Fermentation Lab has been on my list to check out ever since I saw on social media that they have a prime rib special on Wednesday nights. My bestie picked this restaurant to dine at for her birthday so we ended up eating here one night (not prime rib night). The restaurant is big and spacious. I love the ambiance and decor. Our server was attentive and went above and beyond to help me decide on a cocktail. I told him I wanted something n/a or low ABV. He let me know they could adjust any of their cocktails to include less spirits as they make every drink fresh. He then remembered they might have a non-alcoholic mezcal in the back and went in search of it for me. After he found it, he recommended making me the penicillin cocktail with it. My friend got the fermented blueberry sour. Both cocktails were amazing. He also took a picture of the n/a mezcal for me so that I have it for reference. We ordered a few dishes to share and all were delightful and flavorful. duck fat fries - 9/10 ahi tuna poke - 9/10 calamari misto - 9/10 uni pasta - 8/10 yuja creme brulee - 8/10 The location in Japantown meant parking is a bit challenging unless you park in the garage. I can't wait to come back to try more cocktails and plates. read more

See all

Love the vibes of Fermentation Lab! Stumbled by late on a weekday evening with a friend and there were few people inside but the ambiance was very charming. Ordered a mezcal cocktail and my friend got a blueberry sour, and both drinks were very good -- perfectly sour, sweet, with good hints of the spirits. The service was friendly, and I saw they had good happy hour times, so would love to come back to try the food in the future. read more

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

See all

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

See all

Fermentation Lab in Japantown offers a modern interior with an upscale gastropub feel that sets a great mood for a meal. We started with the Lychee Martini, which was fruity, delicious, and impressively large. The food was a highlight, particularly the Loco Moco, which was savory, simple, and served in such a hefty portion that it was the consensus favorite of the meal. The Duck Porridge was also excellent and savory, featuring duck skin that provided a nice textural variety and pickles that balanced the richness well, though a side of chili oil would have been a welcome addition for a bit of heat. Unfortunately, the Uni Pasta was creamy but quite bland and is the one dish I wouldn't order again, but the strength of the other plates still makes this a spot worth visiting. read more

See all

Love the low light vibes, plants and chandeliers. I was here for brunch and my avocado toast was an amazing deal at $8. My Bellini was a generous pour. The bartender to took good care of me! I was able to set up my laptop and get some work done while I waited for my teens who were enjoying the mall. read more

See all

Randomly walked by this place in Japan town after a doggie vendor event and was attracted by the HAPPY HOUR with $10 (5) oysters. As an avid oyster devourer, I would put their oysters pretty high up. Their pear slushie on the oyster is clever. It was refreshing. Asked for some spice and they brought out an habanero aioli which was a nice paring with the oyster and brussel sprouts. Will definitely come back when we're in town! Also thank you to the servers for allowing my dog to be a good boy in his stroller in the corner table. read more

Fermentation Lab - $2 oyster happy hour! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

It's hard to pull off Korean-American fusion well (source: am Korean-American). But Fermentation Lab gives it a good effort and the best I've had so far in SF. Founders are a Polish chef and a Korean chef, and you can see their respective heritages in their dishes. Kimchee Jeon was decent, Makgeolli braised pork was very good, and Jang Kalgusku was just mid (too salty for my tastes). The matcha cheesecake was delightful What makes this place 5-stars though is the beautiful ambiance and even better service. Great drinks from the bar as well. Excited to come back to try their HH menu in the future read more

Whenever we have a rough day at work, you'll find my colleagues and I at Fermentation Lab dishing out the tea and our frustrations. They have an amazing happy hour menu and drinks, and they do daily specials (except Monday's cause they're closed). Staff here are always friendly and welcoming. The ambiance here is giving intimate/loungey with a hint of upscale. There is street parking, metered, and private lot (across the street). We've tried everything on the HAPPY HOUR menu (except poke) cause it's a good deal. Happy Hour is Tue-Sat, 3:30p-6p and Sun, 3:30p-Closing. Our go-to's are the calamari misto, brussel sprouts. duck fat fries, beer onion dip, fried chicken sliders, and flatbreads (will be starred). For the daily specials, I think the most popular one is Wed Prime Rib (comes with salad and dessert too). Pretty good - I would say it's almost comparable to HOPR! FRESH OYSTERS (5): Topped with asian pear and sherry wine granita. I forget it's not raw, so it's a little on the sweet side which threw me off, but still good. Comes out as a good size, fresh, and not fishy at all. POACHED OYSTERS (5): If you're someone who looks for something a little more 'cooked', this would be for you. The shell is initially hot, so be careful. It's topped with herb chimichurri, but is good and our fave between the two. *CALAMARI MISTO: We always order 1-2 plates of these when we come down for HH. It's an assortment of battered calamari, shrimp, artichoke hearts, onions, and peppers, served with a side of cocktail sauce and lemon tartar. We love to mix up the sauces on our plates and if not, I like dipping it in the lemon tartar as well as squeezing the lemon over it giving it a citrusy taste. It's a good mix but you won't find specifically only calamari if that's what you're looking for. DEVILED EGGS (4): Topped with different things (bacon marmalade, smoked salmon & roe, truffle pate, black tobiko). I love the deviled eggs here and the different flavors each one has. The bacon one gives it a slight sweetness to it while the others are a burst of different taste if you want something different. *BRUSSEL SPROUTS: If you want to add more veggies to your diet, you can never go wrong with brussel sprouts. They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with a sweet and nutty taste. Good caramelization and the balsamic glaze is a nice sweet & tangy counterpoint. The pork belly's fattiness enhances the flavors a little more. *DUCK FAT FRIES: They are potato wedge fries cooked in duck fat, sprinkled with umami salt, and comes with a scallion aioli for dip. I don't normally like potato wedge fries, but these don't taste as potatoey, it's crispy, and the duck fat it's cooked in is subtle. WAFFLE FRIES: Criss-cut fries, sprinkled with cajun spiced and covered in gorgonzola sauce. I like these fries because they're always crispy and I love cajun spice, but I always have the gorgonzola sauce on the side because I find the taste too overpowering and strong. *BEER ONION DIP: A bowl of caramelized onion, beer, and garlic, while served with truffle potato chips. When this was added onto the menu, we were so excited! The truffle potato chips look like taro chips to me, but it is crunchy and goes well with the beer onion dip that is heavy mayo-based. We always finish the chips faster than the dip, and if you ask for extras, there will be an extra charge. I suggest taking the rest of the dip to go and using your own chips so you can enjoy as much as you can. KOREAN CHICKEN WINGS (6): Slightly wet with sweet soy sauce, but slightly dry at the same time. I think it was sprinkled with a little chili to give it some heat. Comes with a side of pickled radish/veggies. It's crunchy and a little sweet & spicy, but good. *FRIED CHICKEN SLIDERS (2): The fried chicken sliders are palm-sized and has chipotle sauce, giving it a semi-spicy kick, and spicy slaw. Give me all the spice!! It's pretty good and the fried chicken remains crispy. We always order two orders (one for each of us) with other HH items and it's always filling. Also comes w/ pickled veggies. *FLATBREAD: Comes with pork belly/kimchi, duck confit/arugula/grilled pineapples, and prosciutto/roasted tomatoes/arugula. Our faves are the pork belly/kimchi and prosciutto/roasted tomatoes. All meat portions are spread out evenly through the flatbread. -The pork belly/kimchi isn't spicy at all, but it has a scallion aioli which I think brings out the flavor of the flatbread. -The prosciutto is our initial favorite because it doesn't feel as heavy and the prosciutto gives it a nice saltiness to it while the roasted tomatoes are a bit sweet, and the arugula is a little peppery. -The duck confit/arugula/grilled pineapple is also good. The duck confit is shredded and almost looks like carnitas. The grilled pineapple almost gives off a sour/sweet taste. read more

See all

super aesthetic on the inside, great food, highly edible but alittle pricier but, thankfully, the staff are so sweet and the vibes are great so it was worth it for the one visit! I wouldn't come here often but it's definitely worth checking out read more

See all

We enjoyed our meal at Fermentation Lab. Intimate. Great server Adrian. And good food! Located right in the heart of Japantown, it's a surprisingly calm and laid back vibe. Will definitely come back! Thanks for an enjoyable time! read more

See all

Went for Happy Hour (all day on sunday even though online is says 3:30-close) with some friends around 4:30pm after walking around japan town! It's located right above pagoda. It was not crowded, ambience was chill and dim lighting. We got the pork belly and kimchi flatbread, duck fat fries, and ahi poke (our fav). All the food was excellent and we left satisfied! We also ordered some drinks but they forgot about them so we took them off the check and they gave us a free drink and churros on the house which was nice. The churros were really good too :) I would def go back ! read more

See all

After walking around japantown, we made a reservation for dinner. We were a party of 4 and checked in half an hour early. Wasn't too busy and were seated right away in a corner booth. This was around 5:30pm on a saturday. The employees are friendly and took down our drinks first as we browsed the menu. Our drinks were super refreshing and food was flavorful. My friends got the loco moco (burger patty with egg and rice topped with gravy), the teriyaki burger, and I shared my squid ink noodles. I really enjoyed the squid ink noodles. There is a bit of spice to the sauce but it was very good as me and my friend finished the dish. This place is about quality. With drinks and food, our total came out to $230. I would come back to try their other foods too. read more

See all

How lucky are we? Sunday night at Fermentation Lab , and our waiter, Adrian (our favorite wait person). Happy Hour menu is incredible, and we got to sit at our favorite seats for our group. Sierra jumped in during desserts, she's wonderful. Anything you order to eat at Fermentation Lab will be AMAZING! read more

See all

Came here for dinner on a week night, and service was good, nice ambiance, but unfortunately food was mediocre. We tried the deviled eggs, it was fine, nothing to write home about. The calamari was also good, but didn't knock my socks off. I had the uni pasta for my main course, and it was ok. So many reviewers raved about this dish, but unfortunately it was not the best uni pasta I've had. I think I make better uni pasta TBH lol read more

Fermentation Lab - Uni pasta was a ok for me. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I didn't try their food but came for the cocktails and they were so delicious. They offer a variety of Asian inspired flavors and are deliciously crafted. Our server was great! He was attentive and gave great recommendations according to our preferences. I would recommend getting their lychee martini and pandan lemon drop. This place has a nice, upscale lounge ambiance. It's spacious yet cozy and a perfect spot for a little date night or out with friends. read more

See all

Food was okay, server was great - very attentive and checked in several times throughout the night, restaurant got loud as more people came in for dinner. Appetizers -- Calamari mistro was a great appetizer. The duck tacos were a bit dry. Entrees -- Burger was good, but the loco moco patty was also dry. Desserts -- don't recommend either of the churros or the crème brûlée - too sweet! read more

See all

I've heard so many good things about the duck fat fries here so finally decided to come for Happy Hour on a Saturday. We seated ourselves and were promptly given menus and water. We got the chicken sliders, duck fat fries and korean fried chicken. Chicken sliders: nothing special about them but they tasted fine. Slightly on the dry side. Korean fried chicken: might have been the worst I've had (excluding Bonchon). The description said "sweet soy sauce" and I don't think the flavor was accurate to that at all. Texture was soft, bordering soggy. Duck fat fries: tasted alright but I wish they had more crunch/bite to them. It was kind of like a mashed potato with a fried exterior. Loved the dipping sauce though -- probably the most memorable part of the meal! Overall was not impressed and probably won't visit again. But maybe I just came on an off day. read more

See all

Fermentation Lab in Japantown is one of those spots that surprises you in the best way -- part gastropub, part creative kitchen, and fully committed to bold, layered flavors. We came hungry (always a good idea here) and ended up with a table full of dishes that showed just how playful and varied their menu can be. The deviled eggs was such a fun start -- beautifully presented little flavor bombs, each with its own twist of pickles, spreads, and fresh herbs. Paired with the duck fat fries wedges and a bright green dipping sauce, it set the tone for a meal that leans indulgent but never heavy. The Cajun pasta in a rich, creamy sauce was fragrant and comforting, with big shrimp and veggies tucked between the noodles. Even better was the UNI Pasta, visually stunning and topped with tobiko, microgreens, and a generous dollop of uni -- savory, ocean-y, and totally crave-worthy. TEA LEAF SALAD was refreshing and light. The heartier dishes didn't disappoint either. Yummy Loco Moco, and The beef tenderloin tips over mashed potatoes was pure comfort food -- tender chunks of meat, silky gravy, and crisp broccolini to cut through the richness. We closed out the night with a warm bread-pudding-style dessert topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate. Soft, gooey, and perfect for sharing (though no judgment if you don't). Love the vibe and ambiance of this place. Fun place to go with a group of friends or a romantic date. Friendly staff, cozy energy, great drinks, and hearty plates that hit the spot after wandering around Japantown. A solid neighborhood pick if you're in the mood for creative comfort food. 4 stars! read more

See all

Came in for happy hour and were seated immediately. It was already pretty busy but we got seated at an available smaller table on the side. The Brussel sprouts and oysters were great appetizers to a bigger dinner we had afterwards. Highly recommend. read more

Fermentation Lab - Brussel sprouts, chimichurri grilled oyster - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

3-1/2 stars, but rounding up to 4 because we enjoyed the diversity and creativity of our dishes and the warm and friendly service. We had... Korean fried chicken wings - 4 stars Duck tacos - 3 stars for being a bit bland Tea leaf salad - 3-1/2 stars, a solid dish, but better at Burmese restaurants Uni pasta - 4 stars, delicious, but because of its simplicity, it's better to share with several people. read more

Great spot to have casual drinks with friends in Japantown right across from the Peace Plaza. The waitress was so sweet and took our orders promptly and brought our drinks out all at once. We came here after a movie premiere and got some old fashioneds, cider, lemon pandan martini and i got the bees knees which was amazing. Ive been here a handful of times and it's a chill and lowkey spot for cocktails. However, I do wish they would change up the menu every now and then for drinks and also incorporate sake based cocktails if that's a thing. read more

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

Hidden gem! Fermentation Lab is in the heart of Japantown and I'm upset I haven't discovered this place earlier! We came as a party of 4 for brunch on a weekend and it was fairly empty. The space is really big and has a bar area as well. We're a big fan of duck so we ordered the duck porridge and that was amazing. I would come back in a heartbeat. read more

See all

Came here for Happy Hour on a Friday and i cant believe i slept on this place for so long! beautifully remodeled from an old Korean karaoke spot, the ambience is perfect for a date night or a girls night out. We had reservations for 4:30pm, but we really didnt need it since the place was empty. Food: Fresh Oysters (5/5) i was really taken back by the slushy on top of the oysters but it was surprisingly delicious and really unique. Asian pear was well paired with the sherry wine Uni Pasta (5/5) Beautiful dish, I came here just for this LOL nice portion, the pasta was cooked perfectly and the uni cream sauce was to die for. must get. Deviled eggs (4/5) this dish took the longest to come out, but you get 4 different kinds of eggs and they're very unique individually. duck fat fries (5/5) i've had duck fries in London and haven't found anything close to those fries until this place. comes with an aioli and was perfectly crisp and soft on the inside. drinks are also super pretty, and on Fridays for Happy hour, all Soju bottles are 50% off! read more

See all

Checked out Fermentation Lab for the first time, it was giving the same vibes as Kei Concepts restaurants in Southern California. This one's located in Japantown right across from the mall, so there's plenty to do. We had reservations, so got seated immediately when we arrived. We were seated right by the entryway, but the staff offered us a better table (original table, just wasn't cleaned yet) shortly. We ordered: Fresh Oysters, Poached Oysters, Uni Pasta, Makgeolli Braised Pork Belly, and a few drinks. I really liked the poached oysters over the fresh ones. You can't go wrong with either the Uni Pasta or the Braised Pork Belly. The sauce for the uni pasta is perfection and the pork belly was a buttery thick cut over rice. For dessert, we got the Ube Whiskey Pie. It was more ube than pie texture. Flavors were good, I wasn't too into the texture. Would definitely come here again when in town! read more

See all

It was early in the morning. We're hungry and dimsum was just a bit too far to bart over. Got off and did a 5 min walk to this place. Was greeted with a beautiful arrangement at the entryway. We looked at the menu and who would have thought you could have a loco moco, porridge, whiskey and beer at like 10am. The bar is fully furnished with all kinds of whiskey and sake. We ordered the mushroom porridge and loco moco. Rice in porridge needs just a bit more time on the stove to soften the grain. Loco moco sauce is a tiny bit on the saltier side, but overall is great. read more

See all

Perfect for happy hour on a Friday. Cousin date night with some good food and dessert. Let's say the uni pasta was my favorite. The amount of food we order was perfect for two. I would recommend you to either reserve a table or get there before 5 PM. Happy hours means 50% of all sake read more

See all

Came by near opening on a Saturday morning. It was pretty empty, but possibly because it was too early. There weren't a lot of walk-ins during the time we were there either. Bar doesn't open later either. Maybe they get busier during dinner. Duck fat fries were amazing. They were crunchy, and the fat kept it savory and moist on the inside. The scallion aioli was a good pairing as well. It's a little more expensive than a normal side of fries, but it was easily my favorite thing there. Makkgeolli pork belly and kimchi eggs benedict was also good. It is heavier. I wanted more kimchi to cut the fat since the pork belly and hollandaise sauce was so rich. Otherwise, very tasty. Duck confit porridge was on the saltier side. Would not get again. Loco moco was good. Very rich, so something I wouldn't eat as the first meal of the day again. The patty was very tender. Solid place for brunch. Would come back to try their dinner options. read more

See all

Been coming here for years Adrian and Trinity are the most attentive, kindest, and sweetest people working here. They have very reasonably priced happy hour items especially the oysters and sliders are a must try and have been consistently good! The spot is clean, fun, and very inviting for a family dinner or a casual date spot too. read more

Great ambience, dimly lit with black and white movies playing on the wall. Even though the place was busy, we were able to get a table for 4 on a Saturday night. The drink menu was intriguing! I'd come back to try more. Smokey dragon - smoky mezcal with dragon fruit and grape juice, quite tangy, the smokiness hits you immediately Espresso martini - smooth, balanced espresso flavor Duck fat fries - extra crispy skin with soft delicate inside, great to snack on while nursing some drinks Makgeoli pork belly - super soft and succulent pork belly, wrap in lettuce and Kimchi, delightful read more

See all

We happened to stop by for some refreshments and were delighted with the service and the appetizers were spot on. Unfortunately, we were too early to sample the braised beef. We'll be back soon. The staff was very helpful with the three little kids in our party too. read more

**3.5/5. It's a great place with huge portions. I don't think the food was anything extraordinary or inventive, but the quality was great. The interior is a bit old and not my vibe but the staff were really nice and would come back again!! read more

See all

Located in Japan Town San Francisco, this hidden gem is a great place to enjoy a great dinner with friends. Featuring an Asian fusion cuisine in a contemporary/modern setting. I highly recommend their ahi poke tower: delicious stake of ahi shoyu poke with avocado, served with taro chips. Their deviled eggs are a spectacular dish: four different flavors, colors and taste! We also ordered a delicious chicken sliders and thick cut French fries! read more

See all

Dinner review. Cocktail bar. Deviled Eggs Bacon Marmalade, Smoked Salmon & Roe, Pickled Veg Fresh Oysters (6) Asian Pear & Sherry Wine Granita Menchi Katsu Japanese Style Meat Katsu, Shredded Cabbage, Katsu Sauce, Mayo, Kimchi FERMLAB Burger Angus Chuck Patty, Sautéed Kimchi, Fontina Cheese, Smoked Pork Belly, Fried Onion Strips, Pickled Veg (Best) Uni Pasta (Seasonal) Fresh Squid Ink Pasta, Chili de Árbol, Garlic, Fresh Uni, Caviar Overall, very different vibe from their market street location, but the uni pasta is worth coming here for. "I'm a fan." read more

See all

Came here late for some cocktails and food. I love the variety of cocktails they have. It's a nice spot for a date night. The food was great. I enjoyed the oysters and beef tartare the best. read more

In the courtyard of Japantown, Fermentation Lab was way nicer inside than I expected. Definitely more upscale. Service was great and the happy hour menu had some solid little bites of elevated bar food, my favorite was the poached oysters and the rest were really pretty. I'd come back for a date or a night out. read more

See all

Went for a early HH after work with coworkers and the staff was super nice and let us sit and order even though we arrived 10-15 minutes before their official opening time. We probably ordered everything on the HH menu, but the standouts were the calamari misto, Brussel sprouts, and waffle fries. I don't know what's in that Gorgonzola sauce, but I was dipping everything in that. I would probably drink it, but instead I washed everything down with their lychee martini. It was nice and sweet, just the way I like it but the alcohol definitely hits you later after two more. Would definitely return for HH or their dinner service. Love what they did to the space, but RIP Dennys. IYKYK. read more

came here with some girlfriends for happy hour, solid prices! everything was less than $12 per item for the happy hour menu. the waiter forgot our drinks but was super apologetic & offered churros on the house. the churros were yummy & the sauces on the side were a great addition. i really enjoyed the matcha dip the poke tasted very fresh & the crunchy chips were nice as well. fries were solid & thick. enjoyed the sauce on the side lastly, the pizza tasted nice as well. good ratio of toppings to crust & a filling meal. would definitely return to this place! read more

See all

What a great addition to the Japantown bar scene! We only came for drinks and didn't try any food, and we were very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the cocktails, service, and overall atmosphere. Walking in, Fermentation Lab immediately gives off swanky, loungey hotel bar vibes (which, to clarify, I'm into). Adorned with chandeliers, flowers hanging from the balcony level, and ample seating with comfortable velvet couches, this spot makes for an upscale, yet welcoming and approachable vibe that's perfect for a date night or for hanging out with a group of friends. For drinks, I had the smokey dragon and espresso martini, and both were excellent! Both were relatively standard fare in terms of ingredients, although I noticed they use dragonfruit to excellent effect in several of their drinks (including the smokey dragon), which is a nice touch! The drinks were balanced, tasty, and generously portioned, although a bit on the pricey side of what you'll find in Japantown. Our server was very friendly and attentive, with a great sense of humor. I'll definitely be back to try the food. But in the meantime, if you're looking for an excellent spot in Japantown for great drinks with a great, chill vibe, you can't go wrong with Fermentation Lab! read more

See all

Fermentation Lab is located in Japantown and serves Asian fusion food with inspirations including but not limited to Filipino, Japanese, and Korean cuisine. There is a parking structure across the street for a couple dollars an hour. You can put your name on the Yelp waitlist which is good because there could be long waits during rush hour. DUCK FAT FRIES ($11) - this was just okay; none of us were fans of the steak fries as we prefer thinner fries. 3/5 AHI POKE TUNA ($20) - this was good although I wish there were more portions of avocado. 4/5 FERMLAB BURGER ($20) - this burger came with a bunch of interesting ingredients like sautéed kimchi, smoked pork belly, and fried onion strips. It was a decent burger but I don't know if everything came together well. 3.5/5 The other people in my party ordered the uni pasta (who they said was good) and the duck confit tacos (who they said was not good and was lacking flavor). For drinks I ordered the penicillin with scotch ($18) which was good as were the other drinks my party ordered (raichi martini and yuzu margarita). I thought the drinks were all solid and some of the food was better than others. The interior was really nice and looked to be a great dinner spot or a date night. read more

See all

Restaurant wasn't too busy on a Thursday evening even though open table said they didn't have spots. The vibe in here is really nice - not too loud but still fun since half the restaurant is bar/lounge style seats and half is tables. Our favorites were the duck fat fries and beef tenderloin tips. There's an extensive and creative cocktail menu. The drinks weren't super strong, but I enjoyed the lychee martini which was sweet and tasty. Would definitely return to try more drinks and the burgers! read more

See all