Yoshi's San Francisco - At the Fillmore Heritage Center:
Although the history of San Francisco's Fillmore District can be identified with constant flux (and often controversy) across three centuries and two world wars, it's the neighborhood's vibrant jazz era -- in the 1940s and 1950s -- that links the new Fillmore Heritage Center to a musical past remembered as Harlem of the West.
Yoshi's San Francisco -- sister venue to acclaimed Yoshi's at Jack London Square -- brings 28,000 square feet of jazz club to the Fillmore Heritage Center. Thematically intertwined will be the new Jazz Heritage Center in the same building -- a non-profit promoting the history of jazz.
Yoshi's San Francisco Jazz Club - Interior:
The aesthetic of Yoshi's San Francisco is elegant -- diffused lighting with both dark and blond wood tones infuse warmth into a large space that could otherwise be cavernous. Seating is on the first floor level as well as a balcony/mezzanine level overlooking the stage and the venue below.
Seating at Yoshi's San Francisco:
The first floor is organized in tiers, with tables directly beside and below the stage, as well as main level tables behind that first row.
See the seating chart for a visual.
Yoshi's San Francisco Jazz Club seats 420 people which means tables on the main level are clustered close together. Many of the cocktail tables share four seats with little extra personal space. The mezzanine upstairs, although farther from the performance, offers a bit more in terms of physical latitude.
If you book close to the stage, you'll be looking upward for most of the show -- with the trade-off of musical intimacy, of course.
Yoshi's Acoustics:
The custom system renders what Richard Sheinin of the Mercury News called clear and not overly processed sound.
I would add that even near the stage, the volume at our show was not overwhelming . . . obviously not conversation level but not earsplitting misery, either. The new Steinway grand piano is a beautiful adjunct to the stage and acoustic experience.
Service, Menu and Cocktails:
There's a one-drink minimum in the jazz club, and a menu with items ranging from sushi to dessert. On the night we attended, drink service was courteous and fast which was notable, considering we were there in the first few days after Yoshi's opening.
The spacious, two-level restaurant next door, with comfortable lounge and row of bar seating offers a place to warm up for the show or chill with a cocktail after the early performance. Yoshi's Executive Chef Shotaro "Sho" Kamio designed the kitchen at the San Francisco venue with a Japanese menu that includes grilled items as well as sashimi, sushi, and dessert.
Yoshi's Parking and Public Transit:
Street parking can be tough, but Yoshi's offers a self-park garage with an entrance on Eddy -- or valet service at the front of the restaurant and club. The Yoshi's website has driving directions from the East Bay, Marin and South Bay.
You can catch the 22 Fillmore bus from the Muni Church Street Station, or take a cab from the BART Civic Center stop. For door-to-door directions within San Francisco, check out your options at Hop Stop -- or use 511.org from elsewhere in the Bay Area.
More information on BART and Muni public transit.
Yoshi's San Francisco Location & Tickets:
1330 Fillmore (at Eddy)
San Francisco, CA 94115
Telephone: (415) 655-5600
Website: Yoshi's San Francisco
Yoshi's San Francisco - Jazz Club Calendar | Yoshi's Ticketing
Reviewed in December 2007. Prices and specifications are subject to change, so please check with Yoshi's directly for updates and information.
