This place has been in the Inner Sunset for over forty years, and is still packed with people for straightforward rolls, nigiri, and handrolls, and superb appetizers, like miso-glazed eggplant and agedashi tofu. Things at this casual spot also run smoothly: Even though Ebisu is loud and the tables are somewhat cramped, the service is quick and the people running it are always checking in on you. Post up at the sushi counter where things feel less chaotic.

Dinner at Ken on Divisadero feels like an exclusive dinner party—and one filled with flawless nigiri, silky chawanmushi, and dashi-soaked tomatoes that burst like water balloons in your mouth. The omakase counter is only six seats, so you'll easily have a conversation with the person on the opposite side of the bar, or crack jokes and exchange stories with the eponymous chef.

You'll probably have to wait for a table at this walk-in-only spot in Noe Valley. It’s tiny, with just a few seats at the bar and a couple of dining room tables. But when you finally sit and the friendly staff starts bringing perfect pieces of fatty tuna and yellowtail belly nigiri to the table, you’ll know the wait was worth it. Come to Saru to share the more basic sushi rolls, like sweet potato tempura or tuna maki, and specialty ones like the White Out with seared escarole and garlic ponzu.

Dinner at Eiji, the snug Japanese restaurant in the Castro, always feels like gathering around a good friend’s kitchen table—and that friend happens to make the best sushi rolls, delicate ankake tofu, and soy-glazed tuna belly. The theme at this somewhat pastoral spot is light, bright, and simple: A juicy halved cherry tomato to cap off the pickly ceviche roll, single shiso leaves to liven up slices of the spicy tuna poke roll, and a punchy vinegar to marinate a crunchy cucumber sunomono.

There aren’t many spots that are trendier than a NYFW runway, serve great omakase, and let you pay on a sliding scale. That’s how it works at Robin: Tell the waiter exactly how much in the $109-$209 range you’re willing to spend. From there, you’ll receive a proportional amount of things like roasted kabocha squash miso soup, truffle sesame noodles, lots of nigiri, and A5 wagyu dusted in melty shaved foie gras. Whatever you end up throwing down, Robin makes going out for omakase easy.

Saru Handroll Bar (formerly known as Saru Sushi Bar) is laser-focused on one thing: simple yet flawless handrolls. The operation at this Russian Hill spot is pretty straightforward. Just slide up to the bar, mark your order on the paper menu, and wait for a sushi chef to hand you neatly rolled pockets of fish and vinegared rice. There are sets of three, four, or five, and they all include high-quality, uncomplicated fillings like fatty tuna or crispy green onion-topped yellowtail.

To say fans of Daigo, the long-running Richmond sushi staple, were devastated when it closed in the summer of 2022 is like saying Michelle Yeoh is just a “good” actor—an understatement of the century. But on the bright side, the old space is now occupied by a sushi newcomer that’s just as exciting. Shoshin Sushi is the answer to all your casual weeknight sushi needs.

Most of the other spots on this guide are Nice Restaurants where you’re likely dropping a large chunk of change. But when you want that same high-quality fish for a fraction of the price, get that sushi fix at Hokkaido Sashimi Marketplace, a convenience store and sushi counter in the Richmond. Their rolls mostly max out at $13 (with the exception of a toro roll that’s $16), and they’re on par with—if not better than—what you’d get at any sit-down spot across town.

You probably aren’t picturing an open hallway inside of a mall when you imagine an omakase-style dinner. But that’s exactly where you’ll find Oma San Francisco Station, a small omakase counter in the Japan Center where keeping it casual is the appeal. That, and the fantastic nigiri sliced with precision. Here, you’ll also make small talk with the chefs while listening to ambient mall chatter and eating slow-cooked duck breast and plain udon with uni sauce.

The rice at Sushi Sato, a new Japanese restaurant in Polk Gulch, is life-changing—it’s wonderfully sticky and vinegar-y, and holds its shape before dissolving into a sweet finish in your mouth. You will never look at sushi rice the same way, ever again, whether you get it in simply-prepared sashimi and nigiri (you can order them a la carte or as part of a tasting), handrolls, and decadent chirashi bowls. Rice aside, come here for the appetizers, like a refreshing tomato ceviche.