Katana-Ya
430 Geary St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 771-1280
Category: Japanese
Neighborhoods: Union Square, Nob Hill, Civic Center/Tenderloin
3 star rating
Decent option in a busy and pricey area. Good for pre-show meal if you're not interested in fine dining. Ramen is not up to Tokyo standards, but hey you can't fly to Tokyo before a show.
They seemed understaffed- service was spotty and missed the order completely such that my appetizer and main came out well before my companions' appetizers.
We all got the ramen combo
nigiri- fresh and tasty (rice was a little mushy)
unagi don- succulent and juicy on rice and seaweed
rich broth-complex
miso vs soy both were tasty- soy seemed salty at first but richer and had more depth than the miso once my taste buds adjusted.
topping seemed minimal
spicy tofu
chicken karage
bbq pork- slightly anemic and tasteless (i would not order this again)
I'll definitely go back, but only up to 4 people max.