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Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Vegan Japanese, Sushi Bars, Vegan [Edit]
2154 Mission St(between 18th St & Clarion Aly)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 864-1888
- Hours:
Wed-Sun 5:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
382 reviews for Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The brown rice was a really refreshing touch." In 31 reviews -
"Judy the owner has an incredible memory." In 52 reviews -
"The miso soup was light and not overbearing." In 29 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
382 reviews in English
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Review from Vivy S.
San Francisco, CA
5/9/2012
We had to wait a few moments to get a table but the wait was worth it. Once we were seated, the wait staff was very attentive and our waitress even got down on her knees to take our order. This type of service is very rare especially in the hustle and bustle of the Mission district but they seem to really know the importance of repeat customers.
I loved the fact that this place is family-home-grown. Our waitress was the daughter of the cook and she was knowledgeable about every dish and the reasons why certain dishes were cooked the way they are. The food was good and yes, although a bit pricey, it is worth it because, food here isn't just food to them. It's an art form and the methodology for each dish seemed to have meaning and purpose.
Most sushi places are hit or miss, most often a miss but I was really impressed and would definitely come back to Minako. Being a business owner myself, busy is a good sign and when customers are having a hard time getting a seat only means you're in store for some good stuff... so those people who complain about the wait... get over it. And to those who complain about the price, it is simply because there is a certain crowd that the restaurant is targeting and it is those who appreciated quality food, so definitely don't come here if you're looking for cheap and mediocre, mayo-drenched sushi rolls. The mayo only hides the fact that the freshness of the fish has been compromised. -
Review from theresa d.
Daly City, CA
5/19/2012
Such a tiny place with strange ordering rules. Make sure you follow directions and you'll be A-OK!
The sushi was really good and having the replacement of brown rice over white in the rolls was a nice touch. -
Review from James B.
San Francisco, CA
5/2/2012
Fantastic food. Hamachi toro was perfect. I was pleasantly surprised by the range of non-raw foods, from tofu to chicken wings to spicy ramen.
Service issues? Get over it. Prices? This isn't a dive sushi bar -- you'll get your money's worth. Judy? I think she's great. And the "rules" people speak of here are non-issues and well documented in the restaurant. Just take the 30 seconds to do what they ask and you'll be fine. -
Review from Irakli G.
San Francisco, CA
5/20/2012
Delicious food! Little opinionated about their rules, but it adds it own charm. Discovered that I prefer brown rice in rolls & sushi over traditional white.
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Review from Oscia T.
San Francisco, CA
5/17/2012
Didn't try the food because I waited so long to order that I finally got up and left. Prices were KA-razy. Tried to flag a woman down to order and she said something that's think was, "Special menu coming soon."
Special menu was a bunch of scribbled notes that I was too hungry to read. Go around the corner to the hole in the wall, definitely not organic Yamo. Just wanted some good noodles.
I don't like paying that much for the privilege of being ignored. -
Review from Dani B.
San Francisco, CA
5/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Got lost on Mission looking for a different restaurant and got tired and ended up here. I was super happy with my choices, they do traditional fare as well as a couple funky fusion dishes. I was very satisfied with their veg. tempura roll, but fry anything and it's pretty good. Their spinach gomae and seaweed salad was delicious, and that is what will bring me back next time. However, I took a risk and ordered their almond crusted tofu, which was a bit too much for me. Fried almond all over spongy tofu lacked flavor and the greasiness left an uneasiness in my stomach. The wait staff were super friendly and helpful with giving me tips on what to get. Don't miss this place, it's small and tucked away amidst the sea of Mission bars, cafes and other restaurants.
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Review from Addie E.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2012 2 Check-ins Here
For the gluten-free, this place is a gem! The main waitress, whose family runs the place totally "gets it" in regards to being 100% gluten-free. I went there with a party of 4, me being the only gluten-free person. She gave me my own wasabi and ginger dish, so that the others would not contaminate mine with their chops sticks because they were eating some non-gluten free stuff (it's all gluten free tamari there though). It is so reassuring for those of us with Celiac disease when the wait staff understand details like that. She explained to us that they have two tempura fryers to avoid contamination there, and she even told me tobiko is not gluten free! I did not know that. It turns out tobiko is usually processed with wheat starch.
The first time I went there, we mostly had sushi and I was not super impressed, not being a fan of brown rice in my sushi. The gluten free tempura was definitely a disappointment. However, it's the only gluten free inari I've found so far. So we went back. This time I ordered the gluten free chicken katsu and it was AMAZING. I can't wait to go back for more.
One thing that sucks about being gluten-free is that even though restaurants are getting better at coming up with gluten-free options, it's usually a regular menu item without the yummy sauce because the yummy sauce that really makes the dish has gluten in it. I'm pretty sure that this is the only place that has gluten-free chicken katsu with gluten free sauce! YAY! I can't wait to go back for that.
Not only do they accommodate the gluten-free, but they are also very vegan friendly, all while offering plenty of options for those who eat the full spectrum off foods.
On a totally unimportant side note - their bathroom is super cute! -
Review from Gregory I.
Lafayette, CA
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
A Few Words About the Place:
Minako's is that small neighborhood restaurant (10tables) that makes you feel at home when you step in the door. If you're walking too fast or looking for a quick bite, you will probably miss what Judy and her mother Minako aim to do: make a home cooked meal for you.
What I recommend:
Honestly you have to be open to really anything. While it has many organic options, familiar dishes, and unusual plates, they all share that artisan flavor profile with the craftsmanship of a mother's hand. The use of different texture rices (Oyako-don had red rice), new-age techniques like quick frying shiso wrapped uni, are examples of a few dishes that demonstrate the bold take on traditional flavors ; making for a familiar yet delightful treat.
Bottom line:
I can't really recommend any dish because they are all good. If you're looking for a low-key joint that provides delicious food, a dynamic menu, and a place to eat a relaxing, slow paced meal with your friends you've come to the right place. Be warned that they are closed Monday and Tuesday, and most of all remember that you are there to enjoy a meal (expect to take at least 1hr to eat), not there to dine and ditch. -
Review from Justin S.
Oakland, CA
4/8/2012
This isn't your typical teriyaki or standard sushi place. If you're looking for delicious, well-cooked, interesting Japanese food with service from someone who actually knows the food (and you don't mind paying), this is your place.
I particularly love the agedofu appetizer -- lightly fried tofu with great sauce. The server always suggest a different sauce to try with it, and it's always interesting. All of the veggie tofu I've had is fantastic (shiitaki rolls especially), and my favorite ever is the spicy ramen (which is on the really weird special board they bring out to you that never changes, so it seems like they should just put it on the menu...). Soba noodles are great too. Annnnnd, I've just been reminded of how often I've eaten here.
I'm not sure I understand all of the criticism of the service. There's a really clear sign that says to go to the back to get seated - the restaurant is a small place and eating there isn't a quick experience, so their rules make sense to me. I love the server - she definitely has a tude, but she knows her stuff and her suggestions are always helpful. She's kept my friends and I from ordering way too much food and offered alternate choices that turned out to be delicious, so I appreciate it.
I really think this is the kind of place that every time you come here, you try something new and it becomes your favorite dish. Of course, you have to be ready to drop a lot of cash if you're going to become a regular, but it's definitely become a special place for my friends and I. Definitely always looking for an excuse to celebrate here. -
Review from kevin l.
San Francisco, CA
5/7/2012
This place is awesome and totally deserves every good rating it gets.
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Review from Natassia S.
San Francisco, CA
5/2/2012
My friend has been going in almost once a week in the past month and told me that I had to try it. So we go, and I have to say it was a very unique dining experience. Everything from the menus to the little circulating specials board menu has cute details. There are little drawings and odds and ends in each menu making each one special. I loved that!
Anyway, our server Judy was amazing. Its her family's restaurant and her mom is the chef. We had the tamago (SOOO GOOD), hamachi mint (AMAZING sauce! which one of the servers kindly poured into a small dish after we finished eating the hamachi so we could use it for dipping--we didnt even have to ask!), shoe string potato tempura ebi, double cooked eggplant (I dont even like eggplant and this was soo tasty!), sunomono with wakame (mmmmm so good), a few veggie rolls, and age tofu (the best age tofu I ever had.)
I can't wait to go back and try other items off the menu. You leave there feeling clean and healthy and happy. Judy was such a gem and you can tell she genuinely cares about the people that come in, passionate about food, and movies. She shared her favorite places in the city which I always like to hear from bay area natives. -
Review from JD D.
South San Francisco, CA
5/15/2012
Don't know about food. Rude hostess and waitress. No one waiting - not a soul! - but "there is a list." Good place to test your patience and practice mindfulness. Very uncomfortable. We were warned by a hastily departing diner to "be prepared to wait - for everything". He looked upset and I could see why! Enormously unusual experience.
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Review from Omer T.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2012
This place has great funky toilets but that's probably not reason enough to go to a restaurant. Especially one that's ludicrously overpriced and hides its bad "price surprises" in the menu. For example, we ordered the "sashimi deluxe" which had no price printed next to it. It was a bland sashimi platter with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, mackerel and another unidentified fish. Fish quality was average, or a notch below, nothing spectacular. Price of the dish (remember: not printed on menu) - $50. Quite surprising since not in line with pricing in similar joints or even with other dishes on the same menu (sushi deluxe was $32). I take the blame for not asking, but would have been nice of them to volunteer the information. Other than that - brown rice doesn't agree with sushi (and there's no alternative here). And the service is quirky - though definitely trying. Overall - go somewhere else for a better meal at a lower price.
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Review from Byron L.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Only come here if you have money! You must follow the rules! You must wait next to the fridge in the back of the restaurant to be seated. You will be ignored if you wait near the door. And remember to close the menus or no one will take your order.
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Review from Sophia Y.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
wanted to share my 5 year old's review
I LOVE their bathroom! they just got a new plastic fish in a lava lamp display.
my kids go there just to vist the singing fish in the hallway on the way to the bathroom. They have special cute kids plate. and once they get to know you, they are like family
you do have to eat everything on your plate. and my new green thing is to bring my own containers for take out - leftovers. or take-out b/c I can't eat there b/c my kids are too crazy.
I love the chicken udon with ume (only order it if you like ume, though)
and the almond encrusted shrimp
we got the almond encrusted tofu and the kids liked that better!Listed in: Top Restaurants, Where to take your vegetarian…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/3/2007
can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet. a real insider secret
great b/c wonderful food,… Read more »
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Review from Allison H.
Berkeley, CA
1/20/2012
Let me start by saying the food is phenomenal. No complaints there. I had a couple of the vegetarian rolls including a special, and my friend had ramen. We were both very pleased.
What we were not pleased about is how expensive the place is! $16 for a bowl of noodle soup. $6.50 for a side salad. The craziest thing I saw on the menu had to be one of the vegan "sashimi" options. $4.50 for 2 pieces of marinated carrot. Did I read that right???? I don't care how amazing those two pieces (I'm assuming sashimi size, which is not big) of carrot are, I'm not paying nearly 5 bucks for them. Word to the wise- don't get anything ala carte, go for a dinner or stick with a sushi roll or two. Adding soup or salad to that will make the bill preposterous quick.
I read yelp reviews before I came so was aware of the price issues as well as the potential for strange service. At 7pm on a rainy Thursday night the service was perfectly fine, it wasn't too busy, and was overall a lovely atmosphere. -
Review from Tiffany S.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2012
food is decent, however for the price it not at all worth it. I had the following,
4 chicken gyoza
1 crab tempura/unagi/avocado roll
price $35.00
I remember seeing on the poorly handwritten "specials" board that 4 chicken gyoza was $5.00
Did not make sense.
However if you take time to read the other reviews you'll find that the waitress that has been there since the dawn of time is a very pushy, overbearing woman. While you order your food from her you must slow down how fast you speak for god forbid you speak faster than she writes down on her pad of paper. Don't worry, she will tell you to slow down. She also seemed to be proud of the fact that the restaurant never catered to "hipsters" but if you ask me a yuppie is just another hipster at a later point in their life. & that is all I saw in there.
They do use brown rice so that is cool, but that is about it. -
Review from David W.
San Francisco, CA
5/18/2012
Last night I tried to get some food here. To add rice, salad and soup to your entree $15+, which I thought was simply too expensive. We are not in the Marina, we are talking about the Mission here. We ended up walking out because we were getting ignored by the staff. My wife was starving and simply wanted Udon. We could not order from the main menu, even though we were ready, until we got the special menu. I joked "maybe there there was only one special menu!", there was only one special menu. It was Pricy, and really I hate paying to feel like I should be lucky to be able to buy food from restaurants. We ended up walking out and going around the corner to a hole in the wall. Where our entire meal, chicken noodles and tofu curry and a coke cost $20 including tip. If I am going to pay a lot of money for an evening out, then I want to have the full deal, good food, good service, nice setting. This place according to other reviews has only good food. I do like the other reviews here saying the "rules" are a non issue. For me, I left grade school a long time ago, screw rules! I will spend my money elsewhere.
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Review from JoAnn G.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012
Just had dinner here. We had a vegan in our party of 4 and ordered a variety of veg and fish dishes... The gyoza alone is worthy of 5 stars. I've never seen anything like it- it's a crispy crepe that has gyoza underneath. Order it. Also the fresh corn tempura is soooo good. We also ordered almond-rolled tofu that was good. Didn't blow me away like the first 2 apps I mentioned.
We ordered a few rolls- my favorites were the saba (mackerel) and the moki (sp?) roll. The fish was fresh and the brown rice was a tasty surprise! Really soft and flavorful, not that oatmealy multi-textured stuff that ruins everything. Shots/ sips of the creme nigori accompanied our dishes- mmm.
Yeah, there are signs to not seat yourself so just don't do it. If you're impatient enough to care, go to a quickie mediocre sushi place. I like that it's a give and take. Respect the hand that feeds you. I love the eccentric menu, love the direct and lovely waitress, and the food is finger-licking good. Love this joint. -
Review from Alex D.
San Francisco, CA
4/2/2012
Good: Food is good. Menu is also special composed a lot of hand drawing. Bathroom is very cute. Service is good.
Bad: Not sure how this place gets $$ in price range. This is a at least $$$ place. $10 for 4 chicken gyoza. About $20 for a noddle dish or some kinds of rice dish. More than $5 for 2 pieces of sushi. To me, there are places being expensive for reasons, like morimoto or kappa. You go to those places knowing that they are expensive, and pay the prices for certain uniqueness, experience or high-end treatment. I would doubt about expensive charge for being organic. Anytime you pay about double on your dishes that you can have similar stuff from other places should consider expensive.
Overall, while food tastes good, it get overshadowed by how expensive they charge it. -
Review from Lauren R.
San Francisco, CA
12/7/2011
I'd say this was a terrible dining experience, but we couldn't even make it to the eating part....
I called for a reservation at 8:30 on a Friday night for 6 people. They told me that they close at 9 but we would have plenty of time to eat. We got there early just in case and saw an empty table that was clearly ours. As we were sitting down, the waitress scolded us and pointed to a ridiculously small sign up front about waiting to be seated. She then shuffled us back up to the front of the restaurant only to lead us to the same table we initially went to sit at.
As she handed us the menus she told us that she would only take our order once all of them were closed. This task was made virtually impossible by the illegible hand-written items and missing prices.
With the approaching closing time in mind, we figured out what we thought we wanted as quickly as possible. Despite this, she continued to ignore us for the next twenty minutes and even after a friend got up to go get her. By 8:55 we realized that we were not going to get fed and walked out.
It doesn't really matter how good the food is if you can't even eat it. Trying to eat here was remarkably similar to what I picture juvie to be like. -
Review from Todd L.
San Francisco, CA
2/19/2012
Minako is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.
The service is absolutely quirky, but so long as you can take the stick out of your ass and go in with the right expectations, you'll have a good time and be treated well. Judy (the waitress) has always been nothing but friendly to our table when we've been here - treat her like a friend and she will treat you back like one. Play by the "rules", don't be in a big hurry, and you'll have a quality meal.
On your way out, say hello and thank you to the chef - it seemed to make her night when we told her how much we enjoyed the meal (in awful Japanese)
Food favorites: the ume-hotate salad, the corn tempura fritters, the twice-cooked eggplant, the maguro-avocado sashimi bowl, and generally whatever specials Judy recommends are always excellent. The fish is always fresh and well-prepared, and the dishes are always unique and interesting flavors.
For those who have vegan friends, this is also a pretty good spot - they have plenty of good options so they won't go hungry.
I wouldn't go here if you're looking for your "standard sushi joint" - they only stock a couple different fish each day and I don't know if they even have the gross california rolls that you see at your average spot.
Price-wise it's a bit expensive - not somewhere to go every night - but for a fun dinner with a small group who's willing to pay a premium for delicious and memorable food, highly recommended. -
Review from SJ P.
Los Altos Hills, CA
4/18/2012
Our family is not only gluten-free, but dairy-free, nut-free and beyond. However, this restaurant was SO CARING and ATTENTIVE and felt they went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and make the most delicious and good-for-us food. What a blessing to find a place that cares a lot and has so much integrity. My daughter usually reacts to something at the restaurant, but she ate a ton of food, loved every bite and we all did too. Great yummy food!!! This is a Godsend and we are definitely going back for more. It's organic, healthy, tasty and cozy... we are instant fans!
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Review from David B.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2012
Terrible experience.
Had surgery (a hernia repair) several days before going in here. When we got to the restaurant there was one table close to the door for two, and sat down since it was the only table in the whole restaurant and we were the only ones there waiting. The owner made came over and made us stand up because we could not seat ourselves - the rule is that you have to go to the back of the restaurant and then wait for somebody to seat you. My side was hurting from the surgery and I didn't want to move, so I just stood beside the table as my wife went as instructed to the back of the restaurant for what I thought would be a quick check in. But as it turns out we had to wait 10 minutes like this standing up for them to wipe off the table, which was clean anyway, and then seat us in the exact same place that we had sat down 10 minutes previously. I sat down annoyed but I was still looking forward to a nice meal.
However it seems my standing beside the table during this check in process offended the owner because she intentionally avoided coming to our table for about 15 - 20 minutes. We were very patient but she would walk halfway over, then turn around to help somebody else, showing us that she doesn't have to help us if we don't follow her rules. This happened 3 or 4 times. Finally we just got up and left.
The entrees were upwards of $20 each, so the good part of the story is that we walked to another nearby restaurant and had a great dinner and felt good about eating very well for a more reasonable price.
Highly recommend staying away from this place and not risking this kind of experience. -
Review from Ibai G.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2012
A little pricey but it's totally worth it. Nice sushi and rolls in a quiet and comfortable environment.
Bonus: Plenty of gluten free options. -
Review from Jessica O.
Glenview, IL
12/15/2011
I love secrets.
I love when you have to know a password, or do something just right in order to get in with the staff.
Minako is that kind of place. If you want to be waited on hand and foot and bowed down to upon arrival, don't go here.
However! If you want amazing flippin' sushi and sashimi, delicious lotus soup, yellowtail sashimi in delicious sauce topped with black caviar, and are willing to walk your tuchus to the back of the restaurant in order to get seated? Well then by all means! Go. Cuz' it is worth the trip. -
Review from Carrie L.
Alameda, CA
3/16/2012
I went here for the first time last night & I will be going back again & again. I couldn't believe how far above & beyond they go to provide delicious GLUTEN FREE food. OMG, the almond shrimp is unbelievably good. They've even made their own gluten free teriyaki sauce! Everything was delicious & wonderfully creative. The special menus evidence the fact that they're constantly trying new things & utilizing the seasonal fresh ingredients available to them. The service was great too. They take their time and make you feel like you're having dinner at a friend's place. I can't wait to go back & try more.
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Review from Ethan H.
Oakland, CA
3/20/2012
Had dinner here on Sat. Arrived at about 7pm and got the last table before a crowd of people came in. I am a huge sushi fan and I ordered the Nigiri 9 piece combo. The miso soup(vegan) was amazing and the sushi(brown rice) was to die for. Large cuts, high quality fish. On top of that they were playing the Stray Cats, one of my favorite bands, and the waitress told us how much she loved them too. A unique gem with lots of vegan options, a wonderful waitress and delicious food.
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Review from Keri K.
San Francisco, CA
3/19/2012
Love this place! Judy and her mom really take Japanese cooking to the next level. Hamachi with mint sauce, salmon sashimi with aged pickled plums. Yum! I don't eat many of the rolls as the fish is just amazing and fresh so sashimi is typically my preference. The fried eggplant is to die for. My husband and I have our usuals and go here a lot. I saw some homemade tofu on my last visit that looked creamy and delicious - will be trying that next time!
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Review from Lisa Q.
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Man, the totally weird/insane service totally drives down whatever tastiness we had from the place.
The dishes aren't good enough to go thru what you have to: wacky rules, slow service, and a sense of guilt knowing it's owned by a well-meaning Japanese grandma-type.
Our server was a woman in her 30s and she was just so pushy and creepy I had to stand outside of the resto while my fiance paid. We didn't eat the wilted greens underneath our toro and she refused to take the plate off the table and instead returned with a dish of ginger dressing for us to dip "the greens" in. Ohmygod. My fiance ate them out of fear. She was somehow really bad at conveying jokes or something.
There was a chopped up yellowtail dish that was too raw oniony and garnished with ?uncooked noodles? We sent it back and our server said,
"I took it off the check."
"Thank you."
"Is that okay?"
"Yes! Thank you."
And then... she hoovered around....
And that's when I got out of my seat to stand outside.
Our check was $80. This included no alcohol, one tea, and three dishes. Not a great value. I know organic produce is expensive, but I've definitely eaten at organic cafes for less. -
Review from Ren L.
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was warned that the wait to get in and then sit down was pretty bad. Luckily I was fortunate to get the last empty table and didn't experience a long wait as expected.
I'm a total carnivore, so I tend to have my veggies on the side as opposed to being on the main course. That said, I actually enjoyed the meal. I grabbed a couple of sushi rolls, one being the veggie eel and cucumber, and a tempura asparagus roll. Both were excellent, and I like the use of brown rice. I had this assumption that I was going to kill those two rolls and grab something else. Lo and behold, the portions were larger than expected, which was a pretty awesome thing.
The prices were actually fair for the sushi rolls, as was the service. Overall, I'd go back, though if I had to wait for a table, I might go somewhere else. -
Review from Mike J.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012
Aweful. Bad customer service...waitresses were totally clueless. We waited over 30 minutes (though they said 15 minutes). The place is a unclean hole-in-the-wall (not necessarily a good sign for a sushi restaurant). And the price rank for this place should be listed as $$$$! $19 for udon soup? Tasting menu $80-100 pp?!?? That's fine for a clean restaurant with good food, but at a little hole in the wall with dirty menus and poor service, I'm never going back.
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Review from Douglas P.
San Francisco, CA
7/30/2011
There are two experiences you can have here, and it's really your choice which one you end up having. My experiences have been of the 5 star variety.
The food is great. It's a mixture of vegetarian/vegan and meat dishes (both types of people have ample options), but made with a strong modern California vibe. They use organic ingredients, brown rice (unusual for a sushi place), and try to avoid a bunch of common allergens.
There's the most adorable board that is given to your table with the menus, and lists the current selection of new or seasonal dishes. I'd recommend trying something from here. This is where a lot of the action happens, and where Minako sets itself apart from other places. The rest of the menu is great, but is relatively static.
There is a "tasting menu" (like a prix fixe, but without a fixed price). This is my usual approach. If two people share this, it is a pretty complete meal. If I were to steer you away from something, it would be the entree dinners (teriyaki this or that). They may appeal to people how are less fond of Japanese restaurants, but I think this restaurant has better food to offer.
Do try the curry salt tempura mushrooms. They are on the ever-changing food board right now. Don't question me. Just get them. You won't be sorry.
So, why do people give this bad reviews? From reading the reviews and being there many times before, it really comes down to whether you like Minako (Judy) or not. Or, perhaps more importantly, whether she likes you. This isn't your typical service-oriented restaurant. Be polite. Don't demand things. Treat this restaurant as if you're going to a friend's place for dinner. Your life will be a lot happier. At least half the times I've been there, Minako and I have spent some time chatting about how rude some people can be. Rudeness will not be tolerated.
This restaurant gets better every time I go. Arigato gozaimasu! -
Review from Sarah H.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2011 3 photos
I have to say I don't understand all the bitchy reviews about this restaurant here on Yelp, Lol! It was fabulous!
I arrived at 5:30pm on a Thursday just as they were opening. I payed special attention to the "rules" since the reviews here say they are so strict. They weren't strict when I got there. I was the first person there and was seated straight away. I got the table by the window, yay. My friend arrived shortly after. We thought the menu of daily specials they put on our table was adorable (see photo). I especially liked the rubber ducky magnet, Lol.
We were greeted by a polite, friendly waitress. She gave us plenty of time to go over the menu which is quite extensive. It is true they won't come take your order until you close your menu. I actually think it's a polite way of doing things, ie, instead of having a waiter/waitress try to take your order one second after you open they menu, they actually give you time to make your choices.
I also noticed the waitress would approach the table and if we were talking she would step back and wait until we stopped talking. I think this is incredibly polite, unlike typical service where your conversation is constantly rudely interrupted.
We did think it was funny when we ordered the food and the waitress said, "that's a lot of food," because she should have said, "that's a lot of alcohol, are you sure you're that thirsty?" :) We ordered sake and being inexperienced in sake we each ordered a different kind but decided we could have easily shared one. My friend got the sweet unfiltered one which was quite tasty and easy to drink. Mine on the other hand was the organic unpasteurized one which tasted very alcohol-y -- this is what I always imagined sake tasted like! Yes, this was my first ever sake experience! Anyway, I wasn't able to finish mine, in fact, I didn't even drink half of it, so I brought it home.
Oh, yes, the food!
We loved our food. I got the vegan vegetable tempura roll and spicy vegan ramen. I enquired about the vegan ramen before ordering as they had vegan ramen and spicy vegan ramen. The waitress said the vegan ramen was full of vegetables -- I disagree. Don't get me wrong it was very good, the thing is I don't like mushrooms and it was full of them. Also in the ramen was cabbage and scallions. Like I said it was wonderful but I don't consider that "a lot of vegetables."
My friend got some sort of fishy roll with salmon eggs on top (yuck! but she loved it), and she also got a fishy tempura roll. She said both were very good but she favored the salmon eggs one.
After paying for our meal they brought us a complimentary dessert. It was this weird lemon jello-y thing -- weird but we ate it up! Lol.
We enjoyed our experience at this restaurant very much and plan to return to taste other dishes on the menu. I was quite impressed with the vegan options on the menu, and it's organic! So, it's a big big yay in my book! :) :) :)
Oh and I feel I must comment on the prices as many people here on Yelp complain about how expensive it is. I don't think it's expensive. If you want cheap, low quality food then don't dine at organic restaurants! My friend and I really thought the prices were quite reasonable and average.
Our meal for two people with alcohol was $70 -- and we've been out before and spent more than that on dinner, definitely!Listed in: Vegetarian and Vegan
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Review from Sarah B.
San Francisco, CA
11/15/2011
I am perhaps slightly biased because we come here ALL the time and as a result have made friends with Judy, but I love Minako. I admit that it's quirky and possibly not for everyone, but it is certainly for me! I don't find the "rules" to be particularly onerous -- there are at least THREE prominently placed signs by the door asking you to go to the counter at the back to put yourself on the list. It's really not that hard to comply. And isn't it pretty normal practice to close your menu when you're ready to order? It is true, however, that you should not come here if you want a fast meal -- when it's busy, it's REALLY busy, and even when it's not busy it takes a while to win possession of the specials board. (I'm not sure why they only have one board, but I'll take it on faith that there's a reason.)
I think we've gotten down the perfect order for two: corn fritters, spider roll, Minako's version of a rainbow roll (I forget what it's called right now), sake toro nigiri and unagi nigiri. I particularly recommend the corn fritters (ADDICTIVE) and the sake toro. But everything I've ever had from the specials board has been great. If you've brought someone who doesn't like fish, the chicken katsu is allegedly very good (I don't eat meat so cannot speak from personal experience there).
Judy is totally awesome, btw -- it's always nice to catch up with her, and she really takes time to get to know her regulars, unlike a lot of Mission restaurants (*cough* Kiji *cough*). Her mother runs the kitchen and Judy runs the front of the restaurant. They are very involved in the local community -- know all the other local restaurateurs, etc. And the regulars are definitely something of a community. It's pretty much a Mission institution.
Oh, as other reviews have noted, no white rice here -- it's all brown. Sushi purists might be sad. Personally, I prefer white rice but am happy to change it up every so often. Particularly if it means I also get corn fritters. Mmmmm. -
Review from Ryan W.
San Francisco, CA
8/4/2011
It's like the twilight zone in there. There's no joy at all. No one looks at anyone or speaks, they just silently play with their phone and wait to be seated. The server is inexplicably miserable to some people while all hug-y and chatty with others.
I had to read some of these 5 star reviews... Douglas P writes that it's because some people are rude to her (Judy) and, I guess, she just dishes it back. My experience was the exact opposite. If you're silent and submit to her will, there's a better chance that Judy will be nice. But no guarantee. We were extremely polite and followed each of the ridiculous rule signs. But she just made the whole experience miserable that by the end, yeah, we were unhappy and probably rude back. It definitely ruined our night. But we didn't "choose" that, as Douglas says. We were friendly and looking forward to trying a new place. I left feeling miserable. Not sure we deserved that. Thanks, Minako. But that's crazy that she then goes to other tables (like this tool Douglas's) to bad mouth one guest with another. Insane!! -
Review from Joel U.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Best sushi ever. The staff was friendly and extremely knowledgeable about gluten free restrictions. I've been to Japan and had lots of sushi in my life -- this is by far the best.
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Review from Marc T.
Eugene, OR
11/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The sushi we had was amazing, hands down. Fresh and delectable. I daresay it's the best I've ever had. It remains to be seen if Minako can repeat that performance. If so, this might become a regular visit whenever I'm in SF.
Yes, the service was a little slow. We lucked out in getting a table right away, but the time spent waiting to order and for our food to arrive was...a while. The waitstaff was very apologetic, however, and they even brought us a persimmon salad while we waited. We also received a complimentary slice of green tea angel food cake while waiting for our check.
We tasted a few rolls, some nigiri, one of the specials (yakisoba stuffed squid), and some sashimi. All excellent. We also ordered the tamago, and that's what sold me on this place, making any waiting completely negligible. I have never had freshly-prepared, hot tamago before. It's always been the version that's cold and prepared ahead of time. The difference is like night and day. I would go back for that alone.
As others have stated, they have a plethora of alternative options if you're vegetarian or vegan. They also can point out what's available if you have a gluten sensitivity. -
Review from Tuesday C.
San Francisco, CA
9/4/2011
I'm really not sure where to start with this review.
Ill just try to accurately recall our experience step by step.
It was my friends birthday and she had picked this place for dinner. We were arriving separately so my boyfriend and I were the first to arrive out of six. There are no reservations so you put your name on a list. We were told that they couldn't do 6 only 4. If someone in front of us didn't come back then they could do 6 otherwise no. It was also going to be an hour and a half wait. Not wanting to make changes with out the rest of the group we said ok and crossed our fingers that someone would cancel.
We went to a near by bar for a drink while we waited. After an hour and a half we all went back to the restaurant to see if they were going to be able to seat us or not. They said that someone in front of us had not come back so they were going to be able to seat our group but it would be a few minutes. OK AWESOME we thought! But, 30 minutes later when we were finally seated we were starving.
As soon as we sat down we got yelled at. The waitress came over and told my friend she was talking to loud. No introduction nothing just "You are too loud I can not hear!" then walked away. We were stunned. I honestly thought it was maybe a joke because we had just sat down hadn't really said much of anything... This is where it gets interesting.
The menus are entertaining in the sense that there is several pages of drawings done by customers and what not in there along with a large selection of options for sushi. It wasn't long before we all had an idea of what we wanted and where ready to order. My boyfriend had read about the close your menu deal so we did. The waitress still didn't come take our orders for a long time. We thought we were being punished! Finally, when she came she brought a "specials" board. That was fun and kinda cute but had no prices or descriptions.
When the waitress was taking our orders again we got in trouble because we didn't order correctly. Instead of going person to person she wanted us to tell her all our appetizers first THEN go person to person for main course. While she was ripping out the order sheet and re-writing everything she was shaking our head and mumbling at us! We were flabbergasted! Also we wanted to order some Sake and asked her about the options. She told us she knows nothing about Sake sorry. Um---ok.
After she left our table she went to another table that had been seated after us. They had never gotten menus and we lent one to them after we knew what we wanted. We heard her say to them "Where did you get the menu? I didn't give that to you! You are messing up the flow!" Is she serious?!?!
At this point we thought her attitude was kinda comical. But, we wanted water and where afraid to ask. Eventually, when she came back we did though. And the strangest thing happened she switched to her new personality and became sweet as a pea. Tried to laugh and joke with us. Again, we were stunned. It was like she was a totally different person. She was nice and asked how everything was and what we thought of the food and the sake. Which were good. Not amazing but good. We didn't stay long after we finished our food and she told us she wished we would come back again as we walked out the door!!
So the longest story short: Food is good, service is bipolar. -
Review from Brian C.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2011
I just ate here and hopped on Yelp to read the reviews, and I'm surprised by how polarized the opinions are. The food was excellent, and the head waitress Judy was a sweet heart. To hear that she treats some customers like shit, and others like gold, kind of makes me love her even more. It feels vindicating after the (::cough:: not-Asian) waitresses at Mission Chinese treated me and my friends like garbage just a few days ago.
I had a good laugh at the superfluous number of signs dictating the rules of the restaurant. There are three signs on the front telling you not to seat yourself, and to approach the kitchen counter to ask for a table. Another sign at your table tells you to close your menu before you're ready to order. If it were socially acceptable to put up a sign that says "Don't be a douchebag," Judy probably would do it - the people posting one-star reviews here could probably use this advice. Anyway, OCD people are hilarious.
Amy and I ordered some chicken wings and a salmon nigiri off the special menu, and the spicy tuna roll off the regular one. All-around delicious and fresh sushi -- possibly the best I've had in the city so far. The brown rice was a really refreshing touch.
Don't worry, Judy. We get you.
