Sunnyside’s Yume Sushi is bouncing back after damage from a fire on the second floor rendered it closed for the last six months.
Opening a restaurant of his own has always been a dream for owner and chef Tim Li opened the restaurant in 2022 to serve unique weekly omakase-inspired specials. It was the realization of a dream for Li, who had long wanted to be a sushi chef. He immigrated from China to San Francisco with his family in 2008 and currently lives in Roseville. They
Calamity struck in September, Li said, when a fire in an upstairs apartment broke out, and water from fire-suppression efforts flooded the restaurant, damaging thousands of dollars in product and equipment. Despite the setback, Li and his team worked to restore the establishment and held their grand re-opening on March 5.
“Yume means, in Japanese, to dream,” Li said. “I always had a dream to be a sushi chef, to make sushi and to make customers happy.”
Sushi is Li's passion, and he has worked in the industry for nearly 20 years at several restaurants across San Francisco, namely Robin on Gough Street.
Li has taken the lessons from the industry with him and has curated a strong menu, which consists of Japanese classics, such as a variety of rolls, but also ramen, donburi and skewers among others.
Li’s favorite items to create are his weekly bits with sake and different cuts of fish from Japan. Some offerings have included uni (sea urchin), ishidai (striped beakfish), itoyori (threadfin bream) and Kohaku sake.
“I’ll make something special for you, like fish you haven't had before from a local restaurant,” Li said.
Yume Sushi is important to the community, frequent customer Clarie Brindis said. Brindis dines there for the happy hour deals, spotless environment and the staff's attention to detail. They always remember her order, she said.
“The quality of the fish is fresh, and the presentation is very attractive, along with a wide variety of choices,” Brindis said. “People will leave the restaurant with a happy sense of peace and memories of a great dinner.”
Yume Sushi
Address: 757 Monterey Blvd.
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Phone: 415-333-8500
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