Buoy

Food is great. Atmosphere definitely very welcoming for date night or girls night out. BUT, service is very bad. 1. When we walked in, nobody was at the host stand for at least 5-10 min. By the time he checked in my name, our table is not ready. 2. First time visiting,but no one walk through the menu nor any recommendation for food portion because their menu was meant for sharing. 3. Wait a long time to be able to put in our order. 4. Half way through I asked for bread, not until I almost yelled at “can you please bring my bread”, bread was not coming, and I almost finished a stew dish that supposed to go well with bread. 5. One of the servers did come to mention that they are short staffed today and thanks for our patience. However, I would have rated very differently had this was mentioned in the beginning. 20% surcharge of course, let me no room to adjust tips but put in here. I think for the expensive and competitive San Francisco dining experience, you def have better options.

Amazing service, food, and atmosphere. My girlfriend and I had buratta salad, soondubu soup, and galbijjim. All were great but the galbijjim was exceptionally to my taste! It was buttery, soft, but firm enough to cut through like steak. The marinate was beautifully seasoned and glazed. Cocktails were great as well. 10/10!!

This is place is absolutely spectacular! I had made a reservation at 8:30 pm and asked to be notified if there were any cancelations. I was able to move my dinner to 5 pm. I notified them of my allergies, and they were able to accommodate them. Food was spectacular and would highly recommend for a special date night. Some people have mixed opinions on this, but waiters were very attentive in refilling my water.

Wow! What a find! The food was excellent, the atmosphere really fun and the service highly attentive. We got the beef tartar which was fresh, flavorful and creative with the nori chips. The kimchee was really creative, an excellent mix of freshness, fermentation and spice. We got the steak which was very tender abd paired with a house version of chimichury which was better its traditional cousin in terms of flavor. Finally, we finished with the tofu and brisket stew with the seafood addition and this was my favorite dish. It had a sous vide octopus, clams, AND abalone, along with Brisket and silken tofu - a flavor and protein paradise. We also ordered the white and the black tiger, with were good, but I preferred the white tiger for the flavor and cream inside.

There is something going on at the Buoy that is very difficult to explain in conventional terms. First, it feels like a cafe and bakery during the day, perhaps even a brunch spot. Then, at night, it somewhat turns into a cocktail bar and lounge. The dinner menu is focused, distilled down to a handful selection, but are done in a creative, mind-boggling way where you wonder why you might be tasting something of this caliber at a bar lounge. Something is going on. But you can feel something special is brewing. We went there for dinner so I'd like to focus on evaluating it as a dinner spot. The interior is modern, clean, and almost too "simple". It has a cocktail bar lounge vibe, especially with the Korean music moderately loud and dark lights. However, you see the full cutlery laid out on the table and this is where your mind starts to play tricks and ask questions. The menu is super simple, perhaps no more than 20 items in total. The appetizers come in as "tapas", perfectly designed to go well with soju or Korean-style drinking. But, the caliber of the food is simple out of this world. This isn't your typical Korean comfort food that accompanies alcohol. These are meticulous creations - Korean-inspired yet focused on striking a fresh balance. We ordered 5 appetizers and each and every one of them we craved for more. The Golden Toast is simply out of this world. Each person must get one. Rich with various fresh seafood and avocaod. The crunchy galbi also is insane. The deep-frying of galbi is a fresh take giving it a texture not experienced before. The wagyu yukhwe is also a piece of artistic creation with a egg yolk puree in the middle and seaweed chips. The kanpachi turtled in a carved out tomato in olive oil was also fabulous. Even as I write this review, my mouth waters. The chef at The Buoy is not your everyday lounge food chef. He/she means business. They are here to compete, whether it is a Michelin star or other recognitions. The Buoy can be taken very seriously as a dinner location, rubbing shoulders with other progressive venues that push the boundaries of culinary possibilities. The steak, the bossam, ... my list of complements go on and on. Again, this isn't just about creating a good Korean cuisine. This is entirely new and fresh. This is not normal. We will absolutely be returning to The Buoy. Just a single visit does not do justice to what this place is bubbling with. Whether you like Korean food or not, you must try The Buoy. And again, be prepared to be confused and delighted at the same time.