Refined tasting experience with beautifully curated courses…read more Had a tasting menu at Ssal in San Francisco and experienced a wide range of thoughtfully prepared dishes, including sea scallop, barbecued live eel, bluefin tuna with Kaluga sturgeon caviar (+$30), aged amberjack, octopus chilled broth, cold water halibut, littleneck clam, grilled beef short rib with truffle, and a series of desserts and teas like magnolia berry, green tea cream roll, roasted burdock tea, Korean cracker, injeolmi cream puff, and maple candied pecan. Every course felt intentional and well-balanced, showcasing a mix of delicate seafood, rich proteins, and creative textures. The seafood dishes stood out for their freshness and clean execution--the scallop and halibut in particular were light yet full of natural flavor, while the bluefin tuna with Kaluga sturgeon caviar added a luxurious touch. The grilled beef short rib with truffle was deeply savory and rich, offering a satisfying contrast to the lighter courses. The pacing of the meal was smooth, and each dish arrived thoughtfully presented, making the entire experience feel like a well-orchestrated progression rather than just individual plates. Service was attentive, knowledgeable, and professional, with staff explaining each course and maintaining a calm, refined dining flow. The vibe is elegant and modern, with a quiet, focused atmosphere that allows the food to take center stage. It feels like a true fine dining experience designed for appreciation and exploration. Overall, a memorable and elevated tasting menu experience in San Francisco. Each course brought something different, and the balance of flavors, textures, and presentation made it a standout dining experience worth returning to.

Ssal is a one-Michelin-star Korean tasting menu restaurant on Polk Street, and it should have two…read more We came here to celebrate our birthday and anniversary, and it could not have been a more perfect choice. Fourteen courses, each rooted in traditional Korean cuisine but presented in a way that feels fresh and surprising. You don't get a menu until the end of the meal, so every course is a surprise, which honestly made it even more fun. The space has that perfect minimalist Korean aesthetic: calm, intentional, and beautiful without trying too hard. Service was warm and personal while still being polished, the kind where you feel genuinely looked after without it ever feeling stiff. The courses: - Island Creek Oyster, Choujang: Arrives on a covered bowl of smoked charred grass, and that smoky aroma hits you before you even take a bite. The choujang was not too spicy and paired perfectly with the oyster. A brilliant way to open. - Bluefin Tuna, Kaluga Caviar, Handmade Sesame Oil: The star here was actually the seaweed. The crunch and full seaweed flavor was outstanding and tied everything together. - Australian Wagyu, Emerald Kiwi, Pine Nut: Sweet and savory. The tart base had a satisfying bite and the kiwi brightness against the wagyu richness worked really well. - Roasted Sweet Potato, Périgord Truffle: The truffle is shaved over the potato. It could have come inside the crochette, but then you'd lose the visual. Delicious either way. - Live American Eel, Koshihikari, Gamtae: The gamtae seaweed tastes almost like a tea, delicate and slightly floral. It balanced beautifully with the eel and was one of the most unique bites of the night. - Hokkaido Sweet Prawn, Brokaw Avocado, Kaluga Caviar + Ssal x Arsicault Bakery Croissant: Meant to be eaten like avocado toast, and it works beautifully. The only thing I'd add is a pinch of finishing salt on the avocado. The croissant is the famous Arsicault one with 320 layers, incredibly fluffy but not the least bit oily. - Dungeness Crab, Bafun Sea Urchin, Gold Queen Rice: The standout of the night. Comforting and elegant all at once. It reminded me of that moment when you're eating crab, you save the top shell with all the roe and juices, add rice, and mix it together. That's exactly this, but elevated. So good. - Korean Abalone, Bloomsdale Spinach, Malted Fingerling: I've always found abalone too tough, but not here. Tender, flavorful. - Cuttlefish, Chrysanthemum, Dubu, Deonjang Beurre Blanc: The cuttlefish had that perfect fresh chew, almost a crunch, that you want from really good cuttlefish. - Sablefish, Zuckerman Green Asparagus, Fermented Chili Jorim: Could not believe this was fish. It cuts through like butter. - Wolfe Ranch Quail, Bokbunja, Red Ginseng: A whole quail split between each couple at the table. Rich, tender, and very savory. - KBBQ Galbi, Tteokgalbi, Morel, Black Garlic: An optional add-on course and absolutely worth it. The galbi is not A5, but it looks and tastes like it is. The marbling comes through on every single bite. - Asian Pear, Omija, Cinnamon: Omija is also called the five flavor berry, and it really does deliver all five. The combination of the jelly, fresh pear, and sorbet made for a really interesting mix of textures. - Albion Strawberry, Yogurt, Mint / Mignardises & Fruit: The fruit plate of strawberry, mulberry, and cherries. This also comes with a burdock tea, which I am now obsessed with and have already ordered on Amazon. The menu is signed by the kitchen team and given to you at the end as a keepsake. Thank you Ssal for a great and memorable night!

We came to Mashita Galbi Jim on a Sunday and were the first in line. We were anticipating long wait…read moretimes after having tried to eat here a few times before. If you're not able to squeeze into the first wave, the wait is upwards of 2 hours! FOOD: We ordered one galbi jim with extra noodles and rice cakes and a separate garlic noodles for a party of 5. While we initially thought we could finish two galbi jims, our server cautioned us against it, referencing the healthy portion size. We were glad we took her advice because everyone was stuffed by the end of our meal. Their galbi jim was flavorful, with extremely tender beef and chewy rice cakes. We ordered the lowest level of spiciness and while there was still a kick, it was extremely manageable. SERVICE: We were the first to be seated and our galbi jim took almost 20 minutes to come out while others waited even longer. However, they comped our garlic noodles and apologized for turning waits. Overall, I'd definitely return if I'm able to get into the first wave of seating.

Came here on a Friday night at 7:30. Had to wait about 30-40 min for 2 seats. The restaurant is…read moresmall so unless you have a 4-6 person party, expect to be seated side by side other parties. Typically what I saw was they do waves of seating and ordering so if you aren't there right at open/when they fill up, plan to write your name down and grab a drink nearby. Once we got seated, they were pretty prompt to give us utensils, napkins, cups, and water. The two of us shared the Braise Beef Galbi Stew. It's more than enough for 2 people to go home in food comas (with some food remaining) and for 3 to be sufficiently full. If you have big eaters, order an app alongside if you have 3 people. The Galbi stew was exceptional. I liked that they had various levels of spiciness. We went with spicy and it had a nice kick that elevated the dish for me. The beef was very tender and flavorful and the veggies and rice cakes soaked up all the juices. And the cheese was so stretchy! I'd actually rank this place slightly above Daeho given the shorter wait, the quality, and the price. I'll be back for sure.

We came initially to celebrate my niece's birthday and let me tell you the service was good the…read morefood was good everything was excellent and we had a great time there

Literally everything I ordered was amazing! The spring rolls, beef wraps, and popcorn chicken were…read moreall so good. Then came the spicy prawns and vegetables served with perfectly steamed white rice--absolutely delicious. The Blue Wave rum cocktail, beautifully presented in a crystal fish glass, was perfection. The service was on point: friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated and creates such a great atmosphere. This place is an absolute must-visit!

Walked in on a Saturday afternoon around 3:30. The place was empty as it had just opened up. The…read morevibes are great, cute interior, mood lighting and comfy seats. We just got drinks but I definitely want to try the food next time. I believe they start serving after 5. I ordered the divine wind, okinawa and appley named. If you like drinks that are on the sweeter side, I would recommend the okinawa and appley. I enjoyed all three drinks in their own way. The divine wind had a mango jelly on top that you are supposed to eat before sipping. Fun experience, great service. They also welcomed my dog and gave her snacks.

My enthusiasm for Bar Iris has fizzled out in the last year since I first visited. I think it's…read morestill a solid spot to get cocktails, especially for a date night or relaxed hangout with close friends, but with the bar's evolving menu, what I once considered favorites, are no longer featured, so it becomes a guessing game trying to figure out which new drink(s) I'll like, and it's a costly game at $21+ per drink (not including tax and tip). I really think the selling points of the bar are its spaciousness and calm atmosphere. Unlike most bars with music blasted so loud, I lose my voice trying to talk to my friends, Bar Iris keeps the music at an ambient level for some background noise, but it doesn't interfere with conversations. The service is also quite good. The staff allowed my group of 6 to pay individually for our drinks, which was awesome. The most cards I've typically seen allowed per group is 2, so Bar Iris is doing it right with the payments process.

Went here for both dinner and brunch and I can say that you go to surisan for their delicious…read moreKorean fusion brunch goodness! There is a waitlist for the weekends with a 30min est. wait time but it's well worth it! Easy to kill time around the area since you're near the pier to catch a stunning morning view. Staff is very quick & attentive despite their headcount to customer ratio so kudos to that! I've had great quick experiences in both settings. Must gets: Korean fried chicken (soy garlic in particular, skip the honey butter) Galbjim eggs Benedict, the fatty saltiness of the pork really compliments the light and creamy goodness of an eggs Benedict! Hollaindaise sauce was delicious as well!!

Chicken Cup Bap - was okay lightly spicy but it builds after a good amount of eating. The chicken…read morehad a great crunch but a bit overly breaded. Sampler was okay - probably would've skipped it and only gotten the original and rosemary as those were the only ones we really liked. Galbi sando - was not my favorite but the fries were delicious! The bread was a bit consumed by the ingredients inside. (Opted into no whip) Strawberry matcha was nicely balanced. (Opted into no whip) Ube matcha was not my cup of tea it was not well balanced. Service was prompt, staff was nice, and the seating area wasn't overly crowded.

One of my new favorite restaurants!…read more Elevated Chinese in a gorgeous setting with innovative dishes. It was a wonderful choice for my father's birthday dinner on a Saturday night, everyone had so much fun sharing all the yummy, beautiful dishes family style. My fave were the pumpkin puffs filled with duck, and everyone was obsessed with the black bean eggplant & silky tofu. The fried har gow is unique, and the pan fried bbq pork buns are sooo soft & addictive (still thinking about them). I was worried about the picky kids finding something to eat, but they sucked up all the dumplings quickly, were excited about the beautiful & unique dishes, and ate more than usual much to their parents' delight! Only thing I would love to see is the desserts leveling up to the savory food with more Chinese-inspired creative recipes (mango cake was a bit dry). Opened in 2022 - this place is Michelin level, and worth the time to review & spread the word. It's a bit pricey, but absolutely worth it for organic, sustainable food, and a truly lovely experience for the family. They also have a private room. I can't wait to go back to enjoy the patio on a warm day!

The walk in vibe and the restaurant's interiorwere so nicely decorated and the menu included a…read morepretty wide variety of food options. Workers were very helpful if we had any questions on the menu throughout the ordering process. Food was overall pretty good, especially the green beans and this place would be a nice spot to have small group dinners with friends and family.

This place was excellent, my team came here with a large group of 15 for an offsite lunch and we…read morehad a fantastic time. Many vegetarian/vegan options on the menu. Standout was definitely the green beans, pretty much everyone enjoyed. They were extremely well done, super crispy on the outside while tender and flavorful inside. I also thought the mapo tofu dumplings were extremely unique and delicious, they had a very strong mapo tofu flavor which I have never seen in dumplings before, although some of my teammates were not big fans. I also enjoyed the spring rolls, vegetarian dumplings, and vegetarian potstickers, although none of them really stood out. The staff were fantastic the whole time and did a great job handling our large group.

If you're looking for next level Chinese food then look no further! You literally can taste the…read morequality in the ingredients used here. And isn't that everything? Dan Dan noodles. Undeniably first rate although a tad too spicy for my hubs. Maaaaybe for me too, though I don't like to admit it since I like to think that I possess a high threshold for spice. Like I'm some kind of spice ninja or something. But, in actuality, I'm just not. Hot & spicy dumplings. I hate mushy dumplings & these were nothing of the sort. Full of flavor, but not too spicy. Beef noodle soup. Hubs LOVED this so much that now he orders it every time. Fried rice. I order fried rice every time I order any Chinese food, just fact. This fried rice is stellar! So fresh, perfectly cooked, & not greasy. Win. Barbecued pork buns. Dynamite! Scallion pancake. Not too thick, not too thin. Not overcooked, not undercooked. Not too greasy. They got it right. Crab & cream cheese "rolls." For whatever reason, I feel compelled to order crab rangoon whenever I order Chinese, & this is their equivalent. They're more like "packets," thin & flat. The ratio of vessel to filling is just disproportionate. Where's the crab? Perhaps more importantly, where's the crab flavor? Lots of potential here but they fall flat. This appetizer is the only thing we've tried here that we haven't loved. Dumpling Union is now our favorite for Chinese delivery. Thank you DU for bringing us such a fresh & quality option for Chinese food. 4 & 1/2 stars.

High quality, clean ingredients, and mind-blowing flavors! Service is superb. Friendly staff…read moreupgrades your dining experience to an unforgettable great memory. I have dined there multiple times and hosted several parties there. Everyone tried the food all love it. 5/5. They also have a happy hour menu and the portion is filling. I specifically love the Wagyu garlic noodles, it's garlicky, buttery, beefy, it super addicting. The ground floor is smaller with a bar with 5 TVs where you can dine solo and drink beer at the bar or have smaller parties. The second floor is huge and there's also a large karaoke room where you can easily fit 30 people for a bigger party.

We came on a Saturday evening for an early dinner and were able to walk in with no wait. The server…read moregreeted us warmly and seated us right away. The restaurant was quiet, clean, and comfortable overall. We ordered the Australian Wagyu AYCE menu. The meat and veggie options weren't a lot, but everything we tried was really high quality. We chose the tonkotsu and Japanese tomato soup bases, and both were tasty without being too strong. The chicken karaage was a standout -- we liked it so much we ordered it twice! It wasn't exactly traditional Japanese-style karaage; it tasted more like Taiwanese popcorn chicken, which we loved. Overall, a great dining experience!