A great date night spot if you're looking for a slightly elevated/formal vibe. Reservations aren't too hard to make, which is nice! The uni scallop toast is the most recommended thing here, but I found it rather light overall. I think sharing one is a good idea. The yuza pear salad was my boyfriends favorite thing. Lightly dressed and refreshing. My favorite was the sunchoke and truffle. I ended up using some of the bread from my carpaccio to pair with this as I wanted a bit of a crunch. Overall, this dish was really complicated and nuanced as each bite really varied as there was sunchoke 3 ways in it. The beef tartare was also a standout as it was also more nuanced with some refreshing and umami notes. I did find the chips/bread a tad hard though. We ordered the k oysters and kimchi fried rice since they were popular dishes here. I liked how meaty the oysters were. The fried rice was good and had some crispy bits, but wasn't a stand out. The drinks were overall a bit light as well. No complaints or notes about the service - they were prompt and quick when I needed help!

My friends and I really enjoyed our dinner at Bansang! I made reservations the week of for a party of 4. I called the day before our dinner to change the rez to a party of 5, and they were able to help me do that through the phone because OpenTable didn't have that option for the same time. The Safeway parking lot had ample parking, so it was quick to get to the restaurant. Upon entering, you are greeted by elements of stone, wood, and greenery in a calming and casual environment. Our server was attentive and helpful in recommending the right amount of food. Out of the small tapas, we got mulhwe noodles, jeju salad, charred broccoli, soy-glazed potato, and 2 orders of the uni scallop toast. The mulhwe noodles with sashimi style fish was a light and refreshing way to start off the meal. The fish was fresh, noodles al dente, broth was slightly spicy, and the pickled radish made for a perfect bite full of contrasting flavors and textures. The jeju salad with hallabong was also so delicious, all the greens were fresh and crisp and dressed in a light yuzu dressing. The toppings of candied walnuts and feta added a nice sweet and savoriness to the salad, and the juicy hallabong oranges brought a fresh brightness to salad. The charred broccoli was seasoned well with the black bean sauce and the char added a great smokiness and depth to an otherwise common veggie. The potatoes were cooked perfectly, and I liked the richness of the crème fraiche and bacon bits. The uni scallop toast was our must get item, and it did not disappoint. The bread was kissed with a light golden toast, the scallop and uni were fresh and sweet, and the roe brought pops of saltiness. I enjoyed all the small tapas we got and I was impressed with how every dish was so well thought out. From the larger tapas, we got the galbi, gochujang black cod, and the jang cream pasta. The black cod came out first, and this was perfectly cooked and was so tender. The gochujang sauce was mild and not too spicy, but paired really well with the delicate fish. The galbi was also very tender and cooked to a nice medium rare. The marinade on the meat was a nice balance of sweet and savory and paired well with the ssamjang, green onion kimchi, and melon that came with the dish. The jang cream pasta was probably the least impressive dish to me, it just tasted like rigatoni in cream sauce and I didn't taste any "jang" flavor in the sauce. I did like the maitake mushrooms in the dish, these were cooked well. We ended the meal with the banana milk ice cream and chocolate cake. The banana milk ice cream was topped with pistachios and was sooooo good, I loved the flavor of the ice cream so much. The chocolate cake was a little too heavy and rich for my taste for a dessert, but my bf really liked it. The ganache on top of the cake was very smooth, but I think there was too much for the thin layer of cake you get. With drinks and tip, we paid $535 for the meal, which I thought was pretty fair for all the different food we got to try. We weren't stuffed, but everyone was comfortably full with the amount of food we got. I'd definitely recommend this spot for a nice dinner, their creative and well thought out dishes show their success in transforming classic Korean ingredients and presenting dishes that are both familiar yet new and elegant. Nice relaxed ambiance, attentive service, and excellent food - 5 stars!

Made a reservation for a large group of 8 a week in advance and was easily able to find time slots. Highly recommend that you split the table amongst parties of 3-4 if you have a large group because the plates are definitely small and not large enough for more than 4+ people. But because the plates were small, we were able to try a bunch of different dishes which is always fun. We ordered: * Tomato Kimchi - 7/10: nothing to special for me, was a little too much on the acidic side * Mulhwe Noodle - 9/10: I wish I had a full size portion of this, was absolutely delicious as it was a beautiful combination of raw fish and noodles * Uni Scallop Toast - 7/10: I do think this was good, but it's pricey ($29) * Jjimdak bao - 7/10: Little bao with chicken, but wasn't mindblowing * Soy-Glazed Potato - 9/10: great little addition with a creamy delicious sauce * Rice Cakes & Chorizo - 10/10: I'm not usually a fan of rice cakes but this kind of reminded me of pizza, the crust was crispy and chorizo super delicious * Miso Marinaded Pork - 9/10: can't go wrong with a pork dish, goes well with rice * Galbi Ribeye - 10/10: juicy and flavorful; recommend you get with the lettuce wraps * Radish Kimchi Fried Rice - 7/10: portion size was soooo small, was good but nothing unique * Chocolate Cake - 8/10: can't go wrong with chocolate cake * Banana Milk Ice Cream - 9/10: deep banana flavor that paired well with the chocolate cake Overall, great food, service, and vibes makes this an easy recommendation for me.

bansang has easily become one of my favorite spots in the city for some korean food! i love the unique spins on classic korean flavors and the tapas-style makes this the perfect meal to share and try a little of everything! the interior is so sleek and clean, with intimate lighting that makes this the perfect date night spot + the servers were all so attentive and happy to give recs which was another plus! out of everything i tried, my personal must-orders were the jang cream pasta, korean steak tartare, sunchoke & truffle‍, mulhwe noodles, and the lime soy fried chicken! (but everything was so flavorful and delicious - i need to try the rest of the menu haha)

Long awaited review for Bansang because I finally tried this restaurant last week. Reservations were easy. I even came in early and they seated me right away. We ordered a total of five items for 2 people - Uni toast 5/5 very fresh! - Tuna tartare 5/5 a good starter. The flavors were perfect! - Kimchi fried rice 4/5 the rice had some crispy bits which I enjoyed! Galbi ribeye 4/5 cooked perfectly! I was not a fan of the sides though. The dipping sauces made up for it. We also opted out of the lettuce wraps because we had enough food. - Chocolate cake 3/6l5 good exterior but it got too sweet in the middle Great service! Beautiful spot for dinner!

Really enjoyed the dim atmosphere and definitely a great spot for a date night. Came here with a couple of friends for dinner and it was definitely an experience as much as a restaurant. This place had some nice Korean dishes that were modern but also had traditional elements. - Mulhwe Noodles (8/10): The fish was super delicate and would definitely re-order - Salmon Dip (8/10): Came with mochi bread to dip and was such a fun texture, definitely my favorite thing - Tuna Tartare (7/10): A bit more of a modern twist with the tortilla chips - Jang Cream Noodles (7/10) - Kimchi Fried Rice (6.5/10): Not very unique but still solid

From the moment I walked through the door, I felt warmly welcomed. It was a rainy night, yet I received my Korean fusion hot tea within minutes. I asked for their best dishes and ordered five from the menu. Three arrived within 10 minutes, each with a detailed explanation. The Uni scallop toast was the highlight of the night. The Fillmore area isn't known for easy parking, and safety is always a concern. However, once I stepped into the restaurant, the interior gave me a sense of zen!

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Price: 3.5/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 TL;DR: Bansang easily become one of my favorite Korean fusion restaurants in SF. Almost all of their dishes, from the banchan to dessert, is so so good. The servers are really nice and accommodating to any questions or requests you have. The restaurant is also pretty spacious and the tables are decently spread out from each other, so you won't be disturbed by other tables. We had a corporate dinner of 8 guests next to us but barely heard them throughout our meal. Banchan: Really unique banchan dishes -- wasn't quite a fan of it but the pickled, kimchi tomatoes were surprisingly delicious. Even my bf who hates tomatoes, ate most of it Oysters Trio: *3.5/5*: Oysters itself was really fresh and small but sweet. The kimchi & chojang flavor was really good, kimchi flavor was alright. For the price though, prob wouldn't order again but fun to try at least once. Uni Scallop Toast: *3.5-4/5*: It's one piece of toast that's really crispy on the outside & fluffy on the inside. The uni, scallop, roe, & sauce came together really well & melted in my mouth but for the price ($27), I don't think it's worth it. If you really like uni, would recommend getting one to try, otherwise there are better things to order. Glad I tried it though :) Korean Steak Tartare: *5/5*: HIGHLY recommend getting this -- it's so so so good! But you have to ask the server if they can serve the tartare with toasted baguette (otherwise they'll give you tortilla chips??) One of the best yukhoe we've had -- the meat is really tender & soft and perfectly seasoned in a soy garlic sauce which is balanced really well by the small cubes of pear & apple. Favorite thing of the night Brussel Sprouts: *5/5*: Perfectly roasted and the kimchi aioli on the bottom was really light & fluffy. Would def order this again Squashini Pancake: *3.5/5*: Pancake was really crispy and the pieces of shrimp were big & seasoned. Pretty good dish overall but sometimes the clash of the savoriness of the whole dish with the honey that's drizzled on top, was a little weird Gochujang Black Cod: *3/5*: The cod was cooked really well, it was tender & flaky but the gochujang sauce just seemed out of place. Something about it tasted off and we weren't really a fan of this dish Banana Milk Ice Cream: *5/5*: Can't go wrong with this, it was delicious, 10/10 recommend!!

"The Korean word 'Bansang' refers to the style of table setting for the kings and nobles of the Joseon, a Korean dynastic kingdom that prospered for more than five centuries. At Bansang Restaurant, we wish to serve all of our guests with the same care and sincerity as the chefs did for their royalty in those times past." I thought the above was so beautifully written and describes the restaurant well. Upon entering Bansang, you'll see the open interior of this thoughtfully designed Korean restaurant. We had reservations here, so I'm not sure what the walk-in experience would be like. FOOD: Both modern yet traditional, Bansang's plates are curated to give you a royal experience. We started with Uni Scallop Toast, which is a singular piece of a toast that's both crunchy on the outside and incredibly soft on the inside. On top of the toast rests a generous portion of uni that just melts in your mouth. We also ordered the Rice Cakes & Chorizo, which was sweet, sticky, and crunchy. The texture of the rice cakes was the perfect amount of bounce and chewiness. From the large tapas section of their menu, we tried the miso marinated pork, which was so yummy! The pork was well-made and very flavorful. Following that, we tried their Galbi, which was cooked to perfection at medium rare. The beef was soft and was tasty on its own, but you can also dip each piece into the sauces they provide. I honestly preferred the galbi on its own. Our waiter recommended that we pair our galbi with their Kimchi Fried Rice, so we ordered that as part of our main course. The fried rice wasn't anything special, to be honest, but it did pair really well with our galbi. To end our meal, we tried their chocolate cake given our love for matcha and pistachio. The cake was such a good choice! The cake itself is incredibly rich and is topped with a heavy hand of matcha powder, which has a nice bitterness that pairs well with the sweetness of the chocolate flavoring. SERVICE: Great service and food came out in a nice order. I was a bit disappointed because other restaurants have surprised us in the past with a cute card or dessert for our anniversary, but we didn't get anything special here. Nevertheless, Bansang was impressive and I felt right at home.