Been delaying to go due to some bad Google reviews though very interested in the menu but the place turned out to be AMAZING!!! The interior and vibe were soooo nice and chill - suitable for brunch, coffee chat, and even studying. Staffs were also super friendly! Everything we ordered was to-taste & well-portioned! The beef rice salad turned out to be huge and well-flavored! Would definitely come back for other times' menu!!! read more

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Visited on a Saturday night and grabbed seats at the bar. Parking was surprisingly easy right outside, which is always a bonus in the city. The interior has a really cool atmosphere, and the staff were friendly and attentive without being over the top. The American Korean food was the highlight -- creative, flavorful, and just the right mix of both cuisines. Everything we had hit the mark. Will definitely be back. Highly recommend! read more

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Ordered a wagyu galbi sando for $16 and received a completely empty salt bread roll. No wagyu. No filling. Nothing. My order was ready within 10 seconds of placing it -- which as management later confirmed, should not have happened. The bread looked nothing like the photos on Yelp. I questioned the employee at the counter directly and she confirmed it was correct. I trusted that and took it home only to find out I was right to be skeptical. I left a voicemail at 3:11pm, sent an email with photos and my receipt, and heard back from Esther in management within hours. She acknowledged the mistake, took accountability, and issued a full refund same day. The staff execution was a real failure. The management response was not. read more

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Interior was nice and dim, not the ideal place for a bday dinner but for casual is fine. The menu didn't have much options so we ordered two plates of everything. We came here to celebrate a friends birthday which was a party of 9. I was still hungry after our meal and it was quite small inside too. Food taste was ok. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A friend of ours DJ'd here on a Sunday and we thought the vibe was so cool inside. Sometimes it's so hard to go out a night in your 30s (lol) so a coffee shop with good music is the move. The workers were super sweet and helpful - they recommended the iced black sesame einspanner which I got but I ordered with oat milk, and it was sooo good. Super flavorful and not watery at all. We also ordered the salt bread and omg... so fresh. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. We got the gochujang butter and ube spread to go with it, and both paired perfectly with the bread. Highly recommend trying it! They also open for dinner at night which I'd love to come back for. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A Korean cafe that has delicious savory and sweet bites, perfect for your work at home needs and mid-morning pick-me-up! I came to Buoy to work from home on a Tuesday afternoon, and there were a good number of tables still available. After you go in and place your order at the counter, if you notate that you are eating here, they will give you a number to put on your table, and they will deliver it to you in your chosen planting spot :). The interior of the place is very cute and modern, and surprisingly very spacious. Bonus: There is a bathroom for customers. I ordered an iced tea unsweetened and a black sesame brownie and my friend ordered a black sesame latte with a ribeye sando. Here are my thoughts: * Black sesame brownie: Absolutely delicious and worth coming here just to try this. I am not going to lie, when I first got the brownie I was a bit confused because I thought it would look like the photos on yelp, but it came in a glass cup with a brûlée on top. That to say, this was so delicious and might be my favorite sweet of the year? The black sesame was so pronounced, toasty, and balanced well with the sweet and smoky brûlée topping and has nice textural chew from the mochi bits. * Ribeye salt bread: This was great and also surprised me! The bread was nice and buttery, and the ribeye was very tender. The saltiness of the bread matched well with the meaty flavors of the beef. * Black sesame latte: Unfortunately, I did not taste much black sesame in the drink itself, and it was a bit on the plainer side. Even though this is their signature drink, most people get, I might recommend to skip it. Overall, I would come back, and I am eager to try more bites! read more

Buoy - Black sesame latte and a ribeye sando - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I just can't stop talking about BUOY!! I love this place. I love to stop in and grab a coffee and a salt bread while I'm at work. Their service is fast and friendly. Their Toasted Coconut latte is my favorite latte ever (and I drink a lot of coffee!!). Please check it out--you won't be disappointed. read more

Buoy - Toasted coconut latte - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

I visited Buoy cafe on a Friday afternoon and tried their black sesame einspanner and plain salt bread. I was really impressed with my drink - it was delicious! I requested it to be light sweet which was perfect. Their salt bread is also wonderful with a crispy exterior and soft chewy inside. I also spent some time working at the cafe - they have plenty of tables, outlets and WiFi which is great to see! read more

Buoy - Black sesame einspanner - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Every time I've come here, I was not impressed with their drinks. I wanted to give them another chance but again left feeling disappointed. My drink hardly tasted like hojicha and I was excited about their mugwort biscotti since I love all mugwort pastries in korea. I couldn't taste the mugwort at all. And the biscotti came in a small package with a bunch of broken pieces so it was messy to eat. It's always packed so good for them, but I don't think I'll be back. read more

Was pretty busy Friday afternoon, but able to grab a table. The WiFi was a little slow but I appreciate the work-friendly spot for meetings. Spot is so unassuming you'd miss it if you weren't really looking for it. Or even if you are looking for it. Super cute inside though. Order at the bar and they'll bring your order over. They had a pretty good lunch menu! Black sesame einspanner with espresso - could have been more strongly sesame, liked that it wasn't too sweet, although the sweet cream top was a treat Rib eye salt bread sando - maybe the rice flour texture is different but I didn't get the flavor and crust I was looking for in the salt bread. The beef was perfectly cooked though! Kinda small, snack size Octopus rice bowl - sizable portion, lots of good flavors and textures, honestly more octopus than I expected and veggies not just rice. Would absolutely come back for this. I'd read some reviews about unfriendly or sad? staff but I had a great experience with bar staff who helped guide me and make recommendations since it was my first visit. read more

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Came here for a post lunch coffee and loved the variety they had here! I got the coconut pandan matcha and my sister got the latte einspanner. Both were really good, strong coffee flavor and not too milky. The only thing was my drink was a bit too sweet so I'd probably ask for less sweet next time. They also have a bunch of pastries available so definitely want to try them next time. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Didn't try too much food, but got some delicious salt bread and yummy drinks. Got the black sesame latte with a shot of espresso, the yuzu brownie, and the short rib salt bread. I don't typically like citrus desserts but the yuzu brownie was a nice surprise. It was decadent but the yuzu really brought the flavors back down. I was on the hunt for a good black sesame latte and this one is a top contender. The short rib salt bread was delicious and I would get it again, super flavorful! After trying some of the smaller dishes, I would love to come back and try some of the mains! read more

Buoy - Black sesame latte with a shot of espresso, yuzu brownie, short rib salt bread - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very chic Korean inspired cafe in the Hayes Valley neighborhood! I would say that Tano at Paper Son Coffee has a better texture to it (the crunchy exterior and flaky interior just cannot be beat), the salt bread here was a tad chewy. I ordered both the galbi salt bread sando and the brisket BLT salt bread sando. The galbi salt bread sando was great, the galbi was incredibly tender and had this almost smoky flavor to it. The brisket BLT was a tad disappointing. Both the bacon and brisket were incredibly chewy and the brisket was difficult to get your teeth through. If you have time, definitely try to dine in and enjoy the ambiance in Buoy. I was on the go so I took my order to go and had it at my office instead. Both salt bread sandos had a lot of mayonnaise inside, I would recommend asking them to go light on it. I'm normally not one to comment on service, especially for a to go order. I went through other reviews just to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating. This is not a common issue of mine, but I got the impression that the people at the front who helped me were not happy to be there. The girl giving my order was curt and ignored me after I smiled, thanked her, and said I hoped she'd have a nice day. I got up immediately as they said my name, so it wasn't that I was keeping them waiting. For an interaction that only lasts a few seconds, it was just enough to leave a slightly negative impression. read more

Buoy - Brisket BLT salt bread sando - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My friend and I came to Buoy on a Sunday right when they opened and thank goodness we did because by noon, the place was packed! We brought our laptops to do some work, and it was the perfect place. The vibes were immaculate, music was fire and the drinks were phenomenal. I got the Ssuk Einspanner (mugwort) and my friend got the Black Sesame Latte with a shot of espresso. Both drinks were so delicious and I wish we would've tried some of their food, but I'll be back for it! read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Dinner Review: Golden Toast: (3/5) - ours came with dungeoness crab on top. toppings were very good, but the texture of the toast was a bit more deep fried vs softer that i would have felt gone better with the softer toppings. Tofu Soup/Sundubu: (5/5) - this was the star of the show for me, probably the best sundubu i have had in SF yet. great richness and spice level for the stew itself, and toppings also great. i do like a good stew so this gets max points Charcoal Grilled Galbijjim: (4/5) - Very solid, great texture (nice and soft, not chewy). the sauce it comes with on the plate and the green one in the bowl pair very nicely with it. no complaints for the price Drinks: - Black Tiger: this one was basically an iced americano (with soju supposedly). fine, but doesnt stand out. (3/5) - Forgot the name of the other one but its got a mix of soju, lychee, other fruit juices. this one was refreshing and tasty! (4/5) Service (5/5) read more

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Their salt bread is delicious already, but when made into a churro and paired with the white chocolate cream dip, it shoots up into a whole different level. It's like a beignet on steroids. Didn't get to try the dinner menu, but definitely will be back because I was drooling with everything I saw coming out of the kitchen. Staff was super friendly and helpful. The cafe feel during the day belies a genuine dinner service, both in culinary style and vibe. Yell says they close at 3, but doesn't say that they reopen at 5pm for dinner. read more

This place has been on my list for awhile and finally got the time to stop by. We went on a weekday and it was not super packed. Burrata Salad: Super fresh, each bite was so refreshing. Burrata was really creamy but not overly creamy when bitten with some of the seasonal fruits. Truffle Honey Potatoes: Super crispy, was not expecting that when i saw honey. I did not taste any truffle however but the potatoes itself was still good. Golden Toast: Really nice bite to it. Toast was extra crispy from frying and added texture to the raw fish and avocado in each bite. Yuzu Carpaccio: This one was really strange to me as it was put inside a tomato. Personally did not think that the pairing was great but it was cool to slice it open. Fish was a little fishy (I forgot what the fish of the day was). Yukwhe: This is similar but not like traditional. It leans more steak tartare as it is cubed and not ground/smashed which is my preference. Flavors were realy good, good balance between citrus and savory elements. The nori chips were a nice touch. I would prefer a better chip to tartare ratio (more chips). Galbi Crunch: This one was unique, galbi typically is known for the bone but this was pretty boneless. Each piece of meat was crusted but I felt that it was too crusty and wished that the meat shined a little more. Bc of the over crusting, the dish felt a little dry. Sundubu: This was really flavorful. Spice wasn't the main element but it shined along with the savory elements of the broth that typically gets overshadowed by the spice. Personally, I wished there was bigger tofu bits that did not get broken up but overall a really good soup dish. Brisket was a nice touch as well for some added protein. Overall, probably one of my fave restaurants that I tried in 2025. I would recommend and see myself coming back. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

I came here for dinner with my friend and had an overall okay experience. The first thing I noticed was the beautiful interior. It is modern yet cozy - perfect for a date night or a special event. In terms of food, we shared the Truffle Honey Butter Baby Potatoes, Yuzu Carpaccio, Buoy Ssambap, and the Galbijjim Steak. To varying degrees, the dishes pay tribute to Korean cuisine. The potatoes (although the least "Korean" of the dishes we ordered) was a good start to the meal. The presentation of the yuzu carpaccio (see photo) was unexpected but fun - the fish is underneath a half tomato (also, it's not your typical carpaccio in that the fish is cut into smaller pieces). My one complaint is that the yuzu dressing was a bit viscous and strong, which overpowered the fish. The Buoy Ssambap was light and flavors were delicate, and I liked how they served it with the soybean paste. Finally, the Galbijjim steak was tender and well cooked, but the flavors were not particularly Korean to me (didn't have your typical Galbijjim flavor profile). I thought the prices were quite steep for the food - the portions are very small, and the flavors are good but not phenomenal or particularly unique. I wish they committed a little more strongly to Korean flavors (with exception to the Ssambap, the remaining dishes were not particularly Korean). Service was professional, efficient, and friendly. Overall, I'm glad I gave them a try, but I'm not sure I'll be back (or at least not for dinner). read more

Buoy - Yuzu carpaccio - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great service from Jermaine! Food was tasty, would reccomend coming here! My favorite is the chili jjampong!

Tried their banana latte it was good but on the sweeter side. They had a DJ playing on Sunday morning. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My wife and I made a point to visit Buoy on a weekend cafe date, which we were both excited about. We might have set our expectations too high though because we thought our experience was just okay. We got there about half an hour after they had opened so there were a couple of people already seated but no line. Walking in, we noticed that their menu at the front had a lot of items taped out. One of those items was the ssuk latte. My wife was disappointed since that's what interested her in Buoy in the first place. But they had a lot of other options so we went with the matcha and black sesame lattes. We also ordered the red bean roll cake and the ssuk tiramisu. However, after sitting down, the person who took our order came by to tell us that red bean actually wasn't available. Another menu item they needed to tape over. So we had to go with the raspberry. So at this point, we hadn't even tasted anything, but our visit had already been soured twice. The drinks came out first, and they were fine. Good tasting lattes with the cream on top. The raspberry roll cake came out shortly after. It looked appetizing but wasn't quite what we were expecting. The roll itself was stiff, not soft, and the cream would split away from it. I think the issue was that the whole thing was kept cold, which makes sense, but that didn't allow the cake to soften. We enjoyed each other's company while sipping on our drinks and eating bits of the roll cake, only to realize that the last treat still hadn't come out yet. It was only after almost 45 minutes had passed did they bring out the ssuk tiramisu... The worker who brought it out did apologize for the wait. In any case, the tiramisu had a lot of flavor, from the ssuk, to the cream, to the injeolmi powder on top. But the whole thing didnt mix well. The ssuk bits weren't sweet at all, while the whipped cream soaked ladyfingers were very very very sweet. It was an interesting bite, but not worth the wait. So it's safe to say that our experience could have been better. Even at the day's opening, Buoy was obviously not prepared with their menu, both in terms of what they planned to serve and the prep time for what they did serve. read more

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I ordered the salty bread to be warmed up but it was still cold in the middle. The black sesame tasted bland. Staff was not very friendly! read more

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I finally got to try this place! there were a lot of korean inspired drinks (corn, black sesame, banana etc) and some food as well (sando, salt bread etc). The black sesame latte is quite sweet but the strawberry matcha latte was not, thus my pick would be the strawberry matcha latte! I also got the salt bread and it was good because it's very buttery in the middle but not enough salt imo. I would get it again. The space is also pretty hip, gives me korean cafe vibes, however really dark (but maybe that's the vibe they're going for). I want to come back and try some of their other drinks / foods. read more

Buoy - black sesame latte (cold and hot), strawberry matcha - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Booked a dinner reservation here for my boyfriend's birthday and we loved it!! Both the food and service, as well as the general ambiance was really great & really perfect for a nicer occasion. We got: Truffle Honey Butter Potatoes - good, I'd say best if you like sweet & savory but it might be too sweet for some people... but the spicy mayo dip it came with balanced it out to me. Golden Toast - so yummy I was expecting it to be just alright but exceeded my expecations! Really great textures and complementary flavors, between the crispy toast, creamy avocado puree, salty Ikura, and everything else, we really liked it. Chili Jjampong Sundubu - the flavors were good, and surprisingly a really big portion, and had lots of protein included. It was a perfect spice level for me but slightly too spicy for my boyfriend, but we both thought it was good otherwise. Would be even better with rice or noodles but with everything else we ordered we'd have been too full anyways. Minari Bossam - our favorite!!! the thinly sliced pork was so soft and a little bit smoky i think from being torched on top.. everything complemented each other so well, and I loved the tofu ssamjang & kimchi that went with it. Totally a must-try. Black Sesame Yuzu Cup - I wanted to try the other dessert options but since it was my boyfriend's birthday I went for this because jt was more like a cake so they could put a candle in it.. the candle was so cute!!! And the servers were really nice and accommodating when I asked for it to be a surprise. A yummy and not super rich or sweet dessert to end our meal! The yuzu really cut the richness of the brownie, and there was some mochi at the bottom that was a nice textural element. I didn't taste much black sesame though. Loved the food here and the two of us definitely want to come back to try the other options or try their lunch/morning cafe menu!! And not only that, but the servers were very very nice and attentive, which I really appreciated. I accidentally splattered some of the chili jjamppong on my white shirt and one of the servers noticed and ran over with a wet wipe for me . Super sweet! read more

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Summary: Okay cafe lunch options served by (seemingly) unhappy staff Details: My IG algorithm has been inundating my feed with bakery influencers these past few months, especially with the salt bread craze lately. Buoy popped up enough times on my radar that I finally made a point to go try them out, and, well... I can't speak to their more extensive dinner offerings, but their lunch options were more akin to your typical cafe-style sandwich/soups/salad menu. I was mostly there to try their salt breads, of which I tried the egg salad and black sesame, which were both... fine? If you've had Tano salt bread, these don't come remotely close: small, far less rich, and missing out on the crustier exterior, though they did have the fluffy interior. All in all, somewhat reminiscent of the milk bread pastries I'd get at a place like Sheng Kee. The soup of the day that I got was actually far more enjoyable than the salt breads, which was sorta a bummer. And while I'm not usually one to comment on service (because I don't really care too much unless it's glaringly good/bad), Buoy's staff seemed unhappy enough to be noticeable, which is not something I've encountered anywhere else in recent memory. While this didn't really affect the quality of service, it was a weird vibe seeing a business full of people who didn't seem like they wanted to be there. Though, to be fair, they were also dealing with some ongoing issues with broken machinery, so it's possibly this was entirely just due to stress. The space itself is a vibe though, and enough that I wanted to call it out: while a little out of a place for a daytime cafe, the dark, sleek interior design really lends itself to a nice bar or dinner date spot. Accessibility: Spacious interior, with a number of accessible table options, and then less accessible counter and couch seating. The tables were actually all taken when we went so I made do with the eye-level bar seating. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I love their salt bread ~ it's light but buttery, lightly salty, has a crispy buttery bottom, & nice chew! But it's a little pricey as a plain one is $5.50 & kinda small, I can easily inhale it lol...but so far I've only had the salt breads at Croissante in south bay & like this one much more. I've also tried two of their salt bread sandos (ham+cheese, and the bblt bacon brisket lettuce tomato), they go around $15 each, both were tasty as well; the bblt was heftier & I was pretty full after eating that one. I love mugwort (have had it in desserts etc) and their mugwort (ssuk) latte here was a little light for me + on the creamy side (which some will love), but I may get it again. Service was ok; both times I went during lunch & the servers looked understaffed, stressed, not in a good mood. Hope they get more team support. read more

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Before heading home after visiting the street food festival, I had to quickly swing by to the big cozy atmosphere in what's considered a Korean themed café. Other than the pleasant customer service, I would definitely like how they made drinks out of their own cultural ingredients once I have another chance to visit. My first drink from Buoy was Ssuk Latte (aka mugwort green tea latte). A different shade of green invoked a brand new taste compared to Uji matcha green tea. Tasted like toasted mushrooms in every sip with a less bitter aftertaste; would definitely like to see if they have matcha green tea straight from the Jeju Islands. The theme of today's story is for everyone courageous enough to try what's new for one's palate. As I continue to write reviews of each places I visited, I'll starting to lose what makes my reviews interesting. Therefore, I'm looking to seek better opportunities to get into new places that's far and wide throughout the Bay Area, less I wait until another hot new business shows up in my big city. Glad I set foot at Buoy before closing early. read more

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This is a cute little Korean cafe in Hayes valley. When I came by last time, I noticed they have a lunch menu which I was very excited about. Service was fast. There wasn't a line so I got my drink and food fairly quickly. I finally got to try the octopus rice bowl which by default comes with the galbi sauce. I also got a hot black sesame latte for the cold weather. The octopus rice bowl was FANTASTIC. octopus was nicely grilled and it was super TENDER! I appreciate the amount of vegetables in the rice bowl cool. Rice was perfectly cooked and had the perfect amount of sauce. I would definitely come back and get this again! Black sesame latte was good. Had a strong roasted sesame flavor. It was slightly too sweet for my liking so maybe next time I'll get light sweet. I've came here before on a separate time and got their salt bread. It wasn't my favorite as it resembled a dense dinner roll. I'm not sure if it was a bad batch or that's how it's supposed to be. read more

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My friend and I came here on Sunday around 11am. It was still pretty early, so we were the only ones there. The interior was modern and minimalistic with neutral coloring and warm lighting. It felt like a cozy cafe when I walked in. You would order at the counter, find a table to sit, and pick up your order at the side counter once it's ready. The staff were friendly, and it took around 10 minutes for our pastries and drinks to be ready. I went with the Bam French Toast, and a Latte Einspanner, and my friend got the Black Sesame Latte. I forgot the name of the pastry that she got it, but it had corn on top. The French toast had chestnut cream on top and it was so good. The French toast was soft, and the chestnut cream was lightly sweet. I felt like I didn't need the syrup on the side because it was already perfect sweetness for me as someone who doesn't like overly sweet pastries. The Latte Einspanner wasn't really sweet but was creamy and had good coffee flavor. For my order, it was $28.25 which is a bit on the pricier side for a pastry and a drink. I think this is a nice place to catch up with friends. There's plenty of seating, and the overall volume of the cafe wasn't too loud, so it may be good for some light work or study. read more

Buoy - Bam French Toast, Latte Einspanner - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend introduced me to this restaurant after coming here during their cafe hours. We made a reservation for a weekday dinner, and we loved the dimly lit environment along with the friendly service. While we were ordering, we were given some deliicous snacks (ex: dried dates) before our meal! We also tried some of their cocktails, one with a sparkling ginger taste. We ordered the Yukhoe, which delicious pairing of beef and pear. While the Galbi Crunch short ribs were seasoned well, all of us found that some pieces were a bit too chewy. The Chili Jajmppong Pasta had a larger noodle to seared brisket ratio we had hoped, but the spicy chili sauce was rich and yummy. The restaurant is spacious and a nice place to experience for dinner. read more

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They use rice flour for their salt bread! An fyi - it is delicious but the bread is heavier. Excellent raw beef, flavoring and seasoning and pear was delicious read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love the vibe here! I've been looking for a spacious cafe in sf to bring my laptop and do work and so happy that I discovered this place! There's plenty of tables, bar seating, and couches in the corner. They have projector playing shows on the wall which is so cute! I got the strawberry matcha and warmed salt bread. Strawberry matcha is decent, maybe 6/10, I think it could use a bit more strawberry in it. The salt bread is also around 6/10, the inside is fluffy and buttery and outside is crunchy but a lil too oily for me and not salty enough. Overall would come back here to do more work or just hang out, the food looks good too so would love to try that! read more

Buoy - Strawberry matcha and salt bread - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend was visiting from Taiwan and we were headed to a tech event in the area. We enjoyed the Charcoal Grilled Galbijjim Steak the most, the Golden Toast, Yuzu Carpaccio, Minari Bossam, soju cocktails and matcha shaved ice. We ordered the Salted Bread dish, but it never arrived and we forgot to follow up at dinner. I mention it here since we had 3 different servers helping us. It is wonderful for that much service, but also easy for small things to get missed. We loved the vibes, smaller hangout lounge area, the bar, and a modern and yet cozy vibe. The red wine wasn't the best at the end of the night, as it would work better earlier in the night. Think like a Pinot. I would probably add a stronger tasting red wine for the end of the night. This a place that people should check out for sure tho! This is a more Korean American spot, versus your typical kbbq spot. read more

Buoy is a cute Korean cafe in Hayes Valley. I recently visited as I was looking for a coffee shop with nice seating and wifi. I was glad to find both. I was able to enjoy a great cappuccino as I got some work done. I definitely want to come back to try their snacks and other drinks. Definitely give this hidden gem a try! read more

The regular salt bread at Buoy is actually really good. Its probably the best one I've had so far. Its crispy on the outside, not so buttery (like Tano), making it more digestible. I also got to try their SSuk Latte, which kind of tastes like tea and is kind of flat. I really enjoy Buoy's vibe and environment though. Its a nice place to chill and to work in. read more

Such a cute spot. Warm and aesthetic interior with lots of seating options available inside. So much space. Got the black sesame iced latte (not pictured) and the salt bread. The latte was mild and smooth. I do wish there was a slightly more prominent coffee flavor but it was delicious regardless and wasn't too sweet. The salt bread was perfect. Warm, soft and buttery. Great casual spot to hangout with a friend or do some work Food: 8/10 Service: 10/10 Ambience: 9/10 read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

I stopped by around lunch time to grab a drink to-go. Lots of people looked like they were WFM but I didn't see any outlets. With its couches, leather seating, marble tabletops, wooden bar, and shelves lined with magazines and wine glasses, this is classier than your typical café. However, it was low key distracting b/c there was a couple sitting at the bar who were very touchy feely... Anyways, order at the register, find a seat, and pick up your order once it's called. I wanted something with caffeine, so I ordered the Black Cocoa Mocha ($7.00 + tax): +Drinkable temperature: Hot, but doesn't burn your mouth/tongue +Creamy, malty, and chocolatey: Definitely not your usual mocha! +Cute latte art -It became a tad too sweet towards the end: If I ordered this again, I'd request less sweetness. -Espresso could be stronger. Side notes: 1.) Self-serve water cups and napkins 2.) Stamp cards available for drinks: Buy 10 get 1 free 3.) Restroom available for customers. 4.) Walking distance from Van Ness station Verdict: If I was in the area, I'd return to try their salt bread or something with ssuk AKA mugwort. read more

Buoy - Black Cocoa Mocha - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here on a friday with a mentor and this is nice spot by Hayes Valley for a cup of coffee or quick bite. very spacious interior, quiet atmosphere. there were a decent number of people in the cafe during at noon. Staff was friendly and professional. I ordered the following: - black sesame latte: not too sweet with a noticeable black sesame flavor - kimchi panini: the bread was well toasted and I really liked the unique combination of kimchi and sweet potato. the salad on the side was great as well but overall this was on the pricier side and lowkey not worth the cost There's free wifi and large tables to work at, so personally I enjoyed the space more than the food. read more

Buoy - Black sesame latte - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I beg my finest pardon but WHAT did I just eat. The egg salt bread sando is unreal. The salt bread itself is made with rice flour so it's fluffy and bouncy and buttery and chewy in this addictive way that should honestly be illegal. It's so light you can basically inhale it. Then you bite in and the soft scrambled eggs are just... perfect. Creamy, silky, a little sriracha mayo hiding in there, the whole thing feels like a warm hug. I'm obsessed. I need five more. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Been wanting to find a place that does salt bread like they do in Korea. This place comes close. Their plain Salt bread and their salt bread egg sandwich which was absolutely amazing. The fluffiness of the egg and the sauce on the bottom really knocked this out of the park. Also tried their matcha einspanner, which had a light whip cream like texture on the top. Their matcha wasn't too sweet or bitter. Middle of the road for me. I also tried their Ssuk einspanner, again it had that light whip cream and the drink itself was light in flavor gave me a slight nutty almond milk vibe. It's supposed to create a calming effect. I definitely would get it again. Overall walking into Buoy was reminiscent of walking into a quaint Korean cafe. The drinks are good and I would def come back for the salt bread Sandwiches! read more

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