Niku Steakhouse

"This place revolves entirely around Japanese A5 wagyu, which is just another way of saying: save this fancy steakhouse for special occasions, or when you’re dining with a coworker who really cares about wagyu beef marble scores and whether a cow ate organic grass or was massaged before it died. The massive binchotan grill is the centerpiece of the room, and chefs barely take their eyes off filet mignons and Jurassic-looking tomahawks cooking over the flame. Expensive cuts of raw meat are paraded around the space on a platter for diners to inspect before they order. And you even get to pick your own personal steak knife for the evening. In short, dinner here is an immersive beef-centric experience that’s unlike anything else in town." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong

"If you care about marbling scores or whether a cow has experienced more spa treatments than you, Niku Steakhouse is your happy place. The SoMa spot serves wagyu that's so good you’ll want to show wallet-sized photos of each steak at dinner parties. photo credit: Joseph Weaver photo credit: Joseph Weaver photo credit: Joseph Weaver The focus here is Japanese wagyu, which is grilled over a sleek binchotan grill until perfectly charred and buttery. But the meat alone isn’t what makes dinner at Niku special—the sides stand on their own. Crispy potatoes are served with a whipped soy butter that’ll make you forget about the existence of dairy, and the mushroom rice is umami-packed and slick with fermented shiitake butter. A successful dinner here involves a tasting portion of wagyu, a bigger cut of ribeye or filet mignon, and as many of the sides as you can Tetris together on the table. Starters, like sunchoke agnolotti or buttery bone marrow, are good, but they’re outshined by the rest of the menu. The best seat in the house is at the chef’s counter, where you can watch staff hypnotically salt, sear, and slice hunks of meat at the grill all night. Settle in with a yuzu cocktail or a glass of wine from the 26-page bottle list, and get ready to marvel at the life cycle of a three-ounce cut of A5. photo credit: Joseph Weaver photo credit: Joseph Weaver The big-ticket pieces of meat do add up, so come when you’re not paying or for a blowout occasion. Either way, staff will treat you like you touched down via private jet, complete with a box of custom knives for you to choose from before the mains arrive. This is a beef-centric night you won’t forget any time soon. Food Rundown video credit: Taylor Gomez Tasting Of Japanese Wagyu What you get in this tasting depends on how many people you’re with and how much you’re willing to spend—$275 will get you six ounces each of A3 and A4, which is rich enough to share between two or three people. Even a small cut of fatty A3 ($140) works if everyone just wants a bite. The rest of your appetite should be reserved for the sides and a leaner cut of meat. 44 Farms Ribeye This is a great choice to round out the order with less fatty meats. We’re partial to this ribeye, which has a nice crust on the outside and an even pink in the middle. video credit: Taylor Gomez Crispy Potato As you’ve gathered by now, this is not a steakhouse with face-sized baked potatoes or anything involving the words “scalloped” and “cheesy.” Their tuber of choice is this flat-out gorgeous stack, complete with razor-thin layers and a whipped soy dip on the side. They’re a non-negotiable to have on the table. Koshihikari Rice You could easily overlook this bowl of rice for some of the flashier sides on the menu. Don’t. It’s an excellent, earthy-yet-mild counterpart to all of the richness happening on the table. video credit: Taylor Gomez Buckwheat Parker House Rolls The layers of these rolls pull apart like pieces of cotton candy. Order a round for the table. Sunchoke Agnolotti A pleasant bowl of pasta, but not one you’ll be reminiscing about by the time the bill comes. There are more exciting dishes to spend your money on. photo credit: Susie Lacocque Wagyu Fat Brownie It’s Niku Steakhouse, so f*ck it, you’re ending the night with a wagyu fat brownie. This dessert is a fudgy, decadent masterpiece." - Julia Chen

"Capacity: 6-14 Need a fancy meal in SoMa with coworkers, clients, or a bunch of family members who really, really love steak? Try the private dining room at Niku Steakhouse. This spot specializes in Japanese A5 wagyu, ribeyes, and short rib grilled over binchotan. They’re serving them with things like wagyu fat and wagyu meatballs (sense a theme?). The private room is distinguished and swanky, with an impressive glass wall stacked with wine." - lani conway

"San Francisco is filled with steakhouses where jacketed waiters carry out prime rib and martinis through spaces that look like we’re still in the midst of the Gold Rush. And no offense to those old-school spots, but Niku in the Design District operates in a different league. The inside is sleek yet comfortable enough that you can show up in a crewneck sweater and still get treated like someone who just arrived by private jet. At Niku, you’ll eat the fatty A5 wagyu, perfectly charred New York strips, and lean tomahawks that outsize a child's head. All of that meat is on display in the adjacent butcher shop, which looks more like a gallery than a place for hacking and splicing. Sure, dinner here is pricey, but that’s why we make a reservation whenever we want to power dine like a CEO, celebrity, and royal combined. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong

"The Omakase Restaurant Group’s steakhouse specializes in wagyu beef and sets itself apart with its in-house butcher shop next door. The restaurant serves hard-to-find menu items like wagyu tsukune and huge, dry-aged imperial tomahawk steaks making it easily one of the most exciting steakhouses in the city. There are also more than 100 wines available by the bottle or glass." - Lauren Saria, Eater Staff