Ryoko Restaurant & Bar

First of all, THERE'S PEANUT BUTTER IN THE VOLCANO ROLL. And I, of course, had to try it. And, of course, it was delicious. Mainly, because anything with peanut butter in it is delicious. But in all seriousness, this roll was awesome. Their Jumping Tuna roll (and I presume the other ""Jumping"" rolls) are alright.. they are apparently the most popular rolls ordered, but I thought they were pretty heavy and tasted like they were over-battered and fried. Very...doughy. All in all, the sushi was ok, but I didn't really see what all the craze was about. I still maintain that Akiko's on Mason is the best sushi in San Francisco. more

The food was great, but the waitress was amazing! Pros: food and service very good, reasonably priced Cons: atmosphere relatively casual, a bit noisy more

This place is simply badass. It is a hole in the wall that serves the greatest sushi. The staff is friendly. With an eclectic interior it seems as if you are the only one who knows this hidden jewel. And they are also on the NWA dine and fly list. So you get FF miles to boot! Pros: great food Cons: don't think they have AC and it was oddly warm for a bit when I was in SF more

Where to start? My mother who has been to Japan numerous times discovered this place. I think she was initially attracted by the Noren hanging outside the door. We decended the stairs on Taylor street and proceeded to have all previous sushi experiences eclipsed. Ryoko's is the new gold standard...or should I say ""toro"" standard? As you begin to show up more than once, they remember your name, your favorite forms of sushi and as I just read in another review, a willingness to create food artistry if you let them. Reiko suggested that I try the clam miso soup after I simply ordered the miso soup. I'll never go back to regular miso soup there again. You get what you pay for. Fresh fish, healthy food, excellent service and attitude. I'm torn between trying to keep it a secret and telling the world. Do yourself a favor... Pros: Great downtown location, late night hours, fabulous staff Cons: Parking more

This place has some of the best sushi I've ever had. The cold saki is incredible. more

This place has some of the best sushi I've ever had. The cold saki is incredible. more

Good food, service and the atmosphere is great. The waitresses are attentive and food is fresh. Have fun. Pros: Nice lighting Cons: Sometimes it can get really crowded more

In searching for a good neighborhood sushi place, I think I have come close. It has all the elements that... more

In searching for a good neighborhood sushi place, I think I have come close. It has all the elements that Ebisu did when I was a regular: Family o... more

My fiance and I met his coworker at Ryoko last week. It was a cute little hole-in-the-wall place with good sushi. I enjoyed dinner and the staff was very nice. The only con is that it's in a basement between Union Square and a not-so-nice area, so bring a friend, as you might have to park far away (BART is nearby, as well). Pros: good sushi, friendly staff Cons: basement atmosphere, difficulty parking more

Fresh sushi, made by the best sushi chefs in the bay. This is where the other sushi chefs in the city come to eat after they close. Fun, loud, dark, crowd of all ages. If you don't like loud, funky music, you can pass. The fish is very fresh, and the amount of rice used in their nigiri and rolls is perfect . Many of the other bay area sushi restaurants overpack the pieces with too much rice and not enough fish. No complaints - simply delicious fish. Pros: Fish Quality, Sushi Quality & Taste, Fun Atmosphere Cons: Loud Music, Dark Room more

This is a great undiscovered restaurant. It's a little eclectic in it's decor and atmosphere, but the staff are great and very friendly and the food is consistently great. There is a lot of pretense associated with many of the sushi restaurants in SF. This place probably wont cut it with the Marina crowd, but most of the rest of the population will love it! Pros: Great Food, Service and Price Cons: Parking more

Incredible food, friendly staff, and hip atmosphere make this a must visit sushi bar in the city. Parking is a bit of a hassle and there's no real waiting area (the steps are sometimes full), but the food is worth the wait (they accept reservations too). Very very fresh sushi and free edimame while you relax at your table. Service is excellent and the wide selection of rolls will keep you coming back for more! Pros: Food & Service more

This is a great affordable sushi place and so much more. Great for dinner before going out on the town. Loved the fried tuna rolls, caterpiller, albacore sushi. Everything's fresh. Full bar including sake. The waiters are very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is great for hanging out with friends before heading to a bar. It's underground and has dark lighting. I will be back. Pros: full bar, great atmosphere, fresh fish Cons: n/a more

Lots of great things to say about Ryoko's so I'll start with my favorite thing about them which is eating at the sushi bar! Sitting at the bar is part of the whole ""Ryoko's experience"" besides the fact that it's underground. Eating at the bar is where you will get the best sushi and you will be able to see what's on their ""Specials"" menu. Ordering items from the ""Specials"" is highly recommended. You will have a chance to have a really unique sushi tasting experience. Each item is seasonal which is reflective of genuine Japanese cuisine. Of course they serve the year round available tuna and salmon sushi, but the real treat is that every fish and special item on that menu is fresh! And because it's fresh equates too being very flavorful. They don't serve you that ""flash frozen"" and icy cold - flavorless maguro (tuna). So when the fatty tuna is in season, that means you can expect an incredibly rich, dynamic and unique flavor from that piece of sushi. A delight for the taste buds! This is what great sushi should be. Also the menu has Japanese menu items that you don't usually find at most local japanese restaurants. Items like the ""fried cheese"", Agedashi Tofu and Nato. The sushi bar chefs are great guys, the food's great, the service is good. Yeah, it can get a little crowded and littly noisy sometimes... yet that hasn't persuaded me from not eating there since I discovered this little spot over 3 years ago. more

super fun atmosphere. incredible staff. amazing fish. great chefs. no pretentious attitudes. my favorite sushi place by far. Pros: great fish, great staff, great chefs Cons: if you don't like loud techno music :) more

The woman who wrote that scathing review is on something. She honestly is on some form of drugas. I have eaten at Ryoko at like 5 times and every time has been fantastic. It doesn't smell like vinegar and the staff and chef are totally nice. The fish is fresh and the sushi is excellent. And I don't think you have to be Japanese to enjoy good fish. more

This place is pretty interesting. You walk downstairs into a basement, and the space was obviously a standard bar previously -- very long bar counter top, shelves behind, etc. But now it's a very fun sushi joint. The minute the staff see your shoes coming down the stairs, they greet you in Japanese. No windows, quite dark, subdued lighting, and always great chillout/downtempo/electronica music playing...it gets very packed on weekend nights. Their rolls are wacky -- one has peanut butter and jalepenos, for example -- and everything tastes good. There are many sushi joints in the city with better food, without question, but this place is much more fun and entertaining, especially if you are in a festive mood. Opens at 6pm, and stays open till *3am*?? Now that rocks. Service is friendly, and generally fast. I've been several times and have always had a great time! Pros: Atmosphere, hours, unusual rolls Cons: Some menu items are mediocre more

This place is fantastic! I have yet to meet anyone in the city that knows about it, but it is incredible food, in an unassuming unpretentious environment. The staff are great and friendly for the most part, provided you don't get the chatty skateboarder!! Fast service, great prices and always satisfies. Discover it for yourself! Pros: Cheap, Service, Choice on menu Cons: Parking more

So, a friend was visiting from out of town and we took the suggestion of a broke college roommate who frequents Ryoko's... and we were blown away! Not only was it casual and cozy, but the music was hip and unintrusive. The food... well, what can I say the chef was right about everything! The bluefin was like butter... smooth, silky and practically melted in your mouth! I'd never had a ""jumping"" roll before and it knocked my sox off! And the spicy rolls were perfectly seasoned... normally you just feel the burn, but here you could actally taste the fish! :) Oh, and the green tea is not to be missed, piping hot and wonderfully nutty! It's a great date place & fun to chill with friends. We went late and it was perfect for people watching and conversation. Pros: Creative Chef, Inexpensive, Open Late Cons: No reservations for 2 more