Toy Soldier

Came here for an engagement party they rented out the space for. Cute ambiance and they set up a pop up tent outside for people to come in and out to. Bar service was decent. Little slow to get to everyone at times and either ran out of things at the bar or had to run to a different part of the restaurant to get it. I didn't deal with any of the renting specifics, but as a guest had a nice time.

My friend reserved a room for a large birthday event at Toy Soldier. They offer four private event options, and I believe we were given "The Deck." It was very spacious, with a large open area for dancing, two bathrooms, and outdoor patio seating. There was also a bar exclusively for the event. The manager, bartender, and other staff were friendly and attentive. You can connect your phone and control the music, which was a nice touch.What I especially liked about the reservation was that there was no down payment required--we were just given a minimum spend of $750 worth of drinks. We only had about 30 people, but reaching the $750 minimum was very easy. The only issue we encountered was that the other room we were supposed to be in (The Canteen) still had customers, so we were moved to The Deck. Honestly, this "issue" worked out in our favor since we got a larger space, so I have no complaints. The staff handled it well, and we had an awesome time!

Ate here with another couple. Terrible service. Mediocre food. Large, super loud and annoying party next to us ruined the ambiance. Maybe we were just here on a bad night, but i think they need to try harder.

We will make Toy Soldier a restaurant to come back to during our future trip to San Francisco. My husband had beef stroganoff dish. Our friend & I ordered the sea bass. Our main course choices were beyond our expectations. We also were lucky to be at the restaurant before 6 pm for the Taco Tuesday and drink specials. We made the fish & pork belly Taco specials our mini appetizer. We ended our meal with the corn Creme brûlée and raspberry sorbet dessert. This is a meal that will come up in our San Francisco restaurant recommendations.

Arrived at the Toy Soldier for a private team dinner on a Monday evening around 6:15 pm. It was interesting to find by wandering an alley in SF like it was a hidden speakeasy. Definitely a classy American bar and restaurant with bright lights, wooden furnishing, and walls decorated with alcohol bottles. The atmosphere was great for an intimate dinner with the team. Full bar with attentive servers. The lackluster was from the set menu that was served. Two appetizers of greens with brussel sprouts that were under seasoned but a good way to start off a dinner. The salad had a great vinaigrette but the raw onions were way too much and overpowering that the salad was imbalanced in flavor. I ordered a NY steak medium rare but the server delivered me the wrong one since it tasted so rubbery. I was eating a well done steak instead, and I can understand the mishap since so many people also ordered steak. The meat itself had great juices and flavors soaked in with the greens and mashed potatoes but the meat was way too chewy for my liking that I only ate half of it. Good vibes with people and satisfactory food.

My son and I had a little after work dinner and we came to a fun Fidi spot. Quiet yet energetic service with an easy small menu. I had a mai Tai and my son had a mule drink and they were both great! Dinner was a grilled salmon with mashed potatoes and asparagus and my son had the lamb chops. They were both very delicious but one star off for the portion size compared to the prices. The lamb being $52 was pretty steep compared to other places in SF that at least provide a starter salad. My salmon was a very small portion too for the $38 price tag, but we still did enjoy our time out.

Horrible service. Booked a business dinner. When we arrived I was told our only option was to sit outside in the rain and cold as inside was reserved for Christmas parties. This is despite the restaurant showing wide availability, selecting indoor dining and marking as business dinner. What is worse is open table has ZERO options for real time resolution or feedback once you check in. It also blocks you from booking an alternate restaurant.

Toy Soldier is a gem for New Californian cuisine! The innovative menu showcases a delightful blend of flavors, and each dish is a work of art. The attention to detail and quality ingredients elevate the dining experience. The ambiance is chic yet inviting.

Our Saturday at Toy Soldier turned from an exciting date night into a complete disappointment. We drove all the way from Tracy for our 8:45 reservation. Arrived at 8:07 & we were greeted with a "how may I help you?" (???) In a very "what are you doing here?" tone. Not welcoming at all. We were told that our reservation was cancelled & we got bumped for a 8:30 party of 2. No text, no call, just deleted from the list. No real explanation. Other than we should have booked on Open Table instead of the reservation service provided by their own website. (Which is Yelp)Goodbye, "no soup for you!"The actual break down went like this. We made a same-day reservation, at 6:56p for 8:45p. We arrived 30+ minutes early, and were met by a tall man who asked us why we were there. We stated that we had reservations. He asked if we had "just" made them, because he had in fact cancelled them.We explained we had driven over an hour for our dinner reservation. He offered an outdoor seat in 50-degree weather or a possibility of eating at an alternative restaurant.The place was empty. 1 couple at the bar. No one seated. The lack of communication and customer service was disheartening. We received no prior notification about the cancellation, leaving us stranded without a plan. The inconvenience significantly impacted our date night, causing unnecessary stress and disappointment. It's essential for establishments to prioritize effective communication and uphold their reservations to ensure a positive customer experience. Unfortunately, our evening at Toy Soldier fell extremely short of our expectations.Adding to the frustration, we felt unwelcome from the moment we arrived. The tall man greeted us as if we were a bother, compounding our disappointment. The lack of hospitality added to the overall negative experience, making us question the customer service standards at Toy Soldier. A warm welcome can significantly impact the overall dining experience, but unfortunately, our encounter left us feeling undervalued as patrons.We will never even consider supporting this establishment in the future. Do better.

I had a work team (14 people) in town who ignore my recommendations, and thus we ended up here. One word...horrible. Possibly the worse meal I've had in decades, meaning I couldn't eat it. Fried chicken was a plate of fried batter, with chicken scraps. I'm easy to please, and this was terrible. No one touched the appetizers, and the entrees were not much better. For us locals, we know that Belden Alley was once a great place to have lunch, we also know those days are long gone...like 20 years ago. Toy Soldier is the last and only restaurant in the alley.I have to admit I was upset that my recommendations were ignored, but even more upset that this place could actually serve such bad food.I will say, I felt bad for the one guy (waiter/bartender/buser and probably cook) who was taking care of us.I don't write many reviews, but I had to say something.