Kothai Republic

Casual restaurants in the Inner Sunset suffer from what we’re calling “Tough Competition Syndrome.” With a ton of great spots packed into a small radius, it’s hard to stand out. But Kothai Republic does. Add it into the rotation when you’re looking for a change of pace through "unapologetic Asian fusion" dishes that blend Korean and Thai flavors. 

While not everything is perfect, we always leave satisfied—the experience at Kothai is fundamentally a fun and comforting one. Giant windows and heaters accompany potentially chilly evenings. And no matter what, there’s a constant buzz. Small groups laugh until they almost spill their sake. There are couples on first, second, and third dates. And the occasional family packs in for a meal of Kothai’s small plates, and rice and noodle dishes. 

photo credit: Erin Ng

Across the menu, there’s plenty of risk-taking—but the small plates are bolder and where the flavors shine. So grab a few and you’ll be on the best path to a good time. The crowd-favorite kimchi rice balls are glazed in cheddar and will disappear from the table instantly. We also recommend the ceviche—perfectly cut and cured red shrimp, dill, and mint work in harmony to create an explosion in your mouth. The big plates, on the other hand, lack the zip and excitement of the smaller ones, but are still worth ordering at least once. The green curry kimchi king salmon is a clash between strong kimchi and lemongrass flavors that should work in theory, but don't quite work in tandem in this dish. The Korean spicy noodles, with the unexpected hint of tamarind, somehow tastes like Cheetos.

Despite some dishes not sticking the perfect landing, Kothai does a good job. Service is great (somewhat comically, our water cup never got below half full), big groups are made to feel right at home, and, while this place is packed on weekends when there’s a line out the door, it’s easy to get a table after a short wait. And sometimes, that’s plenty to stand out from the crowd. After all, Kothai’s essential qualities—cozy, fun, and inventive—are the best things a casual restaurant could be.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Erin Ng

Kimchi Rice Balls

These rice balls are worth devouring, even when they’re piping hot. Delicately fried rice comes together with bacon and cheddar, all slathered with a nice aioli to create the perfect flavor transportation object. One of the standouts, and part of the reason that we would come back.

photo credit: Erin Ng

KoThai Ceviche

Expect jumbo-sized shrimp chopped into bite-sized pieces on crisp baby gem lettuce. This delivers a surprising tartness that we adore.

Korean BBQ Skirt

This is a well-cooked skirt steak. The burnt onion purée adds some interesting flavors, but at the end of the day, this is just a good steak that could use more flavor. We blame it on the much-too-subtle kalbi marinade.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Bibimbap

It’s a bibimbap. It’s a good bibimbap, but it’s just a bibimbap.

King Salmon Haw Mok

Thai green curry is working in concert with baek kimchi. On first bite, it seems like the flavors work, but the more you eat, the more you'll wonder if they're truly working, or if you're just intrigued by the dish's novelty.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Beef Noodle Soup

Regrettably forgettable. Despite a laundry list of good ingredients, nothing really shines through to give this dish the needed oomph. The chicharrón was a fun and welcome addition, but not enough to make this worth ordering again.

photo credit: Erin Ng

Korean Spicy Noodle

Like we said, this cold noodle dish somehow tastes like Cheeto dust—and that certainly makes this dish interesting. The cold noodles work well in contrast to the char flavor from the pork jowl, and we really love the hint of tamarind that pops through on certain bites.

Cheesecake

It doesn’t seem like there’s a dessert menu, but if you ask, they’ll tell you about what dessert they have on offer. It was a cupped apple pie cheesecake situation the several times we went. Unlike many other situations that we find ourselves in with no information, we have no complaints about this one—it's bliss.