True Sake
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley560 Hayes St
(between Laguna St & Octavia St)
San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 355-9555
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Sun 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
28 reviews
San Francisco, CA
"This place is arguably the best wine/spirits store in the city. I'm a fan of American whiskey/scotch and napa valley cabernets and this…" read more »
99 Reviews for True Sake
Every bottle of sake I've bought from this place has, when shared later with friend(s), created a magical story. I love sake and can't get enough of this place.
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I'm a sake sucker. The owner, Beau, has a tremendous talent for what he does it's almost an art, and they offer quality sake. No, they don't have the most extensive selection, but I chose QUALITY over QUANTITY any day!
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True Sake is a wonderful place to go. Beau is such an expert, and has such a passion for sake it's wonderful. You ask him "what's good?" and he'll tell you "all of it!" He's cool like that.
Tell him what you're looking for. Fruity, sharp, earthy, and he has a recommendation for it all.
He introduced me to the best sparkling sake I've ever had in all my life!
I love him, he's a sake god!
You can also sign up for newsletters from him.
Visit the website, it's very well put together.
http://www.truesake.com/
Beau also has a great book called SAKE: A Modern Guide which I found very helpful when I was first pursuing sake endlessly. He had some great ideas which I used when I had a SAKE TASTING PARTY.
Don't be intimidated if you don't know where to start. The people here are really helpful, and if you are too shy to ask for help, take the time to read the descriptions, they're pretty dead on.
I talk to Beau like I know him. He probably thinks I'm crazy, but it okay. I leave here with a a few bottles, and well, I've never been disappointed.
I've tried the pineapple sake fermentation with one of his recommendations, and it came out alright... MMMM...pineapple flavored sake......
Definitely recommend that you try the sparkling sake. Beau will lead you to it! If you are in the SJ downtown area, stop by Koji, Beau mentioned that he helped them with their menu.
There's nothing like a fine sake buzz.....
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The owner Beau has a passion for sake that shows when you enter this shop. This is a solid establishment that really gives you a new take on sake. If you leave this place without learning something you didn't know about the drink you are either need to open your own shop or just move to Japan and call it day. Seriously great sake!!!
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This review is a long time coming....I've been meaning for a while to write how great this store and it's owner are...they have a wide selection of sake and very friendly service every time I've been there. The owner, Beau is truly a knowledgeable, passionate, and kind soul -- without a second thought he gave a generous donation to support a Melanoma awareness event I mentioned I was throwing, so now I have an even softer spot in my heart for True Sake. What can I say other than "Go Beau!"
Clever interior. You feel like you just came inside of a Japanese house. Loved the bottle rack and how they displayed the bottles.
1 star less for the selection. Most of these sake can be found at any high end Japanese restaurants and Whole Foods. I was hoping to find bottles that I've never seen before, but I have to say I've seen 85% of what they carry at places I've worked or eaten at.
Hopefully they'll get more sake directly from Japan. Sad truth is that there are maybe only 6 vendors that sell sake to restaurants and retails all over California, so if this store had their own way of getting their own sake you can't find anywhere else, it would be alot cooler.
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I recently purchased a bottle of nigori sake here during a business trip to SF and was happy with the recommendation I got from the salesperson who was clearly knowledgeable without being snooty.
As some other reviewers have noted, the selection here isn't extremely wide but it's a small shop with limited space and they do a good job of offering quality sake instead of everything their distributor throws at them which is what most Japanese grocery stores in the US tend to do.
A friend of mine showed me a bottle of sparkling sake for the first time, and I was a little astounded. How could I have lived these two (plus some) decades without knowing about sparkling sake?!
Later on, I went to the store and I recommend it to anybody who remotely interested in sake or loves it like fat kids love fatty stuff. There are bins of sake, with neat little descriptions that help you decide on the right bottle to buy. The fridges are lined with a copious amount of choices, and the store is decorated very nicely and provides a comfy setting. When prodded, the lady working at the register was willing to offer her two cents (but for the most part, she left me alone to peruse).
I purchased a cute small pink bottle (what can I say? Yes I am superficial about inanimate objects) of flowery sparkling sake for five dollars.
I haven't had a chance to try out any of the classes, but I lived closer I definitely would give it a go. I know where I'll be doing my Christmas shopping - or any special occasion shopping for that matter!
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When I picture a sake-only store, I think of a dusty little room set off the Japantown skybridge and tended by a white-haired old man. But instead, True Sake is a bright and poppy Hayes Valley shop that blends in perfectly with the designer clothing boutiques. Sake fans probably already know about the place, but it's very accessible for first-timers as well, thanks to their acidity and sweetness scales, food-pairing suggestions (I found that sake and cheese go amazingly well together), decent selection of under-$20 stuff, and leaflet on the sake brewing process and terminology. And like any good booze store, they are more than happy to talk you through your purchase, and they can almost certainly figure out what you want in a sake better than you can, based on your general taste in alcohol.
I was particularly drawn to the Nigori, which is unfiltered (and thus cloudy) sake. The milkiness dulls the somewhat vinegar-y kick I find in most sakes, although it was also a bit sickly-sweet, so I'm curious to try a drier one next time.
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The illuminating bottles of sake seize your attention from the moment you step through the door. You're at True Sake's mercy when you gaze upon their endless selections while combining that with each bottles unique artistry. A "true"ly inventive store that defies the laws of monotony.
Bought some Wakatake Daiginjo Sake Onikoroshi - Demon Slayer at True Sake. Delicious beverage.
The saleswoman knew her stuff and the inventory and was able to steer me to a great choice in my price range. The selection was incredible and well labeled. It was great to be able to browse in peace and then ask for help when I was ready.
A few months ago I had dinner at Yoshi's, and had a sparking nigori sake that was amazing. Since I am a huge fan of nigori and sparkling wine, combining the two was amazing. I wanted to try a bottle for myself so I stopped by True Sake where there were at least 6 different kinds of sparkling nigori. The salesperson completely educated me about the different kinds without seeming like a know-it-all or making me feel dumb, which often happens at wine shops in my experience. Just a great experience.
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I love good sake, I love inspired design and I love anything that makes me feel like I've tip-toed into some sort of fantasy future world where everything is cute and happy and modern. So naturally, I really, really love True Sake. I get the newsletter. I whisper the "secret word" at the check-out. I am an indoctrinated devotee. The selection is tops, the shop is a case study in adorable and the staff knows their trade. Me and True Sake - we're tight. And that's no lie.
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This shop is awesome!! where else can you find boutique handcrafted sakes and detailed reviews/ratings of the different qualities/attributes of the different sakes. This store could be called "True Sake (Heaven)" for those of us that walk in and feel like we've arrived at the pearly gates when we see bottles of cloudy white nigori one after another.
To add to the delightful drinks they even sell beautiful vessels for pouring and drinking the sake. I love my little set of 2 glasses for drinking chilled sake - blue bits of glass melted to form fluidy flecks of blue on a clear cup - a work of art.
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I'm definitely not an ace when it comes to sake, but I happened to be in dire need of a bottle or 2 to take to a soiree. I suppose I could go anywhere; but this was for an amazing workmate who happens to be japanese and love sake. I did my research (thank you Yelp) and found True Sake. I hopped aboard MUNI the same day and went to see what all the fuss was about.
All I can say is... WOW! I adore the way the shop is set up. It's quite small, but the layout and overall look is quite fetching. I felt quite welcome and not at all out of place as one of the lovely women working that day quickly asked if she could help me. There was also a winsome lass behind the counter (not the reason I came, but it's nice to see)
Of course I knew I wanted nigori and I wasn't disappointed in the fact that there were several choices. I didn't have a ton of time to browse, so I opted for Rihaku "Cloudy Dreams." The sake was amazingly smooth and such a good way to loosen up during dinner and before playing Wii! I don't live in the neighborhood, but I'll definitely return anytime I need a sake fix. Definitely a place to explore when I have more time on my hands.
Thank the gods of all the sweet delicious booze that you exist!
I come here to stock up on Koshi no Kanbai every so often and the lady ALWAYS asks me if the bottles are a gift. And I ALWAYS say, "yeah, for me."
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Sure I am always impressed by the window displays in this place, and am blown away by the sheer volume of sake it contains. But is it good sake?
I sent my Japanese buddy, Daisuke, in one night to pick up some bottles for a dinner party. He emerged with a huge smile, and three bottles of sake (one of them bigger than a gallon of milk).
Apparently True Sake does indeed have a stellar selection ("better than my favorite store in Tokyo", says Daisuke). And a friendly and knowledgeable staff to boot.
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I use to think that sake was drunk hot from the microwave at cheap sushi houses, now i know better. With True Sake, you don't have to be uneducated about Sake. You will discover a world of Sake beyond the likes of Ozeki and Sho Chiku Bai et al. They'll teach you about all the types of sake from Ginjo to Junmai to Nigori. My personal Fave now is sparkling sake....what was that?...sparkling sake?....yes, sparkling sake. Usually about half the alcohol of non-sparkling sake, but with all the flavor.
Just walking into into this place amazes me with all the awesome looking bottles of sake especially the little 300 ml sizes.
They also have a neat selection of sake glasses.
For you 70's kids:
SAKE TO ME!!
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one of the three destinations that makes hayes a mainstay hood for this dood. don't even try coming in here if you are thinking about something to "sake bomb" with!
beau is a cool-cat that not only knows his nihonshu, but effortlessly provides service to customers dependent on their needs. and when i say this, i really mean he can tell if you know what you want, if you even know what that is.
like talking through your taste preferences and discussing good years for certain bottles. he really fuses the sommelier-approach towards expressing personalities of various sake, which the round-eye just EATS UP.
smart.
a sake-ya that is perfection in size, location, price-point and again the service.
if you wanna refresh your nihonshu acumen check out their simple but extensive website that can help you figure out if you like a honjozo or daiginjo.
http://www.truesake.co...
or just go in and ask him about his tastematch concept...
oh and Sake San Jose is next month-
http://www.sakesanjose...
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TOKIMEKI!! what more can i say?? sparkling sake. it's a little piece of liquid heaven in a bottle. and true sake has it!! (btw, they also ship it all over the country.)
this place has every possible versions of sake available to mankind... from all over the place. they also have other sake paraphenalia like sake cups/sets/pottery and books. they also publish great newsletters. looking forward to next year's april fool's newletter.
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such a fun place. if you're into trying new things, take a trip over to true sake and spend two hours agonizing over what kind of sake to buy. then get a little pitcher and cup set and go home and get drunk.
the staff is really helpful, although i did think the girl would pass out when i explained to my aunt that my only experiences with sake involved dropping a cup of it into beer. word to the wise: don't ask which varietal is best for sake bombing. they take their sake seriously.
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I don't know anything about sake and never drink it, and as a know-it-all, I feel pretty intimidated in this place. The staff however is eager to offer advice and so far so good! Maybe I'll put the sake sets I have to use one of these days.
5 stars for passion and having the guts to open a sake only store. Want to learn about sake? Come here. Want quality? Come here. For liquid lovers, this should probably be a necessary stop. I don't doubt that you could find something new and very interesting here. Do it.
Impressive Sake collection...boutique shop...good staff...good recommendations...Hayes Valley. What's not to like? If you are too timid to venture into an Asian market, and get hit or miss advice in (sometimes) broken English, this is definitely the place for you. Every time you stop in you learn something new about sake.
Tip: They also have an annual "Nihonshu no Hi" (Sake Day) in October. Great place to mix, enjoy sake, get your grub on, and learn some Japanese.
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I was originally unimpressed with True Sake, but I can't stand by my first review after speaking with the owner. I'd like to expound on some of my original misperceptions so others will have a better first experience than I did.
I stand by my conviction that this is not at all a traditional Japanese sake shop as one has such unfortunate infrequency to experience in sake's homeland. This is very much an American shop, dedicated to Japanese sake. I'm a traditionalist who doesn't really like sake from wine/champagne/martini glasses and would really prefer to buy sake from a 5'3", 80 year-old man who has a permanent hunch from stocking sake all day, but as is often the case, things are the opposite in America. The saw cuts on the push stroke, you wear black ties at celebrations and Beau Timken is the proprietor of a damn fine sake shop.
I had originally been upset that the seimai buai (milling rate) was not listed on the convenient info card given to each bottle. When I commented on this, the cashier simply agreed with that it was not specifically listed. I have since been informed that the colored band around the neck of the bottle roughly indicates its seimai buai as referenced on a color-coded chart near the back of the store. Certainly a novel and intuitive indicator, though (as a traditionalist) I'd still love a number actually written somewhere.
My second real qualm was the price being higher than what I found elsewhere around town, but Beau insists that any premium paid for his sakes goes directly towards its freshness. My experience has always been that the freshness of a sake can make or break it and it is heartening to see that such sentiment translates to this side of the Pacific.
The only remaining infraction is aesthetic. An art piece in the store has sake bottles on their side, which invokes a slight muscular twinge in my back where I imagine Caesar felt the beginning of his end. But, given the contents of the store, I'll gladly take some occasional unease. This is definitely a store worth checking out.
Manten.
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Small shop loaded to the hilt with a great selection of Sake's. You thought the Albert Wong descriptions at BevMo were great, TS takes it to another level. Each sake has a store label listing taste, beer goes best with and food pairings, with incredibly erudite descriptions. Reading each is like being a judge at an essay contest. I found several favorites and dug up some new finds as well. The staff is friendly and knowledgeably spot-on with their suggestions. One criticism: my favorite daiginjo can be found $15 dollars cheaper in J-Town. WARNING: Be prepared to spend a lot of money here. Cha-ching!
I know NOTHING about Sake - except that I have enjoyed drinking it and that I'd like to be a bit more educated about what is good and what is not.
So today I decided to stop by True Sake and see what I could find out.
The first words out of my mouth were "I really don't know anything about Sake and I'm hoping you could help me." The very friendly lady behind the counter was more than glad to explain some of the various Sakes to me. She asked me what I was planning on eating with the Sake. I told her we were planning on doing some Japanese grilling. She asked me how many people and what my budget was. I thought that was pretty great! She suggested a few bottles, and I got the impression she really wanted me to be happy with what I purchased.
I have a feeling my partner and our guests won't be disappointed.
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Want to learn more about sake?
Step 1: Take a trip to Takara Sake Museum.
(http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Step 2: Go to True Sake.
Step 3: Attend Sake tasting events hosted by True Sake.
We are so lucky to have a store like True Sake in San Francisco. Most of us are unskilled taster of sake, but wouldn't it be cool if we could tell good sake from bad? True Sake is a good place to start, MAYBE THE ONLY store in the area where a knowledgeable staff could help you get educated about sake. Don't go to Nijiya and ask one of the bright blue people the differences between Tokubetsu Junmai and Junmai Ginjo.
Cheaper to buy sake at Asian grocery stores?
I trust that True Sake did their own research to verify that they are the first sake shop in the U.S. However, they are not the first store to sell a good selection of sake, as you could find a pretty good selection of sake in Asian grocery stores that has been around for years. There is not a clear cut answer to which store has the best selection at the cheapest prices. They all have their unique selection of bottles that others do not have.
For example, stores like Marina Food (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and May Wah (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) has pretty good selections. A Japanese grocery store like Nijiya also has a decent line up and tends to have the cheapest prices for ones bottled in the U.S. True Sake seems to know this and tend to recommend bottles that are not offered in other stores.
Why is the message from Takara and True Sake different? While they both want to promote sake, you have to understand their agenda. Takara wants to promote California Sake made from California Rice. True Sake looks to sell imported sake from Japan and does not want to promote $6 Californian Sake. They have a high rent to pay in Hayes Valley!
I am not sure if I should write about a little secret in their newsletter, so let me just say --- READ THEIR ONLINE NEWSLETTER - all the way to the end.
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Really beautiful sake shop will lots of options.
HIdden gemstone in Hayes Valley! The store is small, but elegant. It's decorated with their many sake bottles. Prices range from $6-$175. The staff is super friendly and I'll definitely be back.
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I am a huge Sake fan.
So, I know a little bit of it.
This place isn't S.J.G.S,
"Snobbish Japanese Gourmet Shit."
Oh, I hate those places.
They think they are the best.
Fxxxx them!
I think I should make a list of SJGS.
But,
Not here.
This place is very small but they have true high end sakes.
A lot of them.
And their Price is right and fair.
I was just look around.
The young lady was very nice.
She spoke to me Japanese very politly even I didn't buy anything.
One of my favorite "Kan-Chiku", $63.- at this place.
That's same as Uoki Market in J-Town.
$67 at Mira Market.
You know,
I think they should open a little Sushi Bar right next door.
That'll be wonderful.
That'll be my dream come true.
So,
I will be a dirty old drunk "Suke-Beh" J-man going die by :
Kidney failure,
Diabetes,
Alcoholism,
Having an unbalanced diet, whatelse.
But, Fxxx it !
I will be there for every night !
P.S.,
I think they should have a little tasting table at least.
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So far it has been hopeless to come in here and not leave without at least a couple of bottles. I'm by no means a sake boozehound or rice-wino (*ahem*) but there's so much to try and the staff is so warm and knowledgeable, it is always a pleasure to iterate through some new section or try something groovy from a far off prefecture! 5 Stars!!
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AWHH Sake! Sake!
This is the place to get some tasty sake.....
It was my turn to make dinner and so I had decided
to make some veggies and salmon and to wash it down with
I turened to True Sake, cos they are true sake. The lady who was working the counter not only was she ever so nice BUT she also helped me picked out the best sake for my dinner. And in the end my dinner was a hit....TOP CHEIF THAT!!!
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Sake heaven!! The place is about as small as a teacup, but it does carry an interesting array of sake selections. They seem very approachable and relaxed, not attitude at all.
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Brilliant! Why hasn't anyone else opened a sake boutique. Helpful owners. Great selection of sake with many higher end choices. I love nigori, and they have like 12 kinds. If you are already a sake fan, you must pay this shop a visit. If you want to become a sake fan, then stop in and chat it up with the staff. They'll direct you to a variety you are sure to enjoy.
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I'm still enough of a sake amateur to be doing things like buying bottles that look cool or going for something that gets a good rating. That being said, the woman at True Sake was extremely helpful and interested in talking about the merits of different sakes. Much like wine, it seems that sake has a bit of a learning curve, and in the US there isn't as much of an opportunity to do that learning. Luckily, that's where True Sake comes in - an extensive selection, helpful staff, and a great location! What more could you ask for?
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Truly truly a gem in the city. The staff has endless knowledge of Sake. I went in with two friends. The staff answered all our stupid newbie question and picked out the perfect sake for us.
We took home three small sake bottles and they were no doubt the best sake I've ever had.
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First Impression (1 visit no purchase)
I love sake ~ this is the first sake store in North America (!)
True Sake is a beautiful gallery collection of fine and affordable sake. The descriptions are so helpful. The displays are beautiful and elegant. The selection is mind boggling. I will come back when my mind is not so boggled and purchase a few different types to taste.
The small selection of glassware for serving sake are all very lovely also.
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Has a great selection of, you guessed it, sake. Good if you don't know that much about sake, like me. They took the time to review the different kinds of sake and how they were made, what regions of Japan they were from, and what kinds of foods they might good with. Hot or cold? Sweet? They cover all this...
I came away with three different sake spanning a couple different styles, and overall i liked them. Good shopping experience!
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I"ve decided sake is my new favorite beverage. And, until finding this place and their guidance, I would pick my sake by the decoration on the bottle. Thankfully, I now have a place to go and ask questions and get helpful, friendly answers. They have the cutest sake-drinking accessories, too.
And, they sell the Calpis I've been searching for--what sounds better than Calpis (sounds like cow-piss to me, but it's yummy!).
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Sake heaven, for heaven's sake!
The very best (or cheap) of hot sake, cold sake and slushy sake. Yes, you read right: SLUSHY SAKE. I am soooo ready for Indian summer.
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