ABsteak From Chef Akira Back Opening Union Square Location Soon

Restaurants & Bars

ABsteak From Chef Akira Back Opening Union Square Location Soon Chef Back currently operates 28 locations around the world.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Acclaimed Michelin-starred Korean Chef Akira Back has announced the upcoming opening of ABsteak in San Francisco's Union Square on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. It will be the second ABsteak location in California with the first located in Los Angeles.

Chef Back's inaugural restaurant in San Francisco will introduce a classic Korean steakhouse experience to the Bay Area and help revitalize Union Square. The restaurant is located in a 6,500 square foot space with 130 seats at 124 Ellis St. and will feature contemporary yet comfortable decor with a well-planned bar and lounge area as well as multiple private dining rooms.

"We are thrilled to bring ABsteak to San Francisco and to be part of the incredible culinary community here," said Chef Back. "This city is known for its appreciation of innovative, high-quality food, and we believe our unique approach to the steakhouse experience will resonate with both locals and visitors alike."

The menu at ABsteak features Korean flavors along with signature dishes and new offerings that pay homage to Chef Back's other restaurants. The concept will focus on premium cuts of dry-aged beef and wagyu sourced from top producers, with dishes featuring a range of banchan, sauces, and condiments. ABsteak will utilizes a custom-designed tabletop grilling system that uses smokeless Japanese Binchotan charcoal to ensure a perfect sear on every cut with an interactive element.

Signature dishes should be familiar to fans of Back including the AB Wagyu Pizza with wagyu tartar, truffle oil and an option to add caviar; Ganjang Gae-Jang with soy marinated Korean raw female crab; and individual bites with A5 Japanese wagyu, uni, Osetra royal caviar, and truffle, and a 45 Day Dry Aged SSam Jang New York Striploin.

The restaurant's interior was designed by Kinney Chan & Associates and is a blend of contemporary design and traditional Korean elements. Chef Back's mother's artwork with Korean watercolor is displayed throughout the restaurant including on each menu cover, placed on custom dishes and on paneling behind the bar. Glass cases display cuts of wagyu and aged steaks and with a 112 circular wine bottle display glass case that is a spectacular feature and centered in the middle of the dining room.

The restaurant will be open for dinner service from 5 pm to 10 pm from Tuesday to Thursday and from 5 pm to 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. Reservations can be made on Opentable or by calling (415) 421-9014. For more information, visit absteaksf.com

Chef Back currently operates 28 locations under his banner in cities such as London, Paris, Las Vegas, Dubai, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Singapore, San Diego, Doha, Riyadh. Toronto, Seoul and more. He plans to open 10 more over the next 2 years including: Rome, Bali, Taipei and Florence.

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About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a writer and journalist with over 10 years of experience. I write the food and travel blog Carlos Eats ( ) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines on numerous topics.