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Start a Top 5 for JapaneseEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in The Infatuation, KQED, and The San Francisco Standard. Updated September 2026.
Rintaro · Mission
The Infatuation (9.2). A Mission izakaya from chef Sylvan Mishima Brackett in a plant-filled courtyard. Yakitori and tsukune are essentials, the gyoza wrapper is delicate, and the tonkatsu is juicy under a crisp breading.
TBD izakaya · Union Square
The Infatuation. An upscale Union Square izakaya from the teams behind Akiko's and Hina Yakitori. Buttery toro sashimi and a chicken karaage with an especially crunchy exterior.
Izakaya Sozai · Inner Sunset
The Infatuation (7.7). A casual Inner Sunset izakaya with a sprawling small-plates menu spanning tsukune, bacon mochi, spicy tuna over crispy rice and agedashi tofu.