From the moment we stepped into the restaurant, my spouse and I couldn't help but feel that this venue was overhyped. The welcoming atmosphere and the table under the bright spotlight gave us the impression that the Valentine's evening was just a money-making scheme for the restaurant. The dishes arrived in batches, more like pre-made assortments than freshly prepared. The desserts were placed on our table before we even finished one of the mains. The starters lacked any aroma and were overly salted. To make matters worse, the staff couldn't even explain the names of the sushi. The only dish that was cooked correctly was the wagyu beef, but it was overshadowed by the overall poor quality of the food. I gave a 10% tip, which is rare for me, but I did so because the management dared argue that the price advertised on OpenTable didn't include taxes. While the menus didn't have any price listed, my online reservation did, and it clearly stated that taxes were included. After another 15 minutes of arguing, we were finally released from that place where we should probably never return.
rowena
Venue was good but food was ordinary and way overpriced. Went for Valentine's Day but got ordinary food for supposedly special menu. What a let down.
Suzanne
A great experience. Warmley welcomed and service was attentive and not overbearing. All the food was presented perfectly and tasted amazing. The cocktails were imaginative and full of flavor. For those looking for a great Japanese whiskey experience this is also the place!
MaryAnn
We love Pabu. They are consistent and take good care of their customers. Love the food and drinks. Plan to book lunch for our team next week. Thank you very much 🥰
Edith
Absolutely amazing dining experience! The staff and owners made my birthday extremely special and I would definitely come back in a heartbeat
Elias
I did the omakase experience with sake pairing. Definitely worth trying out. You get the best offerings, showcasing exquisite bites with some amazing pairings. Left feeling full and satisfied. Service was on point, everything was timed well and moved like a well oiled machine.
Jeff
Food was quite good. Server seemed disinterested, perhaps because gratuity was locked in from large group. It was very dark which was not my favorite for a noon lunch.
Barbara
We (3 of us) have been to Pabu many times over the years for the Omakasa, but this was the first time since Chef Ken Tominaga passed away. We were all very disappointed. It started when making the reservation and I was asked several times if we wanted the special Omakasa and accompanying Saki Pairing. Yet when we arrived, no one seemed to know that was what we requested. When I asked for a couple more Omakasa menues, they asked if that was what we wanted. Understand, no one asked if we wanted drinks, they immediately went into serving food. It was rather abrupt. We used to love the Happy Spoons which started the experience. The food was good, but nothing outstanding. Getting crab cakes in SF is nothing special. I am not a fan of Wagyu beef in an Omakasa and especially after 6 courses. It's too heavy. Regarding the Saki pairing, we expected Saki, not champagne or port, for some of the servings. With past omakasa we have always left Pabu feeling it was one of the best meals and gushed about it for days. This time we were rather ambivalent. Was it good, yes, was it outstanding for the price we paid, absolutely not.
Jim
Our sushi chefs were absolutely amazing. Incredible service and tastes that were out of the world
Daniel
The Service by all the staff was amazing! Especially with the chef Oscar, the Food was amazing, it was our best dining experience in SFO
It was WAY too dark in there. I couldn't read the menu or even see my food. Service was ok, not very attentive and it took forever to get some water. Food was only ok overall. Rice was dry and the sushi wasn't incredibly fresh. Prices were a bit higher than expected for the quality, service, and ambiance. We enjoyed our meal but I wouldn't clamor to go back for another meal.
Marco
Service was really good and food incredible, the recommendations from the staff were really good
Viviana
Delicious food and the vibe was excellent, the staff was super helpful and knowledgeable for our big party and made us feel so welcome. Service was also fast and efficient
Andrew
Overall really good food. Enjoyed the Omakase with the wine pairing. The only issue is that some of the dishes just seemed to be more flash than substance. For example, one dish had gold flakes on it. Gold has no flavour, not good to consume, and does not add anything to the dish. So while I'd go back to Pabu in a heartbeat, I'm not sure I'd have the omakase again.
Jonathan
We were greeted warmly and taken to our table immediately. Our server Fei was wonderful all night. My guests had never been to Pabu before, and they were very impressed with the cuisine. We will be back again soon!
From the moment we stepped into the restaurant, my spouse and I couldn't help but feel that this venue was overhyped. The welcoming atmosphere and the table under the bright spotlight gave us the impression that the Valentine's evening was just a money-making scheme for the restaurant. The dishes arrived in batches, more like pre-made assortments than freshly prepared. The desserts were placed on our table before we even finished one of the mains. The starters lacked any aroma and were overly salted. To make matters worse, the staff couldn't even explain the names of the sushi. The only dish that was cooked correctly was the wagyu beef, but it was overshadowed by the overall poor quality of the food. I gave a 10% tip, which is rare for me, but I did so because the management dared argue that the price advertised on OpenTable didn't include taxes. While the menus didn't have any price listed, my online reservation did, and it clearly stated that taxes were included. After another 15 minutes of arguing, we were finally released from that place where we should probably never return.
Venue was good but food was ordinary and way overpriced. Went for Valentine's Day but got ordinary food for supposedly special menu. What a let down.
A great experience. Warmley welcomed and service was attentive and not overbearing. All the food was presented perfectly and tasted amazing. The cocktails were imaginative and full of flavor. For those looking for a great Japanese whiskey experience this is also the place!
We love Pabu. They are consistent and take good care of their customers. Love the food and drinks. Plan to book lunch for our team next week. Thank you very much 🥰
Absolutely amazing dining experience! The staff and owners made my birthday extremely special and I would definitely come back in a heartbeat
I did the omakase experience with sake pairing. Definitely worth trying out. You get the best offerings, showcasing exquisite bites with some amazing pairings. Left feeling full and satisfied. Service was on point, everything was timed well and moved like a well oiled machine.
Food was quite good. Server seemed disinterested, perhaps because gratuity was locked in from large group. It was very dark which was not my favorite for a noon lunch.
We (3 of us) have been to Pabu many times over the years for the Omakasa, but this was the first time since Chef Ken Tominaga passed away. We were all very disappointed. It started when making the reservation and I was asked several times if we wanted the special Omakasa and accompanying Saki Pairing. Yet when we arrived, no one seemed to know that was what we requested. When I asked for a couple more Omakasa menues, they asked if that was what we wanted. Understand, no one asked if we wanted drinks, they immediately went into serving food. It was rather abrupt. We used to love the Happy Spoons which started the experience. The food was good, but nothing outstanding. Getting crab cakes in SF is nothing special. I am not a fan of Wagyu beef in an Omakasa and especially after 6 courses. It's too heavy. Regarding the Saki pairing, we expected Saki, not champagne or port, for some of the servings. With past omakasa we have always left Pabu feeling it was one of the best meals and gushed about it for days. This time we were rather ambivalent. Was it good, yes, was it outstanding for the price we paid, absolutely not.
Our sushi chefs were absolutely amazing. Incredible service and tastes that were out of the world
The Service by all the staff was amazing! Especially with the chef Oscar, the Food was amazing, it was our best dining experience in SFO
Restaurantji Recommends
It was WAY too dark in there. I couldn't read the menu or even see my food. Service was ok, not very attentive and it took forever to get some water. Food was only ok overall. Rice was dry and the sushi wasn't incredibly fresh. Prices were a bit higher than expected for the quality, service, and ambiance. We enjoyed our meal but I wouldn't clamor to go back for another meal.
Service was really good and food incredible, the recommendations from the staff were really good
Delicious food and the vibe was excellent, the staff was super helpful and knowledgeable for our big party and made us feel so welcome. Service was also fast and efficient
Overall really good food. Enjoyed the Omakase with the wine pairing. The only issue is that some of the dishes just seemed to be more flash than substance. For example, one dish had gold flakes on it. Gold has no flavour, not good to consume, and does not add anything to the dish. So while I'd go back to Pabu in a heartbeat, I'm not sure I'd have the omakase again.
We were greeted warmly and taken to our table immediately. Our server Fei was wonderful all night. My guests had never been to Pabu before, and they were very impressed with the cuisine. We will be back again soon!
Loading...