Umami
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: (415) 346-7529
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Union Street
- Best of Citysearch:
- Japanese Food 2007
- Hours:
- Tue-Sun 5:30pm-10:30pm
Message from Umami
Sf Weekly 2007, Best New Restaurant-Best of the Bay
- Japanese cuisine
- Upscale casual
- Sake bar
Paid advertisement by Umami.
Editorial Review for Umami – by Roxanne Webber
The Scene
A sign-less stone exterior gives way to low-lit interiors, filled with clean lines and natural elements: Smooth stones accent the bar and sushi counter and the bar top is made of grainy live-edge cedar. The space, divided by shoji-style screens housing orchids, features banquette seating both upstairs and down, where young, stylish couples and groups of friends convene. Later in the evening, the bar area becomes its own micro-scene with Marina singles mixing.
The Food
Diners snack through the menu, which reads like a "best hits" of Asian cuisine. The spicy-tuna-and-water-chestnut roll is fresh and garnished with bright tobiko, while the Wagyu beef tartar tataki, delicately charred on the outside, reveals meltingly tender pieces of beef flavored with peanut and fresh wasabi. The shaking beef stands out among the mains, but the kitchen excels most at small plates. The coffee-flavored pot du creme, a sleeper hit, comes topped with airy coconut-scented whipped cream.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Fun FactChef Sam Josi and general manager Stryker Scales traveled to Japan before opening Umami to research authentic sake bar styling.
What to DrinkCreative sake-based cocktails like the pale pink Hello Kitty are fresh and not overly sweetened.
Where to SitAsk for the secluded downstairs corner booth or a table upstairs to avoid the cold draft from the door and awkward banquette stools.
User Reviews for Umami
11/15/2007 Posted by jjaeger
I truly enjoyed every aspect of Umami. I was a bit skeptical about going to the marina but you know what this place took that skeptasism away. Food, Service, Ambiance all 5 stars in my book. When you go try the faded crane cocktail....WOW it was so good.
Pros: Everything
10/20/2007 Posted by likeasunrise
Shortly after we ate at Umami, I started feeling tired and a little nauseated. 40 mins later, I had my head sticking out of the car door. I threw up every 20 mins from 10 pm until 4 am. My stomach pains also kept me up until 6 am. I won't go into what other symptoms I had. Anyways, it was hell. What did I order? Sprite, Yamato Roll, Edamame, Spider Roll, Spicy Ahi Roll, and Unagi and Cucumber Roll. Everything tasted good, except the Edamame. It was super chilled and tasted too undercooked. I did not eat everything, just in case you were wondering. I ate a few bites of all the sushi rolls and about 30 edamame. The atmosphere was very trendy, dark, and loud from lots of people talking. The service was decent, but our waitress, Mariko (printed name on receipt), poured water into my Sprite glass, and also rang my Sprite up as Coke, which was what my co-worker had. Our waitress boxed up our leftovers but did not put any condiments in the bags. I asked for wasabi, ginger, soy sauce, and chopsticks three different times before she finally gave me everything. All the leftovers went to waste because I didn't want to take the chance of getting sick again. It took me two whole days to feel better. And now, three days later, I am finally almost back to my normal health. Would I eat at Umami again? I am scared to go back. But I guess, you can get sick from eating at lots of places, not only at this restaurant.
Pros: Decor
Cons: Unsafe food, not so good service, and parking.
Users Like You Also Viewed
Namu
439 Balboa St
San Francisco, CA 94118
