- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
5A5 Steak Lounge
Category: Restaurants Steakhouses Steakhouses [Edit]
244 Jackson St(between Front St & Battery St)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Neighborhood: Financial District
(415) 989-2539
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Sat-Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
885 reviews for 5A5 Steak Lounge
Review Highlights
-
"The Truffle Fries are so delicious." In 205 reviews -
"Hands down, the best filet mignon I have ever had." In 114 reviews -
"mac and cheese- which was absolutely yum." In 162 reviews
Loading...
885 reviews in English
-
Review from Linda L.
San Jose, CA
5/24/2012
I finally came around to writing a review for this place and let me start off by saying the food is DELICIOUSSSSSSSS. Just thinking about it is making my drool. I came here with my date on Valentines day and they have a simple menu of a 4 course meal. There was a set price for the meal but if you wanted to upgrade your meat, you could of course and thats what I did :).
The one thing I would like to say is that our reservation was at 10 and they didnt seat us until 10;15 when there was obvious tables open and the host had a bit of an attitude. She didnt greet us when we walked in and just stared at us until I had to walk myself up to her and told her that we had reservations at 10 and instead of being happy she just said, "uhhh...okay??" and turned around and continue her conversation with one of the bust boy.
Appetizer: I had the Hamachi Tartar. Dear GOD, I have never tasted fish fresher and richer that i had here. I dont know what they did but it was AMAZING. It was the definition of food poor. Im a sushi fanatic and no where have I ever been to that had the fish this fresh before.
My date had the Kumamoto Oysters. He was extremely happy with the freshness of the oysters. They were extremely cute ( not that it matters) and the presentation was nice. I mean you cant go wrong with oysters. So not much to complain or say.
Soup: Lobster Bisque. It was very delightful. Creamy and very thick. The lobster taste was very strong. They also included the claw meat inside that I found extremely sweet and juicy.
My date had the French Onion Soup which is my favorite type of soup. I was glad that they didn't throw in a lump of bread which most places do. Don't get me wrong a lot of people love that but for me it's a bit to heavy. Instead they have a freshly toasted crouton with shreds of mozzarella on it. The only thing I would complain about it is that it was a bit salty for my taste.
Entree: I Had the Japanese Wagyu rare. It was cooked to perfection and the meat just literally melted in my mouth. It was topped with a garlic butter sauteed mushroom, now let me say i LOATHED mushroom with a passion like nothing else. But I don't know what they did but I could eat that as a entree itself. I was so surprised how delicious it tasted. Thank god I didn't throw it aside like I always do.
My date had the prime rib rare was cook to perfection also. It sadly didnt have the sauteed mushroom, but was the most juiciest prime rib i had. The cut of the piece and marbling was almost like a rib-eye.
Dessert: I had the triple chocolate cake. My oh my was that sweet. The savoriness of it was a little overwhelming and after eating that whole meal I couldnt get myself to eat more than two bites.
My date had the strawberry souffle. When it was brought out the server made a hole through the middle and drizzled some orange syrup into it. I never had a souffle before so my interpretation of it was a strawberry omelette so i wasn't a fan of it but to each their own. He told it was was very delicious.
overall I was extremely happy with my meal and i will defiantly come back again!!! ( hopefully they have a new host by then) -
Review from Tammy T.
San Francisco, CA
5/20/2012
Pretty excellent, although I went w/ a large group where a prix fixe meal was already decided for us.
+ little ceviche/sashimi shooters were tasty
+ good portions
+ ample seating for large groups
+ excellent service for large groups -
Review from Laura L.
5/16/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I have been wanting to go to 5A5 since it opened. I finally got the opportunity to go last week and while I'll admit that it was good, it was way over priced.
For starters the chef delivered proscuitto wrapped melon which I thought was a nice treat but my bf didn't eat because he doesn't like melons.
We then had bread - both bacon bread and sourdough was delivered - I preferred the bacon bread but the sourdough was good as well.
Next we had the bacon wrapped scallops (they were good) and the lobster tempura (it was just meh). I would've preferred the lobster in smaller bites - instead it was one whole tempura tail still stuck to the shell.
I ordered the 6oz filet mignon and my bf ordered the 25oz bone-in ribeye. He loved his. I thought mine was average.
We also ordered a couple of sides - the truffled mac & cheese (way overpowered with truffle oil - so much so that I couldn't really eat it) and the marble potatoes (these were delicious - probably my favorite item of the night, actually).
For dessert we ordered triple chocolate mousse. I have to admit that this t was yum.
Again, 5A5 was good, but not great. And it certainly wasn't great enough to justify the $250 tab at the end of the night...
The service, btw, was really great. I give a huge thumbs up to the staff! -
Review from Stephanie C.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 5/16/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Recently came back twice in the same week for dinner and was happy to have tried so many different things from the menu. The place was packed on both nights and the service was great. Once we walked through the door we were greeted by the hostess who gave us the option to grab a drink at the bar or sit down at the table. We opted to grab a drink from the bar since we were waiting other people in our party to arrive.
Lounge/Bar - Cool lighting and decor. I like how they have lounge seating and little tables as well as seats at the bar for those who just want to hang out with a drink and snack on appetizers. They have happy hour specials as well.
Dinner Service - This place can get busy and a little loud, but the service and the food make up for it. The wait staff are helpful, attentive and know their food (very important!). The restaurant name says it all: 5A5 Steak LOUNGE. This is a place to go to enjoy a nice meal with friends while sipping on some wine or something. The time between appetizers and entrees didn't bother me as much this time around because I knew what to expect and the time passed by with the right company/conversation.
On to the food...here we go...** signify the items I will definitely have again...
- hamachi shooter and **maguro shooter: the ingredients are so simple, but when you put them together it creates a winning combination. The hamachi shooter is great, I don't prefer ginger so I liked the maguro shooter more. The fish was fresh and cut to just the right size.
- **shishito peppers: I didn't think I would like these peppers so much, but I do. The kabayaki sauce goes very well with the natural taste of the peppers. Most of them are not spicy, but I was told that once in awhile you get lucky and it's spicy. I wasn't that lucky.
- **lobster tempura: this is a dish that everyone needs to try at least once (if you like lobster). Large, juicy, and tender lobster cooked to perfection. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. A little of the sweet & sour shiitake dipping sauce goes a long way.
- seared foie gras: had to get my foie gras fix in before it gets banned in July. I liked this dish. I prefer eating this on some toast or something so I used the bread that they provided at the beginning of our dinner. So buttery...so good.
- romaine heart salad: they do Caesar salad the way it's supposed to be done - with anchovies.
- beet salad: tasty. I liked the combination of the different beets with the goat cheese and pistachio nuts. Flavor and texture wise, this dish was great. I was expecting some sort of greens mixed with the beets, but no. It was all beets. Shared this with 3 other people and we had more than our share of beets for the night.
- **prime rib: SO MUCH FLAVOR. The garlic - mustard rub created the perfect crust and my medium rare was perfect. Surprisingly, I liked this more than most of the steaks that I tried from other people.
- the tomahawk: 32 oz steak. Bigger than my head. Enough said.
- **dry aged bone in filet: this was a great piece of meat. i especially liked the section right next to the bone. This would be my go-to entree if the prime rib was sold out.
- colorado lamb duo: cooked perfectly, not too gamey. I also enjoyed the spring rolls that came with it.
- **truffled mac & cheese: DELICIOUS.
- marble potatoes: think baked potato with all the fixings, but substitute a whole potato with a variety of mini potatoes. Super filling.
- shrooms: can't go wrong with these. I loved the taste from the sherry wine and garlic.
On Friday and Saturday nights the lounge kicks into overdrive. The music starts as the restaurant goers are finishing up their meals in the dining area. I had my birthday here on a Saturday night last year and had a amazing time. Love the fact that they don't charge a cover so I didn't have to worry about having friends pay extra to party with me on my birthday.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/15/2009
The name says it all. STEAK LOUNGE. If you're here with a large group, get ready to wait. I was in… Read more »
-
-
Review from Bernard M.
San Francisco, CA
5/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Son-of-a-gun! Kobe beef that melts in my mouth and that I can cut with a spoon. Yum! Loved the beet salad.
-
Review from paulty V.
5/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Not bad for an upscale steakhouse. Of course I can't judge a steakhouse by their steaks alone, especially in this case.
We came here for our anniversary weekend away. When you walk in, you immediately feel.. James Bond-ish. The bar was very trendy with the "flame" on the screen. Lots of "lounge" room and the ceiling and decor was very modern and slick.
Our server was very sweet - I'm just bummed I forgot her name! She helped explain the different beefs and menu selections, and some suggestions. Here's the breakdown (our eyes were more hungry than our stomachs!)
- Truffle Fries - Yummy! Nice and crunchy with just a hint of truffle flavor. The dipping sauce was great too.
- Cesar salad for me - pretty tasty. They had the spears on the plate that I had to cut, which I was a little "ehh" about. I just don't like to butcher salads at the table.
- Taku (?) salad for hubs - Wow that was amazingly good. So refreshing and tasty, in the words of my husband "I don't' want this salad to end". The octopus wasn't rubbery at all, and the hint of seaweed and crunch was sooo tasty. It could have been a meal.
- Truffled Mac and Cheese - The parts that didn't have too much truffle oil was DELISH! Perfect blend of cheeses. But unfortunately, some parts were doused in truffle oil, which was a little over powering.
- Filet mignon special (6oz i think) - Here's where it cost them a star. We both asked for "medium plus" which is in-between medium and medium well. Well, mine was pretty much well done. Hardly any pink. I kept cutting into it thinking it would get more and more pink closer to the center. Nope. I didn't want to send it back cause hell I was hungry and didn't want to wait. It wasn't dry (thankfully) and the demi glace was good.
- Wagyu Filet mignon for hubs (4oz) - So his "medium plus" was pretty raw. It was definitely a medium rare. But since i didn't send mine back, he didn't want to send his back either. His was absolutely tasty, and melted in your mouth.
We both got a side of seared Foie Gras with our steaks. That was YUM.
Dessert we ordered the Mango ice cream. Wow that was good! They also surprised us with an anniversary cake (poppyseed cake with berries) and a happy anniversary message in chocolate. Nice that they remembered at the end of our meal, but annoying that they (the wine guy and manager I think) were kissing ass to the couple next to us, since it was their anniversary too, but they didn't' say jack to us (no star for this either)
Overall, I loved the food (the sides especially) and ambiance. The only hiccup (which is kinda big for a steakhouse I guess) was the cooking. And the annoying ass-kissing. -
Review from Roger H.
San Francisco, CA
5/7/2012
I truly think that steakhouses are the biggest ripoffs. The trick is finding a great butcher, however when a person gets an incredible server like Layla, it's worth returning just for the hospitality.
The rib eye and truffle fries scored an A. -
Review from Adolfo L.
4/19/2012
Solid Steak for a "Lounge"...
To be fair, it's just a name. But what's in a name? It's a bit of identity right? And as a steak lover would I want my steak in a "lounge"? Not really. But you know what, they do it right. I guess a can deal with the "lounge" part of the name...
I've seen the various iterations of 5A5 as it started as A5 and had a awkwardly long soft opening period. But after they scored the former sous chef of Alexander's Cupertino, Allen Chen, as their new chef sometime in 2010 things changed for the better quickly. It is more of an upscale experience, but the steak is still king whether you have a standard steak or opt for the wagyu. And for the recent concern over "fake" wagyu that is raised in the states, 5A5 serves the true Australian F1 Wagyu. In other words, it's the only "real stuff" that exists until Japanese Wagyu returns.
And as the FOIE GRAS countdown starts to wind down, we were told of an interesting dessert made by the pastry chef, another Alexander's Cupertino alum. The FOIE GRAS ICE CREAM served over a Maple Pecan Bread is off menu and a must try before the July 1 doomsday date arrives. The ice cream may be rather aggressive(ly foie) for some, but balances well with the cake. You'll love this dessert if you love Foie Gras.
As a final note, while you want to be known solely for who you are now I still have to say 5A5 is a lot of what Alexander's Cupertino used to be. And that's a damn good thing...Listed in: Steakhouses R' Us
-
Review from Jay F.
4/29/2012
Excellent food. A bit pricey, but the quality is great and there is a chill vibe to be had by all. It is refreshing to have a steakhouse (whoops, lounge) that isn't all about throwing a huge chunk of meat in front of you. The higher quality, but smaller portions is a refreshing twist on the high-end steakhouse craze.
As an aside, something needs to be done about this foie ban in California. Get the foie dessert while you still can .... -
Review from Mike S.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Super nice place but very pricey.
Food was really good, and cuts are pretty decent. I'd be back (next paycheck) -
Review from Jowell M.
San Francisco, CA
4/29/2012
The decor of the restaurant was modern and trendy. My wife and I were about an hour early for our dinner reservation. So we decided to sit at the lounge and have a couple of cocktails while we wait. The lounge was nice but a little on the small side. Drinks were reasonably priced but no WOW factor.
To some it all up. We had an amzing time. The steak was simply AMAZING, service was great, reasonably priced and great atmosphere. If your looking for a really good, better then above steak place try 5A5. -
Review from Nancy L.
Berkeley, CA
4/13/2012
This review is for the CLUB ONLY. I've never eaten here but, after experiencing the lounge/club, I may never.
If you're an 18-year old Asian girl with a fake ID, false lashes, Wet Seal and Forever21 disposable party wear, and like to tYpE LikE thIs~~~~*, then 5A5 is the place for you.
If you're a 21-26-year old Asian guy with really spiky hair who is either a super senior in college or thinks he's "grown" just because he's wearing an Express blazer and button-down, and thinks he's a "playa" just because he's picked-up some "neg'ging" technique, then 5A5 is the place for you.
Fortunately, I am neither. Unfortunately, I ended-up at 5A5 on a Saturday night because my girls and I couldn't think of anywhere else to go. As soon as I walked in, I knew I should've walked out when I was instantly surrounded by what appeared to be little (literally) eager-beaver 21-year old Asian boys trying to lay the mack down on me. Damn the "no cover" that lured me in. I need to stop being such a sucker for free admission. The rest of the night was basically a battle of "fend for my life" from the adolescent douchebags-in-the-making and trying not to get into boxing matches with the drunk-@$$ kids who kept bumping into my girls and me.
On a positive note, the DJ was pretty damn good. He could actually mix AND he played a lot of 90s hip-hop and R&B. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the dope 90s music was lost on the crowd since, I suspect, 80-90% of the crowd hadn't been born yet in that decade. 1 star for the DJ and 1 star for no cover. Take both away and this place gets a HELL NO, I WON'T GO (back). -
Review from Blake B.
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
We recently had a team outing and I suggested 5A5 because it's close to our work and it's primarily guys and what guy doesn't love a good steak. I've been to this location when it was the previous restaurant and it doesn't look like they've changed too much but the bar is definitely much more happening.
I'd recommend starting off with the hamachi shooter as it is really tastes and gets the night off to a good start. We also shared a bunch of smaller apps and I thought the scallops was the best of the bunch. For the main meal I had the large filet well done and they cooked it to perfection and there wasn't an ounce of fat which was really nice to see.
Good spot in downtown for a drink at the happening bar and to grab a good steak. -
Review from Jon L.
4/17/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Our server at 5A5 suggested the Wagyu beef with the assurance that "it will change your life." While not completely true, he was pretty darn close.
I've been to the 5A5 lounge for happy hour several times and always liked the vibe, drinks, and food here. Happy hour covers $5 wines, cocktails, beers and appetizers which is a pretty good deal. Drinks and conversations are often accompanied by truffle fries, oysters, and hamachi shooters for us.
But back to dinner. At $12 an ounce, my Wagyu was pricey for the few bites I had but wow did it just melt like butter in my mouth. I've never had steak quite like that before. Paired with some truffled mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and sauteed Swiss chard, it was a decadent meal paired with great wine. Other dishes are pretty decent too. I've had a sashimi starter and the fillet mignon here and while good, both pale in comparison to the Wagyu.
5A5 is still rough around the edges though. While service is friendly and attentive, it can be slow. There was a night when we came in a fairly large group. Some of us ordered shooters as starters, others ordered from the bites, and others salad. The food came out staggered versus all at once as starters which was awkward when at any one time, only 2-3 people on the table had food and the rest looking on. Dinner that night was long!
Still 5A5 is a decent dining spot. For a contemporary steakhouse, it holds it's ground against legendary San Francisco steakhouse luminaries. -
Review from Catherine C.
Oakland, CA
4/24/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Great ambiance. Delicious food. A little pricey but definitely worth it. We were given an amuse bouche compliments of the chef. Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful.
We went on a Friday, and I was a little disappointed to learn that the DJ/Lounge only happens on Saturday. -
Review from Linh V.
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
One conjunction: Overrated.
My bf and I came here for Dine About Town (I know, my review is hella late). Whoever their decorator is has great taste because 5A5 is classy and modern chic. Whoever their chef is should try to find a new job. Is that mean? I'll dial it down when we get our money back.
Since the DAT menu was limited, we decided to split a DAT selection and an entree. First came the Daikon soup. Hardly any crab but apparently all of SF's seawater was in this bowl because it was super salty.
Next came my entree. My effin' Rib Eye was 40% fat. Not as in fat piece of meat but as in just plain soggy greasy fat. Was it because I ordered off the DAT menu? Did they label me as less worthy of more quality pieces of meat? 40% fat = 40% trash
My bf's entree was a little better - pork and lamb combo. Probably because it was off the regular menu so they couldn't label him as cheap.
Finally the dessert. Pistachio cake. Except it didn't taste like pistachio cake but rather, like lemon poppyseed cake. WTF?! Were your taste buds dead that day?! Ugh! Even though this review is a couple months late and I've had time to get over it, I'm still angry as I think about it! That's how awful my experience was. Definitely Methinks NOT! -
Review from Desiree P.
San Francisco, CA
3/31/2012
Came to 5A5 for my third time tonight. My first time was amazing, second time meh, so tonight was the tie breaker.
Using my Bloomspot certificate, my friend and I were seated at a great table with very attentive and knowledgable staff.
We decided to order a plethora of items and share.
We had the lobster tempura, seared tuna and escobar, crab and soup, truffle fries and fillet mignon.
Perfectly timed, it was a great experience.
I would advise against the fries as the rest of the food is so rich. It is a large basket.
Other than the fries, the portions are perfect and beautifully prepared.
I will definitely be back. -
Review from Linda N.
3/16/2012
I had lots of fun here!! Despite being a small lounge/bar, people were still down to dance to the music in the bar area! Came here for a friend's birthday and had bottle service. Had patron and Ketel one and plenty of chase. I was lovin it until my friend bought me the GALVETRON. UH OH. I was gooooooone.
Anyways, they had a pretty narrow back patio if you smoke. It looked similar to a backyard but much fancier. The restrooms are down a staircase that leads to another bar area and private party area? Lots of people chill out here because it's less crowded. The bathrooms are unisex but the stalls face each other and the sinks are centered in the middle. -
Review from Steph K.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
We picked this place from the long list of participating Dine About Town restaurants. At the end of the meal, I was not disappointed.
While my bf and I waited for my friends, we ordered Truffled Fries at the lounge ($5 happy hour price!). I thought they were really good and even the small handful of remaining fries left in the bowl didn't stop me from taking the rest to our table so that I can slowly finish it off throughout dinner (which I did).
Since my fellow companions chose to try to prefix meal, I opted to sneak some bites from their plate and instead order their fillet minion.
I was able to taste their Daikon Soup, Boneless Rib-eye Steak, NY Strip Steak, and a side of Truffled Mac & Cheese.
Overall everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. However, I thought my fillet minion topped everyone else's dish. I would definitely return for some good seared meat & truffled fries or mac & cheese. yum. -
Review from Patrick R.
San Francisco, CA
5/8/2012
My wife and I cam here for dinner on her birthday. I noted the occasion in the reservation and we they wished her a "Happy Birthday" at the door.
We started with lobster tempura. The flavor was very good, but the breading was a little to heavy for my taste.
Our waiter greeted us a few moments after we were seated and explained that due to the natural disasters in Japan last year they are not able to import Wagyu A5 beef at this time. In it's place they were offering F1 grade beef (1st generation cross of Wagyu and Australian Holstein). These animals receive the same treatment as traditional Wagyu (sake, daily massages, etc). Slightly more affordable than Wagyu beef but still $10-15/oz.
We opted for one of the specials, a dry-aged, bone-in Angus Filet Migon. This was delicious and easily one of the top five steaks I've ever had. Sides are large enough to share and the mashed potatoes were fantastic, although I wasn't a huge fan of the japanese curry gravy.
For dessert we had a chocolate mouse dessert, and they also brought out a special dessert for my wife's birthday (with a nicely scripted "Happy Birthday" drizzled in chocolate on the plate).
By the time we left (around 8). it was much busier and had more of the lounge/club feel that the decor suggested (especially near the bar in the front). Nice romantic dinner around 6pm during the week, but feels like a different atmosphere later at night. -
Review from Mandy C.
San Francisco, CA
3/29/2012
I really like the atmosphere at 5A5. Unlike most dimly, rustic, wooden steakhouse, 5A5 is very classy and modern. The colorful ceiling was beautiful. I couldn't stop staring at it as I dine. The seats were very spacious and comfortable. The restaurant as a whole was very spacious also. It also turns into a lounge on Saturday night, and diners gets in for free. The service was okay. Our server was quite busy, so it took awhile for my friends and I to get our drinks. Also, the steaks took awhile to cook, so we waited quite long for them.
The tuna tartare was okay. I didn't understand why there are so much stuff on top of the tuna. The escargo and tomato couldn't mix in with the tuna. The caviar and the quail egg white didn't really enhance the tuna, because the tuna was overpowering. It was just okay.
I asked my filet mignon to be cooked medium rare, and indeed it was medium rare. It was very tender and juicy. The shiitake sauce complimented it very well. I think the size was perfect after the appetizers. , and it was delish!
Oh yes, order the truffle fries--it's crispy and is filled with truffle aroma and taste. The siracha aioli is good and not as spicy as I liked though.
I think this place is like one stone two birds kinda place because it turns into a lounge on the weekend...so after a heavy meal, I can dance the calories off! -
Review from Liana L.
Daly City, CA
3/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hit this place up for happy hour! The lounge was a little too dimly lit inside for my HH tastes, but it had that fancy FiDi vibe, what more can I say? We managed to snag 2 small bar tables for the 4 of us with plenty of space for all our plates and drinks. Service was good.
Take your pick between $5 sparkling wine, wine, well cocktails!
2 for $5 hamachi shooters: this was the first place I'd ever been to where they offered a variety of shooters other than oysters. I LOVE hamachi and these did not disappoint! These were huge pieces of hamachi, too large to actually "shoot" but so freakin' delicious it didn't make a difference. Highly recommended over the oyster shooters, which were good but not great.
Truffle fries: The oily, truffle-y goodness was too addicting. Sriracha aioli sauce topped it off. We couldn't stop eating it.
Kobe sliders ($14 for 2): more on the expensive side for HH but the beef was cooked to medium rare perfection while drenched in bacon jam! Juicy but extremely messy... the meat just fell apart once it hit my tongue! Yum.
Chicken Yakitori ($5): super tender, almost to where we wondered how well-cooked the meat actually was at one point (but it was cooked thoroughly - none of us got sick!). Lacked any grilled taste so I didn't really care much for this. It would've been better if the edges were crispy or a little charred, like how real grilled food is supposed to be.
A nice place to come for some happy hour plates and good-priced drinks on a Friday night... starts off the weekend right! -
Review from Mona W.
It is difficult not to compare 5A5 with Alexander's. I am sure you have heard a lot. I will try not to bore you.
My biggest surprise was from their hamachi shooter. It is actually almost a complete different recipe from Alexander's. No truffle oil but plenty of yuzu. The citric flavor could be too bold for some but refreshing for others.
My biggest disappointment was from the prime rib. First, it was served lukewarm. Probably sat in the kitchen a little too long while the other steak was being prepared. The doneness was correct. It was cooked medium rare as requested but the meat was slightly too chewy.
Daikon soup was good. Foie gras torchon has minor air bubble. Tajima f1 Ribeye was fat, juicy and tender although the seared foie gras on top could have sat in the frying pan for another minute. Strawberry souffle was this dramatic fluffiness. Can't say I didn't enjoy it.
I wish they have petite fours or small sweets when they present the check.
Overall not a bad meal but there were things that could have been better.
Foursquares user don't forget to check in. You can get $5 off your credit balance if you pay with your synced Amex. -
Review from Fanny W.
3/11/2012 8 photos
21 and young! Spendy and trendy restaurant, perfect place for a birthday! Crowd here is more on the older side, but that's understandable.
Made reservations through Open Table--easy peezy! 7:45PM for 4, came 10 minutes late, found street parking, seated immediately. Score! The CEILING caught my immediate attention. I love it! So beautiful and fun! Loved everything about the hip decor.
We were seated right by the kitchen, which was neat-o! Got to see the chefs prep the food. Our waitress was phenomenal; friendly, patient, and went through the menu with my friends and I.
Lychee Martini ($12) - A round for the table. Everyone loved it! Strong lychee flavor. Highly recommended.
French A5 ($13?) - Meh. I found it to be on the bitter side, but the alcohol was definitely strong.
Hamachi Shooters ($4/shot) - Deeeeeelicious! I ate mine with a fork, didn't want to take it like a shot. Strong lime flavor. Hint of spiciness. Great appetizer!
Complimentary mushroom thing with what was that...like a white blob of cheese? Clearly not the most knowledgeable when it comes to these fancy little things/details. Tasted great though! I wonder...is this the palate cleanser some of these other Yelpers are talking about? Anyway...
Truffle Mac and Cheese ($10?) - Family style, with 3 cheeses: gruyere, mozzarella, Cheddar. Perfection. Amazing. Heaven. Must get!
Mashed Potato ($10?) - I don't eat mashed potatoes, but since we ordered it, thought I'd give it another try. Do all mashed potatoes taste like this? If so, then I am now a fan! Mmmm! So soft and smooth.
Daily Special Bone-in Filet Mignon ($35) - Can't remember what made this different than the filet mignon on the menu but I just went with it. My first filet mignon, and it was quite delicious. Medium rare executed perfectly. Tender, little fat, and light on the sauces.
Prime rib ($25?) - 2 of my other friends got this, and they seemed to enjoy it. I figured I'd save my prime rib experience for House of Prime Rib. Their dishes looked good, but mom does it better! I like my prime rib with little to no sauce. Just meat.
Strawberry souffle ($9) - My first souffle, shared between the four of us. It was certainly pretty, fluffy, and light, just not for me. It tasted like straight moist and steamed beaten eggs. Am I making any sense? I'm not gonna give it a "bleh," maybe a "gneh."
Pleasant, pleasant dining experience. Didn't see much of that "cougar" stuff going on. Attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable waitress. Major points! Impeccable service! Food was expensive but delicious! End of the night, $80/person including tip. $320, steep for us young adults! Since it was my birthday, my friends had to suck it up. Thank goodness the food didn't disappoint! Kinda. One of them felt the pain, money wise and tummy wise. Nevertheless, I will be back! -
Review from Jehan Z.
West Sacramento, CA
5/18/2012
How someone couldnt fall in love with this place is beyond me. It's everything anyone under 40 could ever hope for in a steak house. I recently was "forced" to spend the night in sf in which I had the distinct pleasure of dining here. "dining" isn't even a fair assessment of what happens when you experience this place, but for now, just go with it. We started with oysters and truffle fries, quite the intoxicating combo. After a couple of glasses of wine our main courses arrived. The plates came in perfect timing to allow us to really soak in the environment and the company. I went with the "dry aged t-bone" which allowed me to be the man-bear-pig that I truly am . The other Plate was the "Colorado lamb duo" of which I'm sure soley derived its quality from the fact that it comes from "Colorado"... Seriously though, it was delicious, and put quite the smile on her face. Besides the nearly $250 (a lot of which was alcohol) tab I'd have to say it was definitely a "must" experience. A brilliant meal and an endless supply of brownie points. Do treat yourself. On a side note, I mark "no" in the "good for kids" section every time, mainly because I don't dine at chunky cheese, but also because I don't want to share my dinner experience with your children. Leave the little ones at home. #athankyouverymuch
-
Review from Rosalind S.
San Francisco, CA
2/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Believe it or not but I actually considered ordering fish at this steak house because of Lent. You know, giving up this and that. It was my mom's 60th and I wanted her to try wagyu and foie gras before it went out of style or banned in CA. So I sucked it up and gave myself a pass and I was sure glad I did.
Truffle fries: one order was big enough to share for the 5 of us. The greatest I've ever had, no, but definitely good.
Seared foie gras: YUM! I have to get my fill before July 2012, then I can say good bye. I think I've had it 3 times this year already.
Truffle mac and cheese: I've had my fair share of mac and cheese and I love the way they made it. Not too creamy, just cheesy. Delicious.
slow roasted prime rib: juicy, and moist, totally worth it. They weren't kidding when they say it's limited so get on it!
NY strip steak: It was so chewy that by the time everyone was done with their meal I still had half of it to go. No bueno!
Wagyu 4 oz: was it worth the $80? I don't think so but now I can say I've had it. Definitely the most tender piece of meat I've ever had but I think getting the prime rib makes more sense.
Aussie wagyu hybrid: just as tender as the Japanese wagyu but not as expensive and gamy tasting.
chocolate mousse cake: skip it, nothing special
strawberry souffle: AMAZING! It was so light and airy I could have eaten 2 more of those and skipped my chewy piece of meat!
Our server was very attentive and informative. I would definitely come back here for some prime rib or another cut of meat! -
Review from Cath M.
2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a disappointment. To think that my sis dropped $500 on this crap... never again.
We missed our reservation... so we ended up eating at their "lounge" area. Great. Tables were tiny that we ended up getting one table per person and we were a party of three. However, during dinner, there were a lot of tables that were open and remained open all throughout? What's the deal there?
Unfortunately, I don't remember what my sis ordered but here's what I remembered eating:
- truffle fries = this was actually good... fries were crispy... it's one of those very addicting appetizer.
- 10 oz slow roasted prime rib = this came really juicy... but the fat content was another story. I ended up cutting through the fat... it made me cringe cutting them off.
- sous vide baby carrots = right portion and good enough to share with the group.
- truffled mac & cheese = loved this... though it got a bit too overwhelming during dinner.
Our server was nice... we can't complain about her. She was there checking up on us and was friendly and prompt.
What killed the experience was the management and its patron that surrounded us during dinner. Figure out what restaurant you really are... because at the lounge area, folks were sporting their track suit and Cougars were patrolling - so much so that they told my sister to make space so that she and other cougar could fit in the space. Think Ms. Piggy in Cougar format. My sis was tempted to tell her: if you lost weight then this wouldn't be a problem. Though I prevented her from doing so b/c it's not worth it. Let them be fat and cougaring it!!!
Folks: Ruth Chris... Harris... go there instead. Really. This was a joke of a restaurant. -
Review from Mahsa T.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2012 1 photo
Lovely place! Hosted a company event here and the wait staff was more than accommodating! The food was bomb and drinks as well.
-
Review from Rachel Y.
Daly City, CA
Updated - 3/26/2012
Came back on 3/25/2012 to redeem our Bloomspot voucher. The experience felt a little more laid-back than the first time. Our waitress was friendly and we didn't have to wait as long between dishes as the first time. They've also changed the menu a little bit.
-- I love tuna, but didn't like the maguro shooter (hamachi was still good).
-- Truffled mac and cheese wasn't as decadent as it was back in November. Glad I decided to hold back and just get one order!
-- No more potato au gratin, but the marbled potatoes were pretty good. They were basically loaded fingerling potatoes. Good, but also very easy to do it yourself.
-- Frozen liquid sable dessert is weird. I know sable = sand, but it was... TOO sandy. The ice cream and yuzu anglais was great, though.
Prices of the F1 wagyu's ranged from $10-$12/oz. A sampler of all four 4-oz steaks is $175. I feel like they changed the menu to be a bit more affordable - appropriate move in this economy, I think.
They kept our water glasses full and explained every dish that came out; kudos for that.
Not a bad place at all, but I probably wouldn't go back. The first time, the sides were absolutely amazing, but things have changed a but. Everything all solid but not particularly memorable.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
11/16/2011
Came for the steak, will return for the sides.
I took my boyfriend here last Saturday to celebrate… Read more »
-
-
Review from Myrel F.
Hayward, CA
2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
I appreciate the helpful service, the complementary tuna tartare, the amuse bouche, the truffle fries, and the delicious filet mignon I ordered. The only thing I felt was lacking was the amount of flavor in my side dish of mac & cheese.
I'll come back, however, this time I'll try something else, most likely a couple ounces of their wagyu. -
Review from Joy A.
2/4/2012 6 photos
Wowza!
5A5 Steak Lounge is another awesome new discovery for 2012! First time at here and it truly impressed. DAT (Dine About Town) brought us in- 3 course meal for $34.95.
#1- Diakon Soup. Tip: Eat it while it's warm. It cools down pretty quickly. The soup was delicious and comforting, but the flavors that really bursted out were the fresh blue meat crab, apple slices, and nori.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
#2 Peppercorn Rib-Eye Steak with shiitake mushrooms (Medium); New York Steak with kim chee & sprouts (Medium). Both cuts of meat were cooked to perfection and simply delicious.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...! KMV-A?select=ufPGfnLXa09K6Xog-B17fg
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Ordered, but not included with DAT special (critical to your meal):
-Truffle mac and cheese ($10). Do it. You must order this. It's like "you've died and gone to heaven" type of good. The creamed spinach ($10) wasn't too shabby, either.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
#3. Pistachio cake- warm, green, and light. More satisfying was the three layer mousse cake- served with a chocolate wafer and drizzled with strawberry sauce.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Bottom line:
Reliably good steak place that resembles the ambiance of a sexy Vegas restaurant lounge. I would definitely come back if for the truffle mac and cheese alone.
Tips:
-DAT special occurs a couple times a year
-Wine flight available for each entree ($30)
-Modern, communal, and co-ed bathroom located downstairs
-Happy hour until 7pm -
Review from Joe C.
3/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for Restaurant Week with some friends and had high hopes after reading the reviews. We got a late RSVP (9pm) but was seated promptly. The decor and ambience was great as we entered and we felt very comfortable at our long booth.
Our servers were very polite and explained all our dishes to us. The amouse bouche was a nice touch and the wine pairings that were offered to us were great as well!
However, what did not shine was the steak. It tasted bland and overseasoned at the same time with the sauce overpowering the natural taste of the meat. I personally do not like sauce on my steak as GREAT steak should be able to shine on its own. The dessert as well was disappointing and was entirely forgettable.
The best part of the meal (+1 star) was the salad which was for some reason one of the best salads I've ever had. Crispy head of lettuce with a beautiful dressing and accompaniments hit the spot dead on.
(+1 star) for ambience and service adds up to be an overall MEH experience. At least it was "affordable".... -
Review from Cristofer P.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/23/2012
I've been to the bar a few times since my last review, but this is my first time sitting down to an complete meal at 5A5.
I started with a gin & tonic at the bar while I waited for my friends to arrive. It was still happy hour so I ordered some stuff to munch on. The hamachi shooters were and still are the best thing on the menu, and at 2 for $5 (compared to the regular menu price of $4 each), you have to get it if you ever drop in for happy hour. It's hard to mess up truffle fries, because truffle oil just makes everything taste better, but I found the fries to be way under cooked. They give you a generous portion, but after the first couple of fries, the rest were one big mushy mess.
The custard-like take on miso soup that was our amuse bouche was "interesting." It wasn't bad tasting, but the warm flan-ish texture is probably not how I'd choose to serve miso soup.
On the recommendation of a patron next to us, my friends got the bone-in ribeye while I opted for the bone-in filet mignon with seared foie gras. The rib-eye portions were generous, had a good flavor, but were also very very fatty. My bone-in filet was a little more cooked than I asked for (medium rare), but that might have been attributable to the longer cook time for the ribeyes. The demiglaze and bernaise sauces that accompanied my steak weren't memorable, which is how I can describe my steak overall. I think we did mac & cheese and potatoes to share but they nearly went untouched. Overall the meal was average, but I can comfortably put 5A5 on the lower end of San Francisco steakhouses. It definitely doesn't warrant the $50+ per steak plus sides al la carte when you can get a five-star meal with sides at HOPR for less than $50.
I was a little concerned by all the reviews about over-salted steaks, but I didn't find that to be the case.
The service started out spotty. After being seated, our server said she'd be right back and we were left for 15 minutes. But after taking our orders, the service was fine.
I'd come back for the bar menu but I don't think I'll be coming back anytime soon for the steak.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/13/2009
I swung by to check out the pre-grand opening happy hour tonight. I was a huge fan of Frisson and I… Read more »
-
-
Review from Mike C.
2/3/2012 8 photos
Deja vu? After enjoying one of my favorite Yelp events, I came back for the Dine About San Francisco deal several years ago, but forgot to Yelp about it. With some friends visiting from SoCal and staying in Nob Hill, this was my choice of restaurants for a leisure Sunday night dinner. The restaurant was packed as it was the first Sunday of the Dine About Town promotion, giving it a lively atmosphere. I followed the Dine About menu and ordered additional appetizers and sides for my friends to try. The meal was so good that I came here with a group of local friends the following Saturday. Here's what I/we had:
Appetizers:
1) Hamachi shooters - Nice nonalcoholic way to toast the beginning of a good meal. A perfect mix of hamachi cubes, ginger, avocado, and tobiko in a ponzu sauce.
2) Daikon Soup with crab meat (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - A surprisingly rich tasting soup with a hearty spoonful of crab meat; no, not the imitation variety.
3) Duo of Tataki (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - Think of two parallel worlds, made up of two different types of raw fish (ahi tuna and escolar), seasoned with contrasting flavored sauces.
Amuse Bouche
4) Chwan Mushi (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - A small ceramic bowl filled with a light egg custard and seasoned with some crab meat and shiitake mushroom.
Entree
5) Rib Eye Steak (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - Cooked perfectly medium rare, this was a hearty meal (12 oz. boneless.. It was flavorful and seasoned with a brandy peppercorn sauce, shiitake mushroom slices, and olive oil.
Side Dishes
6) Swiss chard (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - A lighter side with bold flavors and cooked to a crispy and crunchy texture along with red onions, garlic, white wine, and lemon. My favorite side dish.
7) Shrooms (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - A generous portion of assorted Asian and wild mushrooms. Pretty good, but liked Alexander's version a little more. Not enough "wow" factor.
8) Creamed Spinach - My personal bar for this is the HOPR (House of Prime Rib) version which is a bit more runny. Flavor is comparable.
9) Truffled Mac 'N Cheese - Think rich (three different cheeses) and filling as the Mac 'N Cheese was generously seasoned with truffle oil.
Dessert
10) Pistachio Cake (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - Shaped like a small muffin and served warm, this was a nice ending to a delicious meal.
Between courses, the kitchen also presented an icy refresher to cleanse the palate. Remembering the old days of Frisson, 5A5 did not nice job of rejuvenating this location. Make sure to check out their interesting restroom arrangement which often leaves the diner with a question mark on his or her face. Hope to be able to try their Wagyu steak on a future trip, but I better get a big tax refund before that'll happen.Listed in: Dressed to impress...
-
Review from Jeremy Z.
Alameda, CA
3/24/2012
Likes: My Girlfriend and I greatly enjoyed our choice of steak. My Filet Mignon was tender and juicy. The spinach and mushroom sides pretty tasty as well!
Service was very good, no trouble there.
Dislikes: If you are looking for a calm, semi quiet, romantic, or chill atmosphere. This place is not it. I couldn't hear anything my girlfriend was saying from across the small table.
When using the bathroom, I am still unsure of whether or not I was in the men's or women's.
The waiter took my valet ticket as we were finishing up our meal so we didn't have to wait for the car. We walked outside to find my car sitting there, window down, keys in the ignition and no valet worker in sight. We jumped in and drove off as though we stole the car. I was half tempted to park it around the corner and wait until the valet guy came back outside and then ask him for my car.... Just to see the look on their faces! haha.
Overall, cool place if you like loud and they have some interesting food choice. Be wary of how they treat your car... -
Review from James K.
3/1/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I took my fiancee here for an early Valentine's day dinner on a Saturday night.
First with the parking. It's insane but it's SF so don't even try to find street parking. Don't be cheap. Just pay for vallet and you'll stay sane.
Onto my dining experience. FIrst off, the decor is amazing. B/c it's a lounge, it's not your typical high end steakhouse feel. Depending on where you sit, you can actually see some of the staff in the back prepare some of your food. It's kind of cool.
It's very spacious and I was lucky enough to get a big table. I didn't venture to the bar but it looked pretty nice. Not huge but nice and elegant.
As far as the food goes, it was very good. I ordered the 10 oz filet minon. I'm more of a "NY steak" type guy but that steak had some Asian sauces on it and I didn't feel like being too adventurous with it so I opted for a more traditional cut of meat without the extra bells and whistles. My g/f ordered the prime rib.
My steak had a maple glaze encased at the bottom with some bacon bits on top, making for an exceptional meal. I felt like if the steak had just a little more salt, it would have been killer. Nonetheless, it was a very good cut of meat.
My fiancee had no qualms about her prime rib. I'm not the biggest prime rib guy but did have a taste and it was good.
As far as sides goes, it's family style so we ordered the mushrooms and I believe Kale (sorry, my memory is slightly hazy). The mushrooms were big and had a lot of flavor. The Kale was equally tasty.
This place gets 5 stars for service. Our waitress/server was Lelia (I hope I spelled that correctly). She was very professional and was very knowledgeable about the menu. She gave us her opinions on what she liked and my water was refilled multiple times by other staff members.
Oh before I forget. The chef sent us two complimentary items, which always rocks. One was a palate cleanser and the other was like a gelatinous miso soup. Sounds weird but it was good. We also got some bread as well (1/2 regular and the other half with bacon bits inside).
Overall, it was a great dining experience. I think the service puts this place right up there with great steak places. Now, some traditionalists might shake their head with their Asian Fusion influence but it's never a bad thing to be a little more open minded when eating new tasty cuisine. -
Review from Rebekah T.
San Francisco, CA
One of my favorite steakhouses in San Francisco, hands down. Sure there are a lot of places that make a great steak, but 5A5 stands out in the originality of the dishes, quality and style.
So every year I take on the Dine About Town and already knowing the quality, I made reservations for dinner and looked forward to it for days. Dine about town menus offer a three course meal for $34.95. You pick from 3 starters, 3 main and 2 desserts.
We wanted to try them all so we ordered the:
* Iceberg Salad with Russian Dressing, Bacon, Apple and Tomato http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Daikon Soup with Blue Crab Meat, Fuji Apple and Nori http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Rib Eye with Peppercorn Sauce and Shitake http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* New York Strip with Kalbi Marinade, Kim Chee amd Pickled Sprouts http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Pistachio Cake with Thai Tea, Coconut and Honey Tulie http://www.yelp.com/bi...
* Triple Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries, Irish Cream and Hazlenut http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The chef gave us an amuse bouche to start. An interesting miso crab flavored pudding. http://www.yelp.com/bi... The plates just kept coming out of the kitchen.
First up, starters I loved the chopped salad and the soup. Then we also ordered the Hamachi Shooters, which are a must. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
To drink, I had the Bulliet Bacon cocktail. Yes, you read that right. Really original, yet I would have preferred a brown sugar rim instead of salt. http://www.yelp.com/bi... We also ordered a Hitachino Red Rice Ale and Giant Sapporo. Beer is excellent with meat.
My steak, the star of the dinner was worth every bite. I kept thinking that this was perfect and probably the best steak I have had in awhile, the cut alone is worth more than the $35 three course meal.
Definitely one of the BEST Dine about Town menus I have had and one of the best dinners I have had in awhile. Besides the food, the company and atmosphere made it for one of the best night's out and I will always love 5A5 for that.Listed in: Classy Cocktails..., Dine About Town, My ROTD's
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/20/2010 ROTD 11/11/2010
Happy Birthday props to my home girl Alexandra! Thank goodness for this Ginger and her excellent… Read more »
-
-
Review from Sandy T.
San Leandro, CA
4/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
I got the filet cut of Wagyu. best steak of my life. melt in your mouth deliciousness. the steaks other people got didn't even come close. oh and truffle fries!
-
Review from Kevin S.
Dallas, TX
3/14/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Setting: Dinner with a friend, Thursday night at 745, had a reservation. Seated immediately.
The GOOD:
1. Atmosphere - Fun and trendy, especially for a steakhouse, without being ridiculously loud.
2. 1st Amouse Bouche - surprisingly good short rib with 3-cheese polenta. Great start to the meal
3. Lobster Tempura - 10/10, my favorite dish of the meal!
4. Maguro Shooter - quite good, eat with a fork, don't shoot it.
5. Bacon-wrapped Scallops - slightly chewy, but still good. Aoli was amazing.
6. Kaffir This (Cocktail) - great taste and good finish (vodka based)
7. The Service - extremely attentive waiter, very knowlegable, and called us a cab so it was waiting for us as we left the restaurant.
The OK:
1. Duo of Tuna Tataki - Both Escolar and Tuna were good cuts on their own, but I didn't care for the toppers or the salsa.
2. Truffle Fries - good, but nothing special. I've had better.
3. Hamachi Shooter - some people might actually love this, but I found it to have to much of a kick.
4. Bulleit and Bacon (cocktail) - decent, but ask for it without the salt rim. That was just too much and hurt the overall taste.
5. Dessert Menu - In fairness, we didn't have anything because we were full, but the choices seemed meh.
The BAD:
1. The 2nd Amouse Bouche - some sort of attempt at grapefruit drink, it was pretty awful tasting.
Overall a great meal that I'd recommend to others. NOTE: we did not try any of the main entrees. -
Review from k w.
San Francisco, CA
4/17/2012
We came hear for Dine About Town. I've been here once before when they first opened, and both times I wasn't too impressed. The food was average and the service was also average. The service was actually much better when they first opened. I think because they were eager to please back than. But, I don't see why they wouldn't do the same now.
The one thing that really shines was the decor of the place. But, that doesn't make up for the not to great meal.
