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Korea House
Category: Restaurants Korean Korean [Edit]
1640 Post St(between Laguna St & Buchanan St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
Neighborhoods: Japantown, Lower Pac Heights, Pacific Heights
(415) 563-1388
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
169 reviews for Korea House
Review Highlights
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"Also the Dae Ji Bul go gi is great." In 13 reviews -
"The side dishes are generous and tasty." In 37 reviews -
"But seriouly - $30 for bi bim bap and a pancake." In 11 reviews
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169 reviews in English
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Review from Martin C.
San Francisco, CA
3/10/2012
I've been to Korea House several times but never commented on it before.
If you're looking for something a little different when you're in J-town, you have the choice of Chinese and/or Korean food on the block of Post on the hill across from the Miyako Hotel. Korea House is one of two on the block. I've never been to the other one. No sure why but I always choose KH because I find the "look" of the dining area appealing. Nothing special about it; just the normal layout of BBQ tables on each side of the room with a couple of large tales for big groups.
I almost always go to Korean restaurants only for the BBQ. So, I can't speak about any other dishes. but I the BBQ is very good. KH also has very good fans over the grills; you don't smell like BBQ when you leave and a decent selection of banchan w/unlimited refills. Oddly, they charge extra for seaweed ($2) and lettuce ($4) which is a little steep but they give reasonable refills if you run out.
Had kalbi ($29) and chicken ($20) on the trip tonight. They precut the kalb for you rather than giving you a long strip attached to the bone (which is ok by me) but they still leave the bones on the plate for you to grill (if you like) as I like to do. The kalbi is nicely marinated as is the chicken. The beef was a little tough but the chicken was really tender after cooking.
Service is always responsive and efficient. Ask for something and you get it right away. No complaints. KH isn't much different that the Korean places on Geary but it's a novelty in J-town and, if you're visiting the mall or taking in a movie at the Kabuki, it's really convenient to eat hear especially if you're parked in the lot.
It can get pretty busy on a weekend evening but if you get there early you shouldn't have any problem getting a table right away. Check it out! -
Review from Dave K.
San Jose, CA
5/1/2012
Mixed reviews about this place. I ordered some beef soup, and it was really watered down. However, some of the other stuff was really good. Good jap-chae and Tofu soups. I should have probably ordered something else, but oh well. The side dishes are good, they give you a pretty decent amount.
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Review from Angie L.
4/10/2012
Food was good, portions were generous, and service was above and beyond. The kimchi chigae is excellent here.
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Review from Ed U.
I'm not sure if I was in the Old Korea House or the New Korea House, but sure enough, it was the Old Ed that came here along with Jamie W., who picked the place because he used to come here with his long-time bud Ed, who must be Old Old Ed, or maybe that makes me the Spanking New Ed. Pause for beaming. Anyway, old or new, Korea House strikes me as a rather bland place. The Korean barbecue places out in the Richmond make you reek of smoke, and you can count on some guy in a wife-beater carrying a bucket of coal to your table.
Here at Korea House, it feels downright suburban, a family-friendly place like a Denny's in downtown Seoul or a Soulless Denny's, take your pick. I noticed no one was getting their fire hole lit up here probably because it's a safety hazard with all the toddlers running riot. We went predictable. Jamie ordered the standard-regulation $13.95 Bi Bim Bop, which mixed slices of marinated ribeye, veggies and an already fried egg on top of rice (see photo). It was a mistake because it came lukewarm. For only a dollar more, I got the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bop, which came with the same ingredients in a sizzling stone bowl (see photo).
The egg was raw, which I prefer, and the crust that develops on the rice at the bottom is worth savoring. As a starter, we ordered a couple of the $3 Bean Dae Duk, which are mung bean egg pancakes that came with a sweet dipping sauce (see photo). Given how bland the pancakes were, they tasted better with the red chili paste. And as with any Korean restaurant worth its salt, we were served ten little dishes of banchan, bite-size appetizers of just about everything that can be pickled (see photo). Service was nothing to complain about. They were attentive despite the growing number of tables that were filling up. Popular place.
FOOD - 3 stars...standard Korean with no stand-outs
AMBIANCE - 3 stars...pretty generic as Korean places go
SERVICE - 4 stars...very attentive
TOTAL - 3 stars...bi bim bop goes boomListed in: Memoirs of a Geezer, Koreaville
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Review from Mamie J.
San Francisco, CA
4/2/2011
So effing GOOD.
As an Asian college student smack dab in Moraga, I am constantly craving *legit* Asian food. There is seriously no kind of good Chinese, Japanese, or Korean food in Moraga. So, we drove all the way to Concord. This food is just top notch Korean food. Love the appetizers, of course. They're so fast and it gets super busy at night. The thing that made my experience above and beyond was the exceptional service! The ladies who work here are ALWAYS smiling. We always get escorted to the door by someone and we get tons of thank you's before we leave. I love Korea House :)
Highly recommended. -
Review from Nobu K.
San Francisco, CA
3/16/2011
"A-Wop-Bop-A-Loo-Bop-A-Bi-Bim-Bop! "
BBB only review.
2 kinds of Bi Bim Bup here.
Cold and Hot.
Cold is 10 bucks and Hot is 14.
I like both.
The Hot BBB is in a large hot stone bowl is nice.
It comes with raw egg and will cook when you mix because the stone bowl is very hot.
Worry for get Salmonella?
Well,
BBB without raw egg is like,...... breakfast Sirio without milk.
It kind of engine oil or moisture lotions.
Make things smooth.
Raw egg makes BBB smooth,
You gotto have the raw egg.
That is the risk you have to take when it comes to BBB.
You gotto be a macho about it.
The other day, I saw a bumper sticker says, "Go Vege, Stay Green and Save the planet."
For who?
Why no one say anything about that to China?
If China does that, then we can start save the planet.
I hope Al Gore knows that.
He is such a hypocrite.
Asia was so green before JFK took over.
I think "Go Vege, Stay Green and Save the planet." is Such a hypocrite comment because we are not all monks and nuns.
So,
I'll say,
"Go Beef, and Stay KimChee and easy on the planet."
Life is too short.
FXXX It.
I don't care how you look.
I love you.
I don't judge you by looks but I'll judge you by face lift.
http://www.youtube.com...Listed in: BBB, BiBimBup!
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Review from Christina C.
San Francisco, CA
1/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mediocre tofu stew near J-town.
Pressed on time, we ended up here because the other korean place wasn't open for another 30 min.
Since it was cold and I was under the weather, I ordered the tofu stew with pork- spicy hot.
:: food ::
The banchan had a nice selection and tasted ok.
The tofu stew came out but there was no egg accompanying it (doh). It was not piping hot with steam forming like most places. It had this reddish slick on top but was not spicy at all. There was a lot of tofu. The pork was spare and very tough to eat. $11 of unsatisfaction.
:: service ::
Service was a bit on the slow side, considering no one else was in the restaurant but us. It took a while to flag down the server sitting at another table, facing the opposite direction to take our order. Tea and banchan took another long while. Getting our actual food and bill was a lot faster.
I came out stuffed but not satisfied. Plenty of other places to try around there before considering coming back. -
Review from Emily Z.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 3/17/2011
My last visit here prompted me to update my last review.
It was a Friday night and me, the bf, and three others were out to get our din din on. One of the had mentioned they wanted Korean food so the first place that came to mind is Korea House for me.
2 out of the 5 of us never been here so I egged it on that it was more of an incentive to check it out... since it was like.. my FAVORITE Korean restaurant.
Came here a little early for dinner (but who cares, we were huuuuungry) and the place had only one family eating.
The 5 of us ordered Dinner 1 which was a set meal and added an order of Kalbi and one large OB.
The food was delish as always and the service deserved 5 stars on their own.
We feasted like royalties that night and all left with good feelings in our tummy.
Oh! And because I checked into YELP, they had a 25% discount on dinner. So that was an extra bonus!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/31/2010
This is one of my FAV place to eat.
It doesn't matter if you are going there with a group or just… Read more »
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Review from Kristina R.
San Francisco, CA
Eating a nice dinner at Korea House with my Korean mother.
MOM: (Random thought) You were a mistake, you know. We didn't want you. Dad didn't want children.
ME: (Choking on kim chee) WHU...? What the fu...??! What do you mean "I was a mistake"...huh? Huh?
MOM: We didn't want you. We already had Jason. We didn't need another one.
ME: ANOTHER one? What? WHAT?
MOM: Think about it. Eleven year age difference. Who would wait a decade to have YOU?
ME: IS THAT A RHETORICAL QUESTION??
MOM: Oh, calm down. We love you...now that we had to have you.
ME: WAS THAT A PAUSE? DID YOU JUST PAUSE?
MOM: Jason was planned. We wanted a boy.
ME: JASON IS A LOSER! YOU DUMPED JASON IN KOREA FOR THREE YEARS AND MOVED AWAY, REMEMBER?
MOM: We wanted to plan better life for him here in America.
ME: (Lower lip quivering) And ME? What about a better life for ME?
MOM: You so spoiled. (Sigh)
ME: What...so basically, you popped a nickel into the candy machine and the wrong color gumball came out...ME!
(Stuffing face with chap chae and rice in my sorrow) I'm, like, the yucky green, lime-flavored gumball nobody wanted. You chewed on me, sucked out all the flavor and then spit me out! (sniff, tear...)
MOM: Oh, don't be so dramatic. It's not like we thought about giving you away that much.
ME: I hate this family. I hope my real parents come to find me soon. PLEASE GOD, give me a sign.
(A Yoo Hoo falls from the heavens.)
ME: Thank you, Lord.
(One star off for being a bit pricey...and for being the place where I was scarred for life.) -
Review from kevo m.
East Bay, CA
7/9/2007
Update 9/2:
Last night they accommodated 27 of us hungry yelpers. The reservations were for 15. They fit us in. They struggled a little, but kept their cool. Most of all, they kept the food and drinks coming. I also found out they will cook your food for you too, which we opted to do. That worked out very well, as I didn't want to smell like BBQ and have drunk people cooking.
One extra star to make 5!
---original review below------
Very nice upscale Korean foodies. We went on a Sunday night and ordered way too much food. Having just finished being BBQ-master I wasn't really in the mood to cook my own food. But duty called, as I was the only one on our 'kids table which were were relegated, otherwise known as the Japo table" who could cook.
Note to self: Go to these establishments with people who cook regularly. Otherwise food safety is out the window.
The Korean bacon was different but pretty good. The Kal Bi was very good. (They even cooked the bone part in the kitchen for us.) And the soup? Uh, no thanks. Our table, our peeeps, we like to fill up on rice not soup. Thank you very much.
So what if they looked at us funny when we all asked for another chawan of rice. So what if they looked at us funny because we left enough kim chee on the table to feed the entire North Korean Army....for a month.
Aigooo Machisoooo!!! My Korean ex-gf would be proud.Listed in: Kamsamnida Mr. Kim
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Review from Wanugee N.
Pleasant Hill, CA
This year we had a unique confluence of special days on the calendar. In one Sunday Night, you had Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year and Tet, all falling on President's day weekend, where a lot of people were out on a Sunday like it was Saturday.
Consequently, you know a lot of restaurants would be crowded. All the Chinese and Vietnamese would have families celebrating, all the fine dining spots of French, Nouvelle, Steakhouse and similar places would be packed with couples, so where to go?
I headed for Japan Town. All of the restaurants there had waiting lines, too. So I went to an old stand by, a restaurant I used to go to a long time ago late at night after partying in the city because they were open until 3:00 am on Saturdays, and that was Korea House.
Korea House is a popular name for a KBBQ place. Before i used to go to the one in Santa Clara, which burned down, and years later the owner reopened in Concord under the same name, and is one of my faves. But before there was a New Korea House downstairs, I used to go to this one, up the flight of stairs to a room full of hooded tables and in table cooking grills.
It hasn't changed much. I am not sure if it is open real late still, but the rest is as I remembered it. It is cheaper than Seoul Garden in the J-Town mall and just as good if not better.
We ordered Bulgogi (marinated beef $19.95) and Sam Gyup Sal (pork bellies $19.95). Out came a mountain of appetizers, 11 Banchan in all! We started with a large plate of pickled. non-spiced napa cabbage. Raddish soup. Then 10 banchan. then a large plate of chopped Romaine lettuce, and two platters of meat.
Although the side dishes were impressive, the meat wasn't particularly. The Bulgogi was good, but I have had more meat, better marinade, and better tasting. The Sam Gyup Sal wasn't the best, either, as I have had much better down in K-Town in LA or the OC. And down in SoCal there is a price war going on, so it is cheaper.
Service was good, but there were only 3 people working including the cook, so they were pressed to keep up with nearly a full house.
Korea House is still a reliable go to KBBQ house in Japan Town after all these years.Listed in: Wanugee! San Francisco, Wanugee! Korean
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Review from Sarah C.
10/2/2010
Came here with the BF tonight for dinner. We ordered the sizzling bim bam bop and this stew with rice cakes since I have never tried rice cakes.
The decor is really nice better than the other Korean places I have been to in the city. The staff is pretty good. We were able to get a second round of appetizers but like half the dishes which is completely fine. They offered a good amount of appetizers the first round. Delish!
The bim bam bop was good but I really enjoyed the stew with the potstickers. The potstickers were alright. Trader Joes has better ones. What I really enjoyed was the rice cakes! They taste like tong yuan Chinese starch balls??
Overall the experience here is good. I've been here before and I would like to come back.
Another plus- I believe there are three stalls in the women bathroom. =] -
Review from Stanley K.
San Francisco, CA
9/5/2007
I have never ate a nice Korean BBQ until now, Guri made an amazing night. He somehow got 25 plus people to come here and ate some of the best Korean food I have eaten in a long time. Everything was perfect. The company was beyond five stars. The food was good but very over priced. Everyone was drinking OB beer and soju, it was a night just like any night with these yelp friends of mine, total annihilation, total drunkenness.
Yours truly was sober! -
Review from Connie C.
San Jose, CA
7/13/2006 1 photo
5 stars for being accomodating to our party of 30 and NOT kicking us out! At one point, they came over to close off our private room with the accordion partition - like those things will reduce noise! Maybe we were too embarassing for the other patrons to look at... THOSE CLAZY YERPERS!!
Thanks to Hen A. who acted as our Korean ambassador of Yelp. He ordered us a plentiful amount of Korean beer, soju (and Hen even brought Calipco flavored drinks to mix in - GON-BEH!), a variety of meats for us to grill, and too many side dishes to fit on our tables.
The spicy tofu (soon du bu ji gae) was brought out to each table in a piping hot clay pot and that was delicious. The chapjae noodles, which is typically complimentary with your meal, was ok - a bit soggier than usual. The meats were just so much fun to grill... food always seems to taste better when you're in charge of cooking it.
BTW, if you should accidentally turn off your flame, try not to relight it yourself - ask them to do it! Although one of our guys took the liberty of lighting it himself with his lighter, we all moved 5 feet away for fear of an explosion... you'd guess that we'd all run OUT of the room! It was all good though, but our flame got really high without us realizing it and I guess our grill got really nasty really quick... didn't know this until Hen came over to point it out! Our table did have a thick cloud of smoke over it...
This is a great place to come with a group of friends... don't know if they'll let our particular group back though! Got a teensy carried away with those soju bombs. And afterwards, you can go next door for some karaoke! Next time ;)Listed in: Have it Family Style
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Review from Danny L.
2/27/2010
So this is the new Korea House? The other "Korea House" located next door seems newer! Hmmm....
The place was quite slow and quiet. At least until we came in. My group was over 12 peeps deep and we started the meal with 5-6 bottles of soju and a few large bottles of beer. Now that's a way start off a meal! They brought us complimentary plates of the Korean pancakes while we ordered. Bonus points!
We ended up ordering a crazy amount of meat plates; 3 orders of galbi, 3 orders of spicy pork, 3 orders of thinly sliced beef, and 3 orders of thinly sliced pork and they were all well marinated and tasty. They also gave us bean paste soup which seemed lighter and a bit watery but hey.... it was free!
The service was very impressive. Of course we were a large party and pretty much the only customers in the restaurant with the exception of a couple who came in a little later. I expected this place to be a bit busier for a Friday night.Listed in: Korean euphoria!
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Review from Fong L.
7/13/2006
CONNIE AND HEN ARE THE BEST!
So I would give this place 3 stars because the food was about 4 stars: tasty, straight-up korean fare. Good marinades for the meats, and they had beef tongue for me :). But the service was really slow, and the tiny little kimchee dishes were inadequate for parties our size. The kal bi had the full bone, but also was not the thin spiral cut I'm used to at Brothers. They were chunky so took a lot longer to cook. Good thing I like my beef rare! :)
Ahhhhh OB and Soju. What korean meal would be complete without that stuff? Big props to Hen for bringing the Calpis for the soju ;) Though I personally think yakult tastes better ;) I can't remember the name of the soju brand we had, but it was way better than most of the soju/turpentine I've had before.
But then I add one star because of how large and loud our LARGE group of yelpers were, just because they put up with us. And I knew although the service was slow, they were trying their best to accommodate us, esp the manager. They just need more wait staff! -
Review from Michael M.
San Francisco, CA
7/13/2006
Thanks to Connie for setting up another great event!! There were maybe 25 of us, and boy did we get loud. Sogu bombs. I was thinking we were gonna get kicked out of there. I told Connie that this is the last time they will let Yelp in ... no holiday parties.
The food is standard bbq, and each table got platters of chicken, beef, and pork maybe? You grill it yourself ... but be careful not to turn it off. SOMEONE did at our table, and we were wondering why the food was not cooking. Maybe the grill is cold because it's .... HAUNTED??? No, it was not haunted, but it was turned off in an attempt to turn it up. (Sorry! but I forgot your name. I will not remember your name, but will know your face if we cross paths again!)
Also with the meal ... I have to give a big thanks to Hen for ordering for us. You get lots of picked veggies like red kimchee, which could have been spicier, cucumbers, jicama, and lots of other side dishes served family style. There was some spicy tofu soup that was pretty good too, and comes to the table in a contraption that keeps the soup boiling hot. Also on the menu was a "pad Thai", ala Korean style. That was really good.
BTW ... what was the name of that noodle dish?? I want to order it again, but my deaf ears could not pick up exactly what it was.
OH ... the sogu! Great stuff! How is it flavored?? I think Hen was in charge of this too. People said I had a lot of sogu, but I didn't feel anything.
It's a great place to go in Japantown, but be sure to wear something that you won't mind smelling like BBQ. It does seem a bit pricey, at it came to $33 per person, but I did not get to see a regular menu. -
Review from Jeff P.
Dublin, CA
10/8/2009
I'm not an expert at Korean BBQ but holly Jesus this place was delicious. This was my first time at a Korean BBQ and I have to say that I am a fan. The BBQ pork was so good and the chicken was just as tasty.
It was kind of fun to BBQ (actully someone else at our table did it) your own meat but I think after a while the novelty would wear off. Also, I think I could have done without all the little extra dishes that we ordered. It was fun to try but took up too much room. Probably would have been happier with more fantastic BBQ pork. -
Review from phillip w.
San Francisco, CA
10/13/2008
While walking past this restuarant to our car we got a good whiff of bbq beef...wow taht sure smells good. Lets try it out sometime~
So on friday, my lady and I decided to check it out. Now Im probably a dummy when it comes to eating korean food, despite the fact taht I've been to a good amount of them. I look ridiculous when I try to mix a bi bim bop and I look like a idiot when i'm doing bbq...
BUT TAHT DOESNT MATTER...i think?
the point is, if you dont know how to cut your meat, the servers will assist you with that, any questions they will try their best to explain to you. Overall as a bbq place it was pretty good and my lady n I enjoyed ourselves.
Dont wear nothing fancy if you do bbq..you will end up smelling like food and I dont know if that is something you want to smell like if you have plans after dinner. Oh yea, I didnt like the seafood pancake taht much but it wasnt bad~ -
Review from Grace K.
San Francisco, CA
6/6/2007
I have a friend who is, in my mind, totally unreliable when it comes to taste of food. If he says it's great, 9 out of 10 times, I will glare him down while eating for bringing me there. Over time, I have learned to not go to the places he recommends, and go to whatever else I find next door, down the street, or in a different county if possible.
But he is a good friend, so on Monday night, when he wanted to get together at Korea House - - I heaved out a sigh and just agreed.
To my surprise, though - - this place is actually nice! It is the first place he and I agree on! (Well, not quite - he said it was "just okay".... I find it to be better than okay but this is better than the glarefest I usually end up in...)
Galbi was good, marinated nicely and quite plentiful. There were 6 of us at dinner, and we ordered four servings of Galbi, and 1 Jjigae, 1 Squid Dish, and 2 bottles of Soju. Combined, each person's share came to the mid $20, if I recall correctly.
They had a grill at every table, and a center table which could accomodate larger parties like ours.
Ventliation was actually quite efficient, too. I didn't smell the smoke once during dinner.
Banchan was quite good also - and there was a big selection.
One downside was that they ran out of "ssam". Rule #1, at a Galbi house, you cannot run out of galbi... or ssam! (Red Leaf Lettuce) Things like this irritate me - and knowing me, I'm sure it showed on my face. It's like going to a steakhouse only to find out they ran out of potatoes or going to a sushi place only to find out they ran out of rice. Hello.....
But, to make up for it, one of the waitresses did run someone down to a restaurant nearby to get some "ssam" so the situation was fixed mid-meal, and Grace was back to being a happy camper.
Their dishes, the "Al-Jjigae" and "Nakjee Bokkum" were decent. I've had better, but again - their Galbi was really good.
I'd definitely go back.
While I prefer Hanuri Galbi in SF to this one - - this would be a strong second choice candidate if for whatever reason we could not go to Hanuri.Listed in: Where You'll Find Me…
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Review from Christy L.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2008
Wait, a Korean restaurant without rude servers? Have I been transported to some alternate dimension??
No, I'm having dinner at Korea House! This is the 'upscale' spot to go to when you're craving BBQ, but not craving the attitude or the stink. Okay, so I still left reeking of BBQ, but my overall experience was top notch.
We had the Bul Go Gi and Kal Bi - I have to say that I really liked the Bul Go Gi - they took the time to even BBQ it for us at our table (I think it wasn't so much to cook for us as it was to talk to my BF's Korean aunt).
Everything was delicious and the service was excellent. It's a lot pricier than say Brother's, but I think it's worth it! -
Review from James M.
Oakland, CA
2/11/2009
Chant with me...BUL GO GI, BUL GO GI! This place has some pretty damn good Korean BBQ. The tender beef and sweet marinade has my stomach craving for more. I always go out here with family and friends during special occasions. Why? Because the food is great! Great choices in Kim Chi, pickled cabbage/vegetables/etc. The rice tea helps settle that full stomach after a big meal. The service is friendly. It's always a great place for a large groups and the Korean Beer is the best. Ok, I may be a little bias because I'm korean but honestly the BBQ Bul Go Gi or Kal Bi is really good.
For newcomers, just a heads up. You can either choose to have the restaurant cook the meat for you or you can cook it yourself. However, there's something about cooking it yourself over the grill, but BEWARE...YOU WILL SMELL LIKE BEEF afterwards. So, wear some clothes that need to be laundered. -
Review from Natalie S.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2008
There aren't that many, or maybe no Korean restaurants in my hood, but thankfully I am sorta near J-Town where they have some. I had been craving the spicy spices of Korean food lately and I came here last night and got my fave, hot beef soup. I didn't try BBQ because my brother wasn't with me last night...but it smelled good. Anyway, they mixed up my "barely any spice" order with "extremely spicy". I took one spoonful of the spicy spicy soup and started coughing. Thankfully the server was super cool and re-did my soup to "barely any spice", which was manageable. They also had an assortment of the small dishes, which I love.
However the only bad thing about eating Korean, at almost every single restaurant except for my tofu house (since they don't let u cook it), is that you smell like Korean BBQ afterwards. It seeps into ur hair, ur clothes, ur socks, etc...I'd wear a garbage bag and a hair net if i could get away with it. -
Review from Hae Young L.
Marina/Cow Hollow, San Francisco, CA
1/16/2009
Korea House has a private room for special events, and the food is awesome! I attended a 1st year old birthday party and was blown away by the menu. The service was really helpful too.
Buffet style:
Kal bi skewers
Chicken skewers
Fried Chicken - Korean style
Kim chee - both water and regular.
Assorted egg battered meats "jun".
Burdock & Lotus root.
Vegetables and more...
I ate one of everything and it was enough for 2-3 people. -
Review from Deann M.
San Francisco, CA
3/21/2009
3.5 stars.
Almost never a wait (hmm good or bad sign?).
Pretty tasty kalbi - but kinda pricey at $22 for a decent sized portion for one grown man.
A good selection of side dishes (forget what they are called) - but some of them were too vinegary for me (cucumber, radish).
Kim chee chigai was decent - with chunks of beef, tofu and cabbage. I'd get it again but again, kinda pricey ($12) for what it is. I think prices are lower at Tofu House on Geary.
Overall, a good place to grab korean before a movie at Kabuki (or a massage in my case, tonite), but not somewhere that I'd venture to if simply craving korean. The spots on Geary and in the Richmond are better overall. Also, the environment, while clean, courteous and more than the average hole in the wall/no decor bbq spot, feels empty and more of a spot for families, someone trying out korean for the first time, etc...
Lastly, I actually do not advise eating korean before a massage - as I did tonight. I spent 1/2 the massage worrying that I might let out a kim chee smelling fart. -
Review from Ying C.
San Diego, CA
6/30/2009 3 photos
I'm obsessed with Korean BBQ. I'll upload pics of all the food we've eaten.. usually i go with 1 or 2 peeps and we always have 2 days worth of food packed.
Even after I took about 8 (ban chan's) off the table, the table was still completely full!
The yummies:
haemul pajeon (similar to or green onion pancake!) , gochujang (spicy soup), and Bibimbap and of course tons and tons of daikon kimchi.
And for dessert: Yeot !! MMMM
There's another korean BBQ place i go to in Oakland: delicious and has an event space upstairs for parties and kareoke! -
Review from Raoul K.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2007
We had the Bul go gi and the kimchi chigae and it was pretty good. The tofu was pretty stiff, I prefer the softer tofu. Our bill also seemed a little pricey. $35 for 2 dishes and rice?
We also came here a while back for a Yelp gathering of almost 30 people and it was fun.
If I come back I'll probablly try the be bim bop! -
Review from Evil J.
Placentia, CA
8/24/2008 2 photos
I like this place just as well as New Korea House down the street; in fact their kimchi and banchans taste exactly the same in both locations, causing me to believe the two restaurants are secretly connected by an underground tunnel in an unintended nod to the current state of North/South relations... but I digress.
Came here for for an early dinner today, following a curious Japanese couple up the stairscase. When the Japanese couple saw that nobody was there, they quickly left, leaving me to an empty restaurant all by my lonesome. But being here alone on business, I'm not wanting ambiance, just good food. So I went for it and sat myself down following a few nods and smiles.
I ordered a dish I don't normally see on Korean menus -- eel dolsot bibimbap. It arrived quickly preceded by nine different banchans, all perfectly delicious. Gochujang was served hilariously in a ketchup squeeze bottle., and although this sounds tacky, the quality of the food is what counts and I had no complaints at all. This meal was, in fact, amazing. The smell and sound of rice sizzling at the base of a stone pot just has no equal in this world.
I'm not sure what size stomachs the previous reviewers had when complaining about $100 tabs for two. Nine banchans and and massive bowl of bibimbap, complemented with complimentary tea and a sweet drink to finish everything off was more than enough to keep me happy and rotund-feeling for the remainder of the day. I spent less than $20.00.
Korea House, I love you! -
Review from David L.
Takoma Park, MD
3/7/2009
Meal: Dinner
Date: Sunday, March 1, 2009
I'd only had Korean food a handful of times before eating at Korea House. I almost ordered the Jap Chae but a mediocre experience with the same dish at a lesser restaurant and the fact that it didn't seem to be a featured item on the menu convinced me to try something else. In this case something else was a bibimbap dish with eel.
There are several bibimbap dishes on the menu. They all come with side dishes of pickled vegetables and so forth. I was stunned by the number of side dishes they brought me, there must have been about a dozen of them. Some I ate separately, some I mixed in with the bibimbap . It was a real challenge and I ate as much as I could but in the end I had to stop before the food was all gone. It was just a little too much for me, even though it was all delicious. I wasn't crazy for all the side dishes but I do like crunchy pickled veggies and there were more than a few of those.
Great meal, good service, good price: $21.99 including tax and tip. I don't feel as thought I know enough about Korean food to give it a proper assessment but I'm a fan.Listed in: Dave Goes to San Francisco
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Review from Adam G.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2008
I ate here yesterday with two friends. They both ordered bi bim bap and gobbled it up before I could say bi bim bap. I had what I always have, tofu kimchee bokum (with meat).
They didn't have the tofu part on the menu but accommodated my request and the service was hands off but efficient and friendly.
The tofu kimchee bokum was very good but didn't have much beef in it. Maybe they got the wrong impression and thought I wanted mostly tofu. I'd say seoul garden does it a bit better. However, the ban chan (side dishes) were excellent and included:
Black beans: 5/5 Awesome
Sprouts: 4/5
triangular tofuish thing: 5/5
kim chee: 4/5
gelatinous white rectangle thing: 3/5 - maybe I just don't like this
potatoes (no seasoning): 2/5 not a hit
There was so much food I didn't even try the white kim chee and the zucchini but they looked good. There may have been one or two more side dishes too.
btw - where does anybody offer a great lotus root side dish????
oh and the whole thing cost something like $17/person - I will definitely be coming back. -
Review from Miriam W.
11/6/2005
Korea House is where I get my Korean BBQ fix.
It should be noted that this place does more than just BBQ well, including Bi Bim Bap. It is the only place I know of that does Samgyupsal (Pork bacon cut from the belly, served in the same fashion as galbi) although it is not on the menu and you have to ask for it.
Kimchi Chigae here is VERY good but skip the pajeon (green onion pancake.)
Banchan here is excellent. I have found service here to be fairly attentive, and have never had the experience of chasing down the servers for anything.Listed in: Seoul Food in San Francisco
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Review from Berna T.
7/13/2006
I'd been to Korea House before Connie organized the group dinner, and I was a little apprehensive because my last experience here was so-so.
This goes to show that one's experience at a restaurant can be a whole different story depending on your company. That being said, KOREA HOUSE ROCKS! There were about 30 of us Yelpers and friends in a private room. We had a never ending stream of food and drink (with Hen's help). The BBQ was really tasty and the other dishes they brought out (jap chae, marinated mushrooms, tofu chi ge) were so good.
It was a great night, and I'd definitely come back again - but with a group, because it's just so darn fun that way :) -
Review from Adrienne C.
Philadelphia, PA
1/19/2009
Why are there no mentions of the prices below?? $15 for bi bim bap??
Ok, so at least the bi bim bap was good. So was the $15 meat pancake. And the decor/service was lovely.
But seriouly - $30 for bi bim bap and a pancake?? No no. -
Review from Tak H.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2007
One of my new faves for lunch in the j-town area.
For under $10 you can get kalbi or bulgogi or bi bim bap, or spicy soup; all served with 6 panchan side dishes.
The waitresses are ultra friendly and its never too crowded at lunch time.Listed in: J-town hits
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Review from jeff n.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2010
I love love LOVE Korean food, and I'm amazed there aren't any places to go near my hood (Du-Tri)...I mean, isn't Korean supposed to be the "next big thing"? Peruvian was last years "next big thing" and plenty Peruvian joints have popped up around me.
Anyway, I had a great experience here. I had bulgogi (cooked in the kitchen), which was tender, sweet and plentiful (**Tip: splash a little vinegar on the beef - um yum nom nom**), and the kim chee stew, which could have been spicier but was nevertheless delicious. The sides...the *banchan*...were plentiful and tasty. I pretty much scarfed everything too fast because it was so mouth-watering.
About the service: I read a few complaints from others about this place, but I had a particularly lovely lady - smiling, courteous and prompt.
No complaints. I'll be back. -
Review from A. C.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2009
I always have associated Korean BBQ in San Francisco with Brother's. Grill your own meat, the side dishes, etc. Best in the city ... until I discovered this place. I was pleasantly surprised by how the food turned out. Very delicious!
They have a similar set up -- the grill honestly is a little better than Brother's. I think the vent system there is a bit better too since I didn't smell like Korean BBQ afterwards for the rest of the day. Also the ambiance is less Chinatown-ish and more elegant. Rockin the 80s music :) -
Review from Lorrie N.
Fort Irwin, CA
6/3/2008 4 photos
Soggy rice --
The best part about dol sot bi bim bap is the crispy rice on the edges of the clay pot. They didn't heat the pot long enough or high enough to make the rice crispy. Very disappointing. The flavor was still good, but you barely get two scoops of rice in the pot.
Soggy beef --
The bulgogi was weird, almost as though it was steamed cooked instead of grilled or bbqed. The flavor is not strong or tasty, just plain. Don't order the bulgogi. It's not worth it, even though the amount of meat you get is decent.
Soggy service --
First the service is okay, we went mid-afternoon on a Saturday. This happened to be the same day as the Asian Heritage Festival in Japantown. Although, we ended up seating ourselves since it was so quiet and no one came around to seat us. We didn't get water or tea refills. We waited a while get the check since none of the staff were even walking around checking on tables. It wasn't crowded, only about 3-4 other tables of two around.
Location --
This place is upstairs, I didn't see any windows, not sure if there is an elevator, pretty big and you can grill your own, if you want to. Although there is a minimum order to do that.
I highly doubt returning as my two favorite items weren't so good here. There are other places that sound like they are worth checking out, rather than coming back for more soggy food. -
Review from Chacha M.
San Francisco, CA
12/6/2006
Good appetizers, delish Korean dishes, and nice price.
Honestly I only visit during lunch time, and it's has been good always!
Not just to me, also to my fellow Korean co-workers.
We LOVE LOVE LOVE their sea food Bibimbap, which is a bit spicy seafood, vegi and rice dish in a sizzling stone bowl.
Yup, the food is Sizzling Hot here! -
Review from Shweta V.
3/15/2009
Family style food - great place if you are with a large group of folks and hungry! They do a good job with the scallion pancake and dolsot bi bim bap. I also liked their silken tofu stew. Smooth soju and good barley tea. They serve generous portions of the complimentary appetizers (bean sprouts and kim chee are my favorite parts of a korean meal).
Expect to smell of korean food when you step out (but then again, that's true with most ethnic restaurants). Prices are higher than I'd expect though for standard entrees like bi bim bap, but the service and food make up for it. -
Review from Catriona C.
4/19/2009
One of my favourite things about getting Korean food is all the mini appetisers that arrive complimentary to your order. Kimchee, pickled daikon radish, cucumber, marinated potato, beansprouts... all fabulous apart from the rice jelly thingy... I could live with never seeing that again.
I've come to the Korea House on quite a few occasions and always enjoyed my meal. The servers are always nice and friendly, and the place so far has never been too busy to prevent us being promptly seated. Good for me, but a shame for the restaurant.
The pajon pancakes on my latest visit were a little soggy, but were a success with my friends. Dolsot bibimbap is always a tasty combination of sizzling rice, beef and vegetables - and as much chilli sauce as you want to throw at it. Saying that, I have had better bibimbap on other nights, or I would have given this meal the full 5, but I think the chef was a bit bored by the time we arrived (around 9:30). We also had the prime rib and mushrooms to grill. I have to find out what these mushrooms are as they are no ordinary button mushrooms, but possibly formed from some kind of giant sentient mushroom Prometheus that has various parts of his anatomy sliced off on a daily basis. That should make me sad, but it is so tasty... I overlook the suffering.
Overall, I really enjoy my visits to Korea House... and I am always hard pushed to try another venue. I know what I like, and I like da House.
