28826 Wed Apr 14 00:05:33 -0700 2004 7 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 121062 I performer I love is coming to Yoshi's. I have never been, but I understand that it is general admission - they will only reserve a seat for you if you have dinner there first. So - is the food any good? Wed Apr 14 00:05:33 -0700 2004 0 Bay Gelldawg 1 121074 Having long been a patron of Yoshi's I will say this. The food is greatly improved as were the acoustics and aesthetics as a result of the move from the original location behind the Dreyer's Ice Cream headquarters. That being said, it is still nothing spectacular and a bit overpriced as well. I will always think of it as a legendary jazz venue first and a passable Japanese restaurant second. Your best bet is the sushi, it can range from good to very good depending on what's fresh on the menu when you visit. The do make a very nice nigiri sushi with thinly sliced raw fillet mignon and a garlic wasabe paste. Their spider roll is usually pretty reliable and of a generous proportion. They do manage to have fatty tuna on a regular basis, but be sure to ask whether it is chu toro or otoro as the supply also varies. Entrees are the standard fare of teriyaki, ton katsu, and tempura, though none has ever stood out. Noodles have proven to be their weak point, never seeming to rise above average. Similarly, desserts offered during the performance have not changed in quite sometime and are remarkably similar to what one would find in the freezer section of Trader Joe's. However, for all the mundane cuisine, I still highly recommend that you eat at the restaurant if you truly wish to have good reserved seating for the show. Be sure to mention it before you even sit down as you won't be the only one trying to have the choice seats reserved. Ask your server to try to keep you in the first tier of booths if no table within reasonable proximity to the stage is open. I actually prefer the first tier of booths to most of the floor tables due to the raised elevation of the new stage. Also, unless you are seeing a soloist, the soundstage is vastly more transparent with some distance from the stage. Again, I think if you stick with the sushi and avoid the desserts, you'll have a decent meal that you may forget, but you'll enjoy a performance that you will remember for a long time to come. a sante, Curtis Wed Apr 14 05:11:33 -0700 2004 121062 0 Curtis 1 121088 Attached is a thread my the last time I ate at Yoshi's. I generally agree with Curtis, it has improved and isn't bad, but one can do better. Nearby is La Furia Chalaca, which isn't amazing but has some good dishes and is a far better value than Yoshi's. Just give yourself plenty of time if you eat there, as the service is SLOW. La Furia Chalaca report: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/sanfrancisco15/messages/65613.html Also, you don't have to eat at Yoshi's to reserve a seat. You can get in line an hour or two before the first show starts (call the box office and ask what time they recommend). They open the doors and let you go inside and reserve your own seats. You can then leave for dinner and return just before your show starts. -Nick Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/24892#98401 Wed Apr 14 12:36:53 -0700 2004 121062 0 nja 1 121090 You do not have to eat at Yoshi's to get a good seat in the jazz club! The doors to the jazz club usually open at 6:00pm. People are allowed into the club at that time to claim their seats for the 8:00pm show. You can then go out to eat anywhere you like in the area. However, it should be noted that if you are going to a very popular show or going on a Friday/Saturday nite, the line for claiming seats starts forming around 5:30pm or so. I would try to get there by 5:45pm at the latest. I would also say that there are no "bad" seats in the club. The sound and sight lines are good just about everywhere inside. Wed Apr 14 12:50:16 -0700 2004 121062 0 DavidT 1 121127 I have not been to Yoshis in a while but my recollection is that there are 2 shows a night. For the early 8:00 show a line forms outside to grab tables as Barry posted below but for the 10:00 show you really want to eat there so your waiter will reseve a table for you. Nathan Wed Apr 14 15:18:51 -0700 2004 121062 0 Nathan P. 2 121136 Ahhh, that would explain why I've never reserved a seat for a show there without dining. I always go to the later set and I don't believe there's enough time between sets to reserve a seat and have dinner unless your waitperson does so for you. Wed Apr 14 15:58:40 -0700 2004 121127 0 Curtis 1 121167 The food's passable, but there's really not a bad seat in the house, and there are some really good restaurants nearby, like Battambang, Toutatis, and Legendary Palace. Wed Apr 14 22:29:54 -0700 2004 121062 0 Robert Lauriston 1 121267 Wow, if Yoshi's is "passable" then I guess I don't know what good sushi is. Please don't say Kirala...? Tue Apr 27 19:16:11 -0700 2004 121062 0 oaklandfoodie