After nearly four decades feeding the Mission, chef-owner Andy Tonozuka has retired and closed We Be Sushi's last remaining outpost on Valencia Street, ending a 39-year run that turned the counter-style sushi bar into a neighborhood fixture. Tonozuka, 76, stepped away from day-to-day service this month, leaving a conspicuous vacancy on the corridor.
According to Mission Local, Tonozuka shut the 538 Valencia location on a Friday, then returned the following Tuesday morning to prepare one final catering order in an otherwise empty kitchen. The outlet reports that We Be Sushi operated for 39 years and that the 538 storefront opened in 1996. Tonozuka told Mission Local he felt "relief" after deciding to retire, describing his emotions about leaving the business as mixed.
From Tokyo Counters to Mission Classic
The restaurant's backstory traces to Tonozuka's training at Hatsuhana in Tokyo and later work at the restaurant's Manhattan outpost, experience that helped shape his approach to sushi. According to We Be Sushi, he arrived in San Francisco in 1984 and opened the first We Be Sushi at 1071 Valencia in 1987, carving out a niche for casual, affordable sushi. Those early years, including work for high-level clients in Japan and New York, eventually became part of the shop's local lore.
Valencia's Small-Business Churn
The original 1071 Valencia location closed in 2024 amid a wave of neighborhood shutterings that reshaped parts of Valencia Street. Eater SF included the 1071 spot in a round-up of that year's closures, reflecting the shifts that have altered the corridor's retail mix. The 538 location outlasted many peers but ultimately joined the list of Mission staples stepping back from street-level retail.
Regulars Mourn a Beloved Counter
Longtime customers and nearby merchants took note of the closing. As reported by Mission Local, Eileen Rinaldi, president of the Valencia Merchants Association and owner of Ritual Coffee, said We Be Sushi "epitomizes what I love about Valencia Street." A 25-year regular told the outlet she was sad to see the place go but glad Tonozuka will have the chance to retire.
For now, the We Be Sushi name and memories leave behind a quieter counter on Valencia while the neighborhood absorbs another long-running loss. The storefront's next tenant is not yet known, and the block will be watching to see what replaces the small sushi bar.
