Vegan
Japanese

Vegan sushi bar and izakaya, eat. Jan 2015. Offers sushi, ramen, and Japanese food in small plates in a unique dining set-up with matching wood beams and tables. Open Mon-Thu 5:00pm-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 4:00pm-9:30pm, Sun 4:30pm-9:00pm.


Venue map for Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar
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265 Reviews

First Review by AshleyLorden

DanielleNicole30

Points +142

Vegan
19 Oct 2025

Best vegan sushi I’ve ever had

This was the highlight on my bf & i’s trip to SF. We knew it was going to be good, but we didn’t know just how good! Definitely make a reservation, because the place was packed and we wouldn’t have gotten a table otherwise. The food came out very quickly, we were able to be in and out in and hour and a half, and we ordered an additional roll after our first order, and got dessert.

All the food was top of the line! We got the Secret Weapon, Foxy Starlet, and Prime Suspect. We also got gyoza and eggplant nigiri. The prime suspect and eggplant nigiri were standouts, but honestly everything was ingrained and you really can’t go wrong. I can’t wait to come back to try more of the menu! The dessert was strawberry ice cream and a mochi donut. Amazing!

Pros: Food, Vibes, Service

MgaHalamanLang

Points +282

Vegan
07 Oct 2025

Awestruck

In town for Hans Zimmer and made reservations with an omni friend. They were impressed and so was I! The flavors, presentation, value, and service were amazing! A must try all around!

Updated from previous review on 2025-10-07

Pros: Fully Vegan!, Variety , Price

Cons: Parking

Elarm

Points +990

Vegan
19 Sep 2025

You must try this!!

Body and soul was my favourite sushi, but all of them were amazing! You can order a surprise sushi round where one gets a very spicy sushi roll - super worth it!

Updated from previous review on 2025-09-19

Ulquiorra

Points +89

Vegan
09 Aug 2025

Mind Blowing Sushi

We had high hopes for this restaurant and it did not disappoint except for the Ramen. We started with the tofu katsu appetizer and it was amazing. We ordered plate after plate of sushi for the entire length of our hour and a half reservation. The sweet potato roll and eggplant nigiri was the standout heavy hitters but I doubt there is a single plate of sushi that we wouldn't recommend. The ramen was not very edible and tasted identical to Tane Vegan Izakaya's ramen. The special dessert of strawberry ice cream with fried mochi topped with sweet red bean paste was simply incredible. We would have ordered many more if we hadn't run out of time. Our favorite restaurant of the San Francisco and Sacramento area.

WuLongfei

26 Sep 2025

I know this restaurant, it's really good and the service is great

Poppybutts

Points +26

Vegan
19 Jul 2025

Best sushi ever

I’ve only been here a handful of times because I live 2 hours away. But it is worth the drive! It’s my special occasion restaurant and has world class sushi that does not disappoint! Sushi was the hardest thing for me to give up when I first went vegan, and this place showcases talent and artistry that is unparalleled. Truly remarkable rolls. Also the garlic edamame is a must! The ramen is good but I have a vegan ramen spot near me, so I usually skip theirs. When the menu is all vegan, it’s hard to know what to order- but the appetizers are great and the rolls are superb.

Pros: Everything is vegan, Truly showcases vegetables in all their glory, Traditional iz

Cons: You absolutely need a reservation- it’s busy af, Pricey, but great for a special occasion , Maximum of 4 people for reservations bc it’s small

Vysturbed

Points +2028

Vegan
09 Jul 2025

Innovative and amazing!

Had an amazing time here. Saved an appetite to try as many dishes as I could fit. Loved the okra nigiri and Surprise Ending roll. I could drink the sauce that comes with the garlic edamame like a soup!

k_robsss

Points +2164

Vegan
05 Jul 2025

Vegan sushi🍣

I thought the sushi at Shizen was really good and worth the price! The nigiri was good too. My favorite roll was the one with the truffle hummus (I forgot the name 😭). Definitely recommend this place

Kayy_B

Points +1147

Vegan
30 Jun 2025

Amazing Sushi!

I have been coming here for so many years and never had the chance to write a review. They have a variety of sushi to choose from! My favorites are the candlestick, body and soul, and the secret weapon. Their ramen is creamy and rich. They have desserts as well, but it depends on the day. I highly recommend making a reservation on yelp so you don’t have to wait in a long queue for a table. One time it took over 2 hours and it was a lesson learned!😄

ameliorater

Points +216

Vegan
06 Jun 2025

I love vegan sushi

really good but I might be biased because I love all vegan sushi. my favorite was the sweet potato tempura but it was close.

leakim

Points +880

Vegan
13 May 2025

Great atmosphere and food

Awesome interior space. The menu is fun and includes many fusion-styled sushi along with some classic Japanese dishes. Enjoyed the agedashi tofu appetizer, 2 specialty roles, and a dessert along with a na drink. The only place I've had roles like this was Japan, so give this place a try! Pricing I found reasonable. Reservations mostly required; I wouldn't risk showing up without them.

form

Points +466

Vegan
07 May 2025

Doesn’t live up to the hype

Honestly, the food lacked flavour—it was very one-note and under-seasoned. The nigiri was the only dish that somewhat stood out. For a high-end restaurant, we expected better service and cleaner facilities; unfortunately, the washrooms were dirty. It gave the impression that the owners don’t take pride or care in maintaining the restaurant.

Pros: Nigiri was interesting and creative

SueWente

Points +18

Vegan
27 Apr 2025

Amazing and creative

Service was top notch atmosphere wonderful food amazing no bad points

NYCswimmer

Points +973

Vegan
10 Apr 2025

Outstanding

Shizen Sushi absolutely delivers. The specialty rolls are phenomenal – imaginative, beautifully presented, and packed with complex, satisfying flavors. They’re truly the highlight of the experience. The shiitake appetizer was also a standout – rich, savory, and perfectly cooked. The atmosphere is calm and stylish, and the service was gracious and attentive. Dessert was just okay, but honestly, everything else was so good that it didn’t matter. This is a must-visit for anyone into next-level vegan sushi.

Pros: Specialty rolls, Shitake apppetizer, Tea

Cons: None

pklehm

Points +153

Vegetarian
05 Apr 2025

Food is good but pricey

Food is tasty but portion sizes are small for the prices charged.

theokaforceawakens

Points +98

Vegan
30 Mar 2025

Absolutely Elite

One of the better vegan restaurant experiences in the US. I ate here with my family of 4 in December, and I have found myself craving their sushi ever since. The shitake mushroom appetizer was absurd, as was the mushroom miso. We loved the seaweed salad. But the sushi is the standout. We had a mix of more generic and specialty rolls. Don't do that, go right to the specialty. These were so creative and had some incredible flavors. Candlestick is my favorite by far, but we tried most of them and ALL of them were awesome.

Good vibe, really organized with the timed seatings. Friendly and helpful staff. If I have one complaint, the ramen was pretty mediocre. But otherwise, A+ food and experience.

CatsLoveMe

Points +663

Vegan
24 Mar 2025

Speechless

There’s nothing more I can say that hasn’t been covered by the other reviewers. This place is incredible, from the selection, to the quality of food, to the sake selection, to the service.

Definitely plan on making a reservation. Bring a big appetite and try as many things as you can.

WuLongfei

28 Sep 2025

The vegetarian food at this restaurant is amazing. The ingredients are fresh and the cooking methods are healthy, but not boring.

Essawaag

Points +561

Vegan
24 Mar 2025

Amazing

Not sure what else I can say that hasn’t already been said, but this place was so amazing. All rolls and appetizers were so delicious- If I lived closer I’d be here all the time.

Service was great and everything came out in a timely manner.
10/10 recommend

felicitasnyc

Points +1016

Vegan
18 Mar 2025

Delicious creative sushi

Excellent and creative vegan sushi and fare. Wonderful flavor combos , great service and nice ambiance! We had the Brussels sprout appetizer which was a bit too charred but tasty. Then several rolls. The Philadelphia was not the best one the smoked tofu a bit too strong.
Spicy tofu excellent

Also some of the special rolls!

On the next table they had the candlestick which was served with fire on the plate. Very striking

Pros: Creative, Fresh and flavorful, Beautiful presentation

NickTustin

Points +1305

Vegan
08 Feb 2025

Excellent

Small plates:
- agedashi tofu- 9/10 great, warming
- Karage - 10/10
- bean curd katsu- 9/10 great, would have been nice to have more sauce, or maybe a sauce that had more of a tangyness or stood out a bit more.
- yakisoba (noodles) - 8/10 very good

Ramen:
- shio ramen - 8/10 great, but the faux pork belly was a too salty and kinda weird

Nigiri:
- marinated tomato- 7.4/10 good
- smoked bean curd- 9/10 great
- Inari - 9/10 great
- okra nigiri - 8/10 very good, little too smoky tho

Classic rolls:
- spicy tofuna- 9/10 great
- cali roll - 7/10 good
- Gobo maki roll - 7/10 good, would have liked even more burdock root

Specialty:
- hidden agenda- 10/10
- foxy scarlet - 8/10 very good
- open invitation - 10/10 love the crab paste
- Boddy And Soul - 10/10
- open secret - 10/10
- missing piece - 5.4/10 okay, kind of a strange flavor, like staleness. Also too much of a tomatoes flavor that didn't really jive with everything else.

Seasonal:
- Lily Flower Curry - very good

Fully vegan place!

EshaG

Points +278

Vegan
25 Jan 2025

Favorite restaurant of the trip

Amazing sushi that you’ll never find anywhere else. So impressed and in love with every dish we ate. Even the appetizers were amazing!

Pros: All vegan!!!, Creative and beautiful presentation , I think about shizen like a desperate ex

Cons: Wasn’t a huge fan of the apple dessert

LisaMulligan

Points +137

Vegan
22 Dec 2024

Incredible food!

My favorite thing was the agedashi tofu - so light and crispy! But the tempura, the charred corn, and the avocado roll were also outstanding.

Seitan_Nic

Points +331

Vegan
10 Dec 2024

Best Vegan Sushi

The specialty rolls at Shizen are some of the absolute best sushi rolls I’ve ever had. I love this place, the menu hasn’t changed in a number of years would maybe be my only critique. It’d be nice if they’d maybe add another unique roll to the specialty repertoire.

Otherwise it’s perfect, great food, nice ambience. One of the few vegan restaurants we have left in the city with a nice date night vibe to the room.

Pros: Sushi rolls , appetizers , particularly the Brussels sprouts, serves sake, wine and beer

Cons: It’s across from the Armory, which is not the best neighborhood for parking, nor for romantic evening walks

Jason.Fontana

Points +1926

Vegan
05 Dec 2024

Absolutely Amazing

Believe the hype. This place is amazing! I cannot say snout good things about the food and the service. A

WuLongfei

26 Sep 2025

Zurv

Points +2073

Vegan
26 Nov 2024

So good. Every time.

The appetizers are great. The sushi is great too. Not bad price wise either.

Pros: Sushi

maddielle

Points +325

Vegetarian
05 Nov 2024

So unique and tasty

Really creative, artistic, and tasty options! Both the sushi and the drinks are so good! I will definitely be going back next time I'm in San Francisco

arlitopups

Points +908

Vegan
31 Oct 2024

Great service, excellent food.

Well presented and incredibly delicious. Appreciated that staff were kind, friendly, and fast.

emilyg0204

Points +16

Vegan
20 Oct 2024

Amazing

Our absolute go to when we are in SF, you will not be disappointed. Must have the Surprise Ending. We can’t wait to go back. See you soon.

Pros: Friendly Staff, Unique Ambience , Best part is the food




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