Noren Izakaya — Restaurant in San Francisco

I have gone to Noren about 3-4 times now and I am finally making a review. They were opened during the pandemic then reopened last year.

Noren Izakaya is honestly my favorite Izakaya Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks. Izakaya are casual places for after-work Happy Hour serving Tapas, Small Plates, Cocktails and more.

COCKTAILS: Dai Kiri Machakorada *This was my favorite -- matcha x condensed milk = DELICIOUSNESS IN YOUR MOUTH Myaru Gureihaungo

We also ordered sake and loveeee loveee loveee how they overpour -- if you didnt know is an act of generosity or kindness by the host to show their appreciation or for celebrating a celebration.

SMALL PLATES OR TAPAS: Gyoza Karage Yaki Onigiri Spicy Cracker Fried Chicken Skin *OFF THE MENU TONKATSU (TO DIE FOR) Egg Yolk from Japan and their Meat Balls

Skewers: Scallop Meat Ball (meat balls made fresh daily) Mushrooms Shishito Peppers Pork Chicken Thigh Ebi (Shrimp

All their skewers are grilled traditionally in the Japanese Binchotan White Charcoal that helps keep juices in the meat so the skewers are tender and soft -- this definitely helps the flavor stay in the meat.

I really enjoyed all their skewers from their meat ball, gizzard, heart, ebi, bacon scallop, shiitake and much more!

Their matcha and black sesame mont blanc cake are the freshest and softest I've ever had in the city. I went to another sushi place and Noren by far has the most freshest so far. The matcha was perfect not too strong in matcha, perfect amount. The black sesame was decadent and loved how both of these cakes were deliciously sweet, but not too sweet -- a good kind of sweet where you cannot stop eating the dessert.

The wall paper is sake bottle covers they put on the walls which is very creative and unique. Everything about Noren is Japanese traditional and exactly how Izakaya restaurants are in Japan.

Staff is always so sweet, accomodating, and attentative. The owner is there as well from time to time and she always goes above and beyond to make sure we are always taken care of.

Noren Izakaya has tasty unique house cocktails, amazing impeccable service from their staff, and authentic tapas, sides, and dishes ya'll have to pass by for a delicious bite to eat, I promise you will not be disappointed.

Also, I believe they will be launching their happy hour soon so will definitely come back to add my review on their new happy hour...

I visited Noren Izakaya on a Friday night with a group of six. Despite the wait, which was about 20 minutes, we were eager to try the place given its reputation. The restaurant's decor was decent, creating a nice ambiance for dining.

However, our experience quickly took a downturn. The menu was on the pricey side, and to our disappointment, the portion sizes were small and not very filling. This would have been bearable if the service was efficient, but it was far from it. Our food took an incredibly long time to arrive. Even after an hour, we were still waiting for several dishes. It seemed like they were severely understaffed or disorganized in the kitchen.

One of the most frustrating parts was that we were left wondering if some orders had been forgotten entirely or were still being prepared. After finally receiving our food and finishing our meal, we discovered that two skewers we had ordered never arrived. We only realized this after checking the receipt, which added to our frustration. It's crucial to double-check your receipt at this place to ensure you get everything you paid for, as the oversight felt rather sketchy.

Overall, the combination of slow service, high prices, and small portions made this a less-than-ideal dining experience. For the same price, I could have enjoyed a more satisfying meal at an all-you-can-eat KBBQ or a Chinese skewer restaurant. I don't think I'll be returning to Noren Izakaya...

Skewers were alright. Unfortunately not a single one was particularly memorable. All are dipped in the yakitori sauce, so they all taste the same. Timings were off. Waited a long time for them to arrive, but then ALL the skewers were served at once, so you couldn't taste everything while it was hot...not ideal. If that's the case they should tell you to only order a few at a time. But then it would take forever in between...

Vibes are a trashy kind of Asian karaoke party place. Super loud party music. Really threw me off as other reviewers described if as a hole in the wall... Not really.

Pricing is.. just wow. For 3 people, including pre-charged 18% gratuity and a bottle of sake, the bill came to just over 350$usd and we were all still hungry. Not a surprise when the cheapest skewer is over 5$ each. We went for dessert after.

For this trip to San Francisco, I had researched around and had tried to pick a yakitori focused place and I ended up being disappointed with my choice. Best to try somewhere else with less loud music and you can hear yourself talk to the table!

P.s. they pre charge the gratuity so beware and don't...