San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants. Malasadas And Shave Ice Get the Main Character Treatment at This Westside Cafe, Far From Paradise owners Randy Santos and Tony Ho are bringing island-style snacks to Ocean Avenue, Two Big-Name San Francisco Restaurants Are Teaming Up on a Filipino-Mexican Pizza, Square Pie Guys newest collab brings Seor Sisig flavor to Detroit-style pizza, Where to Eat at San Francisco International Airport [SFO], All the best options for a quick breakfast, liquid lunch, or sit-down dinner at SFO, popular Japanese chicken-skewer restaurant in Oaklands Temescal neighborhood, restaurants in San Francisco specializing in the chicken skewers known as yakitori, Michelin-Starred Ju-Ni Team Opening Yakitori Omakase Restaurant, Why San Mateo Is the Best Place to Eat Japanese Food in the Bay Area, Ju-ni Opens With Omakase-Only 12-Seat Bar, Michael and Lindsay Tusk Just Unveiled a Gorgeous New Private Event Space Above Vesuvio Cafe, A San Francisco Favorite Known for Kimchi Burritos Is Closing After 70 Years in South Beach, Berkeleys Gilman Brewing Is Now Pouring Hazy IPAs and Farmhouse Ales by the Beach. North Beach/Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, CA, I should be finishing my paper on innovation in baseball, but I'm SERIOUSLY craving some yakitori. (Start with the tuna yukka, flavored with a spicy sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and sea salt.) Many yakitori recipes call for some period of marinating, so plan ahead to make sure you've given all the proteins enough time to soak in their sauces. San Francisco Chronicle . . Good news, then, for them: Hinas long-awaited San Francisco reboot, on Divisadero Street, softly opened last week after a series of delays. Espaol . To facilitate even cooking, the meat is cut into small, roughly uniform shapes and then skewered with kushi; after which the yakitori are seasoned and cooked. Cleary believes the tasting menu also makes for a more enjoyable dining experience, since the various cuts of the chicken the wing, the breast, the center-cut thigh are sequenced out so that each skewer has a completely different taste and texture from the one before it. Salmon Yakitori Recipe A server will supply a cup for used bamboo skewers. Here are some of the top places in San Francisco serving fine foods on a stick. This traditional, casual Japanese meal is making a splash in the United States. They might, as Cleary does, pair ikura with crispy chicken skin, or top a deboned chicken wing with sansho pepper and fresh wasabi. Her work can be found at Examiner.com. The seasonal omakase-style menu progresses from lean to fatty fish; expect standouts like starry flounder served with Meyer lemon, shiso, and blood-orange kosho and a bluefin shoulder marinated in poblano soy. The Ju-Ni team had already secured the Divisadero space, formerly Stelladoro Pizza, and were looking for a project to fill it. They usually take the form of a compact shop offering take-out services only,[3] but sit-down restaurants and restaurant chains are also popular. I hate driving in the city. As the first. - Corkage is $80 per bottle, 2 bottle maximum. The fact is, the best Japanese restaurants in San Francisco are the real deal, and they work with some of the best flavors and ingredients around. Best Japanese restaurants in San Francisco, ranked. The skewers are yummy too.". English . Biking (2 mi.) newsletter, These 12 Favorite San Francisco Restaurants and Bars Just Became Legacy Businesses, Plus, a sudden Mission District restaurant closure and more Bay Area food intel, San Francisco Could Lose the Tenderloin Oupost of This Legendary Vietnamese Restaurant. The busy streets of Osaka, Japan served as the inspiration for Nojo, a Hayes Valley restaurant specializing in Japanese-style skewers and pub food. The last time we checked, the Bay Area is a ten-hour flight from Japanbut you wouldnt know it based on the volume of ice-packed chests arriving daily from Tokyos Tsukiji Fish Market. San Francisco Restaurant Tadich Grill to Celebrate Barstool Sports Perfect For: Small Plates Eating At The Bar Walk-Ins $ $ $ $ 312 8th Ave, San Francisco. With a set 15-course, $110 tasting menu, its billed as the first omakase-style yakitori restaurant in the Bay Area. As the first restaurant for Ritsu Osuka, he has created an izakaya in the city that has won fans for its casual environment reminiscent of those found in Japan. Where to eat in the Bay Area. The menu is divided into leaner white fish and fatty vibrant fishdiners are encouraged to pace their meal accordingly. Both men featured yakitori meals on their television shows "No Reservations" and "Ugly Delicious" respectively. Ray Lee took over the restaurant from his parents in 2011, introducing a slew of new dishes alongside chef Naoyuki Hashimoto. Turtle Towers building is for sale. The family says theyre not sure what comes next. - For parties of 1, please email us at info@hinasf.com. For your next dinner party or just an experiential night of cooking at home, make it a yakitori dinner party. Reservations may be transferred at any time. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. We ask that you do not make multiple reservations with the intent to be seated together as this requires one single reservation. Fans of Inner Richmond favorite Halu have replaced it with their own If there are tables, they will be very close to the bar so skewers can be brought to diners quickly. Izakaya $$$Mission "bay wasabi) - Mochi Kinchaku (Mochi filled fried tofu purses) - Yakitori Shishito (charcoal grilled " more Outdoor seating Delivery So when I got home, Imore, The izakaya fare featured a variety of appetizers, yakitori, entrees, and various alcohol options.more, an izakaya in the East Bay - Ippuku might beat it, but only because it has yakitori and dimmore, With over 1k reviews, this place definitely deserves closer to 5 stars - one of the best yakitorimore, Had mostly the yakitori/kushiyaki and the flavors and quality weren't quite there and some weremore, I have a love-hate relationship with yakitori. On the whole, though, the chef identifies with a new wave of yakitori restaurants in Japan, like Ranjatai in Tokyos Jinbocho neighborhood, which are pushing the envelope with more modern preparations. It's a smart decision to drive here and enjoy the wonderful Japanese food. Ratings FAQ. Yakitori (Japanese: ) (literally 'grilled bird') is a Japanese type of skewered chicken.Its preparation involves skewering the meat with kushi (), a type of skewer typically made of steel, bamboo, or similar materials.Afterwards, they are grilled over a charcoal fire. Its selection of yakitori is modest but boasts such combinations as grilled chicken meatball and grilled chicken with scallion. If you want the yakitori experience to be a bit closer to what you'd experience in a Japanese parlor, make sure there's plenty of beer or sake. Rintaro 842 Izakaya $$$Mission "The yakitori also didn't have as much charcoal flavour as I would've liked." more Outdoor seating Delivery Takeout 4. North Beach/Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, CA. The salty type usually uses plain salt as its main seasoning. Hinas beverage director Justin Chin, formerly of Gary Danko, emphasizes wine instead of beer or sake, which are more common at yakitori restaurants. Cleary previously ran a . While its quirky atmosphere certainly adds to the personality of the place, the sustenance keeps the customers coming back time and time again. Everything you love about Tock is now just a tap away. It's not just white meat or dark meat here, choices include chicken heart, cartilage, thigh, skin, and even bits of pure chicken fat. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. [1] The term is sometimes used informally for kushiyaki (grilled and skewered foods) in general. Top 10 Best Yakitori in San Francisco Bay Area, CA - Yelp Some popular examples include: Left to right: Kawa (chicken skin); yamaimo; shishit, Left to right: Tsukune; negi (scallion) and butabara (pork back ribs), Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Yakitori (Roast meat on skewers), dated 10 May, 2010", "People Words to Live by: Chicken one day doesn't mean feathers on the next", "How yakitori went from taboo to salaryman snack", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yakitori&oldid=1144961754, This page was last edited on 16 March 2023, at 14:14. By this time the Ju-Ni partners already held the lease at the former Stelladoro Pizza space on Divisadero. Before opening Hina, Cleary worked at Berkeleys popular izakaya Ippuku and apprenticed for a year at a yakiroti spot in Tokyo called Tori+Salon. To keep things interesting, there are a few not-chicken items sprinkled through the menu, including Wagyu and unagi, as well as some dishes prepared without the grill. Get ready to eat, drink, and celebrate San Francisco Pride on June 24 and 25, 2023. Part way through grilling, skewers will be dunked in the tare and returned to the grill. $19.50 Add To Cart YAKITORI Our yakitori is carefully prepared by experienced chefs. Chef and owner Greg Dunmore characterizes the fare as Californian with a strong Japanese influence because of the prevalence of local ingredients in the dishes. The seafood is delivered fresh daily and the menu spans small plates, sushi, and sashimi. The ridge of high pressure responsible for Californias April heat wave is looking to leave its mark over the Bay Area. Top 10 Best Yakitori in San Francisco Bay Area, CA - June 2023 - Yelp Filters $ $$ Suggested Open Now 4:19 AM Offers Delivery Reservations Offers Takeout Good for Dinner Hot and New Category Japanese Sushi Bars Ramen Izakaya Features Driving (5 mi.) The Inner Sunset is home to Izakaya Sozai, a cozy and modest eatery serving Japanese fare. Whether your ideal meal is super-fresh, simply prepared nigiri or wildly inventive omakase, the best Japanese restaurants in San Francisco offer up plenty of variety for every tasteheres where to find them all. We use only locally sourced, free-range chicken, carefully selected and freshly prepared each morning. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with vibrant red walls and wrap-around windows facing Irving Street. 886 were here. Previously, she served as a reporter for Eater SF, managing editor at the East Bay Express, and arts & culture editor at the Sacramento News & Review. September 11, 2012 / 12:01 PM A 21 course yakitori tasting menu delivering a modern interpretation of Tokyo style yakitori presented by Chef Tommy Cleary. And while there are a handful of other restaurants in San Francisco specializing in the chicken skewers known as yakitori, this new incarnation of Hina might be the only restaurant in the United States that serves an omakase-style yakitori tasting menu exclusively, with no a la carte option: $110 for 16 courses, or half of a pasture-raised chicken broken down into meticulously butchered and precisely charcoal-grilled parts. Best Yakitori (Grilled Skewers) in San Francisco, CA - Tripadvisor Salmon Yakitori Recipe - Justin Chapple - Food & Wine One of the best I've had especially with the millionaire meat ~Pork Gyoza and Karaage: karaage was super juicy and tender. The new restaurant is a collaboration between Cleary and his two partners in the venture, Tan Truong and Geoffrey Lee of Ju-Ni, the Michelin-starred sushi spot around the corner. I like the nigiri combination with miso soup. Thanks for subscribing! They should be given a brief moment to cool and then be eaten immediately. Keep reading to learn what yakitori is, how it's prepared, and how you can make it the centerpiece of your next dinner party or family meal. Moku Yakitori-Ya - Inner Richmond - 312 8th Ave Top 10 Best yakitori Near You in San Francisco, California. The best yakitori in town will likely be at Ippuku in Berkeley. Hina Yakitori Japanese Nopa Perfect For: Birthdays Date Night Fine Dining Special Occasions $$$$ 808 Divisadero St, San Francisco View Website Earn 3X Points Save to a list RESERVE A TABLE POWERED BY Will Kamensky August 22, 2022 Binging a new TV show is fun, but risky. Condiments including extra tare, chile-based powdered spice mix, or seasoned salt will be provided at some more formal yakitori parlors. Yakitori-ya () are small shops specializing in yakitori. If you buy something from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. Yakitori can be literally translated to "grilled chicken," from the Japanese words yaki (grill) and tori (chicken). A family restaurant in the Inner Richmond, Halu possesses its own little nook of the city. Best Yakitori Nearby in San Francisco, California. I was running late and they were gracious enough to still find me a seat at the bar. Halu - San Francisco, CA - Full Menu, Reviews, Photos This is a review for yakitori in San Francisco, CA: "I love Shokudou! New Rooftop Bar to Open With Japanese Whisky and a Yakitori in SoMa Of course, one of the consequences of this shift is that the restaurants price point has jumped significantly since its Oakland days, when an a la carte meal might set you back $40 or $50. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Head to CBS San Francisco's Best Of page for more local tips on family fun, shopping, nightlife, food, culture and more! Enjoy with your favorite drinks! - Your reservation may be cancelled up until 3 days prior to the time of your reservation for a full refund. Bourdain also described a yakitori meal in detail, down to the drips of chicken fat, in his book Medium Raw. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. We can cater for wedding, birthdays, anniversaries and other special events. Here you will be offered tasty pudding. Get inspired: Top Picks; Trending; Food; Coffee; Nightlife; Fun; Shopping; Planning a trip to San Francisco? Came for happy hour/dinner. Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Updated on September 18, 2020. Party of 2 got seated at 10:48pm and were still able to order off the happy hour menu.more, Since we had an earlier dinner, we decided to order a few dishes: the duck meat yakitori, themore, The yakitori (wagyu, hotate, and buta) hit the spot, and the raw dishes (carpaccio, uni/ikuramore, The izakaya fare featured a variety of appetizers, yakitori, entrees, and various alcohol options.more, IzakayaTapas/Small PlatesCocktail Bars$$$Russian Hill, I LOVED this place. Please enter a valid email and try again. 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Gyoza was filled to the brim with pork filling. After ordering, customers are brought one sizzling skewer at a time. Izakaya Sozai 2172 I hate driving in the city. They will be dunked again or brushed with tare right before they are served to customers. He opened the new restaurant (808 Divisadero St.) last week in partnership with Tan Truong and Geoffrey Lee of Michelin-starred sushi restaurant Ju-Ni. Hina Yakitori 808 Divisadero St., San Francisco. Izakaya Yuzuki is able to perform a fine dance between delicate and hearty flavors, making its yakitori a standout. Mix the soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar in a shallow dish; place the salmon fillets in the dish, skin side up. A limited number of other meats (like pork belly and beef) and vegetable options may also be on the menu. Add salmon to bowl, mix well, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Yakitori consists of bite-sized pieces of meat (usually chicken) served on a bamboo skewer. Hina Yakitori Directions. Moku Yakitori-Ya in San Francisco - Restaurant reviews For your first yakitori experience, pick two or three yakitori recipes so you can keep preparation and cooking well managed. The food is delicious, the prices are good, and the setting is nice. Yakitori is popular Japanese pub food: skewered and grilled with special binchotan charcoal for a nice smoky taste: seasoned with ship mix (rock and sea salt mix) or Halu tare sauce (soy based sweet teriyaki like sauce). Jan. 11, 2022 Updated: Jan. 12, 2022 5:41 p.m. Harami-koji cured wagyu, pork belly and duck breast skewers ready for the grill at Moku Yakitori-Ya, newly open in San Francisco. www.hinasf.com, Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Moku Yakitori-Ya - Richmond - San Francisco - The Infatuation This upscale restaurant serves omakase (chefs choice) only: $98 for 7 courses or $165 for 10. If the show isn't good it gets boring. Hell eventually add a beverage pairing option to the tasting menu. is a cozy izakaya spot nestled in the Inner Richmond serving Japanese pub fare 7 days a week from 5pm - 9pm. Mandy Naglich is a freelance writer in the food and beverage space. Prepare the charcoals. Hahaha. During or after cooking, the meat is typically seasoned with tare sauce or salt. The waitress is definitely beautiful and warm-hearted. - Reservations are pre-paid and carry a 20% service charge that goes directly to staff. Adding a business to Yelp is always free. Japanese Richmond. I got a bunch of skewers,more, I was having a BAD day (got lost in SF where you are not allowed to turn ANYWHERE). This heat source burns very clean so it doesn't add flavor to the chicken skewers; all charred flavor comes from contact with the hot grill. Other common spices include powdered cayenne pepper, shichimi, Japanese pepper, black pepper, and wasabi, according to one's tastes. 7 Bay Area Restaurant Openings to Know This Summer Afterwards, they are grilled over a charcoal fire. A refined approach to traditional Yakitori. Miyabiya Sushi & Grill 86 reviews Closed Now Japanese, Sushi $$ - $$$ Menu "Beer, nice sushi and fast service" "Wantmiyabit of Skewers" While gas and electric heat sources can be used, they do not develop the same aromas or textures as charcoal-cooked yakitori. And the bacon-wrapped mochi is, unsurprisingly, delicious (and social-media-famous). As an a la carte yakitori restaurant, it was popular but difficult to sustain, Cleary said. Each skewer likely needs just a few minutes on the hot grill to cook you're working with petite cuts of meat and you'll want to cook in batches so the yakitori stays hot and tender. San Francisco Japanese Food | Ramen, Yakitori, Sauces | Buy Now! [5], Due to its ease of preparation and portability, yakitori is a very popular street food, often sold from small carts and stalls known as yatai. The omakase menu spans 18 eye-opening courses, from sake-cured albacore to golden eye snapper flecked with kelp salt. This final dip creates a lacquer like surface on the chicken that is sweet and salty but still subtle enough to let the savory chicken flavor shine through. The fish is interspersed with more hearty dishes like hand-pulled noodles (covered in shaved black truffles and Japanese chimichurri) as well as milk bread toast (topped with uni, uni butter, smoked maple-soy, and citrus). Try another? Best Yakitori San Francisco, CA - Last Updated June 2023 - Yelp The former home of Halu, 312 Eighth Avenue in the Richmond District, is now Moku Yakitori-Ya, a "Japanese skewer yakitori style izakaya restaurant," per the owner's post on Facebook. In addition to the chef's signature yakitori, the menu includes our.css-yszmyc{color:inherit;}+ More. A downtown standby for over 30 years, this family-owned restaurant specializes in rare fish thats creatively and expertly prepared. And while the scene is lit, the food is spot-on: seafood is fresh and the preparation is distinctive with a wide array of specialty rolls (the Dragon incorporates crab, barbecue eel, and flying fish roe) and flavorful rice thats cooked with vinegar made in-house. The expert training paid offthis spot earned a Michelin star in 2017. Refunds will not be offered for cancellations within the 3 day period prior to your reservation. The menu offers a variety of Japanese dishes, but one main focus is its yakitori. Its also just as intimate as many of San Franciscos most prized omakase destinations with just 12 seats around a counter. IMO, the wallet-friendlymore, and would order again: Chicken cartilage, chicken Kara-age, agedashi tofu, pork belly yakitori.more, I guess bite-sized yakitori is a good diet for my stomach but not my walletmore, After my boyfriend and I broke up, he brought me to here to win me back--how else could a poor dental school student justify this meal? + More Prepaid reservation for parties of 1 to 6 $165 per person Book now Hours and location Hina Yakitori Hana Zen Sushi Bar - Pier 39 - San Francisco, CA on OpenTable If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Chef-owner Adam Tortosa trained under Katsuya Uechi in Los Angeles and previously worked at Akikos. (The name translates to twelve in Japanese.) She has traveled far and wide, from Paris to Savannah, GA, to satisfy her adventurous palate. He pairs chicken skin, for example, with ikura and shredded shiso, showing some influence from the sushi realm. Izakaya Rintaro 76 reviews Closes in 4 min Japanese, Asian $$ - $$$ Menu "Different" "Tasty Meal in SF" 5. Charcoal is the preferred method of cooking as it produces high heat and strong flames while giving off little to no water vapor. Yakitori seasonings are primarily divided into two types: salty or salty-sweet. Akikos seasonal nama menu changes daily, sourced domestically (from Alaska to Boston) and from Tsukiji Market. Among some of the favorites are the chicken liver and enoki bacon. An ambitious food hall is replacing a beloved Point Reyes institution California isnt immune to bigotry, leaders warn in wake of Supreme Warriors free agent Donte DiVincenzo may be headed to New York Knicks. - Your party size is final when a reservation is made. With quality at the forefront, the establishment uses seasonal, organic ingredients and makes everything from scratch including the miso and tofu. I personally wouldn't get it again, but my friend loved it. A 16-course, new-school yakitori spot from a Michelin-starred team. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. If you long for the izakaya alleys of Tokyo, or are just trying to scratch that itch you've been having for yakitori and good sake, we've got you covered. So when I got home, Imore. Relax in our cozy dining room as you look over our menu and sip on your choice frommore, Authentic Japanese cuisine and the best sushi with fresh fish imported from Japanmore, Had mostly the yakitori/kushiyaki and the flavors and quality weren't quite there and some weremore, There were a few dishes that were a bit salty but that is also normally how yakitori is.more, They were cutting fresh meat prepping up for the yakitori to be made.more, The yakitori also didn't have as much charcoal flavour as I would've liked.more, I love Shokudou! This is a review for yakitori in San Francisco, CA: "Came here after a show right in time for happy hour (5-6pm and 10-11pm). The creation of Yuko Hayashi, first-time restaurateur, and chef Takashi Saito, who previously held positions at Ame and Nojo (another restaurant on the list), are creating comfort food with sophisticated and simple flavors. I just feel like its a little bit more refined and forward-thinking, Cleary says of his new restaurant. Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when youre feeling flush). A small rectangular grill only a few inches deep is central to yakitori. The Best Japanese Street Food Snacks, Appetizers, and Small Bites, A Beginner's Guide to Instant Pot Cooking, How to Can: A Beginner's Guide to Canning and Preserving, A Beginner's Guide to Shopping at Restaurant Depot, How to Recreate the Japanese Izakaya Experience at Home, 9 Things You Need to Know About Soul Food, For Comforting, One-Pot Winter Meals, Get to Know French Cassoulet, A Guide to Buying and Drinking Sustainable Wine, The Best Gas Grills for Grilling Everything from Burgers to Veggies, Cuts of chicken, beef, pork, and vegetables. This izakaya specializes in yakitori and small plates year-round, but winter draws crowds for its Tonkotsu ramen. The base is traditional but were free to go wherever we want to go with it, he said. charged three drug users to send them to treatment. See the Western White House replica for sale in Hillsborough for $38.9 Elon Musks mother wants to cancel his proposed cage fight with Mark Biden announces plan to address student debt in wake of Supreme Court Warriors' Draymond Green agrees to $100M, four-year contract, Planning to travel for the Fourth of July? Chef Tommy Cleary specializes in skewered chicken grilled over Japanese charcoal at Hina Yakitori. A 21 course yakitori tasting menu delivering a modern interpretation of Tokyo style yakitori presented by Chef Tommy Cleary. The experience is akin to a ritual, reverently served at a wooden 17-seat sushi counter that was cut from a single tree (although there are also tables that accommodate another dozen guests). With a yakitori menu that features liver, tare and fig jam and pork jowl, tare and onion, it may not be Japan but it is a nice escape for the night. One of the main benefits of the tasting menu format, Cleary explains, is that it allows him to use whole chickens without waste. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Other than high-quality ingredients, the flavor of yakitori comes from this soy-based basting tare sauce. The. When visiting a true yakitori parlor, expect to sit at a bar seat situated around a central grill. She joined the newspaper in 2019 as a food enterprise reporter, covering restaurants as well as Bay Area culture through a food lens. Make a few skewers of vegetables, too, to round out your meal. Top 10 Best yakitori Near San Francisco Bay Area, California. Our policies help us ensure we can serve all of our guests to the best of our abilities. This is more along the lines of what I wanted to do in Oakland but couldnt do, because the size was too big and I didnt have enough help, he said. Their TV commercial song has been iconic to their brand name. Opening hours. There are over 30 sakes on the menuget ready to make some choices. An all-around great experience for couples or a group. If you're wanting a more authentic experience, you can buy an inexpensive yakitori grill ($30; amazon.com) and charcoals. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. As they are designed for convenience and portability, yakitori are typically cooked using step-by-step methods.