Ju-Ni

My wife and I went as our Valentine's date night, expecting maybe a quiet-ish time at the bar and some polite banter perhaps with our chef and maybe the couples next to us. What we got instead quite by happy happenstance was a rollicking good time chatting with the super friendly couples next to us at the bar, while our chef JK obliged with friendly comments within our conversation while still preparing the delectable courses of the omakase. Of course, the happenstance of the chatty friendly couples sitting next to us can't be replicated, but our chef JK really rolled with it and knew how to adjust the service to the cadence of our conversation -- our lucky accidental group ended up being the last guests at the restaurant, at which time the chefs broke out some japanese sake for us on the

ju-ni focuses on the fish with some delicious nigiri pieces, but overall the ambiance & service was distracting and overpriced for the number of pieces served. overall, glad I tried it and loved the standout pieces, but wouldn’t recommend. service: our chef wasn’t bad but the difference of service between our seating and the one next to us was night and day. ended up listening to the other chef more since he explained each dish with detail while ours mumbled his way through. standout dishes: fatty tuna, red snapper, salmon roe with monkfish pate

Ju-Ni literally means “twelve” in Japanese, a nod to the original 12-seat counter and the tight, timed omakase format. Service is mostly nigiri, paced one piece at a time, with a lot of torch work at the counter.  Chef-owner Geoffrey Lee’s signature bite is the “ikura with ankimo”: salmon roe topped with shaved, deep-frozen ankimo (monkfish liver, often called “foie gras of the sea”). Lee has described it as “our dish at Ju-Ni,” and it’s a standout. 

16-course omakase service in this tiny location. The fish was outstanding, half of the courses were interesting, memorable, and outstanding and only two courses were "just fine" but that's gonna come down to personal preferences. Limited drink options, and service was fine but nothing to write home about. Come for the fantastic fish and creative courses. Was pretty loud whole I was there for to a business dinner that was very boisterous, but seems like that's probably rare for this place.

Ju-Ni is a standout. ​Every component of the experience was flawless. The shari (sushi rice) was seasoned to perfection, providing the ideal foundation for the fish. The chef's application of sauces and glazes was subtle yet enhanced every bite without overpowering the star of the show: the fish. ​The quality of the neta (toppings) was exceptional, and for good reason -- I learned that everything, aside from the salmon, is imported directly from Japan just the day before service. You can truly taste the difference that level of freshness makes. From the delicate madai to uni, each piece was a testament to quality and skilled preparation. It's been a long time since I've had high-end nigiri this satisfying in the Bay Area, especially post-pandemic. Highly recommended for any serious sushi