The Most Scrumptious French in San Francisco

Bouche

★★★★☆ 4.3 (961) • $$$

"Honestly, I felt scammed during my recent experience here for multiple reasons, but we'll get to that.My friends and I came for a makeshift holiday party and the ambiance was quite nice and homey. Our waiter was also super friendly throughout the whole meal.We all ordered the $55 tasting menu, and it definitely seemed like some choices were better than others. I had the Cauliflower soup, the Lamb, and they ran out of the chocolate dessert, so I had the cake instead.- Cauliflower Soup: This was a bit of an underwhelming way to begin the meal. I felt like it was lacking flavor and seasoning, and the soup tasted "gray" if that makes sense.- Lamb Tenderloin: Absolutely delicious. Everything on this plate was perfect from the cook of the meat, the seasoning, and the garnishes. I had the bone marrow add on, which was also tasty and well made. They knocked this one out of the park, and this is what I was excited for. This definitely made me forget about the soup while I was dining, and I was excited for dessert.- Dessert: Unfortunately my excitement disappeared after tasting these (I had a bit of both). The chocolate was super runny and it seemed like it didn't set. The cake was a bit on the drier side, and the fruits it came with seemed unintentionally dried out. And now, the scam! They offered us bread with butter which we assume is complimentary, given it is not on the tasting menu as an add-on like other items were, and the server had not told us. We asked for another plate of bread after our first round, and the server said he would bring us two - this to me implies that something is complimentary, because if something cost money, you don't just assume that the customer wants more than what they ask for - you should ask or check. At the end of the night, we had a $36 bread charge for 6 plates. Overall, this was a meal with some really high highs (the main!), and some lows (mid appetizer, bad dessert). I would come back if I could order the main lamb dish a-la-carte, but the bread charge leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

Atelier Crenn

★★★★☆ 4.3 (932) • $$$$

"I've wanted to check out this restaurant for a while, and I finally made it happen last month. As we sat down at our table, the server walked us through the tasting menu. It's written like poetry, with dishes delivered as interpretations of lines from the poem. The dairy-free, pescatarian menu showcases Chef Dominique's memories and inspiration from the sea, as well as the finest local ingredients from the Bay Area. The entire flow of the dinner was seamless, with each course elegantly presented by the hospitable staff. Overall, the flavors were more subtle but creative. We also opted for both the wine pairing and the non-alcoholic pairing. I enjoyed the NA pairing more, especially some of the house-made options. It was definitely a better value as well!I also want to highlight the desserts by Pastry Chef Juan Contreras. My favorite was the Sugar Bee Apple, which, compressed with yuzu, sake, and ginger, was very refreshing. It also helped cleanse the palate and transition from savory dishes to sweets. The dessert courses, holistically speaking, harmonized beautifully with the preceding savory dishes. We enjoyed all of them.Thanks for a vibrant culinary experience! Congratulations to the entire team for maintaining 3 stars from Michelin Guide this year!"

The Barrel Bistro And Wine Bar

★★★★★ 4.6 (801)

"Barrel Bistro was a great choice for our small start-up's holiday luncheon (16 people). The tables were set up when we arrived, while the food and drink choices for both the appetizers and main menu items appeared promptly and together which is tough to do for a large party and a hallmark of a well run backend. Most importantly, everything tasted excellent!I ordered the skirt steak while others at my table had Lobster Risotto, Seafood linguini and the hamburger sliders. That's a wide range of choices so we were joking about who would have "order envy", wishing they had chosen someone else's menu item rather than their own. No one did - all items looked and tasted on point.For appetizers we ordered a cheese sampler (good, but didn't stand out) and an excellent Chorizo Shortbread that disappeared quickly. Wines by the glass and beers arrived with this first round.The wine list was excellent with some affordable choices along with higher end choices that had higher end prices (Side note, it may be a while before I drink Silver Oak, Deep Cliff, or Caymus again! I loved it when they were lesser known and at the upper end of affordable). The wait staff was professional and attentive without being intrusive. Barrel Bistro was a great choice for us and would also be an excellent choice for anyone else that wants something special for lunch or dinner in downtown San Mateo. Five stars!"

Cafe Jacqueline

★★★★☆ 4.2 (728) • $$$$

"Outstanding experience!Did I say delicious food and excellent service?! Well, let's check those boxes too!I have lived in the neighborhood for over twenty years and have always heard wonderful things about Cafe Jacqueline, but I had never eaten there until over a month ago. And here is the bummer! They will be closing their doors soon! Jacqueline, the owner, and chef, is in her mid-eighties and will be retiring.The place is a small, charming space on Grant Ave in North Beach. The two gentlemen who work the floors are true professionals and very friendly if you try to be so! Regardless, they will make sure you are getting top-notch table service. soufflés are their thing, but we started with Onion Soup (outstanding) and Spinach salad with goat cheese. We then tried two different soufflés (Salmon & Asparagus and Lobster) and finished with a dessert soufflé (Lemon). We had an outstanding experience and really enjoyed our time dining. If you plan to go, remember that you must make a reservation way in advance. Try earlier days of the week and earlier dinner times. And do it before they close their doors."

Douce France Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (706) • $$

"This is such a great spot to have a quick bite and get your morning coffee! I really enjoy their outdoor tables and the dining space here. I love grabbing a book to read sitting outside because they have lots of tables available. Their salmon crepe is my favorite here, and I love how soft their crepe batter is. The iced vanilla soy latte is my go-to here, and everything tastes delicious."

Zola + BarZola

★★★★☆ 4.2 (571) • $$$

"Good food, small portions. We came on Valentines weekend, ordered oysters and French oinion soup for starters. My husband got the monkfish and I got the gnocchi. Both were good. Dessert was a raspberry bomb, which was nice."

Cafe Du Soleil

★★★★★ 4.5 (461) • $$

"This is my absolute favorite spot to get lunch when I worked downtown. They have the most amazing lunch offerings. inside there is a wonderful places to sit. It is a small café so seating is limited. It did remind me of being in Paris.Sandwiches are made fresh and to order and I absolutely just die for the ham with brie on a baguette.All the ingredients are fresh and the cashier is prompt and courteous . I always recommend Café de Soleil whenever anyone ask me what is the best spot to eat in the city."

Heirloom Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (526) • $$$

"Snagged a last minute reservation at the bar for dinner before Día de los Muertos. Bacon and onion tart arrived promptly and quite tasty (sweet/salty) on a soft pastry base but was slightly undersized.Gnocchi (with sausage, chives, kale) were pillowy, charred with melt-in-the-mouth goodness.Duck confit very thoughtfully prepared: juicy, unexpectedly tender, well-portioned duck meat (perhaps intentionally under-salted) dusted with crispness on top (sans skin). The presence of maitake mushrooms, pole beans and sweet mission figs presented a delectable dilemma: how best to create a forkful of contrasting taste.Dessert: chocolate pot de creme consisted of crisp wafer crumbling on a sea of luxuriant chocolate custard under softly whipped cream.Bresca Dorada (vermouth) has an unusual golden hue, infused with herbal freshness, an unmistakable bitterness, almost like a subtly mixed drink.Service was prompt and unpretentious."

Aquitaine

★★★★☆ 4.1 (390) • $$

"Their happy hour menu offers a handful of options, we got the petit croque monsieur, crab stuffed mushrooms, mussels, and wings for $8 each. It was a good amount for 2 people!Service was great, friendly people and they brought out sidferent wines and beers to choose from, from the menu. The environment was welcoming and had nice quaint French decor - i especially enjoyed the couch seating and edges of wall that were lines with wine bottle corks."

Florio Bar & Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.6 (385) • $$$

"Great neighborhood spot for food and wine. Staff is always friendly and accommodating, never making me feel weird when I want a table when dining alone (a lot of places say oh well the bar is open...)"

Brioche Bakery & Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (185) • $$

"My favorite place in the Haight Ashbury area. Their prosciutto tartine is so flavorful thanks to the mix of fruit and salty prosciutto and has become my go to item. The people there are very kind. They also have a cozy outdoor area in the back thats kept warm by large space heaters. I bring friends here every time I'm asked to be a guide in SF. No complaints each time."

ONE65 Bistro

★★★★★ 4.5 (146) • $$$

"I'm glad to see The Bistro at ONE65 reopen after a long break! I'm a fan of their amazing Patisserie on the ground floor but had never ventured upstairs til this month. The Bistro is a more "casual" California/French dinner restaurant on the third floor with an open kitchen. ONE65 is also home to the Michelin-starred fine dining concept O' by Chef Claude Le Tohic and Elements Bar.ONE65 Bistro currently has three set menus - two, three, and five courses. The prix fixe menus are a bit on the pricey side, but depending on what you order, they can be more in line with typical San Francisco pricing. We opted for the three course menu (two sets total) and were quite full, especially after the irresistible complimentary bread. We started with some refreshing appetizers - vibrant kampachi ceviche and seasonal heirloom tomatoes with basil and burrata. Finishing the leftover sauces with baguette from the bread plate was a must. And the decadent croissant - perhaps the most buttery I've experienced - was sinfully good on its own.The main courses were both substantial. I chose the campanelle pasta with romesco mascarpone sauce and mushrooms. This was quite enjoyable, with the hearty sauce easily picked up by the al dente campanelle ruffles. He got the grilled half lobster, and though I think lobster is generally overrated, I found myself impressed with the tenderness of this one. Our server indulged our request for more bread, so we got to also try the brioche, another winner! And if that weren't enough bread, we opted for the cheese plate with walnut bread for a savory dessert course. The other dessert was a spin on a peach melba, with poached peaches, strawberry sorbet, and a crispy almond cookie.Overall we really enjoyed the meal, the friendly service, and the counter seating open kitchen view. When I'm feeling splurgy, I definitely want to try O' given how strong this bistro menu was"

La Cuisine Cafe

★★★★★ 4.5 (126) • $

"Excellent French-ish Paris cafe in the center of town near Civic Center. Delicious breakfast sandwiches and coffee freshly made. French music in the background and authentic atmosphere - though our server could be a little friendlier but I guess that's French too lol. Recommended!"

Gary Danko

★★★★★ 4.5 • $$$$

"I've heard of this restaurant many years ago from Anthony Bourdain and had a chance to finally try it on our recent visit to San Francisco and was extremely pleased with the food and service. It exceeded my expectations with cost and quality of food. The waiter and staff are very friendly. The restaurant is very cozy and has casual feel. I think this restaurant deserves a Michelin star ."

Chez Maman East

★★★★☆ 4.4 • $$

"I had a chance to try Chez Maman a while back - and I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. This is an upscale restaurant known for French food - and the food here is awesome. The ambiance here is perfect for a dinner our with friends or with your partner and the service is great.For my food, I tried the beef burger which comes on a ciabatta role (a little different from normal places. Overall the burger was good and flavorful and enjoyed munching on the fries it came with.Had a good experience here and would go back!"

Isa Restaurant

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$

"SF Restaurant Week, It's always a tradition of mine to partake in this SF restaurant event. When I made a reservation to Isa, this time around, I did not remember that I've been here, 7 years ago, also for restaurant. After checking in with the host, the host, welcomed me back. I was surprised, thinking, I was here previously? After we got seated, I found the Yelp review I wrote 7 years ago. Ah, I was. 7 years ago, Restaurant Week deal was $40 for 4 course meal, and for inflation and whatnot, in Nov 2024, it was $66. Prices went up 50%. When I was ordering, I definitely went back to my review and took my own recommendations. So to sum up my experience: - Service: It's slow, It was slow 7 years ago, it's still slow in Nov 2024. The restaurant was not busy, but it took awhile for us to get our food. I'm thinking it's the good for ppl to have a glass of wine to sip and chat. However, our group didn't order drinks, and we were just on our phone waiting for the food to come out. Let's just say that they did not adjust serving speed to customer's dining behavior.- Food, for restaurant week, we ordered a couple of items to share and got different entrees. 1st course: Maine Lobster Broth, it was the bathwater of Maine Lobster because we did not see any lobster, instead, you get a piece of shrimp. It was kind of misleading. This was also on the salty side 2nd course: our table got 3 different kinds to share, in the order that I recommend:Yellowfin Tuna: I also got this 7 years ago, and this time asked them to omit the siracha, so it's not too spicy for me. I still really liked it. Personally, that was the best app among the 3 that we got. Mussels: The favor of the mussels was on point. I'm not a big mussel person but still thought it was good. Dungeness Crab Salad: This was a bit disappointing. I love crab and was looking forward to this the most. The crab was on top of lettuce leaves, along with apple and other toppings. You could have eaten it like a wrap. However, the favor of the other things, like the apple overpower the carb. While the crab was supposed to be the star, it did not stand out. We thought that it was a bit waste of the carb. 3rd course: Duck breast, From my yelp review 7 years ago, I took my own advice and got the duck breast. And I was very very happy about my decision. The dish came with a little salad on the plate with some potatoes and the duck breast. The favor on the duck breast was sooooo good!! And the salad was also good. So the whole dish was very pretty and very satisfyingLamb chop, My friend got this dish, I'm not a big lamb person, but my friend really liked it and the flavor was on point. Seasonal Fish, Halibut, This options was sad, very sad. The fish was dry and the plating was non-existent. It didn't feel like it was a dish, more like a side of fish. My friend who got this, got the short end of the stick on this course and the previous course and would only give 2 stars on this meal.Dessert: Creme brulee, it was good, not thing to complain about but it didn't wow usOverall, I was happy with the meal, but we did think it was on the pricier side. I don't know I would come back beyond restaurant week though"

Zuni Café

★★★★☆ 3.7 • $$$

"Came by for lunch on a weekend, I booked a reservation in advance online. I found parking pretty easily nearby just a block away. Cool corner restaurant/bar. They have a wood-fired brick oven in the middle of the restaurant. Tables spread out in kind of an interesting layout, and a second level with some seating. Their menu changes pretty frequently because they use seasonal and fresh ingredients. There are some staple menu items though (like the chicken which I heard multiple times about before coming here... I knew it was a must get!). We noticed that just about every table had the shoestring potatoes (fries) so we had to get an order of those. They were deceptively addicting, thin and crispy. Great portion for sharing.Little gem lettuce salad with local dungeness crab, pomegranate seeds, and herbed buttermilk dressing - they kindly split it up into 3 plates for us. Light salad, tasty little appetizer. Bowl of polenta with parmesan - absolutely delicious, comfort foodPappardelle alla Bolognese - really enjoyed! The chicken! This is what 2 people told me to get, and I read about it in an article. It takes a whole hour to cook so you have to order it right when you get there, and then essentially either hang out for an hour or order a ton of other menu items like we did. It's possible the hour wait helps build anticipation (and hunger!) for the dish, but it was quite delicious. The chicken is incredibly tender and flavorful. Comes with a little salad in the middle. Now do I think the dish was worth $75... that's debatable. But it was delicious.Great meal and fantastic service! If I lived in the area, seems like a great spot to stop by for a cocktail too."

Chez Maman West

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$

"Service is amazing now. The staff has been there many years now. The mussels provenciales (french style) with garlic and tomatoes ,and másaman style are delicious Great wine options as well."

Chapeau

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$$

"My friend made reservations for my birthday and I was so glad she did. This place was absolutely amazing!!! I would definitely recommend making a reservation because they do get quite busy, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Our server was very sweet and he recommended the 3 course tasting menu so we could try a bunch of different items since it was my first time there. So we did that and everything tasted so delicious!! We even had a couple desserts to share, which were amazing! I definitely recommend getting the French toast to top of an amazing meal."

ChouChou French Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$$

"I finally got a chance to try ChouChou and it was a special occasion for me as my boyfriend made a reservation to celebrate my birthday. They have a parking lot but I would recommend parking on the streets or taking public transportation as the parking lot can easily get packed. The restaurant itself is pretty small and it can feel kinda crowded. I was quite surprised how packed the place got on a Tuesday. I would have to say, for the number of workers, the service did feel somewhat slow. We had ordered the 65$ fixed menu that comes with a starter, main and dessert. You get to choose what you want from the menu, which they have plenty to choose from. I had ordered the crab salad, the Alaskan salmon and the molten chocolate cake. Additionally, the restaurant provided me a crème brûlée for my birthday celebration. I think for the price, it's a nice place to have a budget friendly course meal."

Absinthe Brasserie & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$$

"Growing up in Calgary I feel like I really took it for granted how often I saw French onion soup on menus. Living in the US, I realized it's a special item that you can only really find it at French restaurants (and the frozen food aisle of Trader Joes lmao). Needless to say, I was eyeing the FOS as soon as we picked this spot for brunch. Overall chic French bistro vibes. Sorta upscale feeling but still fairly lively.The French onion soup was true to the original. It was perfectly cheesy and I was struggling to cut the cheese pull with every spoonful. Underneath was a rich broth with lots of onions. It was the perfect consistency and flavour (not too salty, and not too watery).The salade lyonnaise was quite light, with a strong aroma of olive oil. The ratio of mushroom + shredded duck + pancetta toppings to the salad was pretty good. Each bite was exciting with the combination of all the toppings coming together."