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Benu, San Francisco, CA

Benu

4.7
4.7
1548 Reviews
$50 and over
Contemporary American
Top Tags:
Benu offers a fixed menu. Please indicate any dietary restrictions when making your reservation. Soy sauce, salt, and sugar are used in many of our base preparations and cannot be removed. If you have very severe allergies or a combination of restrictions, please contact us directly to confirm whether we’re able to safely modify your menu. We also request a credit card to hold your reservation and require all bookings to be confirmed by phone or email 4-6 days in advance. If we are unable to confirm with you using the contact information provided, your reservation will be cancelled 3 days prior to the reservation date at 5:00 pm. In the event of a no-show or cancellation with less than 2 days of notice, the credit card will be charged the full menu price per guest ($325). Due to the length of the meal and quiet ambiance, we do not allow young children unless they are able to partake in the full tasting menu. Thank you for understanding.

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Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

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Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Cuisines

    Contemporary American

  • Hours of operation

    Dinner Daily, 5pm-10pm

  • Phone number

    (415) 685-4860

  • Website

    http://www.benusf.com/

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Smart Casual

  • Executive chef

    Corey Lee

  • Catering

    Please contact us for further information.

  • Private party facilities

    Benu offers a customized private dining experience for parties of all sizes. Reservations can be made up to a year in advance for anytime. Please contact us for more details.

  • Private party contact

    Sinead Quach: (415) 685-4860 ext. 117

  • Location

    22 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94105

  • Neighborhood

    SOMA

  • Cross street

    Howard and Hawthorne

  • Parking details

    Valet parking is available at the restaurant for $20.

  • Additional

    Banquet, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

What 1,548 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.7
4.7 based on all time ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Quiet

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  1. EZ

    ErickZ

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 15, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Splendid, best quail I have ever had. The caviar with egg is extremely tasty.
  2. DN

    DouglasN

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on March 15, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful evening of fine dining.
  3. M

    Misty

    Las Vegas

    419 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    419 reviews

    Dined on March 14, 2020

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    We have been wanting to try Benu for years, so were excited to finally make a night of dining here. The service was outstanding. The timing of the dishes coming out was excellent and we found the servers to be professional and also very charming. The food, though, fell a bit short of expectations for a 3-star restaurant. Most of the starting tastes were delicious, but some of the main courses were not very good. The xiao long bao and beef courses were excellent, but the soup was rather bland and the BBQ quail had an overwhelming smoke flavor that was unappealing. After dining at Quince, Acquerello, and Manresa, we were disappointed in the food at Benu. It was a good experience overall, but not really worth the price in comparison with similar class restaurants.
  4. T

    Taehoon

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 12, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Technicality wise it is at the highest caliber. Service was impeccable. Atmosphere is very calm and intricate. Personally, it felt amazing to see simple everyday Asian food presented in exquisite ways. Lots of praise for the Benu team
  5. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on March 8, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing from start to finish. The food, service and hospitality were unmatched.
  6. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on March 8, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    2nd time there and food was just as good. They even remember that I was there a few months ago and make sure that I did not have repeat dishes.
  7. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 8, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Loved every dish and service was superb
  8. CS

    CollegeStudent

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 7, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Really great food. Some courses were out of this world, some courses were just really good but not worth the cost. All in all a great experience for a special occasion.
  9. G

    Gabifines

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 6, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    One of The most amazing meals of my life. The food was perfect. And THE SERVICE: like a ballet! Also The Ambience, The Music. The beautiful Wine list! A Trip to San Francisco is only complete it if you visit Benu: The Food Cathedral!
  10. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Atlanta

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 5, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was exceptional
  11. GH

    GregH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 1, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The xiao long bao is an explosion of flavor - a truly amazing creation! This alone made this a life experience. Flawless!
  12. TM

    TheMostBlueSky

    New England

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 28, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Food is good, no problem Need a more comfortable chair to be honest. And need to increase the distance between tables defintely.
  13. D

    Disillusioned

    New York Area

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on February 28, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Innovative and classic at the same time. What an experience!
  14. SF

    SF2103

    San Francisco

    57 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    57 reviews

    Dined on February 27, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Absolutely excellent and attentive service of 3 Michelin star. The food was wonderful. Thank you
  15. a

    akwok

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on February 20, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    it has actually improved from last time I was there, thought there was no room to move further, but I am wrong, they can do even better than better
  16. TP

    TimothyP

    Omaha

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Every item of food was truly unique. The explanation by the staff was very clear and welcome
  17. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 15, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing. We’ll be back!
  18. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 13, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I’m still blown away by the culinary experience and Service. That the Benu team provides. The menu was beyond delightful. Loved the Asian influence and all the delicacies. Pictures speak for itself.
  19. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 12, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Anniversary dinner!
  20. SL

    SiminL

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 12, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We went for our anniversary. Very beautiful dishes and tasty as well. I don’t like raw food so Benu is the right type of restaurant for me. Most of dishes are from China and Korea. If you like Asian food or want to try Asian food, then you will like it
  21. S

    Samantha

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 7, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Worth it. It's a month of daycare/preschool for one kiddo. But I like good food/booze, so does my husband, and I appreciated the multicultural, equal gender reppin that night.
  22. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Dallas

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 7, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Most incredible restaurant on the West Coast, worth every penny and the entire trip!
  23. LH

    LawrenceH

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on February 2, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Outstanding quality of food, drinks, presentation, and service.
  24. SO

    SpecialOccasionDate

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on February 2, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    An upscale dining experience great for a date night. The food and service were excellent, but be prepared to spend some serious money.
  25. MP

    MalgorzataP

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 2, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Each dish looked like a masterpiece. The taste of the food divine. The minimalist decor soothes the senses and awakens imagination. Excellent service.
  26. CC

    CharlesC

    San Francisco

    122 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    122 reviews

    Dined on February 1, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Repeat visit to this exceptional restaurant. Interesting dishes, wonderful presentation, excellent wine pairing. Overall, an extraordinary experience.
  27. JK

    JulieK

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 31, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    A new found appreciation for ingredients I grew up with. A fascinating and well thought out twist on Korean and Chinese cuisine. One of the most perfect meals I’ve had. Every bite was a dream and the portions were perfect. Benu is an institution and a must visit if you’re in SF!
  28. SC

    SharanyaC

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 31, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My favourite dining experience to date. We went for our anniversary and the service was beyond impeccable. The flavours were inventive and yet still so delicious. Such a special dining experience!
  29. MF

    MFKFisher

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 29, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Each dish, brought one by one to the table at a comfortable rate, was amazing. It felt like we were dining in our own home as there was continual interaction with the kindly, professional wait staff. They were eager to answer questions and seemed to enjoy how much we were enjoying the experience. I loved the presentation of each delicacy in a special bowl or on a plate made just for that offering. The only flaw to our evening, one which was not under the control of the waitstaff was the loud talking from a nearby table of business people who could not have actually been eating, or at least not really savoring what was being brought to them. The food itself was totally worth the price, which is admittedly not for the faint of heart. You cannot get these dishes anywhere else and the ingredients are rare or difficult to source. The wine offerings were similarly stunning and so were the prices for wines by the glass, which added substantially to our final bill. It was a special event for us, so we didn't mind the loud conversation nearby us nor the final bill-- we were prepared for that . It was an epic evening.
  30. J

    Jerry

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 29, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    It’s really an amazing restaurant which deserved 3 stars Michelin
  31. JD

    JoshuaDavid

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 24, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Hands down the very best service you will ever receive, and the food was euphoric.
  32. KW

    KeithW

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 18, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Really enjoyed the meal. Loved the Asian influences.
  33. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 18, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    have good service
  34. TL

    TristaL

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 18, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I have twice dined at Benu!! The cuisine and the staff are quite amazing! Also, I really appreciated that the tasting menu had quite a few new additions between my 1st visit and most recent visit!
  35. JG

    JacekG

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 1, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great Meal as the last time. Great food and service from start to the desserts. Every time will be back to SF will visit Benu. All best for all team great job.
  36. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 1, 2020

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Sublime restaurant experience.
  37. E

    Epicureanoptimist

    San Francisco

    15 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on December 31, 2019

    overall4food5service5ambience5
    Delicious. Innovative flavor profiles, consistent and excellent execution, thoughtful and perfectly balanced wine pairings The service was knowledgeable, professionally enthusiastic, and unobtrusive. Loved our main wait person and the somm was excellent!
  38. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Montreal

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 30, 2019

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Outstanding ! Never disappointed! The food is exquisite, innovative, yet with a respect to the spirit of traditional Chinese and Asian gastronomy. The staff is A+.
  39. P

    Phil

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 28, 2019

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Creative and delicious food in a wonderfully sedate setting.
  40. DS

    DanielS

    London

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 28, 2019

    overall1food1service4ambience2
    Pretentious & largely tasteless food served by smug, arrogant staff.

FAQs

Benu is rated 4.7 stars by 1548 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.

Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing

Additional information

  • Cross street

    Howard and Hawthorne

  • Neighborhood

    SOMA

  • Hours of operation

    Dinner Daily, 5pm-10pm

  • Cuisines

    Contemporary American

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Dress code

    Smart Casual

  • Parking details

    Valet parking is available at the restaurant for $20.

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Corey Lee

  • Additional

    Banquet, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Website

    http://www.benusf.com/

  • Phone number

    (415) 685-4860

  • Catering

    Please contact us for further information.

  • Private party facilities

    Benu offers a customized private dining experience for parties of all sizes. Reservations can be made up to a year in advance for anytime. Please contact us for more details.

  • Private party contact

    Sinead Quach: (415) 685-4860 ext. 117

Featured in

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