To me an amazing fine dining experience is like reading a great novel. It takes you on an adventure, immersing you into its story be it set in an exotic, fantastical locale or just simply down the corner. These novels are replete with the classical dichotomies of light and dark, conflict and harmony, joy and sadness, birth and passing, elation and conclusion. Kiln is a great novel over 18-20+ courses. From its opening pages to closing, Kiln is an epically rich story, complete in its ethos of cooking, singular in its approach, minimalist in its environs, rounded in its experience, and luxuriant in its pairings. From when you enter it's an experience. A frosted glass door leads down a long, dark wood corridor akin to a Narnian wardrobe which then explodes into a loft of light and cement and airiness with a strangely Gondorian, Lord of the Rings tree planted in the middle. Brutally minimalist in its layout with white canvases hanging from the bare cement walls surrounded by art gallery lighting, it almost sets the stage for Pollock to walk up and improvisationally throw paint on them. Every course is meticulous and calculating yet playful with touches of exquisite flair. The opening bites are exercises in bursts of umami with malt vinegar, beef tendon, and roasted onion and anchored with the earthiness of the counterbalancing ingredients. Dramatically minimalist akin to an theater lowering its lights to focus on the soprano on center stage, the courses are explosions in reductionism, with a rabid focus on ingredients, French, Nordic, and Japanese technique, and preparation. A carabinero prawn with kohlrabi, chamomile, and grilled cream with a touch of spice from smoked peppers / chipotle. A beet cornette with a dallop of bone marrow which blended smokiness, fried goodness similar to how a fast food french fry hits during a long roadtrip, and brought full circle with a juicy, acidity of biting into a (huckle)berry. Chef John and General Manager Julianna hail from Sons and Daughters, perhaps my favorite Michelin-starred restaurant in the Bay Area. Where Sons and Daughters' ethos was minimalism with California flair and color, Kiln SF is that philosophy approached maniacally and singlemindedly. This is most reflected in the fish course of a Norwegian mackerel that's dry aged and sauteed with ramp and shellfish. It was a delectable combination of crisp, fried seaweed-like fish skin with a luxuriant shellfish sauce with notes of scallop and lobster. Following the mackeral was squab. A notoriously difficult bird, essentially an innocent, baby pigeon before it hits teenage years and morphs into a raving lunatic New York City pigeon. Its preparation was akin to a Peking duck with lacquered skin accompanied with an asparagus head, burnt honey, and a liver ganache. Another highlight were the trio of dishes that showcased venison. Prepared 3 ways - a custard, grilled, and on the side, the dishes were executed, technically perfectly. The grilled filet was wondrously tender, finished with a beautiful sauce whose acidity helped balance and cut its richness and a little cabbage leaf whose crispness was a tidy addendum. Throughout the evening, service was attentive yet discrete with a sincere warmness. And the wine pairings ($165)... oh the wine pairings. The beverage director, Vincent Balao, most recently hails from Atelier Crenn, and is unleashed on this banquet of possibilities. A sake made with olive yeast, a gorgeously layered yet acid-forward, rich riesling trocken from Mosel, a fantastical vouvray, and a rioja fit for a king (among others), were beautifully paired. Depth yet rounded, exuberance yet can be buttoned up - these wines and sakes were spectacular. Kiln reminds me of other ascendant restaurants in SF that have opened recently - Ssal and Nisei. Michelin stars will inevitably come in the near future. Yet Kiln stands above. It's perhaps the best restaurant I've dined at in SF in the past 4 years. Make a reservation. Indulge. Think. Savor. Enjoy. It's that good.

I think it is just a matter of time before this place gets its Michelin star. Everything from the moment I made the reservation was professional, smooth, and elegant. The restaurant is clear about not being able to accommodate allergies, which I appreciated. The complimentary sparkling wine at the beginning of the meal is a nice touch. We did the shorter tasting menu, and that was a perfect amount of food. The ambiance is lovely, the service was excellent. And the food was outstanding. I will say, the one thing that we found unpleasant, and strange, was the choice of music. I understand that maybe they are going for a trendy, edgy vibe. But this is really not the place to do it. It really detracted from what was otherwise a wonderful experience. I also like that the menu was creative and features items that are more unusual (see photos). I would definitely come back.

I'll start off by saying right away, this is a better experience than many Michelin rated spots I'll be shocked if they don't have two stars soon (assuming they want them) Everything absolutely on point. I loved the brutalistic minimalism of the decor, which instantly draws all attention to the food to set the tone. The one and only miss of the evening for me was the caviar service, the broth was over powering and the caviar is lost for the most part. I adored the bread service, I could eat that course all day every day and put that butter on everything truly spectacular. Definitely a perfect experience overall.

We had an absolutely stunning meal at Kiln to celebrate our third anniversary. The service was extraordinary from start to finish, the dishes were creative and delicious. We enjoyed speaking to the chefs throughout the meal. I am so glad we found this gem before everyone else did. Feeling very lucky to have had such a beautiful dining experience.

Trying to put the experience at Kiln into a short little review will be near impossible but here we go. My wife and I followed the founders of Kiln from their previous restaurant and have watched Kiln become what it is today. It’s inspiring and extremely motivating to see people pour their hearts and soils into a craft, and that’s exactly what is happening at Kiln. The “perfection or nothing” attitude is something you don’t find anymore in almost any facet of life but I truly believe that is what they doing on a daily basis. Everything from the service to the setting was utterly perfect. You feel important from the minute you walk in. On the food and wine side we choose the extended tasting menu with the wine pairing. The thought that goes into the dishes is unmatched. It’s the perfect combo of edible artwork that tastes better than it looks. We can’t wait to come back. Cheers and we wish you all the best

Impeccable. Absolutely impeccable. Affordable for what it is, gorgeous space, delicious food and drink, amazing service. The non-alcoholic pairing was divine. We got the short menu, but ended up getting sat in the main dining room since they had extra space. Was definitely full, but would love to go back and try the rest of the menu since this one only left me wanting more. So many nice/cute touches, too, like a splash of bubbles to start the night, Polaroid to remember the night, and candle to relive a bit of the stunning atmosphere. 10/10 for sure.

Excellent exercise all around. Fabulous food, great service, unique wine pairing. Caviar edition to the menu was fabulous as well!

Such a great experience, excellent dishes and wine pairing. For sure they will get a Michelin star...