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- Hours:
Mon-Sat 6 pm - 9:30 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
116 reviews for Kappa Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"We got the omakase and loved every minute of it." In 55 reviews -
"Service was excellent by the husband and wife." In 15 reviews -
"Good sake selection/recommendations." In 35 reviews
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116 reviews in English
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Review from The O.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2012
Genuinely Japanese. Highest quality and attention to detail.
I found it extremely relaxing, and the food was excellent.
Service was very good too. -
Review from Kendra W.
3/27/2012 6 photos
A treat for not just your tastebuds, but your whole being!
The boyfriend took me here for a belated valentine's day dinner (good work, bf! and yes, i'm behind on my reviews). I found very enjoyable for the both of us to be able hand over control and share the experience of feeling like a kids again. So, I definitely recommend "omakase" (where the chef choose your dishes for you).
$85/person is a lot, but quality of food is amazing. Each "koryori" dish is bite-sized, but each is painstakingly crafted and ingredients taste undeniably fresh. Plus, given you get about 7 plates worth -- it really is worth it. See my pics, but some of the dishes when I went included:
--Dungeness crab meat in light vinegar, topped with sesame
--Seared tuna (melts in your mouth) with miso sauce and leek
--Variety plate with 11 small bites! Some warm, some cold, all delish
--Sashimi plate with 4 pieces of FRESH fish
--Plate with 3 Nigiri including unagi, scallop, and seared hamachi
--Dessert plate with 4 types of japense sweet treats
My biggest dilema now is on whether to spread the word as they can only seat about 15 people total! -
Review from Rika P.
2/6/2012 12 photos
Sure, the place was tucked in a small dark corner of a place, and there wasn't any sign of restaurant around it, just a shut-tight dark sliding door, but there is a small sticker that says "KAPPA", which helps a little. Otherwise, the dishes crafted by the lovely husband and wife inside was worth to go hunting for! As you go up the stairs on the corner of Post and Buchanan, you'll find 2 doors. The left side has a neon sign that says "Playground". The left is an open glass door with "Milo Lounge" sign. Walk past the Milo door and standing right in front of you is Kappa's shut-tight door. Slide the door and you'll enter Japan.
When I said Japan, it really feels like you're not in San Francisco anymore. They specialized in Omakase, in which you're served a 7-course meal that includes very small, delicately prepared dishes. Each ingredient is carefully selected, making sure that they use the best graded ones in the market. Having to experience omakase for the very first time, it turned out to be an exquisite dinner. There was always an "Mmmmm" moment in every dish served.
So the 7 course breaks down to:
1. Clear soup with a snap pea, and halibut wrapped uni and a slice of yuzu peel. So subtle and delicate, it opens up your appetite and gets you ready for the following courses.
2. Goma-ae. Spinach and wakame smothered with a sesame-mustard paste, and paired it up with a piece of seared maguro block. This is intense, as the sweetness of the mustard and sesame rushed in, then calms back down as you savor the maguro.
3. Sunomono. A vibrant cucumber salad, so fresh and mouthwatering. Pairs it up with a chunk of king crab meat. (could be a dungeness or blue)
4. A fun combination platter that has 12 different things:
-Boiled prawn
-Unagi jello
-Yolk sushi (so creative and yet so yum!)
-Tonkatsu
-Yakitori
-Sweet corn fritter
-Hamachi with ginger and soysauce
-Adzuki konyaku
-Asparagus with sesame paste
-Herring roe
-Duck breast with red miso
-Grilled smoked salmon
5. Sashimi Moriawase (we were served the freshest uni, hamachi, maguro and halibut)
6. A plate of Unagi (perhaps the BEST unagi ever!), baby scallop in its shell.
7. DESSERTS! There was icecream and home made adzuki mochi (wife made these), red bean jello, a slice of grapefruit and a slice of pear.
Everything goes well with sake! omg. I will totally come back! -
Review from Alex R.
San Rafael, CA
5/20/2012
My wife and I went to Kappa the other night for our 25th anniversary celebration. This was our third visit to Kappa, and I really wanted something extraordinary and special for our 25th, so I knew it had to be dinner here.
As usual, we were amazed at the food and the overall dining experience. Kappa is unique in many ways... it's tucked away behind a practically hidden sliding door. If you look carefully, you'll see "Kappa" in small letters adjacent to the door. It's tiny, I think we counted a total of 14 seats capacity. But a tiny, hidden venue like this is inline with the tradition of "Koryori" style Japanese cuisine, which emphasizes homemade, small plates. Run by a husband and wife team, you are treated as if honored guests in their home. They are extremely cordial and attentive from the moment you walk in, offering hot towels. If you order the "prix fixe" dinner, be prepared for an awesome treat. The small plates change seasonally and according to what they are getting freshest from the market, but we had:
#1 grilled, sauteed japanese eggplant and scallions. (tender, bursting with flavor)
#2 rice vinegar cucumbers and fresh dungeness crab (awesome, fresh, tart, delectable)
#3 main course, with variety of treats (chicken meatball, prawn, corn fritter, duck medallion, pork katsu, roe wrapped in calamari, asparagus, marinated halibut (all incredible delicacies, one or two bites each)
#4 sashimi plate (generous portions of absolutely fresh yellowtail, tuna, amberjack, halibut)
#5 grilled fish plate (grilled yellowtail, baby scallop and eel. I love unagi sushi, but this was by far the best I've ever sampled - fresh, plump, tender, perfectly grilled)
#6 dessert plate (red bean gel, cherry, mango)
#7 fresh sorbet (melon, homemade. Again, out of this world - best I've ever had).
We enjoyed all this along with a fine, dry sake and green tea afterwards. Sounds like alot, but they portion it and pace it perfectly so you do not feel grossly stuffed at all. Just utterly and completely satisfied. This is a rare dining experience, for special occasions, and needless to say - expensive. Plan for about $120 per person if having the prix fixe along with liquor. A little less ($80 -100 per person) if ordering a la carte, which is also a great choice. THere are plenty of restaurants we've eaten that I'd have to say are overpriced, but this is definitely NOT ONE OF THEM. This is fine dining at it's best. -
Review from John C.
Daly City, CA
5/13/2012
Super pricy but this place has awesome food!!!!
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Review from Anna R.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2012
Kappa is an invitation to a delicious meal in a Japanese home! I loved all 7 delightful dishes cooked with precision and served with personal attention. I can't wait to go back!
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Review from Sandy L.
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Quite an experience. I found this place on Yelp and the reviews are definitely on target! I've gone to one other Omakase in Southern California and this one exceeds the quality of the food and service x 10101039128402984029.
the owners are a lovely pair who are very respectful and take great pride in their work and quality of food. i wasn't sure if the man could speak English or not but i sure found out when we were plated our food. i didn't know what one item was and the boyfriend and i were staring at it for a long time. finally i said maybe it's a sea cucumber?? then the man started giggling! i looked up and realized he was giggling AT ME! he goes you think that's a sea cucumber?? and i soon found out i was about to eat EGG PLANT. o_O quite embarrassing!!
i had a very enjoyable experience and definitely one to remember. I'm not sure if I'll go for a long time only because it's VERY expensive and would only be to celebrate something extraordinary! i believe the cost per person was around $130 which includes 2 bottles of sake with the Omakase menu. but if you've never done this before I really recommend coming here cuz really, this is an extraordinary experience.
i think be weary if you are not open to trying new things. while the food itself may not be TOTALLY out of your palette, sometimes the tastes are a bit different or the preparation is different from what you would normally expect. -
Review from Cindy L.
Great service. A little too much food, but they are going by American standards I guess. I would suggest trying the place. Dont think I would go back though.
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Review from Jay B.
Los Altos, CA
Wow This place is amazing. A secret little Japanese restaurant tucked into a corner of japantown behind a very hard to find door.
The Best japanese dining experience I've ever had! My wife and I tried the omikaze. (whatever the chef has in mind for you. ) and wow what an amazing mouthwatering experience. Make reservations because this place is only open for 4 hours a night and only sits about 12. A very very special experience!
Thank you Kappa , we will be backListed in: Japanese
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Review from Teri Y.
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Kappa is not your typical Japanese restaurant. What makes it special is that it focuses on omakase, which means diners let the chef decide what he thinks is best in terms of the food that he would like to serve you that night. This is an excellent dining experience for people who are serious about Japanese food. Sometimes people only associate Japanese food with fancy rolls and tons of (unnecessary) dressing that is not representative of real Japanese food. Therefore, Kappa is a breath of fresh air that gives us a glimpse into real and authentic Japanese food.
Kappa is run by a husband-and-wife team. The husband is the chef and the wife helps out in serving. All the food is prepared by the husband so you will know that everything is handled with care, as they don't hire anyone else to help out at the restaurant. The restaurant seats no more than 10 people so be sure to make a reservation.
We had excellent food such as sea urchin and whitefish in clear soup, seared tuna, scallops, etc. Each item allowed us to savor and appreciate the main ingredient used for the course. I also had the best mochi dessert at Kappa. My husband loved the green tea cheesecake and he doesn't even like desserts usually.Listed in: San Francisco
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Review from J D.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012
San Francisco's best kept secret. So wonderful. Makes me miss Japan.
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Review from Vickie Z.
12/3/2011
My mother-in-law and her husband are visiting us from Canada so we decided to treat her at one of SF's best Japanese restaurant.
Not the typical Japanese restaurant nor the typical Omakase.
The location was a bit hard to find but we end up finding it after going up and down on Post street.
We just came back from eating at Kappa. Starved, we ordered the Omakase and got served right away.
The dishes were very flavourful and tasty. Loved the fact that the chef took the time to introduce us to the various types of Japanese food (fried, raw, poached, grilled...etc). It was quite impressive.
The service was excellent. We enjoyed every bite of our Omakase. Personally, I don't think that the dishes they served us were for me (don't take me wrong, I loved the restaurant) but a lot of the dishes the chef served us were deep fried and kind of on the salty side.
After our last dish and before our first dessert, my husband and I asked for some uni. IT WAS DELICIOUS. The uni was sooooo fresh and the portion was very generous! -
Review from Delilah B.
San Francisco, CA
Kappa is a quiet little Japanese restaurant with excellent food. There's a 10 stool bar and a little corner that can fit a party of about 4. The décor is nothing extravagant or overly fancy. Don't get me wrong, it's still exceptionally charming and quaint.
The service is EXCELLENT! There was always a constant flow of attention to every group. You're never left waiting for any period of time. Each meal arrived shortly after the next, all done by one beautiful, courteous Japanese woman. Impressive.
The food in and of itself was phenomenal. Each and every unique item on the dish had its own distinct flavor(s). The combination of ingredients were well thought out and blended well in your mouth, not one thing overpowered the other. Harmony.
Of the all Japanese restaurants that I've been to here in the city, let alone all my travels, this is definitely on my top 3 and one of the most memorable ones. The Omakase experience is definitely a must. -
Review from Kenson K.
10/10/2011
Some people may say that Japanese food is bland in comparison to other Asian countries' food. Chinese food is heavy with exotic sauces, Korean food is spicy with fragrant flavors of garlic, soy and sesame, Thai food has different layers and intensity of spicy, sweet, and savory, etc. But actually, Japanese cuisine has delicate and subtle flavors and overpowering sauces or strong flavors are usually avoided so that you can appreciate the natural flavors of the food.
Kappa is just that. They hold true to drawing out and enhancing the natural flavors of the food you are eating. The entire meal was light , in small portions, and covered 7 courses. However, it was very filling. Presentation was very artful and I was amazed how talented the chef is at creating all of these delicate and subtle flavors in your mouth.
Course 1 - Shrimp Soup. A broth of shirmp stock, with snowpea, shrimp ball tempura and a touch of lemon zest. I found the lemon twist added a subtle taste in the background.
Course 2 - Fish tempura. 2 pieces of small fish, butterflied, lightly battered and deep fried tempura style. Just squeeze a bit of lemon and a bit of salt for a perfect balance.
Course 3 - Seared tuna with sweet miso sauce. This was raw tuna sashimi, lightly seared and topped with miso served with a shiso leaf.
Course 4 - Sashimi platter. 4 pieces of thickly sliced maguro (tuna), hamachi (yellowtail), tai (bream) and 1 more that I couldn't figure out, ,maybe seabass? They were all very fresh and delicious.
Course 5 - Platter of grilled shrimp, corn croquette, tonkatsu, chicken meatball, slowcooked tuna simmered in soysauce and spice, baked fish, duck with red miso, stingray, tamago egg, spicy fish roe wrapped in calamari. Everything was so good but I wasn't too crazy about the spicy fish eggs and calamari though. It was a bit salty. But everything else was impeccable.
Course 6 - Sushi course of grilled hamachi, unagi, and a baby scallop on the half shell with ume plum sauce. The unagi was fresh! Definetely not the type you find ready made in the frozen section of the asian grocer.
Course 7 - Dessert. Watermelon gelatin - A perfect intermezzo to cleanse the palate. Sliced papaya, pear, & persimmon. I usually hate persimmons but this one was very sweet. I couldn't believe it! Green tea cheese cake and mochi (rice dumpling with sweet bean jam) dusted with kinako (dried savory soy powder). The mochi was so soft and delicious. A perfect ending.
Service is wonderful. The waitress is so humble and courteous and very attentive.
I think a second visit is in order. -
Review from Alex C.
San Mateo, CA
3/4/2012
Omakase. Kubota and Hakkaisan sake. A wonderful experience that almost lead me to tears. Tears of joy. If you appreciate Japanese food, you will not be disappointed during and after dining here. I dare say its a oral orgasam. Sit at the bar so you can watch the chef owner put your artistic dinner on to the plates. Will return soon.
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Review from Mike G.
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pros:
This is definitely a unique experience to share a Japanese meal with a husband and wife that have been running the restaurant for a decade. Go for the Omakase on your first visit; some highlights from the night I went:
Stingray
Seared bigeye tuna with amazing sauce
Soft chicken
Cons:
If you want sushi, they'll warn you that this is not a sushi place. There are plenty of other options for great sushi, so come here for another style of Japanese small dishes.
Fun:
It's almost impossible to find the business on your first try! Go upstairs at the building on the corner, and there is a barely marked door next to a night club or something. -
Review from Marck N.
10/9/2011
I am very picky about Japanese restaurants here in the bay area. I have unfortunately haven't really found a good one, until now. The food a Kappa is amazing. To have the true experience, you have to order the omakase menu.
The omakase started with a shrimp soup. The second dish was a fish tempura dish. I think the fish was saba. The third dish was the main dish. It was composed of a lot of different pieces such as duck, spicy roe wrapped in squid , tonkatsu, stingray, tomago, seared tuna, hamachi in a tart sauce, and a whole shrimp. The fourth dish (which was unexpected) was a sushi and baby scallop dish. The baby scallop was raw and the taste was sweet and delicate. The sushi served were hamachi and unagi (drool...I love unagi). The fifth dish was the dessert course composed of watermelon jello, mochi with red bean, fruits, and green tea cheesecake. All desserts were delicious, especially the mochi (drool....I love mochi), though I considered the watermelon jello as the palette cleanser.
As the omakase is composed of small servings, I thought I would still be hungry afterwards. But I was content and satisfied. Service was excellent by the husband and wife. Very polite, precise, and all the executions flawless. The same type of quality you'd expect and receive in Japan.
A definite must to come back when I want Japanese food. -
Review from Kioko O.
A must visit place in Bay Area if you appreciate Japanese "Koryori" style. Yes, it's quite pricey compared to the places you are already familiar with. But it worth every money whether it's dollar or yen. It's everything you would expect for Japanese "Koryoriya" to be and so much more. Think about it for minute; you have the chance to experience the real Japanese cuisine right here in San Francisco, and you didn't even have to look for your passport.
The Japanese couple own and operate the place. The husband is in charge of food while the wife takes care of the front. If you have the chance to, enjoy the china/glass they serve you with. They're pretty amazing. Also their sake listing is quite impressive. Be sure to ask what's special when you visit.
Their seating is limited. Making reservations are highly recommended. -
Review from Stephanie T.
San Francisco, CA
9/20/2011
Surely one of the best Japanese restaurants in the city. It's ran by this cute Japanese couple who are both very lovely people.
Omakase menu HANDS DOWN! Just do it. But you need to let them know 24 hours ahead of time, so do it while you make a reservation.
It is very expensive I go there every time my grandmother visits from Japan. But it is well worth [my grandma's] money. -
Review from Hootie B.
Las Vegas, NV
7/10/2011 1 photo
I discovered this restaurant using Yelp, which also directed me to the website. I heeded other Yelpers advice and opted for the price-fixed menu(omakase) as I am pretty much a novice to this level of Japanese cuisine.
I had been to Japantown before and I had a general idea where it was located. The website refers to it being above a Denny's but to my knowledge that restaurant was either gone or being remodeled. An easier reference point is that it is upstairs next to The Playground, which I believe is a Korean nightclub.
Kappa had almost no signage, except for that small light with Japanese writing on it (small eats?). Everything about this place was subtle. Upon knocking on the door, Rumiko, our hostess, slides the wooden door open. As we entered the Chef, Toshiaki also greeted us.
Me and my wife were the only people in Kappa for our entire visit. Once seated we started with some sake and some polite and pleasant conversation with the hostess. Service was 100% authentic Japanese, being such both me and my wife were guilty of several faux pas. Thankfully being the only people there we never made to feel uncomfortable. Let the OMAKASE begin!!
The dishes in the Omakase are well documented on Yelp, I believe it was eight courses in all. I didn't want to take pictures because I felt that it would be rude to our host/hostess. You could tell that they put a lot of time and effort into "THE PREPARATION". Everything was well thought out and executed without flaw.
I really don't want to go into detail of my omakase because at my knowledge level I would do it no justice, I'll just touch on some highlights.
The meal started with a light broth consisting of shitake mushrooms, and snow peas. Next was crab/cucumber Sunomono, following this was Asparagus in a Goma Paste.
The fourth course was a large plate with around eight different items, ours was very similar to what you see pictured. Our hostess was very patient explaining every dish, it's preparation and history.
The sashimi course came next with Maguro, Smoked Shake, and Uni. For a restaurant that doesn't sell sushi, this was some of the freshest product I've ever tasted. And of course fresh wasabi accompanied these items. The standout was the smoked salmon, throughout was a hint of smoke, but was still completely raw. Outstanding!!
The sixth course consisted of around four items, unagi and black pork katsu among them. At this point my wife's appetite started to run out of steam and she asked for some tea. And yes the tea was exceptional. Our meal finished with an omangu(Red Bean Dessert) and some mochi.
Choosing the Omakase for my first visit was a wise choice and I feel confident that upon my next visit I can order al a carte. Kappa will definitely be on our to-do list on our next visit to San Fran. -
Review from Stephanie D.
San Francisco, CA
7/29/2011
finding this place is 1/2 the fun. I heard about it from my friend "above the Denny's in Japantown." you go above the denny's and you see a karaoke place and a small sign next to closed wooden door. If you read Chinese, it says "small eats" (or so tells me my friend) if you read hiragana the sign says "kappa"
so, we knocked on the door. We asked if they were open b/c of the closed door. The waitress said yes "but we don't serve sushi." I thought to myself good b/c I don't do raw. When we said can we come in. The waitress again said we don't serve sushi. i said fine. Then she brought the menu to make sure we were ok.
It is high-end japanese tapas or food to go with drinking. they serve sashimi but not sushi.
divine fatty pork, divine everything. very pricey.
very small, only seats like 7 at the bar, and 1 room of 4 people...
reserve in advance or risk being turned away. or perhaps just try dropping in...
there is just the chef and the waitress. perfect service. -
Review from Joseph G.
Daly City, CA
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very tasty food and so simple and clean. Very Good service. Mrs. Chef is very nice and took the time to describe each dish. If you want a quiet place to have a good japanese meal this is a good place to check out. Although the portions were small for some reason I did not leave hungry, but content and very pleased with her hospitality. Check them out they are right beside playground karaoke bar. It was a cool experience :-) I'll go again but I would explore the menu. If its your first time you should try the Omakase to get an idea of the other japanese dishes.
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Review from andrew w.
Oakland, CA
3/12/2012
I can only say this place is bizarre. I went there saturday night with my girlfriend and there was only one other couple in the restaurant. The food was generally pretty good, some things very good, but some things very poor like the chicken which was of very low quality. Also, for the price, absolutely no way this place competes with the best SF restaurants. Friendly service, but the place was dead calm, no music, no one else talking, just a weird dining experience that was very expensive. One waitress and one cook upstairs from where denny's used to be in japan town. I cannot explain all the very positive reviews, and frankly I am at a loss.
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Review from Mark D.
6/16/2011 10 photos
This is such a unique dining experience. My dinner companion had eaten there before. We have visited numerous restaurants and she suggested that I would enjoy Kappa.
I phoned and made a reservation. The hostess asked me to phone the day before to communicate if we would be dining prix fixe or ordering a la carte. I asked my companion what she had previously done there and she said prix fixe. So, I phoned Kappa and communicated our choice to the hostess.
We had a quick drink at the Playground next door and then went to Kappa. As stated in other reviews, it is tucked away upstairs over what used to be the Japantown Denny's.
This is a very small restaurant. I think it seats a total of 14. Ten seats at the "bar" and a small private room for 4. It is only open from 6 pm to 10 pm (closed on Sundays). The last seating is at 8 pm.
It is a intimate space.
Many restaurants have friendly service. The service at Kappa goes beyond friendly. It is kind. It truly does feel like you are being invited into the home of the husband and wife team. He is the chef. She helps with preparation and provides front of the house service. She is very patient. She explains each dish. She keeps the meal moving along without any sense of rushing the process.
Overall, the food was very good. I do agree with a comment I read in another review that it might be nice if there were a few more warm dishes. I am not going to provide great detail on every single dish. But, I will quickly cover them.
It is a unique set of courses.
Course #1
Eggplant with dried bonito
This was a delicate dish. The eggplant was tender without being mushy.
http://tinyurl.com/432...
Course #2
Dungeness crab with vinegar sauce
This was very good. The tartness of the vinegar sauce was such a great background for the sweetness of the dungeness crab.
http://tinyurl.com/3up...
http://tinyurl.com/3k7...
Course $3
Asparagus with sesame paste
This was a enjoyable dish. There is a grittiness to sesame paste that I do not prefer. However, with the asparagus it worked well.
http://tinyurl.com/3zn...
Course #4
Mixed Plate - I am going to try and remember what each item on the plate was. Rock cod, duck, squid wrapped around some type of spicy seafood, a type of fish I do not remember, egg, pork roll, whole prawn, tofu, sweet corn fritter, chicken ball on stick, hamachi
This was a very eclectic plate. For the most part, it was an excellent culinary experience. The squid was a little tough. The chicken had a very unique texture. I am still not sure whether I enjoyed it or not. The tofu was the first tofu I've ever eaten that I thoroughly enjoyed. I would have preferred the duck to have been heated.
http://tinyurl.com/3no...
http://tinyurl.com/3qa...
Course #5 - Sushi (hamachi, bluefin, yellow-jack) - I boycott bluefin tuna. However, it looked amazing. My friend does not boycott it so she was able to eat hers and mine. The other sushi on this plate was very fresh and well cut.
http://tinyurl.com/3ze...
Course #6 - Sushi (toro, unagi, clam) - This was an amazing plate of sushi. The toro had a nice touch of smokiness. The unagi was simply perfect. The clam combined with the fresh green was a excellent combination.
http://tinyurl.com/43c...
Course #7 - Dessert - This was a dessert trio plus a ice cream with cheesecake and mango. One part of the trio was a mochi dessert. I do not really enjoy mochi. The remainder was very much to my liking. The cheesecake with ice cream and mango was a heavenly dessert. It was so good that I forgot to take a photo.
http://tinyurl.com/3tw...
Overall - The food was very good. But what really brings this together is the intimacy of feeling as if you are truly being served a meal from very kind hosts. It is a unique evening. I will note though. If you plan on taking a guest insure they are adventurous with cuisine. We both are and, for us, another part of the experience is trying different dishes. -
Review from Charles C.
Miami, FL
12/29/2011
Delicious!
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Review from Jon H.
CA
2/15/2011
I took my date here for Valentine's Day. And it was pretty damn good. It was delicate, refined and exceeded my every expectation. So the run down is that I made like four reservations at different Japanese Restaurants because well Japanese places don't open on Mondays. I had a hole in the wall that my friend highly recommended lined up only because the top places were booked; Kappa being one of them. But about 1 hour before I picked up my date, Kappa called me and said they had a cancellation. THAT"S GREAT SERVICE. And being Valentine's Day, I wanted didn't want to have turf and surf as cliched as that is. If I'm going to the city, then I'm going to be eating sashimi.
This place delivers. The food was so good that I had to google adjectives just to describe it and even then I'm still doing a piss poor job. For one thing, my date spoke fluent Japanese and the fact that the owners, mom and pop, could speak fluently back to her. This instantly raises the bar. Sorry Koreans and Chinese run establishments.
Secondly, prefixed omakase menu was man alive. That's the only way to describe it. My date and I were full by the 4th course. I think we had 8 courses? Everything was so delicious. I can't put a finger on which was the best. To be more frank, I don't think I have the culinary expertise to describe the experience I had at this restaurant. I was very impressed. Presentation was simple, elegant, and creative. I especially loved the squid and roe.
The only negative if any is that if you're going to bring your A game and treat that special someone to this meal: be ready to fork over a few doubloons. -
Review from Brian J.
8/27/2010
Not sure how to start this review, so I'll leave it up to you; here are 3 options:
1.) Saved about $1400 on two tickets to Japan last night! Instead, I walked there!
2.) This is why we live in SF, why we deal with the outrageous costs and the damn parking tickets. It's because of places like this!
3.) Someone once told me, the first thing you should eat in a Japanese restaurant is the tamago, and the quality of the tamago would dictate the rest of the evening. The Japanese group next to me did just that. In fact, the chef had a big block of tomago on the counter that looked and tasted outstanding. Judging by the look on their (and our) faces, it was going to be a great evening.
Now here's the rest:
We were the only 'foreigners' in the place. Everyone else spoke Japanese. And we were the only ones doing the Omokase. Although I can't afford this place on a weekly basis, I feel blessed we were able to experience it.
Next time, I'm ordering off the menu.
But, if it's your first time, I don't suggest you do the same. Get the omokase. Enjoy.
(and the flight home won't be bumpy (or long.)) -
Review from Toro E.
San Francisco, CA
Possibly the best Japanese restaurant in the city of San Francisco.
Go to Kappa for absolutely amazing Japanese culinary experience, however you may go home disappointed if you approach this place with the wrong expectations. I had to think long and hard before making the difficult decision in post this review. Why? A 'wrong' customer going to this place would be disappoint and as the result, be frustrating to the owners. They don't have a sign outside the building for reason. They are not looking for a casual tourist to bump into Kappa; they can go to Mifune and Osaka-ya instead. They are not looking to fill the place to the maximum capacity every night with a line outside the door; leave that to Sushi Zone. They are looking to build a relationship with the regulars and present them with the best seasonal food in the comfortable cocoon that reminds you of places in Japan. When you are inside, you could almost forget that you are in the U.S.
Kappa is a Ko-ryori specialty restaurant.
'Ko' = 'Small'
'Ryori' = 'Cuisine'
Ko-ryori restaurant captures a special nitch in Japan for businessmen dining alone or two co-workers bonding over sake. It attracts customers who care about the quality of food and sake. Many are small, operated by a single chef serving counter seats only. People come to places like Kappa to eat the seasonal food made from the best ingredients, with minimal handling, enjoying the taste of the ingredient.
Is it...
IZAKAYA? Nope. Izakaya is characterized by a lively casual environment, more beer than sake, and often cheap. In some cheap Izakaya, people order sake without caring about the brand, and eat food which is sometimes microwaved.
KAISEKI? Nope. Go to places like Kaygetsu (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) or Kiku of Tokyo (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) for Kaiseki style food (http://en.wikipedia.or...). For the most part, kaiseki involves lots of prep work, dishes that involve lots of handling. Places like Kappa, or Tekka (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), operating in a wife and husband team, cannot serve complex dishes. Kaiseki is often served in Ryoutei --- which is known for private rooms. Many come in medium size groups, often for business dinner.
SUSHI? Nope. NO SUSHI at Kappa. Japanese visitors are often amazed by the amount of Japanese restaurants in the U.S. that serves sushi. If you go to a town in Japan with 10 restaurants, only one would be a sushi restaurant. Here, everyone makes sushi! I really applaud Kappa for sticking to the roots/principles by not folding to the American customer demand. I bet that if Kappa chef wanted to make sushi, he could make it better than 90% of the sushi chefs in San Francisco.
So, do you still want to go there? If so, continue reading.
HARD TO FIND: I highly recommend making your first visit to Kappa with someone who has been there before. Ever since reading Dan V.'s (http://danv.yelp.com/) review explaining that it's on top of Denny's in J-Town, I was in a mad hunt to locate it, peeking into the Korean Bar, wondering if they are actually a Japanese restaurant. After an extensive search, I finally found it. They don't have any English sign on the entrance, so I needed to bravely open the wooden sliding door. This does not mean they do not welcome non-Japanese customers. In fact, they want all customers to enjoy their food...as long as they don't start demanding California Rolls.
SEATS: They have about 8 counter seats and one table for three. They do take reservations.
MENU: They recommend Omakase (chef's choice) ($85) for first time visitors, which requires one day notice. The menu is written on the wall behind the chef (in Japanese); they also have an English menu (see pictures).
I had:
Sashimi (hamachi, maguro, clam)
Hirame with ankimo sauce ($15)
Crab sunomono ($18)
Tsukune ($8)
Grilled Unagi ($15)
White Pickled Turnup ($15)
Grilled fish
Aka-miso with clams
Onigiri (rice balls) with salmon
Tara Shirako (cod milt)
Takenoko with miso (bamboo shoot)
Grilled soramame (fava bean)
Maguro yamakake
Nanohana Oshitashi (celery cabbage)
Karashi mentaiko
FOOD: Delicious! Owners are from Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan, known for good food. Each dish is small, but the quality is top notch. They try to avoid unnecessary seasoning, so most of their dishes were prepared with subtle flavoring. Food really goes well with Sake. They have about a dozen selections of sake, including Hakkai-san, Otoko-yama, Oni-koroshi, etc.
LAST WORDS:
- Again, NO sushi.
- Come alone, or with one other person. Never in a group.
- Don't come here to chow-out. Stop by In-and-Out afterwards, if you are big eater.
- Expect to spend about $60-100/person. -
Review from Nobu K.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/16/2009
I got a call from my son in January.
He said, " Hey Dad, I'm goin' Paris in March for my Spring Break!"
I said, " WhatTheFXXX? Spring Break? There is no FXXXin' Break in Fxxxin' Spring, I never had Spring Break.."
He said, " Well, dad, I have a favor to ask."
My son has a "female" friend who is taking internship in Paris so he was thinking he can stay at her place for free, but, it turned out, her place doesn't allow over night guest at all.
So, suddenly, he had no place to stay in Paris.
And he didn't have enough budget for motel.
Even he got a round-trip to Paris and NY for 320.
So his spring break plan was screwed.
But, he remember that my gf has friends living in Paris, so that he was thinkin' hoping that it's OK to stay their house.
"Dad, could you ask your gf?........ Please....."
....................
So he went to Paris for 10 days and told me that he had a blast.
Great.
Life is too short.
I am really glad he had a good time in Paris.
2 weeks after, I got a call from my gf.
She said, " Hey Nobu, guess who's coming?"
I was like..... whatThe Fxxx?
She said, "My Friends from Paris!"
I said, "HOhLySHIT!"
The reason why my son had a blast in Paris for 10 FXXXin' days because he didn't have to pay stay in Paris and he was welcome into their family.
So, I said to my gf, "I gotto take them out for a dinner at least."
She said, "WE!"
I was like... ?
I said, "Really? We?"
She said, " Yes. We."
I said, " Ok, let me say it again, We gotto take them out for a dinner at least."
But where to?
with a French couple?
I already made up my mind, no where else but Kappa.
I've never met them but I was so sure Kappa is it.
I didn't even hesitate but my gf was really nervous.
She wanted the best in the city.
"Nobu, you don't know who you'll dealing with. It's like... Jason Bourne. They are really hard-core for food."
So, I took her Kappa, for her 1st time 2 weeks ago for a small dinner as a tryout, and she said, "WOW!"
So I made a reservation for the French couple.
So, we took the French couple to Kappa last night.
4 of us.
Omakase, $85 each
1. Goma-ae, small appetizer of asparagus mixed with grind-sesame seeds and miso paste.
2. Sunomono, crab and cucumber with Pon-zu.
3. Tsukune no Osumashi, Chicken meat ball with soup.
4. Combo plate, 8"x10" dish with 8 small great things! See photo.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
5. Sashimi plate. 1 slice of Hamachi, 2 of Aka-Maguro, 1 of Kanpachi and 1 Hirame.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
6. Combo plate of Unagi, Chicken katsu and panko fried corn.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
7. dessert, Ohagi=small sweet rice ball with sweet blackbean paste over.
8. dessert, small vanilla ice cream with Kinako=soy bean powder+sweet black bean sauce.
with great high quality green tea.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
4 decanter of Toranoko, Dai-Ginjo, from Yamagata prefecture. $25 each.
Great presentation of serving with Great traditional manner.
And they have such a nice, cute, colorful quality dinner plates.
Every single moment was awesome, authentic Japanese.
The 8 items above were all very small size but we were all full after the 5th plate.
It wasn't exactly the same as the pictures but close enough.
One comment from the French couple.
"WOW!!!"
We got there at 7 pm.
We stayed there after 9 pm.
It was great.
I felt a great comfort in Kappa.
We had a blast.
I was just thinking ... if we had a similar dinner in Japan, I think, they'll charge us more for it.Listed in: Authentic Japanese in SF, Japan Town!, love little good hole in the…, Good-Pricy Sushi & Japanese
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/8/2007
This is what the Real Authentic Japanese Restaurant should be.
Honest, Bold, Low-key and traditional… Read more »
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Review from Pink ..
San Francisco, CA
4/14/2007
Don't say I didn't warn you. Just tell me how useful this review was after you've ben here and wasted your money. I'm not some rube off the street. I know my stuff.
Blah blah blah
After reading all of the reviews on Kappa, I thought I should lend a voice of reason to the "oh my god you have to go here because it feels like you're in japan and there are real japanese businessmen eating at the bar and she wears a kimono" comments on this place.
First off...I've lived in Japan. I know Japan...and this place...well, it definitely IS a part of Japan. But not the part that includes food that tastes good. It's the part of Japan that makes you feel like you should like the food because it's part of a greater cultural experience or Kyoto-type overpriced flavorless zen experience.
I actually was served a fifteen dollar giant unflavored or seasoned mushroom here, with a garnish of a slice of lemon...that should give you an idea of the food you would expect here.
so, for 2...and only one of us drinking sake, the bill for very petite portions of eel, mushroom, sashimi, and other flavorless things (sashimi good but not memorable), the bill was roughly 170 bux. For real.
I just think everyone should go into this knowing that you'll be paying for the experience of sitting in a very small restaurant with the wife of the husband wife duo watching you as you try to eat the flavorless mushroom without making a face-type experience. but if you've never been to japan and fancy yourself the cosmopolitan type of person who would like the "authentic" experience of eating in a very small and uncomfortable restaurant, then this is your place. but if that's the type of person you are then you are probably a manga-reading, english-teaching, nihon-phili-fetishist...and you know who you are.
holla. -
Review from Tak K.
Campbell, CA
1/20/2008
Summary: if you have eaten very good Japanese tapas restaurants (izakaya) such as Tanto, Gochi, and Saizo, and are ready to experience the extra sophistication in taste, the food is worth the extra spending.
Now here's the whole story. My mother, since moving to the small town in Texas, has missed quality Japanese food. She told me she would treat me as my birthday present, so as I have not tried this place, I offered this place to her, somewhat worried that she might say no given the expected splurge. She said yes, after not being to reserve a table at Kaygetsu.
It's not easy to find the entrance to this place. Basically, go up the step right at the front of Denny's in SF Japan town, open the double door that says "club ??? (I forgot the name)," and find the lantern right away. Right to that is the entrance to Kappa. If you turn left, you'll go into the club.
Once inside, you'll notice that the place is definitely small. It actually reminds me of a quality Japanese restaurant in the middle of Tokyo, even though the food served is Kyoto style (slightly sweeter than Tokyo style, with more frequency of seaweed broth being used).
The waitress was an attentive Japanese woman who makes conversation to customers for hospitality. The male chef likewise was attentive and quick on customer's orders. Because this place only serves 13 people, though, they could do that.
The menu only has 30 or so dishes, but boy, were these dishes sophisticated or not. Fried beefsteak leaves with miso paste inside was a nice way to ignite appetite for further dishes and sake. Simmered Tanba (a region in Kyoto(?) that is traditionally famous for beans) black bean was sweet, but also delicate. My kid sister really liked sheared tuna with grated yam on top. Indeed, inside there was a small amount of broth and freshly-grated wasabi. Mixing them with soy sauce made this dish wonderful. Tuna itself was also great.
They also had senmai-zuke, which is pickled turnip with seaweed. They seem to make their own pickles, and the quality was mouthwatering. Most American probably would not care for pickles, but if you like other kinds of pickles (kim chee, sauerkraut), you should try this kind of home-made Japanese pickles as well.
Their bite-size pork cutlet was well cooked, but with a lot of flavor. The bread batter might have to do with it, but the quality of pork (kuro buta = black pork in Japan) probably plays the role too. Stewed green was easy to eat, but still full of flavor thanks to deep-fried been curd and a hint of red pepper. Grilled minced chicken and Shiitake mushroom were a little crunchy on outside, and soft and flavorful on inside. It's not easy to grill like this, trust me. Their ochazuke was delicate and light. I was able to finish even though I was pretty full right before that.
Yes, the bill was pretty steep. But my mother definitely enjoyed the dish, understanding the worthiness of the food she appreciated so much. I have to agree with her.
On the side story, my mother was aggressive enough to ask the waitress to see if they could use her hand-made glass plate for the restaurant. While the waitress declined the offer after asking the chef, she was gracious enough to ask him in the first place. That shows the attentiveness this restaurant gives to customers. -
Review from Jen N.
8/27/2010
What a special treat!
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday last night. We've been wanting to go for a loooong time so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. We got the omakase and loved every minute of it. (Note: This might not be up a picky eater's alley.)
We both felt like we were in Japan last night. The place only holds about 10 (with the exception of a small room to the side) and we were the only two non-Japanese people there and the only people conversing in English. How fun!
The husband and wife couldn't have been a more beautiful/adorable couple (I kept saying to my bf 'How adorable is he????' He could only smile and totally agree). The woman was absolutely a sweetheart and made the truly authentic experience a bit less intimidating (I'm sure we were eating some things the wrong way?).
The sake she recommended was dee-lish, too.
Gosh, what a great night. They even gave me a small gift for my birthday. Absolutely so sweet.
We're already saying we want to go back...and now that we aren't total rookies, we might even try our luck at ordering off of the menu! -
Review from Jeremy K.
San Francisco, CA
7/22/2007
Wow, Kappa was a disappointment. For a 4.5 star rated restaurant, I was expecting a lot more.
We ordered the omakase for $85 each. Overall it was a big let down.
Started with 2 sashimi size pieces of soy sauce/shiso marinated marinated tuna with scallions. Ok, tasted fine, but hardly unique. I can get that at any sushi bar.
Next was an interesting bowl of fish gelatin, fish eggs, fish, and okra. It was ok.
Then we had a plate of sashimi and other bite size foods. BBQ unagi, sardine nigiri, duck breast. I think there was nine pieces of stuff. Not that tasty, nor original, except for the single slice of duck breast.
Next was a bowl with 6 pieces of sashimi. 2 tuna, 1 yellowtail, 1 halibut, 1 mackeral, and some uni. Didn't taste fresh, and I hate mackeral.
Then a small plate with a shrimp ball, corn fritter, and grilled miso-marinated seabass. I felt like I could have gotten the shrimp ball from a street vendor for $1. The corn fritter was very salty. The seabass was a charred mess. I sent it back.
Finally we had a soup dish with an egg custard square, some fresh fruit, and green tea ice crea.
In total, with tax , tip, and hot tea we were over $200.
Aside from the food, which was nothing special, the chef would prepare everyone's (as in, everyone in the restaurant) dishes at the same time. Therefore, if you weren't the first group finished with your plate, your next plate would be preplated and waiting next to the dirty dishes in the sink, cold, or over-cooked.
If you really want an authentic japanese restaurant like this, then go to Kiss. If you're looking for fresh fish on rice, go to your favorite sushi place and you'll leave much happier. -
Review from Serena Y.
San Francisco, CA
3/6/2008
Forget Gary Danko, forget Michael Mina. Neither of those restaurants have impressed me or my foodie friends. To date, the only "high end" restaurant that I would recommend unequivocally was Myth... but Myth was never special occasion high end, and now its changed owners.
And then we met Kappa.
Certainly, Kappa doesn't seem like a schmancy place: it's upstairs from the Japantown Denny's, with an unmarked door, and seating for no more than 10. But the food, the service... its heavenly. Plus, one of the things that I was not impressed by Gary Danko was that the food they served was so generic. It was damn good, for sure, but I can get good foie gras just about anywhere these days.
Kappa is like no other restaurant - Japanese or otherwise - that I've been to. John and I went last Tuesday for his 30th birthday, and it was a wonderful experience. We ordered the omakase so we didn't have to think about what to order, and what paired well with what. We were the only two customers in the place until the last 30 mins, so Rumiko (the owner) fussed about us. Everything was superbly presented. All we had to do was to order a sake, and enjoy the food.
Even though each taste was just a morsel, by the end of the night, even Mr. Hollow Leg John was stuffed. Besides, the flavors were so rich and different that we were able to savor each bite.
It will be hard to top something like Kappa. But that's ok, that's why we have special occasions only occasionally.Listed in: Orgasmic, Foodie Favorites
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Review from Lisa M.
San Francisco, CA
4/29/2008 5 photos
One night, my friend and I decided to finally try dinner at Kappa, a wonderful gem of a restaurant tucked away in a hidden corner of San Francisco's Japantown. Locating the restaurant for the first time was slightly challenging. We went up a flight of stairs from the J-town Denny's, peered skeptically into a Korean karaoke lounge, and finally found the entrance behind a sliding wooden door next to the lounge. The only indication of the restaurant's existence was a small sign with the words "Kappa" inscribed in neat hiragana.
Yet aside from the odd location, this was one of the best meals I've had outside of Japan. Once I stepped inside, I was instantly transported back to the small, intimate restaurants in Japan, where salarymen drink and eat in between hearty laughter after work hours. The restaurant can only fit about ten seats at the bar, so the dining experience allows you to converse with both the chef and his wife, who served customers while wearing a full kimono (which is very commendable since it's hard to even walk in kimono without looking like a penguin). I almost forgot that I was in the States.
As for the food, let me begin my review with some words of caution. Not everyone will appreciate the food at Kappa. The restaurant serves food in the koryori style, which is harder to find outside of Japan. Small, stand-alone dishes are presented with minimal garnish and seasoning, in an effort to highlight the original flavors of the ingredients. There is no standard menu, as the availability of items varies with the freshness of the ingredients. The result is a sensual, refined dining experience that allows you to enjoy the flavors, scents, and textures of some of the most traditional Japanese cuisine.
If you're looking for California rolls, contemporary fusion fare, gyoza, and teriyaki bento boxes, do not step foot into Kappa. And take your gaijin t-shirt with you. Kappa doesn't even serve sushi, although I'm sure the chef would do an amazing job if he wanted to.
For newbies, the best thing to order is probably the omakase pre-fixe menu. For $85 per person, the chef will select a variety of dishes to introduce you to koryori dining. My friend and I were fairly confident about what we wanted though, so we just ordered a la carte.
- Sashimi: Each slice was thick, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Wasabi and shoyu were completely unnecessary. The uni was especially amazing.
- Ankimo: Creamy and velvety, served with ponzu sauce.
- Hirame Usuzukuri: Thinly sliced halibut sashimi dipped in a mixture of shoyu, thinly sliced green onions, and spicy daikon. Great play on textures.
- Grilled red snapper: Best dish of the meal. Reminiscent of hamachi kama, but the meat was thicker and sweeter.
- Blackskin Pork: Thick and fried in batter without too much excess oil.
- Anmitsu (agar jelly served with sweet bean paste)
With the limited seating, reservations are a must. The portions are small, so don't show up starving. And the prices can add up to a hefty total, but if you're a fan of traditional Japanese fare, it's well worth it to visit once in awhile.
(See accompanying photos!) -
Review from Yan M.
San Francisco, CA
6/16/2010
After reading Nobu K. and Toro E.'s reviews, it has been on my "To Try" list for the longest time.
The entrance is conspicuous and finally I noticed the littlest sign.....
The host/server/probable wife of the chef is super warm and courteous and service was right on. She explains every item on the omakase offering and I truly enjoyed all bits of it! Omakase is the way to go and thanks to Zendesk girl and hubby for a wonderful time! -
Review from M J.
San Francisco, CA
8/1/2007
Dear Kappa,
We were really looking forward to having a nice birthday dinner in you. Unfortunately, you took one look at my obviously non-asian boyfriend and I and said you were closed. Maybe if he were one of those annoying white guys who is always practicing his japanese in order to pick up asian girls you would have let us in.
Too bad. Luckily we found a nice tapas bar someplace far away from you.
-Me -
Review from Mami T.
San Francisco, CA
5/30/2007
One should know that what truly differentiates Kappa from the rest of Bay Area Japanese restaurants is their veggie dishes. I have never had such authentic Japanese vegetables perfectly prepared in such an authentic way at any of Japanese restaurants around here.
Where do they get their vegetables? I'm dying to find out. They don't just cross over the street to Nijiya, for sure. -
Review from Carol L.
San Francisco, CA
5/29/2008
With the glowing reviews from many of Yelp's Japanese food experts, I had extremely high expectation for Kappa. Maybe it is personal taste or maybe it was a slightly off night for them. While everything was up to par, it didn't wow me.
We had the Omakasi. The sashimi dish was very fresh, the delicate bean jello appetizer was really unique and refreshing, but I am sorry to say the rest were forgettable...
The experience itself was wonderful though. The atmosphere was like dining at a little gourmet restaurant in a local neighborhood in Japan. The Chef and his wife also made wonderful hosts.
Overall it was a 4-star experience for me, just 20% short of excellence. -
Review from Angela L.
San Francisco, CA
10/25/2011
What could be more fun than finding a hidden wooden door that slides open to be greeted by a woman in a kimono? The restaurant is small and cozy and the husband and wife who run it are very sweet. Not the place for you if you are looking for something very intimate; I think I saw one table off on the side by itself but all the other (8 or so) seats are sushi bar style - you can keep yourselves to yourselves but hard to ignore others if they are loud talkers.
We had the omakase fixed menu and it was DIVINE. Every course was different - the flavours were amazing and each dish was so beautifully presented. They were very accommodating with a shellfish allergy with no problem. We even got a beautifully wrapped gift (sake glass) when they overheard it was my husband's birthday. A little pricey but I am looking forward to going back someday!
