Dancing Yak Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in San Francisco

Disappointing Experience at Dancing Yak

I made a reservation at Dancing Yak through OpenTable after seeing they had many vegan options. Being familiar with Nepalese cuisine, I had high expectations—especially since my favorite Nepalese spot in Osaka delivers bold, unforgettable flavors. Unfortunately, Dancing Yak fell far short of that standard.

Ambiance (⭐ Removed) The tables are way too close together, making it impossible not to hear the conversations next to you. The noise level gets overwhelming because people have to yell over each other just to be heard. It’s not the music—it’s just the layout.

Service & Food Timing (⭐ Removed) The order in which food came out made no sense. I expected naan to arrive with the main dishes, but it was the last thing brought to the table. By then, it didn’t even feel necessary.

Drinks (⭐ Removed) My friend ordered an Old Fashioned, and it was so bad that she left the entire drink untouched when we left. That says a lot.

Food (⭐ Removed) Cauliflower – It was overly crunch. If I had to eat here again, I’d ask for it to be cooked less. Veggie Momo – The wrapper tasted undercooked, and the filling had the texture of mashed baby food. Not good. Veggie Chow Mein – The only dish that was actually tasty. Daal Bhat Platter – This was the worst part. Everything was completely flavorless. Even the rice had no taste, which is wild because rice usually has some flavor. When I asked the waiter where the seasoning was, he just shrugged. Roti – It was like a brown pancake. I order roti all the time at Biryani Kebab in Oakland, and it’s always amazing but this? The worst I’ve had.

We left most of the platter, the roti, the naan, and the Old Fashioned untouched. The meal was not worth $90. I honestly don’t understand how this place has so many stars. If I had known, I would’ve gone around the corner for some bomb vegan pizza at Joyride instead.

Final...

Food: 5/5 Service: 3/5

First visit to Dancing Yak to celebrate a friend's birthday with group of friends! Street parking in the city of course. There are also gender neutral restrooms with shared sinks.

I'm no way an expert on Nepalese cuisine, but the food was spectacular! We ordered many dishes, but I only tried the pork momos, both garlic and cheese naans, and the cashew curry. The momos were delish! The garlic naan was great in flavor with a slight crisp. The cheese naan was too doughy, but I ate it after the cheese started to solidify from cooling. The cashew curry is absolutely perfect for those avoiding acidic foods! I could eat it every night. Lastly, I ordered the mango lassi as a beverage. This is only my second time ever ordering mango lassi, and it was delightful. The mango was light and the texture was very smooth and creamy.

The service was as one would expect until we brought out a small 6-inch cake to celebrate a birthday. A member of staff supplied us with new plates and utensils for the celebration. I asked our server for a knife to cut the cake. Upon bringing the knife out, she mentioned that it was $3 per person for bringing the cake. Quite the charge! That's the cost of another cake. She quickly took the card reader out to make sure we paid for this sudden cost. We paused to take in her words before bringing out a card. She impatiently reacted with, "I know it's weird, but I have to do my job." This restaurant did not mention any such charges--even when we had "Birthday" in our reservation--the staff did not warn us until after all the utensils were handed to us, and the server was rude.

Overall, I highly recommend Dancing Yak for the food, but I do not recommend having...

3rd or 4th or was it 5th time here? With all the new restaurants always popping out it speaks volume how often I come here. Consistent (an ephemeral quality in the city) top notch friendly service accompanied but beautiful well prepared food have always guaranteed me coming back. I have been bringing friends from overseas and nothing beats this place if you are seeking comfort good food in a relaxing environement..

Atmosphere: Colourful without being tacky decorations with oil paintings on the wall artistic with vintage faux leather booths provide a cozy and inviting space, whether you are on a date or having a friendly get together. Divided in 4 areas: one small lounge area for people who might be waiting for a table, a bar area, dining area as well as a private dining area at the back.

Food: starting with the momos to all the curries as well as the plates, so many good options for vegans as well as meat lovers. I have tried momos in other spots in the city, including east bay but the thin wrapping and juiciness of the momos of Dancing Yak, the perfect cooking time that don't make either flop or undercooked are, at least for me, #1. From the first start that I ate the Bhindi Tarkari which was a blast of flavors to the eggplant (sorry if the picture is half plate... was too hungry and delicious to wait for picture taking moments), all the staples are fantastic.

Service: excellent, sometimes you might find the owner roaming around the tables and giving advice but all greet you with a sincere smile. Attentive to your needs without being pushy...