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Zushi Puzzle
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
1910 Lombard St(between Buchanan St & United States Highway 101)
San Francisco, CA 94123
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
(415) 931-9319
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- 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
881 reviews for Zushi Puzzle
Review Highlights
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"Thanks to Roger the Sushi chef I feel amazingly better." In 248 reviews -
"Also had live uni and live scallop." In 43 reviews -
"Pencil fish sushi, flying fish sashimi." In 23 reviews
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881 reviews in English
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Review from Claire F.
5/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Here is what you do: ideally, make a reservation to sit at the sushi bar. Alternatively, totally luck out like we did and walk in on the early side and grab a corner seat at said bar. Schwing!
AV recommended this place, and it lived up to the hype! Roger, the sushi master was amazing and psychically figured out what kind of fish we liked and made it into tasty creations before our eyes. He's very intimidating, in that wow-he's-ridic-awesome way, but you can't help but watch as he works.
The freshest fish imaginable, made into hand rolls, bent into submission over rice, or wrapped in rice paper cocoons, I didn't want to stop eating. It's the kind of place that makes you say: oh, right. This is why people like sushi.Listed in: Eat here., San Francisco
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Review from Linda L.
San Francisco, CA
5/17/2012
My first time at Zushi Puzzle and I was able to experience the bar seats. As Chef Roger states to the bf "you are spoiling her" The 2 of us enjoyed the Omakase and everything was so delicious. So much food but all was so good and so different. The live octopus was my favorite then it was soft shell crab hand roll. A ton of different sashimi off the white board.
The Kobe beef nigiri and lamb pop was a major treat. The food just kept coming and coming till we waved the white flag. The meal ended with a wasabi ice cream ball on top of a strawberry sorbet.
Part of the fun was the banter between Chef Roger and the folks at the bar. A night of laughing and delicious food. -
Review from tosha s.
CA
5/12/2012
Great sushi but watch out for the Big-Time Sake Scalping Racket! Three of us came in one night for a light dinner. We ordered three rolls and a spinach gomae and wanted just get a little sake on the side. The waiter was asking us questions of about what kind we wished, but seemed incredibly evasive about what was available. Never ONCE offered a sake menu or to discuss price but just brought out a bottle and began to pour..
And then, the rudest frickin' surprise, tho we had only $40 worth of rolls, when the bill came the SAKE was charged at $68! When we asked why he hadn't brought us a list or discussed price, he said OH PEOPLE ARE OFFENDED IF YOU TALK MONEY WITH THEM. WE DON'T DO THAT HERE! Thanks guy! Thanks for protecting us from the information!
He could barely look us in the eye, he seemed so ashamed of what he had done. And really, in twenty years of going to sushi bars, had never had such an occurrence. He said "Oh you can take a picture of the sake bottle and go online to look it up on your iPhone and see what the going price is...." Yeh dude, that's what we'll be spending tonight doing...
Insane.
Amazingly, because i worked in restaurants years ago, I still wanted to leave him a tip for his work. I just feel compelled to...But still...NONE of the three of us would EVER EVER go back.
Other good sushi bars abound in San Francisco without the game playing.
Sake Fleecers Suck. -
Review from brook y.
Sacramento, CA
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Doesn't look like much, but sit at the bar and let Roger make you whatever he wants. We started with a delicious wrap filled with tempura, a scallop and rice appetizer, salmon tartare, torched tuna skewers, crab tempura, a scallop salad, a roll and dessert... I could not tell you the name of one item we sampled, but everything was fabulous, and watching Roger work is all the entertainment you need.
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Review from Sami A.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2012
Do I really need to add a review to their 800+ reviews? This place has the best sushi and sashimi I've had in all of North America (and by all of North America, I really mean just the East Coast, Canada, and West Coast - I doubt the midwest is known for their culinary sushi options, but who knows?).
LOVEEEE their rolls. If you sit at their restaurant, be sure to call in the morning or the day before to make reservations - or else expect to do take out.
If you want to sit at their bar, which is quite the treat itself, make reservations a few days in advance. They only rotate the bar twice a night, and have seating for 8 people per rotation. Roger knowns what's up. Just tell him what you don't eat, and he'll take care of you. The food is amazing, Roger is entertaining, and your tastebuds will leave happy. It's around $80ish without alcohol (and can get to upwards of $120) for two, but worth every penny.
Pro-tip: take a picture of the tiny menu card of all their rolls that's on their table - order over the phone next time and know exactly what you want. Rolls that are good: Sales Force, Butterface, Supa Mike, and another one that I've had that's really good. Really can't go wrong with any of them. -
Review from Lindsay G.
San Francisco, CA
5/9/2012
I can't say I had a bad experience, but I question the high reviews it has received because I was far from impressed.
Service: We walked into a half empty restaurant and was turned away by the host, who said they were short on tables. Confused, we questioned the open tables until he agreed to seat us.
As we were not starting on the right foot, the food was a little overpriced, and just mediocre.
Food: The seaweed salad was a quarter of the size it usually is, and the rolls were just OK. We ordered the philadelphia Roll and 2 specialty rolls including a spicy tuna topped with Butter Fish"? Never heard of it.
Unanimous 3 Star experience. -
Review from Michael W.
Sunnyvale, CA
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
PROS:
I struggle to think of one
CONS:
- Unfresh fish
- Fish preparation is poor
- Waiters can't wait to leave your table
I came here based on the high marks it received from yelp reviews. The reason I go to a sushi place is because they have fresh fish and know how to prepare it. The test for that is to order sashimi or nigiri, which truly showcase the fish. There is no hiding unfresh fish behind a cook process or loads of overpowering sauces. I went with the nigiri route since I also wanted to taste the quality of the sushi rice as well. I ordered an entire spread of nigiri.
The first plate came out with everything except the albacore tuna, for some reason, no worries I figured, it would come shortly. The first impressions of the presentation was, the nigiri seem to be on the smaller size. Here is what I ordered in the order I had it:
Sake(salmon) - The salmon was not firm, and a bit slimy. It also had a strong fishy smell to it. Not a good start.
Maguro(Tuna) - The tuna segments were broken, this means the fish was not cut properly, which would be forgivable if the fish tasted fresh, but was did not. The consistency of the tuna was off too, indicative of a piece of fish that is not fresh.
Toro Fatty Tuna - Same problem as the maguro, broken segments and this piece even fell off the rice ball. The fish also did not taste fresh.
Hamachi(Yellow Tail) - This one actually seemed okay, at first, but the normal buttery aftertaste was not there, but was replaced by a fishy after taste.
Saba(Mackerel) - Very fishy taste, not the strong taste that is suppose to be in saba, but an unfresh oil fish taste that lingers in your mouth.
Walu - OMG! I feel like a broken record. Why does this fish smell fishy!? Come on!
Uni(Sea Urchin) - Worst Uni I have ever had in my life. Both pieces had a section of the uni which was smashed. Putting it in my mouth, I almost couldn't swallow it. Afterwards, I think I shouldn't have. There was a very strong taste of iodine that hits the back of the throat and invades the nasal cavity, which is found it unfresh uni. Uni is very delicate and any sort of improper storage will cause it to go back quickly. This uni shouldn't have been served.
The order of albacore tuna didn't arrive for 15 minutes after the first plate arrived, why was there such a delay? I was hoping the longer wait would be worth it...
Albacore Toro White Tuna Belly - Same problem, tastes fishy. Why!?
Not a single piece I would consider passing, thats nearly impossible for anyone that knows me and how much I love sushi.
In summary, one of the worst sushi experiences I have ever had in my life. The basis of any sushi restaurant should be fresh fish and this place failed to provide that. I was surprised I didn't feel sick when I got home, the quality of fish was really bad. I have made fresher sashimi at home sourcing my fish from Costco. I really don't see why this place got such good reviews. Sushi is one of my favorite foods, but I won't be having it here again. -
Review from Brett N.
Why 5 stars? Because it's some serious competition for the best sushi I've ever had.
--- --- ---
I won't say it's the best sushi I've ever eaten, but it is definitely in the conversation. Zushi is much different than my favorite sushi spot in Tampa back home, Samurai Blue with different menus, presentations and overall flair. But the bottom line is that by the time the fish touched my tongue, my mouth became Pleasuretown.
I was instructed by a friend to order the Sales Force, Supa Mike and Special Hand Roll (not on the menu), but I asked for the server for his recommendation. I was told to go with Sales Force, Special Hand Roll and the Scallop Roll to try maximize my palette.
The Scallop Roll (not on the menu as far as I could tell) was very good, despite the thinly sliced lemons in between each piece that left a hint of citrus in each bite. I'm not big on lemon, but it was minimal and the pieces were still awesome.
The Sales Force roll was freaking-un-be-effing-lievable. That should become a legal word, because there is no other way to describe it.
The Special Hand Roll was very unique. It was wrapped in some kind of crazy substance and was the size/shape of a small taco. The server told me that it needed no sauce, to just eat it as is. I obeyed him and was very happy with his order. That thing tasted like eating the blood of Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin. It was pure.
I was dining alone and at the conclusion of my three rolls, I was still hungry. I guess my one gripe with the experience is that the rolls were smaller than I am used to. But everything was so amazing that I wasn't all that sad about ordering more.
I went with the Supa Mike and Wasabi Tom to finish it off. Once again, I couldn't have been happier.
Zushi Puzzle has now moved into the class of, "Required to visit during any appearance in San Francisco."Listed in: 5 Stars!!!!!, The OTHER Bay Area, Sushi All Over
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Review from carlie c.
Okay, it looks like you're eating in someone's living room in the main dining part. I have yet to try the omakase here but here are my favorite picks:
The Best Handroll (just order it, no dipping sauce required)
Butterface Roll
Wild King Sake Sashimi
Live Uni
Salesforce Roll
That's all you need to know!Listed in: because you love sushi, japanese tapas
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/9/2011
if you're in the marina and craving sushi, i would definitely pay a visit to zushi puzzle. it's not… Read more »
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Review from Heather W.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2012
I would not come back here and would not recommend it.
I had the same experience here with the rip off of sake. I asked about their sake, the waiter didn't have a menu and just said they had 4 cold sake options so I ordered a "dry" version, small. The one sake they did include in their menu had a price of $6 so I assumed whatever I ordered would be ballpark.
Sake arrives and it's 300 ml - half the size of a wine bottle; I would not categorize it as "small." Then, the bill arrives and it was $20. Ridiculous. I didn't complain at the time and I wish I did. Felt like I was blatantly ripped off and clearly this is a game they've got going on.
In terms of the food, the sashimi was excellent and the rolls were okay.
Restaurant smelled like fried food and I had to take a shower once I got home. Yuck. -
Review from Ken C.
Union City, CA
4/8/2012
I was pretty darn full by the time our group received our second to last Omakase course, the super sashimi platter that I call it. Nearly full indeed, I still managed to stuff my fat face with a great array of sashimi because it was so good. At this point, my mercury level is probably at an all time high but who cares, the sashimi = phenomenal.
Sit at the bar, and you'll be entertained by Roger. He is fun, entertaining and tells a great story. His recommendation of the "you cannot find it anywhere" Sake was on point. Plus, he makes wonderful things with the hands.. The food of course.
Be sure to make reservations, order the Omakase (avoid the fillers aka rolls), and be ready to open your wallet. It is worth it.
I will be back. The end. -
Review from Seong P.
3/19/2012
There were 5 of us so we were unable to reserve seats at the bar. We ordered almost every roll that was on the list on the table, not the menu. The regulars we were with said everything worth having was on the list. I think we had about 13 different rolls and I liked every single one of them. I can't remember most of the names, but I know I liked the Salesforce, something with Emily in the title and the Brown Eyed Girl.
The decor reminds me of a Chinese restaurant, and we did not get complimentary sake at the end as other people have mentioned, but the fish was fresh, nothing was drowning in any kind of sauce, and the service was friendly and efficient. The bill ended up being less than I expected too, which is always nice. I'll be back to sit at the sushi bar. -
Review from Gloria H.
3/13/2012
I'm puzzled over the hype of this place. I urged hubby to come here because of all the rave reviews - first try, no luck. There was a long line and a waiting list. The second time around, we barely squeezed in although it was early evening and the place was just 1/4 full. The host was able to turn us and another party of two away until he suggested we share a table of 4. We did and everyone that came through the door after us were turned away - doesn't matter the restaurant remained 3/4 empty throughout our dinner.
The two girls we shared the table with were so excited. I think one took the other out for the birthday. Anyway, we ordered nigiri from the daily special menu and nothing impressed us as exceptionally wonderful. The fresh scallop served two ways were beyond disappointing.
Fool me once, shame on you. You are not going to shame me by fooling me twice - I'll let others enjoy this puzzle. -
Review from Sushi Criticz A.
San Jose, CA
3/28/2012 7 photos
Ahhh...the one SF spot that I have been putting off to come visit...and I have to say, this place was YUMMM!
Zushi Puzzle is definitely on my list of top places in the city to enjoy Japanese dishes done right!
Regarding all the bad reviews in this thread...i'm sure most of them are people who sit at the tables and order rolls and bento boxes..terriyaki chicken and what not..
Let me say this.....If you don't know who Roger is...your stars do not weigh as much as the others who do here.
For myself, sat front row ...omakase all night. expensive it was but so freakin delicious! (drooling)
Some of my favorites on top of my head...wild salmon ikura, ankimo, aji, needle fish, lamb chops, toro cheek, uni.........
Not good for big groups...go by yourself and bring a date.
Recommended for some...not for all.
Oooh yea...and the sorbet dessert combo Roger made was on point. -
Review from Shay F.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2012
Without a doubt, this place was one of the most memorable meals I've had in ages. And I have to say, I'm both happy and a little sad that I may have peaked in my sushi-eating lifetime at the tender age of.... late twenties.
The BF and I hate calling ourselves "foodies" ... instead, we're just enthusiastic fans of tasty food. We've been to Sebo, Kiss, Koo, and a lot of other sushi places around the city. But it does NOT compare to Zushi Puzzle.
We came here because our friend wanted to take us out as a thank you for staying with us for the past few months.
TWO THINGS:
SIT AT THE BAR. All the reviews are right... it's just not the same without meeting and chatting with Roger.
GET THE OMAKASE. Roger was amazing - so friendly, so knowledgeable, and so fun. Upon hearing that we love food he took it upon himself to stuff us full of the freshest, best and most unique sushi we've ever had. No matter how much you think you know about food, you don't.
Just shut up and let him feed you.
Here were the things we had...
--Best handroll ever. Because it is.
--Fresh scallop. So. SO. Fresh.
--Monkfish liver... the foie gras of the sea. Yes. This meal started out already awesome.
--Halibut with truffle oil (I want EVERYTHING to have truffle oil from now on)
--Uni and fresh tofu...refreshing and creamy
--Poached scallop and pickles... his sauces are so good
--Epic dish of all the fresh fish... tuna from spain, halibut from new zealand.. you name it.
--Baby sea eel. Yes. Baby. sea. eel. Like glass noodles. So unique and AWESOME.
--Fried bull shrimp. Crispy, tasty, uhmaazing.
--Smelt - tender chicken of the sea
--Four toros - ishidai, "great grandma" toro, halibut toro, cheek toro
--VIP dessert with black sesame ice cream and pound cake, strawberry sorbet with wasabi ice cream (yep, wasabi... SO tasty) sour plum and wasabi cream, and wasabi cheesecake
I already feel full just remembering this epic meal.
So if I haven't convinced you with my looong Yelp review... nothing will! Go go go! -
Review from Willson D.
Berkeley, CA
4/23/2012
There are a lot of fish in the sea, but if you want to get the best, you come to Zushi Puzzle and let Roger take care of you. Equivalent to reaching a higher level of enlightenment, experiencing the amazing art, dedication and passion of Roger's masterpieces lifts you to a pinnacle from which you will forever look down upon to rate any other sushi restaurant. Roger's prowess begins with his ability to obtain some of the most amazing and freshest fish I've ever had the honor of tasting. Preparation, display and taste of all of Roger's dishes is a true work of art. You feel his passion as you sit next to him, watching him prepare each dish with care and great experience. Anyone with sufficient funds can buy the best fish and ingredients and open a restaurant, but it takes a man who truly loves what he does to put together dishes that can be called art. From toro that melts in your mouth to wild fresh salmon roe that Roger hand prepared from a whole fish, the true meaning of a great chef can be seen in each and every one of his dishes.
I've been going to see Roger for roughly 3 years now (about once every month). Every time I come in I sit next to Roger at the bar and watch him work effortlessly with extreme care and precision. There aren't a lot of places where you will see a chef take out a whole extremely fresh halibut, fillet it right there in front of you and painstakingly slice only the best pieces of fish for you. I've visited Roger more times than I can possibly count and each time I am consistently full and brimming with happiness when I'm finished. Fresh wild salmon, blue fin tuna, yellowtail, makarel, fresh wild scallops, butterfish, you name it I've had it before and none can compare to Roger's. When you're filled with the best fish in the world, Roger takes it and kicks it up to a whole other level. Remixing classic sushi by combining the best of different fishes into one bite to generate a truly unique and exquisite experience that you CANNOT find anywhere.
To complement your already amazing meal, Roger through his numerous years in the field have procured some of the rarest and finest sake you can possibly imagine. I have personally looked high and low to obtain the same sake that Roger has and there simply is no way. When you sum up everything about dinner with Roger, it is equivalent to a religious experience. Either it be with close friends or simply with your significant other, dinner with Roger will be unforgettable. All you need to do is sit down, sit back, relax and slowly let Roger enlighten you on what you've been missing from the sea! -
Review from Lina L.
San Francisco, CA
5/7/2012
This place was great.
I went out of my usual comfort zone in terms of ordering and was definitely happy I did. Their "best hand roll ever" is really the best ever, and I don't even know what's in it nor do I usually order hand rolls.
Stick to ordering mostly what's on the whiteboard for the day - it is ridiculously fresh and melts in your mouth.
I tried a few nigiri, sashimi, and regular rolls along with the best hand roll ever, and left very satisfied.
It's crowded though, and you'll need an advance reservation. -
Review from Chris D.
San Francisco, CA
3/15/2012
Delish...Everything.
Sat at the bar, Roger is great. Very personable, fun, and...the sushi was amazing. Don't order...let Roger work his magic and enjoy. -
Review from Richard R.
San Jose, CA
This is review that is long overdue. Zushi Puzzle is one of the most amazing sushi places I have been to. Let's just say they have a variety of over thirty fish behind the counter. Roger(Fish God) is a man that does not play around when it comes to sushi. Both times dining there, we ordered the Omakase. It is a chef choice style type of dinner ranging from $140-$250 a person depending on how much you eat.
The meal is typically supposed to last 2.5 hours but can sometimes drag on longer. Some of the things that Roger always gives the people who choose Omakase are The Best Hand roll, Fresh Scallops, Live Uni, and another hand roll type of dish that mainly had salmon tartar. When people read Best Handroll, you don't think much. However this one really lives up to its name. Roger gets his special seaweed shipped directly from Japan. However that is not the only thing coming from there. I believe the majority of his fish are flown in from Japan. Some even shipped overnight.
If I wanted to, I would sit here and talk about the amazing things that he created for us. However if I did, this review would be way too long for me. So I will just upload pictures and cut straight to my most memorable experience. On our last visit, we were lucky enough to try something extra special. Roger had a Tuna cheek from a 480 pound tuna flown in overnight. This was hands down the BEST TORO I have ever consumed in my life. You think you've tried Toro? You haven't tried anything yet. This Toro really did melt like butter and will put the rest to shame. He created three different types of Nigiri out of them, all superb. I had such an amazing experience on my last visit that I created a short YouTube video labeled The Religious Experience at Zushi Puzzle.
At the end of the night, he usually ends the dinner with his Watermelon Sorbet, Wasabi Cheesecake, and Wasabi Ice Cream. All these mini deserts were very delicious and original. If you have a love for sashimi and raw fish, you should enlighten your life by paying this shrine a visit. Remember if you want the best experience, make reservations at the bar. It can seat up to eight people. -
Review from Sally C.
2/16/2012 1 photo
Eating here is like falling in love - truly, madly, deeply head over heels in love - and everything after that just doesn't compare. Every other piece of sushi I have ever eaten in my life pales in comparison to the sushi at Zushi Puzzle. It's like comparing splenda to sugar.
This is a hole in the wall place. It is tiny and you need reservations. But even more so, you NEED to sit at the bar in the back if you go.
Roger is probably one of the best sushi chefs in the world. This is not just because he judge the quality of a fish just by LOOKING at it, but also because all of his suppliers (fishmongers?) save him the best pieces of fish. If you sit at the bar, he'll ask you your taste preferences. After one meal, he will actually remember what you like and dislike - though I don't think I actually disliked anything - it was just a matter of what I loved and what I loved even more. He will customize your meal so that you are truly happy as a clam at the end. Roger will just keep on serving you piece after piece of delicious sushi until you feel like you could die of happiness.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Best hand roll ever - I actually think this is what it is called because I've never heard it called by anything else, but it is truly the best hand roll ever
Truffle Yellowtail sashimi appetizer - Perfect combination
Live Uni - ZOMG. I don't even use that word but that's the only way to describe how this tastes
Butterfish - This literally is one of the richest fish I've ever had and AH-MAZING
Baby Yellowtail - More tender than any other yellowtail I've eaten in my life
Seared Kobe - OMG. OMG. OMG. I'm like literally getting heart palpitations thinking about this
... and so, so, so much more.
I moved away from SF to NYC last year and Zushi Puzzle seriously is one of the things I miss the most. After writing this review, I'm actually ready to fly across the country just to eat this again. Or drive. Or run. Walk. Whatever it takes, I will come back to you Zushi Puzzle. You are THAT good. -
Review from Alex L.
Boston, MA
4/4/2012
If you are looking for cheap motels and the third best karaoke bar in the city, Lombard street might be your stop. Crossing Lombard and Buchanan, you may stumble across the best Japanese meal you've ever had at a place called Zushi Puzzle.
While getting fresh air in between courses of 15-20 imported Japanese fish, you might cross paths with the gentle but fierce South Korean missuses of Lombard street. Inside the restaurant, trying different variations of butterfish, goldeneye snapper and japanese mackrel, as you watch the Japanese chef owner prepare your dinner you will catch eye contact and the occasional nod, the extent of his nod based on how well you ordered your fish.
I recommend you let him decide, although we were able to taste every imported Japanese fish there was. Our favorite was the butter fish. Lightly dipped in ponzu, with the perfect amount of Wasabi under the fish.
In My Opinion, This is The Best Sushi in the Bay. PS: The free Edemame was killer -
Review from Vivian W.
San Francisco, CA
2/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Very fresh sushi. A lot of the rave reviews say to sit at the bar. I thought that meant it would be fine sitting at a table, but even better at the bar. Actually, it really means- don't eat at a regular table and order regular sushi. That's NOT why Zushi Puzzle gets its 5 star raving Yelp reviews. There is a BIG difference between the bar and the tables. Either bite the bullet and sit at the bar so Roger can take care of you with amazing sushi, or if you're going to sit at the regular tables because of the wait for the bar, at least order the special rolls and sushi.
But expect to wait either way. We had a reservation for 830 at the bar, but still had to wait for 40 minutes before bring seated. Basically even if you have a reservation for the bar, you don't get seated until the current bar patrons are done, which can take an indeterminate amount of time given the omakase process.
At the bar, we were given the option to order food or go with the chef's suggestion so we chose the latter. We started with the Best Hand Roll which was soft shell crab with tuna wrapped with onion and zucchini. It was delicious. Next came monkfish liver, live scallops served with onion strings, halibut toro with truffle oil, uni on tofu, a white fish seared with a torch that melted in your mouth, and then finally wasabi ice cream with berry sorbet. It was a process of discovery and we really enjoyed being surprised as well as the delicious food. After sitting at the bar, I now understand why the place gets the rave reviews. We weren't sure what to expect on the bill given some of the Yelp reviews about $300+ dinners, but since we weren't starved going in and didn't stay for hours, ours was closer to $100 each. -
Review from Rachel M.
4/14/2012
I can only reiterate what previous reviewers have said - the omakase at the bar is well worth the experience, and getting to watch Roger work and listen to his commentary = getting dinner theater on top of the food! 4 different kinds of uni, 5 different kinds of salmon, I rolled home a happy gal.
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Review from Brad Y.
2/5/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Amazing.
Being from Hawaii, I think the bar for fresh fish and sushi in general has been set pretty high. This, hands down, was the best, freshest, and most creative sushi I've had in the Bay Area! Actually better than a lot of places back home!
Had the 30 pc. sashimi platter, soft shell crab, the Best Hand Roll, and the Chef Hand Roll - all split between two people. Enough to get a decent fill. But I definitely wanted more of the hand rolls!!
Two friends got an $80/person Omakase and it looked superb to anything I've ever seen. Different than normal (usually there's a set Omakase price), you tell the chef/waitress about how much per person you're looking to spend, what kind of sushi you like and don't like, and they'll send your sushi out accordingly.
Although a bit pricey (expect to spend $40+ here per person if you get some sashimi and hand rolls), I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone and everyone.
PS. Don't forget the Asahi ;-) -
Review from Tara H.
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
A last minute choice and not too shabby!
My rating:
Food: delish
Service: horrible!
I won't talk about the service as everyone who goes here knows it isn't the most attentive and can be very slooooow.
But the food was amaze balls! I love loved all the ones that had butterfish on top. It's not a common fish out here since it is caught in the deep sea and fairly small, but it is very popular in Hawaii, so I was super excited to have some of that tasty little guy!
I also ordered the Ahi Poke salad and miso cod appetizer along with the tuna tataki.
The Poke salad was my least favorite, too many weeds and not enough great poke. The miso cod was freakin' DELISH! I wish they made a main dish of that stuff! The Tuna tataki was awesome too.
If I were to go again, I would definitely leave more time to eat as we were rushing out to see a concert. I would also sit at the sushi counter and have a Roger experience. -
Review from Melanie N.
San Francisco, CA
2/27/2012
For as long as I've lived in San Francisco, I have heard about Zushi Puzzle. And it's taken me upteen years to finally get there...and I can't believe I waited this long!
The biggest reasons to avoid were to do with the location (on Lombard near Marina...busy, touristy, douch-y). But I had a spontaneous evening with a friend of mine where we were able to get a last minute reservation (definitely don't show up as the place is small and you don't want to be disappointed).
The selection of fish is outstanding. Stuff is flown in daily and these guys have been around so long, they get the best selection.
If you get a chance to sit at the bar in the back (and price is not an issue), do that as I've heard the chef's selection is amazing.
Really looking forward to going back there. I've recommended this place to all of my friends from out of town who are looking for an authentic sushi restaurant. -
Review from Julianne H.
El Cajon, CA
4/7/2012
Sorry guys, but I gotta tell you that Zushi Puzzle isn't worth your time. Maybe if you're in the Fisherman's Wharf area and you love crowded, tourist-packed places where you're going to have mediocre service and then get charged extra on your tip, then by all means, go. But if you wanna get away from all that crap, go elsewhere. In terms of the food, the toro sashimi was pretty good (though the portions were small and overpriced), overall though, even the sashimi wasn't worth all the trouble of getting it.
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Review from Tami G.
Stockton, CA
3/12/2012
I love zushi puzzle!
I found this little gem on Yelp a few years ago an bar been an avid client ever since. The salesforce roll is amazing an extremely affordable. The only downside I have is that they are open very short hours and it's often times hard to get in. Other than that, I love the food!
The 3 best things on the menu:
Salesforce Roll
The Handroll
Suupa Mike -
Review from Emm C.
Manhattan, NY
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
After 5 faithful years at Zushi Puzzle, i had an eating experience there that leads me to never go back again. I've always taken friends from out of town to this place and they had always liked it. It's been my go-to place for good sushi. It rained all day yesterday and we decided to eat here to raise our mood and get in some Omega 3s. You know this place is a go-to place because I have its # in my Contacts list for easy reservations AND listing of what to order. We always order the fresh scallops. This time, it did not come nicely presented and we did not get the second part of the dish that comes with the fried scallop ends (?). Also, there was a BONE in my young yellowtail. Finally, two of the sashimi pieces had tendon in it! ewww! I looked in the back and Roger is still there so I'm not sure if mgmt changed or if they had a bad day. I give them 1 star because they really let me down when I told them there was a bone and the quality has gone down compared to the past. The man who responded said "it happens, sometimes the knife isn't sharp, there's human error" and when we reminded him of part 2 for the scallops order he said it was coming, even though he presented us with sorbets for dessert. What?! I always leave my top places without regret and a lifted spirit but this place made me regret spending $80. I really don't know why they were so off and kinda sad but wouldn't go back because of how it was handled. Is that how they would address any complaint...'it happens.' I totally agree there is a degree of error but when it comes to *raw* Japanese food, my tolerance is very low.
I'm all about the taste and less on presentation but i'll also note that the presentation of the sushi has gone down. The fresh scallops on other visits last year was served on a nice elevated platter with (I wanna say) ice for the shell it's presented on. This time it didn't. The sashimi was once cut meticulously and now it looked like ends the tendon is what really grossed me out on two of my slices... the idea of it and the fact i had to pull the sucker out of my mouth bc it was too tough to chew. I'd be so embarrassed if I had brought an out-of-towner here! -
Review from Petri Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/19/2012
I had HIGH hopes for this. Like really high. Sadly i was very disappointed. Most of the time my fellow yelpers recommendations cant be wrong, but was it a OFF night??? We walked in about 615pm on a Friday night, over half empty and the guy asks if we have a reso? whattt?
nonetheless he sat us down at a table for 4 and we proceeded to order.
I ordered:
the infamous "best hand roll"- soft shell crab, spicy tuna, cucumber and seaweed wrap with some kind of unagi tasting sauce drenched on top. - tastes good, but nothing mind blowing. For $6.95 per roll, I think I would pass next time.
- nigiri- Uni, hamachi, baby jack, aji, inada, scottish sake
- chirashi
-tempura udon
lets start with the nigiri- to me ordering nigiri from any sushi place is a test to how skilled the sushi chef is. How the rice is pinched together to form the bottom, the cut of the fish, the seasoning of the rice, all are important points.
the nigiri was all over the page. particularly how the fish was cut. Like 5 different chefs made each nigiri or something. It was as though someone took a butterknife to lob off the sushi fish and stuck it on top. All of the cuts of nigiri were all different sizes. Did the head chef not make my sushi and get some apprentice to stand in??? I did see the head guy at the sushi bar- not sure if he was doing all the omakaze orders and not making the normal sushi orders? Even more appauling, the uni had a wierd taste to it- i read a similar review beforehand and experienced the same thing. Maybe not fresh? EWWWWWW. Uni is one of my favs so i know what its supposed to taste like. How it tasted that night- not so good!
The aji- good,
inada- good
scottish sake- this was very buttery and delicious and cut like how it should be, yet was a diffferent size than every other piece on the plate.
Hamachi- good and fresh
Uni- funky!!
The chirashi was also disappointing. very tiny pieces of fish and all looked cut again with a butterknife. the rice didnt really particularly taste great, and nothing was that memorable. Presentation was so so. For the $17 price tag i expected more.
unfortunately the highlight of the meal was the tempura udon. Yes i said it, for all the amazing reviews on the sushi here- the tempura udon was the best in my book!. dont get me wrong, it was normal udon, with fishcake, like you would find anywhere else, but the noodles were cooked perfectly and the soup was PIPPING hot and the tempura hot and crispy.
$75 out the door for two w/o alcohol.
Prices arent really expensive.
Overall OK and the hubby said never again but I will give it another try - hopefully my sushi experience will be better!
Maybe this is what i get for going to a chinese sushi chef restaurant as Nobo K says? =( -
Review from Edison T.
Oh boy, oh boy. Where to start... I love sushi and do not mind shelling out the bucks or the time to go to places that offer me the freshest and most unique cuts of fish. Zushi Puzzle blew me away and have forever changed my outlook on how sushi should be.
We did the omakase course with Roger by the bar. The bar roughly seats about 8 people. Roger was a master at work, offering us cuts from a Golden Eyed Snapper down to the toro of the cheek of a 480 lb tuna. The flavors were incredible and Roger truly knows how to match up each fish with incredible sauces that he made. He'll also tell you exactly how to eat it so follow instructions to get the best experience possible.
We had over 25 types of fish by the end of the meal. Courses included a toro remix of over 4 different toros, butterfish remix, different uni dishes, scallops, an amazing sashimi plate consisting of various exotic fishes and presented in a breathtaking display. We ended the course with a special grilled lamb dish and yes, even the lamb was delicious and this is a sushi place. The dessert was a special wasabi cheesecake dish with wasabi ice cream and watermelon sorbet.
I hate my friend Richard for taking me here because I have not been able to look at any other sushi places the same way. I could no longer muster enthusiasm to go any where else. Damn you Richard! I had a religious experience here and with every bite, my taste buds were just exploding with wonderful flavors. The bill came out to about 240 a person for our party of 5 and trust me, it's worth it to have such an experience. Only thing comparable would be Urasawa in Beverly Hills and that's about 500. I hear you can request from Roger the special king crab course if you ask for it at least a week in advance. Guess I'm going to have to come up to San Francisco from L.A. again to try that. -
Review from Jen Y.
Updated - 1/5/2012 13 photos
My bf took me here for my birthday and got us bar seats. Omakase with Roger was such an amazing experience, I already booked us bar seats for Valentine's day 2012! The freshest fish in SF, unique and delicious preparation and accompaniments, and entertaining sushi chef = 5 star experience. Can't wait to come back!!!
Roger is hilarious and an expert in the art of sushi. He offers very interesting fish (he has a "dealer" hah) and is innovative in the way he prepares seafood. For sushi snobs, I'd recommend letting your guard down and opting for omakase. Roger will introduce you to fish you've never had before and prepare it in ways that will truly delight your tastebuds! He even taught us how to best savor uni.
If you are are doing omakase, don't be too picky or demanding because that will annoy Roger. When doing omakase, let Roger know what your favorite fish are, what you absolutely will not eat, and when you are getting full. That's it.
We had:
*best hand rolls
*uni served over cold imported soft tofu
*scallop salad with pickled cucumber, black roe and seasoned seaweed
*salmon tartare served over sushi rice, avocado and seaweed paper
*ankimo with ponzu
*halibut tataki with truffle oil
*live boat scallop nigiri with ponzu dipping sauce
*tempura battered and fried scallop "lips" with dipping sauce
*10 types of nigiri including an assortment of salmon and butterfish nigiri done two ways (regular and "remix")
*seared halibut belly "remix" style
*watermelon sorbet with wasabi cheesecake ice cream
We ate for about 1.5 hours and the total bill was ~$100/person including tip and tax. Totally worth it!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/16/2011
My Valentine took me here for Vday as a surprise. I've been wanting to try Zushi Puzzle for the… Read more »
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Review from Elisha G.
Updated - 12/22/2011 3 photos
So can I just say that I have a love-hate relationship with Roger. I LOVE how amazing his food his and how absolutely wonderful his sushi is. I dream about it at night sometimes and wake up drooling on my pillow. seared kobe. butterfish sushi. tuna salad. halibut sashimi. Ahhh, this is what I think bout basically every day of my life. Just saying the name makes me salivate.
Now onto the hate part: I HATE that because of ZP, I can no longer eat at ANY other sushi restaurant and that everywhere else I go, I am disappointed. COME ON why do you have to be so good that you deprive me of enjoying sushi anywhere else? It wouldn't be a problem if I still lived in the Bay Area... I could make the 1 hr drive to satisfy my Roger sushi craving. But now I live in LA and I'm dying without it... Make the 6 hr drive up to get me a Best Hand Roll Ever or some of his cheek toro? I kinda did it once... But it's not like that is a reasonable alternative. Zushi Puzzle is seriously the best an Roger is a true genius that has officially ruined my sushi-eating life.
My warning to you is this: be prepared to not be able to eat sushi anywhere else and start onto a road of sushi-addiction that can only be fed by the best.
Please move to LA. I miss you alot and I'm going through withdrawal. Sigh.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/22/2010
Okay.... I LOVE ZP.... Ummm.... I'm salivating as I write this.
I'm hesitant to even write a review… Read more »
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Review from Jeremy K.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
SERVICE IS TERRIBLE.
The host is extraordinarily rude. I've tried to eat there twice and was turned away both times. The first time they were busy, so it was understandable. The second time, the restaurant was EMPTY. Both occasions, the host was a jerk. I won't attempt a third time, especially with fantastic options for sushi in this area - with much better service. -
Review from Jen C.
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
We made reservations for dinner on a Saturday night after reading through the reviews. We got seated right away and was brought over hot towels (which the SO was very amused by since he had never been to a restaurant that gave those out before, lol). They also gave out complimentary edamame.
We ordered:
- 4pcs of sake (I'm partial to smoked sake but we both agreed this was good)
- Philadelphia Roll (SO insisted on ordering it but I didn't have any. Apparently it was just like any other philly roll).
- Butter Face Roll (only reason I'd come back. So delicious!)
- Hot Pink Allie Roll (good but nothing special. Can't go wrong with tempura anything)
- Michelle Roll (might be because it came last when we were getting full, but mediocre). -
Review from Jean Y.
Prior to coming here, I had heard several friends and coworkers refer to Zushi Puzzle as the best sushi restaurant in SF. While I have not yet settled on my favorite sushi restaurant in SF yet, I was not disappointed. The decor and ambiance are not particularly pleasing, but the sushi sure is good.
The highlight of the meal was the chef's choice sashimi platter. So much sashimi I lost count!! The waitress, who was extremely friendly, pointed out every single type of fish on the platter and came back halfway through the meal to offer a refresher course. I remember trying 5 kinds of salmon, 3 kinds of tuna, butterfish, flying fish, yellowtail, and more. I had a lot of fun savoring each piece and comparing the various tastes and textures.
Other items:
* Hand rolls with salmon skin in rice paper: Not on the menu but brought out to us because we requested some sort of hand roll with salmon skin. Absolutely delicious!
* Anniversary roll (albacore, ponzu sauces, bonito flakes): The bonito flakes made this a bit too dry for me. I wouldn't order it again.
* Green tea
* House sake
At $70 per person after tax and tip, this was not a cheap meal, but I will definitely go back! -
Review from alex d.
San Francisco, CA
3/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awful. Set the scene...8 open seats at sushi with flies hovering over old fish and soy sauce. 10 people waiting by door with no service or attention directed towards them whatsoever. Arrogant over rated sushi guy who makes average sushi in a dirty building on a local highway. "Can we please order a beer while we wait ? ' "No. No space. i dont know how long."
I'll tell you how long . Never -
Review from David H.
1/13/2012
This place lives up to the hype. We didn't make reservations so we showed up at 5:30pm, right after it opened. Street parking nearby was surprisingly easy to find--maybe because it was a weekday and during rush hour, so a lot of spots were vacated. When we walked in there was only one other table of people, the rest of the place was empty. However, by 615 every table was filled and, beginning around 6:00pm the staff was turning away people without reservations.
We tried the popular items, including the famous handroll and the live uni. Personally, I thought the uni was a bit overrated... and it had a slightly bitter aftertaste. It did "melt in your mouth"... literally (you aren't supposed to chew it). Maybe my palette isn't sophisticated enough, but for the price I probably would've preferred a good roll or two. Still, I'm glad I tried it out. For what it's worth, the uni wasn't twitching or anything--so if you are squeamish about eating live stuff, fear not, it won't be screaming and kicking in protest as it goes down your gullet.
All in all, a great meal. If you don't have a reservation, definitely show up early... even on a weekday. -
Review from Nathan L.
Daly City, CA
4/13/2012
Now I've only eaten at the sushi bar (not the regular seating) while being serviced by their sushi chef Roger but that was enough for me to raise the standard of sushi to a higher level. The way Roger prepares each course is very appetizing as he sometimes samples the fish himself. The variety of fish at his disposal seems limitless as each piece of sushi delivered is more unique than the last. He does have his secret dishes including a nigiri made of seared kobe beef with melted beef fat that dissolves in your mouth. I am told he has many more up his sleeve and will spring them out if he enjoys your company. We were lucky to have tried one.
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Review from Tim L.
Redwood City, CA
4/1/2012
3.5 stars. Came here on a Thursday night at 7 and the place was half empty. Disregard the strange decor, but we came for some awesome fish. Never having been at Zushi, we placed 80% of our order in the beginning. The fish was fresh and tasted great! And we were especially happy with the selection of the fish on the blackboard. However, we ordered another roll and 3 more nigiri which took about 40 minutes. We finally left the place 2.5 hrs later (and the place still had some tables open). Zushi does have a great selection of fresh fish, but if we go back, we'll be going earlier and ordering everything at the beginning of the meal to avoid the dinner crunch.
