Izakaya Restaurants in San Francisco, CA

“Amazing food and service! Sake is the best!“

“Best vegan meal I’ve ever had, went twice in a four days it was that good ❤️“

“Awesome awesome spot. Really incredible vibe in there and great music.

Food is clean eating and delicious, we ordered a ton and loved everything.

The mackerel, mushrooms, scallion chicken, and short rib were incredible. Got one of their highball cocktails as well which was insanely refreshing and a great balance of sweet and sour.

Highly recommend this spot! Seating is limited.“

“Got the chicken tantanmen and the spicy pork and both were 10/10. I wasn’t even hungry—more, I-could-eat level hunger—and I downed my ramen in less than 10. I couldn’t stop eating it it was so good. Partner is Mexican so I’m use to eating spicy. 7 is a comfortable spicy but the souper spicy side is def spicy, so I recommend getting that if you want to enjoy ramen with a challenging spice.

Still can’t get over how good both ramens were.“

“My family has been dining here every couple weeks since it opened 3 years ago. The owner Paul always greets us and does some special things for the kids: salmon sashimi in bite sized pieces and steamed tofu. Our favorites are negima, the local halibut nigiri, agedashi tofu (I would argue best in the city), grilled butter fish, and okra. All washed down with Echigo lager and our favorite sake Drunken Whale. Highly recommend for a casual but delicious meal“

“在美國的日本味道，這是算不錯的“

“Awesome food. Actually tastes good for AYCE and at a reasonable price. Really rec the rangoons and skewers. Sushi was also very good and of high quality.

Service could be a bit more punctual, but it does get super busy after 6:30.“

“We stopped by after a graduation ceremony and had a wonderful experience. From the moment we walked in, we felt genuinely welcomed. The food was absolutely fabulous—flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented. We also appreciated the selection of alcohol-free mocktails, which were creative and delicious. The atmosphere was warm, calm, and peaceful—a perfect setting to relax and celebrate. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a welcoming and serene dining experience.“

“This place is delicious, I got the pork chasu rice bowl and the gyoza, also tried some of the dry noodles everything was great, the service was super quick and the atmosphere is very nice and upscale

I will definitely be coming back here!

Went on a Friday and it was super busy so I’d recommend making reservations especially if you have a bit of a larger party“

“It has a very interesting menu, I really enjoy the food.“

“Wir waren zu zweit zum Abendessen dort und es hat uns sehr gut gefallen. Wir sind zuerst dran vorbei gelaufen, weil das Restaurant eher klein und unauffällig ist. Die Ramen waren sehr lecker und reichlich. Es gibt eine vielfältige Auswahl an Ramen, darunter auch ein paar ungewöhnliche Kreationen. Der Service war sehr schnell und freundlich. Wir würden aufjedenfall wiederkommen.“

“It’s a really nice place with delicious ramen. We had the chicken paitaan ramen and veggie miso ramen. Both were delicious. The paitaan was perfectly seasoned. We also ordered veggie Gyoza which was perfectly crisp and didn’t feel oily. Highly recommend this place for a warm bowl of ramen on a cold SF day.“

“Beyond the best Ramen in SF. It’s no wonder it’s always on the top 100 for the Chronicle. Michelin needs to review“

“Excellent Japanese cuisine, service and staff are wonderful and helpful“

“I can’t believe I never wrote a review for this place. Walked in you just feel like you went back to Japan. The decoration inside is so cute. The service was very fast attentive. The food came really fast too, and you can tell that they are fried chicken were freshly fried. We also got a cup of drink and it was also pretty good. They have a good selection of Japanese wine too. The sesame dessert we got at the end was so cool and we really loved it. It truly feels like you went back in Japan and go to Izakaya. I would definitely recommend here.“

“ok this is one of the best izakayas i’ve ever been to… the hamachi was buttery soft and melted in your mouth & the sauces were sooo perfectly paired with the proteins! the chicken skewers were moist and juicy. it was pretty pricey with 4 appetizers coming out to ~$65 with tip. pretty small place with only seating for max like a party of 4.“

“Super satisfied, excellent soup with unlimited of meat & everything ! Will recommend to my friends & family ! Staff so nice & approachable ! Thank you Jin Pot, all of us are full & contented !“

“Kio Ramen on Balboa Street is an absolute gem in the Outer Richmond! The Pork House Ramen was nothing short of perfection—rich, savory broth with tender, flavorful pork that hit all the right notes. Pairing it with their house red wine was a surprisingly fantastic choice that elevated the meal even further.

Parking was surprisingly accessible for San Francisco, which already puts this spot ahead of many others. The staff was incredibly friendly, creating an atmosphere that was both lighthearted and welcoming. It felt like the perfect cozy stop to fuel up with a homey, comforting meal before heading out to soak in the breathtaking views this area is known for.

One tip though—if you’re like me, using chopsticks might turn into a fun little noodle adventure. Let’s just say the ramen was so good, even my chopsticks didn’t want to let go! Five stars, without a doubt!“

“Overall it was normal food.
I had high expectations because of the good ratings, but it was a bit more disappointing than I expected. However, when I revisited it, it was different.
I think it’s worth looking forward to the different types of food~^^“

“We had the most wonderful dinner tonight at Noren Izakaya! Everything was fantastic from start to finish! From the service to the cocktails to the variety of food, to the dessert! Japanese yakitori and grilled street food and even sashimi! My new favorite! A must if you live or are visiting San Francisco! Oh! And tonight is not the night to skip dessert! 😘“

“Bento boxes were great, so many options to chose from. Would definitely go back.“

“Good ramen is easy to find. Great ramen is harder. And finding excellent ramen at reasonable prices in downtown San Francisco is a rarity.

This is the ideal spot for lunch or dinner and a hot bowl of noodles. The pork was deliciously juicy, the egg was cooked to perfection, and the Tonkotsu broth was very flavorful.

Service was quite good and attentive in both the upper and lower levels. Can recommend.“

“Great small place, felt very authentic. Food was creative and delicious! Loved the tofu appetizer, they give you a pestle to mash the ingredients. Skewers were great and lamb chop, great simple hand rolls and the passion cocktail was awesome.“

“I had lightly seared A5 wagyu nigiri which was heavenly! Also spicy black garlic ramen with a huge tasty tender piece of pork belly. Both highly recommended!“

“Quite possibly the best, most above and beyond customer service experience I may ever have in my entire life.

I placed a delivery order on toast and no delivery driver ever came to the restaurant to pick it up.

Waraku was closing for the night sooner than I would have been able to walk there and pick it up myself. Instead of what most places would have done and just refund the order and leave it at that; the manager, Scott personally delivered it to me.

The food was also as excellent as their customer service.

I sincerely can not reccomend this place enough“