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Yum Yum Fish
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Food Specialty Food Seafood Markets Sushi Bars, Seafood Markets [Edit]
2181 Irving St(between 22nd Ave & 23rd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122
Neighbourhood: Outer Sunset
(415) 566-6433
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10:30 am - 7:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
407 reviews for Yum Yum Fish
Review Highlights
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"Their Spicy Tuna Roll is a must try." In 21 reviews -
"Ideal for take out and picnic at GG park." In 73 reviews -
"Their sashimi is off the heezy fo sheezy." In 99 reviews
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407 reviews in English
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Review from Gors P.
San Francisco, CA
5/9/2012
what i ordered... california roll and tuna, albacore, tai, salmon, shrimp, octopus, bbq eel nigiri(s)
been here a lot of times over the years, usually on a take out basis. so far, the one and only place that serve's good, non-buffet quality nigiri sushi without hurting the bottom line. it's a no frill's place so don't expect any of your food to be served in fancy schmancy table wares doused with fatty colorful oils and decorated with mini flowers under a dimly lit chandelier.
california roll was so-so, it was made of fake crab, rice was ok to good, salmon was tasty but was stringy, cooked octopus was as chewy as at any sushi place i've been, shrimp was usual, bbq eel was superbly warm and the rest were just plain awesome, buttery and fresh.
fyi! with dine-in, you get a good tasting complimentary hot tea.
ambiance... bad(typical neighborhood fish market store with tables though it was clean, dry, neat and without the yucky smell)
service... good (cashier aka waiter was nice and polite)
cost...$+(inexpensive) -
Review from Liana L.
Daly City, CA
5/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
My first impression of this highly-rated take-out sushi joint/fish market can only be described as: anticlimactic. I was in a hurry so I played it safe with spicy tuna, spicy hamachi, and a dragon roll hand roll ($18 total). The fish slices were extremely fresh and generous but they were FAR from being spicy. And because I was stuffing my face as I was driving, I wasn't able to enjoy the fish with some wasabi and soy sauce.
The dragon hand roll on the other hand was BOMB! The soft shell crab was warm and chewy but still crispy on the outside. My picky-sushi-eating mom also really enjoyed this.
I'm going to try different rolls next time but will definitely get the dragon roll again! Just a little worried about how they pass inspection with all those flies in this place... -
Review from Casey L.
3/14/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Fish market and sushi hole-in-the-wall "restaurant" describes Yum Yum Fish.
After a friend's recommendation and my curiosity, I finally made the decision to stop by YYF. Hearing them Cantonese didn't throw me off but made me curious if they were affiliated with some of the neighboring supermarkets or restaurants. With flower types for names for their sushi combinations, it attempts to bring a level of freshness in an otherwise sweet smell of a fish market (might be offsetting to some).
Rose sushi combo is a little bit of everything platter for those who are unsure what they want to order, or if they want a taste of typical sushi items.
Orchid sushi combo is another nice variety of typical sushi items, but I'm still not fond of bbq eel (personal preference).
Salmon sashimi was beautifully cut in generous portions. A friend wanted to get a pound of fish and cut it himself at home, but they practically do the work for 10 pieces for the same price!
Sea Urchin box was a typical box of uni one buys at the market, but I'm a fan so it was delicious =).
I do find that they don't pair small slices of fish on huge mounds of rice. Service is prompt and friendly. There are a few tables and chairs if you want to eat it there, but I believe most people pick up their orders to go to eat shamelessly at home (don't judge me!) Ask for chopsticks and soy sauce and began the feast when you get your food. No need for a pristine "high class" restaurant when you can get good quality here. -
Review from Ines C.
San Francisco, CA
5/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Quick service! Really good sushi and inexpensive! I will go again.
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Review from L. B.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2012
Good, cheap sushi. I actually don't mind eating here with the fishy smell, but not sure that most people would enjoy this. I think its a gem in SF!
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Review from Cliff W.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2012
Sushi rolls are fresh and their flavors are uncomplicated but they come up short in respectable size. This was my first time ordering from this place, so I got a few simple rolls: Dynamite, Saba, and Sake Rolls. The Dynamite's chili sauce wasn't spicy; the plus is that I could differentiate the raw textures of tuna and albacore from the rest of the roll. Unlike the Dynamite Roll, the amount of fish in the Saba and Sake Rolls was a bit on the meager side.
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Review from Albert L.
Yum Yum Fish, you ugly duckling, you.
Do you know how next-to-impossible it is to find a GOOD sushi restaurant open Monday afternoons in the city? Due to my restricted work and school schedule, my lunch actually begin at 2:30PM and because Mondays are the slowest day of the week, most Japanese restaurants are either already closed, only open in the evening, or simply, not open at all..
I must thank Cherylynn N. for helping (nagging) me to discover Yum Yum Fish! I'm so glad she did.
Located within the bustling marketplaces and boba franchises of Irving street in the Inner Sunset district lies this humble little hole-in-the-wall slash miniature fish market that also rolls up some mighty fine sushi and quality grade sashimi (it's a fish market after all).
Dynamite Roll ($4.75) - (on the top) http://www.yelp.com/us...
Consist of: tuna, albacore tuna, avocado, and chili sauce.
Rolled with an abnormally large amount of fresh tuna and creamy avocado, this roll packed a fiery punch! Dabbed with a good splash of wasabi soy sauce and this had me tearing up like a sissy!
Uni ($3.45 per) - (see above picture)
Though food exploration has been a new hobby for me (thanks to Yelp), I'm still nevertheless a picky eater, and especially when it looks gross, I won't even bother to touch it (I eat french fries plain since even ketchup grosses me out; Yes, I'm that picky!). However, Sea Urchin has really grown on me and within the last few years, I can't get enough of the stuff. Anytime I dine at a sushi restaurant, Uni (if available) is a MUST order.
So how was the Uni at Yum Yum's? Nice! Though a tad bitter, the gelatinous and creamy Sea Urchin was a palette of deliciousness.
Yum Yum Roll ($9.75) - (close-up) http://www.yelp.com/us...
Consist of: tuna, salmon, albacore, yellowtail, shrimp, bbq eel, squid, tobiko, avocado, and cucumber.
You'd better call Morgan Spurlock over here to "Super Size Me" because these rolls are HUGE (see picture). Amazingly rolled with all the ingredients perfectly intact and what was far more impressive was that the rolls did not fall apart whatsoever. 2-3 mouthfuls per piece to consume: required.
Chirashi (no tako requested) ($14.45) - http://www.yelp.com/us...
So simple yet so sophisticated, beautiful, and a restaurant's glory of presenting their finest sashimi available all in one bowl. Not to mention, all for under $15 is a true steal. One thing I've noticed (and love) about Yum Yum is that they don't skimp on the fish and their Chirashi clearly tells all. Each slice of fine sashimi was super thick all atop a huge bowl of perfect al-dente sushi rice.
No, Yum Yum isn't operated by a Japanese owner and the hole-in-the-wall restaurant might want you to second guess consuming raw fish from here, but these guys clearly know what their doing! What's ugly on the outside can be totally amazing within, and Yum Yum Fish fits that persona to a T. Furthermore, your practically getting the "wholesale" price for sushi, compared to what most restaurants will charge, and more or less, Yum Yum Fish will roll it up far better!Listed in: True Neighborhood Gems
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Review from Christine K.
San Francisco, CA
2/14/2012
Call me cheap.
Sometimes you just want to go home and eat your sushi in peace. You just want to get what you want. No frills. No hipsters. No tipping. Just eating in peace. If that's the case, then this is a great place to go.
Top reasons why I love this place:
1. Hidden gem of the Sunset. There's sushi places galore, but sometimes you just want to get to the basics...
2. Cheap. Getting three orders of tamago, 2 California rolls (real and imitation crab), Mackeral, Spicy Scallop, and Unagi and avocado with run you a bill around $20 bucks and leave you absolutely stuffed!
3. Great for a quick dinner when you need to do some shopping on Irving. Put your order in, run to the market, go to the bank, and by the time you're back your sushi is ready to go. Love it!
Don't expect something fancy. It literally is a fish shop with a few tables. The people are nice. Delish! -
Review from Jen P.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2012
I've finally found a great sushi place in the city! As I yelped, I mostly came upon pricey spots. PSSHHH!!! PFFFTTT!! SAY WHAAAT?!? I am no fool who is willing to splurge on food that can be bought elsewhere at a much more decent price and tastes dee-lish too. Of the 3 times that I've been here, I called in my orders for pick up and when they say 15 minutes, it'll be ready in 15 minutes. So far, I've tried the spicy tuna roll, tobico roll, mango & hamachi roll, California Dx roll, and the cherry blossom roll which all taste terrrrific and are all as fresh as can be. All of the great reviews say it all from the fresh made sushi to customer service, and to the last bite of yumminess on your taste buds. This'll be my definite spot to visit when I get my sushi cravings.
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Review from A J.
San Francisco, CA
3/10/2012
This place really has fantastic, cheap sushi as long as you don't mind its no frills, hole-in-the-wall ambiance.
We were impressed with the quality of the rolls. In particular, the V8 and the spicy scallop rolls were fantastic (and less than $5 each). The V8 is a interesting assortment of various fresh and pickled veggies and well put together. We loved that the spicy scallop roll had a ton of scallops and that the spicy sauce was interesting (not the usual spicy mayo).
The place also has a real crab california roll that is $3 more than the regular cali roll and we would say just get the regular roll. The crab in the real roll had no particular flavor to it and the meat itself was compressed and without any of the flaky sweetness you'd expect from real crab.
We also had the sashimi combo that was hit and miss. Of the 5 fish (salmon, tuna, albacore, yellowtail, and halibut), only 2 were actually good. Still an incredibly cheap dish at ~$1 per piece of sashimi. Next time we go back, we'll just order individual pieces and ask the housestaff which fish are good that day.
Definitely come early as the place closes by 7:30pm. With our 5 star rating, it's obvious we loved the place. Despite the poor decor, the fresh yummy sushi with incredibly cheap prices really won us over. -
Review from Sharon B.
2/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Definitely not what I expected when I walked in. Minimal decor, cold atmosphere, limited number of tables, umm, like about three of them. We sat at the one nearest the register because it was furthest from the door.
The cashier spoke way too fast, taking our order in a way that I felt rushed. I didn't like that. When she repeated our orders, I looked at her somewhat dumbfounded because I had no idea what the hell she just said. I missed everything but the last word. I took my chances she got the order right and said a measly, "Yeah."
I was blown away by the first bite of sushi. We ordered the tako poke roll, salmon skin roll, shrimp tempura and two hamachi rolls: kamakazi and spicy.
I loved them all. The fish was absolutely fresh and the service was fast. -
Review from Cherylynn N.
San Francisco, CA
BEST HOLE-IN-THE-WALL SUSHI JOINT IN SF
Ok, so "hole-in-the-wall" and "sushi" don't exactly belong in the same sentence, not for me at least. I'm a very selective when it comes to sushi restaurants (I prefer Japanese-owned only) because no one wants to spend 24-48 hours bowing to the porcelain throne. However, I've been having an insatiable craving for sushi lately (no, I'm NOT preggo). I had it Friday, last night and will again tomorrow. Sushi can get expensive and most people can't afford to eat at $$$ sushi restaurants very often (Lord knows I can't) so Yum Yum Fish is a great medium.
Yum Yum Fish is a Chinese-owned fish market that also sells sushi and sashimi. It has a fishy stench inside being a fish market and all so ordering to-go is your best option though there are 3 small tables where you can sit down and eat. CC's are accepted with a $10 minimum.
The menu has a wide variety of the following:
*Sashimi: $11.25-$13.95 for 10 pieces
*Nigiri: $1.20-$1.80/piece; specialties like Toro is MP
*Poke: $13.95
*Sushi rolls: $1.75-$9.75
*Sushi Combos: $8.95-$24.95
*Sushi Party Platters are also available: price varies
Prices are very affordable and they don't skimp on the fish portions. The staff is friendly and the service is quick.
ROSE COMBO: SF Roll (CA Roll w/ Unagi) & 9-Piece Nigiri: Spicy Hotate, Salmon Roe, Uni, Toro, Sake, Maguro, Hamachi Toro & Amaebi - $24.95
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Delicatey and artistically prepared like a $$$ restaurant, the sushi tasted just as good as they looked. The rice was perfectly al-dente with a soft bite and had the right sticky consistency. Each fresh piece of seafood and fish was silky and buttery with a clean finish. The uni did have a slight bitterness but that didn't deter me from gobbling it up. My favs were the toros which were like the wagyu of the ocean. It was simplicity at its best I tell you.
Ordered at a restaurant, this sushi combo could have easily cost me $35 so this was definitely a bargain.
SUSHI CRAVING SATISFIED. SUCCESS.
Hmm, I always wondered how I would give up sushi and sashimi in the future when planning to have children but I suppose I shouldn't even jump that far since I'm perpetually single. :XListed in: Give it to me RAW!, Recession-Friendly Drink &…
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Review from Bruce B.
Los Altos, CA
3/8/2012
Don't come for the ambiance, come for the fish.
I've been doing lunch take-out for over a year and the following are most excellent:
- "poppy" assortment is a great starter
- the salmon belly house-smoked fish roll is outstanding
- the salmon skin roll is pretty darned good too.
- the other half reports hamachi te-maki are the bee's knees -
Review from Tommy S.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
Dont expect Nobu ambiance here, IT'S A FISH SHOP
I personally love the fact this place is set up the way it is, I always get a seat!
O-Toro A+++
Hamachi Toro A+++
Real Crab California A+++
Hamachi Mango Handroll A+++
EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS SUPER FRESH
My Favorite sushi place! -
Review from Kenny N.
Colma, CA
5/1/2012
One of the best sushi I had here! It's just absolutely delicious. When I go in there I just get that happy feeling. You all should go here. It's amazing.
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Review from Christina C.
Berkeley, CA
10/16/2011
Some people get sushi from this place, but sushi is SO 2010. Squeezed rice is so over. The new thing to do is to get a bunch of sashimi grade fish, mix up your own rice-vinegar-sugar, get some Korean roasted/salted wakame sheets, add avocado or shiso if you're trying to impress a girl, and make your own hand rolls as you eat.
Your mouth won't know the difference, your stomach can't talk, if the rice is under/over seasoned - blame only yourself.
Plus, you save tons of money. $20 of fish can feed at least 5 people.
Broke is the new Bling. -
Review from Joye C.
San Francisco, CA
10/23/2011
I usually walk by this place thinking it's just a fish market because of their huge counter with fish right by the window.
However, it is also a sushi eatery. There are a few tables when you walk in and many pictures of what's on the menu around the counter. Everything is reasonably priced and portions are generous, depending on what you order. I love how they don't drown your sushi with sauce, like some places do, because that defeats the purpose of eating sushi, right?
Definitely give this place a try! -
Review from Julia K.
11/3/2011
Pretty good sushi and good quality sashimi for well, pretty good prices.
My mom stopped by to get our dinner to go - she definitely picked up more than enough to feed the 5 of us.
Sashimi - We had a nice line of good tuna and hamachi. I must say, though, as much as I love tuna sashimi, the hamachi was the star item of the dinner. It was fresh and buttery and was probably some of the best hamachi that I've had recently.
Sushi - we had unagi hand rolls which were really good given the fact that each handroll was stuffed with 2-3 large pieces of unagi! I devoured mine almost instantly.
We also had a rainbow roll, a veggie roll, california roll, and a spicy tuna roll. All the sushi was good and had a good proportion of rice to actual ingredients.
I would definitely come back here on a sunny day to get some take out and then go to golden gate park to picnic. -
Review from Scott S.
San Francisco, CA
12/14/2011
Yum Yum Fish is a place I have been eating at for 16 years. Exclusively to go. It's changed hands a couple times since then. The glory days of a fish market with one sushi chef, 2 fish mongers, an owner that cares and some of the freshest fish in the city are long gone. Though some of the sushi chefs have been there a long time the quality and fish mongers have gone. So what's left?
First off. Sushi is simple. You should only taste the fish. Unfortunately this is not always the case here. The aftertaste of vinegar was a bit heavy today. Rice rice rice. Flavor and season the rice with the best vinegar, mirin, and dashi possible. The sushi rice here is way too sweet. Places in SF that cook their rice perfectly are Ariake, Koo and Sushi Zone. There are obviously other places in SF that arguably do as well and am always open to hear suggestions of where to go.
If you ever take a Japanese cooking class the first thing taught is how to make dashi stock (from scratch) and sushi rice.
The fish here is good. Pieces are generally a nice bite size and the rolls are fairly tasty but more often than not over-riced. Stay away from the hand-rolls (temaki) and gunkan style sushi as the seaweed will get soggy real fast. Another minus here is the poor quality of seaweed. Homemade Tamago and avocado on almost everything is a bonus.
Major plus is the price. For $24 I had:
1 Shrimp Salad roll
1 Spicy Tuna Roll
2 Pieces of Uni
2 Pieces of Hamachi Toro
1 Real Crab Cal roll - since it is Dungeness crab season.
Full...
If you have the means eat elsewhere if you want good sushi if not this place will suffice. -
Review from Vashelle T.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2011 8 Check-ins Here
Cheap-ish sushi with friendly staff!
Spicy scallop = big actual pieces of scallop! But i've had better spicy scallop.
Credit card = $10 minimum!
My order was $7 something so i had to order another roll cause i don't usually carry cash ): -
Review from Victor G.
9/6/2011
Yum Yum Fish is a fish market that sells sushi.
sampling: chirashi (14.95)
-came with tasty green tea from a tea bag
-nicely marinated sushi rice
-tamago(2)
-sabe(1)
-sake(2)
-dab of large tobiko
-crab meat portion
-ebi(1)
-tako (1)
-suzuki (1)
-unagi(1)
-tuna (1)
--hokokai (1)
-hamachi(1)
-nice variety, overall, very fresh.
temaki:
-everyone spoke cantonese (chinese) here
-service very fast
-cheap nigiri (2ish, rolls
-only 3 tables here, more suited for takeout. -
Review from Kelvin K.
San Francisco, CA
3/15/2012
This place is the best place on Irving to get sushi and sashimi style seafood!!! Iusually go for the uni (sea urchin) because when they come in fresh they come in a box filled with it. I love everything about their rolls and the dons (rice bowls) and everyone working there is soooo nice!!!!!
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Review from Deanna T.
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Looks can be deceiving, what appears to be a small fish counter with few fixtures, actually has the best sushi/ sashimi for the dollar!
Things to get:
- UNI TRAYS for $9.95.... I mean you get about 9+ pieces of it, and you can totally forego the nigiri. Other then some other $$$ restaurants that served me uni in its shell, this has been the freshest I had. And a super deal on top of that!
- ANY Spicy rolls: I dont order spicy anything rolls at most sushi places because they just serve up yesterday old fish, mashed up and spiced up so much you cant taste the fish. But not here! You can still taste the fresh fish, yet still have a kick!
Things maybe you shouldnt:
- FISH? I was on this tuna poke rant, and was having it 4 days out of the week... expensive since I was getting it at Bristol Farms. So I was like HEY screw them i can make this at home!!
So onto YumYum to get me a few different cuts of fish to make my ultimate Poke at home... Here in lies the issue, fish alone was more expensive then what I could get premade at Bristol. AND it wasnt that fresh??
It could have been towards the end of the day.... but either way, I totally cut the sashimi grade fish ALL bad =/ .... Lesson of this story: unless you a profess, no need to get the WHOLE fish, when you can get the sushi/sashimi for cheaper. -
Review from Me W.
San Francisco, CA
7/2/2011
As soon as I walked into the place, I noticed a lot of flies circling behind the register area (bad impression #1). I kept thinking what if they land on my food. Hesitant but still willing to try the food, I stayed because my sister was in the mood for sushi and she had eaten here previously without problems (now, after reading other reviews, I realize she had eaten here before it changed ownership in 2006).
After she paid and we were waiting for the food, my sister noticed the food inspection notice near the store. The health department requires restaurants to post this visibly; however, part of it was shadily concealed (this I did not like). I disliked it even more when I was able to move papers aside to see their low score of 74 (citing reasons of unapproved thawing methods, food in poor condition, rodents, roaches, etc).
See for yourself. The report is dated 6/22/2011 and you can find it at the Department of Public Health website (click on "EH scores: This link provided by DPH Environmental Health," then enter Yum Yum Fish in the search field):
http://www.sfdph.org/d...
I don't understand why some establishments do not take the utmost measures to make food safety a high priority. Maybe not everyone will get sick, but all it takes is one person getting severely ill or dying and your business could be over, not to mention you could be found criminally negligent. I would not bring family or friends here. -
Review from Esther S.
9/6/2011
If we're ever in the area our family always gets a roll or two here. Everything is fresh and delish. Only downside is that they take a realllly long time (imo- especially since its more of a to go place) to make stuff so be sure to either call ahead or order then walk around and come back for pick up.
Not much seating here put the food is great and prices are pretty great too! -
Review from Jess C.
Kailua, HI
2/14/2012
Probably my best meal in San Francisco. We went twice it was so good. Coming from Hawaii I declare myself a fresh fish / sushi / sashimi snob. These guys know whats up, really fresh fish, good service, reasonable prices, and it's BYOB! Their hamachi roll was my favorite. I only wish they were open past 7:30 pm, but I guess they need a break too!
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Review from Erika C.
8/13/2011 14 Check-ins Here
Freshness has become questionable in recent years, but I've never gotten sick and everything still tastes cheap-o good. It's still better than a lot of other places out there, that has ambiance that might make you THINK you're eating fresher fish. You're not.
Used to be a fisherman who worked here, you could see him cleaning fish. Now though, it's just meager slabs of cut fish in the fridge display. There are also more flies than I would like to see. Great for takeout, not so much for a sit down meal.
I love this place. You can't beat the price for the quality and portions. -
Review from Holly G.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2011
From the outside, Yum Yum Fish looks like a fish market ... from the inside it smells like one. However, the sushi here are the freshest I've ever had.
Unfortunately, the downside of YYF is the ambiance, or lack thereof I should say, and yes, I've spotted few flies inside the restaurant as well, but then again, I've spotted flies in a majority of the restaurants in SF at one time or another. All the fish are stored behind closed refrigerator, and the sushi are made in a sanitized area ... or at least from what I can tell. I admit the ambiance can be slightly unappetizing; therefore, I always get my food to go, and I've ordered sushi from this place for over 4 years and never had any problem.
All in all, few flies don't scare me as long as the food is good as it is at YYF. -
Review from Mike L.
5/7/2011 4 Check-ins Here
After all these years of coming out to Irving to shop for groceries, pick up snacks/drinks, and grab dinner, I always knew that Yum Yum existed. However, I had no idea that they also sold sushi too! All this time, I thought it was just a small little Japanese fish market. Man, had I known that, I probably would have just been coming here over the years to get sushi instead of some of these other places I've gotten take out from.
In my defense, when you walk in, it definitely looks more like a fish market than a place to get some sushi from. By the door, there's a refrigerated case with fish and blocks of sashimi on sale with a board on the wall showing the price per pound for items. Then again though, the fact that there are a few tables for people to sit and eat at should have been a clue. Oh well. After scanning through all of the different rolls and sashimi they offer, I ended up ordering a few rolls to share with my friends:
- Yum Yum Roll - tuna, salmon, albacore, yellowtail, shrimp, unagi, squid, tobiko, avocado, and cucumber. Now, when I first ordered it, I was expecting something like a rainbow roll, where they would have whatever filling in the center throughout and the fish draped on top. Instead, I got a huge roll...with ALL of those ingredients squeezed inside. Definitely impressive, and one of my new personal favorites. With all that fresh and delicious fish, hard to go wrong giving their namesake roll a chance.
- Dragon Roll - shrimp tempura roll topped with unaig, avocado, and masago. Pretty decent overall. The flavor is no different that most other places, but the roll itself is definitely bigger in comparison. The roll itself is pretty fat, while the slices are larger. I love unagi, so that was a win already, but I also liked the shrimp tempura they used. The shrimp itself was meaty and I liked that the batter was thin, though I wish it was a bit more crunchy just for a change in texture.
- Spicy Scallop Roll - it was just okay to me. I didn't think the was all that spicy, though there is a modest kick to it. But then, I really like spicy food and so my perception of spicy might be a little skewed. Nice that there wasn't too much mayo in their sauce though, and especially nice that it wasn't 's not too much of that mayo-based sauce, but I've had better.
One thing to note is that even though their posted hours run until 7:30pm, orders for pick-up have to be placed by 7:00 at the latest. As for their prices, they're really reasonable for the quality you get, regardless of the fact that this might be more of a fish market. When compared to what you get at a number of restaurants, I would even argue that Yum Yum is just as good as most, and even better than some of them. At the very least, the fish tastes a lot fresher. Not sure how the fish prices compare to other markets though when you buy it by the pound, but would definitely come back to pick some up when needed based on their sushi. -
Review from Natasha H.
San Francisco, CA
Even though I've lived in the area for quite some time, Yum Yum Fish has always fallen off my radar. I foolishly assumed any establishment boasting its yumminess so blatantly would be anything but. And its dank, dirty interior and fishy smell definitely didn't help either.
However, it just goes to show that mommy wasn't kidding when she preached to always look beyond surface appearances, because Yum Yum Fish is indeed YUM X 2. After my friend informed me that they whip-up some pretty solid sushi rolls, I was inspired to give it a try.
While I didn't end up ordering any rolls, I can vouch that their Chirashi is excellent. At $15 a pop, it is officially the cheapest Chirashi I've had in the city (usually it ranges from $20-$30) while still maintaining quality. From octopus and sake to unagi and maguro, this dish packs in a lot of fresh sea life, considering the moderate price.
I seriously think about their Chirashi every time I'm hungry at work, which is more than I'd care to admit. However, good food or not, this place is still pretty slummy, so I'd advise getting take-out. 4 stars! -
Review from Tutti C.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2011
I've been going to this place for years and it has always been consistent. They also sell fish which I have never done but it seems to be popular with other folks. The restaurant doesn't have the greatest exterior and interior, typical hole in the wall. But aren't hole in the wall restaurants the best restaurants? I believe so.
Sushi here is fantastic, probably one of the best I have ever had. Especially the spicy tuna roll. Yum! And they are super quick with their service.
Oh yeah, and the prices are so reasonable. And so totally worth it. I do recommend! -
Review from Robert Y.
7/31/2011
This place is definitively quality over quantity. The prices are reasonable but they give you very small portions. I think you would need at least a bare minimum of 3 rolls to be full for lunch. There is only about 12 seats inside the restaurant so to go is preferred and not good for large parties (4 is like the max).
We tried the yum yum roll, mango hamachi, hamachi kamakazi, and the tuna kamakazi. All of the fish were fresh but the portions were meager. We got 6 pieces for everything except the yum yum roll in which we got 5 pieces.
They also close at 730pm which is pretty early. Overall its a decent place for lunch but don't expect to be full here. Free tea was served which is a plus -
Review from e m.
San Francisco, CA
6/22/2011
Everyone so often a restaurant is so unabashedly atrocious in contrast to its star rating that it makes a person doubt the community that has rated the establishment.
Basically, Yelp is a primarily a representation of neighborhood sentiments because those are the primary patrons. With that in mind, when I drive through a city like Chula Vista, CA and see that the majority of eateries are fast food and chain restaurants I start to doubt that neighborhood's perspective and palate in general. If that town, like Chula vista, writes in hyperbole about how great their Chiles "restaurant" is, I write off the Yelp reviews for that town in entirety.
The reviews for this disturbingly inadequate and truly unpleasant sushi counter have officially made me dubious about the reviews written in the Sunset.
I don't want to get into too much detail because I'm bored and tired. The establishment is sloppy, and supplies no real concept of amenity.
You get hot tea. Have to order and pay at the counter. The food is unceremoniously brought on one plate simultaneously. I'm not sure if the fish is sushi grade at all. What they don't have - any beverages besides the hot tea, spicy mayo (this was for a friend), low sodium soy sauce that I could find, cleanliness, or pretense about caring about diner experience.
Btw, I did mention that I wanted to order a beverage and the sushi chef pointed across the street. I thought he meant that I could bring outside beverages. When I left I didn't see a liquor store across the way. What I did see was a sushi restaurant competitor. I'm still wondering if he was actually sending me across the street in protest to my needy request for something other than green tea.
Not going back. Might avoid Irving for a while. Maybe avoid yelp in the Sunset as well. -
Review from Blenda L.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Usually, at the end of every month, my bank account is once again depleted thanks to SF's high rent costs and my undying love of eating out. When I want some yum yum in my tum tum, without having to give up quality...or having to sell a kidney, I go to Yum Yum Fish. This place is nothing fancy, but I like it for three reasons: (1) you can call ahead to pick up your order, (2) quality is remarkable for a crazy low price, and (3) the portions are significantly larger than most sushi joints. This isn't the type of place to take someone you've been crushing on for a first date, but it's a great place to go to when you're damn hungry and just want to kick it in your sweats.
-
Review from Catt G.
Oakland, CA
9/3/2011
Definitely no frills but not un-hygenic or creepy, as some reviews would suggest. At least I didn't see anything. I think the energy and money is all thrown into the fish -- which is offered at a pretty cheap price, by the way. There is a steady stream of customers going in so I trust that this place has been properly vetted by the neighborhood so, if you are in the area, definitely dive in.
I had the salmon skin roll and a tuna roll of some variety -- both were great and cost $9 total. I tried the papaya roll that a friend got and that was tasty, although I think it was actually mango they threw in there.
I appreciate the non-mayo California rolls (and general non-mayo-ness on the menu) as well as the "real crab" option, too. I think these people know what they're doing.
I will go back to try the poke.
Staff is nice, too. -
Review from Katie G.
San Francisco, CA
7/4/2011
AHH, I love Yum Yum fish!
If I could only describe them in one word, it would be FRESH!
It's a fish market as well, so this place might have a bit of a funny smell.
The only downside is that there would be some flies swarming around the store, but hey, their sushi makes up for it.
There's limited seating, but it's more of a take-out sushi spot.
Oh no, I'm craving for their sushi now. ),: -
Review from Byung K.
Mill Valley, CA
4/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
What is so cheap about this place? I don't get it. Each order of nigiri is one piece and is about the same price as a two piece order at other sushi places. The fish is fresh at least.
I'm not adverse to hole in the wall places by any means but this place is a dump! Get your food to-go. -
Review from Kinman H.
Irvine, CA
8/21/2011
These are some of the cheapest rolls that you will find which also carries good quality to them. The restaurant is more of a To-Go establishment, therefore don't expect great service if you decide to eat here. First of all, there's not a lot of sitting space and second you have to order at the counter.
This sushi is very comparable to the general $$ sushi restaurants out there. Its fresh and they carry their options of nigiris and rolls.
Bottom line: Great place to get your sushi craving and very easy on the wallet. -
Review from stephanie c.
San Francisco, CA
4/25/2011
I love this place! My go-to sushi spot.
Fresh fish. Cheap prices. Super nice people. No wait.
Sure, this place isn't classy and would definitely be classified as a hole in a wall/fish store. But, their sushi is so refreshing and light. So if you're looking for some huge sushi dripped with mayo and "special sauce", this is definitely not the place for you. They have really good deals for party platters too!
I usually get my sushi to go, but my friend and I decided we wanted to sit and enjoy our lunch. We ordered, paid, and told them we were going across the street to get some boba. The wait for the boba was a bit insane. But, when we came back, they had reserved a table for us placing our saran wrapped sushi on the table with chopsticks, tea cups, and pot of tea. We were so touched! They really didn't have to go out of their way to reserve their limited number of tables for us. It just made me love this place even more!
The only downside is that parking in this area is difficult and there's literally only 3 tables inside.
Minimum $10 for credit card. -
Review from Jessica L.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2012
Yum Yum YUMMY!!! Everything yum yum.
