Review: Sushi-Ko In Larkspur Feels Like Coming Home to A Simpler Time in the Bay Area’s Food Scene
Sushi-Ko in Larkspur, California, at Marin Country Mart feels like it hasn’t changed since the 1980s—and that’s a fantastic thing.
Sushi-Ko holds a special place in my family’s heart as it was one of my mother-in-law Wendy’s favorite restaurants in the Bay Area. I go there at least once a year from my home in Lafayette for their delicious and classic sushi.
Here’s a look at Sushi-Ko and some reasons to check it out.
Sushi-Ko Basics
Sushi-Ko is located in Marin Country Mart. It’s right next to the new (and very exciting) Loveski Deli, which I definitely need to try soon as well.
Marin Country Mart is a fascinating study in how to create a successful shopping center in 2024. It’s full of delicious local restaurants, interesting shops, and more. Like City Center in Bishop Ranch, it’s succeeding where downtown San Francisco locations fail.
Among some of these new and upcoming eateries at Marin Country Mart, though, are some restaurants that have been there for decades. It’s nice to see that mix, and Sushi-Ko is a perfect example.
The interior of Sushi-Ko comes off as old-school without trying to be retro in any way. There’s a classic sushi bar, light wood chairs and tables reminiscent of the ’90s, and a lovely trellis over some of the tables by the windows.
There’s also an outdoor patio that’s covered and heated.
Visiting Sushi-Ko feels like the classic American sushi bar experience.
The Food
Of course, restaurants don’t stick around in the pricey Bay Area for decades unless the food is good. And in this case, Sushi-Ko definitely does it right.
On my visit, I kept with the old-school style and went with some classic choices. I started with a salad, featuring delicious house-made dressing. Honestly, the salad was one of my favorite dishes on the whole menu.
I also had gyoza and agedashi tofu, both of which were classic and delicious.
I paired these with some shumai. These are much more basic than the modern dumplings you’ll get at a place like Din Tai Fung, but they were still very tasty.
I followed this with some udon soup, which again had a classic but very flavorful miso broth.
Many of the classic items on sushi menus have been expanded into entire restaurant chains in the last 30 years! We have Dumpling Time for these kinds of dumplings, Marugame Udon for noodles, Sushirrito for sushi, and more.
Speaking of which, I then moved on to the sushi. Sushi-Ko’s sushi is fresh and delicious and made at the sushi bar right in front of you.
I had a salmon avocado roll, spicy tuna, temaki, tamago, and a classic California roll.
Everything was fresh and delicious. Again, you don’t stick around in this market for a long time unless your food is great.
I finished the meal with a nice scoop of green tea ice cream. Sushi-Ko also has mochi ice cream for dessert.
The Verdict
Sushi-Ko is a great place, in part, because it hasn’t changed in a very long time. Going there feels like taking a step back into a simpler time in San Francisco’s food scene. For me, it’s also an important family experience.
That said, Sushi-Ko succeeds because it’s not stuck in the past. Even if most of the food mirrors the classic sushi menus you’d see in the Bay Area 20 years ago, the quality has kept up with modern standards. Everything is fresh and delicious, well-presented, and beautiful to look at.
I love Sushi-Ko, and I hope it never changes.
Read Next
