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I recently dined at San Ho Won and was blown away by the
I recently dined at San Ho Won and was blown away by the exceptional service and delicious food. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warm hospitality and seated promptly. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and provided excellent recommendations.The dishes came out quickly, yet were perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. My favorite dish by far was the short rib, which was so tender and buttery that it practically melted in my mouth. The succulent meat was seasoned to perfection and paired well with the accompanying sides.While the housemade tofu with its delicious sauce was another standout dish, the star of the show for me was undoubtedly the short rib. It was simply outstanding and left me craving for more.The corn with honey butter and chili was also delectable, with a perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors that added a nice touch to the meal.Overall, I had an amazing experience at San Ho Won and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a special night out. The only downside is that it can be difficult to get a reservation, so be sure to plan ahead. But trust me, it's worth the effort. I can't wait to go back and have another bite of their incredible short rib.
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I didn't have high expectations before coming in yet I was
I didn't have high expectations before coming in yet I was still greatly disappointed. I rarely give 2 stars but if the front desk lady is going to be condescending, the food should at least live up to the expectations. We were very hungry coming in but could barely finish the second dish because of how oily it was. I've had both cheap and Michelin star kbbq but this place just feels like a fancy Korean restaurant gone wrong. Here's my unbiased opinion about the food:I can tell they put a lot of thoughts into their banchan but it tasted pretty mediocre. The cold egg in particular didn't really suit my taste. My Korean friend said the Kimchi was good though.Neck: I don't really recommend this dish in particular. It tasted like regular meat you can get from any restaurant. The texture was pretty tender but the flavor was a bit lacking. The dipping sauce were pretty good by themselves but it didn't go well with the meat at all. I was expecting more premium flavor for this price. Galbi: the Galbi was very oily and fatty, the flavor is ok but nothing extraordinary. We could barely finish this dish even though we were hungry. According to my Korean friend "even kalbi from Costco taste better than this". Also I've never seen a bbq place that charges for lettuce.Kimchi jjigae: I make this dish at home all the time so I thought It'd be hard to mess up. However, the soup was super salty and had a weird aftertaste. It did get better once we add in the avocado and cilantro though.Overall, the food I had this time didn't capture the essence of korean food and I'm surprised they have such good ratings. And of course 20% service fee is enforced so nobody even bothered to ask us how the food was...
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I've had multiple people vouch that this was the best kbbq
I've had multiple people vouch that this was the best kbbq they've had, so I had to see it for myself. I didn't make a reservation, but my friend and I camped outside for about 15 minutes before opening and got seated within 20 minutes (table for 2). The whole experience and presentation was a spectacle! However the Kalbi I got was mostly bone and the meat was tough. The redeeming factor for me were the desserts and the heated toilet (lol). I am willing to give it a second shot considering overall it was a worthwhile experience at the price point, but I'd probably order ala carte rather than the set house menu.
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First, a few words about the restaurant itself.
The interior of the restaurant is very beautiful, with a sleek style. There is an open kitchen, and the atmosphere is really nice.In addition to the house menu, the focus of the restaurant is on Korean BBQ and stews, two classics of Korean cuisine. They also have some specials in addition to the dishes offered on the menu.The service was remarkable, especially thanks to the professionalism and help of the waitress Maya (I am not certain if I am spelling her name correctly).I had high expectations when coming to San Ho Won, and I was not disappointed.
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OVERALL: San Ho Wan was an excellent dining experience
OVERALL: San Ho Wan was an excellent dining experience where the tender double-cut Galbi was the star of the show. An accompaniment of tasty appetizers and sides allowed us to taste a variety of dishes and also ensured that we left feeling full. Other highlights besides the double-cut Galbi included the egg soufflé and the green onion pancake.If we have friends or family visiting in the future and are looking to take them out for a memorable dining experience, San Ho Wan will be at the top of our list.We had a late reservation (seated at 9:15PM) and did not feel rushed. The servers were courteous and informative. I recommend ordering a la carte (as opposed to the house menu), as it allowed us to sample more dishes and be selective about the dishes we knew we would like.Dishes:AppetizersSAVORY EGG SOUFFLÉ - 9/10Egg soufflé is a favorite dish of ours and this did not disappoint! This was so light and fluffy in texture, and paired well with the anchovy broth which added to the nice savory flavor. This came out hot SANMA PAJEON (Mountain Yam And Green Onion Pancake) - 8/10A definite highlight for us. It was crispy and was nice to have the yams proportioned on each piece.GALBI MANDU 8/10Similar to gyoza - packed full of flavor and easy to share!SSAM (Assorted Lettuces To Wrap Your Bbq)A nice way to add some texture and greens to some of the meat dishes on the menu. A good variety of greens - I would recommend this if you're ordering the Galbi.GRILLED TTEOK - 7/10The rice cakes were three to a skewer and paired well with the maple-soy sauce. There was a nice crisp on the exterior from the grill but the inside was soft and chewy.WESTERN MUSHROOMS - 5/10The mushrooms were tasty, but definitely not a standout. The portion size is good - we got 10 mushroom heads in an order - and were served with a lemon wedge to drizzle. Ultimately just not as memorable as the rest of the dishes in the lineup.Mains:HOUSE DOUBLE-CUT GALBI - 10/10This is a must-have dish. The cuts of meat are extremely thick and oh-so tender. The meat is presented on a miniature grill. It's a perfect level of fattines and GOCHUJANG PORK BELLY AND SQUID - 7/10This was a special for the night (not on the normal menu) and presented on a miniature grill, similar to the house galbi. The dish was bulgogi-esque and the meats were tasty and helped to balance the galbi mandu/double-cut galbi, but ultimately it's hard to stack up against the double-cut galbi as far as a grilled meat dish.Dessert:MAKGEOLLI AND YOGURT, STRAWBERRY, NURUNGJI SOFT SERVE - 6/10Pretty good, but we were so full with all of the previous courses we barely had room for this dish. Enjoyed the crunchy texture of the nurungji and wasn't overly sweet.
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One of the best meals I've had in SF! All the dishes are
One of the best meals I've had in SF! All the dishes are exceptional, and comes out very fresh and is served at the perfect time. We got the blood sausage pancake, chicken tteokbokki, galbitan, BBQ galbi, sticky ribs, beef neck filet, egg soufflé, pear water kimchi, and finished with the dalgona cheesecake. None of the plates lasted on the table for long...
... here goes nothing. Theres so many reviews about this place already so I'll just tell you my punchline up front. I gave this place a low star because I felt the food was generic and lacked character. The food was safe, and although executed beautifully (that beef neck was A+ tenderness) the flavors didn't hit in the right spots. I fell in love with Korean food because the Ssam wraps just HITS and you start food-dancing because the food in your mouth explodes with flavor and hits all the notes. I didn't feel that here. Also the service was chaotic. I don't like 5 different servers coming up to me and accidentally taking my food away when there was still a piece of beef.I'm disappointed but at the same time, I think a lot of 1 star michelin restaurants are pretty lackluster. For my whole meal, I paid $116 because they include 20% tip and I don't think that's too offensive. Just don't go to places like Osito because they also have 1 star, and they're charging $200+. Now THAT is ostentatious. Here's the rest of my review!This restaurant is so hyped even before it got its star, and now that it's gotten a star, everyone's clamoring to try this trendy korean barbecue restaurants smack dab in the heart of bougie ass SF. I came here alone as it was much easier to dine by myself, just to have a taste of Corey Lee's newest creation. The space is nice and open, simple but tastefully done decor. The inside is clean and feels like a old timey Korean restaurant with its wooden poles, and bench tables but little aspects of modernism throughout the space reminds you you're at a fancy place. Dining for one is tough, especially at a family style restaurant where you want to try a bunch of things. But after some inspection, I decided to order the Soondae pajeon with the Snow Valley Makgeolli because I'm a sucker for that combination, the beef neck barbecue with Ssam addition, and then the fatass in me added the rice cake skewer because I convinced myself I needed "carbs" to feel full. The meal also came with 3 banchans, and I was disappointed in how mild the kimchi flavor was. Not punchy, not sour or salty, just really mild for someone with no taste buds and prefer bland food. I did really like the anchovy peanut shishito pepper and peas creation, that tasted really authentic and elevated for fancy dining. The egg was good too, but my fav was the anchovy banchan. Pajeon was good, also not super intense in flavor if you expected to eat blood sausage, and washing it down with makgeolli was a good combo. But again, the flavors didn't sing....It was safe, reliable and familiar. The beef neck was really deliciously tender, and the ssam wrap with the tomato sam jang, some green salsa like taste, and the jalapenos were good. I did not like the rice cake skewer, very dense and chewy, definitely not missing out if you skip it.
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I dined here with a 7:15 reservation for the house set
I dined here with a 7:15 reservation for the house set menu, which comes with banchan, some small dishes, 2 KBBQ meats to be eaten as ssam, a choice between 2 sets of more "filling" dishes, and soft serve. I mostly come here to write this review to echo another Yelper who mentioned that they felt very rushed with the pace that the dishes were served. This was very much my experience. If you are looking for a place to have a relaxing dinner where you can enjoy the company of your dining companions and savor the food, this is NOT it. For example, the palette cleanser for "after the BBQ course" came out before we even finished the first of 2 meats. My spouse is a very fast eater (and we are totally the kind of gluttons who will order 4 persons' worth of meat for 2 people at typical KBBQ places, so trust that we can throw down), and he said he was stressed by how quickly the food was coming out. I definitely felt overwhelmed as the dishes started piling up on our table before we could finish the prior ones and unfortunately this really became the focus of the experience rather than the food itself.As for the food, I wish the emphasis was more on the KBBQ meats, because that was the highlight of the meal by far--incredibly tender, high-quality pieces of meat that were so flavorful. The Kimchi Pozole was a fun fusion, but overall, the dishes felt less about innovation and more about delivering a high-quality execution of Korean food. I guess I am glad I tried this place but I would have had much more fun at a regular KBBQ spot with a tabletop grill where I could actually enjoy the food at a slower pace.
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We had high expectations for San Ho Won given all the hype
We had high expectations for San Ho Won given all the hype & difficulty in getting a reservation. Unfortunately, my husband and I thought the food was very ordinary. Nothing special and definitely in my opinion, the most disappointing michelin starred restaurant we dined at. We had the house menu, and none of the dishes stood out as amazing or spectacular. The Kalbi was good and very tender, but a bit too salty. The kimchi pozole was not bad, but again just nothing special. Was pretty disappointed in the soft serve dessert, wish there was a different dessert to choose from. Service was good & attentive. Just a very ok meal that wasn't memorable. Don't understand the hype at all.
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San Ho Won is the best Korean restaurant in SF that I've
San Ho Won is the best Korean restaurant in SF that I've been to. They have a variety of traditional dishes as well as Korean BBQ that is perfect for any occasion and group size. To start off, we got the Soondae Pajeon. Normally the blood sausage is made with thin noodles but the restaurant makes it with glutinous rice that makes the soondae more chewy and soft. For the bbq, we got the center cut beef tongue. A unique taste that is tender and juicy. It comes with different sides that you can enjoy with.The grilled tteuk was very good. Crispy on the outside and soft in the inside, the rice cake paired well with the maple-soy sauce. A sweet dish that you can enjoy. The 5-year doenjang was the highlight. Made with inhouse soybean, the soup had a very deep and distinct flavor. It had plentiful veggies and clams. The complimentary banchans paired well with all the dishes. Lastly, the dalgona cheesecake was a great way to end the meal. A creamy and crunchy dessert that is not too sweet. I love the open kitchen style and comfortable seating in the restaurant. The staff had great recommendations and they were all good. They were all friendly and provided great service from the start and end of our meal.
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One of my favorite dining experiences in San Francisco! Get
One of my favorite dining experiences in San Francisco! Get your reservations in advance and make sure to try their house double cut galbi! I really like how they have an assortment of different sauces for each unique dish and they bring out every dish one by one while explaining the flavor profile and best way to eat it. I came here for my friend's birthday and we didn't have a reservation but we lucked out and were able to snag some counter seats! Ambiance is also great and intimate especially if you're sitting on the counter. Glad they got their Michelin star!Food (we ordered a la carte) - House double cut galbi: the depth of flavor in this dish is incredible. You can't eat too much of it because it can get heavy but I loved how there was this smoky undertone and was juicy / cooked perfectly - Silken tofu and potatoes: both were complimentary banchan and I really liked them both - Galbi mandu: delicate, juicy, and rich flavor profile. Wish it held together a bit better when you took them apart because the juice kind of fell out - Mountain yam and scallion pancake: it was pretty solid and worked well with the sauce that came with it but not lifechanging - Bibimbap: well executed and accompanied the meat well but didn't taste too special - Makgeoli soft serve - I can drink makgeoli casually but I think could've passed on this as after dessert I expect ice cream to not taste like alcohol
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first the pros:The portion of house menu is more than
first the pros:The portion of house menu is more than enough. Waitress would even suggest you not to order more a-la-carte. All the BBQ meats are delicious and so juicy especially the House Double-Cut Galbi is worth the trip. I've been to so many Korean restaurants but this is the dish I'd never experienced before. It looks so thick but melts in your mouth like the A5 wagyu beef but they told me it is not wagyu beef. The waitress and waiter's service are good but the woman at the check-in counter can have some smile and be more welcoming. First impression is everything! Cons:The environment and decoration of the restaurant is very casual. Wooden chairs and table with stainless water cups, chopsticks, nothing on the fancy side. You cannot tell it is a Michelin star rated restaurant from the decor and the front desk greeting. The overall foods on the house menu is average except the House Doublue-Cut Galbi. The Kimchi Jjigae Pozole was super salty. None of us can sip two spoons of the soup. I would not suggest to order the House Menu if I'll ever visit again. I would order a-la-carte from the general menu since I know their charcoal BBQ meats are great. I will try the Prime Beef Rib Cap, Beef Tongue, Spicy Rib Cartilage Kochi. But the only time slot for general menu is 9:30pm. It is kind of late for heavy BBQ meal. I'm not sure if they can do to-go order at earlier time.
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Ambiance: gorgeous and modern Korean restaurant.
You do feel as though you're in an elevated setting with nice attention to details. Indoors is a bit on the darker and louder side, but it's a very bustling restaurant with a lot going on. The kitchen is also mostly open so you can see a lot of the cooking process if desired. Food: we opted for the a la carte menu instead of the house menu, so that we could try as much as possible, since the reservations are hard to get. Overall, each menu item tasted fresh, and you could tell it was made with quality ingredients and time. The banchan aka side dishes were great, but our favorite was the soy marinated potatoes, which had complex flavors more than just soy sauce; we were raving about the side dish for the entire night. The rest of the side dishes were complementary to the meats, but didn't really wow us. Obviously, the star of the show is the double thick, cut short rib aka galbi. The deep charcoal flavor in the meat was excellent. The pieces are much thicker than standard Korean short ribs you see at a lot of Korean restaurants, but still tender and cooked to a perfect temperature. The beef neck was actually a very tasty and tender cut of meat, but the price was not worth the small quantity that you were served; one might as well pay a little more for the galbi. Service: the house staff and waiters were all attentive and catered to our needs. We ordered multiple rounds of food and every time we were helped without a wait. Worth it factor: I can see why they earned a Michelin star. It would be worth a visit once but Im not sure it's worth the second effort around given the pretty hard difficulty in getting reservations.
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I visited San Ho Won right before they got their Michelin
I visited San Ho Won right before they got their Michelin star, and I knew right then and there that they would be getting one pretty soon. We had the tasting menu, and I was extremely full pretty quickly, but had to eat because the food was just that good! Planning to return and eat a la carte so I can enjoy more of their food, but the tasting menu is definitely a must! Also pretty romantic settings with good service! :)
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Really awesome! The meat was incredible.
We ordered ala carte and enjoyed everything we got but particularly the meat. The dessert was also very unique!
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Amazing meal! Came here with my partner to celebrate his
Amazing meal! Came here with my partner to celebrate his birthday, and we had such a good time. Everything we ate was so so good. We ordered the set house menu, and it was a great way to get a taste of everything. Fair warning: the house menu is a lot of food, especially for only 2 people, so make sure not to eat too much beforehand.Highlights of the meal included:Center cut beef tongue (we got this as an add on.) I highly recommend! Double cut galbi: the meat was so tender and melted in my mouth. Kimchi jjigae pozole: I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful this was. It was difficult to get a reservation since this place is so popular (for good reason), so be sure to snag one early. They release slots at 10AM.
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What an experience!If you're looking for a bougie,
What an experience!If you're looking for a bougie, authentic Korean spot, give this place a try. Of course it's going to be good since they came from Los Angeles.I'm fairly picky when it comes to Korean spots as I've lived in Ktown LA (and a regular in that area). The appetizers were phenomenal - the egg soup was so fluffy and the dumplings were so juicy and tender.We ordered beef tongue and that was my favorite meat of the night -- super tender with lots of flavor! The other meat that came with the menu was not my favorite since it was pretty meaty and fatty.This was a set menu of about $100 per person and we added other items (like the beef tongue) on top of that.Would definitely come back if I'm feeling like splurging ;)
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I originally wanted to order a la carte off the general
I originally wanted to order a la carte off the general menu but the House Menu was perfect. Fluffy, savory egg souffle and the crispy mandu with THAT sauce really sets the tone. I overestimated our appetites and added the glazed ribs. So good! The beef neck and short ribs would have been enough though. The neck fillet is delicate and very tender. Save room for the buttery corn too!San Ho Won makes up for the lack of good Korean bbq in San Francisco. Worth frantically refreshing the reservation website at 10am for.
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Amazing!! So worth the hype!! Finally got resys a few weeks
Amazing!! So worth the hype!! Finally got resys a few weeks ago and I'm so glad I was able to finally try this place! I have heard a lot of good things about this place so I was a little worried that it wouldn't live up to the expectations but it was the opposite! I docked one star because we initially made a resy for 3 people and I did the prepay option so I ended up paying for 3 people already. On the day of, someone in our group was unable to come and we called to ask if we would be able to convert that dollar amount to other food/drinks but they said no... I don't understand why they wouldn't let us, especially since we weren't asking for a refund or anything. We didn't want the food to go to waste and since the food was already "prepared" as they told us, they could've easily gave it to another walk in table?? ANYWAYS, since they served us 3 servings, they gave us extra to go boxes on the side to box whatever we couldn't finish. All the food in the set menu was amazing and we added on the raw beef and corn! The cocktails were great and we also ordered a bottle of plum soju to share. The meat was amazing and honestly cooked to perfection. It was fatty but it wasn't overpowering and just melted in your mouth. I liked the decor and vibe of this place and would definitely come back again! But I will be smart about booking and make sure I do the deposit option instead of prepaid option...
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Our family of six people came to San Ho Won this past
Our family of six people came to San Ho Won this past Friday night at 8 pm. We ordered the galbi mandu, sanma pajeon (mountain yam & green onion pancake), prime beef rib cap, house double-cut galbi, grilled rice cake with maple soy sauce, sweet corn honey butter chili, galbi tang, and the spicy chicken rice cake stew. The galbi mandu (dumplings), sweet corn, and the yam & green onion pancakes were delicious and were an elevated version of typical mandoo and pajeon. The prime beef rib cap was tender and flavorful. Definitely high-quality beef which was cooked to perfection at medium rare. The double-cut galbi was unique not a traditional galbi but almost like a galbi jjim because it kind of melted in your mouth. The two dishes that were average for us, were the galbi tang which tasted more like radish soup (muguk), and the spicy chicken rice cake.Overall a good elevated Korean food dining experience. This place was packed and good thing we had reservations because there was a long wait for people trying to walk in.
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Only heard of San Ho Won because I came across a foodie
Only heard of San Ho Won because I came across a foodie influencer on IG. Highly.. HIGHLY suggest making a reservation (resos are available 29 days in advance and released at 10am each day) because most of the tables are reserved for those instances. When our party of 5 arrived, the front of the restaurant was very subtle that we almost thought we were at the wrong location. For 5, we ordered: - galbi mandu (griddled beef dumplings: 5/5- Sanma pajeon (yam & green onion pancake: 5/5- SHw baechu kimchi: 4/5- haepari muchim (jellyfish, cucumber, hot mustard): 5/5- chunjang glazed pork ribs: 5/5- center cut beef tongue: 4/5- prime beef rib cap: 5/5- house double cut kalbi: 4/5- pacific mackerel fillet: 5/5- ssam (assorted lettuce): 3/5- galbitang (needs short rib soup w/ rice cakes: 5/5- seasonal veggie bibimbap: 5/5- daltons cheesecake w/ honeycomb & coffee: 4/5FYI, handful of things to keep in mind -1. if you make a general reservation, which means you select your menu upon arrival, you have the option to select from their a la carte or prix fixe menu2. there will be a $25 deposit per person that will be credited to final bill 3. an additional 20% gratuity charged on top of bill so be prepared to drop $$$$ for this experience! 4. be mindful of their late policy, you have 15 mins grace period before they throw you on the walk-in waitlist5. for parties up to 4, dining allotment of 2 hours & 5+ parties get 2.5 hours6. Don't be fooled, it's not really Korean bbq (as we thought) but a more bougie/fancy upscale Korean restaurant that has charcoal bbq options Overall, 5/5 would recommend SHW for the great service, intimate chill ambiance vibes, and good food.
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Probably one of my favorite meals in SF this year! If you
Probably one of my favorite meals in SF this year! If you are looking for high quality Korean food, this is the spot.My friend was able to snag a reservation for 4 on a Thursday. They release reservations everyday at 10 AM. I arrived first and was able to find parking 2 blocks away but my friends spent some time looking for parking, so if are driving make sure you come a little early to look for parking.My party opted for the house set menu, I think the set menu is the perfect way to try some of their most popular dishes. Everything on the set menu was SOO good. The meat quality here is amazing and the meat is sooo tender and juicy. Some of my favorite items from the set menu are egg souffle, short ribs, beef neck fillet, and ginseng chicken porridge. I will definitely be coming back here to try out the other items on the menu.
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I had an extremely disappointing experience.
I heard excellent things about San Ho Wan and came at 4:30 PM with two other people on a Wednesday. Come 5 PM (opening time), there's a small line. The first thing the hostess does is go down the line and seat people with reservations (makes sense). Interestingly, there was a party of four behind us who clearly said that they did not have reservations, but they were seated before us anyway. Not really fair, but I don't mind as long as we got seated too. We were the first in line for walk-in and by the time she came to us she informed us that they no longer had tables available for parties of three and larger. We inquired as to why the party behind us got seated when it was very clear that they expressed to the hostess that they did not have reservations, at which point she changed her story and proceeded to tell us that they actually did have reservations in place. I find it extremely unlikely that the guests themselves would ever say that they did not have reservations if they actually did. So I suspect that the hostess lied to us about the situation. A nice gentleman did come and explain to us in more detail that that party had called earlier that day and was told they would be seated without a reservation if they showed up. I appreciate the honesty (it was a stark contrast to our experience with the hostess), but I still do not think that it is fair for guests who took the time and effort to come stand in line. In the end, the earliest possible seating was for 9pm. This was extremely disappointing and a complete waste of time.
We had dinner here in early May. The tasting menu was delicious and reasonably priced. Almost three months later, I still recall the galbi... the first bite was pure heaven.The waitstaff was attentive and knowledgeable. We couldn't have asked for better.If we score another reservation in the near future, I might go galbi all the way - nothing but!
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We had a prepaid House Menu reservation and came a little
We had a prepaid House Menu reservation and came a little early but were seated right on time during our reservation and I want to say that the service was really great, our server was lovely and the ambiance was really nice. That being said, at the price point it essentially felt like we were being served elevated versions of certain side dishes (i.e. Egg Souflee, Cucumber Kimchi, etc.) The meat was good, though the portions were not the most generous though the cut was a higher grade, so if you like a more melt in your mouth/higher fat content than this place does great in that aspect. I will say I was pleasantly surprised by the Seasonal Vegetable Bibimbap with Preserved Squid it was really tasty and so I would definitely return on that alone... the soft serve though small was also great! I definitely think it's not a bad option by any means though at the price point you're paying this may be more of a special occasion/date night affair!
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We've been here twice and are a huge huge fan.
If you're looking for an elevated Korean dining experience then look no further.You have all your classic korean dishes like banchan, steamed egg, pajeon (pancakes), kbbq and many more but more refined. We've tried a little over half the menu and the standouts to me are: Abalone Jook/porridge, Egg souffle, and pear water kimchi. Other unique dishes I think are worth trying are their short ribs and dalgona cheesecake.
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I think our expectations were too high.
The cooking is more of the traditional Korean bbq cuisine, with better ingredients. You can't really call it "modern"Korean because the dishes are traditional dishes. I think some of the Indian restaurants have done a better spin such as Rooh, modern Indian. The grill options were ok, some options were too marinated with sauce, not too impressed. The best thing was the mountain yam pancakes, light and good texture. The vegetable bibimbap was very average maybe below par, compared to other traditional Korean restaurants. The puff dessert was so dense! Not quite a puff. We all left feel like there's no need to come back. Nothing was impressive or intriguing.
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This spot is great Very cool ambienceThese picks were
This spot is great Very cool ambienceThese picks were great:Egg soufflé Galbi Assorted lettuce Mushrooms
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This was such a delicious and beautiful meal.
A lot of Korean food is simple (even I can make it), but San Ho Won brings a sophistication to the ingredients and presentation that left a strong impression. Also, can we talk about how exterior design of this restaurant? It looks like it was cut out from a world of white cubes and transplanted into this one. You'll know it when you see it, which is good, because the letters spelling out the name on the storefront are tiny and only for 20/20 vision. I came in expecting overpriced dishes, as long as each was good. I was mostly satisfied. We skipped the tasting menu because it looked like too much food, and there were things on there we weren't too interested in, and ordered:Savory Egg Souffle ($14) - 5/5. A few days ago, I tried to make this in my own earthenware pot. The result tasted slightly burnt. So when I had this fluffy souffle with its mild smoky flavor, I realized this is what I should've been aspiring towards. Raw Beef Yukhwe ($24) - 4/5. I think this could've used more beef and and less pear, but it was still delicious, with plenty of flavor from the soy sauce. The meat was undeniably fresh. Sanma Pajeon ($16) - 5/5. This looks so cute with its pudgy pieces of yam perched atop each slice. The yam, which is soft, is a perfect contrast to the crunchy/chewy pancake. It doesn't look big, but it really fills you up. Prime Beef Neck Fillet ($34) - 5/5. The meat was super tender, but what was really good were the sauces that came with it. My favorite was the tomato gochujang. Pacific Mackerel Fillet ($18) - 5/5. This was perfectly cooked and tender. Grilled Tteok ($6) -2/5. The worst dish of the meal. The tteok was too thick and hard to chew, and there was too much of it in comparison to the sauce. 5-Year Doenjang ($18) - 4/5. This was really good and had so much depth. They were also quite generous with the clams. Banana Milk with Nutella ($8) - 4/5. Our favorite childhood drink turned into a delightful dessert! The nutella was unnecessary. In fact, it froze into these clingy strings that disrupted the eating experience. Also, shoutouts to the complimentary banchan and the barley tea. I probably drank a gallon of tea while I was there. Service was very smooth, and they packed up the leftover sauces from our meat dish for me to enjoy with rice the next day!
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I have been dreaming of coming back to San Ho Won.
Everything is exquisitely cooked and there is so much flavor in all the dishes. Service was excellent and lots of unique banchan like the pear water kimchi! I would highly suggest coming here - I was really lucky to have visited right when they reopened- prime reservation times are usually booked fast.
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Highly anticipated dining here for so long and it didn't
Highly anticipated dining here for so long and it didn't disappoint! I was surprised by some of what I liked vs enjoyed less.Favorites- Soft Tofu Banchan - soooo good, might have been my favorite thing of the night . The complimentary Banchan were all outstanding, this one especially so- Seasonal Vegetable Bibimbap- I was so certain this was going to be a let down the way most veggie bibimbaps are and I was so wrong. This was my other favorite savory dish of the night! The rice was perfectly crisped at the bottom, and the accompaniment sauces were amazing- Dalgona Cheesecake- an absolute must, so light and airy and has a great coffee flavor. The honeycomb was a great crunchy touch-Banana Milk Softserve - soooo good I wish they sold they alone (can they please start a soft serve shop or outpost), exactly what you expect when you see banana milk-Short rib / neck filet - this is a KBBQ spot and it delivers, perfectly cooked and seasonedUnderwhelming- Egg soufflé - this was one of the things I had been most excited for but was strangely one of my least favorite? The egg felt over cooked and not as tender as I expected, and while the anchovy broth was delicious, felt like there was just so much egg- Mountain yam pancake - tasty but kind of skippable, was moderately creative but I wasn't blown away and tasted like more or less any other scallion pancakeOverall still a great meal and would love to try some more of their soups and carbs! Skip the appetizers, and focus on the mains!
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I took me forever to get a reservation but I was finally
I took me forever to get a reservation but I was finally able to snag one for my husband's birthday (a big one). It was definitely worth the wait. If you think about a meal on the way home and already want to go back, that's a good sign. Also, lately every time I go out to eat, I feel pretty bloated the next day (too much salt!). But after this meal, I felt fine the day morning even though I was stuffed during the meal. I'm thankful when I asked our server told us the house menu is pretty filling so we didn't order more items because we were stuffed by the middle of the meal. The things that really stood out for me were the little things. Maybe this is because I grew up eating Korean food. Of course the meats were the main course and they were delicious but i loved how fresh the ssam lettuce and especially the perilla (I think that's what it's called in English) was. Loved the ssam jang (sauces) too that came with the lettuce. The egg souffle is one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes - it's comfort food and this version was more fancy of course but still had the comfort food feel to it that I crave. The griddled beef dumpling was creative - really crispy and thin around the actual dumpling. We chose the jook with abalone for the end of the meal and I'm so glad I did - it was the perfect ending for me especially after having more spicy flavors in the middle of the meal with the kimchee and sauces. The abalone liver sauce was a delicious addition and I loved the crunchy waterchestnuts (?). We got one of each of the soft serve - they were both good - it depends on what you prefer - the banana milk was really sweet, the roasted buckwheat was less sweet. The service was excellent - and I really appreciated the extra touch for my husband's birthday and the small Polaroid photo and keepsake at the end of the meal. I definitely want to return...when I can get my next reservation.
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I can't lie -- I am still thinking about this meal! I've
I can't lie -- I am still thinking about this meal! I've had a lot of Korean food in my life, but no meal has felt quite as special as the one at San Ho Won. I had been trying to get a reservation here for a while now and had even tried walking in once to no avail. So I was very hyped that I finally got to go for my friend's birthday!The ambience and set up here are elegant, refined, but also have a down-to-earth quality to it. The space is quite small so it feels like an intimate dining experience. Service was great and food was coursed out and timed well. The menu is so intriguing and I seriously wanted to try every item. We ordered the Sanma Pajeon, the SHW Baechu Kimchi, the Prime Beef Neck Fillet, Pork Ribs, a Bulgogi dish that was on the list of specials, the Ssam, Kimchi Jjigae Pozole, and Bibimbap. My favorites were the Pajeon and the Bibimbap. I'd say those are must-trys. As for the meats, I enjoyed each item but the Pork Ribs may have actually been my favorite. The meat was so tender and soft. For dessert, we got both flavors of the soft serve -- Banana Milk and Roasted Buckwheat. Both had such unique flavors, but I think the buckwheat has a bit of an edge over the other. We appreciated how the staff here also made the experience feel special for my friend's birthday. They snapped polaroid photos for us and gave her a custom magnet!
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The French Laundry Yountville
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Last Reply by CelebratedStreet63 (03/15/2023 4:29 pm)
5 Replys, 2 comments
Your bid has been “matched” with a reservation. From the time a reservation has been located, the seller of the reservation must connect with moderator to give transfer information for reservation. If the seller;however, does NOT respond to reservation transfer, then your bid is reprocessed and returns to the first step, which is connecting your request to a reservation.
Best answer by EvocativeFold67 (10/02/2021 4:37 pm)