Skool

How can I not want to try Skool with all the beautiful pictures on Unilocal?The mouthwatering uni flan, the beautiful presentation of Japanese inspired dishes, and the modern vibe were just a few things making Skool look irresistable.
But beyond the beautiful façade, Skool suffers from the curse that ⁹⁄₁₀ «fusion» places have.
It’s a hard concept really, there’s years and years of traditional cooking that’s been working fine, then you go mix it with flavors from the west to try to make something better. Most of the time, it really falls short.
Most of the plates had me wishing for something more, and left me feeling like everything was overpriced. The Black Squid Ink Spaghettini is something between soup and pasta. And this cannot be blamed on trying to make pasta more subtle in the fashion of the Asian palate. The Japanese have been making fusion pasta for years with great flavors and Skool’s pasta is just a poor excuse for a fusion dish. Another overpriced but not delicious dish is the Nicoise Salad. At $ 18.50, I expect something to taste good, not to taste «meh». Admittedly, all the ingredients were of good quality. However, that doesn’t amount to anything if they cannot be brought together to create a good, harmonious flavor. Even the Uni flan wasn’t anything special, and certainly not good enough to have me coming back. In fact, the only thing I positively remember about Skool is the Baby Eryngii Fries.
In all honesty, the pictures do not do this place justice and not in a good way. Nothing went wrong but the food is just not great. As another Unilocaler expressed perfectly — «Skool is stylish, but lacks substance where it matters.»

Came here for restaurant week & ordered the three course special. It was pretty good– but all three dishes were small enough to be a tapa, so that was a bit disappointing for $ 40. Place has a good vibe, and the staff was nice. Did not have a reservation so they sat us at the bar which was fine. I’ll give it 4 stars because there’s a lot of potential here and their fries are amazing!

Sorry, this place is not special and a total scene. Poor quality food, not nearly as pretty as the Unilocal photos. Had a whiskey sour that was way too sweet. The brandade had zero flavor, hamachi nothing special, but the real problem was my main course. It was the special of the day for restaurant week so maybe that’s why it all was just not good. Main course was cod and my second bite tasted of ammonia. I stopped right there. That was enough mediocre and then straight up disgusting food.
As for the scene, funny more than anything else. I don’t spend a lot of time in LA, but I’m guessing that it’s probably like that everywhere. Full of extra skinny chicks with huge fake tits and low-​cut tops. Definitely a fun place for guys though! Really a very strange vibe for a San Francisco restaurant. I thought maybe they were Super Bowl hookers or something.
I swear, I’m not usually this mean, but the restaurant really was a big disappointment food wise. If you want really fresh fish, do not eat here. If you want something special and different, do not waste your time.

The restaurant have a nice look but the sitting are very uncomfortable. Their special alcohol drink aren’t great. The raw dishes like the oyster and carpaccio were warm…
The good dishes from my meal were the uni flan, duck and mussels.

Restaurant week should be the opportunity for the restaurant to show customers the best of what they have to offer, right?
Not really according to Skool. When I was ordering, the waitress told me that the the items on restaurant week menu should be coming out really quick. Well guess what, you would need to wait 5 mins for starters and another 15 mins for the entrée. You want a dessert? Sure, that’s another 10 mins.
As a result, as much as I hate typing with my phone, I managed to type in everything above this paragraph. I was gonna give this place a 3-​star, but they just gave me enough time to think about it again and guess what, only 2 stars now.
I should mention that food was ok, but when offset by the wait, the overall experience was just not pleasant at all.

I have been frequenting Skool since it opened. it is in a weird little cross roads of San Francisco. Not quite SOMA. Not quite Potrero. But it is perfect. The husband and wife owners do an amazing job.
The signature dishes are exactly that… I have been ruined in all the right ways by the squid ink pasta as well as the mussels. I would even dare say that their mussels are the best in the city. When the weather is decent, take advantage of their patio and don’t be afraid of using the patio on a cool evening either as the include the added touch of complimentary blankets. It is a different experience and it is also absolutely perfect.
I have taken a number of people their over the years and each person has walked away a fan. If you haven’t eaten at Skool yet… don’t hesitate. Well worth it.

Disclaimer: This review is for the 2016 restaurant week menu.
Just walking in, skool has a really nice atmosphere and I really enjoyed taking it in. Service was decent, a bit slow at times.
One of my friends and I ordered off the restaurant week menu. This consisted of yellowtail sashimi, roasted cod, and a choice of gelato/​sorbet.
The yellowtail was really fresh and the fish itself had so much flavor. I also really enjoyed the citrus in the dish coming from the yuzu (I think).
The roasted cod was the disappointment of the night. It was an incredibly bland dish consisting of potatoes, brussel sprouts, and red cod. At first i thought there was a mistake. I even asked my friend if his dish was seasoned. The dishes were the same and they tasted as if they cooked the three ingredients and left out all the seasoning. I decided to not finish this dish. My one friend, who ordered off the regular menu, tried the spaghettina which I thought was amazing after trying my own dish. He gives it a 3.5÷5 though.
I chose the tangerine sorbet as a dessert. It was fruity and refreshing. Normal.
All in all, I’m pretty disappointed in the entrée but I think skool has a many other options that may be better.

Went for the 3 course restaurant week menu and of course, the uni flan.
Appetizer — The presentation was nice. I almost didn’t want to eat it; but who am I kidding!!! There were 3 – 4 slices of Hamachi on top of a radish and preserved lemon salad. It was fresh and the salad added a nice crunch to the soft Hamachi.
Entrée — I’m not a huge fan of cod because of its super mild taste or usual lack of flavor; but this plate changed everything. The cod was delicate and flaky but not dry and the skin was delicious. It was served with squid ink sauce. It’s the first time I’ve had squid ink and if you ask me, it’s to seafood as olive oil is to bread or pasta. It had a mild fishy taste; but honestly, I used every drop of it. Shall we say new first love? The cod also came with roasted Brussel sprouts and fingerling potatoes. The Brussel sprouts were roasted and sprinkled with sea salt. The dish was perfection in every bite.
Dessert — I had the lemon cookie gelato and Hubby had vanilla bean with caramel. My dessert was light, refreshing, and cleaned my palate. The vanilla bean was the total opposite. It was rich, sweet, and filling. They were equally scrumptious! The third dessert option was a tangerine sorbet.
Uni (sea urchin) Flan — Can I still say O-​M-​G without being lame? I was shocked! Uni is something I’ve never liked; but with all of the positive reviews, I had to try it! The uni flan was light, smooth, and creamy. It was somewhat reminiscent of lox cream cheese but not as thick or fishy. The ikura (salmon roe) it’s topped with explodes in your mouth and adds a buttery flavor. Sorry was that too much? This is a definite must-​try, even if you’re a bit leery of uni. You won’t regret it.
The venue — Down the hill from Potrero Hill… so, SOMA? Bright, garden-​inspired theme, patio, and bar. Located near showrooms and the design area of the city. The ambiance was warm and cozy.
Overall, I was happy with our dinner and service was exceptional. This is a true gem in an unexpected location.
TIP: Happy hour is 5−7pm and must dine at bar. I watched a large party (15ppl) request happy hour drinking/​dining and they were given the large table near the bar. Call in advance.

Cute atmosphere and great for dinner with friends or a casual date. In the warmer seasons, the patio is to die for.
Food:
*Mushroom fries — they aite. If they come to you cold, ask them for warm ones… they are much better warm lol
* The uni flan — i love uni, while it’s true that there’s not too much uni involved. The dish is absolutely brilliant. I’d go back just to eat these again.
*Squid ink spaghettini — was half spaghetti and half warm-​soba. Kind of a trip and wasn’t too crazy bout it, although it was highly recommended by the waiter.
* sashimi sampler — unique combo of sashimi and fruits. I really enjoyed the surprising coordination of flavors

I visited Skool with a friend for Saturday brunch and had a pretty decent experience.
Skool’s interior is fun, trendy and modern. The menu is also decently varied and the servers were prompt and very friendly. Unfortunately, I think the quality of the food is extremely inconsistent and does not merit the expensive price tag.
I ordered
— Deviled Eggs — Beautifully presented, but mediocre at best. The anchovies tasted rank and overpowered the taste of the dish.
— Karaage and Waffles — How do you mess up chicken and waffles? Extremely mediocre. The chicken lacked flavor and the waffles were just sad. I am easy to please when it comes to breakfast food, but I couldn’t find anything to like about the dish! How can you mess up fried chicken? How can you mess up waffles? So disappointing given Skool’s modern and polished interior. :/​Maybe they should have spent more on their chefs?
–Omelette with shrimp — Delicious! But how can anyone justify paying $ 19 for a freaking omelette? I mean it was delicious, but definitely not a lifechanging experience. It was just a very regular omelette, except for $ 19. You can make the same or better at home for $ 3.
Overall, I had a disappointing experience. Skool is stylish, but lacks substance where it matters.

My group of 5 was so pleased with Skool this weekend. We managed to get a reservation for 5 on a Friday evening (outside only, but they put a heat lamp nearby). The food was four stars, parking 5 and service 3 making Skool a solid 4 star dinner spot.
Parking is plentiful and FREE — or maybe we just got lucky? That alone put us in an extra good mood.
Before you get excited about happy hour specials, note that it is only for alcohol (and the specials aren’t that fabulous); there are no snacks on special during HH.
We got the shoestring fries and mushroom fries. Both good, but the mushroom app was not what I was expecting. The mushrooms themselves were standard– not a tasty variety, and battered and fried. Felt like soggy tempura. The aioli was better than the app itself.
I got the veggie risotto, which looks tiny when it comes out but is decadent as hell– I couldn’t even finish it.
The dessert menu changes often but we shared the blue cheese cheesecake and black sesame dessert, both of which were unique and beautiful.
Regarding the service I would just suggest they replace the water jug more frequently and without waiting for us to ask. The entire restaurant was only hosting a few more parties present while we were there!

Absolutely LOVED Skool! Although the restaurant is on the edge of a no-​so-​good neighborhood (don’t leave any expensive belongings in your car, according to the multiple signs), Skool is modern and delicious. My husband and I took my dad here for his birthday, we wanted to try something new and different, Skool popped up when I looked online for reservations. After checking out their website and their Unilocal profile, the food looked delicious and they had great reviews! Done deal!
I definitely recommend the Pacu BBQ Ribs, Skool has made these ribs that are so close to BBQ pork ribs it’s crazy, we loved them! The Deviled Eggs were such a different flavor like we’ve never had, we thought they were a nice twist to the usual deviled eggs you make at home. For dinner, I got the Black Cod, which I thought was perfectly salted and had great flavors with the roasted radicchio and sun chokes. My husband got the Kobe Burger, he’s not into seafood as much as I am, but he thought it was really good! My dad got the Spiced Honey Roasted Duck, he wished it had been cooked a little more but he did say medium-​rare was okay to the waitress. He also liked it but I think he would’ve enjoyed it more if it was cooked a little longer.
For dessert we shared a Flourless Chocolate Cake, which was SO good, I almost didn’t want to share! We also had a Japanese fusion-​style cheesecake, we liked it but that chocolate cake topped it all! They gave my dad a candle for his birthday and even gave us one dessert for free! Love places that take care of their customers!
We will definitely be back! My husband said, «It was the best meal I’ve had a restaurant in a long time!» Check this place out, you’ll love it!

Great place to go for a fancy-​ish dinner. Lots of available street parking if you drive (although surroundings are a little sketchy), food is good, restaurant and restrooms are very clean, and the restaurant itself was not packed when I went (Sunday evening). I made a reservation for 4, but didn’t seem necessary since it wasn’t packed at all, but a decent amount of parties kept rolling in throughout the night.
Favorite dish was the squid ink spaghettini! The broth was delicious!

Uni flan and squid ink spaghettini. Those are the only two things you need to know although I’m sure the other dishes are delicious also.
Seriously, whoever thought of the concept to turn uni into a flan is brilliant. It’s served in a small mason jar topped with ikura and served with bread. This is food porn at its best. Of course, if you aren’t an uni fan, this dish isn’t for you… but why the heck wouldn’t you be??? Haha.
The squid ink spaghettini was delicious. It’s served in a curry, dashi broth served with squid, shrimp, and mushrooms. Brings you to flavor town and back. The spaghetti was cooked to a perfect al dente. Fantastic.
They have indoor and outdoor seating. Make a reservation. Service is fantastic. Street parking only.

A quick update:
Skool remains wonderful. We have been coming here for years, even though we’ve moved to the East Bay.
My husband proposed to me in front of the whole restaurant, and they always, always remember when we come back. Before that, my husband and I had many wonderful, intimate dates, eating delicious, fresh, Japanese New American food and thoughtfully crafted cocktails in the warm interior.
Now we bring our children, and they adore the Uni Flan, and the Fish sampler, and the amazing flourless chocolate cake. The food is and always will be beautiful and delicious, but Skool is also like family for our family; it will always be the place where my husband and I finally went legit. Love Skool always.

Came and visited SF and my friend booked a table here since I told him no «western food» when I visit. (Land/​people locked in the Midwest) Ha.
The décor of skool is very appealing, modern, hip and kinda romantic at the same time. I would also suggest making a reservation before hand.
The drinks menu is very well thought, crafty cocktails. I picked one of the coffee+Bourbon cocktail and it did meet my expectations (price+class+location).
The food menu is also what I would expect, seafood and Asian fusion. There are the classic appetizers and main entrée sections. I had the intention to eat/​order uni this time I visit SF and of course ordered the uni flan appetizer. The uni was on top of a uni flavor flan. It was really fresh and the flan has a subtle uni flavor which was nice.
For the main course, I had chosen to have a seafood noodles dish which has a spicy kick to it. Again, the seafood was fresh, noodles was well done with great texture and the flavors of the soup was strong yet want overwhelming.
In all, would love to come back and try the other dishes! Also think it’s a good place for a date!

Called in advance and made reservations for two. For a Friday night, it was bustling but not so busy that you couldn’t get a seat outside a reservation.
LOVE the décor and theme. Their menus are printed on line paper and brought to you on a clipboard with a pencil. The dim lighting and dark wood furniture make the restaurant feel sophisticated but not intimidating… like the hot girl who is approachable. Alright, on to the grub:
Uni Flan ($ 13)
BF loves uni. I don’t. He loved it. I obviously didn’t but I loved the presentation. He said it was good and definitely glad he ordered it. I said… the bread chips that came on the side were delicious.
Skinny Fries ($ 8)
Not a fan of shoestring or super thin fries (I like ‘em thick and salty… your mind is in the gutter right now, I imagine) but these were an appropriate size. Fries should always be ordered.
Squid Ink Spaghettina ($ 23)
This was the reason for wanting to come to Skool in the first place and ERMAHGERD did it deliver as promised. It’s spicy… and not like the spicy that’s actually not… this one cleared my sinuses. The noodles were perfectly chewy and served in very generous portions. It was great for sharing (Bonus: They even brought sharing bowls without us asking. Chaaaa!)
Chef’s Risotto ($ 28)
Super rich and creamy but not overly flavorful. Loved the chunky shrimp and meaty grilled tuna. I’d highly recommend this one along with the spaghettina.
Perfect date night meal after a long week. Cheers to getting skool’ed!

I came here recently with a couple of friends for a very belated birthday dinner. We ordered the following to share family style: uni flan (one each), squid ink spaghettina, and mussels. The uni flan was nice and creamy, though the uni flavor wasn’t particularly strong. The pasta was quite tasty, and the split portion was a good size. We also enjoyed the mussels (the broth was especially flavorful — great for sopping up with bread!). Our server brought out some complimentary gelato for our birthday, which was a nice touch. Overall, a very enjoyable meal!
–L.

I came here on a double date with my boyfriend. I’ve been wanting to try this place especially after hearing about their famous uni flan!
We ordered the uni flan and ankimo mousse spread to share and I ordered the squid ink pasta.
I enjoyed the uni flan the most, it was very smooth and definitely very different, it is a MUST TRY. The ankimo mousse was okay, it was good but I bit too salty for my taste. The squid ink pasta was good, I felt it needed bit more flavor.
Service was great, the staff was very friendly and attentive. Environment was nice, definitely a good place to drink and eat with friends. I would come here again and try their other dishes in the future.

Really popular joint. Glad they have the blistered long beans and that is what I was here for. It seems that Asian customers love this place because every table has some sort of Asian haha (not a racist because I am one too). Can only comment on the food I had… Frisee salad was medicore and small. Service was pretty slow because our server was over tasked.
The mimosa and bellini drinks were pretty strong though.

Nos llevó a este sitio un amigo que vive en San Francisco y la verdad es que me encantó. El sitio es muy agradable y tiene una terraza que en verano debe ser una delicia.
La comida es de fusión asiática y todo lo que pedimos nos encantó. Primero un surtido de entrantes con salmón, patés… Riquísimo todo para abrir boca. Luego llegó un risotto muy bueno, unos espaguetis con tinta de calamar picantes y mi playo favorito: un magret de pato acompañado de puré de calabaza y huevo de pato… Digno de pedirlo cada vez que se vaya.
Perfecto para una cena tranquilita especial.