I have nothing bad to say about this place. I've been here a number of times and every time the service is stellar. The staff is attentive and very welcoming when you walk in. I can say MOST of the food is good (only because I haven't tried everything). Their matcha martini is my favorite. The entire staff is great, the atmosphere is always amazing in this place. 10/10 do recommend. I'd probably say my favorite dish is a toss up between the loco moco and uni pasta. So good!!! Thank you for the excellent service! read more

This is a nice swanky place. The interior is gorgeous and date night worthy. Also totally after work happy hour worthy. Or girls hangout, everything! Happy hour specials available. Duck fat fries were tasty especially the tiny tiny pieces super crispy! Fried chicken sliders were fantastic. My bill for two food appetizers was $28 after tip and tax read more

Went here for a friend's birthday dinner reservation and we were surprised to have the entire upstairs area just for us! It felt extra special. Even though we were upstairs, we got served quickly and they were attentive with what we needed. We tried the ahi tuna poke, calamari misto, duck fat fries, and brussel sprouts to share. My favorite was the ahi tuna poke. It was served with taro chips, it added a light and crunchy element. I got the makgeolii braised pork belly. It was such a large serving. It was like a mini bossam. I wish it came with more lettuce because there was about half of the pork belly left it without rice or lettuce. For drinks, we got pandan lemon drop and lychee martini. They were a great sis and a good amount of sweet and tart. Overall, I really enjoyed the vibe. I could see it being a nice spot for a night out. read more

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Cocktail bar with pretty delicious food!!! I really enjoyed my experience here overall. A beautiful interior and good vibes. Everything on the menu was priced a little high, but the quality was worth it. Every cocktail was good! FYI - Yelp advertised that this restaurant has a "no tipping policy"... but the tablet indeed asked for a tip when we checked out. Service was great, so I didn't mind... but just a heads uo!!! + Uni Pasta (5/5): MY FAVORITE! Squid ink pasta was perfectly al dente and carried the creamy sauce so well. Very decadent, full of flavor, and smooth. They added a good amount of uni for the price. + Makgeoli Braised Bossam (4/5): Very small portion, but the pork was cooked well and was flavorful. A different take on bossam, so not very traditional. + Tea Leaf Salad (2/5): Lacked so much flavor. Vegetables were fresh, but the tea leaf dressing truly did not taste authentic. I would not recommend. + Sake Flight (5/5): SO GOOD! Bang for your buck. I loved the variety of sake and the presentation. A lot of these I've never even heard before. read more

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Love stopping in for a quick drink and snack here again. Fermentation Lab Bartender and Server - Jacob, he was amazing on surprise drinks and pairing food. Dragon Fruit Momosa Kimchi Polk Fried Rice The decor of the place is always so well decorated with a relax feel. At the bar TV, there is always a great movie on. A must visit place. read more

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Dropped in for a quick drink before dinner and they sat us at a nice middle lounge booth area that could fit like 6 people. It wasn't clear whether a server would come by or if we had to order at the bar so we split up to see which would be faster. It ended up being a server came by before the bartender got through the queue. Pandan lemon drop - 3/5 more of a lemon drop than anything. There wasn't much pandan taste and it didn't necessarily compliment the lemon drop at all. The sugar rim helped with the acidity but there wasn't much pandan still a "spiciness" to the drink that was almost like a jalepeno? Also the color was wild Umeshu nihon machi - 5/5 strong solid toki whiskey taste that's complimented with the plum infused vermouth. Wish the drink was a bit colder/ shaken with ice a little longer read more

Fermentation Lab - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friends and I stumbled upon this restaurant during a late night before closing. Service was quick and welcoming! Korean Fried Chicken Wings: The wings were crispy and flavorful, and they came with some tteok-bokki which satisfied late night cravings. Duck Fat Fries: These fries were my personal favorite, and they were rich, indulgent, and difficult to stop eating. Pear Bread Pudding: We tried this based off a friend's recommendation, and I enjoyed the different textures of this dessert! The cold vanilla ice cream balanced out the warm and comforting bread portion. read more

My friend organized a group lunch at Fermentation Lab (my recommendation). About 9 of us came through, took over a large table, and ordered a variety of small shareable plates. Sounds basic, but I thought the edamame was fire because of the yummy seasoning. I also liked the calamari and duck fat fries, although I didn't notice the "duck fat" added a distinctive taste, so it seems like a marketing gimmick. Overall, the fusion food options were pretty good, and we even got to take advantage of happy hour deals for part of the meal and an InKind promo for the win. read more

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Very cute spot! Very cozy vibes - great spot to grab a drink with friends. The interior is very sleek - they have a 2nd floor where they project an old timey movie We went there for drinks and I love the Asian flavors! My favorite was the pandan lemon drop. The staff were all friendly and attentive. We had a party of 8 and they were very accommodating! read more

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I have fond memories of this space that used to be Denny's... Ok, more like only one fond memory: This Denny's was the only place in the city you can get Spam & Eggs or Loco Moco 24/7...making it an AZN post clubbin' fav at 2 am on the weekends. Otherwise, you would have to drive your rice rocket to Colma Cafe. While Denny's is long gone, you can still get a loco moco late night at Fermentation Lab on the weekends (closes at 1 am). Two and a half years young, Fermentation Lab is from the owner of SAMS (American diner). Last year, the first Fermentation Lab location in Mid-Market was rebranded to Haru serving Korean food. M E N U Asian-inspired fusion cuisine using fermented ingredients. Beer, cider, kombuchas, wine, soju, sake, and cocktails. Full bar. HH specials: Everyday from 3 pm - 6 pm (closed Mondays) F O O D * Duck Fries w/ umami salt, scallion aioli ($12): https://tinyurl.com/93628ea5 Crispy and golden brown on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, with a rich, buttery flavor. Served with a slightly sweet aioli. Can't go wrong with this! * Mandu: Korean Potstickers w/ arugula (6 pc - $17): https://tinyurl.com/35d4bnjx Savory pork dumplings with a chewy skin and crispy skirt. Served with a tangy soy dipping sauce. * Katsu Miso Loco Moco: Katsu Patty w/ rice, two sunny side up eggs, miso sauce, gorgonzola sauce, furikake ($24): https://tinyurl.com/7ar4jd8f - Sub fried katsu patty for a beef patty The beef patty was perfectly tender and pink in the center, the eggs were runny, and the white rice properly cooked. The flavor profile was not my jam. The gorgonzola cheese sauce and miso sauce were not complementary; IMO, the bold flavors clashed and the richness of gorgonzola made the dish heavy. * Makgeolli Pork Belly w/ rice, radish salad, cucumber kimchi, miso sauce, napa cabbage ($28): https://tinyurl.com/vnw7tnyp I appreciate the modern twist on bossam by braising the pork belly in korean rice wine but didn't care for the miso sauce that added a starchy mouthfeel to it. Both the radish salad and cucumber kimchi were mild in flavor. I like that the included lettuce to make wraps. S E R V I C E Friendly and attentive with prompt food service. A M B I A N C E A huge upgrade from their hipster beer hall days on Mid-Market. A swanky bar and lounge area with huge chandeliers, greenery, and gold banquettes. There's additional lounge seating and dining tables on the second level. Overall, the owner has done a wonderful job transforming the old Denny's space into a chic cocktail bar and lounge. It's the perfect spot for HH, to grab a drink before or after dinner, or to stop by before or after catching a movie down the block. read more

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The deviled eggs are actually that good lol. We also ordered the loco moco and the uni pasta, both of which were also tasty. The yuja crème brûlée was a nice ending to our meal. Service was friendly, and the atmosphere was refined without feeling stuffy. They have a second floor where there was a mahjong speakeasy event going on. I will say that the prices were a little up there, but given the environment it's not surprising. read more

Fermentation Lab - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Had a great experience at Fermentation Lab. The atmosphere was welcoming, the staff were knowledgeable, and everything was explained clearly throughout the experience. I really appreciated the attention to detail and the quality of service provided. The process was smooth from start to finish, and you can tell they genuinely care about customer satisfaction. I'd definitely recommend Fermentation Lab to anyone looking for a professional and enjoyable experience. read more

Great all day happy hour on a Sunday. Poached oysters, deviled eggs, and calamari are all definitely must tries. For the regular menu, I got a penicillin cocktail with some dark liquor and it was delicious, I love that spice ginger gives. Both the uni pasta and loco moco was bomb. Big, spacious & clean interior with nice classy decor. Every worker was sweet and happy to help. I would definitely return here if I lived in the bay :) read more

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I can only comment on the brunch scene here, but I happened to stumble upon this place in the wee hours of 9 am (so not actually early, but certainly early for me!) As expected, there was barely anyone in the restaurant when me and my friend came in, but from the get-go, we were promptly served and tended to. We decided to play it safe with a breakfast sandwich and some french toast but my goodness... those duck fat fries... I was in heaven. For the ornate interior, I was sweating bullets about the price, but surprisingly, brunch was actually pretty good (and dare I say, affordable) for SF standards. Overall, nice ambiance for an equally nice price, I would go again (and probably will for dinner... stay tuned!) read more

Fermentation Lab - Not pictured duck fat fries... because I ate them - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

In the bustling crowds of Japantown, Fermentation Lab is a wonderful escape into peace. My friends and I stopped by on a Friday evening at 5:00 p.m. for their Happy Hour and it was very empty inside. From their Happy Hour menu, I ordered their house white wine and we all shared an order of their waffle fries with cheese sauce. The fries were prepared quickly and were fried really well. They were super crispy and held up nicely to the rich, gooey Gorgonzola cheese sauce that was generously drizzled on top. If we didn't have dinner plans immediately afterwards, I definitely would have ordered more food, as their other items -- like duck fat fries and calamari, sounded incredible and were very reasonably priced. Service was fast and attentive throughout our brief stay. If you're looking for a chill place to kill time while in Japantown, I would definitely recommend checking out Fermentation Lab. read more

Fermentation Lab - Happy hour white wine - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Very gorgeous modern Asian fusion restaurant nestled in San Francisco Japan town! Park right under the japantown center and it'll be right across the street. *recommend to get a reservation if dining on a weekend* fortunately got a small table since we called ahead of time. Great for dates, with its amazing decor, vibes and lovely staff! On to the food stuff.... -uni creamy mentaiko pasta HOLY COW! It was very flavorful, lots of garlic, very fresh uni (wish it was more but it's definitely not uni season) portion sizing was perfect for one person to be stuffed. This also came out relatively quick. -curry loco moco The burger steak is full of onion and juicy moist beefy goodness! A great dish but my loco moco all time favorite lies else where! You can ask for the done mess of the egg but I recommend a runny yolk so it pairs with the gravy to make it extra creamy read more

Fermentation Lab - Uni squid ink pasta - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Nice restaurant serving Asian fusion dishes!! Feels very different than the other japan town restaurants. We got the fermlab burger and the Uni pasta. I really liked the ferblab burger - the bun was soft, patty was seasoned well, and the pork belly and kimchi addition was perfect! The Uni pasta was pretty standard - just 2 pieces of Uni in cream sauce. I wouldn't order the drinks again - the pandan lemon drop was a bright blue color and super sugary with a very artificial pandan flavor. The yuzu margarita was better but didn't have a strong yuzu flavor! read more

Fermentation Lab - Pandan lemon drop & yuzu margarita - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place was pretty interesting. The menu items felt all over the place but I was very impressed with the execution on a few dishes. We stated with the duck tacos and Brussel sprouts. The tacos were very tasty and for the size was very meaty. The Brussels sprouts we got the pork on the side and it was still amazing both ways. I ordered the Uni squad ink pasta and it was delicious. I kinda felt because I was in San Francisco the seafood had to be good and I was correct. The uni was absolutely creamy and the sauce was delicious, the pasta was fresh and it was so good!! Someone else ordered the Cajun pasta and that was good. The last person ordered the impossible burger and it wasn't good. We lastly had the miso cake and that was absolutely amazing! Drinks were amazing and the ambiance was great and our server was nice. read more

Fermentation Lab - Uni pasta - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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If you're in Japantown and looking for something truly memorable, Fermentation Lab is an absolute must. Every dish felt intentional and unique. The kimchee fried rice had the perfect balance of bold flavor and comfort, and their fried chicken completely surprised me--in the best way. It's fried in rice oil, which you don't see often, and it gives it this light, clean crispiness that somehow feels both indulgent and elevated. The uni pasta? Non-negotiable. You have to try it. Rich, savory, and beautifully done. I also stepped out of my usual and tried their tea salad for the first time--and now I'm ruined. It's officially the only salad I want moving forward. And don't skip drinks--the hibiscus margarita is refreshing, slightly floral, and dangerously easy to keep ordering. This place isn't just good--it's one of those spots you keep thinking about after you leave. Definitely going back. read more

Fermentation Lab - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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San Francisco, you never cease to amaze me. What a nice, vibey place to eat at and get some yummy cocktails. The place can be found where the old Denny's used to be across Japan Center on Post. I was pleasantly surprised how swanky the place is. We took my bestie here for her bday dinner and it was a great experience. The service was top notch as our server was very accommodating. We asked if a certain drink was still available called the piña verde and the server said the bartender can make it even though it's no longer on the menu. Also he noticed that it was my bestie's bday and he gave us a complimentary churro with a birthday candle so we can sing her happy birthday! Shout out to our server and I apologize I didn't get your name. The dishes were very well thought out and flavorful. Go ahead and order the calamari and duck fat fries, you won't regret it. For our entrees we ordered loco moco, Uni pasta, and some pork belly dish. The portions were a good size and we left stuffed. The food was delicious and safe to say we didn't need any to go boxes. This place would also be fantastic for a date night. Can't wait to return to try their happy hour. I love SF. Forever J-Town! read more

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It's a very cute and vibey spot, I came on a Friday around 7 and it was poppin. For starters, we got the fries, tuna poke and the wings. I absolutely loved the fries and the tuna poke. The wings were okay, probably wouldn't get them again. For my entree I got the hanger steak and it was so tender, but just a tad too sweet for my liking. We got creme brulee and the butter cake, both were good. I would come back. read more

Fermentation Lab - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came in here thinking we could watch the football game at the bar but it wasn't on. Their menu was intriguing so we came back for dinner after the game. The place is really pretty, great for large or small groups. They have a private area on the second floor, which was told can be reserved for parties over 5 if requested. Ordered the Happy Hour Brussels sprouts, the uni pasta, and the jang kalguksu. The Brussels sprouts were crispy, salty and sweet with a decent amount of pork belly pieces. Loved the sauce for the uni pasta but did wish I could taste the squid ink in the noodles a little more. The dish had a mild spice to it and lots of tobiko. It would've been great to have some bread to sop up the sauce. The jang kalguksu had a good amount of clams and the soup was mildly spicy, perfect for a cold night. I did wish the noodles were a little thicker. I wouldn't mind getting any of these again though. For dessert, we got the strawberry matcha tiramisu, which was a bit disappointing. The flavors weren't balanced enough and heavily leaned towards strawberry. For an Asian fusion restaurant in the heart of Japan town, I expected more matcha. It was still good but I would try something else next time. I would like to come back to try more dishes. read more

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Grabbed brunch here before walking around the cherry blossom festival last weekend. My friend and I shared the toast and the porridge. She also got a coffee. The whole meal under 35$ with tip. Hidden gem! It felt like the calm before the storm since we were there early. It was nice and quiet inside with the music low. Everyone was nice and I'll def be back for that porridge. read more

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Cool spot with drinks and food in Japantown. I came here with 7 others this past Saturday at around 5:30pm. We didn't have a reservation but luckily, there was no wait and we were seated right away. The restaurant was nicely decorated with lights and a Christmas tree. This would be a good date spot or a casual but upscale place to catch up with friends. We ordered the Duck Fat Fries to share. These were well-seasoned and really good. They were crispy and the sauce was yummy. For my drink, I ordered the Pink Drink. As the person who drinks the least in the group, my drink was probably the biggest in size (just thought this was funny). It came out in a pineapple-shaped glass with a flower on top and two strawberry Pocky sticks. This drink was delicious. The sweetness and alcohol levels were perfect - not overly sweet and not too strong on the alcohol. Would definitely love to come back to try other food on the menu! read more

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Excellent brunch place with the girls. Creamy uni pasta was cooked well - not salty nor overly rich, duck fat fries were crispy, my friends enjoyed the pancakes and the duck confit porridge. Not pictured were the churros which were light and fluffy. Latte was strong. Friendly staff. Parking was fine - we were there early. read more

Fermentation Lab - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

my second review for fermentation lab but this time for their breakfast! 10/10 the menu isn't your typical breakfast menu bc it seems like duck is the common denominator to most items. my boyfriend got the loco moco and he loved it! esp with the gravy I got the porridge which was sooo yummy with the little black things (not sure what they are but they CARRIEDDD) and lastly out friend got the ehgs benedict which he loved too. def worth a try! read more

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Refreshing switch up from all things Nippon in Japantown, fermentation lab is a chill cocktail bar with a pan asian menu. There's a happy hour menu albeit limited to a handful of cocktails, wine, and beer. Lil bites are available for snacking though like fried calamari, poke, and duck fat fries with umami salt. Friendly service and central Japantown location make this a good spot for catch up over drinks. read more

Fermentation Lab - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

3.5 stars Brunch was fine. My sister had the uni pasta and it was barely passable for her and $28 to boot. I had the pancakes with bacon and egg adds. The pancake tasted like biscuik batter. Good actually but very unspecial. read more

Fermentation Lab has become our go-to spot for drinks in the Japantown area - vibrant atmosphere, friendly staff, and great vibes all around. We mainly stop in for drinks and light bites, but came for dinner a few times, and both options are great. I would recommend this spot for drinks if you like craft cocktails that use Asian ingredients like matcha, yuzu, lychee, and ube. Anything we tried so far has been high quality with clean, well balanced flaors. One perk of this place is that that their kitchen is open pretty late (I think till 11pm?). For shared plates, our current favorite is the ahi tuna poke! read more

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Came here on a Sunday around 1:45pm with three others and we were seated right away -- there's plenty of indoor seating, so it's an easy spot to grab a table. We ordered a few dishes off their happy hour menu to try a bit of everything. The brussel sprouts and duck fat fries were definitely the highlights -- both crispy and flavorful, and the scallion aioli dip for the fries was especially good. The korean chicken wings and deviled eggs were just okay; the eggs came with four different flavors, but none really stood out. Unfortunately, the ahi tuna poke was a huge miss. It tasted extremely fishy, and after one bite I couldn't eat it any more. One of my friends, who ended up finishing most of it, felt pretty sick afterwards as well which was disappointing. Overall, the space and happy hour options are nice, but the food quality seemed hit or miss. I'd come back for the fries and brussels sprouts, but would skip the seafood next time. read more

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Stumbled into this spot looking for a drink in the area and I was so pleasantly surprised!! We happened to come during happy hour on a Saturday and they had some pretty good food and drink deals! The vibe was very intimate and upscale without being super fancy. They have multiple movies project on the wall all at once which is nice. We just came in for drinks and had the pandan martini which was the perfect amount of sweet and refreshing. We also had the bees knee's which was lemony and not too over powering. We snacked on the duck fat fries part of the happy hour and they were a very savory satisfying snack with a perfect aioli. The bartender was also super friendly and attentive. I definitely recommend this spot for drinks and small bites. read more

Fermentation Lab - Pandan martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went for an early dinner before a comedy show. Made reservations online but if you're there early, should be easy to do walk-ins. Very chill but cool lounge vibes. Service was friendly but as they got busier at the end of our meal, it took a bit to get dessert/the check. We tried a bunch of things on the HH menu and regular menu. Cocktails were solid. Food was tasty and portions were good. We shared everything among the 4 of us. We were able to sit and eat and have a great conversation without being rushed. Although again we ate at like 4:30 lol. Definitely a great HH spot, located right in Japan town so lots of fun things to do around the area as well. I'd come again if in the area! read more

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I really like this place! It's not a big restaurant but they have a decorated entrance. The servers are nice and attentive. They have tables with chair and and also sofa with table set up. Based on the food I ordered today it was superb. The oysters were so fresh and delicious it's the flavored crushed ice. I had to order another round. The calamari was perfectly cooked the batter was good. The uni pasta was great it's different than other ones I've had and I like that it had a kick. I think the portion is actually good for two people. Definitely satisfied with today's meal! read more

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I went to The Fermentation Lab for dinner over the weekend, and it was such a great experience from start to finish. Even though the restaurant looked fully booked, the host was so kind and found a table for our group of four. The drinks were incredible -- I highly recommend the lychee martini, it was perfectly balanced and so refreshing. We ordered the oysters and tuna, and both were absolute must-gets. Everything tasted super fresh and beautifully presented. Overall, great vibes, amazing service, and delicious food and cocktails. read more

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Stopped by here before the symphony. We decided on HH. Everything was delicious. We got, Korean chicken wings Beer onion dip Tuna pokè Brussel sprouts Oysters All were delicious. I looked around their dinner menu and saw many items I look forward to trying. Service was great!!! And inside was warm and cozy. I look forward to coming back. read more

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We came here for dinner. This is a fairly new spot centrally located in Japantown directly facing the pagoda. We ordered all the items to share: Korean fried wings, grilled Napa cabbage salad, Menchi katsu burger with duck fat (+$6) fries, and uni pasta. The Korean fried wings were very basic wings. I thought it paled in comparison even against chains like Bonchon or Wingstop. The Napa cabbage salad was tasty. It had pork belly bits and miso dressing that tasted like Kewpie mayo. However I wish the dish was presented in a different cut. They kinda just dropped 1/4 of a cabbage onto the plate with roots intact. So it was a bit unwieldy to cut and consume on the tiny table that were seated in. The menchi katsu burger also tasted fairly basic. It was ok but for $21 I expected more. The biggest offense of this dish was the duck fat fries we added for $6. It tasted like regular salted fries and couldn't detect a single hint of duck fat. Lastly, the uni pasta that was supposed to be the highlight of the meal lacked in flavor. It tasted bland. I guess that's how uni is supposed to taste but they could have done more with the cream. For drinks we ordered the fermented blueberry sour and the matcha martini. Both were delicious. We also didn't like how there was a long wait for the drinks at the beginning and then all of sudden all the dishes came at once. Some even came at lukewarm temperature. So we couldn't get to all of them before they got even colder. This was definitely a bummer. read more

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Beautiful place. We started with cocktails. I got the matcha martini. Drinks took a while to get to us but I didn't see it be that long for others. It was quite the delay. The Matcha martini was really good! We ordered a few appetizers. We tried the Korean chicken wings and the Napa cabbage salad. The wings were not that hot when they arrived. So these were maybe more like 3/5. They were big. The pickled veggies it came with were fresh and crisp. They have wet wipes so that's convenient. The Napa cabbage salad had a nice dressing. I loved the addition of the pork belly. I would have loved if this was cut into smaller pieces. Finally we got our entrees. We shared the katsu burger with duck fat fries and the uni pasta. The burger was tasty. I think it could have had a bit more dimension. The fries didn't taste like duck fat and probably wouldn't have gotten these. It just tasted like regular fries. The uni pasta was okay as well! The flavor was a bit smoky and the uni tasted fresh. I liked the combo with the red tobiko. The pasta was perfectly cooked. I think we would have liked a bit more flavor to this. The burger was tasty and I think the breading was more katsu. Maybe a slaw or more flavor dimension would have made this more interesting. I toggle between a 3 and 4 because we did enjoy the dishes. There was delay in the drinks but staff were attentive. I think I would have liked my entrée after my appetizers so they could check the timing a bit more for that too because we had 4 plates on our table at one point. Overall we had a fun experience. read more

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Love the vibes of Fermentation Lab! Stumbled by late on a weekday evening with a friend and there were few people inside but the ambiance was very charming. Ordered a mezcal cocktail and my friend got a blueberry sour, and both drinks were very good -- perfectly sour, sweet, with good hints of the spirits. The service was friendly, and I saw they had good happy hour times, so would love to come back to try the food in the future. read more

Fermentation Lab - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Fermentation Lab in Japantown offers a modern interior with an upscale gastropub feel that sets a great mood for a meal. We started with the Lychee Martini, which was fruity, delicious, and impressively large. The food was a highlight, particularly the Loco Moco, which was savory, simple, and served in such a hefty portion that it was the consensus favorite of the meal. The Duck Porridge was also excellent and savory, featuring duck skin that provided a nice textural variety and pickles that balanced the richness well, though a side of chili oil would have been a welcome addition for a bit of heat. Unfortunately, the Uni Pasta was creamy but quite bland and is the one dish I wouldn't order again, but the strength of the other plates still makes this a spot worth visiting. read more

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Fermentation Lab has been on my list to check out ever since I saw on social media that they have a prime rib special on Wednesday nights. My bestie picked this restaurant to dine at for her birthday so we ended up eating here one night (not prime rib night). The restaurant is big and spacious. I love the ambiance and decor. Our server was attentive and went above and beyond to help me decide on a cocktail. I told him I wanted something n/a or low ABV. He let me know they could adjust any of their cocktails to include less spirits as they make every drink fresh. He then remembered they might have a non-alcoholic mezcal in the back and went in search of it for me. After he found it, he recommended making me the penicillin cocktail with it. My friend got the fermented blueberry sour. Both cocktails were amazing. He also took a picture of the n/a mezcal for me so that I have it for reference. We ordered a few dishes to share and all were delightful and flavorful. duck fat fries - 9/10 ahi tuna poke - 9/10 calamari misto - 9/10 uni pasta - 8/10 yuja creme brulee - 8/10 The location in Japantown meant parking is a bit challenging unless you park in the garage. I can't wait to come back to try more cocktails and plates. read more

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