Koo

I love Koo. It is the pound for pound king of sushi. It is moderately priced and is great quality. Their standard hot and cold dishes are tasty, and their custom dishes are unique. While nearby sushi spots have ambiance, Koo has friendly staff and qualify food.

Very good sushi. Fabulous crawfish roll. Great flavors. Nick, was our very good friendly nice cute waiter. I don't want to say much more. I want to make sure I can get in there next time

This restaurant was lovely! The sushi was delicious and fresh -- we had a sampling from their "catch of the day" menu, which is obviously updated regularly and paperclipped to the regular menu, and everything was perfect. The signature Koo roll was also fantastic. All the nigiri was perfectly prepared, and the service was excellent -- attentive waiter who gave good recommendations based on what we liked in the first round of tasting. Highly recommend.

We had a lovely dinner last night. The tuna was amazing - chef said it was just flown in from Hawaii. The service was excellent. Can’t wait to go back.

Spoonful of happiness. Do not come here and not order this! Made reservations for two at the sushi bar for 7:30. We didn’t get seated until 7:45 due to everyone having a good time with the chefs but it was understandable. We went with the omakase set and the rest was history.

Outstanding sushi. I have been looking for truly fresh and unique variety. I found it here. They not only have the standard selection of rolls and fresh nagiri and sashimi, they have a specialty list. It consists of fresh fish from all-over the world. Having some that are usually only found in very high end restaurants. Yes it is a little more expensive but worth it. They even have real, fresh Wasabi. Excellent place to eat.

Maybe the memories are speaking more than the actually quality, but maybe there’s something to be said for that as well. In terms of comfortable, inviting spaces, Koo is amongst the best. The quality of the food isn’t unparalleled but with everything else that it has going for it, it makes for something special. The staff are all incredible, and the chefs are really friendly. The price is definitely a consideration, but if you’re in for an extremely pleasant evening with some incredible food, go here.

This is one of my fav sushi place in California. Their fish always fresh! Their nigiri and hand rolls are to die for! Their hot sake is good too! Definitely recommended especially their happy hour menu is very worth it! Loooove this place ❤️

Koo offers a very reasonably priced omakase and the service was excellent. I got a newbie employee but he was very helpful and attentive my entire meal. The fish itself was pretty fresh and the selection was decent. Parking on a Sunday night was also very easy.

Yet another fusion sushi restaurant. I'm glad I didn't have to pay when I came for this dining experience. That's what boys are for right? :P Anyways, I really enjoyed the roe that they served on a soup spoon. We got to sample a few different types of fishes on the spoons and the sushi rolls were decent. Well I guess if you wanted to impress someone on a first date, then I'd take them here. Otherwise, I thought it was just okay.

Originally planned on dinning at Ebisu to find out it’s not open on Sundays. Stumbled on this place and so glad we found this hidden gem. The sushi and sashimi is delicious, fresh and melts in your mouth! Highly recommend and we’ll definitely be returning!!

Seriously the best sushi you can get in the Sunset, and one of the top spots in SF. It's tiny, and tucked away in the avenues near UCSF, but is definitely worth the trip if you don't live in the Sunset. Definitely try the Spoonful of Happiness, even if you're not crazy about uni. Amazing!

We always walk by but never tried this sushi place before but today we were on an adventure to try new restaurants in Inner sunset that we had never tried before. The sushi, Inari and sake were all really good. We have found our new local sushi joint now. 😀

Amazing quality and preparation! The tempura shrimp in one of the rolls was freshly fried! Still warm and succulent. The nigiri was outstanding. Hot sake, I don’t know what they use, but had some really nice notes.

March 2025: It has been over 15 years since I have eaten here. Was very excited to see if this restaurant has maintained their quality. I liked that they had a "catch of the day" menu to highlight specials. Ordered an Irving roll and a few sushi nigiri. Everything was very tasty 😋. My favorites were the Irving roll, the Shima Aji, the hamachi toro, and the tamago! Would come back again for more delicious sushi. Service was very friendly. Nice local spot.

Recently eaten at Koo! We sat at the sushi bar where we could watch the chefs prepare rolls as we ate. The food was delicious! We had the "Best" roll which is the one topped with lemon, as well as the "J & L" roll and the spicy tuna roll. Everything was . The Best roll was very unique, with a strong lemony flavor. The J & L roll was very good, and a great way to try the dragon roll and the kamikaze roll in one go. The shrimp tempura on the inside honestly blew me away, the fried crust's flavor was very apparent but blends in well with the rest of the roll. Finally the spicy tuna roll (my personal way of telling is a sushi restaurant is good or not) had great flavor and was in fact - spicy. Overall a great experience with great service, and the house sake (warm) pared great with the rolls we had. Would definitely recommend Koo if you're looking for a higher tier of sushi without completely breaking the bank! Ambiance was relaxed but high end.

There’s a lot of hyperbole in Google reviews that makes it hard to distinguish fine from good to great. Koo deserves all the praise and compliments and five-star ratings. Friends took us to Koo — and reserved the bar seating — for the absolutely best sushi I’ve ever had. The bar experience is unique from the dining room: the sushi chefs make sashimi based on the day’s fish inventory and keep serving until you say to stop. This is among my top 10 restaurants of all time. When I visit SF again, I’ll be back.

Quick and fast service….. delicious food! Girlfriend chose it as a restaurant to take me to for my birthday….. She chose well! Would recommend! We tried the combo meal, fried tofu and tempura ice cream (green tea) Will be returning!

I found this place via Maps and its high rankings and was not disappointed. The service was quick, and the Sushi fresh. I can recommend the ‘Best’ Sushi due to its unique lemon flavor. 🍣 🍋

The fish was exceptionally fresh. They featured both Japanese and Santa Barbara Uni. Each was delicious. Presentation was first rate. Would highly recommend this place if you are a sushi aficionado.

Koo (which means eat) is an awesome sushi spot and a standout in the crowded field of sushi places in San Francisco. If you want an authentic omakase experience Koo is the place. Hit the sushi bar, buy the chefs a beer, and ask them to make you anything, you won't be disappointed.

Except parking, this is a great place to visit. Tried Omakase this time. Tasty and reasonable price. All the fish is fresh. The spoon of happiness is the highlight!

Delicious sushi in a cozy little space. Incredibly conveniently located directly next to a MUNI spot.

One of my favorites. Koo has everything you want from a good sushi place. Quality ingredients, flavor, service, and ambiance. We started off our meal with their signature Spoonfuls of Happiness. Each order comes with two spoons, which are filled with a bunch of different ingredients that explode in your mouth. My favorite was the Uni one with the Quail egg. Now I normally do not like Uni whatsoever, but this spoon was amazing. Smooth and creamy and rich. The spoons come along with a shot of Sake as you are supposed to sip the sake first (I'm assuming to clear your taste buds) and then have the spoon. They say "sake spoon sake spoon"! We also ordered the Omakase. The 10pc one and the 7pc one. The 7pc comes with the Spoonful of Happiness so the GF and I did not have to order two for both of us. The quality of the fish was of course A+. So fresh! It was as if they had a contracted fisherman who literally caught the fish and teleported it right to the cutting board. The meal from start to finish was amazing. I believe if you sit at the bar they make the Omakase for you one piece by one piece, but we didn't want to wait for the bar. Highly recommended!

Koo is a local spot with less lines than Ebisu and better 🍣. Been coming here for years and they don't disappoint. Do the omakase, you won't regret.

Hidden gem! It’s hard to find such a rasonably priced omakase in sf!

Shivani Kaw

We always walk by but never tried this sushi place before but today we were on an adventure to try new restaurants in Inner sunset that we had never tried before. The sushi, Inari and sake were all really good. We have found our new local sushi joint now. 😀

Kenneth Chrisman

Amazing quality and preparation! The tempura shrimp in one of the rolls was freshly fried! Still warm and succulent. The nigiri was outstanding. Hot sake, I don’t know what they use, but had some really nice notes.

Ken Wong

March 2025: It has been over 15 years since I have eaten here. Was very excited to see if this restaurant has maintained their quality. I liked that they had a "catch of the day" menu to highlight specials. Ordered an Irving roll and a few sushi nigiri. Everything was very tasty 😋. My favorites were the Irving roll, the Shima Aji, the hamachi toro, and the tamago! Would come back again for more delicious sushi. Service was very friendly. Nice local spot.

Jackson Gerard

Recently eaten at Koo! We sat at the sushi bar where we could watch the chefs prepare rolls as we ate. The food was delicious! We had the "Best" roll which is the one topped with lemon, as well as the "J & L" roll and the spicy tuna roll. Everything was . The Best roll was very unique, with a strong lemony flavor. The J & L roll was very good, and a great way to try the dragon roll and the kamikaze roll in one go. The shrimp tempura on the inside honestly blew me away, the fried crust's flavor was very apparent but blends in well with the rest of the roll. Finally the spicy tuna roll (my personal way of telling is a sushi restaurant is good or not) had great flavor and was in fact - spicy. Overall a great experience with great service, and the house sake (warm) pared great with the rolls we had. Would definitely recommend Koo if you're looking for a higher tier of sushi without completely breaking the bank! Ambiance was relaxed but high end.

Tyler M

There’s a lot of hyperbole in Google reviews that makes it hard to distinguish fine from good to great. Koo deserves all the praise and compliments and five-star ratings. Friends took us to Koo — and reserved the bar seating — for the absolutely best sushi I’ve ever had. The bar experience is unique from the dining room: the sushi chefs make sashimi based on the day’s fish inventory and keep serving until you say to stop. This is among my top 10 restaurants of all time. When I visit SF again, I’ll be back.

Aditya Chakrabarty

Quick and fast service….. delicious food! Girlfriend chose it as a restaurant to take me to for my birthday….. She chose well! Would recommend! We tried the combo meal, fried tofu and tempura ice cream (green tea) Will be returning!

Lars Hartmann

I found this place via Maps and its high rankings and was not disappointed. The service was quick, and the Sushi fresh. I can recommend the ‘Best’ Sushi due to its unique lemon flavor. 🍣 🍋

Stephen Mitnick

The fish was exceptionally fresh. They featured both Japanese and Santa Barbara Uni. Each was delicious. Presentation was first rate. Would highly recommend this place if you are a sushi aficionado.

Gabe Scoggin

Koo (which means eat) is an awesome sushi spot and a standout in the crowded field of sushi places in San Francisco. If you want an authentic omakase experience Koo is the place. Hit the sushi bar, buy the chefs a beer, and ask them to make you anything, you won't be disappointed.

K Y

Great experience at the bar! Chefs and waiters are super friendly. Definitely recommend the Spoonful of Happiness and Omakase.

Tony Yeung

Except parking, this is a great place to visit. Tried Omakase this time. Tasty and reasonable price. All the fish is fresh. The spoon of happiness is the highlight!

Matt B

Delicious sushi in a cozy little space. Incredibly conveniently located directly next to a MUNI spot.

Benjamin Wan

One of my favorites. Koo has everything you want from a good sushi place. Quality ingredients, flavor, service, and ambiance. We started off our meal with their signature Spoonfuls of Happiness. Each order comes with two spoons, which are filled with a bunch of different ingredients that explode in your mouth. My favorite was the Uni one with the Quail egg. Now I normally do not like Uni whatsoever, but this spoon was amazing. Smooth and creamy and rich. The spoons come along with a shot of Sake as you are supposed to sip the sake first (I'm assuming to clear your taste buds) and then have the spoon. They say "sake spoon sake spoon"! We also ordered the Omakase. The 10pc one and the 7pc one. The 7pc comes with the Spoonful of Happiness so the GF and I did not have to order two for both of us. The quality of the fish was of course A+. So fresh! It was as if they had a contracted fisherman who literally caught the fish and teleported it right to the cutting board. The meal from start to finish was amazing. I believe if you sit at the bar they make the Omakase for you one piece by one piece, but we didn't want to wait for the bar. Highly recommended!

A Mitra

Koo is a local spot with less lines than Ebisu and better 🍣. Been coming here for years and they don't disappoint. Do the omakase, you won't regret.

Tuna tartar flavor was better before. Now salmon is combined with the tuna and I'm not crazy about the new flavor. I won't order it again. Wish they offer set dinners and open at lunch.

Alice Ng

Tuna tartar flavor was better before. Now salmon is combined with the tuna and I'm not crazy about the new flavor. I won't order it again. Wish they offer set dinners and open at lunch.

Enjoyed Japanese food for the first time with our US hosts. Lovely but a little busy place requires pre-booking on weekends. This dishes I are at this place made me love Japanese sushi and Sake . A must try for all Japanese food lovers.

Very good option for one seeking Japanese cuisine. Though not a raw fish eater, I was served a generous serving of samon and salad. There were no criticisms from our party of 6. 1 dissapointment - when queried about a takeout menu, I was told to check the internet/restaurant website. I'm from out of town, and lack direct access to the internet. My 2nd visit to the restaurant, it won't be my last.

Sushi at this location - super tasty. Got there about two, it was not packed. The bill was good for how much you get. Menu is like a place in Miami I enjoyed

Clean place with fresh flavors. Lots of sushi in this neighborhood but you get what you pay for here. I'm a fan of the happy hour maki and appetizers as well as their catch of the nigiri/sashimi. Rolls are filling and great variety of options. Bill was around 100 before tax and tip for two relatively light eaters.

Honestly can't remember everything we tried here but can remember everything was very, very good. The rolls, sashimi, appetizers were all really great and just was disappointed hadn't checked out the place before after living so close for over a year! High quality menu, nice family-owned kinda vibe, and good service. will be returning again..

A very comfortable place to eat at. Nice atmosphere inside. Family friendly. Although I found the price a little too much, the fish is fresh. If you want a quick meal, this is not the place though; because the servers & sushi chef really take their time.

Very good. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered the omakase. The chef made very good decisions and asked us for our preferences. We started with the chef's recommended sake and the spoon full of happiness. The rest of the meal was very good.

Came here and sat at the sushi bar and was pleasantly surprised with quality and price. It made a big difference to sit at the sushi bar for a better experience. Not too busy and able to walk in on most nights without a reservation.

Glad that Koo is still around. Their sashimi combo was fresh, well portioned and delicious. The mint pork rib wraps were done nicely and had an excellent flavor! Will be coming back.

Must try for the Spoonful of Happiness. The prices are fair and the sushi is well prepared. It is a little cramped though, so a wait might occur during peak hours.

Amy Dahlberg

Came here and sat at the sushi bar and was pleasantly surprised with quality and price. It made a big difference to sit at the sushi bar for a better experience. Not too busy and able to walk in on most nights without a reservation.

Bessie Louie

Glad that Koo is still around. Their sashimi combo was fresh, well portioned and delicious. The mint pork rib wraps were done nicely and had an excellent flavor! Will be coming back.

Yev

Must try for the Spoonful of Happiness. The prices are fair and the sushi is well prepared. It is a little cramped though, so a wait might occur during peak hours.

Love the ambiance. Feels like you're tucked away in a restaurant from central Japan. The service is great too. But the food leaves much to be desired. Teriyaki salmon was well cooked but a bit murdered in a pool of sauce. The trout and amberjack nigiri were a bit dry. The rice too. Maybe it services people with this particular preference, or we are on an off day. Bummer because we love the feel of this space and the staff that served us. The art too!

Love the atmosphere of the restaurant! Reminds me of smaller places we visited in Tokyo. The sushi is very good and is made to order. NOT a buffet. Order from the large menu and they'll serve you. $19.95 for lunch all you can eat. Delicious and a great value. Dont order too much as there is no carry-out and you have to pay extra for left overs.

Paul Gilis

Love the atmosphere of the restaurant! Reminds me of smaller places we visited in Tokyo. The sushi is very good and is made to order. NOT a buffet. Order from the large menu and they'll serve you. $19.95 for lunch all you can eat. Delicious and a great value. Dont order too much as there is no carry-out and you have to pay extra for left overs.

Fiona Su

Love the ambiance. Feels like you're tucked away in a restaurant from central Japan. The service is great too. But the food leaves much to be desired. Teriyaki salmon was well cooked but a bit murdered in a pool of sauce. The trout and amberjack nigiri were a bit dry. The rice too. Maybe it services people with this particular preference, or we are on an off day. Bummer because we love the feel of this space and the staff that served us. The art too!

The fish quality is pretty good. Some nice appetizer dishes, the spoonful of happiness is a definite recommendation. The omakse menu is a bit pricey in comparison to a lot of other really high quality places in SF, but Koo is much more accessible, which is some consolation. If I could give it a 3.5 I would.