Kibatsu

This place is spectacular, potentially the best sushi I've had outside of Tokyo. It has a dark sort of rustic interior that somehow feels both intimate and lively. The sushi is fantastic, they have a great selection of fresh fish and make some very unique nigiri. You can go with an omakase option, but they also have rolls, nigiri and small plates that you can choose from. This place truly feels like a local hidden gem, highly recommended.

We did the Omakase menu - and it was mind blowing. Fresh, delicious, incredibly plated and playful. The hostess was very warm and even remembered us from our time at Kibatsu pre-Covid. Love the vibe too, highly recommend for an intimate dinner with friends or a loved one.

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!

Douglas and Anita Scribner

The other night, we had a wonderful dinner, at Kibatsu. I don’t know when I’ve had such an amazing omakase set! The restaurant is tastefully decorated and the lovely lighting lends to a feeling of intimacy! Table settings were unique for each dish presented and the staff were warm and attentive! Roy was fabulous in creating innovative and unusual dishes for us on our Omakase, though we added a few items! The selection of seafood was delicious and aesthetically beautiful! It included many types of fish that are rare for sushi restaurants to serve outside of Japan. The crab broth was absolutely delicious and the steak and cloud mushrooms, followed by caviar embellished ice cream cones were a fabulous ending to a delectable seafood meal! Will definitely be back to this restaurant when I am in town!!!😉

matt sievers

Hands down favorite sushi spot in San Francisco. Chanel the primary waitress brings so much joy and personality, makes everyone feel special. The fish is some of the best we have had, such high quality sashimi. Roy the primary chef has been doing this since 1991 and sources the best sashimi in the Bay Area. Everyone should add this as an SF staple.

Cynthia Wu

Kibatsu is a really special place, one of SF’s best sushi restaurants. We’ve come here multiple times now and the food is always spectacular with overflowing pieces of fresh fish. Some of their dishes are super creative - most recently we had a skewer with tempura lion’s mane mushroom that tasted like steak! Chanel (the owner) is SO kind. We can’t wait to come back!

Christina DLC

I have been following Kibatsu since their 1st location on Valencia called Sugoi! 3 Locations and 12yrs later their food never disappoints. If you don’t know what to order try the Omakase, you will thank me. My favorites are Ponzu Walu, Walu, Amaebi, Wagyu, Uni, Umimatsu, Kimedai, and soooo much more. You want fish go here!

S Kim

Excellent sushi quality esp for its price. Highly recommend sake sushi and toro temaki. Friendly and attentive staff.

Adrienne Lin

This is a long overdue review for my first in-person omakase experience in the past two years. I had my fair share of takeout/delivery sushi during the pandemic, but the nature of omakase is arguably one of the hardest to translate to takeout. There is something about enjoying a piece of nigiri that is still warm from the chef’s hand. When I dined back in July 2021, the chef’s counter was unfortunately still closed, but I was able to sit indoors. The omakase was 15 courses, with total dinner time just over 90 minutes at a leisurely pace. Chef Roy created a modern interpretation of omakase, incorporating dishes such as uni risotto, deep fried wagyu ice cream cones, and a glorious maitake and fig topped seared toro. The nigiri and sashimi were very good that day. A highlight was lean bluefin tuna sashimi that had fruity notes and the toro with caviar nigiri. The afore-mentioned modern dishes were also a standout, especially the sweet and savory dessert course with black sesame ice cream and yuzu sorbet cones, topped with a juicy, warm cube of deep fried wagyu. I felt comfortable dining indoors in the smaller space, and service was polite and efficient. I thought the price point was also very reasonable for SF.

Sindy S.

Pls follow me on IG @ssindyeats to see the reel for kibatsu, more foodie bites and travels. 🍣 @kibatsusushi is a little hidden gem in the Haight area of San Francisco with no signs. We love their dark and rustic interior, it’s very intimate and romantic. What a meal!! This was our first omakase experience, and it won’t be our last. We enjoyed the chef’s selection, it was fun to be surprised by the dishes the chef selected for us. The food was simple but beautifully presented. Everything was incredibly fresh & the sushi was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, especially the toro, Wagyu, and uni. So good. Thank you kibatsusushi for the wonderful dining experience, everything was perfectly balanced, unique, and delicious with the perfect amount of food. If you need an intimate and delicious place for date night or just a delicious meal, you gotta come to Kibatsu.

Peace Love

What a nice atmosphere of a place. First timer. Especially this year I've been doing my best on trying as many poplar restaurants as I can for the first time. The most challenging parts are getting reservations. This place is no exception and was great.

Christina Wong

Had reservations with my brother on a Thursday night, probably wasn’t necessary but it started getting busy when we left. Opted to try the omakase which was $158 with no set menu. The food kept coming out! Everything was amazing!!!!

Devin Ajimine

Chef Jimmy in the photo hands down the best sushi chef you can find in SF, I been to Japan but Jimmy will treat you way beyond. Recommend this place to all of my friends, family, etc. Bummers: we weren’t able to do Omakase but Jimmy had our back! They only could give us one Tamago, but again Jimmy came through to make us happy! Like i am about to sleep tonight and i will probably wake up thinking of how Jimmy was such a homie!

Chris Wallace

This place is spectacular, potentially the best sushi I've had outside of Tokyo. It has a dark sort of rustic interior that somehow feels both intimate and lively. The sushi is fantastic, they have a great selection of fresh fish and make some very unique nigiri. You can go with an omakase option, but they also have rolls, nigiri and small plates that you can choose from. This place truly feels like a local hidden gem, highly recommended.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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!

We did the omakase experience and it was great! Some unique dishes, all were delicious though and we left VERY full. The pace is kind of strange, they were replacing our dishes with the next course quite quickly at first (we were one of the few ones there) and then there were some lulls later when it got more crowded. However the ambience is easygoing and we enjoyed good conversation while we waited- I also appreciate the intimate setting and that you don't have to yell to talk to your company. The most unique part was that when we got our ice cream dessert, it game with a piece of seared wagyu which was random but fun! Will definitely be back.

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...

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!

Jamie Li

We did the omakase experience and it was great! Some unique dishes, all were delicious though and we left VERY full. The pace is kind of strange, they were replacing our dishes with the next course quite quickly at first (we were one of the few ones there) and then there were some lulls later when it got more crowded. However the ambience is easygoing and we enjoyed good conversation while we waited- I also appreciate the intimate setting and that you don't have to yell to talk to your company. The most unique part was that when we got our ice cream dessert, it game with a piece of seared wagyu which was random but fun! Will definitely be back.

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

Kibatsu's intimate ambiance and ambitious omakase drew us in, but the experience left us feeling like we had walked a tightrope - some moments exhilarating, others a little wobbly. One man show: Our entire restaurant relied on a single server. While her enthusiasm was undeniable, it stretched thin. Long waits between courses and forgotten requests detracted from the flow. It felt like a charming solo performance occasionally needing an understudy. Speed demons and sleepy snails: Dishes arrived at a puzzling pace. The melt-in-your-mouth tuna came swiftly, while the delicate wagyu languished. Some nigiri arrived lightning-fast, and others took ages, leaving us wondering if they'd gotten lost in the kitchen labyrinth. Fishy tales: The nigiri itself was a mixed bag. Some pieces were divine. Others, however, had a distinct fishiness and slightly chewy texture that left us wanting more freshness. Like a magic act, some bites disappeared in a delightful puff, while others required more chewing than anticipated. Wasabi woes: The liberal use of wasabi was another inconsistency. Some pieces had a perfect kiss of heat, while others were overpowered, drowning out the delicate flavors of the fish. Perhaps a lighter hand would allow the natural sweetness of the fish to shine through. Missed opportunity: All the uni dishes that were served missed the mark. Instead of highlighting the creamy and buttery uni flavors, the dishes were overpowered by other flavors. Course overload (in a good way): The $158 omakase was certainly generous, offering a plethora of dishes. The whole experience consisted of small plates, nigiri pieces, sashimi and a dessert. Cozy charm: Despite the service hiccups and inconsistencies, the intimate setting and warm lighting created a unique atmosphere. It's a place where you can easily get lost in conversation. Final verdict: With some attention to service consistency, pace, and flavor balance, Kibatsu has the potential to be a great dining experience. For now, it sits at a 3-star tightrope walk - charming, ambitious, but needing a few tweaks.

Drew Hinkson

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

ayush kalani

Kibatsu's intimate ambiance and ambitious omakase drew us in, but the experience left us feeling like we had walked a tightrope - some moments exhilarating, others a little wobbly. One man show: Our entire restaurant relied on a single server. While her enthusiasm was undeniable, it stretched thin. Long waits between courses and forgotten requests detracted from the flow. It felt like a charming solo performance occasionally needing an understudy. Speed demons and sleepy snails: Dishes arrived at a puzzling pace. The melt-in-your-mouth tuna came swiftly, while the delicate wagyu languished. Some nigiri arrived lightning-fast, and others took ages, leaving us wondering if they'd gotten lost in the kitchen labyrinth. Fishy tales: The nigiri itself was a mixed bag. Some pieces were divine. Others, however, had a distinct fishiness and slightly chewy texture that left us wanting more freshness. Like a magic act, some bites disappeared in a delightful puff, while others required more chewing than anticipated. Wasabi woes: The liberal use of wasabi was another inconsistency. Some pieces had a perfect kiss of heat, while others were overpowered, drowning out the delicate flavors of the fish. Perhaps a lighter hand would allow the natural sweetness of the fish to shine through. Missed opportunity: All the uni dishes that were served missed the mark. Instead of highlighting the creamy and buttery uni flavors, the dishes were overpowered by other flavors. Course overload (in a good way): The $158 omakase was certainly generous, offering a plethora of dishes. The whole experience consisted of small plates, nigiri pieces, sashimi and a dessert. Cozy charm: Despite the service hiccups and inconsistencies, the intimate setting and warm lighting created a unique atmosphere. It's a place where you can easily get lost in conversation. Final verdict: With some attention to service consistency, pace, and flavor balance, Kibatsu has the potential to be a great dining experience. For now, it sits at a 3-star tightrope walk - charming, ambitious, but needing a few tweaks.

OMAKASE REVIEW - service was brisk and borderline rude, no explanation of how each dish was prepared or ask of allergies - each dish was either a punch of wasabi, overly sweet, or super salty. No balance of flavors or textures, and the fish did not taste fresh - it was filmy and fishy - pacing was incredibly off, coming in clusters with large gaps inbetween - other tables were getting different dishes even though we all ordered omakase - there was a bone in my salmon

Amanda Liu

For a $180 omakase experience, I’ll say it’s not worth the dollar u spent. I don’t think the chefs are professionally trained to do this. I personally have limited knowledge about omakase and sushi culture, but I know some basics. For example, you always cut your fish right before you eat them to ensure the freshness. And the way you slice the fish is extremely important because that will affect the flavor of the sashimi. But they precut all the sashimis and leave them outside in room temperature, which completely disrupts the flavor. A few sashimis I had were not in good quality. You can tell they are not from the best part of the fish, either way too greasy or too chewy. The chefs don’t know how to treat the fish in order to avoid the tendon and that leaves some weird fiber in a few bites we had. And you can’t even chew up those. Again, for a $80 omakase I won’t complain. But I paid $180, I expect excellency and perfection in every single dishes you present. To anyone who wants high-quality omakase like those you would have in Japan, do not choose this place. You will disappoint yourself.

Food-wise, the dishes were decent and fairly standard. Compared to other izakayas, there was nothing particularly outstanding, and given the price point, it felt somewhat overpriced. The dinning environment was warm and cozy, the place is nicely designed and has a pleasant atmosphere. However, the waiter are quite adept at discriminating against customers😭🫶🏻 I was seated directly next to a ventilation outlet blowing constant hot air. Everything on the table — plates, water glass, even my phone — became hot. It was so hot that while I was eating, I started to envy the dead fish in the freezer😭😭😭There was barely space for belongings, and sitting normally meant being blasted with heat. I asked twice to change seats while other tables were available and was refused both times without explanation. This seat should not be assigned to reservation guests at all. The service was equally disappointing. The server repeatedly pushed omakase and additional dishes despite the obvious discomfort caused by the heat. It felt like aggressive upselling rather than genuine hospitality. What made it worse was the inconsistency in service. No one offered to hang my coat upon arrival. I only realized coat service existed when the same server immediately offered it to the white guests seated next to me. I do not make accusations lightly, but the contrast was difficult to ignore and came across as discriminatory. I left in under 30 minutes because the situation was physically unbearable. Very poor seating management and unprofessional service.