Great food, great value and lots of great K-Pop music videos playing on the wall. Will definitely come back for the music!

This was my wife and I's first stop arriving to San Francisco. When we arrived on a rainy Friday night, the restaurant was empty so they were quick to seat us and serve us. The restaurant is a casual space, not romantic or fancy, but I found it to be very cozy and spacious. Now for the fun part - food! We ordered 3 plates to share - the spicy pork belly, Bul go ki, and seafood pancake. Spicy pork belly - 5/5 - this plate alone is a reason for you to come visit this restaurant. They brought it out sizzling in a skillet and it was amazing! Bul go ki - 4/5 - compared to the spicy pork belly, it lacks flavored. But if you clean your palate and taste it for what it is, it is delicious as well. It's a far more subtly flavor, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Seafood pancake - 3/5 - this is what I was most excited for but unfortunately what I was least impressed by. The seafood certainly tastes fresh, but it tastes a bit bland. With the soy sauce it is great, but in my opinion it is fully dependent on that for good flavor. Overall, we loved this place. For 2 people, these three plates were more than enough. The two protein plates could have been enough. read more

Ollei - Spicy Polk Belly (Rice Included) - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Had an errand to run in the neighborhood (where I haven't lived in 20+ years) so chose this for convenience and got so much more. A bargain for high-quality Korean food. Huge portions. read more

Wasn't planning on grabbing Korean for dinner, but decided to give Ollei a try while we were already in the Marina. Came by on a Wednesday a few weeks ago a bit before the dinner crowd and we were the only ones there. We were pretty hungry so ordered 3 dishes: korean fried chicken, seafood pancake and corn cheese. The korean fried chicken didn't really satisfy my craving, but it wasn't necessarily bad. The chicken wasn't really crispy, and it seemed like there was too much sauce. The seafood pancake on the other hand was very yummy and I would definitely get it again. Corn cheese was pretty standard, a bit heavy on the cheese. It also took a while for the food to come out even though we were the only ones there. Overall a pretty decent spot, though I would only go if I was already in the area. read more

Ollei - Corn Cheese Plate Seafood Pancake 8 Piece Ollei Chicken Wing - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came to the city with wife and couldn't really decide on a place to have dinner... so I decided to come to Polk St and pick one from the wide selection off eateries here. Liked the pictures of Ollei on Yelp so we went there Ollei is a nice little place. Around 11-12 tables and the ambiance is a comfortable one with dim (but sufficient) lighting. They got a projector playing k-pop music videos on the wall and the music level is just right. We ordered bulgogi soup, lettuce with miso, and seafood pancake. The staff was quick to take our order and bring us the food. The soup was a bit on the sweet side but very tasty; and my wife loved the lettuce and used it to wrap the miso and bulgogi. Personally I loved the pancake as it got a nice crispy skin, full of fillings inside, and paired nicely with the sauce. I love Korean pancakes in general We dug into the food right away and forgot to take pictures! Snapped a pic of the outside though. Price is reasonable and place is clean. Highly recommended. read more

Ollei - Outside - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fast and friendly service. The plates are shared and decent portions and prices. I really enjoyed the dumplings. They're not too filled which is a bit of a let down but really good flavor. They also have a small selection of soju including this soju+tonic which was delicious and I recommend read more

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The Army Stew is a must if you're craving something warm and filling--packed with Spam, sausage, ham, kimchi, baked beans, noodles, and more. Easily feeds 4 (we took half home). We also loved the seafood pancake--crispy, flavorful, and best eaten fresh. Skip the wings and bibimbap--those didn't hit the mark for us. Stick to the stew and pancake, and you'll leave happy. 4/5 read more

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This was absolutely destroyed in every aspect. We finished everything. We were a little afraid we ordered too much but it turned out to be the perfect amount. We saw the reviews on yelp and it's near a friends so I knew I had to try it. Walking in, I thought it would be a little fancier since it has such great reviews and the spot is honestly very cute and a casual eat out I would say. If your going somewhere for GOOD KOREAN FOOD. This is your spot. I came here with my boyfriend and a friends and it was one amazing time. Leichi soju: 5/5 would get again, super delicious and flavorful with actual leichi in it. Not the cálcico stuff. Chicken wings: 5/5 MY GOSH SO GOOD. perfectly flavored, cooked, amount of crunch but soft juicy inside, I would 100% come back for these. BBQ short ribs: 5/5 BEST SHORT RIBS I HAVE EVER HAD. GOOOO!!! Try these!!!! SO WORTH. Perfectly cooked, not that chewy, perfect seasoning and just so flavorful we couldn't stop eating it. Dumpling soup(veggie)(4/5) delicious. Just a solid soup with delicious veggies and veggie dumplings. We got the rice cake add on that was definitely a move. Clean light broth. Bi bim bap: 4.5/5 perfectly cooked, delicious. Very solid and tasty meal. Definitely recommend and if I'm ever craving it I will deff come back for this. Service was kind. Nothing out of the ordinary but the food really speaks for itself. Would definitely recommend this spot. already planning my next trip here, there's so much more to try!! All of this was $150 and I would say, for the amount of food and drink we got it was pretty reasonable and justified giving our experience with some DANK food. Super pumped to try it again. read more

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Ollei was a great option for a casual weeknight dinner! We ordered the beef bulgogi and tteokbokki. Both were extremely flavorful and fresh. As a plus, the servers were very attentive and came by several times to check on our table. I'll definitely be back to try more items off the menu read more

Ollei - Beef bulgogi - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Summary: Solid Korean eats within city limits Details: TBH I wasn't expecting much from a Korean spot in this part of town, but was pleasantly surprised! Their menu is comprised of a good selection of KBBQ, and your other typical Korean fare like various pancakes, tteokbokki, KFC, and so on, with parties given the usual banchan at the start, albeit with a smaller (but refillable) than usual options. Their kimchi, seafood pancake, and short rib soups were the highlights of our meal, with the bibimbap being the least notable, and pretty lacking in flavor, though you can address that somewhat with the provided seasonings. As usual, not as good as what you can get in the East Bay, but certainly not a bad choice if you want to stay within SF proper! Accessibility: A spacious enough venue with your standard height tables, so accessibility shouldn't be an issue! read more

Ollei - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

8/2/2023 Decided to venture out and so glad ! We had Taylor as our server..was friendly and very informative and very sweet! We were moved to another table due to a party of 8.. and she was so apologetic- We received complimentary dumplings- and they were outstanding! They've only been opened three months, and if I lived here this would be my go to spot.. Ordered the galbi ribs- so flavorful and not fatty at all.. Also got the fried mackerel and it was perfectly cooked and the dipping sauce matched with the flavors. Great to see a full house ! Went with the galbi ribs- seasoned just read more

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I have been here a few times and enjoyed what I ordered. This last time I ordered the 김치 말이국수. I was not too happy about. The broth was not appealing. In defense of the chef; this is not a typical dish for winter season...I was surprised to see it on the menu so I ordered it. I think i'll give it another try in hot weather when diners are likely to be ordering frequently. Just to clarify; I ate it and it was ok. But usually I will drink all the broth. In this case i didn't. Everything else ordered has been very satisfactory. Hence the 4 stars despite the 1 star performance of that particular dish on that particular day :) I will continue to frequent this place. read more

Thicc galbi This place does comfort Korean food for right. Was able to get a table with a short wait on a Friday night. We went for the budaejiggae and the galbi. Galbi was so good. Tender, hot, and juicy and sliced especially thick for maximum tenderness. The buddaejiggae was done right with all the classic ingredients and well seasoned broth. Prices are reasonable and service was excellent read more

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This spot on Polk has been a quick favorite after moving nearby. I appreciate the great food and how late they stay open. They do project and blast kpop throughout the evening and night. The servers are nice and quick. They also do have a great happy hour deal that covers later at night and not the usual timings when I'm stuck returning from work. All their dishes have a great spice level and they definitely can kick it up way high, made a slight mistake of overconfidence once. The most unique and one of my favorites is the creamy tteok and spaghetti. It doesn't seem like something that would work but it really does and it has a mild kick to it that goes great. I also really like the kimchi fried rice, being able to mix the egg in and then lay it flat to try and get some crispy bottom rice like a bibimbap. They do also have larger style Korean soups that I am still looking to try. They have great soju cocktails that sadly are not part of the happy hour deals they have but are still delicious regardless. Definitely will be back soon! read more

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Nathan provided excellent customer service, including advising us when asked what to get. He was attentive but never interrupted our conversation. The food was mouthwatering, well-timed, generous and nuanced. Highly recommend the Kimchi Pancake with homemade soy sauce, the Bulgogi (huge portion of beef), and Seafood Bibim Bap. Ambiance is casual and restroom is clean. We don't have anything like this in the N Bay so we will return soon. read more

Ollei - Delicious, hot and hearty Seafood Bibimbap. Outstanding flavors! It has a little kick but not too much for most people. - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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First time here and food/service was amazing! We had 6 people and got seated right away. Family style is the way to go. We ordered the pork belly which was really tender and crispy. The soy garlic and regular KFC were very crispy and moist. Our server was very nice and attentive. Would definitely come back! read more

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Had an excellent- and super filling- dinner with two friends here on a Friday night. The place was busy but not too crazy packed. Our waitress was super friendly and helpful on recommendations. We did find it funny that she apologized that the food would take a bit of time because the kitchen was backed up... only for the food to arrive within 15 minutes! The food: - Budae Jjigae (Army Soup): this was the star of the dinner and actually the main reason we came. My Korean friend was excited to see this on the menu and non of us were disappointed. The presentation was beautiful and the flavor and heartiness of the stew was excellent. All I can say is make sure you have a few people with you when ordering and definitely order this! - Grilled Pork Belly: wow. We ordered this on a whim in case the stew wouldn't be enough (it would've been) but man am I glad we did. The grill on the pork belly was perfect and the flavor had a delicious mix of fat, salt, and char. I'd honestly come back just for this + rice. - Kimchi Pancake: this was a pretty hefty pancake! I'm so used to thin kimchi pancakes but you're definitely getting your money's worth of ingredients here. And to no detriment to the flavor. This was a welcome addition as a side dish. Don't plan any strenuous activity after this place- you'll be moving very slowly, but happily fed. Will definitely be returning. read more

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Ordered seafood pancake, spicy pork belly so review is based on that: Food: - Pancake 4.5/5 - Pork belly 4/5 Service: 4/5 - food came out quick - service was a bit slower Ambiance: Casual Banchan was 4 dishes but it had everything I liked. Fish cake, kimchi, radish. Not as creative on the Banchan front compared to some of the best I've had, but good. The seafood pancake was fluffier than most places and seemed "heartier" because of that. Pork belly was good, but average if you're going to compare. Sauce was good, felt like it had a honey glaze. Would come back again read more

Ollei - Banchan - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was so happy to see a new Korean restaurant in Russian Hill because there aren't that many in this area. The only other one I can think of is Korean Soul Chicken down Polk Street! My husband and I came to Ollei on a Saturday evening and it was packed! We had to wait a little to be seated, but i'm glad they're doing well. I loved how they played kpop videos on the wall with a projector too. What we ordered: - Ollei chicken wings with soy garlic sauce: The soy garlic sauce was delicious! However, the chicken wings weren't crispy at all. T.T I didn't expect them to be super crispy since they were sauced up, but I did expect a little crunch like usual with Korean fried chicken. - Seafood pancake: The pancake was good, but thinner than i'm used to. Also, there's not a lot of seafood in it. Still a good pancake though! - "Beef" and vegetable japchae: The japchae was delicious with a sweet and savory sauce. I put quotes on the "beef" because though it states there's beef in the menu description, there was no beef to be found in the dish. I liked the shitake mushrooms though. Maybe they forgot it? Or they should take beef out of the description. Service was good, but since they were busy, the food took a while to come out--totally fine with this since it's a new restaurant and they were super busy, but just writing it so other people are aware! Overall it's a good Korean restaurant for Russian Hill, but I have other favorite Korean restaurants across the city. read more

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Solid korean food in the Russian Hill area, with solid service and casual vibes - Tofu Stew: Very flavorful and nourishing! Better than most tofu soups I've had, although it was a bit spicy - Chicken wings: These turned out more saucy than crispy, and I would've liked more of a crunch and more batter. Still tasty and the meat was juicy! - Corn cheese: flavor and cheese pull was immaculate, would recommend read more

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Walked in on a Thursday afternoon. There wasn't a lot of people. The service was great! The workers were always consistently checking up on us. I ordered a bibimbap in a hot stone. I love it when it sizzles because the rice would crust/burn up! read more

Ollei - Bibim Bap - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

TLDR: Solid Korean place on Polk Street close to Berber. Everything was a little sweeter than we thought it would be (could be a good or bad thing depending on your preferences), and the portions were large. I might be back if I need to find a place in the area and am craving Korean, but probably wouldn't go out of my way. ------ FOOD: 1. [MUST TRY] Seafood pancake (5/5): Yeah this was awesome. Huge pancake with 6 large slices so a great thing to share with a big group. Thought it was nicely crispy and came out piping hot. 2. Spicy pork belly (4.5/5): Delicious, definitely noticeably sweet, and spicier than expected, though not unbearably so. 3. Soft Tofu Soup (4.5/5): Large soup that could probably feed 2-3. Really really flavorful, and it's great that it comes with both tofu and your choice of meat. If you're a soup lover, order this. The spice is real though, so eat something else before you start on this. 4. Bul Go Ki (4/5): Lots of sweet, thinly sliced meat. I thought all the meat dishes had very generous servings. Didn't blow me away or anything, but very solid. 5. Egg souffle (4/5): Large serving. Nothing special and wish it had just a little more flavor (soy sauce? something else?) but does remind of simple, comforting home cooking. 6. Cheese corn (3.5/5): I've seen this in tv shows before so I always wanted to try it. I have no benchmark to cheese corn dishes elsewhere, but while I thought it was good, I probably won't order this again. Just not for me, but definitely an interesting combo of sweet (corn) and savory (cheese)! We also got served rice and banchan for the table with some of our dishes I believe, and the rice actually wasn't bad. The banchan was ok but it was nice that they gave refills. ------ SERVICE: * Our food came out really fast when we ordered around 6 pm, but to be fair, we were one of the first groups to order so maybe that's why. * You scan a QR code at the table for the menu and then someone comes around to take your order. * Our waitress didn't seem as knowledgable about the menu and didn't seem as patient when we asked about it ------ ENVIRONMENT: * Casual place with lots of tables for 2-4 people. Not full around 6 pm on a weekday but definitely got a little busier by the time we left * Random, but they don't have a great bathroom in case you care about that :) read more

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So excited for a new Korean restaurant to open up in the neighborhood! Polk street lacks a bit in Asian food and not only does Ollei add to the diversity but also it elevates the food quality. I went around 7:15pm on a Monday and every table was filled except for one, with a trickle of people grabbing take out as well. The vibe is lively and casual with kpop blasting and music videos playing on the wall (similar to 707 or zzan). Banchan- 5/5 delicious! Kimchi pancake- 4/5 perfectly crispy on the outside and so so soft on the inside. Could have used a bit more kimchi flavor but still so good Beef Soft tofu soup- 5/5 you have the option of ordering the tofu soup with beef or seafood. The soup base is on the thicker side and pairs perfectly with rice. Beef ribs- 4/5 a little salty but amazing flavor Service- super nice and attentive staff Looking forward to trying the rest of the menu :) read more

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Delish! Service was good, staff was very kind. Not that fancy but everything was amazing. Had great flavor in everything we ordered, highly recommend! read more

Ollei - Ttok Bok Ki Plate, 8 Piece Ollei Chicken Wing - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's been hard to find a restaurant open late now days especially in the Polk Street area. Luckily I found out about this spot through Instagram which is conveniently located in my neighborhood. The staff is super pleasant and attentive. The food is tasty and great for groups to share. You can't go wrong with their fried chicken, Korean pancakes, or stews. I hear that they are attempting to try some new things on their menu in the future, so I am excited to see what is to come.  Overall, I had a great experience here. I will definitely be back especially when my friends and I need a bite to eat later in the evening. I'd also say this is a great location as there are not many restaurants open late on Polk Street for those hitting up the bars. read more

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Went here after seeing Sheng Wang, the food was great. Enjoyed the tofu soup, which had plenty of flavor and was still boiling hot when it came out. The cheesy fries were also good, crispy and the dash of bacon was just right. I added the bul gol ki on top of the fries and it made it even better. The side dishes were also great especially the kimchi. Service was quick and no wait to get in either. The place is small and cozy, with a huge screen that was showing the nba all stars. Noise level was minimal so great for conversations. Overall this place is a come back for quick Korean bite. read more

Ollei - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It's always exciting to hear of a new Korean restaurant in SF since there are so few! I came to get takeout, and the workers seemed really nice when I picked up my order. I got a soft tofu soup with beef. I thought it was just ok, far from the best I'd had. It was a bit bland/watery, and lacked the umami and dimension that I was expected. Also, I'm not sure if it's normal, but they cracked the egg into my to-go container and didn't stir it, so my egg had already cooked when I discovered it at the bottom. I did like that the order came with banchan and rice though! Maybe I'd come back to try a different dish if I'm craving Korean and in the area. read more

Ollei - Soft Tofu Soup - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came by to this restaurant because we had friends in town and it popped up on Yelp. We got a resounding and validating comment from our friends after eating here about how "we know good restaurants," -- Yay! The army stew was sooooo good. So good we asked for more ramen and soup to fill it in. I'm craving it as we speak. The flavor wasn't overly salty, it was robust and the ingredients -- spam, veggies, etc. we're delicious. That dish and the toppoki were my favorite standouts. In that dish, they had a skewer + fish cake which had me holding back to be cordial the greater crew. The ambiance was nice; not overly crowded / busy. It's new and clean! High ceilings btw. I liked how the tables were spaced out. This will be the go-to spot to ask my boyfriend to go to when we're craving Korean :) Excited to come back! read more

Ollei - Kimchi Fried Rice - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Eric the server is the best ! He is so knowledgeable about the menu and the service is top-tier and so welcoming! Yesterday was my second time coming to eat and once again I am amazed by the server and the service and the food ! The Soft tofu tastes so good ! Chicken wing and bulogigi is always my fav ! Def recommended ! read more

Wish I liked Ollei more. No frills korean restaurant with minimal decor in the inside and super friendly staff. However, the bibimbap was soggy and did not have even the slightest bit of crispy rice. Stone bowl was also not even hot. Corn cheese was delicious but I must be transparent and say that it was given to us for free in exchange for writing an honest review. read more

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Decided to dine in here since they got a pretty high rating on yelp. Everything was shareable and the food tasted pretty decent but nothing very wow or memorable. read more

Ollei - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

We stop here every time we take a trip to SF. The best Korean food in the area. Love the grilled pork belly.

Amazing food, cool and casual vibes, and great service! I'm from socal so the Korean food standards were high but this is hands down some of the best Ive had! We got the following: - tteokbokki carbonara - the short rib (with 2 extra sides of rice) - corn cheese - kimchi pancakes The kimchi pancakes were the crispiest and best pancakes I've had. Perfect balance of crisp and fluffy. Carbonara was creamy, rice cakes were so perfectly cooked. And the GALBI (short ribs) were smokey, had the perfect burnt ends, and deliciously savory! Cant say enough about this place and glad we took a trip here! read more

Food was great. Service was excellent. Seriously nothing to complain about restaurant experience. Will be going back again, and recommending to friends. If you enjoy Korean food, I highly suggest a visit. There was one service person managing the front of house, while the restaurant was 1/2 to 3/4 full. She provided a calm, personal, professional service to every single table. I am not normally a cold noodle person, but the spouse wanted cold noodles, and they were great. The fried chicken was excellent. Enjoyed each of the small dishes. Highly recommend. read more

Awesome food, our server was nice enough to suggest a few vegetarian options, everything was delicious. Would come again. read more

Ollei - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Their rabokki is my guilty pleasure! The rice cakes are cooked to the most perfect chewy texture, and their ramen is al dente. My favorite part is the fish cake, which is skewered onto a long stick and soaks up the sauce so well. The sauce isn't too thick nor dry and is so flavorful without being too crazy spicy. Even when the dish sits out for a while, it still remains moist, and the ramen and rice cakes don't clump up. Although it's basic and there's nothing too unique about this dish, it's never a let-down, and I keep coming back for it! I've only ordered take-out, and each time, it took no more than 10 minutes for my food to be ready. Delivery is also very fast! The restaurant is clean and has lots of tables, and whenever I pick up my order, there are tables readily available. read more

Ollei - Teokbokki with Ramen - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

This was a take out gift from my mom when I was sick - food was plentiful and 1 soup, 1 beef and 1 seafood pancake easily fed 3 adults

Ollei is a nice casual restaurant to enjoy a variety of Korean foods. I came here on a Sunday afternoon with a group of 4 and was seated quite promptly. The interior is quite clean and casual. The place was half full at this time and they had one worker here waiting all the tables so service was a bit slow. As a result, when needing items such as napkins or chopsticks, it was easier to get up and grab them ourselves from the counter by the cashier. The meal started off with some banchan small plate appetizers. The kimchi, cucumber, and mixed salad were all quite good. The fish cakes were oddly dry and tough though. As we finished the set of banchan throughout the meal, it was nice of them to bring out a second set of refills later. We ordered a variety of items such as their fried dumplings, kimchi pancake, seafood soup, and seafood bibimbap. Everything came out nice and hot though each felt like it wasn't balanced well in terms of flavor. The kimchi pancake and seafood bibimbap was a bit saltier than liked and the seafood soup had far too much black pepper in it. The soup also starting boiling and overflowing early into the meal due to the heat that was being applied to it. In the end, the food felt a bit below average for a Korean restaurant but it also felt like it was just one small tweak away from being quite good. The portions were fairly generous overall. With a properly adequate amount of staff and some small changes to their food, Ollei could be a nice Korean restaurant in the area. read more

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This is my favorite Korean restaurant in San Francisco. The vibes are always good and the food is guaranteed delicious!! I am local to the area and the service at the restaurant has always been very welcoming and quick, even when busy! Shoutout Hazel! read more

Ollei - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff is very friendly and nice. Thank you guys this was my first time in SF and you made it amazing. read more

Ollei - Such a good place. The food is absolutely delicious, and the staff is so friendly and nice. 10/10 recommending your in SF. - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California