50 Best Korean Restaurants in San Francisco

“Great food and service. I highly recommend this place for date night, family and friends. The only downside is parking is hard to come by in this neighborhood.“

“Daeho is hands down my favorite Korean spot. The kalbi jjim is the best, and it’s the main reason we keep coming back. There’s always a line here, so definitely try to get on the waitlist if you can, otherwise be ready to wait. The vibe is pretty noisy and bustling, but the food makes it all worth it. Great spot if you’re craving amazing Korean comfort food.“

“썰 was an memorable experience. Every dish was beautifully executed. For a Korean American, the ingredients were an emotional process. While each dish focused on/showcased the high quality of ingredients, the flavors were a nuanced balance between Korean and Western cultures. Choosing quality over local at each crossroads, many evoked memories of my Korean childhood.

The lynchpin for this beautiful evening was when the chef unexpectedly spent time with us; shared a rare insight behind the scenes. At our table, few were from the East Coast or not Korean American, thus not realizing the backstory to arriving to this moment. I so appreciate the honesty as validated the constant struggle between balancing Korean/American expectations, especially in this time/place. To tie such a diverse audience, the chef executes well.“

“The best Korean food I had in the Bay Area. Great portion for the BBQ, every dish is so flavorful, I absolutely love everything including the free small dishes.

Just be aware it’s kind of hard to find parking in the residential area.“

“Good experience. Food was well prepared and delicious. We have been to quite a few Michelin star restaurants and one thing that was missing from this experience was that level service. Explaining the dish as it was presented, etc. great food though!“

“The food I had delivered to my residence from this restaurant was very delicious. I never had Asian tacos 🌮 before. First time for everything. I may even order food from this restaurant again sometime soon. I highly recommend this place. I give them 5 stars ⭐️“

“Great food and at a great price. Can’t wait to go back“

“Ilcha offers good Korean food and drinks. We had a great time. We ordered 3x of each. Braised pork belly, half dozen oysters $42, waygyu beef bulgogi, tater tots $20, fried seaweed spring rolls $10, spicy ramen hotpot $38, sweet pancakes and fried chicken $36. Our party of 14 ate most of it but had to take some of it home. For drinks, we mostly did soju and beer. The soup and fried chicken were my favorites. Service was excellent. They even help us cut a cake onto 14 pieces. Awesome job everyone at Ilcha.“

“Just incredible Korean contemporary fusion cuisine. Kept the fundamentals of the Korean authenticity with unique broad appealing western gastronomic desires. Well done!!!👍“

“So I was lucky enough to give this place a try during a closed event hosted by the Seoul sisters and the Hoo Lee Gans. Pretty cool vibe and atmosphere when you walk in. Extensive drink list and pretty skilled bartenders tend to your thirsty soul while the home cooked Korean style street food dishes caress your belly. As it was a closed event , the food was a buffet style, help yourself and gubble it up style. Regardless the food was spot on. I really enjoyed the onion pancake. This dish is as simple as it looks it is actually rather tricky to make. The popcorn chicken was tender, the kimchi zesty yet firm and tender.
I suggest you give it a try and work yourself through their menu.“

“Great service, super generous servings, and delicious! We ate here for mother's Day and I think we may have ordered too much as we were not expecting the large servings, which is totally not a bad thing! I think the HK noodles were my favorite and I'd say the salt and pepper shrimps were my least. It's lacking a bit of saltiness or umami compared to other places. Overall, I will come back but probably order less. 😅“

“I started eating immediately because I couldn’t wait! The pictures show the food missing a few bites! Haha! Delicious! The sautéed spicy pork belly was rich and perfect with rice. The cold noodles chewy and tasty. Old school decor felt just right. Nothing flashy. The food spoke for itself. I think the server is also the proprietor. Friendly and asked if we needed to replenish our banchai. I will be back.“

“Very nice staff and attentive… Food was excellent and fresh.. The establishment was very very clean.. highly recommend“

“Zajang Grill is the best restaurant“

“I wouldn't say I venture out to the West Portal too often, but gems like Snow Bliss, definitely make it a compelling reason to!

They specialize in bingsu, but their menu is huge, offering everything from popcorn chicken, to rice plates and noodle soups. If you're in the mood for dim sum, they have that too!

I ordered the popcorn chicken, wonton noodle soup, and matcha bingsu. The popcorn chicken was notable because it's made Chinese salt and pepper style, which made it really fragrant and savory. Not many places do it this way, but I think they should! Wonton noodle soup was also pretty solid, and the matcha bingsu was refreshing. The chewy mochi made every bite delicious and I would definitely come back here for a full meal, or just for dessert!“

“The food was excellent and the service was superb. We didn't realize that our theatre tickets were 30 minutes earlier than we thought. The staff responded and made sure we were done in time. We plan to go back again when we don't have to rush.“

“Of course we had to order the Kalbijjim (갈비찜), considering that it was our first time here. The wait wasn't too long, being no longer than 30 minutes for such a large/sharable portion (see images). It was enough food for us not to be able to finish in one sitting, again, a very generous portion. The beef, rice, and sides, everything was absolutely delicious.

I'm not too familiar with pricing when it comes to Korean cuisine, but this was priced at $82 (regular size), apparently there's a larger size...
The food court was very lively, which was enjoyable to eat in. A bit of a loud environment, but not too loud to a point where we were yelling to hear each other.“

“9/10
- golden toast with sashimi on top 9.5/10: so good. the best avocado toast my bf has ever had. it was a perfect combination of crunchy / soft textures. the avocado mixed with the crispy and buttery toast, with a slight kick to it that i can't even place.
- galbi crunch 6/10: lackluster. great concept, poor execution. the batter tasted like tempura chips which was weird. the meat was a bit overcooked; would've been better if it was more tender. the peppers were good. the red flakes on top tasted like hot cheetos.
- soondooboo 9/10: they wouldn't give us white rice!!!! we asked twice!!! would've been a 10 with rice. best soondooboo we've had. it had a thicker consistency than normal. was on the spicier side so rice would've saved us. given that there was no rice, we wish there was more content in it (ie. meat, tofu). we're taking it home to eat with rice lol
- bossam 8.5/10: the kimchi like thing and soybean paste were a good combo with the meat. no lettuce though, which was weird. the bossam felt less cooked than normal, but not complaining lol. solid but not the best i've had
- mochi brownie 8/10: had little bits of mochi in it... kinda weird. but the black sesame cream was a great addition! the brownie as a whole was the perfect amount of sweet. and they gave it to us for free for our anniversary!“

“Yummy yummy yummy! 🥰 1st time here with my daughter and it was so yummy! We we will be back! 😋😋😋“

“Food came out hot. Tea came out lukewarm. Excellent customer service. Dishes are clean. Clean bathroom. Came here for dinner on a Saturday night at 8pm and place was empty. Music is loud. Was seated quickly. 20 years ago, this restaurant used to be so crowded that the wait time was at least 45 mins.“

“We tried the bibimbap and kimchi pancake! Both were fine. Loved the atmosphere of this place and the staff were friendly. We had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated indoors on a Sunday for lunch and by the time we left there was a long line!“

“We never miss a chance to dine here when we’re in San Fernando. Amazing meals, amazing staff <3“

“Love this local Korean spot close by to me. Very consistent in the food quality. Pretty spacious and does not get too loud.

I love to order the yukgaejang when I come here. The stew has glass noodles and also comes with bowl of signature purple rice. So delicious and a great deal. And of course there are fresh tasting banchan. I’ve asked for banchan refills before and the staff is friendly and will provide it free of charge. I always leave happy and full. I haven’t tried a lot of the other menu items so cannot provide input on that. Next time I should try the samgyetang.“

“Great service and food 😋👍🏻“

“📍 Wolfe's Lunch, a classic American diner, is located at 1220 16th St in San Francisco's Potrero Hill. Operating since 1948, it's known for its friendly service and large portions, serving satisfying breakfast and lunch in an old-school atmosphere. ★★★★★“

“One of our favorite spots in the Richmond. Sean and Alice are as terrific as their ice cream!“

“Surprised by all the negative reviews here. Got the crab and corn, it was delicious. The bread is soft and sweet, eggs are fluffy which isn't my favorite but works well for this style of sandwich. $7 for a breakfast sized sandwich is reasonable in SF. Glad to have them in the area.

For folks saying you're forced to order a combo, you can choose sandwich only on the left side of the screen, combo is just the first thing on the list.“

“If you love Asian food like me this is a great grocery store. This place has wonderful customer service, fruit that other stores don't carry, ramen noodles by the ton, fresh sushi, meat that is cut so thin you can do Korean BBQ or Hotpot at home, and the price are great. Plenty of free parking and there is a cute cafe. Eat your Asian food fix here“

“Better than Seoul Sausage and they won the Great American Food Truck Race! Perfect balance of spice, sauce, and crunch. The outside is amazing and the Parmesan was a nice touch!“

“Hidden gem! The grilled octopus is a must!“

“My partner and I stopped by on a Saturday. It was super busy in the mall, as expected, but the line went by surprisingly fast. We ordered cream puffs as well as a couple of drinks. The cream puffs were absolutely delicious - the matcha is our favorite. The drinks were good too - better than a chain coffee shop but not the best matcha latte in comparison to other matcha lattes.“

“Good very good tummy delicious“

“Excellent, all around. The food continues to be delicious and plentiful. The owners (5 brothers) and a sister are exceptional. Brother #5 takes the time to meet with his patrons in the midst of cooking! A special place to dine.“

“order online pick up when ready.“

“We had late night dinner reservations elsewhere and needed a little snack to hold us over. We got the bulgogi kimbap and boneless KFC with the sweet and spicy sauce. While waiting for our food, we were pleasantly surprised when they served us each a hot cup of broth. The chicken was delicious and they were big pieces of breast meat that weren’t overly breaded, but still very crispy. The kimbap was also great. The man who helped us was very nice and the restaurant was clean.“

“We searched 20 min for a parking spot during peak dinner rush. It was worth every minute! Our party of 5 ordered udon, kebabs, BBQ pork, & sizzling Bibimbap. All happy customers & rated it the #1 dinner of our 4 (so far) in San Francisco.“

“This place is the epitome of comfort food. Located where all the medical offices seem to be - this is an unassuming mom and pop cafe with no frills but has warm and friendly energy. I always order off the Korean menu and the dolsot bibimbop is absolutely delicious and in the same leagues as your typical Korean restaurant. This is definitely a local's joint and I look forward to coming here after my doctor's visits.“

“Nice place to dine in with family and friends“

“2025: New owner. Marilyn sold the restaurant. I noticed my regular items like grilled mackerel and shrimp & vegetable TKim fry were no longer on the new menu. Then I noticed the wall specials were gone. Also, the article featuring Marilyn Lee in Ingleside was removed. Wait a minute, am I in the wrong restaurant? I asked the waitress and she said the restaurant got sold and is now under new ownership. Marilyn was always cool to me. I will miss her food.

Tonight's soft tofu stew, seafood $18 was OK. The beef option is no longer available. It is only pork seafood or vegetables now. The new menu is heavily truncated. No more 2 item combos, house specials like stir fried ramen or sandwiches. Previously, the banchan (little Korean dishes), included sprouts, potatoes and broccoli. Those are gone too. I only got cucumbers, tofu and the red cabbage.

New waitress seems OK. Nice but inattentive. People were walking up to pay because she was on the phone. Perhaps it was later in the evening and she had to finish up her closing tasks.

Updated review 10/27/2021: Go Go7 is still awesome. I love the little dishes of kimchi they serve before the meal. Tonight, I really wanted ramen but 21 Taste House down the block was closed for some reason. To satisfy my ramen craving, I ordered Go Go 7's stir fry ramen with bulgogi $12. The dish was huge and it almost made me regret ordering the deep fry shrimp and vegetable appetizer $8. I tried but could not finish it all. I had to take 1/2 of my food to go. Great job Go Go 7! This restaurant is an important part of the Ocean Ave. dining community.

Original review: Indoor dining 5/28/2021. Go Go 7 is a popular Korean restaurant. There was a parade of to-go pickup orders. All I heard were people ordering their two item combos. It is perfect if you don't want to do family style and still want a variety of items. The portions are perfect if you don't want a lot of leftovers in your fridge the next day. Tonight I had their bulgogi (marinated beef) sandwich $10 and grilled tofu $5. You don't usually see sandwiches at a traditional Korean BBQ restaurant. The bread was soft and it tasted great. The sandwich was not too dry or soggy and very flavorful. I enjoyed their little plates of kimchi. The bean spouts and the imitation crab with cucumber is a must try item. I liked it because you have something to munch on while they made my grill tofu appetizer and sandwich. They stayed open throughout the pandemic last year, even through that weird period when we had the curfews. I appreciated that. Guys like me had a really hard time looking for restaurants that were open. Great job everyone at Go Go 7. Love you guys!“

“I’ve been to Sonamu several times now, and it’s consistently a great experience. The vibe is casual, the space is clean, and service is efficient with food coming out quickly. There is a bit of an echo, so conversations carry, but it’s not a dealbreaker. The banchan spread is generous with seven tasty sides, and they’ll happily refill them on request. I love the courtesy tea—it’s hot and flavorful. The seafood bibimbap and tteokbokki are standouts: big portions, well-seasoned, and really satisfying. The bibimbap even stayed hot until the end of the meal, which was impressive. At about $40 for both dishes, it’s also a solid value for Korean food in SF. Definitely a reliable spot when you’re craving a hearty, flavorful meal.“

“3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Kimcheese Smashburger: Patty has a decent texture, but may be too mushy for some people. Not very tasty and a bit plain - definitely did not feel like I was eating a Korean food item.

Fries: Good texture, although a bit hard. Under-seasoned.“

“Super nice/friendly folks. Food came out quick. Nice large portions. Was super satisfied“

“This is my go to place for takeout when im sick or hungry/lazy past 930pm. I always get the kimchi soup with pork belly, seafood pancake, kimchi cold noodle, and more pork belly. Their banchan also includes a crunchy mustard seaweed noodle that is so addicting.

This may be my favorite korean restaurant in the city.“

“We returned to this restaurant twice during our visit to SF, it was that good. Very much enjoyed the garlic soy chicken wings, salmon eggs benedict, kimchi, bulgogi, pimped up ramyun, and of course the bacon.“

“My foodie coworkers have nothing but praises every time you guys cater for us. Impressive how you pull off such tasty AND healthy food. Thank you!“

“Tell me why when I first opened the delivery box of galbi boneless chicken and stabbed what I thought was a French fry with my fork, I literally did a chew double-take and removed the tteokbokki from my mouth because my taste buds were so thrown off from what I was expecting. I really should’ve known better, but I’m accustomed to seeing tteokbokki drenched in a gochujang based sauce, so they deceptively resembled fries. To be fair, from this experience, I learned they taste way better dry and seasoned, but I digress.

Onto the main part of the review…

As I’ve written in a couple other reviews this week, I’m “researching” the best Korean fried chicken spots in San Francisco to determine which to order from for an upcoming Friendsgiving. I looked up a ton of options in the city and narrowed them down to a shortlist of 3 spots, this place included. A few things I examined to create my short list were varieties/flavours of chicken, quantity to price ratio, other customer ratings, images of the chicken, and proximity to my neighborhood or deliverability to my friends’ neighborhood where the Friendsgiving will be hosted.

When I took the first bite of K Soul chicken, I knew I’d found a winner. I’m very particular about KFC having spent the last few years living in LA and Orange County, home to copious dedicated KFC restaurants. K Soul’s chicken tastes the most similar to my favourite spots in SoCal. It has the perfect texture and crunch, the meat is neither dry nor greasy, and the umami flavor is on point. They’ve created a perfectly balanced KFC, and that’s why I’ll be taking this to Friendsgiving.“

“Among the food court options at Hmart, I can only recommend two places: Daeho Galbijjim and Hong Kong Banjum. I’ve tried food from the other spots, but I wouldn’t recommend them. Especially Jung Bunsik—maybe it’s best to stay away from there!

Jajangmyeon and Jjamppong are truly the soul food of Koreans, aren’t they? I love both, but in San Francisco, it’s hard to find places that do them well consistently. The taste often varies too much. That’s why Hong Kong Banjum, with its reliably consistent flavor, is my top pick.

I recommend their Jjamppong, Tangsuyuk, and Jjajangbap!“

“I knew exactly what I wanted as I walked in. I smelled the Bibimbop and my tummy was already smiling. the service was great! and the food was delicious! our 3 year old approved the Chicken Cutlets with their special sauce! we're definitely coming back the next time we're in town!“

“This is our local, “go to” place whenever we’re craving Korean food. It never disappoints. At night, they generally project K-pop music videos onto a large wall, which brings the whole room to life. Lotsa fun!“

“Yesterday our first time there. The food was delicious and the service as well we definitely will have to come back soon!!! Thank you!“