Han Il Kwan — Restaurant in San Francisco

Food: 8/10 Price: 5/10 Service: 2/10

TLDR: food is delicious, but be prepared for the worst service ever. I hope they’ve changed by the time you’re thinking of trying out this restaurant.

I went to Han Il Kwan on 12/3/22 way before dinner time (around 4:30 pm) with a friend, when there was no wait. The tables were not even half full, but it took a while for the TWO of us to get welcomed and seated. I understand if they need to take time to set up the table before seating us, but my friend and I were just standing by the entrance in confusion because there was no acknowledgement nor verbal welcome either. It was almost as if we intruded them during their break time or something (but they were clearly open).

The guy in glasses was pretty friendly, but the woman in light brown hair with bob was so cold. We ordered two barbecue meats and a stew, and both plates were served raw. It was a self-grill experience, which was what we signed up for. What we didn’t sign up for was the woman’s attitude. After cooking our pork belly, our grill was starting to burn the marinated meat (our second dish) to crisp, so we asked for a grill change. That is nowhere near asking for too much unless they were expecting us to chew on a piece of charcoal or something. However, when we asked politely, the woman saw that our meat was half burnt and sighed at us, saying that “this dish tastes better if you let us cook it in the kitchen…”. My friend and I didn’t know what to say. Like, what the hell? No one told us??? and the dish was already served raw?? Anyone eating at a Korean barbecue restaurant in the right mind would interpret these gestures as “cook them yourself.” She seemed reluctant to change our grill but ended up telling us sternly, “please take them off,” so we started taking the marinated meat off of the grill onto our plate. The tongs were pretty tiny but both of us tried our best to pick up all our meats and veggies off the grill, but I guess we still didn’t satisfy her ego. She snatched the tong out of my friend’s hand without even saying anything and started taking off the meat herself. Then she just dropped off the new grill and left without a word.

When we still had some meat left on the grill, she came over to ask (this was the first time she came over without us asking lol) just to ask if we’re done with a condescending tone. We were full anyways, so we said yes and later she just dropped off the check without a word.

Dear woman, I don’t know if you were having a terrible day or you just thought we were just some students. Whatever it is, we were there at your least busy time and still ordered $93 worth of food. I’ve worked at Korean barbecue place before, and I know things can get intense. So I made sure the two of us didn’t just pay for one dish and expect the best service. The two of us ordered three dishes and the only thing we asked for was a grill change so we don’t get cancer from burnt meat lol. We came in with reasonable expectations and somehow you successfully failed all of them.

Dear woman, did you know that day, my friend drove two hours to visit San Francisco? Not that it’s really your business, but wow. I didn’t expect such a disappointment from a fellow Korean’s restaurant like that. Honestly, I was really embarrassed. You can quit service job if you don’t like it. No one is forcing you...

I recently had the opportunity of visiting Han Il Kwan for a midday lunch with a friend. Nestled in the inner boroughs of the Outer Richmond area of San Francisco, this Korean BBQ gem offers an oasis of authentic flavors that feels a world away from the city.

We received a warm greeting from the restaurant's attentive staff as soon as we arrived. Even during the bustling lunch rush, we were quickly seated, showcasing their service's efficiency and mindfulness. Rather than choosing the traditional self-cooking BBQ option, we decided on the house-prepared meal. This decision spared us from the pervasive smoke odor often accompanying self-prepared BBQs.

Having decided on the restaurant-prepared Korean BBQ experience, we selected the Lunch Special that presented a diverse and thrilling assortment of dishes: Braised Beef Short Ribs, Seasoned Intestine and Tripe, and the Hot Stone pot Haesanmul Dolsot-Bibimbap. Each dish was meticulously prepared and presented. The beef short ribs, braised to perfection, were succulent and rich, while the intestines and tripe added a textural adventure, seasoned in a way that perfectly balanced the bold flavors. The Dolsot-Bibimbap served in a hot stone pot, was a medley of comforting textures and robust flavors, with perfectly crispy rice at the bottom.

Included in our meal was a complimentary serving of Bek-se-ju, a traditional Korean drink that perfectly complemented the hearty meal. Along with this, the soft tofu soup was a revelation--a beautifully subtle dish that still managed to hold its own against the other heavy hitters.

A notable aspect of Han Il Kwan is the ambiance. The interior design was a charming blend of traditional and modern, creating a peaceful atmosphere that immersed us in the culinary experience. The careful curation of background music contributed to this perfect balance, allowing us to enjoy our conversation without struggling to have conversation.

On a slightly downbeat note, parking around the area can be challenging. There isn't a dedicated lot for the restaurant, and street parking in this part of San Francisco is notoriously difficult. However, I strongly recommend utilizing public transportation or a rideshare service. The food and experience at Han Il Kwan more than make up for the lack of parking.

Han Il Kwan delivers on all fronts--a culinary journey through Korea with warm, attentive service, all set within a beautifully curated ambiance. An absolute must-visit for all Korean food...

Authentic Korean- Friendly Staff- Delicious Bibimbap

My wife and I tried this restaurant at random. We’ve lived in Korea and tried Korean restaurants in Fresno and Los Angeles. This restaurant was incredibly authentic, so much so that an Aju Tour Bus pulled up to the curb to collect finished customers.

We were hungry so we just signed in for the first available table. It was fairly busy and we waited maybe fifteen minutes for our table. They served us the traditional grain tea that I think tastes like wheat and my wife claims tastes like Cheerios, which is as authentic as it gets without having an adjumma in the back slapping gochujang onto cabbage in a big red plastic bin.

The rest of the banchan came out after that and we honestly tore through it in a way that I hope garnered the respect of the wait staff (or pity, I’ll accept either). The kimchi was good, very saucy and spicy, but with no horrific after taste like the kind you buy at Whole Foods. The odeok was very soft and chewy and great with gochujang. The salad was also delicious and excellent with a little bit of gochujang. I put gochujang on basically everything on the table, so I’m sure the wait staff were incredibly impressed.

I ordered kimchi dol sot bibimbap and my wife just ordered regular dol sot bibimbap, though she did ask for beef in it. Both were great, if insanely hot. They weren’t too spicy, but they came out at a thousand degrees and stayed that way no matter how long I blew on it or waited or drowned it in gochujang. Hers was the superior bap, as mine was a simple mix of kimchi, rice, and a fried egg.

We also got gunmandu (fried dumplings) but we ate them all before I could get a photo.

What pushed this restaurant into the sanctified realm of true Korean cuisine was the “service” dish, the free entree or side dish to engender adoration and loyalty in customers. This was a simple soup which I found very creamy despite being mostly tofu. It was a lovely treat!

At the end of the meal, they also brought us small glasses of a sweetened rice drink as our little dessert. It was very sweet, but honestly drove tears to my eyes. It made me miss my coteachers and being called Sansangnim. It broke my wayguk...