I was beyond excited to finally give this restaurant a try since I've had it bookmarked for the longest time. We walked in at 8:30pm on a Saturday without a reservation and didn't have to wait! Loved the minimalist look and how spacious the place was. I noticed that it wasn't packed given that it was the weekend. We were seated in a booth and it was very comfortable. We ordered Karaage, Tokyo fried rice, rainbow roll and a Torokatu hand roll. The handroll was delicious and I definitely could have eaten at least 4 more. Karaage was nice and crispy. My favorite was the rainbow roll since it had all the fishes that I liked (tuna, yellowtail, and salmon) and the serrano chili tied it together perfectly. The fried rice was on the smaller side and was very average given how much it costs. Overall, a great restaurant to stop by for dinner. We really enjoyed the dishes that we ordered. It is also conveniently close to the Embarcadero Bart station.

Came for my birthday Amazing food, great happy hour menu both food and drinks, and birthday dessert was so tasty!! Will be back for sure!

Located on the 1st floor of the 101 California building, this izakaya exuded clubby vibes with its dim lighting, neon decorations, and sleek bar. It's a part of the MINA Group by Chef Michael Mina. We were seated at a booth, which was a bit tight for our party of 5. Our order: Pabu Okonomiyaki: $29.00 +Full of pieces of cabbage, pork belly, scallop, and shrimp +Topped w/plenty of bonito flakes +Pickled red ginger added tartness to cut through the salt and fat. -It was described as a "savory pancake", but some spots were too savory. -Could be crispier Saikyo-Miso Black Cod: $40.00 +Black cod was flaky and not overcooked. +Good number of mushrooms (seasonal) +Cucumber & seaweed salad was a refreshing palate cleanser. -Tasted strongly of alcohol and not of miso: Least fave dish of the group. Prime Short Rib 'Kalbi': $34.00 +Umami-soy marinated kalbi was tender and flavorful. +Sesame seeds added a fragrant toasty flavor. -Pieces with bone were tougher. Genesis Roll (8 pcs): $28.00 +Sushi was well-constructed: Didn't fall apart when picked up. +Shrimp tempura and cucumber were crunchy, while avocado was ripe. +Wasabi tobiko added pops of color and spice. +Side of pickled ginger wasn't dyed pink. -Rolls were covered in spicy mayo and unagi sauce. Super Spider (5 pcs): $23.00 +Sushi was well-constructed: Didn't fall apart when picked up. +Soft shell crab and cucumber were crunchy, while avocado was ripe. -Soft shell crab was salty. -Gobo (burdock root) appeared to be dyed pink. Rainbow (8 pcs): $29.00 +Sushi was well-constructed: Didn't fall apart when picked up. +Tuna, yellowtail, and salmon tasted fresh. +Serrano chili slices on top weren't spicy and added pops of flavor. +Side of pickled ginger wasn't dyed pink. -Crispy onions on top weren't crispy. Side notes: 1.) Limited street parking. We got lucky and were able to find a spot across the street. *Verdict: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 d/t the service. Service was very attentive. Staff cleared plates frequently and checked in on how we were doing. In addition, we were celebrating a birthday and our server brought out a bowl of mango sorbet with a candle. She also presented a cute handwritten card signed by the restaurant staff, which is something you don't see often. I saw that they had an omakase menu, and I'd love to come back to try that sometime.

Food was fresh, atmosphere was nice and restaurant was clean and we'll maintained. We had a long lunch, service was a bit slow and we tried appetizers, soup, tempera and dessert. The best was the miso soup. Everything else was bland or okay and the dessert was so dry. Just didn't find the experience to be remarkable.

Amazing food, service and atmosphere! We stopped by while we were at the Ferry Building and wondered over to the Financial District in SF. We loved the selection and fresh ingredients. I highly recommend the Happy Spoon and their Salmon Sashimi was so fresh !

What an amazing experience to try this restaurant in downtown with near parking area outside. Typical Japanese Asian fusion food. Our server was Michael. The host , the manager that night (around 6pm-7pm) , their staff are professional on a Tuesday shift. The ambiance of mostly s go - to place for people after office hours.

This review is about an event I recently held at PABU for 12 business associates. It was held on the outside patio, by the main entrance. The weather last Thursday was awesome and when the temperature dipped a bit, the restaurant turned on its heaters. Nancy Zammit was the event director I worked with to coordinate the function. It was easy to communicate with her and set up the event by email as I live out-of-town. We ordered a variety of their favorites, including a Makimono Roll Platter, Hot Canapes (Fried Chicken Karaage, Mushroom Tempura) and Teriyaki Salmon, Chicken and Steak Skewers. The food was delish and came out in waves for our guests to enjoy fresh from the kitchen. Vicente was our contact the day of the event and he made sure everything was perfect, timely and my guests were happy. My guests ordered drinks off the menu, from wine, sake to craft cocktails. The evening was superb and we all had an amazing time. PABU was an excellent host for our event.

I've been to PABU several times, including for team dinners, as a solo diner and on date night (with their special Valentine's menu). PABU is great for any semi-nice occasion when you want a sit-down spot and aren't in a hurry. The place a chill and dark (dimly-lit) vibe, usually with low chatter and music in the background. Plenty of seat variety, including an outdoor area if the weather is good. The cocktails from the drink menu are always a highlight for me and are twists on traditional drinks. The food isn't all hits. I've gone for the karei yakisoba, which was tasty but didn't quite wow me. It had a nice flavor, but it felt a bit one-dimensional. On the flip side, their hand rolls have all been awesome and the omakase hasn't failed to impress me yet. Service is attentive, though predictably slows down during rush hours. You'll have awesome drinks while you wait though.

Brussel sprouts - 5/5, huge roasted brussel sprouts. Super flavorful and crisp! I actually really liked this, and was surprised by the size of it. Karaage - 3/5, chicken was not as tender as other places and I don't think the right flavor was there. Would definitely skip this. Sashimi - 4.5/5, decently sized cuts, good variety. Yum! 10 pc chef's nigiri - 4.5/5, also yum! Tender, smooth pieces of fish with not too much rice. A small dab of wasabi is in between. Tuna - 4.5/5, don't remember which tuna we got but it was soft and delicious.