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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Pacific Heights, JapantownTue-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
"I've been eating at this place for years and it's the best damn down home Japanese food around!! And the last time I checked, I went there…" read more »
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Kiss Seafood held the title of "The Best Sushi Chris Has Ever Experienced" for one short week. It momentarily changed my life. That was of course until I reached L.A. and met SugarFISH. More about that some other time.
For now I will tell you about how great "The Second Best Sushi Chris Has Ever Experienced" was. The evening here started previously at Bus Stop. More about that some other time as well. I defer a lot don't I?
When Mark and I exited the taxi with Mark nearly leaving half of his head behind from smashing it into the door, we had a moment where we struggled to find Kiss. This is what four big old JD and Cokes can do for you on an empty stomach.
Eventually we just decided to walk into a middle-aged Japanese couple's front room. Imagine our surprise that this was actually the restaurant. Four small tables and a sushi bar. Glad we booked. We were however dressed like yobs... really should have made more effort with the "shirt and hair".
So, after very little deliberation, we went for the Omakase menu. A $68 bargain. Every piece was heavenly. Oh and two bottles of warm Sake. I can't remember which one we went for, which is a shame, but the Sake erased that part of my memory. Strange paradox huh?
Absolutely delicious~!!
The boyfriend took me here for my birthday dinner a few months back. I'd seen this restaurant numerous times when searching for Japanese restaurants in the City, so I was pleasantly surprised to be taken here. The ambiance~ very cozy with about 4 tables and 4 spots at the bar. Looked like husband and wife ran the place. This place is Japanese owned!! We dined here on a random Wednesday night at 8PM, and we saw 3 groups get turned away since they were walk ins. Like most high end spots in Japan, they only have "x" number of meals they prepare for dinner service so reservations ONLY here.
The OMAKASE is the way to go, even though they do have an a la carte menu. Leave it to the chef here to serve you traditional Japanese dish after dish that makes you thank the heavens you lived another day. The sake selection was great as well.
Masta~~ tottemo oishikatta desu. Mata kondo ikuno o tanoshimini shitemasu!! Gochisousamadeshita.
Super cute, very small place. It is not a cheap date but it is sooo good. don't expect to get out for less than $100 for a couple. The place seats like 5 at the bar and has only three additional tables. it's right off Fillmore and a stone's throw to Japan Town. It's one of my favorite spots and the quality of the food is unbelieveable.
The husband chef and wife hostess/waitress is a very personal combo and you do get the feeling that you are the only customer they are serving. I have been going for the past year and will keep on going for the unusual combinations and personalized service. the price keeps me from making it a weekly jaunt.
If you're the kind of person that likes to try a lot of different things this is your place. I'm a sucker for Chef's tasting menus. The problem with that is nine times out of ten it really isn't worth it. Usually it is overpriced and/or it is just a random selection from the menu but in smaller portions.
At Kiss I found my experience much different. They had two separate tasting menus $50 and $67. Both prices are reasonable considering the quality and what you might spend at other places for a 6 course meal. The courses were a combination of soups, salads, sashimi and other unique fish.
I wen there on a night were it wasn't too crowded but I suggest a reservation since there are only about 15 seats in the whole restaurant.
The food was exquisite, the atmosphere intimate, and the overall experience...Zen. The chef is meticulous in every detail from the quality of the food, to the preparation, to the presentation. It feels like you are in his kitchen and he's cooking specifically for you. Can't get better than this.
I came here last night with my boyfriend and we were the only walk in taken through out the night. It surprised me how many times the owner had turned down the other walk ins without any difficulty and I was grateful that I came early to catch the only open table without reservations.
We both had the $68 pre fix menu and it was so well executed that I could not stop smiling throughout the entire hour and a half we were there. My partner and I are both chefs in the restaurant business and we easily said that the chef really does take care of his food. The great thing about a twelve seat restaurant is that they really do pay attention to the detail and the quality of their products and by sitting at the sushi bar and watching every meticulous stroke he made with his knife truly showed his art. The hamachi kama was no doubt the best I have ever tried.
I cannot stress enough the quality of their sashimi here. The toro was unexplainable. My hats off to the purveyors who work with Kiss.
Bring someone special here and be prepared for the check. But it will be worth it.
Date & Time: Wednesday August 26, 2009 @ 7pm
Company: Michael
Crowd: Sushi Aficionados
Atmosphere: Serene
Music: Classical, Swing & Big Band
Decor: Understated Intimate Spot. Sushi Bar Seats Cinq. Trois Tables for Deux Trois
Service: Sweet & Polite Older Japanese Couple
Imbibe: Hot Sake
Devour: Meticulously Prepared Omakase w/ Toro $68 Per Person w/ Two Servings of Each Course. See Photos. Amuse Bouche: Ground Soy Beans & Vegetables. 1. Slow Poached Octopus, Marinated Dikon & Fried Cauliflower 2. 8 Kinds of Obscure Sashimi 3. Hamachi & Radish in Broth 4. Chawan Mushi- Savory Egg Custard 5. 5 Kinds of Obscure Nigiri 6. Mushroom Soup. Dessert: Honey Dew
Total: $159.87
Went there on a Saturday night. A very tiny and clean restaurant. Service was okay and the food was just so so and nothing special. The 4 of us all had the special Omakase and here's what we had:
- First course; saute cauliflower with mountain potato (yamaimo), white baby radishes with dried scallops, braised octopus. Uninteresting.
- 2nd course, a plate of sashimi with 8 or 9 different kinds of fish, each piece was no bigger than the size of a quarter. Served with fresh wasabi.
- 3rd course, steamed fish cake with daikon radish in dashi broth. The fish cake was good and the broth was very flavorful.
- 4th course, 5 or 6 different types of nigiri, one piece each, with fresh wasabi.
- 5th course, steamed egg custard with fish, gingko nuts, lotus root seeds (I think). The fish was overcooked and very fishy. No one liked it.
- Mushroom soup. It had a very smoky aroma and the broth was great.
The overall experience was okay, but definitely not worth the price. $68 per person before tax and tip, corkage for wine was $20 per bottle. There are plenty of restaurants in the city that serve good sushi. We wouldn't go back again, even if they charge half as much.
Danger danger will robinson! This place is just around the corner from our place. Went there for my bday. Amazing omakase. The Japanese mom and pop who run it (she takes the orders and serves, he does the cooking and all the fish) are darling. 5 seats at the sushi bar, and 3 small tables. Several people walked in and were turned away because they didn't have reservations. I've definitely had better actual sushi rice, but everything was so lovely and the omakase was a delight that it still gets 5 stars.
Excellent. Be warned this is not your typical sushi or Japanese meal. There are no volcano or spicy tuna rolls to be found here. It was an excellent meal and should be described as Japanese cuisine not as sushi. Don't get me wrong the toro was unbelievable and the Uni had absolutely nothing in common with what you usually get. They claimed it had been flown in from Japan that day!
It is a very intimate setting with only 12 seats and you are served by the husband and wife who own the restaurant. Definitely give this a try but be prepared for a unique experience! Try the omakase. Be brave and experience some new foods. Try some sushi that does not include krab or spicy mayo.
After reading their GREAT reviews here, I had to try it out.
My friends and I were so impressed by the food, we definitely plan on coming back again. Everything tasted fresh, the atmosphere was pretty nice and the wait staff was very friendly.
I recommend this place to anyone!
The best sushi I ever had was at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. It was one of those tiny sushi bars where the fishermen were eating at 4 am after getting off their shifts. Every piece of sushi was a zillion times tastier than any fish I'd ever eaten in my life.
Now, I won't go so far as to say that Kiss Seafood is at that level, but it truly is the best sushi experience you can have in San Francisco. Authentically Japanese, freshest fish, superb cooked dishes (chawanmushi is sooo good), fresh grated wasabi, fancy grade soy sauce, crisp and clean environment.
And, I love the sushi chef/owner. He makes these endearing "whooshing" sounds as he slices away and drinks beer from a tiny shot glass. He's so adorable I want to pick him up and put him in my pocket!
If you think sushi sucks in SF, you must-try Kiss!
It was a special experience to dine here. We sat at the bar and watched the chef' prepare our dishes with talent and care. His creation of nigiri sushi lined up before us was a delight to the eyes. I enjoyed watching him, a one man show, very orderly, stirring soup in a pot on the stove and then turning to delicately slice up raw fish.
However, not a spot to go if you are starving. The menu selections are limited and pricey. The pieces are artful, but not generous. We also had a couple bottles of chilled sake, which were on the pricey end as well.
Had a great dinner here with a friend of mine. We had the $50 omakase menu (six courses this evening) plus three a la carte appetizers. If you are looking for a huge meal or America-style Japanese food (e.g., spider rolls), then this is not the place for you. This is a place for you to experience the chef's creations one small dish at a time. I especially enjoyed the Spicy Caulifower with Yamaimo, and then the Maguro (tuna) no Teppou-Ae. The meal was completed with a Chawan-mushi and dessert.
Reservations are certainly recommended as there are only 12 seats in this restaurant, 5 at the sushi bar, and 7 at the tables. Although small, but it is not crowded by any means. Would definitely come back again.
Coming to this restaurant was a real treat for me. My boyfriend took me here at the end of my birthday celebration and it really was so nice to bring me back to my roots. I have gotten miso and donburi at home, and I've gotten very accustomed to sushi (nigiri, sashimi, etc) at restaurants. However, I have never been to a restaurant like this, that offers traditional Japanese food.
My boyfriend and I each got the 6-course meal, and I was forewarned that the reviews said that you only get a "kiss" of food and to not be prepared to be full. However, personally, I felt like this was just the right amount of food for me. Additionally, the ambience is supposedly not lively, but I felt very tranquil, peaceful, and relaxed when I sat down here. One problem, though, was that we opted to sit at the bar so that we could watch the chef cook, and a drunk guy wandered in and ordered several orders of sake and food and started harrassing us as well as the couple on the other side of him. He was a friendly drunk, but again, this is not that type of place where you wander in trashed or get trashed. I feel like it is disrespectful. But so I digress. The service was also very respectul, polite, and friendly.
Now on to the food: we got a mini appetizer of what edamame/noodle/bamboo/miso paste which was not part of the 6-course. We also got a platter of sashimi, a trio of pickled turnip/scallop + braised cauliflower dizzled with mountain potato stickiness, a soup with the LIGHTEST egg custard in the world on the bottom, a platter of nigiri sushi, fishcake + radish + clam with both, and miso soup with lots of goodies inside. The food was all BEAUTIFULLY presented, and everything was very subtlely flavored, yet scrumptious. I felt very satiated yet not heavy, and was extremely happy with my meal.
Afterwards, we got to walk around Japantown. I highly recommend this restaurant, but do keep in mind, maybe for a special occassion (pricey), don't go to get trashed or be trashed (you'll ruin it for other customers, this is a quiet restaurant for 12 people. LITERALLY 12 chairs are available and that is all that will fit), make reservations ahead of time! Enjoy.
This fine dining establishment is small yet elegant. It only seats about 12 guests and it's interior is brilliantly designed. The graceful greeting in the beginning from the hostess and the Chef, sets your mood and anticipation perfectly.
We each ordered the omakase's. Each dish that arrived was a small work of art. The intervals between the dishes were filled with curiousity. Everything was exquisite and delicious.
If you love Sushi, you will definitely have a greater appreciation for the cuisine after leaving KISS.
One of the best traditional sushi/sashimi places in the city. The place is tiny, I think it holds 10 or 12 people max. Gotta go with the omakase menu and let the chef pick for you. The service was great and they were super sweet. Just don't expect to go in and order sparkling water or wine or crazy rolls.. very simple menu.
The fish was very fresh and they had a more interesting selection than your average place in the city. Everything we tried was delicious from the sashimi to the nigiri to the Japanese vegetables that i can't pronounce, the fish cakes, the octopus, the warm egg custard hamachi concoction... I also ordered the Uni. He had two types - the regular and the Japanese sea urchin. Ordered the Japanese one and it was phenomenal... one of the best I've had in the city. Sea Urchin and Giant Clam are the hardest to get right in my opinion so if I enjoy those two at a place, I'm definitely coming back. Loved the intimate small setting and food. Just be prepared for the bill. Even without booze it was not cheap!
For someone that doesn't eat sushi very often, and doesn't have a massive amount of money prob don't want to go here. Also, if you are used to crazy tempura the is flying out of your tokoyo style roll, please keep away... however, if you are looking for very traditional, very fresh sushi this is great place...
Ordered the chef's choice and everything we had was great, but it isn't going to fill up a texas sized hunger...
Wow, all I can say is wow. The fish was sublime! The toro sashimi served was the best fish I have ever eaten in my life. It melted in my mouth in a way that is indescribable. The Uni was also a superb bite of deep fresh ocean. I could eat these all day long. Sadly the fish pieces were very small and very expensive. We also enjoyed some wonderful soy marinated tuna sushi, velvety salmon, giant clam and many others. The cooked dish were excellent as well. We had the fish collar which was fantastic and a smoky miso soup that was also dynamite.
This place is small and stark. The walls were white, no decorations and the minimal amount of tables clear of extraneous items. The food is delicate and the fish can be eaten in one simple bite. The cost is high and portions small so eat slowly and enjoy each luxurious bite.
Great restaurant, real treat, I'm glad I've experienced it, good selection of sushi plates, nicely served.
My gf took me there for my birthday after we saw such good reviews from yelp.
Since there's no sign that say the place is KISS seafood or even a restaurant, the place is not easy to find, so make sure you remember the exact address before you go.
I went with the "special" omakase menu and my gf had the omakase menu.
The differences between the "special" and non special doesn't seem to be that great or significant other than you get a few small pieces of toro in the sashimi course.
Overall service is good, food is good, but wasn't as awesome as some seem to think. The sashimi and sushi was definitely top notch, as the fish taste very fresh.
I feel the price is a bit steep for the omakase menu, and I probably will only go for the sashimi and nigiri if I ever go back.
OK so.... I am going to give it to you straight- really good quality fish, kind of lackluster ambiance. The place is the size of a sardine can with white/blank walls, a kitchen the same size as mine, a disproportionately enormous bathroom and a tiny little sushi bar. I would say that this place can fit 15 max. The sushi chef seemed very adept- lots of fish, not a lot of rice, tiny drops of wasabi between the two. I had belly of the yellowtail, toro, tuna, halibut, ungagi and I think a few more. It was all very good but seemed to take forever because it is 1 waitress and 1 chef. Oh and you absolutely need reservations b/c its soo itty bitty. I will prob return b/c i heart yellowtail and toro and they were super good.
Admittedly, I had no idea what good sushi tastes like.
But as soon as I ventured into the chef's special Omakase course, I realized that true sushi serves a much higher purpose than just taste.
The textures invoke thought and memories that truly transcend time and space. I literally felt like I was on some magic spaceship bus and I was in the front seat with my hot date serving as my translator.
It all started with the slow cooked octopus that could beat bacon in taste and texture in a single round ending in a TKO. Can there be anything truly better than bacon? Yes, it was this octopus tasting.
The sashimi and nigiri tasting came and by then the bus had stopped off at a creamery and some weird place I don't know how to describe. You know that first time you have an orgasm and didn't know what the hell it was? Yeah, well almost. Almost.
Finally, the magic choo choo bus took me home to a warm place during a cold evening by the time the red bean based soup came out.
I felt like I relived my entire life span in a single evening. You have to reserve a space on the bus or you won't get a seat at this max 10 people restaurant.
My friends and I went there for friend's farewell dinner. I have heard of this restaurant many many times for its good reputation and $$$$$.
We ordered Omakase Course (course menu by chef)
OH MY GOD I think this is the BEST BEST REAL Japanese food I ever had since I moved to the States.
This restaurant is certainly not easy to find, even though it's on a corner. It blends nicely into an apartment building. The first thing you notice once you find it is that it's super small. I believe that it can fit a maximum of 12 people at once. It's certainly an intimate setting, and I liked the music they played (reminded me of Sergio Mendes).
Anyways, my friend and I both got the (regular) Omakase dinner, with 5 courses for $50. The appetizer salad was pretty good; refreshing and flavorful. There was also some sort that of cooked fish that was decent.
Next there was a sashimi plate with 7 kinds of fish. I thought that the Saba was the best I've had, but for the most part I wasn't blown away, and fresh fish is supposed to be the main feature here.
Next we had a mushroom soup which was awesome; very light yet flavorful. You can see the chef cooking stuff right there on the stove after you order, which certainly adds to that intimate setting.
After the mushroom soup we got 4 types of nigiri. This dish was the easiest to compare to other sushi restaurants, and I was somewhat disappointed. None of the fish was bad, but none of it was amazing, which is sort of what I expected given the price and hype.
The fifth course was another type of soup, this time some sort of miso soup (also with mushrooms) that was good, although a bit on the salty side for my tastes. To finish off the meal, they brought out honeydew melon, which was a nice touch.
They have a fairly extensive sake list, I chose one at random and enjoyed it.
Overall, I thought this place was decent. I liked the mushroom soup and the unique atmosphere, but the raw fish didn't stand out to me. There also didn't seem to be any ordering sashimi / nigiri one at a time, which seemed a bit odd. Maybe you just have to ask?
I'd be willing to try it again sometime, but I was hoping for more from Kiss.
I was debating whether or not to yelp this place because I know as soon as more and more people find out about Kiss, I'll soon have to reserve a table months in advance to dine here again.
But this place was OMG AWESOME, that I just have to.
Looking for a different Japanese restaurant to try out than the usual places that my boyfriend and I hit in San Francisco, I jumped on Yelp and came across reviews for Kiss. We figured, why not?
Because we were in town on a Thursday night, we were able to easily get a table when I called for a reservation. We heard this place was small, but when we got there, boy was this place small! The whole entire restaurant literally sits only a maximum of 12 people and is run by only two people, I believe a husband and wife operation.
We decided to try the Special Omasake dinner, and wow, we were blown away with every dish the chef created for us. Everything was so delicious and the sashimi were all so fresh, they literally melted in your mouth. The chef is truly an artist. It is such a joy to watch him in the kitchen as well - I must've sat there at times just staring at him as he danced around preparing dishes.
Definitely one of the best traditional and authentic, yet creative, Japanese restaurants we've ever dined at.
If you're looking for a traditional sushi restaurant with plenty of rolls, this is not the right place for you. However, if you are adventurous, love seafood and can appreciate a great omakase meal, this is a must-try! The restaurant is tiny so make sure you have a reservation before coming in.
A visiting friend from NY treated me to the omakase dinner here and, man, I have to say it was good, REAL good.
If you blink, you'll miss the entrance to this place, which is at the corner of a newly constructed condo building. There isn't much in terms of signage, and there are really only three tables inside, along with the sushi bar.
If you're looking for an intimate dinner in a quiet, tucked away place, this is your spot. Nothing fancy, just a man and his wife quietly creating amazing food for your enjoyment.
There do seem to be quite a few people who know of this legendary place, and the restaurant fills up within minutes so make a rsvp.
The courses were good: some more than others (*ahem* as in I can cook and recognize some of the courses).
Order the Chefs special Omakase menu which is truly original and has superb progression. You can tell that the couple who owns and operates this gem, do it for the love. The presentation of every dish was clean, beautiful with no frills. Truly one of my most memorable dining experiences.
Wowza!
This review is in part on behalf of my mom, who is from Japan, and swears that Kiss has the best Japanese food in North America.
I have to agree. The food is intricate, unique, and unlike anything else in the city. I've had both the Chef's Omakase as well as the sushi and highly recommend both. I love the Omakase because it is interesting and shows what high end Japanese food is like, but the sushi and sashimi are also fantastic. Don't expect frou frou rolls here, this place is serious about fish. On that note, they can recommend anything that is especially good or in season, which is a good opportunity to try some amazing and often unique fish.
Couple things you should know before you go: The atmosphere is small, almost like being in someone's kitchen, so not for the roudy crowds. Similarly, probably not the best place to go to get wasted before a big night out. Also, as you can imagine with 2 people running a small restaurant, reservations are usually required and also are not super flexible, they have 2 seatings a night I believe. Lastly, the place is definitely an authentic Japanese restaurant, not the sushi-centric places that are more common in the US, so don't go in expecting to order a Caterpillar roll.
Best Japanese food in North America, count it!
Such attentive, personalized service and very authentic. We had delicious fish - ngiri and a spicy tuna roll - here last Friday night. All the ngiri was selected by the chef, and it was fantastic quality. The pieces were a bit on the smaller side, but the fish was so tasty, it was worth it. Also, very yummy sake.
The only thing I was very surprised about (not in a bad way) was how small the restaurant was - only 2 tables and the sushi bar, but it did make for great service. Also, I wasn't expecting the somewhat "set" sushi menu - a selection of 8 or so ngiri and a roll of the chef's choice (spicy tuna that night), and so while fun to be spontaneous, I sort of wanted more options to decide from. I think there was a separate ngiri menu if you asked for it. I didn't see a lot of unique rolls (or any, really, for that matter), so if you're looking for rolls, I'd inquire if they have any when making a reservation. My guess is that they specialize more in sashimi and ngiri, so it's more on the "authentic" style than (I'm guessing) the more American-style roll (though I've never been to Japan, so maybe rolls are authentic, after all).
I guess I just felt a little out of my comfort zone here not knowing how everything worked, and being surprised to not have the standard ngiri menu presented at the beginning, and not seeing any fun, unique rolls. That said, it was fantastic sushi, great fish quality, and very friendly, attentive, authentic service, so no complaints.
So I'm not a sushi snob by any means. I usually go for the fun and tasty rolls and stay away from sashimi when I go to restaurants. I came here with a date on Wednesday and we each got the $50 Omakase menu and I have never enjoyed sushi more. We were the only two in the restaurant and sat at the bar and watched the chef labor over each plate he created for us.
Little fish masterpieces is all I can say.
Best keep sushi secret in San Francisco. This place is SOOOOO small and so intimate. Nearly impossible to find. Getting here is an adventure all in itself. If you're lucky enough to get in you have to go all out.
Order the Omakase special. It comes with so many courses and it's all delish.You get to watch the chef make his art as you wait. I love eating sushi here because even though I feel like I ate a ton of different things I never feel like I'm stuffed and going to explode.
This place is horrible. Way way rediculously overpriced and portions are sooo tiny. Who do they think they are feeding? birds? I wanted some uni and they didnt even have any. Ok I went ahead and ordered the omakese dinner special just like what most people recommended. The portions are so small I would not even consider this to be an apppetizer. For 2 people I spent over $200 and was so hungry afterwards I had to run to izumiya inside jtown. Now that was a lot better place. The only good things was the sake but I can get that anywhere else.
Please dont come here if you are hungry. You can get a lot better choices out there. And why do they need reservations? I will not be back thats for sure. This is F'ing Bullshit
A buddy of mine was up in the Bay area for work last week, and we usually go grab sushi from various places. We tried Kiss and I have to say, I was pretty excited when I read the reviews on it.
First thing, it is very small, probably sits between 10 and 14 people max. Also you're most likely going to have to have reservations because of the size of the place, so plan ahead and make some reservations.
Now onto the food. we both order a beer, ( I think one had Kirin and the other had an Asami ), and we both ordered the Omakase Special ( basically the chef's special). We've been to other sushi restaurants all over and have found if you get the chef to make you whatever they feel like, its usually a good experience with a wide variety of items.
So, the Omakase special came with 6 course, ( I think, or it may have been 7 ), and yes they were all good. The issue my friend and I had is 3 of those specials were soup, and the sushi part of it was very small. At the end of the meal it came to be about $90 a person, which I wouldn't have minded, except I was still pretty hungry after that. It just seemed like a lot for what we actually got.
Don't get me wrong, the sushi that I did get was very good, and was a very good quality. I would definitely try the place again, but probably would get individual pieces of sushi, or maybe try another meal on the menu.
Pros :
1) Our waitress ( I think she owns the place with her husband, the cook ) was very very nice to us. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, she was extremely polite and very helpful on any question we asked of her.
2) The sushi was very good, great quality, and the meal over all was a very pleasant experience.
Cons:
1) Not sure if its a con, but yeah it is hard to find, the address is on the door, but unless you are in front of it, you don't really know that its a restaurant inside
2) I know its San Fran, but our meal just seemed very expensive for what we got.
Over all its worth trying, very pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff, and I probably would have rated it 5 stars, except I just feel I didn't get anywhere near my moneys worth.
My friend and I each got the $68 omakase and it was amazing. It was a six course meal and what makes Kiss's omakase great is that it is a combination of cooked, sashimi and sushi dishes instead of just one category of food.
The meal started with a trio of appetizers. A stewed octapus in a soy dashi was incredibly tender and the broth unxuous and sweet. The other notable appetizer was a mixture of spinich, baby shrimp all tied together by a soft mixture of tofu. The texture was silky smooth with a very subtle flavor.
Next was an assortment of seven different types of sashimi: giant clam, raw octopus, red snapper, amberjack, melt in your mouth tender toro, and two other less memorable fish. This was followed up by a braised daikon in a soy dashi accented with pan seared fish cakes.
A nigiri platter followed with six different types of fish. The highlight was Alaskan coho salmon which was extremely rich and flavorful. The meal ended with a red miso soup with several types of mushrooms.
Come on-time because if you're ordering the Omakase, you need 1 1/2-2 hours & that's when they book the next reservation. Only seats about 12 people. The fish was very fresh & everything was delicate- extremely eloquent pieces of art. I wanted to try the steamed uni appetizer but that's not one of the dishes they gave with the Omakase. Cute, friendly older Japanese couple owners. Traditional, expensive, good to try once.
From what I hear, the sushi is great here!!
However, I have never been able to eat at Kiss. When I first moved to San Francisco, I saw this cute little sushi restaurant on the corner and was so excited. It was literally a walk, skip and a jump to my apartment. My first neighborhood place! This is going to be great...I thought.
Then one night I walked in and asked for a seat for one. I motioned that I would sit at the sushi counter. The place wasn't crowded, but I was trying to be considerate and didn't want to take up a table for two.
The response I received was a head shake no. So I said I'll sit at a table. It's fine. The response was another head shake noooo...
Then the waitress said..."no more."
It was shocking to me. I have never been denied service at a restaurant before. Perhaps they ran out of sushi (doubtful but possible,) perhaps they wanted to close really early, perhaps there was a language barrier and they couldn't explain I needed a reservation, or perhaps they just didn't want to serve me.
I felt ridiculous as I stood there in this very small restaurant while the handful of other customers stared at me as I slowly realized that I wasn't going to be eating there. It was a really embarassing moment.
I may have felt better if something else was said beside a headshake and a "no more." But there wasn't. I have never been back.
The first time I came to Kiss, I sat at the bar and ordered sushi. The second time, I ordered the special omakase. Both experiences were good, but I would recommend the omakase. The omakase included some cooked octopus, steamed egg custard, sashi and nigiri. Everything was well presented and well prepared.
Ideal for a third date.. great intimate setting.
Super fresh fish in a super small location. NOT good for first dates, but for a bromance or with anyone who appreciates simply great fish this is a good choice. Spent $120 all in for what felt like a lot less than you'd get at even a nice place like Tsunami. While the food was great, I can't rave about this place like everyone else because of the silent vibe and prices.
Happy Hour Draft Beer $1.75!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
99 cents beer & hot sake
Neighborhood: Excelsior
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Japanese
SF has great seafood and these are some of my…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
"A beauty is a woman you notice; A charmer is one…
spare no expense dinner spots for that special…
tonkatsu, udon, soba, okonomiyaki (when I can find…
Yah. I really, really like sushi. So, this is…
