Went here with friends to see if anything has changed. My friend's noodles and our wine was lost or forgotten. We waited a total of 43 minutes (I counted) to see how long it took for them to fix our food. We were really disappointed.
(3)
Stephen B.
This was my first time visiting Sushi Boat. I had heard about it in passing from a few other people and again while visiting a friend in San Francisco, so we had to go! At first I thought it was going to be a little gimmicky as we walked in off of the street and had to go down a flight of steps, but I guess that's what you get with hidden gems. It was a medium-lit place with booths on the outside and center area where the chefs make the sushi and place it on the boats going around the counter. Payment works out interesting. In front of the seats is a plate legend, that shows you how much each style plate costs. So, for instance, a white plate with a specific design was $2.50, but a blue plate was $3.50. At the end, the waitress counts up all of your plates to tally your order. My friend and I had about 10 plates between us and our total was $35, which I feel is pretty good for the area! The best thing of all of this was that the sushi was actually pretty good. I really didn't expect that - I thought they'd use the 'boat' aspect just to draw people in, but it's actually a win-win. I'm going back to this place next time I'm in the city.
(5)
Ron A.
While not the best sushi, sushi boat is so much fun. As the name implies, plates of sushi go around in little boats in front of you, and you just take what you want. It's a great place to stop in for a quick bite before heading to a movie at the Kabuki theater. In my experience the servers have been rude, but maybe that's just because the boats do all the work.
(4)
Eric M.
My girlfriend and I love this place! If you go here, you must sit at the sushi bar. It's fun watching the little boats with the sushi on them float by. Great food, great atmosphere, and great service. If you're ever in Union Square, forget all of those expensive touristy restaurants and go to Sushi Boat for excellent Japanese food.
(4)
Fringe M.
Salad was gross. Taste like ketchup. Lion king was not fully baked. Mediocre food. Sushi sashimi was ok. It was bigger than most cuts I get from a bento box. Chicken teriyaki was not bad. It wasn't dry.
(2)
Yunzhu C.
Best grilled octopus ever had! Sushi is also good and relative high quality in terms of price!
(3)
uyen v.
Love the sashimi here. The piece is huge and fresh. Customer service here is terrible. The waitresses were rude when my friend and I didn't want to order from the menu. The price is kind of on the expensive side but the portion is bigger than most places.
(4)
Dustin E.
Awesome sushi! Billy is a the man! Ask him to make something new or unique for you and he will hook it up. I told him I like anything spicy and he put together a couple awesome rolls for me and my date. The restaurant has a nice intimate feel. Not too small not too big. Nice crowd, not too dressy, but nice and fun. I've returned already once again since my first visit (this review is long overdue) and had a great experience each time.
(5)
Seth H.
Sushi Board has a nice interior and traditional Japanese feel inside their restaurant. Conveniently located and easy access. These are the reasons I stop by this place every once a while and will continue to come here. Food is okay. It is kinda expensive but it is in the middle of SF.
(3)
Jeannette O.
The location is great (very close to union square). The food was fine but the service was slow, especially since they were not packed. The sushi boats were fun, but all the rolls on the boat had imitation crab in them, which is just not my thing. My big issue came with the bill - they hand-wrote in a 20% tip for themselves, and asked me just to sign it. I normally give a 20% tip, but I thought that this assumption on their part was ridiculous. I will not be back.
(1)
Casey M.
I came here with a group of four people on Friday night. We got there and there was no line, but given our group size the hostess said there would be a 15-20 minute wait. No problem, we take a seat and chat amongst ourselves. About 10 minutes later another group of four comes in. A group at one of the large tables is leaving and the group that came in after us is immediately seated! WTF. I brought this up to the hostess and she was really dismissive and not apologetic at all. I understand that people make mistakes, but she was really rude. We finally get seated and place our orders. I was pretty disappointed at their sake selection (or lack thereof) and their rolls were pretty lackluster and expensive. We didn't order anything crazy, or even that much food. We STILL waited about 30 minutes for our food to arrive. So much for a quick bite. When we received our bill, the suggested tip was circled. Laughable given the quality of service. I won't be back.
(2)
Ann L.
Not the best sushi place. If I had a choice I would've dined elsewhere. Given that it was a Friday, we didn't have much choices to pick from. Every good restaurant was crowded with ppl. The inside was super warm, which is why sushi might not be all that fresh. My party did not seem to like their food. It looks so simple and yet the prices are ridiculously expensive... Service was okay. Don't bother!!
(2)
Jie L.
It was my first time. My friend and I decided to check this place out on a Friday night. I had yelped this place prior to check out the ratings and to look at the pictures. It seemed like a decent place that served decent sushi. But I kept an open mind anyway. Got there after work so there was no wait. A line started to form around 7pm. We took a seat at the bar where we saw the sushi floating around the bar in wooden boats. We both ordered the 15 piece sashimi. It seemed fresh. I was full by my 10th piece. The staff that prepared our sashimi was very kind, kept asking if we were enjoying the food. He seemed passionate about making the sushi. Overall, it was not a bad choice. Decently priced for downtown sushi.
(3)
Marianna P.
It was a great place. But now it has bad smell. Not much to choose of food. Customer service is terrible. Cooks use really dirty clout to clean knives. Not good for dating - too loud. Canteen level loud. Music +20 people talking in a small space. Not good for family - too dirty. Cooks use dirty clout to clean knives extremely dirty clout.
(2)
Gonzalo C.
Good sushi and good ambiance. Underground place that makes it feel you're out of the union square crowd. Sashimi 15 pieces was exellent!
(4)
Nicolas I.
good and fresh food. terrible atmosphere (you are eating in a cave with no window) and terrible service, they don't really pay attention to you. I would definitely recommend you to go there if you want fresh sushis and don't really care about the service or the place.
(3)
Eli S.
My buddy and I are trying out different sushi places in San Francisco where we both live. I recommended we give Sushi Boat a try. We were very happy with the service and the food. Very nice quaint decor! We told each other we wouldn't mind coming back again. My only complaint was the light fixture at our dining booth hung too low blocking our view toward each other. If you guys would raise them a couple of inches, it would have made our experience nearly flawless.
(4)
Morris R.
Dirtiest bathroom - at a sushi place! With no paper towels. Also, I should have known that mid-afternoon the sushi on the boats would be old. No one likes old sushi. No one.
(2)
Philip M.
Our triple date group of my two close friends and their girlfriends in San Francisco had many memories, but our dinner at Sushi Boat is clearly an experience I'll never forget. While my friends and their dates all ordered big plates of sushi, I went the different route and ordered the Chicken Katsu Dinner which was accompanied with Miso Soup and salad & an order of California Roll. While my group's orders of sushi looked delicious, I wish I could say the same about my entree. Upon three spoonfuls of miso soup, I was gagging and coughing because of the amount of MSG contained in the soup. I said out loud, "oh my god, this miso soup is so salty and filled with whoknowshowmuch amounts of MSG" My good friend Will Van Vleck. immediately asks me "How do you know what MSG tastes like?" I rolled my eyes at him and laughed. Honestly, it's questions like these that make me love my friends. If a Japanese restaurant can't make a simple miso soup right, it really brings into question the possible amount of flaws in the kitchen and the menu. Sadly my chicken katsu couldn't improve my impending mental yelp rating of Sushi Boat. Brought out with rice over lettuce, my Chicken Katsu was sauceless. Yes it was cooked perfectly crispy, but who eats Katsu dry? I immediately wave the waitress over and ask if she had any katsu sauce for my entree. she immediately answers "no" and and doesn't offer any alternative sauces for my dry katsu. What kind of Japanese restaurant doesn't offer Katsu dressing? I guess Sushi Boat doesn't. As I poked around my chicken katsu, thinking of ways to consume it in a edible fashion, Will looks at me and says "Phil, you are going to give this place a 2 STAR rating, aren't you?" terrible service, poorly made miso soup, and sauceless Katsu? Will VV gladly approves this two star rating!
(2)
Ken A.
The food was alright. Sashimi was fresh and cool. The sushi on the boat though was warmer than I would like
(3)
M.K. C.
4.5 stars. Once again, I find myself in a touristy spot with my big sister. I've been out here in the bay for a year and a half, and she has never been here before. She calls me and tells my gentleman and I to meet her at Union Square, where she has unleashed a gaggle of foreign teenagers on a field trip of sorts. I don't know, I don't fully understand her job. So I'm a little hungover, very frustrated by trying to walk around all these tourists (being from the east coast, people walking with no sense of purpose aggrivate me to no end), and quite peckish. We're trying to coordinate, and figure out what cross street she's at. We find my sister at last. She. Is. HANGRY. She's dealing with a bunch of work sh*t, way out of her time zone, and HANGRY. We run into our usual issue, which is me being vegan in touristlandia. A block or two up Geary, and we find Sushi Boat. Sister gets excited. "I like sushi! Veggie rolls are a thing! Let's go there!" We take a stroll down the stairs and are seated immediately. I have heard of the sushi boats that go around a bar, but I have never seen them IRL (I roll at home a lot, this white girl can make a vegan roll that will knock your socks off). I am beyond excited. It's adorable. We request a table because sister needs to charge her phone, and the waitress actually LOOKS UNDER THE BOOTHS to see which one would best accomodate the three of us. What a sweetheart! We're looking at the menu, and a woman comes and pours us tea. I guess this is par for the course, because we didn't order any, but it certainly was appreciated. Sister orders a salad, a roll with fish (I wasn't paying attention), and an avocado roll. The gentleman orders some barbecue pork ramen (we did NOT expect ramen on the menu, but a welcome surprise!), and I get an avo roll and a veggie tempura roll, and a seaweed salad. The portions were great. The gentleman is a skinny man who I'm convinced has an empty leg or something. Yes, he's a bike messenger, and they tend to be big eaters, but I seriously have no idea how he eats as much as he does. He couldn't finish the ramen. Sister had to give me her last avo roll. I struggled to finish my food, as there was too little to save and I hate wasting anything. My veggie tempura roll wasn't the best I had ever had, but it certainly wasn't offensive. $60 including a good tip for three people? If I find myself having to eat in Union Square again, this will definitely be a go-to.
(4)
Alik L.
The conveyer belt not have many choices despite being saturday and sushi bar full of customer. I guess they think whatever they serve in the conveyer customer would pick it eitherway. Shiumay (from costco?) and weird sushi which i have no idea why they put thai sweet sauce on all their sushi. Really? Last time i checked its japanese restaurant not thai. Dissapointed after many years came here its getting worse and worst. Not gonna go there anymore.
(1)
Terri G.
Loved the food!!! This place doesn't look like much on the outside but it is a pleasant surprise on the inside. Fun sitting at the sushi bar and picking our appetizers. The Pacific roll was fresh and delicious. And the service was wonderful. I'll be coming back here for sure.
(5)
Patricia W.
The food here was absolutely fantastic! From the freshness of the sushi to the tenderness of the chicken Katsu, Sushi Boat definitely is a winner. I'm always skeptical when it come to Japanese food, especially in hoity-toity Union Square. We ordered the Philly and Super Crunch rolls (awesome), the Cucumber salad (enough for three people for only $5.95? Unheard of!), and two bento boxes. Everything was so unbelievably tasty - even the ginger dressing on the salad was superb. The waitresses were very nice - not super attentive, but nice. The wait between the sushi and our main meal was timed perfectly. You can tell that this place is popular since the sushi bar and main dining area was packed when we arrived and it was well after lunch hour (1:15pm). I look forward to retuning here when I'm back in the area!
(5)
Super T.
When to eat lunch in Sushi Boat in SF. The place is decent and is locate in the basement. Service was good the place looks clean but not the food not saying that the food was bad but for that kind of pricey for one sushi that $2.50 and for two pieces of sushi it's $2.50 and up. Lowest is $1.95 and trust me you don't want eat that. Come on two pieces of California roll. I know in location in downtown but kind of pricey for the sushi you can eat somewhere else.
(3)
Portia D.
Worst conveyor belt sushi ever! Waited over an hour for sushi on their boats and never got any. Only to find out at the front was a tiny sign on the cash register when conveyor sushi was served. Would have been nice for the waiter to let you know beforehand. Left hungry and disappointed.
(1)
Jules L.
went on a Sunday night. it wasn't busy. my friend wanted to go there because he doesn't know any better. it was his birthday so I went along with it. I have started to go to Sushi Boat back in high school when I used to work at Saks Fifth Aveune. back then we went quite often but I have not been back for awhile and it has definitely changed for the worst. overpriced for the quality of fish they are serving. I'm pretty sure it is target for the tourist. what really irked me was that they were not putting out any nigiri sushi onto the boat, just the same rolls and gyoza. really takes the fun out of the place and might as well don't call the place Sushi Boat because they were no sushi on the boat. I went around 8pm just as a heads up. so we ordered off the menu instead. the tako salad didn't taste fresh to me. I have never tasted a texture like that before in octopus. I didn't finish it. the spider man roll was too sweet, and the soft shell crab was cold. the ramen was too too salty. the sweet shrimp was yellow?! there was something odd on top of the tobiko, I just scooped it out. looked like a piece of paper. for customer service, you need to flag them down but first you have to find them. their saving grace was their bus boy who kept my tea cup filled. he gets the 2 stars. will not be back.
(2)
Cassandra J.
With so many great and amazing sushi places in San Francisco, there's no reason to settle for the mediocre. Unfortunately, Sushi Boat fits that boat. It's not terrible, but why settle for ok when you could have delicious for the same price? I had a cucumber sushi roll, the wakame salad and shared some vegetable ramen with a friend. The sushi was bland, the ramen way too salty with overcooked noodles, and the seaweed salad was ok but I've had much better. I'd also ordered a miso soup but it never came out (and I didn't bother asking for it since I had a bowl of someone else's ramen since the serving size was so insanely huge). The serve-yourself sushis on a boat is a neat idea and a good way to get food right away without waiting to order, but other than edamame beans I couldn't find anything vegetarian friendly on it. It's not terrible but there are many other places to go in the area that are far more worth the price.
First time I'm going in this kind of restaurant. I'm not really used to sushi, but I really liked it! First, it's a really nice way to serve the sushi, on some little boat! The people there are nice and helpful. Maybe a bit expensive for sushi, but it's ok and they are really good A good place to share a dinner with friends!
(4)
Beth P.
Decent sushi in a nice dining space. I went for my birthday after getting a recommendation from my aunt who works nearby. The prices were a little high, but it was a nice location. Sushi was fresh, but I didn't try anything out of the ordinary.
(3)
Matt L.
So great. I appreciate that they are open late and still actually put out quality sushi for the late night crowd.
(5)
Paul U.
I came here on a Friday night with a few friend after work. The place is near Union Square, so the location is convenient. When you find the restaurant in the street, you have to go down some stairs to get to the actual restaurant. It's a little narrow if other people are going the opposite direction. The waitress and host were nice and friendly. I had a regular bowl of ramen. It was just okay. I guess I should have gotten some sushi since this was a Sushi Boat place. The ramen had a boiled egg in it which was good. You don't have an option for how spicy you want the ramen to be for the regular bowl, so my ramen wasn't spicy at all. Though the ramen was a little bland, it was a decently large size and it filled me up. Overall, if I come back here again, I would probably try the sushi and skip the ramen. Pros: -Not super expensive -Convenient location (near Powell Bart and Powell Muni) -Good amount of ramen noodles Cons: -Bland ramen, no spice
(3)
Christina B.
I've been going here since I was a little girl. Never get tired of it. It's just a fun spot!! The sushi is cheap and delicious, and you'll never have an empty cup of green tea because they're so good at refilling it. My only complaint is that the service isn't SUPERB, but it's okay because pulling plates of sushi off rotating boats is too fun to complain about it.
(4)
Cyndi S.
This review is based on the overall experience and service at the restaurant. I was not disappointed by the food; however I was by the service from the waitresses. It took a while to have our order taken but I didn't make much of it. Within a matter of 10 minutes the place started to fill up. An African-American couple sat next to me. I couldn't help but notice how no one was coming around to take their order. I made eye contact with the waitress and she purposely avoided our area. It wasn't until she walked over to ask if I needed anything when my boyfriend stated that we did not but the couple next to us is still waiting to have their order taken. She was snarky and finally took their order. She made no apology as to the long wait or the fact that people who came in after them were served and eating-truly, truly disappointing. The sushi was good and well sized. The menu offered 4/8 rolls per item selected and the price as so-so.
(1)
Alan T.
The sushi is good, The Ramen is nice , the only thing I don't like is this is a basement
(4)
Rufeng C.
I had the chicken udon, which is not good. The chicken was over grilled so it's bitter. The waitress isn't professional. They mixed my bill with another table. And it took some time for them to figure out how to avoid the wrong bill.
(2)
Brian N.
Popped in on a whim and was blow away with the quality of the fish. Soooo tasty. The service was friendly and prompt as well. All in all a great experience.
(5)
Tanya D.
This place is cute, I'll give it that... Little sushi boats on water at the bar. I tried two different ones from the boats, both were very good. But that is about where the niceties end. The waitresses are rude (that is, when they decide to give you their attention), and the rest of the service is completely lack-luster.. After literally being ignored after my boyfriend made eye contact and politely told them we were ready to order when they got a minute, we were forced to flag a waitress down and were then rudely told "so that's you're waitress over there." Yeah, got it lady. I get it, its a Saturday night and things are busy, which is why we didn't mind waiting 20 minutes without so much as a glance. But there's a point where the unprofessionalism gets to be too much. By the way, I was able to write this review while literally sitting at the sushi bar. Still waiting for a glass of water.
(1)
Dude W.
After living in Japan for 2 years, to me, sushi has not been the same. But when I ate at this sushi restaurant, I felt like I was back in Japan! The staff were friendly, the green tea was on-point, the conveyor-belt of boats on a small stream of water was aesthetically pleasing, and the sushi was fairly priced (for America). I recommend this place to anyone who enjoys authentic, Japanese, mid-priced sushi.
(5)
Misha R.
This is one of our favorite places for sushi in the city. Place is very cozy, service is fast and friendly. Fish is aways good and fresh. Though I highly recommend this place to everybody, but check your bills before paying for it (they often make mistakes :) ).
(4)
Martina Z.
Definitely worth the visit. Very good sushi. Yummy udon. Very nice staff. My favorite unique dinner spot when I'm in San Fran. I first found Sushi Boat randomly in 1997 and every time I come yo the city from my home in LA, we come back like a ritual. Now I come with my husband and 2 kids.
(4)
Ydel J.
This is the first Japanese restaurant I visited when I came to San Francisco a year ago and I always come back here whenever I crave for Japanese food. I'm not a noodle lover but I love the Ramen here especially the soup. It is fun to pick up the sushi from the little boats and they are absolutely satisfying and delicious. A must place to visit if you love Japanese food!
(4)
Anna J.
I wouldn't really recommend this place. It's cool and cute that the sushi is on little boats, but the sushi itself is hands down the worst I've had in the city. Even the nigiri we ordered from the kitchen (aka not on a boat) was sub-par. Definitely a place for tourists who don't eat sushi often. If you do eat here, definitely sit at the bar - watching the little sushi boats go by is the best part.
(2)
Joseph S.
Great food. Very predictable. A good staple of you are going to be in union city. There is. Weird thing about the men's room at this place. The thing is that there is a electric wire protruding from an electric box above the toilet and connected to the urinal. Seems so odd. It is like that every time I go there.
(4)
Jenny M.
The food isn't bad, I've been here twice but have always sat at a booth rather than the bar where the sushi boats are. Both times i was there I had the same waitress, she's friendly but got both my husband and my orders wrong. We asked for different ramen, but we ended up having the same bowl. We weren't charged differently. The first time we tried the red bean dessert, the second time we wanted something else but she brought out the red bean saying it was good, we explained to her that we already had it and wanted to try something new, she said oh okay and took the dessert back. She was friendly but it seemed that whenever she made a mistake on our order she wanted us to take it anyway. It's a bit pricey but I woudn't say the quality of the sushi or ramen is worth it, you can find cheaper and better elsewhere. I wouldn't completely knock this restaurant either because i have yet to try the actual sushi boats.
(3)
Thancha N.
I ordered bow pork ramen and in In the Manu said they have 4 pieces of pork but I got only 3 in my bowl. The service very slow and not attentive.
(3)
Sheryl I.
Nice little sushi restaurant near union square. Went in about 5:30. Not busy. I was seated immediately and ordered nigiri combo with tuna roll and large saki. Sushi fresh and good quality. Service good and reasonable prices.
(4)
Darlene M.
My first time at a conveyer belt sushi restaurant! Also known as sushi boat! I had a ball! My husband took me to this place because we were craving sushi and he always knew I wanted to go to a place like this! When we arrived there was two open seats in the sushi boat area! He warned me ahead of time that places like this can add up so make sure whatever I choose, I'll like because it's frowned upon to put it back. Lol! Duh!! I'm not gonna to put it back! When it was time for us to pick out our sushi, I was in sushi heaven! I see what he means by being careful in choosing because I wanted all of them! I got a couple of tempura rolls, some nigiri, California rolls and a few other ones. Our total was over $100! Lol! Prices add up! Each plate determines the price. So make sure you pay attention to the design of the plate if you have a budget. I would definitely come back to this place, but I'll make sure I'm not on a sushi budget! I want to eat with ease!
(5)
Namuun N.
Bajii and Shagai made the best sushi. They had best customer service. Good job !!!!! Thank you!!!!
(5)
Jenny J.
Loved the sushi bar. Watching the boats go by and the sushi made was entertaining and great for selecting future plates. I would have liked more variety, especially of the cheaper plates (student on a budget here) but menu items were good and large. Service was okay, not super attentive or fast, but also didn't affect our dining experience. Plus, constant hot green tea was lovely.
(4)
James S.
The first thing I noticed about this place was that it was small place. Then again, it reminded me of Japan. Most of the restaurants in Japan were as small as this place. If you want a place that has Japan feel to it, then, this is the place. In the middle of the restaurant, there was a sushi bar with the sushi boats. On the boats, of course, had sushi. I usually talk to the sushi chef to see what type of person he is. The lead sushi man was elder Japanese man. Rare to see a sushi restaurant with an actual Japanese sushi chef. That was a plus. The food tasted fresh. Sushi was really good. I was impressed by their sushi. Nothing was old... or at least, they didn't taste old. The color of the fishes were bright. The smell of the fishes were clean. The feel of the fishes were strong. Rating: Food: 4 Price: 4 (For being in the city, it wasn't too bad.) Ambience: 3 Service: 4 Overall: 4 You will see me at this place quite often.
(4)
Karoline A.
If you want great sushi and are not looking forward to be pampered, you will enjoy the excellent sushi. My daughters eat sushi all over and they said the sushi here was the best. So good we came back again the next day before we left. The sushi goes around on boats in the middle of the sushi bar and you grab whatever you want . If they don't have it out, they will make for you in minutes. Will go again when in town.
(4)
Michelle T.
My sister was relentlessly bugging me for sushi and this place was one of the few I could find around Union Square, open at 1pm on a Saturday. On Geary St we found the sign saying Sushi Boat, but the restaurant is actually underground. We sat at the sushi bar and in front of us were the floating sushi boats. The "passenger" sushi plates looked enticing, sure. But the quality of the food was subpar - salmon (sashimi) was not fresh (though we had 2 plates), one plate that had some type of crunch roll was not crunchy and had obviously been floating there for a while... maybe they should leave those on the menu - and serve when it's ordered. Lion King roll was ok though, I'd recommend it to those who haven't tried it (and are not picky) though I've had better. I don't have any complains about the servers - they were actually nice to us. If you are starving and dying for sushi during lunchtime, on a weekend, this place should be fine.
(3)
Deb G.
I think I have to take this off my list of places to visit during my annual SF trip. I think I've gone here every year for the past 8 years or so. As a solo diner last night, I popped in to sit at the sushi bar and grab plates as they went by. Here's what I noticed: 1) The service, never particularly good, was pretty awful. I waited for a glass of water, and the refill (after asking twice) only came after I was done eating. I noticed multiple tables waiting impatiently for their checks, and I had to flag someone down for mine. After giving her my credit card, I wait at least another 7 minutes to get it back. Not good. I honestly thought they had given it to some other person. 2) The food. The avocados on top of the some of the sushi were browned and unappetizing. Some of the boat sushi had obviously been around for a while - the lemon slices had seared their acids into my salmon sushi, some of the sauces were congealed, and there were definitely many things that had been on the boats for a while - I had quite a while of looking after my check came to confirm this. And while I didn't order anything from the kitchen, I was surprised how long some of my fellow diners had to wait for their food. It seemed exceptionally long for an early evening dinner. This all being said, the fish was fresh and still way better than what I can get in DC. However, I'm going to try the other sushi options around Union Square before going back here.
(2)
Tegshjargal T.
One of the best place that I have been in. The 2 sushi chefs who were serving us got the best sense of humor and vibe. All ingredients were fresh made in perfection.
(5)
Melissa S.
Last night got chicken teriyaki to go; it was quick service and everything tastes good. Tonight I went again to sit down and service was a lot slower. Food was still good though! Their Philadelphia rolls and California rolls are good, as is the lobster roll. Their green tea ice cream is always great after. I don't try any of the extremely raw things. That's about as adventurous as I get lol. 4 stars because of slow service, or else 5. I do recommend trying one of their dinner plates, since it comes with miso soup and salad. You can always grab one of the rolls off of a boat as well.
(4)
Di W.
Not recommending to anyone searching for quiet dinning environment or authentic Japanese food
(2)
Michelle M.
My boyfriend and I came here during our stay in SF. Located in Union Square, Sushi Boat is an unassuming little place. I would have missed it if their menu wasn't posted on the wall outside. When entering, you have to walk down a flight of stairs to get to the restaurant, where you are greeted by a hostess. We were here around 7:30pm on a Saturday and we were seated right away. If you opt to sit at the bar, there is a conveyor belt with sushi rotating around on it (hence the name "sushi boat). We opted to sit at a booth, but it was cool to see the sushi going around on the belt. If I come here again, I'd sit at the bar! I ordered a Miso Soup and Rainbow Roll. The soup was just OK, but my sushi was very good. My boyfriend ordered a Chicken Bowl and he reported it was just OK. Our meals came with Hot Tea on the house. I loved the Tea. Prices here are about on par with other sushi places. Service was great and our server was friendly and on point with everything. I may come back here next time I'm in the city, but it wouldn't be my first choice. Cheers!
(3)
Carolina O.
The place is underground but is very comfortable, the food y great and they have a very nice customer service.
(5)
Cameron C.
Wandering around downtown SF, hungry, and wanting to try the local fish. This was one of those times I did not check yelp before going in and deciding on where to eat, I gave this place a shot. Some background: I have eaten sushi all over the world (including Japan) and by giving this place 4 stars, that is actually very good. What I Had: 49ers roll, sashimi, hot tea, chicken udon noodles The Good: Unique water-boat design, I usually only see conveyor belt style restaurants Fish tasted fresh (tuna, salmon, crab) Large cuts of fish on the sushi (see picture) 49ers roll was good because it used real crab, but the salmon cuts were a bit on the small side Udon was spot on, not too salty and the chicken was cooked correctly The Bad: Service was poor (this is to be expected) The variety of sushi on the boat did not rotate quick enough, we saw that it changed every 15 minutes or so. Prices were a bit on the high end for the plates, although, they are generous by having the price breakdown right in front of you I noticed afterwards this place had 3 stars out of 5 as of today (8/20/14) and felt that was appropriate. Blatant service issues and some QC on the customers would help this place. After all, I was not disappointed coming here at all.
(4)
Melonie R.
Decided to eat lunch here, yeah sub par food and even worse service. Nothing like ordering sushi at a table and having them pluck it off a couple plates on the conveyer. Two cups of water smelled like sea weed. My Tonkatsu ramen tasted like the same ones I buy at the oriental store for $2.99. Yeah never again! Yes I left this review before I even walked out. I am sorry but I believe she knew she was wrong ,as little white file tabs were all over my bill. And she didn't ring us up on the register but on a calculator.
(1)
Aneta H.
Nice experience sitting by the bar where boats carrying tapas-style servings of sushi float by you. Good quality and fast service.
(4)
Joanne E.
After spending 10 solid days in Orlando theme parks, we were jonesing for some good Japanese food. This was the closest place so we decided to brave it even though it has a 3 star average on Yelp. Guess what, we should have relied on our fellow Yelpers' reviews! We had some nigiri sushi, which was pretty fresh. Besides the agedashi tofu and tempura with light crispy batter, however, the rest of the food was 2 stars. The ramen was mediocre with bland soup, and the miso soup was watery. The gyoza were tiny with mushy, tasteless filling. The oyako donburi was tasty with lots of mushrooms, but the chicken was hard. The sushi chef seemed to take care with preparing his food, but whoever made the cooked dishes needs to be more consistent. I wouldn't return or recommend this place, except maybe for quick simple nigiri sushi.
(3)
Elsa N.
Took a while for our order to be prepared, maybe better to eat at the counter if you're in a rush. If not, relax in the booth. They charge $2.50 for green tea if your order is less than $10.00. Very good, spicy salmon & green dragon oishi!
(4)
Junyuan L.
The food was okay. But the waitress was very impolite and impatient. The worst part was that they even wrote down an 18% tip for me in advance on the check! Tips are supposed to show gratitude for good service at customer's will. How rude is it to force such a decision for your customer especially when the service is poor. I'm very unhappy about this experience, and I will never pay another visit to this restaurant.
(1)
Santos L.
Great value for money, good service and amazing sushi. We ordered from the menu, but next time we'll try sitting at the bar where you can choose from the sushi that's going by in front of you on the boats :-)
(4)
Allison L.
Call me a tourist, but I loved the little sushi boats floating around the middle of the restaurant. But, a place can not be great on cuteness alone. The sushi itself was delicious and fresh, and there were plenty of choices. The service was quick and the price was right. If you're staying at Hotel G, walk across the street and give this place a try!
(4)
Ee Vonn Y.
It feels like you're about to go down the rabbit hole when you first open the door to Sushi Boat Restaurant. Stairs are immediately to your right. Fortunately, this rabbit hole leads to a nice quiet meal. The restaurant is really intimate and peaceful so don't bring noisy children. Even my whispering felt like a broadcast to the entire restaurant. There's a revolving sushi boat in the middle carrying different kinds of rolls. The takoyaki was not good. I didn't like how many of the sushi plates at the bar had only two rolls but it worked out since I was sharing a bite with my boyfriend. Fortunately the katsu donburi was tasty and we had no trouble finishing it. The service was good. It made a very decent meal and is sure not to disappoint.
(3)
Tao Tao W.
I like kaiten restaurants so I have seen this place many times walking around union square so i wanted to give it a try. I was totally disappointed. They are not like Sushi Bune at all. They have a rotation of the same things going over and over which consist of a few rolls, salmon sashimi, and some nigiri. It doesn't change so thus you kinda get tricked into haveing order from the menu. Sushi Bune in Inner Richmond has some of the same things but they add new stuff as well such as tempura items and other nigiri as well. Its a bit over priced too for what you get. not worth it.
(2)
Jennifer B.
Located in Downtown San Francisco. Underground setting is pretty nice, and the servers were attentive. I ate here several times during my lunch break or during my days off. Variety of sushi selections and sometimes its a hit or a miss. I come here cause it's intimate and love miso soup.
(3)
Anthuring X.
This is really bad experience, the worst restaurant I ever been to in SF .Service is so bad compare with how much we pay. Def not recommend!!!
(1)
Rachel V.
I do not know why this place has only 3 stars. The hostesses were friendly and the sushi was great. It's nothing amazing but if you just fancy a bit of good sushi then it's fine for a casual dinner. I went with my husband and 2 kids and we had a great time! Plus the kids loved the little boats sailing by. The decor leaves a little to be desired but the food certainly doesn't. It's just not a flash joint and that is okay by me especially after a day touring the wonderful San Francisco!
(4)
Sui N.
Love the ambience! sushi is ok, nothing outstanding.
(3)
Kim K.
Nothing special. The restaurant is owned by Koreans. (Cheap sushi). We set at the sushi bar and all the sushi plates was only one color O.o... ($3 something) so that means not much options. Ok, I didn't expect much but that was worse than what I was expecting. My friend was already expecting not much so he was smart and ordered bento box with ck teriyaki . Sushi is whatever with not much options but the bento box was better.
(2)
Ashish N.
I went back to the restaurant to give it another chance. To my surprise, the food was good. I ordered the bento box. The only complaint I had was the broiled fish which was very dry and kinda bitter tasting. I did not get any sushi yet... will be back soon to try it though.
(3)
Alan F.
A downstairs Japanese restaurant that has a sushi boat theme as the main attraction. Sushi was ok and the variety was also just ok. When I went in the late afternoon, it wasn't that busy and that may be why the variation on the boats wasn't as good. Ended up ordering a ramen deluxe noodle and that was three star quality as well. Overall a nice place to try but given the area's variety of places to try, I wouldn't go back.
(3)
Mychael H.
This is one of my favorite sushi places I go to while I'm in the city. I my favorite Roll I always get is The Lion King Roll & seaweed Salad here. I got a friend who's works here he be hooking me up with the best sushi.
(5)
Steve L.
I hate to love this place but it was my first exposure to conveyor-belt sushi a few years ago and I always have to visit every time I'm in downtown SF. My most recent visit here was in February 2015 and it was pretty empty when I got here (Wednesday afternoon around 5pm). The chef made some nice assortments of the higher-priced options this visit. I give the place three stars for sushi quality, three stars for service (had to bug them for water refills frequently), four stars for sushi creativity and five stars for introducing me to conveyor-belt sushi. If you aren't in a hurry, there's a less overrun conveyor-belt place in Japantown (Isobune).
(4)
Mary G.
I'm glad this place is still around. I left SF over 10 years ago and this place has been a good staple for my sushi and tempura cravings.
(4)
Laurie R.
This place was absolutely delicious!!! The rolls are unique and yummy... Staff is very friendly... And even if your adventurous side doesn't come out, they have a the classic rolls. I would definitely recommend this place!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Nathan L.
Went here with friends to see if anything has changed. My friend's noodles and our wine was lost or forgotten. We waited a total of 43 minutes (I counted) to see how long it took for them to fix our food. We were really disappointed.
(3)Stephen B.
This was my first time visiting Sushi Boat. I had heard about it in passing from a few other people and again while visiting a friend in San Francisco, so we had to go! At first I thought it was going to be a little gimmicky as we walked in off of the street and had to go down a flight of steps, but I guess that's what you get with hidden gems. It was a medium-lit place with booths on the outside and center area where the chefs make the sushi and place it on the boats going around the counter. Payment works out interesting. In front of the seats is a plate legend, that shows you how much each style plate costs. So, for instance, a white plate with a specific design was $2.50, but a blue plate was $3.50. At the end, the waitress counts up all of your plates to tally your order. My friend and I had about 10 plates between us and our total was $35, which I feel is pretty good for the area! The best thing of all of this was that the sushi was actually pretty good. I really didn't expect that - I thought they'd use the 'boat' aspect just to draw people in, but it's actually a win-win. I'm going back to this place next time I'm in the city.
(5)Ron A.
While not the best sushi, sushi boat is so much fun. As the name implies, plates of sushi go around in little boats in front of you, and you just take what you want. It's a great place to stop in for a quick bite before heading to a movie at the Kabuki theater. In my experience the servers have been rude, but maybe that's just because the boats do all the work.
(4)Eric M.
My girlfriend and I love this place! If you go here, you must sit at the sushi bar. It's fun watching the little boats with the sushi on them float by. Great food, great atmosphere, and great service. If you're ever in Union Square, forget all of those expensive touristy restaurants and go to Sushi Boat for excellent Japanese food.
(4)Fringe M.
Salad was gross. Taste like ketchup. Lion king was not fully baked. Mediocre food. Sushi sashimi was ok. It was bigger than most cuts I get from a bento box. Chicken teriyaki was not bad. It wasn't dry.
(2)Yunzhu C.
Best grilled octopus ever had! Sushi is also good and relative high quality in terms of price!
(3)uyen v.
Love the sashimi here. The piece is huge and fresh. Customer service here is terrible. The waitresses were rude when my friend and I didn't want to order from the menu. The price is kind of on the expensive side but the portion is bigger than most places.
(4)Dustin E.
Awesome sushi! Billy is a the man! Ask him to make something new or unique for you and he will hook it up. I told him I like anything spicy and he put together a couple awesome rolls for me and my date. The restaurant has a nice intimate feel. Not too small not too big. Nice crowd, not too dressy, but nice and fun. I've returned already once again since my first visit (this review is long overdue) and had a great experience each time.
(5)Seth H.
Sushi Board has a nice interior and traditional Japanese feel inside their restaurant. Conveniently located and easy access. These are the reasons I stop by this place every once a while and will continue to come here. Food is okay. It is kinda expensive but it is in the middle of SF.
(3)Jeannette O.
The location is great (very close to union square). The food was fine but the service was slow, especially since they were not packed. The sushi boats were fun, but all the rolls on the boat had imitation crab in them, which is just not my thing. My big issue came with the bill - they hand-wrote in a 20% tip for themselves, and asked me just to sign it. I normally give a 20% tip, but I thought that this assumption on their part was ridiculous. I will not be back.
(1)Casey M.
I came here with a group of four people on Friday night. We got there and there was no line, but given our group size the hostess said there would be a 15-20 minute wait. No problem, we take a seat and chat amongst ourselves. About 10 minutes later another group of four comes in. A group at one of the large tables is leaving and the group that came in after us is immediately seated! WTF. I brought this up to the hostess and she was really dismissive and not apologetic at all. I understand that people make mistakes, but she was really rude. We finally get seated and place our orders. I was pretty disappointed at their sake selection (or lack thereof) and their rolls were pretty lackluster and expensive. We didn't order anything crazy, or even that much food. We STILL waited about 30 minutes for our food to arrive. So much for a quick bite. When we received our bill, the suggested tip was circled. Laughable given the quality of service. I won't be back.
(2)Ann L.
Not the best sushi place. If I had a choice I would've dined elsewhere. Given that it was a Friday, we didn't have much choices to pick from. Every good restaurant was crowded with ppl. The inside was super warm, which is why sushi might not be all that fresh. My party did not seem to like their food. It looks so simple and yet the prices are ridiculously expensive... Service was okay. Don't bother!!
(2)Jie L.
It was my first time. My friend and I decided to check this place out on a Friday night. I had yelped this place prior to check out the ratings and to look at the pictures. It seemed like a decent place that served decent sushi. But I kept an open mind anyway. Got there after work so there was no wait. A line started to form around 7pm. We took a seat at the bar where we saw the sushi floating around the bar in wooden boats. We both ordered the 15 piece sashimi. It seemed fresh. I was full by my 10th piece. The staff that prepared our sashimi was very kind, kept asking if we were enjoying the food. He seemed passionate about making the sushi. Overall, it was not a bad choice. Decently priced for downtown sushi.
(3)Marianna P.
It was a great place. But now it has bad smell. Not much to choose of food. Customer service is terrible. Cooks use really dirty clout to clean knives. Not good for dating - too loud. Canteen level loud. Music +20 people talking in a small space. Not good for family - too dirty. Cooks use dirty clout to clean knives extremely dirty clout.
(2)Gonzalo C.
Good sushi and good ambiance. Underground place that makes it feel you're out of the union square crowd. Sashimi 15 pieces was exellent!
(4)Nicolas I.
good and fresh food. terrible atmosphere (you are eating in a cave with no window) and terrible service, they don't really pay attention to you. I would definitely recommend you to go there if you want fresh sushis and don't really care about the service or the place.
(3)Eli S.
My buddy and I are trying out different sushi places in San Francisco where we both live. I recommended we give Sushi Boat a try. We were very happy with the service and the food. Very nice quaint decor! We told each other we wouldn't mind coming back again. My only complaint was the light fixture at our dining booth hung too low blocking our view toward each other. If you guys would raise them a couple of inches, it would have made our experience nearly flawless.
(4)Morris R.
Dirtiest bathroom - at a sushi place! With no paper towels. Also, I should have known that mid-afternoon the sushi on the boats would be old. No one likes old sushi. No one.
(2)Philip M.
Our triple date group of my two close friends and their girlfriends in San Francisco had many memories, but our dinner at Sushi Boat is clearly an experience I'll never forget. While my friends and their dates all ordered big plates of sushi, I went the different route and ordered the Chicken Katsu Dinner which was accompanied with Miso Soup and salad & an order of California Roll. While my group's orders of sushi looked delicious, I wish I could say the same about my entree. Upon three spoonfuls of miso soup, I was gagging and coughing because of the amount of MSG contained in the soup. I said out loud, "oh my god, this miso soup is so salty and filled with whoknowshowmuch amounts of MSG" My good friend Will Van Vleck. immediately asks me "How do you know what MSG tastes like?" I rolled my eyes at him and laughed. Honestly, it's questions like these that make me love my friends. If a Japanese restaurant can't make a simple miso soup right, it really brings into question the possible amount of flaws in the kitchen and the menu. Sadly my chicken katsu couldn't improve my impending mental yelp rating of Sushi Boat. Brought out with rice over lettuce, my Chicken Katsu was sauceless. Yes it was cooked perfectly crispy, but who eats Katsu dry? I immediately wave the waitress over and ask if she had any katsu sauce for my entree. she immediately answers "no" and and doesn't offer any alternative sauces for my dry katsu. What kind of Japanese restaurant doesn't offer Katsu dressing? I guess Sushi Boat doesn't. As I poked around my chicken katsu, thinking of ways to consume it in a edible fashion, Will looks at me and says "Phil, you are going to give this place a 2 STAR rating, aren't you?" terrible service, poorly made miso soup, and sauceless Katsu? Will VV gladly approves this two star rating!
(2)Ken A.
The food was alright. Sashimi was fresh and cool. The sushi on the boat though was warmer than I would like
(3)M.K. C.
4.5 stars. Once again, I find myself in a touristy spot with my big sister. I've been out here in the bay for a year and a half, and she has never been here before. She calls me and tells my gentleman and I to meet her at Union Square, where she has unleashed a gaggle of foreign teenagers on a field trip of sorts. I don't know, I don't fully understand her job. So I'm a little hungover, very frustrated by trying to walk around all these tourists (being from the east coast, people walking with no sense of purpose aggrivate me to no end), and quite peckish. We're trying to coordinate, and figure out what cross street she's at. We find my sister at last. She. Is. HANGRY. She's dealing with a bunch of work sh*t, way out of her time zone, and HANGRY. We run into our usual issue, which is me being vegan in touristlandia. A block or two up Geary, and we find Sushi Boat. Sister gets excited. "I like sushi! Veggie rolls are a thing! Let's go there!" We take a stroll down the stairs and are seated immediately. I have heard of the sushi boats that go around a bar, but I have never seen them IRL (I roll at home a lot, this white girl can make a vegan roll that will knock your socks off). I am beyond excited. It's adorable. We request a table because sister needs to charge her phone, and the waitress actually LOOKS UNDER THE BOOTHS to see which one would best accomodate the three of us. What a sweetheart! We're looking at the menu, and a woman comes and pours us tea. I guess this is par for the course, because we didn't order any, but it certainly was appreciated. Sister orders a salad, a roll with fish (I wasn't paying attention), and an avocado roll. The gentleman orders some barbecue pork ramen (we did NOT expect ramen on the menu, but a welcome surprise!), and I get an avo roll and a veggie tempura roll, and a seaweed salad. The portions were great. The gentleman is a skinny man who I'm convinced has an empty leg or something. Yes, he's a bike messenger, and they tend to be big eaters, but I seriously have no idea how he eats as much as he does. He couldn't finish the ramen. Sister had to give me her last avo roll. I struggled to finish my food, as there was too little to save and I hate wasting anything. My veggie tempura roll wasn't the best I had ever had, but it certainly wasn't offensive. $60 including a good tip for three people? If I find myself having to eat in Union Square again, this will definitely be a go-to.
(4)Alik L.
The conveyer belt not have many choices despite being saturday and sushi bar full of customer. I guess they think whatever they serve in the conveyer customer would pick it eitherway. Shiumay (from costco?) and weird sushi which i have no idea why they put thai sweet sauce on all their sushi. Really? Last time i checked its japanese restaurant not thai. Dissapointed after many years came here its getting worse and worst. Not gonna go there anymore.
(1)Terri G.
Loved the food!!! This place doesn't look like much on the outside but it is a pleasant surprise on the inside. Fun sitting at the sushi bar and picking our appetizers. The Pacific roll was fresh and delicious. And the service was wonderful. I'll be coming back here for sure.
(5)Patricia W.
The food here was absolutely fantastic! From the freshness of the sushi to the tenderness of the chicken Katsu, Sushi Boat definitely is a winner. I'm always skeptical when it come to Japanese food, especially in hoity-toity Union Square. We ordered the Philly and Super Crunch rolls (awesome), the Cucumber salad (enough for three people for only $5.95? Unheard of!), and two bento boxes. Everything was so unbelievably tasty - even the ginger dressing on the salad was superb. The waitresses were very nice - not super attentive, but nice. The wait between the sushi and our main meal was timed perfectly. You can tell that this place is popular since the sushi bar and main dining area was packed when we arrived and it was well after lunch hour (1:15pm). I look forward to retuning here when I'm back in the area!
(5)Super T.
When to eat lunch in Sushi Boat in SF. The place is decent and is locate in the basement. Service was good the place looks clean but not the food not saying that the food was bad but for that kind of pricey for one sushi that $2.50 and for two pieces of sushi it's $2.50 and up. Lowest is $1.95 and trust me you don't want eat that. Come on two pieces of California roll. I know in location in downtown but kind of pricey for the sushi you can eat somewhere else.
(3)Portia D.
Worst conveyor belt sushi ever! Waited over an hour for sushi on their boats and never got any. Only to find out at the front was a tiny sign on the cash register when conveyor sushi was served. Would have been nice for the waiter to let you know beforehand. Left hungry and disappointed.
(1)Jules L.
went on a Sunday night. it wasn't busy. my friend wanted to go there because he doesn't know any better. it was his birthday so I went along with it. I have started to go to Sushi Boat back in high school when I used to work at Saks Fifth Aveune. back then we went quite often but I have not been back for awhile and it has definitely changed for the worst. overpriced for the quality of fish they are serving. I'm pretty sure it is target for the tourist. what really irked me was that they were not putting out any nigiri sushi onto the boat, just the same rolls and gyoza. really takes the fun out of the place and might as well don't call the place Sushi Boat because they were no sushi on the boat. I went around 8pm just as a heads up. so we ordered off the menu instead. the tako salad didn't taste fresh to me. I have never tasted a texture like that before in octopus. I didn't finish it. the spider man roll was too sweet, and the soft shell crab was cold. the ramen was too too salty. the sweet shrimp was yellow?! there was something odd on top of the tobiko, I just scooped it out. looked like a piece of paper. for customer service, you need to flag them down but first you have to find them. their saving grace was their bus boy who kept my tea cup filled. he gets the 2 stars. will not be back.
(2)Cassandra J.
With so many great and amazing sushi places in San Francisco, there's no reason to settle for the mediocre. Unfortunately, Sushi Boat fits that boat. It's not terrible, but why settle for ok when you could have delicious for the same price? I had a cucumber sushi roll, the wakame salad and shared some vegetable ramen with a friend. The sushi was bland, the ramen way too salty with overcooked noodles, and the seaweed salad was ok but I've had much better. I'd also ordered a miso soup but it never came out (and I didn't bother asking for it since I had a bowl of someone else's ramen since the serving size was so insanely huge). The serve-yourself sushis on a boat is a neat idea and a good way to get food right away without waiting to order, but other than edamame beans I couldn't find anything vegetarian friendly on it. It's not terrible but there are many other places to go in the area that are far more worth the price.
(2)Jérôme T.
First time I'm going in this kind of restaurant. I'm not really used to sushi, but I really liked it! First, it's a really nice way to serve the sushi, on some little boat! The people there are nice and helpful. Maybe a bit expensive for sushi, but it's ok and they are really good A good place to share a dinner with friends!
(4)Beth P.
Decent sushi in a nice dining space. I went for my birthday after getting a recommendation from my aunt who works nearby. The prices were a little high, but it was a nice location. Sushi was fresh, but I didn't try anything out of the ordinary.
(3)Matt L.
So great. I appreciate that they are open late and still actually put out quality sushi for the late night crowd.
(5)Paul U.
I came here on a Friday night with a few friend after work. The place is near Union Square, so the location is convenient. When you find the restaurant in the street, you have to go down some stairs to get to the actual restaurant. It's a little narrow if other people are going the opposite direction. The waitress and host were nice and friendly. I had a regular bowl of ramen. It was just okay. I guess I should have gotten some sushi since this was a Sushi Boat place. The ramen had a boiled egg in it which was good. You don't have an option for how spicy you want the ramen to be for the regular bowl, so my ramen wasn't spicy at all. Though the ramen was a little bland, it was a decently large size and it filled me up. Overall, if I come back here again, I would probably try the sushi and skip the ramen. Pros: -Not super expensive -Convenient location (near Powell Bart and Powell Muni) -Good amount of ramen noodles Cons: -Bland ramen, no spice
(3)Christina B.
I've been going here since I was a little girl. Never get tired of it. It's just a fun spot!! The sushi is cheap and delicious, and you'll never have an empty cup of green tea because they're so good at refilling it. My only complaint is that the service isn't SUPERB, but it's okay because pulling plates of sushi off rotating boats is too fun to complain about it.
(4)Cyndi S.
This review is based on the overall experience and service at the restaurant. I was not disappointed by the food; however I was by the service from the waitresses. It took a while to have our order taken but I didn't make much of it. Within a matter of 10 minutes the place started to fill up. An African-American couple sat next to me. I couldn't help but notice how no one was coming around to take their order. I made eye contact with the waitress and she purposely avoided our area. It wasn't until she walked over to ask if I needed anything when my boyfriend stated that we did not but the couple next to us is still waiting to have their order taken. She was snarky and finally took their order. She made no apology as to the long wait or the fact that people who came in after them were served and eating-truly, truly disappointing. The sushi was good and well sized. The menu offered 4/8 rolls per item selected and the price as so-so.
(1)Alan T.
The sushi is good, The Ramen is nice , the only thing I don't like is this is a basement
(4)Rufeng C.
I had the chicken udon, which is not good. The chicken was over grilled so it's bitter. The waitress isn't professional. They mixed my bill with another table. And it took some time for them to figure out how to avoid the wrong bill.
(2)Brian N.
Popped in on a whim and was blow away with the quality of the fish. Soooo tasty. The service was friendly and prompt as well. All in all a great experience.
(5)Tanya D.
This place is cute, I'll give it that... Little sushi boats on water at the bar. I tried two different ones from the boats, both were very good. But that is about where the niceties end. The waitresses are rude (that is, when they decide to give you their attention), and the rest of the service is completely lack-luster.. After literally being ignored after my boyfriend made eye contact and politely told them we were ready to order when they got a minute, we were forced to flag a waitress down and were then rudely told "so that's you're waitress over there." Yeah, got it lady. I get it, its a Saturday night and things are busy, which is why we didn't mind waiting 20 minutes without so much as a glance. But there's a point where the unprofessionalism gets to be too much. By the way, I was able to write this review while literally sitting at the sushi bar. Still waiting for a glass of water.
(1)Dude W.
After living in Japan for 2 years, to me, sushi has not been the same. But when I ate at this sushi restaurant, I felt like I was back in Japan! The staff were friendly, the green tea was on-point, the conveyor-belt of boats on a small stream of water was aesthetically pleasing, and the sushi was fairly priced (for America). I recommend this place to anyone who enjoys authentic, Japanese, mid-priced sushi.
(5)Misha R.
This is one of our favorite places for sushi in the city. Place is very cozy, service is fast and friendly. Fish is aways good and fresh. Though I highly recommend this place to everybody, but check your bills before paying for it (they often make mistakes :) ).
(4)Martina Z.
Definitely worth the visit. Very good sushi. Yummy udon. Very nice staff. My favorite unique dinner spot when I'm in San Fran. I first found Sushi Boat randomly in 1997 and every time I come yo the city from my home in LA, we come back like a ritual. Now I come with my husband and 2 kids.
(4)Ydel J.
This is the first Japanese restaurant I visited when I came to San Francisco a year ago and I always come back here whenever I crave for Japanese food. I'm not a noodle lover but I love the Ramen here especially the soup. It is fun to pick up the sushi from the little boats and they are absolutely satisfying and delicious. A must place to visit if you love Japanese food!
(4)Anna J.
I wouldn't really recommend this place. It's cool and cute that the sushi is on little boats, but the sushi itself is hands down the worst I've had in the city. Even the nigiri we ordered from the kitchen (aka not on a boat) was sub-par. Definitely a place for tourists who don't eat sushi often. If you do eat here, definitely sit at the bar - watching the little sushi boats go by is the best part.
(2)Joseph S.
Great food. Very predictable. A good staple of you are going to be in union city. There is. Weird thing about the men's room at this place. The thing is that there is a electric wire protruding from an electric box above the toilet and connected to the urinal. Seems so odd. It is like that every time I go there.
(4)Jenny M.
The food isn't bad, I've been here twice but have always sat at a booth rather than the bar where the sushi boats are. Both times i was there I had the same waitress, she's friendly but got both my husband and my orders wrong. We asked for different ramen, but we ended up having the same bowl. We weren't charged differently. The first time we tried the red bean dessert, the second time we wanted something else but she brought out the red bean saying it was good, we explained to her that we already had it and wanted to try something new, she said oh okay and took the dessert back. She was friendly but it seemed that whenever she made a mistake on our order she wanted us to take it anyway. It's a bit pricey but I woudn't say the quality of the sushi or ramen is worth it, you can find cheaper and better elsewhere. I wouldn't completely knock this restaurant either because i have yet to try the actual sushi boats.
(3)Thancha N.
I ordered bow pork ramen and in In the Manu said they have 4 pieces of pork but I got only 3 in my bowl. The service very slow and not attentive.
(3)Sheryl I.
Nice little sushi restaurant near union square. Went in about 5:30. Not busy. I was seated immediately and ordered nigiri combo with tuna roll and large saki. Sushi fresh and good quality. Service good and reasonable prices.
(4)Darlene M.
My first time at a conveyer belt sushi restaurant! Also known as sushi boat! I had a ball! My husband took me to this place because we were craving sushi and he always knew I wanted to go to a place like this! When we arrived there was two open seats in the sushi boat area! He warned me ahead of time that places like this can add up so make sure whatever I choose, I'll like because it's frowned upon to put it back. Lol! Duh!! I'm not gonna to put it back! When it was time for us to pick out our sushi, I was in sushi heaven! I see what he means by being careful in choosing because I wanted all of them! I got a couple of tempura rolls, some nigiri, California rolls and a few other ones. Our total was over $100! Lol! Prices add up! Each plate determines the price. So make sure you pay attention to the design of the plate if you have a budget. I would definitely come back to this place, but I'll make sure I'm not on a sushi budget! I want to eat with ease!
(5)Namuun N.
Bajii and Shagai made the best sushi. They had best customer service. Good job !!!!! Thank you!!!!
(5)Jenny J.
Loved the sushi bar. Watching the boats go by and the sushi made was entertaining and great for selecting future plates. I would have liked more variety, especially of the cheaper plates (student on a budget here) but menu items were good and large. Service was okay, not super attentive or fast, but also didn't affect our dining experience. Plus, constant hot green tea was lovely.
(4)James S.
The first thing I noticed about this place was that it was small place. Then again, it reminded me of Japan. Most of the restaurants in Japan were as small as this place. If you want a place that has Japan feel to it, then, this is the place. In the middle of the restaurant, there was a sushi bar with the sushi boats. On the boats, of course, had sushi. I usually talk to the sushi chef to see what type of person he is. The lead sushi man was elder Japanese man. Rare to see a sushi restaurant with an actual Japanese sushi chef. That was a plus. The food tasted fresh. Sushi was really good. I was impressed by their sushi. Nothing was old... or at least, they didn't taste old. The color of the fishes were bright. The smell of the fishes were clean. The feel of the fishes were strong. Rating: Food: 4 Price: 4 (For being in the city, it wasn't too bad.) Ambience: 3 Service: 4 Overall: 4 You will see me at this place quite often.
(4)Karoline A.
If you want great sushi and are not looking forward to be pampered, you will enjoy the excellent sushi. My daughters eat sushi all over and they said the sushi here was the best. So good we came back again the next day before we left. The sushi goes around on boats in the middle of the sushi bar and you grab whatever you want . If they don't have it out, they will make for you in minutes. Will go again when in town.
(4)Michelle T.
My sister was relentlessly bugging me for sushi and this place was one of the few I could find around Union Square, open at 1pm on a Saturday. On Geary St we found the sign saying Sushi Boat, but the restaurant is actually underground. We sat at the sushi bar and in front of us were the floating sushi boats. The "passenger" sushi plates looked enticing, sure. But the quality of the food was subpar - salmon (sashimi) was not fresh (though we had 2 plates), one plate that had some type of crunch roll was not crunchy and had obviously been floating there for a while... maybe they should leave those on the menu - and serve when it's ordered. Lion King roll was ok though, I'd recommend it to those who haven't tried it (and are not picky) though I've had better. I don't have any complains about the servers - they were actually nice to us. If you are starving and dying for sushi during lunchtime, on a weekend, this place should be fine.
(3)Deb G.
I think I have to take this off my list of places to visit during my annual SF trip. I think I've gone here every year for the past 8 years or so. As a solo diner last night, I popped in to sit at the sushi bar and grab plates as they went by. Here's what I noticed: 1) The service, never particularly good, was pretty awful. I waited for a glass of water, and the refill (after asking twice) only came after I was done eating. I noticed multiple tables waiting impatiently for their checks, and I had to flag someone down for mine. After giving her my credit card, I wait at least another 7 minutes to get it back. Not good. I honestly thought they had given it to some other person. 2) The food. The avocados on top of the some of the sushi were browned and unappetizing. Some of the boat sushi had obviously been around for a while - the lemon slices had seared their acids into my salmon sushi, some of the sauces were congealed, and there were definitely many things that had been on the boats for a while - I had quite a while of looking after my check came to confirm this. And while I didn't order anything from the kitchen, I was surprised how long some of my fellow diners had to wait for their food. It seemed exceptionally long for an early evening dinner. This all being said, the fish was fresh and still way better than what I can get in DC. However, I'm going to try the other sushi options around Union Square before going back here.
(2)Tegshjargal T.
One of the best place that I have been in. The 2 sushi chefs who were serving us got the best sense of humor and vibe. All ingredients were fresh made in perfection.
(5)Melissa S.
Last night got chicken teriyaki to go; it was quick service and everything tastes good. Tonight I went again to sit down and service was a lot slower. Food was still good though! Their Philadelphia rolls and California rolls are good, as is the lobster roll. Their green tea ice cream is always great after. I don't try any of the extremely raw things. That's about as adventurous as I get lol. 4 stars because of slow service, or else 5. I do recommend trying one of their dinner plates, since it comes with miso soup and salad. You can always grab one of the rolls off of a boat as well.
(4)Di W.
Not recommending to anyone searching for quiet dinning environment or authentic Japanese food
(2)Michelle M.
My boyfriend and I came here during our stay in SF. Located in Union Square, Sushi Boat is an unassuming little place. I would have missed it if their menu wasn't posted on the wall outside. When entering, you have to walk down a flight of stairs to get to the restaurant, where you are greeted by a hostess. We were here around 7:30pm on a Saturday and we were seated right away. If you opt to sit at the bar, there is a conveyor belt with sushi rotating around on it (hence the name "sushi boat). We opted to sit at a booth, but it was cool to see the sushi going around on the belt. If I come here again, I'd sit at the bar! I ordered a Miso Soup and Rainbow Roll. The soup was just OK, but my sushi was very good. My boyfriend ordered a Chicken Bowl and he reported it was just OK. Our meals came with Hot Tea on the house. I loved the Tea. Prices here are about on par with other sushi places. Service was great and our server was friendly and on point with everything. I may come back here next time I'm in the city, but it wouldn't be my first choice. Cheers!
(3)Carolina O.
The place is underground but is very comfortable, the food y great and they have a very nice customer service.
(5)Cameron C.
Wandering around downtown SF, hungry, and wanting to try the local fish. This was one of those times I did not check yelp before going in and deciding on where to eat, I gave this place a shot. Some background: I have eaten sushi all over the world (including Japan) and by giving this place 4 stars, that is actually very good. What I Had: 49ers roll, sashimi, hot tea, chicken udon noodles The Good: Unique water-boat design, I usually only see conveyor belt style restaurants Fish tasted fresh (tuna, salmon, crab) Large cuts of fish on the sushi (see picture) 49ers roll was good because it used real crab, but the salmon cuts were a bit on the small side Udon was spot on, not too salty and the chicken was cooked correctly The Bad: Service was poor (this is to be expected) The variety of sushi on the boat did not rotate quick enough, we saw that it changed every 15 minutes or so. Prices were a bit on the high end for the plates, although, they are generous by having the price breakdown right in front of you I noticed afterwards this place had 3 stars out of 5 as of today (8/20/14) and felt that was appropriate. Blatant service issues and some QC on the customers would help this place. After all, I was not disappointed coming here at all.
(4)Melonie R.
Decided to eat lunch here, yeah sub par food and even worse service. Nothing like ordering sushi at a table and having them pluck it off a couple plates on the conveyer. Two cups of water smelled like sea weed. My Tonkatsu ramen tasted like the same ones I buy at the oriental store for $2.99. Yeah never again! Yes I left this review before I even walked out. I am sorry but I believe she knew she was wrong ,as little white file tabs were all over my bill. And she didn't ring us up on the register but on a calculator.
(1)Aneta H.
Nice experience sitting by the bar where boats carrying tapas-style servings of sushi float by you. Good quality and fast service.
(4)Joanne E.
After spending 10 solid days in Orlando theme parks, we were jonesing for some good Japanese food. This was the closest place so we decided to brave it even though it has a 3 star average on Yelp. Guess what, we should have relied on our fellow Yelpers' reviews! We had some nigiri sushi, which was pretty fresh. Besides the agedashi tofu and tempura with light crispy batter, however, the rest of the food was 2 stars. The ramen was mediocre with bland soup, and the miso soup was watery. The gyoza were tiny with mushy, tasteless filling. The oyako donburi was tasty with lots of mushrooms, but the chicken was hard. The sushi chef seemed to take care with preparing his food, but whoever made the cooked dishes needs to be more consistent. I wouldn't return or recommend this place, except maybe for quick simple nigiri sushi.
(3)Elsa N.
Took a while for our order to be prepared, maybe better to eat at the counter if you're in a rush. If not, relax in the booth. They charge $2.50 for green tea if your order is less than $10.00. Very good, spicy salmon & green dragon oishi!
(4)Junyuan L.
The food was okay. But the waitress was very impolite and impatient. The worst part was that they even wrote down an 18% tip for me in advance on the check! Tips are supposed to show gratitude for good service at customer's will. How rude is it to force such a decision for your customer especially when the service is poor. I'm very unhappy about this experience, and I will never pay another visit to this restaurant.
(1)Santos L.
Great value for money, good service and amazing sushi. We ordered from the menu, but next time we'll try sitting at the bar where you can choose from the sushi that's going by in front of you on the boats :-)
(4)Allison L.
Call me a tourist, but I loved the little sushi boats floating around the middle of the restaurant. But, a place can not be great on cuteness alone. The sushi itself was delicious and fresh, and there were plenty of choices. The service was quick and the price was right. If you're staying at Hotel G, walk across the street and give this place a try!
(4)Ee Vonn Y.
It feels like you're about to go down the rabbit hole when you first open the door to Sushi Boat Restaurant. Stairs are immediately to your right. Fortunately, this rabbit hole leads to a nice quiet meal. The restaurant is really intimate and peaceful so don't bring noisy children. Even my whispering felt like a broadcast to the entire restaurant. There's a revolving sushi boat in the middle carrying different kinds of rolls. The takoyaki was not good. I didn't like how many of the sushi plates at the bar had only two rolls but it worked out since I was sharing a bite with my boyfriend. Fortunately the katsu donburi was tasty and we had no trouble finishing it. The service was good. It made a very decent meal and is sure not to disappoint.
(3)Tao Tao W.
I like kaiten restaurants so I have seen this place many times walking around union square so i wanted to give it a try. I was totally disappointed. They are not like Sushi Bune at all. They have a rotation of the same things going over and over which consist of a few rolls, salmon sashimi, and some nigiri. It doesn't change so thus you kinda get tricked into haveing order from the menu. Sushi Bune in Inner Richmond has some of the same things but they add new stuff as well such as tempura items and other nigiri as well. Its a bit over priced too for what you get. not worth it.
(2)Jennifer B.
Located in Downtown San Francisco. Underground setting is pretty nice, and the servers were attentive. I ate here several times during my lunch break or during my days off. Variety of sushi selections and sometimes its a hit or a miss. I come here cause it's intimate and love miso soup.
(3)Anthuring X.
This is really bad experience, the worst restaurant I ever been to in SF .Service is so bad compare with how much we pay. Def not recommend!!!
(1)Rachel V.
I do not know why this place has only 3 stars. The hostesses were friendly and the sushi was great. It's nothing amazing but if you just fancy a bit of good sushi then it's fine for a casual dinner. I went with my husband and 2 kids and we had a great time! Plus the kids loved the little boats sailing by. The decor leaves a little to be desired but the food certainly doesn't. It's just not a flash joint and that is okay by me especially after a day touring the wonderful San Francisco!
(4)Sui N.
Love the ambience! sushi is ok, nothing outstanding.
(3)Kim K.
Nothing special. The restaurant is owned by Koreans. (Cheap sushi). We set at the sushi bar and all the sushi plates was only one color O.o... ($3 something) so that means not much options. Ok, I didn't expect much but that was worse than what I was expecting. My friend was already expecting not much so he was smart and ordered bento box with ck teriyaki . Sushi is whatever with not much options but the bento box was better.
(2)Ashish N.
I went back to the restaurant to give it another chance. To my surprise, the food was good. I ordered the bento box. The only complaint I had was the broiled fish which was very dry and kinda bitter tasting. I did not get any sushi yet... will be back soon to try it though.
(3)Alan F.
A downstairs Japanese restaurant that has a sushi boat theme as the main attraction. Sushi was ok and the variety was also just ok. When I went in the late afternoon, it wasn't that busy and that may be why the variation on the boats wasn't as good. Ended up ordering a ramen deluxe noodle and that was three star quality as well. Overall a nice place to try but given the area's variety of places to try, I wouldn't go back.
(3)Mychael H.
This is one of my favorite sushi places I go to while I'm in the city. I my favorite Roll I always get is The Lion King Roll & seaweed Salad here. I got a friend who's works here he be hooking me up with the best sushi.
(5)Steve L.
I hate to love this place but it was my first exposure to conveyor-belt sushi a few years ago and I always have to visit every time I'm in downtown SF. My most recent visit here was in February 2015 and it was pretty empty when I got here (Wednesday afternoon around 5pm). The chef made some nice assortments of the higher-priced options this visit. I give the place three stars for sushi quality, three stars for service (had to bug them for water refills frequently), four stars for sushi creativity and five stars for introducing me to conveyor-belt sushi. If you aren't in a hurry, there's a less overrun conveyor-belt place in Japantown (Isobune).
(4)Mary G.
I'm glad this place is still around. I left SF over 10 years ago and this place has been a good staple for my sushi and tempura cravings.
(4)Laurie R.
This place was absolutely delicious!!! The rolls are unique and yummy... Staff is very friendly... And even if your adventurous side doesn't come out, they have a the classic rolls. I would definitely recommend this place!
(5)