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Rumble Fish
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
200 23rd Ave(between California St & Clement St)
San Francisco, CA 94121
Neighbourhood: Outer Richmond
(415) 876-3474
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 5:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Carol C. said: "Approximately two weeks ago I stopped in Fuji Sushi for my second visit. Thereafter, (and the month is not even over), I made another five visits (including yesterday afternoon) for lunch and another time for after work dessert…" read more »
114 reviews for Rumble Fish
Review Highlights
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"I'm always a sucker for hamachi kama." In 11 reviews -
"Everything is prepared carefully and very fresh." In 12 reviews -
"The miso black cod, on the other hand, was divine (yeah, I..." In 3 reviews
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114 reviews in English
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Review from Marco Antonio C.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2012
Just had an amazing dinner at Rumble Fishs small but charming bar. The food and service were great. To our suprise the bill was under $45 for two. We had the tummy assorted tempura to start. The vegetables were fresh and tasty. Our favorite roll was the special Kanpachi Shrimp tempura roll with scallions. It was sooo good we had a second order.
Great fresh sushi, curtious service, clean quiet atmosphere. I will absolutely be eating here a lot! -
Review from Sherie Z.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
i yelped this place up where they had four stars so i had somewhat high expectations n i was soo disappointed when i got there. i mean the atmosphere was great, pretty small place, except the service was really really really slow. we waited 15min before we got seated when there was 5 empty tables (3 of which had to be cleared away first). the reason for this is b/c there is only 1 waitress, 1 cook, and 1 assistant cook. n the waitress "took her time" cleaning the tables, ordering, serving, calculating the bill. i mean its obviously that service will be slow with just 1 waitress no matter how small the place can be but whats annoying was that the waitress did everything as slow as possible.
arite, service is clearly bad, thats ok. but the sushi is also very plain n the sashimi is not "fresh". we ordered 6 sushi rolls n spent 3 hours. each sushi roll came like every 30min. n the portions were small, hella overpriced for the size and taste.
in the end, me n my friends all agree that this is our "first n LAST time" -
Review from Becka R.
San Francisco, CA
4/30/2012
I almost gave them five stars. Everything here is of superior quality. Presentation is beautiful, flavors are dynamic and lively, and the food is clearly fresh. The service is excellent as well. My Japanophile husband was blown away completely.
The menu is short- you don't get a hundred gazillion options like you would at Osaka, or another large, crowd pleasing restaurant. I love how low key and authentic Rumble Fish is - it's small, quiet and intimate, and they were playing doo-wop fifties hits on the sound system. It's a simple place, with dynamite, fresh Japanese food. -
Review from Steve B.
Long Beach, CA
4/13/2012
Was not particularly impressed with Rumble Fish. The rolls were heavy on the rice and light on the good stuff. The deep fried oysters were the highlight for me. Nicely cooked and served with a tasty teriyaki-like dipping sauce. The pistachio avocado roll was interesting, too. But again, light on the good stuff. The tuna in the big eye tuna roll was not the best cut... more connective tissue than I prefer. They did have a good selection of Nigiri, so maybe a better place for the adventurous types. As it was I was underwhelmed with the "special" rolls we got. That and the service was really slow. There were only two chefs in the kitchen and we were part of a little rush so I won't hold it against them. In terms of the ambience and the decor, it had a very Yelp-ish charm.
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Review from Kris H.
San Jose, CA
2/13/2012
The service and food was incredibly slow. We asked several times about where our food was and the server was not apologetic. One roll came out with a piece of plastic wrap! We showed the plastic to the server and they gave us some seaweed salad but were still charged for the roll. The dragon roll did not have shrimp tempura. The sushi was passable, but I was so hungry by the time it was served that I would have eaten anything. I was severely disappointed in my experience.
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Review from Stephanie L.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012
I wanted to like this place. I read other Yelp reviews before coming here and was unfortunately disappointed. They are incredibly slow despite the small number of customers in the restaurant. There was only one waitress in the restaurant and she would bring out one dish 10 minutes after another. One hour later and we were still waiting for our last dish. There was a limited number of sushi rolls on the menu and the ones were had were only mediocre. The california roll was even a disappointment and the crab was fake.
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Review from jena t.
San Francisco, CA
2/14/2012
This place made me so angry that I am writing my second review ever.
Worst service I have ever had in any restaurant, ever. Speaking as a former waitress, that's pretty bad. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt.
Our food took over ONE HOUR to arrive - we were the only ones in the restaurant at the time, so there was no competition with other orders - and the waitress didn't even apologize. Not even once. In fact, she didn't even acknowledge that it was taking a long time to arrive.
As a party of seven, we had to flag her down and ask her to bring our drinks (TWENTY minutes after we ordered them! we gave her time!), and refill our drinks after we had waited forty minutes for our food. We weren't complainers, we weren't needy, we weren't mean. There was no reason for her to treat us like crap. We just wanted to have a nice dinner. So much for that.
Worse, they charged us for every single thing we ordered, even after a sushi roll arrived with a plastic wrapper stuck to it. (After an hour of notice, you'd think they'd catch that in the quality control department.) No offers to reduce the bill from making us wait past closing time, no apologies, nothing. Can you believe it? Not even to offer taking some of it off the bill after you made people wait until after 10 pm for their food?
The sushi was fine, but nothing spectacular, and the service gave a bad enough taste in our mouths that it didn't balance out. I don't know how this place got so many stars. I see that plenty of others on this list have had the same experience that we did.
I would never go back. -
Review from Erika C.
1/29/2012
Everything we had was pretty good. When I used to live in the neighborhood, I made a mental note to come back. We never did. I think the bf just didn't like the ambiance. If someone wanted to go, I'd be down. Even the name sounds awesome.
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Review from Malisha J.
San Francisco, CA
7/19/2011 13 Check-ins Here
I've been here at least 10 times. It's not far from the apartment and even if it was....I'd still go for their sushi and their service.
Wonderful people work here and I just love the fact they're fans of Francis Ford Coppola (hence the bottles of Coppola wine and posters of his movies). Also, LOVE that they're always playing music from the 50's / 60's.
Now on to the fish....always fresh and always amazing. Their hamachi never disappoints. It's at the most perfect temperature and always tastes so yummy. And their tempura! This is the real deal folks. Nothing super thick crappy batter. Nope. It's light and not greasy and exactly what tempura should be like.
I love this place and you should check it out if you want a chill, laid back sushi experience. Like other yelpers have pointed out....this place is truly a hidden gem. Reasonably priced for some superb sushi. -
Review from Jocelyn L.
San Francisco, CA
11/4/2011
Great sushi. Great price. Menu is pretty limited, but it doesn't matter because everything on it is delicious, kind of like In-n-out.
My boyfriend and I got vegetable tempura, dragon roll, Rumble fish roll, and Hamachi Kama. Tempura was very fresh, so yummy and cheap. The dragon roll was great, it was pretty much a double-unagi roll but had a crunch from the tempura crumbs inside. It sounds overwhelming but complemented itself very well. Rumblefish roll is AWESOME for Uni lovers (not me). They were very generous on the serving of Uni slathered on top! Lastly the Hamachi Kama hit the spot. That fish is always filled with hidden treasures.
Cons - slow service, only 2 cooks I think. Our waitress was very nice, though. -
Review from Luis M.
San Francisco, CA
2/28/2012
This spot is my go-to place for quality sushi in the Richmond district. The restaurant is small, seats about 30 people, tops. The chef is a young Japanese man who also happens to own the place. Unlike a lot of sushi places in SF, the fish actually tastes fresh (and the price often reflects it).
My only problem I have with this place is that the wait can sometimes be VERY long, especially if there are a lot of people eating. -
Review from Amar K.
Heaven on earth in my mouth. salmon and avocado was my favorite I think! rainbow roll also very good, rumble roll- ok just maybe not my fav fishes--- cant wait to try some of their others- the fish here was delicious and the service was attentive. like the scallop nigiri & miso very much also. basically yum. yum. yum.
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Review from Tony L.
3/12/2011 9 Check-ins Here
I love salmon. When it's free, I love it even more.
What? How did we get free salmon?
I came here last night with a friend, intending to drink, but ending up eating. He ordered a four-piece roll, they accidentally came out with an eight-piece roll. We were fine paying for it (it was hella good anyway). So they also gave us an order of sake nigiri on the house. That went a long way towards making us happy.
I also ordered the special scallop roll (salmon, cucumber, topped with scallop) and the miso black cod. The scallop roll was fresh and uncomplicated. Sometimes you go to a sushi place and the rice is too hard. Or they slather on a bunch of sauce. None of that here. Just a light, tasty roll.
The miso black cod, on the other hand, was divine (yeah, I said divine). It was super tender and moist without feeling undercooked. It was grilled to perfection, the charred sear was both a sight and taste to behold. Definitely my favorite dish of the night.
Which is saying a lot--free salmon is hard to beat.
Our meal came out to $35 a head, including one 300ml bottle of sake. A little steep, but nonetheless enjoyable. -
Review from Maybelle M.
San Francisco, CA
11/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
If the sushi roll named after the restaurant is bad, there's better sushi elsewhere to be had.
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Review from Ray J.
San Francisco, CA
6/18/2011
1. Roast duck Breast w/ ponzu - 4/5. good as expected.
2. Hamachi Kama - 4/5. I'm always a sucker for hamachi kama. THey did a good job cooking it. It was flaking away nicely with the slightest touch and was super moist and juicy.
3. Salmon Toro sushi - 5/5. fresh fresh and fatty fatty!
4. Special Scallop Roll - 4/5. win
All in all a good meal, but a bit on the pricey side. Probably gonna be awhile til I go back. -
Review from LingCeee C.
San Francisco, CA
8/1/2011 1 photo
This is a hidden little place that my boyfriend found. We were desperate for some Japanese food around our area. And he found this.
The food, the place, the service, the chef are amazing. I finally get to taste authentic Japanese food since my last trip to Japan. I ordered the Chirashi bowl with variety mix of tuna, salmon, uni, tamago and some other sushi names that I don't know of. The rice was super GOOD. Then we got the spicy scallop roll and the rumble fish roll. Both super duper delicious. We also got a free seaweed salad from them because they took awhile to serve our rolls. Fresh seaweed btw.
The price was ridiculously reasonable and will definitely be back soon. YUM! -
Review from Mark M.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2011
Heading to hear some music around the corner at the Bazaar Cafe (next review) we stumbled upon this place. GREAT!
The wonderful little oasis of Japanese food/service in the Richmond was great.
The rolls and sushi and Tempura were all clean and tasty and fresh.
Mmmmmm, if you're in the area of 23rd/California...stop and eat here. -
Review from Mike B.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Disappointing all around. I had high hopes for this place as it's two blocks from my apartment, but the food was subpar and the service aloof.
We focused our meal on the sushi side of the menu. Perhaps the other side justifies the four star Yelp rating. The sushi was bad across the board- the rice was dry as cardboard, the ingredients tasteless, and the fish was low quality and not fresh. We actually stopped ordering after only 1 round and left hungry. -
Review from Vu N.
San Francisco, CA
12/7/2010
When you walk into this tiny, secluded restaurant with real Japanese chefs and usually a single Japanese waitress, you'll find maybe 5 small table tops and a bar playing some 60's music like you're in a gangster meets samurai movie. The ambiance certainly throws you off, but its all part of the theme. "Rumble Fish" is one of Francis Coppola's movies and the shelves are lined with Francis Coppola wine. From what I've heard, he lives in the Outer Richmond so he's probably not too far away.
Anyways, that explains the ambiance and decor. The food is also great. I used to live 5 blocks away, so I've been here a good number of times. I've driven all the way out to the Outer Richmond just to go here. The fish tastes very fresh and they take their time with it. I enjoy the hamachi carpaccio and Rumble Fish roll. Other enjoy the gratin, but I'm indifferent. Everything is great though. It's a perfect place to down some Echigos and sake quietly while feeling like a gangster. -
Review from Sandrella T.
San Francisco, CA
9/20/2010
Food: 5 stars
Wait time: 0 stars
The food was super good, however, it wasn't worth the wait. My friend and I literally waited for more than 20 minutes in between each dish. We were super hungry, and it took us about 2 hours to dine, versus our usual time of an hour. We spent most of our time waiting than eating!
I would not recommend eating here if you're super hungry. If you don't mind waiting and want good Japanese food, then this is the place for you.
The price is a bit pricey, but worth it for the delicious rolls!
3 stars because I don't like waiting that long for food. -
Review from Mona C.
San Francisco, CA
12/8/2009 9 photos
[M]ona: 5 Stars
[W]ayne: 5 Stars
Average: 5 Stars
+ Great Service
+ Reasonable Prices
+ Fresh
+ Accepts Credit Cards
[W] Mona wanted to try something new today that was recommended by a fellow YELP buddy BB. If you come to this restaurant, I recommend to wait until 8 where you can actually park at the bus stops otherwise make sure you don't need to use the restroom like I did and we had to circle around many times.....yeah that was kinda torture for me haha.
This place is a little small but very comfortable. The waitress was really nice and this place brings a very Japanesey feel. The waitress is very attentive and just keeps bringing you tea whenever your cup is getting low and make sure everything is ok when she brings the food. She doesn't ask in an annoying way but a reassuring way. Even when we already paid and was about to leave, she was walking towards us with a cup of tea!
Getting to the food, we ordered 6 dishes today. A Carpaccio, Rainbow Roll, Rumble Fish Roll, Salmon Avocado roll, Spicy scallop roll, and a Tamago Nigiri. The portions were a on a smaller scale but was all delicious minus the Rumble Fish roll because I personally do not like Uni but I'm kind of ruling that out from my point scale. I personally enjoyed the rainbow roll, salmon avocado roll, and the spicy scallop roll.
RAINBOW ROLL (8 pieces): I think this is the one place where I had a rainbow roll that had super fresh fish on it. When you look at the fish, it has a nice glaze and when you bite in, it pretty much just melts in your mouth. Now that's good and fresh fish! The special little treat about this rainbow roll was that it had a little tiny piece of tempura in the center as well as a little flavored leaf under the fish. Normally rainbow rolls don't come with either of that. http://static.px.yelp....
SPICY SCALLOP ROLL (6 pieces): The scallops were so airy and fluffy but it tasted so good. Mona thought it was pretty damn spicy but I didn't taste it. http://static.px.yelp....
SALMON AVOCADO ROLL (8 pieces): The salmon avocado roll was really delicious as well. The avocados tasted like they just picked it from a tree and not from a supermarket where it has been sitting out. When you look at all the sushi rolls, it just makes you want to salivate and eat it all up! http://static.px.yelp....
[M] HIRAME AND SUZUKI CARPACCIO: From the Daily Special Menu. The Carpaccio was super refreshing! Two types of fishes: Hirame and Suzuki. It's a great appetizer to start off any meal. http://static.px.yelp....
TAMAGO NIGIRI (2 pieces): The Tamago Nigiri (cut into halves) was sweet and cold. It was good, but we've had better. http://static.px.yelp....
RUMBLE FISH ROLL (6 pieces): OMG, the Rumble Fish Roll was so good! It's huge chucks of Uni and Ikura on top of Unagi, and Hamachi Roll. The Uni is so fresh here that it literally melts in your mouth. Great deal for the price $12! :D http://static.px.yelp....
Thank you B B for such a great recommendation! This was the best Sushi we've had in AGES. Can't wait to come here again!!! X3 -
Review from Daniel L.
7/2/2009 20 photos
Hiding on the street corner of 23rd Ave and California right by Alamo Elementary School and behind the busy intersections of Geary and Clement is a quiet fish that rumbles. It is so easy to walk by and dismiss its modest persona but the interior is cute, sophisticated, and charming enough to make it a sweet date. My good yelp buddy BB of San Francisco has been encouraging me to pay this place a visit, guaranteeing a blast, blah blah blah (so cute!). So I had to take a trip here last night just to learn what all the hoopla is about.
At 5:30pm, I was fashionably early after reading about many who had waited for 90 minutes to get a table. It was so cool to be there alone as I had the chefs and server all to myself under a peaceful and calming atmosphere. This sense of tranquility was defined by walls painted in delicate wasabi with a set of decors that were intentional to convey a balanced sensibility of traditionalist and modernist Japan. Here is what I ordered:
Clams miso ($4): The hint of clam was robust and clearly pronounced. It was by far the best clam broth I've had since my last Octoberfest in the Boston area. I didn't think I could rekindle with such broth and ingenuity in California. It was way better than the one at the California Sushi Roll Factory and consistency-wise superior than any of the chowders in the City.
Hirame sashimi ($11): This nine piece sashimi was beautifully presented and the cuts were fresh, thick and even. You can tell the chef has some real knife skills as the cuts were very delicious and the quality was top notch. Yamato, Sushi Masu, and Katsu-ya have nothing on this place--Nada!
Rumble fish roll ($11): Now, how can I skip on BB's favorite?! With a touch of creativity this roll came in modest portions with ultra fresh uni and ikura to top off a roll that embodied a nice combination of eel and yellowtail. The roll was so fresh that even the cucumbers were crisp and pointed. I typically do not like uni but this is one place where I learned to enjoy it. A major highlight.
Spicy albacore roll ($5): I've had enough rolls in other places where the taste of the fish was secondary to avocado or some wacko eel or spicy sauce. Here, with just a sophisticated touch of spiciness, the roll again was freshly complimented with cucumber, and there was no question that albacore was the primary focus in taste and pleasure.
Sake ($4): My last tasting has to be a nigiri, and through the server's recommendation, their salmon was rich and buttery. The cuts were surprisingly hearty and a complete delight on top of a fabulous pair of sushi rice.
For those who are interested, their food is made with rice bran oil which has no transfat and is cholesterol free. They also have some organic choices on their menu.
Service was outstanding as I was attended to frequently and the chefs went out of their way to thank me for the visit. My glass of water was never empty and it was a beautiful meal that did not come at a high cost like the one I had at Sasabune. Just to be clear, I judge sushi places by the following elements and this place excelled in every dimension:
1.) Quality and freshness: 5 stars, everything was super fresh.
2.) Creativity and presentation: 5 stars, everything had a gentle touch to compliment its calming atmosphere. In terms of authenticity, each sushi was precise in cuts and sizes.
3.) Quantity and substance: 5 stars, the thick cuts of fish were impressive. Although portions were modest, the quality and flavors were robust.
4.) Accessibility and affordability: 5 stars, I ordered 5 items and my bill came out to be $38.33 with tax.
5.) Service and ambiance: 5 stars, nothing loud and fancy like Yamato but everything was handled gently and beautifully. Since I was the only one there, it was one of the most personalized services I've experienced.
Thanks BB, for introducing me to a humble place that is as good as it gets. You were so right when your review said this place was underrated. I would love to rumble with this fish anytime!Listed in: Why Yelp?, Delicious Hole In the Wall…, My "A" List, Bring a Date, Fresh Seafood
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Review from Nobu K.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2009
Nigiri only review.
It is very clean place.
I took a counter chair but I didn't see the chef.
I ordered as follow:
Maguro, Nicely sliced. I really liked it. The Maguro was naturally on the shari but I found a little thumb press mark on the side of the Nigiri.
Hirame, Same way as the Maguro. Good.
Ika, I liked it. No Chewing! Crunchy, smooth.
Aji, Nice.
Suzuki, seabass, Good!
Saba, I could tell that the mackerel was the chef made! Really good!!!
Hirame no Engawa, the day's special.
flounder's porch area and the flesh of the fish along the dorsal fin and ventral fin. It was .... ummmmmm. Great.
Tamago, I usually don't get Tamago but this is my 1st time having sushi here so I just see how that Tamago is.
+ small Asahi
+ Good Agari
+ tax= 38 bucks!
The Shari was small size, but I didn't care that much. Because all Nigiri had great balance of Shari and Neta.
And I know that I can ask him make little bigger shari for my next visit.
This place was a French Bistro own by Japanese 16 years ago and it was SO BAD.
My problem for Rumble Fish is that the Sushi chef is in the kitchen.
I do understand that the layout of the place isn't right for Sushi bar but I think Sushi chef should showing the face to the customer.
So, he should come out to dining area at least once.
The waitress was 100% young Japanese and she was GOOD.
She said that the Sushi chef is Japanese too but I didn't see him so I don't know.
But, I'll be very surprised if he isn't.
Because the Nigiri were all Japanese Old School Nigiri.
I'll be back.Listed in: Authentic Japanese in SF, Reasonable & Good Sushi
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Review from Jason C.
El Cerrito, CA
11/20/2008 3 photos
It's not bad. I do like the cute interior decor, with the softly playing 60s rock that made my mother say "Wow, I grew up to this!"
Is that good with sushi? The nigiri is small, the prices are steep, and the alcohol is downright expensive. The selection is decent, but their uni left a lot to be desired. I definitely would have to try it again if I could find parking (SUCKS), as long as it didn't break my wallet the same way GW broke our country's economy.
But like an Obama come back, the fried soft shell crab is the shizznit!!!! I would go here for that alone. Everything else, I can find elsewhere. -
Review from b b.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/20/2009 5 photos
Rumble Fish is my favorite Japanese restaurant in the city. Please read my previous review for more details.
I decided to take myself out for dinner after a long day at work. I was craving for their Rumble Fish roll anyway. I think their Rumble Fish roll is the best roll EVER! It has hamachi and unagi on the inside and uni and ikura on the outside. http://www.yelp.com/bi... Delicious! I always order it every time I come here. Totally worth the $11.
When you come here, don't forget to order from their special menu. I ordered these items:
-Manila clam miso soup ($4)- Very tasty! I counted 5 clams total. Not too salty. It was perfect! Thanks Daniel L., I really enjoyed it!
-Hokkaido seared scallops ($13)- The waitress recommended this dish. At first, I was reluctant because it only came with 4 pieces. I was afraid it would be itty bitty pieces. When it came out, I was surprised at how HUGE those scallops were! It also came with asparagus. I thought to myself "Ugh. Asaparagus. I HATE eating asparagus! It makes my pee stink!" Yeah I said it. Don't try to act like your pee smells like flowers after you eat asparagus! Cause you know it doesn't! LOL! Anway, after one bite, I thought to myself "OMG, I'll eat these asparagus ANY DAY! I don't care if my pee stinks or not!" TMI?Sorry. I speaks the troof! LOL. But seriously, this dish was OUTSTANDING! Everything from the asparagus, scallops and sauce! The sauce was the best part! It had a nice buttery flavor.
Even though I was really full, I still had room for dessert. They had green tea cheesecake (around $3-$4). It was really good! Not too rich and it was very light. And yes, I finished it all.
My lovely dinner was around $35 (including tax). It would have been cheaper if my fat ass didn't order dessert! I forgot to mention, the chef hooked me up with some hirame nigiri. Everytime I come here, he's always giving me free food. He's awesome! That's why I love this place.Listed in: I Heart Japanese Food! =)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/6/2009
-so what if theres no sushi bar
-so what if the food takes too long
-so what if the place isnt crowded… Read more »
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Review from Liz K.
Cary, NC
2/10/2008
I scoop up a huge glob of wasabi and drop it on the little dipping plate. I pour soy sauce over the wasabi and whirl around. With my chopsticks, I skillfully maneuver a sake nigiri into the wasabi soy sauce mixture. Stuff the whole thing in my mouth and chew.
My nose starts to burn, my eyes well up with tears, I hear the faint sound of 50's music in the background. I look around the restaurant and notice a "Godfather" framed poster on the wall. My eyes blur as I move my focus to a framed picture of a Coca-Cola bottle. I continue to scan the restaurant and notice a florescent show case of Francis Coppola wine bottles. What the..? Then, it hits me just like the over-powering sensation of wasabi. RUMBLE FISH! That's an 80's movie directed by Francis Ford Coppola. I get it! A Rumble Fish themed restaurant. Real Nifty!
The burning sensation that's in my nose feels like its traveling to my eyes where a tingling sensation lingers. I hear the bf ask me a question, but I can't answer because I'm focusing on taking deep breathes through my nose. I finally open my mouth "Wow, that was good." I love that wasabi burn.
"I don't know why someone hasn't taken a rifle and blown your head off." - quote from the movie Rumble Fish
We decided to go with a couple of the specials. The Philadelphia Roll and the Shrimp Tempura with Maguro Roll. We also had the Sake Nigiri and Maguro Nigiri. The thick, generous slices of fish on the sushi was so deliciously fresh that it felt like it was melting in my mouth. Excellent sushi.
Overall: SUSHI is fresh, delicious...try the specials. The decor is obviously imaging itself after the 80's movie "Rumble Fish." The restaurant was dimly lit creating the ambiance for a nice quiet dinner, intimate date, or a place to drown your sorrows at the small bar. Kampai!
The food came out quickly. The waitresses were friendly and had that demure thing going on. Guys usually eat this up with the sushi, of course!
"However sometimes... it can drive you crazy, acute perception." - quote, Rumble Fish movie -
Review from Paul K.
San Francisco, CA
8/1/2009
This was a great find. Thanks to Daniel, a fellow yelper!
I was a bit concerned when I didn't see a sushi bar when we entered. I'm used to being able to see the fish to determine whether they're fresh or not. It was also eerily quiet when we got there with only one one other party of 2 in the restaurant. I was beginning to wonder if we were in the right place! By the time we began eating, however, the place filled up and was completely full. I am so glad we went there tonight as the sushi turned out to be some of the freshest I've had in the Bay Area!
-Hamachi (Yellow Tail, $4 for 2pcs) Nigiri - Excellent
-Toro (Fatty Tuna, $12, 2pcs) Nigiri - This was outstanding, the fish was so sweet. Just perfect!
-Cucumber salad with Ebi and Tako (shrimp and octopus, $6) - Very refreshing with a light sweet vinegar dressing
-Tuna Sashimi, Avocado, garlic ponzu ($12) - The tuna was so fresh and went well with the garlic ponzu.
- Grilled Black Cod with Miso marinade ($12) - The cod was out of this world. Tender, fresh, sweet. The skin as lightly charred and crispy. I'm gonna be dreaming about this tonight!
-2 orders of Sake (Salmon $8, 4pcs) - Like everything else we had , super fresh.
The restaurant is small with only 5-6 tables. It's a nice space, but not fancy and it's immaculate. Service was excellent.
This is definitely one of the best sushi restaurants I've been to in SF. I'm gonna be coming back here very soon. Maybe tomorrow? -
Review from Dennis S.
San Francisco, CA
8/9/2009
Kate and I have lived 6 blocks away and driven past Rumblefish at least 4,255.6.25 times and never eaten there.
Tonight we wanted a break from our usual neighborhood sushi haunts and so thanks to a KILLER parking space less than a block away (not parking karma more like parking miracle on a Saturday night) we headed for Rumblefish.
Now on to the food, and then some user experiences!
Kate's tuna roll was just fine. The miso soup good and the edamame just a bit undercooked. My Philadelphia roll and Crunchy Hamachi Roll were HUGE, and the fish was first-rate. The prices are very reasonable given that this is NOT a hole in the wall - Tuna roll was $4.00, and the special rolls were offered in a choice of 4 or 8 pieces - really smart.
As noted many times in other reviews, it's just the sushi chef (and an assistant) and one waitress who on our night was Japanese and Super cute - aiming to please as much as possible.
Flotsam and Jetsam:
* Favorite waitress quote: "Oh have you seen Coppola's movies - are they any good, I'd like to see them."
* She also told me she heard Pizzetta across the street was good and hoped to try it someday!
* The display of many Coppola wine bottles (very separate from the sake bottles) is an interesting item of decor - I would have asked the waitress if he's ever eaten there, but since she didn't really know much about him, I decided not to.
* The specials of the day menu was handwritten on two small pieces of paper by the waitress - it doesn't get any more homey than that.
* Technically, there is a three seat "bar" not a sushi bar.
* They also have a pretty extensive Japanese menu beyond sushi - perhaps I'll go back to try it sometime soon.
While I suspect we won't be running into Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Dennis Hopper or Nic Cage (or Francis) there anytime soon, Kate and I have added Rumblefish to our neighborhood sushi rotation - the rolls are HUGE (oh, I said that already.) and you can't beat the super nice people who run it. -
Review from Sandy C.
3/23/2010
Service - 1 Star
Deco & Ambiance - 1 Star
Food - 4 Stars
Price - 4 stars
Average rating 2.5 Stars
Upon entering, there's a few tables set around and a private room in the back. 2 Posters hang on the wall "Rumble Fish" and a God Father poster, along with a tacky lite SF Bridge gift shop souvenir.
We ordered 2 of the Miso black cod dishes. One arrived as an appetizer and the other arrived for dessert.
We ordered 3 rolls total. 2 orders of the special tempura roll and 1 spicy tuna. Everything came out except for the 2nd order of the special tempura roll. So we're still missing one Miso black cod and 1 roll.
The entire time while waiting for the rest of our order to come out, we had 1 refill of tea. We were thirsty and hungry. We pondered about going across the street to PPQ's. But we could never tell anyone that we'd eaten 2 dinners in one night.
After most of the tables cleared out, we'd wondered if our food had been forgotten. We noticed there was only 1 sushi chef and 2 waitresses but no way they could be that busy with only 3 tables remaining. The table in the private room was also forgotten and was brought up to the waitress. To which they were brought over free bottles of beer.
When we finally got the remaining 2 plates, we finished quickly since we were still hungry and contemplated on dessert..but after they came and told us the kitchen was closing, we decided to get the bill and split. Only to get the bill, we had to go up to the counter and ask. Then after making it very clear we'd pay with a credit card, they left us there in the dark. So 2nd time going up to the counter with the card in hand. Apparently when the kitchen closes, the waitresses stop serving you.
In any case, the sushi and miso black cod was great but the service put a real damper on things. The quality of food was good and worth the value but it doesn't make up for the lack of service. -
Review from Elena G.
San Francisco, CA
2/15/2008
First, I'd like to mention that the server here is the nicest person in the world and will make your dining experience much more pleasant; she may even be better than your date! Anyway...
We ordered:
- spicy tuna roll: nothing amazing, but definely decent
- hamachi kama: very good, same as Nagano I'd say
- NY steak: meh. cooked more than we requested and the sauce left a lot to be desired
- grilled salmon: boring, my friend wanted it, it was good, but not very notable.
- some pork/onion dish: it was ok, came with a Japanese bbq sauce, again, I wouldn't get this in the first place.
- gyoza: 5 stars! best gyoza I ever had, none of that generic thick and gross dough, a winner
Basically, I would stick to the usual sushi stuff: rolls, sashimi, goyza...
I think we got something else but i forgot what....which reminds me, BYOB is $15.
Decor is not very themed. The music was American 50s hits and there was a Godfather poster on the wall. It's a cute, clean place with fairly low lighting--could be a romantic spot. -
Review from Quinallison J.
Bay Area
9/2/2008 4 photos
Many many thanks to B's suggestion for this place! This is by far one of the top of the city's sushi joints for me!
"Me and Jenny were like smoked peppers and tempera batter" - Right you are Joel. Oh my goooonaas those tempura peppers were amazing! I'm not even used to spicy foods yet but that totally converted me! (ok so it wasn't that spicy, but hey, it's a step up!)
Hamachi Carpaccio: I will use the word "velvety" again Joel. VELVETY! Like how smooth one felt at Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope tour, yes, it was that sexy tasting.
Dragon Roll: Yes sir may I have another? And another, and another? You know the usual sauce they put on dragon rolls? Well this one didn't have it, BUT it surely didn't need it! NOR did it need any soy sauce! (Sushi roll w/ no soy sauce??) YES! It was THAT good to not need any! Geez, the unagi was as if it was cooked with a lot of love :) warm, lightly salty taste just enough to make your taste buds melt, and oh so went will with the amazing soft, avocados. My mouth is watering right now as I type...
Chirashi bowl: I am no longer a virgin to this dish. What was once an unattractive picture to me is now like a Picasso painting to my acquired taste in sashimi. All the pieces of the rainbow aw....so again, VELVETY and felt yummy even running through my tummy, ahhhhh. (ok now that sounded awkward. wamp wamp, but it's TRUE!)
Gyoza: joel you forgot about the gyoza! Which was very good. Light and chewy and packed w/ dumpling goodness!
Freaken sake was bomb (the first time I didn't chase a shot down w/ anything! quite proud of myself!) Very warm, flavor-licious and gave me a really nice buzz.
All in a great price. We ordered so much, we were amazed how our bill came out to be! Thanks Joel!Listed in: The search for my FAVORITE…
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Review from Ted S.
Burlingame, CA
3/17/2008
Believe me, this is THE BEST Japanese restaurant in SF.
I can tell, because I am Japanese and visited most of famous Japanese restaurants in peninsula.
Some dishes are California-Japanese, but most of them follow very traditional Japanese style of cooking and taste. This is real Japanese food.
This restaurant is not fancy as famous Japanese restaurants like Ozumo, but food is much better. And price is very reasonable.
NIBIRIs are so fresh. Be careful, you may cut you tongue with the corner of a sashimi piece! -
Review from David B.
San Francisco, CA
1/23/2008
Do's and Don't list for Rumble Fish:
The do's:
Do come here if you love Hamachi Kama. Mmm, probably the tastiest and meatiest I've had.
Do come here if you love Albacore nigiri. Once again, Mmmmm. I also tried the Toro, and strangely enough, the Albacore was much more "buttery" ... and at half the price!
Do come here if you live close by and are looking for a clean sushi restuarant. Rumble Fish is definitely that.
And the only do not:
Do NOT come here if you're on a blind date, need to eat in a rush, eat fast, or not the talkative type.
This place has to have the SLOWWWWWEST service ever. Yes there was only one waitress, but there were only 3 other tables actively being served. Yet there was a good 15 minute wait for our Miso soup, which we proceeded to devour in a good 15 seconds due to our hunger. Another 15 minutes later, the Hamachi Kama came out. Another 15 and ... you get the picture.
They serve the dishes one at a time max, so that means if you finish your soup or sushi quickly, and of course most people do, you'll end up waiting another 15 minutes for your next dish. The cooks never seem to be in a rush ( you can plainly see them from anywhere inside ) and neither does the waitress.
Speaking of the waitress, she's either drawing in a sketchbook, or writing a novel as she spent most of the night actively writing something behind the counter. Nevermind that there were dishes and tables to be bussed. I just didn't get it ...
I would have rated it 3 or 4 stars as the two items listed above were above average. But the service ... wow. That slow of a service in a non busy environment just makes zero sense to me. -
Review from yayoi s.
San Francisco, CA
8/29/2008
3 years of living 2 blocks away and i finally made it here the other night.
I had seared scallops
japanese chili tempura
suzuki and hirame crarpaccio
spicy tuna roll
i enjoyed it all. i wish i had a chowan of gohan to eat with everything, but it felt a little too nice in there to be a japanese home dinner type place.
as usual, I had my large asahi, and my honey had his diet coke.
something about it had me feeling a little reserved..
the other tables were all quiet, quietly enjoying it all. everyone was quiet. I think I feel more comfortable around people being visible and audible when loving of the experience.
it wasn't bad, maybe relaxed in a starched up way.
I think i feel guilty because want to love it.
so i bumped it up to 4 stars. i still feel strange.Listed in: 19th and california
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Review from Tom Y.
San Francisco, CA
4/24/2008
Rumble Fish is a great place with a misleading name. There's no rumble here. It's nice -- small, quiet and food is served at a leisurely pace. The restaurant has a small counter that seats maybe 8 and a handful of tables for four. Tastefully decorated, with lots of wood accents, it is very comfortable and understated.
The menu has lots of traditional Japanese food, a small selection of beers with a couple of unusual Japanese selections, and a nice sake selection both by the glass and by the bottle. I ordered:
- Hamachi Kama
- Grilled Miso Kurodai (Black Snapper)
- Sunomono
- Grilled Hokkaido Scallops with Asparagus
- Aji (Nigiri)
- Shima Aji (Nigiri) [I ordered Suzuki, but got this instead]
- Kampachi (Nigiri)
- Beer (obscure Japanese beer whose name I forgot)
The Hamachi Kama was one of the meatiest cheeks I've ever had and was grilled to perfection. Crispy on the outside with succulent, tender meat. :) The scallops (4) were also excellent, again grilled perfectly and tender and tasty. The Sunomono was served with Shrimp and Tuna (Maguro), when the menu said Shrimp and Octopus. While the substitution was a surprise and I was really looking forward to the Octopus, the Maguro was excellent and I didn't feel cheated. The Grilled Black Snapper was tasty, but not outstanding. The nigiri was served last. All was very fresh and tasty, the Aji was particularly delicious.
Rumble Fish was staffed by one waitress and one cook / sushi chef. Dishes came out at a leisurely place which fit the mood and pace of the evening, but I wouldn't go here if I had some place to go afterward. The waitress was very pleasant, but seemed to miss things when I spoke quickly. I had better luck with my limited Japanese.
All in all, I'm not ready to declare Rumble Fish the city's best Japanese restaurant, but I am ready to put in in the Top Ten. And, I will return.Listed in: Ichiban...
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Review from Jackie m.
San Francisco, CA
8/14/2008
Four stars for the ambiance and service. I LOVED the look of this place. With its modern decor, colorful lights, Coppola bottles of wine on display, and 50's music playing in the background, I didn't know what to make of it. After about 5 minutes, I decided that this place was awesome.
We had the restaurant to ourselves due to the our late 9 o'clock dinner. The crunchy roll and miso soup were pretty damn good. The fish was fresh and my dining partner/sushi connoisseur even admitted that he liked what he ordered which included toro and about 10 other items.
Red Box still stands strong as my favorite sushi spot in the city, but Rumble Fish's atmosphere, service, and fresh ingredients will have me coming here again in the future. Rumble on!
p.s. The LG beers are HUGE (picture a wine bottle). -
Review from Lana M.
South San Francisco, CA
12/17/2010
This place has hands down, some of the tastiest and freshest fish I've had since moving to San Francisco. I honestly think that people who have any complaint about the food here have them because they're use to crappy rolls the size of your head that are covered in like ten pounds of deep-fried, fluorescent mayo, where you can't even tell that what kind of fish you're actually eating.
So, if you're the type of person who is into sushi for the flavor of the fish (as the sushi gods intended) than this place is definitely for you. Their rolls are tasty too, but I go there straight up for Sashimi and Nigiri!
In regards to service, they are some of the sweetest people on earth and are always willing to explain anything to you. I have had occasional issues with slow service, and the parking is a nightmare, but the food is always worth it. -
Review from H K.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
Very cute corner restaurant on a street that is not filled with them. Finding parking can be difficult especially on a Friday evening like today when I went. The servers were friendly and attentive.
Here it's mainly about sushi. There aee some cooked items on tge menu bit didn't seem very many. The sashimi moriawase and hamachi roll which I ordered were tasty and fresh. I gave a bonus in the rating for them providing two maguro (tuna) nigiri sushi pieces on tge house. -
Review from Wolfgang S.
San Francisco, CA
Still one of our favorites due to the quality and taste of the dishes. A perfect place to talk, or have a quieter atmosphere for conversation.
Service is always very friendly and while not the fastest, delivers.
My personal best-the crunchy Hamachi roll-is just out of this world! Soft-shell crab is the best I've tasted here in the city. Their Sashimi is simply extraordinary...
Take time out, relax, enjoy and savor!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/5/2007
Our favorite neighborhood place. Taro-san, the chef behind the opening to the kitchen, serves the… Read more »
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Review from Patrick G.
Brooklyn, NY
6/18/2006
I had a great experience at Rumble Fish on Saturday, when at 7.30pm we were practically the only ones there at first. The decor is sleek and clean--very tastefully done and inviting. There's a small bar up front and plenty of tables.
For the eats, I tried their miso soup, tofu salad, smoked salmon, nigiri salmon, nigiri tuna, and chicken karaage. The smoked salmon was delicious, as smoked salmon usually is, although because of the rich white sauce they put on top I'd recommend sharing this with several people. The nigiris were nice, big slices--very fresh. The chicken karaage was the most interesting dish I had, since usually it ends up on the dry side, but Rumble Fish's karaage was juicy and great on white rice.
As if the wonderful food weren't reason enough to go here, even by the time more customers showed up, the service was still very attentive and fast. This rounds off Rumble Fish as a potential five-star sushi joint in the Outer Rich that I'll soon be returning to.
