John Wesley is an award-winning chef, recognized as the chef/owner of Kiln in San Francisco, which holds one MICHELIN Star. He was honored with The MICHELIN Guide California 2024 Young Chef Award and Kiln was a James...
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Insights are still being generated for this restaurant. In the meantime, check the latest reviews below.
When I asked for no oysters, they simply skipped my dish entirely instead of offering even a small alternative while my partner enjoyed the oyster course. I was left sitting there with nothing in front of me, which felt surprisingly inattentive for a restaurant at this level. Down to an 8/10 for the lack of hospitality. I expected a bit more from a 2 star.
The food itself was also surprisingly hit or miss. Some dishes were absolutely delicious. the bread and butter and duck w consommé were genuinely some of the best I’ve ever had . genuinely divine and exactly what I’d expect from a restaurant at this level. A few others were quite unpleasant I’d rate them a 1/10 even. The contrast between courses was quite jarring.. When the dishes landed, they really landed, but the misses were equally memorable for the wrong reasons. Overall, this would’ve been a solid 9/10 if they hadn’t disrupted the flow of service. Worth a 1 star. Doubtful on 2.
Had a really good experience here. Service was attentive and thoughtful throughout the meal. The wine selection was very on point and paired nicely with the food.
Overall, the dishes were delicious and well prepared. One thing I noticed though is that, they seem to enjoy using foam textures in their dishes. We had several courses that included foam elements. Not a bad thing, just an interesting trend I noticed. Overall, a very enjoyable dining experience.
3
I recently dined at kiln. The service was warm and attentive, and the ambiance was beautiful and intimate, both truly enjoyable. However, from a culinary perspective, the experience did not feel aligned with a two star Michelin level, if anything it felt closer to one star.
While the menu was interesting in concept, many dishes tasted very similar to one another, creating a very repetitive experience that exploited the same flavors/textures over and over again. Several plates leaned overly greasy and salty, and a noticeable number of preparations were excessively raw or not well executed. As someone very familiar with blood sausage, that particular dish unfortunately missed the mark. The box of sweets at the end was also underwhelming in flavor and finish.
Certain elements, especially a gelatin component, felt overused throughout the menu, contributing to a sense of monotony rather than progression. Even after enhancing the experience with added caviar and exploring both the alcoholic and non alcoholic pairings, nothing truly stood out as memorable or mind blowing. The white wines were excellent and thoughtfully chosen, though the reds were less impressive. The non alcoholic pairing unfortunately felt more like a sequence of juices than a curated pairing.
Overall, while the service and atmosphere were lovely, the cuisine did not deliver the level of distinction, balance, and excitement we expected.
4
Service was impeccable. Music was a bit disjointed with a mix of hip hop and rap that didn't fit the vibe. Food was great but not 2 Michelin great, with a bit too much acid in each dish so things are on the sour side. Highlights were the duck, scallops and dessert.
5
Extraordinary meal and you’re going to get truly fed - 20 courses, more than 2000 calories (so maybe make it your only meal?), but so many flavors and ingredients that you’ll be on a true journey with the restaurant. Ambiance is industrial minimalist with striking hip hop and RnB beats, service is top class and very customer centric. Especially enjoyed the black cod and scallop, but every dish attempts something interesting. They take a Polaroid at the end which is a cool way to remember the night!