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Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: ParksideMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
"This is my favorite place to get sushi, hands down. The owner is a great host, always attentive and generous. All the sushi chefs have a…" read more »
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I like their sushi...fresh and yummi....The owner is super nice!! Often offers some freebies(like beer or ice cream:)
Giving it 4 stars because of the decor...it doesn't feel too cozy..kinda small and dark(
So I ventured here tonight because they had a pretty solid 4 star review on Yelp - I was really underwhelmed.
The first strike was that I could barely understand the waiter, and I don't think he understood me very well either, so I was really suprised when my order came correctly. He was able to answer yes/no questions so I'll give some credit there too.
The tuna sashimi I received was FROZEN.
Yes, crunchy and icy inside.
The color was also really bright; I was expecting blood red and I got flamingo pink.
The rolls were not well put together but they did taste pretty decent so that was ok.
They forgot a part of my date's meal till we asked for it, so that wasn't a big deal either.
They would do well to update their menu as they had many more varieties of booze. I saw some Soju and some other tasty Sake's in the fridge that would've been nice to know about. It was also a lil hard to read the specials on the board and the waiter didn't tell us about them either.
I'd be willing to try it again, but I suspect their good reviews partially come from the fact that they didn't card the teenagers (they really looked it, I hope I'm wrong) who came in to drink beer.
pretty good sushi roll place, the lady serving us was very nice and the sushi-man behind the counter was polite.
Their portions are quite big and their rolls are somewhat creative having names referring to the area they are in. Beef teriyaki was nice and tender, wasnt over cooked. Rolls are always fun to eat, and there wasnt anything too out of the ordinary. And prices are not too bad.
I'll come back again for some simple sushi roll cravings
Worst service. Don't ever come here if there is more than one table open because they rudely rush you in and out of this place while reminding you that there are other customers and only one person in the entire restaurant working. Why is it the customer's fault that their restaurant is being mismanaged?
I would rather drive the six blocks to Tazaki Sushi on Judah where the service and the price for fresh sushi in the Sunset are on the same level as the bright, friendly and family-like atmosphere.
Ironically, this place is named Sushi Zen when this place is small, dark and the staff rush you. Though the sushi may taste "woohoo" to some, this restaurant left an "eek" taste in my mouth.
So friendly! And everything we tried was delicious. We will definitely be back, next time with friends for sake bombs...
The salmon sashmi here is not fresh... it's actually frozen! I ordered it for my mom and there was still ice on it! That's just not right. Also had their california rolls which was as equally disappointing. Personally I have no idea how this place has stayed open for this long... I think it's because of the all the high school students from Lincoln that come for their lunch specials! If you want good sushi go to Shimo which is across the street from the Safeway on Taraval!
great place, very friendly, chef occasionally will also take a drink with you too! Buy 2 saki get 1 free. Parking is fairly easy at night. Food is great, a lot bigger portions of sushi than other places. Waiter/ waitress seemed a bit timid at first, however was very nice when less busy, and even offered a plate of sushi on the house and a salad when they forgot one of our orders. Also, great price and portion for take-out lunch. Will also give you lunch deal if you arrive a bit later.
Highly recommend, nice place, great food.
The name for this place is VERY appropriate :) Me Likey!!
Fresh Fish, they have a variety of rolls, AND they are YUMMY!!! Whenever I discover new spots I usually tend to check yelp ratings before actually going, but I was on the road and my phone was about to die. So I came here anyway because I needed my sushi fix.
Boy was I pleasantly surprised!! Although this place looks like a hole in the wall, their rolls are some of the best quality and tasting rolls I've had and it was nice and tidy inside. The servers are extremely nice; they stop by to chat with you. PLUS their prices are very reasonable. I've been to lower quality sushi spots that charged a couple bucks more for their mediocre rolls. I'm soooo glad I gave this place a shot.
Me and my friends all agree this is the best sushi place on Taraval. Okaza Yu is just alright nothing special and Shi mo 2 is overpriced with small rolls with fat on the fish. But Sushi Zen Is so good great salmon and the owner is enthusiastic about making you rolls which is nice when you feel comfortable with someone making your food
Good but not great, cheap, and local. That's what I want out of a sushi restaurant. I come here for the lunch specials and the terrific fresh sashimi.
The chef is nice and a lot of students and teachers seem to congregate here but I usually get my order to go. Green tea while you wait!
I haven't tried the specials board with all the bells and whistles and orange sauces but I'm a simple girl when it comes to two things: sushi and coffee. Clean flavors and fresh ingredients is all I want thankyouverymuch.
This would be a three star review if it weren't for the people that work there. They are genuinely kind.
I've only been here for lunch, but both times it was pretty damn good!
I also would like to note that this has been the only Japanese restaurant I've been to in about five years that had native Japanese customers (some students and what looked like some businessmen discussing important business matters over sushi and tempura) who seemed to be very pleased with the place.
I, too, was pleased with this restaurant, although it's small and hardly noticeable from the street because the doorway is inset and the entrance is shared with the store next door.
I've had a few different rolls here, plus combo bento boxes that always filled me without draining my bank account. Sashimi combo was fresh and tasty, the chicken katsu was crisp and hot, they've got good specials for the few lunchgoers, and the waitstaff is friendly, although not particularly fast.
While waiting for Dave from Cosmic Computer just down the street to perform brain surgery on my Little Dell (laptop) I dropped in to have a Sapporo and Sashimi for lunch.
This is a perfectly simple little place, I wouldn't say no frills but it's on the small side, however when not full then it could be considered intimate !. It's narrow and deep with the sushi bar in the back.
It was packed for lunch so I took a seat at the sushi bar.
The seating is pretty tight and it can get a bit loud but it's not too bad.
Since I'm on a new eating plan and have lost 15lbs in 11 weeks, that means no rice for me so I now order Sashimi instead of Sushi.
I ordered the smaller assorted Sashimi Plate, 9 pieces for $9.95.
Btw, at dinner they only offer larger size of 10 pieces for $10.95.
Handsdown the most reasonable price for a Sashimi lunch I've had in SF.
Now I'm always nervous about what's going to show up because
I always hate one or more pieces due to them being either some horrible rubbery /chewy fish or god knows what !
However today I had the most delicious assortment of 3 kinds of fish. White Tuna, Maguro and Halibut.
Every piece was totally melt in your mouth. Fresh and flavorful.
Hands down the best assorted Sashimi I've had in awhile.
I decided to test out this place and ordered Scallop Sashimi.
This is the deal breaker for me, if a restaurant carries good quality fresh Scallop then it's on my regular go to list. It was pretty good!
If this place were even remotely close to my house I'd be here alot, sadly it's not. 4 stars for fish quality.
Minus a star for decor, the hundreds of pics up and down the walls definitely close it in and detract. Also, the wash area was really unkept on the way to the bathroom with nobody in it. Dirty dishes everywhere.
However, the prices are really reasonable and the fish quality is good.
I'll be back again.
Sticky seats, salty teriyaki sauce & tobiko. I've been in search of a good sushi restaurant in the sunset for sometime now and have pretty much given up. After browsing yelp tonight, my friend and I decided to try Sushi Zen after seeing it had a pretty good rating and a decent amount of reviewers. I should have paid attention to the multiple mentions of SFSU students frequenting the place. No offense but college students liking a place doesn't necessarily mean good food, it just means it's cheap.
We walked in and were greeted warmly by the staff. Upon sitting, I grabbed my seat to scoot it closer to the table and my fingers were covered with sticky grime as were my calves from rubbing against the chair. I immediately was grossed out and had to wash my hands.The teriyaki was so disgutingly salty on my tofu teriyaki that I took 1 bite and couldn't bear to consume the rest of the 5.5 pieces. My friend's Unagi was also dipped in the teriyaki, and though she has a higher tolerance for sodium and finished it, she did not enjoy it. We both thought teriyaki is generally supposed to be sweet?! ...Weird. Her Tobiko was also salty and she thought it probably came out of a can.
Miso soup and edamame were fine - but really, I don't think those are even possible to screw up. 1 star only because they were generally nice but I'd never go back.
i was a high school student here and would walk down to grab lunch.
SUPER DYNAMITE roll is THE SHIT,figuratively and maybe literally? it's a tad bit spicy, but VERY good.
the California roll is pretty good to me, but i'm not a HUGE fan of sushi.
SUPER DYNAMITE[10 pieces] & CALIFORNIA ROLL[8] takeout box -- $5.50. after one bite, you would want another takeout box of it. that's how i'm hooked onto it, and i'm 2 hours south for college.
the student menu TAKEOUT has choices of SPICY chicken which is sar-wah-cha sauce[can't spell it, i've tried] chicken KATSU and TERIYAKI chicken. each box is $3.50! or $3.00 i forgot, it's been a while. and int the front, there's a table you can add MORE sauce to your food.
HORRIBLE CUSTOMER service, it's the main waiter. he is a TOTAL ass toward high school students. seriously. i would know, i went to lincoln for 4 years and 2-3 years i've been to Sushi Zen.
they're just polite to other customers -_- that AREN'T high school students.
get the takeout boxes and head your way to somewhere else.
They treat me like a king here. Better then they treat my sex kitten Suan W. I was here with 4 other friend to celebrate one of my belated friends birthday We ordered 5 roll and two and two dinners. It was really fresh and good. I thought we order to much food. The only female waitress there was cute. We also got free deserts and one of my friends go there alot and always bring a group to eat there. The tab was about 100 dollars for 5 people. They have alot of parties from the picture I see in there.
Sushi Zen is the place to be for most SFSU students! The location is perfect! Not to mention the amazing prices and deals.
Kevin (owner and sushi maker) is a favorite to anyone who walks through the doors. The walls are covered with photos of regulars and people just having a good time! The food and atmosphere- especially if you are sake bombing- is the perfect place to be!!
Kevin will even come over to do a sake bomb with you! I must not forget, we always seem to have more food and sake on the table then what we had ordered, all compliments of the chef!
if you are looking for a cheap, fun place and like good sushi, sushi zen is where it is!
I always have a hard time deciding what to eat, especially when there is a huge variety of things that I want to try.
We asked the waiter what his favorite roll was...and his reply was "They don't have it here, its at another restaurant." My friends and I gave each other a look. That made me think the food must not be too good here, if he doesn't even have a favorite. Sketchy...
We proceeded to order the:
TUNA POKI: we all loveddd it. tuna was fresh and went well with their seaweed. i loved the combination of flavors in my mouth.
HAMACHI KAMA: loved how they grilled it and dipping it in their yummy ponzu sauce. Very tender meat and good portion.
SUNSET STRIP ROLL: very good! no complaints, it was our best roll. had unagi inside topped with raw tuna, hamachi, topped with a sweet sauce and their spepcial house sauce.
PINK DRAGON ROLL: not up to par. it was supposed to be baked but it wasn't and when we asked our waiter if this was our order he said yes. we asked again because it was supposed to be baked. after all of us had a piece to try...we concluded that it wasn't the roll we had ordered, so we notified the waiter again. FINALLY, he asked the chef to make a new one. and waiting almost 40 minutes later, it came. WACK! that is so not cool. Good thing we had other food keeping our tummies full and had a lot of catching up to do.
TARAVAL ROLL: not what the menu made it seem like. i thought it was made very poorly. It had avocado, crab meat and hamachi, but it didn't taste all that great. very dissappointed.
We really enjoyed the Tuna poki, hamachi kama, and the sunset strip.
Did not enjoy the service too much, especially when the waiter tried to play it off as if the pink dragon roll was supposed to be the way it came. NO, my friend noticed because she can't eat raw food. He wasn't even apologetic at all that they tried to serve us the wrong roll. It gave me the feeling as if he knew they made it wrong, but didn't say anything about it...thinking that we wouldn't notice it. THAT'S WRONG!!!
I would give it another shot again, if the waiter who served us is NOT WORKING.
This place has pretty good chicken teriyaki. I have to admit that. But the fact that eating in there was just a disappointment.
When we were in there. My friend ordered a Chicken katsu. and the dude was like if you're eating here you guys have to give me Tip... to be honest.. i was like what the F***. i mean the food is good. but that just totally Turned me off about the place. I think ever since then i never got anything from there again.
In the end we still ended up giving tip since we are nice people.
Really delicious chicken teriyaki though.. what a shame...
I really enjoyed Sushi Zen and above all I really love when I stumble into a place and it turns out to be a great meal.
Sushi Zen is your typical small sushi restaurant. The prices were very reasonable and the food was great. We had mainly rolls,however the house salad was super tasty and also the cucumber salad was a great way to start the meal.
The Tuna was fresh and that is always a big plus with me. I can't stand when I get a piece of sashimi and its gross...ick! Not the case here. The other thing that was great was how friendly the staff was. Very attentive and nice. I will for sure be coming back to this place again and again when I am in the area. Thank you Sushi Zen!
Although it is chinese sushi, it works!
I think the main thing i look for in restaurants is friendly service. That is MOST important. And a smile wouldnt hurt! Thats what the owner/boss got, i like that.
This place makes me smile, so four stars. My mom and i seem to always come during lunch, when all the Lincoln high school kids run down here to get a teriyaki chicken box over rice for $3.50!!! They block the whole entrance for about 20mins, its entertaining to watch. When I went to lincoln, this place wasnt even open yet, i wouldve probably be the first one here everyday.
My favorite roll here, Lazy Summer roll. Its fresh assorted fish wrapped with a thin slice of cucumber acting as seaweed. Its so refreshing!! I wish i could eat them forever. But i had to share with my mom.....:[
Prices are average for SF. We were seated pretty fast for 5 people at 7:30pm. We were all given tea and miso soup. The miso was very good. All of us had their house salad. Pretty large and very good. I ordered the Rainbow and Catepillar rolls today. I know. I was in the mood for them. My friends ordered a few dishes of the fish jaw bone that is BBQ'd. I never had it before. I try just about anything once. Doesn't look great, but it tastes fabulous. Light and flaky. WOW I was very surprised. I will get this item again.
The place is very cramped and small. It is hard getting between the chairs to sit or exit. The food is worth it. Parking was no problem. We will be back in a few months. I hope it is as good as before.
This is another "Chinese" sushi joint in San Francisco.
This is also my gf's favorite casual sushi place. She likes chicken katsu, and this place does it right. Thick cut of juicy, perfectly cooked chicken in a very crispy not overly greasy batter. Nice.
Easy on the wallet, and since she's a regular, they are flexible with her bento to swap out what she doesnt like, for what she's willing to eat.
bye bye sashimi and salad, hello tempura and extra california rolls.
Their california rolls are pretty cheap too, an 8 piece roll costing around 3 bucks? Inexpensive, but definately not skimpy, the rolls were of a good size. (yeah yeah ... that's what she said.... *sigh*)
I'll give it a 4 because I like the chicken katsu here as well as the california rolls (and the price), also, note that the rating was upped because the gf would have wanted a more favorable review.
I'd rate it a 3.5 because the fish isnt up to par. I had the sashimi, I wasn't impressed.
In any case, a bunch of (seemingly) good folks running a small business. I wish them well.
Stay away from this place when Lincoln High School is out for lunch... the place is SWARMED with teenagers...the area becomes a bit of a zoo.
They offer a large variety of rolls that are unique and interesting to try....like Sunset roll, 19th ave roll, etc. the Dragon roll is really good!! it's a nice hole-in-the wall kinda place. food comes quick and there's a sushi bar too.
Can someone say lunch special? HOLLA! 2 rolls for $8! Free soup and tea too. At first, this review may seem like a cruel joke. How could you get 2 great rolls for under 10 bucks? I dont know what kind of scheming deals those people must pull with their fish mongers, but whatever they do they run a hell of a business. If you are ever in the Sunset before 3pm you have to check it out.
It was Friday night. The plan was HH then dinner. But since my friend's hunger was gnawing away at her stomach, we decided to merge HH with dinner. And, Sushi Zen's Buy 2 Get 1 Free Sake made that an excellent plan!
The sushi rolls were scrumdiddlyumptious. The super dynamite roll was a deep fried spicy tuna roll with 2 kinds of spicy sauce and some scallions. It was hands down favorite. One of my friends' favorites is a roll with Hamachi and wasabi tobiko. I only wish some of their rolls used a little less rice. Then my stomach could fit more yumminess and less bland riceness.
Anyway, the wait staff, including the sushi chef/owner, was super duper friendly. But, this could've been because my friends live close by and go there all the time. The chef/owner joined us for several shots of sake. But, their friendliness wasn't the end of their good service. They kept our tea topped off and the sushi rolls came out at lightning speed.
FYI Sushi Zen is in the same spot as the old Vietnamese restaurant called Lam's that had the best beef stew ever. I'm sad about no more beef stew, but at least it was replaced with yummy sushi!
I'm usually hesitant about Chinese sushi but I'm actually pretty content with their food. Last time my buddies and I went, we had their bento boxes, udon, and a variety of rolls. My beef teriyaki was not too shabby. It was pretty standard and nothing really stuck out. Of course, it was not awful, either. Their rolls are pretty good and if I could do it again, I'd probably just order a bunch of rolls. One big plus: the price is just right.
I'd recommend coming here if you are looking for cheap Japanese food that actually tastes good (for what you pay for).
I always eat here for lunch before work. I love their lunch specials.
I always get the chicken katsu, and it comes with sashimi, salad, rice, and soup. All for $8 !
This is no sushi zone, but this is also no sushi rock, which is disgusting!
This place has some pretty good rolls and in the area, it's my #1 choice!
One of the best priced and quality Sushi places in town. The restaurant employees are really nice people too who always remember their regulars -- such as myself.
You must try the Lazy Summer roll. It is one of my favorite rolls of all time: no rice no seaweed and wrapped in cucumber slices it is fresh, crisp, and delicious!
My favorite sushi place in town where you can get good sushi for good price. Some of the best rolls are Sunset rolls with lots of mango inside and cover with spicy sauce, Lazy summer rolls, which is just cucumber and tuna, very fresh and pretty and Zen tini. Now, Kevin can make Zen Tina so pretty last time that I didn't want to eat it! Of course I finish that thing in 5 mins!
They have other good dishes such as Yaki Soba and such but my other favorite is Sizzling Tai. That's fresh fish serve up sizzling on hot iron plate! So good with a bowl of rice.
If you are really into traditional sushi, you might not want to try this since I won't call Sushi Zen traditional at all. But if you want good fusion sushi American style, this is the place to be. Excellent service and free Sake, what's not to like!
Zen sushi is a real friendly spot , Their mi so soup is perfect and endless tea is nice too.
This place is really easy on the wallet too .
This cozy little place offers great service, reasonable price, and best of all, fresh sashimi! The salmon sashimi literally melts in your mouth. *drools* None of those soft-on-the-outside-but-still-frozen-in-the-inside -because-it-is-not-thoroughly-thawed sashimi.
Their Rock n' Roll and Rainbow Roll were decent, nothing special. But for those of you who wants to treat their taste buds with something really special, you must try the British Columbia Roll. A salmon/avocado roll covered with salmon and a thinly sliced lemon. The salmon, again, is just too good to be true. Combined with the extra kick of lemon juice when you first bite into it, ooooooorgasmic! "Taste so good make you wanna slap yo momma!" - Friday After Next.
Great food, friendly service, free green tea ice cream. This place gets an A for AWESOME!
Waiter was kind of a dick, but since I don't eat in there, I didn't have to deal with him for long!
I'm a student and got the student special-- Katsu for $3?! WHAT WHAT?! and it tastes pretty damn gooood!
nothing here really stands out here to me. I mean the service is fast and nice, but the food is just ok I guess. for a Monday night it's really "popping" so that's always nice. I think I also got grossed out with there fridge near the register because it's was FULL. and in the food industry that is not saftey sanny. but the green salad was nice and tasty. my rolls just didn't taste fresh.
I'm a fan of Sushi Zen! This is a smaller local place with not too much decor but really good, fresh, and creative sushi. I've been here about 3 times for dinner and ordered take out once (no delivery here). The rolls are a good size, the fish is fresh, and the sushi roll combos are interesting. We ordered the white tuna tataki appetizer (my favorite), the lazy summer roll (cucumber wrapped spicy tuna), the dynamite roll (LIGHTLY fried), the british columbia roll (salmon inside and out with lemon wedges on top), and another wasabi maybe tuna roll. All of our rolls were good and I'd definitely get them again. The price also was pretty reasonable for sushi. Also, the food comes really FAST, so that's good when you're hungry! And the staff is pretty attentive.
I'll definitely be hitting up Sushi Zen again!
My new go to Sushi spot. I enjoyed watching my husband get drunk on sake.
- 1 star for the noise.
Hands down, my favorite new spot for sushi in the city! I've been to at least a couple dozen places in SF after living here for two years, and definitely have my go-to's (Sushi Zone fo'sho...etc.), but I left dinner tonight flat-out excited about life.
The nigiri melted in my mouth (yellowtail, salmon, red snapper, and tuna). And the special rolls were, actually, special indeed.
Every bite of every morsel was nothing less than a pleasure.
I don't care how out of the way it is for me....a 20 minute ride on the L train? Sure. I'll do it. And again. And again.
Prices were very, very reasonable (we paid $60 + tip for two of us...including lots of sake, miso, a few special rolls and 4 orders of nigiri). Service was with a smile. Food was fresher than the prince.
Standing ovation.
Sushi Zen is still one of my favorite Sushi spots. Affordable prices and fresh sushi. My favorite rolls? Super Dynamite and Wasabi Hama! Best part is if you sit at the bar with Kevin the sushi chef, he'll usually give you something to try. Last time I went there with my friend, he gave us each a huge piece of Butterfish Sashimi. Delicious and very fresh.
Also, if you go there for lunch, they have some pretty awesome lunch combinations.
I've been to Sushi Zen about 4 times now, and can't believe I haven't reviewed it yet. It is the best place around San Francisco to get great quality affordable sushi.
The restaurant is adorable and has a great homey atmosphere. The chef and staff are so nice. We always get one of their "designer rolls" along with some nigiri pieces when we go. I've tried at least half of the selection of rolls, and I love the winter wonderland and the dynamite rolls. The food tastes fresh and the portions are insanely generous! The nigiri are always incredibly fresh tasting and very filling. The service is amazing, and there's a constant flow of hot tea. They've also offered complimentary ice cream for dessert each time I've been there!
I love this place, and go every time I'm in San Francisco!
1 star: because they have great tasting food at a great price!
2 star: because the staff is very nice and quick, even for take-outs.
3 star: because I ate there today and they offered us ice cream ON THE HOUSE!
4 star: because they're less than 2 blocks from my house, score! :D
a star off: because the roll was kinda small, but it tasted DYNAMITE! since it was called the "super dynamite roll".. bwahahah!
Happy Hour Draft Beer $1.75!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Holiday Special Offer!
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Neighborhood: Parkside
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Category: Fruits & Veggies
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Parkside
Category: Dim Sum
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