Sushi Yoshizumi: Discover the Best Sushi Experience in San Mateo

Probably the best sushi in the bay area. Update: Jul 2021 Indoor dining open again at Yoshizumi, but with a reduced capacity. The sushi is still just as consistently good. Perfectly seasoned and warm rice and gorgeous nato. Service was warm and attentive. Really a true sushi lover's place - uncomplicated perfection.

If you’re looking for a traditional omakase or sushi experience, this place is definitely a solid choice. The fish was fresh, the chef was professional, and overall I thought it was a good experience. Of course if you’re comparing it to places in New York or LA, or especially sushi in Japan, it’s not quite on that level. But for San Francisco, I think it holds up well. I’d still give it five stars.

Highly skilled chef working with the best produce. Difficult to get a reservation, but worth the effort. Cod stomach and Monk fish liver were new to me and highlights of the evening.

The restaurant is not easy to find because there's no sign. However, the server came out as soon as it opened. In general, I think the food is high quality but it's a little bit pricey compared with other sushi restaurants. The restaurant was recently removed from its Michelin star and I think it has a solid reason. Since there was only one server at the restaurant, the service can be less attentive. To me it is not a big issue but I think for Michelin it is an important index. I still need to point out that the service is still top tier though. Let's focus on the food. All ingredients are seasonal and prepared well. For the appetizers, I like the ankimo the best. The grilled 目光(Mehikari) fish was also delicious. For the sushi parts, I found most dishes to be mediocre, considering they had a Michelin star before. However, there were still several dishes that really amazed me. I liked 春子鯛(Kasugo) and 穴子(Anago) the best. The sanma and ika geso were also delicious. However, for bluefin tuna only akami and chutoro were served, no otoro. Finally, I like the melon for the desserts. In terms of atmosphere, the restaurant location is near the train track so you can hear the horn from time to time. Also, the air conditioning could be better in my opinion especially since it was a hot day when I visited. The sake served became warm quickly. In general, I would still say this is a good sushi place but there may be better choices around the bay area.

Some of the best fish selection I’ve had in the Bay coupled with one of the most skilled chefs here as well. It’s not perfect, but I’ve never had a bad meal here and there’s always at least 5-7 standouts

An absolute gem! The freshest fish met with remarkable hospitality. One of the most enjoyable experiences ever. Words cannot describe how delicious and fresh the fish and other ingredients were.

You only realize why it’s hard to score a reservation at this 8 seater sushi counter until you try Chef Yoshizumi special sashimi and nigiri tasting menu. Nestled in downtown St Mateo, this Japanese oasis that looks like your neighborhood sushi joint have some of freshest & tastiest seafood I have ever tried. From the Japanese delightful Amberjack to buttery Kinki(Japanese rockfish) to delicious Bonitos nigiri to sea eel nigiri from southern Japan that literally melts in your mouth. Watching the knife action of Chef Yoshizumi was a real treat, he was kind, nice and always smiling. Service was on point and their Sake tasting and choices were delightful and complimentary to the fish courses. The egg custard cake at the end was scrumptious but we didn’t really like the almond custard dessert. Definitely worth the trip and worth another visit.

Easily the best sushi I've ever had. Subtle flavors perfectly complementing each other coming together for each course. Seeing Chef Yoshi's mastery up close behind the counter is just another perk of eating here. Reservations are tough, prices are high but the effort and cost are absolutely worth it.