Sonamu Korean Restaurant

Newly remodeled from the previous Turtle Tower restaurant. Service on the slow side. As for food, Chicken Wings - good PaJun (seafood pancake) - not bad. Crusty on the outside. Banchan - simple. Generous on the fish cake but fish cakes were too fishy and tough. Tteokbokki - very different from other Korean places. Quite disappointed. Galbi (Korean short ribs) - flavor was good but on the dried side from overcooked. Galbi Tang - good but too salty. Tofu stew - broth was just ok. too watery. Ox bone soup - a little bit greasy but my favorite. Just wished it was less grease floating on top.

We had a wonderful lunch at sonamu on Sunday. We ordered sellotang, Galbi and Kimchi jigae. We arrived there slightly before closing time but they still serve high quality meals and service is 10/10. Server Hauk is attentive and refill BanChan for us as well. We’ve been there couple times and still my favorite is Kimchi jigaeeee!! Also they give korean bean paste and lettuce for Galbi. The best homemade authentic korean food in Richmond area!!!

Came on a Friday night and it wasn’t too busy. This place was clean and had a pretty casual vibe. We got a seafood and scallion pancake and Tofu Stew with beef. Loved the banchan options, not as big of a spread as fancy Korean restaurants but pretty good for a casual place like this. The food was delicious and satisfied my craving for Korean food, especially on a windy and chilly day.

If you're searching for authentic Korean flavors, Sonamu is an absolute gem! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm hospitality and an inviting atmosphere that set the tone for an amazing meal. We started with the tteok bokki, and it was everything I hoped for—perfectly chewy rice cakes in a rich, spicy sauce that had just the right kick. The sundubu beef tofu soup was another standout, served bubbling hot and packed with tender beef, silky tofu, and deep, savory flavor in every spoonful. The banchan here deserves its own shout-out. Each little dish was fresh and delicious—my personal favorites were the broccoli, kimchi, sweet soy-glazed potatoes, and crisp cucumber slices. You can really taste the care that goes into preparing every bite. A special thank you to April, our waitress, who provided exceptional service throughout our meal. She was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed to enjoy our dining experience to the fullest. Sonamu is now one of my top go-to spots for Korean comfort food. Can’t wait to come back!

This place is a hidden gem. My wife and I regularly make the trip from nob hill to eat here. Their kbbq (especially galbi) is the best I've eaten in the city - note that you do NOT cook it yourself. Other items on the menu are always delicious too, and they have soju and various other beers and wines. The ambience is quiet and charming. And the service is always friendly and prompt.

Went here for dinner and we’ve ordered from here a few times, honestly one of the best Korean spots in town! Took my Korean in-laws here and they approved the quality and care with the food! Highly recommend!

This place has amazing food. We ordered the Kimchi pancakes. 10/10 The braised beef ribs. 10/10. I would spend my life eating those 5 piece chicken wings 10/10. They were good, not as good as the other stuff but still good And black current alcohol

Small and restaurant on Geary tucked next to the public lot. This restaurant took over the old, shuttered Turtle Tower. The wait staff here is super nice and on a Friday night there were about 3 back and forth along tables. It wasn’t super busy but in this area, that’s how it is. Ordered the seafood and scallion pancake, Duk Bokki (spicy rice cake tubes and fish cakes) and tried the kimchi godeungeo-jorim (braised Kim chi and mackerel). The food came with some banchaan which wasnt very flavorful. I think the kimchi was the best tasting side dish. The others needed something. Not sure what but most was lacking in flavor. The seafood pancake was a little too batter-y for our taste as well. Also there wasn’t much flavor to it so we had to use up the dipping sauce and sauces from other plates to help it a bit. The edge pieces were nice and crispy but we wished there could have been more flavor. That brings me to the spicy rice cakes. If you look at the photo compare it to other duk bokki you are used to having the chili flakes all over the plate are a turn off. The rice tube were nice and soft but I was eating a mouthful of chili flakes and the sauce that I usually enjoy with this plate wasn’t working out for me. The kimchi and mackerel bowl was tasty but be warned that if you have never had braised kim chi you may find this dish to be too salty for your taste. Also, one again heavy on chili flakes. I hope this restaurant makes it. Since it’s a small local spot, I’ll try again and order different items to see if the other items may be better. FWIW - Total bill for 2 was $100 (incl tip). 7/24 update - I went back for a group dinner and it was just ok. Ordered a large soldier stew which is a standard size at other places and not large at all but at least it was tasty. Tried the tripe and intestines which wasn’t bad but my table mates didn’t care for it. The kimchi fried rice wasn’t a good size for sharing so we had to order another. The bibimbap wasn’t a good value either so I’d skip that next time. Poor wait person was working solo in a full restaurant (which is a good sign for the business) and very overwhelmed. She did well considering the circumstances.

My friend and I came in late on a Saturday night after a beach day and walking around Golden Gate Park. Water and hot tea are offered as soon as you are seated. The service is very polite and you could tell that this a family run establishment. We were hungry and devoured the banchan fairly quickly. The banchan had generous portions. The sweet potato was not too sweet. The kimchi was mild. The veggies were very fresh and crunchy. The leek pancake is a bigger portion than expected and perfectly crispy. The tteobokki is not how you would usually expect from any other Korean restaurant. There is no fanfare with melted cheese. It's simple with onions some fish cake. The consistency of the rice cake was perfectly chewy and the sauce paired nicely. The dolsot bibimbap came out really fast compared to everything else. There's a fried egg on top with the beef and the veggies. Even tho it's hot, this one miraculously didn't burn the rice too quickly while mixing and I think that's a plus. The tofu stew took a while to come out of the kitchen. But worth the wait because it was what I was craving. It was a chilly night and the soft tofu really heals the soul. It was fairly mild compared to other tofu stews I've had. Thanks to Sonamu for a cozy night. There was Looney Tunes playing on the TV and plenty of seating. Totally recommend to anybody who has a large group and wants to eat some Korean comfort food. It also works for solo diners and for a smaller group as well. The space to dine in is big enough.

Looking for Korean food for lunch and stumbled upon Sonamu in the Richmond district. We've tried them a few years back and thought to revisit them. This spot is a simple, non fancy, mom & pop shop. The waitstaff was gracious and accommodating. There was only one other table other than ourselves occupying this restaurant on a Thursday around 12:30 pm. ***OUR PICKS*** BULGOGI MARINATED SPICY PORK & RICE ~ good amount of spicy pork and we were able to request lettuce for this dish. The lettuce was refreshing since the pork was sweet and spicy. It made the meal so good much better. But we always run out of rice when ordering this dish. 4/5 DOLSOT BEEF BIBIMBAP ~ We asked for extra crispy but it burnt the rice some. Definitely crunchy rice and more smoky. Although I'm not a fan of burnt rice, it was still a tasty dish. 4/5 Probably one of the few restaurants who accommodates requests for lettuce when eating bulgogi. We appreciate that there was no additional charge for it. We were also able to get a 2nd helping of banchan too.

This place is really great for someone who doesn't want an overhyped place with a gimmick like melted cheese on everything. My family enjoyed the staple dishes and the service was excellent. Jimmy is a really funny dude and always remembers us if he's working. I debated docking a point for kalbi being so freaking expensive but that's the case everywhere. Galbi prices in SF have exploded over the last few years and makes my 2% inflation raises at work feel so small.

My first Yelp review in 2026 and I want to write about the wonderful experience my family and I had at Sonamu Korean Restaurant in SF. Exactly a month ago on Sunday, 1/11, my family stumbled across this hole-in-a-wall Korean restaurant when I was craving Korean short ribs. At that time, it was getting a bit late for dinner, close to 8pm. The young college boy was our server and he was super attentive and sweet! He got two high chairs for our young toddler boys. Our youngest toddler spilled his cup of water, not once, but twice, and without hesitation (or irritation), the waiter came over and wiped down our table with couple of clean towels. Shortly after, he took our orders still with a friendly smile. We ordered the large braised short ribs and an ox tail soup for our boys. The waiter kept refilling our banchan plates with a smile. When he brought over our food, he said he already packed one of the three rice bowls for us to go since we probably would not finish everything. Towards the end, he helped pack our leftovers and even offered to pack us some more of their homemade kimchee and banchan to go. He was so sweet that without even saying out loud, my husband and I knew he deserved a larger tip. Food was surprisingly very good! The braised short ribs fell off the bone. Unlike Daeho, which was known to be one of the top Korean places to get braised short ribs in the Bay Area, this place was balanced without a burst of crazy flavors. It tasted very homey and comforting! The ox tail soup came with noodles and was very tasty! Definitely will come back here again! Excellent service, tasted food, and very modern with cleanliness!

Came here with a friend on Sunday since our first choice was overly packed and we didn't want to wait for food. When we arrived, we got seated immediately. It was too busy but also didn't feel slow since they only had one waiter. The waiter did a very good job attending to 5+ tables by himself. Menu had good choices and the selections were what you expect. Only down side was that I didn't see any combo options. This usually helps us decide quicker than picking individual dishes. Our choices were the kimchi soup, kimchi fried rice, and the japchae. The bonchon options were good. No complaints there.

Happy New Year Everyone, starting the year with 5 Star Reviews! Quality/Quantity - Today was a feast, we got the following and all of which was good: TTeok-bokki - Two orders of spicy rice cake. We are ALL used to this coming in a thicker sauce. This was more soupier than we preferred. But no worries, I grabbed a bottle of Gochujang and made our own sauce, lol. Fried Chicken Wings - Large, 10 pieces. Too spicy for most people, but perfect for me. But I also would have preferred more honey in the sauce of my KFC. Haemul Pajeon - Seafood pancake, the best of the appetizers. Generous amounts of seafood. Ox Tail Bone Soup - Two orders. Bibimbap Beef - Two orders. Galbi - 3 orders and my usual choice. My once a month red meat cheat, lol. Cooked/grilled well. But I was surprised on how little the bed of onions was. Sundubu Jjigae - Beef tofu stew, my wife's usual order. Her favorite. Sundubu Jjigae - Seafood tofu stew. Tteok Mandu-guk - Rice cake dumpling soup; my daughter's favorite. All of them were good and of decent portions. 6 Banchans - The rice cake, tofu banchan are my favorite. I think I got thirds! Ambiance - Small local restaurant, support local. Semi private room available. Service - 5 stars. Never felt pressure to leave. We added 4 more people to our group. No problem redoing the tables to accommodate us. The restaurant was less busy than expected. Price - $564 which includes the 18% gratuity. Expensive but worth it. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since April of 2023, we are regular customers.

Food - Craving soup for this cold weather! - Big portions - Yummy comfort food - Ordered the usual items - Seafood noodles was the first time I've tried, it was hearty and noodles were doughy - Got our bonchon refilled Service - Only one waitress, very kind and attentive Ambiance - Huge dining space - Good for big and small parties

Great Korean food!! Great service!! Came in here on a Tuesday night for dinner with a friend and had my Korean food cravings satisfied. They start you off with the small plates that come with all their meals and this is the part about Korean restaurants that I love the most. It's all so flavorful and gets your palette ready for the main course. I ordered a kimchi-jjigae and it was packed with flavor and ingredients. It went perfectly with their soft and chewy white rice. We also ordered their Tteok-bokki which usually at other places is really spicy and I can't eat too much of, but theirs had a great sweetness to it that perfectly countered the spiciness. The only thing is if you let this sit for too long the rice cakes start to harden up a bit and the mouth feel isn't as great. Just FYI! The ambiance was decent, you wouldn't really expect much more from a family style restaurant. The place was not packed at all and there was probably only two other tables there with us. That should change! Would definitely come back if them cravings come back.

Newly remodeled from the previous Turtle Tower restaurant. Service on the slow side. As for food, Chicken Wings - good PaJeon - not bad. Crusty on the outside. Banchan - simple. Generous on the fish cake but fish cakes were too fishy and tough. Tteokbokki - very different from other Korean places. Quite disappointed. Galbi (Korean short ribs) - flavor was good but on the dried side from overcooked. Galbi Tang - good but too salty. Tofu stew - broth was just ok. too watery. Ox bone soup - a little bit greasy but my favorite. Just wished it was less grease floating on top.

Korean food is done right when it is as nicely served and prepared as it is at Sonamu Korean Restaurant. Located on Geary Boulevard between 21st and 22nd Avenues in the heart of San Francisco's Richmond neighborhood, Sonamu Korean Restaurant opened almost three years ago in what was once a Turtle Tower Restaurant that was left abandoned for many years after closing. Now completely cleaned out, complete with a massive flat-panel television screen that makes it perfect for watching endless amounts of K-Pop music videos makes for an enjoyable time. The word "Sonamu" translates into pine tree, and it specifically references the Korean red pine, which is a significant cultural symbol representing longevity, constancy, and the resilient spirit of the Korean people, often considered the national tree of the nation of Korea. Family-owned and operated, Sonamu Korean Restaurant joins the competitive Korean dining scene along the bustling Geary Boulevard corridor in San Francisco. What drew us here for a recent dinner was their compact, seemingly well-curated menu. It's the kind where you feel confident you can't go wrong with whatever you order. On a chilly San Francisco evening, our party of six was craving something warm and comforting, especially soups and stews, and Korean food immediately came to mind. Sonamu proved to be the perfect choice for a cozy and satisfying night out, as perusing our Yelp app for Korean cuisine in the city, Sonamu Korean Restaurant immediately topped the list, especially with the strong reviews from my fellow Yelpers, and the fact that reservations for our party of six could be made on their Yelp business website only made things easier. The menu at Sonamu Korean Restaurant is separated into categories including Appetizers, Pan-Fried Fish, Noodles, Sautéeds, Bibimbap, BBQ, Pot Stew/ Casseroles/ Soups, and their Beverage menu. We started our meal by ordering their Haemul-Pajeon, which was their seafood and scallion pancake to share. Complete with sesame soy dipping sauce, it was the perfect hearty meal to share between us all. For our entrée, we decided to each order our own entrées and share what we were able to. I was in the mood for a stew, and so I ordered their Kimchi-Jjigae Soup with my recommended choice of pork. Others in our dining party ordered their Sudubu-Jigae, which was their soft tofu stew with their choice of seafood; Godeungeo-Guil, which was their not so boneless Pan-Fried Mackerel; Japchae, which were their traditional clear yam noodles served with beef and vegetables; and their Galbi, which are traditional marinated Beef Short Ribs. All of our orders, with the exception being the Godeungeo-Guil and Japchae, came with a bowl of steamed white rice, and all of our dishes came with your traditional banchan, which were small Korean inspired dishes that pair with your entrée with small bites ranging from kimchee to sautéed potatoes to bean sprouts to spicy cucumber slices. As we noshed on our pancake and banchan, our entrées would come out slowly. I really enjoyed my Kimchi-Jjigae, which was nicely spicy, just as you'd expect from a good kimchi stew. I did wish there was a bit more pork in the dish, as it felt slightly light on protein, but adding extra bean sprouts and kimchi from the banchan helped round it out nicely. Two real standouts of the meal were the japchae and galbi, both perfectly cooked and full of flavor. They're great examples of how well-executed traditional Korean cuisine can be when done with care, something Sonamu Korean Restaurant clearly delivers. Our total bill was $195 which included sales tax and an automatic 18 percent gratuity, which considering how much food we enjoyed upon this visit, which included a little extra stew for me to take home along with a number of bowls of steamed white rice. At Sonamu Korean Restaurant they are exemplifying a homey existence here on Geary Boulevard, and I cannot wait to return for additional visits to explore more of their menu. As their dining room continued to fill with customers upon this visit, I continue to root for their continued success.

It would be five stars if I didn't burn my tongue on the soup! Actually bubbling with so much heat that I couldn't wait to try it, and I burned my mouth. The servers are super friendly and navigated the menu. I love Kimchee and they delivered a yummy meal tonight! We had the tofu soup and the beef Kimchee rice dish..

This used to be the old turtle tower. Hella miss that spot. My family and I couldn't decide on a birthday dinner location and last minute decided on Sonamu. The ban Chan took a bit long to get served, despite being one of three tables being occupied. The 2 servers seemed a bit slow in everything they did. Looked like they only had one chef in the kitchen. Everything came out one by one right after the other. The galbi Jim was $80 for a pretty small portion, I'm not sure if that was worth it, although the meat was pretty tender. The kimchi pancake was pretty good, same with the cold noodle. I didn't get to try to ttebokki and didn't get a photo of the soup but the ox bone soup was pretty salty. Probably perfect if you're hungover. Overall food was good, just pricey for what it is. The appetizers/ sides were around $20 something per dish. Our wait for our food didn't take too long. Come give this mom and pop shop a try. I hope they're able to sustain and stay open! We want more Korean restaurants in the Richmond!!

We came on a Sunday around 1:30pm and the restaurant was pretty empty! I honestly thought the pricing was fair for the portion size! We had 7 people in our party and the total was roughly $150 before tip, but we had leftovers too! The banchan is fantastic and they are free refills! My favorite dish was the beef bibimbap, a must! The rice is crispy and the ratio of rice to ingredients is perfect. The waitress was very nice and patient with us (we sat there talking for a while after we finished eating). I would come back!

The wife and I stumbled in here when she was craving Korean food NAO. And when you got a 3rd tri preggy, you say yes'm. The food is actually really solid. I only dinged it a star because the prices were a bit much. Am I just going boomer on everyone or are these prices a bit gouging? Like $40 for galbi?? So anyways that's the context of my 1 star ding. Everything else was as Korean delicious as it could get. Inside reminds me of a Hello Kitty retail store. Not a bad thing just painting the picture for yall. I really should start taking photos but then y'all don't get these eloquent reviews in scripture. The oldest form of technology we have of being the 'written word'.

On a Saturday afternoon, my friends and I were craving Korean food, and I gave the recommendation of Sonamu. I learned about Sonamu in the Richmond district, as it was vetted by an SF native. The restaurant was quite empty, with more people opting for to-go orders than eating in. For a group of three, this is what we ordered: Fried Dumpling Appetizer - The sauce complemented the crispy dumplings. Japchae - Not too greasy, tender meat, and a good portion of veggies to meat to noodles. Dolsot Bibimbap with Seafood - Crispy rice at the bottom topped with delicious kimchi and an assortment of vegetables and seafood! The portions were generous and matched the price point in SF, and we had leftovers to take home. My friends had a great first experience here, and I will continue to recommend this as a good Korean restaurant in this area!

A good spot for Korean food! I pass by all the time on Geary and finally decided to try it one day. I don't think many people know about this place, since there's never a lot of people. The food is solid, and the service is quick. The restaurant is pretty spacious and has a good amount of seating. I ordered a beef tofu soup for myself and a seafood pancake for our table to share. Very classic Korean food and portions are good. It didn't blow my mind away or anything, but it definitely satisfied my Korean food cravings. I would come again! They have a variety of items on the menu that I'd be curious to try out.

Came on a Friday night and it wasn't too busy. This place was clean and had a pretty casual vibe. We got a seafood and scallion pancake and Tofu Stew with beef. Loved the banchan options, not as big of a spread as fancy Korean restaurants but pretty good for a casual place like this. The food was delicious and satisfied my craving for Korean food, especially on a windy and chilly day.

This is a new Korean spot that took over turtle tower. Don't think people know about this place yet because it wasn't as busy, but we thought the food was so good! Everything was so favorable and good! The servers were very nice and attentive too, and kept refilling our banchan! Only thing we thought was meh, was the fried chicken. It just tasted like it was coated with gochujang sauce and that was it. We will still come back tho because the food was so good!

Yummy! Love this place. Food is amazing, dining area and restrooms are super clean. You won't smell the food in the lobby until food is served. Big portion, you may want to think of sharing, or will be like us, wanted to eat everything so badly and packed all the leftovers home. We couldn't finish eating Jokbal and I was asking whether we could have extra chive salad, Oma packed extra chive salad for us. Thanks for the delicious food, and we will sure come back next time

I've been to Sonamu several times now, and it's consistently a great experience. The vibe is casual, the space is clean, and service is efficient with food coming out quickly. There is a bit of an echo, so conversations carry, but it's not a dealbreaker. The banchan spread is generous with seven tasty sides, and they'll happily refill them on request. I love the courtesy tea--it's hot and flavorful. The seafood bibimbap and tteokbokki are standouts: big portions, well-seasoned, and really satisfying. The bibimbap even stayed hot until the end of the meal, which was impressive. At about $40 for both dishes, it's also a solid value for Korean food in SF. Definitely a reliable spot when you're craving a hearty, flavorful meal.

Sonamu is a lovely KBBQ restaurant located on Geary. This place has the kindest staff and the best music. There are a variety of options, ranging from bibimbap and soup to my personal favorite--galbi, Korean pancakes, and much more. The tteokbokki here is incredibly delicious and sweet, and it also comes with fish cake. They are very generous with their banchan, which is refreshing since most places in San Francisco are not. They even offer the marinated potato side dish, another one of my favorites, which isn't served often in the city. They make the best Korean pancakes. The chive pancake is particularly flavorful, and their pancakes have the perfect texture and thickness compared to any other place I've tried. They are crispy and chewy, with no pockets of thick, bland dough. The rice is always fresh, and the owner was kind enough to show me the brand they use. The ambiance here is inviting, and the host always remembers us and is super attentive. She also gives excellent dish recommendations. The gentleman who works there is also extremely on point and observant. The bathroom is clean, and there is a conveniently located parking lot adjacent to the restaurant. The space is large, and though there aren't many people who dine in, don't let that discourage you--there are plenty of takeout orders. Personally, I enjoy going in and watching K-pop music videos. Every dish I've had here has been delicious, and their soup is the first thing that comes to mind on these winter nights.

My family of 4 came in on a Saturday night and we snagged the last open table. The seating was kind of crowded and we were seated tightly. The food also took a long time to come out. We ordered the: Galbi - $38 (2/5) - Meat was on the harder size and small portions. I was hoping for better especially if I'm going to pay almost $40 for meat. Dolsot Bibimbap with Fried Egg and Seafood - $22 (2/5) - Seafood was mixed with some sort of sauce that wasn't too good, different from the traditional gochujang sauce. Sundubu-Jiggae with Seafood - $18 (3/5) - Soup was ok. Tteok-Bokki - $18 (1/5) - This dish was so watery and the rice cake was kinda hard. Service was ok; they weren't attentive and we had to ask multiple times for water/banchan. I probably wouldn't go back.

We stopped by Sonamu for dinner recently as we were looking for a restaurant that was open late in the area on a weekday night. FOOD // We all enjoyed and would recommend the following: + Seolleongtang (ox bone soup): this was so comforting on this chilly night. Comes with a bowl of rice. Add your own salt and pepper to taste! + Tteok Mandu-Guk (rice cake & dumpling soup) + Dolsot bibimbap (beef, veggies, and rice in stone pot) + Kimchi-jeon (kimchi pancake): so crispy and delicious! I'd say it was a mild level of spice (as someone who usually orders mild at restaurants). The banchan were also delicious. SERVICE + AMBIANCE // There were several other groups still in there at 9pm, chatting happily (and in one table's case, quite boisterously - perhaps helped by the soju), which gave the restaurant a bustling yet cozy atmosphere. Service was good. The restaurant seems family-run. I'd happily come back to Sonamu again for more delicious Korean food.

One of my go-to spots for soondaboo. It's because you're able to add ramen as well. This time I ordered fried dumplings to pair and it was all delicious. There's a young man and young lady that work the weekends (Fri-Sun) Haolk, and Sang, wonderful staff, very polite, very attentive, and just the sweetest.

The workers here were super friendly and welcoming. The restaurant felt like someone's living room and I suspect it is newer, thus there wasn't much of a wait. The food was decent but did not stand out. The seoullongtang was medium richness and had a decent amount of noodles, however, the meat was cut into uneven shapes and that little detail is super appreciated when done right. I would come here again, however, wouldn't go out of my way to visit it again.

We came home form a trip and wanted something hot and spicy. This place is not far from our apartment, so we chose to come in. We ordered the tofu stew, the Korean rice bowl, and chicken wings. The soup is particularly good. The seafood flavor with Korean hot sauce and tofu's tenderness. The soup is really beyond the Korean rice ball is also very good but the wings are below my expectations. There are two saucy small and just not impressive in comparison to other places in the city the place here is cute family style. There's a huge TV playing Korean drama in the background which I like I will come back to this place for comfort food for Asian food and for nostalgia people here are also very quick. This is a family run business I recommend it to you.

There were four of us looking for a casual place to stop for lunch after running around SF looking at the decorated staircases in the Sunset and Richmond Districts and we happened on Sonamu on Geary Blvd. The whole place was empty, but we decided to give them a try anyway. Before committing, though, I asked if they served banchan with their food and they said yes. Unfortunately, I didn't get a shot of the banchan! We ordered the seafood pancake, dolsot bibimbap, fried chicken wings, and japchae. All the food was okay to good, but nothing fantastic; not anything I would go out of my way to get. Probably my favorite dish would be the chicken wings, but even they weren't anywhere near the best I've had. Service was lackluster, too, but maybe it was because it was almost closing time. I probably won't be back, but I'm glad some people really like them; I know the restaurant business is difficult, so I wish them well.

The cold noodle was pathetic. It was the same if not worse than what you get from HMart. The dolsot bibimbab was decent. The restaurant was not prepared for the long line of guests at all. We waited for 40 mins when there were empty tables. Many tables were upset with the slow service. It's not just the waiting staff, the kitchen was also slow.

This place is a hidden gem. My wife and I regularly make the trip from nob hill to eat here. Their kbbq (especially galbi) is the best I've eaten in the city - note that it's NOT self-cook style. Other items on the menu are always delicious too, and they have soju and various other beers and wines. The ambience is quiet and charming. And the service is always friendly and prompt.

Amazing food with lots of options! Great service super nice! Restaurant is very clean will be back....

I had just finished getting a pedicure at Aquatica and was hungry for lunch. Across the street was Sonamu and I love Korean food and Galbi. The Yelp reviews were pretty good so I had to try For $38 you get a good amount of Galbi and I like how the meat was a little thicker than some places. You get six banchan and I'm getting used to the smaller taste size banchsn in the Bay Area. Back in Hawaii, most Korean restaurants offer larger portions especially the kimchi. While I was waiting, they had nice K-Pop videos on a big screen. The service was good and I'll definitely be back:)

The taste is very close to the original authentic in Korea when we visited not long ago. The presentation also very clean and neat. You will surprised the taste if you're a Korean dish fans.

Good naengmyeon, I enjoyed the noodles but also quite liked the bancheon. I see a lot of other interesting things on the menu so will definitely be coming back.

Tried out this place for a Sunday afternoon meal and there was ample seating. My party of 7 was seated quickly at a table that sat all of us comfortably. The waitress was very kind and gave very good service. They had a wide selection of banchan that come with complimentary refills. I initially thought it was a little on the pricier end, but they serving sizes were generous and we were all well fed. Everything was very good, but my favorite had to be the dalsot bibimbap! One of the best I've had!

We ordered beef short ribs and kimchi tofu soup. The beef short ribs were tasty...cooked perfectly. The kimchi tofu had the perfect spiciness...not overly hot. Service was quick and attentive. Restaurant was clean and well lit.

Reliable, authentic Korean diner. You can find anything from soon dubu, kalbi to naengmyun here. Fun place to grab dinner and drinks on a weekend night with friends, although this is very much a restaurant suitable for families, too. Exceedingly clean. Tea is good. Banchan portions are less than generous, but the kimchi is above average. Sometimes I wonder if they're serving the pre-made versions of some of the dishes, like mandu guk (dok doesn't always taste fresh) and jok bal also didn't taste like they made it in house. Other than that, their dishes are always good.

Always good home style Korean food that is consistently good. It's not cheap, but if it's going in your mouth, you should pay for a really good meal.

Good food, good service - just a nice place to catch up with family with Kpop playing in the background.

I came here at around 8pm on a Friday night and was seated instantly! There are plenty of tables, they also have a waitlist you can join and you can make a reservation as well so it is easy to plan when you'd like to arrive. We ordered the galbi (marinated short ribs) and the seolleongtang (ox bone soup) and both were so delicious! My favorite was the soup but I might just have a bias for it because I'm a soup girly. The soup was so creamy and rich with the ox bone flavor, the meat was super tender and soft and also it had very chunky vermicelli noodles which was fun to chew while drinking the soup. I thought the galbi was super yummy as well, it was marinated perfectly and I thought it was cut into good sizes as well! The meat was tender and not super chewy and easy to get off the bone. They gave a good amount of banchan as well but I wish they gave that to us while we were waiting for our main dishes instead of coming with our main dishes - but this is also just my personal preference.

Walking back from Ocean Beach, I was getting quite peckish deep in the Avenues. The menu for this place looked appetizing just at the right time. I was lured by the $40 Jokbal, which provides enough pigs' feet for a parade of swine, as well as my perennial Korean restaurant favorite, the $28 Samgye-Tang. That's where a whole Cornish game hen bathes in a soup filled with ginseng and aromatics. Alas, I displayed uncharacteristic restraint and ordered the $19 Seolleongtang, the Ox Bone Soup. I was kinda expecting ox tails, but the meat pieces were more akin to beef tongue which I frankly didn't mind (photo: https://yelp.to/1uNbIdaWyn). . That's because I like a chewier texture in a bowl of broth. It came with a nice compact set of Banchan which was actually best served in the soup (photo: https://yelp.to/W0uNSFa-lc). It was also good with the big bowl of white rice, but hell, that rice tasted good in the soup, too. It was hearty Korean comfort food well played. FOOD - 4 stars...homey soup with chewy ox bones AMBIANCE - 4 stars...clean and uncluttered SERVICE - 4 stars...well organized and attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...solid Korean comfort food in the Richmond RELATED - Exploring the Richmond? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2HvkBu7

Georgia provided the best service for my boyfriend and I while juggling five tables by herself! The eundaegu jorim (braised black cod) was as delicious as it had been last time, as well as the banchan! This time the dish was not as spicy which was perfect for us. Can't wait to come back next time and try more dishes!

With limited authentic Korean restaurants in sf, Sonamu is my go to when craving Korean food. The restaurant has a causal vibe with awesome service! Would highly recommend the cod casserole and can't wait to go back for more!

It took over an hour just to get one appetizer while the table next to us who were Korean got all their food in 20 minutes. We wanted to walk out but we had already ordered. Also, every time we tried to ask for something they ignored us. We asked for kimchi and they said they were out. When the table next to us asked they got it right away. Update: after an hour and a half we paid for what we consumed and left but never got any of our entrees.

4.5 STARS Date: Saturday, March 2nd, 2024 Time: around 8:30pm Meal: Dinner Party of: 5 How: Walk In Wait: None at All 9. Yukhoe - Korean Style Raw Beef - Beef Tartare ($30) 13. Mul Naengmyeon - Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Beef & Cold Soup ($18) 25. Galbi - Marinated Beef Short Ribs ($38) 30. Kimchi-Jjigae - Kimchi Soup with Beef ($20) 31. Sundubu-Jjigae - Tofu Stew with Seafood ($18) 37. Yukgae-Jang - Spicy Beef Soup with Egg, no Green Onion ($21) *Soda - Coke ($2.50) x2 After a day in Napa (some of it pouring rain), we wanted something comforting. I looked around for places by my house and found Sonamu. Didn't realize until we got here that this was the old Turtle Tower which I adored. Nothing has really changed with the new Korean restaurant that's taken it's place. It was a quiet Sat night, so only a table or two were here when we walked in. Got seated right away. Took a few mins to look at the menu and ordered everything above. The server was super sweet and patient as the bday boy was a little confusing. Apparently he was trying to ask our server something in Korean. NO ONE knew what he was saying, let alone that he was trying to speak Korean. (The bday boy does not speak Korean BTW. But apparently listening to Google Translate, he thought he could?) It was actually the highlight of the night since it was sooo funny. Thank you to our server for putting up with us! The complimentary banchan was delish! Came with kimchee, cucumber kimchee, broccoli, bean sprouts, fish cakes, acorn jelly, and some potato thing that's sweet (not actually sweet potatoes tho). I should know the names of these since the hubby is Korean, but I'm too lazy to look them up to fact check. Regardless, I loved the fish cakes, broccoli, and sprouts. Could have had like 5 servings each of these. Maybe more. And I'm talking about just me! A gf and I shared the soondubu. Had a great amount of spice for something where we didn't indicate a spice level. I love extra spicy on everything, so I actually asked for more chili flakes to add to the stew. I also got the raw beef since I love tartare. The texture was a little odd as it was still partly frozen. But got better as dinner progressed. I thought this could have used more sesame oil, so I added some more when I ate the rest at home. At the restaurant, it was good with the gochugaru and banchan. The naengmyeon, I brought home for the hubby. He said the broth was too sweet and asked if there was hot mustard. Had no idea to ask for it, so just a note if you don't like this dish when it's on the sweeter side. A good addition to the neighborhood. It was the perfect choice to end our day in Napa.

Delicious and authentic Korean food. Flavor was on par for places I visited in Korea. Got the tofu soup and kalbi tang. I frequent Korean places in sf every month and this is one of my favorite spots. The ladies that work there are so sweet. The service is always nice and they're just there to service you food that remind you of a mom's cooking. Location is normal, nothing extreme or instagram able. They focus on the food over anything

Came on a Sunday at 12pm and it was quiet, but started getting packed really fast and by 1:00pm the place was full. Our server was super nice. She took our orders and let us know that the bonchon could be refilled. About 10 minutes later, our food came out. I got the galbi, which was fatty and delicious; more chewy than I've tasted at other Korean restaurants. My friends got the stone pot bibimbap and enjoyed their dishes as well. Will definitely recommend and come again. Only issue is parking is hard to find - there's a parking lot in the back but I was told by someone that it cost a fee.

Authentic Korean cuisine in a cozy, family-owned setting on Geary Blvd. It's reasonable priced and offers generous portions.

Servers are super friendly and kind. I think I would come back to try the jokbal, which seemed pretty good. Galbijjim - 3.5/5, the sauce had good flavor, slightly sweet and salty. It was a bit watery, so it didn't stick to the meat or veggies as well. The meat quality was mid, could find better elsewhere for the price. Stir fried squid - 4/5, lots of veggies with squid. The gochujang flavor is more prevalent here than other restaurants, which didn't bother me too much. If you prefer not to have a heavy gochujang flavor, this might not be for you. Seafood pancake - 4/5, nicely crisp with decent amount of seafood. Yum! Fried mandu - 4/5, typical fried korean dumplings. Good, hard to mess up.

I came to Sonamu on a rainy day for some soup to warm me up. I got there at open and grabbed a parking spot in the lot next to the restaurant. I ordered the 5 piece fried chicken and galbitang. Service was prompt and food came out quickly, maybe because I was the only person there lol. There was complimentary hot tea, which I appreciated on the cold day. The meal came with 6 banchan selections including kimchi, cucumbers, seasoned broccoli and sprouts, braised potatoes, and fishcakes. I liked the cucumbers and fishcakes the most out of the banchan. The kimchi was fresh and not fermented, but still pretty good. The fried chicken was crispy and tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. I liked this to start but the chicken could have been juicier and crispier. The galbitang was rich with a silky seasoned broth and was served with some glass noodles and a bowl of rice. I liked the white pepper and jalapeno seasoning in the broth, it didn't need anything extra. There was a decent amount of galbi, though I wish some parts were a bit more tender. However, it was the perfect ratio of meat and bits of fattiness and tendon for me. The daikon in the soup was soft and soaked up the flavor of the broth, so good to have with the rice. It seems like a popular takeout spot - I saw quite a few Doordash drivers pick food up in the time I was there. Overall, it was a satisfying meal and I appreciated the service and the Warriors game on the screen. I'd definitely come back to try more of their menu, the seafood pancake is calling to me!