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Staff and service is going to be what drags the score of this review. Booked reservations for a party of 3, when we got there are two hostess that spent almost 5 minutes chatting casually as if I wasn't standing by the door awkwardly. When we got seated, I've ask if we can switch table but they said that table is reserved- after we finished the meal NO ONE WAS SEATED IN THE TABLE I REQUESTED still. When we came and got seated, the restaurant was not business at all but it took so long for someone to come over, I had to raise my hand to flag them down for water and a second time for ordering. I was already annoyed because the restaurant is not packed or busy and there are so many staff just idling by. All this leading towards dinner does not set well as a dinning experience. Food came out quickly and our dedicated servers were nice. Mushroom Hor Muk: 3/5 the rice cracker were crispy and a fun appetizer with an interesting Thai mushroom dipped. It came out super quick so these were made prior and kept warm. Pretty Hot Wings: 4/5 Our favorite dish. Came in 3 very large wings. The sauce was the clear stand out. A good kick with tambourine flavor and spice. The chicken is a lil bit overcooked, the inner meat would've me more succulent and moist if it was. Overall the sauce carries it. Namprik Long Rua: 1.5/5 Very confused about this dish. From a glance, it resembles a Japanese sushi style dish-even with the colors and seafood inspiration however the taste is very strong with spice and crunch. I guess this was a subversion of a Japanese dish with Thai influence but I felt it didn't really work. One of my friends didn't like it at all. Caramelized Pork Belly with sticky rice: 3.5/5 The pork meat was very good quality - tender, chunky and juicy. The sauce is very smoky and a bit burned after tasting. This reminded me of chinese braised pork belly. THE CHINESE version sauce is sweet and smooth - excellent to go along with rice. The decor was ok. Nothing visually interesting, modern deem lighting with some random Thai piece here and there. Didn't transport me to Thailand haha. Elevated Thai street food without the service.
We had an extremely disappointing, upsetting, and unacceptable experience at Kin Khao in San Francisco. We came to the restaurant with our baby. At the entrance, one of the hosts, who I believe was named Victor, was extremely rude about our stroller. We were told that we could not bring the stroller inside, which we were willing to accept. However, instead of politely asking us to unlock it or move it ourselves, he physically blocked my wife while she was holding our baby and then forcefully tried to push the stroller himself. The stroller was locked at the time, and if I had not stepped in quickly to stop him and unlock it, it could have been damaged. His behavior was aggressive, careless, and completely inappropriate, especially toward a family with an infant. He then moved our stroller to a storage area in the back. Later, because the restaurant was extremely loud and our baby started crying, we wanted to get a toy from the stroller to comfort our child. At first, the same host refused and again physically blocked my wife. Only after we repeatedly asked were we finally allowed to retrieve the toy from our own stroller. After we sat down and were preparing to order, our baby was still crying because the noise level inside the restaurant was extremely high. A female server, who I believe was named Katie, made us feel extremely uncomfortable, unwelcome, and singled out. She first appeared to whisper with the host while looking at us, which made us feel judged and disrespected. Then, in front of us, she told my wife to take our crying baby outside. I questioned why we were being targeted when the restaurant itself was already very loud, with many guests speaking loudly around us. She claimed this was the restaurant's "policy," but when I asked to see the policy, she could not provide it. What made the situation even worse was the attitude. Instead of showing basic empathy or professionalism toward a family with a baby, some staff members were dismissive, arrogant, and treated us in a way that made us feel discriminated against, humiliated, and unwelcome as a family with a baby. I have never experienced this kind of service at a restaurant before, especially not at a restaurant with Michelin-level pricing and expectations. To be fair, the Asian server who later took our order was polite and professional. However, by that point, the overall experience had already been ruined. The food itself was only average in my opinion and did not feel worth the nearly $200 we spent for two people. It definitely did not meet the standard I would expect from a Michelin-recognized restaurant. I will not return, and I would strongly caution families with babies or young children to think twice before dining here. Some of the staff's attitude toward families was unacceptable, and our experience made us feel deeply disrespected. Ratings: Food: 2/5 Service: 1/5 Atmosphere: 1/5 Overall: 1/5
1 Michelin star Thai restaurant from same team as Nari! Overall, liked it a lot better than Nari. The bok choi was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. The drunken noodles were the best I've had, very smoky taste. The chicken curry was just okay. I prefer their lunch menu over the dinner. The service was great, and the restaurant is inside of a hotel.
Had a wonderful girls' lunch at Kin Khao and the food was fantastic. Every dish was packed with flavor and beautifully prepared - you can really tell why this Michelin-starred spot has such a great reputation. Service was great and the ambiance was lovely too. One small downside: when they cleared the table before dessert, they didn't wipe it down, so some food crumbs remained - a minor miss given how good everything else was. That said, the prices were very reasonable for the quality, which was a pleasant surprise. Highly recommend for anyone craving delicious, authentic Thai food in San Francisco!
Michelin star restaurant in a hotel lobby. Restaurant was simple, comfortable and pretty darkly lit. Service was fast and friendly. The food was fantastic. We had the beef cheeks, drunken noodles, pork belly, spicy wings and curry cod. The cod and wings were my favorite. Lots of really deep flavors combined with great textures.
For a one star Michelin restaurant, my friend and I thought this place was okay. My friend and I came awhile back on a Thursday for lunch and only waited about 10 minutes. When we were finally seated, we ordered: - Thai Teas ($6 each at the time): This was good and it had the right amount of sweetness. - Crispy Chicken Sandwich ($19 at the time): This sandwich included a fried chicken thigh, sriracha aioli, pickled shallot, & cilantro on Pain de Mie with a small side of pickled vegetables. The sandwich was good and the chicken was juicy. - Mushroom Hor Mok ($19 at the time): This had crispy rice cakes with a jar of curry mousse, mushrooms, and coconut cream. The crispy rice cakes tasted a little bland and the curry mousse was okay. Overall, this place was okay. We didn't get to try much, but we chose the dishes above because we saw a lot of reviews saying they were good.
Lovely dinner at Kin Khao. As good as I remember from 12 years ago! Everyone really enjoyed it. Our server was hilarious, really into all our dishes, making quippy remarks at the group. We got a lot of good laughs with him. Our server was also very conscientious about allergies. One person in our group had a shellfish allergy and he actually used a pen to cross off about 1/3 of the dishes on the menu to show what he couldn't have! Reservations made online a few weeks in advance for dinner for 4 at 6pm on a Wednesday. Definitely needed, they were insanely busy and had a wait. * Pretty Hot Wings ($22 for 3, $29 for 4) - 3 stars. Very spicy. Very saucy. A little too much on the sour side for a couple of us. * Yaowaraj Noodle ($29) - 4.5 stars. This was like a pad see ew. I really liked it. We got tofu and it was crumbled and almost had a meatlike texture. The rice noodles were soft and cooked perfectly. * Laab Kua ($28) - 3 stars. Most of us didn't like this - it was spicy but didn't have a lot of flavor beyond that. * Massaman ($54) - 5 stars. Everyone loved this! Unfortunately our shellfish allergy person couldn't eat this. The flavor was perfect, the beef was insanely soft and just melted in our mouths. * Whole Roasted Fish ($50) - 4 stars. Mixed reviews on this one! The fish had a great texture, nicely crisped skin. Tasted very fresh. However, it was a little light on flavors, though it did come with lime and a couple sauces. * Black Rice Pudding ($15) - 4 stars * Panna Cotta ($15) - 4 stars * Mango Tart ($15) - 4.5 stars $340 total for 4 drinks, 1 small dish, 2 medium dishes, 2 large dishes, 1 side of rice, 3 desserts (a big dinner for 4).
We stopped in for lunch and were surprised to find that this was a 1 Michelin star restaurant. While the restaurant was nice and the food was good, I'm not entirely sure by what criteria this place was awarded a star. Staff were not the most attentive. The food, while good, didn't strike me as being of Michelin level quality. The restaurant itself was small and casual in feel. Was an ok experience but probably would be a place I frequently visit. Atmosphere: 3/5 Service: 3/5 Food: 4/5 Value: 4/5 Total: 3.5/5 Price: $ Rating Criteria: Based on comparisons to other establishments in the area 1/5: Terrible, would not recommend 2/5: Might be worth it depending on price and other factors. 3/5: Solid option. Average in this category for the area. 4/5: Above average and excels in this area. 5/5: Excellent, needs no improvement Pricing Criteria: Based on what we spent $: $0 - $50 per person $$: $50 - $100 per person $$$: $100 - $200 per person $$$$: $200 - $500 per person $$$$$: $500+ per person Please be mindful that reviews are based on personal experience which may differ from person to person based upon a multitude of factors (individual/specific workers, time of day, personal preferences, etc). Pricing may also differ and is reflected here based on what we paid for our meal. We typically enjoy multiple courses with our meals including appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts, and sometimes drinks or tasting menus when available. Please do your own research if concerned about potential pricing.
This food here is spicy. do not take it lightly. Mushroom hor mok: pate type curry pairing with crunchy rice cakes. generous option of curry. savory smooth topping Pretty hot wings: buffalo style type wings, more vinegary flavor and VERY SPICY. Each order comes in 3 pieces, they are whole pieces albeit small Nam Tok Beans: garbanzo type beans, comes with lettuce wraps and cucumbers. Massaman: highlight of the night,very fragrant and one of the most distinct flavors with coconut milk. best I have had so far Laab Kua: the spiciest dish on the menu. A lot of people in my party couldn't eat this so I finished it haha. Meat is flavorful but the combination of flavors (mainly the spice) lingers in your mouth after the first bite. Comes with lettuce leap wraps White jasmine rice: comes in a container that serves multiple individuals, best to order 1 Black rice pudding: hot dessert with balance of sweet and savory from the rice crisps. Panna cotta: strawberry flavored, reminds me of a green onion type cracker. Thai tea: not sweet, a bit grainy. They use ChaTruMue? It was lined up along the walls. No plastic straws here for drinks which is a bonus The layout of the restaurant is divided into 2 sections. Servers are stretched out thin here on a Friday. They have a Michelin star but it's a casual type restaurant, chill vibes and good food.
Kin Khao is a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant tucked inside the Parc 55 hotel in Union Square, and it delivers on the food front. The flavors are vibrant, layered, and clearly made with care. You can taste the intention behind each dish, and for Thai food lovers, there's a lot to appreciate here. Where it gets tricky is the value. We went with the set tasting menu at $95 per person. The food was good, but looking back, I don't think the tasting menu is the right way to experience this place. The dishes felt more exciting in concept than in portion size and overall payoff for the price. If I came back, I'd go straight to a la carte. You'll have more control over what you're spending and what lands on your table. Service was attentive and the space has a nice energy. But at this price point, you're setting a high bar for yourself, and the tasting menu didn't quite clear it.
This restaurant is for special occasions. Birthday lunch for a friend. Loved the service and the food, upscale Thai dishes. Restaurant notes: "A Michelin-starred restaurant serving heritage Thai food with local and seasonal ingredients." Totally agree, don't dine to late for lunch, they close around 2pm, service can be rushed to close the kitchen.
28 days ago
2 months ago
Wonderful Thai food with unique flavors. Not your typical Thai food that is about more on the savory side versus a little sweet spicy typical. Started with the pretty hot wings which had good spice and a unique flavor. Then had laab tod which were very flavorful and tasty meatballs to eat in a lettuce wrap. Finished with five spice duck noodle soup. Duck was nicely seasoned and soup with noodles were good. The garlic oil really added a lot to it offsetting the five spice broth Service was wonderful with friendly and attentive staff. Definitely would eat here again if I am in town. read more
Pros: * Michelin-starred restaurant. * Perfect for those who enjoy bold, spicy flavors. * Friendly, attentive staff. * Fresh, creative, and beautifully executed dishes that make for a truly memorable dining experience. * Delicious, well-crafted cocktails. Cons: * The spice level cannot be adjusted, so be prepared for the heat. If spicy food isn't your thing, you may want to dine across the street at Old Siam Thai instead. * Be prepared to splurge--this is definitely a special occasion restaurant with prices to match. read more
Staff and service is going to be what drags the score of this review. Booked reservations for a party of 3, when we got there are two hostess that spent almost 5 minutes chatting casually as if I wasn't standing by the door awkwardly. When we got seated, I've ask if we can switch table but they said that table is reserved- after we finished the meal NO ONE WAS SEATED IN THE TABLE I REQUESTED still. When we came and got seated, the restaurant was not business at all but it took so long for someone to come over, I had to raise my hand to flag them down for water and a second time for ordering. I was already annoyed because the restaurant is not packed or busy and there are so many staff just idling by. All this leading towards dinner does not set well as a dinning experience. Food came out quickly and our dedicated servers were nice. Mushroom Hor Muk: 3/5 the rice cracker were crispy and a fun appetizer with an interesting Thai mushroom dipped. It came out super quick so these were made prior and kept warm. Pretty Hot Wings: 4/5 Our favorite dish. Came in 3 very large wings. The sauce was the clear stand out. A good kick with tambourine flavor and spice. The chicken is a lil bit overcooked, the inner meat would've me more succulent and moist if it was. Overall the sauce carries it. Namprik Long Rua: 1.5/5 Very confused about this dish. From a glance, it resembles a Japanese sushi style dish-even with the colors and seafood inspiration however the taste is very strong with spice and crunch. I guess this was a subversion of a Japanese dish with Thai influence but I felt it didn't really work. One of my friends didn't like it at all. Caramelized Pork Belly with sticky rice: 3.5/5 The pork meat was very good quality - tender, chunky and juicy. The sauce is very smoky and a bit burned after tasting. This reminded me of chinese braised pork belly. THE CHINESE version sauce is sweet and smooth - excellent to go along with rice. The decor was ok. Nothing visually interesting, modern deem lighting with some random Thai piece here and there. Didn't transport me to Thailand haha. Elevated Thai street food without the service. read more
1 month ago
We had an extremely disappointing, upsetting, and unacceptable experience at Kin Khao in San Francisco. We came to the restaurant with our baby. At the entrance, one of the hosts, who I believe was named Victor, was extremely rude about our stroller. We were told that we could not bring the stroller inside, which we were willing to accept. However, instead of politely asking us to unlock it or move it ourselves, he physically blocked my wife while she was holding our baby and then forcefully tried to push the stroller himself. The stroller was locked at the time, and if I had not stepped in quickly to stop him and unlock it, it could have been damaged. His behavior was aggressive, careless, and completely inappropriate, especially toward a family with an infant. He then moved our stroller to a storage area in the back. Later, because the restaurant was extremely loud and our baby started crying, we wanted to get a toy from the stroller to comfort our child. At first, the same host refused and again physically blocked my wife. Only after we repeatedly asked were we finally allowed to retrieve the toy from our own stroller. After we sat down and were preparing to order, our baby was still crying because the noise level inside the restaurant was extremely high. A female server, who I believe was named Katie, made us feel extremely uncomfortable, unwelcome, and singled out. She first appeared to whisper with the host while looking at us, which made us feel judged and disrespected. Then, in front of us, she told my wife to take our crying baby outside. I questioned why we were being targeted when the restaurant itself was already very loud, with many guests speaking loudly around us. She claimed this was the restaurant's "policy," but when I asked to see the policy, she could not provide it. What made the situation even worse was the attitude. Instead of showing basic empathy or professionalism toward a family with a baby, some staff members were dismissive, arrogant, and treated us in a way that made us feel discriminated against, humiliated, and unwelcome as a family with a baby. I have never experienced this kind of service at a restaurant before, especially not at a restaurant with Michelin-level pricing and expectations. To be fair, the Asian server who later took our order was polite and professional. However, by that point, the overall experience had already been ruined. The food itself was only average in my opinion and did not feel worth the nearly $200 we spent for two people. It definitely did not meet the standard I would expect from a Michelin-recognized restaurant. I will not return, and I would strongly caution families with babies or young children to think twice before dining here. Some of the staff's attitude toward families was unacceptable, and our experience made us feel deeply disrespected. Ratings: Food: 2/5 Service: 1/5 Atmosphere: 1/5 Overall: 1/5 read more
2 days ago
Service was great, we had a reservation for a group and were seated promptly. Our server had great recommendations. It's a smaller restaurant, not too big but was pretty busy. The food was great, the spicy noodles (not actually spicy) were a group favorite. read more
3 days ago
1 Michelin star Thai restaurant from same team as Nari! Overall, liked it a lot better than Nari. The bok choi was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. The drunken noodles were the best I've had, very smoky taste. The chicken curry was just okay. I prefer their lunch menu over the dinner. The service was great, and the restaurant is inside of a hotel. read more
Had a wonderful girls' lunch at Kin Khao and the food was fantastic. Every dish was packed with flavor and beautifully prepared - you can really tell why this Michelin-starred spot has such a great reputation. Service was great and the ambiance was lovely too. One small downside: when they cleared the table before dessert, they didn't wipe it down, so some food crumbs remained - a minor miss given how good everything else was. That said, the prices were very reasonable for the quality, which was a pleasant surprise. Highly recommend for anyone craving delicious, authentic Thai food in San Francisco! read more
Michelin star restaurant in a hotel lobby. Restaurant was simple, comfortable and pretty darkly lit. Service was fast and friendly. The food was fantastic. We had the beef cheeks, drunken noodles, pork belly, spicy wings and curry cod. The cod and wings were my favorite. Lots of really deep flavors combined with great textures. read more
For a one star Michelin restaurant, my friend and I thought this place was okay. My friend and I came awhile back on a Thursday for lunch and only waited about 10 minutes. When we were finally seated, we ordered: - Thai Teas ($6 each at the time): This was good and it had the right amount of sweetness. - Crispy Chicken Sandwich ($19 at the time): This sandwich included a fried chicken thigh, sriracha aioli, pickled shallot, & cilantro on Pain de Mie with a small side of pickled vegetables. The sandwich was good and the chicken was juicy. - Mushroom Hor Mok ($19 at the time): This had crispy rice cakes with a jar of curry mousse, mushrooms, and coconut cream. The crispy rice cakes tasted a little bland and the curry mousse was okay. Overall, this place was okay. We didn't get to try much, but we chose the dishes above because we saw a lot of reviews saying they were good. read more
Lovely dinner at Kin Khao. As good as I remember from 12 years ago! Everyone really enjoyed it. Our server was hilarious, really into all our dishes, making quippy remarks at the group. We got a lot of good laughs with him. Our server was also very conscientious about allergies. One person in our group had a shellfish allergy and he actually used a pen to cross off about 1/3 of the dishes on the menu to show what he couldn't have! Reservations made online a few weeks in advance for dinner for 4 at 6pm on a Wednesday. Definitely needed, they were insanely busy and had a wait. * Pretty Hot Wings ($22 for 3, $29 for 4) - 3 stars. Very spicy. Very saucy. A little too much on the sour side for a couple of us. * Yaowaraj Noodle ($29) - 4.5 stars. This was like a pad see ew. I really liked it. We got tofu and it was crumbled and almost had a meatlike texture. The rice noodles were soft and cooked perfectly. * Laab Kua ($28) - 3 stars. Most of us didn't like this - it was spicy but didn't have a lot of flavor beyond that. * Massaman ($54) - 5 stars. Everyone loved this! Unfortunately our shellfish allergy person couldn't eat this. The flavor was perfect, the beef was insanely soft and just melted in our mouths. * Whole Roasted Fish ($50) - 4 stars. Mixed reviews on this one! The fish had a great texture, nicely crisped skin. Tasted very fresh. However, it was a little light on flavors, though it did come with lime and a couple sauces. * Black Rice Pudding ($15) - 4 stars * Panna Cotta ($15) - 4 stars * Mango Tart ($15) - 4.5 stars $340 total for 4 drinks, 1 small dish, 2 medium dishes, 2 large dishes, 1 side of rice, 3 desserts (a big dinner for 4). read more
We stopped in for lunch and were surprised to find that this was a 1 Michelin star restaurant. While the restaurant was nice and the food was good, I'm not entirely sure by what criteria this place was awarded a star. Staff were not the most attentive. The food, while good, didn't strike me as being of Michelin level quality. The restaurant itself was small and casual in feel. Was an ok experience but probably would be a place I frequently visit. Atmosphere: 3/5 Service: 3/5 Food: 4/5 Value: 4/5 Total: 3.5/5 Price: $ Rating Criteria: Based on comparisons to other establishments in the area 1/5: Terrible, would not recommend 2/5: Might be worth it depending on price and other factors. 3/5: Solid option. Average in this category for the area. 4/5: Above average and excels in this area. 5/5: Excellent, needs no improvement Pricing Criteria: Based on what we spent $: $0 - $50 per person $$: $50 - $100 per person $$$: $100 - $200 per person $$$$: $200 - $500 per person $$$$$: $500+ per person Please be mindful that reviews are based on personal experience which may differ from person to person based upon a multitude of factors (individual/specific workers, time of day, personal preferences, etc). Pricing may also differ and is reflected here based on what we paid for our meal. We typically enjoy multiple courses with our meals including appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts, and sometimes drinks or tasting menus when available. Please do your own research if concerned about potential pricing. read more
This food here is spicy. do not take it lightly. Mushroom hor mok: pate type curry pairing with crunchy rice cakes. generous option of curry. savory smooth topping Pretty hot wings: buffalo style type wings, more vinegary flavor and VERY SPICY. Each order comes in 3 pieces, they are whole pieces albeit small Nam Tok Beans: garbanzo type beans, comes with lettuce wraps and cucumbers. Massaman: highlight of the night,very fragrant and one of the most distinct flavors with coconut milk. best I have had so far Laab Kua: the spiciest dish on the menu. A lot of people in my party couldn't eat this so I finished it haha. Meat is flavorful but the combination of flavors (mainly the spice) lingers in your mouth after the first bite. Comes with lettuce leap wraps White jasmine rice: comes in a container that serves multiple individuals, best to order 1 Black rice pudding: hot dessert with balance of sweet and savory from the rice crisps. Panna cotta: strawberry flavored, reminds me of a green onion type cracker. Thai tea: not sweet, a bit grainy. They use ChaTruMue? It was lined up along the walls. No plastic straws here for drinks which is a bonus The layout of the restaurant is divided into 2 sections. Servers are stretched out thin here on a Friday. They have a Michelin star but it's a casual type restaurant, chill vibes and good food. read more
1 day ago
I love their Sai Uoa very much. Tasted like what I ate in Chiangmai. Hor mok Hed (mushroom curry custard) is gentle but delicious . Service is nice and attentive. Recommend! read more
5 months ago
Kin Khao is a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant tucked inside the Parc 55 hotel in Union Square, and it delivers on the food front. The flavors are vibrant, layered, and clearly made with care. You can taste the intention behind each dish, and for Thai food lovers, there's a lot to appreciate here. Where it gets tricky is the value. We went with the set tasting menu at $95 per person. The food was good, but looking back, I don't think the tasting menu is the right way to experience this place. The dishes felt more exciting in concept than in portion size and overall payoff for the price. If I came back, I'd go straight to a la carte. You'll have more control over what you're spending and what lands on your table. Service was attentive and the space has a nice energy. But at this price point, you're setting a high bar for yourself, and the tasting menu didn't quite clear it. read more
This restaurant is for special occasions. Birthday lunch for a friend. Loved the service and the food, upscale Thai dishes. Restaurant notes: "A Michelin-starred restaurant serving heritage Thai food with local and seasonal ingredients." Totally agree, don't dine to late for lunch, they close around 2pm, service can be rushed to close the kitchen. read more
Made a reservation for lunch during the week, it wasn't busy. It's always difficult to find street parking in the area, so we paid for valet parking in the hotel and got it validated. We ordered: Mushroom hor mok (3/5) - the mousse was good but there wasn't enough for the rice cakes, I didn't like how the rice cakes were too bland and thick Pretty hot wings (4.5/5) - definitely pretty hot! Had good flavor though and the spice didn't overwhelm Sai ua + namprik noom (4/5) - a nice refreshing dish, everything eaten together had a nice balance with the sausage Yaowaraj noodle (5/5) - this was my favorite dish! There was a smokiness and depth of flavor I didn't expect Overall, this was a nice experience! The food was solid for the price along with the Michelin star, and since we came during lunch it wasn't too busy and service was attentive. I don't love the location (located inside a hotel, have to get a key pass to use the bathroom in the hotel), but it's a more casual atmosphere read more
6 months ago
What to say that isn't already covered by the fact that they are a 1 star restaurant? I have gone twice for lunch and once for dinner. Both were great experiences. Some menu differences. For lunch: we've had the Khao Soi, Khao Mun Gai, and Yaowaraj noodle. For dinner: Nam tok beans, caramelized pork belly, black cod curry, and a side of something that was forgettable... Yaowaraj noodle, black cod curry, and caramelized pork belly are hands down the best. The technique and flavors are SO good. Will get these each visit. The curry was delicate and flavorful. Switching between the curry and pork belly each bite is almost sinful. I bet all the curries are phenomenal tbh, because the curries at Nari are all great too - like they've been simmering for days. Therefore, the khao soi is also delicious but imo there's a specific time (weather) for curry noodles so it's not a guaranteed repeat order. Nam tok beans were a winner for my husband, but it was a bit spicier than what I can handle (so be aware). The khao mun gai is balanced, almost artistic in form and function, but you get what you expect from that dish and nothing more. Giving this one a 4.5 if I could but only because I'm personally partial to Nari's menu and location (same owner, also 1 star). 5 stars it is! read more
3 months ago
Stumbled into this place as a walk-in of 2 and it was great! We sat at the bar and started off with 2 cocktails (Koh Kood & Soi Ari). Both are rum-based and had a really nice kick, especially the Soi Ari with the pandan in the aftertaste (which we found super refreshing). Food we ordered were the Nam Tok Beans, the Pad Khee Mao, and the rabbit curry. Both of us love spice so the Nam Tok Beans blew us away! Did not expect that kind of packed flavor at all but it makes a seemingly ordinary bean dish so much more exciting. The noodles were cooked perfectly and made a great in between to the rabbit curry. Which speaking of, oh my god??? SUPER tender and fall off-the-bone. Rabbit can be a hard dish to put on for people who have never tried it, but I really appreciate that it's not as bone-y as other rabbit dishes I've had in the past. It really was like chicken but softer. Wow wow wow. Huge shoutout to our bartender for giving us extra birthday shots on the house. Never had Amaro before tonight but it was delicious. Did not get his name unfortunately but he's fantastic! The reason I give 4 stars despite the great experience was because I noticed less urgency from the host and the servers in terms of getting stuff out. Doesn't help that the place is smaller and more expensive for a Michelin star establishment. Sitting by the bar made a huge difference for us since we had a great experience with our bartender, but I have a feeling that those at regular tables that night might've lost patience with the wait times for certain dishes. TLDR: if you love spicy Thai food, have the money to spend, and aren't in a rush, this place is worth checking out. read more
Every time I travel, I look for a hidden gem. This is literally one of them. Tucked away in Parc 55, this one star Michelin restaurant did not disappoint. I was a solo diner so getting seated at the bar was easy -- no wait. I had a hard time deciding what I wanted because I came in wanting this lettuce wrap thing I saw on TikTok, but disappointingly it is only served during lunch. Luckily (choice word), I found a good substitute in the green curry rabbit. I had that with a side of rice and the flavors exploded in my mouth and satisfied my craving for a good home cooked like meal. Don't sleep on this place! read more
7 months ago
Thai food is well known for its vibrant colors, aromatic fragrances, and bold flavors. Unfortunately, none of these qualities were present in the food we had at Kin Khao. The pale yellow color of the steamed chicken breast(Khao Mun Gai) was disappointing, and it was sadly buried under a pile of wilted cilantro that did nothing to stimulate my appetite--even though I was extremely hungry. The soup that came with it wasn't even hot, which made my winter meal feel anything but comforting. The tiny Yaowaraj stir-fried noodle dish was no better. It lacked aroma, wasn't particularly flavorful, too salty to my taste and was overpriced at $29 After a 6% surcharge was already added to the bill, I found it difficult to feel comfortable tipping the 20- 25% as "suggested" gratuity especially given that the service did not meet our expectation. Sadly, the only thing memorable about this meal was how forgettable it should be. read more
3 hours ago
This is some of the best food I've had, I loved everything!!!!!!! Ordered the noodles, 5/5, flavor was spectacular, waiter advised me that everything would be a bit spicy but I'm over here drinking buldak hot sauce, I'll be fine. Pork belly, to die for 5/5 Calamari 5/5 It's crazy because they just treat me like a rabbit and drop bunches of cilantro on everything but I've got to say I would eat these 3 dishes on repeat every single day. I can't even describe what I was tasting, but it was a heavenly experience. 10/10 would recommend. read more
1 month ago
Delicious food! 100% recommend. My hubby and I dined at Kin Khao last night, and the food was absolutely delicious. Every dish was packed with flavor, beautifully presented, and tasted fresh.The balance of sweet, spicy, salty, and sour flavors was outstanding. The service was friendly and attentive, and the staff were happy to answer questions and make recommendations. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, making for a wonderful dining experience. read more
I walked in and the ambiance was very casual, not what I was expecting of a Michelin restaurant but definitely enjoyed that it wasn't "stuffy." This place was packed on a Wednesday night. We ordered the wings, pork belly, Brussels sprouts. The pork belly came in this soy sauce glaze that reminded me of a Chinese dish. It also came with some tin foil. They took it back and replaced it with a noodle dish. Both were okay flavors. The wings were really good and flavorful and I would get those again. Brussels sprouts were a little bland or leaning towards the traditional bitter sprouts flavor. All in all, service was good. Food was okay. Price is reasonable and not like other Michelin restaurants but I wouldn't come again. I had high hopes and really wanted to love it. read more
Kin Khao was one of two Michelin restaurants that we visited during our recent trip to San Francisco. This place has one star and while I do understand why, I would say this place was not the "wow" experience that I expected. My partner and I did the tasting menu which is about $100 per person. Some dishes were delicious, some were interesting, a couple fell flat, but overall it was a fun experience. Highlights of the tasting menu were the caramelized pork belly and plah pla muek both eaten with sticky rice. The weak point for us was the massaman curry which unfortunately was our most anticipated dish. For us, it was bland and did not have the deep spice forward beefiness that we're used to from a good massaman curry. Our server was awesome, and the drinks were delicious. Overall, I probably would not return for the tasting menu but might for some specific dishes. read more
Kin Khao was amazing. Siam Sipper - 5/5. One of the best Old Fashioned I have had. Papaya Salad - 5/5. Amazing. Perfect spice, freshness, tanginess. Some fresh prawn on top would have elevated the dish. Duck noodle was decent. Nothing crazy or noteworthy. We had a few other dishes which were pretty good. Service was good. Our waiter was very attentive and gave us recommendations. Good alt rock music to match the mood and dim lit ambiance. Personally, I thought it was a 4.5. My partner rated it a 2.5 but I dismissed it due to her peasant palate. I suppose it really depends on one's palate. Great restaurant. Thank you for having us. read more
This should be 4.5 stars but, since that's not an option, I'm rounding up. What a great dinner! I am unfortunately accustomed to perfectly average asian food in the area in which I live. Generally around 3 stars (some a little better, many a little worse), it all tastes more-or-less the same, no matter where you go or what country the food is supposed to represent. So I was filled with happiness to sit down in a Thai restaurant in SF, and have a delicious meal with different flavors, the food nuanced and, in some cases, subtle. This was a birthday celebration, so we indulged. Far too much food for four people. We ordered: Pretty Hot Wings, Saeng Wa, Khao Yum, Pad Kee Mao, Caramelized Pork Belly, and 3 curries; Khun Yai's Rabbit Green Curry, Massaman Nuea (braised beef cheeks), and Summer Panang. All the food was excellent but, for me, three things rose above the others. The Khao Yum was exactly that. Yum! It had a fantastic and subtle flavor, a wonderful fragrance, and a delightful "mouthfeel". The Pretty Hot Wings were delicious, and had a wonderful lime-forward sauce that I am going to try to recreate and use on all sorts of things. The Rabbit Green Curry was my favorite. The rabbit was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was a perfect balance of flavor and heat. Honorable mention goes to the Caramelized Pork Belly which was tender and wonderfully enjoyable to eat, and also to the Drunken Noodles, which were some of the best noodles I have had in an Asian restaurant in years. If you are looking for really good Thai food, not the usual stuff you get in your neighborhood restaurant (no overly sweet Pad Thai here!), then you will definitely enjoy this restaurant. It's not cheap but it's well worth the money. read more
We had a reservation for 3 people at 7:30pm but arrived early at 7, and they were able to seat us. The waiter was helpful in answering questions we had about the menu. - Mushroom Hor Mok ($20): plain, crispy rice cakes that are a good vessel for the tasty mousse and mushrooms - Pad Kee Mao ($29): probably wouldn't get this again, was too salty for my taste and seemed a little too charred in some spots - Caramelized Pork Belly ($36): big pieces of pork belly, very flavorful, would get again - Rabbit Green Curry ($48): a bit less flavorful than other green curries I've had but overall still pretty good - White Jasmine Rice ($5): no issues with how the rice was cooked, also a good amount for 3 people to share - Panna Cotta ($15): it was interesting and unlike any other panna cottas I've tried. The crispy parts were a little savory with the fried shallots but the berry jam and panna cotta parts were sweet Kind of unusual location in the same building as a hotel so it can be easy to miss. The restroom is also in the hotel, so you need to get a key card from the front to access it. read more
My first Michelin Thai cuisine experience! This restaurant , is located inside Parc55 hotel, and you can make a reservation in advance on Resy. They offer both an à la carte menu and a tasting menu. Normally, we'd go with the tasting menu since it's the best way to try a variety of signature dishes at once, but we weren't very hungry that day, so we just went with à la carte. Overall, their flavors were bold and spicy. My top favorites were the Pad Kee Mao (stir-fried drunken noodles) and the Caramelized Pork Belly. The meat was so tender it literally melted in my mouth, and the noodles were packed with flavor. I also really liked their Thai tea and the Tom Yum 2.0 cocktail! It was a great introduction to Michelin-level Thai cuisine -- vibrant flavors, thoughtful dishes, and a truly satisfying meal. read more
Made a weekend reservation for Kin Khao, a Michelin-starred Thai spot that's been on my list for a while. Located between Union Square and the Tenderloin on the first floor of the Parc 55 Hotel, Kin Khao isn't your typical pad Thai joint -- it elevates Thai flavors with locally sourced ingredients from Santa Cruz, Napa, and Half Moon Bay. Service was prompt and efficient, and we were seated quickly at opening time. The ambience grew lively as the night went on, with a warm, bustling energy that made it great for both groups and couples. - Mushroom Hor Mok -- curry mousse in a jar with mushrooms, coconut cream, and crispy rice cakes. A Thai-style pâté that's rich, aromatic, and beautifully balanced by the crunch of the crackers. - Khun Yai's Rabbit Green Curry -- devil's gulch rabbit leg & saddle, rabbit-pork meatballs, and kiew wan curry with coconut milk, apple eggplants, and Thai basil. Deeply spiced and flavorful -- not something you see often, but it works. - Caramelized Pork Belly -- sweet, savory, and melt-in-your-mouth tender with a crisp top. One of the best pork belly dishes I've ever had. Despite its Michelin status, prices are fair, and the food feels familiar yet inventive. Every dish was excellent and thoughtfully presented. Don't skip the side of rice to soak up the sauces -- fittingly, Kin Khao means "eat rice." Can't wait to come back and try their prix fixe menu next time. read more
2 months ago
This place is extremely overrated I'm not sure if they know what they're doing with the menu & overall execution. Way too many dishes have the same lemongrass/lime leaf/fish sauce flavor profile so it's highly acidic. Most things were too salty & sour. Needs rice or something basic to balance it out. Or even sugar! There are better Thai places at a more reasonable price. 4/5 Saeng wa- good on its own, good at first but then the other dishes came at the same time and everything was so salty 4/5 Squid, plah pla muek- ok on its own. But also salty and sour 3/5 Mushroom hor mok- what's special about this? The cracker is plain and too thick. A bit too spicy can't taste the mushroom... 1.5/5 Hot Wings- huge and messy. Do NOT let them upsell you more wings! The flavor is extremely bold and 3 wings are plenty. Also these are WET. So why are they huge?! You HAVE to eat them with your hands. They could not have made this any more difficult to eat. Extremely sour and salty. 5/5 Thai tea. Great flavor and not too sweet. 4.5/5 beef curry massaman. Tender beef! Well balanced dish finally with some acidity and the creaminess of the coconut milk. Pairs well with our huge serving of white rice. 4.5/5 blueberry cake was good but fish sauce whipped cream below was too salty. It sounded like the best dessert to me. I liked this read more
3.5 mainly from the cost value perspective. Nothing was bad... It's just really pricey for good but not amazing if you know what I mean. On the plus side, I do think it's noteworthy that they don't do regular Thai fare. The menu has changed a bit since I went. The rabbit green curry, seasonal stone fruit, caramelized pork belly, and squid are currently still on the menu. We also had oysters which prob comes and goes from the menu. Overall, points for doing something different but was a bit underwhelmed from the value read more
2 months ago
Overall A: this SF place indeed deserves the Michelin star: excellent taste, innovative, appropriate portion size. On a Sunday night with a 5 o'clock reservation, we had incredibly tasty Yum Polamai stonefruit shallot cilantro salad (which I've repeatedly recreated at home), Pad Kee Mao drunken noodles with pork, onions, basil, Khun Yai's Rabbit Green Curry pork meatballs with basil, 5-spice dutch noodle soup, sweet mocktail Soi Ari pineapple lime, tangy Bang Rak tumeric lemon mocktail. Always dining family style; we made 4 meals out of the 2. read more
This place certainly delivers the flavors, the presentation and the service. I live in Los Angeles, where we have a huge Thai community and authenticity is important to me, and I can tell you that these dishes are not authentically Thai, however when it comes to Thai fusion and when it comes to amazing flavors and the preparation of dishes, these people hit it out of the park. everything we ate was impressive and delicious. read more
I was visiting SF for work + family and decided to stroll in for a solo date at Kin Khao. I made no reservation, but luckily there was one more seat left at the bar. It's like they knew I had a long day at work and my feet were hurting lmao. I love that their Thai tea isn't pre-sweetened and the 'sweetness' comes from the cream (in my case, I got a coconut cream - which was pretty mild in terms of aroma and sweetness level! Perfect for what I usually go for.) The 'pretty hot wings' are spectacular. Saucy, fragrant, with a touch of heat and saltiness from the fish sauce + tamarind. Ugh, I'm salivating just thinking about it. The Thai chili sprinkled on top was chef's kiss. I honestly was lowkey full by the time I finished these wings lmao, but I also ordered the pad kee mao. The pad kee mao was also delish, noodles were very tender (like more than usual for a flat rice noodle, which I don't hate!) the wok aroma was a nice touch, but I did find it slightly more greasy than I would have preferred. It may be because of the ground pork that added to it, however, the FLAVOR was there. So I can't and won't complain (too much lol.) There was a slight kick in this dish, but I honestly could've done with a bit more spice since the server noted that it was spicy. All in all, an 'affordable' one star Michelin Thai restaurant is something I simply could not pass up while in the city. Come one, come all! See ya next time xo read more
I picked this place not knowing that it was located inside a hotel, which is usually a pretty bad sign when it comes to how good the food tastes. Unfortunately, the stereotype there continues to hold true. Before I continue, I just want to give a shoutout for the service, which was absolutely incredible. While I didn't particularly enjoy the food, our waiters definitely went above and beyond--when I dropped almost an entire piece of chicken on the floor, they had another piece sent to me free of charge which I didn't expect at all. They were thorough with checking on us throughout the night and filling our waters. All of the main dishes we ordered were far, far too salty--even with rice. We ordered the chicken, pad kee mao, pork belly, rabbit curry, and the sticky rice (khao kan jin). The pork belly stood out the most, but was still too salty for my liking; the khao kan jin was a close second, and was probably the least salty dish of the day and therefore relatively enjoyable. It was also my first time trying blood sausage mushed into rice and that ended up tasting quite good. The chicken, curry, and pad kee mao were all too salty and made me feel like I couldn't taste much other than the salt (although with the curry the taste was more like coconut and salt). The chicken itself was cooked quite well, but the sauce was far too overwhelming. For dessert, we ordered the black rice pudding and the seasonal panna cotta. Both of these were actually quite good and much more balanced than the entrees, so I'd definitely recommend getting dessert here if you come. read more
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More info about Kin Khao
55 Cyril Magnin St
San Francisco, CA 94102
Union Square
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(415) 362-7456
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http://kinkhao.com
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Ask the Community - Kin Khao
Any soy and dairy free items?
Any low sodium options for someone with high blood pressure?
Is there parking close by?
No, it's scant or very expensive-- would suggest taking the MBTA
What vegan options you have no dairy, fish sauce, or oyster sauce?
There were several vegan options when we dined there
Is it possible to buy a gift certificate to the restaurant?
Yes. I bought one recently for a friend's birthday gift.
Is this by chance an organic restaurant?
All dishes are made with seasonal produce and sustainably raised or caught meats and seafood. But not sure that everything is organic. Perhaps you can call the restaurant to make sure (415) 362-7456.
Getting mixed messages re kid-friendliness. Does anyone know if they provide high chairs and/or changing table?
They do have high chairs. I saw kids there but i don't know if the hotel lobby bathrooms have changing table
No wine by the glass at Kin Khao? Only by the bottle?
They had options for both glass and bottle, along with pairing
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Kin Khao - thai - Updated July 2026
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