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Elegant table beautifully lit by sunlight - Nisei, San Francisco, CA
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Nisei

$50 and over
Japanese

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Innovative
  • Neighbourhood gem
Nisei presents a contemporary approach to Japanese American cuisine by combining deep Japanese flavors, refined cooking technique, and Northern California's finest ingredients. The restaurant is a personal reflection of Chef David Yoshimura's unique experience as a Michelin starred chef and second generation Japanese American, or Nisei.

Nisei can accommodate most severe allergies with advance notice, however due to the nature of the tasting menu format, we can not meet all dietary restrictions or aversions. In order to maintain the spirit of our cuisine, the following items can not be removed: Salt, sugar, soy sauce, and egg cooked into items.

All Experience prices below reflect a 20% Service Fee and 8.63% SF Sales Tax applied to the base price of each experience. This Service Fee goes towards paying our employees a livable wage as well as providing health insurance.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: David Yoshimura

  • Award icon
    MICHELIN 1 Star2024
  • Award icon
    MICHELIN 1 Star2023

From the OpenTable editors: Come to Chef David Yoshimura’s MICHELIN-starred spot for one of the city’s most innovative tasting menus. He expertly fuses Japanese techniques with Northern California ingredients to create bold, modern dishes that could include anago (salt-water eel) with fiddleheads or crispy kakuni (pork belly) with snap peas and ramps, paired with clever wines and sake for a singular dining experience.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Contemporary Asian, Japanese Speciality
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 827-6898
  • Website
    http://www.restaurantnisei.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Private party facilities
    For parties of 6 or more, we offer seating in our private Kimono Room. For inquiries regarding groups of 12 or more, or if you desire a tailored private dining experience, kindly click the link below, and we will promptly get in touch with you to curate a memorable evening.https://www.restaurantnisei.com/privatedining
  • Location
    2316 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109-1822
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN 1 Star 2024
    2. MICHELIN 1 Star 2023
  • Area
    Russian Hill
  • Cross Street
    Polk Street
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Spring Menu at Nisei

    USD 286.80 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    The tasting menu at Nisei features the pinnacle of Japanese American cuisine and is a personal expression of Chef David Yoshimura. Nisei combines the finest ingredients of Northern California and Japan to create a truly unforgettable experience. Guests can expect 13 courses with over 18 bites total, with options for supplements. Please allow at least 3 hours for the dining experience. The price of this experience reflects a 20% Service Fee and 8.63% SF Sales Tax. This Service Fee goes towards paying our employees a livable wage as well as providing health insurance.
    Spring Menu at Nisei photo

  • Frog's Leap Winemaker Diner

    USD 660.00 per person

    Prepaid

    30 Mar 2025 only
    6:00 pm
    Join us for a special evening with Rory Williams of Frog’s Leap Cellars featuring library wines all the way back to the 1990s! This ticket includes the wine pairing and an intimate experience in our Kimono room with discussions with Rory. "Located in Rutherford in the heart of Napa Valley and founded by John Williams in 1981, Frog’s Leap proudly puts farming first. Our vineyards are certified organic since 1989 and dry-farmed since planting. Forty years in, the Williams family and team continue to garner accolades for the Frog’s Leap signature style: wines of balance, restraint and deep respect for the natural expression of the vine. Our home estate features our historic Red Barn, built in 1884, as well as our certified organic culinary gardens and fruit orchards. Join us and be regaled by our Wine Specialist team with stories of Frog’s Leap’s rich history, most of which are true."
    Frog's Leap Winemaker Diner photo

  • Frogs Leap x Nisei

    USD 510.00 per person

    Prepaid

    30 Mar 2025 only
    We will explore the wines of Frog’s Leap through the lens of Nisei cuisine over a special 7-course menu. Guests for the evening will partake in the wine pairings from Frogs Leap chosen by Master Sommelier Andrey Ivanov and paired with seasonal dishes from Chef David Yoshimura. The pricing includes the wine pairing and this experience is in our main dining room.
    Frogs Leap x Nisei photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 89 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Japanese

  • San Francisco

    Best Service

  • San Francisco

    Innovative

  • San Francisco

    Japanese

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Nisei offers an extraordinary dining experience, blending Japanese tradition with American innovation under Chef David Yoshimura's leadership. Guests rave about "exceptional food and service," and a "memorable culinary adventure." The beautifully presented dishes and thoughtful sake pairings make it "one of the best dining experiences," ensuring a "fantastic" and "unforgettable" visit.

89 Reviews

  1. Don

    San Francisco18 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very different, sometimes tasty, sometimes not so much. Wonderful culinary adventure that expanded our taste buds to the max. Service and ambience first class throughout.

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  2. JairoW VIP

    Los Angeles7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 2 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great. It pretty much worth going. The unagui and the duck were outstanding as everything

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  3. Makinna

    Denver1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 21 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wow, Nisei was fantastic! I think the service was a real highlight for me - the staff and chef were so personable. The food was gorgeous and delicious. I’m a huge fan of soups, so the ichiban chowder and the pine nut miso soup were definitely my favorites. The chowder foam was somehow light and hearty at the same time. Sourdough mochi was a great compliment- so delicious that I’d buy them by the dozen if I could. If you can, would definitely recommend the wine pairing - I found a new favorite wine (Lumier Winery, “Mitsuki” 2023) and learned so much from the sommelier. Overall, a 11/10 experience. I love going out to Michelin star spots for a special treat, but this will be the first time I return to a spot once they move to the next seasonal shift in their menu:)

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  4. Nicholas VIP

    San Francisco5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My partner and I had our Valentines Day Dinner here and it was absolutely amazing. The service, the ambiance, the food were all incredible. Chef David was also very kind in greeting all of his guests! The staff are super friendly and we absolutely recommend it! We plan on checking out Bar Iris next door very soon! Shout out to the Chef Elle too! The desert was amaaaaaazing!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Nikko

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Incredible. My wife and I like long dinners that give us time to enjoy the food, talk about it and connect. Nisei did exactly that and provided the perfect ambience of a relaxed upscale experience. The staff was excellent, both extremely kind and attentive. Every dish wowed us with complex flavors. We left full and feeling like we at the highest quality ingredients. It was an unforgettable experience.

    Is this helpful?

  6. David

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 10 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a great time at Nisei. Thank you for the hospitality

    Is this helpful?

  7. Arthur

    Orlando5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 8 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    At Nisei, Chef David masterfully fuses Japanese tradition with American innovation in a stunning thirteen-course menu. Impeccable dishes, thoughtful sake pairings, and a passionate staff make it one of the best dining experiences. Highly recommended!

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  8. Hugh VIP

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 2 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Seasonal tasting menu. Sake pairing. Stylish, welcoming, superb.

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  9. Florence VIP

    Mexico City5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 26 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great all around experience at Nisei!! Food Service atmosphere. All geared towards your enjoy

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  10. Gonzalo

    San Francisco27 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 6 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful experience overall! Love coming back. Celebrated my daughter’s birthday.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Nisei is rated 4.8 stars by 89 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 4 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Nisei

2316 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109-1822

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN 1 Star 2024
    2. MICHELIN 1 Star 2023
  • Cross Street
    Polk Street
  • Area
    Russian Hill
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Contemporary Asian, Japanese Speciality
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.restaurantnisei.com/
  • Phone number
    (415) 827-6898
  • Private party facilities
    For parties of 6 or more, we offer seating in our private Kimono Room. For inquiries regarding groups of 12 or more, or if you desire a tailored private dining experience, kindly click the link below, and we will promptly get in touch with you to curate a memorable evening.https://www.restaurantnisei.com/privatedining
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