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Kiss Seafood
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Seafood Japanese, Sushi Bars, Seafood
1700 Laguna St(between Bush St & Sutter St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
Neighborhoods: Japantown, Lower Pac Heights, Pacific Heights
(415) 474-2866
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
392 reviews for Kiss Seafood
Review Highlights
"We had the chef special omakase and it was amazing."
(in 54 reviews)
"If you enjoy AMAZING sashimi, traditional Jap."
(in 130 reviews)
"The miso soup at the end was great."
(in 37 reviews)
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392 reviews in English
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Review from Jason B.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Sometimes raw tuna is just raw tuna, and some times it's a freakin' mouth adventure!
Had some awesome maguro here. Service was polite & speedy, which is everything you want. Had to wait for a table, but that's a good sign, right?
Go on off nights - Wednesdays - for a more relaxed atmosphere. -
Review from john-michael c.
Santa Clara, CA
1/17/2012
Merry Xmas to me!
And we ordered 3... count'em 3 Special Omakases!
As for this or that detail about them, well you've read it all before. And I have nothing to add to what's already been said to death.
Just be sure to get some sake to wash it down with. Anything that floats your boat!
;D
OAN - (on another note) - I wonder what arrangements need to be made to get that place under lock and key for a night. I mean, it's small and intimate enough and the prices cant be that outrageous. It would be dope for a gathering.. but alas that is another conversation for another time.
XD -
Review from Melody S.
San Mateo, CA
12/22/2011
It is a great place to have sushi although it only have 12 seats (5 at sushi bar & 3 tables for 8 people).
I ordered the Special omakase and chief's assorted sushi. For the special omakase, is recommended by most people, but is fantastic and worth it. The sashimi and sushi are great. But I highly recommended the hot dish in the fixed menu, you will be surprised when you tasted it, just can't be describe in words, should go try it! I love this restaurant, just make me think of Japan. -
Review from Rod S.
Danville, CA
2/8/2012
I reside in the East Bay where good sashimi has been a challenge. Sometimes, I just don't have the energy to drive to Tokyo Fish market and try to find a good piece of maguro/hamachi. Very small intimate bar with very little chance to walk-in on the weekends. Call ahead. Great service and very fresh. So ohshi it broke da mouth.
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Review from trustmeonthis t.
Alameda, CA
1/31/2012
YUMMY is all I have to say for this place. Not just great bang for your buck but the customer service is excellent. We have always had a great experience and great food when coming here. ENJOY
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Review from Emm C.
Manhattan, NY
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a small, 12-seater run by I wanna say a husband-and-wife who place the orders in Japanese. Everything from portions to the care in choosing plates to the mannerisms of this cute corner Japanese place. You need reservations bc it's so popular. Incredibly fresh seafood and authentic. We had Japanese businessmen sitting there getting a taste of home. Probably #2 of my favorite sushi places in california (LA included) and it's not #1 bc I can't eat here last-minute (i'm kinda spontaneous with my cravings). It's nice to see a successful mom-and-pop restaurant do so well! The ordering can be abrupt as mentioned but I think it was language barrier...we got omakase and I specified what I was allergic to. Agree with Toro that this is a quiet place, not good for groups. solid 5 stars.
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Review from Amanda G.
11/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hands down, Kiss Seafood fed me some of the best sushi I've had in my entire life - and I consider myself quite the sushi connoisseur at this point!
First and foremost, if you want to come here I REALLY recommend getting a reservation - the place only seats 12 (5 at the sushi bar, 7 in the restaurant), which makes walk-in reservations incredibly difficult.
Secondly, if you're a fan of sushi - you're in luck; Kiss Seafood has some of the freshest toro, maguro, hamachi and uni in the area. If you sit more on the "roll" side of the dining spectrum, you're basically SOL - so try some sushi, it's absolutely delicious! Though I had sushi a la cart, the special Omakase menu is quite popular (and filling), giving either 5 or 6 course meals to patrons, with several appetizers, soup and about 11 different types of sushi.
Last, but definitely not least, they have a great menu of Japanese beer - kanpai! -
Review from Will W.
Seattle, WA
12/30/2011
Best. Period.
PS: it might be the 1st time I've tasted the REAL wasabi.
PPS: try sit by the bar, watching the Chef working his magic is also truly enjoyable. -
Review from Julie O.
Fairfax, VA
11/10/2011
A great sushi place in...Japantown of all places?
Ordered the Special omakase and some baby abalone. It was fantastic and well worth it. I felt like I was in Japan: tiny restaurant, Japanese sushi chef and waitress, and FRESH fish.
However, if I were to go again, I might just stick with the sashimi and nigiri, since I prefer raw seafood.
And the surprise melon dessert...I don't think it was honeydew, but it was the best melon I've ever tasted. On second thought, it did taste a bit like honey... -
Review from Nicole H.
Brooklyn, NY
11/2/2011
I came here with my boyfriend on a weeknight, and was able to make a reservation 2 hours ahead of time. You MUST call ahead...there are only a few tables, and 5 seats at the bar. Very small, intimate setting; great for couples. The place is run by a super cute old Japanese couple. The chef is very precise, delicate with his fingers and the knife; it's mesmerizing just to watch.
We each ordered the Chef's Special Assorted Sushi Entree, Agedashi Tofu appetizer, and one Uni sushi. The assortment was varied, including octopus, squid and giant clam. It was probably the best, freshest sushi you're going to get in San Francisco. We're from New York City and have somewhat high standards, and this little place definitely was worth the price. This is a traditional, authentic gem in a sea of mediocre Asian restaurants. -
Review from Christine B.
Los Angeles, CA
10/30/2011
We live in LA and eat sushi once or twice a week.
My husband and I HANDS DOWN agreed that this was the best sushi we have ever eaten. Being married for 22 years ... we don't always see eye to eye ,,,, if you know what I mean.
Smooth, fresh, light, and very flavorful. The sushi just melts in your mouth.
I had Toro sushi, 20.00 for 2 pieces. Was it worth it? Yes.
However, the regular tuna was so amazing, so I would probably just order more tuna next time.
The service was wonderful and we felt very at home.
This restaurant is clean, tranquil, and you can carry on a conversation.
I believe the owners, husband and wife, are the only two working here as I didn't see any other servers.
Not easy to find.. because it is a tiny tiny place with just a small sign on the front door. I counted 5 tables total and 8 stools at the sushi bar.
We will definitely be back!
It's more expensive than the sushi we get in LA, but well worth the extra money. The quality of the fish is unlike anything we have ever experienced. -
Review from andrew w.
Oakland, CA
1/21/2012
I would not go back. The portions are very small, and not superior to several high end sushi I've had. I sat with my girlfriend next to the door into the kitchen, and my girlfriend happened to notice the woman washing the dishes was actually not using soap, but merely rinsing. She even questioned the woman about it, but she either did not understand or pretended not to understand. I looked in to confirm what my girlfriend saw, and frankly it was unsettling, The sushi is good, but not deserving of five stars. Regardless, the cleaning issues.....no way.
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Review from Meredith C.
San Francisco, CA
11/4/2011
Spectacular presentation, great service, and quality food and fresh ingredients - 'nuff said! Hats off to the husband and wife team who run this place.
We shared a Special Omakase Dinner, Special Sashimi Combination, Uni appetizer, and a couple of beers. They served a wide array of fresh sashimi - live octopus, squid, otoro, chutoro, wild salmon from alaska, the freshest uni, amberjack, hamachi, abalone, and maguro. We also had delicious cooked food as part of the omakase - the best chawanmushi, mushroom soup, and a 3 part starter with 1 dish that I could remember of persimmon/mayo salad.
It's on the pricer side, but you pay for what you get. I was at a perfect fullness - which I don't normally know what this feels like but it's great, in fact, TDF! -
Review from AkemiAi-love Is All C.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
great food! The specials are fantastic. Very fresh and inventive. Che's assortment is great!
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Review from Jill k.
Oakland, CA
9/10/2011
1. make a reservation (the restaurant has about 10 seats)
2. allow yourself 2 hours (you will need it to truly experience the meal)
3. get the omakase (because there really is no other way)
4. savor every morsel of fresh, melt-in-your-mouth seafood!Listed in: my favorite japanese…
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Review from Dennis P.
San Francisco, CA
9/14/2011
Simply the best sushi I ever had in San Francisco!
After 6 years of living in SF, I thought I had the best of the best sushi...from Koo to Sushi Zone, this place by far has exceeded my expectations when it comes to sushi. Although the portions are small and somewhat limited selection compares other sushi restaurant. I enjoyed and appreciated the quality and taste of each sashimi, sushi and dishes that the chef made. -
Review from Roy C.
San Francisco, CA
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Kiss Seafood is an incredible place for sushi and sashimi. In fact, I think it has the freshest sushi I've experienced in SF. It's a very small room that's hidden among residential buildings in Japantown. The place is owned and operated by a sweet, old Japanese couple.
I got the Special Omakase dinner for $68, which I should not have gotten. Reason is because other than the nigiri & sashimi, I wasn't that impressed by any of the other dishes (except for maybe the Chawan Mushi Savory Egg Custard).
Fact of the matter is, though, the sushi & sashimi is enough of a reason to come back. Even though the fish selection is very limited to your typical fish (salmon, tuna, toro, etc.), it really is as fresh as it gets outside of Japan. -
Review from Vickie Z.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2011
Regular Friday night, my husband and I decided to go for some sushi. We saw that the reviews for Kiss Seafood were pretty good so decided to try it out. We called at 5pm for a 6pm reservation (we were really lucky to get a reservation for the same day plus we were 15 minutes late). We were seated as soon as we got there. The service was very good and the food came VERY fast. My husband and I both ordered the "Special Omakase" with green tea and Senshin Sake 24$/glass. The Special Omakase is composed of 6 courses and the portions were just about perfect! My favourite part was the Savory egg custard-it was DELICIOUS (I wish I could have it everyday)!
Everything was great!
If it was not for the price, I would definitely go everyday to Kiss Seafood! -
Review from Tracy R.
Visalia, CA
12/22/2011
This is a very traditional Japanese restaurant. You can tell the chef takes pride in his craft. The fixed menu was fun. But you'll either love or hate the fixed menu. The part I enjoyed, I thoroughly love. The sushi nigiri was very delicious. As for the place itself, it is very intimate with very limited seating. If you like quiet, intimate restaurants, then this is your place.
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Review from Caroline B.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/23/2011
If you like very good sushi like you want to feel like you are actually in Japan, this place is on par with some of the better you get there.
I eat here at least once a week, I have eaten at just about all the good sushi restaurants in San Francisco (apart from Kappa), it is always perfect, always consistent and without doubt still the best you will get in San Francisco.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/2/2010
I eat good Japanese food a few times a week and I am going to make a list of my favorite and Kiss… Read more »
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Review from Celeste F.
Rohnert Park, CA
1/19/2012
We used to live in Japan, and have looked high and low for authentic high quality Japanese food. We finally found it here. Order the chef's choice (the most expensive one). They just bring you out whatever he makes, and it's AMAZING. It was like 10 courses. Don't diss the chef by not trying something, or saying it's gross. The couple next to us did that, and it was so rude. I said "thank you for the meal" in Japanese, and they gave us free desert. :)
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Review from tipp v.
San Francisco, CA
8/11/2011
What can I say? Oh, I know...over rated. This place isn't bad. Fresh food and very traditional. Cute and cozy little spot however, my expectations were definitely higher due to all the rave reviews. So here are the breakdowns:
Food quality: 4- fresh and 2thumbs up for the chef's sushi rice.
Variety: 2- felt like a lot of the items were very similar. We sat at the bar and told the chef to make us his best and show us what he got expecting something extraordinary and off the menu but that didn't happen (maybe we've just been spoiled by our usual Japanese restaurant that set the bar pretty high).
Service: 3- both the chef and waitress were very nice. Very soft spoken, very traditional but it makes it hard to hear.
Overall experience was just ok. Would not go out of my way to revisit.
Note: make sure to call for a reservation due to the size of the place. Not good for kids or big party. -
Review from Emily T.
7/18/2011
Same day reservation at 7:30 on a Saturday night at the sushi bar.
We ordered the regular omakase and it was worth every penny of our $180 bill. We also ordered a large beer and 2 cold sakes shots to get the full dining experience. Our sushi chef was also sipping on beer behind the bar! Doesn't get more authentic than that!
The plate of delicately prepared sashimi will be forever remembered by my palate. I have never tasted such amazingly fresh and sweet fish/seafood. The wasabi root was freshly ground with just the right amount of spicyness. Everything came together so perfectly, i was speechless.
Come here, close your eyes and open your mouth. You will have a mouthgasm, guaranteed. -
Review from Lady L.
San Francisco, CA
11/23/2011
I've tried to go here before, but could never get a reservation. I now know why. It only seats around 15 people. My fiance and I got the Chef Special Omakase because of the many reviews. It was the most authentic Japanese food I've had. Next time, however, I think i'll just have the sashimi and the sushi. the red snapper was out of this world, as was the giant clam. Everything was good, though, and a delight.
Ive eaten at a lot of sushi restaurants in my day, and this one made me feel like I was traveling to Japan. Very different from anywhere I have dined.
The husband and wife are both very kind. If you really, really, really enjoy all types of sushi then I suggest you try this out. It's the real, legit thing. I dont think they have rolls or anything... -
Review from Janelle K.
San Francisco, CA
5/16/2011 2 photos
One of my absolute favorite restaurants! Amazing authentic and beautiful Japanese dishes.
Being 100% Japanese and having looked for restaurants similar to the Japanese food in Japan, this one is it! I brought my 90 year old Japanese grandparents here and they said it was the best meal of their life. They were in heaven during the entire meal.
Shame on all you Yelpers who complain about the hostess and say she is rude. She speaks little English and runs this small restaurant with her husband. Kiss is for people who value food as an experience. It is not for impatient, in-a-rush diners looking for a quick Japanese meal.
I always get the Omakase and it's amazing each time. The quality of their sashimi is top notch - always super fresh and delicate. The nigiri is small and bite size, just as it is in Japan. The food is perfectly prepared and presented in tiny beautiful dishes - again, just like Japan.
Kiss is a true treat! -
Review from Cherylynn N.
San Francisco, CA
4/25/2011 8 photos
OMAKASE - I entrust you...
Initially, my friend and I wanted to go to the Michelin rated Wakuriya (San Mateo) but we were having difficulty securing a reservation so Kiss Seafood became our alternate. Reservations are a MUST at KS (14 person capacity); we watched at least 5 groups get turned away at the door.
On Thursday, 4/21/11, we came to KS for our 6 PM reservations (2- month wait) and were promptly seated.
KS has a regular menu with various nigiri, sashimi and traditional Japanese dishes. You will not find sushi rolls or bento boxes on the menu.
At a purist Japanese restaurant, Omakase is the ONLY way to go. It's a multi-course chef choice meal which includes the highest quality fish the restaurant currently has in stock. KS has two types of Omakase, Regular ($50) and Special ($68); most of the dishes were similar except for some dishes. For example, the "Special" Omakase had crab versus clams in course #3.
S P E C I A L O M A K A S E:
Due to the language barrier, I couldn't understand our waitress, so I didn't get the full names of all our dishes and/or what they were comprised of (not listed on menu).
*COMPLIMENTARY SARDINE NOODLE SALAD
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The sardines were intertwined with al-dente cellophane noodles; it had the perfect balance of salty, savory and sweet.
*OMAKASE COURSE #1 - TRIO OF SALADS
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1. Sesame Spinach Salad: Slightly bitter spinach combined with a thick, nutty sesame paste.
2. Octopus Salad: Soft, tender slices of octopus with a touch of ponzu sauce, highlighting the natural sweetness of the octopus.
3. Eggplant Salad: Soft pieces of eggplant marinating in a sweet and tangy vinaigrette.
*OMAKASE COURSE #2 - ASSORTED SASHIMI w/ Fresh Wasabi
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There were 7 kinds of sashimi: tai snapper, surf clam, amber jack, mackerel, toro, yellowtail and one other . Each with its own distinctive flavor and texture, the sashimi was like taking a bite from the fresh ocean sea; it was amazingly fresh, sweet and melted like butter on my palate. The fresh wasabi added an ever so light spicy tingle to my nose which quickly dissipated, allowing me to savor each fresh, butteryness slice. The sashimi slices were more like "bites" though; approximately 1/3 the size of the normal sashimi slices you would get at other restaurants.
*OMAKASE COURSE #3 - DUNGENESS CRAB w/ Daikon
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The crab leg was tender and sweet; with the sweetness highlighted by the savory dashi broth. The daikon was simmered to a soft tenderness.
*OMAKASE COURSE #4 - EGG CUSTARD w/ Dry Scallop in a Dashi Broth
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The custard was like silken tofu, soft and delicate. The dashi broth was sweet and savory which brought out the natural sweetness of the scallop. The dry scallop was a bit stringy and chewy so I would have preferred the soft texture of a fresh scallop instead.
*OMAKASE COURSE #5 - ASSORTED NIGIRI
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There were 5 kinds of nigiri, but I could only understand the waitress saying salmon and maguro tuna.
THE BEST NIGIRI I'VE EVER HAD! The fish was delicate and had a rich and creamy texture. It paired perfectly with the vinegared rice that was al-dente, yet soft with a subtle sweet tanginess. It's best that you eat the nigiri without any soy sauce so you can taste the fish in its purest form.
*OMAKASE COURSE #6 - MUSHROOM MISO SOUP
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The miso soup had a depth of salty, savory, sweet and nutty flavors with an earthiness from the soft, tender mushrooms.
*COMPLIMENTARY DESSERT - HONEYDEW
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Our meal ended with a refreshing, succulently sweet slice of honeydew.
KS was my 3rd Omakase experience; my 1st Omakase was at Koo, run by the former Chef at Sushi Ran and my 2nd was at Morimoto in NYC. Having been blown away by both Omakase experiences and coming in with high expectations with the 4.5 overall Yelp rating, I left a little disappointed.
Although each Omakase course was expertly prepared and simplistic enough to let the ingredients shine in its unadulterated form, other than the sashimi and nigiri I wasn't thoroughly impressed. I felt the majority of the $68 went to the sashimi and nigiri and the other dishes were just fillers. It doesn't help that we left hungry either. But, then again it's hard to compete with a former Chef from one of the top five Bay Area Zagat rated restaurants and an Iron Chef.Listed in: Give it to me RAW!
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Review from Pam K.
Orange, CA
Well well well....what's the word?
LOST! lost absolutely lost for words!
This place was definitely amazing, I can't even begin to express.
Try the omakase and make sure you make a reservation! You get either 5 or 6 plates of the chefs specials of the night. Absolutely amazing. The place is super super tiny and you might get turned down If the place is booked. I sat at the bar enjoying my fabulous food while watching one customer after another being turned down cuz the place was booked till 8 pm. So walking in isn't always a good idea. It's small as in 20 seats small.
It gets expensive but WORTH EVERY PENNY.
Go! Just do it. -
Review from Nhung T.
Oakland, CA
5/3/2011
This was a mom and pops restaurant, very small but cozy. I believe reservation was a must! We both ended up ordering the Omakase, which came with many different unique Japanese cuisine. I can't quite remember the exact names of the dishes, but do recall all the fishes being so fresh. The chef was so meticulous in plating the dishes.
Funniest thing, I actually though the appetizer was really good. I enjoyed the mushroom/tofu soup, crab dish, etc.
Overall, it was a great experience. -
Review from David A.
2/20/2011
This is not a place that one normally walks into by accident. Tiny (3 small tables and 5 seats at the sushi bar), this immaculate restaurant on a residential street is unmarked on the outside.
We, however, did just walk in and were happy to land a table since whoever had originally reserved it failed to show. Should you want to eat here (which you will after you finish reading this review) definitely make a rez instead of relying on yours truly's approach.
Kiss appears to be owned by a couple, the wife serves while the husband cooks, and both bicker with one another in a cute type of way. They keep the place spotless - so well lit and clean that while not romantic, one feels at least near certain not to get food poisoning.
By design the dIshes are small but excellent.
I have strict dietary habits which were completely adhered to with a smile.
All of that for under $50 per person excluding alcohol. Such a steal, I wanted to "kiss" the owners. -
Review from Nicole L.
San Francisco, CA
9/5/2011
Came here for the "special omakase" to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday but felt a little let down. I had high expectations, but I guess you can't expect that much when your prix-fixe meal runs less than $100. Most of the dishes were cooked and were quite simple, like charamushi or a clam soup. We only had 2 sashimi courses, and while they displayed quite a wide variety, they didn't taste good enough to surmount the general lackluster meal itself. Some pieces even looked hacked, despite how professional the sushi chef worked, swiftly moving as if in a mating dance with his food. I loved the hamachi--it really was superb--but I only had an itty sampling of it. The other sashimi were OKAY, nothing special; I appreciated the use of toro, but feel that for the omakase to be called "special," he could have done something a little unique with the sashimi given the homey ordinariness of other courses.
In addition, this place isn't really for any celebration. It's so tiny and the chef keeps his eye on each person, so no conversation goes unheard by the entire room (same goes for your bathroom visit).
If you are looking to have sashimi, I recommend either ordering a la carte or going somewhere else. If I ever come back, I'd probably only order the hamachi. -
Review from Cathy L.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2011
Kiss Seafood is a hard place to rate. The quality is top notch - 5 stars for the freshness and curation of all fish - I had clam and scallop here which is so hard to find truly fresh and yet here was wonderful.
However...I wish I could actually *choose* specific sashimi and sushi. I want sea urchin! Albacore! Roe! Monkfish liver! Yellowtail! Mackerel! But everything's chef's choice.
Other non-sushi dishes are light and healthy. -
Review from Krista C.
1/12/2011
If you are a sushi purist and enjoy the taste of high quality fish that is fresh and difficult to come by, then you will love this place. If you prefer your raw fish hidden underneath mounds of rice and mayonnaise, and ordered off a menu that contains two pages of rolls with quirky names--then you would probably come here and become irate at the fact they will not prepare your "Happy Happy Ringworm Roll".
I must disagree with a lot of people who say this restaurant is expensive, because at $68 for the 8 course omakase with the high quality ingredients you are getting, I would say it is quite average. I remember enjoying everything that came out to our table. It felt like an endless succession prepared with love by the chef.
We were given soup with enoki mushrooms halfway through our meal and it was very good. My one concern was that it was much too hot and I burned a bit of my tongue. This means I was not able to enjoy the rest of the dishes as much as I could.
You must make a reservation since the place is very small and seats a mere 12 or so people. We saw them turn at least 3 couples away who had no reservations. -
Review from Love O.
Albright, WV
3/18/2011 8 photos
Sorry to note but the service ruined EVERYTHING.
Do not get me wrong: The food is one of few fresh, authentic
Japanese that no other restaurants can provide in the city,
besides Sebo, Kappa, and Zone.
The old lady, waitress was plain rude and unprofessional.
Again, I feel very sorry for the chef (perhaps, her husband)...
The price is reasonable for the quality.
With her attitude, I will definitely NOT go back again unless
they change the waitress to someone else. -
Review from Stacy T.
Elmhurst, NY
2/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a tiny place that was converted probably converted from a residential space. The restaurant totes three two seaters and a sushi bar with space for 5. It is also a husband and wife duo. both speak English enough to get by.
We had the special omakase dinner ($68):
1st course - salmon roe: these balls were really hard, not too salty, and had a ton of fresh flavor, it tasted more like miso than the traditional salty roe you find at cheap sushi places; tofu with watercress: this was definitely the least salty dish in this trio, although it was not as vibrant in flavor, it helped balance the rest of the dishes, the tofu was blended so that it was more of a dressing to the watercress; eggplant in ponzu sauce: the eggplant was soft, but nothing special
2nd course - sashimi - tai snapper (soft and chewy), orange clam (very fresh and firm), toro (melts in your mouth like it should), baby striped bass (something new for me, it had a lot of defining texture), spanish mackeral (had a very different texture to it, it was so fresh that it tasted slightly cooked).
3rd course - local dungenness crab was paired with a rolled piece of kelp and stewed radish. The soup that accompanied the crab was delicious, it was a little salty, a little sweet and a little citrusy. The crab was very soft and cooked just right. Be prepared to dig that juicy meat out of the shell.
4th course - sushi - Sorry, for the life of me, I cannot remember the exact pieces of this dish, except I know it included salmon. Overall, the pieces were fresh. However, the rice was a tad bit on the hard side for me.
5th course - miso soup with mushrooms and scallions: this was a great finished. The broth was very clean and was definitely made in house - it was clear and did not have any powder on the bottom (yey)! The mushrooms on top were small and made the soup very relaxing. They don't give you a spoon, just drink out of the bowl.
Overall, this place is a very comforting, classy, and authentic Japanese establishment. If I were to go back, I would probably only order sushi pieces. I would rather eat everything raw =).Listed in: Sushi - The Good, The Bad, and…
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Review from Katie S.
San Francisco, CA
2/18/2011
My already high bar for sushi has been raised yet another notch after my experience at Kiss Seafood. For the first time in my life, I finally gave in and did the omakase as I had read reviews that this is the way to go at this place. Though omakase is generally a decent value and offers a unique assortment of dishes - my goal had never previously been to spend over $50 on food alone at a sushi restaurant. For Kiss Seafood, I made an exception, convincing myself that I deserved it (and little did I know when I made the reservation 3 weeks ahead of time, after the week that I had just experienced - I truly did deserve it - all $86 of it).
I thought to myself - I've become an adventurous eater - omakase will be fine - I love sushi! My attitude quickly changed once I was given the first house appetizer (I'm not sure if this was officially a part of the omakase or not). Sitting in front of me were a bunch of baby sardines mixed in with - I can't even remember what. They were a bit intimidating, but I took the plunge and determined that they were alright. And I ate my way through the small portion - shoveling only a couple of the larger sardines onto my boyfriends plate.
The next course continued to scare me a bit - sitting in the middle of the three appetizer tastes was octopus - not my favorite protein. However, after my first bite, everything started to look up. This octopus that I was slightly afraid of strangely resembled barbecue pork. It was so tender and so delicious. Also on the plate was eggplant and a tofu/baby shrimp dish - but surprisingly, the octopus was the star. My fears for the rest of the meal were wiped away.
When the sashimi arrived, I was more in my element. The portion was very generous, I felt like I could have just had that for a meal and been satisfied. But it was so fresh, it was gone before I knew it.
Then onto the dungeness crab with broth and rolled kelp - solid dish.
And if that wasn't enough - sushi then graced my presence. Sitting in front of me was six or seven beautiful pieces of fish, sitting delicately on top of rice. I spotted the toro and decided that would be last ("save the best for last!") But to my surprise, the baby striped bass was the star (though toro was so incredible I can't downplay it at all). And I enjoyed the mackeral - a variety I'm usually not a fan of.
Legit homemade miso soup with mushrooms and then honeydew that was incredibly juicy (where did it come from this time of year) rounded out the meal and I left the restaurant full and incredible impressed with my first omakase experience.
The fish was out of this world fresh and the whole personalized experience in the tiny restaurant was very memorable.
I'm glad I thought ahead (3 weeks) and made a reservation at the sushi bar - there are only 5 seats there and two or three other tables in the restaurant....so plan ahead, and plan on becoming just a bit more of a sushi snob after you leave. -
Review from Betty and Mike C.
San Francisco, CA
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
I took the hubby here for his birthday dinner because sushi is his favorite cuisine and we heard so many things about Kiss. I made reservations a few weeks in advance (the restaurant is teeny tiny about 1.5 blocks away from the Japan Town Center) and we had 2 seats reserved for us at the bar.
Pros:
*good service, we liked the hubby/wife team
*quality of the presentation-the sushi chef was meticulous in his preparation. each dish and each piece of fish was cut and crafted like origami and he would present each dish to us and use his chopsticks as a pointer to inform us what we were about to consume.
Cons:
*we ordered the omakase special which was the more expensive of the omakase and I wasn't a fan of all the cuts of fish. In the chef's defense though, I'm not a fan of certain textures and smells so maybe omakase was not the best option for me.
All in all, I think the hubs enjoyed the dining experience. Our total came to a little under $200 including tax and tip and one large beer.
If I were to come again, I definitely wouldn't order the omakase again but would be interested in ordering nigiri and sashimi off the menu. However, since almost everyone ordered the omakase, I wonder if it would even be worth it to come here and not order that... -
Review from Rachel R.
I would have to say while the fish quality was very good and tasty, this did not live up to a 4.5 on Yelp.
I knew this place was expensive but I didn't expect it to be so expensive while having such tiny portions (sashimi were slivers). My friend and I liked the food we got but we dropped $45 each and only felt like it was a warm up snack.
*Make sure to ask for the sushi menu!*
They probably won't tell you about this otherwise....Listed in: Sushi reviews
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Review from Fontane M.
Davis, CA
3/15/2011
My favorite Japanese restaurant! I was first introduced to Kiss by my Japanese friend, who felt that Kiss was one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants she's been to (yet with a slight French flair).
Definitely go for the omakase - you won't be disappointed! Make sure you call ahead to get a reservation - they don't take walk-ins, and they only do 2-3 rounds of seating a night. -
Review from Denise L.
San Francisco, CA
4/21/2011
First time ordering omakase so went all out and got the omakase special. The sashimi melted in my mouth. So that's what maguro is supposed to taste like...
It was about a 2 hour dining experience that consisted of numerous small dishes freshly made to order from the chef. I don't care if you've eaten at Ozumo or Tsunami or any other trendy, higher end contemporary Japanese restaurant in SF... If you want truly, TRULY fresh fish, come here. The true star of omakase should be the raw fish, unmasked by heavy sauces or embellishments. Their sashimi is on par with Hama-ko in Cole Valley, although they do slice their fish into slightly smaller pieces. Both places are solid venues to experience fish at its finest. One thing I would have to note is that the egg custard dish underneath the soup was different/interesting. Conceptually, it was amazing - however, it was slightly bland and needed some salt. If you plan on coming to Kiss, definitely make reservations because the dining room only fits 3 small tables and about 4-5 seats at the sushi bar. -
Review from Craig B.
San Diego, CA
2/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Easy 5-star for me. I love the intimate, traditional feel of this sushi place. Having it run by just the husband and wife, who go to the market at 9am every other day and prep the whole day, is really impressive and appreciated.
We had the chef special omakase and it was amazing. I'm not going to even try to remember everything we got... there was way too much food and too much sake involved. Highlights for me were the octopus which almost tasted like pork, uni which I hadn't had before but loved, and the toro which melted in your mouth.
The venue is small and the place is popular so be sure to make a reservation well in advance. Go in, order the omakase, and let them take care of the rest.
