Wako Japanese Restaurant

Visited Wako for their Valentine's Day omakase. The service was amazing and they even gave a pair of cute earrings from Japan! Overall it was a great omakase where the chef truly knows how to pair simple flavors with each fish and highlight its quality. Every bite was tender, flavorful, and well thought out. You can truly tell how much preparation and planning went into the whole set. The ambiance was fun and social. We had a great time chatting and listening to the chef cracking jokes while he walked us through the meal. Would definitely recommend Wako the next time you have a special event as they do really add a personal touch and try make your night extra special!

We went the 02/12/2025 Great omakase with interesting options, attention to detail service, and chill cozy ambiance.Fair pricing for great quality fish. You can see that they put a lot of thought and consideration into where they source their ingredients. I especially loved the uni and mackerel!Sit by the bar if you can. We loved chatting with the chef and seeing the process of preparing the sushi. Finding parking is a nightmare, but it's not unique to this restaurant but this street in general.

High quality and very tasty omakase but certainly more of an occasion meal; I'd recommend it for any sushi / omakase enthusiasts.Presentation was all beautiful and food was very fresh, clean, and delicious. The hot apps were pretty unique compared to what we've seen at other Japanese places and we loved the variety of flavors and textures we got to try. We really enjoyed the fried cod and snail; all of these were really good except I was not personally a fan of the seaweed dish. As you'd expect, all of the nigiri were fresh and tasty but a couple of our favorites were the uni, toro and surprisingly the tamago. Usually not a standout piece but the tomago had an amazingly soft/springy texture with a very fragrant seafood flavor. Hot soup with eel was also so flavorful and a really nice warm bite.Great service as well, super attentive staff. Really fresh ingredients, delicious flavors and variety of bites.

Had an amazing omakase experience here with my husband. Dinner on a week night was a full house. The service is phenomenal and the fish is high quality. We had a winter melon starter and some appetizers to begin with that the servers brought out. First time having fig tempura, but it was nice!For the nigiris, we were served by the chef directly at the counter. It was awesome to watch him carefully slice and prepare each dish. Some nigiris were lightly seared, seasoned, or accompanied by some topping. We ordered a pot of green tea which they constantly refilled throughout the night. In addition to the set menu, we ordered 2 golden eye snapper and uni nigiris. My favorites had to be the skipjack, barracuta, and the golden eye snapper. All the fish just melts in your mouth. The rice was a good temperature, the proper amount, and just the right texture. Also, the seafood egg cake had to be the best I've ever had of that. We were happy with our experience of high quality fish from Japan but close to home.

5 STARSThis is my favorite omakase place in all of San Francisco and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a reasonably priced omakase (~$125/person) with amazing service every time you go.I've been to Wako 5-6 times in the last 10 years, and I am never disappointed. They serve seasonal fish depending on the time of year that you visit. The chef's omakase comes with a starter, appetizer, 10 pieces of nigiri, a grilled dish, soup, and a house made dessert. You really can't find another omakase like this in the city. I think there are 2 options for either 9 or 11 piece chef omakase since the last time I visited.My favorite nigiri from Wako are the striped jack, ink squid with uni, and of course, the blue fin tune belly. The chefs are so nice and explain every cut of fish to you as they serve it. Be sure to make a reservation well in advance, as spots do fill up. Try to get a seat at the counter, so you can watch the chefs as they prepare the dishes. Parking can be a little tricky in this part of town, given how many restaurants, bars, and surrounding shops there are, so be sure to arrive a little early!

One of the best kept secrets in the Inner Richmond with the most reasonably priced omakase menus! I've had dinner here several times & it's always on point. Super fresh, delicately prepared dishes and nigiri. Sake recommends are helpful too. Menu changes on what is available. Sit at the sushi bar if you can (reservations go quickly) so you can watch the sushi chefs in their craft & artistry. This is a cosy (small) restaurant so reservations are strongly recommended.

I'm very disappointed with my recent experience. The sushi selection and quality are nowhere near what they used to be. The miso soup was particularly bad. It's concerning how much this location has changed. I won't be returning.

This is amazing spot for omakase especially for special occasions. You can make a reservation a couple weeks out of the date you want to go (you can't book months ahead). The make the visit special with a small handmade sign, and they print a neat menu the day of your visit for the omakase of the day. The fish was incredibly fresh, the service was great- always explaining the origin of the food. It was such a special experience! I also recommend getting a nice hot pot of tea. The space was decorated well, very small and intimate bright and lively!

Wako is a small sushi restaurant on Clement St in the Richmond district, a street with many dining options. The restaurant is cozy and has a neighborhood feel.They offer only one menu, an omakase menu, priced at $165. The menu features a wide variety of dishes, including several hot items.Here's the menu from my visit at the end of June:1. starter: steamed abalone with blueberry, cherry tomato, and okra2. appetizer: mozuku seaweed with strawberry, sesame tofu with wasabi, simmered sea snail, black cod katsu with tartar sauce3. sashimi: young king mackerel and another fish (suzuki?)4. chawanmushi with hamo (pike eel) and ikura5. madai (red snapper)6. hirame (halibut) with fin's fish7. hotate8. toki shirazu salmon9. ao ebi (blue shrimp)10. deep-fried shrimp head with lemon11. kamasu (barracuda)12. bluefin tuna in jalapeno soy sauce (zuke chutoro)13. bluefin tuna belly14. anago with mountain pepper15. chopped bluefin tuna handroll16. tamago seafood egg cake17. red miso soup with shimeji mushrooms and mitsuba leaf18. extra sushi (optional): A5 wagyu +$1519. matcha panna cottaThe menu was well-rounded with some nice specialties. The steamed abalone was a pleasant surprise, though a bit chewy. The black cod in the appetizer was good, but the katsu preparation of black cod and tartar sauce felt unconventional for a Japanese restaurant. The chawanmushi with hamo (a summer delicacy) was excellent, and the addition of fin's fish on the halibut was a nice touch. The ao ebi was a great type of shrimp, with the crispy head served separately. The kamasu was excellent and is actually one of my favorite nigiri.Unfortunately, the tuna had a slightly acidic taste, possibly from the marinade. The anago was well-prepared. While the menu doesn't include wagyu or uni, they can be ordered as extras (I had the wagyu nigiri for $15).Although most fish come from Japan, some fishes are sourced elsewhere: ao ebi from New Caledonia, halibut from Korea, and bluefin tuna from Baja, Mexico.Overall rating: 4.5/5.0

My fourth time to Wako, and this time it's been at least 8 years. I didn't even realize they were on Clement, because I remember it was on Geary.The restaurant is still small, with maybe 8 counter seats and 5 tables. You can make a reservation on Tock and prepay a deposit which is then refunded when you honor your reservation.The tasting menu is $165 per person to start with optional add ons that you can choose before dessert is served. The tasting menu includes one starter, one appetizer (4 small bites), 4 pc sashimi, chawanmushi, 9 pc nigiri, one hand roll, 1pc tamago, miso soup, and dessert.Everything was very good. Standouts were the blue shrimp, akami, toro, and uni.Sake list is good and goes well with the food. Service is pretty great. Street parking only.