Shoji

Shoji Bar in downtown San Francisco is a true gem. While the well-crafted cocktails are a fantastic start, the real star of the show is the food. The dishes are a masterful blend of flavors and creative mixed cultures. Everything I tried was absolutely delicious. The ceviche and oysters were incredibly fresh and bursting with flavor. It's no surprise that this place is always booked.

Visited on a recommendation from a friend and had a pour over Ethiopian and a matcha eispanner. Both were really excellent. The vibes were chill, subdued lighting, and really friendly, studious service. I’d definitely visit again next time I’m in the area.

Great new addition to this area, often has a line out the door. The Einspanner is popular but my favorite is the affogato, which rivals quality that I’ve had in Italy. Very well designed space and I hope they’re here for a long time to come. Haven’t tried it for dinner, but people say good things as well.

We really liked their matcha and hojicha drinks. We made a reservation for indoor seating and it's very worth it. Our server Joanna was so lovely and new a lot about the history of the restaurant. They offer drinks in early afternoon and dinner at night (only Tuesday to Saturday).

My new favorite bar in the city. The food and drinks were all amazing and our server, Anthony, was friendly and gave us great recommendations.

Elizabeth Cortez

I've gone twice in the morning and once for dinner. Cafe Shoji is great. I tried their macchiato and the matcha einspanner. Both excellent drinks. I recommend making a reservation to get seated inside, but they can still seat you in the back patio if you walk in. Our experience at Bar Shoji was one for the books. We were seated at the bar and got to watch and interact with the bartenders. They were all pretty cool people and they made our the whole experience even better. The drinks and food were amazing! We would love to come back.

TT

Love this place. Come here for both Cafe Shoji and Bar Shoji. Both have excellent customer service and experience. Cafe Shoji— very friendly baristas who care about ensuring the customer has their ideal order. Highly recommend the flat white, drip coffee, and matcha einspanner. Their flat white is actually my favorite I’ve had in the US, and the drip coffee is probably the best drip coffee I’ve had. Bar shoji— food, drinks, and atmosphere are amazing. Great for a fun night out.

Margie Wu

We only made reservations for two tables, expecting about 8 people for dinner—but our friends brought friends, who brought more friends, and suddenly we had 20 people show up! 😅 The staff was absolutely amazing—so kind and patient. They did everything they could to fit us in, and even though some of us ended up dining out on the garden patio, it actually worked out really well. The atmosphere was lively, relaxed, and perfect for a big group. We definitely had too many rounds of tequila (I honestly lost count), so I can’t remember much about the food itself—but everyone kept saying it was delicious. What I do remember is how fun the night was and how well the staff took care of us. Overall, it wasn’t just dinner—it turned into a really special night. Highly recommend this spot for great vibes, excellent service, and staff who go above and beyond.

HappyGoLucky

The entire cafe feels thoughtfully designed, and the seating is beautiful throughout, but the real star is the outdoor space - it is simply amazing. We found it incredibly relaxing out there, the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy a few moments of zen. ​The drinks back up the aesthetics. We tried three different creations, and they were all fresh, vibrant, and perfectly balanced. ​Now, full disclosure: the preparation time for our three drinks did take a little while. However, given how excellent everything else was; from the quality of the matcha to the stunning, peaceful outdoor seating, we were totally willing to overlook the small wait. Highly recommend this spot!

Geronimo C Ramos

Look, if you're reading this instead of already being at Shoji, you're doing Tuesday night wrong. Settled into their covered back patio on a random Tuesday and proceeded to get my ass handed to me by a kitchen that knows exactly what they're doing. The ceviche arrives with heat that sneaks up on you, but the fish is so clean, the citrus so dialed in, you just keep going back. Tebasaki wings with that shattering crispness and seasoning that makes you wonder why anyone bothers with the mediocre versions everywhere else. Kombu celery hitting pure umami frequencies. Oysters that need no qualification other than "perfect." The service team treats you like you're at their dinner table. Tableside hojicha affogato pour, constant but never intrusive check-ins, the kind of hospitality that makes you want to stay for another round. And somehow, the check doesn't make you wince. This is what happens when a talented kitchen team and a service crew who actually give a damn show up on the same night. Run, don't walk. Shoji is doing everything right.

Jack Ginsburg

This place lives up to all the hype. From the food to the atmosphere and everything in between, Shoji delivers. Make a reservation ahead of time as it’s a small space and very popular. One of the best Ceviche dishes I’ve had in a long time. Incredible drinks that I felt were fairly priced.

Benjamin Tan

Shoji is a hidden gem of fantastic matcha and fantastic vibes. During the day, people can choose to have a nice outdoor sunny vibes in the back where you can enjoy the nice outdoorsy vibes Or people can choose the indoor vibes which is dark with nice orange ambient lighting to keep a romantic vibe depending on how you’re feeling. Aside from the vibes, the matcha itself is very flavorful and super good for all the matcha in the area Overall definitely recommend for the good vibes and matcha!

Issara Thongdaeng

Shoji Bar in downtown San Francisco is a true gem. While the well-crafted cocktails are a fantastic start, the real star of the show is the food. The dishes are a masterful blend of flavors and creative mixed cultures. Everything I tried was absolutely delicious. The ceviche and oysters were incredibly fresh and bursting with flavor. It's no surprise that this place is always booked.

David L.

Great new addition to this area, often has a line out the door. The Einspanner is popular but my favorite is the affogato, which rivals quality that I’ve had in Italy. Very well designed space and I hope they’re here for a long time to come. Haven’t tried it for dinner, but people say good things as well.

Vikram

Found this place while looking for afternoon coffee. Ended up having the best Affogato I’ve ever had. Then discovered this place actually becomes a bar in the evening (reservations only - no walk-ins). Came back later in the week for the bar and dinner experience and it was really an experience. Some incredibly creative drinks and very fresh sashimi.

Ralph Tayyar

We really liked their matcha and hojicha drinks. We made a reservation for indoor seating and it's very worth it. Our server Joanna was so lovely and new a lot about the history of the restaurant. They offer drinks in early afternoon and dinner at night (only Tuesday to Saturday).

CJ

My new favorite bar in the city. The food and drinks were all amazing and our server, Anthony, was friendly and gave us great recommendations.

Matt Hallmann

Can I just highlight how good this was? We travel a lot and this place ticked a lot of my boxes as a coffee lover. Moody ambience? Check. Quiet luxury? Check. Amazing coffee? Check. Knowledgeable staff? Check. Cool and fun drinks? Check. Visit for sure. Still thinking about this one.

Mike, and sometimes Llewellyn.

Great coffee service. The dining area looked intimate, quiet, and nice. Probably suited for conversations, less suited for laptop/work due to low lighting and the table setup.

Brandon H Brown

Came in the AM for their matchas. Absolutely incredible room. Beautiful mural and atmosphere. Very impressed. Can’t speak on the food, but… very nicely done. We’ll be back.

need to come back for the matcha but enjoyed the cocktails. shoji serves tasty cocktails and food with a good ambiance and nice place for a date or catching up with friends. everything is on the pricier side though noguchi: old fashioned riff, solid but wouldn’t recommend if you don’t enjoy old fashions kohaku: whisky sour with matcha, nice bitterness and creaminess chips and dip: loved the dish, fish was fresh, creamy and acidic katsu sando: solid dish with well fried chicken and tasty bread fries: great shareable snack and loved the seasoning matcha affogato: highlight of the night! must try!

Came here for a matcha latte and the ambiance was amazing. Good: - The place is beautiful which is why I definitely recommend going at least once - The tea comes out super fast and nice staff who are very efficient Bad: - Super easy to miss if you don't check, I walked right by it - The matcha latte was too bitter for me so I wouldn't get it again, or get it with more sweetener or a different milk - Super overpriced Overall I just wish the matcha latte was less bitter but I would still try coming again

Chicken Sando is slept on, 10/10. From scratch egg salad, cornichon topping, and hot sauce. Drink menu also 10/10, we loved the miyabi, kabosu, and kohaku and liked the myoga. Overall chic, a little loud and lil backed up at the host stand. Outdoor patio is in the back and so cute.

Here's a very overdue review on my experience here from Summer 2025! I highly recommend making a reservation for their BAR SEATING on OpenTable. Truly one of the BEST AMBIANCES of a cafe I have ever seen. Imagine a storefront counter that looks like a standard matcha and coffee shop. However, if you go behind the curtain? A beautiful high ceiling bar with luxury speakeasy vibes. Velvet couches and a large countertop that serves cocktail-like matcha and lattes. The Matcha Einspanner is definitely all the craze here! The presentation and intricate creation process is interesting! The attention-to-detail is commendable even. The vienna cream is the highlight for me. Decadent and rich with sweetness. However the matcha itself was just okay! It was decent and made from concentrate. Not too sweet and a little earthy. I would like to try their other drinks next time. I have yet to return and try their food, but this was overall a wonderful experience that was really memorable! Great for a date night or a catch up with a couple friends. Definitely a small intimate space, so maybe a table of 4 max would be ideal.

Popped in for a nightcap and tried a cocktail recommended by the sweetest server! Honestly great service but the drink wasn’t super memorable. I think the vibe would be cute for a date night or girls night! The little noguchi rep in the washroom is cute ha

Adell Hanson-Kahn

Chicken Sando is slept on, 10/10. From scratch egg salad, cornichon topping, and hot sauce. Drink menu also 10/10, we loved the miyabi, kabosu, and kohaku and liked the myoga. Overall chic, a little loud and lil backed up at the host stand. Outdoor patio is in the back and so cute.

Andrea Santos

need to come back for the matcha but enjoyed the cocktails. shoji serves tasty cocktails and food with a good ambiance and nice place for a date or catching up with friends. everything is on the pricier side though noguchi: old fashioned riff, solid but wouldn’t recommend if you don’t enjoy old fashions kohaku: whisky sour with matcha, nice bitterness and creaminess chips and dip: loved the dish, fish was fresh, creamy and acidic katsu sando: solid dish with well fried chicken and tasty bread fries: great shareable snack and loved the seasoning matcha affogato: highlight of the night! must try!

Alisa B.

Here's a very overdue review on my experience here from Summer 2025! I highly recommend making a reservation for their BAR SEATING on OpenTable. Truly one of the BEST AMBIANCES of a cafe I have ever seen. Imagine a storefront counter that looks like a standard matcha and coffee shop. However, if you go behind the curtain? A beautiful high ceiling bar with luxury speakeasy vibes. Velvet couches and a large countertop that serves cocktail-like matcha and lattes. The Matcha Einspanner is definitely all the craze here! The presentation and intricate creation process is interesting! The attention-to-detail is commendable even. The vienna cream is the highlight for me. Decadent and rich with sweetness. However the matcha itself was just okay! It was decent and made from concentrate. Not too sweet and a little earthy. I would like to try their other drinks next time. I have yet to return and try their food, but this was overall a wonderful experience that was really memorable! Great for a date night or a catch up with a couple friends. Definitely a small intimate space, so maybe a table of 4 max would be ideal.

Cynthia

Popped in for a nightcap and tried a cocktail recommended by the sweetest server! Honestly great service but the drink wasn’t super memorable. I think the vibe would be cute for a date night or girls night! The little noguchi rep in the washroom is cute ha

JY H

Trendy bar/cafe with good sando. Cocktails were OK at best considering the hype. Wagyu fat washed whiskey cocktail had fat floating on top which is pretty embarrassing if you ask me. Because it was not “washed” (filtered) properly, it didn’t quite take the bite out of whiskey and not pleasing aesthetically and gustatorily. The staff took it back and let me swap the cocktail (got miyabi) and checked back to make sure new one’s ok. He made what would have been 1 star experience to 2-3 star. Other cocktails were mediocre. We didn’t have reservation and waited over 40 min. Food looked promising and I would come and try other things (food and shoji classic cocktail) only if you had reservation because it’s not worth the wait. TLDR: It’s just a new and trendy place for now and you will see fashionable customers. This place will need identity reset once hype dries out (improve cocktails to become craft cocktail bar, or reduce price, or emphasize/simplify menu, etc).