Chotto

Small Fry

A Japanese Pub in the Marina

None 4 Photos Chotto
Some people dread Monday.

But we look at it as a short, welcome respite after an indulgent weekend.

Which opens the possibility for Monday night to be the best night of the week.

And we’ve found a worthy spot optimized to perform.

Introducing Chotto, a bar-and-restaurant hybrid inspired by the Japanese custom of izakaya (Japanese for “blowing off steam after work with endless sake and pub food”), opening tonight on Steiner.

As a strong believer in the two extremes of work and play, you’ll be well-advised to take a cue from the Japanese and head straight from the office to Chotto at day’s end. Once you arrive, you can start at the polished white sake bar with a carafe of nigori-style Sho Chiku Bai before moving to banquettes in the rustic hideaway, with reclaimed barnyard planks layered over red walls.

In the honorable tradition of the izakaya, hearty fried, grilled and skewered dishes accompany your free-flowing beverages—making it a cross between a local Irish pub and tapas-driven Spanish bar. Since you’ll need to order about five plates per person, opt for the long table in the back opposite the bar—you’ll get uninterrupted access to flights of sake from small brewers, as well as the most table square footage for plates of Charcoal-Grilled Kobe Beef and Pork Cheek Skewers.

On weekends, they’ll fly in fish straight from Japan’s Tsukiji market and keep the kitchen open late to save you a trip across the Pacific.

After all, there are six other nights to consider.

Vitals

Chotto
3317 Steiner St
(at Lombard St)
San Francisco, CA, 94123
415-441-2223
website

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