On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Mon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Loading...
According to my bf, the sushi here is almost as good as Japan....almost. We stopped by Sausalito after trekking a bit in the N.Bay so we were hungry when we parked around 4pm. Little did we know that the restaurant actually opens at 4:30 or 5pm depending on which side of the restaurant you choose...the wine/sake side or the sushi bar side. We moped around Sausalito on Bridgeway for a little bit before heading back to the restaurant.
We came to Sushi Ran exclusively for the Tsukiji market specials. When we arrived we were still early but decided to stop in the bar side for a drink before dinner. Nice atmosphere and we were seeing lots of locals who were stopping in for their drinks too. They told us if we wanted, we need to get a reservation put down with our names as there were not too many tables left so we did. When 5pm FINALLY rolled around, we went across the way.
The restaurant was a little dark but I think that was the atmosphere/decor lighting they were going for. We were seated near the back of the restaurant in a corner so I got a lot of time to look towards the doorway and up at the cobwebs dangling above our heads. (maybe you guys need to dust a little more often?) We ordered nigiri style for the fish (toro, meiji toro, shima aji, kinmedai, umi masu, dragon roll, and seaweed salad). The warmed towels brought to the table were a nice touch and when my bf asked for hot tea, they brought out 2 cups instead of just one like some other restaurants. Service was perfect; the waiter knew just when to step in or stop by without ruining our dinner conversation(s).
My favorite fish was the toro and kinmedai. We were really full by the time we managed to finish our food. The bill came to be about $110 which is not bad for the quality of fish you are getting. There are lots of fish variations, cooked items for squeamish non-raw eaters, and some meat dishes for those not interested in fish as much as me. Can't wait until the next time I stop in to try something else that is new!
As I read several reviews for this restaurant, I really cannot begin to explain what you all have experienced that I did not.
A group of friends and I decided to go to this so called 'best sushi in the Bay Area' place. As we entered, the hostess did greet and smile. As we told her we were a group of 4, she looks around and tells us it's a 15 minute wait, when there was hardly anyone dining. Plus, she did not even give us the option to sit at the bar and have dinner.
As the bartender greeted us, I glanced at the menu and found the menu to be not as descriptive as other sushi places I've been to. To be honest, the menu lacked creativity and imagination to the sushi world. My friends and I chatted up a storm with the bartender. I found the bartender to be very pleasant and actually knew one of my friends. I thought I would be in for a great experience!!! We asked for recommendations, and the response was 'everything is good' which we found to be not helpful in our selections.
My date decided to order edamame to be on the 'safe' side. They ended up being colder than ice in my drink. To say the least, the four of us did not even finish the small amount of edamame served. We ordered several rolls to share amongst us. The rolls were served in a way that it was an inconvenience to all parties served.
Overall, my impression was not the best. I'm not trying to a snob about this, but I believe that this review should not be overseen before visiting this place, if you really don't care about paying top price for sushi that I say was mild and meek.
I've had better sushi in Omaha, NE.
Sushi Ran has the best fish in California. Its a bit of a trek to get there from the city or the east bay, but it is so worth it. Even having dinner at a table instead of the bar is an experience. The staff is very nice and knowledgeable.
The fish and sake selection changes all the time so you could come back every week and have a completely different meal, I really wish I could.
I really love the interior and the general style, its very Japanese without being themey. As with any sushi bar I like to interact with the chefs, they are a bit reserved at Sushi Ran but it seems like they would really warm up if you were a regular.
Service was excellent, place was extremely packed though - be careful not to elbow your friend next to you lol. We ordered almost everything on the menu (tofu tasting, scallops, kobe beef, mushrooms, sushi & sashimi, duck, spare ribs, prawn tempura, & dessert sampler). Loved the fatty tuna ~ yummy! The owner came by to cordially greet us, and it was a pleasure meeting him. A bit on the pricey side, but that's expected in Marin. Since I frequent sushi joints in SF, I never knew an authentic sushi gem existed on Caledonia in Sausalito. Awesome find thanks to a good friend. We have a better idea of what to get exclusively next time and our very own desserts hehehe!
Sushi ran can suck it. I have had way better for way less.
Freshness of the fishes was ok, but for the price i want that shit to be slapping me in the face.
ok ok I get it its sushi ran but i dont feel like paying exrta bucks just to experience the marin sheeshy ness.
over all good but you can do better for cheaper.
Top sushi in the Bay Area, and that's hard for me to normally do. Sushi Ran has the quality, service, taste, variation I'm after.
It's spendy so this place goes down more as a splurge than a once a week, but oh how I wish it was dinner every night kinda place.
I'm not a sake fan, but according to others I'm with, this place is the top in selection. I actually tried one that I loved based on the great recommendation from the server.
I enjoy the bar side, but the menu is limited.
Super busy, even in the not so good times, so reservations are a really good idea.
As much as I love Sushi Zone, I gotta say I enjoyed Sushi Ran more....
We had the chef's Omakase selection, plus an appetizer and a few of our own nigiri's.... all the fish was fresh and really good
Couple that with a few carafes of particularly great sake, and there you have it.
the ambiance is great too, nice lighting, friendly sushi chefs/servers... they have a seperate bar area that you can wait in while your table is being readied... all near the bay in sausalito...
will definitely be back...
they just need to get the baked seabass/mango appetizer form Sushi Zone and it's a done deal
The BEST sushi in Northern California in my town! My bff and I like to come here after work for some rolls and a glass of vino. A great place to relax after a hard day. The skewers of different items are also great. I am not very adventerous so that's it for me.
We have been to Sushi Ran twice. Both times, it was amazing.
I saw that this place had been hammered pretty hard on yelp, so I was somewhat skeptical for our second visit. I am proud to say that someone must be reading the reviews, because we had excellent service when we were there. They even gave us a free chocolate bomb dessert since it was my husband's birthday (it was great- just too small IMO- you can't make a dessert that small - I could probably eat 4 all by myself).
So, our recommendations. We really like the trumpet mushrooms and the Kobe beef carpaccio. Very good flavors for both.
My husband's favorite sushi is the Wagyu beef sushi (sooo good- I guess it would have to be at $20 for two pieces). You don't use soy sauce when you eat it. The beef is slightly seared.
My favorites are the shiro ebi (it's shipped from Japan- this is the only place in the bay area that I know of which serves it) and the uni from Hokkaido (very important you order the right one- this one is the more expensive one).
I also tried the crunch roll- it was good- but not great. I like their dragon roll better.
My husband also really likes their tempura- we order it since it is a cheaper way to fill your tummies up because all of the other items are so costly.
I am not a fan of the shiso leaf- and normally they put it in a lot of their sushi items. I recommend you do what I did, and tell them you don't want shiso in anything! So you won't have to worry about it ruining your food.
The wasabi is hand made- hand ground horse radish- in case you are wondering why it is a little lumpy.
Overall, still very happy and pleased with this place and cannot wait to come back!
Whenever we bike along Bridgeway in Sausalito, my husband and I stop by for some sushi. It doesn't happen all the time because their hours are very limited, but sometimes it is worth it to wait until dinner starts because the sushi is out of this world.
I am not a real sushi fan. Raw fish is like asking me to eat cooked rat. It's just something that doesn't appeal to me. So I get the cooked fish on skewers here and some amazing octopus bites. The flavors are very Asian in that unless you concentrate, you can miss the subtle soy and garlic. Japanese food is not in your face food like other Asian cuisines so to experience almost quiet flavors, visit Sushi Ran.
They also have a heated patio with awning covers to shield against the breeze from the bay water.
Fancy but sustenance. Much like home but they take scales off and fish is freshly murdered.
This place knocks it out of the park!
I love sushi and have been fortunate enough to try it in Tokyo, and honestly I think Sushi Ran was BETTER.
We came as walk-ins, on a Saturday night--it was crowded but they were quite friendly and accommodating. We sat and perused the amazing many page sake menu, and the bartender let us taste a few before committing.
Shortly thereafter we were seated in the sushi bar across their star chef. Honestly I was so impressed that it was an honor to see him do his magic.
And the fish? So Fresh!! Barracuda, butterfish, shark, prawns, & crunchi roll- dynamite!
It was a belated anniversary dinner and they made it so so special. All for under $100. We took a menu and marked off what we liked best.
Love love love this place!
BEST SUSHI in the bay area, period. May be the best outside of Japan. They have most of their fish shipped directly from the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo.
This is a place for adventurous sushi eaters, not a fancy roll place. No need to drive across to Sushi Ran if you just want some fancy rolls.
-Kaishui Uni: BEST Sea Urchin I've had outside of Japan. They come in the shells, not in the box. I eat a whole box of uni by myself with a spoon at home, but this thing brought me to tears. My friend from small town who's never even seen UNI before, thought it's whipped cream on top of rice. So creamy and SWEET...OMG...
-Meso Anago: white wine braised young sea eel, you'll probably never order regular unagi anywhere after you've had this. This is a fancier version of unagi, incredibly soft that just melts on your tongue. Lightly flavored with the yuzu kosho (citrusy soy sauce), just heavenly.
-Umi Masu: tasmanian ocean trout, looked and tasted like a great piece of salmon. It was the best slice of fish I had among all we got, incredibly creamy.
-Buri: hokkaido wild yellowtail, another great slice of fish, a "reserve" version of hamachi.
-Hon Maguro: nagasaki blue fin tuna. I'm not a huge fan of tuna, but it was definitely good.
-Unagi: yeah, your good old unagi, just OK compared to the meso anago, but it's still much better than anywhere else. You could tell that they BBQ it at site, not from the frozen packages.
-Hamachi: "I know what hamachi tastes like, but this is so much better..."
-Kibinago: fresh baby sardine with pickled seaweed. Not my favorite, but pretty unique flavor.
-Sumi Ika: great with the seaweed powder and the decorating leave at the the bottom.
The slices are so generous, sometimes I had to finish a slice of fish with 2 bites. Our server Jorge rocks. He gave great recommendations, interesting conversations about food in Spain, and let us sample some great sake. 4 custards dessert was just what we needed, small but flalvorful.
Sushi Ran you ruined it for me...now it won't spend my $ at any other sushi places anymore...
I've been to Sushi Ran twice so far, and yes, I would go back again if go to Sausalito again. Although it is a little bit more Japanese fusion than traditional, I still think this is one of the best sushi restaurants in the bay area.
Both time I sat at sushi bar and only ordered sushi, so I can't comment on their regular menu. However, in terms of food, I did feel my first time experience was much better than the second time, and I think the Sushi Chef had a lot to do with it. The first Chef we had seemed to be a lot more experienced, and every dish that he prepared was just wonderful. The second time we got a much younger Chef (not saying that there is a direct correlation), but he put so much sauce on almost all the fish he prepared, it kind of killed the natural taste of the fish itself. However, despite my less satisfied second experience, I would still recommend the restaurant.
I have heard people rave about Sushi Ran for years and for years I have not followed their recommendations. Not a huge fan of sushi but I do appreciate the art and the complex flavors, I went the other night. I have been missing a great experience all these years! The hostess was very courteous and our waiter recommended a variety of dishes. All were to die for! Wow...and then Yoshi stops by and was very hospitable and generous with his time. Food, service, atmosphere, professionalism....all 5 stars and I will return ...next week!
Best sushi I've had in America (closest thing to eating sushi in Japan). It's gonna be tough to beat. Sit at the sushi bar so Nori Kusakabe can serve you. Watch him work and be amazed at what the chefs are doing back there with the fish, which is fresh and flown in from Japan. There's a lot of variety and the quality is high. What I've had that wasn't from Japan was fantastic too.
Your meal will be pricey but considering the quality and how much you'd pay at a nice sushi restaurant in Japan, it's not expensive. Sit at the sushi bar, request it on your reservations or get there early before they open and you shouldn't have a problem. It's worth waiting for.
Other stats:
Atmo: Casual.
Crowd: Locals, sushi enthusiasts (including Japanese regulars who come every week).
Nice touch: There's dog parking and a water bowl for your canine companions.
Buildings: Two, one's the bar and the other the restaurant proper.
Service: Easy to get wait staff's attention. Great sushi chefs.
The food from the kitchen is good, too, but the only thing I'd get again are the king trumpet mushrooms. They're cooked perfectly. I wanted more uni flavor in the seared scallop dish with uni bernaise. The tofu tasting, while good, was eclipsed by the mushrooms by far. Actually, I'd get the seared foie gras with big eye tuna again, too.
Desserts: if you have room, go for it, because the puddings are interesting and the dessert sampler is great to share. If you want one thing, though, get the marscapone ice cream with berry sauce and you won't be disappointed. Even if you're full.
Now, to the sushi! All delicious. All delicately prepared.
kasui uni (japan) -- no words for how good this is
uni (mendocino sea urchin) -- not as sweet as the uni from Japan, but still fantastic. Easily the best American uni I've had.
zuke-chu toro (soy sauce cured blue fin fatty tuna)
shigoku kaki (fresh japanese style oyster with yuzu jelly from b.c.)
Ivory King Sake (wild alaskan king salmon w/ oboro konbu and dill)
shiro ebi (white baby sweet shrimp)
mehikari (shiny green-eyed fish w/ sesame oil cured ginger)
ayu (sweet fish)
sakurani (braised live octopus with japanese mustard)
tobiuo (japanese flying fish)
takabe (japanese golden striped butter fish)
samekawa karei (shark fin flounder w/ white miso powder and seared fin)
hamo (kyoto pike eel w/ arimasansho (tempura style))
shima aji (japanese striped jack)
hon maguro (nagasaki blue fin tuna)
katsuo (japanese bonito)
ankimo (monkfish liver)
japanese beef - blow torched!
eel braised in wine
And more! It's taken me forever to write this review and the menu is... somewhere.
The sushi tasting is already seasoned for you, no need to dip in your own soy sauce (trust the chef). Between the sashimi tasting and the sushi tasting, I'd go for the sushi. But if you're a group of two, why not get both?
I did.
Twice.
I came here twice in the span of a week, as birthday gifts to two friends. They weren't excuses to come, I swear. Neither was disappointed, even on the second visit when I hyped up Sushi Ran like there was no tomorrow.
Make sure you:
order sushi
order some stuff from the kitchen
save most of your stomach for sushi
if you have two stomachs, the bigger one is reserved for sushi
(psst, there's a secret sushi menu for the regulars; if something's not on the menu ask anyway to see if they have it)
bring me along so I can have good sushi
You have to make a distinction between the Bar and the Restaurant.
The bar gets 4 stars due to the general chaos and drinkyness of Sausilito on any night of the week.
The restaurant gets 5 stars for the absolutely impeccable crafting of food. The unagi nigiri is to die for.
We had the Omakaze sushi flight, which was a wonderful selection of fish (including Monkfish Liver Pate).
The Kumamoto oysters were very fresh and the scallop dumplings were hittin'. Nothing was over-sauced and everything was very fresh.
My only knock is that it's astro-frickin-expensive
For those of you looking for a sushi place to take non-sushi-eating friends, I can attest to the tastiness of the non-sushi food. None of it's over-the-top amazing, mind, but the tempura udon is great, and you can't go wrong with their bento boxes at lunch.
That said, if you're not coming here for sushi (which seems to be amazing, judging by other reviewers' notes), I wouldn't go out of my way. Maybe I'm just spoiled by all the good Japanese food where I was living (Portland, OR) and where I grew up (Los Gatos, CA), so maybe it's really good non-sushi Japanese for Marin County...but it was good, not fantastic, and it was a touch expensive.
But it's a block from my office, so for the convenience of it all, I'll probably stop by plenty.
Yes now I understand why they deserved to be OFF the Michelin list.
Not worth the long drive, not worth the wait (even with reservation) and not worth the big price tab.
The sushi's OK, fish were fresh, but at the end of the night, all I could remember tasting was lots of shiso. Everything came with shiso leaf or wrapped with it.
It was noisy in the restaurant and our service was just not great. Yes they were busy and crowded but that's no excuse for the poor service when customers have to pay top dollars. That is why I'm saying it's just not worth it.
I didn't walk, I Sushi Ran.
ALWAYS sit at the sushi bar, the best place to be to interact with the sushi master, to get an explanation, and to get the best and freshest sushi of the day. Yeah you might have to wait but it's not like you are just sitting there. Head over to the bar and learn about and taste some great sake at the bar.
EVERYTHING was awesome so I'll just tell you what I ate.
What we ate:
Trumpet Mushrooms
Seared Foie Gras & big eye tuna (with pickled onions, watercress & black pepper caramel)
Sushi:
sushi omakase and sashimi omakase
sushi omakase: suke chu toro (soy sauce cured blue fin fatty tuna), hamo (kyoto pike eat w/ arima sansho, tempura style), ayu (sweetfish), can't remember the rest... kinki (line caught big hand snapper w/ liver pate)... I think torigai (japanese cokcle clam w/ mustard miso)
sashimi omakase: katsuo (japanese bonito), ishigaki dai (okinawa rock porgy fish with sea grapes), ika, snapper...? can't remember the rest
Other:
Miyazaki Wagyu
Ankimo (only thing we had that wasn't from japan)
Kaisui Uni (from japan)
Mehikari (shiny green eye fish w/ sesame oil cured ginger)
Meso anago (white wine braised young see eel w/ yuzu kosho)
Dessert Sampler
Four custards
Wasabi - Freshly grated, you'll know the difference.
The goal is to be fat and happy.... I was definitely both.
I had a great experience at Sushi Ran. I'm giving this place four stars for now, but hopefully a return trip sometime in the near future would bump this baby up to a five. *update, on second thought... i'm giving this place five stars!*
I will definitely be back for the Oyster Shooter, which is an oyster, ponzu, quail egg, & tobikko in a glass of bishonen sake. It was so good that I had two.
The vegetable appetizer and the tofu tasting were fabulous and they were a great way to start the meal. The soft shell crab which I had to try was also very good. The dish came with a tempura dipping sauce and also an aioli sauce.
As for the sushi and sashimi, my friends and I ordered the omakase, a white fish dish, a few rolls and of course some uni! Everything came out fresh and delicious. All the dishes were also presented very well.
As for the service, I thought it was great. Apparently, some diners have had some bad experiences but our server was attentive and gave us some nice suggestions.
Too bad Sushi Ran is in Sausalito because I would love to come here for their Oyster Shooter and hop over to Koo for their Spoonful of Happiness. Too bad!
Always a must stop on my Friday evenings.
I give it my MMMMnMMMmmmmNN
Was a wonderful warm day today here in Sausalito so I suggested to my parents in law that we have a light dinner here tonight. We sat at the bar side of the restaurant.
Started off with edamame. They were served ice cold to us. I'm not too sure if this was intentional or not. They were good nonetheless.
Got some rolls.
Salmon Avocado. Solid.
Dragon Roll. Superb. My father in law liked it quite a bit.
Soft Shell Crab Roll. HUGE! Interestingly prepared, fried crab with no batter, and with asparagus inside the roll. Interesting but was not my favorite out of the rolls we got today.
Crunchy roll. Was my husband's hit the last couple of times we were here, and was a hit today too.
I'd say definitely, try the dragon roll and the crunchy roll here.
We finished with some dessert. Parents had green tea and ginger icecream, I had the banana foster. Caramelized bananas with a pastry round on the bottom, scoop of ginger ice cream on top with shreds of coconut. This was very interesting. tingly/spicy icecream, and sweet caramel/banana flavors. I think this is potentially pretty addictive. I just may want to come back during the day for just tea and dessert : )
My husband and I dined here again last Sunday. We weren't starving, so we figured we'd stroll over… Read more »
Interesting little place. A little thrown off by the fact that it is in two buildings and the kitchen is only in one, but with that being said, the food is TO DIE FOR.
My friend and I wanted to have dinner somewhere close to her home in Sausalito, so we started walking and came upon Sushi Ran. We had heard great things about it, but never eaten there, so we decided to try it. Great idea! We sat at the bar and chatted while watching the chefs prepare the sushi with fresh fish, flown in from Japan. There are a lot of very interesting choices there, all out in front of you to see.
We started with something from the Kitchen. Hot mushrooms with an onion glaze type sauce. Hands down, the BEST mushrooms, I have ever had. We then moved on to some sushi. We shared one and then had our own. We wanted more after we were done. We felt full, but not so full that our pants were too tight.
Anytime I am in Marin and in the mood for sushi, I know where to go.
::THEY HAVE NORMAL SIZE CUTS NOW!!!::
For awhile there, you got but the dinkiest bits O fish... back to normal!
::JAPAN CHEF::
There is at least one... when we were there, he was closest to the door and had his name on his uniform. This guy knew what he was doing. Since you are paying the same price, do your best to sit by him (would you really chance sitting at a table, pay the same money, and get the B team making your sushi?).
::SAKE::
Get the one in the can... no... really.
Was the best sushi I have had in the Bay Area (now smoked by Akira), and up there with some of the… Read more »
I have not been here in many many years! Looks like they have a new SUSHI MASTER who has world wide credentials... I think what turned me off back then was the astromical prices... I guess they can justify it now. Need to go back to see if I can put back a full star on this review.
They lost their Michelin Star, but trumpet Kusakabe winning the Sushi Award 2008. Seven "Rice" Samurai. His dish was rice prepared 7 different ways. Rice! Just rice. I wonder why this is called a sushi award?
Had a bite here the other day, walked right in at 6 pm, hardly anyone inside. Weird.
The older couple sitting next to me at the sushi bar, has been coming here for years and were complaining about the changed menu and that the food was not as good and had changed. On the other side of them, a man chimed in, said they had lost their Michelin Star and the older couple was not surprised. They said their whole squid, which they ALWAYS ordered, was not as good, and they left very unhappy.
I like their tuna poke. $13.00.
They had these great tasting broiled oysters, but with the change of menu, took them off :( They were only $2.00 each.
6 pieces of one inched cubed sized sashimi for $40.00 is a bit too much though. I don't care where they flew it in from! How about local fresh fish.
I was casually dressed, nicely. Got the once over snooty look from an older seated woman as I walked in. I wonder if she knows the BUTTAH face joke! :D
hmmmmmm........... I wonder why they lost their Michelin Star?
It takes A LOT for it to be taken…
Read more »
I've been looking for an amazing sushi venue in Marin for the past 2+ years & I finally found it. Everything about Sushi Ran was great- the service, atmosphere, fresh fish, sake, and just the overall experience. One of my favorite appetizers was the spoonfull of tofu topped with uni in a special sauce. The tofu literally just melts in your mouth.
I will definitely be back for more goodness...
3 1/2 Stars.
The food was good, but not extraordinary. Ordered the sushi dinner (chef's choice), king oyster mushrooms, veggie appetizer combo, poached eel, baked oysters, beef sashimi, and probably something else I forgot. The sushi was good, except I wouldn't have picked the sardine. The beef sashimi was not worth a try, pretty tasteless.
The food overall would be 4 stars, but the fact that they kept us waiting for 25 minutes when we were on time for our appointment at 7pm is pretty bad. I think I'm being nice giving them this rating.
Dinner was $170 for 2.
Diplomatic immunity, I've found, always goes a long way when you're eating out. For instance, Korean food is always better with a Korean speaking person with you to bark orders at the servers. And the service and food at Japanese restaurants - especially at places like Sushi Ran - can be made infinitely better under the auspices of a native speaker.
Luckily, when I entered into my relationship, I also lucked into a sushi-loving future sister in law who not only recommended Sushi Ran, but came along with me and her brother in law.
So it was that we avoided the bad service that seems to have plagued other Yelpers that arrived here. True, not everyone that worked here was Japanese, but our server was. Therefore, even when the kitchen was out of step, our server did her best to make up for it. Good times.
The sushi itself is as good as a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant should be. We had several different types (probably over a dozen, but I kinda lost track), in addition to other bites and appetizers. Of note, I especially enjoyed the beef carpaccio with wasabi.
My favorite sushi is amaebi - sweet shrimp. Though we didn't get any heads with them, the shrimp themselves were fresh, and the sweetness that you'd expect from amaebi was note-perfect.
Also, one of the best gauges (for me) for a sushi place is how good their uni tastes. I've had bad, bad uni, and it's rare that I LOVE a piece of uni. But the uni here was exquisite, with the creaminess that I expect from good uni.
The kohada was, according to the menu, flown in from Tsukiji that very morning, and indeed tasted fresh. It was devoid of the rancid fishiness that has sometimes plagued pieces of kohada I've had in the past.
I also loved that many of the nigiri that we got were pre-seasoned. I've always enjoyed when sushi chefs take care of the seasoning, and those nigiri that were pre-season were quite good, even if my Japanese speaking dinner companion ordered them (therefore leaving me no clue what they were).
I also have to mention the best thing I ate that night: the A5 grade Miyazaki Wagyu beef. This wasn't my first experience with Miyazaki, but it was one of the best - seared, just a smattering of seasoning, fresh grated wasabi - man, I could wet myself just thinking about it.
Sure, things might be a bit pricey. But we were on vacation, and Sausalito doesn't seem like a town with much as far as cheap eats. I got some late reservations on a Tuesday evening - when all seemed quiet in the whole town, except for this little place off of the main drag.
Started off with the scallop chive dumplings - and they were tiny little pockets of heaven. Very small and delicate, yet with a surprisingly delectable flavor and texture. Several rolls went down and all were incredible - then the last one we ordered came out.. the CRUNCH. Holy, crap. It was one of the best food experiences I have ever had. So good that a second Crunch was ordered. I want to go back, just to get a pile of Crunch rolls. Simply heaven.
Service was fine - not overbearing, not lingering. The restaurant is cramped, but food came out in a very timely fashion. Can't comment on parking, as we walked down from an Inn up the hill.
Located a street behind the main drag on Caledonia.
After being seated you'll receive a hot towel to wash your hands, always a nice offering before dining. The sushi is fresh and interesting and the menu deep.
It can get crowded during the busy meal hours. Parking can get a bit tight but you can usally find a spot. The owner is around often and they maintain consistancy with their quality.
With quality comes expense, your bill will reflect just that.
Found this place to be a bit overrated and somewhat pricey. However, it may be the best restaurant in Sausalito. Sausalito is a great place to do brunch and walk around the marina but a horrible spot to dine. Sushi Ran is probably one of your best options.
Sushi isn't authentic but it's good enough for the North Bay. Sushi Ran is usually crowded so expect to wait...
I ate at many sushi places in my life and hands down Sushi Ran has the best sushi that I have ever had! They have sushi that you wouldn't see on other places' menus and some of it is shipped straight from Tokyo. Fish is fresh, tender and to die for! I would eat at Sushi Ran every week if I could afford.
Kirala in Berkeley used to be my favorite sushi place. But after eating at Sushi Ran, there is no going back.
I heart Sushi Ran. It is definitely one of the best places for sushi in the Bay Area. The fish is AWESOME. Three of us split the Sushi Omagase the Sashimi Omagase and 3 Maki Rolls (Crunchy, Soft Shell Crab and Negatori) and it was the perfect amount. I did feel guilty about eating Blue Fin Tuna and other fish that is not on the sustainable list but it was SO good... I mean I can't just leave a beautiful piece of tuna on the plate to serve as a statement...that's just wasteful. The service was fantastic and the ambiance is very nice. Not too noisy and very cozy and comfortable. It is also really nice to be able to stroll along the waterfront after dinner. Sushi Ran is definitely fit for foodies and a great place to bring a date.
I didn't want to love Sushi Ran. I actually walked in ready to hate Sushi Ran. I was prepared to be let down. However, after 4 visits, I have consistently been happy with the food there. It's just solid, high-quality sushi. I prefer to sit on the bar side of the restaurant for both the atmosphere and the outdoor porch. But the food is great on both sides.
Amazingly fresh sushi! The selection was fantastic -- a wide range of fish to choose from and some I've never heard of. I would definitely order the golden striped butterfish and toro again. Surprisingly the dessert was to die for! My choice: the dessert sampler. My favorite: the chocolate bombe. The service was great and sake was tasty.
Sushi Ran is probably one of my favorite sushi places. The sushi here is some of the best I've had outside of Japan. The restaurant did lose its one Michelin star rating, which is somewhat debatable, but if you are North of the Golden Gate, no place makes better sushi.
There are some downsides, tables are a premium so you should make reservations if you don't want to wait too long. As for pricing I wish I could take half a star away it is a steep premium. Well I have gone back a few times even with the premium!
The service here blows. And not in a good way.
I came here recently with two super hot Marin trophy wives - the kind of women who just ooze money without being snooty about it. Nice bottles of wine get ordered, lots of dishes are tried, everyone fights each other to try to pay the bill - these women aren't scared of spending their husbands' money. And they're not cheap with the tips.
But they're no fools. When the service is non-existant, when it takes 10 minutes to get the bartender's attention to close out your bar tab so you can move into the dining room, when the next bottle of white comes out lukewarm, when you have to flag down the server for everything - when all of that happens, it doesn't matter how great the sushi is, the tip is going to reflect the shoddy service.
Mill Valley, CA
Category: Sushi Bars
Sausalito, CA
Category: Italian
Sausalito, CA
Category: Seafood
Mill Valley, CA
Category: Japanese
Sausalito, CA
Category: Indian
Here are some of the restaurants I have come…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Just a couple miles north, but worlds away from…
Places I would repeat...some on the list are…
Where I feed my weary body in Marin, San…
There is so much more to Japanese food than some…
Fresh fish is not a luxury, but a must-have, and…
I'm talking about the bathroom, of course. These…
