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    Buoy

    4.1 (188 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Buoy Takeout or Delivery

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    BUOY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Buoy

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    Black sesame einspanner
    Rehab K.

    I visited Buoy cafe on a Friday afternoon and tried their black sesame einspanner and plain salt bread. I was really impressed with my drink - it was delicious! I requested it to be light sweet which was perfect. Their salt bread is also wonderful with a crispy exterior and soft chewy inside. I also spent some time working at the cafe - they have plenty of tables, outlets and WiFi which is great to see!

    Sylvia L.

    I ordered the salty bread to be warmed up but it was still cold in the middle. The black sesame tasted bland. Staff was not very friendly!

    Ruby C.

    Came here for a post lunch coffee and loved the variety they had here! I got the coconut pandan matcha and my sister got the latte einspanner. Both were really good, strong coffee flavor and not too milky. The only thing was my drink was a bit too sweet so I'd probably ask for less sweet next time. They also have a bunch of pastries available so definitely want to try them next time.

    Black sesame espresso einspanner
    Vivian H.

    Was pretty busy Friday afternoon, but able to grab a table. The WiFi was a little slow but I appreciate the work-friendly spot for meetings. Spot is so unassuming you'd miss it if you weren't really looking for it. Or even if you are looking for it. Super cute inside though. Order at the bar and they'll bring your order over. They had a pretty good lunch menu! Black sesame einspanner with espresso - could have been more strongly sesame, liked that it wasn't too sweet, although the sweet cream top was a treat Rib eye salt bread sando - maybe the rice flour texture is different but I didn't get the flavor and crust I was looking for in the salt bread. The beef was perfectly cooked though! Kinda small, snack size Octopus rice bowl - sizable portion, lots of good flavors and textures, honestly more octopus than I expected and veggies not just rice. Would absolutely come back for this. I'd read some reviews about unfriendly or sad? staff but I had a great experience with bar staff who helped guide me and make recommendations since it was my first visit.

    Black sesame latte with a shot of espresso, yuzu brownie, short rib salt bread
    Ashley W.

    Didn't try too much food, but got some delicious salt bread and yummy drinks. Got the black sesame latte with a shot of espresso, the yuzu brownie, and the short rib salt bread. I don't typically like citrus desserts but the yuzu brownie was a nice surprise. It was decadent but the yuzu really brought the flavors back down. I was on the hunt for a good black sesame latte and this one is a top contender. The short rib salt bread was delicious and I would get it again, super flavorful! After trying some of the smaller dishes, I would love to come back and try some of the mains!

    Brisket BLT salt bread sando
    Maggie W.

    Very chic Korean inspired cafe in the Hayes Valley neighborhood! I would say that Tano at Paper Son Coffee has a better texture to it (the crunchy exterior and flaky interior just cannot be beat), the salt bread here was a tad chewy. I ordered both the galbi salt bread sando and the brisket BLT salt bread sando. The galbi salt bread sando was great, the galbi was incredibly tender and had this almost smoky flavor to it. The brisket BLT was a tad disappointing. Both the bacon and brisket were incredibly chewy and the brisket was difficult to get your teeth through. If you have time, definitely try to dine in and enjoy the ambiance in Buoy. I was on the go so I took my order to go and had it at my office instead. Both salt bread sandos had a lot of mayonnaise inside, I would recommend asking them to go light on it. I'm normally not one to comment on service, especially for a to go order. I went through other reviews just to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating. This is not a common issue of mine, but I got the impression that the people at the front who helped me were not happy to be there. The girl giving my order was curt and ignored me after I smiled, thanked her, and said I hoped she'd have a nice day. I got up immediately as they said my name, so it wasn't that I was keeping them waiting. For an interaction that only lasts a few seconds, it was just enough to leave a slightly negative impression.

    Betty C.

    My friend and I came to Buoy on a Sunday right when they opened and thank goodness we did because by noon, the place was packed! We brought our laptops to do some work, and it was the perfect place. The vibes were immaculate, music was fire and the drinks were phenomenal. I got the Ssuk Einspanner (mugwort) and my friend got the Black Sesame Latte with a shot of espresso. Both drinks were so delicious and I wish we would've tried some of their food, but I'll be back for it!

    Chris D.

    This place has been on my list for awhile and finally got the time to stop by. We went on a weekday and it was not super packed. Burrata Salad: Super fresh, each bite was so refreshing. Burrata was really creamy but not overly creamy when bitten with some of the seasonal fruits. Truffle Honey Potatoes: Super crispy, was not expecting that when i saw honey. I did not taste any truffle however but the potatoes itself was still good. Golden Toast: Really nice bite to it. Toast was extra crispy from frying and added texture to the raw fish and avocado in each bite. Yuzu Carpaccio: This one was really strange to me as it was put inside a tomato. Personally did not think that the pairing was great but it was cool to slice it open. Fish was a little fishy (I forgot what the fish of the day was). Yukwhe: This is similar but not like traditional. It leans more steak tartare as it is cubed and not ground/smashed which is my preference. Flavors were realy good, good balance between citrus and savory elements. The nori chips were a nice touch. I would prefer a better chip to tartare ratio (more chips). Galbi Crunch: This one was unique, galbi typically is known for the bone but this was pretty boneless. Each piece of meat was crusted but I felt that it was too crusty and wished that the meat shined a little more. Bc of the over crusting, the dish felt a little dry. Sundubu: This was really flavorful. Spice wasn't the main element but it shined along with the savory elements of the broth that typically gets overshadowed by the spice. Personally, I wished there was bigger tofu bits that did not get broken up but overall a really good soup dish. Brisket was a nice touch as well for some added protein. Overall, probably one of my fave restaurants that I tried in 2025. I would recommend and see myself coming back.

    Yuzu carpaccio
    Jane W.

    I came here for dinner with my friend and had an overall okay experience. The first thing I noticed was the beautiful interior. It is modern yet cozy - perfect for a date night or a special event. In terms of food, we shared the Truffle Honey Butter Baby Potatoes, Yuzu Carpaccio, Buoy Ssambap, and the Galbijjim Steak. To varying degrees, the dishes pay tribute to Korean cuisine. The potatoes (although the least "Korean" of the dishes we ordered) was a good start to the meal. The presentation of the yuzu carpaccio (see photo) was unexpected but fun - the fish is underneath a half tomato (also, it's not your typical carpaccio in that the fish is cut into smaller pieces). My one complaint is that the yuzu dressing was a bit viscous and strong, which overpowered the fish. The Buoy Ssambap was light and flavors were delicate, and I liked how they served it with the soybean paste. Finally, the Galbijjim steak was tender and well cooked, but the flavors were not particularly Korean to me (didn't have your typical Galbijjim flavor profile). I thought the prices were quite steep for the food - the portions are very small, and the flavors are good but not phenomenal or particularly unique. I wish they committed a little more strongly to Korean flavors (with exception to the Ssambap, the remaining dishes were not particularly Korean). Service was professional, efficient, and friendly. Overall, I'm glad I gave them a try, but I'm not sure I'll be back (or at least not for dinner).

    Black sesame and matcha lattes
    Alexander A.

    My wife and I made a point to visit Buoy on a weekend cafe date, which we were both excited about. We might have set our expectations too high though because we thought our experience was just okay. We got there about half an hour after they had opened so there were a couple of people already seated but no line. Walking in, we noticed that their menu at the front had a lot of items taped out. One of those items was the ssuk latte. My wife was disappointed since that's what interested her in Buoy in the first place. But they had a lot of other options so we went with the matcha and black sesame lattes. We also ordered the red bean roll cake and the ssuk tiramisu. However, after sitting down, the person who took our order came by to tell us that red bean actually wasn't available. Another menu item they needed to tape over. So we had to go with the raspberry. So at this point, we hadn't even tasted anything, but our visit had already been soured twice. The drinks came out first, and they were fine. Good tasting lattes with the cream on top. The raspberry roll cake came out shortly after. It looked appetizing but wasn't quite what we were expecting. The roll itself was stiff, not soft, and the cream would split away from it. I think the issue was that the whole thing was kept cold, which makes sense, but that didn't allow the cake to soften. We enjoyed each other's company while sipping on our drinks and eating bits of the roll cake, only to realize that the last treat still hadn't come out yet. It was only after almost 45 minutes had passed did they bring out the ssuk tiramisu... The worker who brought it out did apologize for the wait. In any case, the tiramisu had a lot of flavor, from the ssuk, to the cream, to the injeolmi powder on top. But the whole thing didnt mix well. The ssuk bits weren't sweet at all, while the whipped cream soaked ladyfingers were very very very sweet. It was an interesting bite, but not worth the wait. So it's safe to say that our experience could have been better. Even at the day's opening, Buoy was obviously not prepared with their menu, both in terms of what they planned to serve and the prep time for what they did serve.

    Chili Jjampong Sundubu
    Vivian T.

    Booked a dinner reservation here for my boyfriend's birthday and we loved it!! Both the food and service, as well as the general ambiance was really great & really perfect for a nicer occasion. We got: Truffle Honey Butter Potatoes - good, I'd say best if you like sweet & savory but it might be too sweet for some people... but the spicy mayo dip it came with balanced it out to me. Golden Toast - so yummy I was expecting it to be just alright but exceeded my expecations! Really great textures and complementary flavors, between the crispy toast, creamy avocado puree, salty Ikura, and everything else, we really liked it. Chili Jjampong Sundubu - the flavors were good, and surprisingly a really big portion, and had lots of protein included. It was a perfect spice level for me but slightly too spicy for my boyfriend, but we both thought it was good otherwise. Would be even better with rice or noodles but with everything else we ordered we'd have been too full anyways. Minari Bossam - our favorite!!! the thinly sliced pork was so soft and a little bit smoky i think from being torched on top.. everything complemented each other so well, and I loved the tofu ssamjang & kimchi that went with it. Totally a must-try. Black Sesame Yuzu Cup - I wanted to try the other dessert options but since it was my boyfriend's birthday I went for this because jt was more like a cake so they could put a candle in it.. the candle was so cute!!! And the servers were really nice and accommodating when I asked for it to be a surprise. A yummy and not super rich or sweet dessert to end our meal! The yuzu really cut the richness of the brownie, and there was some mochi at the bottom that was a nice textural element. I didn't taste much black sesame though. Loved the food here and the two of us definitely want to come back to try the other options or try their lunch/morning cafe menu!! And not only that, but the servers were very very nice and attentive, which I really appreciated. I accidentally splattered some of the chili jjamppong on my white shirt and one of the servers noticed and ran over with a wet wipe for me . Super sweet!

    black sesame latte (cold and hot), strawberry matcha
    Seliya G.

    I finally got to try this place! there were a lot of korean inspired drinks (corn, black sesame, banana etc) and some food as well (sando, salt bread etc). The black sesame latte is quite sweet but the strawberry matcha latte was not, thus my pick would be the strawberry matcha latte! I also got the salt bread and it was good because it's very buttery in the middle but not enough salt imo. I would get it again. The space is also pretty hip, gives me korean cafe vibes, however really dark (but maybe that's the vibe they're going for). I want to come back and try some of their other drinks / foods.

    Black sesame latte hot
    Tiffany D.

    This is a cute little Korean cafe in Hayes valley. When I came by last time, I noticed they have a lunch menu which I was very excited about. Service was fast. There wasn't a line so I got my drink and food fairly quickly. I finally got to try the octopus rice bowl which by default comes with the galbi sauce. I also got a hot black sesame latte for the cold weather. The octopus rice bowl was FANTASTIC. octopus was nicely grilled and it was super TENDER! I appreciate the amount of vegetables in the rice bowl cool. Rice was perfectly cooked and had the perfect amount of sauce. I would definitely come back and get this again! Black sesame latte was good. Had a strong roasted sesame flavor. It was slightly too sweet for my liking so maybe next time I'll get light sweet. I've came here before on a separate time and got their salt bread. It wasn't my favorite as it resembled a dense dinner roll. I'm not sure if it was a bad batch or that's how it's supposed to be.

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    Ask the Community - Buoy

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    4.3(248 reviews)
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    This is my favorite dessert house, which I recommend to all my friends who need a good date spot, a…read moreplace to meet up with friends, or to friends who are visiting the city and have never had bingsoo or dessert style toasts. I absolutely love everything mango from here and their affogato is to die for! The best affogato I've ever had. Definitely try this place!

    Although they don't serve variations of buttercups, A Buttercup is one of the few dessert houses…read moreoffering Taiwanese-style treats like Bingsoo, Milk Bread Toast, and other Asian fusion creations. I'm always hunting for spots like this because I have a weakness for those over-the-top, Instagram-worthy desserts that look like diabetes in a dish. Like most places in this genre, A Buttercup is small, modern, and minimalist with limited seating. If you plan to go, aim for off-hours unless you enjoy waiting in line for sugar. The decor is cute and trendy, perfect for photos if that's part of your dessert ritual. As they say, "you eat with your eyes first," and when it comes to presentation, this place definitely gets an A+. The desserts look stunning and set high expectations. Unfortunately, that's where things started to crumble. It's like going to see your favorite artist live. You've watched the videos, memorized the songs, and paid for the experience. But instead of the electric performance you imagined, you get someone lip-syncing and barely connecting with the crowd. That was this place in dessert form. We ordered the Mango Bingsoo on our first visit, and when it arrived, we were surprised by how small the portion was. The guy next to us even looked over and said, "Whatever that is, I'm getting that next time." He shouldn't have. The Bingsoo looked great but was bland, and the "snow" was more chunky ice than soft shave. The Thai Tea Roti was also not what I expected. It came with Thai tea ice cream and sauce alongside a roti that was fried to a crunch. Interesting idea, just not the best execution. The sauce and ice cream needed a stronger Thai tea flavor to balance the crispy roti, and the flavors never quite came together. Overall, A Buttercup nails the aesthetics but misses the flavor. If you're here for the photos, you'll be happy. If you're here for the taste, you'll leave with a full camera roll and an unsatisfied sweet tooth.

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    NaYa Dessert Cafe

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    The best way to cool off on a warm day! We visited NaYa for dessert after brunch at aMano. It's not…read morea big space & was pretty full but the host/server had a 2 top table available. It was kinda hot & stuffy inside even with the door open because it was a warm day. We were told in advance that orders would take approximately 20-30 minutes to arrive because they were short staffed at the time (additional staff arrived after an hour). My friend had to Thai tea crepe cake & I had the mango tango (because I looooove mangoes). The Thai tea crepe was pretty good, lots of Thai tea flavor, and not too sweet. The Thai tea custard sauce added a bit of sweetness to it. The mango tango was sooo good! I loved the coconut ice cream (it's a shaved from a block of ice cream so it's really fluffy). The fresh mango was served on the side in addition to a small bowl of coconut, sticky rice and additional mango sauce. Service was as efficient as possible. Server was helpful too.

    Love that they close at 11:00pm every day! Walked in at 10:40pm on a Thursday. Had 5 minutes to…read moreorder before kitchen closed, ordered the Salted Egg Custard Croffle and the Kaya Toasted. The Salted Egg Custard Croffle is TINY! It's not even the size of a full half waffle, they don't put enough batter to cook so it's even smaller! The salted egg custard was on the grainy side, it absolutely tasted like the salted egg yolk of a mooncake so the flavor was really there but we didn't enjoy the graininess. The croffle was good, pretty standard and nothing special. Wouldn't get it again because it was way too small for the price point. The Kaya Toasted is essentially milk bread toasted with pandan custard sauce, young coconut, banana, toasted almond, and vanilla ice cream. Replaced banana for strawberry at no extra charge and I wish I replaced the vanilla ice cream for coconut so I'll definitely be doing that next time! This was really good, we were craving the Burnt Butter Kaya Toast from Khao Tiew, hold the wait time, and this absolutely curbed our cravings. The pandan sauce is on the slightly artificial side but still really fragrant and creamy! There's REAL young coconut which added a nice fresh touch and the two generous scoops of vanilla ice cream was a perfect pairing to the soft toasted milk bread. I would definitely come back to get this (but get coconut ice cream)! Service was good and food came out fresh and fast. On the pricier side, but the quality is there. No frills, chill date night dessert spot. I'd come back!

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    Dandelion Chocolate - Iced Chocolate Chai and Chocolate Milk

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    Garden Creamery - single scoop in cup: albion strawberry (bottom), strawberry yuzu lemon peel sorbet (top) (05/2025)

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    i love your website navigation and also your ice cream..... yeah :) thank you 。 ⁀read more

    I was ultimately mind blown! Garden creamery was so good I went back to back days, with no regrets…read more Located in the Mission District, Garden Creamery is a corner ice cream shop that carries asian-inspired flavors. I have heard about Garden Creamery prior through word of mouth and when trying it out myself, I could really understand why. The shop itself is small with some seating, but so I would say this isn't necessarily the place to plant however, if you want a nice quick dessert after eating around the area, this is a great choice. I have had many places that served similar flavors like Garden, however what makes them stand out so much is their lilikoi vanilla. To be quite frank, I actually do not like lilikoi but after trying how subtly sweet it is balanced with the neutrality of the vanilla, it was amazing! When I asked the workers at the shop, they mentioned the salty pandan was the perfect pairing and it did not disappoint. This might have been one of the best pandan ice cream I have ever had. The salt and pandan made a very complex flavor combination that I never had before. Overall, the ice cream here is smooth, creamy, and tastes like my childhood. I would love to live closer there to experience this more!

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    Maruwu Seicha - mango matcha latte (10/2024)

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    Wow this place is good. I stopped by during the first weekend of the Cherry Blossom festival and…read morethe line was long as usual. Surprisingly, I only waited about 10mins to order and another 5-10mins to get my drink. I ordered a Hojicha Latte + Snow Top for myself and Hokkaido Milk Soft Serve for my hubby and baby to share. The Hojicha Latte was delicious, I finished it all in one sitting (which is rare for me). The soft serve was creamy and delicious. Worth the hype IMO,, I'll be stopping by every time we go to Japantown from now on.

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    Powder - regular Strawberry with passionfruit glaze and condensed milk (09/2024)

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    0.9 miLower Haight
    $$

    Delicious, and this place blew my mind when I tried it out…read more First off, very surprised at all the flavors you can get and try, including horchata, Thai tea, and ube! To be honest, when I came here, I did not expect much. I typically am not the type to get snow or anything icy, since it is not the first thing that comes to my mind when it comes to dessert, but I am so glad I got to experience this. When I came on a Wednesday night, it was not too busy, and my friend and I were able to get our food within 10 minutes. The spot itself is pretty small, with not a lot of seating, but some limited spots outside. I got the black sesame with condensed milk, and my friend got the mexican hot chocolate. What makes this place stand out so much is the texture of the dessert, which was fluffy, soft, and melted in your mouth. Overall, I want to come here again and try the other flavors!

    Stopped by on a Saturday evening and it wasn't busy. I got a regular size of the Cereal Killer…read morewhich was cereal snow topped with sweet milk glaze and fruity pebbles. I loved this so much, it had such a fantastic texture of being creamy but also light and fluffy. Probably one of the best shaved snow texture I've had. Tried some of the matcha snow and earl grey snow as well, and both of them were solid too. My favorite was still the cereal snow because I have more of a sweet tooth and the matcha and earl grey were less sweet. I would absolutely return to try more snow flavors! Service was really friendly and our 3 bowls were ready within a few minutes. Only one small bench inside and some outdoor seating.

    Photos
    Powder - Matcha Green Tea w/ mochi

    Matcha Green Tea w/ mochi

    Powder - Matcha with strawberries

    Matcha with strawberries

    Powder - Strawberry & Cereal Snow

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    Strawberry & Cereal Snow

    Buoy - desserts - Updated May 2026

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