Blowfish Sushi To Die For

I dined here last year during a business trip to San Franciso and vow to dine here everythime I'm in San Fran! All the sushi was very tasty but the Fried California Rolls were simply amazing! I wish I could find them in NYC...
Highly Recommended!!!

Pros: delicious food, great drinks

Cons: , cramped seating

Posted 01/16/05

The atmosphere is what most appeals to me about Blowfish. The environment is really exciting and energetic. Hip without being unpleasantly trendy in my estimation. The fish is pretty damn good, but I enjoy the setting even more. The service is on and off, some of the waitresses could really stand to learn a thing or two, but all in all I've had reasonable service at Blowfish. Probably not the best Sushi restaurant in San Francisco, but currently my favorite. I eat there several times a month and am always looking for an excuse to go back.

Pros: good sushi, great environment

Posted 08/26/04

I just love this restaurant that good food, good service.I do not understand someone who complaint about sushi. I am assuming that these people are always complaint anyway.(What is shiro maguro?) (What is traditional sushi?)people
I think this restaurant doing traditional nigiri sushi.
Good to know if you are sushi fans.

Posted 06/13/04

One of the best parts of going out to have sushi at a "Sushi Bar", is the interaction you have with the Sushi Chef. At Blowfish they have removed this important elimate. Why? This was my first and most likely last time I will go to Blowfish, most everything we had was good, but there were a couple of items that seemed to lack a certain amount of freshness.

Pros: sake list, prompt seating

Posted 03/09/04

I am revising an earlier (negative) review. As before the manga cartoons (e.g. a beloved still from Totoro), decor, cocktails, trendiness, and atmosphere are fun. Service is decent and people-watching is great. Why update? Reason #1: sushi much improved. More attention to detail. Better rice. #2? Believe it or not, for lunch Blowfish is actually an excellent value. The bento box kicks. Just did a biz lunch for 3 for $36 incl. tax@tip. Prices were high once, but I don't think they've raised them in 5 years.

Pros: good atmosphere, fun, great drinks

Cons: out of the way, kind of superficial

Posted 01/15/04

The hostess & waitress were nice and attentive for a hip restaurant. Sushi was ok, but the mix drink ($7 and it's small) and appetisers ($10+) were very good. Little pricy but I think you have to pay for the atomosphere.

Pros: service, atomosphere, food

Cons: price

Posted 12/28/03

I got around to trying Blowfish a few nights back with a friend. It is just down the street; and I had never checked it out. Wow, I've truely been missing out! The maki and nigiri were amazing. We ordered a ritsu roll, a smoked delight, a fried ebi roll, and their veggie roll, as well as uni, hamachi and maguro. Yummersszzz -- Everything was fresh. The appetizers were a stadout as well. My friend ate the fire oysters in entirety, after claiming to hate oysters. I wanted them...The pesto and cheese make them truely decadent. Our server's reccomendations made our meal truely enjoyable. We will make it one of our new haunts.

Pros: open late, food

Cons: music can be loud

Posted 12/12/03

We came in for dinner on a busy weekend with no reservations, the hostess directed us to the bar, where we had cocktails, and eventually decided to eat dinner. The bartenders were great and recommended everything we ordered. Try the bincyo tataki, it is to die for. ha ha.

Pros: good parking, open late, good music

Cons: make a reservation

Posted 12/04/03

I've never been to a sushi restaurant where the sushi chefs don't take your order let alone don't talk to you. Ordered our sushi from the waitress and it took over 20 minutes for our 5 nigri orders. And it wasn't like it was busy. The sushi chefs were just hanging out chatting...just like the wait staff. The sushi was not fresh and the service from the sushi staff was even worse. Probably the worse sushi experience I've ever had in San Francisco.

Pros: Parking

Cons: food, service, price

Posted 11/24/03

Finally got over to Blowfish sushi for a dinner and came away impressed. Cute little dining room decorated with Japanese anime cels and techno music make for a great environment. Service was good and the waitstaff very attractive. Menu was ecclectic, particularly for the appetizers. I had the filet mignon over spinach and the screaming shrimp, both tasty and well-presented. A couple of sake-kamikazes completed a nice evening. Overall an interesting spot with very good food, worth the trip....

Pros: Decor, Diverse Menu, Food presentation

Cons: Maybe too hip?

Posted 10/17/03

My husband and I went here for our first wedding anniversary on a recommendation from a friend of a friend. It was great. The staff was nice, one of the guys at the bar prepared one of his special rolls for us, fantastic.

Highly recommend this sushi bar. Fresh fish and great drinks.

Posted 10/06/03

so hip and trendy, rolls were great, mango mojito is the best drink i've ever had, service was excellent. i'd go there every week if it were more affordable.

Pros: good atmosphere, good food, great service

Cons: expensive!

Posted 07/22/03

I took a date to Blowfish the other night,it was both of our first time there.What a great time we had.The service was great,fast and very friendly.The drinks were awesome and the sushi was off the hook. My date was dancing in her seat,and just the fact that she was having such a good time made the trip there worth it. I will defintely go back.

Pros: Atmosphere, service

Cons: somewhat pricey

Posted 07/06/03

Dine with my boyfriend and another friend. The food is totally decorative, very fusion. WHile I'm appreciated in all food creativity, the price is just too high for $150 with small portion of food, two drinks and no dessert.

Pros: Great Menu, Good Ambience

Cons: Pricey, Small portion

Posted 06/04/03

Two nights ago was my third visit there and I love it more and more every time I come back. The sushi is yummy, fresh and unique. I recommend Pyramid tartar and The Punch as appetizers! The service has been great every time and I didn't detect one ounce of attitude from the hostess as the other reviewers have claimed. I've never made a reservation and have never had to wait more than 10 min b/c I always sit at the sushi bar which is better anyway since you get to watch your food being made. Yes, it's trendy, but so what? It's a NICE place to eat some great food and listen to great music. It's expensive but very worth it!

Pros: Great sushi, Great atmosphere

Cons: A bit over priced

Posted 04/25/03

I was dissapointed with the value at Blowfish.

Their Dynamite Roll used a store bought "hot chile sauce" that left something to be desired.

The quality of fish seemed good, but definitely not enough. Pretty skimpy on the protions.

I know it's just sushi, but I spent $65 for 2 and left hungry.

Don't do if your hungry unless you want to spend plenty of $$$.

Pros: atmosphere, service

Cons: value, food portions

Posted 04/22/03

I dig it. Fresh fish and a fresher sound system. It's a phenomenon. Best Bincyo in town.

Pros: Atmosphere 4 days, Fresh Fish, Cool scene

Cons: Slight wait, can get loud

Posted 04/21/03

If you love anime and drum'n'bass music, want a place to hang out with friends and drink some sake, this place may be a good destination on Friday night. If you just want to taste some good fish, stay away. Their food is mediocre and comes at a high price.

Pros: interior design, music

Cons: food, service, price

Posted 04/19/03

Ok, it's trendy, but the food and service is actually quite nice. I expected a white washed sushi place that only served California rolls but got a relatively decent sushi place that was a fun experience.

I'd go here to spend some time hanging out with friends at the bar, eat dinner, and just enjoy the random scenery.. including anime on the television.
Not the most authentic place but they did have decent uni, good sashimi, and a nice selection of sake -- including sections for unfiltered/hot/cold.

This place is safe for hard core sushi fanatics who only go to hole-in-the-walls and your friend Chad who says that teriyaki chicken is his favorite sushi, dude.

Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Sake selection

Cons: Loud, Crowded

Posted 04/07/03

I have to admit that the sushi was good. It was definitely overpriced. The restaurant decor was nice but, the staff a a bit snooty.

Pros: fresh fish, interesting sushi, restaurant decor

Cons: overpriced, parking, staff

Posted 02/28/03

I was at Blowfish this past Sunday and had an amazing time. It's less crowded the music is great and the staff rocks!! Our server helped us through the menu pointing out the best dishes (try the Halibut Bouquet-- that's to die for!!) and let us in on some sake secrets. Everyone has their sushi favourites and Blowfish is mine!

Pros: swank staff, fresh fish, lovely libations

Cons: parking

Posted 02/25/03

Delicious sushi. Highly recommended to sit at the sushi bar. The fish is fresh and the rolls are awesome, like the rainbow roll.

Posted 02/21/03

I have the worst sushi in my whole life here at Blowfish. The sashimi and sushi rolls here are premade and not fresh. Stingy portion. Overpriced. Even the simple unagi roll (eel) is not good. The rolls smell fishy and texture rubbery. There're tons of sushi places in the city. Why pay more for this crap?

Pros: Nothing really

Cons: Horrible food, Overpriced menu, Rude hostess

Posted 02/21/03

I have heard mixed reviews of Blowfish, but after trying it, I don't know why people don't go here all the time! Yes, it's a little more pricey than your average sushi joint, but I had sper delicious rolls. The asparagus tempura roll was great, and the spicy tuna roll was very tasty. I started with the seaweed salad which I still crave. Plus there is cool anime and music in the background! It's a great place to go!!

Pros: Sushi is tasty!, Fun Atmosphere

Posted 02/20/03

It's a bit too lowd for me but the food is fantastic! The freshest and most creative sushi in the city.

Pros: Excellent Food

Cons: Techno Music

Posted 02/17/03

hostess has attitude, sushi chefs are curt and unfriendly. decent food but for the quality, overpriced. decor is cold and cliched (concrete, steel, halogen lights), modern in an early-'90s way. this place is highly overrated and needs an overhaul big time. Tokyo A Go-Go is fresher, more inventive, and more welcoming.

Pros: decent sushi

Cons: stale concept, overpriced, attitudinal

Posted 02/03/03

I hate it when I read bad reviews of a place that is so good! The food is good. The atmosphere is great. And the people that work there are very nice. Anyone who says otherwise probably went in there with an attitude to begin with!

Pros: ambience, cocktails, service

Cons: pricey, crowded, loud

Posted 12/09/02

it is really not worth the rude host staff to eat at Blowfish. too cool for school, and reservations are a joke -- you'll still be waiting forever, and made to feel like scum.

Posted 11/01/02

Our dining expereince was poor although the food was decent. It's not worth the hype. Extremely busy, not great service, good music and the sushi is just OK. How can you mess up sushi?

Posted 10/31/02

Can be overcrowded and noisy, but the music, anime and food make it a fun scene. Some unusal and tasty appetizers and sushi rolls. Not overpriced. Order take out and hang out at the bar taking in the scene and enjoy a saki cocktail while your order is prepared to go.

Posted 10/15/02

Ok, I am not a seafood fan and this was my second time at Blowfish. I had a blast. Excellent food and drinks... The service couldn't be better. All the wait staff were very knowledgeable about the menu and help me and my girlfriend order just the right things. The dessert was awesome! I love the music and art on the walls. The atmosphere was very nice and I had a great date for the second time. Highly recommended. Thanks Jen, Skippy and all the wait staff... I will come back!

Pros: Food and Drinks, Anima Cartoons on TV, Service

Cons: I should gone before!

Posted 10/15/02

I have to admit that I enjoy the atmosphere: noisy, fun, edgy, hip. But the food is absolutely awful. Tiny portions, certainly not always fresh, and most definitely overpriced. I know not to trust someone's taste in food if they say this is their favorite sushi restaurant. There aren't alot of good ones in the city, and this is certainly near the bottom of the fifteen or so I've tried.

Posted 10/14/02

This place is a really great off the beaten path spot for a casual date, dinner with friends, parents, whatever... I love this place, their waitstaff is hot, food is great, ambiance is cool, it's always crowded and that should tell you something. I will have to say they can mix up the music a bit....It's no fine dining but what you see is what you get here. Casual, fun, and lot's to look at and enjoy. If your curious about somewhere to go for sushi thats cool and has good service, get your butt down there. Be smart and make reservations and you'll find you dont have to complain about waiting around.

Pros: atmosphere

Cons: pricey

Posted 10/08/02

I have eaten at Blowfish numerous times the last few years, and always have a good time and eat wonderful sushi! Blowfish is not traditional sushi, which I also enjoy eating, and experienced first hand while living in Japan, but nonetheless the food is delicious. In fact, I have brought many visiting friends from Japan to Blowfish to eat, who consistantly love the restaurant, and leave with a Blowfish tee-shirt in hand. I believe that is a good sign!

Pros: original, parking, visually stimulating

Cons: crowded, need a rservation, loud for large groups

Posted 10/03/02

Been here once. It was very crowded. Reservations are recommended. Japanese anime playing on the television screens...

The sushi was really good...however, i feel a bit overpriced.

Pros: good food, sushi

Cons: expensive, crowded

Posted 09/24/02

I have eaten sushi all over the city and this place continues to impress me. The sushi is always fresh and the service is usually friendly. This place can get a little crazy on the weekends but it's definitely worth the wait. The sake cocktails are great too!!! Can get a little expensive but ends up being worth it in the end. This place and Ebisu are the places to go for sushi in San Francisco.

Posted 09/11/02

VERY dissapointed! Not only was the sushi mediocre, but the service was awful! I guess since I left my Gucci handbag at home, I didn't quite fit in. It your into this kind of scene, then this is the place for you. If you actually want to enjoy the food, go to Hamano, which is just down the way in Noe Valley.

Posted 09/09/02

This place started out great but has really fallen off over the last couple years. Service was very slow, and kitchen pacing was terrible. The restaurant wasn't busy and we still waited 20-30 in between items being brought out. And the food wasn't even as good as it was before. Sorry, never again!

Posted 09/04/02

I feel like I'm in an episode of Sex and the City whenever I go to Blowfish. Very trendy, very Manhattan! No flip-flops, Old Navy or picky eaters allowed. Never go without reservations and try their saki martinis!

Posted 09/04/02

While Blowfish serves sushi, I would not recommend it for that. The fish is fresh, but far too expensive. Nonetheless, Blowfish is a must visit as a pioneer of what I jerkily refer to as "Disco Sushi." More politely known as fusion sushi, it's a modern take on an old form. At this, Blowfish has no equal. The appetizers are unique and superb. Don't miss "The Punch," a mouth watering steak and spinach number.



The various rolls from Super Dynamite(deep fried roll with hot sauce) to Maui Maki(tuna, macadamia, mango) to Popeye(spinach, peanut sauce) are unique and delicious. The drink selection is excellent.



The atmosphere is loud and vivid, which you have to be in the mood for. The service is hit or miss, but the food always makes up for it.

Pros: Unique sushi, Lively atmosphere, Great sake

Cons: Crowds, Lively atmosphere, Price

Posted 08/30/02

Sushi to die for, how about die for calling this sushi. This place served me mashed potatoes with sushi. MASHED POTATOES. What kind of thing is that?! Please don't call it Californian fusion because that it was not. It was more like hometown buffet meets Mr. Chow. Well, maybe that's going a little over board. The sushi was okay. It was fresh, tasty, and pleasing to the eye. But served with mashed potatoes - good grief. Nice atomosphere does the place well for newbies to sushi as does the menu. This is not the place for serious traditional sushi lovers.

Posted 08/24/02

Good place if you're new to sushi. I'm amazed at how many newbies love this place. Must be the atmosphere, crazy roll names, or funny shapes they stack them into. This food is mediocre at best. Which is bad considering the prices. If you're stuck going here I reccomend the cooked rolls.

Posted 08/21/02

Everytime that I visit Blowfish I have a great time. I always love the food. The suhsi is always very fresh and tasty. When you go there you should try the Ritsu Roll.

Pros: great staff, good music

Cons: long waits on weekend

Posted 08/21/02

This joint is hot! I went last night for the first time as a first date spot. The atmosphere couldn't have been sexier, the drinks more sublime (give it up for PLUM sake!) and I was just-a-squigglin' in my seat because the music was off the hook! This is a great "first date" spot if you're not looking to be all serious and I would definitely go back for a second and third. Don't believe the negativo hype. Trendy, yes, but the food is delicious and the company you keep with you is all that matters. I guarantee you will enjoy yourself at least a little bit or you're not human.

Pros: Ambiance, Music, Excellent cuisine

Cons: Wait time

Posted 08/09/02

awesome atmosphere, tantalizing drinks, and unbelievale sushi creations - go and have sushi like you've never had it before. Rocks!

Posted 07/28/02

Best sushi in SF by far! I can't wait to go back. The pyramid is especially tasty!

Posted 07/26/02

Not all it is cracked up to be. Don't believe the hype. Pretty average - the cod of sushi joints but at beluga prices.

Posted 07/24/02

Blowfish is tucked away in the Potrero district behind warehouses and lonely streets, so it's easy enough to find parking. The decor is very funky, walls filled with animation and wooden tables cast under a red/orange glow.

The mango mojitos are to die for, but the sushi is not spectacular especially for the price. It's just good, solid sushi. Come for the ambiance and drinks. Be aware that even with reservations, the wait can be really long.

Pros: good parking, nice crowd, good drinks

Cons: long wait, crowded tables, noisy

Posted 07/24/02

If you have party attitude in you, this is the place to go! Now if I can only hear the manga being played in the big screen.....

Pros: good atmosphere, good oysters

Cons: pricey, no parking

Posted 07/11/02

I recently visited Blowfish Sushi for the first time after hearing rave reviews for years and years... The truth, this place SUCKED! Since this is a review, I have to give my honest opinion & I wasn't at all impressed by this over-priced, delicacy-deficient, pretentious establishment. I went with three other people & our bill was over $170!! For crap food. I would never recommend this place to a friend. (Well maybe I would recommend avoiding).

Pros: ambience was OK, service was great, Speed Racer

Cons: OVER-PRICED!!!!, bland food, pompous

Posted 07/03/02