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Koo

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408 Irving St
San Rafael, CA 94903

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(415) 731-7077
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Japanese Restaurants

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Sushi

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Koo - San Rafael, CA
Reviews
( 24 )
( 5 )
( 3 )
( 0 )
( 0 )

Best

They had fresh fish, fast service and excellent creative rolls. The ambiance is definitely romantic, more for couples on dates not for families or kids at all. The sushi bar onl...

Worst

All reviews seem positive

Great Sushi......Spoonfull of Happiness is a must even for all the unit haters out there!!!! 2/4/2009

I was recomended Koo by a co-worker and decided to read some reviews before I went. I stuck with alot of my traditional choices ( Shiro Maguro, suzuki and sake) and also ventured to try some of the better reviewed items (Best Roll , Spoonful of Happiness and flying kamakazi) and I also tried their baby butter fish as well which normally when I have had has been a little on the fishy side of taste but this one was just a little bland for my liking but it was still very fresh just like everything else I had ordered and the spoonfull of happiness was exactly that. This place will definitely be in my rotaion of sushi spots along with Okawa (Antioch, I from the East Bay) Ebisu and Blowfish. Pros: Waiteress was very attentive to our needs and knew exactly when I needed another drink Cons: small bar area which I prefer to sit at since you always get a great story about what you are eating...parking sucked but I still lucked out and got a spot around the block on Lincoln. more
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Yummy Sushi for a great price 3/1/2007

They had fresh fish, fast service and excellent creative rolls. The ambiance is definitely romantic, more for couples on dates not for families or kids at all. The sushi bar only had room for 6 people so if you want to sit there, you should make reservations in advance. Their staff is friendly and fast - and sushi chefs were very attentive and although very diligent in making the sushi, also very quick. Also quite a good Sake list. Pros: Excellent service and food more
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Excellent place for Japanese food/ Romantic ambience 11/18/2006

i work near by and have always wanted to try this place because of the reviews. so i brought my boyfriend there the other night and really loved the food. the place is romantic but is also good for a group of 8. All the tables are candle lit which give this small cozy restaurant a nice ambience. Food is excellent from the sushi to the shared plates and price is not bad at all. They also give good portion sizes for their dishes. For the two of us it came to about 60 bucks. Can't wait to go back again to try the rest of the menu. more
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Realy good 9/26/2006

this place is great but you must get seated at the sushi bar otherwise the main dining area looks boring. the food is remarkable with extra fresh items and creative chefs. i was happy to see a nice selection of sake yet nothing in comparision to Tsunami sushi but adeuqate. i will be back here more
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Excellent 9/17/2006

To start, the service here is the best. Everyone is always genuine, friendly, and accommodating. They have the freshest sashimi I have ever tasted. In fact, I don't think I ever knew good sashimi until I had it at Koo. I always order the Chef's Choice plate.Their sushi rolls are creative and delicious. For a while, all I did was obssess over when I would visit their place again because their food was so good. They serve a chocolate lava cake that is scrumptious, in the shape of a paramid, tastes like quality, and cost $3! Pros: excellent food and service Cons: hard to find parking more
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The best 8/15/2006

Whilst youre waiting in the street outside Ebisu for a table thats another hour away, why not reflect on the delicious sushi youre missing at KOO. The ambiance is classy and smart without being pretentious, and the rolls are creative not cliched. The fish is fresh and the tempura is light and delicious. Ebisu set the standard for sushi in the sunset and KOO meets and exceeds that challenge. more
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Delicious 4/29/2006

The sushi is very fresh. I know there are lines at Ebisu, a few blocks away, but the sushi really is better here. Tried The Best roll w/crispy tempura and the spider roll was very crunchy too. The hamachi was tasty and unagi tender. Be sure to order the tuna tartare w/shrimp chips, always a standout. The service is very good, our water glass and tea cups were constantly filled. The green tea gelato was refreshing and a bargain for $3, 2 sm scoops of gelato and 2 sm butter/nut cookies. Expect to easily spend $60 for 2 w/o alcohol. If you arrive early at 6pm, you won't need reservations. Pros: innovative dishes, good food, good for sharing Cons: reservations, pricey, parking more
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Great quality sushi and interesting creations 4/25/2006

We appreciate the quality of their sushi and the interesting creations of fusion dishes. But, they lack a bit on the selections of sushi. Hope to see items such as real live scallops & live shrimp (not flash frozen), and more unusual fresh fish. Pros: Fresh sushi, Good fusion creations Cons: Lack sushi selections more
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Great sushi 4/11/2006

I went there with 3 of my girls after reading the review at citysearch. Definetely excellent. The tuna & salmon tartar is very good. We also had the nigiri fresh sushi like tuna, uni & hamachi, all fresh. The duck salad was small but yummy and it's not skimp on the meat. One downside, it's kinda though to find parking. But everything else is great. Will definetely come back soon. Pros: Great sushi, innovative menus, zen ambiance Cons: difficult parking more
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Excellent sushi, good portions for the price 2/28/2006

I was here last saturday for my buddies birthday. Excellent service and excellent rolls and freshness of sushi. The ""best roll"" and ""dynamite"" hand roll are just amazing. You must get them. You get what you pay for at Koo. more
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THE VERY BEST!!! 2/5/2006

I live around the corner and had a friend over and we love sushi! This place is awesome! The service, the ambience are above Highly. The other night they had a 40 minute wait so we check out another place close by that is new. NEVER AGAIN. I am making rsv for this Friday so we can make sure to be seated! Don't miss going to KOO! Pros: Sushi, The Staff, Food Cons: na, na, na more
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Incredible! 2/3/2006

We have been enjoying weekly great sushi for 20 years! My husband and I dropped in at Koo months ago as a walk by for we try new places all the time looking for quality sushi. We abandoned our old enjoyable sushi haunt that very night. We go every week without fail, driving all the way from the East Bay to sample not only their superb sushi, but their excellent cooked food also. Their desserts are incredible. Spoonful of Happiness is the absolute best taste delight!! I almost hate to spread the word in fear we will never get seats. Great sushi is so hard to find! Pros: Quality sushi, Innovative kitchen, Great desserts Cons: None seen yet! more
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Absolutely Incredible 1/8/2006

I'm from Japan and have been on the hunt for ""the"" perfect sushi restaurant in SF. After months and months of searching, and hundreds of establishments tested, I've found it at Koo. Everything was perfection, from the taste & quality of the food, to the service, ambience, and price. Everything was wonderfully authentic - even the staff members were Japanese (and who also spoke highly polished English). I would highly recommend everything on the menu, as everything we ordered was excellent. Especially try the ""Spoonful of Happiness"" to start off with. Amazing. The quality and taste of the fish was impeccable. Highly rivals restaurants in Japan. Pros: Everything more
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ups and downs 11/29/2005

chicken teriyaki - nothing special una-kyu - very fishy tasting hamachi kama- yummy with ponzu sauce miso cod - great calamari - lots! good value though comes with aioli which adds to unhealthiness Pros: great decor Cons: parking difficult more
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My favorite Sushi restaurant! 10/27/2005

I was never big on Sushi until I went to Koo , I love this place ! Absolutely must try's are the ""Best Roll"" and ""Aji"" Very nice service , fast and very polite and welcoming. We usually try to get seats by the bar too see the food being prepared, and the chefs always make us some extra freebie snacks. Last time we got 3 of them ! :) Atmosphere is great for a romantic date , or cozy dinner. I virtually have nothing but good things to say about this restaurant , highly recommended. Pros: Good value, Very tasty, Cozy Cons: Parking, Can be packed, can think of anything more
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Yummy 8/26/2005

From the first bite of the Grilled Godzilla Tofu to the last morsel of Mt. Fuji chocolate cake (with white chocolate mouse filling!), our taste buds applauded this Inner Sunset gem. As residents of the Inner Sunset for the last year, we've managed to hit most of the 9th Avenue fare, but Koo had escaped us. Thank CitySearch for lighting our way. As someone who enjoys sushi, but has yet to fall in love with it, I have to say the Azteca (crab, avocado, gobo--which appears to be an orange roe, and cucumber, all wrapped in white fish, then topped with a tiny bit of jalapeno, spicy mayo, tobiko and ponzu---ooh ponzu--then lightly baked) was the finest sushi I've ever consumed. The service was delightful, the ambience ambient, and overall, it was superb. Make a reservation. Enjoy. more
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Excellent food 7/6/2005

My fiance and I were visiting from Los Angeles and looking to get away from the tourist-vibe of Union Square. This place was a perfect neighborhood destination outside of the main attractions of the city. It had a great laid back vibe and very attentive service. We ordered several items from the menu and loved everything we got. The food was excellent. Our only complaint is that we ate way too much because it was all so good. The sakes were great, too. The place had a lot of diners but seemed able to accomodate walk-ins. Also, the prices were pretty reasonable in comparison to other sushi spots I've been to. Overall, great experience and we definitely plan to come back. Pros: Great food, Friendly service, Good value Cons: Distance from Union more
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Terrific sushi 7/1/2005

Very freash and creative sushi. Try the azteca roll or any of the negri you won't be disappointed. Parking in the neighborhood can be challanging but well worth the effort, the muni train storps at the corner as an alternative. Pros: food, service Cons: parking more
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Amazing sushi 7/1/2005

I just moved the the neighborhood and was so happy to find Koo so close by. It's one of the best sushi joints in town. Inventive, but not too trendy, super fresh. The service was friendly and the atmosphere was just right, it never seems to be too crowded, we have never had to wait for a seat, but we always go early. Pros: food, service, sake more
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Great food and service 6/25/2005

The food at this place is phenomenal. We went with eight people and had no problem getting seats. Had almost half of the dishes on the menu. Everything was great. I highly recommend the cajun handroll. The best part is its open until 11. more
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Menu for Koo


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Editorial

  • The Scene
    Beneath a plum-colored ceiling, wood beams and hanging lamps, neighborhood couples settle into booths and banquettes. Soft-volume jazz fills the air; modern Japanese prints...

  • 3/31/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Payments: Cash, Master Card, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Central West, Inner Sunset
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