I couldn't say more great things about Empire and their Basics class! I was a complete beginner to martial arts, nervous to start and I felt the perfect balance of being pushed and welcomed on the very first day. John is an extremely attentive and detailed instructor and I was hooked right away. I attended the weekly basics class after the first class and have been feeling a lot of growth. The community is great, have made wonderful friends, and am excited to now have jiu jitsu as part of my life. Highly recommend for everyone - especially complete beginners! read more

I was in town for work and wanted to do a quick drop in to train somewhere before I had to actually do work. I left a message on their website about and got a response back that I'd be welcome. I managed to find parking around the corner and walked up. I got there in between classes so I was able to get the waiver signed and pay the drop in fee. The class seemed to be a lot of regulars. The students all seemed to know each other real well and there definitely seemed to be a sense of community there. The rolls were tough but friendly and I'm glad I dropped in, probably the most productive part of my work trip in SF. read more

Empire Jiu Jitsu - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been going to Empire Jiu Jitsu for about three months now, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I feel like I've absorbed years worth of jiu jitsu knowledge in just a few short months; the teaching quality is truly exceptional. Jake and John are amazing coaches who possess an incredible amount of knowledge. John, who teaches the beginner classes, has a gift for breaking down complex techniques to the smallest level of detail. He doesn't just show you what to do, but clearly explains why each step is important, which accelerates the learning process. I can tell he also genuinely cares about the progress of all his students. The community at Empire is super chill, supportive, and fun. Everyone trains incredibly hard, but is also willing to take the time to help explain techniques and guide lower belts. It creates an atmosphere of tough, but respectful training. It's the nicest group of trained killers you'll meet in the Bay Area. If you want to get good fast and become part of an awesome community along the way, this is absolutely your spot. read more

Excellent coaching. Welcoming atmosphere. Challenging but respectful rolls. In the heart of the Mission in SF. Very happy with this gym and the quality of training here. I've trained all over the country including nyc. These are good dudes. read more

Everybody here exemplifies to the true qualities of martial Arts and jiu -jitsu. The attention to detail in the basics class helps everybody not just learn new techniques but to actually understand. Each class is building off of the previous you can feel your jiu jitsu game growing every time you leave a class. john and Jake are amazing coaches. Joining empire jiu jitsu is one of the best choices I've made read more

John is an awesome coach, has a ton of patience for newbies and is highly skilled. The gym is legit and I highly recommend it. I'm a beginner and am learning a ton and the class is welcoming to all skill levels and people. read more

While I was looking for a place to train, a friend all the way on the east coast recommended Empire. Did a drop in class and have been going 3-4 times a week ever since. Great crew, more of a community/family feel than other places. Jake knows his stuff; just real BJJ, no garbage. Lots of instruction, great assistant instructors like John. Everyone knows their stuff and helps each other out. Don't bother checking out any other academy if you're serious about training. read more

Empire Jiu Jitsu - Jiu Jitsu World League Golden State 3rd Pl Academy - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - San Francisco, California

Empire Jiu-jitsu is conveniently located in the heart of San Francisco's thriving and eclectic Mission District. Easily accessible by car, bike, or public transportation. Jake, owner and instructor, is a world-class BJJ practitioner. Who is passionate about coaching us to reach our fullest potential. Technique is conveyed and modeled in a clear and concise manner. Adjustments/corrections are made during drilling. Then executed during live rolls. No matter your background, objectives, or current skill level, you will be encouraged, challenged, and supported to push yourself beyond what you thought possible. Classes are available throughout the day. The facility is spacious. And mats are disinfected multiple times a day. Other amenities are available; like showers and strength/conditioning machines, and post-training recovery gadgets. Learn self-defense, get in shape, and be part of an amazing community of awesome people while doing it. read more

I came across Empire while I was trying out different places to train bjj in the city. I ended up just sticking with empire after my first class. Great people, community, and coach. Everyone trains hard and is always trying to help each other to improve. Jake makes class fun and is extremely knowledgable about BJJ, he's is also very good at teaching techniques so that people at different skill levels can understand. Highly recommend, you wont regret it. read more

I dropped in while visiting SF for an open mat Everyone was really friendly and welcoming. The training environment was really thoughtful, with lots of dedicated drilling and troubleshooting time. read more

I can't recommend Empire Jiu Jitsu highly enough. Empire offers classes for all skill levels, has great instructors, and is filled with dedicated, friendly students. Training there is usually the highlight of my day, it's just a great place to learn and improve your jiu jitsu. read more

Jake is an excellent teacher. No question about it. He tailors his instruction to different students' learning abilities and loves jiu jitsu. I joined Empire as a purple belt, and I noticed a dramatic improvement in my technique in training and performance in competition. Jake works very hard and cares a lot about his students. The Empire jiu jitsu team is an excellent group of men and women who enjoy working hard, but also appreciate each other as teammates. I look forward to going to practice every day because I get to improve myself alongside some great friends! read more

World class jiu jitsu by guys who have been at it for many years. Both Kurt and Jake are long-time competitors, and can give you the kind of insight that can transform your game. Check them out! read more

Empire Jiu Jitsu - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'd give this gym 1 star, but some of the people who practice there are great. TL;DR on why 2 stars: poor and UNSAFE beginner's experience (leading to injury), immature head coach (Jake), mediocre-to-poor facilities, and no ventilation. The abbreviated version of my intro class (and very first jiu jitsu class ever anywhere) at Empire: They let you get a free 1st class and even borrow a gi--standard, but welcomed nonetheless. Basic structure of class: 1. warm-ups, 2. the middle section of class was working on 2-3 specific techniques and drilling them with a partner, 3. Six 6 minute rounds where you spar aka. "roll" with other students. Everything was great until the third section of class, I had a kind brown belt work with me on the techniques. When the sparring section came is when the wheels fell off. It was so crowded that it was hard to find room on the mats to roll and people kept colliding into each other while rolling. The environment also became a sauna because there is basically little-to-no ventilation. I guess you could see it as a 2-for-1 jiu jitsu and sauna if you were being generous. They had me roll with a blue belt. I asked to sit out the first round since they needed 3 pairs to wait due mat space, and I wanted to watch to see how it all worked. Again, this was my first class ever. The blue belt insisted we rolled, so OK fine. I had been taught basically nothing other than some specific advanced techniques I drilled with brown belt earlier in class, but I got no beginner's overview or guidance other than don't strike or bite which... duh. The blue belt eventually got me in an arm bar and before I could tap (my other arm was holding me up and I didn't think to say "tap") he yanked hard on it and hyperextended my elbow until it popped. Jake the head coach and black belt came over and told me that my partner matches my intensity so it's my fault for him yanking down on the arm bar. He then told the blue belt he could have maybe not pulled as hard... you think? At the end of the round I got past the blue belt's guard and sunk in a guillotine until he tapped. See I did learn some of the lingo in my first class? Why did I add this part? Pride of course baby, and because my experience is about to get worse and I want to enjoy the one bright spot. At the start of the second round Jake the head coach and black belt comes over and tells me he and I are going to roll. This seemed odd to me, why would a black belt want to roll with a first-timer? I thought it was maybe to help me learn the way the brown belt earlier had been so kind in guiding me in the techniques. Nope, turns out it was to prove a point, physically and repeatedly. Jake tapped me out probably 10 times in the 6 minute round. I got so tired eventually I asked to stop rolling because I was basically a useless husk, but he insisted we keep going. He hyper extended the same elbow the blue belt had yanked again, and then hyperextended the other one for good measure. He left a deep scratch from my forehead down my cheek, bruised my nose, and gave me a black eye. Both elbows are still in pain a week later--sweet! He did not instruct me on anything from roll to roll. Only when I got so tired I switched my approach to exerting less effort did he finally reveal what his intention had been the whole time: to get me to see that I should NOT roll so intensely generally and especially not with a higher belt--which he saw as a disrespect. Uhhhh lesson learned I guess, maybe you could have used your words and then see if I could get it versus beating the shit out of me as your teaching method? I mean he did totally own me, so you have to give it to him, a pretty impressive display of dominance. So bad in fact he turned me into a, "Ummm excuse me, can I speak with your manager?" NARC with this Yelp review hahaha. After it finally dawned on me what was really going on I ended our sparring a minute before the end of the round. I sat watching part of the next round before gathering my things and hopping in a Lyft. All-in-all a pretty shitty night and one I'm still dealing with because I can't exercise or move normally still. You may like this gym if you like your jiu jitsu old school with tough guy teachers playing heavy metal and an us vs. them mentality. It is a bare bones tough guy competitor gym so beginners beware. read more

This review is long overdue. I train in Los Altos, but drop in at Empire whenever I'm in the city. This is a great place to train whether you are a hobbyist or competitor. Here are a few highlights: 1) Full day of classes. I will typically attend the evening classes when I'm there, and there are many students/training partners. 2) Full facilities with separate men's/women's dressing rooms and showers and weights, etc... 3) Solid training partners of various sizes and skill levels. I regularly see the professors, coaches, and higher belts stepping in to help the lower belts and newer students. 4) Organized classes and solid instruction - Standard structure of warm-ups, technique, rolling. Even as a visitor, I will get individualized feedback from Kurt and Jake (head instructors) on how to make improvements in my game and technique. 5) Overall a great vibe of grit, fun, and camaraderie. You won't find a better place to train in the area. Empire is truly special. read more

If you're looking to elevate your jiu jitsu, learn self-defense, get fit or even find a community, Empire is for you. I came looking for a fitness outlet. Now I find myself looking forward to every class. * Great coaching - Jake, the instructor, is a passionate technician who will elevate your jiu jitsu no matter your skill level. He teaches both beginners and experts and always gives detailed instructions. * Plenty of class options - Empire has multiple classes. There are morning classes and night classes, and gi, nogi and wrestling. Empire also has a diverse group of students, so you can test yourself against multiple levels and styles. * Strong community - Higher belts care about the development of lower belts. They're approachable, available for questions and will help you improve your game. Jake and Empire will push you but also understand everyone is on a different journey. Its approachable for beginners and can develop you into an expert. If you come consistently, you'll not only get in great shape, but find yourself looking forward to each class and making new friends, no matter your original goals. read more

Empire is dope. I've been going for a little over 3-4 years now, and its been a huge part of my life for awhile now. I came in mad awkward and scared to talk to people I didn't know, I was welcomed like I've been going for years. Now I'm slightly less awkward! Facilities come with showers and changing rooms, plus an exhibit of Jake's plants It's great for beginners, people will take the time out to invest in your jiu jitsu and you. There's a bunch of fundamentals classes throughout the week where you learn the basic movements and concepts needed for the sport, then hop into the evenings/ nogi/ wrestling classes when you feel ready. Jake, the head instructor has a very unique way of explaining things and I think he does a great job of explaining why you're doing something. He also places an emphasis on body structure and the importance of proper posture, engagement of the muscles, etc so that you don't get hurt. There is tough training, it'll challenge you, but that's where the growth happens right? You'll learn that your capable of some awesome things if you just show the dedication that's required in the sport, and make some lifelong homies. read more

Great staff. Everyone is incredibly helpful and they make sure to provide lots of instruction to beginners as well. As a starter, I was able to roll with a higher ranked belt named John. He (among others) have had an incredibly positive impact on my experience and always leave me excited to return! read more

I have know and been training with Professor Kurt since the year of 2000.He has been a big part of our local BJJ community in the Bay Area. I'm a former World Champion of Submission Wrestling and multiple times National and International Champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts.I trained in many dojos in Brazil and all over the World,I have been doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over 31 years and I was very impressive with the technical level of Empire BJJ.The combination of Kurt with his partner Jake Scovel it's very impressive.Both professors are a high technical level in the World Class Jiu-Jitsu. I love the positive environment and the high class technical level of the Jiu-Jitsu. I strongly recommend Empire Jiu-Jitsu. read more

Best bjj gym! Awesome instructors and people. Good vibes. Great for totally new or very experienced people. Highly, highly recommend for everyone! read more

Jiu-jitsu! Aka human chess. It's fun and physical, but there is always something new to learn and each move has a counter move (and each counter a counter to that!) It's also one of those rare sports where a girl can learn to beat guys. The two instructors (Kurt and Jake) are both extremely successful in the sport - and in very different ways: Kurt is traditional old school smash and pass, while Jake moves more like an acrobatic cat. Kurt's pretty legendary in the BJJ world and got internet-famous with his "Move of the Week". He tends to teach a single move (and some variants) for the entire week, so that the athletically "special" among us (me included) have some opportunity to grasp a bit by the end of the week. The people who come here are some of the nicest, most down-to-earth and un-snobby people you'll meet. Along with the coaches, a lot of the students are top-notch and can point out what you can quickly improve upon. The coaches and instructors also do a great job of ensuring that it is female-friendly and there's a women's class with a lot of upper-belt ladies. read more

Old-school, tough training. Great 7am class with the big boys. Strong group of female athletes (mostly evening class and weekends). Competition focus, but nobody's trying to hurt their training partners so it's a good spot for hobbyists as well. They do both gi and no-gi. Wrestling class Tuesday nights read more

Best place to train Jiu Jitsu. Coach Jake is super helpful and will always explain techniques in great detail, and their concepts behind them. Everyone in the gym is extremely friendly and will always help each other out. read more

This place is legit. It's definitely a good place to train if you're just beginning your Jiu jitsu journey or if you're already an advanced practitioner. Jake is one bad mofo (this is a good thing for those of you who aren't from the bay) he really knows all the details that go into a move and definitely knows how to push you to do your best. The folks that train here are also super chill and respectful. it's always fun rolling with them...and if you're disciplined,consistent, and humble you'll definitely start noticing huge improvements really quickly. I'd highly recommend this place. read more

Empire Jiu Jitsu is a fantastic community of folks dedicated to learning the grappling art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The coach, Jake, is a black belt with many years of experience training the sport, many more of competing, and even more helping future competitors. Regardless of your goals, be it fitness, wanting to pick up new interests, meeting new people, or competition, training here offers something for everyone. I think it's also important to mention the atmosphere and community - folks here are friendly and want to encourage your development. People train hard and push you to improve and this results in a really supportive training environment. Come down and give it a try! read more

Best training from the best instructors. Kurt and Jake balance each other in terms of the techniques they teach.

Great gym. Dynamite instruction, super helpful high-level training partners, and an awesome vibe. Training is hard and it's meant to be hard but always technical and very safe. Definitely not a place to try and boost your ego. Highly recommended. read more

What's great about Kurt and Jake is that they are hands on instructors. Kurt will modify techniques according to a person's size, skill, and experience. He'll make adjustments to each individual's needs. Jake is very detailed when explaining techniques. There's so many fancy names in JiuJitsu (I.e Kimora, Ezekiel, berimbolo). Jake will break it down to an angle so that beginners who are new to the game can understand the technique. If you decide to compete, it's guaranteed that Kurt and Jake will be there at your corner to mentor you through the whole process, from training all the way to competition day. You know, some Mr. Miyagi shit. Then Empire has got Margaret, also a Judo black belt, along with Nina who will be facilitating women's class on Monday evenings, two of the baddest females in the game. read more

I've known Kurt Osiander for over 10 years. He is an amazing jiu jitsu instructor. He's also an amazing human being. Kurt is very professional, compassionate, patient, and dedicated to Jiu Jitsu. Highly Recommended. read more

This place is legit. Kurt and Jake are great teachers and teach great techniques that really work, and together with savages that train there, the place has great community feel to it. Everyone is super welcoming and it's located in a cool neighborhood! read more

Love training here! Kurt and Jake are world class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors. I've seen them take folks from not knowing anything about grappling to getting them competition and self-defense ready. Highly recommend Empire Jiu-Jitsu to anyone looking to learn self-defense or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This is also a community, this isn't only a place to come and roll we are a family. read more

Welcome to the dawn of a new empire with Empire Jiujitsu! With Head Instructors Kurt Osiander and Jake Scovel, you're getting world class jiujitsu technique and top notch instruction. There's dozens of places to train BJJ in the Bay Area, but few can come close to the level of coaching and team camaraderie you will get at this new school. Whether you're looking for a new hobby, gym or just a cool place to drop-in for some rolls, I highly suggest you give 'em a try. Like Kurt would say, "Go train!" read more

Can't say enough good things about Empire, Kurt, Jake & the team. Instruction is world class and rolls are the toughest in SF. Overall it's just a great vibe & great community- everyone there to learn and grow together in jiu jitsu. The team is mostly colored belts, so you know every roll you get is going to be technical, and is also an amazing place to level up your competition game!! read more

Kurt and Jake are amazing coaches. I've been training on and off with them for 6 years through many phases of life (where I have had varying amounts of time to dedicate to jiu jitsu) and I've found I've loved coming into the gym regardless of where I was at because they've created such a great environment and group of people to train with. I've trained at a few different gyms before and have learned that the most important thing about where you train are your instructors and your teammmates - and this gym is the best for both of those things. read more

Full of good vibes, fun environment, excellent world class instructors & always great training sessions.

Definitely not your cookie cutter academy. Kurt and Jake provide a great atmosphere and truly care about their students. You can always count on getting world class instruction and tough rolls. Also, the members of the team also make it a truly special place, as everyone is always friendly and open for questions and sharing tips and techniques. After training sessions there's time for additional drilling which is great if you're a beginner or prepping for competition. read more

As a visitor from UK, Kurt is super rad! being a visitor on hols I was really made welcome for drop in training. I trained in the mornings at 7am and the crew there are a really sound bunch and we're more than willing to share tips and help out with pre comp preparations. All fun and no egos there! I pretty much had a blast getting smashed in the kindest way by the high level guys there. It's early days as Kurt is building his academy out but the level of jiu Jitsu there is right up there with top! If you ever get a chance to drop in I highly recommend! read more

I am visiting San Francisco for a few days and dropped in on Friday lunch class. It was super welcoming and laid back. Jake taught some great technique and is a great instructor. If you live in San Francisco you should train here, if you're traveling you should definitely make this a stop on your Bjj journey. Thanks again read more

The premier BJJ school in the Bay Area. Both Kurt and Jake are very knowledgeable and down to earth. Both are also excellent teachers. Couldn't ask for a better school to train at. read more

Best bjj... best family. Attention to detail and passion are what make this place perfect for anyone.