Nari is a Michelin-starred celebration of contemporary Thai cuisine inside San Francisco’s Hotel Kabuki, channeling chef Pim Techamuanvivit’s refined, fiercely authentic voice into a menu that marries heritage recipes with California seasonality. Named for the Thai word for “women” (นารี), Nari pays tribute to the matriarchs and cooks who shaped Thai culinary tradition, while giving that lineage a modern frame—vibrant, aromatic, and elegantly plated. The result is a destination that feels both glamorous and grounded: a lively bar for cocktails and conversation, a chic dining room for shared feasts, and a kitchen that honors spice, balance, and texture without compromise.
Atmosphere and Setting
Set at 1625 Post Street in the heart of Japantown, Nari is reached through the Hotel Kabuki lobby, where bold design cues and a softly lit, contemporary aesthetic set the mood. The dining room is sophisticated and social, with a hum that makes it ideal for group gatherings and celebratory dinners, while still feeling romantic at smaller tables. A stylish upstairs cocktail bar gives the space a split personality in the best way: a lounge-forward perch for aperitifs and nightcaps, and a vantage point over the room’s cosmopolitan energy. It is the kind of place that looks and feels of-the-moment—trendy and upscale—but remains comfortable enough to linger over a second round of roti or one more curry for the table.
Culinary Philosophy and Menu Highlights
- Squid and Pork Jowl: Grilled Monterey squid meets tender pork jowl with peanuts, cilantro, and sticky rice—a study in chew, snap, and fat, finished with a citrus-chile lift that makes each bite feel complete.
- Gaeng Bumbai Aubergine: Crispy eggplant in a brick-red bumbai curry, crowned with basil and crispy shallots. The roti here is a star—flaky, buttery, ideal for scooping the curry’s layered, aromatic heat.
- Prik King Gai: A crispy chicken stir-fry in sweet-spicy curry paste, green beans, shrimp, kaffir, and salted duck egg—familiar comfort dialed up with textural crunch and saline depth.
- Khao Tung Ngob: A seafood curry served with crisp brown rice crackers, featuring sustainably farmed trout, Gulf prawns, coconut cream, and makrut lime—a tableside favorite that demonstrates how richness and acidity can move in tandem.
- Cocktails: The Nilaka (agricole rum, mango-lassi, pineapple, pandan, falernum) typifies the bar’s approach—aromatic, tropical, and balanced to stand up to spice without erasing nuance.
Beyond à la carte, the chef’s choice menu offers a curated journey through Nari’s signatures and seasonal one-offs—a strong pick for first-timers or groups eager to let the kitchen steer. Vegetarians will find thoughtful options integrated into the menu rather than tacked on: vegetable-driven curries, wok-tossed greens, and salads that build complexity through herbs and spice rather than heaviness.
Technique and balance
Nari’s cooking thrives on contrasts. Crisp and creamy collide in eggplant and roti; cool herbs and citrus check the depth of coconut cream; wok heat brings smoke and snap where needed; fresh and preserved elements play off each other to stretch flavor length. Dishes are built to share—family style, convivial—and designed to work together on a table, so one curry’s richness can be brightened by a salad’s acid or a relish’s funk. This modularity is a hallmark of Thai dining and a reason Nari is as successful for couples as it is for groups.
Menu favorites include:
- Squid and Pork Jowl: Grilled squid and tender pork jowl, topped with peanuts and cilantro, paired with sticky rice—praised for its flavor and texture.
- Gaeng Bumbai Aubergine: Crispy eggplant in spicy Bumbai curry with basil and crispy shallots, ideal with their buttery roti.
- Prik King Gai: Crispy chicken stir-fried in a sweet-spicy curry paste with beans, shrimp, kaffir, and salted duck egg.
- Khao Tung Ngob: Seafood curry with brown rice crackers, featuring sustainably farmed trout, Gulf prawns, coconut cream, and makrut lime.
- Signature cocktails: Like the Nilaka (agricole rum, mango-lassi, pineapple, pandan, falernum), complementing the bold menu.
The chef’s choice/tasting menu allows diners to experience a curated progression of Nari’s most creative dishes.
Chef and Accolades
Chef Pim Techamuanvivit has reshaped the conversation around Thai cuisine on two continents. With Kin Khao in San Francisco and Nahm in Bangkok, she has championed rigor and authenticity while welcoming innovation, pushing past reductive stereotypes to present a cuisine of breadth and precision. Nari’s Michelin star, earned in 2023, marks a continuation of that trajectory and underscores the restaurant’s place among the Bay Area’s culinary landmarks. The recognition reflects not only technical excellence but a coherent vision—one that treats Thai flavors with reverence and creativity in equal measure.
Guest Experience
Service is warm and informed, tuned to the energy of the room: tables receive guidance on pacing and plate selection without pressure, and the staff is adept at advising on spice comfort levels and complementary combinations. The bar team’s cocktails and the wine list’s acid-driven whites and textured rosés make pairing intuitive; beer selections and low-ABV options round out the spectrum for spice-friendly sipping. The space is welcoming to both locals and visitors, LGBTQ+ friendly, and well suited for solo diners who want a seat at the bar with a curated flight of small plates.
Practical Details
- Reservations: Required; dinner only
- Price: $$$ ($100+ per person)
- Hours: Daily, 5:30–9 pm (Friday/Saturday until 9:15 pm)
- Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible entrances, seating, restroom, and parking
- Atmosphere: Cozy, romantic, trendy; great cocktails; groups and solo dining welcomed
- Crowd: LGBTQ+ friendly, tourists, locals
- Parking: Free street, paid lot, or garage
Nari captures the joy and intelligence of Thai dining: dishes meant to share, flavors that build across the table, and a culinary grammar that never panders. It is fiery when it should be, subtle when it needs to be, and consistently elegant without losing the cuisine’s essential soul. For Thai food enthusiasts, tasting-menu seekers, and anyone excited by the dialogue between tradition and California’s markets, Nari is a definitive San Francisco experience—one that lingers in the memory as a glow of lemongrass, lime leaf, chile, and the warmth of a room designed for feast and fellowship.
For more information, please visit Nari