23 Best Korean Restaurants in San Francisco

“Food were elegantly seasoned and service was warm but not uptight! Just perfect!“

“we actually wanted to eat korean bbq with a grill and then came across a different kind of korean bbq - luckily for us. the food was bombastic. five of us went to eat and ordered a big pot for everyone. all the ingredients (meat, vegetables, cheese and spices) were so extremely delicious. definitely worth a visit if you make a trip to japantown.“

“A gem. SF is so lucky to have a place like this to call its own. Non-caricature chef’s tasting: in every bite you feel the chef’s soul and peer into his vision (if you frequent nyc fine dining or read Pete Wells’ piece on Nōksu, fair or not, you know what I mean.) Seasonal ingredients, personified in the chef’s diverse culinary journey.During the winter months, be sure to round up a crew of 4-6 and pre-order the king crab. The vibe is cali-convivial, in the best sense of laid back but get it done way.Early weekday seating, the restaurant is sparsely seated and it feels like you are a guest in chef’s home, warm and inviting.“

“Came here with a group of 5 for a friend’s bday and was so pleasantly surprised!Good:- The tater tots were awesome, loved the bulgogi- Great pricing for a large group not too expensive- The bulgogi hot pot was so good- I like the fruit wine here as well and came with a lot of ingredients in it- Service was great friendly staff who also brought out ice cream and sang happy birthday, food also came out quicklyBad:- The chicken karaage was pretty normal not super fancy though and was a bit blandOverall this place was a solid place for a hangout with friends and great Korean food. Was packed as well on a Thursday night“

“Went here on a Wednesday evening, so probably not the best judge of the "vibes" people are taking about, it was pretty dead. Regardless, orders the spicy pork belly ($23) and the monster tater tots ($13). The pork belly was so good, though the helping wasn't *too much* given the price. The tater tots were such a large amount, and they were so great at first. After a while though, the sauce they put on them (some garlic aioli) started to become heavy and difficult to get down. Had to leave some for them to take away which I never do! Overall, was charged $39 +20% tip. Decent place but given the area, a little pricey.“

“Authentic Kbbq restaurant - wait time can be long so be prepared ?We enjoyed every dish that we have tried- Amazing (and refillable) spread of banchan- Marinated galbi (a wee bit sweet for me but nonetheless delicious)- Seafood tofu soup (perfect for a chilly night)- Dolsot bibimbap (love the crispy rice bottom ? tasty as a leftover too)- Steamed egg (I finished a bowl on my own ?)Service was swift and efficient ?“

“Made a reservation for a large group of 8 a week in advance and was easily able to find time slots. Highly recommend that you split the table amongst parties of 3-4 if you have a large group because the plates are definitely small and not large enough for more than 4+ people. But because the plates were small, we were able to try a bunch of different dishes which is always fun. We ordered: * Tomato Kimchi - 7/10: nothing to special for me, was a little too much on the acidic side * Mulhwe Noodle - 9/10: I wish I had a full size portion of this, was absolutely delicious as it was a beautiful combination of raw fish and noodles * Uni Scallop Toast - 7/10: I do think this was good, but it's pricey ($29) * Jjimdak bao - 7/10: Little bao with chicken, but wasn't mindblowing * Soy-Glazed Potato - 9/10: great little addition with a creamy delicious sauce * Rice Cakes & Chorizo - 10/10: I'm not usually a fan of rice cakes but this kind of reminded me of pizza, the crust was crispy and chorizo super delicious * Miso Marinaded Pork - 9/10: can't go wrong with a pork dish, goes well with rice * Galbi Ribeye - 10/10: juicy and flavorful; recommend you get with the lettuce wraps * Radish Kimchi Fried Rice - 7/10: portion size was soooo small, was good but nothing unique * Chocolate Cake - 8/10: can't go wrong with chocolate cake * Banana Milk Ice Cream - 9/10: deep banana flavor that paired well with the chocolate cake Overall, great food, service, and vibes makes this an easy recommendation for me.“

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

“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.“

“We got the spicy raw marinated crab, jja jang myeon, and double fried garlic chicken. I would recommend the spicy raw marinated crab. The center was meaty and easy to squeeze out. The shell was soft enough that you could chew it to get the meat out. It was just spicy enough to be enjoyable. I enjoyed this one better than the ones I had in LA. Jja jang myeon was standard. The garlic fried chicken was okay.“

“ร้านอาหารเกาหลี ปิ้งย่าง ถูกปากคนเอเชีย ยกให้หนึ่งร้านในซานฟรานซิสโก อร่อยดี เยี่ยม ในราคาบุปเฟ“

“Great food, excellent service.“

“As a Korean-American, I hate Korean fusion or Korean flavor/influenced food. But, please TRUST when I say the kalbijjim pastry is soooo good. I thought it'd suffice because I needed something thick to take with my meds. I was pleasantly surprised as it was not heavy, nor was it excessively sweet. It did not have too much of that soy sauce + sugar taste that other places put in too much of. It was so perfect. I shoved it in my mouth as I was turning right, crushing the box on my lap, with a cop on the corner staring at me like I was so dumb to do this in front of him. It was worth it. Anyway, the lines aren't too bad as it goes by, and they are very nice there.“

“I went last fall for the first time to meet up with a friend and her new boyfriend. It was really cold so I really appreciated the fire heat lamps outside the store. The service was pretty good, and the standard side dishes in korean cuisine were up to expectation. It's standard Korean food but nothing absurdly amazing that stood out to me, but I'd give it another shot later down the line if I'm entertaining visitors out of SF.“

“Joodang is quite possibly my favorite restaurant right now. The food is to die for and the service is phenomenal. My friend n I decided to try their Te Mari handroll tasting menu which is only offered on Sunday and Monday w/ two time slots of 5:30 and 8PM (you hav to make a reservation). I rec coming at 8PM, show up a bit early so you get first pick at seats, and you HAVE TO sit at the bar. Chef andy and Jeffrey are a hilarious duo, and the staff are all super nice and will not hesitate in pouring you drinks. Must try's are their truffle toro parfait, cajun albacore tuna roll, hokkaido scallop roll, salmon belly w unagi roll, and the korean raw beef perilla wrap. Even the unassuming dishes like inari shiitake and snapper bone soup were amazing (we were even offered seconds for it). I did not dislike a single thing and the chef even made me a toro roll (i think?) cause I’m allergic to bean sprouts. Typically i don’t write reviews (i actually have four exams to study for right now) but this place is so good i have to share my experience.“

“Holy moly, the food here is going to make you happy. I ordered the oxtail take home soup and a seafood combo over glass noodles. Everything was amazing. You get sides and a lot of food to put together at home. The Oxtail soup was just delicious and got better each time we heated it up. The mushrooms melt in your mouth and the sides were solid. I know my girl loved her meal because she hates everything and she scared it down. I was very envious of the people who had time to sit down and eat because their food looked amazing. Next time.“

“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!“

“Everything taste fresh and so good here. Portions are good. I like that they give you the fried fishes as a banchan also. And the rice comes in a hot stone . They pour water in it after they scoop it for you but I like to keep the rice in the pot, it keeps my rice hot while I’m eating. And you also have crispy rice at the bottom. They cook the meat for you so you don’t end up smelling like kbbq. The food all came out piping hot. One of my favorite spots.“

“The Alemany Boulevard location of HMart opened in 2021, a 48,000 square feet Korean-American grocery store and a small food hall. The seafood selection offers perfectly sliced sushi and fresh seafood from live tanks. The marinated meats are a favorite in my house, especially the kalbi short ribs and the bulgogi beef. Don't skip the snack aisle, chips, nuts, crackers and candies galore. The noodle aisle is an experience in itself, each time I discover something new to try. The banchan is my favorite, radishes, cabbage, scallions and more. If you are looking for prepared foods Korean sushi or kimbap are my choice for a quick snack when I get home. My son loves the Korean corn dogs, the frozen dumplings are always in my cart. In the food hall you can dine at a table or take out. The Korean Fried Chicken at Left Wing, Daeho for Kalbi Stone Pot and Paris Baguette Bakery for pastries and cake. ,“

“We greatly enjoyed One Market. Great ambiance and view. Excellent service. The halibut was exquisite--it was beautifully cooked and the pea shoots, English peas and kaffir-carrot emulsion was a perfect compliment to the fish. My husband had the crispy fried chicken, which he declared to be delicious--the only problem was that there was not enough dark meat. We will definitely be back.“

“Been coming here for a while now and Purple Rice has become a go-to spot for a warm and comforting meal. Definitely one of the better Korean restaurants in the city, their soft tofu soup ranks with some of my favorites from LA's Koreatown. Solid sides and appetizers, the wings and the pancakes really stand out. So glad to have this place in the neighborhood!Wheelchair accessibility: Easy entrance and all the tables should be able to accommodate folks in wheelchairs“

“Made a stop here since I was in the neighborhood. My partner got the hot Cheeto crusted corn dog and I got the potato dog with sugar. We loved both!! Super satisfying and filling. The cheese pull was to die for. We've been wanting to come here since trying Korean corn dogs in Vancouver and LA. I have to say, I liked these ones just as much, or even better! Downsides are that there's no seating and there can be a bit of a wait.“

“Nice place to dine in with family and friends“