An Japanese Restaurant

4.5 Miss Noboru Inoue (Ino-​san), the best housemade ankimo, the heavy-​handed wasabi, clean counters, well maybe not his sushi nazi style. best to call ahead when coming here. the owners of Koo saved their famous spoonful of happiness dish and now have a focused edema sushi menu in addition to omakase with good dishes. ordered nigiri – sushi rice is pretty good, slightly drier type. good ratio, mostly good knife work but some flaws, like the salmon. I would focus on the Japanese fish; they were better sourced. had toro (spain), kanpachi (japan), hotategai (hokkaido), uni (hokkaido), unagi, tamago (nicely layered), special Akamutsu (grouper this was great), buri (wild yellowtail, should get this), also has miyazaki A5 wagyu torched, very nice. the king crab handroll was good and the negi-​toro was excellent, very fresh with lots of onion. chawanmushi more seafood-​based and saltier from roe, could use more egg custard. place should do well.

Going to An was something that I had wanted to do after reading about for awhile, but since reservations are hard to come by and requiring making a phone call, I had been delaying it. That’s when one of my friends took the initiative and made reservations for the two of us and we went to dinner to enjoy the highly discussed omakase options that start at $ 50. I’m inherently skeptical of reasonably priced sushi, especially in San Francisco, but was willing to go out on a leap of faith that An was as good as everyone said it was.
My friend decided to go with the 12 piece nigiri Omakase option that was $ 75 and I went the more economical path of selecting the 7 piece nigiri Omakase option that came with kanpyo maki. Both omakase options came with soup and an amuse bouche to start.
To start off, this place is tiny. So if you’re a loud talker, someone who enjoys a lot of personal space, or coming with a large (5+) group, this place probably isn’t for you. An is definitely an intimate place, so be prepared to get cozy with your neighbors.
Everything we had that night was incredible and the freshness of the fish was definitely the most noteworthy item. My favorite was the katsuo nigiri I had that came topped with green onion and garlic. At the end, we decided to blow it up big time by checking out the ala carte menu and got an order of ankimo and the Wagyu nigiri. I prefer Kusakabe’s Wagyu nigiri, but this was absolutely worth the $ 8 add-​on. I’m not a huge fan of ankimo, but the few bites I had were absolutely delicious. The entire evening was great where we sat at the sushi bar, got to watch everything get assembled in front of us, and enjoyed hanging out with our chefs. I will definitely be back here with my husband, the effort of trying to get a seat at An is absolutely worth it!

I had the Chef’s Omakase. The cooked dishes were better than expected: chawanmushi, miso black cod, and matsutake soup were all great. However, the nigiri, the point of eating here, was very average and quite bland in some cases. Three stars is me being kind. I suspect that experience can vary whether you are seated on the left (head chef) vs the right (not head chef) of the bar. We were seated on the right and noted a difference in nigiri preparation and complete lack of any special touches in terms of seasoning. Rice was acceptable, which was a stark contrast to the previous occupant, Ino Sushi, who is sorely missed and might die with one of the best sushi rice recipes ever known to man.
I recall the nigiri being much better at Koo, so perhaps this will get better, but with Kusakabe and Wako in town, I doubt I will ever be back.

Two great omakase meals last week while visiting from Philadelphia. If I lived in San Francisco I likely would not post a review to help keep it a secret, but feel OK sharing since I only travel to San Francisco a few times a year.
First I had the nigiri sushi which had 12 pieces of nigiri plus an incredible zensai and soup at the end. Everything was very tasty and I even ordered an unagi at the end.
The second night I enjoyed the traditional omakase which did not disappoint. The cooked dishes were very good, but if I had to choose I would pick the nigiri again.
Service was excellent — sitting at the sushi bar is a major advantage to watch the chef’s prepare.
Highly recommended!

Came here for my girlfriend’s birthday dinner with a party of four and a reservation at 7:15pm. The place wasn’t packed until we left but there’s also ten seats at tables and around 8 seats at the bar — very small restaurant. Also, looking for the place may be hard because they don’t have a logo on the front door, but it is next to the restrooms in the japantown mall where daiso and Ichiban-​Kan is. We got seated once we arrived and give warm towels to clean our hands.
We had the Spoonful of Happiness and the Chef’s Omakase all around. The Spoonful of Happiness stood out to me because it was the first time I had it — you’re given a sake shot with a spoon of uni and another with ankimo, amaebi, and truffle flavor! You’re to drink half your shot and eat one of the spoons and another half after for the next spoon — I guess it acts as a palette cleanser in between the two spoons since each had such a rich and strong flavor. Personally liked the uni here because it didn’t taste fishy and was super fresh! The ankimo was a little too thick, but the truffle flavor made me happy!
We then got started with the Chefs Omakase:
— gomae spinach wrapped around cucumber and another ankimo spoon: spinach had a very tasty dressing that was light but delicious — the sesame on top added to the flavor perfectly.
— bluefin tuna (from Spain) & snapper (from Thailand) sashimi: the bluefin and snapper were melt-​in-​your-​mouth fresh with then fresh wasabi they provide you.
— steamed egg with enoki, mushroom bits, shrimp & scallop: this was placed in the cutest container with a lid, once the kid was opened, the aroma of all the contents came together and smelled as yummy as it tasted! It had lots of surprise goodies inside like enoki, mushrooms, shrimp, and scallop that you don’t see until you really dig in — yum! And watch out, it’s super hot.
— seabass: came grilled and crispy with bamboo — yummy as well!
— vegetable dish: came with mini Brussels sprouts, tomatoes and squid pieces — this was a very sour & tart tasting dish — couldn’t decide if I fully liked it but I did like the Brussels sprouts. The squid barely had flavor so it didn’t bother me but the sauce or whatever they cooked these in had a different taste that stood out to me.
— 7 nigiri pieces: didn’t think they were very fresh which was the disappointment. Toro is usually my favorite to save for last but it was very sour tasting, which didn’t taste food :(
— soup: surprisingly not your usual miso soup, but it wasn’t bad nor was it good.
— sorbet: this was the dessert for the evening and it was a scoop of citrus sorbet — not usually a fan of sorbet so I didn’t really like it. However, my friends did.
Would rate this place as a 3.5 because it had its pros: service, tea refills were on point, aesthetics, and the first few dishes of our dinner. Cons were that the dishes went from yummy to not fresh as it progressed into the night. $ 158 per person between 3 people (since we treated birthday girl). Could be better for the price.

My Unilocal pen pal experiences have been quite haphazard since the very beginning. From your typical «I’m in town let’s meet and have dinner» to «Will you marry me I have a yacht, let’s sail all over the world,» and anything in between. Some did result in delightful encounters: one prior example was a man who interviewed me and wrote about my experience with Princess cake for a Swedish American magazine, and another, was a retire elite college professor, who goes to Japan on a regular interval but otherwise spends his time in San Francisco. He told me about An, after returning from Tokyo in November. Our correspondences since then have ranged from world travel to world cuisine, and of course in the back of my head I kept on trying to make my way to An. He said that it’s as good as Shiro’s, and any number of good restaurants in Japan.
He would be right. Three months since it opened, I finally snagged a reservation.
I understand in 2016, a restaurant named Omakase was awarded a Michelin star in San Francisco. That seemed odd. It’s like naming your daughter Meili, which in Chinese means Beautiful, wouldn’t it be a bit too déclassé and gauche? That said, in a good Japanese restaurant, you should go with the omakase menu, out of respect for the chef, and out of respect for your wallet. The talented chefs often assemble the best they know how, and you’d enjoy it in the sequence that you should be enjoying them at. And you get a good value for the money you are about to spend. Just like they do in Japan.
Such was the case at An. Get the nigiri omakase if you are into sushi, or for $ 5 more, get the omakase which gives you more than enough sample of a fine Japanese cuisine, from start to finish, it’s the best $ 80 you’d ever spend.
On the nigiri omakase menu, you get to have the fried fish bones to go with the aji, so if you don’t go for it, try to order it on the side, the fish bone, as my retired globe trotting professor told me, is not to be missed. On both omakase menus, you do get the starter that should immediately signal you that this is about a journey, a food journey that will leave you wanting for more: kale salad with sesame dressing, monk fish liver with sweet shrimp and jelly. Do take advantage of that palette cleanser before you are presented with a bowl of sashimi. Their varies selection of tuna, including toro, are of similar quality as Tsukiji Fish Market’s sushi restaurant. No one who has eaten at that market would be disappointed by the quality that is served at An.
The show continues with steamed egg custard and then the parade of carefully assembled seven piece nigiri. If your neighbor is having the nigiri omakase, he/​she will be on the 2^nd round of their nigiri plate.
Good rice to fish portion. Excellent quality of rice, not too soft not too firm and just perfect temperature. However, it’s their fresh and REAL wasabi that kicked the food up a notch.
Finished the meal with a clear broth fish soup and then sorbet.
I wrote to the professor after, and told him that I thoroughly enjoyed his recommendation. We were speculating the comings and goings of the next possible Michelin star award in 2017. Wako, as it turned out, received a one star in 2016, before he had tried, but after I had dined there, when it just opened. He’s afraid, that An would turn into another Wako. I’m not exactly that worried, I think time would tell. Plus, we are convinced its odd location may not attract the non devotees. it’s not the Mission or Russian Hill, this is the ghetto burb, straddling between Laurel Heights and Western Addition, and just so ever so closely tied to Inner Richmond aka the Avenues. For food enthusiasts, we know a diamond in the rough when we see one, and for selfish reasons, we’d like it to stay that way.
He ends his communiqué by saying that he wishes that it never changes and no (Michelin) star would ever been assigned. I suspect the word is already out, and it may be a tad too late for that. But, if and when that day does come, we could at least say, «we’ve been there from the beginning.»

Really excellent Japanese food. The most quality sushi and interesting dishes. Will have to find another opportunity to come here again. So awesome!
In addition to the regular set menu items, also recommend «spoonful of happiness».

We thought it was better than Kusakabe and Maruya. This could, of course, be because we made reservations at 9:25, arrived at 9:30 and were the only people at the bar. So we received special attention. But the place is so small that I suspect everyone gets special attention.
Kiyoshi San is a delight. Sit at the bar and talk to him — he’s been in the restaurant business his whole life and started wielding a knife at age 5. I didn’t know much about him before walking into An but from what I’ve gathered after a quick Google search, he was one of the first sushi chefs in America and pretty much invented (at least popularized) Americanized sushi — rolls with mayonnaise etc. Kiyoshi San is *not* serving Americanized sushi at An. He is serving exceptional omakase.
Standouts for us were the chawanmushi, Arctic char, Japanese grouper, Shima-​Aji, the Uni… actually everything was great and unique. I’d say the toro was excellent (it was) but when is toro bad?
We rushed to make it in time for our 9:30pm reservation. My suggestion is that you rush to make a reservation here too before it gets too popular.

Hidden in the mall at the Peace Plaza in Japantown, An is a homey, no-​frills sushi spot. With competition like Kusakabe and Wako in town, An sets itself apart by feeling a little more traditional. Based on Unilocal reviews, my boyfriend and I decided to skip on the small dishes and go with the nigiri omakase. The highlight of the meal was the first dish, which they call the «spoonful of happiness.» Prior to this, I had never had ankimo (monkfish liver) before and was wary to try it, but the spoon of ankimo drizzled with truffle oil and a little caviar on top. It was a perfectly briny but luxurious bite, with a side of delicious baby kale gomae. Next followed 12 pieces of nigiri served one at a time, each with a description from the chef of its type and origin. The fish was extremely fresh, but the ratio of fish to rice was a little off in my opinion. The meal was finished off with an earthy matsutake miso soup, leaving me perfectly full. Although I was extremely satisfied with the meal, there was a little something extra that was missing and I would probably prefer other omakases in the city. Regardless, it’s another great addition to the Japanese food scene!

Yet another reason I love all things culinary in Japan town. Hands down the best Japanese restaurants and markets, as one would expect!
I had the pleasure of dining at An in their infancy and you would have never known the restaurant was a newcomer. The husband /​wife duo have got this restaurant down pat. Super impressive for a newer J-​town spot. Under the same ownership as Koo, Chef Hayakawa, his wife, and the one other staff member delivered an amazing meal. An is a discreet, 16-​seater restaurant inside the mall. An unassuming, ambitious undertaking indeed.
We absolutely loved our omakase meal. For $ 80, we noshed on some incredibly unique dishes as well as some familiar favorites. My personal favorite was the chawanmashi but every dish was memorable. There are several a la carte options but the omakase is an amazing deal.
I truly cherish culinary experiences like we had at An. A lovely, intimate ambiance that showcased wonderful cuisine and tradition.

Wagyu, Uni, Tuna Toro, Hamachi Toro, Amaebi, Ankimo, Negihama hr…2 of them, Scallop, Fried Smelt, Tamago and some other specials…
That was more order. Follow me and I will provide you with your own omakase :) Opted in to do al la carte instead of omakase. whenever I have the option to go by per piece orders, that’s what I typically go for. I know what I want and it’s not a big deal if I missed out on a small dish of fruits mixed in yuzu, or somethin. I always make sure the chef let’s me know if there is a must have item on his menu just in case.
Location: they took over Ino Sushi in jtown. Good bye Ino… I enjoyed you while you were around
Dont come here because it’s a small place, and you’ll just make my wait time for a reservation that much longer: P

The restaurant is so unassuming that me and the boyfriend had a bit of trouble finding this place. It’s located in the Japantown mall and it’s so new that it’s not on the mall map! Look for ino sushi instead.
I highly recommend sitting at the bar with Kiyoshi (+1 for ACTUALLY Japanese chefs… yes I’m judging you Kusakabe and Omakase). Me and the boyfriend both got the nigiri omakase for $ 75 each. It’s a great deal for the quality and variety of fish. I eat omakase fairly often and was surprised to try a couple of new pieces here — including sanma (Japanese pike fish), a fatty and sweet fish that is only found in late autumn in Northern Japan as it swims down from Hokkaido (fun fact that I learned from Kiyoshi).
The al a carte nigiri menu was also very reasonably priced. We had some A5 wagyu and it was so buttery. A whole plate of ankimo is only $ 10! The tamago is made daily in house and you can really tell how much care goes into this. It’s moist, slightly sweet without being overly eggy and has no air pockets. It’s not included in the omakase but that’s okay because it’s so cheap at $ 3 a piece that you’re getting a better deal by having an extra piece of fish in the omakase instead.
The only negative thing I have to say is that the rice could be a bit warmer/​softer. Sushi purists will say that having the perfect rice is key but I think that’s a difference that most people won’t appreciate anyways. So no points docked!

I was so happy to discover this place. I thought I was going to Inu. I looked around and I guess I missed the sign on the wall that said «An».
At first I was surprised to see such a simple menu with such high prices. Especially when you consider how affordable Inu was. But hey I had ordered a beer and wasn’t about to leave because I didn’t want to spend thirty extra bucks per person.
We each had 8 pieces of sushi, one beer, one small sake bottle, agedashi and the miso cod for 100 bucks. I really wanted to hate it but honestly those eight bites of sushi might be the best sushi I have ever had in my life. It was unforgettable. Now we will see if I can spend that kind of money again. Im thinking the answer is yes.

4.5 STARS
So long, Ino. See you never…
There’s no question that Ino aka the Sushi Nazi made the BEST ankimo (foie gras of the sea)…ever. But dayaaaam, he was hella grumpy… like haven’t been laid in 50 years «grumpy».
Before it was publicly announced that Ino was closing, I wanted to pay him a farewell visit. I tried making reservations three times (he doesn’t accept walk-​ins) only to get yelled at: «NOOOOOO, reservations!!!» and the phone to get slammed at my face… by Ino himself (twice) and then by his wife.
I hope they’re now enjoying their retirement and having infinite amounts of happy endings. Lawd knows they need them endorphins!
I was excited to learn that the owners of Koo would be talking over. Koo was one of my fav sushi restaurants in SF that I visited weekly for 3 – 4 years with an old ex. Man, I miss those Spoonfuls of Happiness!
While Koo’s new sister restaurant, An has their infamous Spoonfuls of Happiness on the menu, you won’t find Godzilla or Dragon rolls here. It’s strictly edomae-​style sushi with 3 omakase choices ($ 50, $ 75, $ 80) along and a la carte menu of nigiri, sashimi, and hot & cold dishes. Beer, wine, and sake only. $ 30 minimum at the sushi bar (this is very easy to do). Reservations highly recommend as (seating for 16).
My friend and I both ordered the Nigiri Omakase which comes with a zensai (appetizer), 12 pieces of nigiri and soup for $ 75:
.
Before your meal is served, you will receive an oshibori (hot wet towel) to clean your hands. This way you can eat the nigiri with your hands; my preferred method. I don’t want to be THAT girl who drops her nigiri in the soy sauce, only for it to splatter all over herself and her dining companion’s white dress shirt.
*Zensai — Ankimo w/​black truffle & ponzu jelly & Go-​mae:
*Kampachi Toro:
*Iwana:
*Kinmedai:
*Kamasu:
*Shima Aji:
*Saba:
*Akamatsu:
*Saba, kelp wrapped:
*Katsuo:
*Hotategai:
*Otoro:
*Uni w/​ika:
*Matsutake Mushroom & Tofu Soup:
From start to finish, while every course was solid, I definitely favored the nigiri over the cold and hot dish courses. I loved that the red vinegar flavored shari was bite-​sized so you can easily enjoy the nigiri with one mouthful. The shari was very lightly seasoned and held together well. All the fish and seafood selections were undoubtedly fresh with the favs being the kampachi toro, shima aji, saba, hotate, and otoro because of the silky fattiness. This is more of a preference but I would have preferred that Kiyoshi dress each nigiri with soy and his choice accoutrements as one can overdo it when dressing it with soy sauce themselves.
Even though I was stuffed, I couldn’t resist ordered one piece of the Japanese A5 Wagyu Nigiri ($ 8/​piece):
. It’s lightly torched so some of the oils are released making it one bite filled with beefy butteryness.
If you’ve experienced Ino’s manstrual banshee moods (he gave zero phucks and would publicly shame customers), rest assured you won’t experience it here. The owner, Kiyoshi and his wife, Ayumi are incredibly welcoming, sweet, and attentive. Since they softly opened, we were the only customers at the sushi bar that night so everything was leisurely paced, but not slow. The omakase took about 70 minutes.
The ambiance and décor hasn’t changed much from when it was Ino. It’s a place to have an enjoyable and peaceful meal for 2 – 4 people max. Please save the ratchetness and sake bombs for elsewhere.
Beware if you’re parking on the street and don’t leave anything visible in your car. My friend parked on Geary and the car in front had their windows smashed… at 6 pmish.
Thank you, Kiyoshi and Ayumi for a wonderful omakase experience. Maybe you can convince Ino to give you his ankimo recipe? =D

This intimate sushi spot comes from the team that formerly led Koo in the Inner Sunset. As a huge fan of Koo, I was eager to try their new place. The space feels like a hidden discovery (it seats only around 16 people at a time, divided equally between a narrow wall of tables and the bar).
I had the omakase, and loved most everything I tried (especially the dish topped with ponzu gelatin and sprouts). The omakase is about eight small courses, so be prepared to settle in and enjoy delicious fish and impeccable (and unfussy) service.

We eat a lot of sushi and this is the best we’ve had in the city! Highly recommended.
AJR is owned by a wonderful couple and is run by 4 people total. Chef Minoru (not the owner) is so wonderful and friendly and we really enjoyed our omakase while chatting with him. The owner is also a chef and very friendly. The welcoming environment was highly appreciated and the down to earth, genuine attitude was refreshing.
The sushi was excellent. The fish was fresh and kept simple. The steamed soup was my favorite as it was so flavorful and unique. The amberjack and o-​toro were amazing.
Highly recommended to anyone that appreciated fresh sushi from genuine and experienced chefs.

Loved their sushi, but was not as impressed by the cooked dishes.
Their toro was delicious.
The mushroom soup was not great.
The miso black cod lacked texture.
Will stick to the sushi in future.

My friend and I were planning to have dinner in Japantown this evening, and he suggested trying out this restaurant which is at the location of the former Ino Restaurant. (That for a long time was my friend’s favorite sushi restaurant in SF but in the end he stopped going because of bad experience with the chef’s attitude and behavior.)
We went in and was greeted by a very pleasant (and cute) hostess. We found out from her after we were seated that today is the restaurant’s Grand Opening. There was no banner or anything saying so. It’s nice they chose to do it with little fanfare.
This restaurant is pretty much all about sushi. There are some warm appetizers but no cooked dishes. The menu showed a large variety of nigiri choices, which price shown being per piece. There’s also omakase sashimi on the menu, which was my selection. I chose the 10 piece sashimi with five different types of fish. I liked it very much. Tonight’s choice included blue fin tuna, a scallop selection. and three other kind of «specialty» fish (this is versus the ordinary, run-​of-​the-​mill selections). For $ 37 it would be something I’d definitely come back for. Also very good was the tempura shisamo appetizer both my friend and ordered. For $ 6 (I think it was) you get two pieces of the smelt and it comes with a bit of wasabi salt on the side.
My one disappointment (if it can be called that) was their hot sake only comes in the small 150-​ml size for $ 8. Next time I’ll likely go for the beer instead which had selections that were fairly priced on the menu.
We were not the first customer into the restaurant because there were parties already seated at the sushi bar. However, we became the first paying customers since we finished and paid our bill ahead of the others.
Will definitely return and hope the good impression I got this first time continues. Also helps if the cute and nice hostess continues to be there. :)

Great new sushi spot. Four of us had the omakase menu which included appetizers, sashimi, nigiri sushi, soup and dessert. All very, very good! And very Japanese!
Excellent traditional dishes, sashimi and nigiri. No American-​style rolls (only negi-​toro and kampyo at the end of dinner). Also a good sake selection and a few beers, etc.
Very friendly staff. Small place, but feels spacious. Maybe not ideal if you are in a hurry, but perfect if you want very good food, great service and a relaxing evening.

I was a fan of Kiyoshi-​san and Minoru-​san at Koo in the sunset, and I’m very happy to report that they are back serving up amazing, traditional edo-​mae style sushi at Sushi An.
The new restaurant is fantastic, it is in the old Ino Sushi spot in the Japantown mall. They completed a small renovation of the space and it is intimate (8 bar seats and 12 table seats), with a very traditional Japanese décor — beautiful wood furnishings and simple, elegant touches.
Compared to Koo, the menu has been greatly simplified, with an emphasis on traditional edomae offerings. No crazy rolls, just 3 omakase options, a few maki options, and also the option to order a la carte. Now that they work in a smaller venue with a scaled-​down menu, the chefs are able to work at a slower, more calculated pace, resulting in increased quality.
And the food, of course, is amazing. Great akasu (red vinegar) flavored rice and wonderful, expertly prepared neta. I chose the nigiri omakase option (1 otsumami, 12 pieces of nigiri, soup) for $ 75. The meal on this particular occasion featured madai, sanma, akami, o-​toro, kohada, saba, katsuo, iwana, hotate, shima aji, and anago (not in that order, just typing the neta as I remember, also forgetting a few since I ended up ordering some additional pieces). Highlights were the akami (incredibly flavorful bluefin from Spain, better than the o-​toro), the delicate madai, the perfectly vinegared kohada (see photo) and the very fatty shima aji.
Great balance between shari and neta, with the rice being at perfect body temperature throughout the meal, and very nice progression of flavors. Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Sushi An even more than recent visits to Wako, Kusakabe, and Gintei. Highly recommended. My new go-​to sushi spot in San Francisco proper.