So, I lived in Japan for a long time, and I miss the food there so much. I've been to a few Japanese places in SF, but I'm usually totally disappointed. Sometimes not by the quality of the food so much as the style. I've noticed that most of these places are run by Koreans or Chinese people, which is all good but the food usually ends up tasting like Chinese food rather than Japanese (like, Gyudon looking like stir fry with sauce on it or something). I don't really care who is running the shop, as long as they make good food.

My two favorite spots are Sushi On the Run, and Ozumo (Ozumo isn't totally authentic, but it's tasty, and right next to my office). Anyone else have any recommendations? Sushi or otherwise.

This was inspired by the following thread, but I'm trying not to thread jack:
https://www.i-club.com/forums/bay-area-15/rude-tip-sushi-chef-224354/

 

http://morimotonapa.com/

http://www.sebosf.com/site/home.html

 

Sushi ownz

 

Kitcho, Cupertino, CA
Sasabune, Los Angeles, CA

 

you mean this right?
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kitsho-cupertino

if so, i recall 1 of my sjsu professors saying he owned it.

 

I live in San Mateo, and there are lots of Japanese Restaurants here, albeit only a few good ones. As the OP noted, the majority are owned by Koreans. Speaking as a Korean, I loathe Korean-owned sushi restaurants, primarily because they seem to me to be either "selling out" or just hopping on the sushi bandwagon. Unless the owners/chefs have spent a substantial amount of time in Japan actually studying the food, appreciating the nuances, etc., they're basically just copying what everyone else is doing - slapping slices of fish on rice, frying up frozen gyoza, or making cream-cheese filled abominations, and then expecting everyone to dunk everything in an imitation wasabi paste/soy sauce mixture.

Having said that, here are my recommendations:

Kisaku in San Mateo for non-sushi items, Sushi Sams in San Mateo for sushi (and by sushi, I only mean nigiri off the white board), and Ramen Dojo for ramen (although I can't speak to the authenticity of their ramen, but it's really good). I've also read amazing things about Sakae in Burlingame, but alas, have never been due to cost. Anyways, here's a pretty good list of Bay Area sushi joints.
________
Gay movies

 

Run a search, we do a sushi thread about once every year or so.
I don't mean this in a jerky way, but as a reference for a treasure trove of information.

 

For ramen here in SF I like Katana-ya on Geary or Tampopo in J-town because its close. where did you live in Japan?

 

Jerk.

 

I know, right?

 

Mostly in Okinawa (about 4 years). Lived in Tokyo for about 3 months, and did about 6 months in Kanazawa.

 

cool ,what branch were you in?

 

• Santa Ramen - San Mateo
• Ramen Dojo - San Mateo (Santa's sister branch with a spicier take on ramen)
• Izakaya Mai - San Mateo
• Ringer Hut - San Jose (it's more like a Japanese diner...)
• Orenchi Ramen - Santa Clara
• Gochi Fusions (not entirely "Japanese", but a fusion) - Cupertino

I'm mostly an izakaya and ramen sort of person. Moreso ramen than anything else. I'd like to find a better place than Curry House for Japanese curry though.

 

Sushi Aka Tombo - any more authentic, and you'll be buying a plane ticket for Japan. The food is so fresh, any fresher and you'd be pulling it out of the ocean yourself. The shrimp he used to make the sweet shrimp was still flopping around in the display case up until the moment he broke off the tail.

 

Not my favorite overall, but favorite sushi is berkeley since my girlfriend is a UC berkeley student, is Joshu-ya hands down. Rolls are always good, sashimi is fresh. Personally, never had a bad experience with this place, service was always off the top.