Bay Area · Thai
Nari
Michelin-starred contemporary Thai in Japantown’s Hotel Kabuki from Pim Techamuanvivit; bold heat in a greenhouse-bright room.
- Price
- $$$
- Opened
- 2019
- Neighborhood
- Japantown1625 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94115
About
Pim Techamuanvivit opened Nari on August 9, 2019, inside Hotel Kabuki as a larger sister to Kin Khao. The name (นารี) means “women” in Thai and honors the cooks who taught her; the menu blends heritage Thai flavors with Northern California produce. Michelin awards one star. The Chronicle, Eater SF, the New York Times, and Esquire covered the opening as a major San Francisco Thai debut. The Lundberg Design room seats roughly 100 downstairs plus an upstairs lounge for cocktails and à la carte bites.
Menu highlights
- Grilled squid and pork jowl
- Chef’s tasting / prix fixe with duck curry puffs and seasonal courses
- Spicy curries such as gaeng bumbai with mushrooms
- Nam prik and other chile-paste-led starters
Diners say
Reviewers praise explosive spice, memorable main plates, and the plant-filled room. Recurring caveats include high checks, reservation scarcity, heat levels that surprise mild-spice diners, and uneven service reports on busy nights. Many treat it as celebration Thai rather than a casual pad Thai stop.
Review synthesis as of 2026-07-28. Synthesis of recurring themes in public Yelp and Google Maps reviews sampled July 2026; not a rating or ranking.