Welcome to kiwa kitchen
At kiwa kitchen, located in the vibrant Bernal Heights area of San Francisco, a delightful fusion of Japanese and Asian flavors awaits. This cozy eatery prides itself on serving wholesome, hearty dishes made with fresh ingredients, highlighting Asian comfort food such as crispy chicken katsu, flavorful gyoza, and tantalizing squash tempura. The friendly staff creates a welcoming atmosphere, ensuring each meal is served with care. With an emphasis on both meat and vegetarian options, whether you’re enjoying a quick lunch or a leisurely dinner, kiwa kitchen captures the essence of community dining. Each bite is a celebration of taste and cultural harmony.
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615 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110 Hotline: (628) 628-9103
Welcome to the delightful world of kiwa kitchen, an inviting haven of Japanese-Asian fusion nestled in the heart of Bernal Heights at 615 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110. With a menu that celebrates the vibrant flavors of Japan alongside other Asian culinary traditions, kiwa kitchen is fast becoming a must-visit for locals and visitors alike. You can reach them at (628) 628-9103 for any inquiries or takeout orders.
From the moment you step inside, you're greeted by a warm atmosphere that's both casual and charming. The interior exudes an island vibe, enhanced by soothing Hawaiian tunes that set the perfect backdrop for your meal. Whether you're dining in or grabbing your food to go, you’ll appreciate the attentiveness of the staff, who are known for their friendly service and dedication to customer satisfaction.
Let’s talk about the food! The menu here is a delightful tapestry of well-crafted dishes that appeal to diverse palates. Begin your culinary journey with a few appetizers. The Chicken Karaage, a Japanese-style battered fried chicken, is a crowd favorite, offering perfect crunch with tender meat beneath. For a vegetarian option, the Crispy Fried Tofu with sweet and sour sauce is a hit, balancing texture and flavor beautifully.
- Gyoza – Pot stickers filled with either chicken or veggies, expertly seared for that perfect crispiness.
- Shrimp Tempura – Lightly battered shrimp paired with ponzu sauce.
- Garlic Edamame – A kicked-up version of the classic, sauted with savory garlic and a touch of spice.
As you move to salads, the Tea Leaf Salad stands out with its innovative blend of ingredients like romaine lettuce, peanuts, and fermented tea leaves. It’s a refreshing accompaniment to any entree! For a heartier option, opt for the BBQ Pork Salad, featuring a mix of fresh ingredients and a spicy, sour dressing that keeps each bite exciting.
If you're in the mood for soup, the Miso Soup is a comforting staple, rich in flavor with scallions, tofu, and shiitake mushrooms that warms the soul.
The highlight for many guests is the teriyaki dishes. Patrons rave about the Chicken Teriyaki and Tofu Teriyaki, both praised for their fresh ingredients and vibrant flavors. A review from loyal customer Ally S. describes her experience with the chicken teriyaki as "absolutely delicious" and served with care—an important touch that enhances the overall dining experience.
For anyone who enjoys some variety, kiwa kitchen manages to surprise by blending traditional Japanese elements seamlessly with flavors inspired by Vietnamese and other Asian cuisines. Each dish is a testament to the chefs' creativity and dedication to quality ingredients. The Squash Tempura with its crushed peanut tamarind sauce is a perfect example, offering a delightful twist that’s wholly satisfying.
As you plan your visit, keep in mind the cozy atmosphere, which is often filled with the soft hum of patrons enjoying their meals or quietly working on laptops. This creates an inviting sense of community, making kiwa kitchen a lovely spot for lunch breaks or casual dinners. And don’t forget to explore the nearby Cortland área for a leisurely stroll after your meal!
In summary, kiwa kitchen is not just a restaurant; it's a celebration of flavors, community, and comfort. With a menu that emphasizes freshness and a commitment to quality, this gem on Cortland Avenue promises an experience that’s sure to satisfy every craving!
Had the Chicken Teriyaki tonight !! Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much ! Always served with love and care, I appreciate it. Never fails to amaze me !!
Food is fresh and flavorful. Vegetarian options available. Servers are courteous. Seems like the same venue changes to another restaurant at night.
We have now done takeout from Kiwa three times, always ordering the Tofu Teriyaki. At first I thought this was the only vegetarian option aside from the Veggie Ramen but now realize that there is at least one more (Japanese curry) for takeout and a few more on their in person menu (which you could potentially get by calling in)! The service is always friendly when we go to pickup and I am always shocked with how fast the food is ready. If you order using their website you usually get an ETA of 20-25 minutes and they are almost always ready in half the time (~10 minutes)! I am really looking forward to sitting there and eating sometime soon because the restaurant is quite cute. If you go in a little late for lunch (say 1 pm) you'll see a few people working on laptops or in notebooks with their lunch along with maybe a table or two of people eating lunch together so it stays fairly quiet but comfortable.
Homey and healthy Asian comfort food place in Bernal heights. The staff is super nice and the place has plenty of seating available. Street, metered parking outside, but it's quite cheap for Bay Area. We got the salmon rice bowl and katsu curry, both good portions and very reasonably priced for this day and age. Both are quite delicious and hearty, with veggies, protein with sauce, and warm rice, exactly what we were looking for - a simple, yummy, and quick meal.
Solid lunch choice with very attentive service. Chicken katsu and BBQ pork vermicelli were delicious. Squash tempura batter was thicker than expect and less tempura like.
After picking up some things in the bayshore area, my sis and I decided to have lunch in Bernal Heights. It's a cute area with a bunch of restaurants and stores. Kiwa Kitchen popped up when checking yelp. It was only a few minutes away from where we were at. Parking can take awhile but side streets usually have 2 hr parking. Check the signs to make sure there's no street cleaning! Kiwa Kitchen has this island vibe with Hawaiian music playing in the background. Looking over the menu, it's a melting pot of different Asian dishes. We decided to share the chicken kaarage, tea leaf salad and a tonkatsu ramen. The kaarage was tasty little bits of chicken and tea leaf salad was good as well. However, the ramen noodles were overcooked and soggy. The broth was kind of bland. And the egg was not your typical ramen egg but a soft boiled egg without the umami flavor. Maybe the chef had an off day or this is how it's supposed to be? I wouldn't recommend the ramen. Maybe the vermicelli or garlic noodles would have been a better choice. I guess I'll stick to ramen restaurants for ramen.
I have walked by this dark, little unassuming restaurant 50 times in the past year on Cortland not knowing or realizing it is a super casual, well priced Japanese casual restaurant. Wha???!!!! I am Japanese so im very particular about deep fried chicken katsu over rice w tonkatsu sauce. I like thin chicken patties, that are very crispy and crunchy on the outside. This is the crunchiest, crispiest Panko breading of most chicken katsu places. Even expensive ones end up being dry thick chicken w soggy half crispy on on the top that falls off. Do not know how the very last pieces even on the bottom of my takeout were still crispy AND crunchy. ***I always have them leave the cover off so it doesn't steam n get soggy wet. ***I always eat it in the car. At least start so I taste it hot n crispy. I'll try the rest of the items the next times I visit. Super sweet ladies. Still well priced. Nice work ladies! Domo Arigatou
I love that there is another tasty option for lunch on Cortland! Small menu but plenty to choose from. I ordered their lunch special that day which was a BBQ Pork salad with a Thai iced tea. (They could substitute a tofu salad if you prefer a vegetarian option.) The salad was flavorful and the Thai iced tea was refreshing for a warm day. Service was quick and friendly. Looking forward to trying other items soon.
What a wonderful delightful surprise! Located inside Moki's, Kiwa Kitchen is sharing the space. Kiwa Kitchen does lunch and they do it extremely well. You can order from a short but robust Japanese-inspired menu! That has some little surprises too, like Vietnamese inspired delicious marinated pork with vermicelli! Edamame spicy and garlicky! Gyoza! And the teriyaki chicken was awesome as well. Next time (and you know I will): RAMEN!! Beer and wine are available via the Moki menu. Just ask your gracious, warm server. We had the place to ourselves today and while I love a quiet lunch, this place should be hustling. So good. And reasonable price. We are like fools for around $48. Alcohol was an additional $17. Come on in! The eating is fine!! Then take a stroll down adorable Cortland!!
I had the chicken katsu. It was to-go so the chicken was a bit dry. I'm sure if I had it in person it would be much better. It was pretty good. I'll will definitely give it another try.