KAIYO Reviews

Excellent views, great food, service was busy . Ceviche platter, dragon roll, Bourbon and gin cocktails. San Francisco.

We were a large party. We wanted to have a special evening and our daughter whom lives in SF, chose this restaurant. The food was ok. But the service left a lot to be desired. Clearly service charge is “included” for large parties so the servers have no “incentive” to provide good service. We had Maddy as our server. She was attentive while taking our order for starters but after that it was impossible to get her attention. She would walk right past our table without looking at us. When we tried to get her attention, she would say I will be right back and disappear. One of us had to get up, navigate through the restaurant to find her and ask her to take our order. Finally she came and took our order. The food came. For everyone except my daughter who had ordered Sushi!! We had all finished our meals and her sushi still hadn’t come. Maddy passed us three times and refused to acknowledge our attempts to seek her attention. Finally we asked one of the other servers to ask Maddy that her food hadn’t come. Maddy comes and says that “they forgot”! Very poor attitude. Of course when it was time to pay, she was at the table asking us how was our experience and hoped that we had a good time. I refused to give her a penny more than the “included” service charge. The staff work very hard. You could see that they were constantly running around the restaurant but that is no excuse to ignore and provide such poor service. My advice - don’t go in large groups. Up to four should be fine. If you get Maddy, get all your orders in at once because you may not see her till the end of the meal.

A Japanese sushi restaurant with lots verity of sushi and much more. Tasty, enough portion, good service but must mind few matters such as clearing the table from the entree plates before serving the main course. Recommended

Excellent views, great food, service was busy. Ceviche platter, dragon roll, bourbon & gin cocktails.

Excellent food. Possibly the best scallops ever tasted. The menu is scary but the enthusiastic staff and excellent cocktails emboldened our party and we sampled delicious dumplings and sushi that was beautifully presented and very different from anything we had eaten in the UK. If in San Franscisco make a point of going, it's great.

My friends and I had the absolute BEST dining experience at KAIYO Restaurant & Rooftop in San Francisco! From the moment we arrived, the ambiance was stunning, perched high above the city with an incredible view of the SF skyline that made the evening feel magical. We were already excited because we had attended Project by Project's annual tasting gala, where KAIYO won Best Dish of the Year. That award set the bar high, and let me tell you, they exceeded every expectation, especially with their hamachi sashiimi! The flavors were bold, creative, and perfectly balanced. Every dish showcased the artistry and passion behind their Nikkei-inspired cuisine. The rooftop vibe was chic yet welcoming, and the service was exceptional—attentive without being intrusive. Pair that with their craft cocktails and the breathtaking city lights, and you have an unforgettable experience.

I was walking by looking for food and the Peruvian music lulled me in, so I said to myself “self, get some food”. I had the Pollo La Brasa with Brussels sprouts and it was amazing!! Tender chicken and perfectly seasoned sprouts. The service was friendly and prompt and I will definitely be back.

Kaiyō has it all. It was a great location for us in the Cow Hollow neighborhood. The atmosphere was contemporary and comfortable. The food, tapas-like, drinks and service were all really good. The tab was a bit pricey for the three of us but we truly enjoyed our evening.

This is definitely one of the best places for Sushi in San Francisco! Although that said, pretty much everything on their menu is wonderful!

The waiter poured 1/2 pitcher of water into another 1/2 pitcher for a full pitcher to serve to customers. Not knowing if either could be tainted. Not caring about customers well being. And being to lazy to get fresh water for customers. Not professional, bad bad bad.

Hubby & I went here spur of the moment early on a Thursday and scored an outdoor table. Our waiter Kenny was very helpful and friendly, and the bus-"boy" was also very attentive. The plant based gyoza and sushi rolls were really good, as were the cocktails. It was a little pricey, but hey, it's SF!

We have been here once and we loved the creativity of each dish - some of them were excellent (like the Hokkaido Scallops Tiradito) and a few that weren't that good, but none of them were bad. We just haven't gone back again, but we will.

Mixed menu of Asian cuisine and upscale American. Small and cozy venue. The bar is lively and beautiful. Highly recommend Braised Short Ribs $38 - Best I've had ever. Large pour wines Cremant $16 and Hall Cab $15. Large TV with sports playing. Highly recommend.

We are fans of Peruvian food and have visited Peru and owned 2 Peruvian restaurants. Asked for ceviche de stun, it was so spicy, it killed my tasted buds. Next, the halibut tiradito, this was even spicer ,they added chili oil(not Peruvian), had to send it back, they brought it with minimal spice but the leche de tigre was too acidic. We had a shrimp sushi that had tuna on top, acceptable. We had the halibut on sake sauce, we asked to cancel the dish after waiting 20} minutes, they brought it right out, the halibut was unsalted thus bland, the sauce was good. Overall we give the Peruvian a 1 rating the Japanese a 3, that why the 2. The restaurant is loud(bar plus main dining room together and it is a little dark.. The maître-sommelier is knowledgeable but food is poor and service proper but weak. Not recommended for the Peruvian, yes for the Japanese.

We came with no reservation on a Friday evening, a bedraggled elderly couple after a long drive on Hwy. 1. We wanted to sit outside but the only available table was exposed to the elements. So Mattie, Kenny and Jorge went the extra mile, going to great effort to make sure we were comfortable and taken care of. And then the food! The sushi rolls and scallop tiradito were excellent, but the salmon amarillo was the best! Ever! Truly a lovely experience.

KAIYO offers a dual delight for foodies seeking an unforgettable food experience in SF. TIP: Start your evening at the ground floor restaurant for dinner, where the ambiance is modern yet cozy, and the attention to detail is impeccable. Indulge in dishes like Shishito Peppers, Miso-Butter Corn, Oysters, and the mouthwatering A5 Wagyu Sando with Caviar—a true testament to the chef's expertise. Afterward, take the elevator up to Kaiyo's Rooftop Bar for drinks and dessert, where the spectacular panoramic views of SOMA await. Sip on delicious, unique cocktails that tantalize the senses with their refreshing and innovative flavors. From high above the city, gaze upon iconic landmarks like the Salesforce Tower and the sprawling skyline, enveloped by the beauty of distant bridges. Just remember to bring a coat, you're that high up. Throughout your experience, you can expect exceptional service from the friendly and attentive staff. Special mentions to Aaron, whose enthusiasm and recommendations went above and beyond what my girlfriend and I were expecting.

The menu lacks convincing dishes and many of them such as the crab rolls, are simply poor. Above all, the prices are ludicrous for the multiple dish ordering concept, as most of them are mere appetizers. Can't compete with more established Peruvian fusion restaurants.

We found the flavors and ambiance to be exciting! Lots of outdoor seating. Great staff. Such a nice time.

Very creative sushi and skewers with excellent flavors. The wagyu nigiri was delicious and the octopus skewer was a so good we ordered it again. Highly recommend this restaurant.

I ordered the Peruvian chicken a la brasa today and the food was excellent. The chicken was tender and well seasoned. We enjoyed our dinner! We definitely order again.

We came here for a Sunday Brunch. The food was excellent, I had wagu steak and eggs and my husband the burger. Both were delicious. This is in a super cool neighbourhood

Peruvian Japanese fusion food, nikkei, has been touted as the latest food trend which is curious as Matsuhisa introduced it to Beverly Hills 30-40 years ago and the Nobu chain’s foundations are based on it. Peruvian food on location in Lima and Cuzco is inventive and terrific, alas we can’t get cui in this country, but spices and many of the raw ingredients as well as the cooking technology can be imported. Japanese and Chinese fusion food abounds in the nation, because immigrants were brought to the country, like in the US to build the railroads and infrastructure and many stayed. Kaiyo supposedly blends these cultures, but most of the food on the menu seems to be divided into Japanese or Peruvian with inapparent significant fusion. Each representative is pretty good, but not great. The ceviches are beautifully presented and the causa is attractive, these are my go-to tests of Peruvian cuisine, but each is far more impressively presented and far tastier at La Mar near the Ferry Building. The Peruvian chicken is good, but would benefit from a longer marination. Our crab roll was good, but nothing exceptional. If you are in the Marina and want Peruvian, this place will satisfy, but not overwhelm.

A very nice restaurant with unusual dishes that combine the flavors of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine. We ordered sushi, fried chicken, empanadas, curry udon with clams, and salmon. Every thing was delicious, especially the curry clams and the fried chicken. The empanadas were average. The service was good.