Daimaru

290 Sanchez (@16th Street)

Castro

415.863.9128

Right around the corner is the Potrero Hill Brewing Company. 		If you’ve lived in this city for over, let’s say, a month, you’re probably sick of hearing the evil g-word: gentrification. Blah blah blah the Mission, blah blah Starbucks, blah blah blah CyberCash, blah blah S.U.V., blah. And probably, this nasty issue is only further exacerbated by the fact that you probably agree it sucks, and even further, by your personal guilt, since, unless you are a Native Ohlone, YOU are the Gentrifier.

But this is not my reason for attacking Tokyo-Go-Go. They serve some damn fine sushi, despite the obnoxious ambiance and the cocaine-befuddled clientele. What irks me is that Tokyo’s prime hipster location (New Dawn, RIP) has overshadowed nearby predecessor Daimaru. Daimaru doesn’t have the flashy cocktail list or the sexy staff or the James Brown jungle re-mixes, but they got sushi and world class, top of the line, high-caliber, super-duper sushi.

Daimaru opened a year and a half ago, just months before Tokyo, and still has some of the finest and freshest sushi in the previously sashimi-deficient Castro-Mission area. You can’t miss the ultra-wasabi-green exterior on the corner of 16th and Sanchez.

A restaurant review should include some commentary on the food, but this is sushi, folks, and you already know what that entails. Daimaru makes the rice right, and the fresh fish is served in hearty portions. Check the daily specials board for unique treats. The staff is genuinely friendly and ready to suggest new levels of sushi exploration. So if you want to avoid the noisy frat party and long lines down the street, head up to Daimaru. Fresh, not funky. Daimaru, 290 Sanchez (@16th Street), San Francisco, 415.863.9128.

--Michael Ohlsson
posthoc's Late Night Restaurant Guide

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