Overall a disjointed experience. From the stiff formal service from our main waiter to the casual diners wearing tees or Midwest plaid shirts to an odd seating layout (if you’re in the middle tables) in a room awash in unattractive dark taupe brown tones, there was a lack of the magic that comes from really great fine dining experiences. There was no story tying together all of the dishes, no brainwashing with the chef’s philosophy or cooking methods or anecdotes or influences. It seemed to take forever between dishes and towards the final few dishes, I just wanted it all to end. The food is obviously well thought out and prepared, but it was not very cohesive to me (due to lack of brainwashing). However the caviar with banana crepes is last meal-worthy even at $90 extra, and the hostess and kitchen staff were all great.

Came here with a reservation for my friend’s birthday. We got seated by the window and was greeted by exceptional service. Once seated, you’re already opted into the 12-dishes course and they don’t share the menu until the end for that element of surprise. One if favorite dishes of the 12 was the 3 tiered taco-like dish (grilled corned, local uni, permeated blueberries and popcorn dish) because of the texture and all flavors in one bite. The black outer layer was like a chip texture and easily sticks to your teeth but the sweet, savory, umami, salty flavors all came out in this one dish, yum! My second favorite was the ankimo pate milk bread (with raspberries on top) - I could’ve totally eaten a few more of these. It was so rich in flavor and delicious in every bite. I had to savor each bite :) all other dishes were solid too. Very expensive meal at almost $1,480 for four people. Definitely a very occasional meal, but left full and happy. They provide the menu in cute stationary at the end of the meal too. They also had a special dessert given to my friend for her birthday.

What a fabulous experience! My husband took me to Nisei for a big birthday (ending in a "0") and we were delighted by the whole evening. The staff--all of them--make a special effort to make you feel welcome and like an honored guest. The food is exquisite. Chef David and his team create unique dishes that are beautiful to behold and so tasty. You want to take your time and savor every bit. I was especially impressed by a cold noodle dish they made with a cucumber dashi. Who does that!? It was AMAZING!! And the salmon--crispy skin and yet the fish was so moist and delicious, presented with a tempura "branch" of burdock and "cherry blossoms" carved from umeboshi. I was also extremely impressed by how the whole team works together seamlessly--no matter what the task--to make sure the patrons have a first-rate experience. There was a larger party across the room from us. When it came time to serve a course, chefs from the kitchen joined the wait staff to present the dishes so that everyone had their plate laid down at the same time. If you had a question, anyone, including the general manager (and sommelier) gladly would step in to answer it. There was such a joy in everyone's professionalism and teamwork. It made me very happy to be there to witness and be a part of it all. It was such a joyful, wonderful experience that we came back this month for Nisei's one-year anniversary (and nominally my husband's birthday, which did not end in a "0"), which was no small thing for us. We had only ever spent this much money at a restaurant once before and here we eagerly made a second reservation within a month's time just because we loved the food, the people, and the experience so much.

The quality of the dishes did not match the price (530$ for two). Several dishes were oversalted (e.g. mochi in the soup). The desserts we're decent but still should be better. The service was not perfect in many details (e.g. asking to take the plates when they were obviously unfinished). In San Francisco, there are many other fine dining options, in terms of value of quality.

Bug in our opening dish on my friend's birthday, and only received a partial refund after calling the business the following day. Was told in a follow-up call that "if I had made a bigger deal in the moment, that they would have given me a partial refund then and there". Which means that from the restaurant's perspective, serving the opening dish with a live insect is acceptable, as long as the customer doesn't make a big deal about it. We tried to make the best of our birthday celebration and not disturb the other guests in the small dining room, but I guess it is on us to let the restaurant know that serving live insects in a dish is an unacceptable practice. We were told many excuses for why the bug was there, but it doesn't make sense to me why someone wasn't checking for potential contaminants when prepping the flowers, plating the dish, and approving for service. Especially at a restaurant that is clearly trying to go above and beyond their credentials. The quality, flavor and presentation of the food was honestly unreal - but I'm shocked that a Michelin-starred restaurant handles customer experience in this way, and I won't be coming back.

Spectacular innovative Japanese cuisine, attentive service, and interesting wine. Memorable, unique experience! Nisei is unique; I've lived in Japan and eaten at top restaurants, and had nothing like this. The dishes are a perfect blend of Japanese techniques with California ingredients and New American style: sincerely but not stuffily Japanese. The opening trio, including scallops three ways, the suppon (softshell turtle) soup, and the ankimo (monkfish liver) paste on milk bread were standouts, but every course charmed me. The service was warm and intimate; as a solo diner I got to chat with much of the staff, and chef David himself, and the experience felt like a personal expression of his vision: respecting tradition, but advancing it. The wine pairing was interesting, thoughtfully selected, and at times challenging – no cliched matching here! The decor likewise balanced traditional Japanese austerity and California quirks. I was visiting from NYC, and only had one evening to enjoy – I'm glad I spent it at Nisei.

I have to agree with other reviewers, this is an experience that is beautiful, creative AND delicious - from the service to the plating it is top notch. I visited with friends from Canada in March. If you have the opportunity...i highly recommend and would return again and again. I give it 5 thumbs up 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

It's different from other Japanese food in terms of texture and flavor. I didn't mind that the beef cheek and tongue are very chewy, and I do prefer beef cheek cooked in a way just melted in the mouth. And finally, the eel was not coated with sweet teriyaki sauce; it's probably the most successful dish for the night. However, the rice is packed and dense under the eel. The bread under Ankimo pate was a bit dry; thinner might help too. We tried both wine and sake pairing. Our conclusion is sake kind of amplified fishy flavor, and there is only one sake pairing worked. The wine choice continues the theme - it's different. It's really dark, so we can't comment on how the food looks. Applauding the chef's ambition does his tasting menu with his own spin and fun. It's probably a good place for date night; it's a lot of different dishes to have a conversation with.

Worth a try for elevated Japanese cuisine! Food presentation outshined flavor. The dish I thought was the most creative was the nori cotton candy like sticks (pictured). Waitress was also a tad pushy on ordering full bottles of sake, though that’s not what we were interested in at all. And inside space had nice distance between tables, but interior design felt a little cold and plain.

Beautifully designed interior. The staff were very welcoming and easy to converse with. We went with the 11 course tasting menu and the wine pairing. The wines chosen complimented each dish well bringing out the sweeter notes and adding spice. The turtle soup was something I had never tried before. The broth was packed with flavor and the mochi melted in your mouth. The shokupan served with a cranberry sauce and pate was a delight. Paired with a sweet dessert wine, it brought out the tang of the cranberry and made the pate go down smoother. Due to personal preferences there was one fish dish that was way too salty for my liking. The blackened curry was sweet and the katsu on top was cooked to perfection. With a nice crispy crunch.

This was a dining experience. This restaurant is expensive but the food is unique and nicely presented. The service is also Top Notch. I’ve included pictures of the food that was served the evening that we visited.

Truly an amazing experience. It's one of the most expensive restaurants I've been to, but it was definitely worth it, and I would do it again the next time I'm in town. The service was phenomenal, the food well prepared and a delight to the taste buds. I felt like the chef took risks but they paid off. My props to whomever made the drink pairings because most of them matched perfectly. I recommend this as highly as possible. Pure excellence.

Amazing meal. Pictures speak for themselves. Get the wagyu add on!! Worth the hype. Particularly we had great service with servers that were engaging and knowledgeable about the menu. We tried the sake and wine pairing and enjoyed both. In terms of wine pairings in general, this one ranks pretty high in value to me.