Benu

Tl;Dr - Incredibly warm service, indelibly memorable dishes, and exceptionally precise flavor, Benu marries fine dining with a unique blend of Korean and Cantonese inspired dishes for visually flaired results. I'd say this is the first time where I got a real taste of when form meets function, because from the moment you enter their little enclave off Hawthorne Street you can see that one thing Benu really cares about, is optics. Admittedly I put Benu off for years, sneaking peeks at their prep through the very open window they have off Hawthorne. The menu was slightly unnapproachable for me then, and that was a smart move after having experienced it. This menu more than any Michelin star experience I've had I believe requires a bit of prep with a western palette.One thing I really get from this place is an air of tranquility. The colors, the attitude of the staff, even the dinnerware all brought forth this element of purity that I haven't quite gotten in previous Michelin adventures. The only comparable air was at Atalier Crenn but that was more an attitude of bold elegance. I found the more laid back vibe of Benu to be very calming, which I liked. We did not opt for the beverage pairing but the pricing was reasonable, I still wonder how they would of weaved selections from their wine, beer, and sake menu. I had a decent bottle of sake I brought, which they kept perfectly chilled throughout the night. The first part of the menu is a parade of savory treats, my standout being their glass noodle in mussel that I've seen shown prominently on many of their reviews. It definitely looks as good as it tastes, textures playing off one another with exceptional flavor. Visually though, truly unique. I'd say we both were also completely smitten with the frog leg in roasted chili and scallions, that cook was absolutely out of this world. Delicate meat lightly infused with the *perfect* hint of spice, I could of eaten a bucket of those alone. Bravo.It finished out with a deeply flavorful xiaolongbao with their in house soy sauce (of which you see ceramics aging all over their courtyard). The taste of that sauce is bar none, the best I've ever had. Rich, complex, absolutely phenomenal, you can taste the effort. With every dish, the servers would very warmly greet us, explaining the dishes with enthusiasm, always anticipating the completion of dishes, refilling waters, etc. Exacting and diligent, head of service should be proud of this team. Rounding out the entrees was halibut fin, which I had not tried before anywhere else. The texture of it within the crispy outside was incredibly rich, definitely understand now why it's such a prized delicacy. The smoked quail, one of my standouts was rustic & earthy, with a house xo to compliment and enrich the flavor. I do feel the xo needed a little kick there, I was wishing for something I could add for some latent spice like the frog leg. Small comments. The course of beef rib brought it all full circle for me because I had weeks ago made my "first Korean inspired" dish at home of a slow simmered beef rib soup so it was right up my alley. One thing I'll say though is Korean dishes (and Cantonese) are still quite foreign to my palette, so this is where some of the dishes started to diverge between me and my wife who was raised in Manilla on vastly different cuisine. I thought the rib was good, the highlight being that falling-off-the-bone cook, but the sides I felt were a bit underwhelming. The hot mustard I thought needed more, my highlight was the lettuce namul. My wife conversely loved the hot mustard and said I was crazy. So, there you have it. The rice cake soup was the only thing I didn't fully enjoy, the flavors being just too intense for me. My wife who makes it at home loved it. I did love the kkakdugi though, which was delicious and springy. The deserts for me I would say were the weakest part of the menu, all-in-all I felt that my personal experience went from highs to lows with this menu as we finished out, but my palette is more geared towards french cuisine. The milk sherbert with strawberry for example I think was far too reserved, I was dying for some intense strawberry or salt to balance the cream. There is definitely value to be found here as they offer a very complex and involved menu at a respectable price point. While they do not send you home with any gifts like many other places they sent us home that night with a profound appreciation for a menu that takes great pleasure in visual style. It's clear to me Corey Lee has a winning concept here as it has certainly stood the test of time thus far and I understand why. His location excudes careful deliberation and fearless confidence in his flavors. I feel he can win over anyone but those who are not accustom to this kind of cuisine, which explains why some patrons find this menu to be intimidating. We want to thank the team at Benu for a great evening. Would happily return.

This renowned Michelin three-star restaurant in San Francisco is celebrated for its innovative approach to Korean cuisine, with touches of Taiwanese and Chinese influences. Each dish is meticulously crafted by the chef, starting with a series of creations before the main courses. However, while I had high expectations, the first dish on the menu felt quite ordinary, lacking the wow factor I anticipated.As a Taiwanese who grew up eating xiaolongbao, I found their version rather underwhelming technically well-executed but missing that special touch. The main course, a beef stew, also fell short for me. It reminded me of a common dish found in many Korean restaurants, and I didn't find anything particularly groundbreaking in its execution. While I can appreciate the effort behind their fusion approach, I felt that some flavors weren't entirely authentic. That said, for those unfamiliar with these cuisines, the experience might feel more unique and exciting.What truly stood out, however, was the final touch a delicate and inventive mint paper that left a lasting impression. It was a brilliant showcase of the chef's creativity and an unexpected highlight of the meal. The restaurant's ambiance is refined, service is impeccable, and while the price is on the higher side, the overall experience is undeniably luxurious. Highly recommended for those looking for a refined, contemporary take on Asian flavors.

This was my fourth visit to Benu, and I felt like the food was the strongest yet. Kudos to Chef Corey Lee and team for continuing to execute at the highest level of fine dining, having maintained three Michelin Stars for a decade. As expected, the service was impeccable. We were warmly welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine, setting a celebratory tone for the evening. Although my girlfriends and I weren't celebrating anything specific, I would say that any experience at Benu naturally feels like a special occasion!Since my last visit was in 2019, much of the menu was new to me. However, I was delighted to see the familiar opening bite of century quail egg.From there, a parade of small delicacies followed. Highlights included a dry-aged cheese served Korean BBQ-style with a bright, herbaceous perilla leaf wrap. The chilled abalone with winter melon cooked in chicken jelly was a standout in both flavor and texture. Another memorable bite was the crispy frog leg, hidden beneath a bed of decorative Sichuan pepper--eye-catching, packed with flavor, and actually not too spicy.In the past, the xiao long bao course was one of my favorites. However, this version--featuring a pine mushroom filling and a slightly altered wrapper--lacked the satisfying mouthfeel and richness of prior iterations with foie gras or lobster. It was the only dish that felt like a slight misstep in an otherwise stellar menu.The white seafood stew with halibut fin, served with an 8-year-aged doenjang, was a highlight. Accompanying it was a simple yet satisfying golden potato that complemented the stew's depth of flavor.Another standout was the winter chalbap sticky rice with smoked quail and black truffle. The richness of the sticky rice was further enhanced by an umami-packed side of sticky egg yolk and house XO sauce. Pickled crosnes, a tiny root vegetable, provided a bright and crunchy contrast.The main course featured beautifully poached beef rib, plated tableside for some added flair. It was served with banchan, including lettuce namul, persimmon geotjeori, and a hot mustard sauce that tied it all together.The meal concluded with a few exceptional dessert courses. A shaved, frozen pine needle sikhye was wonderfully refreshing and a strong ending to another incredible Benu experience.

Benu is a 3 Michelin star restaurant and I had the pleasure of enjoying a delightful meal here with one of my good friends who took me here for my birthday. I must say, every dish had such amazing taste and I've had a few 3 starred Michelin dining that I didn't think blew me away but this place is definitely deserving of those stars. Service was impeccable. My friend has been there 3 times already and each time, they have specialized a different menu for her. Benu goes above and beyond to make each of your experiences a memorable one. The setting of the place was very intimate and modern. One thing I might just want to point out was that I did felt a bit rushed to consume each dish so that they can bring the next one out. But other than that, everyone was kind and respectful regardless.I'd definitely come here again. Everyone must try Benu at least once. Thank you for an amazing experience. I look forward to my next.

08/28/2015 - 10th wedding anniversary 11/09/2024 - Birthday celebration- back 9 years laterWe posted pictures 9 years ago of our dining at Benu for our 10th wedding anniversary but missed writing the Yelp review. It was a great dining experience and we've always said it was one of our favorites. We had a wine pairing and remember distinctly they were attentive and if we had one glass of something we liked, they were slightly generous in those pours. They were a 2 star establishment at that time and we told ourselves we'd be back to dine when they get 3 stars! Fast forward 9 years where we've come back and Benu has been 3 stars for some time. Our experience this time was just shy of our first. Still worthy 4 stars overall. Not sure if it's Benu or our palette changing but this one wasn't as memorable. The food was not as exceptional. While it was still good, and presentable, it was not WoW like our first. This meal and pairing is undoubtedly our most expensive meal. Oh what 3 stars + inflation does to an establishment.With so many more Michelin establishments around and being in the heart of SF where there are so many great eateries at a fraction of the price, I'm not sure if I'd come back to Benu. Benu does keep a record of your menu eats for each dining guest to ensure each dining experience is unique and different from the last which is of great detail but I'm not sure if I'd come back to have my next meal not beat my last. We targeted on tock our reservation date and you do pre-pay for your meal with 20% tip upon reservation. Yes, we tipped on top upon departing as well as the sommelier and staff was great to us!We missed the kitchen tour on our last visit and were able to do it this time. Kitchen is spotless and Corey did greet us and take a pic which we appreciated. I'm sure and hope that they will continue to flourish. Good Luck Benu!

For my first review in 2025, I want to share my wonderful experience at Benu. My husband and I dined here for our 5th wedding anniversary on Monday, December 30, 2024. Let me start by saying how hard it was to get a reservation. When my husband was looking on their website, it showed a bunch of dates and times. When he tried to book it, the bookings did not show anymore. My husband emailed Benu and they told him they were not open on Sunday or Monday. My husband emailed back and said he saw the dates listed on the website. Someone else replied and said they were open that Monday because of the holidays. Quite confusing but at least we reserved a spot. They also required full payment plus 20% gratuity and taxes fully paid prior to securing the reservation. Basically over $1K with no drinks for two people for a three hour fine dining. Honestly, a lot of the photos on Yelp were not very pleasing to the eye. Personally, I was not a fan of squab or quail eggs, but most of the photos were of squab and quail. The biggest turn off was the photo of two squabs with no heads that looked like it was a tiny soy sauce chicken in a huge wok. With these photos and the choice of bird I did not eat, this made us go back and forth between choosing this three star Michelin restaurant and Atelier, another three star Michelin fine dining in SF. However, after reading the reviews, I could not help but wonder why people said this Korean restaurant was their favorite Michelin star restaurant in the city, even though the photos of the food especially paying a super high end price for xiao long bao did not make sense. After watching Culinary Class Wars, we decided to choose Benu over Atelier since a few of the big chefs including Chef Anh all worked under Chef Cory Lee, who also trained at French Laundry. We got lucky to find front entrance parking next to the valet area. Since we came after 6pm, it was free parking. From what I saw online, valet was $30. The valet person was very kind and offered to take our photo with our phone under their Benu sign outside. What we learned about Benu was they thought ahead and installed specific spotlights for photo taking. Those spotlights made the photos look absolutely stunning! While walking through the yard entrance, we got to enjoy looking at a nicely, modern looking patio with lots of huge traditional kimchee storage bins. Outside also showed the kitchen and the chefs in action. The workers were all very friendly and attentive! Majority were of Asian descent. We got seated right away even though we were 15 minutes early. All reservations were booked for specific dining times (two dinner times per day). There was also a "no children policy" so we got to enjoy a true fine dining experience this time without our babies. There was a couple who tried to bring their baby inside but were turned away. They made no exceptions to their policy which was fair in my opinion.When looking at just their menu, nothing really stood out for the prices they charged. Luckily, when they served their small delicacies, that was when we got to try about six items before they added the warm bread with a ginseng infused honey to get us ready for the entrees. Then, we had four entree items where they even split two of them and made them into two separate dishes. After this, it was followed by two desserts and a parting drink. In addition to all that, they also gave us a complimentary cake and made me turned the music box. It was interactive and a different experience. Total items we tried were 17.Our favorite things here were actually the small delicacies! Most items were delicious! My husband requested them to adjust the menu for me and remove all the quail related items, so they substituted my stuff with potato (which felt like I got jipped when we compared the prices of quail/squab with potato). However, a few of my dishes with the potato actually tasted better than my husband's quail items (per my husband). We also highly rated the cavier cheesy tart. That was delicious! The cheese grilled over an infused lychee flavor coal was very unique. It was supposed to taste like beef due to the fat content of the cheese!My husband and I agreed that Benu was a very upscale and unique experience for fine dining! Their appetizers were the best we had for Michelin fine dining and we tried a handful of restaurants in the US and out of the countries including France. However, if it were not for their small delicacies, I would not be able to rate Benu as five stars since we did not think their entrees were better than other Michelin restaurants. I love short ribs, but their fancy short rib felt so fatty that I could not eat it. Gave it to my husband to finish my piece since he enjoyed the fatty pieces. Overall, I highly recommend Benu as a date night or to celebrate your next special occasion!

Came here to celebrate my birthday and do not regret any of it. I had the best experience ever. Shout out to CHUN for making it so memorable. The decor and ambience was relaxing, beautiful, and soothing. Service was beyond customer service. Everyone played their part and was very accommodating, friendly, and amazing. It is a set menu and my name was on it in celebration of my birthday which I thought was such a cute touch. Each item presented was beautifully presented and each bite was bursting with flavor. All so unique and unimaginable. The ending of my experience was a surprised music box that I turned. With each turn, it played happy birthday. It was so cute that I want one. But that's not all, when CHUN came to take the box away, a surprised cake was presented. Thank you CHUN and team, for providing a wonderful experience. I HIGHLY recommend this place. *pictures do not do it justice*

Food: Second time at Benu and the menu was just as delicious! A good mix of traditional Asian dishes and some more unique delicacies you normally only find in Korea. Everything was great, favorites included the dessert and galbi. Service: Service is not stuffy at all despite being a three Michelin star. My glass remained full without feeling like someone was hovering over me. Ambiance: Benu takes a very interesting approach to decor as it keeps things incredibly simple. You can expect little to no artwork on the walls. This does allow for the focus to be on the food and great service though! Price: Standard price for a three Michelin star restaurant. Regardless, be prepared to spend a decent amount here even beyond the tasting menu as the wines by the glass and even beer is on the higher end.

We came here to celebrate a milestone birthday, and it was everything we expected and more. The ambiance was very stark and minimalist - lots of tan and white and minimal decor. There's a garden outside where you can see them fermenting various things inside gourds. Walking in, we waited to be seated. Reservations open a month in advance, so I made sure to reserve right when it opened. They are not open Sunday or Monday so we went on a Friday. My husband was worried that we would leave feeling hungry and boy was he wrong! The small delicacies alone had to be eight plates before we got into the main courses. Some items are always on the menu and some are seasonal. Everything was delicious. Standouts were:- the thousand-year-old quail egg- muscle with glass noodles- anchovies - xiao long bao, - and my personal favorite - the marinated soft shell crab gaejang and spicy egg yolk. the seaweed holder alone is next level. The service was like a dance. There are so many people bringing you dishes in a choreographed manner that it took our breath away along with the food. It was a once-in-a-lifetime dinner.

Fourth time at Benu and it's even better than the previous three times. This is the second time I've been at Benu for their anniversary. I'm not sure how different the menu is for this special occasion. Plus the fact that they like to give repeat customers different dishes than if it's your first time. The TLDR is that everything was delicious and amazing and unexpected. In my four times at Benu, I think I've only seen 3, maybe 4, repeat dishes. So everything is new too.It's really hard to pick favorites from the evening. But I suppose if I *had* to pick only THREE dishes, it would be the beef tartare, anchovies on toast, and quail. But oh the mulhwe was so good too, as was the squid and soondae.It's amazing how Corey's team melds Korean ingredients and flavors with French techniques, and accentuates their character. You basically get a tour of Korean flavors through the evening, but in form factors you would think was very modern French.I can't recommend Benu enough. Just go and go back again and again. It's never going to be anything but amazing.