If you are looking for the best sushi in Bay Area, look no further. We have been to several different omakase restaurants (where the sushi chef decides what to serve you) in the Bay Area and yoshizumi is the best among all. Yoshizumi serves traditional edomae style sushi. He focuses on enhancing the taste of the original flavor of each fish, which is also the reason why we love this place so much. There is no fancy sauce and no fusion at all but he picks the best fish and all you need is some simple salt/soy/fresh made wasabi. This is a cozy and initiate restaurant located in downtown San Mateo. It’s easy to find parking across the street (we always park at the parking lot across the street). Currently, they check vaccination records and only accept 7 guest per night due to COVID concern, which means it’s harder to get a reservation now. They open reservation 14 days ahead of time and make sure to reserve on time(I believe their reservation opens at 0:00am). Food: This is the best part of this place. We are always impressed as soon as appetizer begins and yoshizumi never disappoint us (even not during Japan’s typhoon season when the fish selection is limited when we came here last time). This month’s tasting menu is slightly different than last month. Chef yoshizumi changed how he dealt with ankimo and several other appetizers. (We really like the difference in its taste and texture. We had 7 appetizers and 11 sushi this night. It’s hard to list highlights of the night because each piece is like an art performance and it has its unique and distinguished umami/texture that you can hardly find it in other Japanese restaurants. Sushi Yoshiumi’s pieces may look minimal , but believe me the taste is so unique that we could never forget and that is what makes us keep coming back to this place after a while. The most impressive part of the nightis how he cut the squid to make it so thin but still with so much texture when you eat it. We (my boyfriend and me) are always full by the end of the course but we always love to try 1-2 additional sushi just so we won’t miss this place too much. I almost forgot to mention their ginger is the best ginger we have had and we always ask for so much more to go with the sushi courses. Besides the best quality of fish yoshizumi selected, sitting in front of yoshizumi and watch how he prepared each course is fascinating. Tips: eat each course as soon as he gives it to you with your hand.

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.

Ordered online for takeout — Toro uni ikura box & Kaisen new Chirashi box shared among 3 adults) The fish is very fresh and the flavored rice was good. If you don’t like your rice vinegary with flavor then this bento is not for you. I appreciate how there was no packets of soy sauce. I always end up trashing it. Meal highlight was the Uni (sea urchin), so good 🤤 On Yelp the restaurant claims to be “Edomae” style sushi — “Just rice, fish and fresh wasabi, that is all — YEP, texactly as the place claims to be. This is one of the better places for Japanese food but at a price. I give it 4 stars because I’m waiting for the day to eat at the restaurant in person for the full experience — 😅 #takeout #sanmateoeats #1starmichelin #nofusion #notfancysushi #nocaviar #notruffle #nogoldenflakes basically #nofrills 😅

Give one additional star as it tastes good if you compare it with other regular Japanese cuisine. But as a Michelin Omakase restaurant, this is the worst I have ever had. Few things: 1. The flavor is either too salty or too sweet. 2. The uni in the uni nigiri is icy, you can literally taste the ice, while the rice is warm. This is so unprofessional. 3. The fatty tuna isn’t fatty as all. It lacked the expected richness and tenderness, proving to be somewhat sinewy and difficult to chew. 4. Some of the ingredients are fishy, for example, the saury fish. This shouldn’t be the quality you expect to have from a Michelin-rated restaurant.

We booked this place ONE month ahead and it's totally worth to wait. I've heard that this place is hard to make a reservation, so we expected to have to wait a long time, so please be prepared for that. Yoshi sang is very nice and so patient, he knows well about all Nigiri, you may ask anything about Nigiri. All ingredients a very simple but fresh, all the cooked mothed contains the freshness of fish. This place is the best of the year for me.

I felt like I tasted the spectrum of the sea 🌊🐠🐟 best sushi in my life. Favorite was the ootoro!! Chawanmushi was unique and yummy with ultra generous crab servings. Tasted Firefly squid, seared barracuda, uni, black cod etc. The dessert was a silky sake pudding.

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.

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.

Amazing sushi of very high quality. The only minor thing is the sea eel had a little smell even though it was fresh and the ginger was a little on the salty side. I was hoping for some roe with the uni over rice but that's ok. Overall probably one of the best sushi places in the Bay Area! 22 items total carefully prepared

Best sushi in the US - we have dined at so many omakase including a Michelin 3 star. Nobody else could create the same magical blend of taste and texture as Chef Yoshizumi does. It is not about the same formula of caviar/wagyu/uni/toro every other high quality omakase restaurants use. Chef Yoshizumi transforms the perhaps “common” ingredients into something totally phenomenal! A true master!

Superb performance by Chef Yoshizumi. He with one helper and one server delivered an unforgettable experience. The flavors were intense yet balanced. There were some very thoughtful and inspired dishes such as the inverted Saba roll. Surpringly I actually enjoyed the non-nigiri dishes more than the nigiri pieces because of the layering of ingredients. The only thing I didn't enjoy that much was the cooked Hotate, I think I would've enjoyed a fresh Hotate more. I will gladly return to try the extended course. All the images attached are from the regular omakase with the full sake pairing. FYI I'd recommend the half pairing as the full pairing may leave you drunk.

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.

By far the most amazing dining experience I have ever had. Everything from start to finish was just exquisite. Considering that I am usually not as adventurous when it comes to sushi...this blew my mind. Definitely recommend this place. Its worth every penny and then some. It was tough getting reservations so you have to be ready and just take 1st available seating and make it work! It totally makes sense why it is so exclusive. The quality is beyond anything I have ever had. My life changed forever!

It's the best authentic sushi place I have ever visited, not only in bay area or US. The food is super delicious without any doubt, and has a unique taste comparing to the other sushi places due to the way they prepare the fish. I also love how the chef make and introduce his food with tremendous passion.

Once in a lifetime experience. From NYC and been to quite a few really good omakase restaurants. Yoshizumi blows those out of water. Every, single, piece of sushi is spectacular. Jealous of you Bay Area people!