The Tastiest Korean in San Francisco

707 Sutter

★★★★☆ 3.9 (994) • $$

"I had the pleasure of dining at 707 Sutter, a cozy Korean restaurant, around 6 pm. At that time, it wasn't too busy, but as we settled in, more customers started to arrive--a clear sign that we were in for a great meal.Food:I ordered teriyaki chicken with white rice, and we started with a plate of shrimp. The food came out hot and well-seasoned, with generous portions that were perfect for sharing. Every bite was delicious! We ended up passing dishes around the table and still left with a few to-go boxes. Those dishes included Spicy chicken, chicken wings, fried rice with vegetables and beef dumplings. The flavors were rich, and the BBQ chicken had that perfect smoky sweetness. A special mention for the shrimp appetizer--crispy, juicy, and full of flavor. It really set the tone for the meal!Service:The service was top-notch. Our waitress was attentive without being overbearing, making sure our glasses were always full and checking in just the right amount. It's always nice when you feel well taken care of but not rushed.Ambience & Cleanliness:The atmosphere was pleasant, with plenty of seating, which made it comfortable even as the restaurant got busier. The dining area was spotless, and the clean bathroom was a plus. It was easy to relax and enjoy the meal in such a well-maintained space.Extras:I also enjoyed a hot cup of saku, which warmed me up, and made sure to stay hydrated with water. The contactless payment was convenient, and I appreciated the modern touch.Overall, 707 Sutter exceeded my expectations in every way--great food, excellent service, and a clean, comfortable dining environment. Highly recommended if you're craving Korean BBQ or just a fantastic meal with friends or family!"

K. Grill & Tofu House

★★★★☆ 4.1 (822) • $$

"Came here with some friends for dinner. The service here is good, the sweet ladies checked up on us a few times. Their attentiveness was great! We ordered beer, sake, some meat dishes, tofu soup, and others dishes, they all came out tasty! No complaints! The ambiance was decorated in christmas theme which gave us cute holiday vibes! They were busy but we got our table at a timely manner which was a plus! Oh and we all got a piece of fish per person along with our sides , we were so happy about a fish lol. It was a nice touch !"

Kogi Gogi BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.8 (890) • $$$

"Wanted a simple KBBQ on the southern side of the park and found this spot which is in a busy part of the inner sunset. Wasn't too expensive so we came by on a Saturday night and waited about 15 minutes in line to be seated, which isn't bad.FOOD:AYCE KBBQ. Pretty standard stuff. Solid Kalbi, with standard pork belly, brisket, and beef tongue. They have all your standard stuff with solid sauces - plus they have ssamjjiang which not all places have. Solid banchan as well. Overall a solid offering for a decent AYCE price.Steamed egg. A hybrid of steamed egg that they finished with HOT oil, which basically made it a fried scrambled egg on top, which was good, but not really what I wanted when I ordered the steamed egg, but definitely a cool offering - just have to know what you're getting into.Overall a good spot to just get some simple KBBQ at a decent price without the frills. Not the best quality, but without the wait and at this price, I might make this a more regular spot for me when I'm just trying to casually get some KBBQ. Service is solid so I'll likely be back."

JJamPPong

★★★★★ 4.7 (579) • $$

"We came to back to JJamPPong because we had a bad jajang mein (black bean sauce noodles) at another restaurant in Millbrae a couple of weeks ago. We were talking about coming back the entire week to get jajang mein and their famous Korean double fried chicken. That feeling of satisfaction from a good meal is priceless. Redemption from a bad meal to a great one is twice as good. As a revenge meal, we ordered two orders of fried chicken $20 each, crispy garlic shrimp $24, chow fun $20 and of course, jajang mein $16. The food remains excellent. For the Korean fried chicken, get ready for some sticky fingers goodness. I really like the crunchiness as well as the authentic flavors. Their chef(s) concocted this sweet yet mild spicy glaze for the honey chili chicken which is addicting. We never had their salt and pepper fried chicken before and this was quite good. My favorite remains their garlic sauce version.The surprise standout dish was their beef chow fun. I've must have eaten this dish over a thousand times. Their chef(s)' interpretation added more depth by including chopped onions, scallions, bok choy, choy sum along with bean sprouts. The dish had a good smokey, wok hei flavor with the end tips of the beef, chow fun and onion caramelized. Chow fun could be boring but the chef did a good job with the light seasoning that rivals the best out there.Service was excellent. Constant water refills, extra napkins because the chicken. Side note, the owner's wife recognized me from my crispy noodles photo that I posted on Yelp when they first opened and gave me and my family an oyster sauce clams dish. That was an unexpected revelation. We were already so full. It is nice to be treated like a VIP even though I'm just a regular guy that likes to eat. It is a testament to them being a small local restaurant that recognizes their customers. This genuinely made my week a little bit better. Walking home with a stuffed stomach beyond capacity is delightful. Great job everyone at JJamPPong."

K-Elements BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.8 (878) • $$$

"If I could gatekeep one spot, I would gatekeep this one. I've been coming to K-Elements since high school and the price and quality is unbeatable for an AYCE spot. Whenever we try another kbbq place, we always compare it to K-Elements as the standard. Unlimited meats at a very wide variety, individual cups of cheese corn, and very attentive staff always ready to help change out the grill. The dining room is huge and each table can accommodate parties of 2-6 at least and plays kpop music in the background, usually with a sports game on the big tvs. You order on your phone via the QR code placed on your table, and they bring out the meats and sides on little trays. Even back when I was in college K-Elements was the must-visit every time I came back to the city. Do yourself a favor and get the kalbi short ribs--they're the best. My only complaint? I wish the grills were bigger so I could eat it all faster :P"

NaYa Dessert Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (759) • $$

"Cute place. We enjoyed a black crepe filled with Thai tea iced cream and whipped cream,served with Thai tea sauce and Oreo crumbles topped with egg yolk strands for chew."

Shin Toe Bul Yi

★★★★☆ 3.9 (674) • $$

"Love this family owned restaurant. My go to Korean restaurant. They are so friendly and generous in their portion on top of being quality Korean food. When I think of a good home cooked Korean meal I think of this place.Their banchan, main dish and a tofu soup is enough for about 5 people! They are also known for their Korean fried chicken. So much chicken and so much crunch!!!! Highly recommend if you're looking for a good Korean fried chicken. We also usually order their seafood pancake which is always delicious. Tofu soup again hits the spot!!! I can promise you, you can't go wrong with anything you order from here.I do think they're open on limited days(weekends) but mostly to go orders. I would call ahead to see if they're open."

Go Go 7

★★★★★ 4.5 (500) • $$

"Met up with some friends who suggested this place, and I am eternally grateful they did! Although a very tiny sit-down restaurant with limited seating, this place was packed when we arrived, and still packed when we left for good reason. The owner who runs the front of the house is incredibly kind, and is a 1-woman powerhouse that takes orders, hosts, answers the phone, serves, buses, and handles to-go orders. We were a group of 5, and 2 out of our party were running late. Despite this, the owner never rushed us even though we took up two entire tables. Ordered a seafood pancake to share, which turned out to be HUGE and more than enough food to go around the table. The banchans were plentiful, and she kept coming to replace our banchan tray every time it ran low. For my entrée, I chose the 2 item combo with Fried Wing TKim and Chicken Katsu. Like the appetizer, portion size was VERY generous and we were all incredibly stuffed at the end. The owner also threw in a bowl of Korean noodles for free, which was equally as delicious as all the other food. For dessert, we were treated to some cut watermelon and some lemon jelly. YUM.Metered street level parking is available on Ocean, or you can pull into the residential area for limited free parking. Look forward to coming back here again soon in the near future! And again after that...and again...and again...and again...."

Grandehos Kamekyo

★★★★☆ 4.1 (585) • $$

"Amazing sushi on Hyde! Ordered the lion king and it was amazing! Plenty of seating inside and out in the deck. Family establishment with pictures all over the walls. The waitress was extremely nice and had me seated as soon as I walked in. Highly recommend when on the north side of SF."

Saucy Asian

★★★★☆ 4.3 (474) • $$

"Saucy Asian. Condiment Queen. Saucy Minx. Just a few of my nicknames. (I joke, but did anyone catch that "Love Actually" reference?) True to social media pics (no catfishing here), the top of my Saucy Asian Bowl ($15.99 + $2 for bulgogi beef) was evenly coated in gochujang aioli. The bottom is layered with rice, mixed greens, & japchae noodles; I left my bowl unmixed which made each bite a flavor & textural surprise with additional crunchy elements coming from kimchi, slaw, & fried shallots. As the restaurant fuses Korean & Mexican flavors, I couldn't leave without ordering their tacos & burrito. My bf enjoyed the Spicy Pork Street Tacos ($14.49), so much so that he polished off all three in one sitting. The Cali Burrito ($14.99) was filled with Soy Sauce Chicken (thigh meat), fries, guac, cheese, cream, pico, & scallions, but the dominant flavor was their delicious garlic sauce.Generous portions, perfect for sharing. Well-made food for people who, like me, can't get enough of sauces & condiments. It took me too long to finally try Saucy Asian but I plan to make up for lost time by having their Kimchi Burrito & Bibimbap ASAP."

Dae Jang Geum Tofu House

★★★★☆ 3.6 (674) • $$

"This is my favorite place for Galbi! It's a bit pricey but the flavor, texture and quality is very consistent every time. We also love the Kimchee tofu soup and all the banchan. Service is usually good, but can be slow sometimes. It's not a fancy place, but it'll do! We've dined in, ordered out and ordered via DoorDash before. Oarki"

San Wang Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.7 (632) • $$

"Great food, and the servers are so friendly. I highly recommend this place, and I will definitely come back."

Soon's Tofu and Korean BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.7 (622) • $$

"I have ordered Bi Bim Bap with two kinds of proteins - spicy pork and bul go gi(+$2). Both were tasty and came with veggies and a fried egg. Your order also comes with banchan (bean sprouts, cucumber, kimchi and spinach). Something unique about this restaurant, is that you can also order Hawaiian poke bowls. There's a separate part of the menu under, "Hi City". They have signature poke bowls, custom bowls, loco moco, and musubi.Pro tip: if you order in person at the restaurant (rather than online), you might be able to save a couple of bucks off the bibimbap."

Stone Korean Kitchen

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (823) • $$

"I finally decided to eat here for the very first time after work earlier today. I really didn't know what to order because I am used to eating Korean BBQ and this place didn't look like it had any. So, I decided to order the Seafood Pancake and a side of Pot Stickers. While I was waiting for my food, I was glancing a little at the K Pop show that was playing on the big screen tv monitor on the wall. The Pot Stickers were juicy and had a bit of a crunch to them and the Seafood Pancake was just great. I have never had anything like that before; the pancake was so soft and tender and there was just the right amount of seafood. I think I will order it again if ever I come back here."

Wooden Charcoal Korean Village Barbecue House

★★★★☆ 3.6 (615) • $$$

"Quality/Quantity - We got the following and as usual, we over ordered:3 different soups - See pictures. All of which were good.Two pancakes - Seafood and Korean Style Mung Bean Pancake; my preference was the seafood pancake. But the sauce was way too salty for me.Bibimbap - Our guest's rice/starch base for his meal.B.B.Q. Short Ribs - Marinated; two orders. My favorite entree. Too bad after our HUGE lunch, see Dragon Beaux Yelp review, I just could not eat so much. Plus I am a light eater.B.B.Q. Chicken - Good, but not as good as my BBQ short ribs.B.B.Q. Rib Eye - Marinated; this was not as good as the short rib.Fish - Fairly meaty. BBQ Pork Belly into thin slices (spicy bacon) - The first time having this and it was good. Not spicy at all in my opinion. Too bad I am on a health kick and cutting back on bacon, fatty foods, etc.Clear Yam Noodle - If this came out sooner, it would have been my starch instead of the white rice. Good quality and quantity of side dishes, banchan. Started with two sets and got a few refills. See pictures.Washed everything down with OB and Cass beer.They also offer self service charcoal BBQing/grilling.Atmosphere - Open 7 days a week from noon to 9pm or 10pm.Metered street parking.Small local business. Service - 5 stars.Always better when you (our guest and my wife) know the owner. :)Because we stayed so long, we had our tea filled several times also.Price - $450, some of the above dishes were complimentary as we are/were regular customers. And on top of that, we got treated by our guests. I tried to pay, well for at least half the bill and still got rejected. Our guests are so generous. We tried to pay for both meals today, but ended up getting treated... And if you know, both meals today were really expensive.Owner Comment - Congrats on your 19+ years of success! See you next time we are in the city."

Jin Mi Korean Cuisine

★★★★☆ 3.9 (518) • $$

"I never go here in person so i can't comment of their ambience or service but the food is fantastic and soooooo affordable I order this at least once a week because it's such a healthy and delicious dish and I can't get enough of it."

Han Sang

★★★★☆ 4.3 (366) • $$

"My favorite Korean place around the bay! My favorite dish is their spicy beef brisket noodle soup (Yuk Kal). It's just a little spicy and you can definitely add spice. The broth is rich in beef flavor but still light. It's amazing! I've also had their bibimbap and galbijim. I also highly recommend the galbijim. The bibimbap wasn't crazy special but still met my expectations. As for ambiance and service, the restaurant is very open and clean. Their menus are beautiful. They are a little slow because it seems like only 2 people are managing the restaurant but given it's only 2 people I would say service is pretty fast."

Ollei

★★★★★ 4.6 (267) • $$

"San Francisco, Polk Gulch. January 2025.Polk is a very walkable and interesting street and a new place to eat there is often worthwhile checking out. The Ollei is near Lord Stanley, just north of Broadway, on the edge of Russian Hill. They're across the street from a Bi-Rite Market. I wasn't expecting much but I found the place to be welcoming and the food familiar Korean comfort food. The difference is the simple modern vibe with K-Pop videos projected on one wall.Meals come with a quartet of simple quick banchan. The danmugi, aka takuan, is sweet pickled yellow strips of daikon radish. The oi muchim is a quick simple sweet and vinegary pickle of sliced cucumber rounds. The beachu kimchi is also slightly sweet. The eomuk, ribbons of Korean style fishcake, is painfully bland. They're only there as flavor changes of pace.I tried the beef dolsot bibimbap. It comes in one of those modern style bowls that will not properly put a charred crust on the rice, so don't get your hopes up. The bulgogi marinated beef is sweet and fulfills its role among the soy bean sprouts, horenso spinach, simmered daikon, julienned carrots, slice mushrooms. The biggest appeal to me was the availability of proper modern Korean soju made with rice - allowing me to skip the green bottle stuff. Good sool will always make a difference to me among Korean dining choices. Won Soju, a label produced by AOMG CEO Jay Park, was the best bottle I saw, and the price point was very good.This is Korean comfort food that will appeal to western tastes. Satisfying, filling, with not too much depth of heat or flavors."

Purple Rice

★★★★☆ 4.2 (310) • $$

"Came here on a whim with some friends and now it's one of my favorite Korean restaurants!Ordered the Galbi, Rice Cake Soup, Ramen, Kimchi Fried rice. Everything tasted incredible and the portion sizes were generous.Service was quick and efficient too! The restaurant itself was fairly plain, but the start of the show is the food... you need to come here!"

Seoul Garden

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (480) • $$

"The restaurant is very big. Lots of seating.The dolsot bibimbap to me lacked flavor despite adding gochujang. The rice however was perfect with the nice crispy rice on the bottom. Dolsot Bimbimbap with beer was almost $30.00. We'll probably not go here frequently due to the prices."

Vons Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.3 (250) • $$

"Went for Weekday Lunch SpecialFood - 5/5. The boneless wings were a beautiful golden brown, moist, and had great crunch. The real garlic had a mellow garlic flavor with a strong hint of sweetness. Despite the wet sauce, the wings remained crispy throughout the whole meal. Cole slaw was light on the mayo, making it a suitable palette cleanser. Pickled radish had a good balance of sweet and sour flavor and the rice was fluffy.Service - 4/5. Friendly and quick service. Chicken came out in good time. Water was self-service.Value - 5/5. At base, the lunch special is priced in the mid $10s. Their menu offers a great variety letting you choose type of chicken and sauce from their full menu. Portions are nice and comes with vegetable sides and a choice of carb, which can also be upgraded for a small supplement.Parking - Street/Municipal Garage (Free)"

Hahn's Hibachi

★★★★☆ 4 (282) • $$

"A SF Favorite of ours for over 20 years! Used to always go to Jack London and then Polk locations until they closed but our picture is in the collage on the wall :)Always get the BBQ Any 2 Combo with chicken/pork, salad, and bean sprouts - food comes out hot and it's so good! Bi Bimbop is a close second and mixed tempura, gyoza and stuffed mushrooms are also tasty! Original owners are still hard working and sweet - great food and service!"

Toast N Egg

★★★★☆ 3.9 (294) • $$

"The viral Korean Egg Sando in the Bay Area! @toastnegg_usa has the most fluffy eggs with pillowy bread that makes up the perfect combo. You can choose different pairings like wagyu, mushroom, shrimp, etc for under $13 a sandwich! Fun doesn't stop there as they also have delicious croffles for dessert, crab fries made from real crab, and tasty drinks. Parking can be hard depending the time you go. Inside is cutely decorated with an outside patio and service is really nice! What We Ordered: Wagyu Toast Shrimp Talk Toast Strawberry Croffle Real Crab Fries Iced Matcha Latte"

Kingbob

★★★★★ 4.7 (197) • $

"Super quick! Super fresh! Super delicious! Space is limited inside but we were lucky enough to snag one of the tables. Service was quick and easy. I tried the original kimbop which tasted so fresh. It is a bit messy though but worth it. It also (surprisingly) came with miso soup which always hits the spot. The pork dumplings were also great!"

Beque BBQ Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (412) • $$

"I hadn't tried this place previously because of the low reviews but i was pleasantly surprised. Pretty reasonable prices for 2 hr all you can eat and the sauces were nice. The service was super fast and friendly.It wasn't too smoky and they had some tvs playing K-pop songs."

Odumak

★★★★☆ 3.9 (271) • $$

"Good service and good food!Their magic cheese chicken was kind of weird, would not get that again! Original was the best. We also enjoyed the spicy and popcorn chicken, as well as the corn cheese. This time, there was K-Pop music! The servers were also great. Shout out to Kyle for taking care of us!"

Lucky Soul Diner

★★★★☆ 4.3 (217) • $$

"The restaurant was a letdown, to say the least. We visited during prime time, and the place was almost empty--never a good sign. The crowd that did show up was mostly younger, fresh-out-of-college types, with a few older millennials sprinkled in.The menu was surprisingly pricey, especially when compared to well-known Korean restaurants in San Francisco and LA's Koreatown. Unfortunately, the quality didn't match the cost. The sauces and kimchi lacked the depth of homemade flavors, and the hot pot experience was downright frustrating. Instead of serving a properly prepared dish, they handed over a bowl with dried ramen that we had to dunk into scalding broth ourselves--an accident waiting to happen.Service was another disappointment. There was no real engagement from the staff--no warm welcome, no menu guidance, no mention of specials. It felt completely impersonal, yet they still expected a 20% tip. For what, exactly?Overall, this place just isn't worth it. There are far better Korean restaurants where the food is authentic, the service is attentive, and you're not left to fend for yourself with dangerously hot broth. Keep looking."

Dong Baek Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (301) • $$

"We order from this place on a weekly basis. Highly recommend the Kim Chi Stew!! Fresh, fantastic and authentic."

Minari

★★★★☆ 4.3 (198) • $$

"Came twice! Once dine-in, another takeout! Easy enough to find parking which is always wonderful. LOVED the sides. Not too busy, which is also always appreciated. My friend got a fried rice and I got a tofu stew (which I ended up getting again for takeout another time). The tofu stew is spicyyyyyy even at a mild spice so be warned. I practically burned off my tastebuds each time. It was actually a struggle to finish. Portions are large. You can probably share the stew and be fine. I kept a second half of my portion for later because I wanted to save money that week. It doesn't keep too well in the fridge because the soup gets absorbed a bit, but if you add some water and toss it in the microwave, it's fine even after a couple of days."

K Soul Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.4 (169) • $$

"As a Korean who's constantly disappointed by Korean food in the states, this was the first time I actually felt transported back home. The ddukbokki flavor is spot on, just like how my mom makes them. The rice cakes that come with every chicken order are such a fun touch too. I ordered through Uber Eats and was surprised to find the chicken still crispy. I personally liked the garlic seasoning over the yangnyeom."

Ninja Sushi & Tofu

★★★★☆ 3.6 (251) • $$

"Came for a late dinner and they did not disappoint. For parking there was a good amount of street parking. I'm not sure if there's a parking lot or anything around. Great service and great food. Upon arrival a liI after midnight it was self seating. A good amount of seating but I can see there being a wait or line during peak hours because it's not very big. I got the chicken udon and agedashi. Great portions and the food was tasty. I would definitely come here again"

Joodooboo

★★★★★ 4.7 (125) • $$

"Just moved to West Oakland and was craving Korean food. Joodooboo was perfect. Only a few indoor seating spots but next time I'm in need of some take out, this will be the place."

Corner Table

★★★★☆ 4.4 (139) • $$

"AMAZING - this place is truly a gem! There is actually a Sushi restaurant next door and they share a patio, so you can easily order from either, which was ideal for our picky group. We sat outside - who knew the middle of February would have a blast of warm sunshine.Food - 1/2 our group ordered from Corner Table, the other half ordered from the Sushi place. Loco Moco - 10/10 - my brother may as well have licked his plate! he said it was delicious and very flavorful.Kids Burger 10/10 - my nephew loved it, it was a nice size and cooked well - fresh bun.Grilled Cheese 8/10 - my son enjoyed it, but wished he would have ordered his cousin's burger instead, next time he will!Avocado Toast 10/10 - HUGE portion, lots of great Avocado and a nice big salad, my SIL said it was really tasty.It was awesome, we had such a lovely time and the friendliness of everyone there truly made this a 5 out of 5 experience! We are already figuring out our next brunch date as a family!"

K Banchan x VONS chicken

★★★★★ 4.8 (101)

"Really good. Might be the best piece of fried chicken I have had in Oakland. Flavor on the Soy Garlic extra spicy was fantastic. Kimchi Fried rice was a massive portion. Also tasted great. I think I am an obligated to get this every time I come here now. Spicy Pork Bulgogi Sandwich. Bread was awesome. Veggies in the sandwich were on point. Didn't care for how sweet it was. Wasn't spicy at all. And considering they had some good heat on the soy garlic chicken it surprised me. Bento Box with spicy chicken bulgogi. The chicken is great. Again just not a huge fan of the sauce. A bit saucy and too sweet for me. Glass noodles were great nice subtle flavor. Pickled daikon, amazing. Daikon Kimchi, amazing. So I would order this with less sauce or sauce on the side but would 100 percent do again.Soy sauce marinated egg didn't have a ton of flavor, but I enjoy egg so is a win for me."

Julie's Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.1 (111) • $$

"Visited recently when we were in the area. This Julie's Kitchen is located inside on the top floor of Crocker Galleria. CG is eerily empty saved for this Julie's Kitchen and a few businesses that's inside, most stores are closed and gone. I think we can thank the pandemic.We decided to try the Bulgogi Steak Plate and brought a bottle of tea. Bulgogi steak plate tasted pretty good. Huge portions so we shared. Easily can be at least two meals if eaten by one. We were both full and satisfied. My husband tried this place before but this is my first time here. He told me that before covid, this place sells food by the pound. Now it's a set lunch type of place and you placed the order in the front, no going inside. You either take the food to go or sit and eat at the tables lined outside the restaurant. Not much atmosphere because there's not much of anything."