Niku Steakhouse

This SoMa spot that revolves around wagyu beef is the most modern (and expensive) spot on this guide, but if you’re someone who froths at the mouth over marble scores and beef grades, welcome to your happy place. The shiny binchotan grill is the centerpiece of the dining room—watch as chefs sear textbook-sized tomahawks and filet mignon over the flames. And the sides, like potatoes fried in wagyu fat or truffle gnudi, are basically Met Gala versions of your regular steakhouse accoutrements.

Niku is a Japanese-inspired American steakhouse, one of the few Michelin-starred steakhouses in the U.S. It dry ages meat in house and has a butcher shop next door, from which head butcher Guy Crims departs to source high quality A5 Wagyu steak in Japan. This includes specialty wagyu such as Kagawa olive wagyu rarely seen elsewhere, from cattle raised on toasted olive pulp.

Combining Japanese and American influences, Niku Steakhouse offers a unique, high-end dining experience in the Design District. This Michelin-starred restaurant shines with its in-house dry-aging program and unique selections of coveted Japanese A5 Wagyu, coupled with a focus on wood-fired cuisine. Executive Chef Dustin Falcon, an alumnus of The French Laundry, and his team create innovative small plates and side dishes that elevate the dining experience beyond traditional steakhouse fare, such as black truffle gnudi with chicken and lardo sausage, morel mushrooms, and madeira blanquette, and Kusshi oysters with fermented tomato water gelée and housemade tajin.

This Michelin-starred restaurant from Chef Dustin Falcon features a meat-driven menu, highlighting the elevated and exclusive cuts of Japanese A5 wagyu. Located in San Francisco's Design District and emphasizing wood-fired cooking, diners will fall in love with this marriage of American and Japanese sensibilities. Niku Steakhouse serves a seasonally-changing menu of small plates and innovative sides like "chawanmushi, maitake mushrooms confited in wagyu fat, and crispy pig ears." Wine lovers will also adore their award-winning wine program focusing on both Old and New World offerings.

O’ by Claude Le Tohic- On the third floor of One65 sits one of San Francisco’s must-dine establishments: a multi-level French concept restaurant reminiscent of the Italian restaurant brand, Eataly. The O’ from O’Farrell reminded Le Tohic of the French “eau,” meaning water. From this, Le Tohic personally developed a refined culinary concept and a menu based on the elements of water, fire and earth.

Niku Steakhouse approaches beef with near-religious reverence. Their open kitchen showcases chefs wielding binchotan charcoal – a traditional Japanese fuel that burns clean and hot – to coax maximum flavor from premium cuts. A5 wagyu flight presents different Japanese prefectures side by side, creating an educational tasting experience.

Why You Need To Dine Here: If business or pleasure calls for a fine steak, Michelin-starred Niku is a must. Its in-house dry aging program cultivates heaven from the finest cuts, including Japanese A5 wagyu. Wood fire is at the heart of Executive Chef Dustin Falcon's process, who came up via Lazy Bear and French Laundry.

Everything about Niku screams classy, from the burnished wood bar to the many cuts of Japanese beef. If you’ve ever wanted to see what the Wagyu beef hype is about, this is the place. You can go with a melt-in-your-mouth A5 Miyazaki, or opt for the A5 tasting ($275) for a wider sampling.

Niku Steakhouse has elevated the experience of enjoying a great steak and martini. It has a sleek, contemporary, business-casual vibe rather than the white tablecloth, buttoned-up, atmosphere of a classic steakhouse. Ordering the fatty A5 Wagyu is a life-affirming experience.

Few Michelin-starred steakhouses exist in the United States, and Niku Steakhouse is at the top of the list. The dining experience is as memorable as the food. The meat here is exceptionally high-quality thanks to a partnership with the butcher shop next door.

Niku Steakhouse is a modern American steakhouse with Japanese influences. Under the guidance of Executive Chef Dustin Falcon, Niku offers a tasting-menu-forward dining experience with fresh, seasonal ingredients and kappo-style service.

- Rating: 4.4/5 (775 reviews)- Price level: $$$$- Address: 61 Division St. San Francisco, California - Categories: Japanese, Steakhouses- Read more on Yelp. You may also like:Highest-ranked pizza restaurants in San Francisco by diners

61 Division StSan Francisco, CA 94103(415) 829-7817 Visit Website See Menu Open in Google Maps. Nestled in Design District, this Michelin One-Star meat spot takes pride in its Wagyu and Japanese-American fare.