I've been to Noren a few times for drinks after dinner, but it was my first time trying the skewers. Superb! I had a reservation for Saturday evening, but the store was empty and we were seated right away. Interior has quite a few tables, bar seating, bathroom in the back, and has vibes on the darker intimate side. Staff was friendly and gave us recommendations and introduced the various skewers we got when they arrived. Ordering is done by drawing/circling on the paper menus you're given. We got a wagyu gyutan curry which was delicious and rich, though on the smaller side. The mapo tofu udon was just alright, with it just vaguely being spicy and I would likely choose a different side dish when I'm back as so many other things on the menu are good. The real stars of the dinner were the skewers which were all fantastically prepared and flavorful. The bacon mochi was really great in particular, with the crispy bacon and soft mochi contrasting each other while having a sweet savory kick to it. My dining partner got the Nihon Mikerada, which she mentioned was great for the first 75% as it went well with the skewers, but quickly turned undrinkable for the last 25% as all the salt had settled at the bottom. Noren is one of the better locations in SF for Japanese style skewers. I'll definitely be back for more skewers and drinks. read more