Noren Izakaya

On a Saturday night, we got there right before it got packed (around 6:45-7:00P). Corner neighborhood Japanese in North Beach SF. We ordered a bunch of items, but our favorite was the pork belly skewers! Soooo flavorful and succulent! We ordered a 2nd order! I also did love the crunchy chicken skin! Also ordered Agadashi (fried tofu), waygu & meatball, beef short rib, mushroom. Service is pretty fast and friendly enough. Would come back!

The food here is genuinely delicious. Everything tasted fresh and well-seasoned, and the skewers in particular were flavorful and clearly made with quality ingredients. That said, the pricing really doesn’t match the overall experience. Portions are quite small for how expensive the menu is, and while the space isn’t dingy or unpleasant, it’s also not elevated enough to justify the steep prices. The added 18% service fee feels lazy and greedy rather than reflective of standout service. Service itself wasn’t terrible, but it was minimal. The server rarely checked in beyond encouraging us to order more food, which made the experience feel more transactional than hospitable. Great flavors, but the value and service approach hold this place back from being a repeat spot.

We’ve been here twice, and both times the food was good. However, during our first visit, the service was terrible—we waited 50 minutes for a table, and every 10 minutes, the host would promise it would be ready in five. Overall, it’s a good izakaya spot. Each skewer dish was about $3-6, and the wagyu was around $9.

We went there on a weekend night. They had a lot of people but the staffs were super friendly. All the skewers were nice and tender and juicy! The environment is chilly and they even played anime. We love the gaming machine that is by the restroom. Definitely get the yuzu tiramisu, super moist and unique!!

Delicious skewers that make you want to come back for more. Our favorites were the 2 types of mushrooms, but all of the ones we had are worth mentioning - chicken thighs, shishito peppers, tomatoes, fresh water eel, pork belly, and the wagyu beef tongue. There were so many options we didn't even get to try them all! Small plate options on the other side of the menu were also very tasty- our group especially enjoyed the maguro tuna sashimi and gyoza. If you're in the mood for some delicious izakaya bites while in the North Beach area, this is a must try!

Came after checking out an online recommendation, hoping to have dinner but for an Izakaya, their offerings were quite limited. We tried 1 from majority of their skewers, they were nice, but not to the level to have a second round. Surprisingly not busy for a Saturday dinner time, probably should have picked up the sign on this right after walking in. Our waitress was very nice, but they added automatic 18% service fee for a party of 2 and asked for additional tips as well, didn’t appreciate this “double feature”.

I used to walk past this Izakaya when I lived in SF and finally tried it on a recent trip. The skewers were hit-or-miss: the meatball, chicken tail, and unagi were delicious, but the beef tongue was disappointing, and the pork skewers had sour meat. Walked in easily on a Friday evening with no wait.

Came here on a date and found a reservation using yelp. Good: - Food is super unique - lots of cool skewers you can get! I liked the pork belly and bacon wrapped scallop the best - so juicy and tasty - The crispy chicken skin was also super unique and reminded me a little bit of egg yolk - I also liked the matcha dessert - really unique and fluffy taste Bad: - Overpriced food - it's definitely a lot of money to spend on not a lot of food - The service isn't great - it took a while to get each dish and also it took about 20 minutes to ask for the check. Tea never arrived too even after we asked. Overall a unique experience, but also feels a bit overhyped and expensive. Would probably not come again.

Neren Izakaya was a cute little Japanese style izakaya located in North Beach that my bf and I decided to check out after attending the Yelp torreni flavored syrup event. The izakaya is on the smaller side inside but is very cozy and dimly lit with tons of dark wood tones. The servers are very friendly and nice and were also able to accommodate my sesame allergy and let me know which skewers and sauces to avoid. We decided to get the beef tongue, the wagu beef, the pork and the shiitake mushroom. All of the skewers were absolutely delicious and buttery but definitely are on the pricy side. My bf and I paid roughy $55 per person for the skewers and still left feeling a bit hungry afterwards so definitely keep that in mind if you are coming are expecting large portions that this is more of tapas style small platters. That being said it is definitely worth checking out and the quality is great!

My gf and I came here to try it out since we had seen it promoted online and were curious to see what the buzz was about. We came here early in the evening with a reservation, so we were able to be seated right away without any wait. The interior is nicely decorated while also minimalistic, with a good amount of seating inside. For the food we decided to order their skewers, since that was what they were known for. We tried out the beef short rib, the pork belly, and the trumpet mushroom, as well as the crispy chicken skin. The flavors of the skewers were nice and I liked the crispiness of the chicken skin, although I do think the food is pricy for the amount you get. Overall, if you're looking for nice Japanese Izakaya fare then this place is pretty solid.

I've been to Noren a few times for drinks after dinner, but it was my first time trying the skewers. Superb! I had a reservation for Saturday evening, but the store was empty and we were seated right away. Interior has quite a few tables, bar seating, bathroom in the back, and has vibes on the darker intimate side. Staff was friendly and gave us recommendations and introduced the various skewers we got when they arrived. Ordering is done by drawing/circling on the paper menus you're given. We got a wagyu gyutan curry which was delicious and rich, though on the smaller side. The mapo tofu udon was just alright, with it just vaguely being spicy and I would likely choose a different side dish when I'm back as so many other things on the menu are good. The real stars of the dinner were the skewers which were all fantastically prepared and flavorful. The bacon mochi was really great in particular, with the crispy bacon and soft mochi contrasting each other while having a sweet savory kick to it. My dining partner got the Nihon Mikerada, which she mentioned was great for the first 75% as it went well with the skewers, but quickly turned undrinkable for the last 25% as all the salt had settled at the bottom. Noren is one of the better locations in SF for Japanese style skewers. I'll definitely be back for more skewers and drinks.

This is a great spot for a small meal or a big one! The skewers are all delicious but my personal favorite was either the Wagyu or the pork belly. The shishito peppers and the tomatoes were also great! I love the flexibility of the menu and will be back to try the things I didn't get to this time around.

Came here for late night happy hour with a group of friends on a Friday, we made a reservation and got seated right away! We probably could've gone without a reservation too, there were a few tables empty. Late night happy hour on Fri and sat are from 10-11pm. Great stop for your night out, if you're craving skewer and small tapas. We ordered a variety of skewers and tried a few cocktails as well! They were all delicious but our favorite skewers were the Wagyu, scallop and mushrooms. The Wagyu was super soft and tender and seasoned well. The scallops were so sweet and juicy! And the mushrooms were seasoned well and had a nice charred flavor. The cocktails are pretty and well priced during and not during happy hour, they weren't as strong for me though. 10/10 would recommend coming here with a group of friends to try more things.

A great place for Japanese skewers any day of the week! Ended up getting my food to-go but I noticed the nice sit down seating along with a bar area. While their menu choice is quite wide, I opted to try solely their skewers. Berkshire Pork Belly: I appreciate how the pork was not too fatty and was well-cut and had the perfect thickness. Chicken Gizzard: chewy and delicious Chicken Heart: slightly less flavor than I had hoped for Beef Short Rib: this was the most refreshing and distinct out of all the skewers I tried. I loved the juiciness of the short rib! Scallop: salty but a strong delicious scallop taste Chicken Tail: flavorful and a good start to all my skewers Excited to try their other dishes in the future, and hopefully some of them will be on the less salty side!

Came here for their happy hour. Sunday through Friday 5-7pm, then 10-11pm. Great selection and no wait on a Thursday evening.

Dangerous environment and passive staff/owner. It's definitely been a long time coming to finally post this review I've had written for years. My partner and I came here in 2023 where we had amazing service at the time. Food was great, juicy, worth the high price point since it was a special occasion. The service was outstanding with our older female server (the owner) even lighting a candle for my partner's birthday dessert she brought out. She asked us how we heard about the place and we said TikTok. It seems like the fame caught up to her with how our next visit unfolded. A little over a year later, we booked a reservation for our anniversary dinner. We understand the establishment is small but we were made to wait in a cramped line next to the bar for almost an hour for a table to open up. The long wait would have been fine if it wasn't for the drunk man at the bar who continuously harassed me as we were forced to wait for a table to open up. It started around 15-20 minutes into our wait. The owner, same older woman from the last time we came in, apologized for the wait about 30 minutes in after seeing how uncomfortable our interaction was getting. When I and my partner directed her to the man that was making me uneasy with his commentary as well as coming very close/touching me, she told me he was a regular and to not mind him. We wanted a nice anniversary dinner and instead the owner handled the situation poorly. We had reserved a spot plenty of time in advance, were made to wait an hour, and were told to basically suck it up when we felt uncomfortable with how the environment presented itself. For the rest of the time, we did our best to ignore him with my partner having to act as a physical barrier between me and him. Again, another apology for the wait, and we were seated that long while later. I started to cry from how stressful the situation was to which one of the servers brought me a complimentary dessert with no explanation. No apology from the owner. The man still at the bar, gawking at us. We paid our tab and left early. Since this experience, we haven't been back at all. It's truly a shame that a business we admired in its hospitality, professionalism, and service became memorable for all the wrong reasons. Their definition of a "regular" is up to their discretion. If you aren't considered such, you won't be treated as equal. Please be cautious coming to this establishment with terrifying customers in supposedly high attendance and service workers irresponsible with how they handle these situations. They clearly don't care about the wellbeing of all their customers when it is in comparison to whoever is making them the most money. To them, it does not matter if they're adding hostility and distress to the environment. Attached is our receipt from 2023 with our then server and future neglectful owner, Kristy Le. Again, would never come back here.

Great experience. You can taste the quality of the food. Eating here is more fun since the vibe is awesome, but have had it delivered and the food is still top notch.

Solid izakaya spot with an intimate and cozy vibe in North Beach, but staffing and service is hit or miss. There is also an automatic 18% gratuity for all parties without being disclosed, hence the 3 stars. Overall, all of the dishes were very tasty and high quality, especially the short rib skewers and truffle hamachi.

Truly delicious experience at Noren! Service was quick (order on a piece of paper and the waitstaff bring out the skewers per order), and it definitely reminded me of a Japanese izakaya style vibe (dim, moody lighting). Although some of the dishes were on the saltier side, the overall char and flavor on the skewers was perfect. My personal favorite was the scallops. Super succulent and juicy, with the perfect grilled flavor. I would skip out on the curry if I come back, and would just opt for more skewers. That being said, I got full quicker than it thought I would and I would love to come back for some more skewers in the future!

My go to spot when I'm craving Japanese skewers in SF. Decided to walk in as a party of two while in the area. Had a dinner reservation elsewhere but was craving a pre-dinner drink and a little appetizer. Warmly greeted by hostess upon entry and opted for a seat at the bar since it was going to be a quick drop in. One of my go to drinks is the gureihaundo with shiro, shochu, dry sake, fresh grapefruit, and yuzu soda. It's refreshing and tart and a nice contrast to the savory meats. Opted for an agedashi tofu, which consists of fried tofu with bonito flakes. Really solid and one of the better I've had in the city.

Servers were all really nice and the food was also all really good. They decorated the place well with izakaya themed lanterns and posters, and even a street fighter game! My only complaint is that they were a bit overpriced and they included in a 'Dine-In Fee'. The 'Dine-In Fee (18%)' was mixed in the receipt with the food items, and there was a tip field at the bottom separately. It was just me and my husband so it's not like we had a big party... If I did not look closely, I would have given a 20-25% tip on top of the 18%. Just seemed a bit shady to do that and not let the customer know.

Stopped here for a flight of sake & their Japanese Roasted Rice Green Tea. We got the unique flight that was $20 for 4 sake & the green tea was super earthy. Ambiance is very intimate & decorative. Service was great! Will definitely have to be back for the food.

This is my go to izakaya spot in the city! All the meat is cooked so well and it's fun to try a little bit of everything! I was also very impressed by their mushrooms. Definitely a great place for date night or even large parties!

Hands down the best restaurant experience I've had in ages! From start to finish, everything was incredible. The food was next-level -- the meatballs were unreal, the sake bombs were such a fun surprise, and to top it all off, they even brought out dessert on the house. You can tell the staff really cares about making sure everyone has a great time. A special shoutout to our amazing waiter Agness -- so friendly, attentive, and genuinely made the whole night even better. You don't get service like that everywhere! If you're looking for a spot with amazing food, great vibes, and a team that goes above and beyond, this is the place. Can't wait to come back!

Really good. All the meats were juicy and flavorful. My fave was the wagyu and the meatball. Dipping in the yolk took me by surprise--so goood. Filet also good and chicken breast came with other veggies. There wasn't a single thing I didn't like. Food came out fast even though it was busy. Felt satisfied but not full. High quality, not a lot of quantity for the price which makes sense :) Left smelling like smoke lol so girlies, go on wash day.

A friend and I grabbed dinner here on a Friday night and were seated right away around 8pm without a reservation. The host (& possibly the owner) was very kind and gave us recommendations for sake. We ordered the chicken skin which was amazing and probably my favorite thing we tried since I'm also a fan of the one sold at Foodland in Hawaii. We also got an assortment of skewers and the onigiri on the side. The ambiance was familiar to that of izakayas I've visited in Japan but definitely more spacious. Towards the end of our meal, the kind host/owner gave us a sample shot of another bottle of sake on the house which was a great way to end our meal. Highly recommend checking this place out if you're in SF!

of everything we tried i only liked the beef tongue and chicken tail. everything else was fine. friendly service, it's a little dark and stuffy inside but would probably be nice when it's not during sf summer.

Came here with my dad on a Sunday evening around 6pm and it wasn't too busy. It's located in North Beach so it's a super cute area. We ordered a few meat skewers. The beef was the best and chicken I found a little on the dryer side. The pork belly was delicious though! The rice balls could have been a little more flavorful and tasted rather plain. Overall, the food was decent but nothing spectacular. The service was good though and they were all very kind. A good experience and seemed like a nice place for drinks with friends as well!

Our family had an enjoyable dinner at Noren Izakaya in Russian Hill / North Beach. My sister found this place on Yelp. The reviews were generally spot-on. The food was pretty solid and service was great. I also loved the vibe. We parked for free nearby on Powell Street, next to Washington Square (yes, we found a space on that tiny strip). There was almost no wait for our party of five on an ordinary Sunday around 6:20pm. We didn't have a reservation. However, I recommend making one. You can book reservations for Noren Izayaka via Yelp. We got lucky and arrived as soon as a similarly-sized group was leaving. We just had to wait for their table to be cleaned and set up for us. The restaurant and bar were moderately busy during our visit. Noren Izakaya has a more limited menu than I'm used to when it comes to izakayas. For example, they don't serve any sushi or ramen. Here, the emphasis is on skewers and small plates. The menus we received had 20 different kinds of skewers ($2.50-9.50 each), like Berkshire Pork Belly and Kurobuta Sausage (pork), and a dozen small plates ($3.00-12.00 each), like Kani Sunomono (red crab cucumber salad with ponzu jelly) and Crispy Chicken Skin. Here's what we got: Yakitori (Japanese chicken skewers) * Thigh x2 ($4.75 each) * Meatball x2 ($6.25 each) - served with Jidori egg dipping sauce Vegetables * Cherry Tomato ($3.00) Meat & Seafood * Beef Short Rib x2 ($4.75) * Wagyu x2 ($9.50) - with wasabi * Bacon Scallop x2 ($6.50) * Bacon Mochi x2 ($5.00 each) Small Plates * Miso Soup x2 ($3.00 each) * Edamame ($5.00) * Agedashi Tofu x2 ($8.00 each) - fried tofu with bonito flakes * Tori Karaage ($10.00) - "old school style" fried chicken with tartar sauce * Gyutan Curry x2 ($12.00) - slow-cooked beef tongue with daikon in curry (available on weekends only) * Yaki Onigiri ($4.50) - grilled seasoned rice ball with tare sauce In general, everything was tasty. There wasn't a single thing we were disappointed with. The skewers tasted hot and fresh off the grill. Since the individual portions are small, you have to order several dishes per person to get full; part of the nature of kushiyaki (Japanese skewers). According to the menu, Noren Izakaya grills their kushiyaki over bincho-tan, which is traditional Japanese white charcoal. Also as the menu points out, you should season your skewers with shichi-mi togarashi (Japanese seven-flavor chili pepper spice mix) and sansho (Japanese pepper similar to Sichuan pepper). Small bottles of both are available at every table. My favorites and recommendations are the Chicken Meatball, Beef Short Rib, Bacon Scallop, and Bacon Mochi skewers and the Tori Karaage, Gyutan Curry, and Yaki Onigiri small plates. The Chicken Thigh skewers and Agedashi Tofu are good too. I think the Chicken Meatball skewers are one of Noren Izakaya's signature items. Not only are the meatballs plump and flavorful with wonderful texture, but they're served with a Jidori egg dipping sauce. Jidori eggs are eggs from Japanese free-range chickens that are fed a vegetarian diet. Noren Izakaya serves the eggs with yolks intact. You beat and mix the egg(s) into a sauce yourself. The yolks we received were bold yellow-orange in color and tasted delectably rich. The meatballs had an appetizing char on the outside too. The Beef Short Rib and Bacon Scallop skewers were terrific. The Bacon Mochi skewers were interesting, in a good way. I wasn't sure bacon and mochi would work together, but they did in a more savory, less sweet way than I was expecting. If you're familiar with tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes), this reminded me of bacon-wrapped tteokbokki, except the rice cake here was a lot softer and suppler. While the Wagyu skewers were fine, the other skewers were better, especially for the price. The Wagyu was tougher than I expected. The wasabi they served with it was "real" wasabi, not the paste that's typically served with sushi. It's hard to go wrong with the Tori Karaage. It's an ideal app to share. We liked the Gyutan Curry so much, we ordered a second bowl. It's a hearty, filling curry with high-quality ingredients. The beef tongue was tender and succulent. The Yaki Onigiri really hit the spot for me. The rice ball was nicely grilled and seasoned. Noren Izakaya serves their onigiri unwrapped, which makes for a unique presentation. It was served with a few small yummy pieces of tsukemono (pickles) on the side. Service was fantastic. Our server was friendly and on top of everything. My niece accidentally spilled some miso soup. A young worker was quick to come and help us clean it up. The restroom was clean. I really dig the restaurant's "retro Kyoto" atmosphere. It's an izakaya with a hip ambiance. At the bar, they were playing interesting adult (but not explicit) anime. On the speakers, they were playing city pop -- Japanese pop music from the 70s/80s. I love city pop so I approve. Noren Izakaya opened in March 2019. It replaced Sushi Hunter.

Food is fantastic! Try as many skewers as possible, but you have to order the meatballs, pork belly and the bean sprout dish. Every item is extremely flavorful and perfectly cooked! Space is on the smaller side so come in smaller groups! Service is great and the food comes out very quickly!

We were craving some skewers and found this place! This store is very cute and cozy - loved the decorations. Service was pretty good and staff are attentive. We were a bit disappointed by the skewers given the price. The chicken skin and karaage are a must try!!

Had this place bookmarked and finally had a chance to try it! We came at around 5:30 on a Sunday because we saw on Yelp that they did HH from 5-6, but when we got there they said it's only Monday - Saturday so that was a bit of a bummer but we still had a great time! We opted to sit at the bar and all the workers and the owner were incredibly nice and engaging throughout our entire meal. We ended up getting a bunch of drinks and skewers :) I started off with the sake flight and they were all so good! (We ended up getting a bottle of the junmai daiginjo) for food, we ordered the spicy cracker, Tori karaage, gyoza, tail skewer, gizzard, meatball, short rib, tongue, scallop, wagyu and pork belly. Everything was really tasty but our favorite was definitely the tongue and the wagyu! As with most izakaya places, we ended up spending a pretty penny, but I would definitely come back especially to try their happy hour!

The chef was amazing. The skewers melt in your mouth. The seasoning was just perfect. I have let everyone Next time we go back to San Francisco, we will definitely hit this place again. The chef and the staff were very friendly. Ask for Agnes, she will make sure that you have an amazing experience.Lewis the chef was awesome. He had a great technique and the food was absolutely breathtaking.

Was very excited to come here to celebrate a birthday dinner - and was almost most excited to experience happy hour - but the waitress said they no longer do happy hour on Sundays. (So if you're looking at the same menu picture I looked at from a month ago, it's wrong!) Nonetheless we came right when they opened, and it took a while for us to get approached to order. I could also see how it could become lively at night - the privacy curtains, although not needed when we were there, were the perfect touch! Our favorite were the bacon mochi***(a must), the scallops, chicken thigh, and trumpet mushrooms! Other than that, they tasted basic and some were under cooked. Overall, we felt a little disappointed. From a social media standpoint and reviews in the past, we were expecting a different experience but they fell short that day. Tip is included with the bill!

Noren is a hidden gem in North Beach and a must-try for those seeking affordable yet high quality izakaya. The restaurant has a cozy/chill atmosphere perfect for small to medium parties. Not a single item we ordered disappointed. All the meats were tender and dishes were well seasoned. We didn't expect much from the bacon mochi skewer but found ourselves mind blown by the flavors and textures. Another dark horse was the yaki onigiri, a grilled onigiri drizzled with a sweet soy glaze. We had an enjoyable first experience at Noren and see ourselves coming back time and time again with friends and family. I can't wait for my next visit!

So pleasantly surprised and happy about the find in north beach neighborhood. Cute place and it was easy enough to get reservations on Friday night. They do have a Yelp waitlist too if you're not a planner. Skewers were all great especially the short rib and wagyu. The chicken thigh was the most disappointing and needed more seasoning. The onigiri was a stunner and a definite again next time. Don't skip on the chicken karaage as it was nicely seasoned and perfectly fried. The dessert was yuzu or matcha tiramisu. Unfortunately that was a skip for next time at $9 and mostly just cream. Price was reasonable. Service was warm. Location is great for going out afterwards too.

Headed there around their opening time of 5 pm on Saturday and even though it was pretty empty, they usually take reservations but we were able to get seats at the bar area. The interior is very modern and colorful, lots of cool posters on the walls and cute lighting. To order, you write on the paper how many of each item you want and keep ordering more from there. Tori Karaage - Very crispy and hot, came out super fresh. It tasted really good with the lemon and the spicy mayo sauce but it was 10 dollars for 5 pieces. Shiitake Mushroom - It was a mushroom that was cut into a couple pieces and put on a skewer. The menu said it would come with a sauce but it was bland and didn't have any flavor to it. Not worth it for $3.50 a skewer. Berkshire Pork Belly, Beef Short Rib, Wagyu - Their meat skewers were cooked well, super soft and the sauce was a regular bbq flavored sauce. Our favorite was the berkshire pork belly! Kurobuta Sausage - The sausage was so sweet and juicy. It packed the most flavor out of the other skewers we tried and had a nice crisp outside to bite into. Bacon Scallop - The bacon was soft and the scallop was sweet and tender as well. It was cooked well but also didn't have too much taste to it even with the sauce added. Overall, they got our order wrong a few times and the skewers were pretty small and came out cold often so the experience was okay but we didn't feel it was worth the prices we were paying.

My favorite skewer place in the bay. The owner, Christy, and server Agnes are super nice, and the food is cooked perfectly every time. Highly recommend the wagyu tongue curry (only available on weekends).

We came here as a group of 7 to celebrate a birthday. As such, we got to order basically everything from the menu. Service was friendly and attentive. We even got to drink with the owner who is super cool. I liked pretty much every dish we had but really loved the following: - gizzard: perfectly cooked with middle portion removed - meatballs: juicy, tasty and likely the best meatballs I've had. Yes...even compared to the Wagyu meatballs from other steakhouses. It's THAT good...With the yolk sauce. I also had what is now my favorite cocktail made of yuzu goodness. This is a fun spot with good drinks and great food. Will definitely be back!

I take long time waiting food. And Service came to check you want to order something more. I didn't get food we ordered before? Indoor seating to close And not comfy. Food expensive. I'm spend over 400$ for grill food Not omakase restaurant. And service charge with out notice.

really yummy and unique experience! a great low carb place to go to and enjoy. the wagyu was by far my favorite. service was super quick.

Vibey spot with a nice small skewer and plates menu. I'd recommend making a reservation, otherwise you're most likely sitting at the bar! You use a sharpie to circle what you want on the menu; the skewer prices range mostly in the $4.5-6 range. I'd say my only qualm is that it's on the pricier side, as the skewers are pretty small for the price. But the quality of all the items were really good, my favorite was the short-rib and pork belly! They charge an auto gratuity of 18% for dining in fyi!

When you are about to walk in, you are greeted with a delightful smell of yakitori. We were a party of 2 on a Tuesday at 6pm and was seated right away. The place is well decorated - I love the decor and the bar area! There is also curtains hanging between each table for added privacy. There is a paper menu with illustrations of each item. You order by circling the items you want, once you're done the server will collect it and put in your order based off what what was circled. We ended up ordering an assortment of small plates and skewers. Our skewers came out first and they came out pretty quickly - probably waited around 15 mins. On the table, there were also pepper and Japanese chili seasoning that is paired with the skewers for additional taste. Once we finished the skewers, our server asked us if we wanted to order anything else, but turns out she forgot to put in our order of small plates (probably missed it since it was on the other side of the menu). We waited another 20 minutes after that before we received our small plates. Food: my favorites were the bacon mochi & the chicken heart! If I come back, I'll probably pass on the small plates like yaki onigiri and spicy cracker. The skewers were definitely the star - meat was charred perfectly with a smokey taste and had great flavor. The small plates weren't anything special and did not wow me. Overall 4/5, -0.5 star because of the server forgetting to put in half of our order and another -0.5 because the small plates did not hit. If I come back next time, I will definitely prioritize ordering the skewers!

Delicious food, very friendly service. Would highly recommend. Their mushroom skewers are to die for. And the unagi/eel is incredible.

been meaning to try noren for like 5000 yrs and it was worthy. was super easy to book a resy for 5 last minute for a Friday 7pm dinner. Must get: the curry(order the onigiri to have some rice with it), honestly all the skewers (meatball, short rib, pork belly, chicken thigh were favs), and baby octopus. Our last few wagyu skewers took a while to come out bc it hit peak hour at ~8, but our waitress was super friendly and communicative. will be back for the truffle hamachi:D

Located in North Beach, parking is a bit of a challenge. It's kind of a random location for an izakaya to be at since it's between the Little Italy and Chinatown neighborhood, but cute nonetheless. They have reservations via Yelp. Copying some of my comments from my review of the yelp elite event: . Love that the menu has illustrations of the different skewers, so cute! Ended up relying on yelp photos however to see what it actually looked like . They had an empty sake tin used to collect the skewers after you eat it which was cute, but didn't really see them clean it between tables . Great ventilation as you weren't aware of the smoke at all from the grill inside the kitchen . Some of the skewers were hit or miss, I actually liked the chicken ones (the meatball and the thighs) since they were more tender while the other ones (shrimp, pork belly, short rib) were drier and tougher. They ended up tasting similar since they were cooked with the same glaze I think it's pretty expensive for what it is. Izakayas in Japan typically have cheap food and drinks but Noren is an upscale version of that experience, which pushes the price point up from what I'm comfortable paying for this type of meal.

In SF for the night and decided I'd walk to Noren Izakaya for some skewers and beer! Walked in to a fun bar spot filled with the delicious smells of grilled food. Servers were friendly and I circled the items on the menu to order. Did take a little bit to come out but really enjoyed the grilled cherry tomatoes, beef short rib, and pork belly. Ice cold Asahi was great! Also had the trumpet mushrooms and onigiri which were good. Solid spot to come in and eat alone.

I LOVED this place. Came for happy hour/dinner. I was running late and they were gracious enough to still find me a seat at the bar. I got a bunch of skewers, a cocktail, and a miso soup. Everything was excellent. Food: - the meatball skewer was super juicy and the egg dip was a great addition - the shrimp skewer was packed with flavor and I liked that they removed most of the shell on the tail to make eating easier - the short rib was excellent and full of flavor - the chicken thigh had this beautiful char flavor. Couldn't get enough of it - the pork belly was fatty and bursting with that savory salty flavor - the bacon mochi skewer had the perfect mix of chewy and crunch - the miso soup was nice and warm, great start to the meal Drink: - the Machakorada was such a tasty drink! Almost like a sake-based piña colada - I got my own water jug at the bar and it never reached empty! The bartender constantly made sure I had water! I recommend you come with a group to try a bunch of the food but at least the portions are small enough that you can try a lot even by yourself. Will definitely be back. Hopefully one day they will implement happy hour specials!

Noren offers small shareable plates and various proteins/veggies on a skewer. We ordered the Gyutan Curry, which had great flavor and tender beef. The Tori Karaage was lightly battered and the chicken was not overly dry. We ordered the chicken wing, bacon mochi, pork belly, kalbi, chicken thigh, shishito pepper, and mushroom skewers. All were tasty, but my favorite was the mochi bacon. The restaurant is on the smaller side, so reservations are definitely recommended. Parking is quite difficult, especially on a weekend as it is located right in North Beach. I absolutely loved that their cocktails were made with fresh juice and no artificial sweetener.

Great quality food :) Pricing is pricey $$ Service is average Cute little date night spot for sure.

I was here for the Yelp Elite event. The skewers were good and flavorful. I personally think I wouldn't seek this place out, but if I was in the area with friends then I would go. It is on the pricier side so you can rack up a bill if you go on an empty stomach since it's just small bites. If you just came for dinner and wanted some light bites then this would be the place to go. Their cocktails sounded interesting and good. It's in the North Beach area, so parking is usually on the harder side.

Went with friends for the first time on Friday afternoon. It was crowded, you need reservations. Drinks Matchakorada. Wow. So good! If you like piña colada, get this. Food We had different skewers: chicken wing, shrimp, wagyu beef, meatball, beef short rib, shiitake mushroom.. all of them very tasty and juicy. The short rib reminded me of the beef flavor in my country. All arrived hot. Truffle Salmon and Edamame were good. The star were the skewers but I want to comeback to try more items on the menu. They have those cute fabric dividers between tables which I appreciated for privacy. I saw a table with the game Street Fighter to play while you eat if you go by yourself. It's a small place but doesn't feel like it with the decor. They have the most clean restrooms in SF. Service is fast and attentive. They really take care of the customers here. Can't wait to comeback!

I am always coming back here whenever I am craving Japanese Yakitori. I came on the night of the Super Bowl to escape the crowds but watch the game and enjoy some good food. They had a Super Bowl happy hour menu going on and now a permanent happy hour menu which approachable pricing. I've had almost one of every single skewer and my favorites are: - chicken heart - chicken gizzard - pork belly - bacon mochi - wagyu My favorite cocktails are the Myuru (fresh lychee and fresh ginger) and the Gureihaundo (grapefruit, yuzu flavor) which they now have a pitcher option for. Would definitely come back with friends or even a date night!

The experience at Noren is overall sadly a miss for me. We came here for early dinner as a group of four before an event. The pros: We came before any dinner rush so we were seated promptly when we got in. The food here is also quite good. We love skewers and have tried them at a number of places, and we found the options here to be quite plentiful, with something on the menu for all of us. The chicken could have had a little more char on them (my personal preference), but the rest of our group enjoyed them immensely. The ambiance is also very "izakaya" vibed and quite cozy, with little curtain dividers for some privacy from the next table. The cons: Our waitress was the worst example of pushy marketing. We started off with 15 skewer sets and some appetizers, and were lectured about how we needed to "order alcohol at a place like this". We initially declined to order drinks, but she continued to hassle us, and we eventually just got some mocktails to get her to go away. She remained rude amidst remarks of not ordering enough, despite our order (and keep in mind they basically only sell skewers!) coming out to ~$250 for an hour seating. At that price point, I'd suggest going to a number of other restaurants for equally good food but exponentially better service. At this point in time, Noren is a hard pass.

Came here on a date and found a reservation using yelp. Good: - Food is super unique - lots of cool skewers you can get! I liked the pork belly and bacon wrapped scallop the best - so juicy and tasty - The crispy chicken skin was also super unique and reminded me a little bit of egg yolk - I also liked the matcha dessert - really unique and fluffy taste Bad: - Overpriced food - it's definitely a lot of money to spend on not a lot of food - The service isn't great - it took a while to get each dish and also it took about 20 minutes to ask for the check. Tea never arrived too even after we asked. Overall a unique experience, but also feels a bit overhyped and expensive. Would probably not come again.

This was an amazing experience. We ordered three plates of skewers, as well as a yuzu cocktail. The bacon mochi was my favorite, the wagyu was obviously a delight. The servers were friendly and checked up on us the right amount (often enough to refill waters without disturbing us). I thought the restaurants decor was also beautiful. Definitely a bit pricey, but you can tell how high quality the food is!

Favorite was the seared salmon with truffle sauce! It was fresh and very flavorful. Skewers were tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary. Overall, good experience, attentive service, good decor. While we didn't sit there, there was a 2 person table where you can play street fighter while eating. Was able to sneak a quick game in since the table was open!