It was disappointing to learn that they no longer have happy hours on the weekends. The website and the menu still say so. The amsphere is chill and I would imagine it to be a good place for a date night. Service was friendly and quick, and there were only another table besides us in a Sunday afternoon. We only got the fried chicken sliders with duck fries to share. The fried chicken was well cooked and tender, but the spicy slaw sort of overpowered the flavor. The spice was too overwhelming. The buns were made perfectly as well. I don't like the pickled veggie too much, which is more of a personal preference. It's similar to a lot of the reviews I saw. Average food - good enough but not mind blowing. read more

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Fermentation Lab was excellent! We had a large party and Jeannie was so excellent in helping us from start to finish. She curated a menu for our party, decorated a party room and even brought us out some free champagne for our group. Outside of the excellent service provided by Jeannie and Adrien - the food was outstanding. Some of the best items were the braised short rib, the deviled eggs, and the miso Carmel cake. Would highly recommend for a date night, party, or family meal in Japantown! read more

Everything was delicious. Uni pasta was the best I've ever had - and I've experimented a lot in Japantown. Brussels Sprouts with bacon were crunchy and delicious. Service was fast. The Martini was to die for and Katsu sauce well flavoured. The ambiance was amazing with great big chandeliers and songs from the time of the prohibition. I'll be back read more

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I've had this spot bookmarked for a few months and so happy I finally got to go. Don't be deterred by the construction across the road! This place is not to be missed. Trinity our server was excellent. Super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Sadly we were too hi over to order real alcohol (was looking forward to trying their martinis!) We opted for this spectacular fresh ginger juice instead. Refreshing and not too sweet. We started with the deviled eggs. So delicious, though the roe egg was just a tad too fishy for our liking. I loved that almost everything was served with pickled turnips, we have those in Lebanese cuisine as well. Nice umami to cut the fat in the food with a bit of acid. Next we split the duck confit tacos, chicken sliders and Mac and cheese. Everything was so well balanced and plated beautifully. The ambiance was a sexy dark mysterious vibe. I think they'd thrive with a lounge dj for dinner or even transition the space to more of a bar at night! Two floors, plenty of room. Will definitely be returning! read more

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Great experience at Fermentation lab! For what it is (an upscale but still approachable bar/restaurant), I think they did everything right. The good: - Interior: I didn't take photos of their restaurant but it's beautiful. I'd expect the atmosphere to be from a more upscale restaurant in nyc or something! They have 3 chandeliers and high ceilings lol - Food: I was happy with the uni pasta which we licked clean because uni..... I might want to come back to try their beef burger because the pork/ beef one we got had to be medium. - Price: fair pricing imo for the experience - Service: was enthusiastic and helpful lol. The meh: We got two cocktails as well but I thought both were pretty sweet and erred on tasting like fruit punch. read more

Fermentation Lab - Godzilla pork x beef burger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I ordered the Fermlab Burger along with a Black Lager. The lager was a solid choice--slightly rough around the edges but not overly dark, with a nice malt backbone. The burger featured a juicy Angus chuck patty, subtle kimchi flavor, and creamy fontina cheese. The portion size was satisfying, and the smoked pork belly added a pleasant touch of sweetness. The ambiance is warm and inviting, with dim brown lighting throughout the bar and seating areas. There's also outdoor seating, which would be great to enjoy while the sun is still out. Our server was friendly and patient, especially when helping us decide on drinks. read more

Food: Great! We had the poached oysters and fried chicken slides with a side of duck fat fries. Everything was great! Recommend the Yuzu Margarita off the cocktail menu as well! Service: Our waiter wasn't around much but we were able to ask the bartender about their Japanese whiskey selection- definitely recommend! Ambiance: cocktail bar vibes- great for a date night or drinks with friends. read more

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Came here after the Japantown Parade to get away from the crowds. Nice, spacious setting with elegant decor. The uni pasta sounded really good, but unfortunately, they were sold out around 4 PM (probably due to all the festivities). Opted for the deviled eggs instead, which comes with bacon, smoked salmon, roe, and pickled veggies. Very tasty and beautiful presentation of the dish. One of our group members ordered the burger and upgraded the fries to the duck fat fries. Totally worth it: The duck fat fries were nicely crisped and you could definitely taste the essence of duck fat. Didn't order a cocktail, but some members of my group did, and they were definitely something to be marveled at. The margarita came with a giant ice cube that was clear through and through. Service was excellent. They checked on us often enough and were on top of refilling our waters. Hopefully the uni pasta is available next time. If not, I would be perfectly content coming here just for the drinks alone! read more

Fermentation Lab - Deviled eggs - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

My group of four visited Fermentation Lab after dinner on a Saturday night. We made reservations and were seated right away. This was the Saturday before Christmas, and to our surprise, the place was pretty empty. The space has a speakeasy vibe to it. A mix of moody, sexy, and romantic. The staff was very friendly and helpful. After perusing the menu, we decided on the following: Ube espresso martini Fresh oysters $16 Duck fat fries $11 Though the ube flavor was subtle, the ube espresso martini was still fantastic! I enjoyed it so much I ordered a second one before the end of the meal. Everyone in the group also ordered cocktails and enjoyed them. The oysters were indeed fresh and tasty and priced well at $16 for six pieces. The duck fat fries were also delicious with a side of scallion aioli which we devoured. We had a wonderful experience at Fermentation Lab and highly recommend it! read more

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This is an elevated and elegant spacious bar that serves both food and drinks. We stayed here for around 2 hours, and they let us stay way past closing which was super sweet of them. They never rushed us and checked in a non-annoying amount of times to make sure our waters were filled. We got the pandan and cucumber cocktails. I actually ended up loving the cucumber cocktail to the point that I want to try replicating it at home. It's refreshing and tastes somewhat healthy due to the cucumber flavor hehe. read more

Fermentation Lab - Pandan Cucumber - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

The Braised Pork Belly was Devine .. Great Dirty Martini... Service was barely there.. at some point we had to wave down a random waiter... When we asked if our server was on break or possibly left for the night because she was MIA for so long he gave a snarky remark instead of apologizing for the bad service !! Buyer beware!! read more

The service was great, the ambiance is amazing, but sadly the food is just mediocre. I had the salmon and which I normally love, but they relied heavily on the sauce that's over it. The sauce and the fish its self was very bland. Nothing to write home about and I wouldn't eat there again. read more

Amazing uni pasta - but terrible service. We waited an hour for our food to arrive at the table, even when the restaurant wasn't too busy. We were also seated at a lounge table - fine for drinks, but super awkward to hunch over a coffee table to eat a large pasta dish. Duck fat fries were crispy but they were unevenly seasoned. I'd come here maybe for a drink and happy hour only. An hour for food to come out but super quick to rush you out :/ read more

Fermentation Lab - Uni pasta - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Went and tried Fermentation Lab w my family since we heard great things about it and overall we were very satisfied! My personal favorite was the Chicken wings as they were packed with a sweet soy flavor. I also really enjoyed the loco moco and thought the quality of meat they used for the patty was solid. Unfortunately I couldn't taste much of the duck fat within the fries but they were still very solid steak-styled fries. The sauce on top of the braised pork belly was a little too sweet for my liking but I do see the appeal. I personally rather have Korean-style Bossam since that's what it really reminded me of but I understand it is intended to be a fusion. I did really love the green onion salad or chives on the side though. What stole the show for me was their boss lady drink and the egg white foam on top. I'm not sure how they did it but it was soo good. Their service was spot on as well as the guy who made our drink came up to our table to check in with us and see how we liked it. He was very nice and told us he was the one who created the drink so shoutout to him (sorry forgot your name). Fermentation Lab is a more upscale/fancier restaurant with great vibes so if you're looking for your next date spot, this might be it. The prices are a little high but still understandable for what you get. read more

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Pretty and YUMMY drinks, decent food during happy hour! Nice vibes. Service is great! read more

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Great restaurant in Japan Town. Parking was easy since there are a couple of parking structures nearby. I came here with my friends to celebrate my birthday and we had reservations. When we arrived, we were seated right away. The service was excellent. Our server was amiable, and at the end of the night, when we ordered dessert to share she realized it was my birthday so she brought an extra dessert from the menu. It was very thoughtful. The restaurant has an upscale and romantic vibe. It is perfect for a date night or to grab drinks and food with friends. Now for the food, our table ordered several dishes, and there were a few favorites. They have happy hour Tuesday - Sunday 3-6 pm and we were at the restaurant during that time so we got some food items from the happy hour menu. I ordered the Piña Verde cocktail to start and I loved it. For the food, we had the Duck Fat Fried 5/5! They were delicious and a must-try. Calamari Misto 5/5 was also a favorite! The Fried Chicken Sliders 4/5. They were good and the dish came with 2. I would order them again. All these dishes were perfect to share and from the happy hour menu. Then we ordered some main course dishes. I had the Katsu Miso Loco Moco 3/5. I felt this dish was meh. It lacked flavor and the rice was mushy. A few of my friends had the Uni pasta and they said it was good but a bit too dense. It would have been a good dish to share. For dessert, we had a few dishes to share. The Pear Bread Pudding 5/5 was delicious! Not too sweet but good enough. Very well balanced. Yuja Creme Brûlée 4/5. It was good but nothing special. Chocolate Churros 4/5. This dessert was good and the churros with the chocolate dip were good. It also came with a matcha dip and this was bitter. We had it with the chocolate one. Overall, I think this is a great restaurant! I would probably come back for happy hour, drinks, and dessert. read more

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I went with couple of people to try restaurant, which was good. They had a bar and selection of different foods. read more

Fermentation Lab - Ramen, fries, salad and dessert - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great happy hour spot! Their cocktails are unique and really good. We mainly ordered from their happy hour menu but the regular menu has a wide variety and we will be back to try more. The ahi tuna poke was a standout for us. Really good portion and flavor. The seasoned taro chips were my favorite part. The oysters were fresh and went well with the Asian pear granita. The Korean chicken wings had a nice flavor but they were fried crispy enough. I would pass on these the next time. We ended with the pear bread pudding which was the only disappointment of the night. The bread was too soft and didn't have a strong pear flavor. There were also golden raisins that weren't mentioned in the menu that was included in it. read more

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This used to be a Dennys long ago and it brought me back. Love the music and vibe right when you walk in! Our table wasn't ready so we had drinks at the bar. I'm so glad we did. Bartenders were so nice and knowledgeable. Drink were A+++! I asked about the vegan egg whites on a few of the drinks and found out it's made on the frothed garbanzo bean liquid! Very clever how they did that. All of the dishes we had were delicious. I had the beef tenderloin and I ate the entire plate. My friends had the loco moco , burger, and poke. I will definitely order the loco moco next time. It came with a lot of rice. Ube whiskey pie was a bit dense and didn't taste like too much Ube. read more

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Came in for after dinner drinks for a birthday - we've been big fans of the original F Lab on Market Street. The owner Jakub is always super nice and welcoming. The space is beautiful and inviting - vast cocktails selection while very well crafted. Excited to come back for dinner! read more

We arrived just when happy hour was ending. Great vibes! Super swanky and cute decor. It would be a good date night or outing with friends. It was nice to see groups of people out and about with their appetizers and cocktails :) Full menu of shares plates, burgers, mains, desserts, and a full bar. I did not drink that night, but the cocktails around me looked delicious. We/I ordered: Pickled Vegetables - Great flavors and decent sized portion. Warning, there is a heat kick! Tuna Poke with taro chips - Plenty of taro chips, probably not as proportionate. The tuna was good and had roe on top of it and avocado! Beef Tips with Broccolini and Mashed Potatoes - This was my main. It was good, drowning in gravy. Lots of mushrooms in it too! Locations is on Post in Japantown. I took the 1 line here but I'm imagining parking can be tough but there is a parking garage nearby. Enjoy peeps! read more

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The star is for the service. The food gets none. Just treat this spot as a bar with food. Never order oysters unless you like being ripped off. They don't tell you what oysters you're getting on the menu, first red flag. Once they arrive, the shell is the size of a credit card and the meat, what meat? you'll need to bring a magnifying glass. Uni Pasta? Might as well be uni flavored pasta, they make zero mention of how many grams of uni you're getting and what type of uni they use for $28, pasta is worthless, pennies. All you get is two tiny slabs of who knows what grade uni. Lobster Truffle Mac and Cheese, watery cheese, no lobster, they substitute it with shrimp that's cut in half to make it appear you're getting some shrimp in your meal. When asked if the dish still $30 after they substitute the lobster, yup! When you tap and pay, they don't show you your itemized bill, they just go tap here. Everything is very ambiguous. If you enjoy being ripped off, bait and switched with small portions Fermentation Lab is the place for you! read more

I never knew this place existed until my buddy reserved an area to celebrate his 1-year old's birthday party. (I guess old habits die hard lol) This is a cozy, swanky cocktail bar in the heart of Japantown that harkens back to some Prohibition era speakeasy. They have a diverse selection of fusion inspired food and hand-made cocktails. While it was crowded even on a Saturday afternoon (we were not the only party), I really enjoyed the ambiance and the creative, delicious drinks. A great atmosphere for a hangout with friends or a casual date. Like most spots in SF, parking was a pain, especially since we were coming from outside the City. But fortunately, there is a nearby Japantown parking structure with a decent amount of parking stalls. Looking at all the menu items, the next time I come back, I want to focus on the food! read more

First time trying fermentation lab. I email the events team because I had a large group and they easily accommodated all 11 of us, super nice staff. The food and ordering took a bit but makes sense since we had a large group. The waffle fries have an amazing cheese sauce that's totally unique to here, and the calamari was fried to perfection. I also had the chicken sliders that aren't pictured and they were tasty. The ambiance was classy, clean and vibey. I would definitely come back again. read more

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Came here for a light dinner after Cherry Blossom festivities. All around the food, service and aesthetics were good! We were seated very quickly, which was nice after such a busy day. Server was quick to take our order, and food came out shortly after! The duck fat fries definitely stuck out, and I definitely found myself craving it days after. Seafood was fresh as well! Fermentation lab is definitely on the pricier side. However, they do have happy hour from 3-6PM which we had missed by 30 mins. Overall, we had a good time, and I would consider coming again to try entrees and other meals like their breakfast. read more

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Beautiful space inside, but food could have been better. I think I stumbled upon this new-ish location from an IG reel so made plans to check it out during HH (5-6pm?). It was pretty empty during this hour and had no issues with getting a table. We ordered the duck fat fries, calamari, and both types of oysters from the HH menu. Then added on the beef tartar and uni pasta from the main menu. It was probably too much food lol but we stayed for 2+ hrs (and staff was totally cool with it). Drinks were good but not memorable. Actually, all of the food was decent but again, not very memorable. I do like the space a lot and it would be a fun location for a buy-out/private event! Spacious bar size and multiple screens. read more

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A cute spot in Japantown for happy hour! The happy hour ends at 5:30PM so just something to keep in mind despite what the website/old menus say. Our server was super nice and still honored happy hour even though it was 5:45PM. Fermentation Lab offers a bunch of shareables like duck fat fries, oysters (both grilled and raw), and calamari. We also ordered entrees like the katsu loco moco, truffle mac & cheese, and the braised pork belly. Overall, definitely worth checking out if you're in the area. Food, aesthetics, service, everything was great and worthwhile! read more

Fermentation Lab - Truffle mac & cheese, katsu loco moco, and braised pork belly - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Nice space, decent service. Food was nothing to write home about. (Why do all restaurants these days burn their Brussels sprouts to a crisp?) "Cajun" pasta was terribly bland, pork belly entree was so so. We won't return. read more

It was an amazing experience. The ambiance and food was incredible. Looking forward to going back.

The food was incredible and the atmosphere is definitely cool. The drinks (both alcoholic and mocktails) were hit and miss. Nothing was bad but not quite as good as I hoped. So 7/10 drinks and 13/10 food (my group loved the food so damn much). I definitely recommend the duck fat fries, waffle fries w Gorgonzola sauce, both raw and poached oysters, the deviled eggs, Brussels sprouts, lobster truffle Mac n cheese and the salmon. The calamari, duck confit flatbread and tuna tartare were good but not as spectacularly amazing as the other stuff. The only disappointment was the crème brûlée which wasn't bad but didn't have any hint of the yuja that was supposed to flavor it (and it was too eggy for my taste). Dessert wise, strawberry matcha tiramisu was the big winner, then the churros. We will be back. A lot. read more

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I quite literally cannot rate this spot higher! A wonderful bar/restaurant hidden in a little crevice in Japantown SF! My big sister and mom have made this spot their go-to bar spot for great cocktails and delicious dishes if they're feeling hungry. All of their cocktails are to die for, and they have many options so you're bound to find at least one that you like. As for their dishes, they are mouth watering! I personally got the FermLab Burger, and let me emphasize how juicy the patty was and how saucy the aioli/mayo was on it. I personally would probably ask for a little less next time, but the fact that usually you need to ask more sauce shows how hefty the chefs make sure these dishes are. Which is nice because the prices on this menu (food wise) are quite high, but for the amount of food and quality of taste it makes it more than worth it. The cocktails on the other hand are actually very decently priced, especially during happy hour (they also have cheaper prices food options during this time). OYSTERS WERE A FAMILY FAV ALSO, so if you like em be sure to give these unique ones a chance, especially the poached one which was new for us as we usually prefer fresh. Lastly, the waiters are a delight and will be more than happy to offer options if you're having a hard time choosing a drink or dish! So go ahead and do yourself a favor whenever you're in Japantown and give this spot a shot! read more

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Located in the plaza on post across from the main Japan town mall. Not sure what this was before, but it looks newly remodeled inside and had plenty seating. Staff was friendly. I'd consider this a mid-upscale fusion restaurant with unique offerings. Great place to grab drinks with friends because there's something for everyone. The cocktails are so cute and fun! The Fermlab burger was delicious!!!! So big and juicy. Even had Kim chi and pork belly on it. I usually try new things when I return to a restaurant but I loved the burger so much I think I'd get it again. Not cheap, but they do happy hour 3-6 on Tue-Sun that's worth checking out!! read more

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We went there on New Year's Eve and 9 of us had the prefix menu of $75 and it was delicious. The quality of food is worth the and I also had the best Lychee Martini. Every single person in our group of 10 are really happy to dine there. The service was great and the ambiance is nice and cozy. read more

Ordered the Fermlab Burger and Black Lager. The Black Lager was a good pick for a rougher beer around the edges while not being too dark to drink, a nice amount of malt. The Fermlab Burger patty was a juicy angus chuck patty with a good subdued flavor of kimchi and the cheesy fontina cheese. The portion size was decent and the smoked pork belly added a touch of sweetness to this great burger. Ambiance is very nice with dim brown lighting around the bar and seating areas. There is outdoor seating too, ideal for good weather while the sun is still out. Our server was very kind and patient walking us through drink options. read more

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Came here again for happy hour and it was great as always! The staff was very friendly and the food tasted amazing! The interior is so beautiful and spacious, so would definitely recommend this place! read more

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Saw this place on IG and my friends and I decided to try it. Went on a Thursday night around 5 to get a few happy hour deals. The happy hour menu has good bite options and I think house beer and house wines. From the happy hour menu, we had fresh oysters, deviled eggs, and duck fat fries. From the regular menu, for our entrees, we got the uni pasta, seafood risotto, beef tenderloin tips, duck confit tacos, and the katsu burger. Our server was friendly and helpful. The inside is very well decorated and has a nice ambiance. They have a giant wall (or screen) where they play movies too. Seemed a little random but is a cool idea if they wanted to show games on game nights, or something like that! The food was all tasty, and I would go back to try a few more dishes. My fave was the fresh oysters, duck fat fries, and the uni pasta. I want to try the loco moco soon! read more

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Vibes are super awesome here! The space has a cool layout with plenty of tables and couches, and they project movies onto the walls. It's clean, service was extremely nice, and they have a cool selection of asian inspired food/drinks. Things are a little bit on the pricier side but for the ambiance it's worth it. I loved the calamari to share, and the fries weren't bad too. Can't wait to try happy hour/brunch! read more

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Accidentally made a reservation online for the wrong day & I called in and they were able to fix it for me! Our table was available right when we arrived. Service was actually really nice in person too! Our server was super friendly and gave great recommendations! The restaurant is well decorated - I loved the chandeliers and the overall aesthetic here. There is lots of cocktails and drinks options. All the cocktails looked so pretty. My favorite drink was the Boss Lady. It was light and refreshing and not too sweet. Next time I will be back to try more food! read more

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Our first time and I think the food is just ok. There is happy hour which ends at 5:30pm. Overall the food will be 3 star but because service is so good - that is an extra star. Adrian was awesome host and waiter. Our fav was the fresh oysters, poached oysters and deviled eggs. Of course their drinks are pretty good too. As the rest is just ok. The uni pasta was a bit salty and needs more uni flavor. Also as a culinary pastry graduate , I feel they need to execute the dessert a lot better. I wouldn't recommend the dessert. Overall because our waiter was so awesome...we all had a wonderful enjoyable dinner. Would I come back? Yes but more for their tapas and cocktails. Oh yes and their service is great. read more

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Restaurant needs to figure out what it is. Menu looked great. Felt like an Asian fusion country club menu - likely too many options. That said, we landed on the kimchi pancake, deviled eggs, salmon, burger and a couple cocktails. Cocktails were very underwhelming despite great descriptions - my manhattan-like cocktail with Japanese whiskey was watered down significantly. Deviled eggs were fancy, though $16 for 2 eggs cut in half is outrageous. Kimchi pancake was generally good, but way too salty. Burger was below average and salmon was cooked well and big portion but an overly creamy sauce that felt uncreative. Ambiance feels like a hotel lobby, though service was very good and attentive. read more