Name: KUSAKABE
Address: 584 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States, San Francisco
Telephone: +14157570155

This high-end sushi spot offers a light-soaked, Zen-like space for sushi, sake, wine & beer.

At a glance

#4 of 111 Restaurants in San Francisco #1 of 21 Sushi restaurants in San Francisco

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.79

1.5 km from the center of San Francisco

Rating breakdown

5 ★85%
4 ★11%
3 ★2%
2 ★1%
1 ★1%

What reviewers talk about

Share of 16 recent reviews that mention each topic.

Food88%
Service & staff38%
Price & value31%
Atmosphere19%
Waiting & crowds13%
Location6%

584 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States

kusakabe-sf.com

+1 415-757-0155

Quick facts

What is the rating of KUSAKABE?: KUSAKABE is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,266 reviews.
How does KUSAKABE rank in San Francisco?: KUSAKABE is #4 of 111 Restaurants in San Francisco by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is KUSAKABE located?: 584 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States — 1.5 km from the center of San Francisco.
What do visitors mention most about KUSAKABE?: Most often: food, service & staff, price & value (from 16 recent reviews).
How can I contact KUSAKABE?: Phone: +1 415-757-0155 · Website: kusakabe-sf.com

Reviews (16)

Wendy Tsugawa 2024 Jun 03

The fish was fresh, and the flavour pairing was nice, but I found it could have been more dynamic with some dishes. I enjoyed the Chawan-mushi it was delicious.

Jared Cline 2024 Jun 03

EJ was fantastic. The food was incredible and the staff were lovely. Easily the best sushi meal I’ve ever had and the sake pairings were thoughtfully suggested.

Lily Yee 2024 May 22

Probably one of the more creative in presentation ! This place is worth the visit. It had classic things like uni and chutoro/otoro/ salmon eggs. The wagyu was yummy.

The reservation was easy not sure what the purpose of the 8pm vs 815 reservation is. I noticed that everyone at the omakase bar was eating at a different pace. Some that were served first end up being served last as the dinner progressed on.

The dress code is semi causal, my bf wore jeans .

The omakase here is interesting as there are 3 chefs and each of them will serve 2-3 couples. Unlike other omakase I have been to, this one is less informative. They do mentioned some of the cuts here and there. The interaction with the chef is minimal Towards the end, he will ask if you want more or less rice and if you want to order anything else.

I would say out of the omakase places I have been to, this one has the most amount of food. Also loved that ther dessert isn't a sweet tamago nigri!

Jason Eng 2024 Mar 22

Wow. An incredible omakase experience! Had the 18-course dinner, sitting at the chefs counter and I could not be more impressed by the quality and creativity of the food presented!

Each course was distinct, delicious, flavorful, and there was nothing “basic” or “common” that was served. My favorites were the chawan-mushi, otoro, uni on uni, Hokkaido scallop and uni, Kyoto-style pressed saba, kelp-cured flounder fin… and more!

A few minor critiques: the wagu sukiyaki was tender and delicious, but tasted too sweet. The miso soup was overly salty. And the yuzu sorbet had nice flavor but was served hard like an ice cube.

Would definitely return to dine again. Recommended.

Erica (EVLove11) 2024 Feb 23

KUSAKABE is authentically amazing! I spent 3 years traveling to and from Japan in my mid-20s on a mission to find the best sushi in the world...from high class dining on the streets of Fukuoka, to "chefs choice" roulette in private gardens outside Kyoto, and down onto the very shipyard docks in Tokyo where they unload the fish. In all my time before those trips, and since, I was never able to find a sushi restaurant that could measure up ... until KUSAKABE.

The atmosphere, the quality of the fish, the service, the diversity of flavors, the careful preparation of every bite...perfection! I would have sworn I was back in Japan if it weren't for all the English on the menu and the English speaking staff explaining the each course.

I definitely suffered a bunch of sticker shock at the fixed price menu, but after my experience, I had to accept that it was not only fair, but necessary. While the cost of a dinner for four here can cost as much as a new smartphone (or even more!), that dinner is a whole heck of a lot cheaper than buying an airplane ticket to Japan in order to find anything close to this authentic. And with the intimate, high diversity, fixed course experience that they serve, the price is a necessary to cover their costs of staff and low table turnover.

If you are a sushi snob (like me), you will not be disappointed. If you want to eat sushi like you would in the best sushi restaurants in Japan, you will save yourself a ton of time and money to go here. If you want to impress business partners with a fancy dinner, there is almost no better way. And if you simply want to have a quiet intimate date night, the atmosphere and service here will hit the spot just right.

Mike Chiu 2023 Dec 16

Service was very good, all the servers that brought out the dishes and sushi described everything that was being served. After you finish with your current course they clear your table expeditiously and serve the next course soon after so you’re not sitting very long without any food. Before our meal the server recommend a few sakes based on your personal flavor preference and let us sample some before we finalized what we wanted to drink for our meal.

Atmosphere was your typical high end modern omakase interior that primarily comprises of wood. We were seated at a table and it didn’t feel as intimate as other omakase restaurants where you get to converse with the chef. The server told us that counter seating was booked two months out so plan ahead if that’s the option you want to go for.

Food was good overall, they serve more non-sushi dishes than other omakase restaurants which reminded me of kaiseki style cuisine in Japan where they prepare dishes based on seasonality. The course where they bring you a plate of 9 different sides was plated really well and most of them were good and the ocean trout was my favorite. The zuke chutoro piece that came out first for the sushi portion was my favorite, all the others were good but I had better quality and flavor at other restaurants like Omakase or Hinata.

Overall I would give this restaurant a 4.2/5 and I did appreciate that they incorporated more Japanese dishes throughout the course if the meal.

M Wu 2023 Nov 28

Honestly one of the best omakase I’ve had in the States. And it’s inexpensive! $198 for 18 courses without sacrificing any food quality and in SF downtown is simply amazing. This is a place I’ll definitely come back.

Monique H. OTT 2023 Oct 23

We loved our experience at Kusakabe. You are treated like royalty and do not have to think of anything while there. If you want to live in the moment and enjoy 2 hours of bliss the this is the place for you.

Natascha Santos 2023 Oct 14

I just had the pleasure of dining at this gem of a restaurant, and I must say it was the best Omakase experience I’ve ever had. The dishes were not just fresh; they were a burst of flavors, each one meticulously crafted. I’d give it 10 stars if I could!
One thing to note, they exclusively offer Omakase, an 18-course culinary journey (you can do a paring of wine or sake) While it might seem high-priced at first glance, when you consider the quality and artistry that goes into each dish, it’s worth every penny.
If you’re a true food enthusiast seeking a memorable dining experience, don’t miss out on this culinary masterpiece! ;) (I got too excited and forgot the good pictures)

Chi Vu 2023 Oct 12

Incredible omakase - we thoroughly enjoyed every bit of our 18 course meal. Can't wait to come back.

Haipeng Hu 2023 Aug 29

One of the best Omakase in the Bay Area. Traditional Kaseiki style. Great food and great vibe. Highly recommended.

Weizhi Cheng 2023 Jul 28

Amazing food and experience celebrating my wife's Birthday. Each dish was beautiful and delicious. The staff was very friendly too. The petite omakaze was a great deal and all 3 of us were full and content after the dinner.

Carlos Miguel Rama 2023 Jun 24

First time here and it was an absolute treat. Thoroughly enjoyed every course and everything they had to offer in their Omakase. The fish was SO UNBELIEVABLY FRESH, it would make a fisherman cry. The last part of the Omakase was fish that was flown in overnight from Japan. The flavors of everything that was brought together that evening was absolutely unforgettable. Truly worthy of celebration of any kind, or just if you want some damn GREAT FISH. Not good, GREAT.

The hostess was also so nice and so informative about everything. Bless her heart, she was so kind.

Only complaint is because of the old-laundry smell that our tablecloths had that evening. Other than that, the meal was astonishingly perfect. Will definitely return because the food was just SO GOOD.

Jan Kling 2023 Jun 03

We had the Omakase at Kusakabe restaurant today. It was amazing and most delightful. The waiters were very attentive. We were placed at the bar next to master Okada San who prepared the sushi in front of us in the most skilful way. For me it was the second time at Kusakabe and again one of my best sushi experiences in my life. The Sake pairing was a very tasty and suitable pairing. Thank you ありがとう Arigato Okada SanとKusakabe San and the staff at Kusakabe restaurant.
Jan& Julia

Victor Eduardo Jo Chiong 2023 May 13

Excellent Kyoto style Sushi, Omakase was beautifully presented, every item tasted outstanding. Crew was competent and friendly. Not at all a stuffy venue.