Lion West Portal — Restaurant in San Francisco

Saw on NextDoor about this new restaurant, then realized Tamir "Tom" Erdenbat had opened his new place. I was one of his fans and a regular for Saturday lunch when the place was "Fuji" before it eventually closed. I’m talking like back in 2004-2009 when Tom was - as their website says, a "cub" -- and in college at the time. He was an excellent young sushi chef even back then, and has only grown his talents. So, reserved a table last night. His food is truly special, not just because I have fond memories of the old days - his ingredients and recipes left us admiring of his success and accomplishment as a world class sushi chef. The quality of the fish is top notch very fresh and his ingredients only enhance the fish, instead of overpowering it. He left Fuji, and opened so many successful restaurants - COVID clobbered the food scene in SF. So it was heartwarming to both see him again and how he has come full circle to a neighborhood that loved and still loves him. If you love sushi, you should go there. We ended up with his Omakase sashimi, then two rolls, The Mr. Herb Roll, and the Night Nurse Roll. Night Nurse in particular explodes with flavor in your mouth, so many well placed ingredients with a Hamachi base. He serves a vegan selection which we didn't try, so veggies would like it here. Nice selection of saki, beer, wine. The atmosphere is cozy and chic and well planned. And Tom is slaving away in the kitchen with some loyal employees. Service is very caring and cheerful. We had saki, beer between us so spent a bit more but it was worth it - It's a top 10 place. And West Portal is a charming area of town if you've never been. Old school San Francisco with a community of long established folks generationally. I'm just so happy to have Tom back in the hood. And his story from "cub" to "Lion" is inspiring, especially as small boutique restaurants have had such a hard time post-COVID. Thanks for...

I visited during their soft open, it was just their fourth night of business. The service was still getting itself worked out, so things were a little slower than I would have liked, but things were on par with other soft open operations I've seen.

The food was really good and more than made up for the front-of-house hiccups. The dishes were unique and filled with a host of flavors. We ordered one main from the menu and then had a bunch from the cart. This place will be GREAT if you have a mix of omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans.

We ordered "Paul the Pilot", named in honor of a customer which has followed the chef in various restaurants through the years. The dish is cooked table-side using open flame, it's really an experience. What emerges from the foil is a delicious combination of flavors.

Next the restaurant has a cart that comes around every 5-10 minutes with small plates that might be sushi, maki, or a variety of other interesting creations. I can't remember exactly all the things we ordered, but they included scallop sashimi, vegan "salmon" sashimi, a couple of rolls, and bean curd pockets filled with rice and sea urchin.

A great "bonus" for this place is that it is tip-free. I love not having this pressure. I thought the prices were reasonable, and if I take 20% off, the prices are quite good. Thank you to the chef/owner who decided, "let's just put the real cost on the menu"!

Do GO HERE if you want a calm atmosphere to enjoy unique dishes, in each of which you will find a complimenting set of flavors, and an interesting dining style, thanks to the mix of menu and surprises from the cart.

Do NOT GO HERE, probably, if you're looking for a fast bite as parents with a couple of kids. The service is likely to be a little slower than you want and the dishes might be a challenge for picky or...

We were excited to try Lion West Portal, a newly opened restaurant in our neighborhood that we had been eagerly awaiting for months. After making a reservation, we were seated promptly, which was a promising start. The interior was beautifully remodeled, reminiscent of the former restaurant that tragically burned down. However, the seating was less than ideal—small tables and tiny stools without back support made for an uncomfortable dining experience.

Our visit quickly took a downturn due to slow service. It took quite a while before we were offered water, and even longer for our order to be taken. The menu, while limited, featured a variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, and nigiri. Prices were notably higher than other sushi restaurants in the area, setting high expectations that, unfortunately, were not met.

Service was disorganized. Our server had to double-check our order and still managed to miss one item entirely. We also had to remind them multiple times to bring utensils, water, and tea—things you’d expect to be proactively offered at this price point. When it came time to pay, I had to go up to the counter because the card terminal wasn’t working properly, and I didn’t receive a receipt.

As for the food, it was just okay—not bad, but far from extraordinary given the premium prices. Both the presentation and taste left room for improvement.

I genuinely hope Lion West Portal can address these early challenges, as the neighborhood would benefit from a thriving sushi spot. For now, I’ll likely explore other options, but I wish them the best and hope to see improvements...