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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Nob Hill, Union Square"Loved this place. We called to make a reservation without knowing that it had changed ownership. We decided to give it a try, even though…" read more »
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The last few times I've been here, the service has been really, really slow. And I've been here during lunch peaks and slow periods. Either the food would take a really long time or the check would come to the table 15 or 20 minutes after we've finished eating. And it's never consistently been the same thing either. It would be one or the other (occasionally both).
One time they kept forgetting to bring tea after we'd asked repeatedly. Another time they didn't bring a salad for an item that the menu said came with a salad. I was so sure it would take forever coming out, I didn't bother mentioning it to the server.
They only ever seem to have two or three people working here at a time, and it honestly feels like they just have one server, and anyone else walking around is a food runner or a hostess.
I guess I really like that 3 item lunch bento, because I keep coming here despite the consistently slow service. The katsu curry is pretty good, and the chirashi is ~$13 and pretty filling.
Dinner is pretty pricey, so I would just recommend lunch.
I've never tried the sushi here, so I can't speak on its behalf (though there do seem to be TONS of… Read more »
We stopped in while walking down Powell for a roll or two and we were pleasantly surprised! We both got 1 roll and both rolls were very good. The bathroom was gross....but if you never entered the bathroom..you'd think this was a very nice place!
Good food, good service. I'd return...but probably not for a full sushi dinner.
i'd have to agree with the general opinion of this place.
i cam here for lunch with a few of my friends, and the place wasn't by any means busy, i mean it was pretty slow.
the woman who served us still managed to forget our teas, and my lunch. my whole lunch... she walked by several times, and there was nothing in front of me while everyone else had their boxed lunches (i ordered chirashi). she nodded and smiled at me making me feel as if it was on the way, as sometimes happens.
but eventually, i walked up to her and asked her about my food. she had obviously forgotten about it completely. i saw her walk to the chef to put in the order. by that time my friends were just about done, and their fish didn't look too appetizing (some parts were too tough to chew) so i just canceled my meal.
so this place was so bad, i didn't get to eat anything.
Sushi was delicious and the service was very sweet and fast. Cute crowd of people. Good for a quick meal but wouldn't recommend for an entire sushi dinner.
I used to come to this place all the time during my lunch breaks because I worked downtown. I loved it because it was the closest sushi place, for a decent price. My friend would order the veggie tempura with shrimp, I'd always go for the nigiri, and never had any issues with the food taking long or tasting odd.
The only thing I had issues with was the service. Although the servers are pretty nice, they took a long time to get our check so we could pay and get back to work on time. It ended up turning into a game, where my friend and I would stare at the waitress and give her the look (the "please come over and tend to me because I'm looking straight at you" look). I mean, nothing special, but I've seen sketchier sushi bars.
Terrible service.
Came here for diner one night with my bestie, we came in a little late but never have I been pushed out of a restaurant in this manner. In the middle of eating, we had the pleasure of seeing two trash cans pushed out through the isle right next to us. If that wasn't enough, the bill was forced on us while were still eating and then we were forced to sign because they needed to close the register. I could try to understand if we were the last ones there, but we weren't.
Food was enjoyable, although the miso was poor(hard thing to mess up in my opinion).
Bad service. They were out of 3 of the things we tried to order. Good rolls, though.
I went there with 5 other people on a Saturday night. The food was good but the service was extremely slow. There were two sushi chefs but they needed 3-4. There were 3 waitresses but needed a couple more. There were two people waiting for their to-go order and would have left had they not already paid. I was about to order dessert but did not dare to because I had been there for two hours already.
I only ordered a bento lunch box and was happy with it. It was under 10 bucks. It came with good miso soup, perfectly cooked rice, a salad with some really good dressing, great shrimp and veggie tempura, and a mediocre chicken teriyaki. The teriyaki sauce was really good, but the chicken just didnt have the best consistency.
I have not had their sushi.
I was attending a review class in the city one weekend and only had an hour for lunch. I decided to try this place since it was just right across the street. The food was flavorful and the portion wasn't bad either. For a very reasonable price, I was pleasantly satisfied. The only downside is the service - it's slow even when no one is inside.
You can tell a lot about a place by the way they serve and prepare their hamachi, this establishment isn't fantastic; but it certainly fairs better than others in the city.
The atmosphere is traditional, seating capacity is well thought out, and the chefs are friendly, but not exactly the type to do shots with you; so if you're looking for some excitment, then re-think going here.
What you will find here is well prepared food, a moderately priced menu, a wide selection and you're still a block from union square; which makes up for anything this place might have been lacking.
Location: 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Menu selection: 3.5 stars
Price: 2 stars
Last impression: 3.5 stars
Extremely dissatisfied. I went with a couple of girl friends here on a Wed afternoon for lunch. My friends ordered a couple sushi rolls, and I ordered a bento box. Pretty standard, in my opinion.
The first thing the server said was, " that's it?" I'm not joking, she thought we didn't order enough. And we told her yes, that was it. She wasn't finished. She told us we should order more because the portions are small. We said we'd take our chances. On came the food, and guess what? The portions were pretty decent, and we're not picky eaters either. Look, if we said it's enough, then it's enough.
She eyed us when we're about to pay, making sure we gave her enough tips, maybe.
A few weeks later, one of my friends went again with some of her friends. They ordered a bunch of rolls & bento boxes. It's a lot, more than enough for that many people. And still.... the server told her, in her "you're making a mistake for ordering too little 'cuz you're gonna leave the restaurant hungry & broke" tone that... guess what? she didn't order enough & she had to order more.
Look, if we say it's enough, then it's enough. If we think it's not enough, then we can order more. No such rules as you can only order once, right? So BACK OFF!!!
Their dishes are OK. I would've gone there again, but the servers are too annoying to deal with, so, no, I wouldn't come back.
Great quality, wide menu, fantastic decor and a decent price!
Portions are pretty small. I mean miso soup in Japanese resturants has got to be made in bulk. A half bowl to start foreshawdowed the rest of the meal.
Service and ambience was okay (cute random xmas lights everywhere), the waitresses are emotionless--its passing but you can def. find better in a place like San Francisco.
One Sunday evening, my bestest girlfriends and myself decided to have Sunday supper in the city! And what better way to have Sunday supper than to feast on sushi! Thank goodness for friends who love sushi as much as I do!
We began the night with a round of green tea (since the winter weather outside had given a couple of us the sniffles) and a bowl of edamame. We managed to finish 3 bowls of edamame by the end of the night...we eat that stuff like a fat kid eats cake...except its healthier!!
Anyways, we each ordered a roll (there were 5 of us) I ordered the Cherry Blossom roll and it was delicious! One of my friends ordered one of the special sushi rolls off of the board and another ordered the Kappa Roll...I'm unsure of the other rolls, but they were delicious.
Along with the rolls, we ordered salmon sashimi! Delicious!
Good place - right near Union Square - so if you're tired from shopping, walk up Powell and get yourself a table at Maru! Our bill was very reasonable and we were pleasantly stuffed!
Cheers!
Fresh fish, great location, decent if not slightly expensive prices, and friendly sushi chef's.
Their Live Scallop presentation is absolutely, melt-in-your-mouth goodness... and nothing like anything I've ever tasted. It's pricey but absolutely divine and worth the splurge.
Now that I have Maru on the brain, all I can think about is this:
http://prometheus.med....
(withouot the questionable & creepy dude hiding behind my make-believe lunch...)
So I came back with a buddy for dinner... maybe we were not sitting at the bar, the food was less impressive (or I was just drinking too much sake last time LOL) but still good.
Bay Scallop roll was spicy and the pieces were cut smaller but a good long roll. Spider roll and shrimp tempura roll were just okay. Finally tried the giant ball version of Green tea tempura ice-cream (they ran out of mango but still had red bean.) Their kitchen deep-fried "chef" must have been off that night 'cause every fried item seemed to be a bit under-fried and a bit soggy...
Since I had such great experience last time I will still go back and give it another chance. Besides, 3 rolls for like 32 bucks was a really really good deal!
Also, they seldom bring you the check unless you ask for it.
Wow what happened to all the bad reviews?!
So this looks like a tourist trap and definitely has…
Read more »
Decent sushi and sashimi, nothing I'd go way out of my way for but some tasty, solid choices for reasonable prices. We sampled the hamachi and salmon sashimi with a starter of edamame and a couple of rolls (california and spicy tuna.) Both were good, service was quick, and everything was fine.
Why I frequent Maru:
1.) Yummy rolls - love their spicy tuna and california roll, ooh, and their red devil roll (a special I believe).
2.) Good prices. Not THE cheapest around, but still pretty inexpensive.
3.) Close to my apartment.
Basically, Maru is a solid sushi place. No frills and sort of a silly interior (a little cheesy), but when I am in the mood for a few rolls for lunch or dinner, Maru always hits the spot.
Good sushi for a reasonable price. Service was excellent, very friendly staff. Had ikura, tako, toro & maguro.
I've used Yelp for a long time now to find great restaurants and avoid bad ones. This is the first time I've been driven to write one though. I don't want anyone to make the same mistake I did.
San Francisco is full of great Sushi places, Maru Sushi is not one of them. Avoid at all costs.
The service was remarkably bad. It took a long time to get a full set of drinks and chopsticks for everyone at the table and once the food came, one person's order was completely forgotten.
Food was middle of the road: A good selection of rolls. I was happy with my rainbow roll and tempura but the Oh Yes! roll wasn't as wonderful. One of the rolls must have been bad as I woke up with severe stomach pains and spent half my night in the bathroom. At least one other person in our group had a similar reaction. I know this is the risk you take with sushi, but I have a pretty tough stomach so I was really taken off guard.
Do yourself a favor and skip Maru Sushi. You've been warned.
I was drinking some haterade when I reviewed Maru last time. Mainly, I would like to apologize for hating on the main sushi chef before. My boyfriend and I went back to Maru tonight and he truly showed us a great evening.
The chirashi and Kappa roll (the cucumber one with sashimi) were more elegantly presented then any sushi restaurant that I've been to so far in the city. He was attentive, chatted with us and remembered us from before - including his skill, all qualities of a true sushi chef.
I eat here regularly because they serve sushi and sake and I'm easy to please. I loves me some… Read more »
Our visit was great. Nice, friendly service. Good Sushi at reasonable prices. We'll go back.
At 11 bucks for a three item Bento Box, which comes with salad and Miso soup, it's hard to go wrong.
I had chicken teriyaki, tempura and a spicy tuna roll and it was all fresh and tasty.
Nothing that stood out as fantastic, but definitely did the job and since it's one of the closest restaurants to Rug Jones, I will definitely be back.
The Lunch bento box is only $8.50 for 2 items plus miso and salad. Sadly it's only worth about $5.00. The place was empty, which should have been a clue to what was coming. Overall, the food was bland and artless. The sushi was not what I would call tasty. I always enjoy veggie rolls, but this one had funky pickled veggies that left a questionable after taste in your mouth when paired with tofu and avocado.
The Soda was flat and if you order anything with dressing or a sauce beware, it will come out drenched. No need to go back to this place there are many superior options.
Had the 2 item bento for lunch.
I selected yakiniku & tempura. Wakame.
The Wakame Salad was pretty good. It was the best part of lunch.
Miso soup lacked in flavor and... the miso soup came with a spoon, a clear indication of things to come.
Tempura was ok, I noticed only the shrimp was breaded in panko.
Yakiniku lacked in flavor, there was very little beef, mostly vegetables.
Probably not coming back.
I've eaten here twice, both times I got the Rib Eye Teriyaki and it was pretty good. My friend was happy with his sushi, I'll go back if I'm in the neighborhood, just blocks from Union Square.
I cannot blame Maru Sushi for opening up a sushi restaurant in America, brandishing its psuedu athentic Japanese sushi flair..Americans can and will, sadly, not understand real good sushi.
My mother and I (both immigrants from Japan) went here for a taste test because we had to order sushi for a New Year's Eve Party. I asked my mom why she chose this restaurant, replying that this American man who works at the same building recommended this restaurant.
I knew in that instant that I was on the road to an upset stomach and appetite.
The decour was EXTREMELY TACKY, UNAUTHENTIC, AND the workers behind the sushi bar were not only not Japanese, but had the worst "IRASHAIMASE" accent ever...please, don't even try to pronounce it because my mom and I started to laugh. Sushi is bland, portions too big, and MISO soup was in this oval shaped bowl with a SPOON. The restaurant is also owned by Koreans..very authentic.
People, I am sorry to burst your bubble but "dragon rolls", "california rolls" and all of these other "rolls" you people invent IS NOT SUSHI. You will NEVER find this in Japan..
All in all, my mother and I had the company pay for our over-priced and over-hyped dinner.
Then we went home for some GOOD, AUTHENTIC japanese cooking.
I am very disheartened that I have to take time out of a busy day to write this review.
This used to be my "neighborhood place", I've been going for about a year a few times a month. I usually went for lunch on weekends, as the prices for the same amount of food are a lot cheaper at lunchtime.
However, after the way I was treated there last night, I will NEVER eat at Maru Sushi again.
I was having a late dinner with my boyfriend. We ordered salad, tempura, vegetarian rolls of various sorts, and miso soup. The miso soup was cold - not just tepid, but cold. But the real problem was the sake. We ordered a bottle of hot sake to split. When I was almost finished with my second glass, I noticed a small insect in the glass.
I understand that restaurants, just like homes, sometimes get insects. This is the second time I have eaten there and gotten an insect in my sake. I have to wonder where they keep the sake jugs and glasses - I'm sure the health department would be just as interested.
The first time this happened, our meal was free and we received a personal apology. I believe it was still the Tempura House then.
I could not believe this had happened a second time. I immediately brought it to the server's attention and asked for our food to go. She did not offer to replace it, or to remove it or credit our bill. She simply took the glass away and proceeded to spend 5 minutes busing tables, and ignored our request for food to go.
I am not quick to anger, particularly given that this is one of my most visited and convenient places. I brought the fact that our requests were being ignored to the sushi chef's attention. The server was still busing tables and would not make eye contact with me.
There were by that time no other customers in the restaurant. They made no offer to credit or even provide us with the bill. They did not apologize or try to fix the situation in any manner.
It is my opinion that a sushi restaurant that cannot keep bugs out of the sake jars probably has more problems than just that. I didn't see what their inspection rating was because the certificate was not visible. Although I will not be returning there, this is serious enough that I believe the health department should be notified. This is a busy restaurant that is usually packed with both tourists and locals.
I have to wonder how many others got a side of insect with their sake. It felt to me like lightning striking twice. I am a believer in second and even third chances, but this is inexcusable.
Dear Maru Sushi: you have lost a good customer. Even though your food is overpriced and your service completely lackluster, I always tipped at least 15% and I enjoyed the majority of my experiences with you. I feel both personally slighted at the way I was treated upon the second bug incident and disappointed that any business would treat a customer as discourteously as you treated me.
Dear Yelpers: If you'd like overpriced average sushi prepared in what I strongly suspect is an unclean kitchen with insect infestation, this is your place. I am now taking applications for a new sushi restaurant in the lower Nob Hill area, so message me if you know of a good one where I won't find a bug in my sake.
Got the lunch bento box. It comes with miso, rice, salad; and I ordered the saba shioyaki and the california roll. Okay, the saba was way overcooked, tough, and a bad cut of the fish. Not fresh tasting at all. The calfornia roll was okay. The miso wasn't very good.
Mostly people who work close by dine here for lunch, it seems. The restaurant interior was kinda dingy, and it smelled kinda musty inside. I doubt I'll be back.
The dragon rolls were really good. The beef teriyaki tasted weird. Kinda like raw meat. It wasn't raw though, but yuck. The spicy tuna roll was yummy too.
The bathroom was not clean, there was water all over the floor. Just gross.
I didn't pay for the meal, so I'm not sure how much it came too.
I used to order the chicken teriyaki dinner, but no more.
First of all it's way overpriced... (Almost $15) and all you get is a small soup and a salad.
Second of all the chicken is kind of bland.
Third: Service is lackluster.
I guess it's ok for lunch when things are cheaper.
My g/f says the yaki soba is pretty good...
not the best sushi, but it really hit the spot after a day of flying and walking up hills.
atmosphere is nice, the staff friendly, and the music delightful--rolling stones followed by al green. not single songs, but whole albums.
This is decent enough. Decent enough for those wednesday nights when you are exhausted and just want some decent sushi so you're appetite can be decently satisfied. You can then get a decent nights sleep so you can get a decent amount of work done the next day.
like i said, its decent.
Update: went back and actually had sushi this time. Some nigiri, some rolls, and it ranged from ok to good. It also wasn't quite as expensive as I remembered; maybe they changed their menu?
I live two blocks from here, and used to come sometimes when it was still Tempura House. I went there tonight and ordered 2-item combo with beef teryaki and california roll. I was going to get some nigiri too, but after tasting the miso and teriyaki I decided not too. The teriyaki sauce was awful and the beef was overcooked. The staff were nice though, pretty fast too.. But $17 for that meal was bullshit. I won't be coming back.
This place is decent as my friend were actually trying to go to Akiko's sushi down the block but they were closed. This place was the next closest Japanese place and they had a lunch special, with 2 items for $8.50 and 3 for $10.50. There was one lady working as the greeter and waitress so it took a while to get our order though she was nice. Our "Romeo and Juliet" came and it tasted fine, but nothing spectacular. My friend and I both got the bento boxes and it came out like 20 minutes later but hers came first and then mine. Then there was a problem: mine wasn't mine. Apparently the lady gave me some guy's order and he got mine. I called her over after like 5minutes because she was in the kitchen and told her and she quickly switched it over. It bugged me because I waited for a while so if I was a bitch I could have easily picked at the food but I didn't. The guy just got it so I assumed he didn't touch it yet either. The food was alright but my beef Yakinkunu dish was really rubbery or hard to chew, but the sashimi wasn't bad though The lady was nice, but she gave us our bill twice when the bill was already on the table. It wasn't busy but her mind seemed pre-occupied. I might visit this place later on if I am craving for cheap Japanese food during lunch but otherwise I might go to some other places.
My wife and I stayed around the corner from this place on a recent trip from Chicago. I must say that I really enjoyed both the food and the decor. Yes its overly dramatic in its attempt at creating a Japanese atmosphere but I felt very comfortable. It did not seem like a tourist style theme restaurant.
The selection was fairly large and did contain many specialty rolls. Maybe I won't find rolls in Japan but I like them, as do many other, and these were very well prepared, fresh, and tasty. Nothing was overpowering. The staff was friendly and the price was reasonable. Maybe its not the best sushil available but it was pretty darn good.
when I'm downtown i try and stop here every time.
sushi is always good
not on the menu but the tuna tataki is amazing!
play the Beatles how could i not love it!
I've been here a few times for dinner and thought the food was ok...the rolls were decent but portion wasn't very big. Last night we went for dinner and the service was average...since this is pretty much the other semi decent Japanese restaurant in downtown I think I'll probably go back there again...
Sushi is one of the only things I can have every night of the week. I went to Maru sushi after trying Sushi Rika a block away the night before. A bit more expensive than Rika and no real difference in the quality of fish. I had the Crazy Roll (Tuna, Yellowtail and Salmon with Avocado) and the Sake Nigiri. It was a comfortable and rather mellow atmosphere but not sure I would go back.
Happy Hour Draft Beer $1.75!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
99 cents beer & hot sake
Neighborhood: Excelsior
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Japanese
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