The original San Francisco omakase experience has a dazzling new home. The new Akikos at Avery Lane debuted in January 2023 on the ground floor of a sparkly highrise in the East Cut. Diners can expect the same omakase, featuring fish flown in from Tokyo, that chef Ray Lee and family introduced to the city over the course of the restaurant’s 36 years. The difference is a dramatic space, where the chef’s counter takes center stage along with theatrical flourishes in plating and service.
Akiko’s cut a reputation as the first and best omakase experience in San Francisco, but the restaurant has roots that go beyond that. Lee’s great-aunt Akiko originally opened a teriyaki restaurant on Mason Street. His parents took over in 1987, moved down the hill to Bush Street, and added fresh sushi rolls. Finally, Lee took over from his parents in 2009, introducing the full omakase experience with changing menus based on Japanese ingredients. Lee believes it was the first of its kind in San Francisco paving the way for many to follow. Some chefs, including Adam Tortosa of the acclaimed Robin, trained at Akiko’s before slicing their own way.
Akiko’s has been a hard-to-get reservation for many years, in part because it was so cozy. For longtime fans, “just being in that space felt like home,” Lee says. “Even though sometimes they were seated at the table by the bathroom, they were okay with it.” But especially following the pandemic, Lee felt strongly that diners needed space, and Akiko’s needed room to grow. He hopes Akikos at Avery Lane opens a new chapter for the beloved restaurant to stay relevant in the next decade.
The format has not changed. It’s still half a dozen starters, about 10 bites of nigiri, and dessert, starting at $250 per person. Fish from Tokyo’s famed Toyosu Fish Market makes its way to the restaurant, where it is dry-aged to concentrate flavors and textures. Whole fish hang for several days or weeks on full display for diners in a couple of fish lockers.
The plating has a few theatrical flourishes, including the Hokkaido scallops served in a ruffled glass shell, Spanish mackerel atop a ceramic fedora, and milk bread with toro and caviar on a mini cake stand. Then head chef Shinsuke Hayashi and team start setting nigiri bites directly on the bar, encouraging diners to use their hands instead of chopsticks. “The best way to eat sushi is right out of the chef’s hand,” Lee says. “The timing and temperature are everything to make a really powerful bite.”
Japanese whisky gets top-shelf treatment in a cocktail menu crafted by Quade Marshall (Pagan Idol, Alexander’s Steakhouse). The Cocomelon Manhattan has Suntory Toki whisky with sweet vermouth and cherry bark bitters. Other Japanese ingredients, including shiso, sesame, and plums, make their way into housemade syrups. A leatherbound list of wine, beer, and sake provides several more options.
There’s a small bar right by the entrance, ideal for an afterwork cocktail, or a place to linger over a nightcap. “It’s kind of like everyone hanging out at the kitchen island,” Lee says. “At the end of the night, everyone crowds around for a whisky neat.”
Akikos is part of the Avery, a 56-story luxury development in the trendy East Cut neighborhood. The restaurant, designed by AVRO|KO, spans 2,700 square feet with the chef’s counter at the center, illuminated in golden light.
There isn’t a bad seat in the house. Though this location only has 10 more seats (46 total) than the original, nearly half of those are at the coveted chef’s counter. Everything’s more spaced out, windows flank several walls, and even the tables have a clear view of the action at the counter.
Fun fact: Lee was once a DJ, so you can expect to hear his favorite Motown and hip hop tunes in the space. Akikos remains a rare San Francisco restaurant where you can actually hear a friend speak and sway to Jay-Z in the background.
The restaurant has undergone a sea change over three decades, but the Lee family has continued to feed a craving for fish in San Francisco. Lee’s parents, now long retired, recently took seats at the counter. They told Lee that the restaurant felt a little too much, what with the stylish presentation and the staff wearing suits, but they acknowledged how far the business had come.
“They’re very proud of how Akiko’s has evolved,” Lee says.
Akikos at Avery Lane is open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30 to 8:30 pm and for lunch Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.
Becky Duffett is a food writer living and eating in San Francisco. Follow her on Instagram at @beckyduffett.
