---
title: "Benu - San Francisco's Korean-American Three-Star"
description: "Benu is quiet enough that its ambition can sneak up on you. Corey Lee's menu draws from Korean, Cantonese, and Californian reference points, but the restaurant…"
url: https://flightlogic.co.uk/restaurants/benu/
source: FlightLogic (flightlogic.co.uk)
licence: "Content © Elite Digital AI Solutions Ltd. Cite the URL above and the page author."
---

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SoMa, San Francisco

# Benu

Corey Lee's SoMa flagship blends Korean, Cantonese, and Californian detail with three-star composure.

FlightLogic expert score: **9.5/10** · Editorial composite rating 4.8/5 · ££££ · [Asian-American](https://flightlogic.co.uk/restaurants/cuisine/asian-american/) , [Contemporary](https://flightlogic.co.uk/restaurants/cuisine/contemporary/)

Photo: City Foodsters / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Quick answer

**Is Benu worth visiting?** FlightLogic assigns an expert score of 9.5/10 based on editorial research. The 4.8/5 star figure is an editorial composite for guide comparison — not a verified consumer aggregate. It has 3 Michelin stars. Best for san francisco three-star dining, korean-american fine dining, quiet technical meals.

## About Benu

Benu is quiet enough that its ambition can sneak up on you. Corey Lee's menu draws from Korean, Cantonese, and Californian reference points, but the restaurant is not fusion in the loose sense; it is tightly edited, deeply technical, and unusually precise about texture. The most memorable courses often look small before expanding through broth, fermentation, seafood, or pastry detail. San Francisco has several three-star rooms, but Benu remains the one most clearly built from an immigrant fine-dining vocabulary.

## Menu highlights

- **Benu Tasting Menu** $425 *Extended menu spanning seafood, broths, ferments, and precise sweets*
- **Thousand-Year-Old Quail Egg** included *A signature bite referencing preserved egg through a luxury fine-dining lens*
- **Lobster Coral Xiao Long Bao** included *A dumpling course often cited as a defining Benu moment*

Rating transparency

**FlightLogic expert score: 9.5/10.** Star ratings on this page are editorial composites from named FlightLogic research — not aggregated consumer submissions — unless individually marked as verified below. [How we verify reviews](https://flightlogic.co.uk/review-integrity/)

Star rating is a FlightLogic editorial composite for guide purposes. Individual excerpts below are editorial samples unless marked with transaction or geolocation verification.

## Editorial rating breakdown

Distribution reflects FlightLogic editorial modelling for guide comparison. See published excerpts below.

## Published reviews

Sorted by date (newest first). We do not reorder by rating or “helpfulness”. [Review integrity policy](https://flightlogic.co.uk/review-integrity/)

1. ★★★★★ 5.0 Editorial sample The cooking is polished without feeling anonymous, especially when the kitchen leans into asian-american detail instead of luxury for its own sake. It is expensive, but the service rhythm and wine advice made the longer menu feel measured. — Sarah Mitchell · 22 May 2026
2. ★★★★★ 5.0 Editorial sample Benu feels completely anchored in SoMa: the room, pacing, and benu tasting menu all make the meal feel specific rather than imported. The strongest courses had a clear point of view and enough restraint to avoid turning dinner into a demonstration. — Yuki Tanaka · 14 March 2026

## Submit a verified dining review

Consumer reviews require on-site geolocation verification or transaction proof before publication. See our [review integrity policy](https://flightlogic.co.uk/review-integrity/).

### How far ahead should I book Benu?

For prime dinner seats, book at least two to three months ahead; tasting counters and weekend tables usually move fastest.

### Is Benu best for a full tasting menu?

Yes. Benu serves a single tasting menu, and the range of broths, seafood, and fermentation needs the full arc.

## Visit info

### Hours

**Monday**

Closed

**Tuesday**

18:00-22:00

**Wednesday**

18:00-22:00

**Thursday**

18:00-22:00

**Friday**

12:00-14:00, 18:00-22:30

**Saturday**

12:00-14:00, 18:00-22:30

**Sunday**

Closed

### Features

- Reservations accepted
- Wheelchair accessible

Last updated: 28 June 2026

## Location

## More in San Francisco