Decent omakase experience. Some of the best bites included the king crab, scallop, tiger prawn, uni fried rice and toro with caviar and uni. They also have a selection of sake to go with your food. The place is rather small but you are able to make reservations online. Be careful though because they tried to refuse payment by credit card and were only accepting Venmo or third party apps. Just seemed strange since we held our reservation with a credit card and we weren’t informed of the payment policy until after our meal. We also weren’t offered anything à la carte after the meal and I was curious about the fried ice cream dessert. Kind of ruined the experience, but the food was otherwise good, just not sure about the price point
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Charlotte Lopp
I have been meaning to write this review for years. Apologies for Jimmy and Ron for not writing it sooner.
First, I have to write about the people because they are the reason I love and will always love Kibatsu. Then, I'll write about my favorite dishes and the food.
The People: I have been going to Kibatsu since 2014 so 12 years now. Before Kibastu, they were Sugoi Sushi in the Mission. I discovered them because they did catering for University of San Francisco. My college roommate and I befriended the young sushi chefs that came to the university, hung out with them once the sushi bar had officially closed and they encouraged us to come visit their Sugoi Sushi location.
Eventually we did and it became our Friday or Saturday night routine. Sometimes, we would splurge and go during the week (which for us as college students was a lot). But we loved them. Calvin, Ronald, (so sorry, I am totally blanking on the third guy's name but I see his face in my mind!) and Jimmy. The first three were the sushi chefs and Jimmy was the waiter - he always made room for us and always saved us our favorite booth in the front of the restaurant, closest to the windows. He remembered our classes and asked us how school was going. He always treated us to on the house mochi ice cream after each dinner. We would spend hours and hours there, camping out and chatting or doing our homework in the mood-lit, rustic, tastefully interior-decorated intimate setting, amid the hubbub of conversations and people enjoying the sushi. I remember Sugoi and those times really fondly - it was our safe space, our home away from home (dorm). Other times, we'd bring our friends. I can't even count how many people I and my roommate recommended this place to or brought there.
Then after we graduated, in 2018, they moved to the Haight and invited me to their opening night omakase which was a gift to everyone they invited. How sweet, thoughtful and amazing is that? Between Sugoi and Kibatsu, my partner and I met and Jimmy always remembers my partner and his two boys and asks about them when they're not with me. The boys love it here because of the large portions and how nice everyone is.
On my birthday this year, I decided I wanted to spend it at Kibatsu and Jimmy (who is now a sushi chef!!) and company went out and got me a birthday cake and brought it out before the rest of the dessert as a surprise. I almost cried. This is why I love Kibatsu and those who work there.
The Food: The starter we always go for is the tataki dish which is albacore with delicious fried onion. The gyoza is always also a great way to go. We always get the omakase which is a true omakase with the different small plates, sashimi and nigiri. I love the salmon and umimasu nigiri as well as the negi salmon. Something special that Kibatsu does is they always surprise you with little gifts from the sushi chefs. For this past new year's they surprised us with a whole tray of steak and jumbo shrimp - a gift on the house. Their kindness never ceases to surprise us!
So there are some of our top favorites food wise and why Kibatsu has a special place in my heart. I hope you go and I hope you love it as much as I do. They work really hard, are so extremely kind and deserve the best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
May Bresler Herzog
I'm still not sure what to think about Kibatsu. Fantastic atmosphere, and it serves some unique dishes (like shark skin), some high quality fish dishes, and some basic dishes along with some (somewhat weird...) fusion Japanese. It is very inconsistent in quality and feels like it keeps some of its true gems only available in the expensive Omakase route ($120 or $150). The regular menu is limited, and is almost entirely fish based, yet some things that are only being served as part of the Omakase menu (like the wagyu dish, or the crab soup), are true gems and would be incredible if were included in the menu. I also have to call out that this place let us know, well into the meal (so too late to change our minds) that their credit card machine is not working that evening, yet somehow they had a pre-printed paper with their owners personal venmo info available, which felt very pre-planned...
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 2
S M
The sushi is fresh and the vibes are right! If you sit at the bar, the chefs will answer your questions and recommend some of their favorite dishes + selections.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Wolf Fivousix
Super nice cozy vibes, love the decor of this place! Mid to low light, great for a romantic dinner with good food! Although it is not the best sushi in town, for a little above average price you're getting some good stuff!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
S Powell
10/10 no notes, the fish was super fresh, the small dishes melted in you mouth, cozy chic vibes, a new favorite
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Grant Skaggs
Amazing food and staff
Aviv Delgadillo
Wow - amazing omakase and amazing experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Otta Rushome (Otta)
Hands down my favorite sushi spot in the city (and a global contender for top spot). Chef Roy and the entire team are incredibly skilled and make you feel right at home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
James Mercer
Amazing sushi and atmosphere. The flatware is unique and elevated, fish is incredibly fresh, and staff is kind.
I've been a fan of Kibatsu since their early days when they first opened Sugoi! on Valencia. Over the years, they've expanded to three locations and consistently deliver exceptional sushi and Japanese cuisine. Their food never disappoints—trust me, it's worth the visit every time.
In fact, I once dined here 8 days in a row because I just couldn't get enough! If you're unsure what to order, I highly recommend trying the Omakase—you'll be glad you did. Some of my favorites include Ponzu Walu, Walu, Amaebi, Wagyu, Uni, Umimatsu, Kimedai, and countless other delicious options.
If you're craving top-quality fish and authentic Japanese flavors, Kibatsu is the place to go. Don't miss out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Terri Brown
Dropped in last night and got two seats at the end of the bar. Channel was our server and she orchestrated the perfect sequence of food and drink for us. Loved the intimate neighborhood atmosphere and friendliness of the patrons and staff. Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Daniel Johnson
This was my first time here. A friend who lives in the neighborhood recommended it and I couldn’t have been more pleased. Very cute dark intimate atmosphere, unique plating, great quality flavor and really friendly staff. The chef even gifted us a tasty special piece of sushi. Highly recommend!
Tristan Timblin
Went from my favorite sushi in the city to my only sushi in the city. Chanel is so nice and welcoming. I mentioned having to leave the city for 6 months, stopped coming, and after they remembered and were so happy to have me back. Surprised and fortunate to feel like such a regular. The sushi has been amazing and consistent for the dozen times I’ve been. If you wanna try SF sushi come here!
Madison Jean
My favorite spot for sushi in SF. Great for a date night or if you’re feeling really fancy you can do the Omakase experience which is incredible! Top quality fish so no matter what you have it will be great!
Decent omakase experience. Some of the best bites included the king crab, scallop, tiger prawn, uni fried rice and toro with caviar and uni. They also have a selection of sake to go with your food. The place is rather small but you are able to make reservations online. Be careful though because they tried to refuse payment by credit card and were only accepting Venmo or third party apps. Just seemed strange since we held our reservation with a credit card and we weren’t informed of the payment policy until after our meal. We also weren’t offered anything à la carte after the meal and I was curious about the fried ice cream dessert. Kind of ruined the experience, but the food was otherwise good, just not sure about the price point
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
I have been meaning to write this review for years. Apologies for Jimmy and Ron for not writing it sooner.
First, I have to write about the people because they are the reason I love and will always love Kibatsu. Then, I'll write about my favorite dishes and the food.
The People:
I have been going to Kibatsu since 2014 so 12 years now. Before Kibastu, they were Sugoi Sushi in the Mission. I discovered them because they did catering for University of San Francisco. My college roommate and I befriended the young sushi chefs that came to the university, hung out with them once the sushi bar had officially closed and they encouraged us to come visit their Sugoi Sushi location.
Eventually we did and it became our Friday or Saturday night routine. Sometimes, we would splurge and go during the week (which for us as college students was a lot). But we loved them. Calvin, Ronald, (so sorry, I am totally blanking on the third guy's name but I see his face in my mind!) and Jimmy. The first three were the sushi chefs and Jimmy was the waiter - he always made room for us and always saved us our favorite booth in the front of the restaurant, closest to the windows. He remembered our classes and asked us how school was going. He always treated us to on the house mochi ice cream after each dinner. We would spend hours and hours there, camping out and chatting or doing our homework in the mood-lit, rustic, tastefully interior-decorated intimate setting, amid the hubbub of conversations and people enjoying the sushi. I remember Sugoi and those times really fondly - it was our safe space, our home away from home (dorm). Other times, we'd bring our friends. I can't even count how many people I and my roommate recommended this place to or brought there.
Then after we graduated, in 2018, they moved to the Haight and invited me to their opening night omakase which was a gift to everyone they invited. How sweet, thoughtful and amazing is that? Between Sugoi and Kibatsu, my partner and I met and Jimmy always remembers my partner and his two boys and asks about them when they're not with me. The boys love it here because of the large portions and how nice everyone is.
On my birthday this year, I decided I wanted to spend it at Kibatsu and Jimmy (who is now a sushi chef!!) and company went out and got me a birthday cake and brought it out before the rest of the dessert as a surprise. I almost cried. This is why I love Kibatsu and those who work there.
The Food:
The starter we always go for is the tataki dish which is albacore with delicious fried onion. The gyoza is always also a great way to go. We always get the omakase which is a true omakase with the different small plates, sashimi and nigiri. I love the salmon and umimasu nigiri as well as the negi salmon. Something special that Kibatsu does is they always surprise you with little gifts from the sushi chefs. For this past new year's they surprised us with a whole tray of steak and jumbo shrimp - a gift on the house. Their kindness never ceases to surprise us!
So there are some of our top favorites food wise and why Kibatsu has a special place in my heart. I hope you go and I hope you love it as much as I do. They work really hard, are so extremely kind and deserve the best.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I'm still not sure what to think about Kibatsu. Fantastic atmosphere, and it serves some unique dishes (like shark skin), some high quality fish dishes, and some basic dishes along with some (somewhat weird...) fusion Japanese. It is very inconsistent in quality and feels like it keeps some of its true gems only available in the expensive Omakase route ($120 or $150). The regular menu is limited, and is almost entirely fish based, yet some things that are only being served as part of the Omakase menu (like the wagyu dish, or the crab soup), are true gems and would be incredible if were included in the menu. I also have to call out that this place let us know, well into the meal (so too late to change our minds) that their credit card machine is not working that evening, yet somehow they had a pre-printed paper with their owners personal venmo info available, which felt very pre-planned...
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 2
The sushi is fresh and the vibes are right! If you sit at the bar, the chefs will answer your questions and recommend some of their favorite dishes + selections.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Super nice cozy vibes, love the decor of this place! Mid to low light, great for a romantic dinner with good food! Although it is not the best sushi in town, for a little above average price you're getting some good stuff!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
10/10 no notes, the fish was super fresh, the small dishes melted in you mouth, cozy chic vibes, a new favorite
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food and staff
Wow - amazing omakase and amazing experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hands down my favorite sushi spot in the city (and a global contender for top spot). Chef Roy and the entire team are incredibly skilled and make you feel right at home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing sushi and atmosphere. The flatware is unique and elevated, fish is incredibly fresh, and staff is kind.
Restaurantji Recommends
I've been a fan of Kibatsu since their early days when they first opened Sugoi! on Valencia. Over the years, they've expanded to three locations and consistently deliver exceptional sushi and Japanese cuisine. Their food never disappoints—trust me, it's worth the visit every time.
In fact, I once dined here 8 days in a row because I just couldn't get enough! If you're unsure what to order, I highly recommend trying the Omakase—you'll be glad you did. Some of my favorites include Ponzu Walu, Walu, Amaebi, Wagyu, Uni, Umimatsu, Kimedai, and countless other delicious options.
If you're craving top-quality fish and authentic Japanese flavors, Kibatsu is the place to go. Don't miss out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dropped in last night and got two seats at the end of the bar. Channel was our server and she orchestrated the perfect sequence of food and drink for us. Loved the intimate neighborhood atmosphere and friendliness of the patrons and staff. Thank you for a wonderful evening.
This was my first time here. A friend who lives in the neighborhood recommended it and I couldn’t have been more pleased. Very cute dark intimate atmosphere, unique plating, great quality flavor and really friendly staff. The chef even gifted us a tasty special piece of sushi. Highly recommend!
Went from my favorite sushi in the city to my only sushi in the city. Chanel is so nice and welcoming. I mentioned having to leave the city for 6 months, stopped coming, and after they remembered and were so happy to have me back. Surprised and fortunate to feel like such a regular. The sushi has been amazing and consistent for the dozen times I’ve been. If you wanna try SF sushi come here!
My favorite spot for sushi in SF. Great for a date night or if you’re feeling really fancy you can do the Omakase experience which is incredible! Top quality fish so no matter what you have it will be great!
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