Chika

Update: August 11th, 2006, is the last day of Chika in San Francisco. They will reopen sometime in September in San Mateo. Tonight was a great night, though my wonderful party of four had to wait 1.5 hours to get seated... and didn't leave until 1am. We toasted the awesome chef after an impeccable evening of conversation, laughter, great beer, and great food. A night to remember. Farewell to Chika, Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar. We'll make sure to drive to San Mateo for more.

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FRESH!

+the blue fin tuna was so white/greasy/scrumptuously good.
+they gave fresh wasabi the entire time
+the shiso leaf was fresh
+uni was the freshest i've ever had.... no aftertaste at all!
+hamachi kama, though overpriced, was really good!
+Sayuri ("Japan's Grace") sake is in a pink bottle... and good.
+tako (though I'm not a fan) was surprisingly not rubbery--in carpaccio style.... mmmm

I will not snub this place anymore...the best part was sharing that yummy dinner with Yelpers, Fong L and Chris B....mmmmhhhhmmmm. FRESH indeed!

I went back here last night... they should call this place... BUTTAH

Chika has moved/is moving to San Mateo :\
201 East 3rd Ave, San Mateo

man these guys were so awesome... kurobuta (black pig) tonkatsu was the best tonkatsu I've had in the whole bay. The sushi was all decently priced as well, with OO toro at only $4 per piece, if I remember right. that's a kickass price! The night Chika closed, it wasn't quite as white as I remember it being, but it was still good.

They also had a takosuu (vinegar and octopus) that was actually cured/marinated in vinegar instead of being fully cooked, and that was really quite awesome.

Maybe we went on an off night, but we were not all that impressed by Chika. The sushi was good, but nothing to really write home about - honestly I've had better aji and toro elsewhere (can't recall what other fish I ordered, perhaps it did not impress enough to stay in my mind). The prices and atmosphere were average.

I do like that they have onigiri and enjoyed those, wish more sushi restaurants offered rice balls (no place has come close to my favorite grilled ones from Robata in Mill Valley though; I miss those; my heart may be in SF but my balls are in MV).

Might give it a try again, but I have to admit there was nothing outstanding about the experience or the food compelling me to return.

NOTE: Looks like they might be moving, per their web site they are going to San Mateo in September, so do check before you go!

Since Grace M. aka Chiggins mentioned what yummy uni they had, I've been wanting give Chika a try, but I dallied for one thing or another, or was thwarted by crowds or MUNI. I came by the week before around 8pm and the place was packed! Too starved to wait, I trudged on to my usual Japanese restaurant in that 'hood, Koo, and had a great meal, as always.
Finally my curiousity truly peaked, I came in super early tonite, and the place was near empty. Yay for me and my tummy!
If you read some of my other reviews of sushi spots, you'll know I think of some as 'traditional' and others as 'nouveau', and I dig either style. Chika fits in the traditional category and it does so well and thoroughly! EXTENSIVE would be the word for their menu, from sobas/udons/onigiri, to nigiri/sashimi/specialty rolls, to grilled/fried dishes, and yet more misc sides and such.
Sushi being the standard by which I first review, I forgoed all else. No regrets (yet - continue to end), I was quite happy with the freshness of my nigiri picks, the hamachi this night being particularly melty-in-my-mouth. Also luuuved the Bakudan Handroll - uni, ikura & shiso leaves in a cone of seaweed - Grace was right, that's some kick-ass sea urchin.
As I savored my meal, thanking Grace in my head, that slut came strolling right up next to me! It was a pleasant visit right up until she dropped the bummer news - Chika is re-locating to San Mateo in August!
Now I regret having taken so long to try this place. Take your chance while you still can. :-(

This place transports me back to my times in Tokyo - warm, cozy, familiar, and excellent sushi and Japanese food that makes you want to linger. Said time in Tokyo has made me a sushi snob, and this place always delivers. Start with the saba shioyaki.

tiny place with a very warm feel to it. maybe six tables and six seats at the bar.

the food is awesome. the fish is amazingly fresh and crisp, and each piece of sushi you order just looks clean and tastes wonderful. great little place.

the portions are nice - the rolls especially. the price is up there, but when you have a try of the food, you understand why.

im taking my next date here. so expect me to stop by in about 6 months...

A lot of food-coma inducing dishes. Just the right amount to avoid being "sick-full." Merely satiated. Service is very good, and the food is even better. The sake list is also good for an establishment of this size. Chika is one of the restaurants which allows one the choice of never having to leave the Westside of the SFC.

this is a great little spot in the sunset. the fish was very fresh w/ the daily special (fatty tuna) being by far my favorite. I really like that you can get anything in sashimi, rather than nigiri form, yay to more fish and less rice. Sitting at the bar is a plus as you can not only see the sushi chef at work, but what I assume is the wife and daughter at work making really crispy tempura in the back. my sister enjoyed her non-sushi dinner and all in all we had a great experience, far better than our recent ones at Ebisu. Im giving this place five stars, BUT: do not think this is a destination restaurant, Im giving it five oppose to four because, relative to other sushi in the area, it truly is five star material. just dont go here expecting kiss or something.

when i try to conjure up the names of noteworthy sushi restaurants in the city, very few come up except for that of chika (and kabuto - which has slightly declined lately).
my standards are terribly high for sushi, but this quaint, small establishment always meets them. the sashimi is fresh, the rolls are cleanly packaged, manageable bundles of flavor that don't fall apart when on your chopsticks, and sometimes there are fun, creative specials on the menu -- berkshire pork belly, foie gras served with a kind of apple quince, etc. this is definitely not a tokyo go go type place that's all frills and no substance. everything is quality.
and if the food isn't up to par, at the very least you'll fall in love with the the small, charming family and attentive service. the chef, assumingly the patriarch of the family, is shy, kind, and obviously talented.
one of my favorites.