Daeho serves this 400-Year-Old Korean Delicacy 😋
Daeho's Kalbijjim is a thick Korean beef stew not found elsewhere in the Bay
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In the heart of San Francisco’s Japan town, you will find Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup. Daeho’s specialty is Kalbijjim, braised short rib stew that was once popular among Korean kings and royal families during the Joseon Dynasty. However, they don’t serve a traditional Kalbijjim; they stack their Kalbijjim with vegies, thick broth, and top it off by blowtorching cheese over the dish. It’s the Americanized 🇺🇸X🇰🇷Kalbijjim .
Daeho is always going to be busy. You can expect an hour or more wait any time during the week.
Restaurant Recs
Daeho only has 3 categories of foods, keeping it simple:
Braised Short Rib (Kalbijjim)
Boiled Beef (Suyuk)
Cold beef soup noodles (Kalbi Tang).
Pretty much every dish contains meat, so it’s not very vegetarian friendly.
If it’s your first time at Daeho, the only correct thing to get is their Kalbijjim. That’s their specialty! I highly recommend the regular Kalbijjim and Kko Gal Jjim (Braised Beef Rib with Oxtail). If you want even more meat variety, get the Squid Kalbijjim.
Each Beef Stew will run you anywhere from $85 to $100. It is meant to be shared among 3-4 people. Trust me, you WILL be full.
Vibes & Thoughts
The presentation of their Kalbijjim is immaculate. It’s absolutely awesome when they bring out the blowtorch and melt the cheese right in front of you.
I’ve visited both Daeho locations in San Francisco: the Japantown one and the H-Mart food court in South SF. If you have a car, I would recommend driving down to the H-Mart location because you won’t have to wait in line
The restaurant is very busy, so expect to wait in line. During your wait, there is lots to do and see around Japantown.
You should bring a group of friends or family to go eat, at least 3 people! It is not a great place to go for 1-1 or dates because one Kalbijjim is too much for two.
