they had additional offerings though - no tempura shrimp.
Loved the tofu, rolls and sashimi. Definitely going back. Small place so get there early. Had great service. Parking is a bear, but a wonderful walk if you park further away.
I really don't understand where all these 4 stars are coming from. The only thing I would give 4 stars to is the home made silken tofu...I must say it was very soft, moist and tasty. But that wasn't what I came here for...I was craving sushi last night!
First off, a very disappointing menu selection...they had the very basic nigiri and maki selections but less than 10 special rolls to choose from. We ordered two rolls...dragon roll and spicy tuna. The spicy tuna was salty...how is that?! We also ordered the basic nigiri...shiromaguro, hamachi and unagi. The shiromaguro and the hamachi did not seem fresh...texture and taste were off.
With SO many sushi places in the city to choose from, I definitely will not be back.
Mmmm....Soo good! The hubs and I decided to get sushi one day after work and instead of going to Daimuru around the corner as planned, we decided to give Eiji a try.
You MUST get the made to order tofu! We made the mistake of getting one of the other tofus during our first time and watched every table around us order the made to order kind. We still really enjoyed our sushi and tofu though and ended up coming a second time that week just so we could try the other tofu too! Both times we ate there, we left super satisfied and filled with yummy sushi and tofu goodness. This is one of those places I rave about to friends and recommend if they want a chill place for dinner.
This place is pretty fucking delicious.
Location: A great location in the Castro. Easily accessible for cars and for public transportation. Lot's to do around :).
Space: The space was ok. It was cute, yet with modern touches reminiscent of Japanese decor. It's pretty small inside and cozy.
Ambience: The people seem pretty nice inside. Pretty normal yet diverse crows.
Food/Drink: They make their own in house Tofu!!! Amazingly delcious. Their salmon, I hear, is also pretty amazing. All they need is some fancy drinks to top it off!
Service: Amazing service. They refill your tea after you take 2.5 sips...it's pretty amazin.
Overall: Please come here and try their in house home made tofu... specially on a cold day! There's nothing better.
I must disclaim that I've yet to try the oboro tofu [or any of their other tofu] and strawberry mochi, which are supposedly the hits of the place!
After a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I was really feening for the sea creatures. I'm horrible like that. We'd eaten lunch at Sea Harvest Fish Market in Monterey, but that just wasn't hitting the spot. We needed something raw, slimy and delicious!
Our original plans involved Sushi Zone [which I've not yet tried], but they are now closed on Sundays. Donna suggested Eiji, so that's where we headed. We found parking almost immediately; it was our lucky day. We were meant to have Eiji this evening. Without reservations, our wait in the early evening was about 15 minutes. If we'd known about making reservations, we certainly would have.
We started off with the ankimo [monkfish liver]. I ordered the Deluxe Sashimi - 13 pieces, six types of fish, so three pieces of one type of fish, and two pieces of everything else. Ryan ordered the Deluxe Sushi - 11 nigiri and a roll. Donna ordered the uni special and chirashi. Needless to say, we were all pretty stuffed and had no room for dessert afterwards. The fish was fresh and quite tasty, each piece of sashimi sliced to perfection. The fish on the nigiri were good, but not as delicious as the sashimi.
It was a pretty penny well spent. Saving the last star for the items yet to be tried!
I also like their logo.
I love Eiji. It is a very tiny but cozy, warm and traditional feel restaurant. The waitress was friendly and efficient. They re-filled our tea quite often!
Be sure to look at the white board for the daily specials. We did not notice that they have the daily special menu after we placed our order.....
The food was amazing here! Everything was so FRESH and YUMMY. We started off with their homemade tofu. It was their signature dish so we have to try it! Although I am not a fan of Tofu, I can tell this was the best tofu that I have ever had. The tofu was silky smooth, with excellent flavor. Definitely A MUST ITEM!
Then we have ordered the spicy Tuna Rolls, Sashimi Combo (13 pieces), Uni Nigiri Sushi, Toro Nigiri Sushi. The texture and taste of every piece of fish was very fresh and full of favor. The taste of Uni was so rich and sweet.
Remember to save room for dessert! Based on the reviews from the Yelpers, We have to try the mochi no matter what. The chestnut mochi was just OK and a little bit too sweet for me. However the strawberry mochi was AMAZING. The strawberry and the red bean were so perfect together. I LOVE IT!
***Make sure to make reservation EARLY because this is a TINY restaurant and the mochi dessert will be SOLD OUT quickly!
This place is tinnnyyyyy (I'd capitalize but that would make you think it's bigger than how teeny it is). No lie, I basically was the third-wheel on the date of the white guy who randomly spoke Chinese to impress his apparently non-Chinese speaking date. I tried to laugh at him subtly, but I'm sure he heard. More on them later though...Once you get used to the coziness of your surroundings, you'll find yourself transported into a very home-style Japanese setting. It was really nice to feel so comfortable in a restaurant given that it was cold as balls outside when we went.
Unfortunately, I didn't think the food lived up to the warm and fuzzy feeling I got from the environment. Here's the rundown:
-Gomane: Boiled spinach with sesame sauce. This was good, super freakin saucy though. Each portion I picked up had to be wiped on the side of the plate to balance out the flavors because that sweet sesame sauce is very sweet and very sesame-y and it comes with a shit-ton of it. Might as well have put peanut butter on it, no joke.
-Salmon Skin Salad: This was my favorite dish of the meal. The salmon was perfectly grilled, slightly crispy while almost raw in the middle. The daikon and other veggies that came with it were very fresh too, and complemented the roll perfectly. It also tasted even better when we combined it with the sesame sauce from the spinach. We don't let things go to waste nuh uhh..
-Oboro Tofu: Everyone jocks this stuff like no tomorrow. My friends, yelpers, Jesus, everyone and they mama likes it. I didn't get anything spectacular out of it. I'll admit, it was nice to have a warm, soft, mildly sweet/savory dish on such a cold night. It just wasn't out of this world, and maybe it's just cause I'm a barbaric happa but I didn't derive any homemade goodness out of the tofu. I'd call it a more savory Douhua (sweet Chinese Tofu) which I don't find to be all that mind-blowing since I've had it so much.
-Tuna Belly Steak: This was some good stuff right here. A straight up piece of tuna belly that was grilled to perfection and served with salad and a light soy dressing. I could've ordered a couple of these alone and been happy with the meal. The cut of the tuna, like pork belly, is extremely fatty and so it tastes infinitely better than normal tuna. It's almost like chicken thigh in texture and taste but has a distinct tuna flavor remaining. Damn I want more now...
-Cherry blossom mochi: GROSSSSSS. I hate to say it when the staff and people who made it are super nice Japanese people, it makes me feel like I'm killing a puppy. But I just did not feel this thing at all. It was almost like eating sand (taste-wise). Which brings me back to the interracial date I sat in on during dinner. They got seated after us but the stupid breezy immediately ordered the last fruckin strawberry mochi they had as the waitress walked over to us to take OUR ORDER NOT HERS!!! My friend and I hella mad-dogged her the rest of the night cause she stole what was ours =|. Good thing Mitchell's Ice Cream was close by cause that was probably so much better than that stupid strawberry mochi I never wanted to begin with....=\
Back to Eiji though...I wanted to like this place more after all the raves I'd heard from friends. It even did a good job with its quaint Japanese charm to get me prepared for a knockout good meal. In the end though, it didn't quite hit me as ZOMG good. The food just didn't do enough to make me think "dayummm I gotta come back here tomorrow." On the plus side, the service is typical Japanese friendly and clean, kinda like it's your own grandma taking care of you.
Delicious homemade tofu. Silky and fresh. The steamed one with savory sauce is kick ass.
The sushi is super tasty and fresh. We got the deluxe sushi and a rock and roll. Everything was great.
Service was ok, nothing spectacular, but ok. They stick to the rules about seating a party only when every one is present and have a credit card minimum per person. So don't get upset if your table is given away when one of your friends is late or if you try to charge less than $15 of your card.
Yummy!
This place is a big time winner. The food is incredible and unique, the place charming, and the prices super reasonable. win, win, win.
A few notes on the food. I'm not a vegetarian, and only kind of a fan of tofu, but I absolutely look forward to their tofu every time - especially the Oboru Tofu. If you haven't tried it, ORDER IT. Then their sushi is all really solidly good and well priced; nothing spectacular but exactly what you want and some of it surprisingly good. Best though are the specials. Whatever specials on the chalkboard catch your eye are worth ordering. I've had incredibly fresh and unique sushis, really delicious varieties of blackened fish steaks, and all manner of other things that have been exceptionally good, and again, totally reasonably priced.
The place is tiny, its cute, its comfortable and its friendly. I love it.
OMG OMG! Where has Eiji been all my life. Gem of a place. Please don't expect fancy frou frou digs, but do expect good traditional japanese food- fresh and full of flavour.
This place is tiny, so it's not a good place for large groups, at most, this whole place has a capacity of 25 folks. Make sure you make a reservation or just come in twos or ones. Watch out for the wasabi too, this is the strong stuff, nothing watered down. They even serve you 100% soy sauce (only brought out if you order the home made tofu (oboro) and whisked away promptly). Highlight of my dinner? This most marvelous mochi dessert- thin layer of fresh mochi skin, thin layer of red bean paste over a strawberry or chestnut or apparently whatever is in season. They won't serve you more than one per person too (rumour has it). Our group tried to order more and they said they were sold out (i have my suspicions!).
* so gooood
** OUT OF THIS WORLD- order two portions if they'll let you
This is what we had:
Spicy Tuna Roll
Uni Nigiri*
Abalone Nigiri
Oboro Tofu
Black Cod**
Okra Beef*
Ankimo
Hamachi Kama
Chirashi Bowl
Chestnut Mochi**
Strawberry Mochi**
There are few sushi bars that are open for lunch on the weekends and when me and my husband were hankering for some sushi for lunch we yelped sushi and got Eiji. The reviews seem promising so why not. It's soo cute inside and authentic Japanese which it's key for great sushi. We knew they were going to close in 45 minutes so we didn't linger long over the menu-just got the basic bento box- sushi, soup and cucumber salad. Delicious! And we also got the silken tofu which I loved. The service is great and the key to my heart is getting my tea filled before I ever finish it.
The people who gripe about their table being given away before all parties are there seems so irrational. People should respect those are the rules. If not all the people are there, they have a right to say no because who knows how long it's going to take for that person or persons to arrive- it could be 2 minutes could be 30 minutes. The restaurant is small already and they can't wait around for your party to get there. And it's mean to give a bad yelp just because your friends can't arrive on time. Just wanted to get that off my chest...
Eiji is great and I will definitely come back for dinner...
Eiji is not your typical sushi restaurant. Their sushi is good, but where they really shine are their Japanese specialty dishes.
I went with three friends, so we had an opportunity to try many different dishes. I'm an adventurous eater, so I was excited to see a handful of items I had never tried before.
Everything was impeccable! From the monkfish liver to the sea urchin, to the slimy mountain potato with fresh ahi... every dish was an experience. The house-made tofu and tamago are delicious and pleased the discerning vegetarian in our group.
If you go, be sure to save room for dessert. The strawberry mochi (a fresh strawberry with red bean paste wrapped in mochi) is delicious, as was the vanilla and green tea ice cream wrapped in cinnamonny mochi and drizzled with red bean sauce.
I can't wait to go back!
Had to get a sashimi fix tonight and decided to expand the ole' sushi-joint-horizons in the process.
Thank you yelp!
The boyfriend and I walked in to find an incredibly small (in the intimate cozy way versus the stuffed-in way) new sushi making home.
Was seated pretty much immediatley at two seats at their "bar".
Ordered:
- edamame
- hamachi (yellowtail tuna) sashimi (5 pieces)
- sake (salmon) sashimi (5) pieces
- order of amberjack nigiri (2 pieces)
- order of eel nigiri (2 pieces)
- spicy tuna roll
- strawberry mochi
All told with tip I think it put us back $50
The only bad thing was that there was some miscommunication and instead of amberjack we got hamachi nigiri (not that I was complaining!) but the boyfriend was a bit saddened.
The hamachi sashimi was solid. Not the best I've ever had but certainly good. Not fishy, not too cold (I hate hate hate when it comes out practically friggin frozen), and nicely sized.
The salmon sashimi really was quite delicious. Generous fat pieces that really had awesome flavor that just melted in your mouth. The texture was just right. It was, for lack of a better expression, simply luxurious.
That's all I ate but according to the boyfriend...
- the eel was "ok." Generous serving size and decent. Not the best, not the worst. Nothing to complain about for sure.
- Spicy tuna roll: decent but a little lacking on the tuna. Overall it had a "nice spice to it."
Oh and then there's the straweberry mochi... and you'd better believe I had my fair share of that! That my friends, is a must order! For sure! it had the most perfectly tart strawberry on the inside, surrounded by just a thin layer of red bean goodness and wrapped all up in a delicate mochi shell of wonder. Actually... shell is too sharp and shiny a word. It was more of a cushion of soft wonderful mochi. Yes, that's better.
All told I'll definitely go back. I wouldn't go raving about it but if you're looking for some good solid sashimi and some seriously tasty mochi, this is your place.
Decided to try this as a back up since we couldn't make Sushi Zone and it was a thumbs up!
The place is small and super cute. Make sure you read their menu above the bar area, my bf and I failed to notice that and ordered off the regular menu. We got the oboro tofu (recommended by the staff and uber delicious), spicy tuna roll (one of the least spicy spicy tuna rolls I've had), spicy poke roll (really awesome), marinated octopus salad (YUM!), salmon sashimi (more YUMMMM!)...maybe some more stuff I can't remember. Then we finally noticed the big board above the bar with special menu stuff and we got the tuna belly steak (DELICIOUS and I want more) and sardine nigiri (in season and was ok, I wasn't too fond of the ginger in it). Even though I'm not a fan of mochi, I had to try it. We got the chestnut one, and it was meh, just like mochi.
The waitstaff were nice and really good at recommending yummy stuff off their menu. They all had accents so it was pretty difficult for me to understand them- but it was cute.
I would absolutely and will go again!
I had the thickest cut of maguro sashimi and freshest since Tokyo. The Unagi is among the best I have had and the salmon row out of this world. I had the house made tofu which is lovly but enough for 4!
I will be back yum!
They have STRAWBERRY DAIFUKU and home made tofu!! Those are the two reasons why I LOVE this place! Just try it. You can thank me later.
I love Eiji! Its actually one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in the city. Well, not my favorite but [another] one of my favorites. I absolutely LOVE their food! Their fish is ALWAYS very fresh and their cooked food is just as good. I think their Negi-hama is the best I've had by far. If you know of another place (with good Negi-hama), holler at yo girl!
This place is very small, cozy and can get REALLY crowded after 6:30pm. So don't forget to make a reservation! We didn't have a reservation but we got there before 6pm. Luckily the place was still pretty empty and we were seated right away. So get there once they open or make a reservation! No joke.
We ordered their assorted sashimi (9 pieces for $13.75) http://www.yelp.com/bi..., Negi-hama ($4.25), Negi-toro, aji nigiri, cold tofu (around $5), unagi nigiri, strawberry daifuku, and purple sweet potato yokan. Our bill was around $50+. This place aint cheap. So expect to drop $50+ for 2 people. Don't forget to order from their special menu. They always have some interesting and yummy dishes on there.
You gotta order their tofu! Otherwise, what's the point of coming here?! That's what they're known for, ya know! I've been here several times. My bf and I usually order their oboro tofu. They make it when once you order it. Its sooo delicious! Its served hot and comes with several condiments (like ginger, sesame seeds, green onions, bonito flakes, etc) http://www.yelp.com/bi... We decided to order their cold tofu instead (since we've never tried it). It was just as good. The only difference: served cold with no condiments.
Did I mention they have strawberry daifuku? http://www.yelp.com/bi... Its my favorite!! If I could order 100 of those for myself, I WOULD!! If you like mochi, then you will LOVE this! I also ordered their purple sweet potato yokan. Its like a pudding topped with vanilla ice cream. Not a soft pudding but it had the texture of gritty jello (if that makes any sense). http://www.yelp.com/bi... I LOVE ube and taro but this dessert was just okay. (Paging Daniel L. You might like this dessert! heheh)
Can't wait to go back!
I wasn't really sure about ordering the Oboro tofu dish, but the taste was pleasantly surprising and the portions are quite filling. Over the last two visits, the sushi was decent though the quality isn't consistent from order to order. I enjoyed the amaebi and Spanish mackerel whereas the uni was so-so. As far as presentation goes, I like how the tamago is made into this cut-away box shape. (It reminds me off a miniature version of a contemporary art center.)
I'd like to go back and try more things from Eiji's hot side of the menu. Until then, I will have to go on wishing for a neighborhood restaurant like this one.
This place is fine for a neighborhood sushi place, but nothing amazing, especially for its price. Their fish is good, but not particularly fresh. 2 stars relative to other sushi places in the city.
Heads up, this place is tiny! We went here on a Tuesday night without a reservation, thinking we wouldn't need one on a Tuesday... Well, we waited about 15 minutes then were seated at our table, sandwiched between two other couples. If you're going to Eiji, please make sure you shower and smell good before you leave the house, because the seating arrangements here are up close and personal. This makes for awkward table conversation, as you don't really want to eavesdrop on your neighbors, and I certainly don't want strangers dropping in on my private dialogue.
My first experience here was soured by the company I was with, but luckily my second experience redeemed Eiji for me. Ben and I shared a pot of the oboro tofu, the signature dish at Eiji, which comes with a selection of condiments such as ginger, sesame seed, and green onion. I like to mix mine with soy sauce and sprinkle a bunch of the condiments on top. The tofu is piping hot, smooth and creamy, but you need the soy sauce to make it tasty. Ben ordered monkfish liver, which was like foie gras: delicious, but very rich, so rich he only ate half.
We were really hungry, so we ordered two plates of sushi rolls, one with salmon and avocado, and a California roll. The fish was fresh and succulent. We were too full for dessert, but by the time we finished our meal, they had already run out of the Mochi strawberry. Oh, well. Maybe we'll book a reservation next time and come early enough for the good dessert.
Tuna belly steak
Explosion of fabulous
My mouth yearns for more
Definitely one of the best sushi places I have been to! I went on a Tue night about 6, it started to get very busy by 7. There are only about 8 table in the restaurant, and 3 people working when I was there. The service was outstanding, I loved everything they recommended. We had the homemade tofu, an eggplant app (my favorite!), 4 rolls, 2 sashimi, a small dessert & 2 sakes - we paid about $125. This is about what I expected to pay, the food was much better than expected.
LOVE EIJI!!!!! wanted to keep this a secret, but apparently the secrets out the bag......definitely has a homey family restaurant in japan feel.
MUST HAVES:
- FRESH homemade tofu soup, with a lil plate of spices you can sprinkle your tofu soup with -- ginger, sesame seeds, green onions, (its been a long while, so don't remember the exact garnishes) .
- broiled miso black cod -- OMG to die for, soooooo tender it melts in your mouth & flavor bursts in your mouth
- strawberry daifuku mochi -- THE BEST!!!! huge, fresh strawberry covered with red bean & mochi.
sushi was simple, good & fresh, but no crazy specialty roll here.....
EDIT: after posting my previous review, I received a nasty message from them via Yelp. WTF. I didn't even give them a bad review. Well, now I am going to. The food is pretty good, but the customer service sucks. They are extremely rude and make you feel like eating there is an imposition. And flaming Yelpers for giving them a 3 star review? Entirely uncalled for. Will definitely not be going back now (which is too bad - I had previously intended to).
The ladies who run this place are like the Japanese versions of the soup nazi. After verifying that… Read more »
Uni is always standardized test for Japanese restaurants. Uni has to serve fresh. If it's not fresh, it has a really mushy texture and a very foul taste. Eiji definitely passed my standardized test. Since for a sushi restaurant, today special translates to "what is fresh for today", we ordered most of the nigiri from the today special menu. Aji, uni, and toro are excellent. Aji (spanish mackerel) can be very fishy but it's not fishy at all at Eiji.
Besides the fish, they have a signature tofu dish (oboro tofu) you should not miss. They make their tofu fresh from a clay pot. Eating it with sesame, green onion and soy sauce brings out the soy favor of tofu which is what tofu should be (not the square white tough crap you see in your tofu salad).
For the quality of food you get, I think the price is fair.
Overall, I will definitely visit this place again.
I came to Eiji with friends who live in the Castro. They'd mentioned some random small Japanese place that they first went to simply because there's a giant sign outside that says "TOFU."
I was a little skeptical, because I've never been a huge fan of tofu, but we got the oboro tofu at their recommendation. Despite my meat-loving tendencies, I have to admit, it was pretty awesome. It's super fresh (as in, it tastes freshly made... I don't mean to imply that it's "fly" all 90's style), and comes with an adorable little palette of garnishes that you can add. I'd definitely recommend it, especially to those tofu skeptics out there (like myself).
We also got the yosenabe (?), which is kind of like a seafood casserole (not Japanese! don't yell at me if that's entirely incorrect!). It was simple, but good and clean-tasting, and filling in that good way -- where you don't feel like a disgusting blob of fat afterward. And we of course ended with the strawberry mochi dessert that everyone else talked about. The strawberries were huge and really flavorful, and the red bean paste went really well with the other two flavors. And I'm not a fan of red bean paste either, so I was impressed.
I thought the place had a nice interior, though the tables were maybe a little close together. I don't know too much about it, but it felt pretty genuine (when we asked about the difference between tuna belly and toro, our waitress was Japanese enough that she had to ask the chef how to say it in English, which was super cute). Definitely get reservations -- we did, and I'm sure the experience was much more pleasant since we didn't have to huddle on their bench waiting for half an hour.
Finally got the chance to go back & everything was just as good as I remembered it!
TIP: Make reservations EARLY. We went at 8:15 pm and were a bit disappointed to discover that they were already sold out of the Strawberry Mochi and Special Miso.
Holy sh*t.
I've died and gone to sushi heaven.
Never before have I been to a place quite like Eiji,…
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This is a very good sushi place.
I ate sashimi sake, a small combo and their home made tofu.
I have had that before in London and in London it was made infront of you, they did not however make it this way, still it was a little bit of fantastic.
Sashimi sake was wonderful, very fresh.
Being Swedish makes me picky with my salmon.
The service was good, only problem I had was that I felt a bit stressed eating here, I know we arrived late but I do however feel that if you accept new costumers late you should have patience with them.
I will come back, for sure.
But earlier.
That night I also found a fantastic red chair to have with me all night, even at the bars, never worried about not getting a seat.
I live next-door to Eiji. My girlfriend and I made a spontaneous visit to try their tofu. We ordered it along with two maki rolls and a large sake. Total price $19.75, about $24 with tax and tip. Not too bad.
Minus 2 stars: Remarkably the waiter leaned in and told us there is a ten dollar minimum per customer. No other customers were seated. The place was empty! I've never been told there was a minimum per-person charge at an empty restaurant. Eiji sets an ugly precedent that I hope doesn't catch on.
Minus a further star: Vegetarian selection is poor. Sushi is Japanese for "vinegar rice," it need not be so seafood-heavy to please American bellies.
Super cute and super cozy. A delightful place to for a special date night. I had the chirashi...mmmm so fresh and delicious! The house-made tofu is amazing! Silky tofu in a savory broth. Can't wait to go back!
I've been to Eiji quite a few times, and I have to say that I've always found the service to be excellent, the food to be amazing, and the overall experience worth many return visits.
The homemade tofu is amazing as all hell - get it fresh! You won't regret it! Also, when they have special miso soup, I highly recommend getting it. (It's like a fish stew, which sounds weird, I guess, but it's so tasty! And I'm super weird about fishy soups!) The rolls are always great, but where Eiji shines the most is with the nigri and the sashimi! They always give you such a lovely, fresh cut! Yum!
Aside from that, the sake is always decent, and they'll actually give you a full pour, which is sweet, and as the coup de grace . . . proper homemade strawberry mochi? As in, NOT ice cream? Oh, I'm in heaven . . .
I am sad to write this review, but no matter how good the food is at a restaurant, if the service is poor, the whole experience stinks.
For most of 07 I ate at Eiji regularly - their sushi is, truly, divine. So I was kind of a regular there. And they are the only place I know of in SF that makes their own tofu fresh, daily. And the space is so small, intimate, and authentic - which I also loved.
So five stars for the food and the space.
BUT.
I traveled a lot in 08 and was there maybe two or three times, with no major problems to report. Since then, I have gone back twice in the past two months, to have seriously horrific experiences with seating, much like some other yelpers it seems.
My last experience was so appalling, it deserves a yelp.
8pm or so on a Wed, I walk in and ask to be seated, table for two (no reservations). My friend had dropped me off so that she could go park the car. There was one table open, and they pointed to the table and proceeded to clean the table for me. As I was waiting for them to set the table, two guys walked in and asked for a table for two (no res). The host/waiter guy looks at me and says, "sorry, i give table to them now, sorry." I was like, "WHAT?!?"
You must be joking.
One of the two guys looked at me, horrified, and said "I'm sorry, you were waiting for that table, weren't you?" His date, I think, who was obviously the local, self-absorbed guy, was ready to grab the table at all costs. But the nice guy looked at him and said "I don't think that's right, she was here and they were already getting the table ready for her - and her friend is just parking the car."
So the other guy finally convinces him to take the table, and the guy who was being so kind was clearly shocked that his date was willing to be such a creep. I told them my friend would be there any second, and he wanted to wait - but his date was being really pushy about it. And so he begrudgingly went to the table with him. And would you know, before they could put their butts on their chairs... my friend walked in. At that point, our wait would have been at least another 30 minutes.
I could tell by his body language that the guy learned a bit about his date's character. A handful of other patrons watched uncomfortably, and in shock, as it all went down. It's a small place, remember?
It was one of those things you just can't believe is happening. Had they not already "given" the table to me and begun to clean and set it, I'd have been fine to wait. I understand keeping tables covered. But that is so not what happened, and it was the biggest insult to any customer - loyal or first-time - they could have given.
They are no longer going to get my business no matter how damned good their sushi is.
Mmmmmmmm. Mmmmmmmmm mmmmm!
Cold shitty night in the Castro? Wander into this little spot, pull up a teeny little chair, and order a bowl of silken tofu. Plop in all the accoutrments, and voila! Delicious heart-warming fog-melting goodness; in the one spot I know to find it. A very special treat to accompany your favorite pile of sashimi!
Strawberry mochi! Yay,it is SO good, I wanted about a million of them! Also, the oboro tofu is really good, just make sure you have people to share it with because it's a lot of food! The rolls seemed so-so, and the restaurant is small, but it has a homey feel to it. What really got me though, was that the waitstaff just sort of stands there are stares at you. It made me feel self conscious, after all, I'm not 100% sure what the proper protocol for eating the oboro tofu is, and I'd hate to horrify anyone with my ignorance. Please stop looking at me!
Shiromaguro sashimi
Sake sashimi
Miso black cod
Hirame nigiri
Uni nigiri
Regular miso
2 large Asahi
$60
_________________
The standout was definitely the uni, which was enormous in its serving and sweet, buttery rich in its freshness. The black cod, always a favorite dish for me, could have been better had it been more thoroughly deboned. Sashimi pieces were generous and perfectly cut. Hirame nigiri was a bit chewy.
Cold sake list was hard to read from where Dave and I sat, so we just opted for what is simply listed as "Beer" on the menu, and turned out, fortunately, to be Asahi, not Natty Ice.
Let me put my snooty pants on. Yes I'm a snob when it comes to japanese food and sushi. Damn proud of it.
Everything about this place is simplistic and fresh (well except for the carpet). It's purist sushi. Simple and delicious.
I will return again to try to tofu.
Ok snooty pants off.
I really like tiny hole in the wall sushi joints.
Eiji is that for sure, and tasty too. I wasn't so into the strawberry mochi but I can see why it's a novelty. I think i have a aversion to bean paste...
Standard sushi, nice atmo!
Wow, this was some really amazing sushi. I looked on yelp just hoping to find a place that served sushi for lunch on a saturday. Instead, I found a place with a great selection of really fresh fish.
We tried all the fish from the specials board including pen shell, aji, amberjack, saltwater eel, shad, uni and a few others. I also tried one of the tofu dishes. All of the fish was fresh and outstanding. Would definitely go back. Highly recommended. (and the fresh strawberry mochi is as great as everyone says).
Happy Hour Draft Beer $1.75!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
99 cents beer & hot sake
Neighborhood: Excelsior
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: Sushi Bars
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