Name: Nisei
Address: 2316 Polk St., San Francisco, 94109, USA, San Francisco, USA, 94109, US
Telephone: +14158276898
Price range: $$$$

The Experience

From Michelin Guide

Nisei refers to the American-born children of Japanese immigrants, which Chef David Yoshimura is; and the synthesis of that heritage forms the basis of this cuisine. Dining is taken seriously here, where the service team is personable and the chef is especially engaging. The kitchen employs both boldness and subtlety in their cooking, which abounds with personality and technical finesse, and the tasting menu is equal parts tradition and invention. Savor a bowl of creamy pine nut and miso broth before enjoying a dish of unagi sourced from Maine, prepared ike jime style, and grilled over binchotan coals. Savory and sweet have equal billing in the uni egg custard dotted with blue and pink flowers. Wine and sake pairings are worthy, and the wagashi cart is a delicate treat.

Unique Things

From Visitor Experiences

Avoidance of sushi in a high-end Japanese tasting menu: Unlike many Japanese fine dining restaurants in San Francisco that focus heavily on sushi, Nisei deliberately avoids sushi and instead presents a modern Japanese tasting menu across 12 courses, applying an American tasting menu format to traditional Japanese flavors.
Reflection of the chef’s Nisei heritage: The restaurant is a personal reflection of Chef David Yoshimura’s unique experience as a second-generation Japanese American (Nisei), blending Japanese-American flavors with California’s finest local ingredients to create a distinctive culinary expression.
Integration with a Japanese whiskey-focused cocktail lounge: Nisei is paired with Bar Iris, a sister cocktail bar next door, which emphasizes Japanese whiskey and midcentury modern design, offering a complementary beverage experience alongside the refined dining.

Ingredient Stars

From Visitor Experiences

The most honored or signature ingredients at Michelin-starred Nisei in San Francisco include:

Hokkaido Uni: Featured in a croquette topped with smoked Jimmy Nardello pepper relish and ice lettuce, uni adds a luxurious, oceanic richness that highlights the restaurant's Japanese-Californian fusion approach.
Japanese Rice: Served uncooked inside a masu (traditional wooden sake box) under the croquette, emphasizing the foundational role of rice in washoku cuisine and reflecting seasonality and tradition.
Black Cod Ichiban Dashi: This rich, fortified broth forms the base of a signature miso broth dish, layered with mirepoix, potatoes, and clams, then transformed into a delicate foam, showcasing refined technique and umami depth.
Micro Shiso: Used in dishes like kobujime hirame with strawberry three ways, micro shiso adds a fresh, herbal note that complements the seafood and highlights seasonal, balanced flavors.
Smoked Jimmy Nardello Pepper Relish: Adds a smoky, slightly sweet heat to the uni croquette, illustrating the creative use of local ingredients and flavor layering.

These ingredients reflect Nisei's philosophy of blending traditional Japanese washoku principles with local Californian ingredients and innovative techniques to create a unique, elevated dining experience.

Nisei

The Experience

Unique Things

Ingredient Stars

Menu & Pricing

Tasting Menus

In The Media

People are paying $1,000 to work at Nisei in San Francisco

Nisei - Review - Russian Hill - San Francisco - The Infatuation

Restaurant Nisei — Restaurant Review | Condé Nast Traveler