On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow"I'm almost offended by some of the so-so reviews given here. Ten-Ichi is a fantastic family owned Sushi restaurant. They've been in business…" read more »
UPDATED: They closed
The sushi is good but it's not great. More than anything it's close to my house and you always know you can get in. The sushi chef is always nice. The wait staff for sitting at the tables is slow which is funny since it's never busy in there.
overall i'd go back...
Where to start? First my review of the place, then a few reactions to some of the things I have read in the other reviews of Skipjack.
My Review:
The secret to Skipjack is to ask the sushi chef to choose the most fresh fish for you - you know as well as I do that you will eat anything they throw in front of you at a sushi place, so just let the chef pick that which is freshest for you.
And then follow up with the 49er Roll. That damn thing is the bomb! Salmon, and a tiny piece of lemon on top of each piece - what an incredible good idea. Try it, it is worth the effort of trying!
So, you should consider this tactic of letting the 'expert' who is most familiar with the inventory pick the best fish for you that evening - it works well, and it will work well at any sushi joint. Have some faith in the chef - they are good at what they do.
Another thing to consider is Stewart - the owner and frequent sushi chef - if he is working, ask him to whip up a surprise for you. He has things in his head (culinary delights) that SHOULD be on the menu, but you might be able to get it by asking him nicely for a 'surprise'. Now, in particular, I have had the wonderful experience of this dish that he whips up that has tuna, garlic a bit of soy, and some more garlic. The stuff is incredible - I call it 'fire in the bowl' because that much garlic (a great thing in my simple world) creates a very 'spicy' concoction. You know how many of us love spicy, right?
Next - the Sake:
Oh my God. I have learned about Sake thanks to Skipjack and their willingness to share this nectar with us by the glass. You can have incredible grades of sake BY THE GLASS. They are all on display so in case you like one, you can see the bottle on the wall, memorize that label, and go and try to find a bottle for yourself at home. Good luck - Skipjack has a strong relationship with some distributor of excellent grade sake. You probably won't find this elixir at your lowly BevMo, oh no no. This stuff is FANTASTIC.
Now, don't be intimidated: they have great descriptions of each sake on the sake menu - and the descriptions are ACCURATE. When it says 'hints of watermelon and grape' - your first sip of the God-Juice will create images of Watermelons dancing with Grapes in your little ole head. Spot on. Right on. Righteous stuff dude.
So, the sake rocks. Got it? Good.
OK, now quick reactions to other reviews:
They named it after the Fish. Only in a place close to Silicon Valley would one conclude that Skipjack, the sushi restaurant, was named after some obscure operating system. Maybe we should start a quible on it?
This place is not Umami, which could be called 'the Marina Girl's Favorite Sushi Place'. Umami has 3 rolls on the menu - the same three forever. What Umami has is a bar full of hot drunk Marina Girls. If you want Marina Girls, go to a cougar-kitten den. Go there to get laid; go to Skipjack for Sushi. Go to Umami get laid; go to Skipjack for Sushi.
The decor - well, let's see - it is modern, in fact, if you spend some time in Japan, you will see the same elements of design style in the very high-end establishments of Tokyo. The style could be coined 'Japanese Modern'. 'Cold'? Yes. Functional and simple? Yes. Stylish? Yes. 'Japanese Modern'? Yes.
IT'S A JAPANESE RESTAURANT FOR GOD'S SAKE!
If you want fresh-sushi, in a stylish place, supported by an incredible sake list (sold by the glass) - go to Skipjack.
Peace out.
Wow, have we cured cancer as well? I never thought there would be 2 good sushi restaurants in the Marina (okay, I guess this is really "Cow Hollow").
I preface this review by stating it was too damn hot outside. So, it is possible the synapses in my brain got fried and my taste buds suffered in the process.
The interior of the restaurant has a very clean, modern aesthetic to it. The space is very open without being cold and empty. The kitchen, although not quite an "exhibition kitchen" is open as well and visible throughout the restaurant. The sushi cooling unit is not your typical brown Hoshizaki unit but is some Korean brand. According to the chef/owner, this brand better regulates the temperature do to its separate compression unit.
So, on to the fish. I was very surprised about the quality of the fish. I started with the live scallop and let the chef pick out the rest. Each piece was cut very well and quite fresh. So ignore the review stating that the fish is not as fresh as its previous tenant. That's absurd, Sushi Chardonnay had mediocre fish at best. After talking to the owner you realize that he really does know his fish and doesn't just blindly order whatever from IMP like so many other sushi establishments in the city.
The sake selection is pretty extensive and was chosen by Beau Timken of True Sake. Each of the sake bottles are displayed on the wall and numbered. An interesting touch.
This place should really be reviewed for their nigiri and sashimi (ask for real wasabi though, I forgot). If you just want to eat your foo-foo rolls and down alcohol you can do that anywhere. The cooked food in a place like this is just an add-on.
Which brings me to my next point, service. For the most part, it's a sushi bar. So, sit AT THE BAR! Unfortunately, at a sushi bar it is true that you will not get the best cuts of fish if you sit at one of the tables (unless they know you). Especially if you do nothing but order rolls.
Anyway, I always save the 5th star for a sushi place until I've been back several times. However, this place has made the cut and I'll bring my friends the next time around.
What do you think about this place, baby?
It was clean, bare, and a little expensive.
That's all you think about it? Anything else?
Uninspiring.
Obviously.
This barren, ikea-laced restaurant is strangely noisy...or was that the three tables of groups of girls, shrieking over their cold, mushy edamame. The one waitress, one sushi chef, and one cook had their hands full with the six occupied tables, which apparently is the reason why she forgot our cold, mushy edamame. That's why it's hot to be an assertive blonde. You eventually get your damn edamame.
I decided to be unconventional and try the nameko miso, with small baby mushrooms. Not worth the effort (or the calories), with the drops of oil much more plentiful then that of my dear boyfriend's plain ol' miso. After the edamame (did I mention it was cold and mushy?), the sushi surprised me--it was pretty tasty, with the Spicy Hamachi Maki actually impressing me (totally worth two stars alone). We also had a shrimp tempura roll, yellowtail kamikaze, and a cherry blossom. The cherry blossom was a let-down, with me thinking of little sweet virgins, but alas, was rather bland. Then again, I guess you can't expect more from a sweet virgin then blandness....
I digress. One more star for the one waitress, who did know intuitively (that or my ever present empty glass) that I am a camel and drink more water then most small countries. She kept my thirst quenched, and the honey's tea plentiful.
Regardless, not exactly a repeat unless I'm in dire need of the Spicy Hamachi to go...
Update 10/02/06:
I've been there weekly for their bento box lunches. Always very fresh and delicious.
************************************************** ****************
I went to check this place out last night...Formerly the Sushi Chardonnay and was closed down for many montrhs and recently opened as Skipjack. The place smelled of fresh paint as we walked through the door.
The menu consists of the typical rolls and dishes...The salads and sushi were very fresh, and the rolls well-prepared. Unfortunately, the service was a bit lacking. There were two waitresses on the floor, and they weren't able to juggle a restaurant with tables half full. Twice we received the wrong plate and had to send them back. The poor service simply compromised our dining experience. I would still go back for the food and hope that the service improves.
I heart sushi. I really, really do.
I go to Skipjack because it's clean and convenient.
The service is friendly, but a little slow and inconsistent.
The sushi is good, but pretty standard. Nothing mind blowing going on here. The ambiance is relatively quiet and serene. This is a great place to catch up with a friend. This is NOT the place to go if you want to party. That's what Ace Wasabi's is for.
Our regular sushi joint because it's within walking distance and it's actually quite good. The service was horrible when they first opened, but it's improved considerably since then. Plus, we are regulars and the owner tends to take care of us - even when we order takeout.
The restaurant space is pretty cold and uninviting, but I'm okay with that I suppose. I do tend to look around and try to figure out what could make the place better, but that's too much to think about when I just want to eat.
My favorite non-sushi items are the tonkatsu and the miso butterfish. The breading on the katsu is so crunchy good. It's perfect! The miso butterfish here is way better than some places in Hawaii and I was so excited to find it here.
As far as the sushi, I generally order the salmon nigiri, rock & roll, futomaki (not as good as grandma's) and the butterfish nigiri. On a good night, this is the best rock & roll I have ever had.
We had dinner here a while ago, I had forgotten all about it.
It probably deserves 3.5 stars but it was so unmemorable that I must round down. What I do remember is that the place is clean, neat, quiet, and not crowded on a Friday night.
The sushi was ok, not amazing, not terrible, standard fare.
Why your fish tank was starting to make me salivate...
(my post got accidentally edited here and I am summarizing -albeit somewhat less eloquently) my issues with eating sushi out in the region where I live (Specifically: Specific Whites, Polk street, etc.)
The aural assault of bad techno (for example "Barbie Girl" and more palatable music remastered and mashed up to sound like "Barbie Girl") at local sushi joints is ruining my digestive experience.
Skip Jack's, however, has saved the day (and the fish in local tanks).
The downside: the place lacks design and character (the minimalist edge they were going for is just a wee bit too chilly for me) and the aural ambiance amplifies this, as well (but that's just fine with me).
The upside: this place is just unoffensive enough for me to enjoy my sushi when I don't feel like venturing too far away. The tataki (lightly seared albacore) is perfect.
IF you live nearby and can handle the wait, by all means go to "EBISU," in my opinion, it's the best Sushi experience (on all counts) that I have had in this city.
However, if you don't want to wait and don't want to get techno-assaulted @ mediocre places like "Wasabi and Ginger" or "Sushi Rock" go to Skip Jack's...
So glad that they decided to re open as this sushi bar is conveniently located across the street from my job. Hmm this could be trouble for me :-)
Good food, great prices, regular sized portions. Less than $10.00 can get you the lunch box with your choice of 2 different items anything from sushi, sashimi and teriyaki, it also includes a bowl of rice a bowl of miso soup and a salad. So come hungry and leave happy should be their motto ... that is if it wasn't alreadys Denny's. None the less good food and the service was not bad either. I forsee me spending lots of my money here.
I gave it four stars because I don't know how it is when it gets really busy, but at lunch time it was relatively empty.
I was bummed to find out that Skipjack went out of business. The restaurant was always empty when we went, but we didn't think much of it.
I liked their sushi and creative rolls. Too bad.
I've been several times and every time I think the service can't get worse, it does! I can't figure out if the waitstaff is understaffed or just inexperienced. Either way even though it is close to my apartment I shouldn't go back.
Order the "Michelle roll" - it's not on the menu but it's a delicious vegetable tempura roll (has sweet potato, asparagus, etc) and avocado.
Update - My friend, Michelle, who I often go to Skipjack with for sushi (after working out) had the waitress say to her "OOHHHH you come AFTER working out - you gonna get fat!" Gotta love the candor!
I see that this is a place you either love or hate.
I myself really enjoyed my experience here. We had the Butter Fish Nigri and it was so so so good and fresh. The Sake was really delicious and like Thomas R. I love that you can try it by the glass. Very nice.
I didn't think that the prices where to high, in fact I believed they where quite reasonable. If I am in the area I will definitely go there again. Yummy.
This place is very good. We consistently are very pleased with what we order. They just recently changed ownership, however (there was a change of ownership posting on the window a couple of weeks ago), and we haven't been there since. So, I cannot vouch for them now.
Some people mention Skipjack being inconsistent and I think that I would have to agree. We have been quite pleased whenever we've been there but know friends who have not had such a great time.
If you're in the neighborhood I would check this place out. We love it.
I love this place. I followed Stewart (the sushi chef and owner) from Amberjack sushi to this new location. If you want great service sit at the bar. He's a great guy and doesn't mind me asking him a million questions about the fish, ingredients, and sake. (He could use friendlier waitresses though.)
The atmosphere has a nice modern edge. It could use a little ambient music though.
The fish is really fresh. I love the shiro maguro sashimi, it's the best. I savor each piece as it slowly melts in my mouth. The seaweed salad and miso soup are great appetizers. I don't like a lot of salt so I enjoy the edamame however, most people like it a bit saltier.
They have a great sake selection. It was hand picked by both Stewart and sake sommelier Beau (owner of True Sake).
A fairly new sushi joint to the Marina scene, Skipjack was not too exciting looking when we walked in.
That's when me and my friends take things over. Poor patrons of 3/24, I apologize for our rowdy behavior, but that place was as quiet as a library.
So, of course, we started to sake bomb. A LOT.
Our dinner went a little like this:
sake sake sake sake bomb. spicy tuna roll. sake sake sake sake bomb. edamame. sake sake sake bomb. ok, really no more sake. Caterpillar role. sake sake sake bomb....ok, let's go cause some trouble.
Thank you Skipjack. I hope we zested you up with personality, cause you need it!
update 7-28-07
I'm changing my rating to a 4 because I've been in several times since my first review and the service is seriously lacking.
-------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
This is one of my weekly lunch/dinner spots. The fish is always fresh and the service is fast & friendly. Try the Poke appetizer. The sauce is delicious. I also like the open and spacious layout. Too often great sushi places are tiny hole in the walls and you feel cramped or are rubbing elbows with the people at the next table.
Skip it.
Decor was cold and unwelcoming. Sushi was mediocre. Sake list was amazing. But, unfortunately, not amazing enough to make me forget how mediocre the sushi was or warm up to the interior. I didn't even care that my best friend spent the better part of dinner giving intimate details of her coffee colonic in Thailand because I was actually glad when I lost my appetite since the hamachi was neither fresh nor appetizing.
Way too many sushi places in SF to waste your time at this one.
i always judge the quality of a sushi restaurant by the quality of the sushi rice and skipjack was just not cutting it. ordered the chirashi and usually i down the rice at quality japanese restaurants. here, it was bland and just not the right texture or flavor at all.
the sushi came in very small portions for the price we paid. and the sashimi was pretty awful... warm and fibery... bleh.
add a star because they did have an extensive -- and i mean 30+ options extensive -- list of sakes and sojus. but the way the sake glasses and beer glasses were shaped made it impossible to do sake bombs... what gives? someone needs to tell them to fix this clear lack of foresight.
I went with my roommate on a Tuesday and the place was pretty empty but the sushi was good, not ohmigod AMAZING, but very fresh and yummy for your standard sushi fare. The restaurant is also very clean and modern, the way I want my sushi restaurant to be. It gets 4 stars for also being conveniently close to my apartment. This probably will become my go-to sushi place. Hopefully it will get a little more lively as word spreads about it. Not too lively but just a tad more would be nice.
Remember Sushi Chardonnay? It was the local sushi place, kind of dank, dark and very faded. The thing about it was that if you got passed those superficial aspects they made pretty good sushi at a really reasonable price. Sushi Chardonnay has had a major makeover and now looks fantastic. I was excited to try the old good sushi in a swanky new setting. Sadly the decor isn't the only thing that has changed. Now the sushi has really taken a step down. The rolls aren't fully closed and the nigiri falls apart before even being dipped in soy sauce. I didn't think the fish was as fresh as before. Put that all together and you have an establishment that has really stepped backward in the world. It may seduce you at first based on its hot looks, but don't fall prey to wickedness inside.
Sake was good (one star for that). Can't remember which ones we had. I think everyone liked the sushi, I was meh but that's what I get for being a vegetarian. I liked the plates (the other star goes to this).
This place is aways empty, and I think the reason is because their fish smells like fish. I have been told by a fish importer that this is a bad thing. I don't know, just a thought. Nothing special about the menu. Decently priced, and really easy to get in, not too loud. I agree with other yelpers that this is a good place to go and catch up with old friends and not a party place. Not a bad place to visit, but if given a choice to visit this restaurant or visit another, I would choose another.
Good service, good sushi. Really good salmon sashimi. Edamame needed salt. Otherwise, liked it, but didn't love it.
My only reservation about Skipjack is that I went on a Wednesday night, and n o o n e was there. No one besides the staff, and my friend and me. It was a little eerie, and left me wondering if there was a blowfish accident that had blown past my radar (not funny).
Besides the somewhat weird private-dining experience, Skipjack was great. Very attentive service (big surprise, right?), and super shiitake rolls and sauvignon blanc (a natural pairing).
PS: For those of you who appreciate a little etymological trivia, it turns out that a "Skipjack" is a type of tuna. That, and a fishing boat, and the name of US naval subs, and the code name for Linspire 6.0.* So it's sort of strange that a sushi restaurant named itself after an operating system, no?
*Do you have to cite Wikipedia?
Good miso butterfish. I love my butterfish and it's not easy to find a restaurant that can make it without the fishiness. Haven't tried the sushi yet but I must go back. This is a nice quiet place to have lunch on the weekdays. I'm sure the quiet days will soon end so stop in before it becomes the new hip Marina sushi bar!
nothing special. i almost forgot i ate here.
FOOD: my marina friend recommended this place to me but warned that she hadn't tried the sushi yet.
~the grilled miso butterfish was good but just standard & the portion was too small. also, they served the dishes in the wrong order, bringing the cooked fish before the raw, a no-no.
~we had the chirashi which was just alright. something about the fish & the rice just didn't thrill my taste buds.
~also tried the butterfish nigiri which i've never seen, probably b/c it's more successful cooked than raw.
DECOR: the table setup is weird & makes the place look even more empty. waste of space. the whole thing is boring.
SERVICE: our server was ok, but the people behind the sushi counter looked like sad zombies. they're obviously not japanese nor do they attempt to engage in japanese customs like greeting the customer when they enter. i was raised in a japanese culture so it was disappointing.
BATHROOM: normal.
OVERALL: unmemorable. rather go to ebisu even tho ebisu's kinda old.
Slightly above average sushi with small portions, great sake list, but the service was ridiculously slow. But they had a great green tea cheesecake, in a huge portion, so that adds on a star.
So this place replaced Sushi Chardonnay, which was terrible, but while the space has been completely remodeled, I can't say the same for the food. It wasn't terrible, but I will certainly not be back, as I can think of a few other sushi places in the area I would rather eat at.
Sooooo...I was checking out some potential competition and found myself here in the Marina. Now, I don't like to venture out here too often, not for another reason except that I find the marina too bland But I wanted to give this place a shot, hoping it would beat my expectations.
The decor was nice, clean and sterile, but lacking in warmth. The only thing I found appeasing was the shelves with the sake on them, that had colorful blue glass tiles behind it. Although the tables where a nice walnut color, it just didn't fit in with the place and with purple walls. Not as inviting as it could be. But service was good and the sake just kept coming.
We decide to order an assortment, which you must do when going to any sushi place. The fish was definitely fresh and tasty. The sashimi of albacore and hamachi were good chunks of meats, served slightly chilled to the right temperature. We ordered the union roll, with ebi on top and black tobiko and a couple salads; one with eggplant and one of soft shell crab stuffed with shrimp then deep fried. The eggplant dish had a miso base, but it was way too sweet, to the point that I couldn't eat it anymore. Ansari soup was nice and light, but served, also, in a miso broth, so it was made a little saltier, and I knew it would be, but I didn't think they'd set the clams right in there and not let them linger in the broth to cook. Plus, they were delivered after we got most of our order.
The hirame was fantastic. Delump-cious pieces of thinly cut fish, served on chilled cucumbers and light ponzu-ish sauce; delicious. the Sakana Misoyaki, which is a butter(escolar) fish thats is grilled, was lovely, although a little too greasy. Lastly, we had a Negi beef dish that had thinly sliced beef wrapped around some greens, then topped with miniature sprouted salad. Matter of fact, everything had the sprouted salad on top, just about. They went a little OTT. Throw in a few other basic rolls and we were stuffed. Otherwise, there wasn't anything recommending. The place just serves decent sushi. There weren't any frills or aji tataki, live scallops, or anything. Just simple food.
Which brings me to the Sake. The Drunken Whale was great. Just the right touch of sweet and dry to make you want to drink more. The sake is what prolly interested me the most; they had a huge list and you could just go there to drink, which will be my future preference.
Overall, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this place to friends as a absolute must, but if you are in the area and looking for a decent, place to eat. go here. For 4 people and sake, the bill was about $140 and we were stuffed. It is a good deal. The food was good, but not memorable.
I know I wrote two reviews already today, but whatever, I was bored at work.Tonight I had sushi next door at Skipjack. As I was sitting at the bar I said, "I really should write a review on yelp about this place." I admit--I didn't like it at first (it's hard to stray from Chin & Zushi) but now that I have been there about 15 times (literally next door to my apartment- and yes, i'm lazy)... now, I know what is good. Poke to start- yum! Ahi tataki is good too. The rolls are pretty standard... they have one with salmon & lemon which is great, also their Union maki is good. I usually order everything spicy... I always sit at the bar... and it's the only place I eat alone. There are always people at the bar... and, well, my bf comes home late sometimes & a girls gotta eat!
-------------------------------------------------- -
7/17/07 I changed it to 5 stars from 4. Although we moved up the hill, we still try to make it to skipjack a couple times a month. Stewart, the owner/chef is an awesome guy. I think if you haven't sat at the bar & had a conversation with him... well... you should. I have started a sake bottle collection (empty of course), but he recommends great ones. GO!
I've only been here once, but the chef's sashimi plate was excellent. Nice atmosphere and reasonable prices in the less-than-reasonable Marina.
I ordered takeout from Skipjack tonight. This food was so terrible I'm almost at a loss for words. The rice was dry and the fish tasted old. The people that work there were nice and friendly but the food was unacceptably bad. It was a total waste of $21.
I love this place! I've eaten here three times and I've never had to wait. The sashimi is very fresh and tasty and the rolls are very reasonably priced. Tastefully decorated with a really cute and clean restroom! The service has always been friendly and very prompt, too.
Ok, so this place was so awful that i had to join yelp and mention it. Horrible, cold, bare atmosphere, pretty shitty maki and don't ever try the beef teriyaki, every piece was chewy and nasty. The restaurant was cold and let's just say, Sushi Chardonnay was 1,000 times better!
AMAZING SUSHI! My husband and I had a late night dinner here Friday night. We are super picky sushi eaters! The salmon sashimi was perfectly soft and buttery. The sashimi specials that evening were wonderful. We will be back frequently!
sushi was decent, prices were decent, but the service was a bit lacking. had to flag down the waitress several times to bring us our check.
great food and love the clean, modern atmosphere!
Happy Hour Draft Beer $1.75!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
99 cents beer & hot sake
Neighborhood: Excelsior
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood restaurants that are among my…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Loading...
