Namu
Categories: Japanese, Korean, Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond439 Balboa St
(between 5th Ave & 6th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 386-8332
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Tue-Thu 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Thu 5:30 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
Fri-Sun 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:30 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
Sun 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
64 reviews
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
"Easily the BEST IZAKAYA IN SF. O izakaya is good, and hime is ok, but this is the least pretentious, and MOST tasty of all of them.…" read more »
257 Reviews for Namu
I just didn't get it. I mean, food was good and all but a bit overpriced for what you're getting.
Also, service was sloooowwww. I was with one other person and we ordered 4 dishes. We were there for 2 and a half hours.
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Namu is unique among restaurants in the Inner Richmond: it's hip, irreverent, has moxie, and for a short while a few coquettish and attractive female servers worked there (which made dining there even more worthwhile)
It's a Japanese-Korean fusion spot, an anomaly when you ponder such a place because I was told the Japanese and Korean peoples have had a pretty rocky history.
The food in Namu is in no way indicative of such a past. Patrons will typically begin their meal with a small platter of kimchee, sauteed mushroom, and minced baby carrots (it's pretty-pretty tasty). For the first course, I would get the ceviche (which is neither Japanese nor Korean) in a won-ton. I don't know whether or not they still offer it, but it was to die for. Had the tuna tartare for my second course...equally delicious.
For all it's culinary feats, I'll agree with Kristin R. and her assessment that the service isn't on par with the quality of the food.
But that shouldn't deter anyone from dining at Namu.
Oh, and the wine list is pretty solid too!
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When I walked into Namu the first time my first impression was that it's too stylish for this neighborhood. Dim lights, candles, dark hardwood floors...sexy. Balboa and 3rd Ave...not so sexy. The menu offers a nice variety of sushi options as well as other less raw/more meaty dishes. The place is surprisingly not packed and a great restaurant if you want to feel special on a weeknight. Dress up. Dress down. They will take you in and you won't be disappointed. Good for when you want "Asian," but not Thai, not sushi, not Chinese. (Don't act like you haven't gone through that process of elimination.)
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Namu is the perfect combo of fancy and casual that makes it suitable for an impressive start to a night on the town or a relaxing end to a busy day. They have a great selection of teas, sake, and wine to suit whatever mood you're in. The thing that keeps me coming back is their sashimi... so fresh with just the right embellishments. I wasn't crazy about their fried calamari... the breading was too heavy and not cooked all the way. Mushroom dumplings are another favorite. Namu is not exactly cheap, but as far as classy places go it's very reasonable.
After hearing rave reviews from several reliable sources, I decided that I must check the place out.
The two of us went there early Sat evening without reservations and were seated right away.
My first impression of the place was that it lacked ambiance... At 7pm, it was a little too bright inside--they could have used some shades. Where we were sitting I can see the kitchen staff going out the backdoor where the garbage cans were visible. Lastly, I headed to the restroom and opened an unmark door and found the utility closet.
That aside, the service and the food was impeccable. Our waitress was super friendly and gave us great info about the menu, how the plates should be tasted. When we asked for hot sauce, she brought not one but three kinds.
The scallop carpaccio was super refreshing--with a tower of thinly shredded cucumbers to cleanse the pallet.
The daily crudo was extremely tasty...the seasoning didn't take away from the freshness of the sashimi.
The lamp chop was a perfect finish to our tasting. Hearty and juicy.
Next time I am going with an entourage so we can try everything on the menu.
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My friend Phil had been telling me about Namu for months and so I was excited to finally get a chance to try the place out with him last week. The restaurant's located in a sleepy part of town, and you can pick out the locals from the foodies (the place has a pretty devout following these days) pretty quickly.
We arrived at 8pm, and the place was not too busy, but when I looked up from my meal a bit later, there was a small wait to get a table. Perhaps this had something to do with the late night feel, DJs and all, making Namu sort of a destination and last stop for some.
Paired with a sake sampler, we ordered pretty lightly off the menu (what can I say, I had a late lunch!). The complimentary banchan plate (housemade kimchee, seasoned vegetables) was a great way to start the meal. We also tried an ocean salad, which was a mixture of wakame seaweed and cucumber.
I'd highly recommend the daily crudo and the oysters, the latter coming with a Korean chili sauce for a unique twist. The shitake dumplings were one of Phil's favorites and did not disappoint. Being a chicken wing disciple, I had to try their version: six hefty wings in a sweet chili glaze, tasty!
I've heard great things about their spicy pork ribs and their black cod -- heck I'd even come back to try their burger -- so consider me sold on Namu.
Incidentally, the name means wood in Korean, and you can tell that the space has that natural, minimalist aesthetic. The ingredients are all locally sourced and organic, again a devotion to clean living and eating.
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Back again, this time for lunch with a friend in from London who loves a good meal. The burger is outstanding (do us all a favor and please add to dinner menu), the Fulton Ranch Korean inspired chicken thigh sandwich is tender and delicious, and the calamari is from another planet. I can't remember exactly but I think Daniel told us that it's coated in some rice based... anyhow it's incredible and get it.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/11/2008
This is possibly the best food recommendation I've received all year. Came here after 6 hours at… Read more »
Most of the Asian fusion restaurants out there just have great ambiance and so so food. This place actually have great food and you'll never find the same dish anywhere else. I've had a cooking club with my friends for years and we make interesting food all the time. So I'm pretty picky about food. If you are looking for traditional Korea or Japanese, this is not the place. If you are a bit adventurous like me, you are in for a treat.
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HI! im naming my next puppy namu. lol. ok just wanted to get that outta my chest!
ok so im not really into these egg benedicts and fancy omelettes. i mean, ihop, the king of all things eggs and pancakes. did i just lose my yelp credibility or what!
but the loco moco was simply and utterly good. poached eggs over crab was fabulous (by definition, "So remarkable as to elicit disbelief.") yeaa! exactly.
-1 star for the wait for the food (can you say 30 minutes??!). but whatev, come in with great company, and you wouldnt mind the wait. right?
Namu means wood in Korean (when I hear the name, I have to admit that I think of Namu the killer whale). It's a hip Korean-owned spot that feels relaxed, organic, and substantive and serves Korean-Japanese inspired cuisine using organic meats and locally sourced meats. Love the wooden floors, cypress bar, open kitchen, heavy black tables, pretty celadon walls and all the Japanese plates that they use (especially the black plate with white swirls).
For lunch they have salads, raw plates, appetizers, Asian sandwiches, bi bim bap and bento boxes. We started with the tuna tataki: lighted seared slices of tuna topped with a delicious ponzu based sauce, paper thin slices of lime (meant to be eaten with the fish), and seaweed. So fresh, light, and bright in flavor.
I ordered the kasuzuke bento ($14) which comes with miso soup (nice but not amazing, made with red miso, comes with tiny cubes of soft tofu and wakame), house made sides (napa cabbage kimchi, carrots, cucumbers - crunchy, sweet, had a pleasant touch of sesame oil), warm short grain white rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds (wild rice is available for $2 extra), and the most exquisite miso marinated black cod. The sweet, moist, silky cod was melt-in-your-mouth tender, drizzled with a dark soy-based reduction, topped with thin shreds of seaweed and scallion. I found myself eating it very slowly because it was just so amazing that I wanted it to last.
For dessert, I had to try the adzuki chocolate cupcake resting in a pool of crème anglaise. I love red bean and always thought it would go well with chocolate. I love cupcakes and crème anglaise. Mmm. Their cupcake was my dream come true. It was more like a warm chocolate cake - dense, moist, rich (but not too sweet) with about an equal balance of chocolate and red bean flavor, topped with chunky red bean paste. It was as good as the description. Yum!
Given the quality (and creativity) of the food and refined presentation, the price was definitely reasonable (equal to 3 cups of fro-yo for the bento box). It's a nicer place where things are "extra" - available for an additional price (e.g., no free tea because they serve quality tea, no free banchan). The service was unobtrusive with the right timing. We didn't feel rushed as we savored our meal.
My next mission: I have to hunt down their Happy Belly hot dog carts in Golden Gate Park - soon. I read that they have Korean sandwiches and hot dogs with kimchi. Sounds too good to be true: www.happybellyfoods.com
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I've been wanting to come here for the longest time and I finally had the chance to try it out on a Saturday night since there was a performance that night from 11-1. The place was pretty packed and I saw the Executive Chef/owner right away when I walked in. (Girls, he's pretty damn hot!) Waited for a table at the bar and looked through the menu. They only had the happy hour menu so it was pretty limited.
We tried:
Albacore Tataki: grilled seared white tuna, lime, thai chile sesame ponzu
Very good and seared nicely. Good when you dip it in just a little of that sauce on the bottom
Spicy Pork Ribs: Four Niman ranch baby back ribs, kojichan sake marinade
Yummy but not enough for $10!!! I wish it was cheaper so I could order more!
Scallops: Hokkaido scallops, Ginger chili garlic sauce
Seasoned very nicely and perfectly. Good about of spice to it and grilled deliciously.
The Burger: Niman ranch ground beef, tomatoes, kaiware, sliced pickled daikon, soy glazed onions, aioli served with salad or fries (of course I chose fries!
Man, really good bun they use. I think it's house-made! Burger was yummy and I loved the crispy fries!!!!!!!
Soju we tried:
Mango strawberry
Peach "blue people" oolong
Lychee something
Glass is $7 and Caraft is $14 (good for groups)
You think it's not strong but it slowly gets to you. Pretty strong compared to a lot of other places. We ordered the caraft ones and it was perfect, got 4+ shots from each!
Service couldn't of been better! The owners were all there and very friendly. Performance was very entertaining and fun. I can't wait to go back and try their regular menu and DESSERTS!!!
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Clean, stylish, and coupled with an amazing brunch menu, Namu is one of my favorite eateries in the Richmond.
Note: Try the infused sake. Amazing.
I went there this evening with my girlfriend, eager to check out a new Asian fusion place that's been getting some really good reviews. We walked in and were promptly seated. (service was very good and staff is very friendly). Nice modern minimalist ambience.
Sorry but I can't comment on the bathroom since i didn't use it by I read it was very nice. But maybe they need a sign for the bathroom as I saw several people get confused which door led to the bathroom and watched them open several doors trying to find it.
But now to the food:
All the food we ordered were good, well presented, and portions were TINY...sorry...I should say PORTIONS WERE tiny as well as being a little PRICEY. We ordered the Crudo, the Tartare, and the chicken wings but left the place still hungry. (So hungry we dashed into the Sushi Bistro next door for some more food) We didn't want to spend another $60 on liliputian food.
Oh, we also ordered the Mango Strawberry Soju. We couldn't taste the mango, we couldn't taste the strawberry and the Soju itself did not taste good. I say stick to the beers since its kinda hard to mess that up.
But like i said, I heard the bathroom was really nice though a little hard to find.
Some of my Yelp Favorites had said many a good thing about this place. So when I was cruising around the hood with a friend after taking in the Chihuly exhibit at the de Young, it was a pleasant surprise to see the Namu fingerprint logo within close range.
Both of us were in the mood for a light lunch so we ordered some small plates which included the seaweed salad, calamari, hamachi crudo, and the beef spring roll. Everything was absolutely flawless and my chef friend was greatly impressed. Our waitress was attentive and seemed to come at the right time whenever we needed something.
We sat by the window on a glorious San Francisco day and the food and conversation flowed freely. I will certainly be back to sample some of the main entrees for lunch.
Thank you so much my beloved Yelp Favorites. You're making my life so much easier these days! ;^)
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I'd been a few times for breakfast, but given what I tend to order for the first meal of the day, it would take some pretty outstanding scrambled eggs and toast to warrant a review. But this was ok, considering that what Namu supposedly does best is dinner.
Now, I should preface by saying that we waited several months to give this place a chance to get on it's feet: when Yelpers offer scathing reviews of brand-new restaurants, I find it a bit unfair seeing as how it's...I don't know, brand new? Time, people! A little patience goes a long way!
But I digress.
So we went for dinner last night before heading off to a friend's party. The hostess looked at us in utter horror when we told her we didn't have a reservation, but she directed us to one of the 15 empty tables anyway.
We sat at our table and picked out a sake.
We ordered our sake.
Or maybe not, since THEY WERE OUT OF THAT SAKE.
Ok, we'll go for this one instead.
Or maybe not, since THEY WERE OUT OF THAT SAKE TOO.
Alas, third time's the charm, and we landed on a sake they actually had.
So now we peruse the menu. But by this point it's getting dark, and since apparently pitch black = sexy, we held our table's tiny tea light over our menus to illuminate our dinner options.
Miso soup for my husband, mung bean cakes and shiitake dumplings to share, sashimi tartare for me, and "The Burger" for my husband.
Or maybe not the tartare, since THEY WERE OUT OF TARTARE.
So I ordered the crudo instead.
Miso soup: bland.
Mung bean cakes: crispy, yummy dipping sauce, not bad.
Shiitake dumplings: if I had three thumbs, they'd get three thumbs up. But I was not conceived in a toxic waste site (although it was Los Angeles, so that's debatable), so I'll have to settle for two. Don't skip this dish!
Hamachi crudo: really nice and light. The chili flakes, lime, sea salt and olive oil were a flavorful addition to the hamachi.
"The Burger": my husband said, "yeah. It was good." He didn't start doing a Bollywood song and dance routine about it, so that translates to "it was a burger." But again, he DID order "The Burger" at a restaurant that is only offering burgers for big macho guys afraid of raw fish, so how much can you ask for? (And yes, I say this just after reading San Francisco Magazine's article about Epic Roasthouse's amazingbadunkadunk burger, and I don't even eat steak or burgers, but I do realize "those" burgers exist. My point, simply, is that won't find one at Namu.)
I should also point out that between the shiitake dumplings and the rest of our food, we decided to order another glass of wine. So we picked out a nice red.
Or maybe not, since THEY WERE OUT OF THAT WINE.
We were smart by this point, though, and were armed with a second, third, and even fourth choice.
I commented to our waitress that although we were enjoying our food, I was a little disappointed by the number of items they were out of by 7:30 on Saturday evening. She said she'd pass the word on, but who knows if she did. And that's what Yelp is for, right?
$85 later and still ravenously hungry, we arrived at our friend's party, where we feasted on Costco cookies, Red Vines, cheese and crackers, chips and salsa and well drinks, which completely redeemed my dinner experience. But I don't want to give Namu credit for my friend's brilliance.
Since I'm a forgiving and hopelessly optimistic individual, I plan to return to Namu for dinner, but I'll give them a few months before I go. This is ample time to read my all-important review, restock the kitchen, and install some adjustable lighting. In the meantime, if I'm dying for some Asian fusion, I'll go to Eos on the other side of the Park. And when that next time rolls around, I'm bringing my own wine.
It crushes my heart to write this review as I had such high expectations for namu. I heard so many good things, and was so impressed with the menu...but.......
after taking every server's suggestions in the restaurant and after paying almost $300 on food and drinks, I had to admit that I had failed. It just wasn't that into it.
We had several specials so I don't know their names, but I know we had an amberjack crudo, which was light but, like everything else, ultimately unimpressive and over priced.
The Shitake mushroom soup was so so, delicious because I love shitakes, but not memorable. One bite into the dumpling and yes, I felt flavor, but I know that shitake's have the power to bite back, to burst with flavor and to be so soft I don't know what to do with myself. Didn't happen here.
Most disappointing was the Kobe Strip steak, whose soft texture was undermined by the mediocre sauce it was covered in. It wasn't so much that the sauce itself (a tonkatsu?) was boring, but that it was what anyone else would have put on it. For prices like this I'm paying for creativity as well as taste.
Fortunately the black cod didn't disappoint all that much, though I had better at the former Pearl's Oyster Bar in Oakland (rip). The texture was less melt in your mouth, but the flakey crispy miso coating was still salty and penetrated the overall flavor of the fish well.
Drinks were pretty good, but not good enough not to make me want to hit my head on the wall when I saw the bill (actually I deserved that).
On the other hand, it can't be forgotten that Namu has great service, and that the dining room is rather comfortable. For a place with this much recognition, I'd expect it to be difficult to hear my dining partner speak, but I had no trouble as it turned out. Our server was attentive throughout the whole of our dining experience, and helped me with all my tough decisions.
While I appreciate the atmosphere, service, and the concept of this restaurant I can't say that I would ever go back. I hope that there is another place to get Korean and Japanese Fusion because I'm sure that, done right, I might just find my trip to heaven.
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Getting to Namu takes some effort:
-Taking 280 or driving all through 'hell' AKA San Francisco.
Getting service with a smile is difficult:
-Service was a bit aloof for my taste.
Getting a handle on their Happy Hour specials was an interesting feat:
Most of the items are the SAME price. Did not make me HAPPY.
Getting comfortable took awhile:
-The wall I was sitting next to was splotched with soy & I was melting in the sun!!!
Getting presented with the food & the bill were shocking:
-Portions are TINY & it ain't cheap folks!!!
BUT!!!
The food was terrific!!!
LOVED:
Ocean Salad
Hamachi Crudo
Oxtail Daikon Soup
VERY GOOD:
Black Cod
Lamb Chops
Broccolini
OKAY:
Mushroom Dumplings
Dessert:
Skip the creme brulee. It was cold. Like just out of the fridge cold. The kobocha custard was different, I think most dessert lovers would not be satisfied with a squash and light barely sweet gelatin. Brioche was not was was expected, more like a brownie. Slightly bland and healthy, again Japanese desserts are a miss for me, but I can't count that against Namu. It's true to the cuisine.
Our server forgot our second round of drinks, I was fuming, but she made up for it by comping a round of sparkling sake. SCORE!!!
Finally, thank you Namu busboy for running out and across the street to return my beloved iPhone.
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I should kick myself for not reading the whole review before going to Namu. It was yummy and all but when you are hungry, the small tapa plates JUST DO NOT CUT IT. I was full afterward but not a "happy full". There were some dishes that I wish they gave us more of, it was good!
The sashimi (forgot what it was called, some sort of special) was very tasty and had a good texture. The ocean salad was great - three different colored seaweed. Oh oh, the crispy calamari was good as well - the batter was nothing I had before.
There were some dishes that were a bit too salty, even for me. And most of my friends call me "salty..." too..
I won't be going back anytime soon. Unless I start making more money, this place can sure burn a hole through a poor young person's wallet!
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My buddy took me here Friday night. The staff and owners are all dolls. The food was delicious but I have to say that the dish that would bring me back over and over again is the Loco Moco. The gravy is to die for and I'm sure that I'd be happy drowning in a pool of it.
Yes, the dinner portions are small and tapas style (which I am not a fan of). But nonetheless, the food is tasty and the restaurant is beautiful. In addition to the Loco Moco we had the hamachi crudo, kumomoto oysters, grilled scallops, thai basil pesto lamb chops and the chocolate layered brioche for dessert (DELICIOUS!).
I'm really interested in going back to this place for breakfast of brunch.
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Dear Yelpers,
it's been a while and I figured my first review being back should be about an establishment that deserves the best, the 5 stars, the utmost respect.
We've been going to Namu for a while now and I have never ever been let down. Just recently we wanted to introduce one of our friends to the Korean cuisine. We weren't sure if she could take the traditional Korean BBQ so we opted for the loungy fancier option of Namu.
Sure it isn't probably what you would consider full on Korean but you def get a taste of my most favorite cuisine.
The dumplings are to die for and I just loooove the beef and the soba noddles salad.
But besides all the great food do not forget to try the black tea infused soju drink. It almost kills me, that's how good it is...
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Sleek, sexy and yummy. Not too mention the Sake naughty.
This is a great little gem in Inner Richmond. The decor is sexy yet warm and inviting. The food is succulent though the plates are small, more like small tapas. Which I enjoy, I'm not into one big slab of meat on a plate type of place. I enjoy experience several flavors & textures. The folks have always been nice when I've gone. The owners/brothers are all friendly and working most nights. Great sake selection. I've come here a few times just to sit at the small bar and sip. Do make a note that the restaurant overall is pretty small. I definitely recommend it and will come back again.
A couple buddies and I were looking for a place to eat. We didn't want some cheap rinky-dink place and price wasn't an issue, as long as it wasn't Gary Danko. Nothing against Gary, but it's just not a Wednesday night dinner restaurant for us.
Anyway, she wanted to try Namu, and I was down for it because of all the great reviews on Yelp.
We walk in, sit down, and nibble on the free appetizer. Our waitress came by to introduce us to the menu and how it's supposed to be family style. Recommendation was 2 plates a person, which wasn't too bad. She lied.
So we each (there were three of us) picked two items. I chose the lamb chop and kobe skirt steak. I'm a sucker for meat. My two dinnermates got the dumplings, oysters, crudo, and summer squash.
Our food came, and I could not believe the prices of the dishes. The flavors were intense, complex, yet very delectable. To me, the lamp chops were AMAZING. Not fall off the bone, but I like them that way; the Thai basil pesto really complemented the savory lamb.
Oysters were very good, and while I personally don't care for dipping them in chili sauce, the ponzu sauce was to die for.
Dumplings were just extraordinary, so much that we had to order a second helping. The dashi mushroom broth was just excellent. Very savory, not salty, and the dumplings had the perfect amount of filling. I regret not biting one in half to really look at what I was eating, but it was euphoria in a pouch so I didn't care.
The crudo came first and that was just simply melt-in-your-mouth goodness. The lemon slice at the bottom, though inedible, was great since the tartness imparted helped balance out and highlight the kick presented by the garlic chili oil.
We flagged our waitress down for more food, not because we were starving but because it was so darn good. Scallops from the grilled a la carte menu was our selection. Perfectly seared, excellent texture, though the chili sauce needed more ginger in it to merit its name.
Overall, a great dining experience, further enhanced by the fact that food this great should cost twice as much.
DEFINITELY coming back.
I think I would give it 5 stars for the ambiance and decor and 3-4 stars for the food. The Dj's were spinning good music, the photographs they had up were tight (I want 2 of them) and the lighting was flattering. I love that.
We came in around 10:30, just before the 11pm happy hour started, and even though someone was very obvious about us waiting for the happy hour to start before ordering food (ahem, hi, Jason), the service was still good. We had the mushroom dumplings which were delicious. The sauce it is in is so good, I heard people have dumped their rice right in the bowl and started chowing down while hitting on waitresses whose boyfriends were there, immediately before getting kicked out of the joint (not Jason). The chicken wings were highly recommended and pretty good. The loco moco was massive but I thought the gravy could have used more flavor.
One of the owners was serving and chatted with us for a bit. He was with us just long enough for someone to ruin the ending of the basketball game (ahem, hi, Jason). He's from Boston and had recorded it to watch later.
In the end, it was a nice mellow night with tasty food, good sake and great company.
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The 6th and Balboa end of the Inner Rich has long been a flickering light of culinary potential, only to dim at the prospect of sliding into the genre of "take out" neighborhood options. One example is the hip, collegiate sushi joint Biru Biru which went "exeunt, stage left" after it's longish 1+year run, and Katia's surviving well with her Russian (pan-slavic) offerings . Things have changed with the addition of more upscale options such as The Richmond, a "fine dining" model with an ample selection of wines, and Namu, a Korean-Japanese cuisine mash-up.
Interior is on the lounge side, with small tasteful functional furniture, hipster beats, woodsy atmosphere, darker tones, large print urban photographs, and Okamoto's "Sword of Doom" looped on plasma. An out-of-town guest kept drunkenly insisting that I go take pictures of the bathroom because she'd forgotten her camera and intends to redo her own in the same manner. "F that Jethro, there's vittles to be eaten."
Highlights:
Seaweed salad and miso soup are great starters. Diners are treated to a complimentary small, tapas-sized, kimchee gondola plate. Kimchee is one of those staples that has to have the right amount of pepper heat and crunchy freshness... and it is at Namu. Shiitake dumplings in a mushroom dashi is another must. Grilled okra plate is amazing, with the flavors of some of the high end maki's but there's no roll there at all (have to try to see what I'm talkin' about Willis). Something not to be missed at all is the Bamboo done up in a Meyer lemon butter sauce of some sort. Lip smakin' good! Lamb with Thai Basil Pesto (and I'm picky about my pestos) is brilliant, cooked to a perfect medium rare (as it should be). Any direction one wanders on the menu will have you finding flavor.
Good sake selection. One of the surprises is a sparkling Nigori. Yup! You heard me. Sparkling Nigori Sake!
Desserts: They've got a Red Bean Chocolate Cup Cake with Yuzu Creme Anglaise that's tasty. Tried the Kobocha squash coconut custard and thought it would be better as a Panacotta.
Overall: great gem amongst the local flavor. Rate this as the best restaurant in the Lower Balboa if not the entire Rich!
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Dine About Town is back again so I decided on Namu. From the prix fixe menu, I chose the following items:
seared tuna
mushroom dumplings
Kobe skirt steak
The seared tuna came in a plate of six and presented well. These slices were definitely seared on the outside and raw in the inside. The mushroom dumplings were great. There were 4 dumplings sitting in a pool of tasty mushroom broth. The kobe steak wasn't too memorable but it was prepared exactly how medium rare meat should be prepared.
The Dine about Town price comes to $32 / person. I calculated the price of each item as if I ordered each individually and it came out to $39 (seared tuna - $12, dumplings - $8, steak - $19.). Does this make Dine About Town a great deal?? Read on...
Upon writing this review, I forgot to include one little detail. I was in a party of 2. When we were ordering, we were told we would have to choose the exact same items, as the size of the portions would be determined by the # of people in the party. We had to share the portions listed above. Doing the math, it came to 3 slices of tuna, 2 dumplings, and roughly 10 thin slices of kobe steak per person. Is this worth the $32 hype of Dine About Town? I'll let you decide. Needless to say, I left Namu hungry enough to eat a skunk's pussy.
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Like the fellow Yelpers who gave this place bad reviews. I would say that I have to agree with them. The food at this place was mediocre at best. I give this place 4 stars for presentation and 2 stars for food. The service was great, so if you're into that type of thing.. then go for it. But personally I don't care if the waiters and waitresses treat me like crap.. as long as my food is good, I'm sold.
The tuna tartar was a bit flavorless. The fried wonton on the outside overpowered the freshness of the tuna. We also had the salad and calamari, which in my opinion were one of the best things there but it doesn't say much b/c it's pretty hard to screw up fried anything. The kobe beef... mediocre. The pork chops were horrendous. The kimchee appetizer was probably the best thing I had there. One thing though.. if you like a wide selection of sake and soju.. Namu is probably the place for you.
I'm sad to say that I probably will never go back there again.
My girlfriend and I ate here for the first time Saturday.
Excellent food and service, but almost $100 for dinner for 2 after ordering only 4 of their small portioned plates - appetizer seaweed salad, appetizer calamari, steak plate, scallop plate (with 4 scallops)and just 1 dessert and 1 carafe of soju.
Luckily we had a big lunch otherwise we would have gone home hungry.
The dinner menu on their website dosn't have prices, which is unusual, maybe they're aware its a bit steep for for a neighborhood restaurant.
That aside, we got there at 5:30 to avoid the rush and enjoyed the atmosphere. The aki fry calamari was bland but everything else was delightful.
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We went here for brunch on a Sunday and it was dead! I mean really dead!
We were surprised to the receive a lovely meal that was really rather affordable for what we got.
They have an odd fusion of what seems to be Japanese and Mexican with a touch of American. I had the breakfast sopes, hubby had an omelet, and baby girl had cornmeal blueberry pancakes.
Hubby's omelet was delicious, one of the better omelets I have tasted in a long while.
My sopes was okay. It was a little heavy and lacked some kick, but overall pretty tasty and kept me full well into the late afternoon without feeling icky.
Baby girl's pancakes were not great. They were especially sweet to make a half order for my 2.5 year old though. They do however charge $1 extra for real maple syrup which to me seems ridiculous. Why even have the option for the fake stuff? I mean you just feel like if you don't get the real stuff it is just because you are being cheap, because come on who really would choose the fake maple flavored syrup over the real deal if the price was the same? Don't have an option and just reflect it in the price.
The prices were very reasonable, I have to stress and I was a little sad to see it so dead in there when it seems like the best restaurant option for a Sunday morning on the block.
I'd be willing to go back!
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i wanted to like this place. i really did.
but then i came here with a group. and i think that was the downfall.
tapas and groups don't really mix. unless you're in in spain, where tapas are a lifestyle and budgeted rightly so. but when you're with a group of seven guys, with two to four people sharing each of the small appetizer-sized plates, it's a little different. and at $35/person for what we got, it's a little on the steep side. like mt everest steep.
the food WAS good, but basic. our group ordered one of the group pre fixe menus, which included eight dishes. two of the dishes were salads, albeit one was lettuce and the other was wakame (japanese seaweed). but still, two salads, is that necessary? the menu also included tuna, fried calamari, daikon w/ ox tail, mushroom dumplings, asparagus, tempura eggplant, and kobe beef. while most of the menu was vegetarian, the kobe beef saved it in the end and boosted the meal from 2.5 stars to 3.
the servers were friendly, but the service was a little spotty. most of the time we had to ask for our own water. and when our server asked if we wanted a second round of rice, we agreed.. but it never came. so we asked for it again.. and it still never came. then after we were done with our meal, our server came to ask if we still wanted the rice, and by that time, it was unnecessary.
so, to summarize:
- don't come here with groups. come with a date instead.
- food is good, but ingredients basic.
- the bathroom is awesome. kudos to the interior designers.
- skip dessert, they're kinda small, and like the rest of the food.. basic.
- come back on the weekends after 11 p.m., they have a d.j. and some happy hour food/drink specials that sounded better than the actual menu.
I'm definitely a fan of Namu! Went on a Saturday night with my boyfriend with the intention of doing something cool, chill yet fun. Namu definitely fit the bill. We arrive at 10:00pm with no intention to partake in food, but were very interested in the desserts, liquid libations and chill tunes.
Immediately walk in and like the vibe. It's warm and inviting but edgy and sleek. The lighting is perfect. The bathrooms almost immaculate, and quite stylish (the pebble lined sink is a nice tough).
We order the chocolate brioche with fresh strawberries and strawberry sauce. Just what we needed; not overly sweet and perfect size for sharing. With it we ordered three different infused sojus (one at a time): ginger lemongrass, mango strawberry and a tea infused concoction that's supposedly a staff favorite and promises some positive healthy properties (lower blood pressure being one of them). All were to our liking--very unique and flavorful. Our favorite was the mango strawberry cause it tasted most like what you'd expect and I think I favor sweet soju drinks typically. The ginger lemongrass, was refreshing and the ginger definitely gave it a bit (or was the lemongrass??). The tea infused concoction was stronger than the rest, and the nice waitress even offered to brew the tea more to lessen the alcohol flavor for us, but we were on our third carafe at that time and we could handle the taste! (In our defense, they were small carafes, served with small glasses the size of tea cups).
Service was exceptional. Our waitress was very attentive, made great recommendations and was just overall very friendly. The rest of the staff seemed cool too...dancing around the dj as well as serving their patrons right. AND the dj and music were awesome! He played nothing but 90's R&B and hip hop. I was definitely belting some of the words to the songs. "...do you ever dream of...candy coated raindrops. something something something, my candy raaaaainnnn."
It's nice to find another cool lounge like venue in our neighborhood to add to the rotation. Next time we'll come for food...
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A nice addition to inner Richmond which has *a bit too* heavy Chinese influence. Like the fact that it is not (1) on Clement Street as parking is always a b*tch, especially for someone who has absolute zero parking karma like self, and (2) yet another fusion restaurant with funky interior and little else to boast.
I was tossing up between a 3 and a 4... and was thinking that, food-wise, this place is more of a 3+, which unfortunately will fall back down to a 3.
Until the miso-glazed black cod arrived at our table. Perfectly cooked, flaky and tender with just the right amount of flavor, it singlehandedly tipped the scale in Ang-o-meter to a solid 4 and stole the show from the slightly overcooked and not-so-spicy spicy beef ribs.
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Yay, the food was actually good. After reading a large portion of the other reviews, I came with tempered expectations. Lots of quality produce and the proteins were quite fresh! The Soju cocktails were aite, but they need to step their game up.
Yes they do charge for seconds on the banchan (those small little plates - Korean antipasti, if you will) which had what really was just about the laziest, sorriest excuse for banchan. And why yes, they do charge for rice. Both these transgressions are totally bush league.
Service was a little prickly, the girl felt she needed to explain every nuance and was not pleased to be brushed away.
Decor was rather clean, and it's pretty cool to see the brothers/ owners of the place hang out, one even spins on weekend nights.
So why 4 stars with all these grievances? Because 4 stars means I'm a fan (at least according to yelp) and am simply eager to go again.
asian tapas-sweet. i like to be able to eat lots of different things on the menu. small plates are great for that reason. and the food here as my co-worker puts it, is SOLID. i like the term solid because it implies that you can pretty much choose aimlessly on any random day and every item will please. the service was perfect, quick and very friendly. and the ambiance is very simple and slick yet inviting. we had ribs, a really great ocean salad with red seaweed that i had never seen before, prawns, chicken wings, and hamachi crudo. that's an assortment i think i've definitely never had all in the same sitting. all items were delicious. can't wait to go back with more people so we can get everything on the menu.
I can't believe that I haven't been to Namu before. We had a fantastic meal, the calamari was delicious, lightly battered and served with a spicy kimchee tartar sauce. The lamb chops, the steak, and the hamachi were all uniquely prepared and well balanced. I had an incredible sake and the ambiance and attention to detail with interior all made for a great experience. We will definitely be making the trek across the city again soon!
Expensive yet tasty spot if you are in the Inner Richmond area, and need a break from sushi. Namu inhabits a busy section of street, skip the reggae bumping sushi house next door and the smoke filled locals pub down the street for something different here. Asian Fusion maybe? Not sure. Food was very good, and served up by one of the owners. A band of brothers, whom are in the family business together. Even Mom whom they gathered their culinary insight from was sitting at the bar.
Namu means wood in Korean. Stole that from the website, not that intelligent. Decor inside is all wood. Wood, wood everywhere. Toilet bowl is probably porcelain or something. Dishes are meant to be shared here. If you are feeling selfish then order the burger. Only thing on the menu big enough to satisfy your palette.
Otherwise order 3 dishes for two people. Waitress might advise 4, stick with 3 and order more if hunger sets in. Try the Tar Tare, one of the salads and the portobello mushroom plate. Forgot to remember the specific dish names. Mushroom plate was a favorite. Grilled in a rich sauce, even we could not finish it off.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights the space is transformed into a lounge. Chairs are pushed back, DJ makes his entrance and the drink and food specials roll out. The special on Hog Island Oysters will have me coming back and bust out my break dancing moves on the Namu.
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