It's not easy to get a seat at Sushi Yoshizumi. The Japanese restaurant has only been part of San Mateo's landscape since April, but it's already attracted a loyal client base—and that's not even the reason seats are so scarce. It's because there are only nine of them to begin with. Make your reservation well in advance if you want to be one of the few who gets to sit at Sushi Yoshizumi's wooden counter while a sushi master works.

Sushi Yoshizumi specializes in Edomae-style sushi, a simple combo of cooked rice, raw fish, and vinegar. So don't expect to see any gimmicky maki rolls on the menu. Those who've visited Sushi Yoshizumi say that its chefs are exceptionally skilled at crafting this type of Japanese cuisine, likening the spot to San Francisco's popular Kusakabe. Since Sushi Yoshizumi is only about two miles from Hillside Square, you can taste for yourself what all the fuss is about.

Sushi Yoshizumi
​325 E. 4th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 437-2282
www.facebook.com/sushiyoshizumi
www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-yoshizumi-san-mateo

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr gsloan