The Top 10 Restaurants In Japantown San Francisco

SF’s Japantown is a beautiful part of the city; full of culture, great shopping and awesome restaurants. One convenient pleasure of visiting the area is the close proximity of each location, which makes it easy to explore all it has to offer and indulge in these various restaurants at your leisure. As is typical of the city, Japantown’s restaurants offer a variety of flavors and styles, and each brings its own unique touch to the dining experience.
© © bluewaikiki/flickr

1. Kappa Japanese Restaurant

Restaurant, Japanese

Kappa Japanese Restaurant of Japantown is exactly the restaurant you’d hope to find in this beautiful area of the city. Small, hidden away, and serving some of the best Japanese cuisine in all of the Bay Area, Kappa is truly a treasure waiting to be discovered. With only eight seats, same-day reservations are required to enjoy the exquisite offerings this establishment provides. With few other Japanese restaurants like this one left, it is a must-visit for anyone visiting Japantown that is truly interested in understanding and experiencing the native cuisine to its fullest.

2. Kiss Seafood

Restaurant, Seafood, Sushi

Kiss Seafood is a small restaurant that packs a major punch. Known for its incredibly fresh and delectable seafood, Kiss offers a cozy dining experience perfect for special occasions. With heartwarming cuisine that will make you feel as if you’ve bought a ticket straight to Japan, the two-person team serves up some of the best Japanese the city has to offer. While securing a reservation may be a challenge, both the food and service provide an experience to be savored.
© Jordi Sanchez Teruel/flickr

3. Kui Shin Bo

Restaurant, Bar, Japanese, Sushi, Ramen

Sushi and ramen; what more is there to be said? Kui Shin Bo serves both in all their fresh, delicious, and satisfying glory. The sushi bar offers a good variety of sushi rolls and steaming, hearty ramen bowls, as well other awesome choices like squid tempura and BBQ short ribs. Kui Shin Bo is a great place to have lunch or dinner, boasting an attentive staff and a warm environment packed into an endearing little restaurant in Japantown.

4. Waraku

Restaurant, Japanese

Waraku occupies a beautifully designed location and serves some excellent ramen and small plates. Serving lunch and dinner, the modern Japanese restaurant offers a host of yummy appetizers, mouthwatering tonkatsu and shoyu ramen bowls, and an ambient environment in which to enjoy them. If you’re looking for a filling meal at a fair price, Waraku offers just that, right in the center of Japantown!
© Alpha/flickr

5. San Wang Restaurant

Restaurant, Chinese

San Francisco is known to have some of the best Chinese food places in the state. This means that if you’re ever in Japantown, great Chinese cuisine isn’t too far away. San Wang Restaurant is a unique fusion establishment, serving up popular Chinese dishes with a Korean twist. Offering dishes that bring together the savory and spicy cuisines of both cultures, and best known for their dried fried chicken, San Wang is the perfect spot to fill your stomach and try something new.
© Usodesita/flickr

6. YakiniQ BBQ

Restaurant, Korean

YakiniQ BBQ is a Korean barbecue joint located in the heart of Japantown. Known for its generous offering of meats and youthful vibe, the restaurant is very popular among SF locals. Although the wait can get quite long, well-priced selections and a fun atmosphere make it a great place to go as a group. The AYCE selection, specifically the premium option, provides delicious, filling cuts with authentic Korean flavoring that is hard to beat.

7. Benkyodo Co.

Benkyodo Co.

It’s hard not to resist something sweet while visiting this area of the city, as there are some great places serving delicious sweets in Japantown. Benkyodo Company is one of Japantown’s best sweets shops, offering a huge selection that will brighten your day. Specializing in manju and mochi, Benkyodo’s hugely popular selection always satisfies. Any establishment that has been open for over 100 years is surely doing something right.

Benkyodo Co., 1747 Buchanan St., San Francisco, CA, USA +1 415 922 1244

8. Yasukochi's Sweet Stop

Yasukochi’s Sweet Stop

Yasukochi’s Sweet Stop is well-known throughout the city for its tantalizingly tasty offerings. Best known for its famous coffee crunch cake, Yasukochi’s also offers various other desserts, and calling ahead to ensure you get your hands on some is definitely not a bad idea. From spongecakes to cream rolls, you’re sure to find something that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Yasukochi’s Sweet Stop, 1790 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA, USA +1 415 931 8165

© stu spivack/flickr

9. DOSA on Fillmore

DOSA on Fillmore

If you’re looking for some variety during your visit, great Indian cuisine is also close by. DOSA provides some of the best South Indian cuisine in the Bay Area, and its Fillmore location is a sight to behold. An extravagant setting with warm service and a great selection of regional Indian cuisine make for an incredible experience. Perfect for large groups and couples, this upscale establishment is definitely worth checking out during your time in Japantown.

DOSA on Fillmore, 1700 Fillmore St San Francisco, CA, USA +1 415 441 3672

10. State Bird Provisions

State Bird Provisions

A short walk from Japantown’s Sundance Kabuki Theatre stands one of San Francisco’s best American restaurants. State Bird Provisions has garnered a reputation for its inventive and eccentric menu items that are ever-changing and constantly evolving. State Bird offers a Western dim sum experience in a warm atmosphere, and the selection is hard to find elsewhere. American cuisine with an Asian flare, the establishment isn’t what you’d expect to find in Japantown, but it’s a welcome surprise!

State Bird Provisions, 529 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA, USA +1 415 795 1272

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