A Different Kind of Sushi Restaurant Is Opening in Hayes Valley

Despite a recent influx of sushi restaurants, SF diners seem unable to get enough raw fish. Especially not while chefs around town continue to add their own imprints to the highly-revered craft, from traditional omakase at Sasaki and Hamano to Hayes Valley’s upcoming addition, Robin, which opens July 6.

Chef/owner Adam Tortosa (1760, LA’s Ink) worked for four years under master sushi chef Katsuya Uechi before earning a spot as a chef at his flagship restaurant Kiwami, and assisting in Uechi’s many LA restaurants. Now Tortosa is adding his own sensibilities to the fish he prepares, and to his restaurant’s moody, hip hop-fueled atmosphere.

Grid View

• Albert Law/Pork Belly Studio
• Albert Law/Pork Belly Studio
• Albert Law/Pork Belly Studio
• Albert Law/Pork Belly Studio
• Albert Law/Pork Belly Studio
• Albert Law/Pork Belly Studio
• Albert Law/Pork Belly Studio

Diners can choose from an omakase experience that ranges from $79-$179, or order a la carte from a menu divided into lean fish, fatty fish, not fish, dishes, and hand rolls. The omakase price is a sliding scale, depending on the diner’s preferences and hunger levels, says Tortosa. “These are all things we want the customer and chef or server to talk about and figure out throughout the meal.” Drinks will focus on sake, wine, and beer, curated by Ana Nguyen (Kinjo, Liholiho Yacht Club) and Andrew Nelson; there’s no set pairing, but the same thought process as the omakase will be applied, as diners and chef progress through the meal.

The fish is sourced as locally as possible, with rockfish, starry flounder, uni, and more coming from Northern California waters; Japan, the Mid Atlantic, and New Zealand are some of the other regions from which fish are sourced. The sushi itself is a mixture of Japanese and California influences, specifically from the local farmers markets where Tortosa has been spending a lot of his free time while the restaurant has been under construction. Opal basil, serrano peppers, Meyer lemon, confit tomato, apples, and a variety of items that have been fermented, pickled, or canned, will all have a presence on the menu. “It won’t be for everyone,” admits Tortosa. “But if you come with an open mind, you’ll be in the right place.”

Check out out the full menu below, and stay tuned for more details on the space. Starting July 6, the restaurant will be open from 5:30 p.m.- 10 p.m., seven days a week.