Heirloom Cafe

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.

I'd been meaning to come to this place for sometime and after finally doing so I am pleased to have finally done so.I found it rather easy to make a list minute online reservation and upon arrival was delighted by the soft, rustic, warm and traditional ambiance this place offered. The hostess was friendly and our server was knowledgeable and made good recommendations.As for the food; I was extremely surprised by how "limited" the menu was -- there really are not a lot of options to choose from. Only a couple appetizers and a few entrees, with options to add soup, salad and a side or two. Nonetheless, we were able to piece together a pretty good experience.We ordered the bread+butter and the beet salad as an appetizer, and I ordered the short rib while my parter ordered the cod as entrees. All the food was prepared perfectly and tasted great; the only food complaint was from my partner who doesn't like eating the skin on fish (though I didn't personally mind it).Outside of the limited menu, my only other grievance is that prices were very high. It's SF, and I expect to pay on the high side for a good dining experience, but $20 for a salad and $40+ for an entree is somewhat extreme. I think if they dropped their prices by 15 to 20% it'd be a bit more equitable considering the establishment and food preparation quality/quantity.While I certainly won't make this place my regular weekly/monthly outing destination; I will likely revisit in the future (though I'm not sure how often they "refresh" their menu or introduce new items -- I'll inquire in advance prior to revisiting). I would recommend for folks looking for a nice higher-end dining experience to try this place out, at-least once.

Food was, in my opinion, Michelin quality. I've eaten at "top rated" restaurants and this meal was better. Flavors were pure heaven.This restaurant was cozy, ambience wasn't too pretentious.I liked our service, a little stand-offish but I prefer that. I don't like when servers feel they need to pretend to be my friend to get a tip. I tip regardless.That said, the bill included a 5% fee that confused me. It kinda seems like the 5% goes to the server but I wasn't sure. So I didn't know how much to tip. I went with 15% but didn't feel comfortable with it.A little transparency please.

The food here was very good and they have a nice wine selection. The ambiance is nice, it's reasonably quiet and great for a date or deep conversation. The service was fine, though our server wasn't particularly personable.

Good Californian cuisine. I liked the giant bean dish and the soup dish a lot. The salads were pretty good too. Love the romantic relaxing ambience.

A very California, Chez Panisse vibe where the focus is on seasonal, thoughtful food. No pretentious ingredients, just your typical produce like carrots, cauliflower, broccolli, lentils, etc. all probably from a local farm. The service was warm and friendly, just like the candlelit space. Can't wait to come back again with friends!

Delicious vegetarian meal! Excellent service!Food is so fresh and delicious!!Great wine list

The ambiance of this place is amzingggg perfect for a date night or cute night out. They have an insane wine list with selections across the globe. The service was also pretty efficient. Food was good, but not mind blowing especially considering the prices. There is also a pretty minimal selection of entrees. I really enjoyed the fact that heirloom cafe tries to have seasonal menus. I would definitely recommend checking this out if you are looking to splurge!

I was hoping for a warmer neighborhood vibe. I didn't make a reservation on resy as I saw that it looked open enough. When I arrived and asked to sit at the bar the Front Manager was a bit cold and liked at his ipad and said that they "may" have just one seat available at the open bar. It took him a bit to figure out where to place me. I guess the other single person who came in after me had a reservation. It did fill up but as someone who cines alone a lot, it's a better feeling when I am treated like I am not being an annoyance for asking to sit at the bar without a reservation. I get how it all works as someone who appreciates the food service industry with a passion. I don't get why I received such a weird response to walking in.That being said, I also appreciate being seated in a place where I can socialize with the bartender, wine person and was seated at the bar where platea were being made. Dining alone is like that. It's a lovely experience to talk more about the items with a server. That being said, the woman who did tend to me was stellar. She gave me info on the wines and had a friendly, warm demeanor. She joked and wasn't as stuck up as the person who sat me. The pasta was fresh and delicious. I am glad I just ordered that and savored it all. I guess if I do come back ill bring a friend and ensure I make a reservation and maybe make a request on seating.

Have heard about Heirloom from all my local friends, but somehow have been missing out! Went tonight for my husband's65th birthday and it was superb. Feels like a lovely Parisian restaurant, such a good vibe, wines are amazing (and marked up so much less than most places). Mushroom and onion tart delicious, sweet potato dish memorable, duck confit, cod and even the salad worth returning for. We live nearby and will go often. The bar or sitting at the kitchen counter would be fun. Professional service and knowledge about the extensive wine list topped off the beautiful dining experience. Oh and the desserts were delicious, the price fixe meal was reasonable! Sweet neighborhood-y spot.