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  5. Downtown / Union Square

Kin Khao

4.3
4.3
550 Reviews
$30 and under
Unspecified
Kin Khao serves delicious Thai food that stays true to its origin, made with seasonal produce and sustainably raised or caught meats and seafood. We make all our curry pastes, sauces, and relishes in-house daily. Other staples we must buy–like Nam Pla fish sauce and Kapi shrimp paste–we source only the best from Thailand. We invite you to taste the difference.Kin = eat; Khao = rice In Thailand, to eat is to eat rice. So, colloquially, when we say “kin khao” we mean “to eat” or “let’s eat”

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Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Cuisines

    Unspecified

  • Hours of operation

    Mon–Fri 11:30 am–11:00 pm Sat, Sun 5:30 pm–11:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (415) 362-7456

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Casual Dress

  • Executive chef

    Narciso Salvador

  • Private party facilities

    Please contact events@kinkhao.com for information regarding private parties (half buyouts and full buyouts).

  • Neighborhood

    Downtown / Union Square

  • Cross street

    Mason and Ellis

  • Parking details

    2 blocks away from the Powell Bart station. Valet parking is offered by the Parc 55 hotel ($12 for 2 hours after validation).

  • Additional

    Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 550 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.3
4.3 based on all time ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 3.7Ambience
  • 3.8Value

NoiseModerate

  1. Rach

    Seattle

    4 reviews

    1.0

    4 reviews

    Reviewed on March 2, 2019

    overall1foodserviceambience
    Brought a good friend here from out of town. Initially put off by the musty foot smell and aroma carried throughout the restaurant. Server was quite stoic. Ordered the Saeng Wah Salad which was the biggest mistake I have ever made when ordering anywhere. I am convinced of this as no one else has written a review about this dish, all too wise to order. This dish is a bowl of room temp. fried crusties with some room temp shrimps and i guess catfish, that tasted like lemongrass. So bad I I had to scrape off my plate back into the bowl which upset our server; I am unsure as to why. Panang quite spicy, pretty good, but overall not worth 30$. No meat and I've had much better for 12$. So many places to eat in SF. I would avoid this one.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Some dishes were great while others we didn't love even though quality was great, just wasn't the flavors we enjoyed. Wings were very good and Bangkok noodles amazing! Didn't love the ribs or cod dumplings - overall good but not amazing!

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  3. AziN

    New York Area

    93 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    93 reviews

    Dined on October 30, 2016

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    Super cute spot and the food was overall great! We had the mushroom starter, papaya salad, wings, bean lettuce wraps and the drunken noodles which were all delicious. We tried the veggie Panang curry which was lacking in spice for me personally. The only thing that the entire table did not like were the pork ribs which seemed like they were slathered in too much of the paste they used to marinate.

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  4. TheGlobalFoodie

    San Francisco

    14 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on October 21, 2016

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Portions are large and meant for sharing! Keep this in mind especially if you are staying at a hotel. Loved the charred eggplant salad and fried duck egg salad for appetizers. Also liked the sauces for the fried whole rock fish but fish... not as fresh as I would have liked it. For $48 I expect it to taste like it was just caught. Beef cheeks in Massaman Curry was just ok.

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  5. njcsf

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 18, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    delicious, creative and fresh thai cuisine that balances tradition with originality, served by friendly and knowledgable staff in a comfortably casual modern setting. Can't wait to return.

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  6. Samsara

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 18, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Not your everyday Thai food... This is elevated and special yet keeps with the flavor profiles of Thailand in a modern and new way.

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  7. Meatx

    Exclusive

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 17, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    I've been eyeing Kin Khao for a long time. Truly, the food was good, but I was thoroughly unimpressed. It was JUST good, but nothing extraordinary. It was loud, service was appropriate, mediocre value.

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 17, 2016

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    Inventive food and fine service but way too loud for conversation.

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  9. Foodar

    Vancouver

    12 reviews

    3.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on October 17, 2016

    overall3food5service3ambience2
    We were very much looking forward to dining at Kin Khao, given its reputation. While the food was outstanding, the overall experience was seriously marred by the extremely high noise level we experienced in the restaurant (perhaps related to the location of our table?). It was unsettling, and we often had to repeat ourselves to be heard while sitting directly across from one another (about 3 feet apart). The servers varied from warm to disengaged; the overall service experience was not exceptional. A Michelin star raises expectations of excellent food but also the creation of an ambiance to enhance the dining experience. Kin Khao succeeds with regard to the quality of the food, but not otherwise.

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  10. JTLSR

    Atlanta Metro

    28 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on October 16, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Spectacular cocktails and food. Not el cheapo Pad Thai but authentic flavorful cuisine fit for foodies. Mushroom mousse on rice cakes is a must.

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  11. LT34

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on October 15, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Always a flarvorful time, here. I loved the menu and the service is always on point!

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  12. SomaleeB

    St. Louis

    7 reviews

    2.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 14, 2016

    overall2food4service1ambience3
    The food was great, but our waitress had too many tables so the service was lacking. They need to invest more in service. Not a one michelin star experience wise.

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  13. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 13, 2016

    overall4food4service3ambience3
    Fun place, excellent food. If you're. it into spice, not for you. My cocktail wasn't the best but loved every dish that came out. Went in a group of 6 and we shared everything. Highly recommend doing that.

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  14. FrequentEater

    San Francisco

    47 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    47 reviews

    Dined on October 12, 2016

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    Kin Khao never disappoints. The menu is ambitious but not pretentious, and most importantly it's still recognizable as Thai food. The dinner menu is entirely different from the lunch menu, but it's not heavy food even for dinner. Highlights: the butter beans with lettuce are a must-have, plus the charred eggplant salad and the ling cod dumplings.

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  15. blah

    San Francisco

    68 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    68 reviews

    Dined on October 10, 2016

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    Oh they're just giving away Michelin stars these days… Sigh There used to be a time when a Michelin star meant something and said something about the food the ambience the decor etc. sadly no more and this restaurant will be the primary driver for us to stay away from one star Michelin restaurants hoping that the two and three star properties revisit live up to their credentials. The ambience was worse than a food court in Singapore Jakarta I'll Kuala Lumpur the only good point about the entire experience was the valet which is a lifesaver in any dinner in any large city The eggplant was sour, the squid was stale and sour, The rabbit was creamy sugary and downright loathsome, The cocktails were watery sugary and tasted like melted Popsicles The grilled rock Cod was not too bad but then I could do the same thing in my backyard By my own self it was just one large fish on a platter that has been grilled again not sure where that fits in the Michelin world I'm hoping they will lose the star in 2017 and my faith in the Michelin star system restored

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  16. Nicke

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 9, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Nice, interesting flavors! I recommend the vegetarian menu.

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  17. Vino49

    New York Area

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 9, 2016

    overall4food5service3ambience2
    The food is delicious, service good, ambiance consistent with the restaurant being tucked into the corner of a giant corporate hotel. Take the blood sausage challenge!

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  18. AlexisS

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 8, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious and unique Thai food with pungent and complex flavors. Cool ambiance, laid back vibe, quiet enough to talk, and great cocktails. What a treat!

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  19. Noelb

    Melbourne

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on October 7, 2016

    overall4food4service5ambience3
    Dined here as a group of four friends. Prompt, efficient service. Interesting menu, excellent quality food, although I suspect the chillie quotient has been dialled back significantly to accomodate American palates. Nice balance of salty/ sweet/ sour in the sauces & dressings. The best Asian food we've had in San Francisco.

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  20. mimi

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 4, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    One of the best and most unique restaurants in San Francisco. A gem!

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  21. Jork

    San Francisco

    57 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    57 reviews

    Dined on October 4, 2016

    overall3food4service1ambience2
    Food is very good but I can't understand how Kin Khao can keep its Michelin star with its poor service.

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  22. Paul

    London

    17 reviews

    3.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on October 3, 2016

    overall3food4service3ambience2
    Very good thai food! We had the tasting menu/ sharing menu. However, we got very little information during the meal, and when we got some information about what we were eating, we could hardley hear what they were saying, becsuse of the noise level. When the last course came, we were already full. Thus we did not get to enjoy the meal to the full.

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  23. DanMG

    Atlanta Metro

    29 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on October 2, 2016

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    My gf and I took her friend visiting from out of town here and we loved it!! The flavors were so incredible. We look forward to returning!!

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  24. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 2, 2016

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    By far the best Thai cuisine we've tasted in the Bay Area - almost like being in Thailand. Service was great. Parking is tough being in the city and all. We opted for the tasting menu and were blown away by the super tender and flavorful beef cheek and pork loin dishes. Loved the mushroom terrine and smoky eggplant. The low light of the evening was the dessert - adding toasted coconut to vanilla ice cream in a jar with jam does not make it Thai. Highly recommended.

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  25. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 1, 2016

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    The food was so yummy and delicious! The cocktails the server recommended were amazing! Tasty flavors and perfectly balanced! I loved it here and will return for sure.

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  26. CraftySwan

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on September 30, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    AWESOME!!!!! If I had to pick one food to eat forever, it would be the drunken noodles with pork. OMG!!! Love this place!

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  27. CharlesD

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 30, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Exceptional food. Incredible overall dining experience. We'll definitely be back.

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  28. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 25, 2016

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    It was great!

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  29. discerningdiner

    Seattle

    58 reviews

    4.0

    58 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Innovative yet authentic. The ribs are to die for, even though my mouth is on fire for at least 15 mins after devouring them. Rich in flavor, tender till the meat falls off the bone, lip smacking good! And the pork belly is delish. So are the wings!

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  30. RumiW

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 23, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Yum! This restaurant is not your standard pad thai -mee grob Thai restaurant. It served delicious unusual local recipes from Thailand. We had a reservation on a Friday and we were glad we did. It was crowded. They have a great beer selection. The food is very flavorful. If you are up for real Thai food, this is it.

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  31. xWRL

    San Francisco

    20 reviews

    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Kin Khao has attracted world-wide attention for its distinctive menu. It's a great place to take guests who are open to trying new kinds of food. Everything I've ever sampled there has been both interesting and delicious. It's a really exciting experience, and the wait staff do a great job of making you feel at home.

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  32. Awesome

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 20, 2016

    overall3food4service3ambience5
    It is not a place if you don't like spicy food, like me, although I love Thai food. Menu is very limited. My husband and friends, who like spicy food, really liked it though. We were meeting friends who were in a conference. The reason I didn't give a better overall score is because my friends were late, which happens sometimes, and my husband and I were hungry. I told my friends not to worry as we would start with appetizers and drinks. However they didn't let us sit unless full party showed up, and because they took more than 15 min, they cancelled our reservation altogether (as a non-show), even after I checked in with them so they knew we were there. Once we waited again for another table, besides being very very hungry and having my mouth burning from spicy, everything else was ok. I don't want to be unfair with the restaurant, but my experience that night was not very good.

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  33. UberFoodie

    San Francisco

    63 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    63 reviews

    Dined on September 19, 2016

    overall2food2service3ambience3
    Just meh. Kin Khao has a Michelin star and has had countless write-ups, but overall fell short of expectations. Biggest disappointment was the food, starting with no pork belly (server said oven was not working properly). We settled for the mushroom curry terraine, which wasn't like a mousse at all, but more runny, like a sauce. Had good flavor and the rice crackers that came with it complimented it well. Next was a Thai "tamale" made w/ground pork, blood sausage and sticky rice. We couldn't taste the meat and even with the toppings of onions, cilantro and peppers, still turned out bland. Last was the Massaman curry - beef cheeks were tender but flavor underwhelmed. We didn't want to risk getting dessert only to be disappointed. Specialty cocktails were also lackluster. Best part was the service. Host was friendly and welcoming, which gave us a great first impression of the restaurant. Server was knowledgeable and attentive. Overall, fair but would probably not go back or recommend, especially with so many other Thai options in the area.

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  34. RajivT

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 18, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Really fast service!

    1 person found this helpful

  35. OpenTable Diner

    Houston

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on September 17, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious food!!! It was some of the best Thai food I've ever had. We had the pad kee mao and massaman nuea - I would definitely go back next time I'm in San Francisco!

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  36. CaseyN

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 16, 2016

    overall3food3service4ambience4
    Chicken wings were delicious, cocktails were great & beautiful. The vegetable panang curry was extremely disappointing - big, bland, starchy vegetables, way too many lemongrass fibers/hairs, and ridiculously overpriced at $30 for a veggie curry. Service, ambiance, and noise levels were all just ok.

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  37. JaimeD

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 14, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Interesting, original. Worth a visit.

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  38. jaxsterdam

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on September 12, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great service. And warm and welcoming. 2nd time there and will go back next time I stay nearby again!

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  39. ABSS

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on September 11, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food and service! From the appetizers to the desserts top-notch all around.

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  40. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    1 review

    vip
    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 10, 2016

    overall4food4service3ambience3
    Vacation trip to SF

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FAQs

Kin Khao is rated 4.3 stars by 550 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
Google Map for Kin Khao

55 Cyril Magnin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Additional information

  • Cross street

    Mason and Ellis

  • Neighborhood

    Downtown / Union Square

  • Hours of operation

    Mon–Fri 11:30 am–11:00 pm Sat, Sun 5:30 pm–11:00 pm

  • Cuisines

    Unspecified

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Dress code

    Casual Dress

  • Parking details

    2 blocks away from the Powell Bart station. Valet parking is offered by the Parc 55 hotel ($12 for 2 hours after validation).

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Narciso Salvador

  • Additional

    Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Cookie Preferences
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